As I’m sure many of you know, John Stabb passed away early Saturday evening. He was with those who loved him and it was very peaceful. All his suffering is over and he’s now part of the infinite. I will miss him more than I can say.
I never played in a legendary hardcore band nor was I ever in a band with John. My memories of John revolve around hanging out at shows or at the townhouse I shared with Lou Perez and Sean Epstein. I can still see him sitting on the ratty green vinyl chair in the living room. Later, I helped book a few shows for the band he fronted, History Repeated.
First and foremost, John was always a good friend and a good man. He was always supportive of my ideas. As a matter of fact, sometimes he was more enthusiastic about them than I was! He had a crazy energy and a light around him that few people do.
It’s sad to use the past tense describing John, but that’s just describing his physical being. It’s up to us to remember his ferocious love of life, his tenacity to be creative in the face of overwhelming odds, and his intense devotion to his friends and loved ones. We should all take a lesson from that.
John Stabb will live on forever.
Thank you,
Phil