A great topic and as an old "ex" musician myself many of the thoughts here are ones that I have subscribed to for years. One of the biggest changes that has occurred in the music business in the last thirty years is this ludicrous idea of "pigeon holing" music so if it doesn't fit a certain defined category then the industry is not interested. I am sure there are many great bands and entertainers that many of us have heard over the years that just didn't hit the so-called "mainstream" because they didn't "fit the mold". On top of that the business itself has consolidated making it that much harder for these groups to make a breakthrough because the industry wants to play it safe.
I can recall back in the sixties and seventies when many types of music were played regularly on the radio. Not today. When was the last time you heard an instrumental? Too bad. Despite all the controversy about downloading, in many respects the computer has been the saviour of many since it allows those entertainers to gain an audience without them having a big money contract with the majors.
