Ben Harper Speaks - Quickly.

[Jason Tate]

I've attached (http://www.absolutepunk.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=10749&d=1136280680) (in the replies) a scan of Ben Harper's (ex-Yellowcard (http://www.absolutepunk.net/yellowcard)) short interview from the latest issue of Alternative Press (http://www.altpress.com).

[mattie]

Well At least his label is good. Better than yellowcard.

[Snails]

fuck

[Drew Beringer]

I stand by what I've always said: Fuck Yellowcard. I hate this band even more now.

[XBurnedDesireX]

He'll be better of without them...

[Darren McLeod]

He'll be better of without them...
Yeah, I'd rather not have millions of dollars in a successful music act, too.

[bigal00004]

I used to like Yellowcard.

[Drew Beringer]

PS: This thread will be huuuuge. I'm predicting 200+ replies.

[Jason Tate]

I stand by what I've always said: Fuck Yellowcard. I hate this band even more now.
I wish I didn't like the new album as much as I do; seriously ... it's not fair. I think it's a really solid album, but I've completely separated the band from the music. I won't buy it because I don't feel like making them richer, and I think they deserve to know that their fans are pissed about their "personal" decisions. The only way they'll listen to anyone is if it hits them where it obviously matters most.

For the record: I think Cartel's Chroma is a much better "pop-punk" album ...

[mattie]

Drew called it. You heard it here first! (weird mtv news music goes here) I'm with drew.

[Jason Tate]

Yeah, I'd rather not have millions of dollars in a successful music act, too.
From what I know, he will still get royalties. He played on the CD and (again, not confirmed) he will be getting royalties for the album and tours. Just what I was told through the grapevine.

[akster]

crazy. i think he's on the new punchline album. he busted a solo or something.

[ziggystar88]

after reading the bit about YC i have lost all respect for them, there just a bunch of pricks, good luck ben with the rest of your life

[Get Fucked]

Fuck Yellowcard, wwwwwwwoooowwwwww.

[Darren McLeod]

Jason - if he played only on half the CDs tracks, does that mean his royalties are cut down into a fraction of what they normally would be? IE: he plays on 50% of tracks, so he gets 50% of royalties he'd get if he played on every track?

[Drew Beringer]

I wish I didn't like the new album as much as I do; seriously ... it's not fair. I think it's a really solid album, but I've completely separated the band from the music. I won't buy it because I don't feel like making them richer, and I think they deserve to know that their fans are pissed about their "personal" decisions. The only way they'll listen to anyone is if it hits them where it obviously matters most.

For the record: I think Cartel's Chroma is a much better "pop-punk" album ...

I haven't heard the new record, and probably won't like it cause I've never been a fan. But yeah, it's gay when they said at a concert that Ocean Avenue was just put together for money or some shit ( I don't remember exactly what was said, all I remember is that it made me mad). I mean, yeah YC is a business now, they are not in it for the music, and that is truly said.

For the record: Latterman had the best "pop-punk" album of 2005 :wink:

[Jason Tate]

Jason - if he played only on half the CDs tracks, does that mean his royalties are cut down into a fraction of what they normally would be? IE: he plays on 50% of tracks, so he gets 50% of royalties he'd get if he played on every track?
That I don't know ... I heard 1/5th of the royalties were still his; I'd assume that includes publishing and image rights. But, I don't really know at all. A laywer (and his lawyer) would be the only ones that would prolly be able to figure all of that out ... haha.

[Darren McLeod]

For the record: Latterman had the best "pop-punk" album of 2005 :wink:
Oh, hot damn did they ever! Best "pop-punk" album I've heard in years!

[Jason Tate]

I haven't heard the new record, and probably won't like it cause I've never been a fan. But yeah, it's gay when they said at a concert that Ocean Avenue was just put together for money or some shit ( I don't remember exactly what was said, all I remember is that it made me mad). I mean, yeah YC is a business now, they are not in it for the music, and that is truly said.

For the record: Latterman had the best "pop-punk" album of 2005 :wink:
I don't consider Latterman, "pop-punk" - so they're not in the running for me.

[Get Fucked]

LP seems like an OKAY guy.

[Drew Beringer]

I don't consider Latterman, "pop-punk" - so they're not in the running for me.

That's cool. Either way, Latterman is the sex, I love the album.

[Drew Beringer]

LP seems like an OKAY guy.


lol, he should have quit with Ben.

[Jason Tate]

That's cool. Either way, Latterman is the sex, I love the album.
I think we all do.

[bigmike]

there'll be 200+ replies guarenteed.

Never been a big fan of Yellowcard. However, it sucks that the whole situation was so shady.

One door closes, another opens. He'll land on his feet.

[Drew Beringer]

I think we all do.

I just keep listening to it, it's up there in the ranks with TAYF and YFW in my opinion. But I'm gonna stop now, this is a YC thread, not a Latterman thread :blah:

[FinchBulldog2]

I thought they were gonna be more like Ben Folds based on what they played at an old MA date. But "Lights And Sounds" is just a mediocre rock song.

[Get Fucked]

I hope Fall Out Boy doesn't turn into Yellowcard Jr. down the road.

[romantic rights]

That's cool. Either way, Latterman is the sex, I love the album.

latterman came out of nowhere and blew me away. i need to get my paycheck so that i can pick up a copy of their other album "turn up the punk we'll be singing"

[Jason Tate]

latterman came out of nowhere and blew me away. i need to get my paycheck so that i can pick up a copy of their other album "turn up the punk we'll be singing"
It's good, but I think I like "No Matter Where.." better.

[Jason Tate]

I hope Fall Out Boy doesn't turn into Yellowcard Jr. down the road.
I always got a weird vibe from some members of YC, I don't get any from the guys in FOB.

[Greg]

in the YC interview they asked if Ben played on any of the album. and ryan was like "yea he plays on some of it. but it was out of our control" or something like that. how can ben make them use his parts? i dont get it

[ziggystar88]

ryan is a dick. the artical proves it

[ForsakenProdigy]

GeeeeZ seems like just yesterday this site was BOMBARDED with yellowcard 'ocean ave' advertisements and tate going on about the greatness of this album, ect, and now look at them. Lost their biggest supporter of a website. yikes. Perhaps the whole story should be told first by everyone before everyone makes judgements.

[ziggystar88]

i doubt that we'll ever hear the whole story

[Greg]

GeeeeZ seems like just yesterday this site was BOMBARDED with yellowcard 'ocean ave' advertisements and tate going on about the greatness of this album, ect, and now look at them. Lost their biggest supporter of a website. yikes. Perhaps the whole story should be told first by everyone before everyone makes judgements.
i think everyone side has been put out thats gonna come out

ryan is a dick, yc is a business. ben got kicked out of HIS band.

[ForsakenProdigy]

there was obviously a prob with ben, they wouldnt kick him out for no reason

[Greg]

there was obviously a prob with ben, they wouldnt kick him out for no reason
you must not have paid any attention to anything that has been said about this whole thing

[ForsakenProdigy]

whatever the whole* story is, yes it sucks that he got booted from HIS band, thats a stab in the back indeed.

[Jason Tate]

there was obviously a prob with ben, they wouldnt kick him out for no reason
Warren and Alex had "reasons" that weren't particularly stunning examples.

[Jason Tate]

i doubt that we'll ever hear the whole story
Me too, I am going to see if I can get an interview with Ben; a long one. Some day soon.

[Jason Tate]

GeeeeZ seems like just yesterday this site was BOMBARDED with yellowcard 'ocean ave' advertisements and tate going on about the greatness of this album, ect, and now look at them. Lost their biggest supporter of a website. yikes. Perhaps the whole story should be told first by everyone before everyone makes judgements.
Yah, and turns out - I shouldn't have liked that album anyways because it was "created to sell records." My emotions were apparently only dollar signs; I feel cheated.

I do like the new album (and support everyone checking it out to see if they like it), but there's a personal detachment that I have with it that makes it lose some of its luster and appeal for me. Music obviously is a personal thing for me (eh, this website speaks for itself) - so when I lose any of that personal attachement, I can (and did) really lose a whole lot of "feeling" (or praise/emotion/et.al) for an album.

[bigmike]

Yah, and turns out - I shouldn't have liked that album anyways because it was "created to sell records." My emotions were apparently only dollar signs; I feel cheated.

as most people probably do/should.

[ForsakenProdigy]

I think ocean ave is a good album, no matter what the inner politics are/were in yellowcard and how big they got, its a very fun catchy album. Id like to know the exact reasons why they booted him though

[itsjdiggity]

if you want to talk to Ben, this dude is at every fucking show in Hollywood...when i'm at a show, i usually turn around and see him with an umbrella in his cup and say to myself, "he must me bored"

[UltimoScenester]

I guess all those tears at the VMAs weren't for the fans but for the potential dollar signs.

It's cons like this that give bands who break into the mainstream and stay loyal to their fans and morals a bad name.

[Keegan]

I hope Fall Out Boy doesn't turn into Yellowcard Jr. down the road.



FOB is much bigger than YC is ever gonna get and they still seem to be pretty stand up guys. Their drummer is a midget though, it scares me (no offense to vertically challenged people, I met him and he was almost 2 feet shorter than me).

