Quiet Riot's singer's death was an overdose!!!

[toys2cool]

Hmmmm....

I'm not a real sympathetic person. Ever. But I do have a sense of perspective. I wasn't sad at all when Tammy Baker died a slow, painful death. She was part of a scheme that preyed on people's fears and lonliness and after "paying her price to society" she used her notoriety to remain in the limelight. I have NO sympathy.

Kevin Dubrow? Well... he may have made silly music; but I don't think he ever set out to rip anyone off or do them harm. (And yeah; if you hate the music you may WANT to say he did, but before you do please watch the movie "Metal: A Headbanger's Jouney." I can't possibly explain why folks would love Dubrow any better than that film.) Getting coked up and dying is an INCREDIBLY stupid thing to do, so I have no sympathy there.

BUT I do understand what would make someone WANT to do drugs. And that's where I got some sympathy. Not to get all weepy or anything; but I burned out about seven years ago. It's a strange feeling, like you're sleepwalking through your day. Nothing seems important, and more troubling; nothing has flavour. You wake up one morning and it's like all the excitement; good or bad, has been sucked out of the world. You do your job, you eat, sleep... you act like a human but you don't feel like one. And I can see how someone would get desperate enough to do ANYTHING to feel something; to "wake up."

And I'm nobody. I've never held the stage, never had armies of fans, never did anything anyone'd ever care about. How much tougher would this be for someone who once MATTERED? So THIS is where I got some sympathy. I don't condone drugs, booze, promiscuity, picking fights, or any of the other ineffective things people do to get through their day; but I can't bring myself to detest someone just because of them. Dubrow was just some clown making music who's life got out of hand.

Could happen to any of us.

Don C.

Well glad to hear you got out of that stuff alright Don ,god only knows how hard that is.I've had many friends go thru similar stuff

[ctc]

Hmmmm....

I'm not a real sympathetic person. Ever. But I do have a sense of perspective. I wasn't sad at all when Tammy Baker died a slow, painful death. She was part of a scheme that preyed on people's fears and lonliness and after "paying her price to society" she used her notoriety to remain in the limelight. I have NO sympathy.

Kevin Dubrow? Well... he may have made silly music; but I don't think he ever set out to rip anyone off or do them harm. (And yeah; if you hate the music you may WANT to say he did, but before you do please watch the movie "Metal: A Headbanger's Jouney." I can't possibly explain why folks would love Dubrow any better than that film.) Getting coked up and dying is an INCREDIBLY stupid thing to do, so I have no sympathy there.

BUT I do understand what would make someone WANT to do drugs. And that's where I got some sympathy. Not to get all weepy or anything; but I burned out about seven years ago. It's a strange feeling, like you're sleepwalking through your day. Nothing seems important, and more troubling; nothing has flavour. You wake up one morning and it's like all the excitement; good or bad, has been sucked out of the world. You do your job, you eat, sleep... you act like a human but you don't feel like one. And I can see how someone would get desperate enough to do ANYTHING to feel something; to "wake up."

And I'm nobody. I've never held the stage, never had armies of fans, never did anything anyone'd ever care about. How much tougher would this be for someone who once MATTERED? So THIS is where I got some sympathy. I don't condone drugs, booze, promiscuity, picking fights, or any of the other ineffective things people do to get through their day; but I can't bring myself to detest someone just because of them. Dubrow was just some clown making music who's life got out of hand.

Could happen to any of us.

Don C.

[toys2cool]

wow that showed mad respect there,very well said

[megoscott]

In doing a search for Twisted Sister's "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (super fun version of a great song) I came across this on their website. History I did not know, since I'm not a huge metalhead.

Kevin Dubrow is dead. This hits pretty damn hard. Quiet Riot and Twisted Sister had a lot of respect for each other. The basis for this came from the fact that both Quiet Riot and Twisted Sister formed in 1973--long before the rebirth of heavy metal or "hair metal," as it came to be known, in the 80's. When Quiet Riot (on the West Coast) and Twisted Sister (on the East Coast) were formed, it was an outgrowth of the glam rock movement of the early 70's and both our bands fought the good fight against the onslaught that was disco (ugh!). When most other bands gave up or switched allegiances to what was more commercially viable at the time, both of our bands refused to bend--or break for that matter--and carried the torch for heavy rock through the dark days of the mid to late 70's.

As a result, Quiet Riot were not only at the forefront to the LA metal scene, they were the inspiration for many other bands who went on to find fame and fortune. If you were to look back at old issues of LA music papers, you'd see every band who ever became anything out of LA opening for Quiet Riot. And it was Kevin Dubrow and Quiet Riot's perseverance and refusal to take no for an answer that literally destroyed the barriers of the record industry, television and commercial radio and opened the door for all metal bands to follow into the promised land. And we all know the glory days of metal that followed. Thank you Kevin.

And because Twisted Sister was doing, and had done the same thing for the music scene on the East Coast, our two bands have always shared a mutual respect for one another. We know that none of the other bands (with the possible exception of Y&T who were doing pretty much the same thing in Northern California) had been through the **** that we'd been through. We had earned our battle scars and our right to stand on those coliseum stages...while we felt many others had not.

