I missed stuff but my windows are soooo fresh.

Haven't posted in a while due to difficulties reaching my computer. It's been there all the time, but painter/decorator prevented it being connected. Oh how I need a laptop.

But anyway. What have I missed.

First off. There was this. 'Avril was practically begging, “I wish you would stop writing bad things about me.”'

Is it just me or was this a spectacularly bad thing to do. What on earth was she thinking. Isn't the job of defending her the responsibility of people like me? Why lower herself to phoning him up? Like he wasn't just going to post about it and slag her off for it? I just hope she was pissed.

And this:

The Matrix issued the following statement regarding their work with Avril Lavigne on her debut album 'Let Go' on Tuesday (July 10):

Seeing old and long finished business between Avril and ourselves dredged up as a means to challenge her artistic and writing talents in a matter which, at arms-length seems transparent and opportunistic at its best characterization, has found us feeling the need to make a single closing statement as to the events of long ago which are now being given new life and, to our view, improperly used and characterized.

The single core matter between ourselves and Avril where we were not happily in-sync, derived from a few comments released in the press which snowballed and found themselves creating personal issues in an extremely harmonious relationship where theretofore were none. They ultimately placed personal matters where it was hard for both sides to let business to just be business. An initial comment by Avril, which derived from an unhappiness with a part of a business and not creative equation, started the years-old chain reaction. We then felt the need to defend ourselves and something that was a minor matter became fanned into a major one by parties other than ourselves and Avril.

When comments were made some five years ago to Rolling Stone magazine, we were viewing to defend The Matrix's songwriting credibility and involvement, which had been presented and characterized to us as being under attack. People were suggesting a sizable variance between what we experienced to have taken place in the writing of the works and representing us as unfairly insisting on more of a songwriter percentage than we should. We were very much hurt to think anyone would accuse us of taking credit for more than we were due, much less someone whom we found ourselves so close with and supportive of. The whole matter caught us off guard and was disappointing. We are personal friends with everyone we have worked with -- from Jonathan Davis of KORN to Ricky Martin to Jason Mraz and Shakira -- and we've never had any so-called differences with any of them as to the fair allocation of song splits. Our music is our life and it's all personal. It's where we live. We always put our hearts and respect into what we do both in and out of the studio.

While we stand behind our work and belief that we were both supportive and fair in our interactions, it pains us to see that now these provoked and youthful words of both sides from interviews of over five years ago are being used to kick Avril and validate another's case of her not being a writer or talent. Despite any varying perspectives on how we wished to allocate our mutual writings, we had a fabulous and unique experience with Avril, who was then a 16-year-old rapidly growing songwriter with tremendous raw talent. The songs were conceived on piano and guitar by four people: The Matrix (3) and Avril. And to be clear, Avril was instrumental in the songs' creation. We were all very close during the making of the record. When it became a huge hit, people who were not there at the time of the making of the record decided to draw and put forth in the press their own conclusions as to how creativity took place. This continues.

We remain big Avril fans both musically and personally, as well as very much recognize and believe in her and her talents. We wish her much continued success and know her talent will shine through these matters and long beyond.

Best,

The Matrix

I saw this story in only one place. I don't go looking, I just have my usual feeds looking for news, but the negative stories about Avril's alleged plagiarism etc. normally come to me from two, three or four sources, so why was this defence of her pretty much ignored? Media bias?

And then this. Which doesn't quite fit into the theme of our post (except again I haven't seen this widely reported so I'm thinking maybe it isn't true, but I'm hoping it is). But anything bad about Perez is OK with me.

Normal service will now be resumed.

If only the smell of paint was so easily solved (read removed).