Marc:

Thanks for posting the link to the article on DB and the LOST HIGHWAY fiasco. I think that one line in the article sums the whole situation up:

"Bearwald's album, 'Here Comes The New Folk Underground,' sold fewer than 15,000 copies, and Baerwald never got support for the sort of tour that esoteric singer-songwriters require to move their esoteric product."

I think that this is putting the onus on David for not having more fans --- which I think is complete BULLSHIT! Every single one of the people to whom I gifted a copy of HCTNFU absolutely loved it --- with LOVE # 29 being the song most often mentioned as a favorite.

The article seemed like it was trying to make excuses for the lack of success of the album --- Luke Lewis is a man who can make a star out of anyone he pleases (all he has to do is throw BIG MONEY behind the artist, and make the rounds on the TV talk show circuit, just like was done with Norah Jones of Blue Note Records) --- and here it is obvious that there was SOMETHING about David Baerwald that the POWERS THAT BE did not want to support (Note: See page 10 of the TRIAGE CD booklet, for your answer to this perplexing question).

No matter how I try to size up this matter, all roads keep bringing me back to PAGE 10 OF THE TRIAGE CD BOOKLET.

It is important to remember that UMG (Universal Music Group) has been known for many years to have heavy influence and backing of the high-flying criminal elite --- and these people do not take kindly to being snubbed by those to whom they at one time --- lent a hand.

I happen to know quite a bit about this subject --- as I have people in my family who are members of the ILLUMINATI.

I have seen this from the inside, and I know for a fact, that what most likely occurred with HCTNFU --- was a couple of well-placed phone calls were made --- and our David is back to writing songs for cartoon mice.

Sorry if this offends --- but THE TRUTH almost always does, on some level.

Also --- David's assessment of himself as a "grumpy middle- aged man" seems a bit defeatist, and it seems that he has given up on some level. True, he was a most unlikely "star" anyway, but to say that there is no market for the style of music he plays, is simply not true.

Remember this when thinking of DB and his music:

Today's music does not contain any identifiable level of dissent --- those who try, are marginalized, or play a style of music that is not palatable to a large audience (A band like TOOL, for instance). It was this aspect of the music and drug culture of the late 1960's --- that damn near caused a social revolution --- and this is precisely when someone had to die at one of the large peace events --- Meredith Hunter gets beaten to death by a Hell's Angel provocateur, as the ROLLING STONES played their set at Altamount Speedway on December 6, 1969. A mere four months after Woodstock, and the counter-culture fell apart? Not likely, unless they had a little outside assistance --- and the Hell's Angels have always been willing to help out in such matters, before and since.

As our dearly departed brother BILL HICKS so rightly pointed out in his act (paraphrased quote):

"How come all the drugs that open up our minds to the fact that we are getting fucked every day of our lives are illegal, and all the drugs that harm us and make us violent and fearful, are available everywhere?"

This is why you're not going to see some twit like Britney Spears leading the New American Revolution!

Peace and Prayers,

Kent Daniel Bentkowski Buffalo, New York USA