Quite a lot of people prefer to use real names, as I do. That way you recognise friends quicker.

People using nicknames seem to divide into those who do it just for fun and those who are apprehensive about being attacked by the cookie monster.

Every now and then the Mudcat erupts into silliness, and you've stepped in just at that point. It'll calm down. In the meantime the threads related to music are still chugging along, and that's where the important stuff is happening.

If your infernal machine allows you to click on links, I suggest you click on this one and explore some of the great threads that have taken place. (A "thread" being a collection of messages - called "posts" - such as this one we are in at present. But often about really interesting stuff.