Χαχαχα 444.444.444
Είκοσι-τρεις σελίδες σχεδόν, οι πέντε ξεκατινιάσματα, τουλάχιστον απογοητευτικό.
The ridiculous drama of band life, and how it is the downfall of spirit.
22 January 2015 at 12:48
Even though it’s probably best to stay quiet under the circumstances, I do need to point out a few things in response to the public humiliation tactics and lies that have been used against me.
First of all, all of the bogus disputes regarding CBP will be dealt with in the proper way, I have no doubt about the outcome but unfortunately it does mean some time and money (I don’t have) has to be spent on this. It sad because it’s all so unnecessary and it stinks of the kind of outrageous behaviour you would expect from big time cliché rock bands, this aspect is also embarrassing because it’s at the opposite end of the music business to where I am and CBP are. CBP stands for the opposite of “rock-star”, something certain ex-band members fail to realise.
I have no intention of dragging this thing out, or airing peoples dirty laundry in public, there’s simply no need for it, and who cares anyway? I just feel there’s some real nasty and spiteful bullshit out there and I am not the sort of person to sit and take that.
The accusations that all the past band “members” have never received any money ever, is simply not true. Although I, nor anyone else in this band don’t need to defend or explain this, it needs to be said just this once. Everyone has in the past all through the years and numerous tours been paid in the form of an equal split from any profit made from the shows, a split from CD and Vinyl sales of all the albums (which technically means certain members like Karl and Christian who joined later have received “mechanical royalties” for albums they didn’t even play on), plus T-shirts on certain fly-out shows. Each of us have claimed most if not all expenses for fuel to rehearsals, train tickets, flights, food at the studio, blah blah blah… although way back in the past, the money was so scarce, we had to chip in a bit ourselves in order to make things happen (as you would expect any normal small time band to do), but definitely in recent years, we have made sure everyone got expenses. If there were any times the money was very tight and expenses high, it was made clear the situation. I’m sure no one can argue that the accusers didn’t agree to every tour and under every circumstance, there was no quitting and bitching then (actually, there’s always been bitching, but that’s another story…).
A certain person is claiming he has lost money because of time away from work etc, claiming he has lost thousands of pounds on each tour (although it has never been proven what the “loss” would be or how much the guy would in theory earn at home during that time away), but he (and others) willingly accepted the conditions and came on tour with us. I would like to see the proof of this “loss of earnings” claim, but never the less, you simply cannot retrospectively claim loss of earning after agreeing to tour in the first place, and neither can you turn that theoretical amount into money spent on investment in the band, when there was no cash! It is so unrealistic and selfishly capitalist to make such claims. If I put into money-terms the amount that I’ve lost in potential earnings or even actual money spent on all CBP ventures from day one (yes day one in 2004, not 2009 when this person joined or 2012 when he fraudulently registered and stole the trademark), it would be so outrageously more than anyone else, people would think I was nuts to even mention it.
When money has been made, everyone gets paid, when we don’t get paid…everyone doesn’t get paid, it is that simple, and is intrinsic of the modern day music business as experienced by most small time bands. We get paid for shows, and then the expenses, tour costs, bills and wages for crew come out first, our costs have risen almost double, but we’re not making double the amount we were a few years ago. Simple math. However some people seem to think that we’ve become Guns’n’Roses and that they’re being ripped off… I can’t believe we’re talking about guys who claim to be “experienced” and “professional” musicians here… In what world have they been living in?
People have played on our tours and some have been paid a session fee, or they have been a closer part of the band, others have simply wanted to help out and come along for the joy of it or the experience, no one asked for or demanded any kinds of pre-determined agreement. Not until last year when two guys decided that they wanted a contract within the band to prevent them from being kicked out, or to prevent me from quitting my own band and therefore leaving the poor buggers without a band. I’m sorry, but that would never ever happen, and I’m sure anyone in this position would agree.
Also, at one point, it was suggested and almost offered on paper that if the guys wanted a guaranteed income from touring then they should possibly become session players. Not only was this turned down, it was said by one individual guitarist that if he became a session player we would have to pay him all the backdated session fee’s going back to when he joined the band (obviously disregarding all the money he’s been paid already). This is so ridiculous, I don’t know where to begin on that! Is that how it’s done “professionally”?
