Hi all,

It is with a bit of knowledge that I write this quick discussion bit. I am a fan of a LOT of bands and musicians. U2? Check. Bono (actual name Paul Hewson) does an EXCELLENT job in composition and uses his fame for good. He's an advocate (and founder) for the ONE Campaign, and is a global citizen. He may seem like a tool at first glance, but he has given his time (and money) to good causes, namely the AIDS crisis in Africa. The iTunes free album a couple years ago (Innocence & Experience) is excellent, but a lot of people hated it, because it was FREE. That's such bull. He deliberately made a deal with Tim Cook to make it free for you.

You see a lot of bands/celebrities do this. Billy Joel? Picks a lottery of a dozen people with tickets in the rafters each and every show to surprise with VIP, front row seats. He's a great man, a Piano Man.

The Fray? A lot of people hear their most famous song, How to Save a Life, and think "stupid emo punk band, fuck that noise." This happened at a concert I had the honor of attending years ago. Half the campus heard this BS argument, and avoided the concert. Isaac Slade (metal name, right?), front man and lead vocalist, said "this is our FIRST boycotted show, but we're happy you're here." When they offered us the chorus, I was there, singing it loud. He wrote this song as a reaction to a friend he couldn't save in time. It's personal, he's wonderful.

The point of this little discussion is appreciate this music. A ton of time is spent making it sound good for the album(s), and more time is devoted to creating AWESOME live versions. Be grateful and curious, ladies and gents.