MYCHAEL JOHN THOMAS 1953-2021
It is with great shock and sadness that I share the sudden loss of Mychael John Thomas of the legendary and underrated 1970s rock band Felt. I was lucky enough to have had numerous email conversations with him over the past decade where he told me many fun stories and memories of his time with the band and his musical journey over the years. He was a humble and talented artist who was always willing to offer advice and words of encouragement to a musician like me who was just starting out on my musical path.
The origin of my story as a fan of his music is mundane compared to the true fans and friends who were actually there on the journey with him since the beginning, but the power of his music and the reach of the internet brought it into my ears nonetheless. If you’re a fan of guitar solos then Mychael will never let you down!
Way back in 2011 when I discovered his page on MySpace, I decided to send him a message. I had to let him know how important his music was to me and how godly his guitar solos were! But the depth of my appreciation for his music led me to believe that he was simply out of reach for a lowly fan like me, which made it all the more special when he replied back.
Relating to me how Felt was something he hadn’t thought about in many years, he said it was so great to go down memory lane with someone who cares about that album. A second album had been recorded but tragically stolen from the van of the music producer while they were inside the studio. The hope was that the tape would someday surface but that never happened, however it could theoretically still be out there somewhere!
About a year after our conversation he reformed the band with all the original remaining members and set out to record a follow up Felt album “Psychedelic Memoirs.” One day I received a copy in the mail and I couldn’t have been a happier fan having witnessed such a great band reuniting after decades! My hope was of course that I played a part in that happening. I sent him another message and this was his reply:
“I read your gracious comment on Myspace. Thank you for your affirmation. We all realized five minutes after we played together again that the magic was still there... after forty years!”
In another conversation I had to know what inspired the album cover for the first Felt record and he had this to say:
“It was a band effort and has great memories... Except the cover. Two guys came to the studio while we were recording and described the cover to us. They said 'We're gonna paint this girl with white tempera...' So we're thinking Playboy, a sexy chick... As you can see not sexy but more like a scary film!"
His journey continued long after that first album and in fact he never stopped making music, actually accelerating the process and recording over a dozen albums over the following decades. His passion for music was only paralleled by his devotion to faith and God which is a nice balance to the rock star paradigm. Many of his albums are devotional and religious with all the musical elements and guitar prowess of Felt.
There could be pages of reviews written about his work, but a highlight for me personally would be the 1979 album “Neon Dreams” featuring a handful of well produced tightly recorded and eviscerating guitar driven tracks. Another fun album cover story involves the green tube of neon woven around his legs and crisscrossing the ground. An impressive visual considering that the light was actually custom made by a friend of his who was a glass blower! He said it was a fun photo shoot yet he had to be incredibly careful not to break it while he moved. It is the sort of visual which not only captures the vibe of an era, but also the energy of the music.
His friends, family and fans will never forget the contributions Mychael made to the world of rock and roll, and his dedication to the craft will be forever immortalized in the world of music he created. I will always cherish the last words he said to me:
“You're the man! I expect you to carry on the tradition of ROCK yourself... Blessings!”
I’ll see what I can do Mychael! Rest in Peace my friend…
2021-09-25 BY SAM SCARPELLI