Radok:My Friend

                       Chris Radok: My Friend

       So i was checking out some photos from the recent RadokFest in Charlotte at The Tremont Club and saw that they now had a website for Chris's photos and some of the shows etc...they have had since his murder.Im di ssapointed that i dont have more to do with some of things regarding his body of work.I cant even count the many times i sat up untill all hours of the night while Chris ran through countless slides of older photos and current ones as well.We used to joke that he probably had more pictures of me passed out drunk in the Oakland house than any other subject in all of his photos.After buzzoven relocated to Richmond Va. i remained in contact with Chris and we always visited him at the 609 Oakland house which became Jeff Claytons home for his family.Chris remained in the house as Jeffs familys roommate.We had some interesting moments in these visits especially one time when GG Allin and his band were there at exactly the same time.I dont believe we actually spent the night on that visit but i vividly remember Chris taking some new promo shots of us(buzzoven),He also took one photo of GG holding Carrie(Jeffs infant daughter) and i joked that Carrie would probably slap the shit out of her Dad for letting GG Allin hold his daughter.GG was suprisingly very respectful and mild mannered.Nothing like you would think he would be

 buzzoven continued on its relentless and destructive path,my only interaction with Chris was when he usually attended a show in one of the cities within a reasonable drive from Charlotte.I always maintained phone contact with him though and its easy for me to say i kept Chris in the loop always on what was next for buzzoven.When he got to whatever venue in cities like Atlanta,Chapel Hill,Winston Salem and Richmond just to name a few i usually had my time that me and Chris went to his VW van and while he fiddled and set up his gear to shoot photos we had some of what for me was my deepest and most serious conversations which much of the time were regarding my rapidly increasing usage of illegal substances.Chris was one person i knew would give it to me straight and let me know his true opinion and not sugar coat a fucking thing.He also was one i could trust to tell my deepest feelings regarding such subjects and would not be judged or ridiculed.He was what for me i always thought a big brother would be.Im not even going into the years before when we lived together the many things he did for me and was the person i would call when most would hang up the phone after the first word usually because of what these calls were regarding usually.Which for the most part were me needing help because i had fucked up.Thats the most general way i can say what includes a numerous amount of variations on troubled situations usually resulting from a night of being blacked out from excessive alcohol consumption.Back to what i was talking about.Chris was the one person i could confide in and know it would not be brought back up in any way,shape or form.He was probably the first person i broke down and admitted i was way out of control with my use of heroin and feared dying from it.In the years to come Chris was always the first and sometimes only person i contacted when i was in Charlotte for any stretch of time.Sad to say but i usually was in Charlotte to attend some sort of recovery related establishment.Over the last few years i was in reasonably close contact with Chris we talked in depth about putting together a book about 609 Oakland Ave.We had planned to both write bits and pieces about the main events that occured at or around the house but more importantly the

inhabitants of the house.When Fred Hutchinson and i parted ways doing Sewer Puppet was when the house saw its most varied and busy activity regarding music being played within its walls.I was developing buzzoven and i believe Fred had Boil going on.Sadly it was a tense time between Fred and i but was a time i think when there was a huge variety in visitors and different musicians.I have yet to speak with the people who are in charge of Chris's body of work but its becoming something i feel is a good time to do this project that i think would have Chris's involvement and blessing.It will not be something that is about boosting any one person or bands career but simply a glimpse into the heart of a house full of music lovers who were a huge part of underground music in Charlotte and the southeast.If we could show the house from when Morbid Angel called it home all the way through the Sewer Puppet,buzzoven and boil days.Then ending with the years of it being the Antiseen compound and Clayton family home i believe it could give people today a glimpse into what these people,bands and fans alike were like during this exciting time in underground,punk rock music in Charlotte and the entire U.S.!

    I plan to put together a plan and execute it in the coming weeks.I will probably use one of the fund raising sites with a pre order option type thing as to keep the project fully independent.I really want to do this and its been heavy on my heart to do it as i believe Chris and i would have made it happen if he were still alive.Im hoping to get the support of his trustees and also the help of the other key figures who would have to write about the time frames that i was not a part of the house as a resident.This is something that i believe would nurture the interest and acknowledgement Chris Radok so deserves for his input and support of underground music and those of us that were so blessed to have him in our personal day to day lives.I hope im not stepping on any toes here bringing my hopes for this project to the public first.It just came over me to get the ball rolling.I am making a personal commitment to this and i hope those closest to me will support and help push me to not procrastinate even another day.I miss my friend.I want to do this for him,myself and those that love underground music.Its time to get to work and make this happen.Thanks for your time and i love you all!

                                                                                                 Thank You,K.L.F.  ;)

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