Sep 092012
 

This is in my Top 10 all time favorite songs, easily; I still get chills when I hear it. Henry suffered through many nights of me crying inconsolably every time COLD played this song live. There were times when I considered not going to their concerts because I wasn’t sure if I was emotionally stable enough to handle it.

I can’t explain it! Most people would just write them off as a nu-metal band and be done with it, but ever since the very first time I saw them in 2000, playing on the smallest stage to a crowd of about 50 at Pittsburgh’s X-Fest, I had the air ripped right out of my lungs and they have been like an aural security blanket to me ever since — every so often I just really need to revisit their music to feel like myself again.

But this song. It was never one of their hits (see: “Just Got Wicked” and “No One.” Ignore: “Stupid Girl.”), and it never even really stuck out to me when I’d play their CD, but then I heard Scooter Ward sing the words live at Nick’s Fat City that same summer of 2000, and I remember looking at my friend Shawn and mouthing the words, “I think I might die.”

2:47 – 3:21 is where I usually hold my breath.

“Gave all the vampires back to God [that day]” is the tag line on the checks for my checking account (“Whoa, Wolfman’s got nards” is on the ones I share with Henry – props if you get that reference without asking the good neighbor Google). I have always been utterly fascinated with that line, and Scooter Ward, who happens to be one of the nicest, modest and sharing frontmen I have ever encountered. Twelve years ago, he gave me a Starburst outside of a venue in Hershey, PA and I still have it; I keep it in the freezer every summer so it won’t melt. Scooter Ward is the absolute antithesis of Jonny Craig – he bleeds on that stage.

And besides, how could I not love a band that used to take the stage to the Halloween theme, their guitarist Terry Balsamo behind a Michael Myers mask?

No joke, I went in the kitchen and hugged Henry while playing this song a few minutes ago. Now I’m going to listen to it 87 more times before passing out in a Puddle of Mud. Just kidding — tears.

  6 Responses to “Sick of Man”

  1. My boyfriend back in those days was a huge Cold fan. I never cared for them, but that song stuck with me for some reason. And yeah, Scooter Ward is really great on stage. Keep in mind this is coming from one of those “I hate nu-metal, punx forever!” types.

  2. Cold never got as big as they should have. Although maybe that’s good because then their music didn’t start to suck… (see: Atreyu or a million other bands, really)

    • Yes! I totally agree with this. There was something so organic and raw about them, and even though they got lumped in that awful genre, they were so sincere and original. When they got back together a few years ago, I almost died!

      Around that same time, I also really liked Finger Eleven, which is super embarrassing for me now when I think back, because of how they sold out and sucked.

    • P.S. I put something in the mail for you today, so be on the lookout!

      • You are amazing! I may or may not be putting something together for you bit I’m super slow so just keep waiting and one day, hopefully in the near future, you’ll have a surprise. :)

        And I also liked Finger Eleven at first. Then my mom started listening to them so I boycotted.

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