The Song Fight Bulletin Board

I have been talking with Bjam for some time about becoming more and more disenchanted at some of the attitudes being adopted here on Songfight forums. I joined two years ago for two reasons. 1.) to support and encourage Bjam 2.) to find a motivation for me to try to make music more regularly in spite of the daily struggle and noise of work and family life.

I have tried to contribute thoughtfully, positively and with good humour and on the whole I would like to think I am considered a positive member of the community. My weekly contributions have not been regular and I have found it easier to contribute to coverfights rather than weekly original songs. I guess that the lyrical muse is just not with me with all the other distractions. That problem plus a hellish 3 weeks at work lead to my withdrawal from Nur Ein for example. Time just wasn't working for me.

So when I make the effort to use some vacation time to enter a song that meets the weekly criteria and Phil Redmon's Songfight 1.2 and get the reaction like the posting that "reached the tipping point" it just becomes very disheartening.

Unfortunately attitudes and responses like that have just become to much a regular feature on Songfight to make it worth my time to continue to contribute for now. I just don't have the energy to spare to deal with attitudes like that with good humour.

I know my music would be considered too "Middle of the Road" to many, some people may even question my musical ability at all, but heck I was having fun and trying to learn more.

So with my son going to college this year, a very busy year at work ahead trying to close some deals that will pay for said college fees and a long postponed project to cover some of my favourite Scottish traditional songs, I am going to leave Songfight (for now). For those who consider themselves friends, please stay in touch through Bjam or by email.

Good fortune and may the muse still strike you 24 hours before a deadline.
TTFN

i don't know what was said to bother you, but i'll be bummed if you disappear. you're definitely more of an et than a hole.

you do terrific music stu.

Hm, Stuey, don't let that bizarreness get to you, but I hope you find your way back here sometime.
Do some more duets with your lovely family!
Good luck on your album... hope we can hear it sometime.
-bill

I don't know what about Treachjuris' remark caused this (I think she meant it in jest) but I'm very sad to see you go. After actually meeting you, I hoped to hear more music from you. You're a great musician. I've been raving about the Jason Mraz cover ever since the show. Your music is far from middle of the road. And you've been a great personality here on Songfight. I hope you can get past whatever's been bothering you about Songfight and stick around.

(Trust me, I've had this day before. I even did a whole entry about it- "Blueberry Hassle" by Suave Noise Youth.)

Hey Stuey,
For what it's worth, I've always enjoyed your work. It would be nice if you'd stick around. But, you shouldn't feel compelled to do anything if you're not enjoying it.

It's sometimes hard to do but you just have to learn that the comments of some anonymous moron on the internet don't really matter at all. So, don't let them get to you.

Steve

Cheers Stuey - don't stay away too long, though I can also appreciate that real life can really cut into one's time (stupid real life...)

...though I do intentend to drag you back at some stage with that collaboration you suggested

what a pussy.

Stuey - I've been there many times as well. I've not had the time to produce much this past year and I'm not often at home with the misc rants that people produce, so I just submit when I can and take the rest with a grain of salt. Because one insightful review is more than I get anywhere else.

If I thought that comment was the only thing that was bumming you out, I would scream and kick and lock the door so you couldn't get out. You're a great musician, an entertaining presence on the board, and a very welcome thread of sanity in the, uum, threads.

I can see above that there's other stuff in the way, and so I'm not gonna make a huge scene; but I would ask you to reconsider.

Also, songfight is worse than nicotine for giving up

j$

I know we started out on the wrong foot (or rather I did) but it was great meeting you and learning that we have some crucial things in common (as well as learning that Jacob doesn't know anything about Johnny Cash!). I won't soon forget the amazing reception me and mine received in PA. Best of luck in the future and hope to see you around again.

hey, this may be the final, final straw, but it comes from the heart, written & recorded in the last hour (and does it show!)

a little easter egg for StueyM

j$ wrote:hey, this may be the final, final straw, but it comes from the heart, written & recorded in the last hour (and does it show!)

a little easter egg for StueyM

i'd just been following this thread without planning to post as i am a noob... but, that is one of the coolest things i've ever heard. there are some damn fine people on songfight! well done j$ and well done stueym for impactacting folks so much that they would use their art to encourage and uplift ya.

word. i nominate johnny cashpoint unofficial songfight ambassador to the UK.

This certainly isn't Monkey Business, but without a Serious Business thread to post in I can see why you posted here. Stueym, I've never met you, I've only read and listened to your contributions here at Songfight. It would be a hell of shame to lose you in this community. Someone as reasonable and intelligent as the guy who posted this is especially difficult to take.

If you stand by your decision, and I certainly understand if you do, Songfight will be lesser than just the sum of one member. I thank you for all of your contributions, and hope you will reconsider. If not, I hope you're happy in every other endeavor in your life. I have no doubt about your ability to succeed at those.

Awwww, Stueym, I'm but a noob 'round these parts, but I hope you stick around / return when life is less overwhelming. You're a good scotch egg, sir!

(and certainly, I wouldn't take ANY upsetting comment too much to heart... this whole message board thing is a funky / imperfect medium for expression. I haven't seen the offending post, but the perp could have been joking/facetious/drunk/all three.)

--M

I believe it's more of a lack of time/artistic frustration rather than "Omg, you guys suck so bad, you are teh meanies". Seriously, he's away from home on business a ton(all next week he's in Atlanta for some business thing, last week he was in Cincinatti, and the week leading up to SF PA he was pretty much away every night on business) and there are just not enough hours in the day to make everything fit.

That said, man, such an emo post.

Anyway, we're still coming to SF Santa Cruz, so unfortunately you're not getting rid of him that easily.

I've only been around for a few weeks, Stueym, but you struck me from the beginning as a class act.

As a fellow father, I fully intend to be as cool as you and take an active role in my children's interests, whether that includes music or not. bJam is very fortunate. Also, having read about the PA get-together, it is great that you are so supportive not only of your daughter's endeavors, but those of other songwriters.

Best wishes.

MM

jack wrote:you're definitely more of an et than a hole.

bwuh?

(already tried googling to no avail).

ok thanks (see below)

tviyh wrote:

jack wrote:you're definitely more of an et than a hole.

bwuh?

(already tried googling to no avail).

stick an ass in front of either one.

tviyh wrote:

jack wrote:you're definitely more of an et than a hole.

bwuh?

(already tried googling to no avail).

That would be ass"ET" and ass"HOLE".

EDIT: Jack beat me by about a minute.

Hole. (JKJ)