"SOUNDS AROUND ME THOUGHTS BEFORE ME CALL TO YOU
SKY ABOVE ME WATER NEAR ME REFLECT YOU
DREAMS OF OUR ONENESS ALTERED BY TIME
SEASONS WILL CHANGE FOR US ALL"
DEAR RAPHAEL
THESE ARE THE FIRST WORDS THAT YOU GAVE ME TO SING FOR YOU.
I WAS LIVING IN THE MIDLANDS IN ENGLAND AT THE TIME AND RECEIVED A TELEGRAM FROM PETE TOWNSEND. OUT OF THE BLUE IT CAME, AND WHAT A LOVELY SURPRISE. I HAD NO IDEA THAT THIS WOULD CHANGE MY LIFE FOREVER, AS WE ARE ALL CONNECTED AND THE CONNECTIONS THAT YOU AND I BROUGHT TO EACH OTHER SHAPED OUR LIVES FROM THAT MOMENT ON. I HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT EVERY SINGLE ACTION AND THOUGHT THAT IS PRESENTED TO US LEADS US TO THE PATH WHICH WE MUST TRAVEL. THIS IS WHERE WE MEET OUR FRIENDS.
WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD BECOME GOOD FRIENDS AND FELLOW MUSIC MAKERS FOR MANY YEARS.
YOUR HUMOR WAS LIKE NO OTHER, NEVER FAILING TO LAUGH WHEN THINGS GOT TOUGH. YOUR LAUGH WAS SO INFECTIOUS, LOUD AND ALMOST REBELIOUS IN A MAGICAL WAY. YOUR MUSIC WAS AND IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE, UNIQUE. YOU PLAYED IN CONCERT WITH CRAZINESS, FULL OF BEAUTY THAT CONSUMED YOUR VERY SOUL. WE WOULD STAND BACK IN AWE AS YOU DRIFTED OFF IN YOUR WORLD OF MUSICAL ACROBATICS, POSSESSED BY THE LOVE OF YOUR ART.
YOU WERE ALWAYS THERE FOR FRIENDS WHO NEEDED A SHOULDER TO LEAN ON. YOU WILL BE SORELY MISSED.
I FELT YOU VISIT ME SINCE YOUR PASSING AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE, CONFIRMATION THAT WE MOVE ON IN SPIRIT, BUT ARE STILL WITHIN OUR REACH. ALWAYS THERE.
NOW YOU CAN PLAY FOR THE ANGELS, WOW! I BET THAT SOUNDS PRETTY OUTRAGEOUS! I CAN SEE IT NOW, GO EASY ON THEM WILL YOU!
I WRITE THIS WITH SADNESS BUT ALSO JOY THAT I HAVE KNOWN YOU.
GOD BLESS YOU RAPHAEL.
