A brand new (april, 2010) text in Swedish can be read here. It has been signed by family members, close friends, friends and pals of Dave Lepard.
The text you are about to read was written in March 2009 (when Crashdiet had a competition where they searched for someone to make adjustments in Dave Lepards logo).
The main conclusion is that Crashdiet should have, and still should, change its name due to following reasons:
1. Crashdiet was split before Dave Lepard died! (The band still lies about this today, even though Lisbeth has gone official with the truth…)
2. Crashdiet has stolen Dave Lepards lifework without asking! (Dave Lepard would NEVER approve the band to use the name Crashdiet without him)
3. No member of todays band is an original member! (Dave Lepard was the founder of the band, and the last original member)
4. Crashdiet would never continue as Crashdiet if they weren’t famous and on their way up! (And they would never use the name if Dave was still alive… think of that…)
5. Dave Lepard had a totally different view on what Crashdiet is all about, than todays band has!
6. Crashdiet has not ”worked hard to keep the memory of Dave Lepard alive” as was their promise to family, friends and fans of Dave Lepard when they decided to continue! (Example: In 2008 Dave wasn’t even mentioned on the bands myspace page)
7. Crashdiet (the name) no longer has the total support from the people around Dave Lepard that gave them their support in 2006! (In 2009 even Lisbeth wanted them to change name, but now she has changed her mind again… However, clearly most people around Dave do NOT support the name…)
If I had the time and energy, I would re-write this text to make some (necessary) improvements, but there is no way I can do that these days. Therefore, please bear with all the ”messy” and repetitive parts. Thanks. (pp7 gaftzeb, April 2010)
The truth of Dave Lepard and the lies of Crashdiet
The numerous reasons for Crashdiet should have changed their name – and still should!
(Written by pp7 gaftzeb in March 2009)
INTRODUCTION
Just as I write these words, Crashdiet are about to erase the very last sign of Dave Lepard in the band, the band logotype. They even do it via an official competition where anybody in the world obviously is worthy enough to compete with the artwork done by Dave Lepard. When the logo is gone, Dave Lepard is gone completely. There is no connection what so ever left between Dave Lepard and Crashdiet. In early 2007 the band would claim:
”Vi kommer att arbeta hårt för att hålla Daves arv vid liv så länge vi sysslar med detta. Det är viktigt för oss att ingen glömmer vem han var”. / ”We will work hard to keep the legacy of Dave Lepard alive, as long as we do this. It is important to us that nobody forgets who he was.”
(Quote from Okej magazine, 1/2007)
There are several reasons for me to write this “essay”. One reason is that the band is severely betraying Dave Lepard and the people around him (family, friends and fans) that thought that the band would keep playing to “keep the spirit of Dave alive”. Another reason is that someone has to tell the truth the way it really is. Actually I do not like to do this at all (I feel I have no time and energy, and I feel very bad about it all, I get in a bad mood even thinking about the subject) but I still have to do it since nobody else does (which really disappoints me and I’m sure it would have disappointed Dave to see that hardly no one stands up for him..!). It hurts me to see so many totally misguided people (mostly fans of the band, people who never knew Dave) from all over the world claiming things that they really don’t know anything about. Despite their ignorance, they have very strong opinions and so the pro-Crashdiet lies keep spreading. This text is an effort to set things straight again.
Myself, and others among Dave, realize that it was the wrong decision to keep the name Crashdiet. I have personally been against it constantly all the time, but what is happening now is that I see the whole thing developing into something that is even worse than I could imagine. No doubt, Crashdiet is a band full of hypocrites and I have to say this in public, even though it may cause some reactions.
What you are about to read is a newer version of the old text I had online before (from 2007). The thoughts I will present originally started to grow way back in 2003 when I first got to know both Dave and the band. When Dave died in 2006 it – surprisingly – didn’t take very long until the band was back on track “stronger than ever” (quote from their myspace 2007) and Crashdiets way of acting has gotten worse and worse ever since. My official and internal protests started in 2006 and this new text sums up the essence of my view on the whole thing.
Before I get down to business I will tell something about my relation with Dave Lepard (to me he was always David Hellman, but I use Dave Lepard here since most people reading this knows him that way). We actually met thru Internet in early 2003 and a comic thing, in a retrospective view, is that he knew about me (for being pp7 gaftzeb) and I had actually never heard about him. It was pure and honest love right from the beginning, even though I admit that I kept the distance at first. He was very much all the time and I had chosen a calm life by that time. However, we soon deepened our relation into a real, free and trustful friendship. Our friendship was always based on friendship itself and not fellowship through music or partying. (We had some serious plans for collaborations for pp7 gaftzeb recordings and shows though, but it never happened).
