Matthew and the Arrogant Sea: Probably NOT the Biggest Local Band You've Never Heard of
I received the following letter from Bryce Isbell this morning. Is it a publicity stunt? Has the whole thing been a publicity stunt? I'm not even sure if I care anymore. I'm just glad I didn't try to interview any of their "label contacts." Here it is:
If you ever had any relationship with Matthew (or the arrogant sea), please read
Matthew is not a liar. As of today I am totally convinced of this. Everything that Matthew told me, Bryce, his family, We Shot JR, etc. etc. he truly believed. His fantasy was incredibly complex and he created for all of us a convoluted world with many vibrant characters and minute details. Obviously, we were all enormously skeptical of the massive dollar amounts Matthew attributed to the deal, but he walked us through it so slowly and so... purely, that we rationalized it one way or the other.
Folks of all levels of involvement (including those with copious experience in the music business) would say things like, "Maybe this is just EMI's pitch and by the time the thing is signed it will be more reasonable", "Maybe their desperate for new markets", etc. When combined with anecdotal evidence about this or that obscure act being given X million dollars for being in the right place at the right time, Matthew's story was made plausible. The only other possibility was that he was lying, and if you've ever met Matthew and if you ever talked to him about any of this you would KNOW this wasn't the case. We never considered the third option, that the entire thing was completely real for Matthew and Matthew alone.
Yesterday, we did to Matthew what no friend should ever have to do to another. We went through every tiny step, every detail of his story searching for support or an answer to how NOBODY caught on to this sooner. We checked phone records, emails, made calls to his contacts and each path came to a dead end. We did all the stuff that we would have done much sooner (I'd like to think) if our attentions were not being devoured by the demands of the New Sabbath Festival. We love Matthew and consider him our dear friend. We don't feel manipulated b/c no one was more manipulated than Matthew himself. However, each of us radically altered our lives around this honest delusion and we have too much at stake to let this episode interrupt them any longer.
Magilum Records and The New Sabbath Festival are severing ties with Matthew and the Arrogant Sea. I am, obviously, no longer MATAS' manager. This is THE ONLY change. The festival is still on and is going to be powerful as fuck. The Magilum collective is still a real entity and Bryce and I will do our best to represent Denton with the love and respect Denton music deserves.
We Shot JR is still the most credible blog for news and information on the Denton/DFW scene and this episode cannot reflect on their credibility. Matthew's own family and closest friends were just as convinced as Matthew was that a deal of some sort was being negotiated with EMI. WSJR is in the same boat each of us are.
While I am sorry to all of those who stuck their neck out for MATAS, I say you did the right thing and I thank you for choosing to support your local creative figures over the cynical instincts that we have all, understandably, developed about the world of music. I hesitate to ask forgiveness because none of us did anything wrong. Our mistake was trusting the sanity of a dear friend and family member and that is the sort of mistake I feel no shame in having made. I do ask for your understanding. This is a deeply troubling and confusing time for all of us, Matthew most all. Do not allow this to color your feelings about the many other projects affiliated with MATAS and do not let this rob you of your faith in local music. Denton's potential is extraordinary, as the New Sabbath Festival will make clear, and we of Magilum look forward to strong relationship with all of you in the future. I'm already pretty sick of the past.
with love and gratitude,
freddie & bryce (magilum records)
If you ever had any relationship with Matthew (or the arrogant sea), please read
Matthew is not a liar. As of today I am totally convinced of this. Everything that Matthew told me, Bryce, his family, We Shot JR, etc. etc. he truly believed. His fantasy was incredibly complex and he created for all of us a convoluted world with many vibrant characters and minute details. Obviously, we were all enormously skeptical of the massive dollar amounts Matthew attributed to the deal, but he walked us through it so slowly and so... purely, that we rationalized it one way or the other.
Folks of all levels of involvement (including those with copious experience in the music business) would say things like, "Maybe this is just EMI's pitch and by the time the thing is signed it will be more reasonable", "Maybe their desperate for new markets", etc. When combined with anecdotal evidence about this or that obscure act being given X million dollars for being in the right place at the right time, Matthew's story was made plausible. The only other possibility was that he was lying, and if you've ever met Matthew and if you ever talked to him about any of this you would KNOW this wasn't the case. We never considered the third option, that the entire thing was completely real for Matthew and Matthew alone.
Yesterday, we did to Matthew what no friend should ever have to do to another. We went through every tiny step, every detail of his story searching for support or an answer to how NOBODY caught on to this sooner. We checked phone records, emails, made calls to his contacts and each path came to a dead end. We did all the stuff that we would have done much sooner (I'd like to think) if our attentions were not being devoured by the demands of the New Sabbath Festival. We love Matthew and consider him our dear friend. We don't feel manipulated b/c no one was more manipulated than Matthew himself. However, each of us radically altered our lives around this honest delusion and we have too much at stake to let this episode interrupt them any longer.
Magilum Records and The New Sabbath Festival are severing ties with Matthew and the Arrogant Sea. I am, obviously, no longer MATAS' manager. This is THE ONLY change. The festival is still on and is going to be powerful as fuck. The Magilum collective is still a real entity and Bryce and I will do our best to represent Denton with the love and respect Denton music deserves.
We Shot JR is still the most credible blog for news and information on the Denton/DFW scene and this episode cannot reflect on their credibility. Matthew's own family and closest friends were just as convinced as Matthew was that a deal of some sort was being negotiated with EMI. WSJR is in the same boat each of us are.
