Culver was born in Pascagoula, Mississippi, in the heart of the Gulf coast to parents who|had recently divorced during the pregnancy. His mother married young, and had two|children with his father. Another child, a second daughter came later. The only male|figure in his life was his Uncle Joe, also his namesake, as his stepfather worked off-shore|in oil exploration. Later as his adult life began, a relationship with his biological father|would come at 18. Culver began his life in a household that upon birth was normal and nurturing. By the|age of eight, with two other children to care for, a young Culver became too much to|handle and his mother placed him in a behavioral hospital. From the ages of eight to|fourteen, he was in mental institutions and boys homes. At fourteen, for two years he|was in foster care, as a ward of The State of Texas. Child Protective Services released|him to his birth mother at the age of sixteen. When he returned to Mississippi, he|dropped out of school, got his GED, and enlisted in the U.S. Navy on his seventeenth|birthday. After a year, he was offered a section eight medical discharge under what is the|equivalent of a “one-strike, you‟re out” philosophy. Culver had not been entirely|forthcoming about his past when enlisting, and it came back to bite him. His|entire life, music had been his only escape – singing whenever he got the chance.|Naturally, he immediately joined a band, and over the next several years fronted five of|them prior to assembling Papercut Massacre. The lead track off of IF THESE SCARS COULD TALK, “Left 4 Dead,” details his|indelible memories of being left by his parents. Culver recalls, “It is an apology to my|mother for being such a horrible kid. She had no other choice than to send me to these|awful places. There is no blame. When I state that, „You know that you raised me well,‟|it is crucial she understand that nothing was her fault and she did the best she could.”|There is now a common understanding between the two of them, and they are at peace|with the path that took them through hell in the past. The hook-laden “In The Middle” is the first song Culver wrote for the album. It is about|his second divorce coming to an end, with his ex-wife wanting him back when they were|too far down the path of no return. He sings,” You will forget about me real soon if you|put your mind to it.” Culver states, “It is about getting up and moving on, and that is|what I‟ve done. Sometimes, decisiveness does not come easy for some, but it is essential|that actions be made when things are not right. It simply had to be done.” A third track, “Part of You” is the story of the one girl who got away. Culver remembers,|“She left me for a guy who was going to be home every day. I chose music, and although|I miss her sometimes I have no regrets. This debut offering bridges emotions of sadness, hope, love and ultimately is a canvas of|the emotions of life. The difference in Joey Culver is he has no reservations in being|forthcoming about his troubled past and what has gotten him to this day. If we all lived|at such peace, therapists would lose a large percentage of the population utilizing their|services |
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