Another Great Promotion!, Closer is Itunes single of the week Options

[thefunkyredcaboose]

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/closer/id...95?i=385203876+

This post has been edited by thefunkyredcaboose: Sep 22 2010, 9:50 am

[NiTRO]

Hey TGF fans! New member/ 1st post. I was a long time Candlebox crew member and friend of Kevin's so I guess that puts me in the "inner-circle". I need to get Kev's back here for a minute but will be doing it from my perspective rather than attempting to put words in his mouth.

I have had fun lurking around here and watching the sparks fly since Kevin told me the news of the collaboration between the two bands. Clearly Live has spawned a passionate group of super-fans and that is fantastic. I was the Admin of one of Candlebox's first fan sites and moderated similar impassioned debates, some healthy while others went south on any given topic. It is the nature of the beast but it can also be managed if cooler heads prevail.

Kevin has echoed many of my thoughts here and my perspective is that he was speaking more generally about the level of disrespect between some members rather than specifically about what went down in this thread vis a vis sarcasm, etc...

It's no surprise that there are a small few individuals who would rather drop a stinky turd in the punchbowl and stir it vigorously rather than post respectful, constructive criticisms or perspectives on a topic. This in turn, gets others fired up and the battle begins. The passion here is evident but the repeated "turds" make for a sometimes toxic environment and regardless of intention, things end up becoming personal when the insults fly. Further, it is safe to assume that the band members are also lurking and can't help but feel the sting when speculation and criticism around their art is waged in such an inflammatory manner and often times, directly at them.

Most artists don't create their material for the fans specifically but they certainly feed off of the response - they are people with feelings, not just a product or brand. The inspiration to make music is deep and comes from personal experiences and so when things become trivial and hurtful, it leaves an impression.

One thing I will say about Kevin is that he adores people and tends to his fans more closely than any musician I have ever seen, and I toured for a lot of years experiencing many different bands and how they "really" are. He is tireless in his attention to his fans and takes time to personally invest himself in their experiences. Kevin is far from egotistical, arrogant or narcissistic. This is one committed showman who is so passionate about the music he is involved in. Any band would be lucky to have him in the mix.

Lastly, from everything I have seen and heard, TGF is keenly focused on making inspired rock & roll and putting on solid live performances, not battling Ed, sending him "F-Yous" via their music, or selling 5 million records. Yes, they would love to be successful as any band would, but they put their art and themselves out there, and the rest is ultimately up to the fans to determine.

- off my soapbox -

BTW: I think the record is freakin' awesome! So many moods and flavors to digest. It may not be for everyone but for those who like a core rock record with a classic bent, SAH-WEE-EET!

I was able to meet the Live guys back in '93 at the same time Kevin did, and was reintroduced to C,C,& P during a visit to the studio in Dec and could immediately feel the chemistry between the 5 guys. All top notch people and players. I wish TGF all the success in the world because they are in it for all of the right reasons!

Thanks for listening to my yackin' - Kent