Message From Nick Of Bayside

[Rohan Kohli]

Below is a message from Nick Ghanbarian, bassist of Bayside (http://www.baysiderocks.com):

I'm laying here in the hospital, awaiting my surgery tomorrow. To clear up any questions, I broke my back ( L4 vertebrae ). I'm very lucky to not be paralyzed. I was thrown through the window of our rolling van, after hitting a patch of ice. I have a full torso cast on, keeping my back straight. I just started eating again so now I can take some percoset which helps with my intense back pain. All in all, Ill be ok and the minute I can have a bass in my hand and be playing in front of people again I will. It’s all I know how to do and the only thing that makes me happy.

Once hearing about all of the support from friends, bands and fans, my spirits where immediately uplifted. All we have in this world are each other, and in times of tragedy, you find out who is by your side until the end and who is bullshit. Thankfully our music community surrounds us by mostly heartfelt people who are going out of their way to help us in our time of need and to help us keep our dream alive.

John Beatz was someone I looked up to, yet I walked beside him as a contemporary. I learned from him as he learned from me. We started playing in bayside 14 months ago and have both realized that our whole lives had been lived to get us to this point, so we spent the time working our asses off and making sure that that this band was going to succeed in what we wanted: having people hear our music.

With his passing, we realize he paid the ultimate price as all of us would have or else we wouldn't have been beside him. We live for rock and roll and when you believe in something enough, sometimes you die for it.

What I want everyone out there to realize is the sacrifice every member of every touring band makes. Safety, money, health etc. All of these things are a distant second to our music. People get vans, trailers, equipment and other personal items stolen, we play in unsafe neighborhoods, we travel far distances in sometimes unsafe vehicles and unsafe weather. My point in all of this is that we are a community, not a business. Support and understanding with an open mind are what's most important in our lives. Not record sales. Whether or not you like a band you must realize that bands are giving their all for what they love, including their lives. Showing your faces at shows and talking to us and letting us know you appreciate the music and the hard work is infinitely more important than the business side of things.

I'm happy to have my life, I'm happy to have known John and I'm happy to still have a band. Please give your time and respects to John’s family and wife. All he ever did was speak of her, and every ounce of energy he put into his life was for her. Hopefully we can all have love like that in our lifetime.

See you all soon
Nick

[Everiggs]

Thoughtful and well-put. Much respect.

[Rohan Kohli]

Get better soon Nick =)

[siimpx]

yeah this is making me cry.

[YellowNovember]

wow I really LOVE this band

[Drew Beringer]

So glad to hear Nick is doing ok, family and friends of Bayside are still in my thoughts.

[thispostscript]

wow how incredibly put..I wish them all the best.

[IChangedMyName]

Good luck man..
and well put...

[Katie Schmitz]

Much love and respect ... get well soon; all your fans are pulling for you :)

[tomwk]

god this is so terrible, i got a bit misty while reading that.

[Darren McLeod]

That was probably the most powerful thing I've ever read on a music website of any sort.

I'm glad to hear he's not paralyzed, and that he's recovering well. Best of luck for a quick and healthy recovery.

[drumiffied]

he nailed it right on the dot. hopefully people can open up a little more to what bands have to go through. i wish them the best in their recovery as a band and in health.

[btbam > you]

get well soon.

[juan_believes]

hugs and prayers to him and the rest of the band, as well as John's family.

[unwritten]

That was probably the most powerful thing I've ever read on a music website of any sort.

I'm glad to hear he's not paralyzed, and that he's recovering well. Best of luck for a quick and healthy recovery.

I agree and wish Bayside the best.

[no mames]

if only the staff could write like that. ha, just kidding. thanks for relaying the message.

[tensecondstogo]

thats freakin beautiful man. I'm not really a fan of this band, haven't listened to this band much, but i give this band all the respect and genuine feeling for what these guys are all going through. Its unbelievable how something so meaningless like a patch of ice has touched the lives of so many bands in so many ways over the course of my lifetime. It sounds funny, but it definitely isn't. Bayside will continue, as will all life should, which would be the right thing to do. I'm sure John would've wanted it to continue. If you ever see this band in your area, and you are able to actually talk to these guys, seriously, give thema hug and let them know you care....... John & Ten Seconds To Go xoxoxo

[MalevolentHoff]

Its so true that these bands are laying their asses on the line every time they go out on tour. I hate hearing people say a band sucks (whether its true or not) because regardless of that person's opinion, these bands love what they are doing and are willing to risk everything for their art. I'm not the biggest fan of Bayside's music, but still have respect for them nonetheless. Its tragic that this would have to happen to anyone.

