On Meritocracies

The open source world is a meritocracy. Write a tool, put it on the web, and you can compete head-on with Microsoft and IBM. David Heinemeier Hansson, the creator of Ruby on Rails, came out of nowhere to change the way many of us approach web development, because his tool is better than the old ones. It's all about talent.

Then there's the music business. I don't know how it works, but it doesn't seem to have much to do with talent. I was reminded of that, yet again, when we saw MoDeBree last night. The lead singer, Kelli Moss, has a great voice. She moves effortlessly from jazz to blues to rock to soul. But she's at Shenanigans, singing her butt off for seventy people, while half the world discusses Britney Spears' panties.

Love Songs

Just got in from "When Harry Met Buzzy" at the Commercial Taphouse. Wow. Harry and Buzzy both play in other bands, and they get together once a month or so for a wonderful, free-wheeling night of classics. Two guitars, two voices, two human jukeboxes. And they take requests. Where else can you hear A World Without Love followed immediately by Waiting For The Man?

"Classic Rock" Is A Good Thing. Really.

Loose Gravel at Magoo's last night. Another solid show. And when "classic" means everything from Buddy Holly to Jonathan Richman's "Pablo Picasso", I'm happy.