While I am sorry to all of those who stuck their neck out for MATAS, I say you did the right thing and I thank you for choosing to support your local creative figures over the cynical instincts that we have all, understandably, developed about the world of music. I hesitate to ask forgiveness because none of us did anything wrong. Our mistake was trusting the sanity of a dear friend and family member and that is the sort of mistake I feel no shame in having made. I do ask for your understanding. This is a deeply troubling and confusing time for all of us, Matthew most all. Do not allow this to color your feelings about the many other projects affiliated with MATAS and do not let this rob you of your faith in local music. Denton's potential is extraordinary, as the New Sabbath Festival will make clear, and we of Magilum look forward to strong relationship with all of you in the future. I'm already pretty sick of the past.
with love and gratitude,
freddie & bryce (magilum records)
Labels: drama
posted by stonedranger at 12:04 PM
173 Comments:
that was strange
"This is a deeply troubling and confusing time for all of us, Matthew most all."
I say this with all sincerity and without a hint of "I told you so" that I'll surely be accused of:
I'm sorry this is the way it broke for you and MatAS, Frederick. I thought you were a real champion of taste and restraint yesterday.
Good luck to you, your band and the festival.
God, just shut up already ya fucking losers. Fuck you and fuck your "festival". God, you're going to feel like such a lame ass when you're struggling threw your 900th gig in the 5th band you've been in, looking back at a time when you were so diluted that you thought Denton, Dallas, the WORLD, gave a shit about you. Get over yourself. Fuck off. Fucking dipshit kids. There's 4 festivals a week in Denton. You're one more so what? Good job on learning how to write messages to dudes with acoustic guitars and getting them all in one spot for one day. You are a wizard of art! Now, I'd just like to laugh in that annoying 18 year old chicks stupid face.
You guys. Fuck off.
SO ANNOYED. A Press Release?!
"ATTN: That band that nobody knew is no longer with that label that hasn't even started and they will not be playing the festival that you had never heard of! NOW YOU KNOW."
I fucking HATE Denton.
AND YOU YELLED AT ADUB FOR THIS!
Speaking for the rest of Denton -
who the fuck are all of those people
and what's that festival?
listen -- none of you can even come close to comprehending what we're going through -- NONE OF YOU HAVE ANY IDEA -- this was found out last night through suspicion due to the adverse comments on the previous blog...
please understand what we're saying MATTHEW AND THE ARROGANT SEA is dissolving
MAGILUM RECORDS is now not connected with MATAS -- the NEW SABBATH FESTIVAL will not have MATAS playing -- they're off the bill....
i've got to side with SR on this, who cares? oh right, NOBODY!
Yeah you can holler at me all you like. I don't care.. These guys are great and will make it.
I don't know what in the heck happened and I'm not gonna read all the crap about the festival/record/label people have been posting.
but I do know, that these guys are amazing musicians and awesome people! That is something you can believe.
I've been a big fan on myspace and in person. I've been privileged to see them live.
And I think Denton is amazing! I love it, seriously if I was to move out of state, I'd move there!
So go ahead and rant and rave, see if it makes you feel better.
But in the end this fact still stands.
These guys are not posers.
they truly are amazing people with amazing gifts. That I know we will be hearing about for a long time to come.
Love you guys!
Brina Brin
this has been a pretty ingenious publicity stunt. Congratulations.
You used the word POSER. Nobody talks like that. Except kids that actually have NO idea about music, making music, making music that matters, etc.
This is not a good publicity stunt actually. This is real. These kids are so fucking lame. And the only people that care is the group of 15 friends that they have that sit around on the square with their shoes off singing at each other before they have to A. Go home to make curfew or B. Think about going back to UNT next semester.
A good publicity stunt? Are you serious? Another group of fucking retards buys into the myth of "getting signed" because they are so naive and out of touch with the real hard work that goes into being a working musician and then there's public drama because of attention needs and not be willing to just SHUT UP and PLAY? Publicity stunt my ass. This is the goofiest shit ever.
We are trying to do right by everybody. We know this is a strange situation and while it may not affect you, it does affect a lot of people. We wanted We Shot JR to be protected against this, they stuck their neck out (all of us did) and we don't want them hurt b/c of this grand illusion. If you don't care about the festival, fine, whatever. Its important to us and to the artists. We don't know how to deal with this, the day before yesterday MATAS was nobody, yesterday MATAS was somebody to a few more people, today the world for our little community has changed and we want to make sure nobody is hurt by this. No reason for hostility. We just want to do something good. The festival and matthew are now two separate issues, magilum and matthew are now two separate issues. please understand, this is painful for us and its not clear cut what we can do.
frederick
friends lying to faces.
"we don't want them hurt b/c of this grand illusion."
GET THE FUCK OVER YOURSELF.
How fucking old are you, Fred?
it is a good publicity stunt because nobody was talking about this band a month ago and now their name has been on everybody's lips for the past few weeks.
"Did you hear about that bullshit record deal?"
"Yeah, there's no way that's real."
oh well, it still got people talking, and going to their myspace and posting on blogs about them. now, like any good propaganda campaign, they'll distance themselves from it.
"Oh, our friend who we love is crazy, and even though we love him and he is one of our good friends, we're severing ties with him completely."
bravo guys. anything to get the people talking.
