I was sending emails around trying to get a show booked, and the guys from Raised by Tigers sent me an email that provided a moment of clarity. Here’s the quoted text.
Hello Jaime,
Can’t do the show on the 20th unfortunately.
We are re-organizing our lineup after the show at Hailey’s this Saturday (Record Hop, RBT, Jason Reimer (from History at our Disposal), Criminal Shift). Our guitarist, Pat Ferguson, is being deployed to Afghanistan. One of our multi-instrumentalists, Nate DeYonker, has a new job in Memphis starting this summer.
RBT has seen many lineup changes with Rob and I being the constants. So we are building a new lineup after this show. We probably won’t be ready for June. We also have two new records that are nearing completion. We aren’t sure how they’ll be organized yet. For now, one is more electronic, one is more rock recorded by the current lineup ‘live’ in the studio (Echolab for all the new material).
You may know Pat. I think everyone in the ‘scene’ has been influenced by him in some way. The aren’t many bands in the Metroplex that: don’t know him, haven’t played with him, haven’t borrowed gear from them, haven’t had him fix their gear, haven’t gotten their drunk a**es driven home by him, etc.
He is a stand up guy if I’ve ever known one. He is leaving behind his children, wife, job, and bands to do what he feels is right/his duty. We plan on giving him the best possible sendoff Saturday. Please mention it if you can.
We’ll keep in touch on the show front. We are happy that you would think of us to play.
Thanks,
Jason
Gives you a moment of pause doesn’t it? Far too often those of us in a certain age group so casually dismiss those who serve in the Armed Forces, the though amongst a lot of us is that the people that serve are there because they have no other options. It’s not true, many people in the Armed Forces are just kids looking to find a way to pay for school/improve their station in the world, and yes the “Hoo-Rah” attitude can be little much, and yeah those commercials are really annoying, the fact is there are people out there in the various forces that are just trying to get by.
In the last year I’ve seen both a close cousin, and my brother-in-law spend time overseas, and the hardship that I’ve seen my family go through is everlasting in my mind. Yes, these wars are bull shit, yes we should have never entered them, but the fact remains we did. We have people over there, and more going everyday. It’s a strange realization to come to, and one that we should at least have in our mind from time to time.
I’d like to wish Pat and his family the best of luck, and hope to attend his sendoff at Hailey’s on Saturday.
Nick Lowe Rockpile- So it goes…
Tags: Hailey's, Raised By Tigers