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MIKE DAWE, RIP

It is with deep sadness that AFGM announces the sudden and untimely death of our drummer and dear friend Mike Dawe. He provided the heartbeat that drove the band and the jokes that kept us laughing. As well as being a rock solid human being he was a passionate and consummate musician. We loved him like a brother.

We would like to extend our deepest sympathy to his loving wife Liz and two wonderful children Nick and Sarah, and his wider family all of whom are struggling as we are to come to terms with this tragic loss.

Mike – we will continue. You would never forgive us if we didn’t. To all our supporters, watch this space.

Mike Dawe 1953-2008

Today I went to the funeral of a friend that I have known for around twenty years.
Mike Dawe was a big guy, well over six feet tall, but big in a non physical sense too. He was an awesome rock drummer who gave all he had at each performance, he had a huge sense of humour and could find the funny side of any situation. Mike loved a bet on horses and dogs, and even though he had as many donkeys as four legged friends, he enjoyed watching them run.
He loved a pint of Blackthorn cider too, (Somerset Champagne he called it), and one pint was never enough for the thirst was as big as the man.
His claim to fame, in his drinking circle at least, was that he had downed three pints one night and had driven most of the way home before a police car crashed into him. True to form, Mike came up smelling of roses. He passed a breath test, proved that the police driver was in the wrong and got an apology from the police.
The funeral service was packed, the funeral director estimated that around 250 people attended. As we entered, we were played in by the man himself, with two tracks from his own drum album. Only Mike would play at his own funeral. The service was short and unsentimental, but tugged at the heartstrings of everyone present.
I freely admit to being in tears as we left the building to the strains of AFGM's "Thank You". After every gig that I saw Mike play, I would buy him a pint of cider to hand to him as he came off stage. Today the tradition continued, as, at the wake at our local pub, I bought a pint of cider and placed it over the fireplace to symbolize the end of his biggest gig. The rest of his band were very touched by the gesture and insisted on being photographed with "Mike's Pint".
I have written this in memory of a good friend, Mike Dawe 1953-2008. Sleep well Mike.
Good friends are hard to find............and even harder to lose.

Bill Bowdren

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