We only knew each other for about 3 years, but we got to come real close. On one level I was Dave’s absolute closest friend. He had many different friends for different purposes though, so I do certainly not claim to be his only close friend. He had some other close friends than me, people who knew him deeply in ways I never did!
I have plenty of fun – and not so fun – memories with Dave. And then there are the situations that were both fun and terrible at the same time. He could call and wake me up 3 in the morning (in the middle of the week) just to tell about his new home made tattoos. I was the driver for the band when they played the infamous show at Rookie Festival in 2003. That was 48 hours of pure hell – and fun. I miss him so. His friendship, his humor, his intellect, his craziness. And not least – his “kid of the underground”-attitude, that he never abandoned (unlike the others in the band, which I will come to).
Last time I met him was after a gig they did in early December 2005. It was a short but beautiful meeting that I am glad I got to experience. We hold both of each others hands and smiled dearly. Last time I spoke to him was when he called me on the 19:th that month. I remember several things from that conversation, one thing being that I told him I was about to do a recording with the old members of the band, by that time called SubVision (the recording never happened). We laughed at the funny situation with me being backed up by his old band members. He then told me he had something really important to say, but I was in a hurry and unfortunately didn’t have the time to talk for long at that moment, I had to hang up on him. That might be the mistake of my life which I have to live with. I tried to reach him a few times after that, but no response.
In a speech I held at the memorial after Dave’s funeral I claimed: “We haven’t lost just a friend, a relative, a very talented musician and lyric writer. We have lost much more than that. David was a phenomenon. He was the king of contrasts, left and right, up and down at the same time. Always everything. I have never met anyone like him. He was very intelligent, sensitive and emotional. He was really fast when it came to associative thinking and had a large portion of, often “wicked”, humor. David dared to challenge social boundaries and instead of conforming like most people does, he would go his own way – even to death”.
I will always be deeply thankful for having the opportunity to get to know Dave. He will live within me for the rest of my life.
DAVE AND CRASHDIET
Dave started the band in 2000 with totally different members than today’s band. They played live shows and did photo sessions and even made t-shirts and letter-paper. The original line up recorded three demos:
Demo 1:
Miss Pain
California White
Crazy Nights
Cancer Dancer
Demo 2:
Gimmie What I Need
Queen Obscene
Wishes And Dreams
Riot Youth
Demo 3:
Diamonds In The Rough
Tracy
Some of these songs were later also recorded with the second line up – and those recordings are the ones that are widely spread [and that today’s band want you to think is the bands first recordings]. The first versions of the songs however are far more raw and brutal (like Dave always wanted it!) and also occasionally have different lyrics and arrangements… (Crazy Nights is 7:08 long for example) Another notable thing is that they used a real drummer instead of the machine that was used for the second line up recordings.
There was some serious trouble in this line up. GotlandsDavid – who was a real close friend of Dave, and also lived with him for 2 years – tells the story in April 2007 (quoted from the Crashdiet forum):
“I saw the whole thing from front row seat. From the first lineup and its fall. Davids feelings when they almost made it big and the band leaved him for idiotic reasons. How he found the new guys one by one and got them in shape and styled them up for photoshoots and promotion. Exept Peter who actually had the style already. How he realised that this time he actually could make it the whole way. And he did make it.”
Lisbeth Hellman, mother of Dave, explains in July 2008 (quoted from interview in Rock Eyez):
“They broke up because someone in the band used drugs and David hated that! And when he kicked this guy out, the other two said goodbye too. They were old mates and grew up together… but David was not sad.”
(There are alternative views of the story regarding the split of the first line up as well, but I will not get into that here).
Dave Lepard mentioned the first line up in several interviews. Here are just two examples among many:
therockexplosion.com/Interviews/CRASHDIET%20English.htm
rockeyez.com/interviews/int-crashdiet-lepard.html
Dave recruited Crashdiet with new members. However, the new line up had its serious problems as well, right from the beginning. It took quite a while for the band to admit that officially… which will be revealed as the story continues. [A deeper biography of the bands newer history you can find elsewhere via interviews etc. Earlier they had biographies on their website and myspace that told very little or nothing about the previous line up, since they wanted to appear as the original setting. As for now, there is no band bio at all on those pages and one may wonder why... Be sure to compare stories from 2006 and following years and you’ll find that in 2006 the band pretended that everything was pretty alright among the members in the band, but later when the truth has leaked (through me and others) they can no longer claim this. The hypocrites can’t keep the truth secret anymore].
DAVE’S DEATH AND THE BAND SPLIT ISSUE
Dave Lepard was found dead (by suicide) on the 20:th of January 2006. The very day after, Crashdiet told Swedish newspaper Expressen: “Crashdiet kommer definitivt inte att fortsätta som band” / “Crashdiet will definitely not continue as a band” (Expressen, 21:st of January 2006). As a matter of fact the band was already split before Dave’s death, but the official story from the band back then (and still today apparently) was the split happened after.
