Morrissey Central "MIKE HINC, RIP" (January 9, 2023)

"Mike was the Smiths live booking agent … very funny and very irreverent in the spirit of the Blenheim Crescent age. He was also very intelligent whilst being next to incomprehensible … which was perfect for the exciting psychic disorder of Rough Trade. Along with Geoff Travis, Scott Piering, Jo Slee, Martha DeFoe, Richard Boon and Pat Bellis, he worked very hard for the Smiths from the very beginning, and his cramped All Trade hut within the record label was a hideaway sanctum of busy blackboards and choking cigarette smoke. He was much admired by John Peel and John Walters, and this certainly helped the Smiths to move quickly. I was thankful then, and I'm thankful now."
Morrissey.

MIKE HINC, RIP - MESSAGES FROM MORRISSEY - MORRISSEY CENTRAL - MIKE HINC, RIP

MESSAGES FROM MORRISSEY on MORRISSEY CENTRAL

www.morrisseycentral.com

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Autobiography:

"Live booking agent was Mike Hinc, operating All Trade Booking, and he dug in deeply on behalf of the Smiths to frame a careful rise.
‘You are one of the hottest tickets in London,’ he explains to all four of us, adding, in quieter tone, ‘for now ...’, a mumble I would never allow him to forget as the years passed with no sign of a popularity dip."

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The image used is sourced from Mike's old art site:

Mike Hinc in French

FWD.

 

[bored]

It's interesting how he mentioned basically the entire staff at Rough Trade. He complains a lot about labels and media and everything else. It's almost surreal to see him express such genuine appreciation for people who helped him. That's a nice side of Morrissey we haven't seen in a long time.

 

[Johan de Witt]

And twice a Smiths-mention on Central on two consecutive days.
We haven't seen that in a long time either.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

I don't know, but I'd say that if he presents himself as a dick 99% of the time, that's probably how he wants to be seen or is at least okay with it. I don't know why that is, but I feel no desire or obligation to puzzle it out. I mean, there probably are other softer sides to him, but it's not my job to give him the benefit of the doubt that underneath it all he's really quite lovely when he can't even show up for his own concerts, which is all anyone really asks of him.

Yeah, I could understand that point of view. I’ve been in that position of being a fan cancelled on. But unlike other relationships where I’m the consumer, I’ve never treated him, or my friends, like a service, where if he or they don’t deliver a product, or fulfill a certain expectation, that I need or feel the desire to write in a costumer review rating my dissatisfaction/complain. I understand why others do it here, they call it ‘venting’ and I guess to an extent that’s healthy, but that’s just not my style.

 

[Anonymous]

It's interesting how he mentioned basically the entire staff at Rough Trade. He complains a lot about labels and media and everything else. It's almost surreal to see him express such genuine appreciation for people who helped him. That's a nice side of Morrissey we haven't seen in a long time.

I think he’s finally learned to appreciate the hard work they put in for the Smiths. Especially since he no longer has that kind of support.

 

[ACTON]

Nice post from Moz.

 

[ACTON]

Mike introduces his art in this video and it mentions his working with Morrissey and The Smiths.

Gratuitous gibberish gobbledegook foreign fekin french frogspawn farting along in the background...I feel sick now.

 

[j*e*t]

Gratuitous gibberish gobbledegook foreign fekin french frogspawn farting along in the background...I feel sick now.

I couldn't really make it out but it could be a mix of the French of his adopted country and the (presumably) Polish of his father's heritage.

 

[goinghome]

I don't know, but I'd say that if he presents himself as a dick 99% of the time,

says Ms Perfect, lover of a celebrity's nether limbs

Btw, has anyone seen a death notice for Mike Hinc other than this? Surely his former work would earn him a few press mentions? That's how it used to work anyway. Right? His art is a playful discovery with serious messages. RIP.

Btw no. 2. Info about Blenheim Crescent from a resident:

Blenheim Crescent is one of Notting Hill's / Holland Park's glorious Victorian crescents built around , and over what was originally a large and infamous horse race track. The area shares an illustrious past of up and down fortunes, changing almost every decade. It's gentrified grand residential houses coexist harmoniously with jovial communal estates and its diverse residents, who collectively are the owners and forebears of the world famous Notting Hill Carnival. Quiet residential areas to the West side give up to lively commerce to the East end. Here one can find the famous bookshop, star of the romantic comedy film Notting Hill,
the lovely Books for Cooks shop, ( C. D-W ; RIP), the tiny and very original Spice Shop, a plethora of excellent restaurants and old timer
Mikes Cafe ,still serving the local community after some five decades , all culminating in the famous stretch of vegetable and antiques markets that is the local pride and joy, the world famous Portobello Road.

