tag:dmlconspiracy.com,2005:/blogs/van-halen-38ee654c-004a-4c71-96db-d7e9c1c245c0?p=25From The Pen Of Dodd Michael Lede2024-03-08T15:48:58-06:00The DML Conspiracyfalsetag:dmlconspiracy.com,2005:Post/73640682024-03-08T15:48:58-06:002024-03-08T15:53:12-06:00Memory Interrupted - The Colin Manahan Remix<div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a" style='-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);color:rgb(5, 5, 5);font-family:"Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:15px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px;orphans:2;overflow-wrap:break-word;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:pre-wrap;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;'>
<div style="font-family:inherit;text-align:center;" dir="auto"><span class="text-big"><strong>The Stories Behind The Songs</strong></span></div><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/443718/e641fce75ec53cfae4dbaa890ead6a4f0e9f5cb7/original/mi-2nd.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" height="3000" /><div style="font-family:inherit;text-align:center;" dir="auto"><span class="text-big"><strong>Memory Interrupted</strong></span></div>
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<div style="font-family:inherit;text-align:start;" dir="auto"><span class="text-big">I have a penchant for writing songs about love and betrayal. I don’t know why I do it, maybe it’s just a flaw in my character.</span></div>
<div style="font-family:inherit;text-align:start;" dir="auto"><span class="text-big">I once knew a girl who was a problematic drug user. She began seeing a married man and fell deeply in love with him. She never imagined that she would actually be in a relationship with him, but as fate would have it, he and his wife separated.</span></div>
<div style="font-family:inherit;text-align:start;" dir="auto"><span class="text-big">They got a place together and she became the best homemaker that she could be. She found her sobriety and committed herself to their relationship. For three years they were happy together.</span></div>
<div style="font-family:inherit;text-align:start;" dir="auto"><span class="text-big">To her misfortune, he would eventually reconcile with his wife and they would get back together.</span></div>
<div style="font-family:inherit;text-align:start;" dir="auto"><span class="text-big">This news was unexpected and completely devastating. Her life went into a downward spiral. She began using again. She was distraught and hopeless. She would eventually succumb to her death on the bathroom floor of her apartment.</span></div>
</div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style='-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);color:rgb(5, 5, 5);font-family:"Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:15px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0.5em 0px 0px;orphans:2;overflow-wrap:break-word;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:pre-wrap;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;'><div style="font-family:inherit;text-align:start;" dir="auto"><span class="text-big">It was ruled an accidental overdose, but we knew she died from a broken heart.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style='-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);color:rgb(5, 5, 5);font-family:"Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:15px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0.5em 0px 0px;orphans:2;overflow-wrap:break-word;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:pre-wrap;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;'><div style="font-family:inherit;text-align:start;" dir="auto"><span class="text-big">I was very fond of her, and I think about her from time to time. I am still very close to her sister. This song is my interpretation of their relationship.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style='-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);color:rgb(5, 5, 5);font-family:"Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:15px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0.5em 0px 0px;orphans:2;overflow-wrap:break-word;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:pre-wrap;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;'>
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</div>3:39The DML Conspiracytag:dmlconspiracy.com,2005:Post/67373172021-09-06T11:24:37-05:002023-10-16T09:57:03-05:00Nothing And Everything All At The Same Time<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong>The Stories Behind The Songs</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/443718/e00d54cf711e3a463c9a1927b6c3b67e9b1c2266/original/test.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Nothing & Everything At The Same Time" /></strong></span><span class="font_large"><strong>Nothing And Everything All At The Same Time</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p>We all do stupid irresponsible things when we are young. This is how we earn our rite of passage into adulthood. </p>
<p>At my current age, I would never dream of living in a van with six other sweaty human beings for any length of time, but when you’re in your early 20’s, it’s an amazing experience. </p>
<p>We were a brotherhood of friends. We had a purpose. We had a meaning. We were living life to its fullest. We had nothing and everything all at the same time. </p>
<p>The only real problem was, this wasn’t my brotherhood. I had a band back home that was falling apart. I was jobless, living on weekly unemployment checks. </p>
<p>My girlfriend was back in Houston wondering when I was going to come home. She was a saint to be as supportive as she was. She would deposit my unemployment checks for me while I was living life on the road with my best friend’s band. </p>
<p>But, as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. I lasted about three weeks before I had to pull the plug on this extended vacation. </p>
<p>The guys had been amazing to me. They truly made me feel welcome into their world, but I was not destined to live the life of a roadie for Devin’s band. </p>
<p>I was destined to conquer the world with my own band. This had been a learning experience, and I wanted to share the experience with them. Spooky La Casa was my brotherhood. Andy, Grandon, and Eric were my closest friends. I wanted us to become road warriors, but that dream never fully materialized. </p>
<p>Star-Crossed Lovers lived like gypsies in a caravan. There was a lot of drinking, a lot of female attention, and a lot of laughter. There may have been a couple of arguments or disagreements along the way, but all within a sibling rivalry expectation, which is understood between brothers and friends. </p>
<p>My adventure took me through eight states and sixteen cities. I got to experience parts of the country I had never seen before. On off-days, we would venture out to take in some of the local scenery. </p>
<p>Off-days could include hiking a mountain side or tubing down a river. We would often play tag football during the days, and check out local bands when we could. We even ceremoniously baptized each other along the banks of the Mississippi River. Those were definitely good times. </p>
<p>The tour zigzagged its way through the southern states. Leaving Texas, we went through Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Missouri, & Tennessee. From Tennessee, we hit Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina. </p>
<p>The boys had another week of shows that would take them up the east coast back home to New York. They would get a couple weeks off before heading back out to do shows in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit and Chicago. </p>
<p>I wanted to stay on for all of it, but I was running out of money and I wasn’t on the band payroll. I was on my own dime for this trip. I really only had to pay for meals and necessities. Lodging was typically provided by a network of ladies that the boys had met on previous trips. </p>
<p>It was a pleasure to be able to watch the boys rock out each night. Devin had the swagger of Freddy Mercury. The band was playing top notch. </p>
<p>The audiences were consuming all they were given and still wanting more. It was crazy and exciting to watch. </p>
<p>When the band was done, Eddie and I would get to work unloading their equipment from the stage and packing up the gear. Then we would stick around to watch the other bands play. </p>
<p>The band had been touring for a few years. They had played several of these places on previous trips. They had key people that they could call on to put the band up for a night or let them take showers and get some sleep, although sleep was never high on anyone’s priority list. </p>
<p>A typical string of shows could last six to eight weeks. Then they would spend two to three weeks at home resting and preparing for the next leg of shows. </p>
<p>They would use this downtime to reconnect with family and friends and to polish up new material that they were planning on introducing to the set list. </p>
<p>There wasn’t much rest for Steven. He would use his time to book more shows and send promotional flyers and posters to the clubs for them to put up before the band would arrive. All shows were booked 3-6 months in advance. </p>
<p>Steven’s sister, along with his girlfriend, Holly, would handle band business while the boys were on the road. They would handle follow-up phone calls to the clubs, and mail any necessary press kits to the new clubs and keep up with the show schedule. Steven would coordinate with them daily from the road. </p>
<p>Everyone contributed to the band business, but this was definitely Steven’s baby. He handled the majority. But eventually, this would prove to become too much. </p>
