tvickey

Okay, yes, I likely deserve to be banned for life. I'm certainly not perfect. I might be a bad person, or even on the spectrum. My dad regularly yelled at me when I was a small boy and so deep down maybe that has something to do with it. BUT my interactions were with an AI chatbot, and to be totally honest with you I suspect the chatbot initiated the ban automatically based on keywords. I probably shouldn't be abusive to AI chatbots, but they have no feelings or emotions. A human only came on to the chat after the ban was announced, and at that point they clearly identified themselves. I did sincerely apologize to the human, and I have now also formally reported Pirate Studios for disregarding the fire alarm and for providing a customer with details for switching it off. The way that I see it, I am completely obliged to report this... they could ultimately kill people.

Of course you are 100% correct, Steve. I was initially told that I was talking to an AI chatbot.

Just need to vent about our recent (really bad) experience with Pirate Studios (a collection of 24/7 non-staffed rehearsal spaces peppered about the UK). My band moved to using Pirate Studios for rehearsals after our usual space was shut down (the landlord there didn't renew the owner's lease). We used Pirate on a number of occasions in the past, and until yesterday our only other hiccup there was a last-minute booking cancellation 'due to unforeseen circumstances'. We booked a four hour slot at Pirate in Sheffield for Sunday morning, and I arrived about 10-15 minutes in advance of our slot. Our guitarist was already there when I arrived, and we could both hear the fire alarm blaring when we each pulled up. No one else appeared to be at the site, and we have no idea how long the fire alarm was already sounding (could have been 5 minutes, could have been hours). There were no visible signs of a fire (but okay, the property is at least two floors, and is also quite deep). We popped our heads in the front door, and there was no hint of any smoke. We try to hail them on WhatsApp (per their instructions), but there is just an automated AI bot responding. Not useful at all. We tried to phone them and get an recorded canned response that leads us into a labyrinth of options. Not useful at all. More folks start pulling up for their own rehearsal sessions. We're all camped outside for more than 30 minutes... I decide to give Pirate a call on the phone again. I get lucky with selecting the correct sequence of options and manage to reach a human. I tell them that their Sheffield site might be on fire as the alarm is sounding. The guy on the phone proceeds to tell me that he can give me the instructions to shut it off. WAIT A MINUTE! (1) How does he know there isn't a genuine fire / alarm? (2) I don't work there. (3) IF there is a real fire, and I shut the alarm off leading to the death of 1+ people, who is liable? I tell the guy on the phone that I'm not comfortable doing that and end the call. He tells me that he'll have security come and investigate. We wait another 30 minutes... the fire alarm has now been sounding for over an hour. No one from security ever arrives. Frustrated, I hail the AI chatbot again and tell it that the alarm is sounding at the Sheffield site and that 'your f*-ing studio might be on fire, do you care?'. Frustrated and stressed, I send a series of additional colorful metaphors to the AI chatbot... but unknown to me, and unannounced, a human being connected to the chat and was less than happy to see my messages. They reply that I am now banned from Pirate Studios for using abusive language. Someone from another band also hails them on WhatsApp, and decides he is okay with rolling the dice for the liability and follows their instructions to deactivate the alarm. There was NO investigation into the cause. There is NO STAFF on site. NO SECURITY ever showed up. We go into our rehearsal room for our session, now more than an hour late. We jam for a bit more than an hour and suddenly, unannounced, the power cuts off. The session that I booked was suddenly cancelled by Pirate due to 'abusive language'. Nice one. I am genuinely concerned about the type of operation they are running at Pirate Studios. Please be aware that there is no 24/7 support. If all goes well, it's a great space. But if something goes wrong, there won't be anyone coming to help you (ever!).

My band SHREDS. is playing the Slugfest In The Park festival in Wales on Friday. Our very own 'Thrashmaster -- Burnt to Shreds.' hot sauce will debut there, so if you're attending please drop by our merch stall to say 'hello' and grab a bottle!

My band SHREDS. are playing the Slugfest In The Park festival in Wales at the end of June. The festival is four days, FREE ENTRY, and just look a this lineup!!!

My band Shreds. are headlining in Manchester at the Star & Garter on Friday May 30th. Tickets here: https://ticketlab.app/event/31718#/ Maybe see you there!

Well, the intonation on that GG Mapleglo Ric has been fixed... 🤣 and there have been a few other modifications too, including swapping out the knobs for larger 1" diameter ones, like those on my 2023.