- https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attr...Reviews-Blenheim_Crescent-London_England.html

 

[Paul Andrews]

I met Mike at a gig at the Brixton Academy. I cheekily asked him to add me to the guest list for The Smiths date - about a month later - in Northampton. He said he would. And he did. Top fella' in my book.

 

[nicky wire's legs]

Yeah, I could understand that point of view. I’ve been in that position of being a fan cancelled on. But unlike other relationships where I’m the consumer, I’ve never treated him, or my friends, like a service, where if he or they don’t deliver a product, or fulfill a certain expectation, that I need or feel the desire to write in a costumer review rating my dissatisfaction/complain. I understand why others do it here, they call it ‘venting’ and I guess to an extent that’s healthy, but that’s just not my style.

well if you call expecting him to show up to a concert, for which many people have gone to great expense and possibly inconvenience to attend and which HE initiated, treating him "like a service", what do you call the way he treats his fans, who have gone to great expense and possibly inconvenience to attend a contest that HE initiated, by cancelling on them???

im not venting, he cancelled on me and i didnt much care, but i do care about his other fans, and i just dont understand why he doesnt. why cant he extend the thoughtfulness to his fans that you seem to think we should extend to him? are we just supposed to take it for granted that he isnt capable of it??

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

well if you call expecting him to show up to a concert, for which many people have gone to great expense and possibly inconvenience to attend and which HE initiated, treating him "like a service",
what do you call the way he treats his fans, who have gone to great expense and possibly inconvenience to attend a contest that HE initiated, by cancelling on them???

Don’t know. But we do know that fans/people attending his shows go for different reasons, and they don’t all react in the same way to the cancellations.

And what came first, the concert or the fan?
I don’t think he would initiate a concert if the desire of the attendee wasn’t there first. Which is probably the best way to get a message to him rather than venting into the void on solo.

im not venting, he cancelled on me and i didnt much care, but i do care about his other fans, and i just dont understand why he doesnt. why cant he extend the thoughtfulness to his fans that you seem to think we should extend to him? are we just supposed to take it for granted that he isnt capable of it??

Speaking of venting, that wasn’t directed at you. I was speaking more in regards to how the topic of his cancellations are discussed on here. Sorry if you took it that way.

The same could be asked … why can’t you
(and others?) extend to him the same thoughtfulness you extend to his fans? Yeah, I know, the nerve of me posing such a question! Of course you and others will call him names and say he doesn’t deserve it (especially when he doesn’t give an apology on Central, etc). One can see how that’s the easier and more obvious route to take (i.e., that complaint) and a lot of fans will take, but definitely not a route all of his fans will take.
I’m just saying, try to be open to the possibility that he may actually have a good reason for not doing a show or shows, and that fans should think twice with the choices they make in regards to attending shows of this particular artist, that’s all.

 

[nicky wire's legs]

And what came first, the concert or the fan?
I don’t think he would initiate a concert if the desire of the attendee wasn’t there first.

And for that matter, I don't think he'd have millions of dollars to sit on his wrinkled old ass in luxury hotels, shirking his duties, if his fans weren't there in the first place.

As for the rest of your post, I maintain that I have no obligation to continually give him the benefit of the doubt when he doesn't seem to give a shit about how anyone perceives him. People who are genuinely nice people usually take care not to come off as complete assholes. If you have to put a lot of work and imaginative philosophy into seeing someone as nice and caring--they're probably not nice and caring.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

And for that matter, I don't think he'd have millions of dollars to sit on his wrinkled old ass in luxury hotels, shirking his duties, if his fans weren't there in the first place.

that’s stating the obvious, but it’s fun for some to have any reason to have a go at him.

As for the rest of your post, I maintain that I have no obligation to continually give him the benefit of the doubt when he doesn't seem to give a shit about how anyone perceives him. People who are genuinely nice people usually take care not to come off as complete assholes.

That’s good! sincerely.

If you have to put a lot of work and imaginative philosophy into seeing someone as nice and caring--they're probably not nice and caring.

Good, because that’s not what I’m doing. Where did I say I see him or that anyone should see him as ‘nice and caring’?

And if nice and caring are the important qualities that you look for in your choice of artist, then obviously you might want to look elsewhere, maybe to someone a little less troubled.

 

[nicky wire's legs]

I

that’s stating the obvious, but it’s fun for some to have any reason to have a go at him.


That’s good! sincerely.


Good, because that’s not what I’m doing. Where did I say I see him or that anyone should see him as ‘nice and caring’?

And if nice and caring are the important qualities that you look for in your choice of artist, then obviously you might want to look elsewhere, maybe to someone a little less troubled.

