I'd like to take this time to posit some theories as to why Raine Maida is the most-often berated by fans for being anti-social. I hear constantly how this fan was angry because Raine didn't spend two hours talking to her, and excused himself. Or t hat he didn't come out after a show with some of the other band members to talk to the fans.

You'll notice that when OLP comes around they usually are howling for Raine. Yay, a piece of meat. They think 4AM is a love song, that ninny stuff about 'father' is just a subtle way of Raine telling every girl he's madly in love with them.

The superficial followers are the ones who scream and draw attention to the band, who knock them over and cry on them and wail in their ears and demand pictures and autographs. Often, this'll happen after a show when OLP are at their lowest energy levels. All they want to do is veg out after putting in ALL their effort into the show... and still the fans just want and want and want. It's neverending.

I think Raine tends to get the hardest badgering. He's the lead singer, the front man for the band. He has to be fifty times more professional than say, Billy Corgan. He is representing the other three, more often than not, in the eyes of the fans. He get s teased (I plead the fifth) he gets dragged about in the mud. People draw pictures with him in makeup. We say he's a closet JEM fan. We deface him and defile him and use him as we want him, and I'm just as guilty as anyone else. It's the natural way of f ans to show their somewhat psychotic admiration.

Everything is done in good humor, and he would be a fool not to see that teasing is affection. But still, the teasing can grind on one's nerves and add to the shit soup he has to eat every day.

So what I'm saying is, I don't blame Raine one bit...I don't blame him for trying to hide and keep his sanity. The fans are emotional leeches, and when you give everything you have onstage, there comes a point where you simply cannot give any more. And when you suck an idol completely dry, they shrivel and die. And then we're alone.

This is why I think I left them alone in Philly, as much as I regret it. I would rather have OLP have a long illustrious career like Aerosmith rather than see them break up or quit...or lose any of them to drugs, alcohol, or general death. You never know if you gushing at Raine's feet is going to make him snap. That he's got 50 things on his mind and no time for himself, everyone wants something from him. "Raine sign this" "Raine listen to me and act interested in my life" "Raine here's something for you" "Raine are you marrying Chantal" "Raine take off your shirt"...and here you are trying to suck that last bit of himself away from him. Trying to satisfy yourself, when Raine rarely has time for the things he wants to do.

The pressure. You cannot imagine the pressure.

Mike has an advantage. Raine absorbs most of the backlash of being a popular band. People are, in MY opinion, MUCH calmer when Mike comes around as opposed to Raine. Mike also seems to genuinely like people, where Raine seems to prefer privacy. Don't slag Raine for his personality, some parts of people's personalities are all genetic anyway. He has the unfortunate luck of singing with amazing talent and really liking his private life. You can't have both, and he's dealing with it the best way he knows how without going insane or losing his career.

Raine does not owe anyone anything. He doesn't HAVE to make music for us. He doesn't HAVE to tour for a year. He doesn't HAVE to blow out his vocal chords at every concert. He doesn't have to do a damn thing. He does it because he wants to, and it's a gift he gives us.

So the next time you want to disrespect Raine because he's not in the trenches with Mike talking to fans and interacting with orgasmic joy, try to think of what he's had to do that day, that week, that month, that eats into his personal life, his privacy, his sense of self that we all take for granted because WE are not in the limelight.

Give the brother a break.

 
 
 

RESPONSES:

From: wave ([email protected])
To: [email protected]
Subject: your view, and so many other people's.

I'm wondering how long it took you to think of that view, because so many of us "non Raine obsessionists" always try to find the right thing to say to those "Raine obsessionists".

You have an awesome way of puting things. Your idea's are all so true, like what if one day Raine can't take it anymore? I wouldn't blame him either.But then it would make the rest of us pretty mad at those obsessionests. I bet you get a lot of those girls saying things like "But I do like OLP for the music, who cares if I obsess over Raine".

That's the thing, you can't obsess over someone you don't even know. People are saying "Chantal is a bitch", when they don't even know her! How can you do that to someone. She must get a lot of hate mail. Leave the poor girl and her BOYFRIEND (ahem) alone...

Your view is very good, and you can express very well. I just hope that we can pass all this shit and move on to better things. I think it would be funny if Jeremy, Mike, and Duncan are sitting back and laughing at all the attention he gets. Just like Duke, Butch and Steve do with Shirley from Garbage. The rest of OLP probably, and hopefully doesn't take it personally. I hope they can all stay cool about this and just keep on writting that great music. Good luck to them in the futur! Yer a great writer Kate. Keep giving yer opinion's to people.

Thanx a lot!
Luv Kate (yes my name is Kate too).

Not only is Raine taking crap for his popularity, but so is Chantal. I've seen girls crowding around her begging for a hug from her from Raine. I actually met Raine in January, and I think I was the only teenage girl that wasn't begging for a picture, or a hug, or grabbing his ass, etc. I think he was almost shocked. As I left, he said 'thanks for coming.' I kind of kicked myself for not being more forward and talking to the band, but they did their job, they signed my envelope, shook my hand, and wow, that's what so many fans could only dream of - that was enough for me!

rock stars should be willing to give their all to fans...fans are the ones who make them or break them...ourladypeace rock!