Sometimes you meet someone in your life that you have an
instant connection with, no matter how brief. Someone who you
feel like you've known forever. Then in an instant they're
gone & the loss is rough to take. Carl Albert was one of those
people. I was barely 20 years old when I met Carl & his band
Vicious Rumors in Pittsburgh, Pa. They played at a club called
the Electric Banana. Yeah, I know.. They were traveling by van at the
time. My friend & I had gone out before the show to try to
meet the guys. All the guys were super but I was drawn to
Carl. He was funny, warm, & really sweet. We sat in the van
for at least an hour, maybe more, talking. This was impressive
for me! I was so shy that I could barely say "Hi" to most
people. But Carl was something special. I remember after our
first meeting I was hoping so bad that our paths would cross
again.. I couldn't stop thinking about him.
Carl Spencer Albert (May 13, 1962-April 22, 1995)
Our paths did cross again & not very long after we first met
either. Ironically at the same club, the Electric Banana. This time I
was there trying to meet Savatage. Carl & Vicious Rumors were
passing through on the way to play a show in Baltimore. They
decided to take a little detour to stop & see Savatage. This
time they had a bus! I was happy to see him again. He invited
my friend and I on the bus. It was the first time I had ever
been on a tour bus in my life. I was petrified & excited at
the same time. Again we talked for a few hours. My friend was
totally bored out of her mind. The other guys started to get
on the bus. Carl didn't want me to go. I remember him telling
me that I couldn't get off the bus & that he was taking us to
Baltimore with him. He was going to "kidnap" me. My friend
started to protest so he told her she could go and the bus
driver opened the door and let her off. I finally managed to
convince him to let me off the bus. Not saying that I wouldn't have let Carl kidnap me
because I would've! Sadly that was the last time I saw him.
There went a piece of my heart.
Carl in my favorite Vicious Rumors video.
"Battle Axe" -Nov. 11, 1992
I'm fighting an internal battle over you.
My head wants to forget you with all the power it has but my
heart just won't let you go. You have an inner control of me
that I can't take hold of. Invading my thoughts during waking
hours even though I try so hard to erase you from my mind. My
heart always interrupts me. Now you enter my dreams too,
disturbing my sleep. Having such a profound impact that my
dreams are carried to the waking and stay with me as I try to
escape. Escape like a drowning man trying to get out of the
water. I thought this would be easier but it hasn't been. I
thought I would be stronger but I'm getting weaker every day.
And the battle axe comes down.. And the battle axe comes down
again...
