The new Album, SYKBH, newbies, etc...

[jackaneer]

Let's start off by saying that I am a fairly new Parrothead. I started going to Buffett concerts on the Carnival tour, and never even owned an album of his until then. I had a great time, but didn't know any of the songs, so I bought SYKBH the next day. It was a way for me to introduce myself to Jimmy's music, as I'm sure it STILL is for new fans. I have always been amazed by how well everyone weems to get along with each other, despite age, race, etc...
Lately I've discovered that there is a dividing line between people who have been long time fans and those who are recent converts. I'm wondering why that is? I have read many derogatory remarks aimed at the newer fans, newbies I guess, and I admit I'm a bit confused. Does being a fan longer make you a better fan? Does the fact that I own and still enjoy SYKBH make me a lessor fan than a person with the entire catalog of Buffet albums? The fact that he releases albums of previously recorded material is not a bad thing. I consider it a great way to "cram" for a concert. That's why I enjoy the new album also. There are quite a few songs on it that I do not own yet, and I was happy to pay 15 bucks for the 2 disc set.
There are always going to be people who are new to his music. Isn't that the point? To look down on people who don't know the second song on the B side of his second album is a bit silly. We should be embracing all the Jimmy Buffett fans as one, not segregating them based on their music collection. Obviously, not all of his fans are this way. But I admit to being a little disappointed that any were at all. Being a Buffett fan is a good thing, no matter how long you've been one.

[Key Lime Lee]

Lately I've discovered that there is a dividing line between people who have been long time fans and those who are recent converts.

I don't think you'll find that attitude here, Jackaneer. As long as you like Buffett, we don't care if you're new or not.

[East Texas Parrothead]

Lately I've discovered that there is a dividing line between people who have been long time fans and those who are recent converts.

I don't think you'll find that attitude here, Jackaneer. As long as you like Buffett, we don't care if you're new or not.

What KLL said. I've been a phan for some 30 years now, and I love seeing new people "get it" and having youngsters at the shows. I did talk to someone in the parking lot last year at Dallas who was one of the people who think the newer songs are not worthy, but he's the only one I've really run into in all my years of following the man.

[SMLCHNG]

Does being a fan longer make you a better fan?

Nope, it just means you know more of the songs and their lyrics! Everyone just has different tasts it what music of Jimmy's they like. Some like his older stuff better. I just like it all.
And a big welcome to you!!!!

[Bamafan]

I've only been a fan since about 1999 and then i wasn't much of a fan. I'm a huge parrothead now and i love the new stuff and the old stuff. The only thing i hate about the new stuff is no harp, but i deal with it.

[ECPirate]

Some of us do seem to take our addiction too seriously sometimes. I used to try real hard to get my friends to listen to nothing but Jimmy the way I do, but most of them just didn't get it. I finally figured out that I liked it being my own little addiction. Jimmy is my total escape from everything and everyone. It's kinda like religion, people don't want it pushed on them, and I swore several years ago that I would never try to push it on anyone ever again, I will gladly encourage it, but never push it. I for one love the new collection, I think it's a great mix of old and new, and if I had to choose one collection to take with me to a deserted island, or if I was going to give a collection to someone who seemed interested, which I have often done, this would be the one. It was time for this collection!

[mrsmcg]

Hi All ... I check in from time to time. Don't have the need or time to post frequently, but I am an old lady who has been to many concerts. I met JB at an official Parrothead party in Mt View ... the one where his Albatross Flyer flew over the Shoreline. Think it was the BHOTM tour.
This is what I think: there is a dedicated core group of fans (phans) who post regularly, and go to many, many concerts. Then there fans like me who lurk from time to time, and go to see Bubba when we can.
So ... I guess what I mean is that we all are are a special group who enjoy his music and try to live it as best we can. Let's all be welcoming to the new guys!

[Elrod]

Long-time? Short-time? It doesn't matter as long as you know about island-time.

Jimmy has recorded a lot of great music in the past 4 decades. (It sounds like such a long time when I say it that way ) I'll bet that you could pick up any one of his CD's and find at least one song that you enjoy.

If you get the itch to collect more, you can usually find a lot of the older titles for $10 and less at Best Buy.

It's all good!

[Junior_Mint]

I agree with Key!
You wont find that at all here!
You are welcome at all hours new or old!
Ive been a Ph for 11 yrs and I have pesonally never
looked down on ANYONE that is a newbie.
To me, PH's like you are keeping the faith alive!
We need new phans all the time!
You may run into problems with sterotyping elsewhere but not at BN!!

WELCOME, WELCOME ALL!!

PHINZ UP!!

[Banana Wind]

Indeed, there is none of that attitude here! Enjoy Jimmy and welcome aboard!

[conched]

Someone from Michigan introduced me to the parrothead thing during the Fruitcakes Tour. Funny thing was that he told me I was already a parrothead and I didn't even KNOW the music at all.

My FIRST in album in 1994 was One Particular Harbour and it will always be my favorite. I even owned Floridays and You Had To Be There and didn't "get it" until I had that first parrothead experience of sitting around at a beach bar in Port A and singing along to all the Buffett songs with a great group of people.

I do understand some of those feelings you have about "the newbie" aspect, but just enjoy your feelings for having discovered Buffett..(WHENEVER) and being able to "get it!"

I'm sure most parrotheads started out with songs from SYKBH. It doesn't make sitting in Margaritaville in the French Quarter and singing along to A Pirate Looks At Forty with everyone in the bar less meaningful if you learned it in 19 Whatever???..or 1994 or 2003!

and...
FINS UP!

