My Keith Addiction: A Personal Explanation

(Or, "I never used to like tattoos this much, but...")

Lots of my friends ask me, "Why are you so INTO this guy Keith? What's so special about Buckcherry that makes you such a diehard follower?" I've come to the realization that it's not any one thing so much as a million different, subtle qualities, both in the band as a whole and Keith, specifically. Let me be more specific...

Far and away, the most obvious reason is that incredible talent with the strings! The very first time I heard "Lit Up" (not knowing WHO this Buckcherry band was at all!), I was struck immediately by their powerful, down and dirty, rock-your-ass-off guitar driven sound. (Those lyrics!! "I love the cocaine/I love the cocaine"??!!? Go ON with your badass selves, my mind shouted!)Then I got a look at their CD cover-any group that would put such an original, unique shot on their CD cover HAD to be great, I concluded. The music lover in me wanted a bigger taste of this whole Buckcherry thing!

My adoration for Keith, and the rest of the band as well, was instant and total from the very first BC show I attended, in May of 1999, at a small little club called the Satyricon in Portland, Oregon...and for a measly $6, at that...!

Josh walked out, then Yogi, Keith, Devon and JB. And my whole appreciation for loud, raw rock and roll increased a millionfold! Looking at them, in that immediate nanosecond of scrutiny that occurs when seeing an unknown act for the first time, my mind whispered, "It's a 90's Aerosmith, wow! And LOOK at those tattoos! Oh yeah, this show is gonna be gooood..." Then my attention became focused on Keith...

Even at that very first show, I got goosebumps watching Keith play. I know, it sounds sooo rock-n-roll-cliche, folks, haha, but it's the truth. It's the energy he puts forth onstage, hands furiously flying, giving the crowd exactly what they paid to hear: raw, nasty rock and roll!! Maybe it's that LOOK, that look that comes over his face when he's really feeling it and into the moment. It's a thing only those who've seen Buckcherry's live performance could understand completely! :-)

Of course, my friends would say that his being an absolute knockout doesn't hurt his case, either! While this IS indeed the truth, hehe, that's not the FIRST thing that struck me about Keith. One COULD say that it's the eyes, those beautiful brown eyes of his. I love the way ( for those of us ever fortunate enough to be in his presence and up close!) he looks at you, really LOOKS at you, when you're conversing and doesn't just ACT like he's interested and paying attention to what you're saying. That in itself deserves my utmost respect and admiration, as a Buckcherry/Keith Nelson fan. He "small talks" with his fans, makes them feel like he's thinking, "Hey, I'm in no hurry to go anywhere. Our fans are important, I can spare some of my time for them." He's not pretentious, unpersonable, snotty, or insincere in his dealings with us adoring fans, and that's the greatest thing ever to see in a rocker...genuine appreciation and gratitude for the fans who make or break the whole thing, really. And he doesn't get impatient or curt with me when I ask him to sign every goddamn scrap of questionable "memorabilia" at every stinkin' show, either! haha I've got his scrawled signature on LOTS of Buckcherry show momentos, for sure....the t-shirt you signed for me, Keith, and made my whole evening complete with, is my finest moment in Buckcherrydom! :-)

In essence, I guess it's just something undefinable, something that sets Keith and the rest of Buckcherry above the norm in my personal music experience. And, haha, let me tell ya, my appreciation for those beautiful works of art that are his tattoos only enhances my, ahem, admiration for the man!! (It was only 3 months ago that *I* finally felt liberated enough to go and get my first tattoo;I'd ALWAYS wanted one for as long as I can remember, but felt it might be looked upon as TOO "taboo" in society's "tattoos are for bikers, felons and gang members" mentality-until just recently, about fucking time, world. 29 years old, and getting my first tat...what an exciting experience!! I'd honestly have to attribute a LITTLE fraction of that to my BC boys! Thanks, guys!) I can only hope that these 5 fabulously talented guys, and most certainly Mr. Nelson in particular, will keep creating the sound, playing the gigs that have sold my heart on this band forever and ever.

In the immortal words of Wayne and Garth:"We're not worthy! We're not worthy!"...love ya, Keith!

Marla Forde, May 1,2000

The infamous tattoo I acquired recently...