The past couple of days I have been cruising around in my van or working on the computer cranking the new KISS CD “Sonic Boom.”  To say that I have been deeply immersed in fun musical escapism would be a huge understatement.  A few of the songs take me back to my days as a young rocker in my early teens trying to figure out what my initial musical identity might be.  For a band that’s been around close to forty years, capturing an old feeling and spreading it around is a pretty difficult thing to do.  When it extends to close friends it becomes amazing.  Of course one of the first things I did was text my good buddy Fred McNeal in Atlanta about the CD.  As a person who loves to talk in great detail about bands and their music it is a blessing to have a comrade like Fred to share discussions and stories with.  I always leave visits and/or discussions with Fred filled with nostalgic thoughts about bands as well as the early days of our friendship when we played together in the band Family Jewels.

On the way home from a rehearsal I was cranking “Stand’ off the new KISS CD and thinking alot about the days playing around town for kids with Fred and our bandmates Patrick Turner and Paul Sieg.  I thought about a horribly hot gig we had played in the middle of June on an uncovered tractor trailer bed in Lincoln, Georgia and for some reason remembered a video of that show and that Jeannie was wearing a big red shirt that had our band logo glitter painted on it.  Suddenly I remembered that I had made one for my friend Kevin Brown as well.  He was supposed to have been there as he was letting me use his bass amp but if memory serves me correctly, an uncle of his passed away and he would be out of town.  So Kevin, being the big-hearted guy he was, drove this massive bass amp over to our practice room off of Washington Road from deep in South Augusta so I could use it the next day.  You see, I have a lot of “friends” but like most people only a few “close friends.”  Kevin was one of those “close friends.”

As I continued to drive home I thought about the time Kevin picked me up in his pickup truck and we drove out to Grovetown early to wait for an all-day festival (the first Lokal Loudness benefit show) The Hurrican Andrew / Iniki Benefit Concert.  As we waiting we listened to music and imitated wrestlers such as Hulk Hogan and Randy “Macho Man” Savage.  I have video of Kevin helping me pass out passes to the many bands as they arrived.  That was a good day.

When I finally arrived at the house this afternoon I was filled with all these great memories of my friend who in 1994 was tragically killed when the Dominos he was working at was robbed.  Kevin was only 28 years old.  But I wasn’t thinking about that.  I was remembering his giant smile, huge heart, musical talent, and love for life.  He was always very relaxed.  I remember one incident where get got off work and met me at now defunt music club The Post Office to watch the band “Cry of Love” in full Dominos garb.  Now maybe that’s not strange but it was quite the sight to see Kevin in his uniform holding a huge Pizza Hut pizza that the owner of the club had picked up for us next door.  Yep he sat there, rocked out, and devoured the competition.

So of course I was now at home with a huge smile on my face.  A couple of times on the way home I had to refrain from laughing out loud.  It felt good to think about Kevin.  There are people that should forever be remembered.  Kevin was one of those people.

With a smile on my face I jumped on the computer and decided to check my Yahoo email but as always I figured I’d read the local news on my Yahoo page.  A story caught my eye and I found myself reading the different versions on several area TV and news online pages.  It seems that after 16 years behind bars (14 on death row) the warrant for the execution of Kevin’s killer has finally been signed and for now it appears that he will see his last moments on earth sometime between October 20th and 27th.  I was stunned.  I had wondered for a while if this day would ever come and had all but forgotten about it though I have never forgotten about Kevin.   Strangely enough where at one time I would have angrily demanded this guys head on a platter, it just doesn’t seem that important anymore.  I guess many including myself will be happy to see justice finally served but it will never bring Kevin back and it will never take away the one thing this guy could never kill – memories of a great friend, musician, and man.

I still miss you Kev.  Your smile, laugh, corny jokes, and of course, all the times we jammed together just us and our two basses.

Love You Brother,

Stoney