Thursday, September 4, 2014

Dear Zoltan, hi, it's me again, Alison.

Five Finger Death Punch, Aftershock 2013

Dear Zoltan, hi. It's me again.

I read your pal Jeremy's book this week, and all I can think of doing right now is saying a word of thanks to you, Zoltan, for sticking it out as the more-sober-minded one in the midst of what must have been... well... a bit of a mess. That's the British term for it. We tend to understate things, you know.

Köszönöm, nagyon szépen.

Having spent too much time with people who didn't understand their own addictions--and what affect they had on everyone, and everything, around them, I know how bloody difficult, frustrating, ever-hopeful and sometimes soul-crushing that can be. I'm sure it wasn't one-bit easy and that there were times when walking away might have been the much-more-attractive option. But together, Five Finger Death Punch give us all some truly-brilliant music, and I, among many others, are glad you are all still there, still alive, and still making that darn good music. Together.

I'm sure Jeremy's book just skims the surface. It should be required reading for a lot of people; wannabe rock-stars who think music is just a means to a party-life; naive young women; parents. But at the same time, who wants to crash and burn anyone else's dream?

I wish every person on this planet could discover martial arts. It's a better high than any alcohol, it's more sustainable than any drug, it's more human than any god-forsaken religion. (But then... maybe it's an addiction in itself. Because even when injury or life or some-other-stoopid-thing gets in the way of training, it's still there. There's still a kata being practised in the back of your mind.)

So thank you, Zoltan Bathory, for sticking it out. And give all those guys on stage with you a hug.

See you in a few days, at Aftershock festival here in Sacramento. I'll be waving from the pit, I hope. Just like last year.

Your (non-Facebook-cos-you-still-forgot-to-add-me-but-I-forgive-you) friend,

Alison

P.S.,  Jeremy Spencer, we're with you every day of your sobriety. Every day is a brand new day.

P.P.S. Anyone who hasn't ordered it yet, Jeremy Spencer's book, Death Punch'd is out now from outlets including Amazon,com, It's funny, it's sad, it's heartbreaking... and it's history in the making. Because each day does count, and each day is special.

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