Yeah, my ears tell me the same thing. The V chord always wants to be major (dominant), even in a minor key. I hardly ever use the minor v chord in a minor song. I found that V as minor works well if it's going to the IV chord next, and it's ok coming from IV too. i.e. C - Gm - F - C, or G - C - Dm - C - G. A little misleading because the sense of modulating but it's easy to come back to the original key. Of course those are major key progressions. As for minor key songs, V as a minor is still rare for me. Probably just my rock influences saying a minor V is too weak. hah.

Dominant7b5 chords are definitely not hip, more bluesy as it says in writing (b5). Even found in some Be-bop and jazz. Actually a V7b5 to Imin is a nice cadence, a major is fine too but carries less drama. I personally like the fall back to a minor tonic, especially for blues. If you were writting from a major or minor standpoint, this chord is still rough on the ears. It is more modal in context of use. If you were writting from the dominant chord or Mixolydian mode or even better the Lydian Dominant (4th mode of melodic minor, where it occurs naturally [in some sense, enharmonically]). This chord is a nice resolve to end or return turn the minor or major key. But yeah like you said, it's a tricky chord. Even to explain..hehe

Yeah, the example using the bV is very common, another way is to come from the IV to V. i.e. IV-bV-V7. In this case I would probably alter the 5th by sharpening it rather than flattening it. Just for the sense of ascension. A newer innovative way is to come from I instead of IV so the progression would be I-bV-V7. Misleading? yes. Troubling? yes, but a quick resolve by only playing the bV for a beat is a smooth move. Quite different from a lot of music produced already.

[Edited by noticingthemistake on 08-25-2003 at 03:30 PM]