Madness Reigns: A Rock Band Story

CHAPTER ONE

“It’s a horrible thing to realize what you’ve done.”

*Mark David Chapman*

John Lennon’s assassin

Tonight’s the night.

He’s run every scenario through his head for so long he knows there’s no turning back. This is his chance to enact some revenge. He understands that this one act will change everything for him, for his family and for everyone in attendance.

Tonight’s his night.

He’s wondered for years if this was ever going to happen, he’s questioned his thoughts many times, but tonight he’s out to settle a score years in the making. This needs to be done, to satisfy the demons in his head that have been tormenting him for so long..

It’s 8:15 pm.

For a late October night in Missoula, Montana, it’s warmer than usual, a bit muggy. The snow that fell earlier in the week has all but melted during the afternoon sunshine. Water continues to drip from the roof, filling puddles that people have to walk around. But the weather won’t change the plan, he’s not feeling the warmth, his mind isn’t focusing on it. He sits, watching, waiting in his car, in a parking lot that continues to fill with fans. People are looking to enjoy an evening watching their favorite homegrown stars play music. They haven’t performed in town for 4 years, once their single, “It’s not your time” hit the radio, it was never the same. Bigger concerts, bigger crowds, better venues, fame and fortune was all on its way. He remembers those days.....before all that.

He was there, back in those days along with most of these people walking into the small club. The Tavern could fit 200 people comfortably for a show, but tonight, especially with the warmer weather, they are able to accommodate close to 300. Doesn’t matter to him though, just more witnesses to his plan and to his pain. They haven’t played a place this size in a while, and if it wasn’t their hometown, they wouldn’t have bothered. An act like theirs doesn’t make a big enough chunk of money playing this size club, ticket sales for 300 people doesn’t add up too much, especially when the club owner takes a good amount of it. But this wasn’t about the money, they’ve been on the road steady now for almost 2 years, touring the U.S. and some dates overseas. Touring pretty much nonstop since releasing their debut album, “Betrayal of Honesty”, opening for acts like Fear Factory, and also a spot on Ozzfest. With the follow up to Betrayal, “Behold the Fury”, the touring continued, now they were headlining their own tour. When you start a band in high school, you think about being a rock star, what it would be like to play in front of thousands of screaming fans, fans that are singing along to the songs you wrote. It’s why you start a band when you’re young, but in the back of your mind you know that that life isn’t likely, it takes a lot to get there, like AC/DC said, “It’s a long way to the top, if you want to rock and roll”!

But this night was special, after months on the road and their tour winding down before winter set in, they felt it was a smart thing to do, to add this show on before taking some much needed time off. And what better way to do it then to play a show for the people that helped you in the beginning. High school friends, neighbors, family members, co-workers at the crappy fast-food job you had to help pay for guitar strings and drumhead replacements. Memories of playing in some of these people’s basements or garages in front of 15-20 people or more if it was a good party!

They weren’t supposed to be here tonight, in fact their last show was almost 2 weeks earlier in Jacksonville, Florida. Their last show of the tour was supposed to be the next night in Atlanta. That had to be cancelled due to Jesse getting sick, strep throat. The headliner for the night on that tour, Machine Head, played an extra hour set, to make up for the lost time, so the fans weren’t sent home disappointed. But for the members of Madness Reigns, it was a disappointing end to an otherwise perfect tour. Adding this last show for the hometown supporters seemed to make a lot of sense. Play a two hour set, songs off the new album and old ones they haven’t played since the “old days” and throw in some cover songs of classic metal/rock songs they played before they started writing their own stuff. It was going to be just like old times with close friends and family, and one other person they haven’t thought about in 3 years…

It’s 8:45. He knows what time they go on, it says so on the big sign lit up outside the building in all capital letters...

THE TAVERN

TONIGHT! LIVE MUSIC WITH

MADNESS REIGNS!

MUSIC AT 9:30

They are set to go on stage in 45 minutes, though he’s aware that time is always subject to change, no band goes on stage on time and he knows he has time. It doesn’t have to happen right away, he wants to make sure the final details are perfect, this needs to happen without any missteps in the plan.

Listening to the radio as he sits biding his time to make his entrance, “Walk” by Pantera comes on the local rock station, 96.3 KBAZ in Missoula. It was one that he heard so many times, the words make so much sense to him this time, “RE....SPECT.....WALK!” Respect....something that is a main priority on this night. Some say respect is earned, others demand it, he definitely is demanding it tonight. Knowing that because of him, people’s lives are going to change forever. Doesn’t it bother him? It should, anyone with a conscience would be concerned about others, but this is different. People like him don’t concern themselves with the feelings of others, Nathan Gale didn’t when he shot Dimebag just a short 10 months earlier. Mark David Chapman didn’t when he ended John Lennon’s life. So why should he, this is his moment to demand RE...SPECT, and he’s going to make sure everyone knows his pain.

9:05.....

The club is filling up quickly, there are a few dozen or so hanging around outside waiting for the last moment to go in. one last smoke, one last conversation about the excitement to see these guys, up close and personal, reminiscing about the days back in school. Even though they may have been to that party back in high school and saw them perform in that dingy garage, it’s different now, they’re rock stars, they’ve been on the radio, had music videos on YouTube, they’ve been around the world! They may still be Jesse the lead singer, Chaz, the lead guitarist, Jon the quiet bass player and Adam the slightly younger but old enough to hold his own drummer, but now they’re famous.

“Tonight’s the night, don’t back down” he keeps telling himself, in a way almost psyching himself up just in case that little voice he’s worked so hard to silence, tries to make him snap out of it and drive home.

9:20...the parking lot is nearly clear of all the fans, they’re all inside, waiting for the house lights to go down and the music to start. It’s going to be a night they won’t forget, unfortunately it won’t be for the reasons they were expecting.....

No turning back, no tomorrow.... he shuts the car engine off and opens the door leaving the keys in the ignition, he won’t need them anyway he figures one way or the other he’s not planning on driving home tonight.....

The lights go down, the show is about to start.....