Photo: Seiki Kato | Matchless Amplifiers and Bad Cat Amps luminary Mark Sampson has passed away | By Janelle Borg, Guitar World | Celebrated amp designer Mark Sampson, best known for his work with Matchless and Bad Cat, has recently passed away. The news was confirmed by Bad Cat via their official social media channels.
“It is with great sadness that we must announce that we have lost a beloved member of the Bad Cat family,” reads the statement. “Our dearest friend Mark Sampson has passed away. We will have much more to say on this later, but for now, please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers.” No further information was given about the cause of death.
Since the 1980s, Sampson made a significant impact on the amp world, and was instrumental in shaping the golden age of hand-wired tube amps. He and his friend, Rick Ferrotta, founded Matchless Amps in Sampson’s kitchen back in 1989 – and two years later, pulled together all their resources to exhibit their wares at the 1991 NAMM Show.
With Matchless, Sampson used his background in buying, repairing, and selling vintage gear to create amp designs that worked for the player – as epitomized in products such as the Matchless HC-30 model, Clubman, Chieftain, Thunderchief, and Superchief amp series.
“[The idea for Matchless] changed over time, but the initial concept was to make a roadworthy amp that wouldn’t break down,” Sampson said in a 2007 interview with Tone Quest.
“At the time, I was doing a lot of repair work on JMI Vox amps, and they were notorious for breaking. So the primary focus was on building a really durable amp, and as time went on, it became obvious that we could make this thing sound great and not break on the road, and these two goals were not mutually exclusive.”
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Go here to read more:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/matchless-amplifiers-and-bad-cat-amps-luminary-mark-sampson-has-passed-away/
From the company: It is with great sadness that we must announce that we have lost a beloved member of the Bad Cat family. Our dearest friend Mark Sampson has passed away. We will have much more to say on this later but for now, please keep his family in your thought and prayers.
https://www.facebook.com/badcatamps/posts/956135936646444?ref=embed_post
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Seiki Kato, president of Korg and the inspiration behind 1988’s M1 smash has died, aged 67
By Daniel Griffiths, Music Radar
“It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our President and Representative Director, Seiki Kato, who passed away peacefully at 8:00 PM on February 21, 2025, at the age of 67, following an illness.”
So says the latest announcement from Korg, marking the passing of the man who played a vital part in putting Korg in the ‘big three’ spot in music tech that it still enjoys to this day.
Alongside Yamaha and Roland, Korg – under Kato’s direction – underwent a renaissance in the 1980s, striking gold with their all-digital, sample and wave ROM-based M1 keyboard and its countless subsequent spin-offs which provided the inspiration for further experimentation and radical new products to follow.
Born in Tokyo on 28 March 1957, Seiki was the eldest son of Tsutomu Kato, the founder of Korg and after graduating from university he joined Keio Giken Kogyo Co.Ltd. (later to become Korg Inc.) in 1980.
Early in his career, he worked in sales at Korg but by 1985, he had become Head of Product Planning, playing a pivotal role in the development of innovative instruments such as the M1, the groundbreaking music workstation.
While Yamaha had struck gold with their FM synthesis based all-digital DX7, Korg had been caught on the hop in an analogue to digital transition. However, under Kato’s leadership the company found its feet, investing in and inventing the workstation category keyboard with the M1 in 1988 – a keyboard equipped with production-ready sounds built on complex, digitally stored waveforms with eight-part multitimbrality as its secret weapon.
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In 1988, Kato relocated to Korg USA Inc. and in October 1989 was appointed President of Korg USA, where he played a key role in expanding Korg’s presence in the U.S. market. In 1995, he became Executive Vice President of Korg Inc. and in October 2003, he assumed the position of President and CEO.
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Go here to read the full story:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/seiki-kato-president-of-korg-and-the-inspiration-behind-1988-s-m1-smash-has-died-aged-67/
Company note: It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our President and Representative Director, Seiki Kato, who passed away peacefully at 8:00 PM on February 21, 2025, at the age of 67, following an illness.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude for the kindness and support he received during his lifetime and respectfully share this news with you.
For many years, Mr. Kato dedicated himself to the growth and success of our company, guiding us with exceptional leadership and a warm, compassionate spirit. . . .
Throughout his career, Seiki Kato made significant contributions to the music industry.
For decades, he was a driving force behind Korg’s success, earning the deep respect and trust of colleagues and industry partners alike. The instruments he helped bring to life have empowered musicians around the world, shaping the future of music and artistic expression.
We remain committed to carrying forward his passion and spirit of innovation, striving to create products that inspire. We sincerely appreciate your continued support.
Korg Inc.
https://www.korg.com
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Pioneering singer-songwriter Khalil Fong dies aged 41 after ‘relentless illness’
By Adam Miller, Metro
Khalil Fong, a pioneering Hong Kong-based RnB singer, has died aged 41.
A post on the star’s record label’s Facebook page confirmed Fong had died on February 21 after suffering from a ‘relentless illness for five years’.
The label said: ‘The music and graphic novels he gifted to the world remain an eternal testament to his luminous spirit, a timeless treasure for generations to come.’
Fong released his debut studio album Soulboy in 2005 to huge acclaim and became celebrated for introducing sophisticated Mandarin-speaking RnB and soul music to the Chinese market after being inspired by the likes of Sam Cooke and Stevie Wonder.
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https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/pioneering-singer-songwriter-khalil-fong-dies-aged-41-after-relentless-illness/