What’s in a name?
Website work day 2. And as I keep putting the site public I wanted to at least put some thoughts to page while I continue to move towards the reveal. And what better way to move forward, than to finally tell a story many have heard. Never publicly, only among friends, DJs, Guests of the show etc …
RAVEN THE DEVIL.
How did I get the name, and 27 years later I am moving past it.
Let’s all take a trip to a time before social media was a thing, it was summer of 1995. I was staying with a friend of mine, while he was house sitting for his girlfriend who was on a world trip. At that time I fancied myself somewhat of a writer, and had been working on something for over a year. So to relax I would fire up GNN (Global Network Navigator) from one of the free disks scattered around the room.
This was when the “Chatroom” was a thing. The one I used was called Virtual Places. So there I was one of 1000’s of people named “Raven” - being that it was the Vampire Gothic times in my life. I used images from Interview with a Vampire, Hunter D, Demons etc. Hey it was the ‘90s we didn’t have Facebook to get mad at one another with.
So eventually I got an IM (DM for you young'uns) from an 18yr old woman in Malaysia, who was about to be married in an arranged marriage. Despite a bit of a language barrier, she had told me she was asking people from different cultures about dating and relationships. I immediately stated she would be better served asking another guy from the USA. I wasn’t exactly the best example of Dating American Style.
She didn’t care, so I told her what my social life was like. Hanging with Metal Bands, Tattoo artists, Goths, Punks, partying and basically the wild lifestyle I had in my mid to late 20s. At first she asked questions, but eventually she went silent. After I had finished my side of the messages, she replied back with what would become my moniker for several decades to come.
“My father is right, AMERICANS ARE THE DEVIL.”
I immediately, being a salty sarcastic soul, changed my Screenname to “Raven the Devil” - my partner in conversation had closed her window. But it wasn’t the last I received, not long after an unending - and amusing most times - requests for ‘Cyber’ from people claiming to be housewives started. As many as 10 at a time.
My roommate thought it was hysterical, as did another who was - at that time, my party supply distributor of flowering products. And when that individual a few months later shows up with a gift wrapped box around Christmas. Well you wonder. I opened it and inside was a shirt that had in small letters on the front ‘Raven’, on the back however in letters about three inches tall were the words ‘THE DEVIL’.
The name was cemented that day. The summer of ‘96 - that shirt caused many interesting experiences and adventures. Flash forward to 2004 - DJ Wrathchild of Hard Rock Radio Live wanted me to come up with a screen name and show name. August 4 2004 DJ Raven the Devil and The Vault of Metal was born. The rest of course is history, and subject of another story.
Older, wiser (?), evolved. Raven the Devil isn’t applicable anymore, and honestly cost me several opportunities I should have been wiser on. Or maybe I wouldn’t be relaunching.
Ah but that’s wishful thinking.
So now I’m Raven Dave - a bit of both worlds. Still a work in progress.