Wow. 18 year old Sarah changed her Myspace mood indicator to PISSED OFF. I hope all you people will just stay brave and get through this trying time!
While I shouldn't giggle, the above comment is funny.
Anything to get people talking. You are truly a shrewd understander of the way things really work. Publicity is dead in the age of Reality TV, Blogs, FLICKR, Myspace. Remember when they said all publicity is good? That was 1986. Now it's all just noise. The kids talking about today will move on tomorrow and your greatest accomplishment never existed. Short Attention Span Theater indeed. Your standards are very low to be using the phrase Publicity stunt in this situation.
I'm 24. As I've stated several times, anything can be rationalized and people very close to the music business rationalized it too. I know most people won't give much of a rat fuck one way or the other and I know its extremely presumptious of us to do these grand 'public statements' etc. If I wasn't directly involved, i wouldnt care either. but there are people involved and this statement is for their benefit. i'm not worried about you folks thinking its a publicity stunt, b/c anybody that knows us knows this is not true and will back us up.
kids say the darnedest things!
I just wish I could have been at Karma last night for the intervention when you guys and girls were getting so serious and dramatic and WHY WHY WHY and watch the non-idiots look at you guys like the little fucking twerps that you are.
"BUT WILL THE FESTIVAL STILL HAPPEN?"
"I hope so. Magilum Records is strong. The New Sabbath Festival is Strong. Now let's go play some Xbox."
"Can't. Matthew has the controllers."
"WHEN WILL HE STOP WRECKING OUR LIVES?"
Man, it's like you really don't want anybody to play your fest. every time you open your mouth, it gets more lame. Who the fuck would wnat to hang out with you idiots AND Ben Fleming AND Johnny Lloyd Rollins? The people in charge of the fest are the same people that were in charge of MATAS? Gonna run like butter, ain't it?
No the festival is not run by MATAS. Bryce and I are the primary festival organizers, Matt got us some acts. Matt ran MATAS himself, not the festival. Even though he asked me to be their 'manager' I was %100 preoccupied by the festival which we decided to start just after all this began. I was supposed to start in an official capacity after the festival. Again, the fest and this are separate issues. MATAS is no longer affiliated with New Sabbath.
please get to 100 comments, please, this makes the workday go by so much faster. thank you WSJR!
Lindsay, I'm glad you understand. Its a strange feeling to move from no-one to a no-one with a record deal to a no-one with an absurd pathetic story to tell and a great festival to run. I imagine i'll be on this comment board all day.
gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay
fred,
just go away. nobody cares. why are you so into yourself?
Man, I hope MY deal with EMI doesn't fall through now!
I hope this doesn't spoil whatever coverage WSJR may have given the Festivialz. I also hope it doesn't spoil the attendance. Music snobz don't pay ten bucks to see a three ring circus.
Sorry I'm coming off that way. if you knew me you'de know i'm not a douche or opportunist but i and my friends are interested in doing something good and right for town we love. i know most people are pretty cynical about music and especially about us so i defnitely understand these reactions, theres nothing but my word to say that we are good people and i'm well aware how shaky that word is after this.
so a guy tells you he's got a $6M deal w/ EMI out of nowhere....and youre just now figuring out that hes nuttier than a shithouse rat?
lol, WSJR got duped into giving press to this band and festival.
tomorrow, everyone will be sending WSJR tales of their very own record deal! then all you have to do is come up with a hokey story to get out of it.
"it's easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission" - some bumper sticker
Re: 6mm. as the letter said, we were all very skeptical about that figure but assumed that matthew was just buying industry rhetoric without question. We assumed the final contract would change and this was why we were upset at Matthew for sending WSJR all those specifics because, though we thought there was a contract, we did not think it would be like Matthew thought. Plus, you try telling your close friend or brother that he's delusional, that he's talking to people who don't exist. I've never felt so sick in my life. It's not that clear cut brother. I know from your perspective it seems absurd, and it is, but you have to understand that many many people were pulled into this and many of them were well experienced with the music industry, including dealing with majors and all of us found ways to rationalize it.
I think the focal point is how large and wonderous this festival is to be. Everyone involved that I have met is a brave champion of sorts. I know I've known Matthew & Co. for only a short while, I feel I've been touched by some enlightenment. Don't give up on a small band with big ideas.
As for the commenting on this page: I think the general negativity is completely unnessecary.
Our opinions are just that. Try not to be complete assholes.
i wonder how many songs at this "festival" will use the same chord progressions and sing over emotional nonsense over minor keys. but be purposefully out of tune.
-- bryce, i checked out your myspace page. you've got everything going for you. youre skinny, good beard (i noticed you shave your neck though?), you enjoy smoking cigarettes in almost every picture while looking strangely aloof, sometimes you wear animal masks. just one thing: you need to get a guitar thats not a yamaha. just sayin.
ok?
ok these following phrases are banned from the scene:
"going to be big"
"make it"
"get signed"
"talented"
thanks.
-dts
what about a motorcycle that's a yamaha?
it was a gift thank you.
eh, acoustic guitars suck anyway.
not an opportunist?!?!
yesterday you were these millionaire kid's manager. now you WERE their "manager".
do yourself a favor and learn how to STFU. if you would have just posted your little statement and then STFU, it would come off a lot better for you.
learn something from this. you can't defend yourself against the world. instead of defending, learn what wrong actions you made.
the sea and the arrogant matthew.
