Many have heard the pain generated through the speakers, as they play such fan favorites as Tech N9ne’s “Trapped in a Psycho’s Body”, or Krizz Kaliko’s “Anxiety”. There is a handful of emotionally tormenting songs that have come from real-life situations of the masterminds at Strange, but all the distress within the musical madness has helped one man cope with the insanity that built around him, as it seemed the infrastructure of his world was crumbling into his lap as he sat with his head in his palms.

Tony Dodson, a 36-year-old Technician, who’s a graphic designer for Thirteen Designs, as well as a student currently studying further into graphic design, has shared his heart-wrenching story with me in hopes to let other Technicians know that they are not alone.

“Music has always been a positive in my life no-matter how bad it got. Well, recently my main rotation has been Strange Music, and all of its artists. Two have stood out to me the most, being Tech N9ne, and Krizz Kaliko,” said Dodson.

Yet, within the past two years, his world has been turned upside down.

“Last year, and years before, my dad had been fighting diabetes and for a while he had it licked. In 2010 it took the best of him, and he had serious issues with it (loss of some toes and soon his leg). Well, he had been on the transplant list to get a new kidney. Come to find out he had bad heart problems, and they took him off the list. Needless to say he just gave up, we talked Father’s Day last year and the next day he passed away. At the same time my grandmother had a real bad cough. Things got good for a minute then she had to go with chemo drugs, and all kinds of meds. I knew last year she wouldn’t make it another 365 days but she did. This year (within the last four months) things got bad for her health and they tried just about everything possible to help her along. July 21 she was in the hospital undergoing treatment and had three cardiac arrests and just let go. Then my uncle had recently cheated death as he was in a motorcycle accident a few years earlier. Yet, after losing his brother, then his mother, he couldn’t take it anymore. The pain got to him and he ended up taking his own life.”

Tony has also since moved to Pennsylvania, which has made it hard on his family ties, being so far away. When I came across Dodson, he was willing to share his torment, stressing that Tech and Kali have managed to keep him from suicide.

“Being a true technician I turn to K.O.D., Killer, Sickology, S.I.C., Vitiligo, and even Anghellic to cope with the stress. Just listening to someone that has gone through the same thing I have, not long before myself, and listening to how they have pulled through made me realize: If they can, I can.”

It goes to show the power of lyrics: how darkness can consume a man, and in the pit of evil, a small light will shine through and prevail. This man has been robbed of his family, but even in the face of agony, he stood tall. This music is more than music, and the lucky ones are those who have found that. Tony holds tight to this movement, keeping in mind how close he has come to the abyss, and how quickly it all can be taken away from him. An inspirational Technician we have here, putting full faith in the pieces released from the Strange crusade. So when the epitome of wicked comes our way, remember track six off of Tech N9ne’s Absolute Power: Let’s keep on, keeping on.