To
say that 2016 is one of the worst years of my lifetime is not hyperbole.
This
year, I've lost treasured icons like Prince and Lemmy, cried over dear friends like Darwyn Cooke and Steve Dillon who
will never be able to create art again - and most precious of them all, I lost my dad to extremely ugly lung cancer just a few days before my birthday.
There's so much else to be upset about these days, but this overture isn't about the American empire crumbling around us. It's about a man who provided the soundtrack for this sort of madness, starting decades ago.
It's no secret I've been a longtime fan of Eyehategod. It's also no secret that their members, particularly vocalist Mike "IX" Williams, have had a long and storied history with various substance dependencies. And now it's caught up with him in the form of cirrhosis of the liver, which is why he couldn't make the last EHG tour.
He's currently receiving long-term hospitalization care while waiting for a liver transplant. You can read all about it on his donation page, where I also urge you help. Though a donation milestone of $50,000 has been surpassed, anyone stuck within the grips of the US medical industry knows that won't go far.
It's not about dismissing other topical issues like #NoDAPL; it's not about lifestyle choices and consequences. It's a matter of family and community.
At this point towards the end of 2016, more and more people seem to be dropping like flies. Maybe that's why there's this feeling of urgency to ensure Mike IX survives and thrives.
Please donate to Eyehategod's Mike IX on his YouCaring page, because I, for one, can't lose him.
