iMusic - Brother Bulletin Board We would like to get to know more of you.
99162_032499
top of page
June 1999: First Word of Brother's Accident
BROTHER was returning to LA after the first leg of
its tour when the van in which it was traveling rolled a number of
times in the desert just outside Needles, CA. Hospitalized with
injuries of various severity, were band members Steve, Angus and
Hamish and their road manager, Fedj. All are in stable condition
and expected to make full recovery over some months. Dalbo was
not traveling in the van at the time of the accident.
The accident has forced BROTHER to cancel its North
American summer tour, including Milwaukee dates for Summerfest and
Rainbow Summer. It has also left them with extensive medical bills.
Donations of any amount, large or small, will help the band meet
the expenses resulting from this tragedy."
This is an update letter send out on July 13th with the
status of the band.
"G'day, Gang Well, a month has passed since our entire world was
turned upside down and given a few good shakes, and the dust is taking a
while to settle. Our apologies for not being in touch sooner - we've had
to leave that to our new distributor, FMA, and a dribble or two from the
fan club - but we just haven't been up to it, physically or mentally.
First up we'd like to thank everybody for their touching thoughts, and the
many and varied offers of assistance we've received since we emerged from
the belly of the anguished beast. The depth of kindness and generosity is
humbling.
For the record, and to set minds at ease we want to give you an
update and summary of the state of play.
We want to begin by assuring you that at this point all four of
us are anticipating making a full recovery. However, that said, all our
injuries were severe and the road to that recovery will be fairly long and
challenging.
Both Fedj and Hamish will be unable to walk
for next 2-3 months, at least. Fedj received deep road rash
to both legs and feet, with skin and tendons badly damaged. He broke
a few ribs and his left arm also required the bone pinned.
Hamish sustained two fractures in his left foot, road rash,
shattered cartilage, a severed ligament and broken ankle requiring
two screws.
Steve had numerous broken ribs, resulting in a
punctured and collapsed lung. His right elbow was severely
lacerated with some tendon damage.
Angus shattered a disc in his upper neck and fractured
two vertebrae. The disc has been removed and replaced with a piece
of bone and the vertebrae secured with screws and a plate. He will
have to be immobilized in a neck brace for at least the next few
months. After plastic surgery to treat grazing and lacerations his
head isn't looking too bad at all.
So...the facts aren't any better than that but we're giving thanks
that they're no worse!
We all feel blessed to be able to look back on the devastation of
that morning one long month ago, and be saying we have the chance to be
with our families, be together again, and make music with each other
again...at some point.
The tide is out, the water's clear....
Thank you, everyone, for all the ways you have shown your support -
big and small, loud and soft. Keep the faith and ....we'll just have to
keep you posted.
BROTHER."
top of page
August 1999: Update Report
Band on the mend - surely but slowly
Hello, gang,
Just a quick update for you - and in a nut shell, things are better!
Ten weeks have passed and oh, how much we've all improved.
It's interesting how you tend not to notice the mending day to day, even
week to week, but looking back - wow! we've all done a lot of it.
Angus has had his first physio session and is allowed time out of
his neck brace each day. Constant, severe headaches are becomng less
so in both respects. As he says, "There are good days and bad days"
(and that's about as much complaining as you'd ever hear him do).
Like Angus, Stevie has been unable to pick up his axe as yet,
with his elbow and ribs still causing some problems, but is in great
spirits (despite the fact that Steve not being able to play his
guitar is like the rest of us not being able to talk!).
Fedj is in a fair bit of pain with the physio he's receiving
but as always he's unstoppable - well, apart from the fact that he can't
walk yet.
I'm looking forward to having this great purple cast removed
from my leg next week and giving it a good spiritual dunking in the
waters of the South Pacific before I too learn how to walk again.
Please be assured, we are all in good spirits and haven't yet
ceased to give thanks for our extreme good fortune! At this point it
will probably be another month or so before we will have a good
indication as to how soon we might make music together again.
The physical healing is something that won't be rushed - as those of
you who have been in similar situations already know - but the
continued support from all our fans has played an important role in
that process. We thank you all.
Cheers,
Hamish
top of page
September 1999: Update Report
Still mending...
G'day, Everybody
Just wanted to let you know how we're doing, and in a nut shell
that would have to be defined as 'pretty bloody good!'
As any of you who've been through a similar 'injury and recovery process'
know, the most difficult thing to deal with on a regular basis is the time
factor. You can do everything right -- elevation, rest, diet, medication,
rehab exercises....but the one crucial element on the road to
recovery, over which you have very little control, is time. So we're
each trying to behave and do what we're 'sposed to -- we really
are -- but good, solid healing won't be rushed and that boils over to
extreme frustration occasionally.
But when this happens it doesn't take much to remind ourselves just
how fortunate we are to be feeling anything -- and that very soon puts the
day to day into perspective.
Fedj, our road manager, is now on his feet and gingerly
walking. His arm is taking some work to get right and will be an annoying
barometer in the years to come. He's accepting the occasional request to
run sound for bands in town as he slowly eases back into reality.
Steve is in great spirits. Physio on his elbow is paying off
and while the state of his ribs still precludes him from stretching
himself around a guitar, he is getting his mandolin chops happening --
aiming for 6 or 7 hours practice a day.
Angus is brace-free much of the time and the fact that he is a
human rubber-band is paying dividends in terms of his freedom of
movement and long-term prognosis. He, of the changing hairstyles, is
spending some time with his acoustic guitar but, as yet, is not ready to
handle the weight and body contortions that go with bass and bagpipes.
I'm (Hamish)three weeks cast-free and throwing the crutches aside
quite a bit and going for the hobble, although I'm told it may be some
time before I can fully weight-bare on this sucker. My main necessity is
to work up the strength and particularly the flexibility in my ankle so
as I can walk properly -- they're telling me 3 to 6 months but I've decided it'll just
have to be sooner as there're waves to be caught this Aussie summer!
As for Dalbo, he is biding his time with some studio work and
filling with other bands. He's keeping very busy.
But enough of us....We hope you're all doing fine and staying out of
harm's way. Look after yourselves,
Hopalong
AKA - Hamish)
links:
top of page
Info courtesy of Mary Wang / July 1999
e008:::99091_080599 / 99101_082099 / 99105_091799 / 99162_023200
e008G_032300