The (now-defunct) official
Our Lady Peace message board,
The Clumsy Congress began as a single page using a simple code as the band was completing their sophomore album, '
Clumsy'. Users were able to create their own topics for discussion as well as post replies to other people's messages.
The simplistic system was eventually abandoned in favour of message board software provided by Wellengaged. The new software prevented users from posting their own topics, but rather enabled them to take part in discussion in rooms created by the board's administrators. This change coincided with the release of 'Clumsy' and a drove of new members. The Clumsy Congress' popularity grew as the band's popularity grew. During this period, Mike Turner visited the board frequently and often spoke of the high level of intelligence displayed by the fans who frequented it in interviews.
The period leading up to release of 'Happiness... is Not a Fish That You Can Catch' was an important one as the message board evolved from a small branch of Our Lady Peace's official website to a website of its own. ClumsyCongress.com was officially launched in the fall of 2000 and contained multimedia created by OLP fans, meetup information and the message board itself.
Popular topics of discussion on the CC include Our Lady Peace-related issues such as concerts, albums, lyric interpretations. Fans have the opportunity to post their art, poetry, fiction and to engage in debates and discussions about serious topics such as gun control, abortion, welfare, politics and mental illness.
A popular tradition among Clumsy Congressers (CCers) is the CC meetup, similar in most respects to E2 gatherings. The practice evolved from CCers meeting up at concerts to pre-planning gatherings at shopping malls and amusement parks.
The Clumsy Congress remains close to the hearts of many who were part of it. It still exists yet many of its original regulars no longer read or post to it for a variety of reasons. I don't know when it bit the dust, but as of 2012 clumsycongress.com now redirects to the band's official website. Farewell, message board of my youth.
Sometime in the early 2000s, some fans started up another message board called Clumsy Monkey. The band now links to that site as its forum.