<p>Once in the van, the road anthem would always be AC/DC’s It’s A Long Way To The Top If You Wanna Rock & Roll. This song was so fitting to the road experience, but the boys were on their way. The future was a blank canvas, and they were painting it with as many vibrant colors as they could.</p>The DML Conspiracytag:dmlconspiracy.com,2005:Post/67243192021-08-23T00:32:21-05:002021-08-24T23:03:48-05:00Write. Rehearse. Repeat. Perform.<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong>The Stories Behind The Songs</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/443718/86e6fa28b192b8a051420f959d38d011cf4f2861/original/new.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Write. Rehearse. Repeat. Perform." /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong>Write. Rehearse. Repeat.<span class="font_large"> </span>Perform.</strong></span> </p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The common misconception of a touring musician is that the rock & roll lifestyle is all glamour and glitz. This lifestyle is portrayed with an abundance of parties, drugs, groupies, and famous celebrities in the company of the aforementioned band. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Although there is a small amount of truth to this, this is not a 24/7 reality. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">This illusion of the rock & roll lifestyle is exaggerated by record labels and media to increase public interest. The desired intention is to make the band look larger than life so that it will generate more attention. More attention, in turn, becomes more fans, and more fans increases record sales and the financial bottom line. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Sounds like a grand lifestyle, and there’s no doubt a band like Van Halen, KISS, or Aerosmith enjoyed plenty of this excess in their lifetime. This becomes the staple for which bands gage their success. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">To discredit this lifestyle would not be totally accurate either. Parties did happen, groupies did exist, and the drugs were available. The reality of it just looked a lot different than it was portrayed in magazines or music videos. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Although I never had the pleasure of touring with my own band, I was able to go on the road with Devin on a couple of occasions. Of course, by this time, they had already been on the road for over three years. I didn’t see them in the early years, I only heard the stories. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">When you’re a young band, the need to play on a stage outweighs all other desires. The euphoric rush you feel when you’re performing in front of a crowd is addicting. I know this feeling and I can tell you there is no greater high. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Eddie would share stories of Devin’s first shows in great detail while we were traveling through Louisiana on our way into Mississippi. Eddie was driving and I was riding shotgun. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The band had just played at Tipitina’s in New Orleans. Everyone was still pumped up after an excellent show. Tipitina’s was a new venue for Star-Crossed Lovers and the band had just dominated their audience. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I was tagging along on the road with the band as an additional roadie. They had played the Vatican in Houston the day before. I was in between jobs and collecting unemployment at the time. I wanted to experience what it was like to be on tour. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I was half-way joking about leaving with the band, but Devin was all for it, and I had nothing holding me back. He persuaded the guys that this was a good idea, and they squeezed me in. I went home packed some things, kissed my girlfriend goodbye and I was road bound. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">A van with six people is already uncomfortable, but a van with seven people can become a little overwhelming. I pulled my weight to make it work. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Devin’s debut performance was a high school talent show in his sophomore year of high school. He was nervous but he never let it show. He had just joined his brother’s band as the lead singer the previous summer. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The band was still known as The Saints of Valhalla, a band moniker that Steven had been proud of. It was his vision to follow in the steps of the mighty Led Zeppelin. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">They learned three cover songs to perform for the show. The show was a complete adrenaline rush. The band won first place. Devin remembers that his life changed that day. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The caveat of the evening was getting Nora’s phone number. Nora Whitwood would become Devin’s high school sweetheart and his longest lasting relationship. They were together for close to five years, and remain close friends to this day. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Devin was only a sophomore, but the other members of the band were older. Two were in their senior year and the other two had graduated the year before. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Devin and Eddie started their first year of high school in 1983. Both completely excited and a little intimidated as they entered the front doors of James Monroe High School for the first time. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Devin and Eddie had been best friends since the third grade. Eddie moved to Rochester from Philadelphia. His parents were divorced, and his mother had moved to Rochester to be closer to her family. She wanted Eddie to grow up in a safer place. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Eddie’s mother worked two jobs as a single parent, so Eddie spent a lot of time at his grandmother’s house. Devin’s family lived two houses away. Eddie remembers that Devin was an awkward kid like himself. Their friendship was pretty immediate, and they have been inseparable ever since. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Devin and Eddie were only 15 at the time, so shows consisted of house parties or high school auditoriums. The band played about half a dozen shows their first year, but the fever for performing had already taken root. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The following summer, the band began increasing its performance area to include high school auditoriums and clubs throughout the WNY district. To play the clubs, they would either lie about Devin and Eddie’s age, or the shows would have to accompanied by a parent. Devin’s parents were the most frequent to volunteer. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">They also started adding original material to their sets as they traveled to Buffalo and Jamestown. As a result of a local radio station playing a couple of their songs, the band began to notice an increase of fans in attendance. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">By the following summer, they would expand their footprint to cover central and east New York as well. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The weeks became a series of repetitions. Star-Crossed Lovers developed a routine of writing, rehearsing, performing, and continually repeating the process. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Life was good.</p>The DML Conspiracytag:dmlconspiracy.com,2005:Post/67150142021-08-13T00:20:17-05:002021-08-13T00:20:17-05:00Anyone Else But You<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong>The Stories Behind The Songs</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/443718/ad14189cfc6c89a9268560fccdab84262a08ef88/original/anyone-else-but-you2.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Anyone Else But You" />Anyone Else But You</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Just to be clear, this is not a story about someone’s cruel misfortune; this is the story of a close friendship. A bond shared between brothers from different mothers. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">If we’re being honest, my friendship with Devin was a four year period, stretching from 1988 thru 1992. But in that short time, we created a bond that is timeless. My friendships with Andrew, Eddie, Nora, and Steven are still relevant to this day. Together, we keep Devin’s memory alive. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I haven’t seen Devin since our last get together in 2011, but I think of how much he inspired me and how he is still influential in my songwriting. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The morning after our night at the Cathouse came much too soon. We probably got about four hours of sleep before the neighbor’s kids started jumping around upstairs. It sounded like thunder from above. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We were slow to come to life, but we managed to put ourselves together in time to say our goodbyes. Mary and Izzy left and it would be a while before I saw either of them again. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The weekend was over, which meant I had to fly back home. I had to come back to the reality of a day job. A job that I despised despite the fact that it afforded me the luxury of this trip to L.A. I needed to continue working in order to finance my rock and roll adventures, or as Devin would say our misadventures. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">When I returned home, my mind was still spinning with the memories from the weekend. I habitually fantasized about what it would take to make the move to L.A., but that would require some planning. My band was doing well, but not well enough to support that kind of jump without the necessary preparations. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I wasn’t the only one with a day job. Andrew had a job working in a laundry mat. He also did side jobs for extra cash whenever the occasion arose. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We assumed Mary was employed, but we didn’t know what she did for a living. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Devin worked for his uncle when he wasn’t on the road. It was a janitorial job, but it paid the rent and provided spending cash for their weekends on the strip. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">To put things into perspective, Devin worked for his uncle Tony. Make no mistake, it wasn’t really working, it was a passive income that he could leave and return to at will. I mean, it was a gravy job. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">His uncle Tony had a maintenance contract with string of corporate buildings. Devin worked the Equitable Life Building on Wilshire. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Uncle Tony was a major part of the family support system. The boys would stay at Tony’s house whenever they were traveling through. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Tony had lived in Dallas for many years. He was the primary reason for the many trips the band would make to Texas. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">To save money, they would use Tony’s house as a central hub. They would travel to all the surrounding cities within a reasonable radius, and then drive back to crash at Tony’s. They could shower there and rest up before the next show. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Tony relocated his business to Los Angeles in 1990. Devin saw an opportunity to move there as well. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Devin worked nights, typically starting as everyone was leaving. The building employees would leave by 5pm and Devin would begin his routine of emptying the trash cans, dusting shelves, and vacuuming. He was responsible for four of the 34 floors in the building. Tony had about 28 people in his employment. Eventually, Andrew would also get a job working for Tony. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Devin had structured his evening so that he would take his first break around 7:30p.m. He would use this time to make long distance calls on the company’s dime. He would find an empty office and handle the band’s business with Steven. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Steven lived in Rochester with his girlfriend Holly. He and Devin would plan out the band itinerary and Steven would handle the club bookings the following day. When the band details were done, Devin would call Eddie or me to catch up. