Open Letter - Plz Read

Ok, this is a really good read...
its been going around different msg boards..i got it off one.
Althought its about music in general...i put it in FFA cause its a good read...
its long tho...

An open letter to AFI, their friends, "fans", and the "punks". A funny thing happened on the way to Ebay...
_I officially outgrew "punk" several years ago. My process of disillusionment began in 1995 when I stumbled my way into (and through) a job as the "roadie" for a band called The Riverdales. Within a span of just weeks the band and I were propelled from East coast punk clubs in front of 150 fans into full-blown coliseums as Green Day's "support act" working in front of 10,000 people. One thing led to another and by the end of 2000 I'd toured with The Mr. T Experience, Groovie Ghoulies, Queers, Muffs, Teen Idols, and The Misfits. In four and a half years I'd been to Europe 5 times, Japan twice, and to every corner of North America a dozen times. I'd worked gigs in the basement of pizza parlors and in 14,000 seat arenas and everything in between. No, I never toured with AFI, but bear with me anyways.
_I can't expect people to even believe the stories of what I experienced in that time, let alone actually understand what I experienced. I witnessed the backlash by former "old friends" and "fans" against bands that exploded in popularity and were no longer a cool little secret of the hip in-the-know scenesters. I've seen people work their asses off for 16 hours a day to bring a great show to the "fans" only to have somebody buy a ticket just so they could go up front and spit on the "sell-outs". Or throw loose change, dirt, rocks, metal-washers, food, and drinks at the "sell-outs". Or flip them off and shout insults in an attempt to goad their former heroes, now dubbed "rock stars", into a fist-fight (I still have a scar over my left eyebrow that resulted from a similar incident). I've stayed up all night driving across the country just to make it to the next sound-check on time, only to have a whiskey bottle come within inches of smashing over my head. Or a 40 oz. malt-liquor bottle wielded by an enraged drunk demanding a free T-shirt. I have slept in a freezing, snow covered van. I've slept in a burning hot van in the worst of summer. I've slept on people's smelly carpets, couches, and back-breaking hardwood floors with their dog's, cats, and cigarette butts just so we could afford to make it to another show where I then ended up placing myself between fists and boots that were intended for the faces of the people I worked for. I've had personal belongings stolen from the backstage dressing-room by other bands and their friends. For a year and a half my "salary" was $15 (yes, fifteen!) per day, plus meals. That's less than what most "gutter punks" can "spare-change" in a single afternoon while sitting hung-over on Telegraph avenue. I saw "fans" who turned into rabid, frothing lunatics when they were denied an autograph by other punk-rockers who simply thought it was weird to even give an "autograph" in the first place. I ate a lot of bad food. I drank copious amounts of caffeinated soda. I inhaled a lot of second-hand smoke. I went for days without sleep. I have gone for months at a time where the only five minutes of privacy I had was when I had a toilet to sit on behind a closed door. I cut the first set of tire tracks through twelve inches of snow when the roads were officially closed and we couldn't wait for plows because we had a show we had to be at. I watched friendly people become bitter and distrustful. I watched band members lunge for each others' throats. I watched friends become enemies. I saw people lose their mind and others descend into alcohol and drug abuse. I watched scumbag promoters rip us all off. And band managers. And booking agents. And record label people. And other bands. I saw people in support bands throw tantrums and turn violent because my