This is a quote from Lisbeth (again from Rock Eyez, July 2008):
“Then David called a lot of his best friends, including his eldest sister and said: CRASH is split! This was a secret. He was so disappointed! I have all his mails…. I don’t understand how things got this way. It’s so sad. They couldn’t split CRASH??? It was David’s band! And they went behind his back! Amazing! I can imagine how angry and disappointed he got.”[…] “he had called my eldest daughter, it may have been on a Monday, and he said, CRASH is split!”
Myself and a few others had stated officially, already in 2006, that the band in fact was split before Dave’s death, but people didn’t seem to care. The band even lied and denied it officially since they wanted to keep their theatric face in front of the audience.
This is Peter London interviewed by Critical mass (in October 2007) where he smoothly avoids the issue:
”Fråga: Vad har du att säga om allt snack som har gått? Det ryktades ju att bandet lagt ner redan innan hans bortgång, eller att ni åtminstone skulle ta en paus… Något du kan klargöra där?
Svar: Vi levde i ett ständigt kaos, och bandmedlemmar hoppade av för jämnan. Trycket på oss var otroligt hårt och vi höll oss sällan i tillräckligt bra skick för att orka med allt. Folk har ju gillat att snacka och sprida rykten om det här bandet sedan dag ett, men numera ser jag det som smickrande att folk överhuvudtaget bryr sig så mycket.”
/ ”Question: What do you have to say about all rumors saying that the band was split before Daves death, or at least that you were about to take a break? Is there anything you can make clear regarding that?
Answer: We lived in a constant chaos, and it wasn’t uncommon that band members left. There was a huge pressure on us and we were often in too bad shape to be able to cope with everything. People have liked to talk and spread rumors about this band since day one, but nowadays I find it flattering that people even care that much”.
However, since the above quoted interview with Lisbeth, no one can deny the fact that the band really was split, just before the death of Dave. So, the facts so far are that the band was split before Dave’s death, and the band confirmed in the Swedish newspaper Expressen that they could never continue, immediately after his death. Crashdiet was dead in every way in late January 2006! But what happened next?
“CRASHDIET” OF TODAY
Crashdiet, amazingly soon, decided to continue using the band name that was strongly and entirely linked to Dave. The premature decision was made in a time when people around Dave were still in shock. The band always claimed that they got their support from Lisbeth and that the fans “demanded their return” and so on. That is true. But what about their own responsibility? Crashdiet cynically used unaware people to give legitimacy to their project. At least some people who supported the band back then, do not do it today.
This is a quote from Crashdiets homepage in 2006:
“We´re actually pretty much convinced that we should keep the name after numerous sleepless nights and after approval from the Lepard family. We feel that we want to carry on the CRASHDÏET legacy, which will keep Daves spirit alive for a long long time”.
First of all: The ”approval from the Lepard family” came in a time of shock – when the grief had not found its place yet and supposedly nobody could really understand that Dave actually is dead. The “approval from the Lepard family” was based upon a belief that the band actually would “work hard”, as the band promised, to keep the spirit of Dave alive.
Secondly: You don’t keep Daves spirit alive by just using his name. Everybody that knew Dave knows that his spirit was very unusual. To keep his spirit alive is to personally learn from him and let him live within yourself in your everyday situation. And then act this spirit out. No one in the band is even close to that. What Crashdiet is doing now is therefore certainly not keeping his spirit alive but actually killing his spirit by commercializing his soul.
Another quote from their 2006 homepage:
“It would be a shame NOT to spread the message across the whole world and let them know what real music should sound like!”
First, you probably can’t spread the message of Dave since there is no evidence that you even understand his message. Just repeating his words does not mean you understand them and therefore it’ll all come out like empty words. And secondly: Couldn’t you show the world “what real music should sound like” using another name? If you need to be named Crashdiet to make real music, why would a person ever listen to another band? Bands with other names than Crashdiet can not make ”real music”? It just does not make any sense at all.
In the “numerous nights” of consideration that the band claims to have had regarding the band name, one may wonder how they considered following issues. Here are, aside the fact that the band was already split, a few reasons for that the band should have changed the name Crashdiet after Dave’s death:
1) Crashdiet was Daves lifeproject. Crashdiet wasn’t just a hobby for him, neither was it equivalent to a regular job. Crashdiet was his ultimate childhood dream that he made reality out of. Crashdiet was therefore much more than just a band for him, it was his identity. It was his life. Life and death are two sides of the same coin, and therefore you could also claim that Crashdiet was his death. Life and death is pretty heavy stuff, don’t you think? Isn’t it strange that the band then can replace the one and only main man in his own lifeproject? Is there any respect for the soul of Dave here at all?
