I've held off for awhile on the Jani Lane comments concerning his death & place in music history. I guess it's taken some time to digest & realize what we lost & what most people don't realize we lost. Strange how I kept waking up the night he died with "Song & Dance Man" stuck in my head... I guess a rock & roll hero was calling out to his fans one last time.
He was SO MUCH MORE than the "Cherry Pie" guy. It makes me sick to think that's how he's remembered. I will always remember him as the master lyricist & king of melody... see songs such as "Mr. Rainmaker", "Bed of Roses", "Quicksand", or "Stronger Now".
The demons would not allow him to carry on, sadly, but let's not forget what he was: a phenomenal songwriter & musician, who couldn't carry on. I could go on for many paragraphs, delving further into hero-worship hyperbole, but I'll simply end this way:
I will miss all the music Jani will never write. He brought much joy into my life over the years & I hope he realizes that many mourn his passing like a family member's.
