The Cliffs of Insanity

In 1995, I was working the best job I'd ever had or ever will have, in BMG Quality Assurance. One day that year, my job got suddenly better when I was given the task of auditioning a new album by a new act on RCA. I was usually the one to get the new obscure acts and, when we still had the contract with BMG US Latin, all the Latin acts because I was the Mikey of music. I was always given the stuff that nobody else wanted because I honestly didn't mind. I'll pretty much listen to anything once, twice if I like it, dozens or hundreds or thousands of times if I love it. I opened the CD and popped it in the player. What came out of the speakers both astounded and touched me and, ever since that day in 1995, I've been head-over-heels in love with the Dave Matthews Band. I adored their music long before I saw Dave and fell in love with him. For me, it was all about the music, how flawlessly each band-member played and how perfectly they fitted together to create a sound completely unlike anything or anyone else out there. I was stricken to tears after I got home when Aunt Tudi told me the news about LeRoi Moore, the band's saxophonist, dying at age 46. It's like a large piece of my life, and definitely a happier piece, has suddenly been irrevocably altered. I grieve for the band, and especially Dave, and I grieve for myself and all those memories that can never be added to. I'm happy for LeRoi as I'm certain he's already partying at the great gig in the otherworld. The rest of us are diminished by his passing, though.

I need to call Todd, Stephanie, and Rick tomorrow.

It's been a hell of a day.