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Devin and Mary’s hookup was casual, no strings attached. That didn’t stop them from hanging out and being friends with benefits. (In time theirs would become a much more complicated relationship.) </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Mary eventually found a drummer for her band. She stayed pretty busy between work and band rehearsals, but she always made time to spend with Devin on the weekends. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Mary was difficult to read. Devin really liked her, but she was always non-committal when it came to taking the next step. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">What Devin didn’t know at the time was that Mary had a secret that she was desperately trying to keep from him. Mary was in a complicated relationship with someone else. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Jacob paid for Mary’s apartment and her car, and in trade, she did side jobs for him. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">These jobs required Mary to go on dates with business men that Jacob would set up for her. They weren’t always sexual in nature, but if sex was required, Mary complied. Mary wasn’t happy with the arrangement, but Jacob was financially backing her music. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">When it came to the daily operation and the financial aspect of Mary’s musical future, Jacob was pulling all of the strings, and Jacob was not someone you wanted to piss off. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Mary continued to see Devin casually without mentioning him to Jacob. Mary also managed to keep Jacob a secret from Devin. As a matter of fact, Devin never knew about Mary’s arrangement until it came out during the trial. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">It was easy enough to keep the truth hidden since Devin worked nights and/or was on tour much of the time. </p>4:29The DML Conspiracytag:dmlconspiracy.com,2005:Post/67083762021-08-05T21:04:48-05:002021-08-05T21:40:18-05:00Devinico Napoli<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span class="font_large">The Stories Behind The Songs</span></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/443718/10d572cda7c43365276cc5541a4e854336810797/original/deviniconapoli.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Devinico Napoli" />Devinico Napoli</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">One thing I’ve come to find as an inevitable truth in my time on this planet is, true artists are fragile souls. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Don’t get me wrong, they possess a certain level of resilience, but they are not born with the hardened mindset of warriors. They are born with the grace of poets, filled with endless emotion and a need to express their creative ideas and thoughts. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">This was the destiny of Devinico Napoli. He was a true artist in every sense of the word. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Devin was born on the 27th day of March, 1968 in upstate New York, just outside of Rochester. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">This became a topic of great interest when we first met because we shared the same birthday, down to the exact year. In addition, we were also born in the same state, albeit, I was born in the Bronx. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Devin made some kind of cosmic reference to this once, like we were connected in a spiritual way. I laughed because it sounded like something you would hear in a movie, but he was very dramatic that way. Looking back on it, it may have been an accurate statement. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In ‘89, Devin invited me to a Thanksgiving dinner at his parents’ house. It was there that I got to meet his entire family. In addition, I got to meet Devin’s best friend, Eddie Blackwater, and his high school sweetheart, Nora Whittwood. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Devin was born into a big family, with five older siblings, three brothers and two sisters. He was the baby, and he was the pampered child. This is something that all of his siblings would laugh about in agreeance as they told me their stories throughout the weekend. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">It became obvious once his mom started to dote on his musical accomplishments. Of course this was accompanied by a collection of childhood photo albums. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">His parents could sense that he was destined for musical greatness. They just couldn’t figure out where his light was going to shine, either by way of Broadway or Carnegie Hall. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">He had a theatrical persona that was very charismatic, but he was also a self-taught, multi-instrumentalist, with a keen ear for music. His mother pointed this out to me on several occasions, even though I was already aware of his talents. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">It was cosmically preordained that Devin would be a musician. He inherited this passion coming from a diverse musical family. His mother taught piano and his father played guitar. Not all of his siblings acquired the same penchant for instruments, but they all shared a deep love of music. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Devin began playing piano at three. He picked up a guitar when he was five. Before he was ten, he was emulating songs from the radio. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">He would also teach himself to play drums in his teenage years. He was committed to learning everything that music could teach him. When we first met, he was teaching himself to play harmonica, much to the band’s regret. He would drive them crazy on the road while touring. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">His brothers introduced him to the classic gods of rock early on. His influences would include Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, & Black Sabbath, but he would infuse that with the funk finesse of Prince, Morris Day and George Clinton, a little gift from his sisters. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Devin was a musical sponge, always absorbing information and reimagining arrangements until they became his own creations. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">He started his first band when he was in the third grade. Devin and Eddie would cover classic rock songs as best they could. Devin playing guitar and singing, while teaching Eddie how to play bass. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">He loved all styles and genres of music. He always said there was something to be learned from everything. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Eventually he started writing and composing his own original songs and would often collaborate with his brother Steven, who was an excellent guitarist in his own write. Steven was three years older than Devin, and always the protective brother. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Steven had started a band called the Saints of Valhalla. His band included his high school friends Scott Tocci on drums, Eric Dziadul (pronounced Geddel) on bass, and David Dersch on guitar. David was in the band mainly because Steven was dating his sister, Holly. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Steven was an amazing guitar player, taking his musical cues from Jimmy Page, Randy Rhoads, and Eddie Van Halen. His playing was seamless, but he was only the singer out of necessity, a role which Devin would happily take on. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Once the lineup of the band was solidified, they would rehearse tirelessly, spending hours practicing in their basement. Their first performance was the talent show during Devin’s sophomore year of high school. The other members had already graduated by this point. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">There was live music available 5-6 nights a week all over the WNY area. During the summer, the boys frequently traveled from Rochester to Buffalo, Jamestown, or Niagara Falls. They played everywhere they could. (The Goo Goo Dolls were also playing the same club circuit at this time.) </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Eventually, Devin’s parents bought the brothers their first gig van. It was used and slightly beat up, but it served its purpose for transporting six guys from gig to gig. Eddie had given up on bass and became the band roadie. Devin was 16 and barely able to drive at this time. Stephen would become the official driver. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Over the course of the next three years, the band would expand their market to include treks up and down the east coast from New York to Florida. They were spending so much time together and playing so many gigs that they were beginning to cultivate a growing fan base on the strength of their live shows. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In 1987, they submitted an application to play at SXSW in Austin Texas under their new band name, Star-Crossed Lovers. They were accepted. As a matter of logistics, they began to chart a course through the Midwest with the intent of touring through Texas. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">At this time, Devin also decided to shorten his given name, and adopt Napoleon as his stage name, because like Napoléon Bonaparte, he intended to conquer every city on his path to glory.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In March of ’88, on their way to Austin, they played a show in Houston at Fitzgeralds. By an act of pure chance, my band, Spooky La Casa, was playing on the same night, and our friendship was officially forged.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> </p>The DML Conspiracytag:dmlconspiracy.com,2005:Post/67023422021-07-30T11:07:00-05:002021-07-31T10:46:42-05:00Nashville<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong>The Bone Bazaar Journals</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/443718/d9e4f0646f2cc8129de478509a2b27f0f6a74cae/original/nashville.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Nashville" />Nashville</strong></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The second time I crossed paths with Devin was in Murfreesboro, Tennessee at a place called Main Street Music. We went to see Tora Tora, and as a matter of coincidence, Star-Crossed Lovers was the opening act. They had recently changed their name from the previous Saints of Valhalla earlier that year. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I remember liking the music, but I honestly wasn’t paying much attention. I had been distracted by the bartender, with slightly more self-serving thoughts. Although my memory is slightly hazy from my intoxicated state, the bartender was either a goddess, or her drinks were very potent. Or both!! </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I was living in Nashville at this time. I did a short stint as a bass player for a band called Sibling Rivalry. My path to Nashville was an interesting turn of events. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Mike Ramirez is a good friend of mine and an incredible guitarist. In 1988, we had been trying to start a band, but had been unsuccessful in our attempts. We went through a variety of different players, but continued to come up empty handed. