Last W, you need to address Spirit first because I think they gave rebuttals in their posts to most of your opinions.

First of all I didn't handle the Jazzyfatnastees project first hand (I wasn't on the MCA e-mail hit-list posted on this site) but on the outside looking in, it's simple - for an talented yet unconventional (no pun intended) R&B act like the Jazzies, a label has to make the committment and bet the house (i.e. - lots 'o millions) in the hopes of breaking the act and getting their investment back. Macy Gray is the one artist in recent memory where a label bet the house, was in a major financial hole, then a single hit, now they are reaping the benefits of their big gamble. There are also many instances of major labels making the big bet (remember with stockholders dough) and losing and also not playing the odds at all to "play it safe". Either way the artist suffers in the end and the label is f*cked up. I would elaborate more on my views about the Jazzies project but I don't want to rehash anything that I'm sure you all have discussed before. I was an artist signed to a label ten years back so I've seen the game from both sides.....
LG