R.I.P. John

[SLADE775]

That was powerfull. I have a TON of respect for him and Bayside.

[vague___]

I don't even know what to say.

[underthetalking]

Strong words from a strong person... best of luck to him, Bayside, and friends and family of Bayside.

[Brooklyn Kid]

Below is a message from Nick Ghanbarian, bassist of Bayside (http://www.baysiderocks.com):

I'm laying here in the hospital, awaiting my surgery tomorrow. To clear up any questions, I broke my back ( L4 vertebrae ). I'm very lucky to not be paralyzed. I was thrown through the window of our rolling van, after hitting a patch of ice. I have a full torso cast on, keeping my back straight. I just started eating again so now I can take some percoset which helps with my intense back pain. All in all, Ill be ok and the minute I can have a bass in my hand and be playing in front of people again I will. It’s all I know how to do and the only thing that makes me happy.

Once hearing about all of the support from friends, bands and fans, my spirits where immediately uplifted. All we have in this world are each other, and in times of tragedy, you find out who is by your side until the end and who is bullshit. Thankfully our music community surrounds us by mostly heartfelt people who are going out of their way to help us in our time of need and to help us keep our dream alive.

John Beatz was someone I looked up to, yet I walked beside him as a contemporary. I learned from him as he learned from me. We started playing in bayside 14 months ago and have both realized that our whole lives had been lived to get us to this point, so we spent the time working our asses off and making sure that that this band was going to succeed in what we wanted: having people hear our music.

With his passing, we realize he paid the ultimate price as all of us would have or else we wouldn't have been beside him. We live for rock and roll and when you believe in something enough, sometimes you die for it.

What I want everyone out there to realize is the sacrifice every member of every touring band makes. Safety, money, health etc. All of these things are a distant second to our music. People get vans, trailers, equipment and other personal items stolen, we play in unsafe neighborhoods, we travel far distances in sometimes unsafe vehicles and unsafe weather. My point in all of this is that we are a community, not a business. Support and understanding with an open mind are what's most important in our lives. Not record sales. Whether or not you like a band you must realize that bands are giving their all for what they love, including their lives. Showing your faces at shows and talking to us and letting us know you appreciate the music and the hard work is infinitely more important than the business side of things.

I'm happy to have my life, I'm happy to have known John and I'm happy to still have a band. Please give your time and respects to John’s family and wife. All he ever did was speak of her, and every ounce of energy he put into his life was for her. Hopefully we can all have love like that in our lifetime.

See you all soon
Nick

im sending thoughts and prayers out to all of them.

what a good post. so heartfelt and true regarding the sacrifice and the safety of it all...whenever people talk shit about a band riding in a "big fancy tour bus", i wish they'd see beyond their zine rules and realize the main reason for this is safety, then comfort. its not 100% safe, but its a lot better than having kids drive another 8 hours through the night who are already exhausted from traveling a great distance earlier in the day to play their asses off (not to mention loaded in/ loaded out of gear and merch, back into the van and on the road.) i don't know if its still a point that scene police harp on, but it used to be...lame and ignorant.

God Bless this family, loved ones and band.

[PassedOut]

my heart is with all of the bayside guys
<3 <3 <3

[djUbilla]

That was probably the most powerful thing I've ever read on a music website of any sort.

I'm glad to hear he's not paralyzed, and that he's recovering well. Best of luck for a quick and healthy recovery.I agree. I've gained so much respect and love for this band and what they stand for just from reading that. Rock on Bayside.

[dancezachdance]

I broke my L2 last year in a fight, its lower than his, its the weirdest feeling to know that you could possibly be in a wheelchair right now. Mine was so low they couldnt do surgery so i had to sit straight for around 2 weeks while it grew back together and healed itself. I recommend watching the birdcage during your recovery.
Get well soon.
Zach

[asdfjkl]

that is beautiful. i hope he gets better really soon.

[robhimself]

to come up with touching and thoughtful words like that while sitting in immense pain in a hospital bed is amazing to say the least. i never have listened to bayside a whole lot but just hearing what they're going through and what he said in that message gave me a whole lot of respect for them, and for all bands. like he said, whether you like a band or not, they're giving all they have to go out and do what they love and no matter who they are, that deserves some respect.

[Brenna]

All the best to him. Hopefully he has a speedy recovery and can get back to doing what he loves.

[moonlights]

that made me cry. wow.

here's hoping he gets better quickly, and my best wishes to bayside for this awful event.

[Drew Beringer]

I'm really thankful that NIck isn't paralyzed, I read where he said he broke his back, and I was shit, please don't be paralyzed. Thank God he is not.

[NationalPJeff]

Heavy stuff. My heart goes out to you guys and to John's family.

