Roger Thorne

[stevetrom]

Just heard that Roger Thorne has passed away. Very sad news.

 

[PeterBale]

Very sorry to hear of the passing of Roger Thorne, a former moderator on theMouthPiece and very active in our early days. Although we only met on a couple of occasions we shared many discussions together, and I enjoyed playing a couple of his fine arrangements.

 

[Pauli Walnuts]

As Peter said, Roger was a key member here in the early days and we enjoyed many conversation until he withdrew from tMp. Very sad to hear this and my condolences to his family.

 

[DaveR]

That's really sad - he wasn't very old at all.

 

[Keppler]

Very sorry to hear of the passing of Roger Thorne. I'd fallen out of touch over the last while, but I will remember his goodwill and hard work toward this community, as well as his love of a good (or bad) pun. Only met him a couple of times, but his generosity and hospitality were obvious and to the fore.

Thoughts are with his family & friends, as well as his colleagues at WJB.

Kepps

 

[geordiecolin]

I was saddened to hear of this news. I didn't know Roger well, although I always enjoyed his contributions to TMP in its early years, and when I did eventually meet him in person, he turned out to be at thoroughly lovely man, as I expected he would be.

He was a fine composer & arranger, and his dedication to Wem spoke for itself. In terms of TMP, as well as being a popular moderator, he was also crucial in organising some of the 'meet ups' that for me, made those early years so special. Events such as the TV Quiz Appearance, Whit Friday, Children in Need in Birmingham, and the Pontins Band, all I think involved his input.

A man who will be sadly missed by many.

 

[MoominDave]

Very sorry to hear this. There was a time, a happy time early in the site's history, when tMP seemed to mostly consist of members of Wem band, with Roger to the fore. RIP Roger.

 

[KMJ Recordings]

Very sad news...I met Roger and then his band during a recording that came through these pages...they were happy days...RIP Roger, and condolences to his family and friends.

 

[second_horn]

I play for Wem Jubilee and we are all devastated at Rogers passing. He was a fantastic MD and was at rehearsal last week preparing us for the Midlands area contest.We will all miss him so very very much, a very talented man and a really nice one too. His legacy lives on through his two very talented children who both play percussion with the band.

 

[Mello]

May I add my name to the many tributes which express sadness in his passing , and those who extol his virtues.
RIP Roger , You have earned it

 

[Stiger]

So sorry to hear about the passing of Roger Thorne, I met him several times at the old Pontins contest. He was always a true gentleman and a lovely person. R.I.P. Roger and condolences to family and friends.

 

[Anno Draconis]

After many interactions on this forum I finally met Roger in person at the 2009 Midlands Area and he was, as many others have said, a genuinely lovely guy. My condolences to his family and everyone at Wem.

 

[richardhall]

So sorry to hear the sad news. I, along with many, have happy memories of Roger, including playing for theMouthPiece band at Whit Fridays. RIP Roger.

 

[Dave Payn]

So sorry to hear this. I was a contributor to tMP in its early days and though I never met him, I enjoyed Roger's contributions to the forum. RIP

 

[Will Elsom]

I never thought I'd post again on tMP, and I am sad that it is for me to record my sadness at the death of Roger Thorne.

I regret that I never met him more than a few times, though we spoke many times as he published my composition "The Ballad of the Wooden Flugel" to raise funds for tMP, and my arrangement of "The Fairytale of New York" to raise money for Justice for Kirsty.

Roger was gifted in all the right skills. He was nice and charming, but would still tell you if you were wrong or being an arse; He could mentor and train budding musicians; He could laugh with the best, and at himself; He could organise big events, whilst still able to act on the fly to save the day mid stream. He could give sound building advice in seconds in easy to understand lingo; He could compose and arrange better than most- his Concertino for Baritone was lovely, and his arrangement of Monty Python on Parade, used with the tMP Band at Pontins in 2005, I think, was brilliant. In the bar afterwards he was asked at least 10 times if people could buy it. "No," he whispered, "I asked but they would not give me permission...."

I am sad that I will never meet him again, but the Wem Band will always terribly miss the chunk of human kindness that was Roger Thorne.

Rest in Peace, Roger, may your days in repose be lazy summer ones.