3/9/2011 - KEEP ME AWAY FROM INTERNET FORUMS or how somehow I manage to be either despised or loved on the internet, but never ignored - unless, of course, you talk about this blog

My tastes may be old fashioned, in the sense that I would rather buy a record on vinyl than download music on the computer, watch a good old silent film than a CGI filled Hollywood blockbuster etc. But when it comes to the internet, I am fully appreciative of its function. There is no better means of communication, and in many ways it is the most 'real' means of communication in my opinion. It is also, obviously, much smarter than television (a medium I am not an owner of, and happily so).

Of course, the internet is filled with assholes, people that generally get a kick out of mocking or making fun of others to the point where it gets cheaply insulting and a representation of ignorance. No matter, the world is ignorant in itself...

I am often a rather uncomfortable character. I have strange views and beliefs that actually goes against even the views and beliefs of the minorities. For instance, I am neither left winged or right winged - I am totally apolitical. So apolitical that anarchy to me represents a useless and frivolous utopia. I am a vegetarian, which to the majority is a world represents weakness - but I say, what's weak about drastically opposing any kind of murder? I will save this argument, for it is something I will probably discuss in another post.

Back to the subject at hand - lately, as I explained in my last post, I have been desperately looking for a suitable replacement for the guitarist of our band that decided to quit. My posts on the internet have been rather futile, and in the space of two days, on two different forums, I was banned and ridiculed.

I have no shame, nor do I have anything to be ashamed of, so here is the account of my latest misadventures on these two forums.

One of them was boards.ie, an Irish website. The drummer in the band posted, upon my request, a notice regarding the search for a guitarist. This was the second time we put up a post for a guitarist, and the first time was as useless as the second time, as we never got replies. So, once again disenchanted by the possibilities of us finding a guitarist on that website, I posted on the thread:

'this website is useless for finding musicians, mate'.

That is when the world seemed to have collapsed.

Right away I got a warning from the forum moderator, appalled by my behaviour, and eventually from a member of the leading staff of the website, saying that I was risking a ban, which would be issued upon me instantly if I dared to post anything else on that thread (the thread regarding my band and the same thread that existed because of me!). But I, never one to back away from a challenge, posted almost immediately by quoting the warnings and following them up with a sarcastic:

'LOL'

BAM!!! Private messages, e-mails and replies telling me that I was banned...for a whole week! Now, this isn't because I 'ruined' a thread. This is simply because I dared to give out about the website on the website. It's bloody censorship, and it's downright wrong. The official reason behind my ban was that my criticism was not constructive. But come on, people, forums aren't so complicated to figure out - what kind of constructive criticism could I offer to something that works on a simple formula that couldn't be changed...

Moving on.

My quest for a guitarist continued. I posted the notice on a local Galway website dedicated to its music scene. In it, I let loose and specified that we hated the guitarist for quitting the band cos he left us hanging after we had made so many commitments and so on. Long story short, I NEVER GOT A HELPFUL REPLY!

The people on the forum, definitely having loads of time on their hands, immediately started shooting on me being so personal on the initial thread, and making fun of me for some reason I do not understand. Eventually, it even got down to people advising me not to start a band and instead go to college and get a real job. Now, this is supposed to be members of the local music scene! The explanations are two; one, is that they are all miserable failures with nothing better to do during their day but prevent other bands stealing their saturday night slots in run down bars around the country. Two, just regular trolls looking for something to do between masturbation sessions.

Either way, after numerous posts that did not help my initial quest, I ended up targeting one guy who had given me the friendly advice of sticking with being an average Joe (like predisposition for art is something anyone can just give up) and called him things like 'gobshite' and 'miserable cunt'.

I won't get into it too much, but the whole thing uncontrollably developed from there into a jibe fest. Some guy, who must really have been bothered by my posts, decided to post links to various of my pages. Which is fine with me, make fun of me, I don't give a fuck. But when you make fun of the band, that is when I want to look you up and if I ever know who you are, give you a beating.

I'm a lover not a fighter, but hurt my pride and I'll shove your teeth down your throat, and I'll do it too, because I'm a mean hothead if you mess me.

The thread is still going on, and this is the link to it.  http://www.screamformegalway.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=musicians&action=display&thread=4057

Unfortunately, you have to be a member to view it, and I wouldn't bother signing up though it takes a few seconds. I think what annoys me the most about this thread is the people that keep saying this is the best thread ever. I don't really know what to say, some people are like that, they get a kick out of mocking people. I do it too in real life.

The only thing is, they know my name, and I don't know theirs, and that really bothers me. I know most are metalheads. But I really would love to know who they are...oh boy would I ever!