Tangent Time

It's time for a metaphysical battle here on Bring Back Glam!

The untimely passing of Quiet Riot lead singer Kevin DuBrow (please see "Remembering Kevin DuBrow") has left me thinking about an alternate universe.

I checked several music websites many times yesterday trying to learn more of DuBrow's death. While we wait for a coroner's report, fans all over the world are leaving their condolences...while trying to comfort their own psyche.

Comments like "He's playing with Randy Rhoads now" are really starting to bug me. Is this irrational? Probably.

Here's why: I'm not a religious person by any means. I don't believe in places people call Heaven or Hell. I believe that once you die...that's all she wrote. Your body decomposes, and it's up to your family and friends to keep your memory alive.

The thought of Kevin DuBrow flying around with angel wings screaming "Bang Your Head!" is ridiculous - at least in my mind.

Is it just self-soothing for us to think that Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Dime, and now DuBrow are rocking out together? Is this a nice thought? Of course. Irrational? Absolutely.

To say that our destiny is pre-determined seems unfair to me.

We've all heard of Manifest Destiny -- that America was (and still is) destined for greatness. Expansion was necessary and encouraged at all cost. Tied to virtue by God fearing early Americans, these early political settlers used their faith to determine God's will here on free soil.

The fact of the matter is this: early Americans had no idea that they would eventually build this rich - and complex nation - many of us call home. Along the way, political prowess meant stepping on a lot of proverbial toes...all in the name of manifest destiny.

Some would argue DuBrow was destined to die at age 52. It was "his time." This kind of talk doesn't take into account lifestyle or possible reckless behavior. By now, we all know rock stars statistically have a shorter life span the rest of us. The road life is hard, make no mistake. Does this mean certain people are born - and destined - for greatness? I don't necessarily think so. Gene Simmons of KISS isn't a great bass player, but he's a brilliant business man. He worked past his musical - and societal - obstacles to become a mogul that many of us mock.

Back to DuBrow. When people say R.I.P. and leave comments about him singing among the Heavens...does this mean we're ignoring our own morality? Most definitely.

The key is to celebrate the life and legacy...and not necessarily mourn what could have been. After all, none of us know what will happen later today, let alone tomorrow.

I can't wait for the discussion on this one. Type away, people!

Comments

[fletch]

"AMEN" Allyson...pun intended!

I admire your "balls".

[Christian Graus]

I think you've hit the nail on the head. We can't believe he's gone, and we are reminded of our own mortality, so we tell ourselves he's gone to a 'better place' Sadly, this is not true, and I suspect that most people who are saying it, wouldn't hold to that overall view on a day when they hadn't lost one of their heroes at a far too young age.

[Valentine]

Hear, hear... um, no pun intended either. I admire Kevin and readily acknowledge his place in history... If not for him and Quiet Riot I likely wouldn't have shifted my sites from Frampton Comes Alive to Cum on Feel the Noize... But regardless, sorry to break it to you people but there is no Rock and Roll Heaven and nope, we don't have a helluva band...
Pegged right on the head, it's a way to console ourselves and form some sort of way to cope with the inescapability of the death of someone we know and perhaps love... I've had friends and family pass and know first hand that the emptiness we feel and the disbelief that our own lives have irreversably changed makes us look for ANY way to make sense or put it to right... But again, no... Dubrow and Rhodes aren't sitting on a cloud composing music. Gone but never forgotten.

[Christian Graus]

Indeed, that's a real point you've raised. The fact that they are gone means that it's only through people like us that their memory lives on. They are not making any new memories, or any new fans, on any astral plane.

[Hairball John]

At least once or twice a day my wife labels me as Mr. Insensitive.....after reading your post it's nice to know that there is a Mrs. Insensitive out there. I sensed real anger issues that I am not sure are covered by your current health plan. None the less, I am one of those people that have post a somewhat "heavenly" comment. Mine being "You're with Randy now Kevin, toast one for us!". But for the record my reason for that type of post is because over the past four years I have interviewed Kevin three times and each time he always talked about how much he deeply missed his close friend (Randy Rhoads) but he felt that they would "someday rock again".

I think this may have come off as busting your chops and I did not mean it too. Just like you, I do not punch a ticket on the "martyr bandwagon" but in the instance of my post it was meant out of respect for what Kevin believed and not my own personal American Greetings tag line.

[sleazyrocker]

exactly!, I believe there is a heaven

is Kevin in heaven?
is Randy in heaven?

we dont know.

but I know this,they are not playing "metal" in heaven, or toasting wine for that matter...

[Christian Graus]

Manifest Destiny was just a way of saying 'God approves of us taking this land from the Indians and killing them all'

[George]

I don't quite understand why we automatically assume that someone like Dubrow isn't somewhere else now. I'm a Christian, so I believe this life isn't where it ends. As for Dubrow's salvation, there's no way that any of us can know that or know exactly how it's all going to work. Is he playing clubs up in Heaven right now? Who knows. But I don't think we can easily say that he's just going to rot in the ground.

[Valentine]

Ok, wait a minute... My post is just my own opinion and I do respect the opinions/beliefs of others. Far be it from me to tell somebody not to think that "we'll all meet again" someday or whatever just because that's not how I feel... But, having said that, what's with this comment:

"but I know this,they are not playing "metal" in heaven, or toasting wine for that matter... "

Oh, yeah, I forgot. Cause Metal is the Devil's music, right? And didn't all the Apostles drink wine?

I'm just saying.

PS... Nothing insensitive that I've seen anywhere in any of these comments. You want insensitive, go to Sludge's gossip board...

[sleazyrocker]

dude,there will be not Metal in heaven (or any alcohol beverages), just deal with it.

yes,the apostoles drank wine, but I believe it didnt contain any alcohol....anyway drinking in itself its not a sin...if you know how to drink.....cause God desnt like it, when you get drunk.


PS:(I dont understand the insensitive comment.)