2) As told above, Crashdiet played for two years with totally different members, meaning: no member of today’s band were in it from the beginning. Dave mentioned this period in several interviews but today’s band doesn’t even bother to mention it (on their homepage or myspace) as they want to appear as the original setting to make their name legitimate. Dave was the only original member left and when he died, the real Crashdiet died.
GotlandsDavid claims following in the Crashdiet forum (April 2007):
“And I still belive that Crashdiet could kept their name if Peter or Martin took over the singing. But a Crashdiet without David is useless. David was the only remaining original member, he created the band, he created the underground myth, the attitude, the loggo, the name, the music. David Hellman was Crashdiet and always will be Crashdiet. The others just followed on his invitation.”
One could argue that it has no relevance that the band has had totally different line ups, that “Crashdiet is Crashdiet” and also that Dave Lepard had his heart in the second line up. It is true that his heart was in the second line up, but one must be reminded that Dave was the creator of the band, carrier of the name. Literally he was the only link between the line ups and symbolically Dave was Crashdiet and Crashdiet was Dave. Dave had the total power in the band. Nobody could do anything against his will, but he had the possibility to do almost anything against the others will. Dave is the inevitable key person in the band, he created it from the very beginning and made it big.
3) They would never keep the name Crashdiet if they still were a garage band. The members know that the name belongs to Dave. Therefore is the only reason for keeping it, to remain in the spotlights. It is selfish and dishonoring to Dave. When they decided to continue using the name Crashdiet they told their fans – as well as friends and family members to Dave – they would keep the name to spread Dave’s name. Sadly many obviously got fooled by this. If the honest ambition with keeping the name would be to spread the name and spirit of Dave they would of course as well keep the name if they still were an unknown band. People should have asked them if they would have kept the name if they still were an unknown garage band… and the answer to that question would with 100% certainty be no…
4) The members didn’t really get along. [Dave told me about his view on band members several times. For example, I remember what he told me about his view on Martin Sweet: ”Martin är en jävla tönt, den enda anledningen till att han är med i bandet är att han är bra på att spela”. / “Martin is a fucking wimp. The only reason he is in the band, is that he can play”. Those are Dave’s words, not mine!] There were, as mentioned above, serious problems in the band and Dave could be really difficult to handle, especially when he was mean and paranoid. Officially the band never stated this really bad condition with Dave until recently (Peter London gave a quite open hearted interview in Swedish newspaper DN in January 2009).
Even though the band did not tell the truth in public at once after Dave’s death, one could still imagine what went on behind the scenes with Dave and the band. At myspace, Crashdiet claimed to be “stronger than ever” after Dave’s death when Olli suddenly was on the train. So, at the very same time that the band claimed they continue to play in order to honor Dave Lepard, they stated publicly they were “stronger than ever” without rather than with him…
5) Dave Lepard had a very different influential background for the band and related to that, also different views on what Crashdiet was all about. Of course they had Guns n roses, Skid Row and others in common but there were a significant cleavage that can not be ignored:
GG Allin was also a very strong influence for Dave Lepard when he started the band with the old members and the connection between Dave and GG would be evident for the rest of the Dave Lepard era. There were certain resemblances between the lives of GG and Dave – who would incorporate GG Allin in his life forever through his many tattoos. GotlandsDavid tells DN (21:st January 2009)
“David ville att jag skulle tatuera ”GG Allin” så många gånger på hans ben att huden blev helt svart. Jag skrev det femton gånger innan jag tröttnade. Vi gillade GG Allin väldigt, väldigt mycket.” / “David wanted me to tattoo ”GG Allin” on his leg so many times that his skin got totally black. I wrote it 15 times until I got bored. We liked GG Allin very very much.”
When it comes to obvious GG Allin influences in (Dave Lepards) Crashdiet there are plenty examples: The early lyrics are very much influenced by GG such as the words for “Scumfuck” (which was an expression GG often used). In the original lyric for Queen Obscene (which can be heard on the demo recordings with both line ups, but not on the CD) he sings “rock n roll terrorist” which was something GG called himself (and also is written on his gravestone). GG Allin is even mentioned by name in all three versions of the song ”Crazy nites/nights”. The 2005 tour was named “Die today, live forever” which was a saying printed on a 7” EP with GG. [Dave called me up to discuss whether the band should use that expression for the tour name or not] The list of connections to GG that Dave Lepard expressed through Crashdiet could fill this whole essay.
Today, there is no relation to GG Allin what so ever in the band. When interviewed, the band members never even mention GG. The DN article claims that Crashdiet worshipped GG, but that was members from the original line up, not the second one. Dave would even complain in front of me (in 2003) that the new members in the band didn’t “understand shit” about GG. He even seemed somewhat embarrassed about this.
