Good news/bad news
THE GOOD
Not sure if any BMXers read this blog, but there’s some good news regarding my favorite rider Mike Aitken: he’s headed home from the hospital after suffering brain damage. When I first heard about his injury it sounded like he would never ride again, or even live a normal life, but now he’s talking about riding by spring.
After dealing with my fair share of bike-related injuries – nine broken bones (four in my face, three in my good wrist, two in my good thumb), multiple concussions, countless sprains, thousands of bruises and cuts, ect. – I’ve thought about quiting. After being inspired by not only Aitken’s riding, but ability to recovery, I doubt I will any time soon.
Here’s a local news story about the incident.
Here’s one of his many incredible video parts
My favorite random trivia about Aitken is a while back some magazine, probably Ride, did a study where they came up with a formula involving number of pictures and their size to find out which rider received the most coverage over the last year. Not sure if Aitken was number one, but I remember he was the only non-contest rider near the top proving you can’t beat his style.
THE BAD
Just a few weeks ago I posted how the only band I’ve been listening to is Bent Outta Shape. Learned last night that their lead singer Jamie Ewing died. Not much info on the Web, here’s one link, but the rumor I heard was that he choked on his own vomit.
November 14, 2008 at 10:52 pm
you’re right, it’s a rumor, and it’s a pretty personal situation to those who actually knew the guy. i thought you were a reporter who sought news and not gossip? why not make a good person and great musician’s life seem worthwhile instead of concentrating on the way they might have died? what if your friend or girlfriend tragically died and all people had to say about their life was “i heard he choked on his own vomit”? if you had any respect for him or his music you would have an ounce of sympathy.
November 16, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Not focusing on the way he died is the same ignorance that led to his death.
I didn’t know Jamie, I was only a fan, but if the people that knew him really cared for him, they would have stepped in and helped sooner. If he denied their help and didn’t care that the way he lived could result in his death than we should be happy he lived the way he wanted.
I feel 25 is too young to die, but he did accomplish more than most of us. People don’t throw around best band of the decade loosely.
November 16, 2008 at 4:15 pm
it was a freak accident. jamie had tons of people who cared about him in his life and he didn’t need anyone’s help.
based on his songs you probably thought his life was much more destructive than it ever really was. he wasn’t some suicidal trainwreck or addict or anything like that. he was a fun loving, goofy guy who had responsibilities and good friends around him. this is why i wanted to make my point to you in the first place: he didn’t live a lifestyle that was supposed to lead to this. you just have pre-made judgments about him that make you think it’s okay to talk shit about him on the internet, but it’s not. you’re following some sort of stock narrative about a “rockstar” life and not looking to see the real person. i bet you’re the same guy who, after a woman gets raped, will say “yeah, but did you see what she was wearing? she asked for it!”.
please stop being so judgmental about jamie and his friends because of some stupid “rumor” that you heard. he was a real person who people cared deeply about. as his friends and family are still trying to heal all you can do is say that we were “ignorant” and not there for him? you have no idea what the situation is, who jamie was, or what really happened.
November 16, 2008 at 6:11 pm
Being critical of someone is not talking shit. A lack of critical communication is the cause for most of the terrible things that happen out there and it’s especially important when it involves someone with as much (positive) influence as Jamie.
Also, my reaction was not a pre-judgment, but based on a credible source who knew him well.
Since you’re such an expert on his life, why don’t you write a fitting tribute? It would clear up the confusion, pay him the respect he deserves, and possibly prevent a similar situation happening to someone else.
If you write it, I’ll post it. I’d rather talk about this in private, but, oh wait, we can’t. Your comments were left anonymously which goes hand in hand with your fear of critical communication.
November 16, 2008 at 6:48 pm
If that isn’t how he died, how did he? If it is then wouldn’t you want people involved in a punk scene that romanticizes alcohol to be aware of it? I’ve never understood the motives for not publishing the cause of death in obituaries. It isn’t extraneous information, in fact it is always the first question people have when they read about someone dying. I don’t know if Jamie was what people would consider a public figure but I know a lot of people who had a lot invested in his output who have an obvious desire to know what happened. Stating a fact (or a rumour if that is all the information available) isn’t libel or shit talking or negative, it’s providing information to people who want to know it. If people involved with punk are too intrusive it’s because they actually have something invested in it, have probably opened their homes to the person, set up shows, played shows, hung out with, or maybe merely spent their formative years listening to dude’s voice over and over again.
November 20, 2008 at 2:22 pm
You have no idea what you’re talking about: “if the people that knew him really cared for him…” Jamie never lacked for love for one minute of his life. If you knew him you loved him, plain and simple.
This is a free country; you can just pay tribute and leave it at that, or you can be an internet asshat and postulate things of which you have no knowledge.
Thank you for liking his music.
November 5, 2009 at 1:47 am
this is so fucking gross.
November 12, 2009 at 2:52 am
the grossest. to criticize (sp?..i’m sorry) friends for anything in the time of their greatest pain is ignorant and stupid. it’s been a year and i, and most friends and family, still are broken from this. to say none of us cared enough for him is the most angering thing i’ve ever heard. as a “fan” blackcloudphoto…you have no right to say how any friend or aquaintance of jamie’s should have acted previous or post jamie being alive. like colin said…”this is so fucking gross.”