I never said that I had a problem with him being an asshole, just that he's an asshole. Nor am I having a go at him or venting. I think you mistake those things for a genuine inability to wrap one's head around what seems to be an ungenerous and ugly mentality, all the more baffling because it is so damn unnecessary and unjustified by anything in his life.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

And for that matter, I don't think he'd have millions of dollars to sit on his wrinkled old ass in luxury hotels, shirking his duties, if his fans weren't there in the first place.

sorry, but I call that having an unnecessary go at him.

I

I never said that I had a problem with him being an asshole, just that he's an asshole. Nor am I having a go at him or venting.

Again, I never said you were venting, so I don’t know why you keep accusing me of it.

I think you mistake those things for a genuine inability to wrap one's head around what seems to be an ungenerous and ugly mentality, all the more baffling because it is so damn unnecessary and unjustified by anything in his life.

I’ve criticized his behavior before. I simply don’t do it so much just to get thumbs up ratings and be recognized for it by the mentally ill on here, I mean that in a loving way of course.

‘baffling’ ? Yes, I did speculate that he may be ‘troubled’ in my last post to you.

 

[Famous when dead]

See also (re: funeral):
Post in thread '"MORRISSEY DOING NOTHING 12 JANUARY 2024, PARIS" (January 14, 2024)' https://www.morrissey-solo.com/thre...-paris-january-14-2024.151901/post-1987570156

 

[Old Bones Groan]

In 2001's Best of Morrissey sleeve notes, Morrissey thanks Mike Hinc at Hinc Inc Was he still working for him post Smiths?

 

[Famous when dead]

In 2001's Best of Morrissey sleeve notes, Morrissey thanks Mike Hinc at Hinc Inc Was he still working for him post Smiths?

Yes, "booking".
My Early Burglary Years
YATQ.
Probably others.
FWD.

 

[goinghome]

Pleased to find this dignified write-up about Mike Hinc RIP by IQ, with knowledgeable and nice things to say about him and Morrissey.

FORMER SMITHS AGENT MIKE HINC DIES AGED 70​

Hinc worked with a client roster also including acts such as Morrissey, Primal Scream, The Birthday Party and The Sisters of Mercy
By Gordon Masson on 17 Jan 2024

Mike Hinc

Former agent Mike Hinc, whose client roster included the likes of The Smiths, Morrissey, Primal Scream, The Birthday Party, and The Sisters of Mercy, has died at home in France. He was 70.

Fiercely proud of his father’s Polish ancestry, Hinc studied Sociology and English literature at Bedford College, University of London, before finding himself a job at the Roundhouse as head of security. He next moved to the Institute of Contemporary Arts, where he launched the legendary ICA Rock Week programme.

In 1981, he joined Rough Trade Agency, which under his leadership evolved into All Trade Booking a few years later. He subsequently went on to co-head Cloud Music Agency with Richard Cowley.

Always interested in art, Hinc studied for his MA degree at Hertfordshire University, where he also lectured on the music industry. Upon his retirement as an agent, he became an accomplished artist and split his time between Ware in Hertfordshire, England, and France, where, in 2003, he relocated to the city of Carcassonne, where he also cared for his ailing mother until her death a year ago.

Despite enjoying a successful new career as an artist, Hinc also continued to represent The Sisters of Mercy as their agent.
“MIKE WAS GRIZZLY, CURMUDGEONLY, BUT MOST OF ALL CUDDLY”
“Mike was grizzly, curmudgeonly, but most of all cuddly,” says long time friend Eric Longley, former MD of Factory Records. “He was always a gentleman and when Morrissey’s new management advised a change of agents, his response summed him up: ‘If that’s what Morrissey wants, that’s what he should have.’ To be fair, Morrissey was equally gentlemanly and both acted very professionally toward each other.”

Upon learning of Hinc’s death, Morrissey wrote, “Mike was The Smiths live booking agent… very funny and very irreverent in the spirit of the Blenheim Crescent age. He was also very intelligent whilst being next to incomprehensible… which was perfect for the exciting psychic disorder of Rough Trade.

“Along with Geoff Travis, Scott Piering, Jo Slee, Martha DeFor, Richard Boon and Pat Bellis, he worked very hard for the Smiths from the very beginning, and his cramped All Trade hut within the record label was a hideaway sanctum of busy blackboards and choking cigarette smoke. He was much admired by John Peel and John Walters, and this certainly helped the Smiths to move quickly. I was thankful then, and I’m thankful now.”

Hinc is survived by his brother David, and half sister, Anna.

Former Smiths agent Mike Hinc dies aged 70 | IQ Magazine

Hinc worked with a client roster also including acts such as Morrissey, Primal Scream, The Birthday Party and The Sisters of Mercy

www.iq-mag.net

 

[goinghome]

Another nice little memorial note for Mike Hinc
https://celebrityaccess.com/2024/01/17/former-booking-agent-mike-hinc-dead-at-70/