I'm not sure how long it takes to start a tradition, but I'd like to attempt to do so right now. In response to Steve's last blog entry, I am currently going through my old Bo and the Locomotive Myspace messages, dating back to when I first signed up in April 2005. After this, I'll do EXERCISE's inbox, which contains messages from multiple bands over the years and many different members, should be a good one. Maybe Steve will feel inclined to do The Word Association's.
God damn, I used to get a lot of messages from people who genuinely seemed to like what I was doing. Unprovoked, unprompted messages of praise and real interest in my music and helping me out, wanting to buy my CD or play shows with me or just be friendly. What the hell happened? I guess it all changed when people realized that the using the internet in this way was slightly creepy and blindly contacting people you don't know is kind of obnoxious and often inappropriate. But this was the age of innocence, the days when Myspace was a pure, young virgin, and people saw a world of opportunity and success before them. Alas, that pure young virgin has grown into a deranged homeless man who converts naivete into idiocy, idiocy into bloodsucking, and bloodsucking into assholery, not by force, but out of obligation.
On with the messages..
From: Venus in Fur Coats
Subject: No Subject
4/3/2005 11:40 AM
To: Bo and The Locomotive (boandthelocomotive@myspace.com)
you're so good, so talented. you're music was almost hunting, i love it.
This is the first message I ever received, 2 days after I signed up. This is what I'm talking about, listen to that unabridged sincerity, my music was ALLLLLMMMOST "hunting," I totally see where she was coming from.
From: Geoff Koch
Subject: Dude, Bo
5/2/2005 4:52 PM
To: Bo and The Locomotive (boandthelocomotive@myspace.com)
Hey, I'm Geoff. I also live in the Lou and write some songs. Pink Floyd was the first thing I thought of listening to your first song. I've listened to the first 2 and it's enough for me to drop a line and say we should be pals and hopefully we'll do a show together someday. I'm jealous of your Red Sea gig! Geoff
Dude, Geoff. I'm sorry, but you were jealous of my Red Sea gig? what the fuck. Admittedly, back in the day, it seemed like a good thing, but we both know better now, don't we old pal?
From: Unkown
Subject: No Subject
6/30/2005 1:08 PM
To: Bo and The Locomotive (boandthelocomotive@myspace.com)
I just wanted to say hi. You car look just like my cat I used to have. I had to get rid of it because I was pregnant. I think my x dropped it off around the UMSL area. That makes me sad.
The new official weirdest message ever, I win this competition. what. the. fuck.
From: Amber
Subject: No Subject
7/28/2005 1:40 AM
To: Bo and The Locomotive (boandthelocomotive@myspace.com)
Just remeber one thing when you come to NC, or FL. My name. If I'm gonna help, I at least wanna meet your ass, so I demand backstage passes (I mean all this humourously). I really would like to meet you though, for real. K. Try to keep in touch - for real. Good luck.
- Amber
I don't know. If I remember just one thing when I come to Florida or North Carolina, hopefully it will be my swim suit, not your name.
From: Beirut
Subject: No Subject
8/9/2005 4:02 PM
To: Bo and The Locomotive (boandthelocomotive@myspace.com)
I'm glad you like the music first off. a compliment from a musician is always more worthwile. However, I won't be able to listen to your stuff for a while, seeing as my internet connection is still running on coal, and is incapable of even uploading some photos. So when I get the chance, I'll take a listen. And which part of St. Louis are you from? I think my entire extended family lives there, spread around the city...
- Zach
Apparently I discovered Beirut. THE Zach Condon of THE Beirut myspace messaged ME, one of my favorite bands ever, unknown at the time. Unfortunately, I can't find the message that I sent to him first, but this one was REALLY awesome to find. I should have stayed in touch with that guy.. Also, I have confirmation that his family does indeed live in St. Louis.
From: Gothic Blues Quartet
Subject: Hello Bo -- Show Offer
4/18/2005 9:38 PM
To: Bo and The Locomotive (boandthelocomotive@myspace.com)
I need an acoustic act for the upstairs venue of a 6-act, two stage show going on this coming Sunday at the Red Sea, on Delmar. The show starts at 7:30, is 16+ until 9 PM, 21+ admission only after 9, and the musicians will keep all the door money after 40$ for overhead is cleared. Let me know if you would like to play. Thank you! P.S. Neutral Milk Hotel fuckin' rocks.
Kurt
Seeing this message made my stomach drop. I had been on Myspace for approximately 3 weeks, I posted a few mediocre songs, and suddenly, someone wanted me to play them in public. This is the first show offer I ever received. I remember letting this message sit for about a week before I could get the balls to respond. I contemplated it daily. It was my roommate at the time that got me to do it (thanks asshole), and from there I fell ass backwards into a world I knew little about, which leads me to my next message:
From: Cold Bear Scout
Subject: SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!!!
8/24/2005 1:50 AM
To: Bo and The Locomotive (boandthelocomotive@myspace.com)
Dude, I saw Kurt tonight, and he's giving us the downstairs for sundays show. Hell yeah. My AIM is disconnected now. And I dont have a phone. My only means of communication now with the outside world is this monster we call myspace. Amen for that, brotha, amen. PEACE!!
-steve
Note that the Kurt spoken of in this message is the same Kurt that offered me my first show. At some point, this Kurt fellow gave Steve and I a monthly gig at the Red Sea, on the last Sunday of every month. This was a big deal, and for a while, we were somehow successful at putting on these shows. We would bring in acts, good and bad, and play our songs to what seemed like a big crowd. Yet like all things in St. Louis, that quickly dissolved into nothing. But what is more interesting about this message, is that Steve has come full circle in the communications department. If you want to hang out later, don't call me, message me.
From: ITSHABOY
Subject: i take craps
10/1/2006 1:48 PM
To: Bo and The Locomotive (boandthelocomotive@myspace.com)
those craps will land in your lunches and dinners.
- swift kicks
The day that Matt Veatch joined Myspace.
From: Chris
Subject: do u remember me??
10/28/2006 2:58 AM
To: Bo and The Locomotive (boandthelocomotive@myspace.com)
yo man its chris gretchen's ex-boyfriend. i used to sell u sacks. lol. anyways i sent you a buddy invite so except it unless you hate me for some reason. just playin. how are you doin now a days? i didnt know you had a band, thats hella tight.
Another thing Myspace is good for is contacting people from the past. But man, sometimes, that is just really a bad idea.
NOTE: For the purposes of this blog, most of the messages I chose to show you were unprompted, they were sent to me without being the one to make the first contact. Also, Myspace has deleted all of my sent messages. It took me about 4 days to go through 105 pages of messages, I sifted through memories I never would have known I had. Luckily, in most of these old messages, I was a complete asshole. Which means that most of the embarrassing messages were from other people, not from me. I should probably re-adopt this strategy. Good job, self.
Sincerely,
Bo
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