[Boomerang Ross]

In total agreeance with the above posts!!! I found out a long time ago that you can't push a person to like a musical group or even a good book that I've read and I know that a friend would enjoy. You give it to them and say,"Man you ought to read this." Nine times out of ten they throw the book in the back of the car and never read it. Same thing with music.
Preal Jam was the night before JImmy in NAShville this year. My friends and I are big Pearl Jam fans, but I opted to go to Buffet rather than PJ. You would have thought I p*** in their Cherrios. But hey I would rather go see Jimmy Buffet and I knew I'd make friends and enjoy the concert and the vibe and that's exactly what I did.

[NYCPORT]

What I think you encountered was a mix of a few things that sometimes ruffle our feathers, I wouldn't go so far as to call it a division.
The first one is the "newer" fans that only know the greatest hits and when any song that's not on SYKBH at a concert they think that means it's time to scream over the music in effort to talk to their friends. These are also the people USUALLY associated with barely/not making it into the shows, or puking on someone.
The second one is people who haven't heard anything other than SYKBH and think that's his best stuff. Once these people get exposed to the other stuff they see why most of us have favorites other than what is on SYKBH.
But hey...You've got to start somewhere!

[TigerStripePHead]

In addition the great comments that everyone else has already added, there are a couple of things that I think contribute to the negative vibe some people emit...

One thing that I find irritating is when people think Buffett music is ONLY Margaritaville, Cheeseburger, Fins and Come Monday b/c that's all they heard when in Florida/Gulf Shores. Nothing wrong with those being someone's favorites, but give the man credit - he wouldn't have made records over the past 30 years if he only had 4 or 5 good songs.

Also, I think that SOME fans who have been along for the ride since it first started might feel that Jimmy and has music has changed - it's not quite the same as it was when he started out. Well, it's not and we should all be glad he's found ways to stay current and keep the wind in the sails for this long.

[Banana Wind]

Very well said everybody! I'm currently trying to spread the Buffett around by everyday leaving a Buffett quote on the marker-board in my English class. One day it will commical, the next day serious or insightful. Whether people read it or not, I don't know, but I always sneak it ontot the board before everyone enters the classroom. Most of the teachers and students don't know that their own student is putting them up there!

[daddymention]

What I think you encountered was a mix of a few things that sometimes ruffle our feathers, I wouldn't go so far as to call it a division.
The first one is the "newer" fans that only know the greatest hits and when any song that's not on SYKBH at a concert they think that means it's time to scream over the music in effort to talk to their friends. These are also the people USUALLY associated with barely/not making it into the shows, or puking on someone.
The second one is people who haven't heard anything other than SYKBH and think that's his best stuff. Once these people get exposed to the other stuff they see why most of us have favorites other than what is on SYKBH.
But hey...You've got to start somewhere!

I agree...this is what gets a little bit frustrating....but we all love the new fans...I spent Saturday in Vegas with my wife....and I found out that my sister was in town...We spent all day Saturday showing her all thing Buffett....she was excited to say the least....Now she wants to go to the San Diego show in the Fall!!! I love NEWBIES!!!....we were all that way at one time!!

[TheSecretsInTheCrust]

What I think you encountered was a mix of a few things that sometimes ruffle our feathers, I wouldn't go so far as to call it a division.
The first one is the "newer" fans that only know the greatest hits and when any song that's not on SYKBH at a concert they think that means it's time to scream over the music in effort to talk to their friends. These are also the people USUALLY associated with barely/not making it into the shows, or puking on someone.
The second one is people who haven't heard anything other than SYKBH and think that's his best stuff. Once these people get exposed to the other stuff they see why most of us have favorites other than what is on SYKBH.
But hey...You've got to start somewhere!

Your not supposed to throw up on anyone?
Sorry, my bad!

[NYCPORT]

Glenn,

You are in the professional class of PH's. We have shown over the years our ability to drink and do all things Buffett. We occasionally stumble and make an error in judgment by drinking a bit too much...We are allowed an occasional mulligan if we Fribble out. Newbies haven't earned such privileges...Yet!

[changingchannels]

I also agree with the above posts! My two cents in this would be that some of the negative energy you find either at a concert or on the discussion boards may also have to do with some longtime fans desire for Buffett to play more obscure songs in his catalog. Also tack on the fact that he does play on average 4-5 cover songs each night, and sometimes more. Some of these songs he has recorded on an album and some are just thrown into the setlist. My point is that alot of these songs have been played on previous tours.Combine that with all the SYKBH that are always played and you will find a certain degree of frustration among some fans.
I can honestly say that I love all of Jimmy's albums with maybe 1 exception,and I do get frustrated with somethings, but I will never take that away from somebody's good time!

[fins26]

i agree with most of the sentiment here, my single problem, and its one i have encountered in orlando, and its ok if you call it a jealousy thing because in fact i am...its the newbies who get there 3rd row corporate seats with the trophy wives and the escalade's in the parking lot, they wear there 125dollar tommy bahama shirts and smoke cubans, they know part of margaritaville, dare not do the fins dance and actually try to talk on there cell phone between calls, i encountered just such a "fan" last year and it has made me realize there really are a lot of different types of fans and do i have some contempt for this guy who doesnt give a rats A$$ about the music just wants to be that cool guy we see at all concerts? yeah i guess i do have some contempt. wow who put the soapbox down in front of me, what were we discussing again?