[itsjdiggity]

this shit is sticky icky

[truestar1015]

Did this article with Ben appear in the same issue of Alternative Press as the other article in the other thread? I was a Yellowcard fan before it was about the money (i.e. one for the kids, underdog ep). Ben being kicked out has really change my opinion of who they are. I wanna hear the album like said before in the other thread. I would love to read a really long interview on here from Ben just to know more.

[rufiocardtime]

geez. everyone talks about yellowcard and fall out boy like they are taking it personally. as if you're actually good buddies with them and it hurts your feelings that they don't run their band like you would.

chill out. listen to the music. if you dig it...great. if not...don't buy the cd. it isn't any deeper than that.

if running your band like a business is what you hate, then there's a million other bands that you should be talking crap on first.

if ben was like...you're best friend...then maybe i could understand the passion, but for christ sake...he's a dude that used to be in a band, not your damn brother in law.

[bubonic311]

I wish I didn't like the new album as much as I do; seriously ... it's not fair. I think it's a really solid album, but I've completely separated the band from the music. I won't buy it because I don't feel like making them richer, and I think they deserve to know that their fans are pissed about their "personal" decisions. The only way they'll listen to anyone is if it hits them where it obviously matters most.

For the record: I think Cartel's Chroma is a much better "pop-punk" album ...

Yes, Cartel's new CD is amazing. Regarding Yellowcard, bands generally do not get to see much of their CD revenue. If you really want to drop YC, just never see a show and never buy their merch.

[spansen]

too bad they suck now.

[AbeLurkin]

its strange to see such a good list of bands putting out albums and thinking "who cares about the yellowcard album" but its how i feel. theyve become the potato salad of our genre.

[gengen]

*uck yellowcard. i WILL NEVER go to one of their shows or buy one of their records again.

everyone go buy Chroma.

[gengen]

you know what dude? to me its a principle. i support people as much as i support music. if i feel that the people making that music are unloyal and fake to the people who are closest to them, that means they dont give a shit about me (the fan). why should i give a shit about them?

geez. everyone talks about yellowcard and fall out boy like they are taking it personally. as if you're actually good buddies with them and it hurts your feelings that they don't run their band like you would.

chill out. listen to the music. if you dig it...great. if not...don't buy the cd. it isn't any deeper than that.

if running your band like a business is what you hate, then there's a million other bands that you should be talking crap on first.

if ben was like...you're best friend...then maybe i could understand the passion, but for christ sake...he's a dude that used to be in a band, not your damn brother in law.

[jeremyfromva]

I want to hear the new album but I'm not gonna buy it!

[NationalProduct]

I love Ben....ive only met LP from YC and hes a nice guy. Ben, your fuckin rad dude. Im gonna text you right now to say exactly that! love you dude

[Scuba Chris]

i think everyone side has been put out thats gonna come out

ryan is a dick, yc is a business. ben got kicked out of HIS band.

It's hard to really comment on the situation because no one really knows what happened except the guys in YC... and Ben, and the therapist(why did they need a therapist??)
But all I can really take from all of this is that Ryan essentially took over the band that he wasn't even a founding member of and is just greedy and power hungry... and basically just a dick.

And LP is the most talented member of YC. There I said it.

[jcarbs]

I love Ben....ive only met LP from YC besides BH. Ben, your fuckin rad dude. Im gonna text you right now to say exactly that! love you dude

wow, your so popular. can i be your friend?

[NationalProduct]

It's hard to really comment on the situation because no one really knows what happened except the guys in YC... and Ben, and the therapist(why did they need a therapist??)
But all I can really take from all of this is that Ryan essentially took over the band that he wasn't even a founding member of and is just greedy and power hungry... and basically just a dick.

And LP is the most talented member of YC. There I said it.

Bands have mediators all the time...whether it be the manager, or a therapist or simply just a mediator. Certain people cant be inviolved in those types of discussion because it could hurt the relationship between the members. Ive had several friends go thru the same thing. It either gets worked out or it becomes and ego thing and the most important member and i say that with a grain of salt because in most cases, every musician think that they are the most important member of the band they are in, usually does on of two things.

1. its either him, or its me! (result being a power trip and someone having to leave, typically pride)
2. ok, how can we work this out to make everyone in the band happy and keep trucking.

Id love to say that its normally number 2 but it usually isnt. So thats why mediator dude comes in and does his thing and gets all touchy and plays with peoples balls and stuff and then after that it gets a little wierd, and space aliens fly down and abduct dudes and we play galaga and mario and luigi say fuck that and then chinese food no longer has msg and....

k im done

[NationalProduct]

wow, your so popular. can i be your friend?

yes you can, we can play legos together

[realawesomedude]

It's hard to really comment on the situation because no one really knows what happened except the guys in YC... and Ben, and the therapist(why did they need a therapist??)
But all I can really take from all of this is that Ryan essentially took over the band that he wasn't even a founding member of and is just greedy and power hungry... and basically just a dick.

And LP is the most talented member of YC. There I said it.


You know what, I know what happened and I'm not afraid to say it. Ben Harper and Staring Back got fucked as hard as anyone in the biz can take it.
Ryan Mendez knew what was going on the whole time. They made Ben out to be a nutjob. They acted like the whole thing was that Ben is going crazy and gee, they just didn't have any choice. Bullshit. When that shit went down with Ryan M. going to Japan to play a couple of tours, it was all over for Ben and it was totally shady. Ryan M. is a kniving bastard, and he fucked his old band, HARD.
Ryan Key is a fucking queen. He IS Yellowcard now. Yellowcard's manager is not Yellowcards manager, he's RYAN KEY'S manager. He was just pissed that Takeover (Ben), re-released that album that RYAN KEY wasn't even on. That's when this whole mess started.

"Fuck you, fuck you, fuck all of you".

[The Revisionist]

you know what dude? to me its a principle. i support people as much as i support music. if i feel that the people making that music are unloyal and fake to the people who are closest to them, that means they dont give a shit about me (the fan). why should i give a shit about them?Because they have openly admitted that making the album Ocean Avenue was about writing the songs that would sell records... so that is the era where they were being unloyal and fake and not giving a shit about you, the fan. If this is their true artistic calling, this is the album you should be buying. You have it all mixed up.

[fedhed7]

download this album.

[DroppedUrPocket]

I like how this is stickied...

:shake:

[gengen]

i wasnt talking about Ocean Avenue. if there are unloyal and fake to ben - the guy who started yellowcard and gave them all careers - why should i care about them? i wont even give them the pleasure of downloading this album.

Because they have openly admitted that making the album Ocean Avenue was about writing the songs that would sell records... so that is the era where they were being unloyal and fake and not giving a shit about you, the fan. If this is their true artistic calling, this is the album you should be buying. You have it all mixed up.

[YourMusicSucks]

Well, much as I want to trash talk all the yellowcard members for throwing Ben out, I can't.

I'm in a band right now. The founding member and lead guitarist is super talented and writes great songs, but he's such an assfuck and he utterly sucks the joy out of playing music.

Not saying this is the case for yellowcard and Ben, but I can relate to wanting to throw the founding member to the curb =P

[realawesomedude]

Well, much as I want to trash talk all the yellowcard members for throwing Ben out, I can't.

I'm in a band right now. The founding member and lead guitarist is super talented and writes great songs, but he's such an assfuck and he utterly sucks the joy out of playing music.

Not saying this is the case for yellowcard and Ben, but I can relate to wanting to throw the founding member to the curb =P

No problem, but when you hurt MULTIPLE people in the process, then you've got a problem.

[NationalProduct]

Well, much as I want to trash talk all the yellowcard members for throwing Ben out, I can't.

I'm in a band right now. The founding member and lead guitarist is super talented and writes great songs, but he's such an assfuck and he utterly sucks the joy out of playing music.

Not saying this is the case for yellowcard and Ben, but I can relate to wanting to throw the founding member to the curb =P

Ahh dude...dont be in that band man. You sound like a good dude, i hate to hear when someone is playing music and not feeling the passion of it because someone else is taking that away. Whats your band...i wanna check it out...you can aim me so your singer doesnt find out your talking about him, get pissed off and wanna "assfuck" ya.

aim: dannycasler

[Snaps]

LP seems like an OKAY guy.



most black guys in bands are...lol

[jeremyfromva]

I will dload this when it is available...but i'm not payin for it

[x_Thrice_x]

That... is... total... balls... I want to know details...

[gengen]

hookup?

Ahh dude...dont be in that band man. You sound like a good dude, i hate to hear when someone is playing music and not feeling the passion of it because someone else is taking that away. Whats your band...i wanna check it out...you can aim me so your guy doesnt find out and wanna "assfuck" ya.

aim: dannycasler

[HenceChristian]

yeah LP, such a nice guy... just coz u cry and seem upset when you kick a friend out of band doesnt make you a "nice" guy.

[NationalProduct]

hookup?

haha, i reread that...that looked bad...ill go edit it right now

[shadowagent]

Ok this is coming from someone that was also forced to leave Yellowcard. This is a very tough time for ben and all of u that truely care about him should rally and stand behind him. Im not saying choose sides just give ben some support. He was always that guy that contacted fans personally , when i was in the band and after! Give him a post on takeovers site and let him know that you stand behind him!!! He is a great person and i know he will do well in whatever he pursues next! Until I started my new band I felt down , so lets all hope ben bounces back with a bad-ass band!

