Metal View –
By Mike Vanek
Two Voices Lost Too Soon
I had originally planned to write this 2 months ago to pay tribute to a friend of ours and then something horrible happened, we lost one of the singers from one of the biggest bands in town. This month we pay tribute to 2 voices. Two voices that helped shape the scene. Two totally different people from two different eras but still two brothers gone way too soon!! Rest in peace Mycal Wayte of Burial Ground and Joe Young of 17ten.
Mycal Wayte is one of the forfathers of the 209 Metal scene, Mycal Wayte fronted one of the greatest bands in the Nor Cal metal scene Burial Ground until eventually being replaced by Chris Todd. Mycal was crazy as a loon and one of the most supportive people you would ever meet. He was a lover of good metal and I had many after-midnight online conversations with him over the past few years. Burial Ground was one of the first valley bands to branch out to the Bay Area. Beyond being a legendary central valley metal institution for years and Mycal was a legendary voice that fronted it for years. When he passed, all his band mates paid tribute to him even though the band had been broken up on and off again for years and he had been out of the band for years. They came together as a family and banded together for their fallen brother! The guys from Burial Ground (Andy, Brett, Cory and Chris) all have been really low-key about it but have paid tributes online in their own way. April 29th there will be a memorial show for Mycal at the Other Place and it is a FREE show that will feature a Burial Ground tribute set.
Joe Young was a huge personality that lit up the life of everyone he touched. A vet of the local rap scene known as Hard Knox, Joe spent the last few years on and off with the Modesto based metal band 17Ten. 17Ten became one of our area’s most successful bands not only on stage but off as well! The term Pü Metal has become a household terminology in our scene and the color orange has become synonymous with the band as well. They’ve incorporated it in everything they do, merch, on stage clothes and masks, all honing the orange with a captive energy unmatched by other bands. Whether In front of 3 people 100 or Joe and KC made you feel as if they were there to play just for you with they’re captivating hip hop/Metal style. I wish my brothers in 17Ten the absolute very best moving forward after this horrible tragedy. Two days before writing this column there was a memorial show that lasted all day and night. We jammed almost 300 people in The Other Place and had the craziest show ever dedicated to Mighty Joe Young. People from all musical worlds came together including 6 metal bands and we paid tribute the best way we know how!! With music and friend & family!! We will miss both of these local musical giants.
Until next Month,
Keep one foot in the gutter and one fist in the gold!!!!
