Gary Floyd, the lead vocalist most associated with the bands The Dicks and Sister Double Happiness, died yesterday at the age of 71.
A few publications had some nice words, but the internet was suspiciously quiet over the death of an individual that should be considered a free speech pioneer.
My Gary Floyd story is exclusive to me. I never saw him perform, I didn't know about his personal life, I didn't know his politics.
I bought the Virus 100 Dead Kennedys covers sampler and heard Gary Floyd's Sister Double Happiness cover the punk classic Holiday in Cambodia.
It was one of the greatest single vocal performances in the history of music.
By Anyone.
Of any race, creed, or color.
Floyd's powerful voice hid a core essence of the blues.
"The blues is a feeling, you can't get it out of no book. You can't write the blues on a piece of paper, you just feel the blues."-- John Lee Hooker
I immediately fell in love with Floyd's voice and how he used his voice as an instrument. Ironically, one of Floyd's other top vocal performances was covering another underrated genius, Roky Erickson.
You should seek out Floyd's art and take a journey in his memory instead to taking my word for it.
You may counter my argument with this question "If Gary Floyd was so great, why isn't his obituary the lead story at Rolling Stone?"
Because in the years he was prolific, 1980-1995, Floyd was a fiercely independent artist in an era of corporate vultures. Much of his best work either has low production value or is out of print.
I am convinced his death isn't the lead story at Rolling Stone because no corporate entity could make money from Floyd's death.
Please consider reading Beacon of Speech's Rollings Stone's Obituary Scam.