To The Commenters
Who the hell are you, anyway?
Are you that big of a douche-bag in everyday life?
I'm just not sure where you get off saying such horrible shit about a musician that you either:
a) met once for a minute after a show
b) never met but your friend's friend did for a minute after a show
c) never met and don't know anyone who has, even for a minute after a show
d) your ex hooked up with them for more than a minute after a show and you're still pissed off about it three years later
We've all seen it happen over and over again.
Someone makes a general post about hearing a band's new record and wanting everyone's thoughts.
Within three responses, some commenter starts the crap: "These guys are assholes. The lead singer should kill himself. Music would be better."
Or something very close to that.
Do you have any idea what your words are doing to that band's morale?
Or maybe that lead singer's self-confidence?
You ever been around an artist of any type for more than five minutes?
Artists are different creatures, man.
They're highly-emotional, sensitive as hell and very in-tune to the world's vibes around them.
Like one of those characters on HEROES, they soak in the world around them and transpose it all back into a piece of art for us regular folk to enjoy.
Sometimes we don't. Sure.
But should it be up to us to tear them apart? As people?
Is that your role in life?
To be such a dick to musicians, to make them feel like such horrible failures in life, that they stop wanting to create art and just crawl into a hole back in their hometown and work at a retail store the rest of their life?
Would that make you happy?
Would you have accomplished your goal this year/month/week?
Because you spouted off some horrible accusations, most of them completely untrue, or, at the very least, blown out of proportion, it causes some band to break up? Or feel like they're shit?
Or some lead singer that you're pissed off at for whatever stupid reason is maybe now thinking to take just a few more of those pills he has to take to not be so depressed all the fucking time?
Because they read what is written online about their band.
And they see that you think they're better off dead than alive.
And you think you're so clever.
That you're so superior.
Because you shit out some bad-assed opinion about an artist then signed off and went back to your video game.
Feeling like you've just owned the world for that post online.
Because when I read your posts online and I see how bitter you are and how much of a jerk you are.
I develop the opinion that you're the one that's the failure.
That you're the one that's the dick.
That you're the one with the shitty career and whose friends can barely tolerate your conceited know-it-all attitude about everything in life.
Or maybe you tried to be a musician and you never got it going anywhere and you're now just jealous as fuck.
Because these artists are actually doing something that you would die yourself to be doing.
To be in their shoes.
And to have people actually...like you.
But, instead, you rule a message board.
For three posts of hate.
Even though you insist that you love music.
But, for some fucked up reason, dude.
The way you "love" music...
It's pretty apparent that...
Instead of liking bands here:
You prefer them here:
While a lot of musicians I know, would prefer to see you like...here:
No, dude, YOU'RE the asshole in all of this.
15 Comments:
WELL SAID! Although I have never thought it was right to destroy people with my words, whether they're in a band or not, I used to be a lot harsher than I am now when I would talk about bands that I didn't like. I realized that the bands I dislike are still filled with people that really feel like they have something to say with their music, that they are often expressing deeply personal thoughts. It takes so much freakin courage to stand up on a stage and sing about something that is so personal. I respect any musician who has the guts to do that despite all the haters.
Personally, I know someone pretty well who is in an incredible band. I've known this person since before the band was even conceived and I have heard this person express their immense passion for music. I've heard him worry about the songs and criticize himself. He's asked me at times, with what has seemed like slight anxiety, "what do you think about this song?", "What did you think about the show tonight?" for him to be open to my potential criticism (constructive criticism mind you) is a scary place to be. Most people don't have the guts for it, especially not a 14 or 15 or 16 or any freakin teenager for that matter, to open themselves up to criticism like that.
Why are musicians this special breed that seems to attract a unique form of hate? People's remarks are so specific, so personal. It's like slapping them in the face after they've taken the time to open up to you and told you their deepest feelings. I don't think musicians should be babied, but give them the respect they deserve dang it!
