More Than "Cherry Pie": My Journey With Jani Lane of Warrant

I have two of Jani Lane's songs tattooed on my arm.  In the mid 90's I partied with the band, was pulled on stage, hung out on the tour bus, and wreaked havoc with everyone in Warrant. Over the years alcohol ended up being a huge problem for both Jani and I.  In 2003, I deployed with my National Guard unit to Iraq for 16 months, and that led to me getting sober on July 4th, 2004.  Unfortunately, Jani Lane never took that step. The day after Jani Lane died, August 11th of 2011, I attended the Warrant/Skid Row concert in Grand Forks, ND.  Over the next few days I wrote down my thoughts about Jani Lane, his life, and how our paths crossed and intertwined over the years.  For some reason I was able to conquer my demons while he succumbed to his, and I will always wonder why.  This is my Jani Lane story.