I never really expected how hard some of these artist deaths would hit me.

Growing up in a small town with no window to the metal world whatsoever, nobody who shared the passion, made it very difficult. I would buy CDs based on their cover, or ask the clerk who I should check out if I liked X band, or reading the thank-yous in the liner notes. No internet or MTV was tough on an eight year old who loved metal.

Firehouse was my first musical love. MINE - didn't know anyone who even knew who they were. To this day haven't met someone who dug them like I did. I'm not naive, I get that they were cheesy and we'rent metal by a long shot, but that doesn't mean they weren't great at what they did. Those first two albums, even half of 3, were legitimately great hard rock albums. I still spin tracks from hold your fire and S/T with some regularity.

CJ was a fucking powerhouse who shamed damn near every other vocalist of the era. Always compared him to Sebastian Bach, but where Sebastian was like a beast unchained, CJ's performances seemed to be from a seasoned veteran, showing a restraint and delicacy when needed that only the titans of rock vocalists are capable of.

I realize that this eulogy would probably make most of you cringe, for a band that were as cheesy as Firehouse, but sometimes its OK to just have fun. And Firehouse were always fun.

Cheers to a titan vocalist who will always be underrated, lead singer of a band far better than the ballads they were famous for.

They had a couple of bangers. RIP

He was a talented singer, should be respected for his efforts, even if the music was not so great. RIP.

RIP

"And Firehouse were always fun."

That they were. I have a lot of fond memories of jamming on Firehouse songs with friends when I was starting off in bands. RIP.

I'm pretty sure I had this album before AJFA, so as hilarious as it is, the first double bass I ever heard was on Firehouse - Lover's Lane.

Lol that IS hilarious. The first time I became aware of double bass was on DT's Another Day which is probably the last song anyone would think of discovering double bass on.