An Open "Thank You" Letter To Halestorm

Submitted by skepticbenjamin on
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Greetings Halestorm and my fellow Stormchasers,

My name is Benjamin and i'm 36 years old. I have been dealing with some serious health issues for a long time, nearly 20 years. Not the kind of thing you catch from something or somewhere, just the kind of thing that you wind up getting. And the kind that makes a lot of even common routine activities very difficult. In my case a condition that will never go away and will leave me in physical pain, some days excruciatingly so, everyday for the rest of my life, be that 2 weeks, 2 months, or 200 years. This doesn't make me special, many people deal with things like that every day.

Over the last five years in particular, when I was forced to go on disability simply because I couldn't perform my job with the 100% commitment and with the full focus and standards I set for myself. I hate doing anything half-assed. On any particular day if my condition itself doesn't make things difficult, the medications to treat it very much does. It's why I sold my car a couple years ago, because as much as it hurt to lose my independence, it would destroy me if I ever hurt anyone else by continuing to drive. Over the years it felt more and more as though I was having things in my life taken away. But even with that all said, as tough as it was, it was the right and responsible thing to do. I'm very fortunate in that I have family and friends, a small but caring and dedicated group of people, that have my back.

I'm not at all proud to say, especially over these last five years in particular, that I handled my situation very poorly. Not being able to perform in work environment at all, let alone up the standards that I set for myself, really hurt me to the core. Some days not even being able to do standard, simple, routine things like cooking and cleaning, I have those days too.

Yeah, I did not handle things well to say the least. I let it get inside mind.

I let it beat me.

We're all personally responsible for our actions and how we conduct ourselves (Halestorm being a great and shining example of how to not only succeed through hard work and dedication, but doing so with a heaping dose of kick-ass talent, drive, and passion, not to mention doing so with total class as well). I wound up letting my illness defeat me, something I am ashamed of. I honestly believed that I was not going to live through it.

Then something profound changed about a year and a half ago. Already being a Halestorm fan for a while, i wrapped my ears around "The Strange Case Of...", specifically "Freak Like Me". Not unlike many fellow Stormchasers, that song hit me like a brick in the face.

It was a wake up call, it became a rallying cry for my life.

I got up off the mat, almost like the you guys stood over me and said "Get UP"! Over the last 18 months I have lost 114 pounds (not a typo), I started spending more time with friends, made some new ones, including my best friend, started getting out more. I've totally cleaned out, cleaned up and totally reorganized my apartment to inject it with a whole new energy. Now it's a place that I feel comfortable spending time in, and I do spend a lot of time here alone. Now I can and do enjoy quiet days at home. Not as much as going out and spending time with friends, but far more so than before . My attitude has completely changed, and it wasn't me that noticed it, it was friends, family, and people that haven't seen me in a long time. It's an infinitely more positive attitude.

Halestorm changed my life, maybe even saved it.

To some people that sort of statement might sound absurd. But I know if any band on earth understand just how much music can move you, it's you. And I know there are other Chasers here that I'm sure have similar stories and experiences not unlike my own. That is what you all do. That's what you have created through years of hard work, dedication, blood sweat and tears.

More than anything I really want you all to know just how much it REALLY matters. It's kind of tough to even type this stuff out, I can't imagine having to try to say all this during a brief conversation after a show without completely losing it.

I can't change my health issues. AS I said previously, dealing with adverse issues doesn't make me a special snowflake. There are many many people that are sick or are dealing with other problems and issues. It's how I, how any of us, handle it that is the difference. Even on the days where it's nearly impossible to even get out of bed, I refuse to let it defeat me anymore, never ever f*cking again. I'll put on my iPod, pull up one of my numerous Halestorm playlists (have one for nearly any mood or occasion), and just let the music help carry me through it.

And it does.

It's gave me a feeling of resilient defiance. And it's a really good feeling to have, to say the least. My shoulder length hair is streaked red, which is something I did for two reasons. First, I just thought it looked like fun, and I've embraced my inner FREAK and decided f*ck it, let's have some FUN and just do it! But running a little deeper than that, more symbolically, I dyed it that color because I am starting to feel like a phoenix crawling out of the ashes of what used to be me.

