I was living in San Diego then, hanging out at the Gregory Page studios. I didn’t have a computer. Couldn’t afford one. I had a cellphone, but never turned it on, or if I did it wasn’t until after 9 PM, when minutes didn’t count. I had to use the computer at the Gregory Page studios to sign-up for an account. It was fast and easy. Right away I had a friend, right away I had mail. It was Tom the Myspace guy. In an introductory message he welcomed me. His photo looked like it had been taken on the last week of school, snapped by someone on the yearbook committee. And right away I felt I belonged. What a thrill it was to have a place to share music, a place to learn about bands, a place to continue the effort in the changing medium.

I have really cancelled my account because with all the other networks available I was no longer using Myspace, not to its full potential. I was spreading myself thin. I stopped approving comments- in fact I turned comments completely off; I stopped reading mail- truthfully no one was really writing in anyway; and blogging at Myspace, well, I’ve always kept more of a presence here, at tombrosseau.com.

But I have cancelled my account, too, because recently, while uploading a new batch of songs, my privileges were suspended, forcing me to file individual dispute claims that the works I was uploading- in this case my own songs, were actually mine. These dispute claims, legal documents requiring an electronic signature, telephone, email, and home address, even included a section in which I was to come up with a reason as to why I think my own works had been flagged and privileges suspended.

My dark side says, yes! It has finally come true. Blair was right, and Huxley, Zamyatin, too. This ain’t far from dystopian behavior, man, that in order for you to play ball you must first prove to them you are who you say you are and divulge the kind of information and explanation steps away from having to give blood or a thumb print or retinal scan or say, I’m of the lower caste.

I admit for a while there I was twiddling my thumbs like a worried little whelp, checking the blinds, wondering about my approval after sending in the forms, but I have not heard back, I’m tired of the waiting, and this is 2010, not some time in the future. At this point, shit, it’s worth canceling my Myspace account than be treated this way.

Tom Brosseau & Angela Correa, or Les Shelleys, will embark on a world-wide tour in support of the Fat Cat records release of the self-titled Les Shelleys album. The brand new Les Shelleys mailing list is online now. Click on the image below to sign up. Signing up to the list entitles you to a free mp3 download of ‘Waiting For The Sunrise’taken from the album ‘Les Shelleys’ due for release on the 8th of November.