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">One day, he told me that he got an offer to play guitar in Nashville. Sibling Rivalry needed a lead guitarist, so he was going to pack up his gear and move to the music mecca. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Sibling Rivalry was not just some random band. They were old friends. They had history. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Mike had established himself as the guitarist in a band called Grafitti, but after splitting with that band, he joined Holly Roxx as their second guitarist. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Holly Roxx was a well-known band in the local music scene. They had been expanding their reach regionally, and were playing shows throughout Texas. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Mike met Bobby and Pat after a Holly Roxx show in El Paso. They struck up a friendship and had continued to stay in touch. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Bobby Chavira and his sister Patricia, had been recording demos and landed a spec deal with The Box Office in Nashville. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Nashville might be known as the country music capital, but many folks overlook the fact that Nashville also has a thriving rock scene. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Bobby reached out to Mike because they needed a guitarist. It was an excellent opportunity for Mike to advance his music career, and we didn’t have anything concrete at that moment to hold him back. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Mike let me listen to their demo and it was good. The recording quality wasn’t the greatest, but the songwriting was strong. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Bobby was a talented songwriter, and Pat was an excellent singer. She had the pipes and the looks, and together they had a blue print for a successful career. They just needed to put a band together. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Mike was a shoe-in for the guitar spot, they had already seen him play, but they also needed a rhythm section. I saw the need and I offered the solution. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">They didn’t need me as a guitarist, or a singer. So I found myself asking, how hard could bass really be? By the end of the week, I had traded my guitar gear to become a bass player. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">With the addition of another one of Mike’s friends, Don Rios on drums, we loaded up the truck and began our drive to Nashville. We would become the backing band for Sibling Rivalry. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The five of us shared a small one-bedroom apartment, although Don’s stay was short-lived. Don would eventually leave to go back home within the first month. This left us with the inevitable task of searching for a drummer. Needless to say, we had a lot of downtime. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Bobby was the only one of us with a full-time job. Mike and Pat were closer friends, so they spent a lot of time together. I had brought a small 4-track recorder with me, so I spent a lot of time writing and recording new material. Although none of it would be used in the band. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Our attempts to find a drummer were fruitless. I was unemployed and my finances were running low. We had a potential tour on hold and I was running on borrowed time. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Eventually, most likely out of frustration, Mike and I got into a heated argument. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">It was a rash decision, but I decided to quit the band and head home. After the decision was made, I was on a plane home the following morning while still upset over the matter. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Looking back in retrospect, my decision to leave was very foolish. If I had just waited to calm down, it might have saved a friendship and kept the band alive longer. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">It took years, but Mike and I put that fight behind us and remain friends to this day.</p>The DML Conspiracytag:dmlconspiracy.com,2005:Post/66955862021-07-23T11:06:55-05:002021-07-31T10:36:53-05:00Airplanes or Guitars<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong>The Bone Bazaar Journals</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/443718/5611f4dffd387374d4629a2f7e995e97d5e998c7/original/guitarsorairplanes2.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Airplanes or Guitars" />Airplanes or Guitars</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The Houston Independent School District (HISD) magnet programs were designed to desegregate public schools and allow for more diversity in the classrooms. The magnet program at Sterling made up 5% of the non-black population at a primarily black school. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I attended Ross S. Sterling High School in the 9th grade. Sterling was the home of HISD's high school aviation magnet program, a magnet school for the Aviation Sciences. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In addition to a regular curriculum, magnet students were required to take FAA approved courses, before being eligible to take up to 30 hours of flight time. Students could then take the FAA written examination. It was feasible to graduate high school with a pilot license. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I wasn’t zoned to go to Sterling. I would have to wake up super early to go to a nearby middle school, and wait for a bus that would take me to my high school. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">It would still be dark outside while I waited for the bus. The bus ride to school was about an hour. It wasn’t ideal, but it made my father happy. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">My father had pressed me to go to Sterling because he had always dreamed of flying planes. This was my first year of high school, and we had just moved to Houston from Los Angeles the year prior. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">It was my father’s rationale that we could each get our pilot licenses and start a family business in aviation together. We never really saw eye-to-eye on that. I just didn't share the same passion for aviation. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Unfortunately, I would eventually crush my father’s dream because the only thing I discovered at Sterling was a love for rock & roll. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In theory, my first professional gig came during my 9th grade year at Sterling. I met a girl named Barbara Ann Morales. (We called her BAM for short.) </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Barbara, and her friend, Anastasia Simotas, would give me fifty cents per song to sing Journey songs for lunch money. I would sing them acapella. After 2-3 songs, I would go eat my lunch, very similar to singing for one’s supper in the literal sense. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">It was also Barbara who turned me on to Van Halen. She let me borrow her Van Halen II vinyl record so I could check them out. During that weekend of listening to VH II, it was decided; I was destined to be in a rock band. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">My three closest friends at the time were Michael Tondee, Brion Taylor, and Kevin Lockler. They were also part of the aviation magnet program. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Michael, Brion, Kevin and I were the outcasts. We would tie bandanas to our legs, neck, and arms and do split kicks off of car hoods. We were discovering our rock & roll swagger. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We did anything to attract female attention. After all, we were rockers. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Cheryl Maywald was also a student at Sterling. She was hot, and she shared the same love for Van Halen. It was inevitable that we would start dating. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Cheryl had a manila folder with magazine articles and newspaper clippings of anything Van Halen that she could find. Somehow, that folder found its way into my possession, and I continued to add to it for years to come. Remember, this is well before the internet, cell phones, and personal computers. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, Kevin and I would talk about learning guitar. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Kevin’s brother, Ronnie, played guitar and would show him rock licks. It was because of Kevin’s brother that I got turned on to Led Zeppelin. I remember wanting to play guitar so that Kevin and I could start a band together. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I begged my parents for a guitar, but the best that I would get was my father’s hand-me-down 12-string acoustic that was only strung for 6-strings because my father didn’t know how to tune a 12-string. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">My dad gave me his guitar and a Mel Bay chord chart and told me that was all I was getting. End of story. We were poor at the time, but I’ll save that for another post. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Out of desperation, I reluctantly accepted this gift, and set out to become a rock star. I was 14 years old. It was the ONLY thing that I ever wanted to be. I mean literally, that was it. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I had made up my mind that if I didn’t get signed by the time I was 18, I was going to quit playing forever. It’s pretty obvious that plan didn’t work. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I must have really surprised my parents with my persistence, because eventually, they bought me a Sears & Roebuck half-body electric guitar and a small amp. It wasn’t much, but it was heaven to me. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">That guitar squealed with horrible feedback, but in my mind, it took me to the next level. Kevin and I would continue to push each other to keep learning and practicing. In the end, we lived too far away from each other to ever put a band together. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Unfortunately, with this new-found passion came the sad realization that I could not move forward with any attempts of a career in aviation. It was clear. My goal was rock star or bust. (Had I known that Bruce Dickinson would one day get his pilot license while simultaneously fronting Iron Maiden, I may have reconsidered this decision.) </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I confided in my mother at first, and then we broke the news to my father. He was crushed. It took a long time for him to get over it. Was I sad about it? Yes, but I was focused. I needed to pursue my own dreams. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I needed to go to Milby high school. That’s where my neighborhood friends went. That’s where David Robinson went. David was a rocker too, and he told me there were others like us at Milby. