Died On This Date (January 11, 2010) Mick Green / ’60s British Guitar Slinger
themusicsover Michael “Mick” Green
February 22, 1944 – January 11, 2010
Mick Green was an English guitarist and songwriter who came to prominence as lead guitarist for Johnny Kidd & the Pirates during the ’60s. The band is considered one of the foundations of garage rock, with their “Shakin’ All Over” being a rock music staple which has been covered by the likes of the Guess Who and the Who. In 1964, Green left the group and resurfaced as a member of popular Mersey Beat/British Invasion band, Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas. In later years, he played guitar for the likes of Van Morrison, Paul McCartney, and Bryan Ferry. Mick Green was 65 when he passed away on January 11, 2010.
Johnny Kidd was the lead singer and songwriter for Johnny Kidd and the Pirates, a British band that was building momentum just before the Beatles broke, but soon became overshadowed by them. There sound was the blueprint from which garage rock was built. In 1960, the band released the Kidd-written “Shakin’ All Over” which shot to the top of the UK charts. The Guess Who had a hit in the US with it in 1965, and the Who’s 1970 live version from Live At Leeds ultimately became the recognizable version of it. Johnny Kidd was 30 years old when he was killed in a car accident on October 7, 1966.