As for the albums, well, first of all, the thief (who stole the band name in December 2012 without my knowledge until a few weeks ago in December 2014) and others must believe the band was formed by them in 2012 or something (and not in 2004, a good 5 years before I asked them to join), or they simply disregard the 3 (or 4 if you include 200 Tons…) albums that preceded them, in fact he/they must have forgotten where the name came from, or why it was chosen for the band name, or that there was a CBP at all before it was their time to shine. They must also forget the fact that all advances we get for the recording budget is spent on the recording of the album, the more we get, the more we spend on the album!
Only one album differs from that, and it is not a studio album. I personally needed financial help and took a small advance in order to keep my house and carry on doing the band without losing everything (as I have spent any years struggling while writing and performing and managing and steering the good ship CBP while the other guys have their jobs and other bands to support them, I felt it was justify-able). This was also discussed with the entire band over a table in a pub, with our manager and was agreed on, and that I do not take a penny in sales from that particular live album but everyone else on the album does.
Apart from the technical aspects of albums and recording, everyone who has contributed parts have been included on all the publishing, everything has been agreed by all parties and done properly and legally by my publishing company. Despite certain accusations, everyone is accounted to. The band is still in debt with the publishing company, but one day, if there’s money made, all the people who are included will be paid. Very simple and very true.
So, anyway… when we talk about the commitment and development side of it, there are few people who will know exactly what goes into the songs and who exactly plays on the songs. To avoid any disputes here, I would suggest everyone should research the album credits and other info, on the albums (and not on the internet, where most of the info is slightly wrong or outdated). Everyone is credited correctly apart from the times where I played a certain 4-string instrument, but I then let the player of that instrument take the credit. The same goes for some of the guitar work. Now, I would never claim to have played all the solo work or finger-picking or the guitar wankery that is quite obviously better than I could do, but a lot of the other stuff is not who you might think it is, especially on the last two releases where certain players didn’t turn up to the studio for the first few days (costing us money for recording sessions) and then left early before all of their parts were recorded, leaving myself and a couple of other guys to fill in the gaps… but everyone still gets the credit, and that is fine I guess, because you can’t expect everyone of your supporters or fans to care about such things anyway.
I don’t mind the fact that I play a lot of instrumentation on all the albums goes unnoticed, the fact that I am a drummer but only few people realise how much I play the drums on the albums, it’s a very tricky thing to talk about without sounding like a big head, so I let it go most of the time, let people think what they like. But this is a part of why I am so disappointed, I have genuinely put in so much craft, effort and creative hard work into this thing, I honestly feel deeply wronged and It’s just such a shame when things that are not common knowledge are used against you in such a cynical and misguided way.
I’ve always believed in the music coming first, but this obviously clashes with other past band members opinions and beliefs.
To tag on to this “commitment” and “development” point, it also now has to be said, there were never any recording contracts or agreements with anyone else on apart from myself and this was agreed on by the rest of the band. The early Invada stuff was an agreement between them and myself because there wasn’t really a steady band for a start, so it was best for myself to make things happen on my own because mostly I was doing most thing on my own anyway. Then when I signed with Mascot a few years ago, we had a “band meeting” where I actually offered to include other guys on the contract but only if they could drop their other bands and projects to the point where CBP came first and I would feel the others were committed on a more equal basis to myself. This was turned down because others didn’t want to put CBP first, they wanted to carry on with their own bands and work commitments (which was fine). I can be sure that everyone at that point made it clear they understood that CBP was and always was my band and my vision, so no one minded that I would take care of pretty much all aspects of the band, and be the sole signature on the contract. You cannot retrospectively try to argue that now just because you have stolen my band name trademark and think you can hold it to ransom.
This is where I have to speak up about certain ex-members claiming that it was because of them the band has done any good at all. Let me tell you, when someone says CBP used to play to tiny audiences, well, we did, along with bigger crowds sometimes… but nothing much has changed, we still play to tiny audiences, in most places, especially the UK… Sure, we play some bigger shows to maybe 500 or so people, but the band has released 9 albums over 10 years, there would be growth no matter what, as long as we work at it, which we have…yes, even before certain people even joined CBP! I have worked so hard to get this band on tour all over the world and I challenge anyone to tell me who else has ever instigated anything creative or any tour action.
