He grew up in a small Indiana town under strict rules and constant fear, a childhood shaped by instability, religious extremism, and abuse. Born William Bruce Rose in 1962, he endured violence at home, bullying at school, and the shattering discovery as a teenager that the man he thought was his father was not. Those early years left him angry, restless, and desperate to escape.<\/p>\n
Music became his lifeline. Singing in church choirs and school groups, he showed an undeniable presence, even as his behavior grew more defiant. Arrests and jail time followed, and by his early twenties, staying in Indiana meant a dead end. In 1982, he left for Los Angeles with little more than ambition and unresolved rage.<\/p>\n