Low Bassist Zak Sally shares eulogy for Mimi Parker: “I can’t believe she’s gone”
Former Low bassist Zak Sally has shared a moving eulogy dedicated to late bandmate Mimi Parker.
Parker, who formed the slowcore band with her husband Alan Sparhawk in 1993, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in late 2020. In August, the band cancelled a string of shows due to “recent developments and changes” in Parker’s treatment, with all 2022 dates then cancelled last month. She passed away earlier this month.
Sally, who played in the band from 1995 to 2004, has now paid his respects with a lengthy post on Instagram.
“Like everyone else who has ever listened to Low, right now I am mourning the loss of Mimi Parker. It hurts, and it hurts a lot. There is no getting around that, and no one should even try. I share that with each and every one of you. If you know, you know. And there are so, so many that do. I can’t believe she’s gone,” he wrote.
He went on to recall how he joined the band and spoke of the difficulty of their early days of touring.
Sally added: “In those early days, when we were playing shitholes to virtually no one – Mim didn’t like it. If you think that’s a knock on her, think again – it’s gruelling and brutal and stressful, and we had to do it a lot. You cannot do it in half measures; it requires everything you possess, and was easily the most intense ‘job’ I’ve ever had, by a huge margin.
“All of the things that inhabit (and sometimes define) damn near every artist you’ve known and loved: some desire to be recognised, to be paid attention to and lauded – she didn’t have it. In fact, I’m sure she didn’t want it when it happened to come her way.
“What she did, and what you heard and saw – it poured out of her so naturally that she didn’t identify it as ‘talent’ or a ‘unique ability’, and found it strange when others viewed it as such.”
He continued: “Mim was special because she truly did not think she was special: you can just be kind, and thoughtful and compassionate and solid as a rock.”
Rounding off his eulogy, Sally added: “Mimi Parker is gone, but I’m seeing one of my oldest, dearest friends in a new way. Maybe it’s the way the rest of the world always saw her, and I’m finally getting the full picture. Better late than never. And more than anything, it makes me want to fight back the darkness and look for the light. Dig into that, as hard as you can.
“If you ever listened to Low, and heard her voice, do her that honour. Do it today. Do it right now. I love you Mimi.”
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Damian Jones
NME
