Good morning on this wet Friday,

Thank you to everyone who has taken time to reply,and ALL points made in each reply are totally relevant and totally correct.

First off i just want to say,RZ has been my main interest and favourite of all discussion groups now for possibly near 20 years?Through the years of Yahoo groups etc,and as the vast majority of those other discussion groups,vanished,disappeared either through changes in internet technology,the scrapping of the likes of Yahoo groups and free use for members,and the metereoic rise in the likes of youtube and Facebook discussion groups and the likes.

RZ IS still standing here,surely THAT counts for something? As in truth that IS a rarity,as i remember taking part on here in the original RZ using my then girlfriends computer as i DIDNT have one at my own flat,there was no tablets,laptops,never mind the smartphones we ALL have now,it was an old big home computer i used....with the eventual purchasing of a PC for myself in my own flat,which was just as well,as i split from my GF a little later,but STILL good friends to this day i'm happy to say.It's only 3 years ago i got rid of that PC and now use a laptop.

I'll ALWAYS remember the cdr trading that took place with MANY people on here,and i forged many internet friendships,some that continue to this day,in particular Phil,an absolute gentleman,who i receive a birthday card and christmas card every year,from him and Sally.

Others who i made long internet friendships through music where Gray Newell,who at one point i spoke with regular on the phone,with his dear late mum telling him its some Scottish bloke,i still laugh when i think off it,Scott Charbonneau from the US,the three of us used to meet up every week in a chat room now long gone,but others used to come and join the chat room.

Sitar Tim,who unbelievably visited myself 3 times from Texas,as he absolutely loved Edinburgh and its long history and culture,so different from the USA,i even took him to a football(soccer for the US folks)match,with my team Hearts playing Celtic,with a fabulous but poisonous atmosphere that Tim had never experienced.He also got himself measured up for a real kilt.Those are 4 friendships i'd NEVER have had without here and the internet.Memories i will NEVER forget,particularly taking Tim round the pubs in Edinburgh,as he was a slightly older chap,he was a teen in the psych era,and had spent time with the likes of Gene Clark from The Byrds etc....a really interesting but smashing bloke.

UNFORTUNATELY i don't have much contact with Gray,Scott or Tim these days,mainly because of my struggles with my health,and my long disappearances from the internet etc and not answering the phone or calling anyone.along with the loss of many discussion groups,and lack of much to talk about musically,changes in our lives and MY shift in political beliefs,ALL certainly influenced the lack of contact.

Another couple of chaps was Walt Sindewald who unbelievably i came across a month ago in a facebook music discussion group,first time in many many years,he WAS a a regular on RZ for years,but disaster struck with the horrendous fires in California,with his family, home and neighborhood under threat,so it was fantastic to come across him again.
Mark Kupsz, for a long time we BOTH corresponded regular,he was making comps of new psychedelia,which i'd never really had interest in BEFORE Mark sent me some stuff,which was good of him,today i have some interest in new psychedelia,which is better than no interest,but as my finances are prioritised,it will ALWAYS be 60s and 70s music that i will buy BEFORE any new psychedelia if i have some money to purchase sounds!!

One of the first people i exchanged music with through RZ was Paul Martin,who still appears on RZ,no doubt we have different lifes and backgrounds,but music was what we had in common,which IS the common denominator for EVERYONE on here,is the MUSIC.No matter what background,what age,what race,what religion,what nationality,what gender,what sexuality,what politics,how rich,how poor....meant NOTHING as its the MUSIC that brought ALL of us together,and THAT is worth preserving,worth keeping,and attempting to keep alive!!!

I would NOT have forged friendships with the many i have WITHOUT the music we all are enthused about,theres not much in the world that has the power to do that,in this very fractured, polarized,hateful,authoritarian world WE are all living in at this time,i'd rather we forged friendships on things WE have in common,rather than dislike each other on things we can't find common ground on!!

These days that seems an old fashioned,possibly naive hippie like ethos or thinking,as unfortunately the internet seems to be a tool now,to cause massive division,with social media an utter free for all of insults,hate and division.Hence i deactivated my facebook account a few weeks ago.Luckily i've NEVER been on any other social media platforms like twitter,tiktok,snapchat etc.I am just so happy i'm getting old,as i'd hate to visualise this world in 40 years time.

I WAS reminded a month or so ago,there are people who are out to antagonise,threat,intimidate and give negative energy out,which unfortunately took place on here,a very unfriendly dude,who just happens to run a label or 2,i did a review of sorts on 1 cd release on his label from over 20 years ago,i discussed with him,and reasoned with him,on here in a thread of posts,which eventually was sapping my good energy,so i stuck to my guns,kept up the thread of posts for a limited time,for others to read,then deleted the whole thread,as the negativity replacing my good energy was NOT a thing i was letting a complete stranger happen!!
If a product i buy ,is NOT what it claims to be,i have the right to criticise,as i do trully believe in free speech,including if it is totally against what i believe,but this was threatening and intimidation,THAT is NOT acceptable,in ANY form,so i told this bloke to NOT come on here again.

I think what i'm trying to say,on RZ there is more good energy,good vibes and common ground,far MORE than negative,bad energy and nastyness to be had,and i think that IS worth attempting to keep alive,hence i gave a few examples of how music and RZ has given me good things and friendships,as these days i AM an anti social,getting old,happy to be home,love my Cat,wary of people,detest government,type of bloke,and RZ is one place i DO look on every day,and i was seeing it was slowly having less and less discussions,so that prompted me to write the post i did,and after reading it again today,it does come over as snipey,negative,possibly too critical....but i wrote it with the best intentions,to give a shove or a prod,or possibly some encouragement to those who DONT post,but lurk,as there ARE so many knowledgable music enthusiasts who come here,particularly on psych and all its off shoots.

EVERYONE who collects start with nothing or very little,including knowledge on a subject,WE have all been there,but its groups like RZ where pointers and knowledge IS shared,and the true love and enthusiasm many off us have,including myself on psychedelia,folk rock,garage,early prog,mod sounds and 60s pop can be catching,and illuminating to others,and i'd hate to see that disappear,as music can lead to REAL friendships,which i've shown some personal examples of in this overlong,possibly dragged out post.

AGAIN thank you to those who have taken part on RZ through the many years and the many changes on the internet that have occurred,and AGAIN thank you to those who do still participate,and those who do look and lurk.........but to STILL be here while many others have vanished,does say something about resiliance,and good fellowship of those who keep it going.

APOLOGIES for liking the sound off my own thoughts,as this post could be turned into a novel,as i'm sure most would prefer to look at their own navel...LOL
X