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EAW Mourns the Loss of Moray McMillin

Moray McMillin

EAW in Whitinsville, Mass., announces the passing of Moray McMillin (pictured), a concert touring veteran and EAW Application Support Group Representative for the EMEA region. McMillin passed away at age 58 after a long battle with cancer.

McMillin was a strong presence in touring sound for several decades, and flourished in his subsequent role at EAW. He is sorely missed by the EAW family and the professional audio industry as a whole.

“We are all just devastated,” says EAW President Jeff Rocha. “Moray was one of the unforgettable characters that make up this industry and a consummate professional. He was a true friend, one of those people you can’t help but want to spend time with. So full of life… I’m heartbroken.”

Moray McMillin was born on July 20, 1953, in Hertfordshire, England. In the mid-’70s McMillin left school and began his audio career with The Kinks and then with UK sound rental company Tasco on Marshalsea Road in London, working for Tasco’s Joe Brown. In 1980, McMillin moved to Los Angeles, honing his production skills for the English hard rock invasion of Black Sabbath, Saxon, and Ozzy Osbourne.

His formative and learning years culminated with his appointment as front-of-house engineer on Motörhead’s legendary Ace of Spades tour. He returned to the UK as a freelance engineer and took up front-of-house duties with bands such as Siouxsie and the Banshees and Whitesnake. As Deep Purple’s engineer over a 10-year period, McMillin toured with an EAW loudspeaker system and made many industry friends along the way.

In 2005 McMillin joined EAW in its UK sales office, selling EAW loudspeaker systems and visiting the companies for whom he once worked. A few years later, he joined EAW’s Application Support Group as EMEA representative and designed sound systems for a variety of venues, and was able to converse with customers in their native languages.

In early 2010 McMillin was diagnosed with cancer. He fought it both homeopathically and also through traditional methods, drawing strength from his friendship with fellow cancer sufferer and Black Sabbath band member Ronnie James Dio as they encouraged each other through their illnesses. McMillin was proud he could attend Dio’s funeral in Los Angeles last year and reconnect with many of his old touring friends, even if it was under the saddest of circumstances. He was very involved in Dio’s funeral arrangements, including a live concert by Queensrÿche in the cemetery in front of 1,200 fans. He was also honored to be one of the pallbearers when the fans had gone and his dear friend was laid to rest.

EAW states that McMillin’s was a true gentleman who never ceased staying strong against his ailment. Whether attending a trade show, visiting a dealer, working a concert or just hanging out with a FOH engineer, Moray fought the disease privately and with great dignity. With a complete absence of self-pity, Moray never let his illness affect anything he did for EAW, and he was always a motivating and driving force to everyone around him. At each stage of McMillin’s treatment he wouldn’t rest until he found the information or person that could help him fight his cancer. Before he passed, he attended the UK’s PLASA trade show.

McMillin is survived by his wife Antonella and two sons. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be sent to:

The Hospice of Saint Francis
Spring Garden Lane,
Berkhamsted, Herts, HP4 3GW
England
tel. 011-44-01442-869553
www.stfrancis.org.uk

Funeral arrangements are as follows:

Wednesday, September 28, at 2:30 p.m.
The Church of St. Nicholas
Church Green
Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2TP
England

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