What do you do when your band drama is more entertaining than your band(s)?
dts, lets band "scene" too. kthnks.
god, so fucking what if someone says they had a billion dollar record deal in the works? who gives a fuck? it's about the music
who the hell makes money off any of this crap anyways?
I am so tired of hearing about how the 60's changed everything and how youth today don't care or do anything... it's like we all live in this shadow of our lame ass parents with this attitude that everything has been done before with classic rock stations and lame ass cover bands forced down our throats
fuck that, fuck the 60's fuck the 70's fuck the 80's fuck the past it's time to make our own vision and everytime some kids or anyone wants to make there own scene, wanna do there own thing other people wanna put them down
sheep who don't want anyone to rise above the herd
nothing new
I think there should be more shows like this put together, it's something new, something different
why the hell not
i think it's an even deeper stunt so matthew can feel closer to his fucked up stupid hero daniel johnston. "oh i'm crazy" just like daniel johnston. wow. people will really like my music now. pssssh.
do you really think thats the case? I know matthew. I know thats not matthew. sorry, man.
since you know him can you explain why he lied to everyone and wasted all of our time?
I love these kids that bash the past without ever realizing that everyday they get one step closer to being "replaced" just like us ancient 30 year olds.
An all day party at a pizza place with people playing acoustic guitar. The Future is NOW!
Farah!
he didnt lie -- matthew has started to slip it seems.
Yeah, cut this shit. Can't we get some pics of Farah and Glass Candy from Monday night or something.
hey i don't even like your band but i think it's bullshit that you broke up over this. it sends a clear message that it was all about public image and "making it" all along and not about making music. why don't ya'll stick together and make more music? god damn it ya'll really have a horrible attitude towards music. half of the shit ya'll recorded sounds pretty good. this isn't any reason to stop doing it. and when your fans stop talking about how they 'still believe' that ya'll are going to 'make it' you'll feel better about yourself as well.
WE WANT THE WORLD AND WE WANT IT NOW
yeah, why dissolve matthew and the arrogant sea? who cares if there was a rumour over some record deal?
gee whiz...
the band didn't break up, it's on hiatus. obviously more serious issues need to be addressed than recording new songs and playing shows.
"dissolved" was the wrong word to use i suppose.
soak in liquid LSD more like it?
the band didn't break up, it's on hiatus. obviously more serious issues need to be addressed than recording new songs and playing shows.
Diluted. Friends are friends forever, right?
why can't he play? i mean again i'm not into this shit. but unless he doesn't want to out of embarrassment, i think he should play. i mean ya'll believed in his music not his record deal right? stick with it. really wtf. he's an adult right? ok he went nuts or lied or whatever. so what. he still plays music right. music ya'll like? then what's the problem?
i'm mainly happy that i can say i never really like the dude or his music so i don't have to reevaluate any of my own opinions of whether it was the illusion or the music that was enticing. lucky me. but some of you got a little mental battle to figure out huh? in the meantime unless he refuses to play. he should play and still be apart of your collective. that is unless he doesn't want to play anymore.
A prayer. God or whoever ,please visit this festival where all parties involved in this stupid ,worthless, time wasting drama will be and SMITE them with all your glory and horrible powers. They do not deserve to go on believing their own lies and living their delusional lives........ i mean come on
in other news another denton band that is so badass and never got any proper attention just recorded a record with doug gillard of guided by voices. zest of yore. should do a story on those dudes they are fucking awesome and have been paying their 'dues' a long time. (and i don't mean like he steve albinied their record i mean like he played guitar and other shit on their record)
i have no idea whats going except people are super pissed about some band. i didn't read past the 5th or 6th comment, but i dont really even care. Everyone just needs to chill the fuck out. C'mon... its the internet...
perhaps matthew wants to play -- im sure he probably will.
Mathhew is one of my deaerst friends and there is just a lot of things that must be sorted out -- but all the festivals are and will be on.
"And as so many careerist bands in Dallas struggle to "play the game" and "make it" on anyone else term's but their own, the refreshing thing about Matthew and the Arrogant Sea is the way they've gone about their business on their own, creating a small but complicated world of music, art (thanks mostly to Sarah Wilson), and storytelling that seems to be largely insulated from the outside world." -Stoned Ranger
that quote, in current context, is goddamn amazing.
3:09 post- best of the day.
internet music blogs = serious buisness
actually I wrote most of that, so I get post of the day.
I love Matthew and the Arrogant Sea
and one more thing before I never return to this comment thread again:
Read these-
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=106039858&blogID=271902674
http://ilmigliorfabro.livejournal.com/15971.html
If this was a big scam, then it was a very long and complicated one to say the least. Just found these.
The Junior High poetry and philosophy on that page far out weigh any sort of clues contained therein
"I'm definately moving to San Francisco when the contract is signed. Matthew is working something out with the contract to where I recieve some reimbursement, as I'm now a member of Matthew and the Arrogant Sea. I'm also in Psalms of Abraxas and Gashcat, and we have a lot of shows coming up in the next month if anyone wants to come out. I'm the art director for the label we started, Magilum Records, and we're hosting a huuuuuuuuge festival August 18 at J&J's with several national acts. Matthew and the Arrogant Sea is headlining. I'm really excited, my life is turning into a complete 180 but I feel it's a very positive step. I'm going to be touring, playing shows, making artwork for lots of different bands that sign on to the label as well as for all of our side projects and the biggie on EMI. Fuck UNT, hello UC Berkeley within the coming years. Hello new life of world tours and beaches and big houses and nice weather. I'm going to start drawing and painting a lot more, and Bryce and I are going to start working on a book together, paying homage to Proust and Joyce. Buhhhhhhhh, that is all. Cliche, but good things do come out of horrid situations."
