As most people among the Rocklahoma community know, a dear friend and ROK brother fell ill several months ago. John Wilson, who was a regular at the Camp Darkside’s stage and at Camp Mardi Gras at Rocklahoma, contracted Covid in late 2020 which then ended with complications. He developed an extremely rare condition called Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Pronounced gee-YAH-buh-RAY, this autoimmune condition is where the immune system attacks your entire nervous system. Without giving too much away, I will just say it is VERY painful since you literally feel every nerve being attacked at once. This takes a massive toll on the person dealing with this. Being that it is the nervous system, we are also talking about the motor function and involuntary muscular systems too. All this said, John is in for a very long and difficult journey. Fortunately, he has got an amazing support network in his best friend Ed who has driven hours as often as he could to make sure John was not alone in the hospital. His family has also been coming together, several over VAST distances to be there for him. In addition to his best friend and family, the Rocklahoma community has also been pouring well wishes and prayers to hour ROK brother. It is this movement and love that brought forth another benefit, the second we have seen in as many years, to help our music family. The last that I wrote about was the XOSTRONG benefit, also at the Shrine, when Xochiti was in a brutal car accident. Thanks to a few of his friends and one, Steve Murdock, The Shrine hosted a benefit featuring local artists and friends: Tyler Griese, Grind, Perseus, as well as Sprout The Anti-Hero’s new band, “The Green Country Irate”, in their debut.
With the scene set and dozens of shares on social media, The Shrine was packed, by Pandemic USA standards, at near capacity. What makes this night so special, is not only did we see our usual faces from the local music scene, but also many ROK family from hours away. It was a mini ROK-Reunion filled with excitement, relived tales of shenanigans, and debaucherous legends from our sacred grounds in Pryor. But, in a bittersweet inclusion of mostly stories of our brother who, due to his recovery, was not able to attend. However, John was very much there in spirit. And also, in cellphones, via live streams of these same shenanigans as well as the live performances that carried on through midnight. Due to the new pandemic world, many of us were more self-conscious of our personal spaces, masks, and… Well, let’s be honest, we all tried to kill Covid with alcohol that night. Moving forward. The night kicked off with Tyler Griese filling in as a few bands, Blackthorne Elite and Heartbreak Sells were unable to make it due to separate circumstances.
Not Skipping a beat, Tyler Griese showed up with his acoustic guitar, ready to perform. And that he did!
Tyler mentioned during his set that John is a dear friend of his and he was jumping at the opportunity to do anything he could to help support him in this time of recovery. His set was one of soul-filled acoustic rock with all the passion and emotion that makes Tulsa a vibrant and FAR underrated music scene. By the end of his set, just about everyone in the house was enthralled in the glory that is live music. Something we have missed so very much as it is in fewer venues and less a regular activity for many.
Next up was the debut of The Green Country Irate. A band that was freshly formed and, as of that point, yet to play a venue. However, none of the members are strangers to the lit stage. Arguably the most experienced of them, at least locally, is Sprout the Anti-Hero. I first heard of sprout in a previous band, Screaming Red Mutiny, and his subsequent solo stretch once the band played their final performance at Rocklahoma 2019, at Murdock’s Proving Grounds Stage. Since then, he is traveled and played in several different states before returning “home” to NE Oklahoma and collecting an eclectic band of characters in The Green Country Irate. Full of raging electric guitar and thumping bass rounding out Sprout’s signature vocals, these guys impressed everyone in attendance. Adding this newfound respect for this novel act from Green Country, from which they got their name, is the revelation that Sprout had just received a phone call within hours of taking the stage that a member of his immediate family had passed. Being the professional and musician that he is, he channeled that raw emotion and focused it into that night’s performance with a touching song dedicated to his late family member. This band genuinely works as all their styles mesh very well together and I anticipate seeing a lot of exciting things from them in the future.
Grind, as usual, came out with the energy that we know them for. CJ’s kicks, amid blazing riffs, accompanied Dale’s screaming vocals along with JD’s bass riffs and Bryan’s rhythm kept everyone in the house building with music energy. It is their performance that reminds us exactly why their logo is immortalized in a mural on the Shrine’s side stage wall. And this is exactly why this collection of misfits needed. More than almost anything, those in attendance looked like survivors emerging from a fallout shelter from hibernation and dreams of longing for live music. These guys are the embodiment of rock and roll in their stage performance. No matter your taste in Rock, from classic to new metal, these guys will impress any musical pallet.
Every time I speak of Perseus, I must throw a disclaimer out there. You see, my personal taste doesn’t include many death metal acts. I just like my rock in a different flavor. The reason I throw this out there is that one of those few that go against this musical palate of mine. Perseus is one shining example of exceptions to the rule. I absolutely love these guys and have yet to see a bad performance from them. Jeremy and the gang have way and a presence on stage that just pulls all that fuels death metal out of an audience. You cannot, I repeat, “cannot”, go to a Perseus show and avoid approaching the stage for at least a few songs. They have a hypnotic sound in the guitar solos and the seamless transitions from melodic vocalizing to aggression-filled growls and screams is awe-inspiring. They carried on as the night’s final performance and by the end, many of us who no longer party or rock like we used to were winded and, slightly, sauced. Having bathed in the estranged familial atmosphere, the crowd thinned.
Now as we Ubered, carpooled, and caravanned to our homes, hotels, and BnB’s, we all left with cell phones full of selfies of long missed friends and feelings of satisfaction from having seen those we’ve missed so much and live music which filled us like a flood after an eternal drought. But among all of these, hopefully, articulate, words of love for what we have gone so long without. We all left with a common appreciation. Our family, and a love for our friend and brother who was with us in our hearts.
The “Love For John” benefit was a success on every front and raised more than we hoped for him as he is finally released from medical observation as he was released and relocated to a family member’s care as he will continue to receive daily care, physical therapy, and monitoring by an amazing team of medical professionals. It was that day that I was informed of the extent of medical personnel that has gone above-and-beyond for our friend, Mr. Wilson (aka Zedouche). You see, John had been in three different facilities in three different states, and literally knocking on death’s door. However, John is a fighter. Stronger than most people I know and the amount of good karma surrounding him was finally repaid in the form of dozens of medical personnel that obviously moonlights as angels. For it was a force beyond description that put these people in John’s path. Many had followed John beyond their shifts and job descriptions to make sure he was taken care of. From verifying his care was going exactly as it should ensure his support group was informed of progress, needs, and his every possible comfort was met, they followed up with him, even after he left their care, to monitor his progress. Some making sure circumstances fell just right so that he could have many of the moments we take for granted. Things like setting in front of a window with fresh air blowing and air circulation so that it gives movement in the air while not blowing on a nervous system in which the slightest waft of air current can evoke a sensation equal to 3rd-degree burns. John is now stabilizing, and his body has begun its return to normalcy and it will be a matter of time before Zedouche rejoins us from a period that would break most. A condition that affects less than 20,000 people in the entire US every year. Covid is nothing to be taken lightly. I think John would echo my plea. Please, everyone, wear your masks. If you are open to it, get the vaccinations. John, Ed, his family, all his friends all agree. We would not wish Covid on our worst of enemies. Do your part and help reduce the risks of contagion.
