Any (other than Pagan ;) ) metal musicians here?

Pagan claims to be the only one here. He is wrong. I'm a veteran of local music scenes as well.

Here's a brief summary of my band stint.

Cocoa Beach, FL:

I started in 1988, when I played my first show at 15. It was horrible, but that band stayed together for 3 years and played over 100 shows. By the time that band split, we were playing in bars. I played guitar for the first few bands I was in. After my first one, I was in 2 other short lived bands playing guitar, but when I was 20, I started a new band, and we were planning on being a 5 piece. The name of the band was Black Moriah. But, we couldnt find a singer, so I decided to do it. Every band I was in after that, I was the singer/ guitarist. I also filled in with a band for several months while they found a bass player.

When I was 25, the band I started singing in had had quite a few lineup changes, but was still well known. We had a huge meltdown at a show opening for LA Guns and Firehouse. The guitarist and bassist quit. I then stopped it, and recruited the 2 guitarists of another band that had just split. It was a 5 piece again, but these guys were good. I also reunited with the bass player from my first band. The first show we did with that lineup packed the house...over 400 people crammed into a small bar. That lineup lasted about 2 months and 4 shows, when one of the guitarists decided he didnt need to practice. It was very evident that he should have because in his last show, he pulled his guitar off and threw it down and walked off stage because he didnt know one of the new songs. No worries. I picked HIS guitar up and we finished the set as a 4 piece. That's how the band stayed..which worked out well for me because that's how I liked it to be anyway.

Anyway, that band broke up in 2000 due to our drummer quitting, and even though his replacement was dedicated to practice, it wasn't the same. Also, our bassist wound up with drug problems. We replaced him too, but the new guy was a drama queen. My marriage went to hell, and I met with the guitarist, and told him that I had to get the hell out of Florida. He understood, and that was the last of that band.

Nashville, TN:

I moved to Nashville, and the first thing I did was to start a new band. It was basically a clone of the previous band, but it was cool with me. I loved playing those songs. We started playing out, and quickly gained a reputation of being a VERY wild band. Heavy drinking, and we once got barred from a club because I locked myself in the bathroom and banged the hell out of a chick with security banging on the door the whole time. That band lasted about a year and broke up after probably the worst drunken show I've ever done. I cut my hair off in 2001, and got out of it for a while, but I tried my hand at home recording for a while.

Charlotte, NC:

I was singing karaoke about 2 years later, and the karaoke host was also the local guitar hero. I knew who he was, and after I sang a Dokken song, he told me that he was starting a new band...an 80's hair metal tribute band, and he wanted me to audition. I did, and the band liked me. Our first show was opening for Warrant and Quiet Riot. Second show, I did but quit right after the show. Just wasn't into it anymore.

Now, I AM ready to dive back into it, but I've lived in 3 different states since 2004, and am getting ready to move again. Hopefully, I'll stay put long enough to come out of retirement.

So, anybody else? Tell us your story! I'm sure Pagan isnt the only other metal musician on this board!

Also, I'd like to hear Pagan's story too.