Johnny Ross

Overview


The iconic and talented drummer from the ever popular hardcore punk rock band Pilgrimage, Johnny Ross has recently fallen upon hard times. Through circumstances far too mysterious for the guy to comprehend, the remainder of his band has gone missing. Thrust into a hard situation only halfway through a drug rehabilitation program, the odds appear to be stacked against the drummer. Of course, that's just how he likes it.

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Early Life
Johnny Ross began his roller coaster of a life and career on the hard streets of downtown Santa Monica. His parents each met their end at the end of of a needle, their passing marked away as nothing more than an a statistic about overdosing trends. He was dumped into an orphanage before he even leared to speak, and it was here that he meat his long-time friend and partner in crime Syd Haddick. The once inseparable duo, sharing in the first of many bad ideas to come, would one day escape from the orphanage, taking to the streets with only their wits to guide them.

Though they once claimed to remain noble in their adventures, it was clear that street life was impossible without stepping on the backs of others. Johnny lost count of the places the two burglarized, but he would never forget the music store they broke into. As they sorted through the spoils and selected only the goods they would be able to haul safely out of the building, they both had the distinct feeling that greater things were to come, almost neglecting to take the cash on their way out. Armed with a full drum kit and two guitars, the thugs had only the future in mind.

Band Formation

Having never received a single formal lesson, their innate skills combined with a shared love of similar music, the two surprised even themselves with their abilities in the garage. Quickly assembling a full roster, the gang started in an underground music tour under the name 'Eh, Fuck It'. The band's almost makeshift sound combined with their clear technical merits quickly gained the attention of local record labels, and thus their path to fame was launched.

The group changed their name to 'Pilgrimage' in honor of their incredible rags to riches tale. Basement tours quickly turned into warehouse venues, which soon became full blown arena shows. Their first single, 'The Saga', became a staple of the band's shows, it's popularity launching the group from a word of mouth fancy into MTV and VH1 fame. And while no-one could contest just how incredible their rise to fame was, the perils of their newfound glory were quick to consume them.

Drug Use

Though Johnny and Syd were no strangers to recreational drug use, it was originally confined to whatever they could find during the course of their B&E's, things changed now that they could readily purchase the stuff. This made the band a hot target for tabloid coverage, their drug-fueled antics frequently moving into mainstream knowledge. The duo became infamous when they managed to spray paint the Pilgrimage logo on the wings of Air Force One, a mystery surrounding this incredible feat remaining unknown to this very day.

Things began to change, however, once Johnny realized just how out of control the group began to run. Pilgrimage front-man Syd had a hard overdose at an afterparty of which Johnny seemed to take quite seriously. Though he never knew his parents long enough to appreciate them, he had been told how they met their end, and he could not help but to recall the situation here and now. Thankfully, Syd had managed to pull through, but not without smuggling three bags of hospital grade morphine out with him. Once Johnny found out about this stunt, he was done.

Hiatus Under the guise presented to the band that he was participating in a mobile drum school, Johnny Ross checked himself into rehabilitation back in southern California, marking the first hiatus ever demonstrated by the band. The drummer had no doubt that he could beat the drug, though his only real doubt was in how it might affect his career in music. Only one week into his treatment, however, and he would realize that beating the habit would soon be the least of his worries.

Using one of his precious phone calls, Johnny contacted his friend Syd to check in. The front man mentioned only that he was at a party in Atlanta, though there was no noise in the background. After chatting for a moment, Syd began to launch into a series of strange murmerings, broken quickly by a gut-wrenching scream from his very throat. It was here that the line went dead, and all rational thought left the mind of Johnny Ross. Knocking out an orderly and escaping the clinic with barely his dignity in tact, he recklessly traveled to Atlanta in search of his missing band.

Fame (••)
Though most attention is drawn to the singer in many bands, Johnny plays an incredibly relevent role in the promotional side of the group. He and Syd are nearly attached to the hip, never appearing in a talk show or a cameo without the other. As a result, anyone who has ever heard of Pilgrimage likely could recall Johnny by sight. As far as the popularity of the band, any character who had even a passing interest in punk rock stands a very good chance of having heard of them.

Theme Song(s)
400px|Leftöver Crack - World War 4

300px|Against Me! - Holy Shit

Quotes
"The music ain't fuckin' loud enough." Johnny Ross, on the subject of nearly any venue that isn't his

"Hot headed at times from what I've seen, but I think under that hard exterior may lie a soft heart. He's very worried about his friend, and rightfully so. We will find his friend. We will." - Carolyne Swift