TOO MUCH MONKEY BUSINESS: The Elvis Forum

Seconded.

DITTO

I agree on this, since Ger left the I Gotta Know section is dead.
Most visitors here come for history lessons.

So I think elvis7m385 is right with his quote....



Lets try to bring him back here.

Well here I sit and I'm still waiting for a post from Mr Rijff's detractors!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That to me say's it all. They are happy to let him do a lot of work (with others who help him as well).
They then glean a lot of knowledge from those posts and then moan about the man.
A bunch of pillocks/ tossers/ dimwits. (choose your own word).
This site will carry on but it will not be as interesting or informative as it was. Why? No Ger Rijff.
I came to this site as Ger said it was the place to be and he was right. I started to put pictures of my records on that were interesting or rare and Niels did as well (the birth of spinnin' around) we asked for others to do the same but apart from bruno,ric and a couple of others not a lot. I stopped posting pictures of my records as I was put off by the lack of togetherness from the members, as i said apart from the few who listed their records nothing. Well I hope the detractors are happy that they have had their witch hunt and one of the main players in the Elvis world in the last 20 years has gone. Hopefully he can be talked into coming back and once again share his wealth of good memorabilia with us all.
Ps This is not hero worship, I just want to see and read good articles on Elvis.
Jim

Well said Jim.

All
I have just got around to reading this having got totally fed up with reading back biting angry comments on what was at one time (and could still be) the best Elvis forum on the planet.
I personally arrived here based purely on the goodies posted initially in SA but finding IGK I was overwhelmed by the content. Having posted plenty on here before the open war started I know how long it takes to get things on here. Ger and others should be given maximum respect for what they share freely with us all. If there are insults flying about I just ignore them and enjoy the amazing content.
Through this forum I have made many friends Ger being one of them having often sent things to me at his own expense with no regard for financial compensation. First and foremost we are all losing out if Ger leaves and I find it very sad that it's got to this point.
Rich

I have never criticised Ger's topics or his contributions to IGK and have often said how much they are appreciated. It would be a pity to see that end.
However, I have pointed out that the negativity of his rudeness towards me and other members of this forum leaves a sour taste and has forced many people to leave, and made others, like me, less inclined to post.
I do respect that Ger and others put a huge amount of time into topics but that doesn't mean he has the right to carry on like he does towards others from time to time and I have the right to stand up against that.
I came here as a `friendly' alternative to being insulted by one omnipresent force on FECC.
If Ger has now gone because a few people have criticised him that would be rather ironic when he has been so critical of those who don't share his view.
I hope that is not the case.

I’m really annoyed that Ger has gone because I enjoyed greatly, when I had the time, looking through what he and John would prepare for the site. Unfortunately I don’t have anything to put up because I’ve collected very little of any interest to others and I don’t have access to what I have anyway, it’s all in storage. Because I don’t use FECC I feel that with Ger’s leaving that something has been taken from me.

What I have noticed is that generally those who do the most complaining about Ger don’t really contribute a lot. They spend most of their time on FECC, they are not particularly interested in the Fifties material (which is what Monkey excels at), they only come here to discuss FECC. Monkey is their honky tonk angel who’ll take them back in.

What this has led to is that Monkey is defined as an anti-FECC site, it’s real branding should be as an online repository of wonderful early Elvis material. I believe that the anti-DJC and FECC threads should be locked and forgotten about. Being defined as a negative is really a dead-end for branding and I think Monkey has reached that dead-end and needs to make hard decisions about its future.

TMMB will never be a contender against FECC, there is too much ground to make up and to be honest most who use it seem to like FECC, they keep going back and post very little here except discussion about FECC, which to people like me who use TMMB as their prime EP site is uninteresting. TMMB should be defined by its strength (the product differentiator), or what was its strength, the material of Ger Rijff and others. Without that I see no point in visiting this site as it is just a Mini-Me of FECC and I can’t stand that place, that’s why I left it. It’s a negative, fan-boy site akin to a Marvel Comics message board.

Ger’s a bit of an eccentric and with eccentrics you don’t get perfect behaviour, you just accept that he is a bit out there sometimes and write it off. What needs to be remembered is that he has earned his strong opinions as an Elvis authority. He was doing the research, collecting the material, writing and compiling the books when most of us were doing other things. Ger was a contemporary of Elvis and observed it all as it happened. Basically his opinion counts more as he is an authority on the life and times of Elvis. We should be listening and not jealously picking out his faults. You don’t have to agree but you have to accept his authority. The problem is some want the authority without putting in the work, it’s a consequence of the Internet.

Also Ger clearly labels his opinions as being of Ger, he doesn’t hide behind a keyboard pseudonym, that’s brave and exposes you. He can be abrasive, annoying and rude. He’s also enthusiastic, knowledgeable and funny. He’s got a farkin’ personality and is entertaining. We all know what he can be like, just ignore it and enjoy the ride or stay at FECC.

I hope Ger comes back after he has taken a break. If not, good luck in the future Ger.

A couple of thoughts, Hasil.

Monkey was founded by banned members of FECCP and continues to be populated by either other banned members or current members, that isn't going to change.
Because of this and because we here at Monkey offer a free, fair and uncensored forum, there will continue to be FECCP related posts. My tip, if you are not interested in these types of discussions, don't click on the thread.

Finally, I to hope Ger returns.

I LOVE GER !!!!

I was wondering why he was quite ... but then that is me,slow on the up take!.

