[The Flying Mouse]

Originally Posted by Monstro

Ok, been thinking about my post here for a few days and mentally re-written it so many times it's a joke so I'm just gonna say what this site means to me and how it's changed my life .(that is not an overstatement).

And a lot more great stuff
.

A great post, and some great memories

Originally Posted by suzieq

I think this thread was how to fix things....but right now I don't see many suggestions "HOW" to do that. I've read about what this site means to other people and yada, yada, but I don't know if anyone has come up with a solid solution of how to fix and turn around the site.

1st thing is that moderation needs to acknowledge that there is a problem to begin with.
2nd thing is to post an update somewhere of what is being done to correct the problems they are working on.
3rd thing is that moderation should open their minds a little bit and see that this place can be more fruitful if we keep the band members and MEAT happy!

If there is a problem to be fixed, it's first got to be decided what the problem is.
And as a lot of people have different ideas on what the problem is, or wether there is even a problem or not in the first place, that's no mean trick.

Originally Posted by suzieq

When Meat is happy to come to forum then has to read through hurtful things, he passionately defends himself. I believe rightly so. I think NO less of him for doing so and in which manner he does it.

It's not a nice thing to talk about, I certainly don't like talking about it, because it concentrates on all the cons rather than the massive pros of Meat being here, and I don't want this thread to be something that continually bashes Meat like a pinata who's to blame for the forums ills, but sometimes he has gone over the top and blasted people to en extent that can't be easily justified.

In fact, I would go as far to say (if we're leaving all the BS at the door here, because I think the threads usless without honest conversation) if it had been anyone but Meat who had repeatedly posted messages like that, they would have been banned by now.

But as i've posted before, I also understand that Meat is in a unique position on this forum, and is more likely to be personally invested on what is said on the forum.

Respect and tolerance has to run both ways, and that goes for people who wish to criticize too.

Originally Posted by suzieq

He was given a lot of static by fans because he used to use explicit language in his posts upon his defense. HE doesn't do that anymore. He's said it in a respectful way...and guess what, HE'S still getting static.

Again, I hate this, it makes me sound like a Meat basher (OOH MATRON! ) , but he is still apt to fly off the handle. When he left recently, there was no ill meaning in the message posted, but Meat decided to leave the forum.

Originally Posted by suzieq

So no you cannot please all members all the time. But I think you can please band members and Meat pretty easy. Why not edit the posts that can be more Meat/band member friendly? Why not delete posts that leave room for reading between the lines (which we aren't supposed to do)? Maybe doing this enough, the offenders will either lose interest in flaming OR adapt to the existing rules of posting with respect?

How can we keep Meat and the band happy?
By deleting every negative opinion from the board?
If we (the staff) see something that we believe is posted in a way that is offensive through the way it's worded, or posted with an intent to flame, we will edit/delete the post, and warn/infract the poster if we believe there was ill intent.

Again, the recent post which offended Meat was posted by a big supporter of Meat, certainly not somebody I believe would ever want to cause Meat upset, and we all know what happened.

So should a genuinly honest opinion, posted in a respectful manner, not be allowed on this forum because it is not a positive one and might offend Meat?


As for flaming, I don't believe anyone on this forum posts with intent to flame Meat.
Each other, maybe, but not Meat.
From a mod point of view, if we see flaming, we stop it.

Originally Posted by suzieq

RE: Meat posting vs. friends. Meat has been there for me when my friends couldn't be. When I'm mentally alone going through stuff. I'd much rather hear from the man who speaks to me in song, than to keyboard babysit one of my internet friends.

I don't know how relevant this is, but i've got to say although how much I love Meat, my real life friends win hands down

Originally Posted by suzieq

Perhaps some of the mod team are too attached to their friends to moderate according to what some members want.

Correct me if i'm wrong, but i'm reading this and understand you are saying that we do not moderate certain people because they are our friends?

If so, i'm offended by that.
I'm sure I speak for the rest of the staff when I say we take our impartiality very seriously, and I myself have even contacted another mod in the past for their opinion when I felt my impartiality was compromised.

Indeed, in the past i've moderated in favour of someone I truly cannot stand, who had subjected myself and others to a campaign of hate and insult, and got nothing in return but more insult.

Now that's impartial.

Originally Posted by suzieq

Some members want Meat to stop by and post when he can. Some members want band members to feel comfortable here and post when time permits for them. It's very interesting when they do. We get first hand knowledge instead of speculation and inaccuracies.

I'm pretty sure everyone on the forum wants that.

Originally Posted by suzieq

I can't blame Meat for wanting to leave here for good. I do hope an understanding can be met so he doesn't leave. However, it starts from the top and trickles down. So, I'll leave you to it and fix it.

Again, if we're fixing something we first need to know what (if anything) should be fixed.

Originally Posted by suzieq

Meat's not going to change and neither are the members personalities. It's a moderation problem to meld the two together. So the site DOES need to be turned around. Otherwise you guys and gals are babysitters with no control.

