Is it just me,or is this wee magical land,lost it's Alice in Regal Zonophone appeal?

There's been very little action or discussion on here for what seems an age,but there are certainly lurkers looking but NOT partaking in anything,unless there a freebie going about,or someone puts music up somewhere to share,and those lurkers have issues getting that music...its the only time they break cover..

The only exciting thing in recent months was the douchebag record label owner,who threatened me on here because i had the audacity to criticise 1 of his MANY cd releases i have bought with my OWN money over the last 25 years,and helping him in HIS business,giving it the legal talk,with his laughable intimidation,i couldn't believe i was dealing with an adult...i got so pissed off with the prick,i took the whole post thread down from here,because who the hell wants to deal with a douchebag like him?Lifes hard enough,without having a negative arrogant prick like him invading this space,i STILL stood by the word FRAUD,and i never took that back.

It's a shame that there is a lack of interest on here,as this place has been kept going by a certain good soul,who pays to keep this place open..and doesn't take any kudos in dong so.The renewal to keep this going was up months ago,and that good soul,paid to extend its life,and i had my doubts that was a good decision,as i felt it was a waste of his pennies.....and i hate to say it,i think i've been proved right,as its the same individuals who have attempted to keep some life in this wee place,and attempted to start discussion,and have even done a database of ALL the comps made by people on this discussion group through the many years RZ has been here,that was Mark and Gian who put in much work and searching.......but to no avail in shaking some life on here...as the echoes come straight back from the lack of any real interest,real discussion.......but as usual you'd have the freebie music requests from complete strangers.

Like i said,its amazing when the likes of Mark puts up music,and all of a sudden you see names appearing asking how do i get this?....names or handles NEVER seen before.or NEVER seen again......they got what they wanted,and off they go.
It's a side i dislike of music collectors,the appetite is insatiable for music(bordering on greedy),particularly if someone else is doing the work and sharing comps etc on music sharing sites,via here,but NEVER take part in any discussions,i dislike the take take take of many music collectors,who are NEVER satisfied,or their appetite is never quenched for freebies.

Ive had private messages from people i've never heard of,who have said they lurked about on here,but have never took part,never let themselves be known on here,but have read a post of an album i spoke about on here,and messsage me asking if i could share it with them......and i'm like ,i'm sorry who are you?You're a complete stranger to me...there was a time i did share a lot of stuff in the old days of cd burning,i sent out a lot of stuff to many good people from all over the globe who i met on here and who took part regular on here,no problem at all,i loved doing it.......but complete strangers who don't even have the decency to introduce themselves on here,to me was just a cheek,and that IS the big problem,people forever wanting freebies,the old saying the eyes are bigger than the belly.....its a side of this i don't like,utter greed for music,but DON'T want to take part in any discussions,or post anything at all...and the albums on cd i write about on here,have mainly been bought by myself,as most are legit reissues,and on occasion its from a cdr i got from trading when that was the thing.

So i began take umpbridge,with complete strangers messaging to ask for this or that.....saying they saw it on here.....i was doing it the old fashioned way by sending a burnt cdr to their home address,as i'm useless on the computer,but i stopped as i never saw or heard from them again,and they never took part on here like they said.....so my love of sharing music was scunnered by greed.

Maybe i'm getting an old grouch,but the era of freebie entitlement is upon us,and i don't like it at all.No manners at all.NO etiquette either.....i DON'T run this group,but i do kind off assist to keep the housework tidy,if you know what i mean.....as its fab of the good soul to use his pennies to keep it going for US,so i totally don't mind keeping an eye out for dodgy posts etc.....but it NEEDS more people to take part,as what's the point in paying to keep this going??
As far as i'm concerned NO participation,NO discussion group....myself and a couple of other bods have attempted to keep it kicking with posting......but with very little reaction,there ARE many people reading them,but NONE are wanting to discuss,or even say anything at all...what's the point in always attempting to start discussions with no reaction,no feedback,maybe we are all talked out,or have found other discussion groups on Facebook,Twitter etc as this place was at one time very busy,with some marvellous discussions on music and the 60s and 70s in general,and the enthusiasm was catching......maybe information overload with social media is making many people less sociable.........how ironic!!!

