Wow. I kinda suspected this was coming, but wow anyway. For those of you newer members, Mike and I went waaay back. I think it was 1995 or 96 when he called me and suggested I try his TFA-204 transformer in the original S.E.X. amp. For a few years after that we were selling about $40K worth of MQ products every year.
Man, I'm flashing back to things like the original audio internet flame war between Mikey and Andre Jute, that started over those very TFA-204s in a S.E.X. amp. Apparently a bee had crawled into a TFA-204 box while sitting on the shelf in our shop. That box was shipped to Jute (quite a nutcase) in the UK and said bee flew out when he opened it. Their two personalities were kind like phosphorus and oxygen, both loved a fight. Jute called out Mikey about the hornet. Mikey responded to the effrontery with a mixture of anger and thinly veiled delight. The resulting flame war on the prepubescent internet (rec.audio, joelist) was the thing of legend, and I was caught in the crossfire.
I also have a very fuzzy recollection of Mike getting J U written on his butt cheeks with a felt marker and me getting T E on mine and us mooning side by side (spelling JUTE) for a photoshoot at VSAC 97 or 98 after a night of drinking. Next morning Mikey says "I woke up this morning and saw JUJU printed on the bedsheet. I must have rolled over at some point last night."
Last talked to Mikey a few months ago. Couple of old geezers talking about the good old days. Glad he called. One of the best winders in the biz and a true one of a kind. I'll miss you, Mike. Vale.
