Paul Plagens (1965 to 2015)
was a guest on Radio8Ball on KAOS twice.

October 25th, 2005

&

January 24th, 2006

Dear Paul,

I’ve known you since we were in our early 20’s. You were dating one of my best friends when I met you. We all went out to lunch in West LA. I don’t know if we liked each other then. We didn’t really get to know each other until you moved to Olympia to get clean. You could be such a dick, but then so could I, so we became friends. We shared that LA connection. We both got our chances to own that town, and we both made choices that led us elsewhere. Being almost famous was a bond we shared that few in Olympia could understand. That was a tough time. You had your issues with health and sobriety.  I was newly divorced and just beginning to feel the sting of Olympia’s reactionary intolerance. It was an important time to have a friend and you were one of my closest. I loved your wicked sense of humor and your dark, sad, beautiful songs, and when you and Scott Taylor​ hooked up as musical partners it felt like a perfect pop marriage. I had you both on Radio8Ball several times although I’m not sure if you ever played it together. Your connection to Rusty from McCartney’s band was the reason Scott and I got to meet him. What a great gift to be able to give your friends. Damn, I could go on and on.

Here’s the memory I’ll leave off with.

We were at the open mike at The Tequila Bar on Oly’s westside and you said you thought Prince was overrated. I gave you a look that you thought was arrogant and dismissive and it was (I still think it’s a dumb thing to say). I swear, we almost came to blows over it, and neither of us is a fighter. Arguers, yes, but it got seriously heated and I think we went for a couple of months without speaking after that. What I remember most is how you eventually called me because you said we needed to work it out. We argued and negotiated on the phone for at least two hours that night and at the end we still didn’t agree but we understood each other and what was absolutely clear was that we really loved each other, enough to fight it out to a resolution.

Word on the street is you died last night, on August 7th. I know what we’d talk about tonight if we could. You’d want to know how we’re going to make you a rock star now that you’re gone. We’d joke about how even dying isn’t enough to get your music heard anymore, and then I’d get serious with you and look into your eyes and promise you that I will do everything in my Radio8Power to capitalize on your death and the tracks you left us with, and yes, I will be a total dick about it.

I really hope your last ride in your body was a good one. I’ll see you on the other side.

Presently Yours,
Andras fucking Jones