[WilliamLad18]

I have been a fan of Yellowcard for years now.. and this fuckin sucks. I don't know if this is a product of the wear and decay the industry can have on a band's sense of integrity or ' togetherness. ' But when i watched yellowcard play for the first time years ago, the fact that they rocked out so hard ' together ' in a shitty club that held 100 people (if that), is what grabbed me as a fan.. this sucks.... fuck. Of all the really good bands i've seen come up in the scene and blow up in my time, i would never have picked yellowcard to end up functioning this way. Not even downloading the new album. Best of luck Ben.

[halifaxsb86]

he really got the shaft hard

[Shoes]

What cocks

[Loch_Doun]

people need to get over this ben guy...

[Trainsaw]

good riddance to bad rubbish

[duffe]

Wow.

[IcedOpethBlind]

I'm about to go pick up The Strokes new record. Woot! :woot:

Good luck with the label and everything, Ben.

[CradlingxHatred]

It's just awful how it had to end that way...

I don't know...
Someone before me had mentioned that it would be tough to judge without knowing what had really transpired between them. That's so true. The fact is, their credibilities have already been stained and their intentions are now too damn questionable now and that is irreversible.

It just "sucks!"

[The_New_Cancer]

I used to love Yellowcard to death but since this entire thing started I lost all respect I ever had for them. This is probably going to be the last CD I ever buy by them (that is, if they even record another after this) and that's mostly to support Ben.

[underdawg1119]

all the love i used to have for this band is fucking gone...

at least LP isn't a complete douchebag..

[drewtLtL]

if he still doesnt have a copy of Lights And Sounds, which would cause TONS of legal problems, it leads me to think that they might've redone Ben's parts. It wouldn't surprise me; they all jumped off the reality ship months ago idk where they are now. LP Avatar will still be rocked seeing as he is the fucking man.

[Cato11087]

lol, he should have quit with Ben.

Sorta like tbs all over.

[dai the flu]

none of you know half of what went on, you have no basis for hating yellowcard, they made a decision they felt was in their best interests and you have no idea what all went into making that decision.
have you ever thought that maybe, just maybe, whatever internal problems they had might have been bens fault???
no.
it reinforces the fact that you guys only like a band until they're popular.

[Of Dust and Nations]

the only two people ive ever liked in yellowcard were LP and ben, so i was kinda mad when i heard ben was getting kicked out. but i dont let a band's personal problems get in the way of me liking their music. after reading that interview in AP, it reinforces that ryan is a huge asshole. ill still buy my copies of the new album and im still really excited for it, but LP is the only member i have faith in anymore. hes the only one im even going to attempt to chat with when i see them in 3 weeks.

[bones jones]

i'll echo what a lot of people have already said,
this whole situation is completely fucked. and it's hard to choose sides when you don't know the whole story.
i just feel bad for ben because he always just seemed like a genuinely nice dude who loved what he was doing.

i remember meeting yellowcard back in a shitty club in providence when i was in like 10th grade, and ben, LP, and sean were the coolest guys ever. ryan didn't seem to care that we dug the band even back then when nobody knew who they were. and pete didn't speak to us. (this was after warren was kicked out, before alex joined...pete's initial stint with the band).

i'm surprised that we haven't heard much from sean, as he always seemed genuine too. but i guess i have sort of seen the success going to his head too.

as for LP, apparently he cared enough that ben seems to have his back. its got to be a difficult dicision to either leave behind fortune, fame, and doing what you love or staying true to a great friend. while most people can just be like "oh i would have bailed and stuck by my friend"...you aren't in that position. i give LP props.

[TimeAsIdeology]

I love how completely baseless every here's arguments and points are. You read one article, from one point of view, and think you know just what went on with the band members. You act like you know the people in the band, their thoughts, intentions, and motivations.

You read one viewpoint in one article for Christ sake. And how many people calling Ryan a dick actually know the guy? I didn't think so. Stop gossiping like 8th grade girls.

[alucier]

And how many people calling Ryan a dick actually know the guy?

I met him and I thought he was a dick. So there.

[jimmy22888]

I met him and I thought he was a dick. So there.

Yeah, well, I met my girlfriend's mother, but that doesn't mean I know her (or want to).

[S2S -- J@SP3R]

good riddance is all i have to say...that guy is the biggest dork ive ever seen in my life...if he was in my band i wouldve kicked him too lol

And honostly he doesnt add much to the music...a lil lame ass solo here and there but hes superfluous

[jeremyfromva]

I really wish mae weren't playing with these guys!

[jimmy22888]

I love how completely baseless every here's arguments and points are. You read one article, from one point of view, and think you know just what went on with the band members. You act like you know the people in the band, their thoughts, intentions, and motivations.

You read one viewpoint in one article for Christ sake. And how many people calling Ryan a dick actually know the guy? I didn't think so. Stop gossiping like 8th grade girls.

A-fucking-men.

[quitmyscene]

ridiculous.

[resUrectMe617]

once again, "mainstream" wins another negativity point. this is why i like to hold on to my bands sometimes, not because i am a selfish fuck who doesn't want the smaller bands to get out of debt and out of their shitty vans... but because dollar signs fucking kill a guy and tear a band apart sometimes. YC is a disgrace.

[S2S -- J@SP3R]

Lets all hold hands and cry together. OKAY?!

[resUrectMe617]

I love how completely baseless every here's arguments and points are. You read one article, from one point of view, and think you know just what went on with the band members. You act like you know the people in the band, their thoughts, intentions, and motivations.

You read one viewpoint in one article for Christ sake. And how many people calling Ryan a dick actually know the guy? I didn't think so. Stop gossiping like 8th grade girls.

well this situation has been up in the air for quite some time now and still we've really only heard one side of the story. if a band (YC) was so fucking righteous and confident that they did the right thing, i'd think they'd one to clear up all the rumors and displace all the negative comments by releasing a statement representing their side of the story. so why haven't they? they should have known waters were going to be stirred like this, if they were smart enough (with their lawyers, their managers, their "therapists") they should have released something from the start even before ben did this interview. to me it looks like YC is in the wrong, they have had nothing to say, nothing to show for. so until i see something from YC, i consider it cowardice and a lack of any substantial reasons for kicking out ben. if they had anything substantial, i'm sure they'd be out here saying the facts and regaining their fans' respect

[kennethagee]

well this situation has been up in the air for quite some time now and still we've really only heard one side of the story. if a band (YC) was so fucking righteous and confident that they did the right thing, i'd think they'd one to clear up all the rumors and displace all the negative comments by releasing a statement representing their side of the story. so why haven't they? they should have known waters were going to be stirred like this, if they were smart enough (with their lawyers, their managers, their "therapists") they should have released something from the start even before ben did this interview. to me it looks like YC is in the wrong, they have had nothing to say, nothing to show for. so until i see something from YC, i consider it cowardice and a lack of any substantial reasons for kicking out ben. if they had anything substantial, i'm sure they'd be out here saying the facts and regaining their fans' respect

word to that. After meeting them multiple times, (before and after ocean avenue) my view on them has shifted. I already hated ryan whne he was a dick to me, and was a dick to the guys at the venue i saw them at. The worste before this was when alex was kicked out, he worked his ass off for them. at warped tour it was sooo fucking hot outside (in dallas) and he was the only one out at their booth all day talking to people and just hanging out with the fans. I guess the other guys were too cool. Before this, ben was the coolest guy i had met in the band. Ryan is such a bitch.

[kennethagee]

oh and when i e-mailed them fan mail like 4 years ago, Ben was the one who took the time to write me back

[resUrectMe617]

I love how completely baseless every here's arguments and points are. You read one article, from one point of view, and think you know just what went on with the band members. You act like you know the people in the band, their thoughts, intentions, and motivations.

You read one viewpoint in one article for Christ sake. And how many people calling Ryan a dick actually know the guy? I didn't think so. Stop gossiping like 8th grade girls.

PS. i guess if you'd like to setup a press conference with YC and Ben we could all get ourselves acquainted. because i'm sure thats within the realm of possibility. i'm not saying to pass judgement, but using that old "you don't know him" argument gets us nowhere. if it was valid, then its safe to say that a good majority of the people on this website can't ever make any opinions on anyone.. because like you said, we don't really know them personally...do we?

[S2S -- J@SP3R]

Because hes glad he finally has friends rofl...

[S2S -- J@SP3R]

that was to Mr. Kennethagee

[kidinthecorner]

I hope Fall Out Boy doesn't turn into Yellowcard Jr. down the road.
I know this was paaages ago, but I felt like I should add my two cents.

I don' t think FOB would ever turn into something liek that. They've always said they are about the music, and I'm fairly convinced they don't even like being huge all that much, they keep saying they want to go back to the small clubs and stuff. They've played secret shows with small acts to do so. They always talk about the music, and what they plan on doing to keep the music important, fresh, and not a carbon copy of what sold them huge. Even if you hate their music, FOB is a pretty good example of a band that works hard and cares for what they do. I haven't had a conversation with them since FUCT blew up, but they alllways seemed like super down to earth guys, and I have a hard time believing they've changed.

