Just as I've come back from Santa Cruz tonight, no less. Walked the streets with a dear friend, past Catalyst, excitedly telling her it was where I had first seen an AFI performance. Recalling a packed and narrow concert hall, the scramble out back from a crowd too rough to hear a muffled God Called In...
We visited Streetlight Records. They only had a few copies of All Hallows. For shame...but maybe I should have walked out with such, or that copy of Pretty Hate Machine.
We'd even visited a comic shop. (Among the more free spirited, deeply scented metaphysical shops. Crystals, crystals, crystals!)
You describe Joe with such life. Like I can feel his presence by description alone. Isn't that something, to capture someone so succinctly.
Life is such a precious thing. So many waste it, but it sounds like he really lived it, and left you with some wild and wonderful memories. I am sorry for your loss. If only I could reach through this transmission to hug you, I would.
Davey, I am so, so sorry. I was in the middle of writing when the notification popped up. I was excited to see another post already, but now I would just like to give you a hug.
Loss sucks, especially when it’s unexpected. I’ve been through some bad losses too. Reflecting on time together helps, but it can also be rough. In the hardest of times, I find silver linings to hold onto. It has helped me immensely, and wanted to share that. They aren’t alway easy to find, it especially in these situations, but they’re there, if you look. That’s one constant that’s helped through the losses I’ve experienced.
We are here for more Joe stories if you want to share them.
I'm so sorry for the loss of your dear friend. From this story alone, I'm sure the memories with him are grand. I hope they provide you comfort as you process the loss.
Oh I’m so sorry for the loss of your friend. I wasn’t expecting that twist especially after hearing about his shooting survival. He definitely sounds like a character. I’m sure he will be missed by many.
I’m so sorry for your loss. I’m also honored to be one of the readers here with whom you share these memories of him. I’ve sometimes considered how much fun it would be to play Taboo with someone who shared enough lyrical knowledge to play in the way you described, so I’m glad to hear you were actually able to do that!
A lovely tribute. Your eloquent description of Joe makes me feel like I’d known him somehow. Thank you for sharing him with us. I’m so very sorry to hear of his passing. I too received the unfortunate news this last week that a dear friend and former mentor of mine has left us, and I’m still in absolute shock. Gotta hold those memories near and dear. 🖤
I don’t know about all of you but disappearances like this somehow crush flatter. It reminds me of a former love, who I hadn’t seen in a couple of years, who decided to move on by her own hand (cue Narrative of Soul Against Soul). There was always the comfort of knowing she was there and the poof. Another piece off the chess board. I’m sorry this piece of you has darkened but I’m assured that given you fondness shared in this post, Joe was more that reciprocal in his feelings
Damn… I was not ready for the roller coaster of emotions this early in the morning.
I was so excited when I woke up to see you had posted. I didn’t even get out of bed. I simply grabbed my glasses and read it while lying in bed, still wearing the Misfits T-shirt I slept in last night. I was not prepared.
I told you a few posts ago that I remember the first AFI music video I ever saw. I want to share my first thoughts on you without going into too much detail about that morning. Please bear with me; I promise this is relevant to your story. The first video I saw was the video for Silver and Cold. I was not paying attention at first , so the first time I saw you, the camera panned from the water to you standing on the bridge, followed by a few other clips. My first thought was, “his aesthetic does not fit the rest of the band.” LOL, IDK. Followed by, “That dude looks pretty cool, like someone I would be friends with,” followed by, “This is a weird thought to have about a random guy in a music video.” After hearing about Channing House and even more with this post, I can honestly say the late 90s, early 00s me would have definitely wanted to be friends with 90s, early 00s, you, and even more Joe. I could see myself hanging out at his record store. His music taste and curiosity would have piqued my interest. I am so sorry for your loss. Joe sounded like a fantastic person.
what an extraordinary life he led. he sounds like one of those people you wish you'd met in your twenties, with a mind primed for soaking up the cool shit shown to us by an infinitely cool person who's older than us. One who's lived through some shit and just appear in our lives. [however, you will never convince me that you haven't been cool your entire life (davey, your first record was ac/dc; you wanted checked vans before you could drive), but joe was a knowledgeable kindred spirit, right when you needed to meet him, you know?]
i'm so glad this man existed. i'm so glad he existed and created what sounds like an elysian oasis in the middle of the largely-cringy times of the late 90s-early 00s. i'm grateful to him for making a friend of you that day, and for the way he influenced the incredible person you are. there are so many parts of him in you, if that makes sense? the metanoia he inspired - all the bands, the comics, the wild concepts, all the moments that he shared with you, all of those things are still a part of the you who means so much to us, the you who i could not have high regard for, whose life is precious beyond words to me. there are such beautiful shards of you that come from him, and you're sharing all of that with us.
including this. how faithfully you painted him in this tribute. you brought him to life for all of us, too. and even if we didn't know joe, we can imagine what it's like to have him in our lives now. i'm so glad he was in yours. i'm so sorry you've lost him; that the world lost him. without effort, you have been bequeathed us with his incomparable character; it's just part of you. thank you for sharing this encomium of joe franke. i ache for your loss.
<3
(ps! 337 <3 <3)
(pps - davey, you in that picture. do you also sigh when reminded so viscerally of how singularly beautiful you are?)
Axis is where I bought my first AFI shirt (God Called in Sick Today), to this day my husband and I dream of having a place like that. Joe was the nicest most real person I have ever met, and I will miss him terribly.
Damn, seems like we all need a Joe in our lives. 😭🖤
Oh love, my heart.
Just as I've come back from Santa Cruz tonight, no less. Walked the streets with a dear friend, past Catalyst, excitedly telling her it was where I had first seen an AFI performance. Recalling a packed and narrow concert hall, the scramble out back from a crowd too rough to hear a muffled God Called In...
