Dan Sicko

I was saddened by the news that author Dan Sicko was suffering from ocular melanoma when it was reported by Beatport two days ago. The story came with a link to an appeal to assist with hospice care given how advanced his condition was. I had already planned to post that link here - just in case it would help contribute anything towards raising additional funds - but then I heard yesterday that the 42 year-old writer of the definitive Techno Rebels book had passed away.

Dan Sicko's condition had already been outlined by his brother Matt at http://mattsicko.blogspot.com/ and it is still possible to make a donation to help his family at http://www.gofundme.com/DanSicko. The money that had been specified for care staff will now be directed towards an education fund for his daughter.

I didn't know Dan Sicko personally. I sent him an email a while ago to pick his brains for my own research work as Techno Rebels had inspired elements of the project I'm involved in. If you haven't read it, by the way, and you have more than a passing interest in electronic music, buy a copy (Amazon link). What I particularly found interesting was how he considered the visual material that existed within the genre rather than simply writing it all off as 'anonymous'. This understanding and interest may have been linked to his job at Detroit creative agency Organic, Inc. In any case, it's a lovingly created account of the development of a form of music that Sicko truly championed and - a fine legacy - I'm sure many will be revisiting his writing for years to come.

Further links:

Journalist Shared Detroit's Techno Music With World
Loss of a Techno Rebel: Why Dan Sicko Will Be Sorely Missed
RIP Dan Sicko
RIP Dan Sicko: A True Techno Rebel