Kirk Rundstrom - RIP (center of pic below)

I'm in Florida right now, enjoying mid-70 degree tempuratures and plenty of sunshine. I rode a bike this morning and was feeling good. Then I came back to my Mom's place, jumped on the internet, stopped at www.goathork.com and saw that Kirk Rundstrom had died. I knew he was sick. In fact, I saw his band, Split Lip Rayfield, about a year ago at the Cleveland Beachland Ballroom. Lord's of the Highway opened up and Sugar was putting up the band at her house. She invited me to her house for an after party with Kirk and the band. I felt incredibly blessed. But after SLR finished, Kirk didn't look so good. Sugar came over and apologized and said Kirk wasn't feeling well and would just like some quiet time. I was disappointed, but surely understood. It was only a few weeks later he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. They gave him a few months to live. I believe he just played again at the Cleveland Beachland Ballroom a few weeks ago. Tough guy.

I took some pictures of the band that night and I'll post them on the web when I get home. I'm glad I got to hear them and see them. I'll take B Rose's advice, go over to my laptop right now and burn a copy to listen in the car today as I go to visit my Sister-in-law and my nephew. I knew there was a reason I brought that laptop.

I discovered Split Lip Rayfield through Bloodshot Records in 1998, just as their first CD was released.

I was blown away. They used a Ford f-150 gas tank with a single weed-wacker line, which played on the key of G, as a bass (you can see it in the first picture above). I have to leave right now, but if you're interested discover more here... GO... http://www.bloodshotrecords.com/artists/splitliprayfield/