WATCH: 'Mr. Nice' Howard Marks has passed away

We were one of the first magazines to interview Howard when his best-selling Mr. Nice autobiography came out in 1996, and ran into him on numerous occasions after that.

One we’ll never forget is that infamous Late Late Show appearance when Mary Harney insisted on calling him ‘Mr. Nasty’. Howard, as was his wont, laughed it off.

His drug smuggling days behind him, he became a keen harm reduction advocate, and highlighted how prohibition simply wasn’t working. He performed sellout one man shows all over the world - Ireland was a regular stop-off - and had Mr. Nice turned into a film starring fellow Welshman Rhys Ifans. He stood for election to to the British parliament in 1997 on a pro-legalising cannabis ticket, wrote a regular column for Loaded and collaborated with Super Furry Animals on 'Hangin' With Howard Marks'.

Our last time talking to him was in November when Olaf Tyaransen publicly interviewed Howard at the Metropolis festival.

Backstage he bumped into the then Minister with responsibility for Drugs Irish Drugs Minister Aodhán Ó Ríordáin who shook his hand, and tweeted about it afterwards.

You can read that encounter at [link]hotpress.com/archive/16117962.html[/link] and view video footage below.

The Q+A was filmed for a documentary that will be released later in the year. Despite his illness, Howard was able to go into the studio and record Do Not Go Gentle: Howard Marks Reads Dylan Thomas, which gets a 10” vinyl release on Record Store Day.

Tributes have been pouring in with Birdy reflecting: "Absolutely gutted to hear of the passing of Howard Marks, a fine writer, a maverick, a brilliant mind, a hilarious wit & a truly lovely gent" Tim Burgess from The Charlatans messaging: "A sad day. Howard Marks has died. What a story, what a life. Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night xx", and broadcaster Edith Bowman saying: "Very, very sad to hear the news about Howard Marks. Lucky enough to interview him a few times and never a sharper funnier mind did I meet."

There are also some lovely words from Fatboy Slim who tweets: “Sending big love to our beautiful friend & prankster Howard Marks. We'll miss his love, wit & humour. Zoe and I send all our warmest thoughts to his family.
 RAVE IN PEACE.”