MACHINE HEAD's Robb Flynn Reveals He Was Named After Robert Redford

February 14, 2013, 11 years ago

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MACHINE HEAD vocalist/guitarist Robb Flynn has written the latest entry in his blog, The General Journals: Diary Of A Frontman... And Other Ramblings - Reminiscing. An excerpt follows:

"My Grandfather was an asshole. He probably said 100 words to me my entire life. 'Hello Mijo, goodbye Mijo.' That was pretty much it. We had had one semi-meaningful conversation at a birthday party for my Mom, Gloria. He was a little drunk and the word meaningful is a stretch, but it was awkwardly playful, like I was talking to someone I just met or an acquaintance I never really hit it off with. He never truly accepted me being part of the family because I was adopted, and he let my family know as much. To make matters 'worse for him,' I was born with a lazy eye, meaning one eye went in towards my nose (basically cross-eyed, but only in one eye). I had a corrective surgery soon after being adopted. But when my parents picked me up from the adoption agency at six months old, I had this lazy eye. When my Grandfather saw me and my eye he looked at my Mom and Dad and blurted, 'That's not my Grandson!'

Wow...

Up until that point I was supposed to be named Samuel, after my Grandfather. But my Mom changed my name in that instant, to her favorite actor of the time (and whom she had a major crush on) Robert Redford. Robert (after Robert Redford) Conrad (my dad's first name) Flynn. Changed from Lawrence Matthew Carden, my birth name just six months earlier.

When my Grandfather (we all called him 'Papa') passed away a few years ago, everyone was very sad. To my surprise (or maybe not), I wasn't. I didn't feel sad. I didn't reminisce, as there was nothing very meaningful to reflect on. In fact, I felt nothing. It was weird to me and I thought about why, but I never came up with an answer. I just felt... nothing. It was like being at a stranger’s funeral surrounded by family. I could empathize with their sadness and I felt for them, but...

All everyone talked about were the good ol' days at the memorial. To me though, they weren't really that good."

Read more at this location.


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