I suspect that some of you have missed the point I tried to make in my last post post. The Top 40 and MTV have nothing to do with what is [u]really[/u] happening musically! Go to the open-mic jams at your local pubs and university halls. The [u]real[/u] music is coming to the surface at venues like these.
[size=8] PHUCK "THE BIZ"!![/size]

If your ultimate goal is to be vital, real, and influencial, you [u]must[/u] go your own way, and let those who wish to follow, do so. The rest is/are unimportant/meaningless to your vision. If you crave the validation granted by others, you will receive this at the cost of compromising the purity of your own vision. This is not necessarily a bad thing - just something you should be aware of.

As for the lack of bassists - look around! Damn near [u]every[/u] guitar player I have ever met can "do a thing or two" on bass. And the good guitar players tend to be good on bass, too. Don't let the "mainstream" perception cloud your reality. A talented musician will find a way to vent expression with [u]any[/u] musical instrument.