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The downside of being at Sterling, was all my friends also had to be bussed in. They all lived in different parts of a very big city. Way out of reach for us to hang out on weekends or after school, and at this point, we were all too young to drive. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">So at the end of the school year I would say goodbye. I was changing schools and starting my new direction as a rock star. </p>The DML Conspiracytag:dmlconspiracy.com,2005:Post/66941742021-07-21T11:09:40-05:002021-07-21T11:09:40-05:00In The Beginning - R.Roulette<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong>The Bone Bazaar Journals</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/443718/00dfa386aed566aea9fb047c6e448895f0a85cae/original/roulette.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="R.Roulette" /></strong></span><span class="font_large"><strong>R.Roulette </strong></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Although Devin and I didn’t officially meet until 1988, our paths had crossed twice prior. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We shared the same stage at a club called Backstage on Bissonnet at Hwy 59. I was the singer for a band called R. Roulette (we just called it Roulette for short) and Devin was the singer in a band called the Saints of Valhalla (which would eventually change to Star-Crossed Lovers). </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I was 18 and fresh out of high school. My friend Kevin Lockler had introduced me to a band that he was working with and I somehow became the lead singer. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">It wasn’t my first band, but in terms of longevity, dedicated rehearsals, and writing original material, it was my first “real” project. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">R.Roulette was primarily a cover band with a couple of original songs. We were heavily influenced by Van Halen and all the affluent 80’s bands of the time. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">R.Roulette consisted of myself on vocals, Mike Conde on guitar, Raudel Estrada on drums and Devin Nelson (not to be confused with my close friend, Devin Napoleon) on bass. Devin preferred to go under the moniker, Shadow. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We covered bands like Ratt, Dokken, White Lion and Whitesnake. If a band had a great guitarist, we more than likely covered them. We could’ve been a Van Halen tribute band with all of the VH songs we covered. Mike, Raudel, and I were pretty passionate about Van Halen. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Shadow was a die-hard Kiss fan, so for every Van Halen song we covered, he mandated that we would have to learn a Kiss cover. I wasn’t a big Kiss fan at the time, but it kept the peace within the band. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Mike Conde was an absolute beast of a guitarist. Still to this day, he ranks in my top-five list of guitarists that I’ve had the pleasure of working with. He was a purist when it came to covering other guitarists. He would learn every solo note-for-note. I had never met anyone like him before. I dubbed him “Kid Conde”. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We would feed off of each other’s energy during our live performances, always trying to emulate Van Halen’s animated stage shows. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I had developed a routine where I would jump off the stage and use the tables in the audience as extended catwalk stages. I also did the witty stage banter between songs like David Lee Roth. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Mike played through all of the songs seamlessly with incredible showmanship. He was explosive on stage. He was also an excellent vocalist. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We were pretty good, and were beginning to make a name, but the band dynamic was too diverse, and we couldn’t get beyond the drama that eventually took its toll and saw the demise of R. Roulette. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We had managed to write a couple songs together as a band. Keep On Dancing and Worse Comes To Worst were our introduction to songwriting. Both sounded a little too much like they could’ve been lost Van Halen demos. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We didn’t end on the best of terms, but I’m always happy when I see Mike or Raudel post about upcoming performances in whatever bands they’re in. I wish them nothing but success.</p>The DML Conspiracytag:dmlconspiracy.com,2005:Post/66879182021-07-14T16:19:07-05:002021-07-31T10:27:55-05:00Everyone Knows Everyone In L.A.<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong>The Stories Behind The Songs</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/443718/9299619c4dab808cb0a9f87cbdb909720a30cce0/original/storytotell.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Story To Tell" /></strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong>Everyone Knows Everyone In L.A.</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Mary told us that everyone knows everyone in L.A. She said the city is much smaller when you’re from here. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Izzy and Mary spent a lot of time in Hollywood and on the Sunset Strip. They had a lot of close friends in the entertainment industry. They didn’t fawn over celebrities like we did. What we considered celebrities, they just considered friends or personal acquaintances. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">When we asked them what celebrities they knew, imagine our excitement to find out that they knew the members of Guns n’ Roses, as well as the guys in Jane’s Addiction. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Izzy had known Slash and Steven Adler since they were teenagers. They attended the same high school. Our minds were blown. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In 1987, I used to work at Hastings Records in Almeda Mall. I worked there from ’87 through ‘89. I was the assistant manager under Roxanne Alvarez. I even had my own set of keys to the store. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">A perk of my job was working with promotional reps from various record labels. So when Guns N’ Roses released Live Like A Suicide, I was one of the first to receive a promotional copy. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I don’t need to tell anyone how successful Guns N’ Roses would eventually become. But when I heard them for the first time, I just remember being totally floored by their sound. It was raw and unpretentious. It was a very different sound from all of the other bands coming out at that time. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I wore that promotional copy out on continuous play in the store, at least until Appetite For Destruction was released. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Working in a record store was how I discovered new music before anyone else. I was really big into bands like Jane’s Addiction, Love/Hate, The Cult, Love & Rockets, and INXS. I liked being a trendsetter when it came to new music. I had a knack for picking which bands were going to be hot. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Izzy & Mary knew Riki Rachtman as a local DJ in the Hollywood scene. He used to work at ICE, among a few other places around town. He was also a band promoter for some of the rock bands on the local scene. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In 1990, Riki Rachtman replaced Adam Curry as the host VJ for the Headbanger’s Ball on MTV. I knew of Riki Rachtman. To me, he was a celebrity too. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I had read about his “World Famous” Cathouse through some of my favorite music rags, like Circus Magazine, Metal Edge, and RIP Magazine. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Guns n’ Roses were undeniably the biggest export from the L.A. music scene at the time. There were photos of Axl and Slash with Cathouse swag on. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I knew of Taime Downe from MTV as well. He was the lead singer for Faster Pussycat. They were getting some heavy rotation on MTV with their videos for Bathroom Wall and Don’t Change That Song. They were pioneers of the new “Sleaze Rock” movement. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Izzy & Mary knew Taime from the Retail Slut, where he used to work. The Retail Slut was a clothing store on Melrose that specialized in underground and alternative fashions. This was where bands came to find their image. This is also where Slash got his top hat, or so the story goes. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Taime and Riki were roommates when they came up with the idea of the Cathouse. They wanted to set up a place where they could drink with friends and pick up chicks. They had no idea what the Cathouse would eventually become. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Izzy and Mary met us at Devin and Andrew’s apartment around 10:30p. We hung out for a bit polishing off some drinks and listening to Andrew play guitar. Devin showed us some of the new demo’s that his band, Star-Crossed Lovers, was working on. It was really impressive stuff, but I was already a fan. Everyone else agreed. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">After we killed off a couple drinks, we all crammed into Izzy’s car and made our way to Riki Rachtman’s World Famous Cathouse. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The line to get into the Cathouse was crazy long. It stretched down the street for quite a ways. Mary & Izzy grabbed us by the hands and impatiently walked us to the front of the line. The door guy recognized them right away, and we were let in without any hesitation. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We got the rock star treatment, further motivating us to live up to our potential. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The Cathouse vibe did not disappoint. The music was great, the women were amazing, and the place was packed. Izzy and Mary were regulars, so they knew just about everyone there. They introduced us to quite a few people that night, musicians from various bands, and some gorgeous ladies from the Tropicana known as the “Broad Squad”. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Mary introduced us to the guitar player in her band, Dennis Schumann. After the introduction, he whispered something in her ear, and then she disappeared with him. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The Cathouse was a “who’s who” of the entertainment industry. Porn star, Ron Jeremy was there, with a very attractive blonde. There were actors that I recognized, but I didn’t remember their names. We got to hang out with Lorraine Lewis from Femme Fatale. We did shots with Kelly Nickels & Steve Riley of LA Guns. We had a long conversation with Blind Melon singer, Shannon Hoon, about how much we all loved Jane’s Addiction. It was absolutely amazing. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In our drunken state, a couple girls asked us if we wanted to do some blow with them. Devin and Andrew agreed and I followed, not to partake, but just to be a part of the experience. