The Unsocial Network The longer I stay a "member" of Facebook and the more I am exposed to its whims, the more I realise that all these folk who've bitched and moaned and berated it for so long may actually be on to something. The fact that Instagram, an app I use daily and enjoy immensely has been bought by them annoys and affects me in two ways; firstly I dread to think what will happen to the wonderful simplicity and good natured air of the existing Instagram community once the FB wheels turn and encourage anyone and everyone to jump on board. Now, that exposes an elitist aspect to my personality and usage of social apps (surely, by their very nature they should be inclusive?) but I'm a creature of habit and while I do sign up to social networking sites, Pinterest being my latest experiment, it's not just for the sake of it, it's also to meet like minded people within the confines of the app. Twitter is great for that, find a niche and follow at will. If you're lucky you'll get followers back and in turn will follow more people, like minded and interested in similar things. Inclusive. Secondly, Facebook is infringing on a media (social / poor / amateur & sometimes excellent photography) that it already has its own mitts on via multiple links to share photos from nearly every photo app I've ever come across. There really can be no good to come from its interest & purchase of this member-minded app. You see the problem with Facebook is that, chances are, you'll only be "friends" with people that you are a) actually day to day or at least week by week or drunken in the pub with every so often friends with; b) friends of friends, met once or twice in the pub and the notion of "being friends on Facebook" comes up so before you know it... Or c) "friends" with famous(ish) folk and these really, ultimately, aren't people who are, to use the phrase again, like minded or similar minded or "member minded". So Facebook doesn't really cater to ones likes properly. I could post dozens of YouTube clips of songs I like / love but the people I'm "friends" with on Facebook may not get them. Because it's just not the place or that sort of app. Instagram is great because people who have a genuine love of taking photos, be it through the limited lens of an iPhone or uploading the latest SDLR shots, have a place to go to to share their passion. Facebook's interest in this, I think will dilute the passion and drive the actual creative people away. My mates call me old for using this phrase but... mark my words... there's a nasty sea-change in the air. Now, how do I share this rant on Facebook?

I've been to a lot of gigs in my #life and I've weathered many stormy / bad sets by stormy / bad musicians. But I have never walked out of a gig of my own volition. Late buses have been factors, my own drunkenness has very often been a factor. But those factors aside, if someone is creating music of their own on stage in front of me, I'll respect it and, where possible, stay the course. Until tonight. I have never in my #life seen or heard such a disgraceful display of public masturbation. No musical talent, unless you count playing 3 chords on an electric guitar and looping same chords through a pedal to no melodic end, for too many self indulgent songs. Lyrically I died inside every time his self pitying murmurs pronounced the word "fuck" to oh so great effect. Highlighting his inner turmoil or lack of originality or true bitterness (we've all heard better artists use the word to better use and we've all heard better artists not rely on boring shock tactics). This was a truly awful experience. I left so fast that the next available venue to sate my need for another drink was a ceilidh. And I swear the music performed at that was 1000 times better. Uilleann pipes included.