Panthor's Velvet Body Would Have Cushioned the Blow

Kevin was Ian's younger cousin.

He was there when I put Battle Cat through the living room window on Oxford Drive.

I was trying to get it stuck in a tree. Due to the immobile nature of the "action" figure. It hooked well.

Kevin came to his share of indoor soccer games.

The rides would lead to discussions about The Cure. Dead Milkmen. Black Flag.

The moms promised to take us to see The Cure during one of these rides to the Woodhaven Sports Center.

I'm still waiting. Twenty years on.

Eventually. High school. I was listening to more hardcore. Less punk. Shelter. Gorilla Biscuits. Judge. Minor Threat. Embrace.

Kevin a year younger. Now also into hardcore. But more.

Like the car rides before. We would discuss music. Bands. He expanded my listening.

I now knew of the "band before Rage Against the Machine."

Kevin made me a tape. Inside Out. Burn. And Statue on side two. Which segued into Electric Avenue. Or a similar song. Already on the tape.

I wore out the Inside Out and Statue. Statue is still a favorite band. I would usually fast forward through Burn.

I enjoy Burn. But now. Like then. I'll almost always skip over them. Especially if Statue is on the horizon.

I know. I am alone in my ho-hum opinion of Burn.

Inside Out - No Spiritual Surrender. A raw cassette dub. Bought the seven inch. Ultimately picked up the compact disc on eBay. For Colin.