I Don't Like Knowing People and I Don't Like People Knowing About Me

There's little more I hate on the Internet than MySpace. The sites are painful to view, and after spending way too long on them, you realize you learned absolutely nothing except the fact that avid MySpace users tend to only leave extremely inane comments (No disrespect intended. I don't even know you). That said, many musicians are taking advantage of the huge social network that has developed via MySpace and an interesting network is developing around them that serves as ancillary official and fan sites. MySpace music has even released its own CD. But most of the time, they offer very little new information that you can't access elsewhere, but every now and then, they may roll out a tune or two for you to sample. It's also interesting to note what musicians are each other's "friends."

With all that said, how the hell can we know if an artist's page is really that artist's page, or if it's just some pathetic geek who gets a chuckle out of misappropriating others' personas?! So I was initially interested in reading that the ever-elusive-on-the-web Matthew Sweet started his own. Then I visit it and find absolutely nothing of substance. His last blog entry was in November for chrissakes. So there is nothing to prove to me that this is an actual product of Matthew Sweet. Oh sure, there's name-dropping, but any casual fan would know who Ric Menck is, or the connection Sweet has to the Bangles. What is the point?

Ok, I shall end my rant now. I'm sorry it ever happened. If you loooove MySpace, well, enjoy it. I can't say I won't continue to visit periodically to see if there's anything new going on. Hell, you can even check out the new BTS there. I'm just irked and needed release. There. Release.

By the way, Matthew's CD with Susanna Hoffs is coming out this spring and they're playing SXSW together this year (look under Hoffs). There. Matthew news.

And finally, don't forget to check out my MySpace page. Whooo!