So this was really all so fat goofy matthew could bang the hot 18 year old chick?
fuck you guys -- this has become an invasion of privacy -- quit fucking with sarah -- she doesnt need this and isnt involved -- THIS IS NOT A FUCKING SCAM! sarah sang sometimes and did artwork for us -- we are victims here ok? this is bullshit.
please quit fucking attacking sarah, attack me all you want but knock this bullshit out
Matthew should be in that dr. pepper commercial with "I WANT IT ALL AND I WANT IT NOW"
sweet sassy molassy!
maybe people should think twice about having an open journal on the internet. i can't wait until these free loving hippie internet days are over and people realize it's better to be unknown than to be known/famous and compromised at any moment.
Bryce... Welcome to the spotlight. You can't handle 5 people on one thread but you guys were gonna sign a 6 million dollar contract with a media conglomerate. Dodged that bullet, huh?
I was pointing it out to support your story, not to make fun of anyone. Now THAT is the last time I'm posting on here.
perhaps your right -- but all im asking is to leave sarah out of this equation -- attack and ridicule me all you want -- thats all im asking -- please respect hat -- no one is trying be famous or known at least not myself and sarah and freddie
and i appreciate it SR I really do -- but naturally shit is now being thrown -- personal shit -- at sarah which is completely irrelavant
This is obviously a scam by Matthew to ditch the arrogant sea people and keep the $6 Mil for himself. Suckuz.
a double super secret scam unfolding right before our eyes.
who knows whats going on -- i sure dont
yeah, that poetry is pretty much jr. high. i think i actually took up some of those notes from my students a time or two. maybe one day they will get real jobs and not feel so important anymore.
Give them (SR, MATAS, Magilum) a break. There was confusion, false expectations, and misleading evidence for everybody.
If you've ever had any dealings with distant labels, you'd know this sort of misunderstanding is not too uncommon.
So in conclusion, someone somewhere down the line was wrong and apologized for it. Case closed, hype dissolved, and it doesn't affect you remotely. Stop attacking these people for nothing at all.
come on now. are talking about my poetry? haha
why should they get real jobs? because you have to? because you haven't any creativity in your body?
This comment has been removed by the author.
why are these personal insults so fucking necessary? seriously.
Lindsay,
will you please just take your soccer mom indie rock record collection and go read the observer or something?
why the nastiness toward lindsay sr? i think she was simply pointing out from the beginning what a crock of shit this was.
why the nastiness toward lindsay sr? i think she was simply pointing out from the beginning what a crock of shit this was.
sorry for the double post.
Ah, I knew the ad hominems were coming soon....
Wow. That is so unlike you, SR. You're usually commendably dispassionate about the commenting that goes on here. I've really touched a nerve, it seems.
Tell you what: I'll remove my last comment (which was more an observation on the amount of the book deal made to a very famous musician than anything else), and then we'll all be friends again.
I can't believe what I am reading here. I can't believe my best friend is talking about me like this. I am not losing my mind. This wasn't a fantasy in my head. What a friend! Won't even say any of this to my face, I had to have a friend send me a link to this drama bomb. And you had been digging through my phone and email? What the hell is going on, dude? Don't even act like you would be willing to have me at your festival. I wouldn't want to play anyways, backstabber.
-Matthew
"If you've ever had any dealings with distant labels, you'd know this sort of misunderstanding is not too uncommon."
HA! Seriously?
"I am not losing my mind. This wasn't a fantasy in my head."
please, continue...
Wait. Is Lindsay a dude? The Summer Break dude?
i thought the book deal thing was funny? it was a real perspective. hey everyone, that post she deleted was just a link to keith richards $7mil book deal. get it? keith only got 7mil but some fry rat was gonna get 6.
after typing all that out, this is gettin kinda old..
Respect Hat
"I can't believe what I am reading here. I can't believe my best friend is talking about me like this. I am not losing my mind. This wasn't a fantasy in my head. What a friend! Won't even say any of this to my face, I had to have a friend send me a link to this drama bomb. And you had been digging through my phone and email? What the hell is going on, dude? Don't even act like you would be willing to have me at your festival. I wouldn't want to play anyways, backstabber.
-Matthew"
please be real.
i just talked to Matthew cocksucker and thats bullshit that post is not from matthew -- matthew knows we're concerned about him -- quit trying to stir up bullshit. fuck you man.
Yes, I will now remove my mask and reveal that I am dconstruction.
(But not related to Summer Break)
I am not remotely affiliated with anyone in the band, yet, this whole ordeal is super depressing. Does anyone else feel dirty?
Give me a break, Lindsay. It's pretty obvious what you're trying to do on here, because it's what you always do on here. And we all know that last comment wasn't just some innocent observation about Keith Richards. It was a shot at the members of the band and me. Good one.
