Scott Griffith
West Warwick, R.I.
A bone-white Gibson Les Paul guitar.
Scott Griffith, 41, called it "my ax," and he lugged that thing everywhere.
During the '80s and '90s, that meant in and out of sweet SoCal clubs like the Roxy and Whiskey A Go Go while playing lead guitar for a series of edgy hair bands that included Night Fall and StepChild.
At home in Southern California, or on tour, Griffith slept with his cueball-colored guitar at his side. Once, when he thought his guitar was missing, the hard-rocking, studded-Levi'd ax-man welled up with tears.
"He loved that guitar," said drummer Paul Wilson, 40, Griffith's California grade-school chum and bandmate.
Then, several years ago, Griffith put his Les Paul on the shelf to care for his other treasure: his daughter Kacie, now 13.
Those who know him say that Griffith had rocked hard and partied hard. After a brush with the law, Wilson said, Griffith found God. He cleaned up his act. He took up the keyboard -- at computer school. He went from long-locked Rock Star to clean-cut Mr. Mom. He went hiking with Kacie and helped her with her homework, said Suzan Griffith, who called herself Scott's common-law sister-in-law.
When his computer job forced Griffith to relocate to West Warwick, R.I., about six months ago, he took with him Kacie and his Les Paul.
When Great White played The Station in West Warwick a week ago, Griffith showed up to watch. He and Great White vocalist Jack Russell were old pals from the Southern California music scene, and Wilson said he and Griffith had even opened some shows for Great White, the band whose pyrotechnics began the heavy-metal conflagration.
Years earlier, Griffith used to joke with his bandmates that when he left this earth, he wanted to be buried with his baby. His bone-white Gibson Les Paul.
RIC KAHN
