Damn. This is just one more crazy thread to add to the history of the Roth Army.
Let me address a few things, and make a few observations. Some people weren't around, or just flat don't remember history correctly. It seems, people's version of what the Roth Army once was, is based on their own time frame as to when they were relevant here. Relevant in reality, or in their own mind.
I blame the Bass player.
Not Funky Les. Not Wolfgang. Not Mike Anthony. A lot of people don't know this, but the original Roth Army site was deleted by a Bass player. To be specific, the Bass player from the Atomic Punks. For those of you that go way back, you might remember, the Punks site was attached to this site. There became an issue over hosting fees, and money that was owed, and this guy got pissed off enough to convince someone at the hosting company, to let him DELETE the Roth Army. Late one evening, I spent some time on the phone with him, trying to convince him not to do what he was threatening to do. I offered to send him every penny he felt was owed. I offered to do whatever he wanted, in order to make it right in his mind. But, he was having none of it. He was so pissed off, he hung up with me, and promptly hit delete. Keep in mind, Sarge wasn't exactly available at this time. He was in some desert somewhere, defending our Country. Or, more likely, digging sand out of his vagina. Anyway, none of us had a way to get in touch with Sarge at that time. To keep the spirit of the difference between the Hagar and Roth factions alive, and to carry on what I fucking loved about this site, Sesh and I decided to put up the DDLR site. That site was always intended to be a clone of this site. Not to steal from Sarge, but to honor what he had built here. When I put the DDLR site up, I had no idea if the Roth Army site would ever be back. By the time it did come back, we had our own identity, and as Sesh alluded to, there were some other issues that were unresolved, that basically forced us to remain online. Sesh and I both would have preferred to merge the DDLR site with the Army site, when it came back online. We spent many hours discussing how to make that happen. We could never seem to figure out how to do that. Probably because there were some ego's and hurt feelings in both camps, involved in the whole process. As has proven with Sesh taking over here, you just can't make everyone happy. Somebody isn't going to like certain aspects. In hindsight, because of the historical data we lost with both sites, I sure wish I could have convinced that guy to never hit the delete button, and since he did, when Sarge was able to bring the Army back, I wish we could have figured out a way to merge. I really do.
I wasn't around here for most of the war between the two (or however many) factions that seem to be the most discussed in this thread. I think everything had already happened when I came back. I will say, I think there are a few people that are antagonists, and just can't seem to let things go, much less forgive and forget. I see and agree with points from both sides. Unfortunately, I think a couple of people from each side will continue to harp on it forever. We basically have the same situation as mentioned above. Some people will be pissed off, no matter what is or is not done. In a public forum like this, you just can't please everyone. I do wish that threads like JHale's Ratt audition thread wouldn't get derailed with post after post about this bullshit. People can be jealous, or whatever their motivation for slagging JHale, or Ratt, or that whole era of music, but man, that was a pretty fucking cool accomplishment just to get the opportunity to jam with those guys. I think it got overshadowed by the fallout from some of these two camps that want to carry this "war" on and on and on. If it was one or two posts, it wouldn't be any big deal. But it just overtakes a whole thread. A fucking thread that should have primarily been about how cool it was that JHale auditioned for Ratt. You don't have to like JHale, or his playing. You don't have to like Ratt, or their era of music. But man, don't make his thread all about you.
As Sesh stated in one of his posts, I tend to operate in much the same mentality that Sarge did. That goes back to what I said earlier. I loved the way he ran this place in the beginning. Not the beginning when it came back after being deleted, but the BEGINNING. Of course, as Sesh and others have pointed out, a lot of things have changed since those days. I guess you have to run it differently, even though I hate that fact. As stated, what is now considered "personal information", wasn't personal information back then. Personal pics back then? For the most part, nobody gave a fuck. Posting up a map to someone's house? Not really that big of a deal back then. The likelihood of something greater coming of doing something like that, was pretty much non existent back then. Now with all the social media, and all that, it can definitely spill over into someone's real life, much easier than it could have in those days. Although, it did happen some back then. My wife was scared shitless when we were getting calls in the middle of the night with threats of violence against our family. Our Host had to get the police involved when murder was threatened against his family. But for the most part, it did seem as though the stuff wasn't as serious, or wasn't taken as serious, back then. I do find it odd that some people are all over the internet posting pictures of themselves, then they get pissed off when someone reposts their picture. They get even more pissed off if someone posts it with a strategically placed cock in it. I guess my problem is, much like Kristy rightly accuses me of still living in the 80's, in message board years I'm still living in the late 90's, early 2000's. I understand people's concern that some of this stuff could affect their careers, or even relationships. Me, I don't really give a fuck. If my boss somehow finds out I've posted something, and fires me over it, oh well. I was looking for a job when I found this one. Having said that, it's a whole different story to purposely try to ruin someone's career, or livelihood. I know some tried to fuck with LM's business, and affect it in a negative way. That is just wrong, no matter how you slice it. While it seemed in the old days, there wasn't really such a thing as going too far, in this day and age, it is very easy to go too far.
I'm not really a big fan of the bannings. I wouldn't have banned Elvis. But he did ask for it. Literally. I was extremely pissed off with his comment about Sesh's kids. I have a high tolerance for joking and even serious bullshit. But wishing death upon Sesh's, or anyone's kids, is way too extreme even for me. As far as the things involving other posters, one has to cuntsider whether or not the stuff some people post is real. Think about it. Some people make some pretty outrageous claims. Some people tell some pretty tall stories. Some people might not be on here, exactly who they are in real life. Some people might even really believe the stuff they post under their message board persona. So, when some stuff gets made fun of, or called out, it might be because the person being made fun of has a history of embellishment.
Last but not least. I don't think the Roth Army has been ruined. I think it is different. I don't think it will ever be what it once was. But you know the old saying, "be careful what you wish for". Some of you that think you want the old days, couldn't handle the old days. Cherish your version of the memories, and try to make some new memories you will enjoy. Like someone else said, this is supposed to be fun. Some people are so fucking miserable, and have zero humor or humility, they can't help but try to drag others down to their level. If you want it to be different around here, try and help make it that way. Or, just do nothing and cuntinue to bitch and moan. Maybe there will be some Roth Army meet and greets at shows this summer. I find it's always a lot of fun to meet you characters in person. Even those of you I supposedly don't like. I think of all the people from these sites I've met in person, the only one I didn't like was Twona.
Lactation was as weird in real life, as he was on here. Full Bong I understand, is as weird in real life, as he is on here. But I have met some very cool and solid people. Even ones I thought I wouldn't like, I liked. I'm sure I'd fall madly in love with Kristy, if I ever got to meet him! Hell, I even like all the Canadian fuckers I've met!
Roth on motherfuckers. Oh, and if you want to get rid of the shirt banner, order a fucking shirt from Sarge! I have several! He needs to get rid of them, and he needs the money to support his subscription to Dollar Shave Club.