Hi Martin...gads, I love it when you get mad, ha ha!

But as usual I'll try and answer your "pomposity 101" extended response seriously. I'm going to trust that you ARE familiar with Michael Smith and his beautifully crafted lyrics and superlative (and UNIQUE!) guitar style.

I LOVE simplicity....goodness knows you've probably heard me wax poetic here in Mudcatland about Bluegrass, country, and pretty basic folk. However I think what may get up your nose is that I love the technical aspects that make up the music as well, and often emphasise them in a "my way or the hiway" fashion.

Now gimme a break! I can't fix my car, barely know the furnace from the hot water tank, have Heather do my meager income tax forms, am the only Canadian in the Guinness Book of records who can't skate, and in general am a pretty piss poor excuse for a suburban adult male. Hell, I built a bookcase once that fell down in pieces the moment the last book was in place!

Two things I know well: Baseball and music.......and I love an argument in either.

But ya know, now that I think of it yer probably right....there are lots of artists who are complex and popular.......but a hell of a lot more who simply ask too much attention from an audience. Mike Smith is one of those. He's like fishing. Once you've experienced him two or three times (it really DOES take that much) ya can't stop talking about him.

Now was it Barry Goldwater or John Ashcroft who said "Pretension, Pomposity, Over-the-topism, snobbery, and being a big fat know it all IN DEFENCE OF Michael Smith is no vice"!

Cheers

Rick