My OPEN letter to Nick Options

[VoodooLady]

Dear Nick,

I’ve debated writing this, mainly because I struggle to put into words the effect your posts have on me. Yet, here I am feeling the need to put some words to paper – so I will give it a go.

There were a few days a week or so ago, where your presence was notably absent – and in reading the boards I felt an odd sense of what some might construe as peace, a sense of healing even. Reading the posts folks were making about Chad’s blog, I found myself starting to “forgive” Ed (for a lack of a better word). The hardness in my heart started to thaw. Geez, I even debated maybe downloading a few of the songs from Alive that folks here seem to agree were among the best from the album. I do truly adore Ed’s voice- and I have missed it – and I’ve found listening to the old stuff painful. After reading Chad’s words, I listened to my favorite Live album – SS – refreshed and anew.

Were there still EK vs. TGF debates and discussions going on, absolutely- and as tough as before. BUT - to my amazement, I could read the debates rationally without some bizarre feeling of anger creeping in.

And now you are back. And in reading the discussion threads that you’ve been posting in, there came back that old icky feeling. Your blind devotion to Ed and your inability to honestly critique him (or TGF for that matter) is infuriating to watch. I found myself thinking, “WTF was I thinking of downloading some of Alive? No way”

Go ahead and argue all you want with this post – nothing you can say will change the way I feel. At the end of the day, all I want to accomplish in this “letter” to you is make one point, or rather pose one question to you.

Has it ever dawned on you that you might be doing Ed more harm than good? That the negative emotions you manage to evoke here might very well be transferred to one’s feelings about Ed? And if so, how can that possibly be good for “marketing?”

Ok. That is all, and I truly feel like a tool for writing this – peace out.

[Pokey]

It's funny you mentioned that, with Nick's absence I felt the same way, like things would settle, but once he's back he makes a completely ridiculous statement and fires everyone up again. He has a unique ability to frustrate. If he were an X-man that would be his power, to completely bewilder people with ridiculous comments.

It is true that he is unwittingly doing Ed harm by the way he blindly defends him. He does remind me of a politician or spin doctor. If Nick were a political figure of a party I had resentments about his handling of himself does himself no favours. How often do you wish a politician would show a bit of character or personality and not give a cliched answer? How often have you thought "it's a shame he isn't more personable?" ... I find myself thinking that all the time when they just bunker down into their defensive shell and refuse to act like a human being.
This is what Nick does.

This is why I've repeatedly said it's a shame Nick doesn't join in on conversations that have nothing to do with sales or charting or marketing. Seeing Nick make a post on a thread about an old 1995 bootleg that's been uploaded showing his excitement would be awesome! Seeing Nick relive his first Live concert experience purely from the point of view of a music fan would be great. But we never see these things from him. Maybe a conversation about lyrics interpretations like the one recently about Sparkle ... nope, nothing.

outtodry is probably the biggest spruiker of TGF, but that's not all, he can join in conversations about things that don't have to do with promoting TGF or TGF vs Ed, this is why he is viewed differently to Nick. Because we know his passion lies with the music and that's why it drives him to spruik.

The big one to me was when CT posted that amazing blog, that truely was epic. All Nick could think about was how it might hurt Ed's reputation and sales. Who the FUCK thinks that after reading such an emotional and interesting insight into their apparent favorite band? Why the fuck is Ed's financial situation the most important thing to come out of that? The majority of Ed related content in that article was positive, and anyone who decides not to buy Ed's album based on that blog is an idiot anyways. The article wasn't about hurting Ed, hell the letter Dimitry wrote never even mentioned Ed ... it's not a fucking TGF vs Ed thing, it was about the history of Live's recording. The fact Nick couldn't appreciate this and join in with everyone else as we were digesting it was just astounding ... and this is his "favorite band".
Being a fan of the band is about the music, and everything CT posted was about the passion and situations behind the music, where it all came from, where the emotions and recordings were born from .. it's the sort of shit that if you're a real fan of the band you'd be eating up. Not to Nick, to him it should be kept private to maximise sales or something, probably because he read it in a book. Sad.

I shouldn't care so much, and certainly once I press the little x in the top right corner of the screen my care factor for it hits zero because there are much more important things in life than Nick's annoyance. But it's just a shame the guy is a complete robot and can't show some personality and passion for the music and the band and the bands history.

This post has been edited by Pokey: Jul 27 2010, 12:39 am

[Badman]

This is why I've repeatedly said it's a shame Nick doesn't join in on conversations that have nothing to do with sales or charting or marketing. Seeing Nick make a post on a thread about an old 1995 bootleg that's been uploaded showing his excitement would be awesome! Seeing Nick relive his first Live concert experience purely from the point of view of a music fan would be great. But we never see these things from him. Maybe a conversation about lyrics interpretations like the one recently about Sparkle ... nope, nothing.

Nick, Respond to this. It is the single most important paragraph in the thread. Are you a fan of live or are you a fan of Ed?

[SJN1279]

Nick, Respond to this. It is the single most important paragraph in the thread. Are you a fan of live or are you a fan of Ed?

I was a fan of Live since 1995. The first time I saw the "I Alone" video on MTV, I was hooked on the band. I have always been a fan of Live's message in their music. The themes of love and finding a deeper meaning in life were key to me. The second time I saw the band in concert in 2001(Atlantic City-Trump Taj), I became even more of a fanatic.

I can listen to any track off of any of Live's 7 studio albums and enjoy it. I am not able to do that with any other band on the planet. I also like every song on "Alive" and have listened to that CD numerous times since I purchased it earlier this month. I am pretty sure I will not be able to do that with The Gracious Few's upcoming CD.

So I am a fan of Live, but Ed is clearly my favorite member of the band.

[thefunkyredcaboose]

So I am a fan of Live, but Ed is clearly my favorite member of the band.

You sound like one of those teeny bopper Twilight girls... Team Edward!

Favorite member of a band... sheesh. Talk about missing the point of a BAND.

[+Ed+]

You sound like one of those teeny bopper Twilight girls... Team Edward!

[crazy1]

I have nothing useful to contribute so...to the above pic