In August of 2003 I fell into a hole, 13ft deep. After working for years to get my music heard and getting signed to MCA Records my life came unglued. MCA folded as a company right in the middle of my first single and its roster was merged into Geffen Records. Geffen then started cutting their roster down and my band, SouthFM, along with so many others were kicked to the curb.

The brief rise of success quickly deteriorated - a relationship I spent seven and a half years building. In the opening monologue of SouthFM's career, and amidst the Act I, Scene I of my adult life; the curtains were pulled.

So I did what any other self-delusional, self-absorbed, manic-depressive drama king would do... I tried my hardest to hit rock bottom. I convinced myself it was the only way I would ever see the top again; the top of that mountain that I had tasted. This was the mountain I climbed for 23 years and it was pulled out from underneath me like that cheap clown trick that breaks all your mother’s favorite china.

On January 30, 2005, I quit drinking; I quit smoking; I quit using drugs. (It's) the longest I’ve ever gone without at least one of those vices since I was 14 years old.

I let go of self-doubt, stopped being a passenger in my own car, swept up the confetti from my pity party, forgave myself for believing that I had failed, and began climbing this mountain again. Seventeen weeks ago I made a choice to sacrifice everything for the sake of connecting with as many people as possible; one listener at a time.

On the early morning of October 3rd 2004 I began remembering how to love me again. In the past two years I found the blessing of songwriting; the blessing of teammates that believed in me (guitarists Chad Abott and G.I. Sanders); the blessing of friends and family who never gave up on me; the blessing of Brando Records (our local label who has been there from the beginning); the blessing of RainMaker Artists (who encouraged the writing process to never cease); the blessing of life, and joined by the blessing of two new members. I found the blessing of a new SouthFM.

Information from the band's site

Former members

• Paco Estrada: lead vocals, vocals
• G.I. Sanders: guitar
• Chad Abbott : guitar
• Dave Shafer: bass
• Moe Martinez: drums
• Tabber Millard: drums

Influences

Radiohead, Pink Floyd, Tool, The Beatles, Pearl Jam, A Perfect Circle, Led Zeppelin, Deftones, Blind Melon, Foo Fighters, Coldplay, David Bowie, Stone Temple Pilots, Queens Of The Stone Age, Trent Reznor, Billy Corgan, Faith No More, Neil Young, U2, Chris Cornell, Course Of Empire, Toadies, Tripping Daisy, Tori Amos

Favorited by these users:

Chris Machart, Diana Schultz, Jessica Lee, Jim Beseau, KiaraGilbert, Munnch, Peachykeen5, Ruisert, Steve McAuley, TheUltraVespa, aaronpose, hargerst, jeefis, jeff34, kirklandk, krys, madera3, meleemouth, overcomer7, promoterray, robertmiguel, salinasdanny, sbarrett00, tate, whataboutdarby

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