Chas....I give you credit for "going against the tide" and being one of the few to comment on that. And you couldn't have said it any better than you did....brilliant and candid.

I haven't followed my own post here that close, but reading some of the responses tonight to what you wrote is prompting me to make my own comments. I don't know the general mood of this thread, but I thought it was a perfect time to say the same thing and go "against the tide" myself.

There have been many fine performances presented here, but also some NOT so fine! And it was more than obvious! Yet it's the same old scripted accolades, not to mention the "clapping hands" emoticon that always seems to appear.

I go to a Spiritual group meeting once a week. Last week the topic was "how do you make the world a better place?" Everyone began with the "you enlighten yourself to be the best person you could be" "you develop patience and understanding with people" "learn to respect others and where they're coming from" etc

My response was quite different and shocking: "You make the world a better place by "telling people off....call a spade a spade....tell it like it is, and not tell people what they like to hear." Another way of saying: Let the world make ITSELF a better place by making people "aware" of their (obvious) shortcomings and negatives and where they can improve themselves!

Let's bring it back to this group. How does a musician improve (assuming he wants to) if every time he posts something, he gets the familiar "clapping hands" icon? And even those who want to critique, do so "gently."

I'm sure I said this before, but I'll say it again anyway. When I play for a listener, I'd prefer that he tell it like it is. I don't need to hear positive remarks. I want to hear what I'm doing wrong and how can I improve myself? I'd rather be a masochist and take in any comments that could help me to be the best I can be rather than look at the world (my performances) through rose-colored glasses, and remain..........musically stagnant!

As Vaughan Monroe said/sang: "There I've Said It Again!"

Mark