For the Song and Dance Man
As I sit here yet again for the 100th time or so debating Heaven or Blind Faith as my first song for my wedding next year, I finally decided to write something about how I feel about the death of Jani Lane or John Kennedy Oswald. If you do not know who that is, then you obviously were not into the hair band phase of the 90's. He was the original lead singer of Warrant. Jani had gorgeous long blond hair and dreamy blue eyes. Pictures of him covered my bedroom walls and adorned my lockers each year in school. Just check with Stephanie Quint-Wolff or Holly Swindler or anyone else who knew much about me during junior high and high school.
I remember a period of about 2 hours on Thursday, August 11 in which I felt all weird in the evening, and yes it was unexplainable. Premonition or what? If you do not believe me, then ask Dean. I am fairly positive he remembers me telling him how I felt. It was not until the following morning that I found out Jani passed away that night. It is strange, in a way I feel like my youth finally ended. I know he was obviously not the best artist ever or anywhere near it, yet this is hitting me hard. By now, most of you are probably thinking "wow she really does have issues." It is okay to feel that way. I am used to it by now. I always have been and always will be a fan of hair metal.
Warrant and Poison was my first unsupervised rock concert. It was in September of 1990 at the Kansas Coliseum in Wichita, Kansas. Holly went with me. We were both there showing animals at the Kansas Junior Livestock Show. One of my pigs ended up winning the swine show, and we somehow convinced our parents that because it did we should get to go to concert. This would have been the Cherry Pie/Flesh and Blood tour with Poison headlining. For those of you who know me now and have seen my Bret Michaels memorabilia, you might be surprised to learn that I was much more excited to see Warrant than Poison. Holly was the bigger Poison fan. That always worked out well for us. We did not have to fight over them, and it allowed us to trade for more pictures of our preferred bands to further plaster our rooms with.
We were only in the 8th grade, so we did not dare go down on the floor to the general admission standing room only. The two of us remained happily seated along the side of the arena, but we were plenty close enough to see our rock idols. It always was/is/will be one of my favorite moments ever. Who would have thought at that time Jani would be dead a mere 21 years later? I mean we would expect it of Axel Rose right? But not Jani Lane, at least not at that time. If you were someone who continued to pay attention to his life after Nirvana knocked the hair band genre out of regular circulation at the radio stations, then you might have seen this coming.
Jani continued to play with Warrant for a while and came and went from the line up a few times. He also had solo projects that he worked on. I've heard some of that solo work has sold on ebay for upwards of $100. If you feel the urge to look for any of it, one was entitled Jabberwocky and the other was Back Down to One. My guess is they might be going for more now. Also, as of this week you could find a copy of the single Sin on itunes and other music websites. Sin is the last recording he made and was done with a group going by the name Liberty N' Justice.
It is safe to say I will probably be looking for it and possibly purchasing it myself. Currently, I am overplaying my compact disc copies of D.R.F.S.R. and Cherry Pie. I even thought about watching my Cherry Pie VHS tape, but I fear that will finally bring me to the silly, sad tears I've been able to contain so far. I mean obviously I did not know this man, so why would I mourn his passing so. By the way, to whomever "acquired" my VHS copy of D.R.F.S.R. in college, I still miss it...a lot.
Moving along now, some of you might have caught the season of Celebrity Fit Club in which Jani participated. If you did, then that should have been your clue that Jani might not be with us much longer. It was no secret he had a drinking problem. He had struggled with it for years. When his mother was alive, she was often able to encourage him to go to treatment. Unfortunately, after she passed I think the battle was just too much for him. Of course we have not been told his death was definitely alcohol related, but I will honestly be shocked if it was not.
I think a friend might have summed this all up in a way more of you will understand...
"No, Warrant wasn't much more than a band with a couple of catchy tunes, but I think sometimes music doesn't need to be anything more than that. Warrant's music made us feel happy and is associated with a specific period in our lives, so I think it's understandable that Jani's passing would have an effect on you."
Most people have been making references to the song Heaven by Warrant when they talk of his passing. In my opinion, there is a much more relevant just not as well known song that is much more appropriate…
Song and Dance Man
“Last night I felt a wind
of change blow through me.
It spoke of a million things
before I die I should see.
Open up your eyes.
Life is poetry in motion.
Ride the open sky
I'll be ok as soon as I'm on my way
I am a song and dance man
Yes, I am a song and dance man
Woman. Oh, woman, sometimes I hear your voice.
It calls out to me,
makes my heart bleed.
Haven't got any chance.
Open my eyes.
Life is poetry in motion
Ride the open sky.
I'll be ok as soon as I'm on my way.
