Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always thought the coolest rock ’n’ roll name was Mick. I didn’t personally know anyone with that as a first name until I was an adult — Mick Armitage, something of a local legend in Eastern Ontario. He was, of course, a musician. Quite the drummer, too.
I grew up with a family of Micks — the sons of my elementary school principal, Winston Mick. And, there was the hamlet of Micksburg up the road from my hometown. But, no first-name Micks that I can recall.
It’s short for Michael, of course, but is also a derogatory term for the Irish, or slang for teasing or taunting someone. As I understand it, it’s Cockney rhyming slang — taking the Mickey Bliss = Taking the piss.
In the case of rock stars, it’s almost always the affectionate, short-term for Michael. And, seemingly, the drummer. Let us examine, shall we?
Mick Jagger | Michael Philip Jagger, lead vocalist of The Rolling Stones
Mick Fleetwood | Michael John Kells Fleetwood, drummer of Fleetwood Mac
Mick Rock | Michael David Rock, famous rock photographer
Mick Taylor | Michael Kevin Taylor, guitarist of The Rolling Stones and Bluesbreakers
Mick Ronson | Michael Ronson, guitarist for David Bowie, Mott The Hoople, Ian Hunter
Mick Avory | Michael Charles Avery, drummer of The Kinks
Mick Mars | Robert Alan Deal, guitarist of Mötley Crüe
Mick Harvey | Michael John Harvey, guitarist / vocalist / composer with Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
Mick Abrahams | Michael Timothy Abrahams, lead guitarist of Jethro Tull
Mick Jones | Michael Leslie Jones, lead guitarist of Foreigner
< Mick Jones | Michael Geoffrey Jones, guitarist/vocalist of The Clash, General Public and Big Audio Dynamite
Mick Thomson | Michael Gordon Thomson, guitarist of Slipknot
Mick Hucknall | Michael James Hucknall, lead vocalist of Simply Red
Mick Gordon | Michael John Gordon, Australian video game music composer
Mick Box | Michael Frederick Box, guitarist of Uriah Heep
Mick Ralphs | Michael Jeffrey Ralphs, guitarist and vocalist with Mott The Hoople, Bad Company
“Wild” Mick Brown | Michael J. Brown, drummer for Dokken
Mick Tucker | Michael Thomas Tucker, drummer for The Sweet
Mick Woodmansey | Michael “Woody” Woodmansey, drummer for David Bowie
Mick Glossup | Michael Glossup, record producer for Van Morrison, Frank Zappa, Queen, Mott The Hoople and many more
Mick Harris | Michael John Harris, drummer for Napalm Death
Mick Farren | Michael Anthony Farren, counterculture figure / journalist / vocalist / lyricist
Mick Pointer | Michael Pointer, drummer for Marillion
Mick Fincher | Michael Fincher, drummer for Kevin Ayers, Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera
Mick Cooke | Michael John Cooke, multi-instrumentalist often associated with Belle & Sebastian
Mick Slattery | Michael Daniel Slattery, original guitarist of Hawkwind
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Area Resident is an Ottawa-based journalist, recording artist, music collector and re-seller. Hear (and buy) his music on Bandcamp, email him HERE, follow him on Instagram and check him out on Discogs.
