Torquill Cambell and the Collective High School Freakout

I kinda realize that I'm perpetuating the problem but I have to ask: Why does anyone case what Torquill Cambell thinks of Ben Folds or what Ben Folds thinks of Charles Spearin for that matter?

For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, I'll explain. Apparently when he was on the CBC program Q recently Ben Folds said something negative about Charles Spearin. Then, yesterday, someone posted a note to the Stars Myspace slamming Ben Folds for slamming Charles Spearin. Then Torquill Campbell posted again to the Stars myspace saying that he didn't know who did it but it wasn't anyone in the band, he deleted the note and said he was changing their password. This was followed by giddy speculation: did he really write it or didn't he?

Feel like high school yet? Well so far the whole thing has been posted to (amoung other places) CBC Radio 3, Exclaim!, Pitchfork, and at least a half dozen other places. I'm not providing links because I don't want to encourage them. Like I said I realize that by talking about it I'm perpetuating the problem to an extent but I have to ask, who cares?

As far as I know Campbell and Folds don't even know each other, neither do Folds and Spearin, why does anyone care whether they like each other or not? In what way does it affect you? Is it going to alter your life? Your day? Your opinion on anyone mentioned above? If someone I don't know doesn't like the music of someone else I don't know it has zero impact on me. It's not news. It's Brittany Spears type high school gossip.

I suppose if Torquill Campbell didn't like Amy Millan I'd care, because it would probably affect the future of a band I like but if Torquill Campbell and Ben Folds spend the next six months spewing hate at each other then make up, decide they like each other and get married it still doesn't really change my outlook or my opinion of either of them. If you come across any of the articles on this whole thing please leave comments and let the authors know that they are wasting column space.