I am a song and dance man
Oh yes I am, a song and dance man
I am a song and dance man
Tokyo has rolling thunder
beautiful women and warm summer rain
Honolulu has stars of fire
words alone cannot explain
Open up your eyes
Spread your wings and fly
Oh Lord I am a song and dance man
Oh Lord I am a song and dance man
That's what I am
A song and dance man”
Rest In Peace Jani
I remember a period of about 2 hours on Thursday, August 11 in which I felt all weird in the evening, and yes it was unexplainable. Premonition or what? If you do not believe me, then ask Dean. I am fairly positive he remembers me telling him how I felt. It was not until the following morning that I found out Jani passed away that night. It is strange, in a way I feel like my youth finally ended. I know he was obviously not the best artist ever or anywhere near it, yet this is hitting me hard. By now, most of you are probably thinking "wow she really does have issues." It is okay to feel that way. I am used to it by now. I always have been and always will be a fan of hair metal.
Warrant and Poison was my first unsupervised rock concert. It was in September of 1990 at the Kansas Coliseum in Wichita, Kansas. Holly went with me. We were both there showing animals at the Kansas Junior Livestock Show. One of my pigs ended up winning the swine show, and we somehow convinced our parents that because it did we should get to go to concert. This would have been the Cherry Pie/Flesh and Blood tour with Poison headlining. For those of you who know me now and have seen my Bret Michaels memorabilia, you might be surprised to learn that I was much more excited to see Warrant than Poison. Holly was the bigger Poison fan. That always worked out well for us. We did not have to fight over them, and it allowed us to trade for more pictures of our preferred bands to further plaster our rooms with.
We were only in the 8th grade, so we did not dare go down on the floor to the general admission standing room only. The two of us remained happily seated along the side of the arena, but we were plenty close enough to see our rock idols. It always was/is/will be one of my favorite moments ever. Who would have thought at that time Jani would be dead a mere 21 years later? I mean we would expect it of Axel Rose right? But not Jani Lane, at least not at that time. If you were someone who continued to pay attention to his life after Nirvana knocked the hair band genre out of regular circulation at the radio stations, then you might have seen this coming.
Jani continued to play with Warrant for a while and came and went from the line up a few times. He also had solo projects that he worked on. I've heard some of that solo work has sold on ebay for upwards of $100. If you feel the urge to look for any of it, one was entitled Jabberwocky and the other was Back Down to One. My guess is they might be going for more now. Also, as of this week you could find a copy of the single Sin on itunes and other music websites. Sin is the last recording he made and was done with a group going by the name Liberty N' Justice.
It is safe to say I will probably be looking for it and possibly purchasing it myself. Currently, I am overplaying my compact disc copies of D.R.F.S.R. and Cherry Pie. I even thought about watching my Cherry Pie VHS tape, but I fear that will finally bring me to the silly, sad tears I've been able to contain so far. I mean obviously I did not know this man, so why would I mourn his passing so. By the way, to whomever "acquired" my VHS copy of D.R.F.S.R. in college, I still miss it...a lot.
Moving along now, some of you might have caught the season of Celebrity Fit Club in which Jani participated. If you did, then that should have been your clue that Jani might not be with us much longer. It was no secret he had a drinking problem. He had struggled with it for years. When his mother was alive, she was often able to encourage him to go to treatment. Unfortunately, after she passed I think the battle was just too much for him. Of course we have not been told his death was definitely alcohol related, but I will honestly be shocked if it was not.
I think a friend might have summed this all up in a way more of you will understand...
"No, Warrant wasn't much more than a band with a couple of catchy tunes, but I think sometimes music doesn't need to be anything more than that. Warrant's music made us feel happy and is associated with a specific period in our lives, so I think it's understandable that Jani's passing would have an effect on you."
Most people have been making references to the song Heaven by Warrant when they talk of his passing. In my opinion, there is a much more relevant just not as well known song that is much more appropriate…
Song and Dance Man
“Last night I felt a wind
of change blow through me.
It spoke of a million things
before I die I should see.
Open up your eyes.
Life is poetry in motion.
Ride the open sky
I'll be ok as soon as I'm on my way
I am a song and dance man
Yes, I am a song and dance man
Woman. Oh, woman, sometimes I hear your voice.
It calls out to me,
makes my heart bleed.
Haven't got any chance.
Open my eyes.
Life is poetry in motion
Ride the open sky.
I'll be ok as soon as I'm on my way.
I am a song and dance man
Oh yes I am, a song and dance man
I am a song and dance man
Tokyo has rolling thunder
beautiful women and warm summer rain
Honolulu has stars of fire
words alone cannot explain
Open up your eyes
Spread your wings and fly
Oh Lord I am a song and dance man
Oh Lord I am a song and dance man
That's what I am
A song and dance man”
Rest In Peace Jani