THE WAR FOLLOWED ME HOME

THE WAR FOLLOWED ME HOME is probably the most personal album I have ever written. These five songs come from things I have lived with myself as a Vietnam veteran—the memories, the PTSD, the nightmares, the depression, and those nights when the past can suddenly feel a lot closer than it should.

I wanted the album to follow that journey honestly. It starts with the war following you home, then moves through the battles people may never see, the nights when you need someone beside you, and finally to that morning when the darkness lifts just enough to remind you that you made it through another night.

I am not trying to say PTSD simply goes away. It doesn’t. And I am not pretending every difficult night has an easy ending. I wanted these songs to be honest about what it can be like to live with memories that come back without warning, to deal with depression, and to understand that sometimes asking for help is part of surviving.

Although these songs come from my own experiences, this album is not only about Vietnam or about me. I wrote it for veterans from every generation and every conflict who may still be carrying something home with them. - Rick Gaspa

I also wrote it for the people who stand beside us—our families, friends, fellow veterans, and the VA doctors, nurses, counselors, and others who help us through the difficult days and nights. More than anything, I want other veterans to hear these songs and know they are not the only ones carrying this.