[TimeAsIdeology]

well this situation has been up in the air for quite some time now and still we've really only heard one side of the story. if a band (YC) was so fucking righteous and confident that they did the right thing, i'd think they'd one to clear up all the rumors and displace all the negative comments by releasing a statement representing their side of the story. so why haven't they? they should have known waters were going to be stirred like this, if they were smart enough (with their lawyers, their managers, their "therapists") they should have released something from the start even before ben did this interview. to me it looks like YC is in the wrong, they have had nothing to say, nothing to show for. so until i see something from YC, i consider it cowardice and a lack of any substantial reasons for kicking out ben. if they had anything substantial, i'm sure they'd be out here saying the facts and regaining their fans' respect

Once again, you only look at one aspect of the situation. Have you given any thought at all to the fact that the rest of Yellowcard don't want to involve themselves in a mudslinging war? Who do they owe it to to release a statement about the situation? So some more assholes on a message board can dissect every single part of it, and act like they have some insiders view to the situation?

You're essentially using a guilty till proven innocent attitude, and last time I checked, that's not how our nations judicial system works. Burden of proof is on the prosecution, it's Ben who feels he needs to prove he was wronged by Yellowcard. Of course he's going to be bitter and spiteful about it. He was in a highly successful, mainstream, world touring band, and now he's just another guy who can play guitar. Yellowcard probably figure if they don't address it, things will eventually go away, and all the 14 year olds that love them will have something else to talk about.

I'm not saying Yellowcard had a good reason for kicking him out, because Frankly, I couldn't give two shits, but I'm sick of everyone acting like they're a member of the band and know all the ins and outs of a situation.

Furthermore, your argument about the not knowing him argument not being valid is ridiculous. People here are claiming to know Ryan, his personality, and everything else either by interviews, or one meeting at a show where he passed by Ryan and got looked at the wrong way or something. Meeting somebody and knowing them are completely different things, if that's not too much for you to grasp.

[MrBaileySays]

Looks like Yellowcard gave him the Redcard

do you think he gave them the finger?

[.lizzie.]

fuck them. ben doesn't need them. i used to enjoy their music but i don't really care to support them any more. they just lost a lot of fans.

[TimeAsIdeology]

fuck them. ben doesn't need them. i used to enjoy their music but i don't really care to support them any more. they just lost a lot of fans.

I'm sure they're crying themselves to sleep at night because you're listening to Rascal Flatts instead.

[resUrectMe617]

Once again, you only look at one aspect of the situation. Have you given any thought at all to the fact that the rest of Yellowcard don't want to involve themselves in a mudslinging war? Who do they owe it to to release a statement about the situation? So some more assholes on a message board can dissect every single part of it, and act like they have some insiders view to the situation?

You're essentially using a guilty till proven innocent attitude, and last time I checked, that's not how our nations judicial system works. Burden of proof is on the prosecution, it's Ben who feels he needs to prove he was wronged by Yellowcard. Of course he's going to be bitter and spiteful about it. He was in a highly successful, mainstream, world touring band, and now he's just another guy who can play guitar. Yellowcard probably figure if they don't address it, things will eventually go away, and all the 14 year olds that love them will have something else to talk about.

I'm not saying Yellowcard had a good reason for kicking him out, because Frankly, I couldn't give two shits, but I'm sick of everyone acting like they're a member of the band and know all the ins and outs of a situation.

Furthermore, your argument about the not knowing him argument not being valid is ridiculous. People here are claiming to know Ryan, his personality, and everything else either by interviews, or one meeting at a show where he passed by Ryan and got looked at the wrong way or something. Meeting somebody and knowing them are completely different things, if that's not too much for you to grasp.

1) i never condoned the people on this message board saying that ryan is a dick after they walked by him, because like you said, that's wrong. meeting a band member at a merch table and inferring something about his/her personality is stupid, that's a given. but seriously, the whole "not knowing him" argument is old. what's hard to grasp, but is essentially the truth, is that we shouldn't pass any opinions on anyone since we most likely don't know any of these band members personally.

2) why are you looking at this situation from YC's side? why not look at it from Ben's side? instead of saying that Ben needs to prove himself to fans, why not look at it as though Ben's trying to expose a corrupt band for what it has become? and to whom do they owe an explanation? i guess they have no real obligation to release anything, but as a band that has climbed up the ladder for years and years due to the love and loyalty of their fans...they owe it to their fans. and not those fucking capricious 14 year old teenyboppers, but to those fans that have stuck by them since before "one for the kids" even came out. i'm personally not a fan from the beginning, nor was i real fan to begin with.. but i mean people like jason [ tate] who have done nothing but supported this band from the start. they owe a little clarification, if not for their reputation and record sales, then for the respect and loyalty of their fans.

3) i guess in a way i am using a guilty until proven innocent attitude, but in the court of law, each side is given the opportunity to plead out their case and their facts. ben has done that. YC chooses not to. so why are we automatically condemning Ben? because hes the only one to speak out, so that makes him look bad? that doesn't make any sense. it seems you are looking at it more from YC's side, and not from a neutral standpoint.

[IamTheINDUSTRY]

F Yellowcard

[TimeAsIdeology]

1) i never condoned the people on this message board saying that ryan is a dick after they walked by him, because like you said, that's wrong. meeting a band member at a merch table and inferring something about his/her personality is stupid, that's a given. but seriously, the whole "not knowing him" argument is old. what's hard to grasp, but is essentially the truth, is that we shouldn't pass any opinions on anyone since we most likely don't know any of these band members personally.

2) why are you looking at this situation from YC's side? why not look at it from Ben's side? instead of saying that Ben needs to prove himself to fans, why not look at it as though Ben's trying to expose a corrupt band for what it has become? and to whom do they owe an explanation? i guess they have no real obligation to release anything, but as a band that has climbed up the ladder for years and years due to the love and loyalty of their fans...they owe it to their fans. and not those fucking capricious 14 year old teenyboppers, but to those fans that have stuck by them since before "one for the kids" even came out. i'm personally not a fan from the beginning, nor was i real fan to begin with.. but i mean people like jason [ tate] who have done nothing but supported this band from the start. they owe a little clarification, if not for their reputation and record sales, then for the respect and loyalty of their fans.

3) i guess in a way i am using a guilty until proven innocent attitude, but in the court of law, each side is given the opportunity to plead out their case and their facts. ben has done that. YC chooses not to. so why are we automatically condemning Ben? because hes the only one to speak out, so that makes him look bad? that doesn't make any sense. it seems you are looking at it more from YC's side, and not from a neutral standpoint.

I'm looking at it from YC's side because nobody else is. Ben's side is clearly evident, not only in that article, but other statements he's released. So the easy thing to do is side with him, because without knowing the other side, everything he says is all roses and sunshine. He's the good guy, battling the big evil band and not getting any recognition for his time spent with them. I'm not saying that's not the case, as it very well could be, but I'm sick of everyone automatically agreeing with the first thing they see, which in this case, is that interview. Nobody's condemning Ben, but if you do an interview like that, you're opening yourself to everyone with a keyboard's opinion, be that for the good or the bad.

And you know what, you may be right. In all reality, the standup thing for Yellowcard to do would be issue a statement. But not necessarily for the fans, nobody in a band "owes" anything to the fans. Bands become bands for their own personal intentions. We hope that those intentions are because they want to make music they love, and if kids enjoy that, all the better. A lot of times, bands are just in things for the money, as Yellowcard have clearly said they are. So what do they "owe." Nothing. Sure, it'd be a nice gesture to show appreciation for fans that pay to see their shows, that write them, that buy their records, but let's make perfectly clear, they don't "owe" anyone anything. I'd be very interested to see what Yellowcard has to say about this, but it's on their own time as to when they want to address it, if they even do. As more likely than not, any statement they issue publicly is going to further fuel the fire.

[daBNmaradona]

Off topic but pretaining to Alt. Press. I dont see how their weak ass mosh pit board got number one in 2005. and ap.net got runner up. i mean theres probably never more than 10 people on it(check it now, 3 people on) and there always like more than 600 people here. i know its their mag. and all but be truthful fucking bastards :) peace.

[EvilButters]

I do want to hear this record and I actually plan on buying it because I still like Yellowcard's music. This is some shitty news and it's cool that Ben has a record label to fall back on, but it can't be the same as being in a band with guys you thought were your friends. After reading this, I'm not sure I'll be buying the new album still...but I definitely want to hear it just to hear what it sounds like.

[iamthebullgod]

oversaid, overused comment, but here goes anyway:

fuck yellowcard and ryan key and eveyrthing to do with them. You don't kick out the founding member of the band because "I said so".

ben...we all love you man...good luck with stuff. hope to hear some new music from you sometime...

[Beyondclarity]

Any band that is as lame as he described - he's lucky to be far away from.

As many have said - better off without them.

[Big_Guy]

Once again, you only look at one aspect of the situation. Have you given any thought at all to the fact that the rest of Yellowcard don't want to involve themselves in a mudslinging war? Who do they owe it to to release a statement about the situation? So some more assholes on a message board can dissect every single part of it, and act like they have some insiders view to the situation?