employers wanted their own dressing room in which to safely stowe their valuables away from people they didn't know or trust. I once had a tire slashed by another band for equally stupid reasons. I've seen an audience turn into a rioting mob. I saw kids "moshing" so violently to the Ramones cassette tape playing through the PA system that there were stretchers holding kids with broken bones lined up in the backstage hallways of the coliseums. Those kids were literally taken away in ambulances before the bands they'd paid to see had ever even played a single note on stage. On one tour I logged in 24,000 miles behind the wheel in 62 days without a single day off. I was the only driver. Really. And I ended up with heart trouble and EKG meters hooked to my chest as a result of the caffeine and stimulants I abused just to get through that tour. Every tour I came home sick, exhausted, and covered in random patterns of bruises, cuts, and scrapes all over my body. And I busted up my hands by beating the shit out of a number of people during those years. Touring wasn't a big party. I didn't drink alcohol and I never used drugs. And even with all of the opportunities I had I never ONCE tried to get laid while I was on the road. I was there to work, not to **** around. Being a roadie was more than my job. It was my lifestyle and an integral part of my mindset and personality. And I was undeniably the BEST of the best. Don't believe me? I can give you names of a hundred people that will back me up on all of this.
_And one thing I will never forget is this. In 1995, when Green Day was selling millions of CD's and was the biggest band on the planet, the Riverdales opened a show in Canada where a special visitor was on the Green Day guest list. It was a 10 year old kid from the Make-A-Wish-Foundation. He was dying from cancer and his dying wish was to meet his idols, Green Day. To their credit, the guys in Green Day handled the situation far better than most people could have. In spite of being obviously stunned by the magnitude of such a request, Green Day and their crew handled it with grace and class. But we all drove away that night knowing that if we were to return again in six months to play another show that there was one fan that would not be there. That kid would die within months. I was there in the room that night and years later I still can't think about it without crying. If you think I'm being melodramatic, then you can just go **** yourself. You could never understand what any of it was like. You have no idea what kind of pressure and responsiblity is put on people when they become "famous".
_While I certainly had some great times on the road, it also helped me to better understand who my real friends were and who the real "fans" were. I grew sick of beating myself (and others) into the ground just to bring a band on stage for a bunch of spoiled, ungrateful pussies that would call you a "sell-out" just because you didn't want to party all night at their punk-house when you actually had $30 to get a Motel 6 room with two beds (for five of us) and a clean bathroom. Or just because the band wanted a few minutes of privacy. Or (gasp!) sleep. I've learned that "fans" have a lot of screwed up ideas (politics) about being in a band. They have no idea what the day to day realities of being in a band are like. They have no idea how many years that any given band has been paying their dues out in the trenches when that band suddenly becomes an "overnight success". They have no idea just how much blood, sweat and tears goes into making it far enough in your band to actually pay your rent for just one month. Most bands will never even do that much. And as evinced in the above paragraphs, when I say "blood, sweat and tears", I mean it literally.
So, what does all of this have to do with AFI...
_Because this post is too long it has to be posted in two parts. Read on if you actually still give a shit...