For those who say and they could be right,that there are the same posts here as on the mothership (fecc),why don"t they put up threads with there own topics?.

I hope his health is not letting him down,that is more important than anything else!.

I repeat the 'anniversary' posts from there on here, but the 'quotes of the day' and the quizzes are exclusive to TMMB..............

Hell Colin,i"m one of the rare breed,in that i like your anniversary' posts ... Minds me of a time when we were a happy group over on fecc!.

Hi Kev - In the past I have started a few of my own threads, the very popular Seventies thread was one of them. I've also made contributions that have been picked up and posted on FECC. I should try and do more but with my teaching schedule and other projects I don't have the time. I also only post when I think I have something to contribute, I'm not a one-liner, smiley face, +1 type of person. We need more unique posters to differentiate from FECC, there is too much duplication, in my opinion. But the major issue is that everything that has been said about EP has been said infinitum, Ger was providing new and valuable material that put this board above the pack (for me at least), now there is very little point in visiting here, as I am not interested in the FECC-watch aspect of this site. In my view TMMB should move on from that but that's just me, obviously a lot you want that and so from now when I visit I'll ignore it as Kris has advised. Unfortunately a lot of the time it is the only area where there is any movement.

I guess these kind of sites are not what I am after, I am more interested in the history of music and the times it was created than a lot of the details of EP's life (I actually don't have a lot of respect for Elvis the man, the music is what interests me) and blogs looked after by dedicated individuals are more my thing than message boards. I think the ideal format for Ger is a blog, but again, that's just me.

I don't know Hasil, I kinda prefer the less frenetic pace here.......there is that much pointless drivel posted up at FECCP that quickly pushes many worthwhile threads off the first page. Combine this with the chore of sifting through mostly derailed topics, it's a little taxing, particularly as I don't have 6 hours a day to sit in front of my computer.
Less is often more.

Well, not that rare I hope !

One poster 'over there' tries to derail them, but I carry on regardless.......

Well i find it sad that people (in general) would go to a forum for one thing when there is other things going on.

As you know Ger was the main one for his stuff but there is other fans who have put up there own scans/records/etc on Gers part of the forum ... but each to there own of course.

DAVIDE does not post lots of times over here but his page will stand the end of this forum as it will be added too and Gers work will also be the same with other folk adding to it.


As i use to write over on fecc,


JUST A VIEW!.

(Good luck to you by the way)

Ger's account has been disconnected on his request so he isn't able to respond on here.
He asked me to put this here.

Hi good guys and gals, it's with a bit of sadness from my side to say goodbye to this
forum and a dozen hobby friends. Enough is enough. The fun on monkey for me has
ended. And with me for quite a few others as well, it seems?! This place, within a few
weeks time, has turned into a ghost town. The feeling of fun has left me completely.

Therefore I won't be posting on this, or any other Elvis forum, anymore.
This once unique little place for me is dead. I'll be looking in, once in a while, to see
how well those, who say Im nothing but trouble, will fill my shoes, and surprise all
of us with their great expertise posts. Plenty of room now to talk jumpsuits and capes.
The guy with the tall hair and big mouth leaves you with a heartwarming:
"Adios, mothers!"

Ger Rijff

Well it has happened. He is not coming back. Oh well our loss, who now knows what goodies Ger had in store for us?
I'm still waiting for one of his detractors to post something of interest for us all, but i won't hold my breath.
Well, he will be missed on this forum and others, but at least he has left a legacy on here and in print, can the others say the same.
Jim

The so-called `detractors' were always supportive of and thankful for Ger's positive history topics.
The complaints were about his rudeness about things that didn't fit his ideals. Either way, I certainly didn't ask him to leave and I don't think anyone else did either. That's his call.

To my knowledge, no-one said he was nothing but trouble - but many were honest and said "we appreciate mnay of your posts, and your knowledge, but stop acting like an arse-hole". There is a distinct difference.

Wow I just came back after a short sabbatical and this stuff has been happening. Sorry to see you go Ger. Good luck with any endeavors you may have coming up. Take it easy my friend...

Actually, word has it that you, Mr Colgan, have distinguished yourself pretty firmly here and elsewhere over the years as well.
I usually skip through a lot for time's sake and miss much of what it is you do, but in hearing & reading some of the current crop of complaints about your presence here, it occurs to me that this forum might do itself a favor and take a good solid vote amongst registered users whether to vote you off the island, or not.
I personally find that when someone is ruining or causing a consistent disturbance in a particular online space for a substantial part of the membership and doesn't see where he or she might make peace or find a way to voluntarily step out, that person then takes on an enemy troll status.
There's nothing wrong with getting rid of a member that's just not working out or causing unnecessary nonsense.
So as a sometimes reader and a friendly neighbor, I'd like to suggest the mods put together a dedicated thread that gives the membership a two or so week chance to vote on whether you're the hate-able schmuck people say you are or just a misunderstood old prick that just rubs people everywhere the wrong way.
There's nothing more democratic than a referendum- put the thread up with a vote on top and a debate carrying on below and if membership finds Mr Colgan to be more trouble than he's worth- a forum destroyer, the mods will take the necessary action to strip this nuisance of access to the forum and everyone moves on in peace.
Makes sense, doesn't it?
Now back to your regularly scheduled Elvis posts.

Thank you for your thoughts Broadway, they're not a million miles away from my own. We'll have a look at how we deal with this sort of thing in the future.