Ok, while era might seem a little melodramatic, it honestly feels that way to me. This has been one of the hardest posts for me to write about as the subject is so close to my heart. On Friday, February 4th, my brother’s band, Tickle Me Pink, decided to call it quits:

Fans, friends, and family,

It brings us great sadness to deliver this message today. After almost six years as a band, we have decided to part ways. Through great success and tragedy alike, we’ve found ourselves unable to continue collectively as “Tickle Me Pink.” This decision was not easy, but it was made as a band. There are no bitter feelings between any of us, just a simple desire on all our parts to move forward in different ways.

To all of our fans and friends who have supported us throughout our career, we are eternally grateful. A special thanks to the Blasting Room staff for such successful recordings, and to 93.3 for playing our music with such dedication.

As a way of expressing a thank you to all of our fans, we will be playing a final farewell show at Summit Music Hall in Denver, CO on March 5th.  We hope to see you all there.

Yours truly,

Tickle Me Pink

Everyone knows how deep my love for this band goes (I still get giddy every time I hear their song on the radio). I even went and got TMP’s logo (flamingo with a pink mohawk and a converse shoe) tattooed on my hip when they were signed to Wind Up Records in 2008:

This tattoo meant more to me than just showing support for my younger brother’s band. I genuinely love their music. They are absolutely, without a doubt, my favorite band. They are the band I turn to if I am ever down, or need a distraction because their music always puts me in a better mood.

TMP has opened up my world to so many different bands, people and opportunities over the past 6 years, it is hard for me to even put into words how grateful I am that TMP has let me play a role in their band.

I have sold their merchandise, taken thousands of photos, hours of video, created and managed their website and online store and even made an appearance in their DVD (in the front row, singing along to Tomorrow’s Ending).

Through all of their touring they have introduced me to so many bands that I had either forgotten about or hadn’t yet heard of: The Mile After, Company of Thieves, Oh My Stars, Hawthorne Heights, Ludo, Finch, Blue October, Rise Against, The Heyday, I Hate Kate, 3oh!3, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and Foxy Shazam just to name a few. They have also given me insight into the local music scene in Colorado, to which I have become a loyal friend, follower and listener: Fierce Bad Rabbit, Roe, Single File, Life In Electric, Boys, The Heyday and Bop Skizzum.

When I think back on the past 6 years I have so many memories that continue to drum up a wide variety of emotions. I have been lucky enough to spend countless nights, in many different states, rocking out with the band. Most of my birthdays in my 20′s have been spent celebrating with the band. But not all my memories are good ones, as I have also shed a fair number of tears at their shows.

The summer of 2008 was not a good summer for myself, my family or the band. On July 1st, 2008, Johnny was found dead in the band’s home. Instead of celebrating the release of their new cd Madeline we spent that night at the Aggie Theatre mourning the loss of a great bassist and friend. Just days earlier TMP played at Warped Tour to one of the most energetic crowds (which was a dream of Johnny’s):

Shortly after the release of Madeline, the band went on tour with Finch, Scary Kids Scaring Kids and From First to Last and my family and I had all planned on traveling to Chicago to watch them at the Metro. Just days before my parents and my (then) boyfriend and I were going to leave, my dog was hit by a car and died. I was devastated, but went to Chicago as planned. The whole trip was emotional for me, and watching TMP play without Johnny was no exception. Since then, TMP always dedicates the song Madeline to Johnny. This is my favorite version and one that still gives me goosebumps to watch as the wind gives the video such a dramatic feel to a very emotional song: YouTube

I have no idea what to expect when Tickle Me Pink takes the stage for the last time on March 5th, but I expect the crowd will be full of friends, there will be plenty of shots (Jagermeister and tequila), lots of hugs, hours of music and hopefully only a few tears. Either way, I am certain that the night of March 5th will mark the end of an era that I am very proud to say I have been a part of since the beginning.

The darkest hours hold the brightest dreams