If you knew Derek at all then you knew about his extreme love for the red hot chili peppers. I can still hear him jamming out on his guitar - learning how to play their songs, and I can still picture us singing to them countless times. I began to love their music even more because of his passion for them and because it gave us another thing to have in common (something that would hopefully make him think I was cool instead of being his lame little sister).
After Derek passed away my family and his closest friends have had so many perfect moments when we hear their songs. It always reminds me of him, no matter whether the timing is good or not. We played Hard to Concentrate at his funeral because it was one of his favourites and it somehow seemed to work.
On the first anniversary my parents and I went to The Keg that he had been working at before he passed. It was extremely emotional for us to step in there, but the staff knew we were coming and they were all so kind and genuine. Just as we were walking in, Wet Sand by rhcp began playing. I noticed it immediately and got my parents attention, and of course we were crying even more because of it. Also the first time Steve and John also went there after Derek passed and Breaking the Girl was playing when they got there.
Another key time was when I went with all of Derek's friends to a restaurant because Brett was having a going away party. It was nice for them to include me and even though a piece was missing we still had some great laughs. We all walked out together but then split up into our cars to head home. John was driving me home and just as we started the car californication began. We looked at each other super excited, and he was just about to text Steve to tell him. Steve must've had the same station on so he heard it when he got in his car, and so did Danielle and Brett (who also sent a text telling us to switch to that station). So after spending a night together we all had our little Derek moment and it made us feel like he was there with us.
When they released their newest album my family was excited to hear it but sad Derek wouldn't be around to enjoy it with us. The album is called "I'm With You" and the cover has a prescription drug on it.... And it was released on Derek's birthday... Kinda weird. I know my favourite song was Brendan's Death Song and it always makes me think of Derek. The whole gang and I went to see their concert when they came to Winnipeg two years ago. It was amazing to be at it with them, and I spent a lot of the time picturing Derek singing away. It wasn't hard to feel like he was there because the girl in front of me had a huge owl tattoo on the back of her arm, so it was staring at me all night... And I knew that he wouldn't want to miss out on that concert with us so I imagined him there.
The most recent one happened a few weeks ago at the beach in Mirissa. To set the tone, the music that usually played there was reggae or house music so rhcp would be out of the ordinary anyway. A bunch of us were sitting around when someone started talking about smoking pot and asked Katie and I if it was pretty safe in Canada. We said that is was, and then our friend Lincoln asked if I smoked much. I said how I've tried it but don't do it often. He said how it doesn't seem bad, especially compared to drugs like hydro. I kind of stopped, and then said what?? He continued that stuff like hydro scares him because you don't really know what's in it. I didn't want to be a Debbie downer and ruin people's nights by talking about drugs and death but I just said to him that that was what my brother took and died from... Now californication started playing. I had to turn to Katie because I was excited that they had come on and the timing was so weird. I also sent my mom, Danielle and Rachel a text saying I had a weird rhcp story to tell them later. The timing of it was honestly so weird that I'm gonna have to pull out the s word and call it a synchronicity. It was another moment though where I couldn't help but feel like Derek is still around looking out for me... And those moments are always appreciated!
After Derek passed away my family and his closest friends have had so many perfect moments when we hear their songs. It always reminds me of him, no matter whether the timing is good or not. We played Hard to Concentrate at his funeral because it was one of his favourites and it somehow seemed to work.
On the first anniversary my parents and I went to The Keg that he had been working at before he passed. It was extremely emotional for us to step in there, but the staff knew we were coming and they were all so kind and genuine. Just as we were walking in, Wet Sand by rhcp began playing. I noticed it immediately and got my parents attention, and of course we were crying even more because of it. Also the first time Steve and John also went there after Derek passed and Breaking the Girl was playing when they got there.
Another key time was when I went with all of Derek's friends to a restaurant because Brett was having a going away party. It was nice for them to include me and even though a piece was missing we still had some great laughs. We all walked out together but then split up into our cars to head home. John was driving me home and just as we started the car californication began. We looked at each other super excited, and he was just about to text Steve to tell him. Steve must've had the same station on so he heard it when he got in his car, and so did Danielle and Brett (who also sent a text telling us to switch to that station). So after spending a night together we all had our little Derek moment and it made us feel like he was there with us.
When they released their newest album my family was excited to hear it but sad Derek wouldn't be around to enjoy it with us. The album is called "I'm With You" and the cover has a prescription drug on it.... And it was released on Derek's birthday... Kinda weird. I know my favourite song was Brendan's Death Song and it always makes me think of Derek. The whole gang and I went to see their concert when they came to Winnipeg two years ago. It was amazing to be at it with them, and I spent a lot of the time picturing Derek singing away. It wasn't hard to feel like he was there because the girl in front of me had a huge owl tattoo on the back of her arm, so it was staring at me all night... And I knew that he wouldn't want to miss out on that concert with us so I imagined him there.
The most recent one happened a few weeks ago at the beach in Mirissa. To set the tone, the music that usually played there was reggae or house music so rhcp would be out of the ordinary anyway. A bunch of us were sitting around when someone started talking about smoking pot and asked Katie and I if it was pretty safe in Canada. We said that is was, and then our friend Lincoln asked if I smoked much. I said how I've tried it but don't do it often. He said how it doesn't seem bad, especially compared to drugs like hydro. I kind of stopped, and then said what?? He continued that stuff like hydro scares him because you don't really know what's in it. I didn't want to be a Debbie downer and ruin people's nights by talking about drugs and death but I just said to him that that was what my brother took and died from... Now californication started playing. I had to turn to Katie because I was excited that they had come on and the timing was so weird. I also sent my mom, Danielle and Rachel a text saying I had a weird rhcp story to tell them later. The timing of it was honestly so weird that I'm gonna have to pull out the s word and call it a synchronicity. It was another moment though where I couldn't help but feel like Derek is still around looking out for me... And those moments are always appreciated!