Now I handle my condition with much more dignity and a positive attitude, something I hadn't done before. I often ask myself "How would Halestorm handle adversity like this"? You would kick ass, take names, and do so with professionalism and class. So I decided to follow your shining example, and a finer one I can't think of. If ever there was a group of people that do the right things the right way, it's Halestorm.

The changes in my life that I have written about, and then some beyond that, I owe to Halestorm. In the end it was up to me, as it is with each of us, to take control of our own lives. But all of us, regardless of our situations, we all have those moments in our lives where we just need a kick in the ass. I very much did. Halestorm was that kick in the ass I needed. Halestorm opened my eyes, and again, all but got right in my face and said "Get. UP!"

So I did.

And that came completely full circle on september 7th, 2013. That is the day that for the first time in almost 19 years that I made it to a rock show. With the help of my friend, an amazing one that's up for about anything, I made it to see you at the York Fairgrounds.

It was beyond worth the wait.

As a die hard rock fan for 20-25 years, having listened to so many legendary bands for years, having seen Metallica in June 1994, Megadeth in January 1995, those being my last shows for so long, and knowing what I knew, from hearing 1st, 2nd, or 27th hand accounts from other fans about how amazing the Halestorm is, knowing how genuine, grounded, and humble all of you are, I had my expectations set unrealistically unattainably high. And you came out with a blistering 20 song set, met the expectations, and then THUMPED me for having the audacity to even wonder.

I forgot how much I missed feeling of your hands trembling and your heart thumping from the adrenaline rush of a rock show. A HALESTORM show. Talk about a long overdue "Welcome Back". For those that haven't seen you guys, for those that like myself, have read and watched the interviews with the band, watched the countless YouTube clips of Halestorm kicking complete ass live, they have NO IDEA what they are missing. Those live YouTube clips are about 3% as intense as it is right there in person. you guys comes right after us and THUMP up. And it is such a glorious assault on the senses!

Then things got really awesome when I got to meet the some of you after the show. Halestorm has completely spoiled and ruined me for any other band. Forever. And it feels great! The records stand completely on their own right. And if that wasn't enough, you are the best live band I have ever seen. Incredibly accomplished musicians. You put on an amazing show. And if that wasn't all enough, you make yourselves so completely accessible to us fans, because you are as big of fans as we are. If there was ever a definition of a band that "gets it" and does the right things the right way in how you conduct yourselves, which is with pure class. Halestorm are consummate professionals and truly cool people. It was the experience of a lifetime simply being able to have a picture taken with Lzzy after the show, and then one with Arejay and my best friend.

It was a night I will never forget for the rest of my life.

It was later that I realized that going that long without a rock show, that really hit home. But it took that long for me to get healthier physically and getting my mind right. And I probably would not have enjoyed the whole Halestorm experience as much, and definitely wouldn't have appreciated it as much had I not gone through the adversity I did. As hard as the band works, just your touring schedule alone, and doing everything you do, It only felt it right to do the same in order to earn the right to see you guys.

It was so good, and I'm so lucky to live where I do, I simply had to see you again. I feel COMPELLED now. I didn't even make to to the car before I was thinking "Oh man, I need to get to another show, and another, and another"... And last night, 09/25/13, I did exactly that. And it was a 100% amazing experience. And that night I made sure to get a spot up close and to take at least try to soak it in a little more, which is tough because, man, because Halestorm, you guys so totally gets the crowd into it. You whip us into a frenzy. By the end of each show I had soak through my hair and shirt with sweat, like I stepped out of a shower. My ears had that wonderful faint ringing, my throat was sore from screaming/singing/shouting along with the band.

And I already have my tickets in hand for the 12/11/13 show in Pittsburgh, PA at Stage AE. That time of the year has always been tough for me for a number of reasons. Not. This. Year. Two weeks to the day before Christmas, and 8 days after my 37th birthday.

Not this year.

Best. Present. EVER. I have no question or doubt at all that if there is any group of people that could completely rock my world, as if Halestorm hasn't already. I'm sure the show, will in some way, shape or form, be completely EPIC!

