Well, Al Gore is the husband of the woman who made it her mission to decide, on behalf of every American, what music it was appropriate for us to listen to, and didn't get around to asking whether we wanted her help. I'd have voted against him just on that basis, to keep her from acquiring any real power. (Before you start yelling, "You think Bush is better!?" I voted Libertarian.)

The thing with Country radio is especially sad because the point when it changed was so obvious. It was when they revamped the procedure for tracking record sales, and got it into a massive computer database, which established that Garth Vader was really the best-selling recording "artist" in any genre at that time. That told the money boys where to go and what to do. Now you can't get country radio play unless (if male) you're under 40 and have a butt less wide than your hat brim, and sing recycled '70s rock; or (if female) are under 30, have a real cute belly button that your outfit always shows, and sing recycled '70s rock.

Remember when you turned on Country radio and got Willy or Waylon or Emmylou or The Possum? A lot of us do.

"...there's been an awful murder, down on Music Row...."

Peter.