In the beginning

In the beginning.... a thirteen year old boy who always went out of his way to be different, to be extreme, and to shock the people around him. I lived in a tiny Appalachian town, Whitesburg, population 1,4--something. I had bigger dreams and aspirations but I didn't know it at the time. During the summer transition between eighth grade and highschool my cousin Gabriel Craft moved back home from college. At this time he was part of a band which played music from around the 90's Seattle scene, luckily this led me down a better musical path. At the time I was all about KoRn, Limp Bizkit, Marilyn Manson, 311, and so on. Gabriel and I were always really close and both of us always loved music. When he got into highschool and then moved on to college we slightly lost contact so I didn't know he was a musician or in a band. Him moving back home changed my life, for the better. At this point we started hanging out a lot and talking music. I started going to his practices, getting interested in learning, and changing my musical taste. One weekend during this summer his band setup a show at our local community arts theater, Appalshop. It was Gabriel's band Leery and a local band from Cumberland, KY, WYRM. Being almost 18 years ago I can't remember every detail but I do remember walking in, Gabriels dad working the door which I think it was only $1-$3 to get in. I remember pre-show his dad giving him a speach about never having your wallet in your pocket on stage and staying focused. Gabriels dad was an ex-rocker from the 70's, he knew his shit, well about rockin' in the 70's, I miss his stories. So, I go in. I knew noone, hell I don't think there were more than 10-20 people there. I just sat up front in aw. This was my first experience with a live performance of bands that were playing loud, raw, emotional, and doing something that they created themselves. I left the theater that night with a new vision, a new passion, and a drive to do something of my own. Aside from that, I knew I had to get more people involved, there had to be more people who would feel just like me.