rock and roll musings by Tim Byrnes

Regular Posts: Life, Death, rockandroll and the Problem That is Jim

   Hey Limine, I also miss you and the regular posts. Remember when this page was filled w/flamboyannt prose extolling the sea of Patti Smith's possibilities or the populist dreams of Mott the Hoople?  Oversentimentilized memories 'burned to the sheen of science fiction"?

  Oh, yeah, this boy used to be able to write.

  Then came the on air breakdown, the divorce, the Denver fiasco and prb became 'All About Tim', over indulgent, sure, but I'd like to think it was part of growing up in public (and besides in Denver, the 'net was my world) and representative of the narcissistic honesty that has probably kept me from being any kind of success, but at least helped me to sleep at night that, raw or whatever, I put it out there fearlessly.

  Oh yeah, this boy used to be able to write.

  It was in Denver that I was introduced to Jim Muglia. A little history: Simmons and some friends reviewed one of my CDs on a messageboard for a band called Daniel Amos. Not a contemporary Christian band as I was told in no uncertain terms, but more like the Christian underground. Anyway, a bunch of the posters were slamming this Muglia guy and being the underdog loving buttinsky I am, I started defending him. Mainly because he was getting slammed after being banned (from a Christian site! This should have been my 1st clue, huh?) .I couldn't imagine that anyone could be as annoying as Jim Muglia was being painted by these folks.

  As anyone who's even skimmed this 'debate' he and I have been having these last 3 (!) years can see I was wrong. Jim, much like I, is a mindless pundit in love w/the sound of his own voice. Our main difference, I think, is that I have never presented myself as anything more than a crackpot theorist while Jim maintains that he is the Voice of Truth.

   To which I, of course, say bullshit.

   So now I have folks like you, Limine, suggesting I set up a new blog and 'not tell this Jim person'. As much as the little peckerhead annoys me, I think that that would be cowardice on my part. Yes, I wish he'd go away. I've asked both viciously and almost politely to, alas, no avail. Thought we'd come to something of a truce these last weeks but after maybe 3 days of civility he comes right back w/the 'what you ought to say...' crap. I realize that there is no way to tell this dumb motherfucker that I'm not here to debate. I'm not even here to entertain, I'm just here.

  In the midst of coming to terms w/Mike Heggers death and Tim Byrnes' life and the sorry state of rockandroll and the wholesale slaughter of what I perceive as the Amerikkkan dream (and I don't hate America, Jim, just what it's become. Much like this page) I've lost all energy for the fight, good or ill, that Jim insists on continuing.

  Let an old man rant, you weasel, you are obviously no longer welcome here. But I will not take the totalitarian approach of banning you or blocking you as that is not the (spiritual) anarchist's way. I will simply abuse you because yr a balloon that needs to be deflated w/yr Truth and yr God (and apparently only you have this god character sussed - once again, bullshit) until you find another house to haunt.

 Neither will I go away, letting this terrorist win.

 Oh yeah, this boy used to able to write. but right now I'm kinda stunned. Between my housefire, job change, Mike's death and this annoying little mosquito of a man pissing in my cyber wheaties, claiming victory "driving (me) back to (my) cave" and all that shit I'm just tired. And sick. And, no Jim, the answer is not 'getting right w/god'. I don't believe in god and no amount of yr crap will change that. If anything your tripe has strengthened my atheism so, good job, Saint Asshole.

  I've really let you ruin what was once a place of solace for me, a place that was mine where I could explore and share my thoughts and feelings. It's a shame that it's become the Tim and Jim show.

  The saddest thing to me about Mike Heggers passing was that none of us (Rick, Carl or myself) knew until 5 years later. We'd all lost touch w/Mike for different reasons. It's just sad that we had to learn this way, that we weren't there for him. But as Simmons said 'it was time to grow up and move on'. I'll go along w/the 'move on' part, but I still see 'growing up' as a capitulation. From what Rick's told me Mike never took any shit and I know from experience that that's a career killer. But not taking shit or kissing ass (be it job, school, god or the police) is the one thing in my life I'm proud of, for better or worse.

  But it occurs to me that someday, probably soon, one of my 6-week hibernations will simply never end. That one post here will be the last one and who knows how long it'll take before somebody knows I'm dead and posts a notice to the few friends I'd have left in cyberland? Man now I'm even depressing myself.

  In any event, if this is indeed my last post, if I'm struck by a stroke or a speeding tractor on my way to work this afternoon, I'd like to say thank you to most of you for reading this crap and even for taking my side. And if I have any last words, if these are the last words, as much as I hate to waste them on the pox that is Muglia, here goes.

   Don't die, Jim, but do fuck off.

tb

Posted by: timbyrnes at 18:32 | link | comments (9)

Comments:

#1  22 May 2008 - 19:05

 

FWIW, the "grow up" part had something to do with something you'd done yrself in the interim. But I get the rest of what y'r saying, even if we could argue the "virtues" of "selling out" vs. "self-destruction."