When I was around 14-16 there were a some bands that immensely impacted my life and I went to a good amount of their shows and met them, but it took me such a long time to tell them how their music helped me and impacted me. Some I just never took the chance to tell them. I regret that. I wish I would have been more bold, the fact was I was scared to open up to them! I was terrified of what they would think or how I would be perceived. When I finally did tell two of the bands how much I appreciated them and their music, I ended up crying both times and feeling like a fool, but I could see how important it was to them that I opened up to them. Partially, I did it for myself, but mostly for them because I wanted them to know that they had an impact and that somebody cared about them and their music and what they had to say.
I don't care anymore about what the cool way to act around a band is, or what the cool thing is to say. I don't care if I say something and some random kid who is trying to look cool in front of the band gives me a sneer and thinks I'm a freak. Ultimately, what it comes down to is respect and understanding. Even if you don't like a band, respect them and understand that just because you can't relate to their music doesn't mean that it isn't important to the artist or to anyone who may be listening.
Wow. This blog really set me off! Ha ha!
Thanks for posting. You had a lot of good things to say all of which I agree with.
You're my hero. Thank you for saying this. Even if i don't like a band, i get extremely upset when people write shit on message boards that is extremely uncalled for. People tend to forget that the people they're talking about on message boards are actually human beings and not some made up character. It's the anonymity of the message board world that tends to make people forget the rule, if you don't have anything nice to day, don't say anything at all. It gives people this holier than thou attitude to where they think they can post things without there being any consequences. There definitely are. Bands just don't usually talk about them. So once again, thank you for posting this. But unfortunately, it might not get through the thick skulls of the people it needs to...
Right on Mike! It makes me sick to read people post things about how a band or a particular band member should just "go die". Seriously? I mean come on, just because you don't like it doesn't mean others don't like it and enjoy it. I never feel right about being overly critical when it comes to critiquing a band because I know that they are doing what they love and that what they put into their album comes from them and is something that they wanted to create. Who am I to say that someones creativity is horrible? I have the right to an opinion but I would never go far enough to say something so horrible about a band or a person. I don't understand why people even take the time to be so mean and rude about a band when they could easily be doing something more productive! Sure, I have my fair share of bands that I don't enjoy that much and some that I don't even like at all but I still respect them and wish them the best of luck for doing and creating what they wish. I would never want to make a musician or any person in general, feel less important than someone else. Kudos for writing this blog :)! I hope some of those jerks out there read it and hopefully it will knock some sense into them and if not then I guess they will just have to live with themselves knowing that they are just an asshole
The people you refer to just want to pick a fight online because they can't take shit in real life. Real music fans don't have time to talk smack on other bands because we spend to much time HYPING UP the bands we LOVE!
Very well stated.
I agree fully with everything, coming from a local band myself.
I know that everything we hear we try to take into consideration, but with the negative attitudes it doesn't make anything much better.
I could only imagine for some of the larger bands, what it must feel like to be hated on when you are so successful.
I'm having a little trouble reconciling this blog post with Pettigrew's latest. Cognitive dissonance in the AP Skyscraper?
Ahh finally, someone said it. Thank you. *breathes a sigh of relief*
Keep up the good work! :)
I have said this very thing a hundred times.
I'm really glad someone of your stature in the music world finally put it out there. Maybe some of these losers will take it to heart this time.
Thank you.
And so his word rings true!
And the faithlessness find faith!
And so his word rings true!
And the faithlessness find faith!
You sir, are my hero. Thank you SO MUCH for saying that. I hope those fuckers actually listen and realize what they're doing.
Amen! I have always wondered where people got the nerve to say such horrible and hateful things about people they don't even know. I guess some people just get a high from making others feel like dirt. Thanks for saying it out loud, Mike. You are awesome!
HA! Yes Mick Shea! You are so right. Bands work hard for what they do while you can sit in your computer chair and make fun of them all day long while not accomplishing anything but hurting some feelings. Bands do read comments too so people should think about if they would say it to their face before they type hateful comments.
i fckn love you
Kudos to you Mike.
It's just barbaric that low-life scum think they have power by opinionating themselves on message boards. All it really does is make lifeforms who actually care about a band's emotional and physical well-being hate another face of cyberspace.
So to the douche bags: Hating on people that have the talent you lack doesn't make you cool. -Nothing Peronal
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