The question that occurs is: How will the band ever be able to spread the message and spirit of Dave when they don’t even know the content and roots of this message and spirit? There is no doubt that Dave Lepard and Crashdiet of today defines true rock n roll in quite different ways. For Dave, as for GG, it was about life and death for real, but for the band rock n roll is about entertainment. There is a fundamental difference between those perspectives that in fact makes the bands ”tribute” completely worthless. When Dave died the new members – who don’t understand the GG-thing – said they would keep on in Dave’s spirit. However much they try, they can’t…
REFLECTIONS…
- on the band
Crashdiet claimed in 2006 and early 2007 to be keeping the name to spread the spirit, words and music of Dave, but now in 2009 they have decided to throw away the very last sign of Dave in the band – the logotype he made.
Their initial tribute ambitions may have sounded great and touching to some people. But the band should have been asked about why they didn’t want to spread the spirit of Dave when he was still alive? The band didn’t want to have anything to do with him! Lisbeth has now told publically about the bands meetings behind Dave’s back (see quote from Rock Eyes above), so the band can’t deny facts any longer.
The decision to continue using the name Crashdiet was made in a time of shock and sorrow. Maybe you can’t expect someone to make the right choices under those circumstances. But maybe you could expect people to search within themselves after some time and then be able to make a more well thought-out decision…
Since Dave died, his band members got the freedom they had wished for. Now there would be no troublemaker to stop them from success. Dave had been the master, the dictator. There is no doubt in my mind that Dave’s death actually was a relief for the band and that theory gets confirmation from the bands revealing statement to be “stronger than ever” after his death.
I am totally convinced the band uses Dave as a cynically clever method to continue their ride of fame and success. Be reminded that they would never ever use the name Crashdiet if they still were a garage band. No chance in universe! The so called “tribute to Dave” is therefore nothing more than an egoistic calculating way to climb the ladder of success. It is a pure rape of the soul of Dave. Seriously.
Crashdiet was Dave’s life, and also death in a sense. I think people should be very respectful towards things that mean everything to somebody. You can’t just take the most valuable thing from somebody and do whatever you want with it. Of course you can, but not if you want to be called responsible and considerate.
If I had a lifework and died, and then somebody else took my work – without asking and most probably against my will – and turned it into something completely different – if that happened – I would wish my true friends to do whatever it took to prevent it. This situation is a divider that differs between those who do something for me and those who do something for themselves. I would not consider those who didn’t stand up for me to be my friends.
How would you reason if it was yourself it all was about? If someone took the most valuable thing you had, without asking you for permission to do it, and then exploited it and transformed it into something new beyond every recognition, and at the same time claim they do it in your name as a tribute? Would you think it is ok? Or would you feel it is the worst betrayal that someone could ever do to you?
Some people, even the band itself, argued that one reason to keep the name is so that they don’t have to start all over again. I think that is a pretty lame argument. First of all, the “problem” of having to start from the beginning is nothing compared to the pure exploitation of Dave. Secondly, did the band really think they were so worthless that they couldn’t make it big on their own? Where is the self confidence? It is just like they openly admit they suck without Dave. (And yeah, many people would agree to that, so that is maybe to consider a clever thinking from the band after all).
The band took in a new singer, Olli, in less than a year from Dave’s death. Olli had no connection to Dave what so ever and still he would sing the very personal lyrics that Dave made. Obviously the band isn’t very careful about their credibility. Maybe lyrics for them are something that “has to” be sung, but what is being sung and by who isn’t really important? To Dave, the lyrics were really important and in relation to his depth I am not too sure anybody else can do them justice. And now after the breakup with Olli, they are said to have a new singer, the same problem will occur right there.
I had a meeting with Peter London in early 2007 when he declared that they only play songs that the surviving members were co-writers of. That was a total lie as it turned out that they for example played Queen Obscene with Olli on vocals. (That song was even recorded by the first line up, nobody in today’s band touched it). When Crashdiet plays that song today they in reality appear as a cover band, since no one were there to write the song.
