Author, musician, revolutionary, philosopher, loving husband, father and dear friend -- Tom Clark died on Saturday, February 13th, 2010. His wife, two daughters, and many friends mourn his absence.
Tom's 20 year career as a network engineer and author took him around the globe where he developed a large community of friends and professional colleagues.
Because there will not be a traditional funeral service, this blog will serve as an online memorial space, where those who knew and loved Tom can come together in comraderie.
We will be posting more of Tom's photos and stories of his life in the coming days, and invite you to share comments and anecdotes.
Little Tommy Clark on keyboards. Third from the left. 1964.
I have had the honor of trying to manage Tom for the last couple of years, although I have known him for years and we were friendly competitors in the past.
ReplyDeleteHe wrote the first book on Fibre Channel, teaching all of us about the technology that would keep us busy for over a decade. He was always ready to write, talk, and evangelize technology - and showed us all how to do it right - with professionalism and passion.
Tom we will miss you, your writing, your jokes, your sarcasm and our conversations most of all. Rest in peace my friend.
Ron
When Tom started at Vixel back in 1997 he was Tom #4, aka, T4 (T0=Lindsay, T2=Hammond-Doel, T3=Sweet, T4=Clark). He was always one with whom it was fun to banter, and he served as a true inpiration to manay - including me. Sitting and listening to him play piano after a long SNW was a delight to all.
ReplyDeleteYou will be - and already are - missed, Tom.
T2
Tom was a great friend and smoking buddy through many years at SNIA together. He would always be able to cut through to the heart of any issue that came before the leadership. He offered sage advice to anyone who listened.
ReplyDeleteI had the pleasure to interview Tom on FCoE when he had joined the SNIA Board a while back. The .mp3 file can be found here: podcast
We will miss Tom, and he will be remembered as a great guy.
Tom reached out to me in 1999 not because he was required to, or that MS impressed Vixel, but because he saw me struggling to explain iSCSI on campus. He was instrumental for me while CRDS figured out if iSCSI was cooperative or a threat - "FC and iSCSI live together" he said very matter-of-factly.
ReplyDeleteHonor to him, his family and the community that will find a way to get through. The FC / iSCSI communities have been recently impacted by loss, but it is the nature of the revolution. God bless, Mr. Clark, revolutionary.
In 1999 I was one of the only people I knew with a SAN (hubs really) and wanted to learn more. Went to a book store and found the ONLY fibre channel book available...in pink?
ReplyDeleteHowever it was at this point I fell in love with Tom's writing and starting following this wonderful person whenever I could.
It was many years later when another friend Ron came back to Brocade that I found my chance to actually WORK WITH TOM! I was very excited.
I have only one professional in my entire career that I look up to, respect, and strive desperately (and rather poorly) to be more like. And that is Tom Clark
Our loss is not measureable.
Have known and collaborated with Tom on different projects for many years!
ReplyDeleteTruly one of those great people that you wish you could meet more of just like him.
Sorry to hear of his passing as he will be missed.
Condolences and best wishes to his family!
Cheers gs
Greg Schulz
I was lucky enough to work with Tom for a couple of years at Vixel. He helped me and other "grasshoppers" learn fibre channel and never tired of answering my questions. He was an exceedingly straight forward insightful colleague, trusted advisor/friend and just a really cool guy.
ReplyDeleteTom, with the greatest respect - I will remember you well.
Karen C.
I had the great pleasure of working with and learning with Tom in the early years of networked storage, SANs, and the SNIA.
ReplyDeleteI will miss him as a colleague and the industry will miss his contributions. He leaves a strong professional legacy and a great number of colleagues and professional friends.
Karl D. Schubert
I never worked closely with Tom, but I respected the heck out of him as a person and an expert/author in our similar lines of work. He had a wonderful, understated sense of humor that could catch you off guard - especially if you expected him to be driven by selfish and corporate interests. Open-minded, fair and patient, we will miss him. I don't know if Tom fished, but I would have enjoyed fishing with him just the same - away from the industry and away from books and startups and all expectations. I am sad today to hear of his passing. May he rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know Tom very well. In my limited experience with him, he was impatient with undue process and procedure and favored just getting things done. My kind of guy!
ReplyDeleteGo in peace Tom, and may everything you were ever looking for find you.
Alan Y.
Leo Leger, SNIA Executive Director, on behalf of the SNIA Board of Directors, Technical Council, Staff, and many SNIA committee colleagues and friends, extends its profound condolences to Tom's family. We have lost a true industry luminary and contributor. We acknowledge his many contributions to the work of the SNIA.