[daBNmaradona]

a very emotional and powerful message. good luck with your surgery nick. my prayers and thougths are with the band and johns family and friends, god bless.

[BrCalla2k!]

There is nothing more satisfying and should be to all you too, that through all the obstacles and torments this band has gone through they are still making such a large effort to give back to the fans, and give their all giving their hearts and emotions to us all. RIP BEATZ and a speedy recovery to all bandmates still in the hospital. Bayside is such an admirable band and if you didn't love them to begin with, you should give your hearts to them, not through pity though, through their determination to keep all fans informed and play good music. For the friends and family of John Holohan I send my deepest condolenscense to. Bayside is band every band should want to be, a close knit family living off one another in spirit, this is something to look up to, this is something to strive to be. Bayside you have my support 100%.

[golfchick]

that was a great message, i'm glad he's doing ok under the circumstances, best of luck and we will all see you soon.

[archamedes]

god bless you. get well soon.

[AreTwoKay]

Nick you are in my prayers for a safe and speedy recovery

[Stephie]

I wish the band the best and want them to know they, as well as John's family and friends, are in my prayers.

[jerkstore20]

i don't like Bayside, but i'm crying. i hope he is better and Bayside are on their feet again as soon as possible. i'm going to the HH show now just because.


TRUE TIL DEATH.
Jason.

[weworemasks]

all the power to this band and their families and stuff, this has to be one of the worst times for them.
best wishes and hope you have a quick recovery.

[Sureshot182]

Thoughtful and well-put. Much respect.
amen.

[Troy will Fall]

that was a powerful message and i'm glad i took the time to read it. Hope Nick gets better soon, i wish him the best.

[avitabully]

... such good writing, in fact, i can't remember coming across something so eloquent and well-put in this little internet world thing going on here. i don't know what else to say, that was just really good

[HospitalMusic]

perfectly put. how intense. man i wish them all the best. so much respect for their attitude and positive thinking through all of this.

[CarCrashHearts]

i have so much respect for that guy. my thoughts are with everyone involved.

[piaffeprncess98]

Very well said. I hope his surgery goes well. Best wishes to the family's involved.

[tommyhaych]

... such good writing, in fact, i can't remember coming across something so eloquent and well-put in this little internet world thing going on here. i don't know what else to say, that was just really good

totally agreed. It made me realise what bands have to go through to keep us punters happy.. Good luck with your op, Nick!

[updownleftright]

I wanna see them now just cause of how awesome he is being about all of this.

[IAmTheKiller]

Amazing band, amazing people.

[woodward9]

Best of luck to you nick, i broke my L3 two years ago, i know how it is. Get better

[sunpoison]

I didn't realise he had a wife...
I just cried for like ten minutes. I can't imagine.

[Rogue Slayer]

what a well-thought message. i wish him and the band and john's family the best.

[I.O]

amazing person

[Frequency]

This makes me even more sad learning that he once had a wife.

[LostMonkey]

It's still crazy that all these incidents keep on occurring in the lives of bands we know and love. My regards and best wishes go out to anyone and everyone who knew him, especially his wife....

[SonEric84]

Best wishes to them.

[clevername]

I'm still getting over the fact that I just talked to them a month ago. Like full conversations all around. It's fucking weird. My friend even did their sound at the show. I just don't get how something like this can happen to such an amazing band. Their music has always touched me and this album is far too underappreciated. I hate Hawthorne Heights, but I think if the tour resumes and the show is still on in NYC, I will be attending just to get merch from Bayside and to help them all out the only real way that I can.

Much respect and love to these guys, and I'm praying for the best for all of them.

Your memory lives on Beatz.

[_all_star_me_]

that was very sad. i love this band.

[KBNEMO]

Dear Nick and Bayside,

Wanted to drop you a note and tell you that I found your message very moving. Your heartfelt words and honest insights echo the fears of all of us who are connected to bands on the road. Your loss and personal heartship strikes a deep cord for people in the music industry. Thank you for voicing a reality that many take for granted.

I am good friends with Nate, who told me you are reading these posts. Wanted you to know that my thoughts are with all of you. Wanted to also praise you and your bandmates for the diginity with which you honor John's memory.

Take care of healing your body and soul.

Regards,

Kristin

[dtr1484]

AMAZING

Get better soon dude... :thumbsup:

[mybreakingpoint]

i feel terrible about all this..i know from experience that losing someone like that, and you living thru it, is one of the hardest things someone can go thru..my prayers are with him and the rest of Bayside and their families and anyone else who's had to go thru similar situations..

[starcrossdlovex]

These posts are killing me. They never fail to make me cry & I can't even imagine being that strong through something like this.
I love these guys <3