Few things test a band’s dedication like a long winter tour, high winds, busted RVs, and dodging the aftermath of highway carnage. For Jamie Stewart, frontman of Tampa’s melodic death metal outfit The Absence, it’s all part of the experience.
I recently caught up with Jamie just after a major storm hit his area. “It wasn’t too bad,” he said casually. “High winds and a lot of rain brought some stuff down, so I helped out my neighbor. She was pretty worried—it’s that time of year.”
That small moment of neighborly concern kicked off a much bigger conversation about the perils and perseverance of life on the road.