Part 1

Sit back, grab a cold one or a warm one, we're gonna be here a bit.

As I get older, I find that more and more things are ticking me off. Right now I have four battles going on, each better than the other. While today we'll look at my recent Chad and Jeremy battle, I should let you know about another which I've just no doubt started. This latest one is on the New York State Dept. of Labor web site, where I go daily to check on the status of any extension to my expired unemployment benefits. Today, someone posted a novena to St. someone or other, praying for renewed benefits. I thought about this before I jumped on it, afraid to be seen as the anti-Christ by everyone there, but I said to myself, I think we'll need to say something. These are my exact words: May I suggest that you post this novena on your personal page and invite those who wish to participate to view it there? You run the risk of offending non-Christians and non-believers if you bring this to a civil, non-religious, web site. I am not the anti-Christ, but believe that this may be deemed inappropriate for a government site. I think I have been civil and respectful, but certainly the choice is yours to move it or not. So we'll see how that develops. Sorry, but if you want to pray, you need not involve me if I don't want to be involved.

Anyway, the Chad and Jeremy war continues. You'll no doubt remember that I've been banned from the Yahoo group, and barred as well from their Facebook site. Why? Because I've been a pain in their collective butts a bit. That is not especially hard to do if all those surrounding them believe that they walk on water, sing like a choir of angels, and generally are perfection personified. Perhaps I exaggerate, but trust me when I say that criticism of any kind is simply not tolerated by their web master, nor whoever is in control of their social networking sites. None.

So, and I'm a bit embarrassed to reveal this, but with few options available to get a question to them, I by-passed their Facebook lock out by using a different Facebook account. Same name, slight misspelling of the last name, but certainly recognizable. Not like I got on as The Lone Ranger or anything. The post has since been removed, of course, but to summarize, I asked why they continued to rely on their older material in their release of Ark-eology as well as the planned next release of a live concert CD, which is basically full of the same Ark-eology material, but done live. I further asked what happened to the widely mentioned and promoted CD of new material called Zanzibar Sunset, and of course, what happened to the promised DVD called Yesterday's Gone.

I know, I know, why bother. On the other hand, I'm not looking for the recipe for Coke here, just a hint as to why this direction has been chosen. Chad himself told me of plans for a comedy CD, a Jeremy CD, a folk CD. So they don't answer, they delete the post. Too hard a question? Or has the question itself caused trouble in Chad and Jeremy land? Will I ask again, just to be a pain? We'll see.

But it doesn't end there. Last week I get the following letter, which I'll re-print in its entirety (told you to grab a drink) so you can grasp the apparent damage I've caused to one devoted fan, simply by daring to ask a question of the anointed duo:

I presume you have re-named yourself Anthony Piccirillo, and it’s not someone masquerading as you. My Facebook page tells me you joined FB because you ‘Like’ C&J, and then your post is just the same old same old, asking again the questions to which you know the answers – or so you would have me believe from what you’ve said about knowing more than you can tell – and denigrating C&J, calling them oldies and complaining about not getting the CD/DVD you thought was on the way. I can only suppose you’re doing it to be deliberately irritating, not to say hurtful. But surely you must realise that this reflects badly on you, and won’t exactly endear you to C&J. I doubt I’m the only one to be wondering why you didn’t leave it when you said you would, six months or so ago, and why you keep coming back to pick at the scab.

Chad and Jeremy, along with the people they trust, are best-placed to know how their professional lives should be shaped, and are the only ones who know the why’s behind that how. Maybe you think it should be done differently, but as you’ve said yourself, you were never privy to things C&J. Though that doesn’t really compute with the claim to know more than you can tell. Which do you mean? You also contradict yourself by saying that there were many new songs in the concerts, and then complaining that the projected live album won’t have new numbers, as Zanzibar Sunset would have if that had been issued first. I have no idea what the set list was for the Don Gibson Theatre concert, but I’m sure it will have some of their new songs.

I thought about responding to your email from way back, but A Lot happened here, and when I came up for air I reckoned it was past history, and hoped you had moved on. But it appears you’re stuck in the groove, and it would seem you’re accusing C&J of breaking a promise to you. As Chad has said, Caswell jumped the gun be implying that Zanzibar Sunset was mixed and ready to go, when this was not the case. What makes you think it was otherwise? Why are you constantly berating them for something they haven’t done? I also found your personal attack on Jason distasteful. As webmeister and moderator he is there to promote C&J and reflect the fans’ enthusiasm, which he does with humour and good grace, and for the benefit of the whole C&J community. Chad considers Jason a personal friend and has said so many times over the years. What purpose does it serve to attack their friends? Why would you do it?

