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 Glasses and Electric Tape: A Global Richard Patrick Conspiracy 01/10/02 | The Fun and Torture of Making a Website 1/30/02 | Rich's Wonderful Way With Words...Or Well, the Mystery of Some of Them. 3/3/02 | Proud of Being An Amalgamut...3/8/02 | Rich and His Immature Ideas....3/16/02 | Boy Bands and Their Mind Controlling Ways(ARewriteofaPreviousRambleThatIStupidlyDeleted..) 3/24/02 | Family Organizations Who Think Way Too Much of Themselves and Family and What I Think They Should Do | The History of the Rich Facts 4/10/02 | LazyChristianReviewersandTheirLackofComprehendableAnswerstoQuestionsAboutTheirSloppyReviews4/18/02 | The Rich Fact Webmistress and Her Clumsiness 4/20/02 | Are You Lucky Enough to Meet Filter? Here's Some Tips You Might Need. 4/26/02 | Frank's New Look and That Guy Wearing the "I Am Richard Patrick" Shirt. 5/1/02 | Happy Birthday Richie!!!! Gee, you're getting OLD! 5/10/02 | Copyright CDs and You. Oh and that Guy From Nine Inch Nails' Birthday. 5/17/02 | Record Labels and How They Function And Farewell to the X-Files 5/22/02 | Where the FUCK is the MP3?????!!!!??? 5/31/02 | The Fred Durst Controversy 6/5/02 | Thank You Richard 6/7/02 | As the Shit Hits the Fan, remember this. . .6/10/02 | Beavis and Butthead Watch Take A Picture 6/14/02 | Where Do We Go From Here??? Let Filter Take You There. 6/21/02 | Bananas and Tea!! Rich is NOT Demanding! As If! 6/28/02 | Because I'm bored and feel the need to write about it. 7/5/02 | So I Still Have Nothing To Talk About. Okay, I Do. 7/11/02 | Pre Concert Rambles and Funny Stories About KKCK's Crazy Suckiness 7/18/02 | The RFW Gets Lucky In Iowa. . .A RFW Concert Tale 7/26/02 | Extra, Extra READ All About IT!!! 8/2/02 | The Rockline Files 8/9/02 | The Lost Cs: Conan and Carson. . 8/17/02 | The RFW Goes to Get Her Learn On 8/24/02 | How YOU can help Filter to do their job BETTER 8/31/02 | Wanna know what would be cool??? No really! Wanna know?? 9/7/02 | Walkie Talkie Mayhem. . .9/15/02 | Stations, what other stations?? The RFW Rants About Radio Hell that is KKCK. 9/21/02 | Another Pre Filter Concert Ramble by the RFW 9/28/02 | It's Been One Of Those Weeks 10/5/02 | Get Well Richie!! 10/5/02 | Would you look at THAT! A New Consider This! 10/26/02 | The RFW Wants You!!!! 11/9/02
It's Been One Of Those Weeks 10/5/02

 

This week has been one of the most volatile weeks for Filter fandom in quite awhile. I sit typing this as I listen to the Amalgamut and think about what has happened and still find myself in a moment of shock, yet I also realize the one most important factor in all of this. I, as all of us are that post or watch Filter news and listen to the music, are just fans and that Rich is some place he needs to be instead of a stage. It's not if I am disappointed or if I don't get to see the band live or hell, even if I get to eat pizza and meet the band. I'd be far more disappointed if things had slid any further down and ended more tragically. That is the reason why so many great, talented rock stars before are no longer with us.

The news broke a day before my concert in Minneapolis was supposed to take place, and at first I was shocked and disappointed, but never angry. What is the use of me exactly getting angry about someone who did the right thing and got help instead of going out to keep going and put up a weak facade of normal touring? It isn't that important. Nothing is that important that you need to risk yourself. I watched the fan reactions as they happened, the rumors, the questions and most of all the overwhelming support. And it amazed me. Most of us have never really met Richard Patrick and may never do so, yet we feel enough compassion for him to wish him well and hope we can send him tangible cards and gifts. And then there are those who have met him and are proud to be able to share that experience with us.

It's never easy dealing with situations like this and I can only imagine what the family and friends closest to Rich are going through at the moment. I know. I've been there. I've seen family members in my own family go through similiar circumstances and it's tough, but relief is something that settles over you as well. At least you realize they're safe and fixing what is wrong instead of allowing it to get worse. It's never easy and I support the family and friends who saw it happen. And, as most of us know, the Patricks are very close to one another and support one another.

For us fans? Well, it's up to us now to show our support of Rich and be as understanding as possible. Yes, most of us feel the disappointment that the tour was cancelled and that we won't get to see Filter. And yes, some of us have waited YEARS to see the band since the last concert or haven't seen them for the very first time yet. But I feel that it is so much better that the tour be cancelled instead of Rich continuing. It'd just be no fun finding out that they can never tour again or make another record.

I've already received several notes from fans showing their support, but the more the better. Feel free to flood my mail box with get well wishes and notes and pictures and E-cards(WITH links) and other goodies. It may never reach Rich's eyes, but you never know. Stranger things have happened in the past. And, if he does get read those notes, it'll probably cheer him up!! And that'd be a good thing.

I've also seen many rumors about what type of rehab this is. That isn't important. Rich right now also deserves his privacy. It isn't for us to pry into what the problem is, but rather for us to back away and wish him well. I'd just like to ask everyone that when they see a rumor or statement that isn't from Filter management or the official site or some place you know is inside the Filter camp stating the rehab is this or that not to go with it and accept it as fact. Don't let them go unchecked, either. Nothing like bad rumors and misconceptions to ruin something or blow something up larger than it really may be. And if it is something other than vocal rehab(which we all have our suspicions about alcohol) so what? It's not a "Rock Star Disease." It never was. It's a disease anyone and everyone can get and the point and fact of the matter is now he's getting help and that's all that counts. So just squash rumors until you hear the official word. Rumors suck.