RIP
Pagan Hel
By Victoria Purcell
“ Although my fingers don’ t play frets they write with enthusiasm for metal!!!!!!”- Pagan Hel.
Pagan wrote hundreds of reviews for RAMzine over the past five years. She truly loved music and showcasing it through reviewing. Pagan was always on time, in fact always early and always wanted to hear more. She had been known to review up to eight albums a week in her prime and carried on reviewing right up to her final weeks. It’ s safe to say that her preferred genre was death metal, however, she did dabble in other genres, telling us that she would be happy reviewing any style.
Pagan Hel was her reviewing alias and what she prefered to be called. She lived and grew up in Liverpool, where she attended many gigs and was an honorary member of biker club North West Harley. Her partner Graham Roadhog Lee who is in classic rock band Roadhog was extremely supportive of her. Our thoughts are with him in this difficult time.
After five years of reviewing and our first zine without her, it weights heavy. However, we shall remain positive, as that is exactly what Pagan did, right until the end. Strength like that is truly inspiring, and that is a lesson of
courage we will take with us. When I think of all the articles that Pagan wrote over the years, there is one that stands out, her feature on Dio. Here is an excerpt from Pagan’ s Article on DIO in Issue 2 of RAMzine:
After being fortunate and truly honoured, I met Dio back in 1984 at the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool during the‘ Holy Diver’ tour. I noted he possessed a caring and nurturing nature and adored his fans. He took time to speak with everyone who turned up to see him and was indeed a genuine and wonderful man blessed with heaps of talent! The name Dio means‘ God’ in Italian and I personally feel this title is suited to a man of so much importance in the rock music industry.
Pagan liked to laugh and joke and she kept in good spirits. We will never forget her determination for championing music, and her contribution not just to RAMzine but the music industry as a whole.
Donations are being collected for Cat welfare, P. D. S. A and Marie Curie Hospice( Speke Road, Woolton) in Pagans honour.
Pagan with partner Graham
Pagan with editor Vicky