Friday, January 29, 2010

Gimme a break, pal

[UPDATED BELOW]

You know who you are; you're the guy or gal who keeps posting here with negative, anonymous comments about MUs. I keep removing them. I remove them over and over again because I do not want anyone to visit this site and find themselves or a shipmate criticized. I'm a cheerleader, not a judge.

I understand grudges, jealousies, strong opinions, resentments and righteous anger. I was in the Navy, too. I'll confess to a lot of nights on the beach drinking beer and talking trash with my buddies about the sins of my LPO, unit leader, bandmaster and anyone else who wasn't there.

But this is not the Seafarer's Lounge or the Acey Ducey Club. I intend for NavyLyres to be a positive contribution to Navy music, for the bandsmen who still serve, and for those of us who now stand and cheer as they march by. It ain't much, but it's what I've got to offer.

I'd appreciate it if you didn't make this hard for me. Frankly, it's time-consuming to have to consistently monitor this site for inappropriate commentary.

I don't question the sincerity of your opinions or the truth of your accusations. But they don't belong here. If you want a forum to put forth your assertions, why not start your own site? You'll have total control and can say what you want.

It's not hard to do; after all, I figured it out.



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UPDATE

To further amplify:

I routinely delete comments at NavyLyres that single out specific individuals for criticism that appears snide, slanderous or just plain rude. It's not that I necessarily disagree with the facts; old Chief Lardbutt may, in truth, be a worthless musician and disagreeable person. (I know;I worked for his father.)

But when you have a disagreement with your bandleader, drummer or third trombone player, you don't hold the disagreement onstage in front of an audience.

And on the Internet, all the world is now a stage. NavyLyres is a very public place.

I've just deleted a comment to this post from an anonymous active-duty MU, not because I disagree with the writer's point--I don't--but because it singles out an identifiable Navy musician for severe, negative criticism.

That's my rule. I enjoy getting email from active duty MUs. If you have issues that require identifying a specific person for negative attention, email me.

I'm the Decider.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

No Place Like Yokosuka for the Holidays

Here's a 60-second American Forces Network spot on the 7th Fleet Band spreading joy around Fleet ActivitiesYokosuka.



Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Three Cheers for the Quartet

Okay, the audience member who posted this may have a spelling problem, but I had no problem tapping my toes along with this version of "Stars and Stripes Forever."

This 2008 performnce by the Northwest Navy Band Barbershop Quartet (LT Chuck Roegiers, MU1 James Raacsh, MU2 Eric Cavander and MU3 Drew Williams) was a part of the 17th Annual International Military Band Concert.