You're essentially using a guilty till proven innocent attitude, and last time I checked, that's not how our nations judicial system works. Burden of proof is on the prosecution, it's Ben who feels he needs to prove he was wronged by Yellowcard. Of course he's going to be bitter and spiteful about it. He was in a highly successful, mainstream, world touring band, and now he's just another guy who can play guitar. Yellowcard probably figure if they don't address it, things will eventually go away, and all the 14 year olds that love them will have something else to talk about.

I'm not saying Yellowcard had a good reason for kicking him out, because Frankly, I couldn't give two shits, but I'm sick of everyone acting like they're a member of the band and know all the ins and outs of a situation.

Furthermore, your argument about the not knowing him argument not being valid is ridiculous. People here are claiming to know Ryan, his personality, and everything else either by interviews, or one meeting at a show where he passed by Ryan and got looked at the wrong way or something. Meeting somebody and knowing them are completely different things, if that's not too much for you to grasp.

the voice of reason!

only person that gets it right here^

[raine8181]

^^^^^^
What he said...

[dai the flu]

again, you guys have NO reason to bash yellowcard, because you have NO clue what happened.
how on earth can you guys just assume that everyone in YC is wrong and ben is right? you dont have any idea what went into their decision.

[WilliamLad18]

Once again, you only look at one aspect of the situation. Have you given any thought at all to the fact that the rest of Yellowcard don't want to involve themselves in a mudslinging war? Who do they owe it to to release a statement about the situation? So some more assholes on a message board can dissect every single part of it, and act like they have some insiders view to the situation?

You're essentially using a guilty till proven innocent attitude, and last time I checked, that's not how our nations judicial system works. Burden of proof is on the prosecution, it's Ben who feels he needs to prove he was wronged by Yellowcard. Of course he's going to be bitter and spiteful about it. He was in a highly successful, mainstream, world touring band, and now he's just another guy who can play guitar. Yellowcard probably figure if they don't address it, things will eventually go away, and all the 14 year olds that love them will have something else to talk about.

I'm not saying Yellowcard had a good reason for kicking him out, because Frankly, I couldn't give two shits, but I'm sick of everyone acting like they're a member of the band and know all the ins and outs of a situation.

Furthermore, your argument about the not knowing him argument not being valid is ridiculous. People here are claiming to know Ryan, his personality, and everything else either by interviews, or one meeting at a show where he passed by Ryan and got looked at the wrong way or something. Meeting somebody and knowing them are completely different things, if that's not too much for you to grasp.



..... ryan ? is that you?

[yutsmcgee]

Ryan Key is a dickhead. Plus, he can't sing, play guitar, or put on a show. Oh, he can't write for shit either. Yellowcard was mediocre before, now they're just gonna be a joke.

[yutsmcgee]

I love how completely baseless every here's arguments and points are. You read one article, from one point of view, and think you know just what went on with the band members. You act like you know the people in the band, their thoughts, intentions, and motivations.

You read one viewpoint in one article for Christ sake. And how many people calling Ryan a dick actually know the guy? I didn't think so. Stop gossiping like 8th grade girls.

How many times a day does Ryan have you suck his dick?

[smogs]

LP seems like an OKAY guy.



yeah I agree. I mean, at least he told Ben what was going on.
But man, I like yellowcard, but I don't know if I want to buy the cd anymore.

[NFG4ever]

This sucks , I was so into these guys growing up , relating to there lyrics. I loved YC, Sure there still around but it just doesn't feel the same any more.... The reason why I got into this scene was because I loved how it was about the music. Like many people said, we don't know the hole story but I hate gossip , this sounds like something entertainement tonight would be all over. I miss the yellowcard of 5 best friends rocking the fuck out and playing music they love to play , now it just sounds like total bull shit if you ask me

[1.8Nate]

Ryan Key is a dickhead. Plus, he can't sing, play guitar, or put on a show. Oh, he can't write for shit either. Yellowcard was mediocre before, now they're just gonna be a joke.

Not exactly, Ryan Mendez is a fucking AMAZING writer/guitar player. So if he influences their music in one way or another (which I doubt he did on the new album) they could be good. Too bad he's a dickhead. Oh well, I guess good things came from him leaving Staring Back, like Gavin being the new Bayside drummer and well, actually I can't think of anything other than that. What a piece of shit.

[J_169]

meh, this albums causing a right stir, and no1s heard it yet hardly. i hope its worth it, then il make my mind up wether to go see them.

[DroppedUrPocket]

What if it turned out Ben was still in the band and this shit was all for publicity? Haha.

[heyRomanticA__x]

none of you know half of what went on, you have no basis for hating yellowcard, they made a decision they felt was in their best interests and you have no idea what all went into making that decision.
have you ever thought that maybe, just maybe, whatever internal problems they had might have been bens fault???
no.
it reinforces the fact that you guys only like a band until they're popular.


That's the truth.

[lftcoastenvy05]

we all know that like most other bands, there comes a time where somebody has to go. it just usually isnt the founding member of the band, like the article said he started YC in his garage. but i see what the other YC guys mean when they wanted him to quit his label. weve seen some bands be completely fine with a member running a label, but YC just wanted him to concentrate on the band. people have told me harper wasnt all that great of a guitarist, but still. it sucks losing harper, but as long as the band knows what their doing, my feelings are sorta balanced over the situation.

[riotmute]

more likely than ben recieving royalties is that the band settled with him beforehand, i would assume that would be the case in this situation. as for his parts staying on the cd, i am sure that this was because of timing and monetary factors. waiting for another guitarist to play his parts (ryan key is a shitty guitarist) costs money and time and whoever produced this didn't want to have to wait it out

[resUrectMe617]

That's the truth.

at the same time though, it also reinforces our speculations that bands [can] become corrupt with popularity. money breeds greed and avarice.

[newfoundnorcal]

again, you guys have NO reason to bash yellowcard, because you have NO clue what happened.
how on earth can you guys just assume that everyone in YC is wrong and ben is right? you dont have any idea what went into their decision.

it comes down to this: you're right, not one of us knows what happened.

however, whether you saw yellowcard years ago or later (when ben was still in the band), ben was always the one you could talk to. you'd be stoked on a show, and ben would be the one to say, "thanks for coming out, thanks for the support" and he was always the one who cared about what you thought of YC. ryan never gave a fuck. he was about being a rockstar from day one, he didn't give a shit about the fans and he never even tried to fake it. that speaks to both ben and ryan's characters. what you think of someone's character influences whether or not you believe them when they spit out information. based on the CHARACTER that we've seen from both ben and ryan, most people would choose to believe ben over ryan.

[1.8Nate]

it comes down to this: you're right, not one of us knows what happened.

however, whether you saw yellowcard years ago or later (when ben was still in the band), ben was always the one you could talk to. you'd be stoked on a show, and ben would be the one to say, "thanks for coming out, thanks for the support" and he was always the one who cared about what you thought of YC. ryan never gave a fuck. he was about being a rockstar from day one, he didn't give a shit about the fans and he never even tried to fake it. that speaks to both ben and ryan's characters. what you think of someone's character influences whether or not you believe them when they spit out information. based on the CHARACTER that we've seen from both ben and ryan, most people would choose to believe ben over ryan.

VERY well said.

[number2alien]

none of you know half of what went on, you have no basis for hating yellowcard, they made a decision they felt was in their best interests and you have no idea what all went into making that decision.
have you ever thought that maybe, just maybe, whatever internal problems they had might have been bens fault???
no.
it reinforces the fact that you guys only like a band until they're popular.

Someone here actually gets it! Yes!

[dai the flu]

How many times a day does Ryan have you suck his dick?

i love how some people will tell us how much they hate ryan for being rude to them,
all the while acting and responding to posts like total assholes themselves.

[Punkdc]

To lazy to read the whole replys..but I still feel bad for ben...but after he left...Ryan seems to be a lot more happy on stage

[Peter Parker]

the guys in Yellowcard are fucking dicks. they were when they came to the UK they treated everyone like shit and like they were the best thing in the world. ben was the only one who actually spoke to me like a human being. FUCK YELLOWCARD.

[heyRomanticA__x]

at the same time though, it also reinforces our speculations that bands [can] become corrupt with popularity. money breeds greed and avarice.


Also true.

[Peter Parker]

To lazy to read the whole replys..but I still feel bad for ben...but after he left...Ryan seems to be a lot more happy on stage

on a side note, the picture in your signature just made me spit out chocolate milk.

(by the way, i was drinking it. i don't produce chocolate milk.)

[yutsmcgee]

i love how some people will tell us how much they hate ryan for being rude to them,
all the while acting and responding to posts like total assholes themselves.

I love how some people will take everything so seriously, because they've never heard of a little thing called sarcasm.

[MrBaileySays]

Bring Back A Small Victory!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[yutsmcgee]

all i know is that it's gay to kick out the person who started the band, and not tell him why. that's completely ridiculous and juvenile, and all you kids who think i'm just sayin' that because i hate yellowcard and their popularity, bite me. i actually really liked ocean avenue. so go hang out at your pussy club and cry me another river.

