Referrer Spam Special
Today, as usual, I checked my referrer log, to see how folks are getting here. This morning’s list included a couple of blo.gs hits and another usual suspect. The rest of the log was filled with entries from a single site — a rock band, called Visqueen, out of Portland, Oregon. Now, I’ve come to expect referrer spam from the likes of online casinos, porn sites and online drug stores. But never from a member of the music community.
I am dismayed that a local band from clear across the country would stoop to the level of the common spammer to gain web hits. As a band, they should be striving to gain popularity by playing good music, putting on a good show, and growing their fan base. If a band is doing the right things musically, and being professional in their demeanor, then they will gain success. But, by joining the growing throngs of get-rich-quick schemers, and by alienating webmasters and bloggers before they’ve even bothered to introduce themselves, they will do nothing to further their musical careers. In fact, they may do themselves a greater disservice.
[This entry was also submitted to the band via the "contact" page on their web site.]
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Geren…My mails to you bounce. Here is my reply along with Rachel from Visqueen. I suggest you remove your lame blog post…and think once before dragging innocents into your paraniod summer camp.
Geren…passing this on. and adding….
Visqueen has not engaged in any sort of spam campaign. Surely you must realize that there are hijacking scenarios that take on any number of domains. I guess We are one. Your email was quite accusatory. I’d like
you to know that an indie rock band barely has the resources to have a decent website with a few features…let alone a spam system.
Please consider this before flaming innocents.
Pete
Excuse me Geren, but what the HELL are you talking about?
I don’t think I have never once been to your website, until now. We were recently hacked and our message board was destroyed. I have no idea who is responsible behind your referrer spam, but its not me personally. Perhaps there’s a virus issue, which I will get to the bottom of.
I’m saddened and insulted by your assumptuous email and posting.
So I’m taking the time to reply, and here’s the deal: my band is from Seattle Washington, we do not spam people to gain popularity (DUH), we are scrupulous about our mailing list, subscribers and our privacy.
Apparently there’s a technical problem.
I’m sorry you were so shaken and dismayed and Visqueen apologizes for your inconvenience and distress.
Sincerely,
Rachel Flotard
Visqueen
Pete,
You know what, Rachel’s note, which was blocked by SPAMAssassin for whatever reason, was a quite satisfactory response to my message and post. Based on that note, I would have sent a thank you, edited my blog entry, and moved on.
Your note, however, is not. There’s a line from Shakespeare: “Me thinks thou doth protest too much.” And, that’s what I think of you.
Regarding my “paranoid summer camp,” if you received the volume of garbage that I receive each day, as far as SPAM e-mail, SPAM comments, and people trying to hack into my logs and my web sites, you might carry a similar attitude as I.
Regarding the number of times I think before making a blog post, believe me, I think several times before lambasting someone in public. That said, I’m entitled to my opinion, and, in this case, my logs back me up. I am curious as to what you will attempt to do if I do not remove the post.
Pete,
I’ve decided to try again to talk some sense to you regarding referrer spam. It is clear to me from your message that you do not understand the difference between referrer spam, and run-of-the-mill e-mail and comment spamming campaigns.
The soul purpose of referrer spam is to muck about with statistics and push a particular web site up in the search ratings. The purpose of e-mail and comment spam is to entice someone to visit a web site for the purpose of advertising or in an attempt to harvest personal information.
It is quite illogical, therefore, for a referrer spammer to want to take on the “persona” of a domain other than the one they aim to promote. As to my e-mail being accusatory, yes, I think it is. And, based on the purpose of referrer spam and the shear number of times the Visqueen site appeared in my logs — especially since were are no real links to my site on the Visqueen site, hence, no other logical reason for referrer entries to my site — my thoughts are probably pretty darned accurate.
Okay, here are Pete’s responses:
… and …
You know, I’ve been around the indie music scene for 25+ years. I’ve never come across anyone with this clown’s attitude. Maybe one day, he’ll grow up, and learn to write a reasonable reply like Rachel tried to. In the meantime, Rachel, if you read this, I’d put a collar on that fellow. And, Pete. You might come across as an adult if you capitalize and punctuate correctly. Unless you really are 13.