Today’s topic is “fake identities and accounts in social media”. And a great example of one that I came across last night.

I went to check out this guy’s Facebook page, and it sounded like a gold mine – he claimed to have had the same manager as Cream, BeGees and Beatles (as far as I know, the Beatles manager was Brian Epstein, but I might have missed out on some insider information, right?).

He had written hit songs for all the classic bands of the 60’s, been a session drummer with an alias (very convenient if you can’t think of a good lie when people start asking questions) he had played with Santana, Jeff Beck, Albert Hammond… I mean – we’re talking serious celebrity, RIGHT? ;)

But sometimes you gut instincts tell you that something is wrong. Something doesn’t make sense.
The guy had been on Facebook for 3 years and there were no family or friends photos on there anywhere.
He claimed to have worked for Sony Music for 35 years, but also to have founded a multi million dollar business which name I will leave out of this.

He said he was the co founder of that company and that he started working there in 1967. But when I found the company online, I found out that they had only existed since 1971 and this dude was not mentioned ANYWHERE in their company story. He said he was on the board of directors. Well – there were 4 people on there and he wasn’t one of them.

So I started reading his comments. Those who were asking concrete questions got vague answers or none at all. The photos were for the most part obviously not taken by him (you can tell by the various sizes and qualities. Usually you can tell that someone has taken pics with the same mobile or camera).

I ended up photo searching to see if I was wrong or if this person was a fraud. Of course I already knew the answer…

Let’s start with a few of these examples.

This photo for example. It’s supposed to look like he took it before a show. A very subtle way to make it look like the one doing the “rocking” is himself, while at the same time leaving the back door open if anyone should call his bluff – cause then he will just be able to say: “Well I never said that it was ME”… Right.
Now, scroll down a little to see where this pic actually came from.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Here we go. The original photo is from a BON JOVI concert in Ottawa two years ago, in 2013. The “rock star” on Facebook posted it this year as his own.

 

That was the first “in your face” clue that something wasn’t right, but I kept digging.

This for instance. He says that it’s his daughter. I found this lady’s blog, I also found her name and her Facebook page. She does not have her “dad” on her FB-list. And he doesn’t have any colleagues from Sony Music on his friends list either for that matter. Or pals from Jeff Beck‘s band or any other band he says he’s friends with.

 

 

 

This is the actual person – taken from her blog profile. Wouldn’t a father have a more personal photo than that?

 

 

Oh and this one is my favorite! The guy is on TOUR – yee-haa, hey-ho, let’s go! He posts a picture of his tour bus, he’s on his way and everything. People are envious. Only…. That photo wasn’t his. And it wasn’t from that year either. It was from 2 years before and were taken by Nightranger’s tour manager (who’s working with Marilyn Manson nowadays). It’s the exact same photo, what a coincidence!

 

 

 

And here’s where the bus photo actually came from – probably his good buddy! And two years earlier. :)

The whole page was full of these pics – I found a few more but you get the idea. What’s even more amazing is that this guy has got over 4000 friends – and not ONE of them has questioned his stories! Not one has gone out of his/her way to check what he’s all about. His story lacks a lot to say the least.

All of the famous bands he says he played with, he was of course the mysterious “alias” guy, and of COURSE he changed his alias every time. Because a session musician doesn’t want to get credit for his work if he can avoid it. Or wait…?

Why don’t we take a look at some of the songs he’s written in his “undercover career”….

 

I suppose he failed to check who ACTUALLY wrote that song – Jesse Colin Young (who he’s probably refering to) didn’t write it. It was written and recorded before the Youngbloods did. Here’s the info:

 

How about the famous Albert Hammond song that this shy star wrote but didn’t want credit for (he’s not shy bragging about his accomplishments in the music world on Facebook though…)

 

First of all – even if an unknown writer would have sold a song to someone else, he would at least be mentioned as one of the session musicians, especially if he played not one but TWO instruments on it! Of course, the mysterious guy isn’t mentioned anywhere. Oh, that’s RIGHT – he used an alias (which changed for every recording of course. I’m sure he was actually the one who wrote Let It Be and Stairway to Heaven as well, he’s just too modest to admit it. Yeah, right). Here’s the real deal on that song:

The ONLY thing that seems legit – if this guy’s NAME even is what he says it is – is some obscure recording back in 1967 that his band won while they were still in high school in Saratoga Springs…! That’s IT! Far from the Doors, Santana, Cream, Beatles, Yardbirds or Jeff Beck! And what’s worse is that he’s taking credit for the work of dead musicians who can’t stand up for themselves.

 

 

So… in conclusion – don’t just buy everything you hear – it if seems too good to be true it probably is. And it’s amazing that nobody – out of 4000 people, didn’t think it strange that the photos were so generic and impersonal – or the fact that he never gave a straight answer to anything! Or that it’s strange that he wasn’t sure what year he played Woodstock…

I was entertained today. But probably not the way the guy intended. :D