If you want a clearcut story of the corporate rock world, listen to Shaming Of The True. I'll give my short take on his story:
Johnny Virgil has big dreams of a music career. He goes to the big city. He talks to the guy pumping gas at a Texaco. Johnny couldn't look him in the eye as he was a former 'I used to be in a band like you. We even made a record too'. Then he sang a bar that hardly rang a bell. Bad omen. He meets with the corporate men and they all have big visions. Then Johnny meets the *Imagemaker*. The *Best Laid Plans* says 'everyone must pay their fee. I made you and you made me. We made such a circus of the best laid plans'. Then the guy with the video idea. Yeah, HE's a visionary with the song *Certifiable Number One Smash*. Following that song is *Staring Into Nothing*. Listen to this one closely. He is saying how he's loved by the whole world, yet he's SO lonely. The rest of the cd shows us the latter days of his sadness and loss of himself and who he was. For a few samples of the songs and the full lyrics, go to
http://www.kevingilbert.com Yes, the corporate rock world is a business. A machine that takes aspiring talent and turns it into so much fodder, only to shun it after the second album for 'the next big thing'. Sucks. Can WE change it? Maybe, but we have to make the almighty dollar worthless first. Highly unlikely. Will I continue to purchase and listen to progressive rock? You bet I will. Progressive rock music is such a great release for me. Commercial radio be damned. I think I'm finished. All comments welcomed. Thanks, DJGeorge.