Friday, August 19, 2005

Hang Down Your Head


On a somber note, four young people from in and around my home town died yesterday in an accident in an underwater cave of sorts. I bear a close connection to one of them and a more loose connection to the other three. It really is quite numbing and I don't feel the need to delve to deeply into my relationship with any of them, but they will all certainly be missed by a great many young people in our community, primarily due to the heavy involvement with the local music scene.

In smaller towns such as mine, the local music scene can play an almost religous role in the lives of young people who feel suffocated by authority or deprived of something to call their own. Sure it's all typical teenage angst stuff, but it doesn't make it any less relevant or important, in fact it is the very factor that spawned the hip-hop and punk rock movements that shook the world, dilluted as they may seem today. All kids will or at least should seek out "Jungle Music" that fills some empty spot in their lives and both confuses and infuriates their parents. From Buddy Holly to Maralyn Manson and every genius or flunkie in between, Rock n' Roll is a part of growing up. One of the best parts if you ask me. Those who passed on in the accident yesterday certainly left their mark in the lives of hundreds of kids in this valley through their art, and I say it again; they will be sorely missed.

"The fury of the hour, anger can be power, you know that you can use it"
- Joe Strummer R.I.P.

Rest in peace sons and daughters of Utah County .

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