It just makes me laugh that guys who were in my band, and who were not even part of it for the first 5 years and don’t contribute as much as you’d think would have such delusions of grandeur, in fact, it’s downright embarrassing! Fuck rock stars.
It also has to be said, these guys in question, the ones who are trying desperately to bring down big ol’bad guy Greaves, they have all benefitted from this band in more ways than just financially, I would like to point out what certain people were doing music-wise before I asked them to join CBP, but that would be cruel. There’s more to this business apparently, things like connections for their other bands or projects, exposure as a musician, endorsements, making friends and meeting promoters etc… It all good stuff that can be used to further their own careers. This is totally fine by me, but don’t try to tell me these guys have all worked for nothing, that’s just silly talk.
Apart from Kostas (piano on “Please Do Not Stay Here”) and a few intro samples here and there, no one else ever contributed the whole of the music (not talking lyrics) for a song or an idea for a complete song. One person tried but I turned it down because I didn’t like it and it was not suitable for CBP stylistically (this also goes to prove that if they were so influential and essential to the CBP sound, they would have power of decision). I want to say of course some musicians contributed their own style of playing and some contributed their parts which was used on an album (it wouldn’t be right to name names right now) a lot of good peoples, friends and musicians have contributed their time and skill, that has never been denied. but now, a lot of people might indeed take this the wrong way and think I do not appreciate or respect anything others have done in CBP, this too is not true. In fact, for an example, if you look on the Facebook page and keep going back in time (or indeed ye olde myspace), you will see almost every tour or album, and sometimes just randomly, I have publicly said how happy and proud I have been towards the guys in the band. In plenty of interviews, I have given the credit and respect. But the truth is the truth, and now, when I see ex-band players, or random friends, or ex-wives of ex-players publicly posting things like “Greaves never wrote anything and simply used better musicians to make albums etc, and ripped them off to support a lifestyle” I feel less and less obliged to keep letting others take credit and that I just sit by while they try to ruin what I have worked on and given my life to over ten years.
Ignore the trolls.
You might have noticed the first few lies being exposed as just that, lies. and I’m now not going to be surprised at anything anyone says. In fact you too can say or believe what you want, it really makes no difference to me because I have the truth and you can’t fight that. I don’t have dozens of people waging an online bullying campaign for me, like others are doing, I can fight my own battles, in fact, I would have preferred to see these losers face to face, or at least a conversation on the phone, but it seems they must be scared and know they’re doing wrong, because after I tried to call them (and granted, I did tell them what I think of them) I have had both the Bicester and Bedfordshire Police Constabulary calling me and telling me to “keep away”.
I’m going to go on and on all night and day if I don’t stop soon, but this is just the start of what I can and will stand up in court and swear by law to say. My name is being dragged through 200 Tons of shit right now, and I don’t mind admitting that it’s rubbish being on the receiving end of it, but It won’t matter in the long run, shit washes off after all.
I do feel bad for the supporters who don’t want to see this drama played out, the people who truly know what CBP stands for and all the stories and reasons behind everything CBP does. I also feel bad for the guys in the band, Daniel, Mark, Ben, Daisy and also Belinda and everyone who has helped out. Let it be said now, there is no legal feud going on or an inner band fight… It is simple, this band has not been able to give what some egotistical and disappointingly naive band member(s) wanted, so they have tried to simply take it away. Extreme dog-in-a-manger behaviour, “I can’t have it so neither can you” type of thing… but they forgotten (hurhurhur)… CBP was never theirs in the first place. You just ask these idiot ex-members a few questions about what the name is about, or where it came from, or when and why it all started, or even, what the songs mean, what the albums represent, or why the artwork is what it is… They couldn’t even tell you… does that seem like an artistically and creatively integral member of a band who should own the band name, a band they didn’t even know about for years before they even joined the band, the band which already had the name?
Did I mention “Crippled Black Phoenix” actually existed before the thief joined in 2009, and before it was stolen in 2012?
