Mick Quinn
The melodic and muscular bassist who provided the infectious, driving backbone for Supergrass's era-defining Britpop anthems.
Born 1969 (age 57)·English musician, producer and songwriter·Birthday: December 17·Generation X
Biography
Mick Quinn was one-half of the frenetic, youthful engine that launched Supergrass from Oxford pubs into the Britpop stratosphere. As bassist and backing vocalist, his lines were never mere support; they were hook-laden melodies that danced around Gaz Coombes's guitars, giving songs like 'Caught By the Fuzz' and 'Alright' their irresistible, bouncing energy. With his distinctive glasses and onstage verve, Quinn embodied the band's cheeky, irrepressible spirit. His musical roots, however, sprawled beyond punk-pop. A dedicated musician's musician, he maintained a parallel life with the shoegaze and alternative rock band Swervedriver, contributing his solid, textured playing. Quinn's story is of a player whose taste and technique made him a sought-after anchor, capable of grounding the noise of Swervedriver's guitars as deftly as he propelled Supergrass's pop triumphs.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Mick was born in 1969, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Mick Was Born
The biggest hits of 1969
#1 Movie
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Best Picture
Midnight Cowboy
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Mick's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1969Born
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1974Started school
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1982Became a teenager
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Could drive
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1987Could vote
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Turned 21
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1999Turned 30
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 40
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 50
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 57 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-founded and played bass for Supergrass, contributing to hit albums like 'I Should Coco' and 'In It for the Money'.
- Provided backing vocals and co-wrote songs for Supergrass, including the hit 'Pumping On Your Stereo'.
- Has been a permanent member of the alternative rock band Swervedriver since the late 2000s, playing on albums like 'Future Ruins'.
- His bassline for 'Alright' is considered one of the most recognizable and joyful in 1990s British rock.
Did You Know?
He is known by the nickname 'Mick Quinn' but his full name is Michael Milton Quinn.
Before Supergrass, he was in a band called The Jennifers with Gaz Coombes.
He is an avid collector of vintage guitars and amplifiers.
He temporarily left Supergrass in the early 1990s before quickly rejoining, solidifying the classic lineup.
“We just wanted to make a glorious noise and have a laugh doing it.”