ReplyDeletePlease see our In Memorium tribute on the SNIA Website home page at http://www.snia.org/home/ .
I had the pleasure of first working with Tom through the FCLC and FCA. He was always funny, intelligent, passionate, and just plain nice. It is sad to hear of his passing. He will be missed by the many people who have known him.
ReplyDeleteI knew Tom from the old Vixel days. He was a brilliant man and so very kind. We had a lot of fun and hard working times at the Tradeshows in Vegas. He loved to gamble and was often a winner. He also loved black pepper. Sometimes you could not see the food for all the pepper he sprinkled on his plate. This picture posted is so Tom - I will always remember his smiling face, the twinkle in his eyes and I have to note as well on his sarcasm which always made me laugh. My sympathy goes to Tom's family and friends. We will miss you my dear friend.
ReplyDeleteIt was my great pleasure to work with Tom on SNIA Board. Tom was always vocal and analytical guy during Board discussion. I was very impressed with his extensive knowledge of storage technology. We will miss you. Please rest in peace, Tom.
ReplyDeleteNorio Hasegawa
Tom made an impact on the Industry through his great books and participation in the SNIA. He will live on in his books and our chearished memories.
ReplyDeleteFrom this blog I have learned something new, that Tom and I shared a passion for photography. From viewing his photos I can see that Tom was very talented. I wish I had known about his talent in photography, I would have enjoyed talking with him about it and viewing his photos.
He will be missed greatly!
Arnold Jones
SNIA
Tom was both a gifted colleague and an honored friend. I could always rely on Tom for candor, humor, intellect, guidance, and friendship. I'm happy that Tom's family has this opportunity to see how much Tom was loved by the people he worked with. My condolences to all who are feeling this loss.
ReplyDeleteThanks to Tom some of us better understand our I's, P', and FC's. Tom has been a unique industry contributor and generous with his time and expertise.
ReplyDeleteI regard it as a great privlidge that I was able to work with and for Tom at the SNIA over many years. His keen sense of humor, his "rebel wit a cause" attitude, and his ability to get a point across in either a gentle manner or in no uncertain terms all made Tom a unique individual. My fondest memories were in those early years when Tom wanted to get "soviet workers caps" for all of the interop demo participants, I looked for those things for years and when I finally found them at $24 apiece Tom said with a sigh that it would have been nice but we would pass on this project. Recently we only got to chat once or twice a year but Tom was one of the good guys and I will miss him. Robin
ReplyDeleteMay his soul rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteTom was a rare soul. We worked together on PR at Nishan and became friends going through the start-up-and-down together. I always learned something talking with Tom on any subject from tech to music, film, art, gardening, family or politics. He was expert at many things, yet was always the same bright, funny, insightful and unassuming guy. And that was by phone--I met him just once and just wish I had heard him play piano.
ReplyDeleteMy deep sympathy to his family and friends at his passing. Tom we'll miss you, may your soul play on.
-Kaye
I had the very great honour of working along side Tom at Nishan Systems. As part of the UK team I was able to accompany him on numerous tours and shows across Europe.
ReplyDeleteTom had a great presence in the room, unassuming, humble, and yet he possessed such amazing knowledge and experience he could apply instant clarity to a situation without belittling the most ignorant of us there! Such a charming man, and fellow musician, who in the evenings would discuss over a bottle of merlot and maybe an after dinner smoke, how he was going to "retire and write novels in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains!"
Tom, one of the best! Sadly missed.
My sincere condolences go out to the family and friends. RIP.
Simply a great man, one of the best.
ReplyDeleteWhatever room Tom was in, he owned, without ever trying. No ego or selfish actions, just a genuine Human Being.
He was a man you always wanted to be around and he would always give you time. He never seemed rushed and would always help, listen or advise.
My thoughts are with his family at this difficult time.
You will be missed Tom. Sleep well.
This is being posted on behalf of Gert Brouwer (Brouwer Storage Consultancy: The Netherlands)
ReplyDeleteI met Tom when he still worked for McData. In 2004 and 2005.
I organised two seminars for them in the Netherlands were Tom was the keynote speaker.
He was a very good speaker and was able to fascinate to audience. Since that time I regulary consulted him.
Just reciently I contacted him to get his view about Cloud Computing for an article I was writing. As always Tom reacted very enthousiastic and his comments were a prove of his great experience. He also told me that he was doing okay and had nearly finished his next book.
To day I realize, being at nearly the same age, that our plans mean nothing in the universe.
