Rest In Peace, Mike Vraney.

The world of music and film lost a true great today, and honestly, I can say that I am extremely grateful, humbled, and proud to call this man my friend.  Mike Vraney was a genuine, helpful, and supportive soul who believed in the true spirit of underground art, and wouldn't have lived any other way.

Vraney was the owner of the world-renowned exploitation/grindhouse film company, Something Weird Video, which is legendary in its own respect.  In his earlier years, when he wasn't managing powerhouse punk rock bands such as the Dead Kennedy's, T.S.O.L, and The Accused, he was running Seattle's Showbox Theater and Managing his son Mark's amazing prodigy punk band, DEK.

Mike was a gigantic help to both Blackhouse Records and a good majority of the bands directly for years on end.  If it wasn't for this guy, we would have never built the momentum we did over the years.  Mike opened our eyes to many great things, was always welcoming, and never hesitated to go out of his way when it was truly needed.

If you don't know who Mike is, this article sheds a little more light on just how awesome this guy was.  

We will see you down the road, Mike.  You will be missed in a big way, and our condolences go out to both the Petrucci and Vraney families.