Gary, your story is a good one (except for your current health problems - which I can relate to, BTW), and your points about the business aspect of music (as a career) are spot on; HOWEVER, my post wasn't about any of those things; I wanted to take a break from those distractions (business, technology, entertaining, equipment, etc.) and talk about MUSIC AS AN ART FORM. So in that sense, isn't MUSIC the important thing here. Even if we think of it as a means to support ourselves and our families, the fact that we chose MUSIC as the PARTICULAR means is significant, and yet we seem to care more about the process than the product. We are willing to spend gazillions on the process of making music but very little on the 'raw materials'.

Sure, if you're an entertainer I can understand your emphasis on the 'total package' of which music may be a fairly small percentage, so very little of what I've said here pertains to you. I get it. You're in it for the monetary rewards and not the 'soul satisfaction'. But most of you think of yourselves as musicians first and it is to you that my original post was directed. Anyhow, any thoughts?

chas