First of all I'm glad I got to play live every week for 30+ years. No, I didn't just play on YT, I actually busted my nuts gigging live for 32 yrs. I owned the PA, the truck, did the booking, the driving, etc.
Forums were a lot of fun and full of info and great characters and some really great friends.
I admit drinking the poison bath water. Trusting and naivety have always been my downfall.
I'm thankful that even though I trusted too much I was able to distance myself from the demi-god shortly after my move across two countries.
I was lucky enough to get into a situation that was interesting and fun and it put me in places and scenarios a guitarist could never dream of.
Thanks to Dave and Rob at TM for lots of fabulous memories via working with many of my guitar heroes.
Working with Dave Friedman everyday was a great positive learning experience and the guy is a real sweetheart, Rob N has a huge heart(sometimes too big).
So I guess things happen for a reason.
It was because of forums and YT that I get to work full time in the music field and have such a great fucking time.
Things could have turned out way different had I not opened my eyes, but they worked out ok, more than ok.
I don't say much about bath water because I just don't need to.
The sky is blue, most people know that, some just don't because they are color blind. There is no cure for that.
Forums and YT have given me the opportunity to now work for Fractal Audio.
It's a fab place to work with lots of interesting opportunities and a real cool job that allows me to wake up everyday actually wanting to go to work because it's not really work, it's just fun.
Forums have been good to me, the friends I have met here and the folks that dig what I do are such an incredible gift. I'm just an average guy that is probably a below average guitarist that has been very fortunate because of these communities.
Sure there are assholes and trouble makers and criminals just like the real world. Thankfully most people had a parent or someone in their life that said "If you can't say something good, then don't say anything at all" and most people are really cool.
I miss the old forums, I miss the old crew, but things change. Sometimes it's too bad things change, but that's life I guess.
Thanks Chubtone for the OP
Mark
I lurk all the time, don't post hardly ever, but still some good reads now and then.
