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Happy 10th Anniversary!

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Tom Foolery:
As I'm sure you all remember, it was 10 years ago today that The Features officially launched the original message board on their website.  Before Facebook... before Nashville Cream... before NashvilleZine... the Features Message Board became the on-line site for discussing the scene in Middle Tennessee.

Of course, the original message board was much different than this current incarnation.  There was a lot more traffic, a lot more discussion, and a lot of people dropping by to voice their support for The Features.  But times have changed since then and people have a lot more options for discussing the band (or music in general).  Now they can even go straight to the source through the band's surprisingly active Twitter feed.  So in some ways this message board is a relic of a past era.  I still believe it's important, though, and am glad it's still here for those of us who still use it.

I've sometimes wondered if, back in the day, the message board was a good thing for the band.  We chewed up a lot of bandwidth on their server.  We were sometimes critical of the band and its management, and the community could be a bit snobbish (especially to newcomers) which could discourage new fans.  However, in spite of all of that, I've come to believe that the board was of benefit to the band.  It energized the fan base.  It let us explore, share, and discover the band's music as a community.  Most importantly, it kept us interested in the band every single day.  Even when they weren't releasing records... even when they weren't playing in the area... we were on the message board, talking and thinking about The Features.  Sometimes it was silly and sometimes it was profound, but it gave us a social impetus to become huge Features nerds.  I think there are plenty of bands that can only dream of having that kind of mindshare.

For me personally, the message board was a great source of entertainment.  I still literally laugh out loud when I re-read some of the old threads.  I met many new people through this message board and made some friends.  I discovered a lot of new music.  I even fell in love a couple of times.  Most importantly, I got an in-depth education on The Features' incredible body of work.

So, for all of that, I thank all of you... the ones who made it possible.  Most of you have gone on to other things and aren't around anymore, but you're not forgotten.  I'm truly grateful for all of your contributions.

Here's to another decade of rocking out with The Features and blabbering about it on-line!

And now... if you'll all excuse me... I'm off to get married!

Juan Horsetown:
Posting on your wedding day? Who do you think you are? Katie Haas?

Thanks to you, Tom, for keeping the online spirit of the Features alive, even if all else forsake. I hope the band soon recognizes you for what you are--the world's biggest fan of the Features.

And thanks for being a great brother, too!

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