Summer 2008

jurassictone    News    

MICHAEL ANTHONY STEPHENSON 

Mike Stephenson

It is with unspeakable sadness that we report the sudden and unexpected death of Mike Stephenson, one of Jurassic Rock’s founder members.  Mike was Tony’s brother-in-law and when the Band decided to organise properly with a regular line-up, Mike was invited to join as the drummer.

Mike had no formal training, but he was a naturally talented and brilliant drummer.  He “felt” each song and knew instinctively how and what to play, which was inspiring for those of us that played with him.  Furthermore, his sense of humour, ready smile and infectious laugh made him superb company and popular wherever he went.

In addition to his film star looks, Mike was highly intelligent, attended grammar school and achieved a university degree.  His business career was meteoric and, as a high flyer, he was repeatedly headhunted by major companies.  However, although Mike took his work seriously, it was his wife, Tracey, and their three daughters (Lauren 13, Deanna 11 and Antonia 6) who were most important in his life.  This manifested itself in not only the time and attention he lavished on them, but the extent to which he became involved with their schools (a governor) and the local community (a parish councillor and treasurer of Suffolk Crime Stoppers Board).

Mike – Garden Party 2008

Mike left Jurassic Rock in 2000 because he was studying and this, together with the demands of his job and the wish to spend time with his family, meant he could not devote to rehearsals the time required to achieve the standard he demanded of himself.  However, in recent months he and Tony (together with bass player, Yeti) had formed the blues/rock trio Valhalla.  They had been rehearsing for a few months and played their first couple of gigs in the weeks before Mike’s premature death.

The loss of Mike is devastating to all those who knew him not only because of the hole he has left in our lives, but because it was so unexpected, cruelly timed and unfair.

It was unexpected because, although he had put on some weight recently, Mike was a keen golfer and such an energetic, relentlessly hard-hitting drummer who never got breathless, no one could have guessed he would suffer a fatal heart attack.

It was cruelly timed because Mike died two days before he was due to give away the daughter from his first marriage.

It was unfair because at 49 he was too young, because he leaves behind a young family and because he was such a good person who had his priorities right and lived life as it should be lived.  Mike would be the first to admit that he was not perfect.  It was no contest when choosing between mowing the lawn or a round of golf and a planned barbecue would invariably end with Tracey cooking the meal in the oven as Mike was too busy socialising to light the barby, but in all the important issues his priorities were right.

Mike – Garden Party 2008

Whenever anyone dies, we hear how good they were.  So much so that we might wonder what happens to all the unpleasant people we meet or take the view that each obituary writer is issued with a pair of rose-coloured spectacles.  On this occasion, with perfect vision and without the need for tinted glasses, we can honestly say that amongst all the imposters, Mike Stephenson was the genuine article.

Without Mike, life will be difficult, but Tracey is a strong character and with the help of her own close-knit family and Mike’s family (with whom she is also close), she will pick herself up, continue to make a success of her life and bring up their children in the way Mike would have wanted.  Mike will be proud of her, but not surprised at her ability to cope and her success will be a fitting legacy.  Furthermore, Lauren intends to continue the family tradition by becoming a drummer, just like her dad.  She started some months ago and Mike spoke with pride of her ability, so we are sure she will achieve this ambition.

Mike will never be replaced.  His eldest daughter refused to allow anyone else to take his place at her wedding and she walked down the aisle on her own.  Tony and Yeti will carry on playing, but, without Mike, the new band will have a different personality and cannot continue as Valhalla.  A fitting tribute would be to call the new band MSB (Mike Stephenson Band).  In this small way, his memory will live on in a sphere he loved and we can continue to honour a fine man who touched us all so deeply.

Goodbye, Mike, and thank you for all you have given us.