And hell, tim, just post. Since you already know what the impending fallout'll look like (and people have to go to the COMMENTS section to see any of it if they're so inclined, after all), just SAY it.

Just sayin'.

burninglight

#2  22 May 2008 - 20:44

 

yeah! keep posting tim. do like to read whatever you've got to say. music and personal and any or all of it. you didn't have to explain it all to me -- and i'm not bothered by it -- you just seemed to be and so i was being all full-of-advice to help you fix your jim problem or whatever. but do like to hear from you and know you're ok -- and like to read what you write. anyway . . .

perhaps you and jim have some unfinished karma to resolve or something like that? they say our (perceived) enemies can be our best teachers -- not that you're buying what he's selling -- but that you have an opportunity to practice great patience and compassion. and guess i was just suggesting the "avoidance" way out in blog world. i didn't realize how long you guys have been communicating (or not, as the case may be.)

in essence, i think i spoke out of turn (and in utter ignorance of the situation) and hopefully haven't upset you into thinking of abandoning your blog altogether.

stick around pal. and keep writing. please?

and as for your Jim -- if you're out there -- i'm very sorry i stuck myself in the middle of some place i clearly didn't belong!

limine

#3  23 May 2008 - 05:07

 

"Jim, much like I, is a mindless pundit in love w/the sound of his own voice. Our main difference, I think, is that I have never presented myself as anything more than a crackpot theorist while Jim maintains that he is the Voice of Truth."

1) I maintain that Catholicism, being directly from Christ, is The Voice of Truth on issues of faith and morality.

2) Again, I am merely more confident in my opinions on some things than you are, because I have (say it with me) brought my ideas to the table to be analyzed, and I am always happy to have my ideas brought to the table and analyzed, because truth is more important to me than my present comfort zone of opinions. I know that you cannot relate to that, because you choose to complicate life with your silly left-wing nuances; but some of us are more passionate about truth than deifying our disdain for a bunch of straw man enemies.


BTW, I don't clebrate you going back into your hole and not posting, I was just saying that I may have been responsible a time or two for your lack of motiviation to post here. I think you've pretty much made that clear.

So Limine, what are your thoughts on 4500 unborn babies getting killed a day in the US? Who are you? What do you stand for when you go into the voting booth?

Jim

Anonymous

#4  23 May 2008 - 12:11

 

tim, keep writing and get back to rock and roll, the rest will follow naturally!

howard

#5  23 May 2008 - 23:21

 

It was great when it was just me and Tim here talking about Lou Reed and Billy Joel, etc. I'm cool with that. But if he's going to post "Jerkemiah Wright for Prez", what does he expect from someone like me, a bouquet of flowers?

Jim

Anonymous

#6  24 May 2008 - 14:18

 

"Let an old man rant, you weasel, you are obviously no longer welcome here. But I will not take the totalitarian approach of banning you or blocking you as that is not the (spiritual) anarchist's way. I will simply abuse you because yr a balloon that needs to be deflated w/yr Truth and yr God (and apparently only you have this god character sussed - once again, bullshit) until you find another house to haunt."

Jesus Christ is Lord. He has risen from the dead. He died on the cross for you. He performed miracles to show Who He was. He was born of a virgin. IF you were the only person He had to save, He would have done it all for you. While we were yet sinners, Christ loved us and died for us.

Why give something like the gospel of Thomas more credibility than the four other ones? Huh? Why not read the other existing four gospels in The Bible?

Who are these crackpots on your board trying to take you away from that?

Life begins with Christ. Go sign up for an RCIA class, today.

None of this watered-down "me and Jesus only", James Dean, shrink to fit career/lifestyle versions of Christianity that Simmons and Laster are selling. Go for the gusto and join The Catholic Church. Just Christ and all He offers, plain and simple.

Life is to be one big sacrifice for Christ, and nothing else. Its worth living for, becasue it is worth dying for. He calls us to forget the past and move forward with purpose and meaning.

Jim

Anonymous

#7  27 May 2008 - 02:55

 

"I've really let you ruin what was once a place of solace for me, a place that was mine where I could explore and share my thoughts and feelings. It's a shame that it's become the Tim and Jim show."

Alright; I really don't want to ruin a place of solace for you. I'll lay off, ... here. But that's not to say that I will never take your posts and trash them to hell on my blog. I gotta keep my sanity after all.

BTW, the wife and kids are doing fine; thanks for asking!

Jim

Anonymous

#8  28 May 2008 - 22:06

 

I completely spaced this, but I saw the reminder elsewhere, so: Happy Byrnesday!

burninglight

#9  29 May 2008 - 17:16

 

Yo folks, it's Byrnes. Limine: no need to apologize, you I would miss would you ever stop reading, Jim, I get it; yr a Catholic. Must I remind you that so was I? 8 years in Catholic school and a 'true Christian' upbringing. I rejected and still reject it. Get a clue. Yr not gonna save me, Jesus is not gonna save me because I don't believe. End of story.

Get it? End ....... of ...... story.
Thank you.


And Simmons, Happy Byrnesday right back atcha!
tb

Anonymous

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