Untitled @hellh0leratrace - Tumblr Blog

Has he ever shown any remorse?

Probably but nothing has been stated openly so 🤷‍♀️

I don’t think labels like ‘abuser’ are helpful. We all know Van’s behaviour has been reprehensible and harmful to others but that can be discussed without more negativity being piled on in the form of throwaway labels.

I don’t throw the abuser term around lightly and it’s not a throwaway term. There is an incredibly clear pattern and I do think labeling his actions is the right call. Saying it’s not helpful is you attempting to silence a real problem whether you’re conscious of it or not.

I edited the way I worded my last ask though. He shows signs of being an abuser. I shouldn’t have said he *is* one.

Genuine question though - why are you defending him? This isn’t exactly a throwaway label situation. I’ve spent 3 years listening to people who’ve worked for Catfish and others who have close friends who’ve worked closely with Van tell me how he is without judgement on either side and just trying to get the full story. Sounds incredibly abusive to me. How do you suppose I frame it? You want every detail to prove he’s showing strong signs of being abusive?

#anon asks

The way I wrote catb imagines anonymously to get the tumblr fanbase going and nobody knew it was me and now I look like a hater despite having their 3 albums framed in my room

I don't think there's anything necessarily wrong with him wanting to do it for himself (it's his life and career) but he needs to realise to be able to do it he needs other people. You need to keep fans and industry people on side or it just doesn't work.

Everyone does it for themselves BUT the more you’re accepting of musicians doing it for their ego, the more you leave room for abusers taking advantage of fans.

You are literally nothing without your fans. You owe it to them. Thai doesn’t mean your fans control you BUT you have to count your blessings in order to be successful cause it can be taken from you instantly.

I think the thing most fans fail to recognize is that Van shows signs of being an abuser and hasn’t done much to prove he’s not or is making changes in his life to have that opinion of him change. Your musical career should end the moment you’re outed as an abuser and refuse to acknowledge it and change. It is a privilege to be successful in music.

I don’t mean to sound like a bitch BUT if you fail to recognize this, you are part of the problem. Allowing abusers in a creative space has never been a widely accepted thing and shouldn’t ever become a thing. I’m all for letting people grow, but is growth in the room with us? Van’s a grown man. If he doesn’t want to acknowledge that he needs to follow instruction, that’s his choice. But there are consequences to his actions.

Fuck around and find out.

(This isn’t aimed at you anon btw don’t take it personally :) )

#anon asks

sulietsexual

Rory & Logan + Hugs/Kisses Requested by Anonymous Gilmore Girls [2000 - 2007]

tbh he's been doing it for himself for a long, long time. If it was for the fans he would have made more effort to communicate and keep people engaged over the years but there's been a disconnect since the Ride era.

Mmmhm. Really says a lot.

#anon asks

Nah anon it’s not like that. Van’s still struggling with the aftermath of it all. Best to hunker down and settle the score

#anon asks

Surely it would be better for him to comply so that he could actually do something with the band. He's going to have to compromise and do things on a smaller scale but isn't that better than nothing??

Mmhm, but Van doesn’t want to downsize. He wants to bask in the glory.

#anon asks

If that’s so, if he wants to continue then he’ll have to accept the current status of things and build it back up! Maybe that will just take time.

Hopium for a man filled with delusion. Rooting for you guys though

#anon asks

Do your sources (or your gut feeling!) think that we’ll hear from the band again or is it all just deathly silence? Are any attempts being made to get things moving?

There’s so many functional issues that make it insanely difficult for catfish to move forward in a way that makes sense on both sides. I would expect that Van wants to keep going (musicians rarely want to give up this life willingly) but he’s not showing sighs that he wants rebuild what he lost. This is giving him issues when it comes to promoters. If Live Nation is out, he won’t have the same opportunities as he did these past few years for a bit. This is where things currently stand as far as I’m aware.

It’s not a question of “will we hear from the band again / is anything moving”. It’s “will Van comply with what he’s given or keep fighting for something that likely won’t happen because of previous issues”

He’s doing all this for himself. Not the fans.

#anon asks

Do you think Van was involved at all when it came to finding new members or he left it for someone else? For someone who always wants control it's hard to believe he wouldn't want some kind of say

Probably, but based on his outward behavior makes me think maybe not. Usually labels have a preferred list of musicians that the band can choose from. Van may have just figured James and Kai already knew each other and was like “ok go with them” and called it a day 😂

#anon asks

feral-ballad

Kim Addonizio, from Wild Nights: New & Selected Poems; “Postmodern Romance: Internet Dating”

I do wonder why Island agreed to fund Van making the 4th record at that time. The band was messy, the members had left because of Van and they had just pulled out of shows. I suppose having Sardy on board would have helped but still, surely it would have been better to make sure things were more stable and there was a plan before investing a load of money into it?

Recording contract obligations

#anon asks