The hypocritical sell out band has spoiled its credibility totally. During 2008 Crashdiet didn’t even mention Dave Lepard on their myspace page (now he is mentioned once, just like “any” previous member, like Olli. The original members are of course not mentioned at all) and they even removed the link to davelepard.com from their homepage since at least a year. “Working hard” to remind people of Dave Lepard? Yeah, right…
At first, I really couldn’t believe the band was even thinking of continuing as Crashdiet. To me it would be total impossible from a moral point of view and as the band immediately after the suicide of Dave also stated in media they would not continue as a band, I thought everything was in correct order. Therefore I did not put any energy into the subject until I realized they actually would continue using the name Crashdiet, despite the overwhelming amount of arguments against it. In a retrospective I wish I had pushed it way harder back in 2006, encouraging other people around Dave to think about the future a second time. In an interview (Rock Eyez) Martin Sweet said: ”We’ve discussed the issue with a lot of people including some of the Lepard family and they’re very positive about us keeping the name.” Well, the band did not discuss it with me, nor GotlandsDavid or some other people around Dave who might be negative of the idea. I take that as evidence for that the band was only willing to ”discuss” (rather kiss ass) with people who were positive about keeping the name. (May I remind you that some of those people are not positive anymore)
I do not support this band anymore, I would have, if they would have changed their name, or – if keeping the name – would have been honest right from the beginning with telling people what really went on behind the scenes. It would have been more honoring to Dave if the band had openly admitted they only do this for their own fame and glory. Then they would at least have been honest to everyone, including Dave. Instead they used Dave Lepard, and even his family, in their lie. It couldn’t be more dishonoring to Dave Lepard (David Hellman, do you remember him?)
- on the “democratic” forum
The Crashdiet forum has a section with the name ”Diet Democracy”? Democracy should mean that each and every of you can express whatever standpoint you may have. Peter London claims in this section of the forum: “we’re always keen to know what you guyz think about any CRASHDÏET-related issue”. Are you really, Peter?
In this forum democracy seem to mean something else. Here ”democracy” obviously means that you have to support the band. If you tell your personal view about the band, that does not agree with the misguided mass, the moderator lets you know that you are ”spreading poison” (quote from the ”the longest thread” thread). So, conclusion of this might be: When the band tells their lies it is spreading truth and when another person tells the truth it is spreading poison? Just great logic… Support the band (=offend Dave Lepard) in any way you can and you’ll get free space, but if you criticize or ask questions you are told to keep quiet in the ”democratic” Crashdiet forum. Maybe ”Diet Democracy” should be changed into the more suitable name ”Diet Dictatorship”?
- on comparisons with similar situations in other bands
Speaking about forums. I’ve seen people discussing things they don’t really know a thing about. Still they have lots of opinions. Wouldn’t it be better to get the knowledge first, and then claim the standpoints? Some ignorant kid keep making comparisons with Bon Scott of Ac/Dc and Dave Lepard of Crashdiet. Let me ask you:
Did Bon Scott start the band? If so, did he start the band with totally different members than today’s band? Was Bon Scott the key member of the band? I’d say no to all these questions. Angus Young started that band along with his brother. Bon Scott wasn’t even the original singer. Angus Young (and eventually his brother) is to be considered to be the key member of that band.
To make your comparison with Ac/Dc relevant: Would Ac/Dc continue if Angus Young commits suicide? I can not know for sure but I would guess they would/could/should not continue…. Angus Young is the starter, builder, leader, symbol and carrier of the name Ac/Dc just as Dave Lepard was for Crashdiet. Bon Scott was therefore replaceable, Dave Lepard is certainly not!
While comparing with other bands, Crashdiet could have chosen the same way as Joy Division did. The band had released one album when their singer Ian Curtis committed suicide. Even though the band could have continued using the widely spread name Joy Division, they changed name into New Order. When Kurt Cobain, singer of Nirvana, killed himself, the band split.
The band – and people around them – argued that if they’d change name, people would ask: “-Who are they? -They are the guys from Crashdiet”. That might of course be the consequence if you’re an unknown underground band. But if they would be able to make good music (without Dave) they would just as well be able to make a reputation of their own. When Nihilist changed name into Entombed everybody accepted rather soon. Nobody says “that’s the guy from Black Sabbath” about Ozzy Osbourne. Nobody says “that’s the guy from Mercyful Fate” about King Diamond. Nobody says “that’s the guy from Nirvana” about Dave Grohl.
If you are able to make good music and stand on your own, you will make it with a new name like New Order did, but if you have no confidence in yourself and disabled to stand on your own, you will end up like Dave Mustaine of Megadeth who still is “the guy from Metallica”. Crashdiet cowardly chose to play safe as they know they are nothing without Dave (for the second album they obviously had to use Mick Mars from Mötley Crüe to compensate for this. What surprise will they have on a third album to balance the fact that they simply suck without Dave?).
- on the people who stands up for Dave, and those who don’t
I do this for Dave and my conception of objective justice, as those things go hand in hand, in this matter. I’ve had no personal gain from protesting against Crashdiet what so ever (rather the opposite). I’m thankful for those – very few – people around Dave, that have had the guts to actually tell about the truth in public. We, who dare to tell and live the truth, are the true keepers of Dave’s spirit - in contrast of the band (and posers around them) that has proved they don’t care about Dave – and truth – at all.