Tom will be missed.
Condolences to his family !
Gert Brouwer
Brouwer Storage Consultancy
The Netherlands
I first met Tom when we acquired Nishan although his name and book were already well known. When I met him I knew he would be a friend and mentor. He would often come over to the UK and Europe to support us with customers, shows and the press. They all loved him and all the events he spoke out were sell-outs. I would often telephone him to discuss industry and company issues and he would quietly suggest we could not fight all the battles. He will be missed by everyone and thank you to his family for letting him travel so much to help us all. I cna be sure that he will looking down on us with his wry smile and trying still to guide us. Our thoughts are very much with his family at this time. A wonderful person and character. Nigel
ReplyDeleteTom,
ReplyDeleteThank you for always taking my calls, being "reasonably" patient with me, directing me to the "right person," and teaching me about iSCSI. I only wish that I had known you played guitar. What a shame. It would have been nice to pick a few tunes with you.
May your strings never be silent.
John
I only knew my Uncle Tom as a little boy and the last time I saw him was in 1977.. I knew him best through his collection of photos and other personal items he left behind at my grandparents home from his high school days... The amount of carefully documented research and astronomy photos he produced at that age always amazed me.. it seemed that he was destined for great things, and I see that he attained success.. rest your soul, Tom
ReplyDeleteI too had known Tom for many years and really enjoyed hanging out with him at the various conferences and chatting over a cup of coffee.
ReplyDeleteFor those memories I am grateful.
RIP Tom.
-Tom Ruwart
I just heard about Tom's death and I wanted to add my own statement to this blog. Boy, he will really be missed. I enjoyed every opportunity I had to talk with him at Storage conference and other events. His clearly written and insightful technical books inspired me in writing my book on Digital Storage in Consumer Electroncs. In fact Tom was one of my reviewers and helped and encouraged my work, even giving a quote for the cover and helping to have this approved on the SNIA reading list.
ReplyDeleteI am impressed with the photos and poetry he did, I was not aware of this aspect of the man. Truely he was a real gem and I feel honored to have had him in my life.
So long Tom and my sympathies to his family!
AS a reporter I met Tom Clarke a couple of times and used a book of his as a text reference source often. He was extremely knowlegable, patient and courteous, and considerate with me when I was betraying storage ignorance, and a pleasure to interview and be briefed by. The man was a gem, a gentleman, and I'll miss him.
ReplyDeleteHe had a good, a very, very good life, albeit not as long as he and his family might have hoped. That's a great pity.
Chris Mellor, The Register
From Kathleen Bermea-Sullivan:
ReplyDeleteI’ll always remember Tom as someone who smiled with his eyes. He was so smart, so charismatic and so amazingly unassuming. Tom and I worked on PR at McDATA . We travelled to 5 countries in Asia together and not only did we laugh so hard our sides hurt but during the many press events we had it was clear that Tom had that knack – he was held in such high regard, was so well-respected and people enjoyed learning from him.
You were a rare bird Tom Clark and you will be missed! God Bless!
Kathleen Bermea-Sullivan
I’m Tom’s first cousin Richard. His father (Willard) and my mother (Wilma) were brother and sister. I only knew Tom during our childhood. My brothers and I would camp out at the Clark house and compound during the summer months. One of my first stops if not the first was Tom’s Lab in the back of an old garage on the East lawn. Being a country boy who spent most of his non school time running up and down Spring River I was always amazed and fascinated at what Tom had going on in that lab. There were chemistry beakers, telescopes, photography, far too many projects for this country boy to take in at one visit. I lost track of Tom sometime in my last year of high school and during two years of college before enlisting in the Air Force. By the time I got back home (Baxter Springs, KS) we had gone different directions. I had heard he was very successful and I would have liked to have visited with him if our paths had crossed again.
ReplyDeleteFrom other comments it’s clear he was a very successful man and that he had inherited his fathers “easy going-everybody is welcome” attitude. A person everyone likes to be around as it was when we were kids.
Richard Wyczynski
Jay, OK
rwy@brightok.net
I knew Tom back in the 60s and 70s. It was a different Tom and a different time than many of the memories recorded here. Maybe not really such a different Tom, just a different direction at the time. I knew Tom, the revolutionary. Tom was my great teacher of Marxism-Leninsim. He brought me along out of my yippie-weather like revolutionary period (which landed me in prison by the way) to my more "mature" serious Marxist period. He knew his stuff and I learned an amazing amount from. Perhaps, the more important thing I learned was literally how to think, how to think dialectically. Perhaps, the least amazing was the goodness of coffee with ice cream in it. We had our disagreements and eventually a falling out in the late 70s. After that I only saw him one more time.
