PAYING IT FORWARD
As of writing this nothing has been published yet for me so forgive the improper tense of a lot of this.
This opportunity to write is/was a big one and I don’t/didn’t want to use it meaninglessly. We are all here together to commune with one another, voice our opinions of joy, disagreement, frustration and more. That’s what I love about this site. If there is one thing our community here doesn’t have a shortage of it’s strong (albeit uncouth) opinions.
Now I know a lot of the “trve” readers on this site didn’t vote for me to win this and I do want to shout out to my competitors Ben Robson, Fred Wurst, and the rest of the submitters for writing some witty stuff. I think I would have voted for that Herpe comment if I didn’t personally want to win this so badly. But I hope you’ve stuck around and let me speak some of the metal wisdom I think I’ve picked up over the years. I’ve had the fortune of being surrounded by some really cool dudes who know a lot of shit about metal growing up here in North Jersey.
For example being around the dudes that played with the dudes in Dillinger Escape Plan and The Number 12 Looks like You. And so throughout the years got to meet a lot of my heroes from highschool, like Ben Weinman, and most of the guys from the #12. My lucky bastard of a drummer actually jams with Chris Pennie and Alexis Pareja (respectively) on a fairly normal basis. And to top it all off my good friend Jonny left playing in Impossible Voyage for a big gig with the indie shoegazer’s Yuck.
Why am I telling you all of this? I’m not really sure other than to say that in the metal community I’m always amazed at how small it really is. I know the big guys up there like Lamb of God and the like are doing pretty well for themselves (prison sentences aside of course), but I just want to remind all you guys and gals that all the dudes in these bands we listen to are just small time dudes busting their asses to be able to continue to play the music that you so dearly love. So go out to shows, give em some love, and don’t forget that they need to pay their rent too.
How many times did I say dude in this article? It’s hard to say. But what I can say is it’s been a pleasure writing and I hope you all enjoyed yourselves as much as I have!
I wouldn’t be where I am without the help of all the friends who voted me up, with a special shoutout to Billy Hanright for really hustlin them votes! And Sean Meyers for doing a guest article today (as Archone Xalkire)! And musically I wouldn’t be where I am without the support I’ve gotten from my friends and fam. You guys all make my dreams possible! Also some specific shoutouts to Kevin Antreassian for always being an advocate of Impossible Voyage, as well as Mark Glaser, Joe Remmert, Christian Deutsch, Steven Donahue, and the guys at Atlas Records and the many more people who’ve told people about us or given us some help in some way throughout the years! And of course to my bandmates Tommy, Greg, and Matt. You guys fucking rule, lets keep partying and confusing people.
Thanks Axl, Vince, and Metalsucks for having me! It’s been a blast writing today!
Keep it real everyone,
-Anthony Gobeille
