Venom, Inc. Interview with Tony Dolan and Abaddon

Story and interview by Melanie Falina

As most lovers of music will tell you, it's at the hardest times in their lives that music matters the most. Sure, going to concerts with friends is great, as is bringing home (or downloading) that new album by a well-loved artist. And laughing and having a few drinks among loved ones with tunes ablaze can create some of the best memories in a lifetime. But it's the struggles, the tear-shedding, anxiety ridden days and nights when we turn to the music we love as if kneeling upon an altar in prayer when we get to witness the power of music - - - how it comforts and how it heals.

And that's one of the reasons why a group like Pick Collectors Against Cancer [PCAC] makes so much sense - taking something that offers pleasure and giving back to others through it. An idea formed around something as simple as a guitar pick - a small, music related item that has the power to grant great pleasure to its owner, with a dual purpose of helping those who have been stricken with a terrible disease like cancer.

Founded by Lee Hutchinson in September of 2015, the Pick Collectors Against Cancer group was created to raise money for cancer charities and organizations and via guitar pick collecting. Hutchinson, a guitar pick collector himself, began by auctioning off music artist's guitar picks and then donating the winnings to various organizations, and then some national bands and artists got wind of what was happening and were more than happy to get involved. One of the first was New Found Glory bassist, Ian Grushka, who donated a slew of items for auction and then later came up with the idea for a custom-designed guitar pick which included logos from both the band and PCAC as part of the design. The initial custom pick with New Found Glory's logo on one side and the PCAC artwork on the other instantly became a must-have collector's item - it sold out in just six hours and raised over $1,000 alone, and thus spawning a fundamental element of the PCAC movement.

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