Pazartesi 3 May 2010, 20:13

I'll be glad to clear up any confusion- surprised there is any- but here goes….

From day one (April 12, 2010) I have never agreed that the changes were an improvement in any way - at least not to me. I did not care one way or another about the appearance, charts, etc. that some people referred to. I certainly would not oppose ANYthing someone else wanted- as long as it did not interfere with what I already had and used.

I loved the full-track on-demand privilege and used it constantly to screen music and put it in a playlist- or send it to someone-. Or listen to it immediately when they sent ME something- and respond back with a chuckle, or whatever.

I often put the 30 sec. recommendations I received into an on-going playlist- so that I could someday hear the dang thing. If I happened to be in front of the computer when it came up and had the time I would place it THEN into a more appropriate playlist- "guitar" or whatever.

I set out to build playlists the way I had been doing for years- taking the best of what I had and putting it into my own personal playlists.

Once I "discovered" a new artist (new to me) I enjoyed going back to his page and listening to more. It is not at all unusual for me to LOVE one song by an artist and strongly DISLIKE another. That's what always frustrated me about albums.

I have been making my own cassettes since the 80's. Actually my first compilation was a 4 track for my car in the late sixties. (some of the songs were off of 45s–) Then I had 8 tracks- then cassettes. I most often played the cassettes simply because I had 2 little boys running around and I did not want to have to "kill" them for scratching my albums by bumping into the table——-I would buy an album, record what I liked, then put it up out of their reach- for the next 20 years. I kid you not.

When cds came out I found them to be much more durable and harder to scratch- so I began my cd collection.

I bought HUNDREDS of "used" cds from a place called CD Warehouse- usually for around $5 - a bargain– and the thing that I really liked was that I could ALWAYS hear the cd first- they had little "boomboxes" around the place with headphones. If a cd had several songs I liked, I would usually buy it. If it was just one song I didn't.

And just for the record- I have NEVER downloaded music illegally even though several people have told me how to. I just don't feel it is the right thing to do- the artist deserves something in exchange for his creation. My shouts are simply my way of saying thank you to the kind artists who have made their music available to me for free.

I spent many a Saturday afternoon going through the bargain bins- reading the covers- and often "discovered" some of my favorites (now) for 99 cents! Never heard of them- but I would read that "he was the guitarist for Journey for 12 years"- and I would think "can't be TOO bad" and I would give it a listen. Be dang— Neal Schon– one of my favorites now- but as a solo artist he was an unknown to me. I had no idea who he was- neither did anyone else- that's why it was 99 cents.

You ever hear of Craig Chaquico? He was the guitarist for Jefferson Starship- and is now another one of my favorites. I have ALL of his cds. I even bought a couple of them NEW- which is very unusual for me- but I like him that much. Incredible guitarist. Incredible.

This was my strategy for YEARS- and I still remember the day I came home with about 30 cds and my wife almost killed me- until I told her it cost a total of $12— twelve dollars- they had quite a sale that day…….I got a bunch of "nobodies" who I still LOVE to listen to. Incredible artists who had for whatever reason just not been "discovered" by the public- but I found 'em!

When I began to realize that many of my favorites were on the Higher Octave or Narada label, I started just looking for anything on those labels. BINGO– a BUNCH of excellent artists I had never heard of but found that I LOVED!

Then one day I learned that Higher Octave went out of business- bummer— I looked them up on the internet and they said to look for some of their old stuff on Lastfm- never heard of it- but what the heck- I looked into it- saw all of the ads and thought - crap- and then learned about the benefits of subscribing for only $3 per month.

Frankly- I was suspicious- I don't ever give ANYbody my credit or debit card without knowing who I am dealing with. Period. Screw the $3- I didn't want to give them my debit card number. Then I learned about PayPal– all this in the same or a few days after first discovering Lastfm- which I lo0ved- except for those $#@! ads.

So I did the PayPal thing- they screwed it up twice- I had to pay double, but still thought it was a bargain.

