Just like a brother My favorite drummer Is it for nothing All that we suffer? Open the floodgates Decades of love/hate Pulling the sun down Keeping me up late Hours of golden Days of the olden Don't want to let go All I've been holding Chasing the pain down Memory lane now Walking in circles Can't find my way out There's chances that I missed I been singing things I wish I would have told you long ago I know there's something better It never came together I wish I would have let you know You're just like a brother My favorite drummer It's not for nothing All that we suffer Open the floodgates Decades of love/hate Smiling back on Memories that we made
For those who don’t know, Richard and I used to play in a grunge-rock duo called The Id of Christ (this was in my BC era, of course). Richard was on drums and I sang and played guitar.
The photo above was taken in March of 2015 at a house-venue in Lansing called The Church of the Three Cats. After our show, we met up with some friends at Michigan State, where the beer was flowing freely in celebration of a big win by the Spartans basketball team.
As the streets teemed with drunken 20-year-olds, it was only natural that we fell in with the mob. But revelry soon turned to riot. Orange flames flew into the air. We gathered around a burning couch, and out of the shadows emerged cops mounted on horseback ready to break us up. Testing their resolve, the mob remained, unshaken, throwing more and more fuel on the fire.
I don’t know what the signal was, if they blew a whistle or something, but suddenly the cavalry charged and I was running full tilt into the dark unknown, losing Richard and everyone else in the stampede.
When the dust settled and the fog of war began to lift, I went from house to house in search of my comrades. One by one we eventually found each other, and marched proudly back to the dorms to catch a few hours of sleep.
The next day, Richard and I had an early show to get to back in Grand Rapids. We roused ourselves, dazed and confused, and feeling like true rock stars, were on to the next one…
A lot has changed since the days of fleeing from riot-cops on horseback. From the LA days, to being roommates in Montana, losing touch for awhile, then reuniting after our own journeys in faith – it was certainly a wild ride.
May 1, 2026 would have been Richard’s 30th birthday. This new song is a belated gift for him and anyone who called him a friend. He may not have always been a saint. He may have drank too much. Could’ve taken better care of himself. But he had a soft, welcoming heart. A brotherly love for all. And he was a ferocious drummer. May we always remember the good and beautiful things about Richard Wesley Devon.
Listen to Ghost Notes on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, and Tidal.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful tribute.