ReplyDeleteStill, I remember the study groups, the newspaper, the famous chart, the bookstore full of Chinese and Albanian literature and periodicals as well as books from International Publishers. I remember when we handled the the Great Chinese Archaeological Exhibit when it visited the Nelson-Atkins Museum in Kansas City (that was a little strange adventure). I remember the CWG and WLS. I remember the time he cut my hair way shorter than I wanted. I think he believed an M-L shouldn't look like a hippie. I remember when he drove me home from my prison stay in the federal pen in El Reno, Oklahoma...a happy day.
But you know, from the reading above I find that the Tom then in some ways never really changed. In a time of rock and roll Tom knew classical music and classical literature, too. Tom was even in those times, I think, a gentle man, with a kind disposition, a strange little chuckle, and a certain fierceness. When Tom studied Marx and Lenin, he really studied. I think Tom so wanted to find the right way forward, but alas it wasn't to be.
Although we did not depart as friends I hope he had a wonderful rest of his life and I am deeply saddened to hear of his death.
He was a fascinating man, a friend referred to him, in a kind way, as an anomaly. I think that's probably right.
Sorry, I forgot to sing my name. How like me.
ReplyDeleteI'm Randy Gould
I had the pleasure of working with Tom many years ago. I still have a signed copy of his book. Tom was an inspiration to everyone not only in the storage technology field but as a friend as well. Tom will be missed by a great many friends.
ReplyDelete-Matthew Brisse
I only knew Tom as an author and by reputation, but he helped and inspired me.
ReplyDeleteThe first paper I wrote as an analyst for Burton Group was on iSCSI...Tom's book made things so clear. He was a gifted writer and thought leader. I am better for having gained from his knowledge.
Go with God, Tom.
- Drue Reeves
My three brothers and I were first cousins with Tom and all of us loved being around him when we were kids. I personally grew up admiring him greatly. I too remember the lab he had out in the garage and the telescopes. They were fascinating. I also remember Tom and his sister Barb teaching us cousins how to dance to Mellow Yellow by Lovin Spoonful one year at Christmas. I remember his chuckle and an glad it lasted through the years.
ReplyDeleteDuring the late 60s, I was in my early teens and a hippie at heart. I often dreamed of running away when I finally turned 18 and hopefully making it to Lawrence, KS where Tom was a student at the time. I knew that life would be better if I could just live with my Cousin Tom. Alas, I turned 18 in 1972 and the hippie movement for the most part was over. I took a much different course in life which did not include seeing much of Tom. However, I did manage to keep in touch with Tom and Lou and Willa a few times throughout the subsequent decades. He was always the same. Mellow, kind, and someone whom I looked up to. I am very sorry he is gone. And very sorry that I did not see more of him through the years. Lou, please email me if possible. I would like very much to keep in touch. Cherylwasinski@hotmail.com
Cousin Cheryl
Tom was one of the first people I met in the storage industry. He was exceedingly helpful, always answering questions, and never once saying "Go read my book!".
ReplyDeleteTom, you will be missed. My thoughts and prayers to your family.
- Marty Foltyn
I always remember being in awe of Tom. He had this authoratitive presence, and I relied on that on many occasions when asking him to speak at events in Europe. Tom made an enormous contribution to the advancement of storage technology across the globe and in doing so made many friends along the way. I would like to think I was one of them. Rest in peace Tom.
ReplyDeletePaul Talbut
I remember Tom for being a great author and kind soul. I have worked with Tom for many years at McDATA and Brocade. I knew Tom before that from his writings and he influenced my writing as well. I adopted a similar writing style (with outlines at the end of each chapter) and often wrote about similar topics (mainly FC) as Tom. I always saw him being very kind and considerate. He always made time to talk about whatever was on my mind.
ReplyDeleteAfter McDATA acquired Nishan and got Tom in the process, I lead a book review of his IP SANs book and we learned a lot from it. After studying each chapter for a few months, Tom was gracious enough to come in and talk about the book to our group of 12 engineers.
I thought he'd be some flashy author and he just sat down in his peaceful manner and answered our questions - no matter how stupid they were. I think I asked why the cover photo was of a sleeping dog in front of a store. He said he liked the photo so he put it on the cover. That's how simple Tom was but I knew that there was a lot more to him than met the eye.
