1. The decision to release or not release information is no higher up the food chain than the band itself. This is the BAND'S website, they can post whatever they want. I'm not sure what warped image of record labels and managment personel some people have here. Management works for the band, and not the other way around. Managment are advisors - but their decisions are always subject to approval by the band, and they can get fired at any moment. Record labels exist to release your album and approve its contents. However, the band's communication with fans and presentation of infomation is by no means restricted. A band is only bound to the record label by the terms of their contract, and guess what, no contract will ever, EVER have any terms in it that control the artist's actions. The most they can do is threaten to not release an album or drop the artist if they do not approve of the music or the bands public actions (which would have to be, like, Mayhem level to warrent any real attention). For the most part, though, labels let artists be artists, and do what they want, and that includes the way they associate with and communicate with fans. Its the record label execs that sit behind a desk who don't have the outgoing personalities and charisma - those guys are never going to be telling Prince how to act - they signed Prince because he's a good showman and public figure without guidence. Mike Portnoy posts updates all the time and speaks very frankly about things. Steve Vai does the same. Do you think that Symphony X is in any different situation? Do you actually think that Mike and Steve have to get permission to talk about what they are doing with THEIR music? I'm sorry but if you are pissed about the lack of attention to this wesbite and the fans regarding updates, etc, you can only blame one source - the band. And honestly, it is their fault that this forum has been a barren wasteland of uselessness for years. It takes TWO seconds to post an update, even a useless couple of sentences to touch base. How hard is it to post a few pics or videos for the fans while working the album. Artists DO NOT work 24/7 on an album - there is always time for the other tasks that complete the package. And if an artist doesn't know how to update a wesbite or post video clips, he should frickin learn! It's not rocket science.
3. No one is looking for an announcement or apology or anything like that, this is a forum! People are expressing their opinions, that is the ONLY purpose of a forum. People have every right to express their opinions here - trying to undermine their motivation is ridiculous. No one here needs any more motivation or rationale other than just wanting to express their opinion. Ya know, we figured that whole thing out quite some time ago with the whole freedom of speech and right to free assembly thing.
4. The band owes us EVERYTHING you jackass! That's the way it works, otherwise they don't get to be a signed, touring, album-releasing band. It's like assuming a car manufacturer owes its customers nothing. You know exactly how customer service works and how much emphasis successful businesses put on customer satisfaction. That's because without customers, you don't HAVE a business. If no one buys your product, you can't sustain continued production of it. And it's no different with a band, they aren't magically exempt because they happen to be selling music. Without fans the band doesn't survive, and like it or not, there is MORE than just music that goes into allowing a band to thrive. Remember, Brittney Spears makes gobs more money and sells far more records than Symphony X, shall we argue that her music is preportionally that much better? Do you think, if Symphony X were not a successful, well known band that MJR could walk into Caprision and they'd just be like 'wow, you're good, here's a custom line of guitars just because you're good!'. He gets that because to them he is a walking advertisement, and who is the advertisement for? US!! The fans who watch and play guitar and might, as a result, but a Caprision. Any band that thinks they don't owe the fans should sit in their basement and just play among themselves for fun. Once you enter the market place and expect people to PAY MONEY for your music - welcome to being a humble servant of the fans, just like any company is the servant of its customers.
seriously, go post somewhere else. It’s THAT simple.
