In 1981, the world shifted. Heavy Metal climbed to the top of charts around the world, displacing older styles and bringing young rebels out of the closet to bond together under cover of ear splitting feedback and chaotic distortion. In a smoky bar in Los Angeles, two young musical brothers meet up with a leader in the scouting world and together they form a band that changed the way Metal was perceived for a generation. More than that, they formed a family that stuck together while drugs and disease brought down the nation.

Marc Gadling and Jared West made no secret of their relationship when they were on stage. As Marc’s soaring vocals took the world to higher levels and Jared’s guitar pushed the envelope with every new chord and riff, it became clear to all watching that they were lovers. But what they and band mates Jason Matthews and Tony Gadling did keep secret was Jared’s own battle with AIDS. After Jared’s death, Marc spiraled out of control and his problems with drugs and alcohol almost ended everything for the band. It took the birth of his son to bring him back from the cliff’s edge.

Even still, the Music Gods had plans for the boys in Time Machine. With guitarist Michael Wilson at the strings, they started over, again changing and challenging the world’s definitions of Metal and Family while being brought to the brink as they face the one crisis they might never recover from.

This is their story.