You said your feeling is one of disappointment. Maybe you were expecting too much when in fact it was never there. Don’t let disappointment fester into bitterness or rancour – that’s not good for C&J and it’s not good for you. Best all round if you let it go.

My rather angry reply :):

I'm sorry you feel that way. The question is legitimate, given that the "new" CD was on the web site, delayed by the record company CEO there, promoted in concert by C&J, and mentioned in several interviews. I'd like to know what happened to it. Is that wrong? I'd also like to know what happened to the DVD, also mentioned and promoted in very similar fashion, and then pulled from PBS at the last minute. (I know the DVD wasn't their project, was produced by Caswell, and financed by a number of people who are still anxious to get their investment back. I know that Chad was not supportive of it, but I don't know why it's been killed). When 2 such projects have been so widely discussed, scheduled, and promoted, my opinion is that some explanation as to the reason they have summarily disappeared while may not required, is at least a means of showing respect to the people who have waited for and expected them. Do they think we're not paying attention?

I don't recall that Caswell ever mentioned the CD, as he was not the person being interviewed, nor did he appear in concert, and doesn't control the web site. Where would he mention it? I find it odd that Chad mentioned a "publicist" in terms of blaming someone, though he didn't mention a name, did he?

I'm afraid I do not recall an attack on Jason. I don't think that I would go after a lawyer, but you can point that out if you wish. I do not know him personally, though my dealings with him initially were ok. I have heard reports from several people who do not like or respect him, but that's second hand info.

I'm not looking to be endearing. Is it denigrating to call someone an oldies act? That's the road they've chosen.

I don't get your need to "protect" them from criticism. I'm not doing personal attacks on them, not belittling their talent, and certainly not hindering their career. I have questioned career choices, song choices, that disastrous attempt at a Christmas CD, but you know, they are not perfect, are public artists, and are open to the same criticism afforded to Dylan, Springsteen, and the Monkees. Not everything they have done is great. Some of their choices in distribution and promotion in today's world are certainly open to question. Why do you find that wrong?

The problem is that Jason too is shielding them to some degree. To a younger artist, I'd say that that was harmful to their growth. In this case, I think the book has already been written, so it may matter less. But it is still stifling to people like myself who do like to discuss the choices that artists have made, and how other choices might or might not have been better for them. It's all conjecture, a hobby, and ultimately means nothing. Why has activity on the board been down for the past year? Why have all of the male participants disappeared? Why is the only talk allowed that about birthdays, grandchildren, pets, and who has died? Fluff, simple innocuous fluff. Yes, it's his site. Sad that it could be used for more. I ask you, if everyone on the board continued to tell them how great everything they ever did was, how would they ever be able to grow as musicians?

If I have a problem here, it's maybe because I saw them as being more than Summer Song. I thought that they might differentiate themselves from the Peter Noones and Gerry Marsdens by being more creative. They chose not to. At age 70, nothing but wasted time. I keep hearing about Jeremy's CD, a comedy CD, a folk CD, a Chad CD. These people are not getting younger.

Yes, the set list for the live CD will have the same new songs that they've been doing in concert for the past 3 or 4 years. New? That's open for discussion. I would guess that the only previously unreleased songs might be Tell You Something Else, and Some Small Town. Maybe The Memory Song, though that's not really new as it's a cover version, also done by Tom Rush.

And finally, I think you're doing more harm than good here by not questioning anything. You do not challenge them to do better. They've taken the safe route, by choice or by direction, and that's where they've faltered.

You know, this is all just silly. If we were talking about Simon & Garfunkel or somebody else, why in hell couldn't I ask what happened to a specific project that was announced and then disappeared? Would their web site stop my posts? Would I be prohibited from posting on their Facebook page? What make Chad and Jeremy so untouchable in a professional sense? Give me a break.

Admittedly, some of the references in both letters may be oblique without past knowledge, but I hope you can get the gist of most of it. The thing that irks me most is the hint that anything but praise is taken as an attack. Am I being obnoxious? Maybe, but these 2 guys are artists selling their wares. What really makes them different from anyone else doing the same? Nothing :).

So next we'll move on to how I offended the McCartney contingent. Or, "Paul, just sing your song and sit down."