spring/summer dates (devil's advocate)

[Mr. T.]

Apparently few people (no, not you Ratsprayer) seem to care about the situation.

European and Australian fans first get  a tour postponed and then cancelled.

after that, not one single word. Not of any bandmember, not of any pr or managementperson. And that's a shame.

I don't need my daily update of MMJ trivia, I/any fan just would like to know what's happening.
The european/australian tour gets cancelled, and what's the next update...: Bonnaroo.
That might  just create the wrong idea that the non-american fanbase gets neglected.
A litte more information could whipe out all these doubts/speculations/questions, and I'm not talking about toilet paper.

I know it's just music.

GO MMJ GO 8)

[aMillionDreams]

That's a pretty dick question, ratsprayer.  

John's right, you dudes.  If there's no news, why post about it?  Do you WANT them to have dumb-ass pr that makes shit up and tells you superfluous information that you don't really need to know?

I think that it's a fair question.  Remember that Conaway defended the use of copy-right protection on Z because it deterred criminals like me from pirating mmj's music.  I think he's since changed his tune about that one, but he obiously defends this band and anything associated with it no matter what the situation.

And I think Ratsprayer has a point.  If they are scheduling dates then there must be some news that we don't know about "officially".  Like Jim is expected to fully recover by June. Or Jim is recovering and his condition is not getting worse.  Obviously, management has some idea of where they are going to tour and how Europe fits in to their tour or else they wouldn't have already announced two dates.  I don't live in Europe I'm just saying that the band's PR team sucks and they deserve better.

[SMc55]

I like to think of this place as somewhere someone can 'think aloud' and it seems to me that's just what ratsprayer's done.

What it's reminding me of now is the dabate (row?) people had a while back about not being allowed to say anything that could remotely be construed as negative. Ratsprayer was at great pains to emphasise he wasn't criticising band members but it didn't do him any good.

I personally wouldn't mention gigs at all because it seems it doesn't matter what you say or how you say it you get the "ungrateful European bastards" teatment.

[Larry Kurtz]

i think there are some real concerns here that everyone seems to be neglecting...

does it seem like a good idea to ease back into touring after battling pneumonia to take an 8 hour flight to europe?  or perhaps to take a 5 hour van ride to bonnaroo?  which is the more logical scenario?  yeah, that's what i thought.

but more importantly why do you all care so much?  what is it about fandom that causes folks to demand so much from artists?  its a little ridiculous.  perhaps now isn't the time for you to know what is going on in this band's life.  this is perhaps the first time in the many years of this band's existence where they get a little bit of a break.  perhaps they just want to be left alone for a while.  i think that would mean more than any success or making up dates or whatever other "opportunities" may be missed.

[SMc55]

i think there are some real concerns here that everyone seems to be neglecting...

does it seem like a good idea to ease back into touring after battling pneumonia to take an 8 hour flight to europe?  or perhaps to take a 5 hour van ride to bonnaroo?  which is the more logical scenario?  yeah, that's what i thought.

but more importantly why do you all care so much?  what is it about fandom that causes folks to demand so much from artists?  its a little ridiculous.  perhaps now isn't the time for you to know what is going on in this band's life.  this is perhaps the first time in the many years of this band's existence where they get a little bit of a break.  perhaps they just want to be left alone for a while.  i think that would mean more than any success or making up dates or whatever other "opportunities" may be missed.

You've made some good points Larry. We really don't have a right to know what's going on in their lives. Or about their medical conditions or even thier touring plans.

But we do have a right to talk about it. To speculate even. A lot of what goes on on this forum is fantasy......favourite this or that. We're grown up enough to know that an idea somebody expresses is just their opinion.

I don't believe ratsprayer was demanding anything of any artist.

[short term memory]

after that, not one single word. Not of any bandmember, not of any pr or managementperson. And that's a shame.

patrick posted a whole thing about jim being sick and his appreciation for you ungrateful "fans" who apparently have nothing better to do with your lives than sit around and bitch about people you don't even know.  what the fuck ever.

[aMillionDreams]

patrick posted a whole thing about jim being sick and his appreciation for you ungrateful "fans" who apparently have nothing better to do with your lives than sit around and bitch about people you don't even know.  what the fuck ever.

Who's being ungrateful, all I said was they deserve a better PR team.  Jesus, it is impossible to have any sort of reasonable debate about anything on this board recently without being called an ungrateful loser.  If you have so much to do with your time, shorttermmemory, why don't you keep your comments to yourself.  

