Many of you know the first band I worked with was Sacred Reich. I worked with them for several years, from their first show in our club, The Bootlegger's. It was Jason Rainey who called me when I asked if they wanted a manager, as it was Jason when I asked if the band wanted to pay their first show. He is the founder of the band. I got them their first tour in 1988, although prior to that year, we did many road trips to LA, playing with any one who would have us, anywhere we could get on the stage!
Tours started coming quite regularly after Surf Nicaragua was released. One of these tours took us to Canada, and on the way back into America, we would play cities in the state of New York...which is common routing as bands begin their descent towards home. When we went to Buffalo for a show, Cannibal Corpse was one of the local openers on this run, in 1988 or1989 (I think the latter..).
I admit I was a pistol in the '80's and '90's, weaving my way through cities, venues and striving to get my bands one foot ahead! This show with Cannibal wasn't any different! In no time at all, I was in the middle of a verbal brawl with Chris Barnes. I admit at the time I never knew how it even started. I just knew it had something to do with Phil Rind. That was all it took! I had to step up my game and stand up against Chris at all costs! It almost turned into an actual brawl! And I didn't even know wtf it was about lol!! Now, 30 years later, I like to think I am wiser, calmer and more logical than i was back in the day! Don't get me wrong! I am not afraid of stepping up to defend, but now, I try to know WHY!
Years fly by. My children grew up. Chris left Cannibal and formed Six Feet Under. I changed. I got secure and confidant with myself. I knew my direction. 2017 rolled on in. When Richie's Incite got confirmed on the Six Feet Under tour, I was like.."whoa!" I knew what I had to do!
As bad as I wanted to train it to one of the shows, I was on tour, TM'ing for the final Return to Roots tour. I messaged Richie to hit me up with Chris's cell phone number. I thought long and hard about what I would say. Truth is my platform, after being lied about for years. I don't diss people to make myself a hero, like many others. I am not aftiad to say I was wrong. And that is what I did. Chris was super cool and we talked long about our differences in the past. When I found out what started the decades long feud, it was really stupid! I was wrong. And now it's gone, cleaned up, smudged away! And you never know now what the future brings....but maybe you will be hearing some ballistic news in the near future!! Let's go Six Feet Under!!!
Class dismissed....