James Harry Banner
April 17, 1959 - September 6, 2017

"Wow..I just found this out,Jim Passing. I haven't talked to him in over 17 yrs...but thought of him often. He was a good man and friend...If someone out there has any more info than whats here on Jims passing ect..please contact me at beautifulblkroses@mail.com I would so appreciate it. Thank You and RIP my friend."

"I met Jim when we were living in the same rooming house in the University District in Seattle in 1982. The large wood building in the fraternity neighborhood was close to the University of Washington. We were both living away from our parents and very much outsiders in the clean-cut "frats" neighborhood. Living there as a young punk and dressing in a fashion that was both loud and bizarre meant that we were in constant fear of attack in the culturally bland 1980s. Jim got me a job at a dubious organization on Aurora Avenue where we sold subscriptions to a Crime Prevention Manual, which, ironically was mostly staffed by ex or current work-release convicts. Jim was very good at selling over the phone. He had a deep calming voice and a steady methodical personality and a capacity for the absurd. He could talk to people of every demographic and was able to understand them and relate to them. At his street-level room Jim had created a simple recording studio and punk rockers were constantly coming to record high-energy music. He was fascinated by all the surrealist artists and by avant garde music, like Throbbing Gristle. He recorded his own music including a 45rpm record which he promoted like a professional among the Seattle music scene. Jim had a steady and calming personally, for me, and helped me to feel less afraid of the world as a 15 year old kid living on his own. You see, it was a very tumultuous and adventurous time in the Seattle punk scene in the 1980s. We all knew each other and went to shows and parties and lived wild, bizarre lives full of energy, that I now realize was pretty special. A special moment in time, most normal people will never understand. Of course nothing lasts forever and time sends friends hurtling away from each other. I moved to the East Cost but reconnected with Jim later on Facebook. It was great to read about what he was thinking and doing. He had great pictures people from the scene. It was clear that he sincerely cared about brilliant and creative characters we had known. And that is the thing about Jim. His enduring and simple message seemed to always be, "I believe in you". That is pretty special and Jim will be dearly missed. Leif Linder Oslo, Norway September 14, 2017"

"He was one of a kind. I hope his recordings are safe and sound. I hope his writings are preserved. He'll be missed."