Last Night A Heavy Metal Band Saved My Life

I was born and raised in the Midwest. The town that I lived in didn't stimulate me creatively. I also wasn't a fan of the things that my family held near and dear and grew restless at an early age. I saw my first concert the Summer of '83. Def Leppard's 'Pyromania' was everything to all of us that year. The tour was scheduled to play a college town an hour away from me.

The energy that the band brought to the stage that evening was something I was totally unfamiliar with. It moved me. It made me forget about all of the turmoil trapped inside my teenage body. There were girls there? Yup, there were girls there and lots of them. This was where I wanted to be. This is what I wanted to do. One night was not enough, I traveled to see Def Leppard again a few days later. I was hooked.

The local ticket agent (which was also an audio/video store) was looking for a sales agent shortly after I graduated High School. I knew people who had previously worked there and was aware of the perks received for selling concert tickets. I worked there from '85 until the early '90s and saw every concert within a 100 mile radius.

Looking back on that period of time, if I hadn't had music as an escape, I highly doubt that I'd still be alive today.