City Slang: RIP Dan Sicko

We are saddened to learn today that writer Dan Sicko passed away on Sunday, having battled ocular melanoma, a form of eye cancer, since he was diagnosed in 2008. He was just 42.

Sicko was a freelance writer with publications like Wire, but he’ll be best remembered for his book, Techno Rebels. In it, Sicko documented the story behind the pioneering Detroit electronic music scene, while profiling the cast of notable characters in the scene. It will stand up with time as a book that tells an otherwise untold tale.

Personally, I remember Dan, myself, plus Gary Graff and Tom Weschler, doing a joint book signing at Record Time in Roseville. Sicko was signing Techno Rebels, while I had my MC5 book, and Graff and Weschler their Seger book. It was an odd combination of books, but all covered Detroit music and all were published by Wayne State Press. We had a blast, and I’ll remember Dan Sicko fondly.

He is survived by his wife, Amy, and their daughter Anabel. City Slang sends our love and best wishes to Dan’s family and friends.