ROCK: DEAD & ALIVE

I hate to admit it, but I couldn’t agree with Meltzer more.

The industry, the critics, the media and the artists have established an auto-cannibalistic relationship that takes every bit of raw inspiration and refines it into a shiny, soulless mush.

The artists want to make it big --the media knows what the public wants; the critics are the “experts”; the industry knows just how to exploit these elements and turn this knowledge into big bucks.

The independent companies are kept “in line” by the radio and MTV people. What happened to the payola scandal? College radio is already formatted. Everyone knows everything everywhere all at the same time. The electronic media has become the perfect tool for the greedy fools who run this country. Rigidity through monotony. . . .

It seems the powers that be have always been able to turn youthful hopes and desires into cold, hard cash.

After being processed through this dream machine for nearly 10 years now, I feel dizzy. I’ve got one thing to hold on to: I still love to play the guitar.

You can’t take that to the bank, but then again I guess I really never liked banks.

PAUL B. CUTLER

(Musician)

Los Angeles