My soul was shattered and everyone in this city is so heartbroken over the loss of our friend, leader, lover and icon, Brian Redman.

He passed away early Sunday morning in an accident on his goddamned Vespa, and ever since, people in our region and the world have been ripped to shreds.

It’s now so tough to go anywhere because Brian was and will always be Tacoma. The memories are wrought with pain about all of the fun we had at restaurants (he was such a foodie), bars, rock shows and everywhere else in this town. Now when you enter these establishments, you’ll find people with slumping shoulders and swollen eyes. It was so sad late last night to drive by the place where his accident occurred. Five people were there crying, hugging and one was sitting on the curb in such pain.

Family and friends were so very important to Brian, and when I heard the devastating news my thoughts immediately went to his Dana, brothers, sister, and his mother, Rosie — who he adored and bragged about all of the time, and had so much fun messing with. My heart goes out to his father, Brian, who he also loved so dearly. I hope he completely understands the true peace that his son had found in the natural setting of his Gig Harbor home.

Brian Redman had no demographic in terms of the infinite types of people who were immediately attracted to him. He also had a way of making each of us feel amazing and beautiful. I can’t even begin to describe what a simple honor it was just to sit by him, as he would make us all laugh our fucking asses off. He will always be the only man who could get away with wiping a thumb full of sweat on my forehead.

I’m so glad that we recently got to talk for hours about his incredible experiences touring the world with bands including 3 Inches of Blood and Trial. None of us will ever, EVER be able to forget the Dirty Knockers show he played in nothing more than a loincloth, or the last time we would ever see him play at The New Frontier in his caveman getup. I hope you will find some sort of solace in the fact that just last week Brian was asking me about where he could buy lingerie in his size. He even openly confessed that he liked to throw on his face paint in the afternoon for no reason at all.

At any one of his shows, every kind of person and musician would turn out because we all knew what a rare treat it was to see such raw and true talent that had amassed national and international recognition, and just how much Brian loved metal, music and playing.

We were so crestfallen when he moved to San Diego, but there was an ocean of excitement and anxiousness the second he moved home. He said he knew Tacoma was and will always be where he belongs.

And how could you not applaud his admirable goal of finding a world where he could live completely shirtless?

We also loved his wit, smile, gymnastics and the aerobatics he’d bust out while bartending with his impenetrable Doyle’s Public House family that he had such strong affections for.

The ONLY way that we’re going to get through this is if we stick together, which is one more reason why you have to attend his memorial/concert at Doyle’s Public House this Friday, starting at 5 p.m. Bands playing include Helms Alee, Top Heavy Crush, Glimpse, Goldwing, Revengers, Harkonen, Last Chance Romeos, Toughtimes, Ockham's Razor, Blanco Bronco, Zeke, Daniel Blue, Jeff Angell and Kyong Kim and The Fucking Eagles. 

I loved every chromosome in this man’s body. We all did. Brian Redman was a brother from another world, the King of Tacoma and we’re going to miss him for the rest of our lives as he survives in our hearts and minds.

I also know that Brian would be PISSED that this piece is in any way sappy, and he’d be pissed at the fact that I’m sobbing because he hated it when girls cried.

Thus, I must conclude this love song for my favorite friend in the way he would want it:

RAT FUCK. 666. HA, HA!

[Doyle’s Public House, Brian Redman memorial/concert, with Helms Alee, Glimpse, Goldwing, Revengers, Last Chance Romeos, Toughtimes, Ockham’s Razor, Blanco Bronco, Harkonen, Fucking Eagles, Daniel Blue, Zeke, Top Heavy Crush, Jeff Angell and Kyong Kim, Friday, Oct. 2, memorial starts at 5 p.m., music starts at 6 p.m., $5 suggested donation, 208 Saint Helens Avenue, Tacoma, 253.272.7468]