It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Mick 'The Mick' Owen, who left us during Saturday afternoon, 8^th March 2003. 

Our thoughts and deepest sympathy are with Mick's wife Barbara and family and to Bob and the band and the many people who knew and worked with him.    

Mick will be greatly missed.

"THE MICK"

Getting on the coach mid-winter to start another tour was the same euck feeling as going back to school. Nobody was ever really up for it.
"THE MICK"( must be capital letters) as tour manager had a "Special Magic" to get everyone vibed up. In fact he kept the band floating in more ways than one. He was 'Mother' to a bunch of so called would-be grown ups. He always had the knack to get us that little extra for Christmas. That "Special Magic" sometimes meant magician, like anyone's mother I don't know how he did it.

"THE MICK" RIP. Thank you most dearly for happy times.

johnnie 

A PERSONAL TRIBUTE TO THE MICK from someone in his band:

Daze later, amidst the wildly beautiful tranquillity of the Western Highlands, and still trying to get to grips with losing Mick so suddenly, so unexpectedly.

Yes, we all knew he'd been battling cancer for some years, and had already defied the odds several times over by virtue of his incredible strength of purpose.

It was his very strength that makes it so difficult to absorb his loss. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but it always seemed to me that if there were people around strong enough to overcome such a serious condition, Mick would be their manager! What an achiever. As he got on with his life and the work he loved so much, it was like he shrugged off the effects of his disease with dignity and humour, as if to say, look, I'm sorry, you'll have to fooking wait a bit - I've got phone calls and allsorts to do!

Mick's loyalty and dedication to BG and the band is legendary. (There's no doubt in my mind that he would have stopped a bullet for Bob without a second thought.) His greatest satisfaction would be to witness his motley collection of musos pull off a stormer at any of the hundreds of gigs, great and small, which he so meticulously organised for us.

This much I know: So long as this band, of which he was such an invaluable member, continues to rock out, any and every gig we do from now will be in some way a tribute to the Mick - there won't be a single one of us on that stage who doesn't at some point have their own little Mick Moment or three, and in this sense he'll be with us for a very long time to come.

And I guess, wherever he is now, while the music keeps playing and the audiences keep clapping, he'll be quite chuffed too.

My thoughts (such as they are) go out to Barbara and the rest of his family and many friends at this difficult time.

I miss you enormously, Mick. Your caring nature and tinder-dry wit will stay with me. Lots of love.

P.S... Mourning my friend throws up so many thoughts... To anyone reading this who gives a damn, let me say that it seems both proper and healthy to be aware that we live in potentially dangerous times, particularly in respect of the scourge of cancer. For some reason these lines by Goethe keep popping up:

"Whatever you can do, or dream you can, Do It.
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it" 

Bob received a Lifetime Achievement Award, Monday 3 March 2003 at the Meteor Ireland Music Awards, which took place at the Point Theatre, Dublin More than 20,000 people had voted for their favourite stars.

We all know why; The Irish musician was responsible for organising 1985's Live Aid benefit concert for Ethiopia for which he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. 

Bob received the award with thanks and then made a very moving speech and proceeded to present the award to Mick 'The Mick' Owen, who had been Bob's friend, manager and business colleague from the very beginning.

Mick sadly passed away at 1 am on Saturday 8^th March, 2003 after a long illness. No one knew when Mick's time would come, but what a lovely tribute for him to receive this award from the person he cared so much for. 

From our point of view, Mick Owen was a very special person. Ian had known Mick for many years, since the very early days of the Boomtown Rats, in fact Ian was just a kid, Tina had not known Mick for so long, only 12 years, but over the past few years in particular Mick had also become a major influence on her. 

Mick Owen did not suffer fools gladly, he was tough, and a rock 'n' roll manager of the old school. You have to be in that sort of a job, but behind the professional approach to the business of looking after No. 1 and the band, Mick Owen was a fine gentle man with a very caring nature who treated everyone with the respect they deserved. To us, who worked closely with Mick, we can now safely say his bark was worse than his bite! 

Our function at bobgeldof.info is to keep you all informed of Bob's activities, but Mick ensured that we are as an important part of the team as the 'sir's' and 'saints'.   

We are privileged to have known Mick, and he has left a big hole to fill. But even now, after this very short period since he died, we can remember his grit, stabbing humour and professionalism. Thank you Mick for allowing us into your life in a small way, we will miss you, and never forget you.