But you're right. I usually try not to get involved if I can help it, and that is what I should be doing right now. So I'm staying out of it. Post all you want from here on out, and you won't get a response or an argument from me.
and how exactly has Lindsay made a fool out off me, Mr. visits my blog 30 plus times a day?
Man, I say we take this offline, 'cause I believe you have some seriously inflated views of my intentions. I'm not some anti-blogger mastermind. I just saw something that didn't make sense.
As for taking shots against the band or you, I can be accused of only two things: snickering at some of the (truly) funny comments in the last two days, and poking a little fun at the Proust/Joyce thing (which I then removed). Other than that, I think I've been respectfully suspicious, clear in my reasoning, and all-around well-behaved. Shoot me an email if you disagree.
blahg
i have no idea why all this pent up hostility is being directed at lindsay (i missed the deleted comments), but your perspective is bent on this one, SR.
-leibniz
IM SOOOOO CRAAAZZZZZY
-Matthew
get off the blog dumbass.
HEY EVERYONE!!!!! I just got a free car ---all i have to do is go to the Ford dealership with the letter they sent!!!! im so excited!
Exactly how did Matthew think he was getting signed for 6MILLION dollars?
Wheres the letter, email, proof that he was contacted at all?
WSJR should check some facts before buying into something like this.
don't worry. i'm sure they will and usually do. this kinda thing is only going to make weshotjr better.
EXACTLY AS WE EXPLAINED.
he is obviously not well. I'm almost grateful that we had to sort through a series of nasty comments yesterday to come to this realization. Yes, you were all right. Yes, we feel stupid, blindsighted, and dumbfounded. Yes, we should've caught on to this earlier. We met up to discuss the validity of Matthew's words in lieu of the barrage of skepticism portrayed in this blog yesterday. We have been skeptical ourselves the entire time, personally I took things with a grain of salt and stated that I would believe it when I saw it. Feel free to attack a moronic, naive, and overexcited post on livejournal. Frankly, I'm a little creeped out that that was found. But I believe that SR was doing it to prove that we weren't pulling some massive stunt, it was something we were all dragged into out of trust for a good friend. There is no need for this to continue further, things have been explained to the fullest degree we are aware of. Things got really fucked up in the past two days and we are paying the repercussions, notably having our names dragged through the mud. I defended Matthew yesterday because I never believed the possibility that he could have so carefully created this fantasy and believed it. I defended him because he was a good friend of mine and I had no reason not to. Matthew is still a dear friend of mine, as is everyone else involved. This was a sad, sad misunderstanding and I wish things had been sorted through prior to exploding to this degree.
-The 18 year old dumb bitch who couldn't possibly know what she was talking about, Sarah.
Yes, it is often very helpful to have a half a clue about what you're talking about before contacting media outlets with press releases. I had to learn that the hard way to when NASA asked me to pilot the Space Shuttle to Dogloria, a magic planet inhabited by puppies. I went to FOX News with the info and they ran with it, and turns out my blood sugar was just low and, no, there is no puppy planet and, no, NASA hadn't contacted me about flying to said puppy planet. It was all a big misunderstanding, sort of like what you guys are going through.
Wait, it's nothing like that. Because I'm not that fucking naive and full of myself.
I love how you guys threw Matthew under the bus and act like victims here, when all you had to do was take control of your own destiny and think for a second.
dude, shut the fuck up. i said from the get go i was detached from everything regarding the contract and that i took it with a goddamn grain of salt. i've been dragged into this enough as it is, save your fucking retorts.
Haha...
This SURE did get a lot of attention, which is something MATAS didn't have before they had an imaginary six million dollar record deal. Publicity stunt? Probably.
Maybe it was a real deal until the record company realized how boring the music is, and how much money they'd waste on them?
Oh and to the folks yesterday that said we were only bashing MATAS because we're totally jealous of their trillion dollar record deal: HAHAHAHA. Not jealous, just realistic.
can you guys please make Farah the headlining act for your festival? It would be a veritable WSJR dream!
5:27 - pretty funny.
Here's to loyalty to your friends.
TO SARAH:
"Check the comment warfare on we shot jr. Apparently we're all suffering from some serious mental incapacities and delusions. Better get that checked out."
You left that comment on MATAS, and then you realized that oops! You are suffering from delusions.
Is this where the "foot in mouth" emoticon comes in?
Fantastic!
TO BITCH:
i wasn't the one suffering the delusions. hah!
is that where the amused emoticon comes from? YES!
Sarah
In my experience in working with bands/promoters for festivals.
I have had some of the finest experiences working with matthew and the magilum family.
see you all on the 18th.
r.
Seriously, SR, I really thought you had your shit together, but this is so fucking funny and dissappointing at the same time. I dont know weather to laugh or to cry.
I will continue to read your posts, though, because everyone makes mistakes. No-one is above jumping to conclusions, or wanting to spread a good word about a local band. You did what you thought was right, no-one can fault you for that. You are forgiven for pre-maturely ejaculating your words onto this other-wise awesome blog. However, do realize that this will not be easily forgotten.
That being said, please write a post about a local band that isn't comprised of naive college idiots concerned with only chasing the paper, even if it is all made up.
One more thing and I'm done: don't ever mention big money deals again, SR. Finances happen behind closed doors for a reason, and thats where they should stay. No-one gives a fuck about how much someone is making unless they're planning on suing them, k?
I dont mean to sound commanding, but seriously, this is some common sense shit.
