The Very Rev D Wayne Love - Rest in Power

Today Jake Black, aka The Very Rev D Wayne Love died.

It's rare that the death of a musician floors me in such a deeply personal way. Kurt Cobain was one, and Chris Cornell is someone I still can't quite accept the loss of, it feels unreal. Dwayne Love is one of those.

I first saw the Alabama 3 wayyyyy back in 1997 supporting the levellers at Derby ballroom. As A3 came on stage in a way unique to them my mum and I looked at each other mouthing "wtf" at each other. Within minutes we were hooked and have since seen them too many times to count.

The music of A3 I credit, alongside the music of James, Marti Pellow and Chris Cornell, with keeping me surviving and alive through the darkest times of my fathers abuse (see other posts on this blog for more info on that).

Part of that abuse was for my entire lifetime upto and including the here and now to mock me for singing, to put down any happiness singing along to any song, even in the shower brought me. It made me pretty fearful to sing in any situation. Early on in my recovery from his abuse I, and my brother and mum and step-dad, went to see A3 at Birmingham (UK) Academy (the old one). During Speed of the Sound (a3's take on the classic) I couldn't help but sing along, it is in all it's forms one of my favourite tracks, though A3's is perfect. In th middle of the song Dwayne Love held his microphone out to me (we were on the front row at the barrier), and held it there for a very long time giving me the thumbs up.

That was one of the most golden memories and Dwayne couldn't have known just how healing that was.

He did similarly multiple times in the intervening years, how friggin awesome is that :)

Dwayne smashed through decades of crap and gifted me singing in joy and without self consciousness again. What a bloody great gift.

The world is poorer for his loss.

                                                     

                            Rest in Power