It is with a very heavy heart that I write this tonight. I found out today that I lost a brother. Although it was been many years since I had talked with him it doesn't change the emotion that I am feeling tonight knowing that I will never see, talk to or play music with Dave Ayer again.
I met Dave at Sequoia High School through my friend Laryssa. She knew I was trying to put a band together for a Battle of the Bands slot I had gotten myself into. The original drummer and bass player hadn't worked out, but I didn't want to give up on playing.
We started out as Rhythm and Rhyme - the band thrown together for a Battle of the Bands contest at Sequoia High School. Soon after that "gig" we changed our name to The Screaming Paisleys, played for a little while and then broke up. At a party at my buddy Scott Rehlaender's house Dave Ayer (The Screaming Paisleys' drummer) heard some of the tracks I had recorded and thought it would be cool to get together. We reenlisted Brent Willson (bass) and began practicing, but soon stopped playing together again. I started looking for a bass player to fill Brent's spot. One night while working at Gelb Music (click
here to visit their website) Tony Iuppa saw the flier pinned to the wall and approached me asking if he could "try out" for the band. So Dave, Tony and I began practicing.
The Screaming Paisleys were together again.
Dave and I played music together for a few years and even after we stopped playing together I would still go watch him play - in amazement of his talent as a drummer. Dave and I worked together at Kosman Office Supply (he got me the job). We spent a lot of time together - in high school and beyond.
Dave was a wonderfully sweet guy. I hope heaven knows how lucky they are to have him.
Condolences to his family and those who knew and loved him.
Services for David Richard Ayer will be on Friday, December 21, 2012 at 1:30pm here at Chapel of the Chimes in our Reflection Chapel, here in Hayward, California.
David Richard Ayer
October 15, 1968 - December 17, 2012
Mark Harvey
Hear some of Dave's work...
Here are some more photos...back in the day...
This is the last time I saw Dave.
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8 Comments:
*love*
So very sorry for your loss..
- Dusti
Mark,
Thank you so much for honoring Dave with this awesome history. Also, thank you for being at his service. Hugs!
Lisa (Dave's big sister)
Dave's first few years were on Acacia Drive in Burlingame. He was one of the gang, as we had a dozen plus kids on that block there. He moved away around 1979 if my memory has it right, and after a short time of keeping touch, contact began to fade away. I always wondered from time to time where he was and how he was doing, and thanks much Mark Harvey for filling in a bit of that mystery for an old friend of his...this was a great little tribute to help fill in some of the gaps of his life after he moved away. It was good to see here that he continued to have an impact on others close to him, and speaking for all of the old gang there on Acacia, his memory will still live on in our hearts. Doug Vaplon
Lisa - it was great seeing you. Big hugs to you!
Doug - I'm glad you found my blog. Dave was a great guy and at whatever age you knew him it was evident.
My best,
Mark
I met Dave a long, long time ago. It was around the time he joined Samiam. I was some dumb kid in high school who was music obsessed and met him through the band. He was just the nicest guy you could imagine and we struck up a friendship for many years. We wrote letters, swapped tapes, talked on the phone and would meet up if he happened to tour through wherever I was. The last time I saw him was in NYC when he was touring with the UK Subs. We hung out before and after the show. He made me laugh so much just by smiling and pulling faces at everything happening around us.
I left the country for work and we lost touch in the late 90s. I would periodically try and find him via the internet, but there were so many people with the same name. I even considered calling every David Ayer in CA, but felt foolish. I made contact with an old bandmate of his a few years back, but he had no idea where Dave was. Anyway, today I was listening to some music that made me think of him and I thought I'd try another search. I cannot tell you how sad I am at having found this result.
To his family and friends, I am so sorry for your loss. Dave was such a sweet and talented person. This isn't anything you didn't already know, but maybe there's something nice about knowing he had an impact on someone on the other side of the country.
Mark, thank you for posting this tribute. It's the last thing I wanted or expected to find, but I suppose it's better to know. If nothing else, seeing the photos put a smile on my face.
Daniel, NYC
Daniel,
Although I know this wasn't what you were hoping to find I am happy you found this blog posting on Dave.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Dave had a lasting impact on a lot of lives. He was a exceptional human being.
My best,
Mark
Mark and friends,
The UK SUBS posted an obituary on Dave this year on their website. Check it out.
Health and Happiness,
Lisa Ayer Miller
I met Dave in the Streets of San Francisco , we were both out there doing heroin , we became really good friends, not to glorify doing drugs but that’s how we knew each other. We used to get high and talk he would tell me about his time as a drummer in the Uk subs and Samiam . He was a really gentle and good guy I knew he was having some real problems because the last time I saw him he had been cutting badly to the point that he had to go to the hospital from it . I always wished we had met in different circumstances , maybe I could have been a help to him rather than helping him along his destructive path but we were in the same boat. I was very sad to hear of his passing . RIP Dave
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