I would be remiss if I did not give a shout out to my fellow Stormchasers. Never have I been in a place where I felt completely comfortable being my FREAK self. People say crazy things like "those are really cool streaks in your hair, man, dig the color", I spent time before the York and Bloomsburg shows just talking with total strangers about, well, how much Halestorm kicks ass and the vast reasons why. I've never done that sort of thing before. Stormchasers are just damn cool people. For so much of my life so many people have used the word freak and others like it to club me over the head, literally and figuratively. But I don't feel that way anymore. I OWN it. And it all comes from the band and just trickles out to us (trickle? More like a, well, torrential STORM).

Because you are the band that you are, because of the people you are, because of the amazing music you play, I have NEVER had more FUN being a fan of a band in my entire life. It feels like being that 17 year old again that went to see Metallica in 1994. And I don't see that ever changing. Never has a band created music that has meant so much to me personally, to the point I have made so many of those much needed and very significant changes in my life. Part of that change now is that whenever Halestorm is touring anywhere within a few hours of here I can't even think of missing a show ever again. Since the night I got home from my first Halestorm show halestormrocks.com/tour has been my web browser homepage.

So, Lzzy, Arejay, Joe and Josh, if you wind up stumbling upon and reading this, first, OMG thank you so much, and second PLEASE DON'T STOP. It really feels like, even as long as you guys have been doing this, especially as young as you still all are, that this is just the beginning. You completely changed my life with your SECOND full length studio album. I'd ask how you plan on completely blowing my mind and rocking my world to the core, again, but at this point any and all doubts I may have even jokingly had, those are all gone now.

Simply put, I'm just a believer. I've never really believed in very much, but I truly do believe in Halestorm. You make me, you make all of us, each feel like we are special. The music is deeply personal to the 4 of you and us as fans, well, we feel that too, it feels personal to us, and it becomes personal to us. That is a truly amazing thing, which is part of why I have so much pride. It feels like we're all in this together, and I NEVER have felt like that about any band in my entire life. Halestorm just succeeds in every way that a band can, and does it with class, professionalism, and style. \m/

And if ALL of that wasn't enough, and because of what Halestorm has created and how you do it, I've never been more PROUD to be a fan in my life. My rapidly growing collection of Halestorm shirts I wear with such pride. And I get a LOT of comments from random people just walking down the street. I'll hear at least once a week "awesome shirt, amazing band" and then a random conversation occurs where we just totally geek out over the band.

And the vast majority of the people approaching me are women. Attractive women! Women that I know definitely have GREAT taste in music! As if EVERYTHING else wasn't enough already, lol...

Thanks Halestorm! \m/

I still have tough days and that's not going to change in the forseeable future. BUT...the quality of my life has improved in ways that words do not describe, just by having a different attitude. I look forward to the day, be it 3 months, a year, 5 years, be it at a meet and greet or hanging out backstage, where I can tell each of the members of the band just how much you have all have meant and done for me, in person. That's one of the things in my life that I truly look forward to now. It transcends just the music. I'm eternally grateful and unquestionably a Stormchaser for the rest of my life.

I'm in my mid 30's and have never said "Man, I'm so glad I grew up and live in central PA" before. But I do now, because Halestorm comes through here a lot. Thanks, Lzzy, Arejay, Joe and Josh... please do NOT ever stop coming back through PA! I know I'm not alone in saying WE LOVE YOU GUYS!!!

Well, assuming you guys are willing to put up with my shenanigans, lol.

You know that saying, when you're having a tough time, a bad day, etc, where someone says "go to your happy place"? well, I never really had a happy place, and that is being totally honest.

I do now.

My happy place is a Halestorm show. And I couldn't be more sincere about anything. Right up close, where I can feel the band just ROCKING me. Screaming guitars, thumping bass and ridiculous drumming, and maaaaan, Lzzy's, that voice...it just cuts right through me, in that totally wonderful way. Each and every piece of Halestorm is completely amazing in each of your own rights and unbelievably is greater than the sum of its parts. And it's everyone, from the band, to everyone behind the scenes that helps make it happen.

You can't tour like you guys do without being so totally and completely into it just as much as all of us fans are. And we so do feel that. Like nothing I ever experienced in my life (well, with my clothes on, lol).

To borrow from my favorite band, and it has been a LONG time coming, WAY too long...

I found myself and lost it at the rock show.

You are all everything I've always hoped rock music could (and should) be and so much more.

Lzzy, Arejay, Joe and Josh... Thank you, from the bottom of my heart and soul.

Benjamin \m/