I'll be reading.
Sarah:
Obviously you were delusional if you thought your boring band was going to get a $6 million record deal. The whole band and everyone involved with this had to be completely delusional to believe some dude saying "oh yeah...got a record deal...no proof, but it's totally happening...$6 million too."
I'm sorry that you look like an idiot now. That must suck.
Oh, and you look completely ridiculous on stage standing in front of everyone holding your left ear and "singing" 8 inches away from the mic. That doesn't usually work very well. Completely ridiculous.
<3 Scarlett
i like turtles
Scarlett:
i've stated repeatedly that i had no part in the contract and took it with a grain of salt. i've also stated that generally, i'm pretty fucking detached from the band and playing shows. we record together occasionally. i've played three or four shows with them, trashed. i'm sorry, but do i know you? do you know me? have we had a conversation? or are you tagging along with all the other people spewing shit because e-drama is sooooo fun. so no, i don't feel like an idiot in the least bit, i merely defended a friend on something that was his deal- and i FULLY ADMITTED that the skepticism and the points made were apt judgements, if you read through my three replies on the previous post. Sweetheart, I may be 18 years old (i'm assuming you're within a three year range) but I'm far from stupid. I suggest you shut your fucking mouth when it has anything to do with me, or read better into the comments that I have made regarding my involvement. I'm not fucking delusional, I couldn't give a shit about the fabricated contract, about this blog, about the music- it's not even a genre I particularly care for, other than a handful of bands, really-about anything regarding this. I really don't enjoy singing, I don't know shit about what to do when I can't hear out of a fucking monitor when I'm fucked up and as I remember the night- didn't want to play at all in the first place. I only started with them a little while ago. It's fun, it's a diversion, it's not something I take fucking seriously. I have far more important things to do. Like, pluck my eyebrows, or pack for my trip at 4:30 tomorrow morning, or read the Enquirer, Star, or US Weekly, because that's what this fucking blog response has degenerated to. Bullshit upon bullshit. But I'd much rather throw out names like Proust and Joyce, god knows I couldn't fathom the depth of thier writing, god knows I probably just used spark notes for ulysses and rememberance of things past- I'm sure that's the running opinion, because what else have I been attacked for other than being 18 years old?
You know, I'm really fucking livid about all of this- I've been told to restrain my comments and anger to neutralize the situation- but this is fucking stupid. I fucked around with MATAS for about a month- big mistake on my part, I wish I could of foreseen being embroiled in such bullshit. My mental capacities are just fine and dandy, and if you want to go after someone- it certainly shouldn't be me. It should be the one that carried out this delusion in the first place.
Thanks, and fuck off.
and what girl at the show were you? this was the j&j's pre-fest correct? was there a reason you came in the first place? were you one of the ten girls there with the fashionable garb and the vacant expressions? I guess so.
now we're getting somewhere.
Come on, I really don't see how this is a mistake by SR or Sarah or whomever.
SR was obviously passing on what he was told...repeatedly. Normally one should verify a source, but what was he going to do, get some flunky at EMI to confirm some proprietary information?
I guess he could have qualified what he said with "sources within MatAS say..." But, I think it was already clear everything was from that source.
As for Sarah and everyone else in that band, they might have smelled bullshit....but I think it is a perfectly human error to believe something if you hear it enough from someone you trust, especially if you would die for it to be true.
At the end of the day, the music is lovely and pure art. So be it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZMsv5SoDyo
Don't most of you have anything better to do than tear people down? Try being less angry towards people that you don't even know.
I guess my apology didn't post, but I'm sorry Sarah for saying anything. I was at work and bored, and I decided to be a bitch. I thought it was funny for a while, and then I realized how rude I was being. I'm sorry.
I'm the idiot.
-Scarlett
"As for Sarah and everyone else in that band, they might have smelled bullshit....but I think it is a perfectly human error to believe something if you hear it enough from someone you trust, especially if you would die for it to be true."
Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.
Yeah, no problem. Chin up.
"FAGILUM MANOR."
dOOd CLEVER.
oh please join -- i'll suck your dick asshole
Shut up Sara everyone knows your a psycho bitch.
you spelled her name wrong...
poopy pee pee poooo pooooo peeee peeeee caca peeeee peee poooo pooo poo pooo peep poo pee pee
come on silly they didnt say that. cute.
Wait, so can't we get back on topic about WSJR and GvB putting on a Farah and Glass Candy show... that's happening, right?
farah sucks my dick...seriously have you seen her live?
It's interesting how no one was really Matt's friend until they heard about the "deal". Then all of a sudden people are joining his band and "managing" him.
Sometimes people believe what they want to believe.
I was alright with Matt before and after I thought he was full of shit. You can't bullshit a bullshitter. There's another point, he's not "crazy", just a bullshitter.
So for those who feel they are vitctims here and that their world has been turned upside down just remember that you aren't as important as you think you are. You believed someones bullshit because you thought you could gain something from it if it were true. Greed is a fucked up thing isn't it?
If it's too good to be true, it is.
And another thing - I'm only piping in on this once because most people on here think that they and their opinions are way more important than they really are.
"I'm not fucking delusional, I couldn't give a shit about the fabricated contract, about this blog, about the music- it's not even a genre I particularly care for, other than a handful of bands, really-about anything regarding this. I really don't enjoy singing, I don't know shit about what to do when I can't hear out of a fucking monitor when I'm fucked up and as I remember the night- didn't want to play at all in the first place. I only started with them a little while ago."
