Wow, ya'll are sure popping back and forth today. In my opinion, Sam, you write what YOU feel is right for you. As much as we talk about commercialism (whatever that means, I am not really talking about money as much as reaching the widest possible audience) the first and foremost person you write for is YOU.

When you step into the world of commercial writing, again, just talking about reaching the widest audience, you have to start thinking in terms of what OTHER people are interested in. If you do what you want to do and they accept and embrace it, great. If they don't you either have to adapt somewhat or just accept it.

Polly, today I have been teaching a guy to play the songs he and I have been writing. Over the past few months, he has been playing them out but they haven't been working.So we got back together to see why that is. In each one, he has put in more chords, more STUFF than the songs call for. So we have been simplyfing.

Much of this has to do with the types of music you are doing. Rock, pop, alternative, depend on a lot of musical movement, so you have more things involved. Country music is all about the story and lyrics. We keep the basic framework on the music much simpler because the story carries the song.

Over the past few months I have been involved in a lot of benefits. From the Hati earthquake, the BP oil spill and the Nashville flooding, it feels like we have had one long benefit. That puts me on stage with a lot of hit writers. In the songs they played,plus my own that have been cut, the majority are VERY simple. If you break them down, there is not a lot to them musically. The lyrics drive the story. Even in the ones I have cut, they are basically two verses,choruses and out. Not even that many bridge.

The Music gets them there,the lyrics keep them there. And they both have to work together. Just like a song written only on emotion and no realistic visual furniture, will lose people's attention because there is very little way to portray an emotion differently. Everyone has had them. The visual furniture provide the mental image that keeps their attention.

The music has to be familiar so people can sing along with it. Without a good singability factor, the public forgets it immediately.

What you and Haze do is not a rip off. Haze is very talented and a great guy. As long as you are up front about what is involved, you are fine. I think there are not as many scams as there are people that overpromise and underdeliver.

That is where it gets into rip offs.

MAB