Under the pseudonym Joe Lung, Mick Lewis was a presenter on the London pirate radio station, Radio Concord, between 1972-6. Pirate radio gave Mick an outlet for his vast knowledge and passion for music, especially blues and doo wop. He was delighted to be included in the 2021 book Banned By The BBC!: How I Became a Radio Pirate. Mick was also a DJ at the original Marquee Club. Because of his involvement with audiences, Mick was a confident interviewee and enjoyed ticking new television and radio channels.

CAMRA provided Mick with an arena and structure that he embraced. Along with Ed Fahey, Mick put a motion to Conference in Birmingham in 1988 that led to the setting up of the APPLE (Apple and Pear Products Liaison Executive) Committee. Mick served as APPLE secretary for around 20 years and was present (and vocal) at the final meeting in October 2019 in Newton Abbot.

Mick knew the internal and external policy documents off by heart, and at his family home in Marylebone, he had a tall stack of What’s Brewing newspapers that he used as a reference library to prove a point. It was here Mick indulged his passion for cooking, using esoteric recipe books and authentic ingredients to create feasts.

Mick worked with Jon Hallam for a while, collecting and distributing real cider and perry from producers to CAMRA events across the UK. Generally found around (not necessarily behind) the cider and perry bars at CAMRA festivals across London and Norwich or Wolverhampton, Mick was a great advocate for real products with his knowledge and connections.

Football was a massive part of Mick’s life; his email username was orientmoron after all! He enjoyed travelling around the country, visiting pubs and watching football. As one of the great orators at CAMRA conferences (pictured), Mick would regularly get recognised. He loved telling stories about how he’d travelled miles away, gone to a pub he’d never been into before and while walking to the bar, someone looked up and said “Oh, hi, Mick”. Mick was a great storyteller.

Towards the end of the 1990s, at the Great British Beer Festival, Pam Taylor met Mick, and the spark was instant. They became an item and never looked back. Pam describes Mick as a loving and caring soul mate and best friend. Mick moved to East London, and together, Mick and Pam lived happily for many years.

Blues music took Mick and Pam to Chicago, where they had a magical time. Live music was something Mick loved, and you could regularly find him in the front row at gigs.

This year, Mick was in hospital for many months and then had to learn to walk again, but he was back home with Pam at the end of September when he was admitted to hospital for the final time.

How to sum Mick up? You’d have to imagine a positive, bouncing, mischievous, controversial, passionate, loyal, knowledgeable, naughty ball of energy with a commandingly deep voice. Then you’d be starting to begin to get close. Rest in peace, Mick.

Mick Lewis 30.03.51-02.10.23