Ah, thanks mate…I had (as self-suspected) misunderstood.
Me too!
I thought it was some kind of reference to rock music. My biggest problem with that wasn't the sweeping generalisation of rock musicians, it was the suggestion that someone in that band could be considered to be involved in rock music.
Me too!
I thought it was some kind of reference to rock music. My biggest problem with that wasn't the sweeping generalisation of rock musicians, it was the suggestion that someone in that band could be considered to be involved in rock music.
Considering they knew what he was into and what he what he got up, **** them. They never reported him because of their financial connection to him.
To be honest I think the band knew all along.
Hang on…
…how do you conclude that? VERY dangerous thing to be saying. You're basically naming them as accomplices. Being a rock star who's into groupies and gets involved in orgies and drugs is not the same as what Watkins turned out to be. I'm not saying the former paints him in any glory either TBH, but I have to say that the notion his bandmates knew and covered it up is serious. You need serious proof for that. I can tell you that most bands who have been together for any number of years spend very little time with each other beyond gig and studio. If he developed these filthy behaviours over the last 5 years or so, I find it wholly possible that his bandmates had no idea the depths to which this scumbag had sunk.
As for the groupies on the message boards, yes, their commentaries should've been analysed to greater depth in hindsight, but frankly, the whole message board was like a massive troll/jealousy/groupie-fest, and as such, if you investigate that board, you'd never stop.
I think the single biggest breakdown was the developing isolation and separation which ALLOWED him to slip between the cracks. I've seen it with other bands (obviously not to this degree) but over time, when not onstage or in the studio the members want to do their own thing. They often become oblivious to even the slightest changes in their bandmates, and most certainly don't now how to approach a bandmate who seems, shall we say, a little more into 'partying' than usual. If his former band mates had any failing, it would've been in perhaps failing to confront him on any developing drug use they might have witnessed, but even then, if the guy was a sociopath then he'd be very convincing and probably throw them off course. Add to that he was 'their Ian'…and 'Ian' they'd known since childhood…
It's a horrific place to be frankly, and I suspect those ex bandmates are slaughtering themselves as I write mate...
I will be absolutely floored if police prove this point. I don't believe it at all. Sorry. The problem is, however that it only takes one person to cast the doubt, and suddenly it starts to stick as the rolling ball gets heavier with the desire for retribution.
The tragedy about the internet thing there Craig is that every band of even medium success will have a certain amount of psychotic stalkers. There are some very, very destructive people out there who will do many many things to smear someone. I suspect that the naming of Watkins on a forum such as that as being a 'pedophile' was instantly turned into a 'that's a stalker' thing/ignored on the basis of it being thought as such. Think about it. NO-ONE would've suspected that 'their Ian' was a baby rapist. A BABY RAPIST!!!! The words together seem impossible even as fiction!
I recently read a report from someone who knew him for years, and they delivered a stunning line, something like 'evil hides best in plain sight' and if ever there was an example…here's a link to that piece.
http://blogs.sfweekly.com/shookdown/2013/11/_this_is_ian_watkins.php
I don't think he will get anything less than a life sentence, but unless he serves it in a special wing, he won't last more than 6 months.
Hope he gets forcefully raped repeatedly for the entirety of those 35 years.
How come it's a 35 year sentence which offers the possibility of him being released? If he is, as the judges say, one of the worst pedophiles they've ever seen, a danger to woman and children and showed no remorse than why not a proper life sentence which actually means life?
I don't know why they'd say "He's very very sick and a danger to everyone. Therefore we'll keep him for x ammount of years and then release him".
Those who have appeared in these Courts at the Bar or on the Bench over
many years see and hear a large number of horrific cases. This case however
breaks new ground.
hopefully he will soffer a long painful and degrading death in jail soon...
I would not wish for anyone to die... but scum like this who as stated in court would repeat offend if given the chance should not be allowed to live