Written By Mikey C.
The military was never really an option for me. My father never served and I never knew my grandfathers, so there wasn’t any pressure there. I grew up in the valleys of Pennsylvania, so there were no nearby bases or helicopters flying overhead to influence me either. In fact, I had no idea what USMC stood for when my good friends proudly came to class one Monday morning wearing new dark green T-shirts. I was a selfish teen who wanted to be a rock star. College? Yeah, right. I knew what I wanted to do, and I had spent every minute of class and every evening at home working on it. Silence Betrayed... my concept of what a rock band should be.
But 9/11 had a big impact on this 17-year-old who was previously incognizant to the world around him. I was just a kid, and those cowardly attacks on American soil ignited a patriotic spirit that I never knew I had. Suddenly, those four simple letters had all the meaning in the world: United States Marine Corps.
I was a bulldog in the Corps, "Gung-Ho!" all the way. My first three years were a blur of green-on-green and gun smoke. As a matter of fact, I don’t think I ever stopped to take a breath. There was just too much to absorb—different cultures, new lands, education and adventure. I became good at things I never realized I would enjoy. Having spent those first three years oversees and obtaining the rank of Sergeant, I eventually made it back to home turf and settled at Camp Pendleton, California. Without loosing any momentum, I began the pre-deployment phase for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Six months later, I was in the desert.
The first hook in years came to me out of nowhere: "Did you find what you were looking for?” Music had almost evaporated from my vocabulary. But there, in the middle of Falujah, I was getting a slightly familiar urge to pick up a guitar...so I did. Lyrics and riffs just started pouring out, and the only thing getting me through each day was the chance to play another lick. I spent all my free time writing and researching, getting back in touch with a passion I thought was forgotten. The base MWR even had a few instruments for recreation, and it was a blessing. When work was slow I was on the computers researching the San Diego music scene. Thoughts of re-enlistment and my next duty station were now replaced with visions of recording and touring. By the time we made it out of there, I was a new man. Grown and disciplined, reunited with a dream.
The band came together fast. I had recorded a demo, auditioned members, and completed our line up by the end of that year. We released our debut EP "Lascivious" the following spring, and have been promoting and touring ever since. Shortly after the release, we discovered To The Fallen and submitted a few songs. The label responded well to the tracks and featured our single "Contain" on their Rock Vol. 1 compilation. They have been a great outlet for military musicians, including myself and Silence Betrayed.
This year has treated us well: performing live, winning a battle of the bands, and launching our website, SilenceBetrayed.com. We have made some great connections, and are starting to get the exposure we need to really make a name for ourselves. We have even begun playing free shows at the enlisted club on Camp Pendleton, just to reconnect with some old friends.
I think its safe to say that none of it would have been possible without the drive and initiative instilled in me while serving in the military. Those were some of the best years of my life, which I will always cherish and never regret, but now it is time for a new adventure, and it has only just begun.