We visited Streetlight Records. They only had a few copies of All Hallows. For shame...but maybe I should have walked out with such, or that copy of Pretty Hate Machine.
We'd even visited a comic shop. (Among the more free spirited, deeply scented metaphysical shops. Crystals, crystals, crystals!)
You describe Joe with such life. Like I can feel his presence by description alone. Isn't that something, to capture someone so succinctly.
Love streetlight! Such a great little record store.
Life is such a precious thing. So many waste it, but it sounds like he really lived it, and left you with some wild and wonderful memories. I am sorry for your loss. If only I could reach through this transmission to hug you, I would.
Davey, I am so, so sorry. I was in the middle of writing when the notification popped up. I was excited to see another post already, but now I would just like to give you a hug.
Loss sucks, especially when it’s unexpected. I’ve been through some bad losses too. Reflecting on time together helps, but it can also be rough. In the hardest of times, I find silver linings to hold onto. It has helped me immensely, and wanted to share that. They aren’t alway easy to find, it especially in these situations, but they’re there, if you look. That’s one constant that’s helped through the losses I’ve experienced.
We are here for more Joe stories if you want to share them.
Take care🖤
I'm so sorry for the loss of your dear friend. From this story alone, I'm sure the memories with him are grand. I hope they provide you comfort as you process the loss.
Oh I’m so sorry for the loss of your friend. I wasn’t expecting that twist especially after hearing about his shooting survival. He definitely sounds like a character. I’m sure he will be missed by many.
I’m so sorry for your loss. I’m also honored to be one of the readers here with whom you share these memories of him. I’ve sometimes considered how much fun it would be to play Taboo with someone who shared enough lyrical knowledge to play in the way you described, so I’m glad to hear you were actually able to do that!
A lovely tribute. Your eloquent description of Joe makes me feel like I’d known him somehow. Thank you for sharing him with us. I’m so very sorry to hear of his passing. I too received the unfortunate news this last week that a dear friend and former mentor of mine has left us, and I’m still in absolute shock. Gotta hold those memories near and dear. 🖤
I’m so sorry for your loss. Your tribute to him is beautiful and a testament to what a special person Joe was.
Narrative of Soul Against Soul was one of my anthems when I was a teenager. 🖤
I don’t know about all of you but disappearances like this somehow crush flatter. It reminds me of a former love, who I hadn’t seen in a couple of years, who decided to move on by her own hand (cue Narrative of Soul Against Soul). There was always the comfort of knowing she was there and the poof. Another piece off the chess board. I’m sorry this piece of you has darkened but I’m assured that given you fondness shared in this post, Joe was more that reciprocal in his feelings
Damn… I was not ready for the roller coaster of emotions this early in the morning.
I was so excited when I woke up to see you had posted. I didn’t even get out of bed. I simply grabbed my glasses and read it while lying in bed, still wearing the Misfits T-shirt I slept in last night. I was not prepared.
I told you a few posts ago that I remember the first AFI music video I ever saw. I want to share my first thoughts on you without going into too much detail about that morning. Please bear with me; I promise this is relevant to your story. The first video I saw was the video for Silver and Cold. I was not paying attention at first , so the first time I saw you, the camera panned from the water to you standing on the bridge, followed by a few other clips. My first thought was, “his aesthetic does not fit the rest of the band.” LOL, IDK. Followed by, “That dude looks pretty cool, like someone I would be friends with,” followed by, “This is a weird thought to have about a random guy in a music video.” After hearing about Channing House and even more with this post, I can honestly say the late 90s, early 00s me would have definitely wanted to be friends with 90s, early 00s, you, and even more Joe. I could see myself hanging out at his record store. His music taste and curiosity would have piqued my interest. I am so sorry for your loss. Joe sounded like a fantastic person.
what an extraordinary life he led. he sounds like one of those people you wish you'd met in your twenties, with a mind primed for soaking up the cool shit shown to us by an infinitely cool person who's older than us. One who's lived through some shit and just appear in our lives. [however, you will never convince me that you haven't been cool your entire life (davey, your first record was ac/dc; you wanted checked vans before you could drive), but joe was a knowledgeable kindred spirit, right when you needed to meet him, you know?]
i'm so glad this man existed. i'm so glad he existed and created what sounds like an elysian oasis in the middle of the largely-cringy times of the late 90s-early 00s. i'm grateful to him for making a friend of you that day, and for the way he influenced the incredible person you are. there are so many parts of him in you, if that makes sense? the metanoia he inspired - all the bands, the comics, the wild concepts, all the moments that he shared with you, all of those things are still a part of the you who means so much to us, the you who i could not have high regard for, whose life is precious beyond words to me. there are such beautiful shards of you that come from him, and you're sharing all of that with us.
including this. how faithfully you painted him in this tribute. you brought him to life for all of us, too. and even if we didn't know joe, we can imagine what it's like to have him in our lives now. i'm so glad he was in yours. i'm so sorry you've lost him; that the world lost him. without effort, you have been bequeathed us with his incomparable character; it's just part of you. thank you for sharing this encomium of joe franke. i ache for your loss.
<3
(ps! 337 <3 <3)
(pps - davey, you in that picture. do you also sigh when reminded so viscerally of how singularly beautiful you are?)
I extend my heart to you Davey 🖤
Thank you for writing so beautifully about Joe🖤
Devastating and painful. It's lovely you have fond memories of your friend. Love and deep sympathy, Davey. Blessed Be. To both of you.
Axis is where I bought my first AFI shirt (God Called in Sick Today), to this day my husband and I dream of having a place like that. Joe was the nicest most real person I have ever met, and I will miss him terribly.
What a sweet tribute to an old friend. I’m so sorry for your loss. 🖤