I am very thankful to GotlandsDavid and Katta (longtime girlfriend of Dave Lepard) for being the only ones (that I know of) among close people to Dave, to have the courage to support me officially. GotlandsDavid wrote “I couldn´t have said it better myself. I totally agree as PP7 knows” regarding this issue (and about my view on fans) in the Crashdiet forum (April 2007) and Katta wrote following in the Dave Lepard forum (Sept 2007): “Jag älskar o respekterar pp7 för att han är den ende som står upp och säger det precis som det är. Den ende som talar för david och uttrycker det som vi vet att han hade tyckt, ja, allt är sanning.” /” I love and respect pp7 for being the only one who stands up and tell it just as it is. The only one who speaks for David and expresses what we all know he would have thought, yes, all is truth.”
To those around Dave and the band who didn’t and don’t stand up, I think you are surprisingly weak. And it probably wouldn’t be a guessing far from the truth to claim Dave would have thought so too. (I know for sure – from our conversations – that he thought people in general were weak, but what would he say about all of you who were/are close to him that don’t even defend him when he is being raped by his “dear friends” in the band? Maybe his suicide could lead to a possible answer to that question!)
Many people, friends, family and fans of Dave, say: “Yes, they should have taken a new name, but now there is nothing to do about it.”. First of all I am disappointed that you didn’t express your wishes earlier, and officially, not only to me. Maybe the situation had been different today if you had done so. I have constantly claimed my standpoints, both officially and internally. What did you do? Secondly, I can’t buy your argument that there would be nothing to do about it. How can you conclude that the Crashdiet-thing is totally wrong, and at the same time do nothing about it? Is the name written in stone? Is there really no return? Isn’t it still possible to make it right? If you know in your heart, like I do, that Dave never would have let the hypocrites that rapes his soul use his name, do the right thing – to Dave and yourself – and stand up and confront the sell out industry that profits from Dave’s suicide. Confront the band, remind them who gave them the stardom, and let them try to climb the ladder of success on their own this time. I can not accept that my friend is being abused even after his death. Nothing in the world can excuse such behavior.
Crashdiet has now raped the soul of Dave Lepard totally, even after the guy is dead. And all people who support Crashdiet of today is part of this. I am dead serious about this. Either you take a stand against these rapists, hypocrites and sell outs or else you too have insulted Dave, those are the options.
CONCLUSIONS
To keep the name Crashdiet was the worst possible thing to do, if they wanted to pay tribute to the man that made them famous. The statement from the band about the ”mission” to ”keep Dave’s spirit alive” is a total joke. Actually it is a straight punch right in Dave’s face, nothing but a pure insult of his soul.
Since the foundation itself of new Crashdiet is wrong, nothing can be right no matter how much you try to make it right. It does not matter how many times Crashdiet repeat that they “respect and honor Dave”, since the very existence of the band (under the name Crashdiet) is an expression of total disrespect and is an unforgivable insult of Dave’s lifework.
However, now the band has even stopped repeating they respect and honor Dave (which actually is good in a sense, since they really don’t respect or honor him at all). Since 2007-2008 the band seems to have forgotten their own promise to always “work hard” to spread Dave’s name. He is hardly even mentioned by name any longer. As I write this, Crashdiet are about to change the very last sign of Dave in the band, the logotype that he made.
Crashdiet has moved forward, betraying not only Dave but all people who believed the promises of the band – family, friends and fans of Dave Lepard. They have no moral right to keep using the name Crashdiet any longer.
Every responsible person now has to stand up and say NO! If you feel bad about not doing it in 2006, at least do it now!
MESSAGES DIRECTLY TO CRASHDIET, FANS OF THE BAND AND DAVE LEPARD
Crashdiet:
What went on in your minds when you decided to keep the name? You didn’t use your brains. You didn’t use your hearts. You used Dave Lepard.
The only, somewhat acceptable and reasonable, argument I can find to keep using the name Crashdiet, is that it could be used as a “revenge” for all the suffering and hard times that Dave gave the band. It could be a way to make a balance of inflicted pain. I could understand a view like that (if you at least had been honest enough to admit it). But again, no. If this would be the way, shouldn’t this personal need for “pain balance” be put aside for the grief over the loss of a fellow human being?
Now, there could too be argued that “Since the band is well known, Dave Lepards name and music will be spread to thousands of people, isn’t that a good thing?” Yes, it is a good thing. But the inevitable question is: why didn’t you want to do this while he was still alive? How come his name and music obviously become more worth to spread when he is dead, rather than alive? The band was split because of Dave, and now you wanna continue because of Dave? It makes no sense at all. There is no doubt that your own ambitions to become “rockstars” is all that matters, rather than the memory of Dave. You cynically use the argument about honoring Dave just to legitimate your actions and make sure to stay in the spotlights. In other words: Using (abusing) Dave is your method to reach stardom while you hypocritically claim that the stardom is your method to spread the name of Dave.