Shit, I would respect these phonies a little bit if they simply called me up and said “I hate you and I hate this band, you don’t pay me enough and it is not what I want so fuck you, I’m leaving” … but instead we got screwed over by thieving the band name and then letting us down on the day we were leaving for the short tour of Bulgaria and Greece, with no phone call, or returned calls or messages or anything… just a cowardly and dirty nothingness. They tried to mess it up for us and make us cancel the shows…And then they have the cheek to apologise to their fans for not been able to make it… like they give a shit about the fans. Bollocks! If they did care about the many supporters/fans and promoters and everyone helping out or investing money into the shows, they would have done the shows and then quit, like “professionals” would do, and not try to sabotage the whole thing out of selfishness and childish spite.
I love and respect a lot of guys who have played or been part of this band thing, and of course the guys and gal in the band who I can trust, but I will not show any respect to low life common thieves and spiteful liars. I have also found out in the worst way possible, who my real friends are, and there’s a few surprises for and against… This makes me better off as a person. and I have no regrets.
FTW
justin.
κατι εγινε σημερα που με τσαντισε, κυριως για λογους αρχης και το οτι ηταν μαλλον η σταγονα που ξεχειλισε το ποτηρι σε σχεση με το πως βλεπω/σεβομαι τον ανθρωπο που φωναζει ο κοσμος Justin Greaves
26 Μαιου περιπου παρηγγειλα μια αφισα απο το bandcamp της μπαντας. Ειδα οτι ξεπουλαγαν και λεω, δε γαμιεται, εχω μια κορνιζα αδεια, ας τη γεμισω. Παίρνω, πληρωνω κανονικα. £11 η αφισα, £3 τα ταχυδρομικα (λογικοτατο για Αγγλια --> Σκωτια) και ολα κουλ.
Τελοσπαντων, εχω ψιλοξεχασει πως ειχα παρει αυτη την αφισα και μου σκαει πριν δεκα μερες μεηλ, οτι ξερωγω ημασταν περιοδεια στο στελνω τωρα, σορρυ και τετοια, ερχεται με το ταχυδρομειο.
Καλη φαση λεω, τοχα ξεχασει τελειως.
Τελοσπαντων, σημερα μου σκαει στο γραφειο η αφισα και ο ταχυδρομος μου λεει “ψιτ, μου χρωστας 5 λιρες, ο αποστολεας δεν τα πληρωσε και μεις εχουμε μια δουλεια να κανουμε ξερωγω”
ψιλοαφωνος εμεινα, γιατι δεν ηξερα τι δεμα ηταν ακριβως (παλι ειχα ξεχασει). Μετα βλεπω CBP HQ πανω στο κουτι και θυμηθηκα την οικονομικη κωλοτρυπιδα ονοματι Greaves και χασκογελασα πικραμενος.
Δεν ειναι οι πεντε λιρες, ειναι ο ανθρωπος.
Καμια αλλη στηριξη σε αυτη τη μπαντα, κριμα…
Που λέτε ακούω αυτές τις μέρες το νέο δίσκο των Crippled Black Phoenix, “Great escape”. Και συνειδητοποιώ ότι μιλάμε, μάλλον, για ΤΗΝ περίπτωση συγκροτήματος που χρόνο στο χρόνο αποκαθηλώθηκε όσο λίγα στη συνείδηση μου. Μιλάμε για ένα συγκρότημα που οι πρώτες του δουλειές (μέχρι την αποχώρηση της μισής μπάντας, δηλαδή) με άγγιξαν έντονα, δεν είχα ξανακούσει καμία άλλη μπάντα που να έχει ενσωματώσει με τόσο επιτυχημένο τρόπο το πνεύμα των Pink Floyd, και όλα τους τα (πρώτα) albums έσφυζαν από έμπνευση -μιλάμε για τη μία κομματάρα μετά την άλλη, χωρίς ούτε ένα filler! Και ξαφνικά αρχίζουν οι αποχωρήσεις… Και εκτυλίσσεται η γνωστή σαπουνόπερα στο fb… Και έχουμε ένα “White light generator” που μοιάζει άνισο και ακούμε τα πρώτα (έντονα) deja vu στη μουσική τους. Μετά έρχεται το “Bronze”, ακόμα χειρότερο κατά τη γνώμη μου και ίσως η πιο ατυχής τους κυκλοφορία. Και πάρε και ανούσια EP με διασκευές… Και φέτος έχουμε ένα “Great escape” που, αν και βελτιώνει λίγο την εικόνα που δημιουργήθηκε με το “Bronze”, δεν καταφέρνει να κάνει την υπέρβαση και συνεχίζει το σερί των αδύναμων δίσκων τους. Πραγματικά, μου κάνει εντύπωση το πόσο δύσκολο τους (ή του;) είναι να γράψουν ένα, έστω, κομμάτι αντάξιο του παρελθόντος. Που, δηλαδή, να μην επαναλαμβάνεται, να μην τραβάει χωρίς λόγο πάνω από 5-6 λεπτά, να χαρίζει, ρε γαμώτο, κάποια ανατριχίλα…
Δεν ξέρω, πραγματικά είμαι σε φάση που μάλλον δε θα ενδιαφερθώ ξανά για νέο δίσκο τους (για να τους δω live ούτε λόγος). Νομίζω ότι είναι αδύνατο, πλέον, να αντιστρέψουν την πορεία τους.