Again, i'm seeing no suggestions for possible solution.
You can't fix a problem by pointing at it and saying "fix it".

Babysitters without control?
If you want to use that, the situation is that we found a baby, raised it, then the father turned up and we've got to babysit him too.
I don't know much about babysitting, but I don't think many would do that for 5 quid an hour plus full fridge rights .

Originally Posted by suzieq

Isn't the problem that Meat is upset and he won't come back?

You are aware he's been back and posted, right?

Originally Posted by Monstro

There are issues, I agree that some of the posts on the site can be seen as being somewhat rude and argumentative (those that escape the mods) but most do express the posters feelings in an entirely appropriate and positive way.

Originally Posted by stretch37

..perhaps a poll would help....ffs

Who is the "ffs" aimed at?
Is it because R did not have the foresight to add a poll (despite the fact he had no idea what the hell would be said on the thread at the time).

Is that the kind of respect that's being discussed on this thread?

Originally Posted by Paul Richardson

Surely the purpose of moderation (and I'm sure the Mods will correct me here if I'm wrong) is not to moderate the 'opinions' of posts, but to moderate the 'tone' of posts. A case of not what you say, but how you say it ?

Wanted to make sure everyone saw this

Originally Posted by kkzag

Meat NEEDS an Official Fan Page....like we had on .net

Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't, either way that's not something that is something that concerns this site or any problems here perceived by members of this forum.

Originally Posted by kkzag

I am by no means putting THIS fan page down...nor suggesting it has to be a "US" site, but I miss the .net paid membership (less trolls) member advantages and up to date tour info. We've lost THAT.

I don't believe this site is particularly a target for trolls.
When you said that .net had less trolling, do you mean that the site was safe because trolls wouldn't pay the join fee, or that if anyone posted an honest but negative opinion (seen as some as trolling) that would be banned from the forum without refund?

Originally Posted by kkzag

Perhaps MLUK could be "it".

I can't speak for the rest of the staff, but I fail to see the point of changing mlukfc to something unrecognizable. You might as well change the name too.

Originally Posted by kkzag

I suppose my suggestion for improvement ultimately is to turn THIS into a paid membership Official fan site... OR having threads and posting ability on the existing Meatloaf.net....

Wether or not mlukfc should ever become a pay site is the sole concern of the site owners.
Nobody else has a say in that.

Not Meat.

Not the members.

Not me.


Again, I fail to see any benefit in changing mlukfc completly in all but name into a clone of the forum on .net.
Not to be too subtle, but how long did the .net forum last?

Originally Posted by robgomm

Members upset each other more than they have upset Meat.

Quoted for truth

Originally Posted by robgomm

They may not always get everything 100% perfect

How very dare you?

Originally Posted by Adje

Just like in the real World.

Yeah, but we have smilies too

Originally Posted by Adje

And just like in the Real World I have an opnion about most people here. Some I like, some I love, some I hate, some I disagree with and at least one person that I completely ignore because I can't stand anything that person says. It actually feels like the 'real thing'

Ignoring people can be an under rated skill.
Quite often i've seen a comment made by someone (which, in no time would have been buried halfway through the thread and lost to humanity until Jonty gets drunk and starts looking for old threads to bump ) get such a reaction that the thread has become a big deal and things have got out of all proportion.

Sometimes the best way to deal with an opinion you don't agree with is to leave it alone and not keep the discussion alive.

Originally Posted by Adje

So what if someone says something 'less nice' about anyone. So what if a person critisizes a performance, cd or song of Meat Loaf.

Because we like to think of this forum as a friendly, welcoming, and civilized place where all fans can come and share their passion for the works of Mr Loaf.

Originally Posted by Adje

so what if Meat Loaf gets upset by it?

Because, IMHO, Meat is someone who has given a lot of pleasure to everyone on this forum (i'm not saying he's not been paid for it, but all the same ).
I believe the vast majority of members have a great deal of respect for Meat and would not repay his hard work with a flippant attitude towards his feelings.

Originally Posted by Adje

Being a fan also means sharing your dissapointment to each other. About anything. And that includes the artist you like so much or even love.

Agreed 100%
That's now it used to be on the forum, sharing thoughts and opinions (good and bad) on Meat's work, but Meat wasn't here then so it wasn't very so much important.
Things were much more relaxed and far less heated.


mlukfc has always been "a fan club run by the fans for the fans".

We've never been "a fan club run by the fans for Meat Loaf".

Once upon a time I would have sworn that they were both one and the same thing.

Originally Posted by Adje

So, should MLUKFC be a 'safe haven' for Meat Loaf? Well it depends on your idea of a safe haven, I guess. For me! It should be a place where Meat knows his fans are. In all their brutal honesty and in all their suport.

This is what MLUKFC should be for me. And at this time still is.

Change "brutal" to "tactful" and i'm with that all the way

Originally Posted by AndyK

As we do move forward I think it'll help if we all drop as many of pur preconceptions about people and our perceived motives behind their posts as we possibly can, easier said than done I know but it'll help a great deal if it's possible?

Very very true