Dave Mead and I have known each other since back when the Earth was still cooling. He owned the first drum set I ever got to play and when he dropped out of school to play in the heavy metal band Ambush, he became the first professional rock musician I had ever known.   He grew up in a terribly turbulent home and learned every lesson the hard way. We talk about his journey through a childhood with a charismatic Christian mom, a pugilistic step-father, rock and roll excess and motel life before his 18th birthday, and how he made his way back to music after a 20 year break.