Greetings Gman,

and you are absolutely right, but here is the thing, at least as i see it.

I have played music for about 25 years (you play as well, yeah?), and while i have never had more than the tiniest taste of any sort of fame, local or otherwise, i have at least a little expereince of waht is strangely called the music industry.

It is generally nasty, profit oriented, and stupid. The very existence of 'pop' music is a living tribute to lowest common denominator being the order of the day. the people who can actually play languish in poverty and obscurity, while talentless gits who happen to be photogenic or marketable are catapulted to instant fame, hot and cold running groupies, and an endlesss cocaine rider.

all of this is bad and wrong, and often aflicts black people worse than white folks (though i would personally take issue with the fact that 50 cent is stinking rich while a whole pile of brilliant african musicians are unkown and hungry) but i suppose we need to think about why musicians play at all.

It is nice to get paid, sometimes essential, but at the end of the day you play because that is a part of you, how you express yourself, the deepest reflection of your soul and self. No one can take that away from you. And the people who REALLY love music, not just wear it as yet another fashion accessory, DO know where it is at. They know where the roots are, and regularly and with great reverance pay homage to those roots.

Things are crap, but i dont hinestly think they have ever been any different, and as long as music, money, and fashion are all bound together, i cant see them changing.

love and life
paul