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">As a side note, I should probably let you know that Devin, who had once had an issue with drugs, had been clean for about eighteen months at this point. But this weekend had seen him relapse. It wasn’t his first relapse, but I should’ve stepped in and said something at the time. Unfortunately, I was caught up in the decadence of the weekend as well. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Afterwards, Devin and I strolled back to the bar. Andrew had stayed behind for a quick blowjob in the ladies restroom. Devin had received a similar offer, but he refused, respectful, considering that he had come with Mary. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We watched Izzy and Mary as they danced and mingled. The Cathouse crowd seemed to be somewhat “click” oriented, but Mary seemed to bounce in and out of each click like the social butterfly she was, with Izzy in tow. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">They would do shots with one group and then move on and do shots with the next. They were simply at home at the Cathouse. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">At last call, our drunken quintet regrouped and found our way to the car. We hit a nearby Denny’s recapping the evening’s events. I was a little bummed that I didn’t get to meet Riki, Taime, or anyone from GNR, but I wasn’t going to complain. The evening was fantastic, and wasn’t quite over yet. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Izzy and Mary drove us back to the apartment after Denny’s. We convinced Izzy that she was probably too drunk, and tired, to drive home, so they agreed to stay the night. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Devin and Andrew’s apartment wasn’t as swanky as Izzy’s. It was your basic rock & roll bachelor pad, but we pulled out some blankets and playfully made a fort using the couch cushions. Izzy, once again, nestled in the crook of my arm. In the blink of an eye, everyone had crashed. Right before I drifted off to sleep, I realized I was going to have to leave in a few more hours. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">It was perfect night cap to an amazing weekend.</p>3:55The DML Conspiracytag:dmlconspiracy.com,2005:Post/66826932021-07-08T16:13:17-05:002021-07-31T10:21:04-05:00Day 3 / Santa Monica<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong>The Stories Behind The Songs</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/443718/de09b05b9bf41ede2b8f7851671be9d9a7430e81/original/662-jpg.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Day 3 / Santa Monica" /></strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong>Day 3 / Santa Monica</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">By early afternoon, there was movement in the apartment. Izzy was nestled in the crook of my arm as we were talking. We could hear activity in the next bedroom as Devin and Mary started to move around. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Izzy’s apartment was stylish and neatly kept. It was a modest two bedroom with two baths, very comfortable and cozy. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Devin and Mary shared the spare bedroom, while Andrew and his new friend took the foldout couch. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Westwood was a very upscale area on the other side of Beverly Hills from the Sunset strip. It definitely wasn’t a cheap place to live, at least from my perspective. When I lived in LA, we lived in a crappy little one bedroom apartment in the slums of North Hollywood. (This became the inspiration behind the song, Cancer.) Westwood was the polar opposite. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">When everyone was awake and active, we made breakfast and began to plan out our Saturday. This would be my last day in LA, so I wanted to get as much excitement in as I could. I had to fly back to Houston the following day. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We made plans to hit the beach. We were close enough to Santa Monica, so we figured we’d hit the pier for a bit and enjoy some California sun. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Andrew had met a girl at the warehouse party the night before. She came back to the apartment with us, but he needed to take her back to her car. We made plans to meet up with him at the pier after he dropped her off. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We did a little sightseeing before we hit the beach. Izzy drove us by the Playboy Mansion and we took a side trek through the cemetery to where Marilyn Monroe is buried. She also drove us around the UCLA campus where she attended college. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Izzy and Mary became tour guides as they chauffeured us around the city. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Santa Monica was always one of my favorite places to go when I was a kid. My mother and step-father actually met on the pier in 1971, when I was just a toddler. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We killed time at the Santa Monica Promenade while we waited for Andrew. Izzy cited historical facts about the city and its famous pier. (Fun fact: The Santa Monica Pier is made up of two adjoining piers. The main pier, built in 1909, was built to carry sewer pipes beyond the breakers. The Pleasure Pier, home to the Looff Hippodrome, and its charming carousel, was built in 1916. The pier was reconstructed in 1983 after the winter storms of El Nino had destroyed almost a third of it.) </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Santa Monica was also the backdrop for a new television series that had just aired called Baywatch starring David Hasselhoff, who we all remembered from Knight Rider. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Once Andrew was back in the fold, we hit the beach and enjoyed the water. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Seeing Izzy and Mary donning bikinis was breathtaking. Izzy wore a neon orange bikini that I couldn’t take my eyes off of. Mary had an equally impressive bikini with blue stripes. It was the start to a perfect day, especially for Devin and me. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Later, we walked along the Venice Beach boardwalk, and after a while, we continued with a drive to Malibu. Izzy and Mary continued as our vigilant tour guides. They showed us historical landmarks and some famed backdrops from movies we had seen. The memories of that day will be forever etched into my brain. It was magical, for what it was worth. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">After watching the sun set over the water, we went back to Andrew’s car. We made plans to meet up with the girls again later that evening. They were going to take us to the World Famous Cathouse Club. Izzy and Mary were close friends with the owners, Riki Rachtman and Taime Downe.</p>4:03The DML Conspiracytag:dmlconspiracy.com,2005:Post/66804982021-07-06T16:23:01-05:002021-07-31T10:15:59-05:00"Mary Is My Girl"<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong>The Stories Behind The Songs</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/443718/6263754c5c35df3dec202565a1e28cf389c4bef5/original/samurai.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Samurai - The Story of Izzy." />Mary Is My Girl</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Izzy once told me “Mary is my girl and I would do anything to protect her.” I didn’t think much about these words as she said them, but this statement has resonated in my head for years. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Isabel Gutierrez was unlike any woman I had ever met before. I knew she was out of my league, but I wasn’t about to let it show. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I wasn’t inexperienced when it came to women, but of all the women I had been with prior, Izzy was by far, the most intriguing woman I’d ever met. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We partied that Friday night until 4am at the warehouse. We shared our “weekend dare” idea with Mary and Izzy. Nothing was off limits. They were happy to play along. It became an elaborate game of Truth or Dare. Devin got to kiss Mary on a dare. We made Andrew do unmentionable things in front of the girls in attendance. We all laughed our asses off. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">This was the one and only time that I had ever done coke. It was on a dare, and I wanted to impress Izzy. I knew I was caving in to peer pressure, but I was hoping it would lead to bigger and better things with Izzy. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We went back to Izzy’s apartment in Westwood and continued to party into the morning. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I was drunk, high, and in full clown-mode with this woman. All I wanted to do was make her laugh. And that’s exactly what we did all night, right into the morning. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Izzy was 25 years old. During our game of truth or dare, I discovered that she was bi-sexual, and she preferred woman to men (although she had a soft spot for long haired musicians). We made her and Mary kiss several times, much to our entertainment. She was an avid music lover, but she preferred rock & metal. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">She used to be a dancer at the Seventh Veil on Sunset. She was instrumental in getting Mary a job there. They had been friends for many years. They met at a club called the Odyssey when they were still underage. It was a dance club for the under 21 crowd. According to some of the stories that she told me, it was a pretty seedy place. They used to do ecstasy and dance until 5am, among other things. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Izzy was a dominatrix, and she liked to frequent fetish clubs. During her time at the Seventh Veil, she had accrued a clientele of businessmen that paid her a lot of money to whip them into submission, quite literally. She told me Hollywood is a weird place with lots of fetish types. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">What these men, mostly corporate types, wanted to have done to them was the primary reason why she thought men were disgusting. But this afforded her a lifestyle she had grown accustomed to, as well as paying her way through college at UCLA. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Izzy was born in Los Angeles, but her parents originally emigrated from Columbia. She was thin with an athletic frame. Without her stiletto heels, she was still tall at 5’9”, a trait she accredits to her father. Her hair was dark brown and hung down to the middle of her back. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">She also had an unusual interest in politics, especially with regards to Los Angeles and its city council. She was even acquainted with some of its council members on a first name basis. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Another fascinating point about Izzy was that she owned an actual samurai, prominently displayed as you walked into her swanky Westwood apartment. She actually owned a collection of exotic knives, in addition to owning a gun that she kept in her purse for personal safety. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">She wasn’t a big fan of organized religion. She scoffed at how stupid the idea of religion was to her. She believed in spirituality, but she would not tolerate religion, especially Catholicism. This left a bad taste after years of Catholic school and the nuns in her youth. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">She was a practicing witch and proud to be. This was my first encounter with anyone outside of the Christian mindset, but I was trying to keep an open mind. She enlightened me about the Wiccan lifestyle. She was fascinating and I was trying to keep up. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Unlike Mary, Izzy wasn’t an extrovert. She was quiet until she got to know you. I found her to be quite the intellectual, albeit she was shrouded in mystery. She was both intelligent and beautiful. We talked for hours. I don’t think we slept at all. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">When everyone else woke up, we had pancakes and then made plans to hit the beach.</p>3:44The DML Conspiracytag:dmlconspiracy.com,2005:Post/66763832021-07-01T15:32:54-05:002021-07-30T16:46:56-05:003 Days On A Dare<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong>The Stories Behind The Songs</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/443718/877d0815b88e7b7ed359cd2af543ee07f727b99b/original/dmlc.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="3 Days On A Dare" /></strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong>3 Days On A Dare</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p>Although Mary wasn’t the only female we talked to at the Whiskey that night, we spent a good deal of the evening talking about her not really knowing if we would ever meet her again. But we carried on with the weekend as planned. </p>
<p>On Friday, we began our day sightseeing in Hollywood. We walked up and down the boulevard checking out the shops and the stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Of course, no visit would be complete without a trip to the famous Grauman’s Chinese Theater and the Capital Records building. </p>
<p>While we were on the boulevard, we met a band passing out flyers for their show at the Troubadour that night. We hung with them for a bit and exchanged numbers. </p>
<p>I grew up in Hollywood. My family lived there until I was 13, then we moved to Houston after my father accepted a job there. So I drove Andrew’s car to show him and Devin all my childhood hangouts. </p>
<p>We went by my old apartment building on Normandy Avenue, between Hollywood and Sunset. Then we drove by the Paramount Studios building and my old middle school, LeConte Junior High on Bronson Avenue. </p>
<p>We drove up to the Hollywood hills overlooking the city and the view was breathtaking. While we were there, we hit the Griffith Park Observatory. </p>
<p>I also attended school at Melrose Elementary, so we drove around and hit some of the local shops on Melrose. </p>
<p>We rounded out our trip with a visit to the Santa Monica Pier and a drive along the Pacific Coast Highway. </p>
<p>We had a blast during the day, and then we headed back to the apartment to get ready for the partying that we were going to do that night. </p>
<p>Hollywood had a local music rag called BAM magazine. BAM was a free bi-weekly magazine that circulated throughout much of California. BAM was kind of like the local Rolling Stone that spotlighted and featured bands from the LA music scene. We grabbed a copy of the magazine to see what bands were playing for the weekend. </p>
<p>We set out for our night of bar hopping and checking out bands. We went to the Troubadour first on Santa Monica to check out Pretty Vacant, the band we had met earlier that day. Then we left and headed to Gazzari’s (once again because of the Van Halen connection). Cruella D’Ville was tearing up their set, then we hit The Roxy, and the Rainbow. As we were passing by the Whiskey, we wondered if we would catch Mary there. So we went in </p>
<p>True to form, there was Mary, and she was absolutely stunning. To our surprise, she remembered us. She came over and gave us all big hugs and hung with us. We talked about our daytime excursions when she suggested a few places for us to check out the next time we were out and about. </p>
<p>As we were talking, another beautiful woman approached us. Mary introduced us to her good friend, Isabel. </p>
<p>Isabel was beautiful with exotic features. She looked like Selma Hayek. She had long dark-brown hair. She was wearing stiletto heels which made her extremely tall that night. She could’ve been a model, a cheerleader, or a Playboy Playmate. It didn't matter, she was THAT gorgeous. She stood with us for a moment, but she eventually left to mingle with some other friends. Mary would soon join her circle. They would eventually blend in with the crowd as they maneuvered to the front of the stage </p>
<p>Meanwhile, Andrew, Devin and I continued to drink by the bar. We spent that weekend kind of daring each other to do stupid things. Mainly making idiots out of ourselves and laughing at each other. We were drunk and showing off to see which girls we could lure away. After all, we had to maintain our bad-boy rocker status. </p>
<p>We saw Mary again later that evening in the Rainbow parking lot about 2am. Isabel and her were just about to leave. She stopped to invite us to a warehouse party where some of her friends were jamming. She knew a bunch of people that were going and she said it would be fun. We weren’t about to turn down a beautiful woman with an open invitation to a Hollywood party, so we jumped in Andrew’s car and followed her to some place off of La Cieniga </p>
<p>The party was a happening place. There was some local band playing. I think they were called Rattlesnake Shake, or maybe it was Blackboard Jungle. Parts of that weekend are kind of a blur </p>
<p>We stayed close to Mary because she was the only person we semi-knew. We didn’t want to seem like we were crashing the party, but it was a perfect opportunity for networking and a little jamming. There was an open jam afterwards, so we each took turns joining in. </p>
<p>Mary was a social butterfly. She was sexy and charming. She oozed sexuality in her body language. She would either hug you or gently rub your arm as she would greet you. She was completely engaging. She introduced us to several musicians, including some guys from Brunette, Love/Hate and Rough Justice. She eventually disappeared somewhere with Devin. It would be a while before they would reappear. Fortunately, I didn’t even notice. I was quite engaged in stimulating conversation with Isabel. But she deserves her own blog dedication.</p>The DML Conspiracytag:dmlconspiracy.com,2005:Post/66697952021-06-25T00:00:11-05:002021-07-31T10:06:14-05:00You Always Remember Your First Time<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span class="font_large">The Stories Behind The Songs</span></strong></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/443718/f9aa4f87e6820f51dc0e744d7a1ed5d8a460a2da/original/youalwaysremember.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong>You Always Remember Your First Time</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We met Mary on a Thursday night at the Whiskey on the Sunset strip in Los Angeles. It was the spring of ‘90. I had just flown in that morning to visit Devin for a long weekend. He had recently relocated to L.A. because he wanted to be closer to their thriving music scene. It’s what most musicians did if they were serious about their music careers, and Devin was definitely serious about his. He moved by himself, while the rest of the band stayed back East. It didn’t stop them from touring, all he had to do was jump on a plane home and jump in the van and they’d be off and running. He just wanted to have a presence in Los Angeles since it was the major music capital at the time. And besides that, he was single; the other guys had committed relationships back home. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">He had been in L.A. a couple months prior to me coming. He had a roommate that he had met in San Diego while touring the west coast. This would be my first time meeting Andrew. We hit it off right away because, coincidentally, we all shared the same birthday, year and all. It became a running joke that we were the same person in 3 different bodies. We were so much alike. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I had never been to the Whiskey before, but I had always wanted to go. Considering that Van Halen got their big break at the Whiskey, I wanted to see where their history was made. Everyone knows how big of a Van Halen geek I was. So Andrew & Devin took me to the Whiskey. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We were kicked back at the bar when we were approached by a slightly tipsy redhead. She was gorgeous. She looked like a Victoria’s Secret model. It’s funny to think about it after all these years because I can recall it so vividly in my head. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">“You guys look like you’re famous”, was her opening line to us. We were dressed in our rock & roll best; long hair, eyeliner, and biker boots. You wouldn’t be caught out any other way. We were all trying to make a name for ourselves in the rock scene. She asked if we were in a band together. Devin told her, “No, we’re all just good friends”. She shot back, “Are you guys gay?” And without missing a beat, Devin replied, “Why don’t we go back to your place and I’ll show you how gay I am.” We shared a laugh. She smiled at Devin and you could just tell that he pushed the right button with her. Devin had a great sarcastic wit about him. It didn’t stop me from flirting with her just in case I had been mistaken. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Devin had always been quick witted. He was definitely not shy when it came to talking to the ladies. After all, he was the consummate entertainer. He was mesmerizing to watch live, like a magnet to the eye. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Our first encounter with Mary was short and sweet. She inquired if we knew any drummers. She had been looking for a a drummer for her band, Ivory. I’m sure she was hoping one of us was a drummer. But Devin and I were both singers, and Andrew was a guitarist. They were both newly transplanted and I was just visiting, although I was seriously considering making the jump to L.A. at the time. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We exchanged some flirtatious pleasantries and then she left us at the bar to make her rounds. She had lived in L.A. much longer and she knew just about everyone. But that was not the last we would see of Mary. </p>The DML Conspiracytag:dmlconspiracy.com,2005:Post/66637202021-06-18T16:20:12-05:002021-07-30T16:45:06-05:00Where We Are Now<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong>The Stories Behind The Songs</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/443718/9a257d3cc8329ef25d65b3fd56b43e7118289b6a/original/sister-mary-web.