Eulogies
Farewell Transmission: RIP Jason Molina
It’s an all-too-familiar story: A brilliant rock musician succumbs to addiction, the urge to pick up a bottle or a needle, and not put it down. Those are some of the oft-romanticized rock creation/destruction myths. Rock music history is a stockpile, a wrecking yard littered with them. One of the latest casualties, March 16 of this year, was Jason Molina of the bands Songs: Ohia and Magnolia Electric Co, from organ failure due to alcoholism. … read more
Colton Reeves Ericksen 1993-2013
Colton Reeves Ericksen, often called “Toner,” was a 19-year-old beacon of light whose passion for life, music and his friends was tragically cut short. He passed on July 15, traveling to Chicago with our band, Dark Seas, in a freeway accident. … read more
MickDeth Richard Morris – 03.09.78 to 06.02.13
Mick must have been about 12 or 13 when he first started coming into The Heavy Metal Shop. I remember that he was with his mom and grandma. They would buy him T-shirts––of course, Mick would pick out Cannibal Corpse, Slayer and Samhain shirts. Like most kids, the gorier, bloodier or most offensive shirts were the ones he picked, especially if Mom was buying them. I usually get the evil eye from the mothers, like it’s my fault. Mick’s mom and grandma were the opposite of that––they were so nice. I would see them quite often and was always happy to see them. They were very supportive of Mick’s interest in music and understood how important it was to him. … read more
Simon April 8, 1974 – Jan. 9, 2013
Simon had an enthusiasm toward life that inspired me. I looked up to her, and I always will for her ability to look beyond the obvious value of something. She appreciated the intricacies in people that make them imperfect, and make them who they are. Nobody has ever had me feeling as cool, as smart or as interesting as Simon made me feel. I was flattered to be her friend. … read more
Aspen Harvey Hunt 08.28.75-01.27.10
Aspen Harvey Hunt was born into this world named Richard Harvey Padley Jr., but on account of our dad being a total douchebag, he quickly took on the name Harvey after our grandfather, a kind and gentle man. Not long after that, he legally changed his name to Aspen Harvey Hunt to honor our other grandfather and the aspen tree, the largest organism on the planet—as big as his personality. He seemed to change names like he changed girlfriends. … read more
David Ross Fetzer 12.17.82 – 12.20.12
The first time I met David Fetzer, we bumped heads. Literally. I rounded a corner in the Tower Theatre too quickly and ran into David head first. After two minutes of apologies, he introduced me to the event’s co-creator for an interview, we exchanged numbers, and then he took off to go act in a play. Since that time, I’ve had the honorary pleasure of being able to call David a good friend … and a great co-conspirator for creativity. … read more
R.I.P. Michael E. Cline 1967-2012
Mike E. Cline was a really smart, generous and dynamic person. He had a way of making everyone feel good around him, or trying to. He could be incredibly respectful and polite … and rowdy and fun. Like a lot of people in our scene, he loved music—but Mike was really passionate about music, which made him so much fun to go to shows with. Riding in a car, he didn’t just listen to music in the background, he played it loud and sang along! … read more
David Henry Amador 1975-2012
Everyone always had their own nickname for Dave Amador. At SLUG, Amador made up his own when he chose to write under the pseudonym of Peter Panhandler back in 2005. He’d handwrite a rough draft on yellow lined paper, bring it in and read it to me aloud. I always loved these readings—he’d stop and laugh at his own jokes or ask “Is it okay if I write that?” … read more
Bob Moss 1953 – 2011
Bob Moss was the greatest man I’ve ever known. At first he was just the hairy dude in a picture on my friend Brian Staker’s desk. One day, while awaiting my paycheck, I imagined him plunking off-key songs on his beat-up guitar. “That’s my friend Bob Moss,” Staker said. “He’s an artist and musician.” … read more
R.I.P. Trish Keenan of Broadcast
Trish Keenan passed away on January 14, 2011 from pneumonia. She was only 42. Her mortality will make this music even more immortal, and she will continue to inspire people and challenge what people think they know. R.I.P. Trish. Your lullabies will always sing me to sleep—sometimes with dreams, sometimes with nightmares. … read more