-------------------------
Way to choose to do something you don't enjoy. If you don't enjoy the type of music a band plays... Why join?
PS - I know you're 18 and you think getting trashed before gigs is totally rad, but it usually just makes you sound/look like shit in front of a lot of people.
priceless WSJR moments...
because i asked her to and because it was important to me. fuck off please.
also, I've bee matts friend for over two years so fuck you for saying that -- freddie i trusted mire than any other prospective manager and sarah is my best friend -- that why we joined asshole.
now if you could come off your throne and quit getting involved in personal details that dont concern you thatd be wonderful
No, I liked MATAS. As I said, I like some of the music in the genre, but a lot of it's shit. And as I said, it was a mere diversion, I played no chief role, I had no intentions to do so. I sang backup primarily on recordings, and played a few shows.
And there was one show where I was fucked up- the pre-fest. And by fucked up I mean three beers, for the first time in 6 weeks, that were fairly worn off by the time I got up there.
So, yeah, cool. Continued retorts on a dead post don't look so smart either, buddy.
cool reason to join, dude.
Yeah, awesome. Way to defend yourself.
...so I guess that means you weren't "fucked up"?
This is all pretty sweet. It's like when they bring the baby daddies out on Springer who've been two timing their baby mamas.
"i've played three or four shows with them, trashed."
"And there was one show where I was fucked up- the pre-fest. And by fucked up I mean three beers, for the first time in 6 weeks, that were fairly worn off by the time I got up there."
Baaaaackpeddle
faster.
faster.
agreed
haha you are all 18 and shit! LOLZ!
tcha
I'm done with this -- final comment:
August 4th NSF Pre Festival 12pm - 12am Art Six
August 18th New Sabbath Festival 12pm - 12am J&J's, on the square, Banter, etc.
magilumrecords.com
HA HA HA HA
your festival sucks and you don't have a record deal
HA HA
"Fuck UNT, hello UC Berkeley within the coming years."
Thanks for being so supportive of Denton & it's music, that you want to flee as soon as possible.
I used to trust WSJR to provide me with up to date, fair and balanced hipster news. Now I just don't know who to trust.
you guys sound like stalkers...a little creepy.
i'm really starting to lean toward not sitting on the fence with these MATAS chodes. they suck, and their music sucks. they should move to abilene with all the other shit sucks.
good lord--i. just. dont. care. at. all.
as a fellow musician in the Denton community I feel terrible for Matthew as it seems everyone in his "band" or "family" as it was so blatantly noted has left him hanging out to dry.
if you know this man, you certainly know he is not capable of such a stunt, or malicious behavior, and he is certainly not "slipping".
I am only chiming in here to be of support not further any dramatic experience's.
thus, i shall remain anonymous.
MySpace Bulletin posted by Matthew And The Arrogant Sea tonight...
"
as of tomorrow night @ the pre-festival @ art six matthew and the arrogant sea will never be the same again. I am retiring every song i have ever played live and reincarnating this band that has become such a part of me,
in the universe of love this band was once a seedling, but now it's time for its roots to sprout and for the world to know (or atleast dfw and denton) that we have only just begun.
i believe the show starts @ 5 so show up early.
thank you all for your love and support
i am honored and filled with great hope to have a family such as you.
we are not I REPEAT we are not breaking up, or dissolving yes sadly we have lost some of our dear family but we wish them well with kindest and most sincere love and regards. but onward MARCH! Our legs will only grow longer
and the sky will be filled with notes unlike any you've heard before.
I noticed alot of people have alot of questions so please don't be afraid to shoot me a line i won't bite unless you appear to be a predator in which case i'll tear out your heart and feed it to the proverberial lions.
just kidding.
<3Matthew-.
p.s.Please support the new sabbath festival alot of shit happened this much i know but please do not let any of it reflect poorly on the beautiful souls connected with the festival and magilum. all i can say is magilum records is run by some of the finest people i have ever come to know and the new sabbath festival is a festival all about community and love and support for denton nothing other than that.i wish them all the luck in the world.
ONWARD!!!!!!!!!!!
"
fuck you and this message.
your sources are shit.
and your credibility is incredibly
questionable.
MATAS
is not dissolving because of a few minor gossiping fuckers.
no, watch. they will have better, stronger music..
watch
Jesus Christ. The Royal We.
This was posted on the Brave Morning Records myspace.
Lately we have been flooded with questions from fans, bands, and publications regarding Brave Morning Records, Matthew and the Arrogant Sea, and EMI. Somehow the rumor mill churned out that BMR are in negotiations with MATAS and are close to signing the band. This is absolutely not true.
Just as we thought this was getting weird, we then heard that we were being bought out by EMI. Also not true. To be honest we're not sure why our label is being associated with MATAS or EMI, but somehow someone has made that connection and contacted as many people as possible to let them know.
Is this slander on our good name? Is it a poor attempt by a band to look much cooler than they actually are? Or is it a conspiracy?
So here's where you come in. We're offering one free Fire vs. Extinguisher CD to the lucky gum shoe that can solve the case. Good luck and don't forget your magnifying glass.
Chuck and Brett
Is this a band or a cult?
Whatever they are-- they seem annoying.
And so does anyone posting on here.
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