[GAD_guy]

somebody needs to punch that ryan dude in the face. maybe ben can start a real band now, he seemed more talented than the rest of those hacks at least.

[heyRomanticA__x]

somebody needs to punch that ryan dude in the face. maybe ben can start a real band now, he seemed more talented than the rest of those hacks at least.


What? This is the music industry, talent never gets anyone anywhere.

[satanisanerd]

That sucks for Ben. Hopefully his label really takes off in 2006. I'm expecting big things from Hey Mike, Craig's Brother, and Near Miss.

[Heart-A-Tact]

..How do you manage to kick out the guy who started the band? What is wrong with these guys? Seriously.. They probably wouldn't be shit without Ben Harper.

Edit: Hm.. thinking about it, I can't honestly say the problems that made Ben leave weren't his fault. I shouldn't have said anything.

[1.8Nate]

Bring Back A Small Victory!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Haha x2.

[John-Michael]

too bad they suck now.

I don't like yellowcard but anyone w/ a blame it on rio ad in their sig has no right to talk about "bad music"

[John-Michael]

You're a fucking idiot. I've got issues with Ryan Key but leave Mendez out of this. Staring Back fucked themselves by not getting off their asses and being a band. When it was clear they were breaking up RM went with a band that would let him tour 24/7. Ben leaving the band had nothing to do w/ the Takeover reissues.

You know what, I know what happened and I'm not afraid to say it. Ben Harper and Staring Back got fucked as hard as anyone in the biz can take it.
Ryan Mendez knew what was going on the whole time. They made Ben out to be a nutjob. They acted like the whole thing was that Ben is going crazy and gee, they just didn't have any choice. Bullshit. When that shit went down with Ryan M. going to Japan to play a couple of tours, it was all over for Ben and it was totally shady. Ryan M. is a kniving bastard, and he fucked his old band, HARD.
Ryan Key is a fucking queen. He IS Yellowcard now. Yellowcard's manager is not Yellowcards manager, he's RYAN KEY'S manager. He was just pissed that Takeover (Ben), re-released that album that RYAN KEY wasn't even on. That's when this whole mess started.

"Fuck you, fuck you, fuck all of you".

[noodledancer]

I'm sure they're crying themselves to sleep at night because you're listening to Rascal Flatts instead.

rascal flatts > yellowcard

[starcrossdlovex]

"I think if we were still in a van none of this would have happened."
I hate knowing that he's right.

I won't ever be supporting these guys again.
So LP didn't want this? I think he should have stood up for Ben at whatever "meeting" they had.
What a bad situation.

maybe ben can start a real band now, he seemed more talented than the rest of those hacks at least.
Talent doesn't even matter anymore.

[_all_star_me_]

wow. that sucks. i would like to hear yellowcard response.

[Sureshot182]

Lets all hold hands and cry together. OKAY?!
look at your name. anything you ever say on here should be immediately labeled as garbage.

[fight4urdemons]

This situation is ridiculous.

The members of Yellowcard and the management that forced Ben out of a band that he started in HIS PARENTS garage should be ashamed of themselves. I feel the same as JT in that, I love Ocean Avenue. I mean I really love that record. But, now I dont know what to think about it. I feel as if I've been cheated somehow.

It seems pretty clear that Yellowcard dont give a fuck about the music anymore. I used to like Ryan Key. I guess those guys are just in it for the money. And if that is the case, Ben - who seems like a super genuine guy - is better of out of there.

Shame on Yellowcard.

[Stereo Therapy]

Haha x2.

whoa. someone picked up my cassino thing. whoo!!

[TimeAsIdeology]

rascal flatts > yellowcard

That's like trying to decide between listening to Korn and Limp Bizkit. Equally awful.

And cute remark about me sucking Ryan Key's dick, but there's two things wrong with the statement. A) Earlier in the thread, I was defending Ryan Mendez, not Ryan Key. I couldn't give two fucks about the latter, from all I've heard, he's a douchebag of epic proportions. However, Ryan Mendez is a solid dude, and anyone talking shit on him obviously knows nothing of which they speak. The second thing wrong with this, is your mouths are all planted way too firmly on Ben Harper's cock to comprehend his veiewpoint isn't the only one.

I don't care how long he stayed after the show to talk to you, how he answered when you wrote him a love letter, or how he rescued 30 sick kids from a Cambodian ophanage, that's not what's being discussed here. I'm sure he's an awesome dude, but the fact remains nobody on this board is aware for what internally went on in the band. He could be the nicest guy in the world to fans, and gigantic tool to his bandmates, and a tough person to work with. This is all fucking 8th grade gossip and speculation, and the fact that none of you have anything better to do than jump on the "poor Ben" bandwagon only knowing half the story, (if that half is even true) is fucking absurd. Grow up.

[angrylittleme]

I hope Fall Out Boy doesn't turn into Yellowcard Jr. down the road.
Me too.

[realawesomedude]

You're a fucking idiot. I've got issues with Ryan Key but leave Mendez out of this. Staring Back fucked themselves by not getting off their asses and being a band. When it was clear they were breaking up RM went with a band that would let him tour 24/7. Ben leaving the band had nothing to do w/ the Takeover reissues.
Yeah, Staring Back had a newly found guitar player, had just made a deal to put out their next album on Takeover... and they were singerless for how long? That band worked their asses off when they toured, so you don't know shit. They went through alot at the end, and then Ryan M. turns around and fucks the same person that cared enough about his band and his music to put out Staring Back's new record.....

And make no bones about it folks, Mendez and Key are as thick as theives. I know Ryan personally and he's a terrible person.

[audiolove]

Me too, I am going to see if I can get an interview with Ben; a long one. Some day soon.

can't wait for that one if it works out...

[Ruggiero2oo8]

ohh boy

i get mad when i see YC now.

[John-Michael]

Yeah, Staring Back had a newly found guitar player, had just made a deal to put out their next album on Takeover... and they were singerless for how long? That band worked their asses off when they toured, so you don't know shit. They went through alot at the end, and then Ryan M. turns around and fucks the same person that cared enough about his band and his music to put out Staring Back's new record.....

And make no bones about it folks, Mendez and Key are as thick as theives. I know Ryan personally and he's a terrible person.

I know Ryan well enough to trust him and what he had to say about the break up the staring back board. Bands lose guitar players all the time. Staring Back didn't need to break up. Ryan leaving was just an easy way out.

[lumansa]

I loved how this most recent tour was for their "true" fans. All i saw were teenage girls...

[RentfordNoseAll]

well.. it looks like yellowcard has proven themselves to be nothing more than a bunch of greedy assholes.

[tsunami_bomber]

somebody needs to punch that ryan dude in the face.

haha sean already did that a couple years ago. it didn't do any good.

here are my experiences with yc if they clarify things. i will refrain from making judgements, this is just what i saw: when i went to my first yc show at some shitty little club in the-middle-of-nowhere, maine about 3 1/2 years ago, ben, sean and lp hung out with the fans. the last time i saw yc (at warped '04), lp and ben hung out with fans. i have been to too many of their shows with backstage access and i have never seen ryan interact with a fan. i never even saw him interact with his bandmates - every time i saw him he was alone, usually on his cell phone. ben, on the other hand, was like yc's ambassador and would even invite old fans to hang out on the bus and talk.

[3milesdown]

i just wrote a whole thing about this, but choose not to say anything to start drama. i've known the band for a while and i always knew yc would be big. i'd never thought it'd come to friendship over the band. they had their differences, but i;d hope it'd all work out. guess not. i dont want to place blame on ryan key though, he's a good guy. generally. i cant support a band like yc anymore and me and 10 of my friends are going to differnet stores, mainly best buy the day the cd comes out and burn 100s of copies to give out so hopefully they dont buy the new cd. best wishes to ben. he was awesome.

[yutsmcgee]

That's like trying to decide between listening to Korn and Limp Bizkit. Equally awful.

And cute remark about me sucking Ryan Key's dick, but there's two things wrong with the statement. A) Earlier in the thread, I was defending Ryan Mendez, not Ryan Key. I couldn't give two fucks about the latter, from all I've heard, he's a douchebag of epic proportions. However, Ryan Mendez is a solid dude, and anyone talking shit on him obviously knows nothing of which they speak. The second thing wrong with this, is your mouths are all planted way too firmly on Ben Harper's cock to comprehend his veiewpoint isn't the only one.

I don't care how long he stayed after the show to talk to you, how he answered when you wrote him a love letter, or how he rescued 30 sick kids from a Cambodian ophanage, that's not what's being discussed here. I'm sure he's an awesome dude, but the fact remains nobody on this board is aware for what internally went on in the band. He could be the nicest guy in the world to fans, and gigantic tool to his bandmates, and a tough person to work with. This is all fucking 8th grade gossip and speculation, and the fact that none of you have anything better to do than jump on the "poor Ben" bandwagon only knowing half the story, (if that half is even true) is fucking absurd. Grow up.

No matter what way u cut it, it's completely wrong to fire somebody from the band HE started. You can't argue that fact. I don't think some dude in a cubicle over at Microsoft is gonna take the elevator up to Bill Gates' office and fire him.

