RIP Jimmy 'The Rev' Sullivan

Just over a year ago Cheryl and I first ventured across the pond to Florida (via Las Vegas…obviously the perfect via route) to see couple of shows on the Avenged Sevenfold US tour. For one of the shows we had arranged to have photo passes but to our utter delight and surprise were given blank passes, meaning we could go anywhere we pretty much wanted to!

Obviously being nice, respectable fan girls from England we didn’t sneak into the dressing rooms to try and catch Synyster Gates naked, mostly because we only realised when a member of security told us we could “go anywhere we damn well please” when asking if we could interview some fans waiting to meet Avenged Sevenfold, by which time Mr Gates already had his clothes on and was watching Atreyu.

In the line we met some really amazing people, most were girls all gushing over who they wanted to meet and although most had never met before it’s always lovely to see the instant bond formed between the fans as they talk about past experiences and nerves over meeting their idols. One girl had wrestled in a pool full of gravy for her chance to meet the band and was praised for her dedication and craziness.

Amidst the talk of who was who’s favourite band member I met two very excited girls, whom on a previous tour had baked the band cup cakes and left them on the tour bus for them to find after the show – apparently they were eaten and loved…Avenged Sevenfold are very trusting of their fans! Whilst the other girls in line competed over who was hotter: M Shadows, Synyster Gates or Zacky Vengeance, these two girls very calmly declared The Rev their favourite ‘he’s amazing!’ one girl said ‘not only is he a great drummer, but he’s just been through so much and is just amazing!’

And today it’s these girls I’m thinking of. Not the hyped up fangirls competing for attention but the girls that actually took time to notice what a great man Jimmy Sullivan was. Those that appreciated him for writing some of Avenged Sevenfold’s craziest, yet actually quite beautiful, music and lyrics. Today the world lost a great drummer, vocalist and one of the loveliest men I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.