It's because of this connection, that the passing of Kevin Dubrow hits us particularly hard. You've all heard the saying, "There by the grace of God go I." Well, it's never been truer than now.

The metal community has lost a powerful voice and a great front man, but let it never be said that Kevin Dubrow did not leave his mark. You kicked our asses Kevin, you really did.

Dee Snider - Twisted Sister

[Hector]

I guess I'm one that thinks like Huedell on topics like this,I know it was stupid to take drugs,but when it's someone who really wasn't a bad guy and someone you grew up listening too or even admired..it's a little hard to read people ragging on him.It's like when a lot of the Wrestlers pass,I know it was stupid to take roids and all,but you still feel bad and in my opinion you should show a little respect.
But again that's just me and everyone has their own opinion of course

Ahh...

That explains it...the pro wrassler connection.

[toys2cool]

I guess I'm one that thinks like Huedell on topics like this,I know it was stupid to take drugs,but when it's someone who really wasn't a bad guy and someone you grew up listening too or even admired..it's a little hard to read people ragging on him.It's like when a lot of the Wrestlers pass,I know it was stupid to take roids and all,but you still feel bad and in my opinion you should show a little respect.
But again that's just me and everyone has their own opinion of course

[thunderbolt]

and paris hilton, the view ladies, britney spears , all the american Idol judges/contestants , the people that do those HEAD ON commericals...

Not the Head-On people!!! I love those commercials during Judge Judy.

[Hector]

I hear ya, Scott.

[megoscott]

I never said he deserved to die, I just said he was stupid for using coke...especially into his 50s...that was just asking for trouble.

I understand, and you are quite right, of course. I didn't mean to single you out in particular, I'm more reacting to other things I've heard over the years.

Ok, you win. People don't make STUPID decisions, they make INSANE ones. It really is no difference to me. I guess it depends on one's definition of "stupid". Maybe "foolish" was a better word choice. And I never reject anyone's "validity" as a human being due to their INSANE or FOOLISH choices when it comes to drugs, alcohol, cigarettes or binge eating etc. etc.......

I think it's all semantics, anyway. Intelligent people are quite capable of making stupid, foolish, insane decisions. Either way, it's sad.

[megoat]

Intelligence or its lack isn't a factor in whether a person uses drugs or not. And stupidity is not a factor in abusing them. Drug use has to do with the amount of suffering a person feels like they've endured in their lifetime, and the lengths they'll go to in order to escape that pain, that memory and residue of pain. Also, addiction is a disease of the mind; AA approaches it as a form of insanity. So, you know, to call someone 'stupid' or reject their validity as human beings, worthy of our compassion and our understanding, even our love, is unfair.

Ok, you win. People don't make STUPID decisions, they make INSANE ones. It really is no difference to me. I guess it depends on one's definition of "stupid". Maybe "foolish" was a better word choice. And I never reject anyone's "validity" as a human being due to their INSANE or FOOLISH choices when it comes to drugs, alcohol, cigarettes or binge eating etc. etc.......And again, I'm guilty myself. I AM FOOLISHLY INSANE!

[Vortigern99]

Intelligence or its lack isn't a factor in whether a person uses drugs or not. And stupidity is not a factor in abusing them. Drug use has to do with the amount of suffering a person feels like they've endured in their lifetime, and the lengths they'll go to in order to escape that pain, that memory and residue of pain. Also, addiction is a disease of the mind; AA approaches it as a form of insanity. So, you know, to call someone 'stupid' or reject their validity as human beings, worthy of our compassion and our understanding, even our love, is unfair.

[Hector]

Well, of course it does. It's stupid to even TRY an addictive substance you know is harmful and addictive! And this is coming from someone who has been very, very stupid in the past......Nobody forced me to smoke my first cigarette or to try drugs. It was a decision I made. And in terms of my health, a very very stupid decision......

Exactly.

Fair enough, I was just objecting to the notion some people seem have that you're stupid and deserve what you get if you become addicted. Nothing is more human, really, and there but for the grace of G*d go we....

I never said he deserved to die, I just said he was stupid for using coke...especially into his 50s...that was just asking for trouble.

[megoscott]

Well, of course it does. It's stupid to even TRY an addictive substance you know is harmful and addictive! And this is coming from someone who has been very, very stupid in the past......Nobody forced me to smoke my first cigarette or to try drugs. It was a decision I made. And in terms of my health, a very very stupid decision......

Fair enough, I was just objecting to the notion some people seem have that you're stupid and deserve what you get if you become addicted. Nothing is more human, really, and there but for the grace of G*d go we....

[Vortigern99]

Look, everyone makes mistakes. It isn't right to criticise other people so strongly and so unforgivingly because first, what are /your/ sins or errors -- are they any better or less egregious than the person under discussion? -- and second, we have no idea what kind of life this person endured to lead them to drugs or alcohol. We have no idea of their private pain.

[megoat]

Stupidity has precious little to do with whether one becomes addicted or not.

Well, of course it does. It's stupid to even TRY an addictive substance you know is harmful and addictive! And this is coming from someone who has been very, very stupid in the past......Nobody forced me to smoke my first cigarette or to try drugs. It was a decision I made. And in terms of my health, a very very stupid decision......