The Ian Edwards Experience

[Beatende]

For anyone that doesn't already know, Ian Passed away on Wednesday.

I think this would be a reasonable time to relate our own particular Edwards experience.

I first met the guy when he was 17 or so at solihull college. He was about the only kid on the media course there that was into black metal, but I was on a different course and so rarely got to speak with him. I then bumped into him a few months down the line at the Astoria Emperor gig that ended up on the live DVD. That was about the last time I saw him for a good few years, until Random Phil invited me to the old MSN Bilskirnir Group. It was a short while after getting to know the organisers that I realised just who that now-huge bloke that turned up regularly was.

I never knew Ian as a particularly close friend, but I still got on with him ridiculously well through our occasional meets at gigs and Scruffies and whatnot, and I feel glad to have known him. RIP, good man!!

Now, over to you lot. Lets see if this thread can reanimate this dead forum!!!

[Evilluke]

I was extremely saddened to hear Ian had died Wednesday. I saw him a few weeks ago and though he looked incredibly ill I couldn't actually believe he wouldn't make a recovery as he was full of his usual joie de vivre. His passion for things like sport, music and his friends seemed limitless. I was pretty appalled when he gave me a list of his stuff and asked me to pick some albums from it in case he didn't make it.... luckily he was then distracted by Liverpool on the tv and we were able to change the subject.

Not sure if I have a great story or anything about him to relate at this precise moment but perhaps later. It certainly was a pleasure to have known him.

[DeathUK]

Not posted on here in aeons owing to a vast amount of work to do, but really did feel like paying my respects to Ian. I had a text conversation with him about a month ago where I invited him to Oxford for some rest and relaxation after his chemo and he said he'd be really up for that in the new year when he was better and that he had never been to Oxford. I was pretty shocked to hear how things had gone so downhill since then. Its a bloody shame that such a randomly crap thing can happen to such a nice guy.

My over-riding memory of Ian is of an incredibly enthusiastic and happy person. He had his drinking horn with him at bilskirnir once, strapped behind his back. Everytime he turned round to face someone, we'd top up his horn behind his back with whatever we were drinking, so he ended up with a magical ever-full horn of plenty and was dead chuffed (largely snakebite and black sadly).

Anyway, bloody shame he is gone now, I wish I could have chatted to him more recently. At least that god-awful Liverpool tattoo on his arm is off this earth now at least.

[povey]

Short and simple

I remember meeting him for the first time, while we moved in similar circles we had never met, then one day it we finally did.

I knew instantly who he was from the shorts and sandals of metal.

He was so ecstatic to meet me I remember chatting to him in the bog upstairs at Eddies for a hour.

So friendly and just down to earth.

[Billy]

Anyone who knows me knows I'm not one to eulogise, and I have a very accepting attitude towards death.

That said, Ian was one of the most genuine, honest and passionate people I've ever had the pleasure to meet. A lot of metal/alternative people I know are very cynical and negative, but Ian just wasn't like that. He certainly knew what he liked and disliked ('nu-metal infection'!) but he would always rather dwell on the positives and what he was passionate about, with an open mind and open ears. We could all gain from trying to be a bit more like that.

I can't imagine anyone who knew Ian having anything bad to say about him (ignoring his sandals, shorts and tattoos of course!).

[Nickyboi]

I first met Ian at the first (or certainly one of the first) Reanimator. He asked me what bands I was into and as soon as I mentioned Iron Monkey he cheered and picked me up. The fact that we were both Liverpool fans meant me got on well from the start.

As others have said he was the least cynical, most outgoing and downright fun bloke I've ever met. I remember bumping into him at Wacken in 2006 around the campsite, which is perhaps not so unusual, but bumping into him in Hamburg afterwards certainly was - I was sat outside a restaurant eating breakfast with Jess, and he was with some mates having been to the Red Light District. He was brandishing some sort of novelty sweet-dispensing penis, and said he was going to give it to his mum.

And I for one feel the world will miss his awesome tattoos.

[Beatende]

Glad to see so many at the service today. Very few people I know could sell out Solihull Library Theatre just for a funeral!! RIP.

[Evilluke]

It was a tribute to the man himself that so many wanted to pay their respects.
Always to be remembered for his positive traits and influence, and theres few of us that that could be said about. RIP indeed.

[DeathUK]

Really gutted I couldn't be at the funeral, what was it like? All the sets good? . Hope his parents got to see how much he meant to everyone, and someone said bye from me.