[Jason Tate]

again, you guys have NO reason to bash yellowcard, because you have NO clue what happened.
how on earth can you guys just assume that everyone in YC is wrong and ben is right? you dont have any idea what went into their decision.
I do. I've heard both sides.

[Jason Tate]

Once again, you only look at one aspect of the situation. Have you given any thought at all to the fact that the rest of Yellowcard don't want to involve themselves in a mudslinging war? Who do they owe it to to release a statement about the situation? So some more assholes on a message board can dissect every single part of it, and act like they have some insiders view to the situation?

You're essentially using a guilty till proven innocent attitude, and last time I checked, that's not how our nations judicial system works. Burden of proof is on the prosecution, it's Ben who feels he needs to prove he was wronged by Yellowcard. Of course he's going to be bitter and spiteful about it. He was in a highly successful, mainstream, world touring band, and now he's just another guy who can play guitar. Yellowcard probably figure if they don't address it, things will eventually go away, and all the 14 year olds that love them will have something else to talk about.

I'm not saying Yellowcard had a good reason for kicking him out, because Frankly, I couldn't give two shits, but I'm sick of everyone acting like they're a member of the band and know all the ins and outs of a situation.

Furthermore, your argument about the not knowing him argument not being valid is ridiculous. People here are claiming to know Ryan, his personality, and everything else either by interviews, or one meeting at a show where he passed by Ryan and got looked at the wrong way or something. Meeting somebody and knowing them are completely different things, if that's not too much for you to grasp.
Just cause you've only read one side of the situation, doesn't mean others here haven't seen/heard it...

[yutsmcgee]

I do.

Do tell senor tate, do tell.

[Jason Tate]

Someone here actually gets it! Yes!
I think it's fairly obvious where I stand on this issue, and fairly obvious I've never once started hating a band for their popularity. Please don't lump me into categories where I most certainly do not fit.

[realawesomedude]

I know Ryan well enough to trust him and what he had to say about the break up the staring back board. Bands lose guitar players all the time. Staring Back didn't need to break up. Ryan leaving was just an easy way out.

Oh? So what was your position IN the band staring back? Did you talk to any of the other members? Mendez and his wife are manipulative people. They look out for themselves and no one else. I know them. This is fact. You don't know what you're talking about.

[Jason Tate]

You're a fucking idiot. I've got issues with Ryan Key but leave Mendez out of this. Staring Back fucked themselves by not getting off their asses and being a band. When it was clear they were breaking up RM went with a band that would let him tour 24/7. Ben leaving the band had nothing to do w/ the Takeover reissues.
I disagree. But, I'll just leave it at that ...

[Jason Tate]

That's like trying to decide between listening to Korn and Limp Bizkit. Equally awful.

And cute remark about me sucking Ryan Key's dick, but there's two things wrong with the statement. A) Earlier in the thread, I was defending Ryan Mendez, not Ryan Key. I couldn't give two fucks about the latter, from all I've heard, he's a douchebag of epic proportions. However, Ryan Mendez is a solid dude, and anyone talking shit on him obviously knows nothing of which they speak. The second thing wrong with this, is your mouths are all planted way too firmly on Ben Harper's cock to comprehend his veiewpoint isn't the only one.

I don't care how long he stayed after the show to talk to you, how he answered when you wrote him a love letter, or how he rescued 30 sick kids from a Cambodian ophanage, that's not what's being discussed here. I'm sure he's an awesome dude, but the fact remains nobody on this board is aware for what internally went on in the band. He could be the nicest guy in the world to fans, and gigantic tool to his bandmates, and a tough person to work with. This is all fucking 8th grade gossip and speculation, and the fact that none of you have anything better to do than jump on the "poor Ben" bandwagon only knowing half the story, (if that half is even true) is fucking absurd. Grow up.
I support Ryan Key more then Ryan Mendez right now, and I don't think too highly of either of them.

[Jason Tate]

haha sean already did that a couple years ago. it didn't do any good.

here are my experiences with yc if they clarify things. i will refrain from making judgements, this is just what i saw: when i went to my first yc show at some shitty little club in the-middle-of-nowhere, maine about 3 1/2 years ago, ben, sean and lp hung out with the fans. the last time i saw yc (at warped '04), lp and ben hung out with fans. i have been to too many of their shows with backstage access and i have never seen ryan interact with a fan. i never even saw him interact with his bandmates - every time i saw him he was alone, usually on his cell phone. ben, on the other hand, was like yc's ambassador and would even invite old fans to hang out on the bus and talk.
And they were really "honest" with their fans about that situation (and the balcony, and warren, and pete incidents) when they happend too ..

There's a trend here....

[Jason Tate]

Oh? So what was your position IN the band staring back? Did you talk to any of the other members? Mendez and his wife are manipulative people. They look out for themselves and no one else. I know them. This is fact. You don't know what you're talking about.
A certain graphic design artist (who rules) I know would attest to this exact statement. I was let down (and shocked) by the "statement" Mendez made on the Staring Back message board basically attacking everyone in his former band; I think that showed alot about his character in one bold move. He's probably going to be rich now - and go down as the "45 year old dude in Yellowcard" to their 13 year old fanbase.

[yutsmcgee]

Oh? So what was your position IN the band staring back? Did you talk to any of the other members? Mendez and his wife are manipulative people. They look out for themselves and no one else. I know them. This is fact. You don't know what you're talking about.

This is juicier than an episode of Desparate Housewives...without the naked, greased poolboy.

[dai the flu]

boo-fucking-hoo
so ryan maybe isnt as outgoing as some other people, you people seem to think because you're in a band you cant possibly be introverted and keep to yourself.
"he didnt talk to me so he sucks blah blah..."
shut up and get a life. why does he have to talk to you? maybe, just maybe, have you thought that its just his personality? you know some people are like that. it doesnt make him rude, it just makes him a NORMAL PERSON THAT ISNT COMFORTABLE DEALING WITH THE PUBLIC.


and all you guys saying they're obsessed with money now, all they care about is their own greed instead of making music, how the fuck do you get off saying that? how do you know their motivations, their intentions when they do something? you show me one instance where they sold out and sacrificed integrity for money.

im so sick of listening to you bitches whine about something you have no idea about, and i dont even freaking like yellowcard that much.

[Absent_Silence]

You know what? all this reading is making me hungry. I'm going out to get some chips and on the way i'm going to pick up the new issue of Superman/Batman #23...and read it.

[yutsmcgee]

boo-fucking-hoo
so ryan maybe isnt as outgoing as some other people, you people seem to think because you're in a band you cant possibly be introverted and keep to yourself.
"he didnt talk to me so he sucks blah blah..."
shut up and get a life. why does he have to talk to you? maybe, just maybe, have you thought that its just his personality? you know some people are like that. it doesnt make him rude, it just makes him a NORMAL PERSON THAT ISNT COMFORTABLE DEALING WITH THE PUBLIC.


and all you guys saying they're obsessed with money now, all they care about is their own greed instead of making music, how the fuck do you get off saying that? how do you know their motivations, their intentions when they do something? you show me one instance where they sold out and sacrificed integrity for money.

im so sick of listening to you bitches whine about something you have no idea about, and i dont even freaking like yellowcard that much.

I think bands do owe it to fans to be personable and approachable, because after all, the fans do write their freakin checks. The fans buy their cd's, the fans buy their merch, the fans buy tickets. You don't return that with a cold shoulder. Any entertainer who does has no clue who to be thankful to.

[realawesomedude]

A certain graphic design artist (who rules) I know would attest to this exact statement. I was let down (and shocked) by the "statement" Mendez made on the Staring Back message board basically attacking everyone in his former band; I think that showed alot about his character in one bold move. He's probably going to be rich now - and go down as the "45 year old dude in Yellowcard" to their 13 year old fanbase.

Thank God, someone that knows the situation. And speaking of the dude attacking people, his singer was one of them. The dude moved across the country with his wife and 2 month old kid to be in the band, and his reason for leaving was that his band wasn't doing enough......

[Jason Tate]

boo-fucking-hoo
so ryan maybe isnt as outgoing as some other people, you people seem to think because you're in a band you cant possibly be introverted and keep to yourself.
"he didnt talk to me so he sucks blah blah..."
shut up and get a life. why does he have to talk to you? maybe, just maybe, have you thought that its just his personality? you know some people are like that. it doesnt make him rude, it just makes him a NORMAL PERSON THAT ISNT COMFORTABLE DEALING WITH THE PUBLIC.


and all you guys saying they're obsessed with money now, all they care about is their own greed instead of making music, how the fuck do you get off saying that? how do you know their motivations, their intentions when they do something? you show me one instance where they sold out and sacrificed integrity for money.

im so sick of listening to you bitches whine about something you have no idea about, and i dont even freaking like yellowcard that much.
I think the exact quote was, "we made Ocean Ave. to sell records," said to a huge crowd of kids (many of which have posted and confirmed this exact quote on these boards).

As for Ryan being "un-social" - I almost wanted to die laughing. You'd be amazed how social the kid can be when girls are around (I'm basing that on a personal experience. Haha.). He was a drama major, you can't pull this "he's not comfortable in public" bullshit with me. Watch an interview, watch who steps up to the mic every single time. He lives to be a star .. anyone that knows the band, knows this simple fact. Hell, I completely understand he basically is the face of the band at this point and time; I just always thought that while Ryan was the face/image - Ben was the heart.