[peanut butter puddin surprise]

you and "reasonable" debate are not synonmous terms.

[peanut butter puddin surprise]

to wit:

I think that it's a fair question.  Remember that Conaway defended the use of copy-right protection on Z because it deterred criminals like me from pirating mmj's music.  I think he's since changed his tune about that one, but he obiously defends this band and anything associated with it no matter what the situation

What, do you sit around and read my posts from years ago?  Should I be flattered?  Or creeped out?  Do you have a voodoo doll of me with 9000 pins sticking in it?  

[ratsprayer]

Jesus, it is impossible to have any sort of reasonable debate about anything on this board recently without being called an ungrateful loser.  

yes, it is.  when you get too close to making a good point, youre demanding too much and wanting half-truths.  oh yeah, and asking dick questions.  personally, i think its hilarious there cant be any debate, especially in the fucking title of my thread i created here i blatantly say devil's advocate.  i dont live in europe, but the past few days ive gotten a real sense of what some of the european and australian fans must be thinking.  i wasnt putting words in their mouths, but heaven forbid, ive started something certain people can handle!  maybe PR should shut me up, it could even be "unofficial" for all i care.  

[ratsprayer]

to wit:


What, do you sit around and read my posts from years ago?  Should I be flattered?  Or creeped out?  Do you have a voodoo doll of me with 9000 pins sticking in it?  

aMD and I are going to start sharing it, if you must know.   ;)

[corey]

What, do you sit around and read my posts from years ago?  Should I be flattered?  Or creeped out?

Not taking sides here....but in aMD's defense, that was only a couple of months ago. Most people here remember that.

Just sayin'.

[peanut butter puddin surprise]

that's not what this is about;  but then again, this has gotten so twisted, who the fuck knows what it's about.

If you, as a fan, want to sit around and dream up some bullshit about what you think might happen in some far away universe, so be it.  To say the band's PR machine sucks because there isn't a daily update about things, well that's just uninformed.  They don't have the word, so why do they suck if they haven't been informed of anything?  

[ratsprayer]

that's not what this is about;  but then again, this has gotten so twisted, who the fuck knows what it's about.

If you, as a fan, want to sit around and dream up some bullshit about what you think might happen in some far away universe, so be it.  To say the band's PR machine sucks because there isn't a daily update about things, well that's just uninformed.  They don't have the word, so why do they suck if they haven't been informed of anything?  

no daily update is needed.  the point was just made that the bonnaroo date has been confirmed.  therefore, it can be said that jim must be feeling better and able to start touring later in the year some time.  know what that means?  that means PR knows something.  they could tell us jim is getting better, dates are being scheduled, blah blah blah.  i dont know what you cant understand about that.  are you on the PR team, john?  is this why youre taking this criticism to heart?

[peanut butter puddin surprise]

well, you know what, whatever.  I haven't gotten my daily download into my left frontal lobe as to what color underwear Patrick is wearing today, so I guess I should be pissed.

You guys really make this unpleasant for no reason.  Someone bitches about something, I retort with plain and simple words, and it turns into a flame war.

Fuck it.

[peanut butter puddin surprise]

no daily update is needed.  the point was just made that the bonnaroo date has been confirmed.  therefore, it can be said that jim must be feeling better and able to start touring later in the year some time.  know what that means?  that means PR knows something.  they could tell us jim is getting better, dates are being scheduled, blah blah blah.  i dont know what you cant understand about that.  are you on the PR team, john?  is this why youre taking this criticism to heart?

I take it personally?  Um, no.  I'm just sorry I even responded in the first place.  

[mmjpr]

ok - here's the update everyone!!!

jim is getting better.  dates are being scheduled.

[ratsprayer]

it is unpleasant to talk about bad things some times.  id like to know how you think anyone who disagrees is on the side of bitching.  i really wish i could use plain and simple words, but then again a lot of people seem to understand where im coming from...

[mmj breakfast crew]

ok you want an update?

here's what the boys had for breakfast this morning:

jim- wheaties (gotta stay strong and healthy!)

carl- his girlfriend (not literally)

bo- cigarettes & ice cream

tommy- certainly not a haircut

patrick- 3 children (literally)

[EC]

ratsprayer, I'm sorry I called your question a dick question.  Dick was maybe too penile, and perhaps added to the air of weirdness and harshness that is going spaztic in this thread.  I still don't think it was a fair thing to throw in there, but maybe I should shut up sometimes.