I had a BALL! Listening to new artists I had never heard of (just like I always did) PLUS dang near everything I HAD heard of. And I began the playlists- and people started dropping by - usually because of my funny shouts- and I made some friends and they turned me on to MORE good stuff I never heard of.

I WAS IN HEAVEN! $3 a month- and I have access to all this incredible music and all these people from all over the world and I never even have to leave the house.

I don't tell you this to "manipulate" you - it is just the plain cold fact of life for ME. This music and sharing thing on Lastfm is ALL I do. Take away any part of it and I have even less- which sure does not make me happy! You live with your reality- I have mine. I have said time and time again – I WILL PAY MORE- BUT I WILL NOT ACCEPT LESS. Not without a fight….

So here I sit- day after day- listening, writing, talking to people, actually helping a bunch of folks- that's another story- but it is something that helps me to feel I have value- to somebody. And I know that I do. I have friends from all over the world- in all the different time zones- there is ALWAYS SOMEbody up listening to music- SOMEWHERE- and they often want to talk. You wouldn't BELIEVE the stories I hear- but I do- because I really know the people behind them.

And then –BAM– April 12, 2010 –the%$#@! jerks at Last fm pull the plug on "on-demand full track streaming" . Heck - I didn't even know that is what it was called. I just knew that for months I had been looking SOOOO forward to the day when those 30 second things went away and everything would be full listening.

That's what the little screen would say when I ran over the 3 play limit on some songs- never knew when that was going to happen. MANY songs were played many many more than 3- which was somewhat confusing- but - who's complaining? Lastfm alluded to a beta test which would most likely result in us having the opportunity to have ALL the tracks full-play on-demand (soon)…

I RARELY ever bothered with the 30 second thing- there were always plenty of full tracks to choose from. I only put some of the 30 second ones in my playlists when I discovered that they would play in full. In fact some of the "blank" songs even played- so I just stuck everything I like in there if it seemed reasonable- especially when it was an artist I usually liked. Then I just deleted a song I DIDN"T like.

That's why I have a zillion loved tracks- That was the easiest way to quickly recognize that I had heard that song and stuck it somewhere. Might not have really LOVED it- but it was worthy of a playlist.

So that is why I was disappointed when they made the changes- threw a real monkey wrench into my life. And I fired off a couple of letters- and much to my surprise- they seemed not to give a rat's ass that I was upset- or anyone else either- they just said "go somewhere else"..

This was most unusual to me—– I never -ever- got that response– never. So I began to follow the thread on the Forum - and the rest is history – all the ugliness and bulls### that was unnecessary from the very beginning. BLEW MY MIND!

Why the heck would anyone else (besides Lastfm) care if I was alive or dead- happy or upset- or did or did not get what I wanted. Just didn't make any sense. Still doesn't.

And I am still disappointed in the entire process- disappointed that little progress has really been made- (other than Lastfm stating that the indies would return around the third week of May– YAY!) and that the same dang people are still telling me, you, and everyone else- –

that "the chocolate covered turd" in my lunchbox is a Snickers bar.

It doesn't pass the sniff test- and I'm not buying it.

I am putting up with it temporarily - and have tried (believe it or not) to calm things by offering my own "temporary work-around."

But I have lost all respect for Lastfm and don't see how I can ever feel the same way I did before. Who cares? Even I don't….. I just want them to give me back my dang music- the way I want it- when I want it- where I want it— just like they originally promised me.

So here we are.

No conflict from me. No siree. I'm pissed off and full of vinegar and want to let them know that neither I nor many others will EVER be fully satisfied until things return to the way they were before the April 12 debacle………………

Hope that clears things up a bit- if not feel free to holler at me.

I get a lot of that these days….

You can bet that on June 1st and 2nd I will be joining in the "Silence is Golden" (strike) brigade- not a peep from me on the Lastfm scrobbler. The CBS/Lostfm folks seem to be stone deaf when it comes to hearing the complaints of their community members.

We obviously cannot rely on their social conscience to guide them.

Maybe the SILENCE will wake them up…