Peter London, you listened to me and I listened to you during our meeting in 2007. However, you could not convince me in any way that the band did the right thing. After some thoughts I therefore wrote an open but personal letter to all of you; Peter, Martin and Eric. I told you my view on many things regarding Dave and the band. None of you hypocrites even answered my letter. Not even you Peter, who I considered to be my friend for real. If you had had better arguments than me, you could have convinced me. But instead you hid. Unbelievable weak behavior from you, lame fuckers. By this behavior you certainly prove that you are not interested in discussion. People have to support – or they’re out, obviously. (Peter Londons words in the forum that the band is “always being keen to know you guyz think about any CRASHDÏET-related issue” wasn’t true after all?).
Keeping the name Crashdiet to honor Dave Lepard leads to a catch 22-situation that you can’t possibly ever get out of if you don’t change name. The Dave Lepard part has to be tuned down when you push the new Crashdiet (as was the case with Olli), and how fun is it for the new singer, who has no connection to Dave, if you use a band name just to “honor Dave”? And when you tune the Dave Lepard part down, as you certainly have done now, you let everybody down. Everybody who believed you when you claimed to always be “working hard to spread the spirit of Dave”. Again, you will let the new singer down if he/she has to be the eternal number 2 under the ghost of Dave. The new singer does not get the attention and value that he/she deserves in that case. For me, this dilemma has been very obvious right from the beginning and it would have been interesting to hear your answer to it, if you had been brave enough to answer me. Lame fuckers!
Do you remember that I was in company with Dave, when you were about to go to the record company and sign your contract? Dave had discussed the issue with me for hours just before we met there. It was evident he was unsure about it (going from a “kid of the underground”, which he was in his heart, to become a huge rockstar) until the very moment you signed, and probably the rest of his life (my guessing, I might be wrong there). He told me he really was a “kid of the underground” (which he wouldn’t have to tell me, I knew it). He also said that he has a deeper meaning with his music than “just being a rockstar”. This means he had a much deeper vision/ambition/meaning with Crashdiet than just become famous. Remember that when you stand in the spotlights claiming to tribute him.
According to all facts, I can not interpret your behavior in any other way than it is just the stardom itself that drives you. A desperation to remain in the spotlights. Real and honest respect for Dave would have been shown if you had restarted the band with another name – and then maybe do a few Crashdiet songs as a tribute to him at gigs – if you wanted him to be remembered. I honestly think Dave would have appreciated that, the fans would have appreciated that and you wouldn’t have to appear as the hypocrites, liars and rapists that you are.
Worth mentioning is also: At your myspace you claimed (in 2007 or so) to be an “unpredictable and dangerous band”. What a total joke! Dave would be those two things, but yet I haven’t seen it in you. (Maybe you could say that it was unpredictable behavior to continue as Crashdiet when you had no moral right to do it, I give you cred for that). You are not more “unpredictable and dangerous” than any other lame band in the superficial entertainment industry. There is a very clear distinction between the ambitions and perspectives comparing Dave with the band. Dave was always much more than entertainment, when it came to Crashdiet. Always! He meant his words, he had soul, where is yours?
Another very disgusting thing is the video (In the raw) where you stand in front of a cross that symbolizes Dave. You put grief into a commercial music video, that is supposed to make the record sales higher? You use the death of Dave to sell more records for new edition of Crashdiet? (You could have made an anti-commercial video with this content, I wouldn’t have reacted, I made an anti-commercial record honoring him) It sure is amazing how you can sink so low. To make grief a superficial commercial thing can only be done by cynical people who have no heart at all. Again, where is your soul?
Put the prestige aside and admit your mistake! Change your name immediately and – if you are willing to be honest for a change – apologize to those who believed your lies and supported you! (This will probably never happen since you’re even too lame to admit that you’re too lame)
Fans of Crashdiet of today:
The band you listen to has proven to be a bunch of hypocrites, posers, wimps, sell outs. They do their music to entertain, to become “stars”. Even if you like the music (I don’t blame you for that) please be reminded that the band is heading far from the spirit that Dave had. Keep supporting the industry that makes money on Dave’s death only if you feel good about it.
Fans of Dave Lepard:
To support the new version of Crashdiet is the total opposite of honoring the memory of Dave. It is the total opposite! Therefore:
If you’re a true fan of Dave Lepard, boycott all records and merchandise from new Crashdiet. Show your respect for Dave by not going to their shows. If you want to spread a piece of Dave Lepards spirit, spread the spirit of true non conformity…
THANK YOU
Thank you for reading my text. I appreciate it a lot. I hope it might have given you some new thoughts and different perspectives.
Dave said more than once, half as a joke and half seriously, I should be his lawyer and media spokesman. I’ve tried my best to fulfill his wishes with this text.
/ pp7 gaftzeb, March 2009