He was a true trailblazer in the industry and I've enjoyed many long conversations with him over the years. I always wanted to talk to him more and I guess I always will.
With great respect for the man,
Scott Kipp
skipp@brocade.com
I met Tom when he was at Vixel. Warm and generous with his time, he was always a pleasure to see.
ReplyDeleteSomehow it didn't surprise to learn of his radical past. Storage networks are radical too, in their way, and ushered in significant change in a conservative industry. As a sometime evangelist myself I saw the joy Tom took in his technical evangelism.
My condolences to his family. We've all lost a good man.
Robin Harris
StorageMojo
The recognition/appreciation of Tom as a creative genius; a kind, gentle and funny human being; a loving husband, father and grandfather; and a good, solid workmate, adviser and friend is both fitting and heart-wrenching given his death.
ReplyDeleteBut Tom was even more than all that. He was also a fierce foe of opportunism, that is to say, BULLSHIT, in all its forms, personal or political. For those of us who were lucky enough to know and do political work with Tom during the 1970s and 1980s, he was more than a friend. He was the best of comrades, whether we refused or simply failed to recognize it or not.
In tribute to his life, one brief passage taken from his master work written in 1983: The State and Counter Revolution: A Critical History of the Marxist Theory of the State.
"The modern state apparatus of both ordinary capitalist and state-capitalist socialist societies are so monolithic and intricate and so involved in the daily lives of their citizens that they make themselves seem essential for dealing with the complexities of contemporary industrial life. But modern living is complex only because it is done in a capitalist environment. If it were only a matter of producing and distributing life essentials, fulfilling the needs of the working population, and enforcing participation in labor, governmental functions would be reduced to simple accounting and control that could be performed by every literate worker. Work, the supreme requirement of a healthy existence, would then be rational, well-rounded and fulfilling.
Such simplicity is impossible under capitalism precisely because capitalism is predicated on social classes, class privileges, and a complex state apparatus to suppress class antagonisms. Bureaucrats breed bureaucracy, the military breeds more military, specialists breed further specialists, businessmen breed more business, intellectuals simply inbreed, and so on. The middle and upper classes perpetually reproduce themselves, their social power and their insatiable appetites, and so produce the fundamental irrationality of the system and its tendency towards automatic self-destruction.
When and if the mass of workers begin to understand this, it will no longer be the future workers' state that appears impossible, but the present-day capitalist state."
Rick Atkinson
I had the opportunity to work with Tom during his (and my) time with McDATA. Tom was special in all the best ways; he will be missed.
ReplyDelete- Steve Berman
How I miss my friend Tom! It's taken me a while to write a note here, because I'm still trying to wrap my head around this great loss. I have been back to this blog many, many times... I feel so drawn to the picture of Tom - it's almost like he's here in the room.
ReplyDeleteI grew to know Tom through our work with SNIA: co-chairing the Interop committee, working together on the board and with the tech center. We shared a lot! But Tom's influence on my life was so much greater than just SNIA...
I still have an email that he sent me entitled "letting go" that helped me through a tough time. He sent that message almost ten years ago and I still have it. I own a beautiful piano today - that I absolutely wouldn't have if it weren't for Tom's encouraging me to do what's important in life. And there is so much more this good man did for me... I loved hearing his stories about Kansas, about Haight-Ashbury, and about his family - I know he loved his family so much.
My heart goes out to all who loved him. I know God has a place for him. I miss you Tom - rest in peace, my friend.
Sheila
My name if Ramin Elahi. I came to know Tom back in 2002 when my boss @ HP told me to pick up Storage Courses [SAN] or else. Coming from LAN/WAN world I always found Storage, SCSI, etc. the most boring topics to deal with. However, when I was given Tom’s first book on SAN Design Guide I fell in love with the whole concept of SAN and FC technologies to the extend that I made a career change. It was back in 2007 that I put in place a Storage Curriculum for UC Santa Cruz Ext. I contacted Tom to see if he can appear as a guest lecturer in one the classes. At first, given his level of corp. standing and his expertise, I thought he would not give me a time of day. But, even on our first phone conversation I could not have expected a more humble and friendlier person. He offered his help and assistance immediately. Since then, term after term, Tom appeared in our classes to mentor & enlighten our students and more importantly excite them about the wonderful world of Data Storage. He was certainly a gentleman and a scholar, but to me Tom was a great friend and mentor that helped me to be successful in my new career.
ReplyDeleteTom, you'll be speaking to us in our future classes through your notes and books. We’ll miss you Tom.
