His name was David Larson but affectionately known to his bandmates as Damone'. He was gonna be an 80's rock star. With movie star,curly hair good looks and a voice from heaven, David had an engaging boyish freedom and innocence that camoflauged his closely held demons. This was the kid who jumped off the back of a truck one summer day, with mic in pocket, and declared to a prospective bandmate he was "ready to rock".
David died February 198o by his own hand at the moment his star was beginning to rise. He fronted a 6 man rock band from Detroit called Adrenalin, who packed as mean a musical punch as the times called for. They were young, possessed gail force energy, and had the writing skills to match. It seemed like "January 1980" was a given destination for these troubadours whose only hemisphere of life's experience was the late 60's and 70's.
Upon the local release of "Gimme Good Lovin", A&R people from LA and New York were taking notice at a fevered pace. This band was on it's way to the dream.
The story of Adrenalin is not the story of David Larson. For his dream ended on that day of Feb 16, 1980. A Hollywood producer flew in for three days of rehearsal and a get to know. This band was 'gonna make it' and Mr. Producer was merely doing his job. No one could have forseen the ungodly pressure that must have been David's as expectations seemed to grow by the minute for what might be the 'next thing out of Detroit'.
David appeared fine at what was to be his last rehearsal. We all said goodnight and went home finally locating that hard to find feeling that bright lights were just ahead. The following night would find the band playing to an eager young crowd and a curious Hollywood producer who wanted to see what all the fuss was about.
David did not show up that night for the show......... and we all knew something was seriously amiss.The exhilaraton from a local hit record and curious industry watchers quickly turned to panic and fear.
Our Lead singer was missing.
Maybe he was sorting things out. Life was changing by the hour it seemed and just maybe......oh please let it be, that he needed some space.
A silent,peaceful but ominous snowfall followed for the next 48 hours. No word from police,friends,or relatives.
Our lead singer was still missing.
One evening, during that anguishing personal trial, I recieved a phone call.............to a breathy silence. My caller wouldn't speak. I called out to him,half knowing....feeling......that it WAS David. Finally.... he was this close......and yet so very far away. For that 60 seconds or so, the silence told me he was seeking, in his own way, to find a place, a balanced somewhere......between return and retreat. To our utter sadness, retreat prevailed.
David was found dead by exfixhiation in a car, 24 hours later.The devastation that followed was unbearable. And it truly was the end of the innocence for a group of guys from Detroit who would now find their way without him.
In 2002 we celebrate, the 22nd anniversary of his parting, his wonderful voice and music, his contagious, infectious vitality, and his enduring spirit. We will always think about who and what David was..............and what might have been.
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