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong>Where We Are Now</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Devin spent 17 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. His only real mistake was crossing paths with Mary. I honestly believe that she loved him in her own way, but she was too deep in her own lies to undo what she had already set into motion. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In 2011, Devin was released from prison when new evidence was discovered, proving his innocence. He was 43 years old. I went to visit him at his sister’s house in Rochester. It was during the summer. I remember it was very hot while I was there. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Devin had aged considerably. He was a very different person. Prison had taken a hard toll on him, he had changed. He didn’t know what he was going to do. He had been away for so long and so much had changed in the outside world. It was all overwhelming for him. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">He didn’t want to discuss the details of his years in prison. I really couldn’t blame him. I asked if he had intended on getting back into music, but he just said that life was now his past. He told me that was a young man’s game. He was just going to try and find a job and make the best of what life he had left. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Devin found his sobriety while in prison. He was clean and very intent to remain so. But his drug usage had taken a physical and mental toll on him. He was broken. It was difficult to see him like this having known a different version of him in our youth. He was tatted up. His features were hardened. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">He was looking for work, but there wasn’t much available to him as an ex-con. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">When I returned home, we stayed in touch a while. One day he told me he was going to be getting his own place real soon. He never mentioned where he was going, but he said, more than once, that he needed to find something a little more secluded. And then one day he was gone, and I never heard from him again. I think about him often. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I’ve reached out to Nora and Eddie. They had married while Devin was in prison. I’m sure that was difficult for him, but he seemed to be ok with it. They hadn’t heard from him either. He just disappeared. I don’t know if he’s still alive, but I want to believe he is. That he is just laying low. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">During our conversation over those last couple of years, I had told him I thought he should tell his story; maybe even write a book about it. But he had no desire to relive the experience. We talked about Mary a little. I could tell he still wasn't over her. He told me she had come to visit him in prison a few times. She apologized to him for what had happened. He found a place in his heart to forgive her. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I told him I had written a few songs about his experience. I shared the songs with him. I was angry and I wanted to tell his story, even if he didn’t. He made me promise several times that if I was going to publicly talk about what had happened, I would have to wait for his mother to pass. He was embarrassed by the whole situation. He didn’t want his mother to have to relive any of that embarrassment. I promised him I would uphold his wishes. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Devin’s mom passed quietly in her sleep in September of 2019. She died from natural causes. She was 72. I spoke with Nora, Eddie, and Devin’s brother. I still talk to them, and Andrew, on a regular basis. I told them what I wanted to do, and they each gave me their blessing. I also follow Devin’s other siblings on FB. I keep up with them through their posts, hoping that one day they might reveal a prodigal son’s return home. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I’m not sure what I think will change by sharing this story. Devin was a major part of my life as a young adult. I just want to remember him, and honor his memory. I don’t know whatever became of Mary & Isabel. The outcome was tragic, but there were a lot of great memories before that. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I was thinking if actors and athletes can use their positions to promote their political and religious platforms, then maybe, just maybe, I could use my position to tell my friend’s story. Cheers to you Devin, wherever you are. </p>The DML Conspiracytag:dmlconspiracy.com,2005:Post/66546362021-06-09T16:27:40-05:002021-07-31T09:49:14-05:00What do we really know about Mary?<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong>The Stories Behind The Songs</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/443718/8052906e1e69a58cbc6ba288cb84b10665d90c85/original/sistermary.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="What Do We Really Know About Mary?" /></strong></span><strong>What Do We Really Know About Mary?</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Although Mary is not her real name (withheld for legal reasons), she used to dance under the moniker, Sweet Sister Mary. </p>
<p>She attended a private Catholic school when she was younger, but was expelled for her continuous sexual exploits and her prescription drug abuse. </p>
<p>As retaliation, she would wear an inappropriate nun costume on stage when she danced and would dedicate each performance to all the sisters at her old school. </p>
<p>The name came from a Queensryche song called Suite Sister Mary off of the Operation Mindcrime album.</p>
<p> </p>The DML Conspiracytag:dmlconspiracy.com,2005:Post/66496492021-06-04T12:24:59-05:002021-07-31T09:39:41-05:00An Introduction To Mary - The Story Behind Sister Mary<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong>The Stories Behind The Songs</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/443718/8052906e1e69a58cbc6ba288cb84b10665d90c85/original/sistermary.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="An Introduction to Sweet Sister Mary" />Something About Sweet Sister Mary</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">My life-long best-friend spent 17 years in prison for a crime that he did not commit. He was an up & coming musician/artist with a promising future, but he made a bad relationship decision that cost him everything. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The songs I’ve been writing recently are based on actual events. The names have been changed for legal purposes. I have been given permission to tell this story by the people that matter the most to me. I honestly believe that Mary and her girlfriend will never intentionally or willingly listen to my music, and the truth should be told regardless of the consequences. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">(Any similarities to your personal stories are completely coincidental. <strong>This song is not about you.</strong>) </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Mary had a typical childhood growing up. She came from a middle class family and a loving home. She had lots of friends and she was a good student. When she was eight years old, tragedy struck. Her father died suddenly and it altered the events of her life and sent her down a spiraling path. She started to act out her anger and she went into fits of rage. Her grief was understandable, but she was never really able to recover from his loss. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Her mother remarried when she was 10, and she became increasingly uncontrollable. It was gradual, but her behavior continued to decline. By the time she was a teenager, she was a holy terror. She turned to alcohol and prescription pills as a way to cope. Mary was in and out of various rehabs before she was 16. She financially drained her mother and her step-father. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">But Mary was an extremely pretty girl. She was smart and she was talented. She looked like a young Tawney Kitaen with her strawberry blonde hair. She had plenty of motivation and drive when it came to pursuing the things she wanted. She had no difficulties with boys, much to her mother's dismay. She would eventually acquire a reputation that she wore like a badge of honor. She was determined, and unstoppable. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In 1983, at the age of 17, she ran away and found herself in Los Angeles. She had a pen-pal that lived in Hollywood and he allowed her to come live with him. He was 10 years older than she was. Rent was paid in trade. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Mary had dreams of becoming a singer. She idolized Pat Benatar and Heart. She wanted to follow in their footsteps and show the world that women could rock as hard as the boys. She made her mind up and nothing was going to change it. It was a very stereotypical story of what the 80’s were like. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">She struggled with her music career, spending time in and out of various bands, but it was difficult for a female in this industry to be taken seriously. She couldn’t make the necessary connections to break into the big leagues. A lot of promoters and booking agents promised her success only to take advantage of her naiveté. This became the world she would grow accustomed to, but she was definitely learning how to adapt in this concrete jungle. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">She did what she had to do to survive. She lied about her age and got a job as a dancer. It was supposed to be a temporary gig until she could catch her big break, but she found that making fast money came very easy. She was definitely good at it. She developed a clientele of regulars. There were no false pretenses, they came through on their promises and there was always money to be made. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">One of her regulars introduced her to a young man named Jacob. Jacob was a small-time pimp and wannabe music producer/manager. He was young and good looking and he often bragged about having ties to the mob. He saw opportunity with Mary, and he seized the moment. He took Mary in and together they would come up with the blueprints for her music career. By this time, Mary was in complete control of her destiny. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I met Mary on a few different occasions. I was with Devin when they first met. We met her at the Whiskey on the Sunset Strip in LA. She was the self-proclaimed "Queen of the Hollywood Underground". She was definitely confident and infamous in the LA music scene. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I thought she was beautiful and she was very charming, but Devin was definitely intrigued. It was easy to see. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Devin, myself, and Devin's roommate, Andrew spent a good deal of the weekend with her talking music, bands, Los Angeles hot spots, and everything related to the above. She was dynamic, but we had no idea of her history at the time. We had no idea of the nightmare that was about to unfold, a nightmare that shattered the hopes and dreams of one of my closest friends. </p>4:06The DML Conspiracy