I'm not usually prone to personal introspection in public, but I just realized that my "lighten up or light up" message could have been construed as a bit mean-spirited, and I would like to make sure that all the members of this list understand what I mean so here's a little explanation:
I know a lot of you have been Mellotronists for years - I can't imagine having had the good fortune to have had a Mellotron for thirty years, not to mention the same one! I JUST recently finally managed to acquire my own, and I love this white box more than anything I have ever owned before, and believe me, I have some really neat toys. I also just recently discovered this small web of fantastic minds and abilities and talents, and as far as many of you go, I simply stand in awe of your place in history and your personal contributions to an addiction that I'm passionately thrilled to find is not as singular as I thought mine was. I've been telling the guys in my present band since we started playing together in 1998 that "I've just got to find a Mellotron" making them all think I'm hallucinating, and I finally bring one home much to everybody's surprise. And, to think that I am welcomed as a contributor and partner in such an amazing commune of minds as this truly humbles me. Just the answers to some of my long-standing trivia questions has been a great thrill for me, tying up the loose ends of my infinite curiosity.
And now that I find you fantastic humans, I find it sad that we all still have feet of clay, and I just wish that the interpersonal quibbles could be put away. Not just off the list, but put away. There is too much at stake. I mean, face it, this is probably about the closest thing to a Mellotron Preservation Society as there is, and we few are the ones who are going to preserve this instrument that we all love and keep its heritage alive. So, how about we all just look at each other and say "yes, your cock's a monster too, just like mine" and get down to the business of having fun Mellotroning, and keeping the group going and helping support each other in doing it with all of the resources that are part of this group intact. Don't you just have to agree?