Au Revoir MT Head

by Scott Hall

Mark Tarner and I met as volunteers at KAXE some time in the 1980s, but I never got to know Mark until we came on staff at about the same time in 1987.  What I will remember best is our conversations about music, movies, arts and an array of topics that fall under the broad themes of  "the decline of the American empire" and "Wall Street Voo Doo".

Over the last 16 years Mark has defined and refined KAXE's music sound. The music that earns Mark's respect has a mix of originality and good genes - roots, influences, arrangements and phrases that say a musician knows his or her chops and those that came before.  Over the years, I have occasionally urged Mark to write a few words in this blog spot about music, and never understood his reluctance to do so.  He is not a Luddite, but certainly follows his own muse when it comes to new media and technology.  

Mark loves solitude and time to read, explore the arts, and contemplate; and I'm a little worried  he's going to quickly fade into the woods and not come out for a while.  So next time you run into him, ask him "what's new?", and then call Phenology to report a rare sighting.