Love to you ALL X

Hi Stuart. I look in every day. As you said it has been quiet lately.😰

Hey Stuart, maybe you're right I've even noticed that spam posts sometimes get more views than legit posts posted on the same day! (even if the subject title makes it obvious) where did it all go wrong??

Sad words from you, Stuart.
You are not wrong in all the points that you expose, but perhaps you have not realized that times have already changed, and as in almost everything for the worse, and a lot of romantics have been left floating in nothing.
It must be accepted that the digital era changed everything, and that forums or blogs had their heyday many years ago, but today they are clearly on the decline, they are no longer in fashion, meanwhile there are sites in great boom, for example spotify or youtube itself, it is amazing to see how blogs with a few dozen followers, when creating their youtube channels already have thousands of followers and many visits. As for the forums, there have been many of a high quality that have ceased to exist for more than ten years.
It's reality and we have to accept it, and I don't think it's a good enough reason to become an old curmudgeon.
Personally, I put the same love into my work regardless of the people who receive it and appreciate it, because I'm the first to know if it's good or not, and I don't need anyone's adulation.
Thanks to my blog I have managed to have a lot of friends all over the world, some of them have arisen from music requests that have been made to me and with whom the relationship and continuous exchanges have been maintained. Some have only asked me for the music, which I have always shared and will share without asking for anything in return, I have nothing to lose and much to gain.
With regard to RZ, I am not very active, seeing the topics that are proposed, I do not feel qualified to comment on many of them, or they simply do not interest me, but I maintain contact and exchanges with many of its members.
When Mark told me last year about the possibility of the end of the forum because the person who pays for its continuity was hesitant to pay for it, we suggested that we all pay for it, but in the end he did. Mark did the work for the RZ Database, perhaps to record the existence of the forum, and it was an admirable job, one that I had the pleasure of helping him with.
In conclusion, I think that we should share the things we are passionate about, without thinking if many people will receive it or appreciate it.
Perhaps being from the land of Don Quixote, I have a special predilection for minorities and lost causes.
At least this will make us happier.
Jose Kortozirkuito

Good points Jose, also potential new contributors may not post because they are concerned that it might be a 'clique' and worry about acceptance.

What you say is very possible.
When you enter a new site you can't shake the feeling of being an intruder.
This feeling disappears with the passage of time, or you remain forever watching hidden behind the curtain.
Sometimes it is not easy to take the step...

I'd like to thank Stuart for raising this topic as I feel it needed airing. Having read all the above I'm sad to say that this is a conversation I've had with several members off-site. My feelings are that RZ has until November and will then be retired. It would be easier to accept this demise if there were alternatives but I've trawled the interweb and found nothing that compares and for that reason I feel we should all make more of an effort to support the site or accept the consequences.

On a personal note I'm pretty well clued up on what's about and what's due for release, so no loss there. Also, I'm not much interested in news about repackaged albums. To that end I'm as guilty as the rest when it comes to not posting comments. However I appreciate the effort people make to create and post compilations such as those recently by Dr. Gaz and it fustrates me when people don't have the decency to even post thanks as it takes considerable time and effort to put things like this together. Indeed, I'd have offered up more comps over the years but invariably end up thinking "why do I bother" as I get little or no feedback to encourage future ventures.

On a positive note I am grateful for the friendships that I've fostered through RZ and the kindness of people who helped with the "DIY Compilation Database" and I'll do my best to ensure this remains available to all as I feel it's an important part of the RZ legacy. I also try to keep peeps informed about bands/artists/albums/vids/resources that might otherwise go undiscovered in the hope that others will do likewise....I can but hope.

I'd like to think that it's not too late to turn things around and create some buzz but only if people rally round.... not something I'd be willing to bet on as it appears the site is actively supported by just a handful of people.

In conclusion, I remember once being asked for my opinion on a particular matter only to reply "I didn't have one" which led to me being severely berated by the questioner, "everybody has an opinion, a lack of response is NOT because you don't have one but rather that you can't be bothered to share yours" and on reflection that person was quite right.

PPP

I check in nearly every day. As much as that altercation must have pissed you off Stuart, it really livened things up there for awhile.

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