DEAR QUITTER
An Open Letter to Phil Varone from Stevie Rachelle

— I would like to preface my open letter to Phil Varone.

To the readers, I can tell you that this all stems from a Metal Sludge article I posted about Phil Varone retiring on March 14th.

I used the phrase, “Throwing in the towel” in the headline which seems to have set Phil off.

I also noted that he chose to do this (retiring announcement), after 2 weeks into a tour.

This also pissed him off.

For the record Phil Varone and I have been… shall we say acquaintances for many years.

This site has covered much of Phil’s career choices over the years: be it in rock n’ roll, comedy, radio and porn.

And with all of that, like much of our content – we’ve always poked fun at, joked about and Phil always played along.

He seemed to… get it.

Not only did Phil play along, but at times encouraged it.

You see Phil Varone is an attention whore, I know…shocking huh?

Either way, not sure what happend this past week, but Phil seemed to have snapped and has since spent much energy attacking me and Metal Sludge all over social media.

I will admit, he gave me fair warning, writing to me: “Take that shit down, you don’t want a war with me…”

And a follow up: “Do the right thing, I always allow people to do the right thing first… after that, it’s out of my hands… that’s not a good place to be…”

I politely told him the article would not be removed, or edited.

For the record, I messaged him upon his initial posting of his plans to stop drumming and inquired “Retiring again?”

“Never really retired… just took a break… and this time I’m done” was his prompt reply.

Regardless of our past friendship, it appears I am now a mortal enemy of Phil Varone.

I tried to communicate to him after his follow-up threat, but I was blocked on all social media.

In addition, he blocked my iPhone as well, and we had recently text’d in January.

With that said, I felt it best to write an open letter to Phil, and be 100% transparent for all.

Thanks for reading,
Stevie Rachelle

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Dear Quitter,

I wanted to write to you to clear the air.

It seems I have upset you with my recent Metal Sludge article RED DRAGON QUITEL.

I guess you didn’t like my play-on-words, that you are “Throwing in the towel”, rather you want to use the word “Retiring”.

You were embarrassed that I added “after 2 weeks on tour”, which is technically not correct as it was 18 days.

I apologize to you and our readers for the misinformation.

It’s odd to me as we’ve never had a beef or an issue before (as you noted in your last message to me), yet this recent article has set you off.

Maybe it’s embarrassing to you that you just pulled a similar stunt with BulletBoys.

Remember last year when you bragged on social media about going out on the road.

Writing: “This weekend marks the beginning of 4 months of shows with my buddies BulletBoys.”

Then added another, “It’s a good day … when bricks of the new BulletBoys tour drum sticks arrive.”

Then on the 2nd night of The Hair Nation Tour with Great White and Enuff Z’Nuff – you up and quit.

Leaving BulletBoys and their crew mere hours to replace you.

We’ve all read your posts hyping the new Red Dragon Cartel release. The new video singles, and now the tour to support it.

But after a few weeks on the road – you’ve decided it’s just not for you anymore.

You admit that you lost your passion, and drumming hurts instead of making you happy – like it use to.

Fair enough.

I can respect your decision.

But man up and own it Phil.

You’re a quitter.

No disrespect, it’s the truth.

Sometimes the truth hurts and that’s okay too.

Gracefully retiring sounds nice, sure… but this is rock n’ roll.

This style of music, at this level, it’s no easy task with transportation breaking down, cancelled gigs and low attendance.

Truth is – this gig is blue collar for sure.

It’s hard work and minimal pay.

There is nothing easy about this game for any of us, at this point in our lives.

So since you’re use to being blunt, real and raw – why not be the same here?

You’re quitting!

Like with BulletBoys, when you just up and quit.

Had you not embarassed yourself a few months ago with that epic fail, you might have done the same to Jake, Darren and Anthony last week.

My article on Metal Sludge quotes you verbatim.

The article shares your exact post about retirement – and highlighted your statement – word for word.

In addition the article shares recent posts, and word for word quotes from basisst Anthony Esposito regarding Red Dragon Cartel.

It also noted Red Dragon Cartel history and their past related member changes.

All of it true.

100% factual.

You wrote me saying my story was bullshit.

It’s not bullshit, it’s true.

You asked me to take it down and wrote “You don’t want a war with me.”

I informed you it would not be changed or edited.

You wrote me again, and for a 2nd time, implied a threat to me.

I tried to reply to your 2nd threat, but realized you had blocked me on all social media.

I then submitted a message to your official website contact, which went unanswered.

Since this article you have now posted dozens of comments all over Facebook and Twitter attacking me and Metal Sludge.

Phil, I didn’t steal from you. I didn’t assault you and I didn’t even call you a name.

No, none of that happened.

I merely wrote that you are throwing in the towel on your latest jaunt through the music industry, and you flipped out.

Now in the last week you have hurled all the standard high-school insults, that I am: talentless, a hack, a loser, no career bottom feeder, a poser, pathetic, a nobody, never-was and that I make up bullshit about the talented people – like yourself.

These are funny since you inquired to me more than once about offering your services to play drums for Tuff.

I never entertained the thought, as I knew your questionable history.

And be cautious about what you deny, or claim, as I have screen captures to support it.

Your online attacks continued with the suggestion that I should take singing lessons and of course that I am bald.

You don’t like my headline, okay I get it.

But the endless barrage of insults and threats are unacceptable.

You even wrote (nore than once) that deserved an ass-kicking and someone should make an example of me some day.

Philip Anselmo suggested something similar happen to his former guitarist.

Then added that you yourself would physically harm me the next time you saw me.

Really?

That’s funny – you should do comedy.

Oh wait, scratch that.

Phil, seriously… quit while you’re behind.

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that at some point I would become the target of your criticism.

You’ve lost your mind on ex-bandmates, managers and other industry comrades over the years as well.

This includes scathing rants directed at members of Saigon Kick and Skid Row.

Anyone who doesn’t buy into your shit, or challenges you – causes you to unhinge.

You are (still) desperately trying to become famous and scream for attention.

I have taken the high road, until now.

I reported that you are in fact quitting drumming.

Similarly to the way you quit drumming back in 2005, when you decided to try acting.

You remember, that “Waking Up Dead” documentary you made, that you have now realized was stupid.

Your own words, are that you are embarassed and regret it.

So then you decided to be a comedian, which you then quit the stand-up to become a porn star instead.

Remember that?

Like your feature video series of you screwing old women – Senior Swingers and Pool Orgy with Grannie.

But then you likely realized how desperate that was and decided to quit porn too.

Ironically, in the ‘quit porn’ Metal Sludge post I used similar verbage: “Varone started an adult entertainment agency earlier in the year called The V Agency but has already thrown in the towel.”

Why all the drama over a fucking towel Phil?

You’re quitting, plain and simple.

Quit rock, quit comedy, quit porn and quit rock (again).

Do you see a pattern here?

Like that time when you decided to quit being an available parent.

Renember that?

When your wife divorced you for your bad habits and all that was revealed in the regretful documentary.

Then you ran away to Hollywood, 3,000+ miles away, leaving her to raise 2 young kids.

Rememebr that Phil?

What kind of a man abandons his children to pursue comedy and porn?

You Phil Varone, that is the type of person – not a man – but a hack of a human – who does that.

A quitter leaves his kids – which makes you a hack parent.