thanks for the reply.<BR>I really feel you talking about the seven deadly venoms of success there.<BR>I agree that you will have to take the long road because your belief in the band concept for making music will probably have you on the outside looking in for a while.<P>I think the decrease in music education in primary schools has quietly helped kill true appreciation for music. Of course our two-second memories dont help either. People don't try to get exposed to much music so they get spoon fed.<P>As a music lover I also struggle with the media exposure puzzle though. Is it on the radio/in Vibe/etc. because it's good or is it "good" because it's in the media? Unfortunately the latter is most often true.<P>Getting to the true gems takes digging which most often takes time and work that many don't really want to put in because the love of music isn't there. I look at discussions of rhythm patterns and chord changes and it makes me go, damn! I have the barest memory of this and I played instruments. A lot of these folks now ain't getting even the minimum.<P>What's the answer? I hate the keep on keepin' on response but short of going pirate radio I don't know. (Of course the FCC is clampin' down on that isht, so that's out anyway). College radio is an outlet but it's hard to get folks to get off the station they see on billboards. I just try to hit those little Riley Escobar's out there with Giant Steps or Abraxas or DYWM?!!!??! and let them know there's more than there pop radio out there.<P>I know there will always be a underappreciated art but you just hope the pendulum will swing further back to allow more voices.<P>bc<P>PS Re_Alief thanks for the clarification<P>PPS. ?, speaking of Abraxas, do you think Carlos is pushing the boundaries or falling into category 3 with his last LP?<P>"I draw a crowd like an architect"-Rakim