The problem is, I do know alot about this - that's why I bitch and whine. You continue to assume people are left in the dark - when in fact, it seems to be only you who is clueless about what went on. People have been working to get the whole situation out to the public, so a lot of people do know more then what anyone's "officially" said.

[Jason Tate]

Thank God, someone that knows the situation. And speaking of the dude attacking people, his singer was one of them. The dude moved across the country with his wife and 2 month old kid to be in the band, and his reason for leaving was that his band wasn't doing enough......
I always felt like his statement wasn't a "reason" it was an "excuse." His mind was already made up, he just needed to justify it for himself and to the public. I've always had a sour spot over that ...

I've been told other people were offered the guitar position before Mendez, and they turned it down outta respect for Ben. I would have thought after what Ben was trying to do for Staring Back - Mendez would have shared the same respect/outlook. I was wrong; and that's another key issue of character. I just really feel bad for the rest of Staring Back .. I hope they all end up doing something amazing with their lives.

[newfoundnorcal]

As for Ryan being "un-social" - I almost wanted to die laughing. You'd be amazed how social the kid can be when girls are around (I'm basing that on a personal experience. Haha.). He was a drama major, you can't pull this "he's not comfortable in public" bullshit with me. Watch an interview, watch who steps up to the mic every single time. He lives to be a star .. anyone that knows the band, knows this simple fact.


true. i have seen them around/out for awhile, and it's VERY clear that ryan key is out to be a star. that's all he ever wanted. he was never shy- he just didn't give a fuck about who liked his band (unless he was going to get some from said person). he is the stereotypical band member who uses his position and name to get play.

the sad thing is, who the fuck would ryan key BE without the band ben harper started?
talk about backstabbing.

[shadowagent]

Bottom Line! Ben is an amazing person who has performed tracks that we can all be proud of. He is my best friend in the whole world and has been since high school. Im not trying to be popular but rather thanking all of you that have backed him. To those of you that are behind YC , Good for you. Like i said before im not asking you to choose sides but rather stand behind ben right now. He has been there for yc since we started the band in his bedroom in 97 , not his garage. I remember waiting for his mom to leave so we could start practice. I remember carrying my bass rig up stairs to his bedroom the first time i jammed with LP. I remember the first song we play , "Bring out your Dead" By strung out in his dads bedroom of all places!!! HAHA! Know that Ben has been in it since the begining , for the music not the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[Dob]

i liked yellowcard like, 5 years ago.

[guessimboredtoo]

Thank God, someone that knows the situation. And speaking of the dude attacking people, his singer was one of them. The dude moved across the country with his wife and 2 month old kid to be in the band, and his reason for leaving was that his band wasn't doing enough......

Not that this is relevant, it’s just kind of funny.

realawesomedude is Jason Bradley, the ex-singer of Staring Back, and in the above post he is referring to himself in the third person.


And yep, I did join this board just to say that.

[Jason Tate]

Not that this is relevant, it’s just kind of funny.

realawesomedude is Jason Bradley, the ex-singer of Staring Back, and in the above post he is referring to himself in the third person.


And yep, I did join this board just to say that.
How'd you come to this conclusion? Not that I'll confirm or deny it, but I'm just curious.

[dude]

all of you.


If you go the the YC message board, you will learn that the reason Ben only played on half of the songs is because he "only made time" to play on half of the songs.

Ben was too fucking busy pimping HIS record label off of the publicity he earned on songs that RYAN wrote. Ben was setting up HIS future by selling YC out after releasing a shitty Where We Stand record that many fans bought while believing it was a follow up to Ocean Avenue. Do you think he cared how that affected the rest of the band? No. It was about BEN making money!

For fucks sake, you all are stupid and naive. They said he could stay if he walked away from takeover until the band no longer existed. I think its reasonable when there was a clear conflict of interest detrimental to the band.

You all are idiots. Seriously.

The band won't say any of this because they have too much class to rip Ben; who everyone thinks is the second coming of Christ or something. He ain't a saint.

Use your brains if you have them.

[NationalProduct]

I've been told other people were offered the guitar position before Mendez, and they turned it down outta respect for Ben. I would have thought after what Ben was trying to do for Staring Back - Mendez would have shared the same respect/outlook. I was wrong; and that's another key issue of character. I just really feel bad for the rest of Staring Back .. I hope they all end up doing something amazing with their lives.

I think that is truely admirable to turn something down in respect for ben. Thats true friendship and honor, rarely shown.

As far as the Staring Back boys doing stuff with their lives. I dont know about the rest of them, its been awhile since ive heard from most of the boys but Gavin is driving cross country right now to go play for Bayside. That rocks!

[underdawg1119]

well this situation has been up in the air for quite some time now and still we've really only heard one side of the story. if a band (YC) was so fucking righteous and confident that they did the right thing, i'd think they'd one to clear up all the rumors and displace all the negative comments by releasing a statement representing their side of the story. so why haven't they? they should have known waters were going to be stirred like this, if they were smart enough (with their lawyers, their managers, their "therapists") they should have released something from the start even before ben did this interview. to me it looks like YC is in the wrong, they have had nothing to say, nothing to show for. so until i see something from YC, i consider it cowardice and a lack of any substantial reasons for kicking out ben. if they had anything substantial, i'm sure they'd be out here saying the facts and regaining their fans' respect

:appl:

[rufiocardtime]

I think the exact quote was, "we made Ocean Ave. to sell records," said to a huge crowd of kids (many of which have posted and confirmed this exact quote on these boards).

As for Ryan being "un-social" - I almost wanted to die laughing. You'd be amazed how social the kid can be when girls are around (I'm basing that on a personal experience. Haha.). He was a drama major, you can't pull this "he's not comfortable in public" bullshit with me. Watch an interview, watch who steps up to the mic every single time. He lives to be a star .. anyone that knows the band, knows this simple fact. Hell, I completely understand he basically is the face of the band at this point and time; I just always thought that while Ryan was the face/image - Ben was the heart.

The problem is, I do know alot about this - that's why I bitch and whine. You continue to assume people are left in the dark - when in fact, it seems to be only you who is clueless about what went on. People have been working to get the whole situation out to the public, so a lot of people do know more then what anyone's "officially" said.


fuck, let me know the next time you hear of a band that doesn't want to sell records.

he should have said "we made (this) record for the sole purpose of NOT selling records." then he'd be credible.

*shaking head*

[rufiocardtime]

I do. I've heard both sides.

i'm still waiting for you to pour out the whole story to all the lovely people that visit ap.net.

let's hear all the facts from both sides. i think the last thing everyone wants to read is you claiming, "i know all the facts. yellowcard is evil."

i can only guess that the reason you won't spill everything you know is either...

A) it isn't 100% verifiable information or

B) other people might not interpret the facts the same way you have

eh?

[rufiocardtime]

I love how completely baseless every here's arguments and points are. You read one article, from one point of view, and think you know just what went on with the band members. You act like you know the people in the band, their thoughts, intentions, and motivations.

You read one viewpoint in one article for Christ sake. And how many people calling Ryan a dick actually know the guy? I didn't think so. Stop gossiping like 8th grade girls.

i stand by this dude.

[dai the flu]

I think the exact quote was, "we made Ocean Ave. to sell records," said to a huge crowd of kids (many of which have posted and confirmed this exact quote on these boards).

dont forget, your golden boy ben was involved in writing that wonderful piece of sell-out shit.
so dont use it to say yellowcard's only in it for the money and ride harper's cock at the same time.

[EvilButters]

Man...who really cares if the guy was trying to sell a few records. Maybe...and this could just be really farfetched, especially around here...but maybe he was trying to sell a few records while helping create a record that is actually decent. I'm not saying I'm the biggest Yellowcard fan or anything, but I do listen to them every once in a while. Sell out or not...it's still incredibly fucked up that he was kicked out of a band he founded.

[NationalProduct]

um im post 197...i heard we were taking this to about 250

[dude]

What if I was a founder and I played the fucking bongos? I played the bongos and I wasn't showing up to play them when I was needed. Its fair that the band should find another bongo player since I don't really write any of the music and I'm very replacable.

Founding a band doesn't mean a damn thing. You've got to contribute to a level that makes you worth keeping around. If you don't, then get the fuck out.

I've seen a lot of "founders" of companies get canned because they weren't producing what the company needed anymore. That's life.

[EvilButters]

Founding a band doesn't mean a damn thing. You've got to contribute to a level that makes you worth keeping around. If you don't, then get the fuck out.

Fair enough, but when those founding members have been good enough to stick around for all their releases, for all their tours, and through the thick and thin and they get canned during the writing process of the follow up to the album that got them into the mainstream...then it's on a bit of a different level. I mean if I like the new Yellowcard album, I'm still going to listen to it. I'm not going to not listen to Yellowcard because of what happened between them and Ben. I'm only going to not listen to a band because I don't like the music. I'm just saying it's a little fucked up to why they kicked him out in the first place because it definitely seems like he was contributing something to Yellowcard, especially if he was in the band for this long.