Wednesday, August 6, 2008

My Dad Can Beat Up Your Dad

And other exciting things...

That is the best simile I could come up with at the moment. While things are calming down on many fronts, I am still feeling conflict over on a certain message board. Postings are down the last couple days and I hate to see that sort of thing happen.

There is of course a chance that I have a distorted view of reality (it has been known to happen a time or two), but there seems to be some muscle flexing going on and for me at least, it is causing a feeling of tension. As I mentioned a couple days ago - request how you will, support Bucky how you will - it is YOUR decision. I for one choose to request both either by phone or by emailing my local DJs. I value the relationship with them and the community, and appreciate the them more than I can say. I do not rush around telling everyone that I just called the station and requested. I do it, it is done. No bragging rights in it, none that I can see anyhow. I have even been known to request songs by other (gasp) artists from time to time. Just something I do, if I like a song - I might be inclined to request it.

I feel that the wedge that has been driven between members of the fan club is being pounded deeper and deeper on a daily basis. "I did, he did, she said, you didn't" etc is all good and well - if you are in grade school - or if the chores fairy still visits your house to stick shiny stars on your chart. I don't feel any of us are worthy of the bragging rights that seem to be going around on the boards (you know which ones). If anyone at all is worthy of bragging rights, it is the man himself, his folks, his siblings and friends. They have raised up a fabulous person who we all love. That is it, that is where the credit lies.

I don't care if you personally telephoned 500 stations yesterday to put in your requests - I really honestly don't. I don't care about the mediabase requesting because it is something I don't believe helps and do believe may indeed cause harm. There is no proof to back this, but I adhere strongly to the "request in your area" mantra - I will gladly call and request in YOUR market and ask that the song be dedicated to you, but that is where I draw the line. I get that if I don't care about it, don't read it - don't do it - don't listen, etc. I find that difficult to do when the topic continues to be at the top of the page with ongoing discussion and pep talks. It makes me not want to visit the boards, as I feel like I am in the wrong for my own thoughts.

A few people are sitting at the back of the bus (the cool kids from school) and the rest of us are stumbling around looking for a seat where we won't get spit balls thrown at us. Not always an easy thing...maybe before you throw the spit balls, you should consider the feelings of the people on the receiving end. They didn't really like it in grade school even if they didn't speak up about it. I can assure you they don't appreciate it now either.

Nuf said for now...but I am still pretty sure my dad can beat up your dad.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry you feel that way. I honestly think that there is room for both types of requesting. There are lots of other things on Bucky's forums that don't deal with requesting.

Bell

Fran said...

Midask,I agree with you on the harm that out of area requesting can do. However, I do not think that "discussion" is the reason the forums are not hopping. It's a crazy time of year and some are getting kids ready for school to start next week or hitting that last summer vacation. Since ADW was released, we have been told by Lyric Street and by Bucky's Management not to request out of our local and IF we do it, it must be done very carefully. I run a website and I know who comes on when and for how long, what they do while they are there and WHERE THEY COME FROM. Radio stations website do the same. LS said the MB links were not worth our time and I am afraid that some are doing these and not streaming or checking yes first. In the big push a couple of weeks ago, I saw a station lose 27 and another 11 spins which never ever happened before. I also know those two stations were one on the mediabase links. There is no reason for anyone to be upset because their idea has been questioned or researched and found not "to be worth the time". If people want to do the mediabase links for their local station or for those that are sort of close by and they stream first and check yes to make sure Bucky has not just been played, more power to them. But, the links are very easy to use and I believe people were doing them without streaming or checking on yes first...and that could very well hurt Bucky. (ducks before someone throws something.) I love your blog!
Fran

Anonymous said...

Midask, if a certain person(s) bother you, don't pay any attention to them but don't fuel the fire by posting this (I just found it) making the "active" people feel stupid. It was a certain email sent to the "wrong group" that started this all, remember? And while apologies were sent out, it hurt some peoples feelings that thought they were the ones that were being referred to. With the exception of a few very STRONG personalities on BCO, the rest of us enjoy doing things for Bucky whether or not they are recognized and if we do post our accomplishments, we deserve to be able to do this without being made fun of or to feel bad. Sometimes this stinks but unfortunately the name of the game in this business is to get the person to the top and keep them there, this is what everyone is trying to do. Some of us post to encourage others, others do it just to let everyone know that they are out there. No agenda, just for the pure enjoyment of being a fan and giving Bucky the long career that he himself requested in the very beginning.