Rant of the Week: internet trolls and my credibility

So last night before I went to bed, I had an interesting brief encounter online. I had posted a comment on a local news channel’s FB page regarding this year’s Taste of Minnesota line up.  Almost immediately I got a response from some fool who told me I had no credibility all because I said I wanted to go see Halestorm at Taste of Minnesota after I said I would pass on the rest of the (mostly godawful) bands. Judging from what little I gleaned off this toad’s FB page, he had no credentials in the music scene whatsoever. Of course I had to response automatically with “So says a complete stranger on the internet.”  It goes without saying (almost) that his comment pissed me off enough to make trying to go to be bed difficult.  Of course that idiot’s comment immediately was going to be my next blog entry.

As much as I enjoy ridiculing particular artists from time to time (i.e Nickelback, Avril Lavigne, Limp Bizki), I do go out of the way to not cut down the fans who enjoy those artists/bands. I do have some manners. Not only do I think it is rude but I also would consider it a form of bullying too. Just because someone likes a band you do not like does not give you permission to cut them down by telling them they have no credibility.  Obviously some people haven’t gotten out of their high school phase. If there is one I have learned from some of my friends in the local music scene is to not be embarrassed of the music I listen to. Listening to more than one genre of music or even mainstream isn’t going to kill a person. If I want to see Halestorm, I am going to see them whether some internet troll likes it or not. This mentality of who has street cred or not needs to go. I once felt that way when was into the indie punk scene and was reading 'zines like Flipside and Maximum Rock 'N Roll but eventually I grew up and so should idiots like that internet troll who pissed me off. Music should be about community and sharing our same interests with other fans, not tearing other people down.

I have been called a lot of names on the internet and I let those just fly off me. What I don’t take lightly is having my credibility questioned. Let me tell you about my credentials. I actually got my start writing album reviews for the website regenmag.com. That is what got my foot into the door way. Four years ago, I started helping promote shows for Kilted Farmer Koncerts by distributing flyers all over the city. Also four years ago, I created my blog The Twin Cities Underground with the main purpose of exposing underground bands to the masses.

What has started as hobby, has grown into a passion. In the course of the past four years, I have come across a plethora of excellent up and coming bands, both local and national.  For the first time since moving back to Minnesota over 10 years ago, I have attended more local live shows. One reason being is Kilted Farmer Koncerts but the other reason being I have seen the dark, underground scene grow and evolve with some new, interesting  bands like Promidal, Glean, Scarlet Mother, AsIof, Absynthe of Faith, FTC, and so on . I am really impressed by what I have been seeing in the past few years in the MN scene. By showing my support, I have been attending as many local shows as well as buy some merchandise from the bands, not to mention take photos and record some video footage to share online.  I also have helped out with a few friends selling merchandise at shows. I also try to show my support by sharing the events on FB/Twitter. I don’t do this for money (obviously since I don’t get paid for shit, nor do I ask to be paid) or for fame. I do this because I love my music scene and music in general. There is nothing pretentious about what I do. After four years of hauling my ass to shows, people now know when they see me at shows, I am there to cover the night’s event.  In fact I got three shows this week, 1 national (tonight: Voltaire with Ego Likeness) and two local shows.

So there it is in a nutshell…my street cred. I have worked too hard to have gotten as far as I have now to be taken seriously as a blogger and music fan in general in my local and national dark, underground scene and I certainly have ways to go. I am not going to put up with idiots who views the music scene in black and white. Not everyone can listen to the same shit over and over again on a daily basis. Don’t like the fact that I might enjoy some mainstream music, there’s the door.  I am not going to compromise my integrity as a music listener or blogger because of some asshole loser. If you are going to try to discredit me, at least back up your damn statement with some facts by showing your own credentials. Also if you feel the need to troll on the internet tearing other people down, I suggest that you step way from the computer/tablet/phone,  go get outside and get some fresh air. Some oxygen to the brain would do you some good. Trying to tear down people online just makes you look like an insecure little child.