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Συμφωνώ απόλυτα
Ίσως από τις πιο απότομες αποκαθηλώσεις συγκροτημάτων εβερ όμως… Όλα τους τα κομμάτια πλέον προσπαθούν τόοοσο απεγνωσμένα να…αλλά χάνουν τόοοοσο εύκολα από τα αποδυτήρια. Ολοκληρωτική έλλειψη ενδιαφέροντος δυστυχώς.
προχθες ανακαλυψα πως τα Night Raider/Resurrectionists ανεβηκαν ξεχωριστα στα στρημιν σερβισις (τουλαχιστον το Google Play που χρησιμοποιω εγω) και τα ακουω μετα απο χρονια και ειναι ωραια.
ας μη μιλαμε αλλο για αυτη τη μπαντα βεβαια.
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Άκρως αναμενόμενο για εμένα το γεγονός πως έφυγε ο Anghede (φωνή) και απογειώθηκε η μπάντα απότομα στο νέο άλμπουμ. Πραγματικά απορώ τι σκεφτόταν ο Greaves και τον είχε επιλέξει.
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o οποιος Greaves φημιζεται για της ηρεμες και λογικες του επιλογες;
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Πίστευα ότι έχει το αυτί και την αισθητική να το καταλάβει =/
Υπάρχει κάποιο άλμπουμ της μπάντας που αξίζει να ακούσει κανείς μετά το (Mankind) The Crafty Ape, το οποίο δεν με είχε ενθουσιάσει βέβαια. Πήγα λίγο πίσω στα ποστς κ είδα τι έγραψε ο @Leper_Jesus μέχρι κ το Great Escape του '18.
To περσινό Ellengaest για μένα είναι πάρα πολύ δυνατό, και το φετινό Banefyre διατηρεί την ποιότητα, αν και ένα τσικ παρακάτω
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Και για εμένα το Ellengaest είναι το καλύτερο της ύστερης περιόδου τους. Αλλά πραγματικά είναι τόσο χειρότερα από την εποχή mankind και πίσω που δεν θα τα πρότεινα καν.
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Α τόσο καλά… . Θα πρέπει να το τσεκάρω το άλμπουμ. Πάντως ούτε κ το Mankind μου είχε κάνει κλικ μετά το εξαιρετικό I, Vigilante.
Βλεπω οτι 22/11 παιζουν Αθηνα… Τι γινεται με δαύτους? Αξιζει να δώσουμε αλλη μια ευκαιρία στον Justin? Μετα τα 2 απανωτα live φιασκο και την τοξικότητα που ειχε βγάλει δεν ειχα ξανα ασχοληθει σοβαρα μαζι τους. Περιστασιακά εχω ακουσει καποιες νεες τους κυκλοφορίες χωρις να τρελαθώ ιδιαίτερα. Αλλα Μιας και ο Νοέμβριος δεν εχει κατι που να με ενδιαφέρει περα απο mother of million ισως το σκεφτω.