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Author
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Topic: From the band's perspective.....
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MeanMrMustard
VoivodFan
Member # 57
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posted February 20, 2003 13:46
    
I thought I'd share a portion of Robert Fripp's (King Crimson) diary that I read with the Voivod fans. While reading it, I recognized a certain parallel. I'm not posting this to knock anyone here, I honestly thought that you'd enjoy the read and perspective. I did. Here it is:
"The first day of winding up the Crimson Beast of Terror in preparation for unleashing it on the world…….One of the joys of preparing for a Crimson tour, is that "True Fans" are already reliably negative, hostile & insulting, and posting……
….But, for those True Fans who are already disappointed, even before the beginning of rehearsals, the course of action should be clear: this is not a band for you. True Fans can choose the band they patronise, but the band is not in a position to select its audience. This is clearly unfair. Life is hard enough already, so better to be kind to yourself primarily; and do us a favour, secondarily: take your business, ill-manners & poor attitude elsewhere and give them to a more grateful artist."
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nia
VoivodFan
Member # 9
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posted February 20, 2003 14:17
Thanks for posting that MMM, it gave me a lot to think about. My first question was "What is a true fan?" I wasn't sure so I did a search on Google to see what other people thought. Here's The Rules for Being a True Fan. This is for the Backstreet Boys but you can substitute Voivod where applicable:
(sorry it's so long, but a lot goes into being a True Fan) 1.) A TRUE fan can only like either, Nick, Mig, or AJ. [sub Piggy, Away, Snake & Jasonic] 2.) TRUE fans never give up, even when the odds are against them. [release of Angel Rat] That means if the BsB are driving away in their tour bus, you'll throw yourself in front of that bus before you let it get away. Pshh what's a barwire fence? Nothin that's going to keep you from [Voivod may be in a van, not a bus, don't let that stop you] 3.) A TRUE fan must at all times show mad love for the BsB. Whether it's public humiliation by wearing one of your 25 BsB shirts or if it's buying a teen magazine. [kerrang anyone?] 4.) TRUE BsB fans always stick up for their babies. When some GUY starts to make fun of them by calling them a faggot or a no talent homo, a TRUE BsB fan will deck em and then kick them where it counts. 5.) All TRUE fans must like or hate everything their fave BsB likes or hates. AJ hates clowns, you=terrified of them. Mig likes Jim Carey. Wow he's you favorite actor~! 6.) A TRUE BsB fan hates Nsync. No TRUE fan would ever like a cleptoe no talent bunch of pussies like Nsync. How could you? They bad mouth your babies and try and out do them, Nsync=INCUBUSES.
[Sub Metallica for Nsync] 7.) Speaking of Incubuses, a TRUE BsB fan hates that mofo slut Britney Spears. That no talent bitch dissed your babies just because she was pissed that the only reason her CD sold was cuz there were BsB samples on it. Britney Spears=Sucubus. 9.) TRUE fans must have their room plastered with the BsB's faces. No wall uncovered, no door exposed. 10.) A TRUE BsB fan, when meeting the BsB, must first scream in their ears and then attach themself to their hip. 11.) All TRUE fans must wear slut clothes that exposes their "assests." After all the BsB like to see a little skin, just look at their girlfriends.
[get out the tight jeans, guys] 12.) A TRUE fan must, when attending a concert, wear her favorite BsB's favorite color. Nick fans break out those green belly shirts. AJ fans you'll light up his life in those yellow shank shorts.
[red short shorts all 'round, you too h.] 13.) All TRUE BsB fans must buy anything and everything that has anything, even slightly, to do with the Backstreet Boys. Now this means crawling to daddy for his hard earn cash. But just think of your father as the Bank of Daddy, after all the BsB's management does. 14.) A TRUE BsB fan must always celebrate the BsB's birthdays. When Feburary 20th rolls around you had better get out your tastey bake ovens, blow up the balloons, and break out the strimmers cuz Brian is expecting one hell of a B-day party. So what if he's not there, those trival things don't matter to TRUE fans.
[there's a thread here on the forum with the bdays, take notes] 15.) All TRUE BsB fans must know where the BsB are at ALL times. If they're on their world tour you had better know what country is being entertained by your Nicky. If they're going to be on Rikki Lake, Rosie, or Leno you had better know at least 2 months ahead of time. 16.) Knowing where the BsB comes in handy for TRUE BsB fans because a TRUE fan would be everywhere their babies are. Oceans, mountains, volcanoes, are just a few things a TRUE BsB fan would cross just to see AJ hump the stage for the millionth time. 17.) Of course a TRUE fan must also have a complete set of all BsB TV apperances, from a 5 sec shot of them to a 5 hour countdown, a TRUE fan would have all.
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This description of a True Fan by M. Sipher was my favourite:
quote:
"True Fan" is a bullshit term used by insecure, narrow-minded people acting holier-than-thou, trying to make themselves feel better by putting themselves up on the "True Fan" pedestal while kicking others off. There is no such thing as a "True Fan". There is only "Fan". Any measurement of fandom is arbitrary and personal AT BEST.
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MeanMrMustard
VoivodFan
Member # 57
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posted February 21, 2003 13:01
I think the term True Fan was tongue in cheek. I’ve only been to one Voivod show, so I don’t know if it’s the case with them, but I’ve been to quite a few King Crimson shows, and it’s amazing; the majority of the audience (at least here in Los Angeles) is there talking about how they are not as good as they used to be. Or “this band is no where near as talented as the 80’s lineup, or the 70’s lineup, or the original lineup”. And every fan of a particular decade seems to think he’s a truer fan than the next guy and therefore is in a position to put down any current version of KC. I don’t think that Fripp has the least bit problem with a person not liking his band or posting about it, but to continue to show up to shows and buy records and post at the fan sites when you don’t like the current album just for the sole purpose of bashing and pointing out how they suck is quite pathetic. I think he’s inviting those people to realize it’s OK to say that you are no longer a fan of the band. The band is what it is today. Are you a fan of it? If you are not, than you are no longer a King Crimson fan. Therefore, please do not attend a concert or post about a band that you are not a fan of. Get it? I think the point is well made. If you only like the older material of a fan, then you WERE a fan of the band. Or to be more accurate, you are a fan of a band that no longer exists (even if includes the same members).
I think it’s obvious that some of the reviewers and concert goers of King Crimson are guilty. Not because they give unfavorable reviews, but because of the tone of the review. KCs new stuff may not be the best thing ever played by four musicians (although I happen to think that they keep reinventing themselves in a way that no other band has shown since the Beatles and Miles Davis), but when someone keeps referring to past albums, and says that they are terrible and they should hang it up; well, that’s just not an honest criticism. A particular album may not be liked, but you can never accuse King Crimson of being too old, or terrible song writers. That’s just not true. I think it would be considered a favor to Fripp if those people just stopped coming to those shows and buying their albums. It makes no since to keep showing up! Get over it. “This band is not for you.”
Way to go Fripp!
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posted February 21, 2003 01:43
posted February 21, 2003 07:00
