(Photo – Anka/Agata K.)
(Vancouver BC, October 20/08) – With the Merry Metal Christmas season upon us once again, the kind gents in Richmond, Virginia- based band Lamb of God, have already done their part over the years by helping the homeless, underprivileged children learning to play music and obtain instruments, animal rights, literacy programs and more, Lamb of God’s vocalist extraordinaire, Randy Blythe called to let me know about an even more important cause to take notice of this time of year.
.E.S. Day: You mentioned something else of major importance that you would like our readers to know about, would you like to explain?
Randy: Yes. Well there’s one charity that I’am working with, and I’m trying to use my powers…….
E.S. Day: The powers that be?
Randy: Yes! my “Evil Heavy Metal Powers” if you will (laughs), a good friend of mine named Todd Stone who had helped me out years before, has two sons who have what is called Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy, and they both have it, now… it’s a relatively new strain of MD, which can be fatal (eventually), and it debilitates the muscles and the nervous system and inhibits development of the brain at times, now there is some good news on this, and that is that they have found that there can be a cure for this.
E.S. Day: Oh, well that’s good.
Randy: Yeah, and it’s feasible that within eight to ten years that it could be cured, so of course Todd has become involved in raising awareness for this, and not just because the sons have it, not to mention the top researchers in this field happen to be based here in Virginia, and he has worked closely with these people, and I’ve already donated some money, but then I thought: “What else can I do to help the cause a little more?”
E.S. Day: Sure why not?.
Randy: …and as you probably know now, we were nominated last year for a Grammy®, for the “Redneck” video, now we didn’t win, Slayer won, and "I really don’t give a fuck about the Grammy’s", so…. we never got the statue but – we got these really neat Grammy® nominee medallions that all the nominees get, so my friend Todd set up this auction, and I will be auctioning off all my Grammy® memorabilia, which will be auctioned off I believe, starting 51 days before the next Grammys in February 2009,
E.S. Day: I see…
Randy: Yes, and the Grammy’s I believe are going to start on the eighth [of February] that for the 51st Annual Grammy® Awards so we wanted to start the suction 51 days up to the date of the show.
E.S. Day: Perfect!
Randy: So to find out about this auction or to donate (which is for a worthy cause and you should do it anyway) you can go visit the site at : www.stonecircleoffriends.com, and you can find out more about the disease at the site, and the auction hasn’t been quite set up yet, so check back – it may be in December, so please let everyone know that the quicker we try to cure this, the quicker we can end it
E.S. Day: Sounds great Randy, and for everyone reading – please do your part and visit the website . Thanks Randy.
Randy: Thank you
For More Info Please Visit: stonecircleoffriends.com For More Info On MMD: mda.org/Publications/fa-mmd-qa.html
By E.S. Day _________________________________________________________________________________ Lamb of God Play Vancouver with Metallica Dec. 2, 2008 at GM Place. Tickets available through Live Nation and Ticketmaster