Yeah, to say that a guitar master who pours his heart and soul into his lyrics and playing is the equal of someone who makes a couple of empty MTV hits is highly disrespectful to the artistry involved in the former's auterism.

I agree with whoever said it's really all about feeling. I'd throw technical ability in there too because, while it doesn't make or break someone, it does matter. I mean, some play like Clapton and some only know 10 chords, and it's a lot harder to make truly great music using that.

I think a big problem in the era we live in is we're losing common sense as far as artistic quality. I mean, in the Renaissance you had to actually be able to PAINT a beautiful or thought-provoking piece...now you can throw some black paint on a canvas and call it "Panther in a Coal Mine" or something like that. Hence my emphasis of the importance of technical ability.