Here’s how it went down: Back in the day, the postman delivered the mail twice a day. Yeah, really old-time stuff. First delivery was about 10. I was anticipating the event, in the everyday happening sort of way. They arrived, hand addressed, the postman said good morning with a chuckle, handed me the latest and I handed him my answer from yesterday afternoon’s post. Inside, torn open, read, my reply banged out on the old Underwood. (Must get a new ribbon, getting complaints, too dim). He was receiving a delivery about the same time, too. Mine to him, responding to his last post from yesterday. The 3 pm delivery was a carbon of the morning ritual. Everyone was on good terms and everyone knew the arrangement. If you speed that up considerably plus the mode of delivery you might call it IM. The post office was making a killing. Stamps were a nickel. Our correspondence began in ’62 and continued into the first part of ’67. The mid and later years escalated into airmail. Yes, exotic, expensive airmail. We had upped the anti to 12 cents a letter. You couldn’t convince us the extra expense wasn’t really speeding up the delivery between P-burg and Lawrence. I don’t think those letters ever left the ground or heard the twirl of a propeller. Tommy moved to NYC for a time (and with airmail, we WERE on the cutting edge of technological evolution), then back to Lawrence. When he returned to Kansas from New York, I drove all night to see him. (Ok, all nights a bit of an exaggeration, cause I didn’t leave till 3 a.m.) The continuous flow, unabated. We wrote and talked and fancied ourselves flux in the stream of consciousness. We had the fever. In high school, we would stop the car, jump out and dance wildly, the AM radio blaring Can’t Get No Satisfaction. About our sophomore year, I built a darkroom into one end of my bedroom, the enlarger begged and begged for Christmas. Tommy has ‘the lab’, built by Willard, in the back part of the garage. The Western Biological Laboratory was born. The WBL, where we hung out, smoked, brewed XL, talked deeply into the night and published the first writing. I hold it in my hands now:
ReplyDeletehaiku and unhaiku
by t. clark
The iris in bloom.
There! A butterfly writing
My thoughts on the wind.
Yes, there is such a thing as reincarnation;
We are reborn through the children we bear,
And the poems we write.
July 25, 1965
After the tumultuous 60s and into the dynamic 70’s, we drifted into our own little lives. I’m not sure where that box of letters
is these days. The love, the memories, his gift of knowledge he gave to me, are always deep within my heart, locked away by rusty tears.
J. Frump
4/10/10
Oh, hell yes, there’s more…a lot more……
oh...I forgot this pic of Tommy
ReplyDeletehttp://www.gargraph.com/Tommy
To the blog administrator--
ReplyDeleteI have only just heard about Tom passing away. I lived with Tom and Lou in the 70's in both Lawrence and Kansas City. I have about 20 pictures of Tom and Lou and Shannon, including several pictures from the day of Tom and Lou's wedding in Lawrence Kansas. I returned to Canada, and have not had contact with them for about 30 years. I would like to send the pictures to Lou, as I'm sure she would love to have them. Please let me know if you are in touch with Lou. Thank you, VT
My wife and I have been priviliged to live next door to Tom and Lou for several years. Each time I walk out to get the mail I remember all the great conversations I had with Tom I miss hearing the guitar and piano music coming from their house. It took me a long time to figure out it was real and not a recording. I miss the darn smells coming from his BBQ but most of all we just miss Tom!
ReplyDeleteTom & I grew up together in he same small town in SE Kansas. We both loved music & played in several garage bands together. I'm the guy in the band picture shown at the top of this message list, last on the right, c. 1964, with that '65 sunburst stratocaster. Gosh, I wish I still had that guitar. Tom could play blues riffs on the piano at age 14 just by listening to old LP's recorded by Thelonius Monk & other great jazz players. In '68 the band I was in at the time decided to go to Baltimore to try our luck. Tom wasn't playing with the band but tagged along because he wanted to get to New York as cheaply as he could. One night in Baltimore some punks broke into our band trailer, but the only thing they could steal before being seen was Tom's camera. He said I'm going on up to NY & left. I think he lived there about a year or so. I saw him next back in Lawrence KS about 1974, a few years after I got out of law school. Never saw him again, even though we briefly emailed one another around 1999 when he was with Vixel. I'm not sure when he got into computer programing (must have been sometime after the early 70's) but it apparently produced wonderful things for him. He was always good at math so it wasn't suprising. I also think it helped him mellow a bit after the emotionalism produced during the anti-war years. Tom & I were good friends. I think about him every day, & probably always will.
ReplyDelete