Photo Cred: iWally Photography
Monday, October 20, just two days after destroying Greensboro, NC, or “Freaksboro” as he called it, Lorin Ashton (Bassnectar) bombarded Twitter with his disregard for the BNF (Bassnectar Family) group on Facebook. As if he had just finally reached his breaking point, Lorin blasted social media with his true thoughts on the unofficial fan club, including a letter pinned in the BNF Facebook group. The letter explains the reasoning for his actions and plans to create an official fan club for his Bassnectar community.
Ugggggg I wish BNF would disappear. It's not official & always causing some insane drama or confusion. BNF ain't real 🙂
— bassnectar (@bassnectar) October 20, 2014
Nah. People just get confused cuz they wanna be part of the Bassnectar Family, so they wind up on BNF which is like a weird drunken uncle.
— bassnectar (@bassnectar) October 20, 2014
A letter from Lorin.
I am fascinated by community (and communication, culture, creativity, cats…any word that starts with C ;). It means just as much to me as music does…probably more. Family, friendship, connection, community, making an impact on the lives of other human beings- That’s why I do what I do.
I have started to realize that I lack the basic skills to function properly on the internet. So much of what I see online feels strange and alien to me, unfamiliar (if not abrasive and superficial), and most times that I try to express myself I watch the reactions misfire in startling ways, where I receive responses that blow my mind. I cannot really use Twitter because I can’t produce coherent thoughts in 140 characters. I can’t use Facebook because there is so much noise (and so many disruptive, derailing, disrespectful trolls) that it’s basically useless for expressing deep thoughts or addressing important topics – one of the main reasons I started Bassnectar back in…1998? 1997?
I have been working for well over a year (slowly but surely amidst many other projects) to build up a haven for where I can both foster a beautiful community, people who have been magnetized to Bassnectar for one reason of another, and to interact with that community, but also to express myself because I feel incredibly incapable of expressing myself within the current system.
Today, when I said I need BNF (the Facebook page) to stop, it was a long time coming. It was not a sudden impulse. It has been years now where I hear a constant ring of complaints at how bad the disrespect is on that Facebook page, how much in-fighting and bickering exists, and how much misinformation or disinformation (posing as authoritative or official, but is actually factually incorrect). I’ve had literally thousands of people ask me why I still keep it going. Somehow people think it is something I am involved in, which I’m obviously not, but it is named “Bassnectar Family” so you can imagine where the confusion comes from. It’s happening in my name, and I have no involvement in it. There is too much negativity.
But aside from the negativity, I absolutely know and understand how much positivity there is, was, and will be. I know and understand how many kind souls came to this group and found a place, a home, a family. How many people found best friends, a chance to plug in and take the ride even deeper, and I love that. Don’t think for a second that I don’t understand and honor the positives.
It’s just that the negatives of the Facebook group have started to outweigh the positives. I want to deeply thank all the moderators and behind-the-scenes givers (most of them ambassadors) who have worked countless hours to keep it alive. And I want to thank all the people for tuning in, giving, and trying to find community because that’s the goal. 🙂
My team is currently working tirelessly to build a haven for the Bassnectar community to exist where it can really flourish, where people can really express themselves, where I can interact freely and express myself, where conversation can exist without disrespect, where information can be shared without inaccuracy, where we can all be involved and feel at home.
That is not the BNF Facebook. I’m sorry, but it’s not. I have zero involvement, I have never been involved there, and too many people innocently and incorrectly stumble into it thinking they can plug in deeper to the community because of the name “Bassnectar Family,” and they can’t because it has nothing to do with me. I’m sorry if this sounds weird, but it’s the fucking truth. I created Bassnectar (along with many friends and teammates), and I think I am fairly qualified to make the call of when something officially relects the vision and the core of what I have created.
So I just want to be clear, I love the family which has formed around my music. I love the community of Bassnectar which spans far and wide across generations, states, and countries. I love all the people who give from their heart, want to be involved, plug in, give back, interact, and get closer to the core of this feeling we all feel. But it would be downright dishonest if I continued to lie and say that I am comfortable with this Facebook page using my name. I am not, and that’s all it is :).
Just so you know, this Facebook page will be changing it’s name, and my team will be creating an awesome haven where you can interact with me personally, as well as each other, in a true community which is moderated officially, free of disrespect and disinformation, and where you can truly feel at home. You can keep using this Facebook page to your hearts content. You can be hateful, immature, and make fun of me for caring too much about something I’ve worked on for 20 plus years, or you can be respectful. You can definitely be part of the haven we are creating at bassnectar.net. I’m sorry it isn’t ready yet. I literally have been working on it for what feels like eons :).
Anyone taking offense at me or my actions either needs to have a little more faith (it’s fair to say I have earned your trust), or needs to head in another direction. I care too much about this community and this vision to allow other people to tell me what I should do with it. If you can’t handle that you’re free to go do whatever you want, but I am dedicated to my vision and would like to continue fostering an interactive community, somewhere that I can truly interact and express myself.
Thanks for your understanding.
So much love!
Lorin
The letter has left a loyal community in quite the state of disarray, some in agreement with Lorin’s words, remaining trustworthy in their fearless leader, and others furiously writing him off forever. Others, taking a less drastic route, are busy brainstorming the new name for the group, which according to Lorin will be changed in the near future.
Photo cred: Facebook user Billy Schaefer
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