I never got to really know Brian that well but he was a friend.



I saw him June 22nd, a few days after I had gotten beat up, at the Saint and it was the first time I had seen him since he had lived with Mike at the Iron Works in Jackson. We gave eachother bro-grabs and he told me if he had been with me a few days before, none of what happened would've happened. He looked me in the eye and told me some things that made me feel really good about myself and then we did key bumps in the bathroom. Later he asked me to buy him some beers and then he said to Skwirl "It's his birthday! Free beers!" and we actually got a few beers on the house and then eventually I had to start paying for them. And then he asked for some shots and we shot Jim Beam. It was Country Night and Pasta was DJ'ing. We stood together and sang all the classics. Brian changed the words a lot. Around 4am he told me he needed a ride to the bus station at 6am and I can't remember what I told him. And then he asked if he could stay at my house for a couple of hours and I knew that was probably a bad idea so I made up some excuse why he couldn't stay and he said "Fuck that, I'm staying at your house," and then he went into the bathroom and I ran outside, got into my car, and sped away. I moved back to Jackson a week later.



Our next meeting was a few weeks ago when the Overnight Lows played at the Saint and this was my first time back since I had moved. Mike and I pulled up and Brian was standing outside, I think he was wearing a trench coat and pants that were cut off at the ankles. Kind of looked like Lloyd from "Say Anything." He was drinking a 24oz Budwieser. We gave each-other bro-grabs and discovered that neither one of us had been up to anything since the last time we saw eachother. He asked Mike if he'd buy him a couple of beers inside and while Mike was answering, I walked inside. When I saw Brian a few minutes later, I was wasted and he was in the middle of this large group of people, towering over them, and he looked right at me with this almost desperate look like he either had something really important to tell me or he needed a beer. I'll never forget that.



The last time I talked to him was the weekend before last. I was driving down Canal with Kim, Chrissy, and Dagny and we were heading to the Hi-Ho. I was going to drop them off at the venue and then meet this guy who had an amp for sale and then go back to the Hi-Ho. My phone rang and it was Brian. I have no idea how he got my number. He heard I was in town, really wanted to hang out, and wanted me to pick him up from somewhere way up on Magazine. I told him that I was about to be at the Hi-Ho but I would call him after I bought this amp and I'd pick him up but by the time I met the guy, had a few drinks with him, and bought the amp and all that, I forgot about calling Brian.



I never got to really know Brian but I do know that he scared the shit of me, knew how to party, loved music, loved his friends, and was extremely loyal. Everytime I saw him seemed like an occasion. He was like some Viking or Gladiator. He seemed larger than life. I'll always regret not being a better friend to him.