Hi guys, Well I've only been a member of the mailing list for a day and already I feel rather confused at all the goings on that I've picked up from the letters I have received already. Obviously I don't want to alienate myself with anyone, like everyone else I am here because BandS are a band I've finally found who seem to know what wavelength I am on -Poor Souls!! I'm afraid I don't have the beautiful way with words (or insults) and I don't want to aggravate anyone, but surely you can't say that a band signing deals, playing paid gigs etc is a method of selling out! Not sharing music that has been so lovingly nurtured with a wider audience of people is surely a much greater sell out. I mean you can't tell me artists must select their audience, limit it and even keep his/her work private, which, lets face it, without financial backing is what generally happens! Music should be available to the masses, you can't penalise certain types of fan for their flippant attitudes towards bands compared to the 'true followers' ("we were there at the very beginning"). just because some people don't devote their lives to a bands following,but instead discover them due to the hype (and yes I realise that bands being hyped is nothing but greed on the companies part), is it not better that the music has found someone else to touch. Music is not a status symbol, it's an expression of how someone feels, and if other people connect with it all the better. Music is about putting your finger on that one thought inside you couldn't quite place, that feeling that you couldn't describe that someone else has taken, moulded and put words and music to. Selling out is not getting your work noticed and rewarded (where would we be if artists could only work create part-time, with a job to finance themselves?). Selling out, in artistic terms is when their work is no longer for the good of the masses but for the masses of goodies. Thanks for listening, Laura :) xxx ----------------------------------------------------------------------- . This message was brought to you by the Sinister mailing list. . To send to the list please mail "sinister@majordomo.net". . For subscribing, unsubscribing and other list information please see . http://www.majordomo.net/sinister . For questions about how the list works mail owner-sinister@majordomo.net . We're all happy bunnies humming happy bunny tunes. Aren't we? -----------------------------------------------------------------------