Part 2
...So, what does all of this have to do with AFI, a band I never even toured with? Possibly everything, but hopefully nothing. I don't even listen to "punk" or "hardcore" anymore. I don't even know what those words are supposed to mean anymore and I honestly don't even give a shit. So when I decided to unload my entire collection of "punk" records that were gathering dust in my closet by selling them on Ebay a strange thing happened. I was inundated with letters and special requests about an AFI record I was selling. I was shocked by the amount of interest this 7" had generated. I casually asked somebody what the big deal was. I asked if AFI was even still around these days (how the hell would I know?). The reaction from a few people was shock and surprise. "Of course!", "They're in Rolling Stone and all over the radio. They're the next-big-thing!" and "They're about to become huge!" When I heard all of this my first reaction was that my heart sank. All I could think of was to wonder how much of the above mentioned experiences that the band has probably already experienced over the years, and worse yet, the horrible bullshit that might be just around the next corner.
_If AFI (or insert ANY band name here) does become the next-big-thing I just hope they make it through the experience with their sanity intact. I hope they don't have to experience all of the terrible things that I've been through. I do hope they are as successful as they're capable of being. I hope they can find a way to live off of their hard work and dedication to their music without becoming bitter, distrustful and alienated from everyone. I hope they can find a way to do business without ending up casualties of the music business. I hope their friends won't turn on them and I hope the older "fans" won't turn on them either. Because the potential exists for it to get very ugly. Sadly, after poking around on the internet I've seen that the accusation of "Sell-out" has already started (and long before I ever noticed). And that breaks my heart...
_Why? Because I first met Davey and the other AFI guys 10 years ago at Gilman Street in Berkeley. Not only were the various AFI people always just plain nice people, but Davey in particular was always one of the most genuinely nice, friendly guys I've ever been around. Honestly, I hardly know the guy and the last time I even bumped into him at a show was about five years ago in Chicago. Since we were both Misfits fans for many years he seemed genuinely happy for me when he heard I was working for the Misfits. Davey has always been kind, gracious, polite and just an all around good guy. He also employed a friend of mine as the AFI merch guy on many of their earlier tours. I know that they treated my friend well along with all of the other people I've spoken with over the years that have always had nothing but good things to say about AFI's members (I only mention Davey specifically because some of the others have come and gone over the years).
_And just thinking of the possibility of a guy like Davey being betrayed by people he's come to trust over the years makes me sick to my stomach. The thought of people spitting at him after he's dedicated his entire life to his band makes me want to scream. The thought that some day I might bump into Davey again, only to find that he's no longer the same smiling, friendly, hospitable, laid-back guy that I remember makes me want to smash something. I know Davey's a good guy. He's probably got a heart of pure gold. And his years on the road have probably made him a lot older, wiser and tougher. But any man can only take so much. Everyone has their breaking-point. Will you be one of the people that pushes a good person to their breaking point? Will you be just another nail in AFI's coffin? Are you willing to share in the responsibility of bending somebody until they break? Because when kind, creative people finally have their spirit broken and decide to give up, we all lose.
_Most of you "fans" couldn't take the pressure of being in a touring band year after year. You better start cutting those bands some slack. Give them a little space and privacy. Unless you've been through things like every hard working band have been through then don't you dare to call them "sell-outs". Unless you've walked a mile in their shoes then you can't possibly understand how hard they've worked just to get where they are. If you don't like a band's new album, that's fine. Nobody's forcing you to listen to it. If you don't like larger crowds at the shows, that's fine too. Nobody's forcing you to buy a ticket. But before you go out in any public forum and start throwing around terms like "rock-stars" and "sell-outs", you need to go back and read my first few paragraphs again and then ask yourself if you're really qualified to pass judgment on any band for finally being successful. Otherwise, shut your ****ing mouth and go start your own band. Then we'll all get to see how far your "punk" politics will take you.
_Davey, and all the rest of the AFI crew, I wish you nothing short of the best that you are capable of creating. Be cautious, but don't become callous or cynical. Keep doing your best and don't give in to the guilt trips that others will try to put upon you for being successful. Try and remember that those who are jealous of your success are the minority. Just a loud minority. This letter is meant to serve as a reminder that there are people that understand the times that are both behind and ahead of you. Hang in there and take good care of yourselves and each other.
Sincerely,
Marvin Paul Thomas (AKA-"Marv The Roadie")

wow, that was touching and insghtfull. Im not into punk myself and I frequently call it crap etc. but I dont wish anything bad against the bands themselvs.

It must be painfull to have such disloyal shit for fans and I will always fully support my local bands (Gridlock takedown and fade to black just in case they get famous and you can say "hey that Norgus guy knew them before then!") and I would never call them sellouts for any success they worked hard to get.

Just remember, I know gridlock takedown and fade to black ^_^

That was a very touching yet long read. I have to say I am a pretty big fan of AFI. I own a few of their cds i got awhile back but never thought they were that great. I think their newest one is just f*cking amazing.

I've never been on tour myself but in about the five shows my band did play before (we're kinda on a break now) I can only imagine what it would be like on tour. Because so many people you meet are just waiting to use you and stab you in the back.

That was a great read. I can't help but just agree with what this guy has said. It makes me think of all the bands i listen to that work hard and produce spectacular albums and hardly get the recognition they deserve.