One of “Ten Thousand Fists”

Jacob Payne’s real life rock ‘n’ roll experience

By Jacob Payne
Daily Texan Staff

Being a fan of heavy metal is so much more than saying “I prefer to bang my head to loud music,” it’s a lifestyle. I am a hippie, whatever that statement means in this post-Woodstock era, but not just any hippie. I am confined to a wheelchair and unable to speak. I was born with a progressive muscular disorder that took away my ability to walk and talk, but a love for rock ‘n’ roll still pounds in my chest just as much as it does in the next long-haired metal freak.

The transition began shortly after I entered high school, when both myself and some of my peers, tired of the cookie-cutter brand of ‘pop’ music that was running rampant in our culture, started experimenting with edgier types of rock and alternative music.

My first rock concert experience was at the Spring Fest ’01 featuring Orgy and Offspring. It wasn’t an exceptionally heavy lineup, but the experience was still memorable enough to hook me.

I began attending concerts regularly in the fall of 2001 and became determined to not let my disability hold me back from having a good time. I gained a certain confidence and learned to show no fear whatsoever at the fact that a mosh pit could erupt at any moment beside me or a crowd surfer could fall from the sky onto my head, both of which have happened on numerous occasions. When a pit does break out or a surfer does fall into my lap, I am shown how kind people truly can be. Those surrounding me, usually complete strangers, always lend a helping hand, shielding me from flying limbs and lifting fallen comrades off of me.

These facts didn’t scare me away from the concert scene; in fact, they inspired me to become even more aggressive and courageous. I saw how much fun able-bodied people were having jumping around in the pits and made the decision that I couldn’t let my condition stand in my way. If I was going to embrace this lifestyle, I’d do it whole heartedly or not at all.

My first time crowd surfing was not something I went into expecting. It was at 101X-fest in the fall of 2001, headlined by Drowning Pool and Disturbed. The day had been long, as the concert had started in the early afternoon and gone into the night. My thought process was, and still is, that I should get as close to the stage as possible in order to get the best vantage point. I accomplish this by lightly bumping into people, who see me and make a hole.

I had worked my way through the crowd to the center of the barricade at the front of the stage as Drowning Pool was reaching the end of their set list. The last song began, a crowd favorite of the time entitled “Bodies,” when a big muscular guy standing next to me pointed to me and yelled, “Let’s take him up!” Before I could realize what was happening, the people surrounding me had bent down, grabbed the frame of my wheelchair, and were proceeding to lift my whole wheelchair into the air! My initial reaction was one of horrified terror, but as I was unable to speak, I realized the only option I had was to sit back and enjoy the ride.

Once I was fully on top of the crowd, people were cheering me on so much that the original lead singer of Drowning Pool, the late Dave Williams, noticed me and actually reached out and grabbed my hand and continued to hold it while he belted out the remaining lyrics. It was one of the most phenomenal feelings I had ever experienced. I crowd surfed twice more during Disturbed that night, though David Draiman, Disturbed’s vocalist, only gave me amazed glances while he sang.

This turned out to be just the beginning for me. The next year rolled around and my concert going continued, as did my crowd surfing. It was the first chance I got to see my favorite band, Korn, who headlined 101X-fest 2002 along with Disturbed. It was also the year that I first attended Ozzfest in Selma, Texas, which has become a yearly tradition for me and remains something I look forward to every summer. In fact, the best concert experience I have ever had (and also the best day of my life) remains Ozzfest 2003, which I attended with one of my best friends at the time, Travis Claypool.

On that day I crowd surfed holding a piece of paper that read “Backstage?” during the set of a band named Endo; the guitarist saw the sign, pointed, and motioned for me to come on. We were let backstage and there we remained, meeting all the bands and running into David Draiman from Disturbed. Once he understood how I communicated, we were able to talk to him for a while. He showed patience in waiting for me to write to him and when he had to leave, he gave us backstage passes for the main stage. He told us we could sit onstage for Disturbed, and introduced me to Jonathon Davis (the vocalist of Korn and my idol) after I asked.

In addition to all of this, we wound up getting to stay on stage for Korn and Ozzy and were able to meet Sharon and Jack Osbourne. One can easily see how a metal fan could classify a day like this as the best day of his life.

Most recently, I attended the Jagermeister Music Tour, a powerful, bi-yearly metal showcase at Sunset Station in San Antonio that was headlined this season by Disturbed.

A Life Once Lost, a fiery quintet hailing from Philadelphia, opened and jaded the night with vicious offerings from their Ferret Records debut Hunter. While Bloodsimple created numerous mosh pits thrugh the commanding cry of tracks like “Straight Hate” and “Blood In Blood Out.” I watched the action from as close to the stage as I could get and was greeted by many people who had seen me at previous shows and helped me crowd surf before. That’s pretty much the norm though, as I’ve become well known around the metal scene.

The mounting tension for Disturbed could not be ignored. As a prerecorded intro began to play the entire venue exploded into thunderous applause as David Draiman and company walked onto stage.

They threw things into high gear immediately with the first single off the new album, a jumpy, remorse-filled tune entitled “Guraded.”

Disturbed brought “The Sickness” and made the intimite venue get “Stupified” through a diverse set list that pulled equally from their growing discography. Highlights included the life-questioning “Voices,” the condemned torture plea “Just Stop” and the title track from their latest album, Ten Thousand Fists.
As evidenced by the mltiple mosh pits and jubilated crowd surfing, the crowd loved every minute of it.

The band briefly walked off stage before returning for an encore that began their newest single, the apocalyptic “Stricken,” and ended with their angst anthem “Down With The Sickness.”

Disturbed’s tour manager had seen me in the crowd, recognized me, and welcomed me back stage with open arms. I was able to meet new bassist John Moyer, who was formerly a member of San Antonio’s Union Underground, and also have another conversation with David. In the months following Ozzfest 2003, I had been so inspired by the events of that day that I wrote an 8 page account of what had happened to me, which I brought and gave to him since he was such an integral part of it.

Heavy metal concerts will undoubtedly continue for me as I have chosen to be a proud member of that music community. I chose to go to U.T. because it has been my dream since I was a kid as I have lived in Austin my entire life. I am majoring in Journalism for I feel it is my obligation to tell people what music is worth listening to. This is why I wish to become a music critic, reviewing concerts and CD’s, after college. That, my friends, is the least I can do.

Jacob Payne's Encore

Favorite Band:
Korn

Best album of 2005:
Mesmerize/Hypnotize
by System of a Down

Best New Artist:
Ten Years

Favorite Song:
“Love Song” by Korn

All-time favorite album:
Issues by Korn

Best live band:
Tie: Slayer and Korn

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