Where has the passion gone?

It seems to me, these days, that the independent music generation has moved from its long time home on the college campuses and coffee houses, to the halls of your local high school. Generally, this transition and growth would be welcomed with open arms, but much like many other things, it seems that  the younger generation doesnt share the same respect and appreciation of those who have been around the block.

As a long time musician and independent music fan, now in my 20's, I must have fallen into the category of being "old school". You see, in my time as a struggeling musician, bands and music fans alike didn't take for granted the oppurtunities they were given. I remember a time where my band was one of less than a handful in our region of 250,000 people. Now, it seems that every garage in my area is home to the next band to hit the streets with big egos and a strong lack of respect.

I remember countless trips on the road with my band, that involved nine hour drives and one hour sets, in which afterwards we would count out our fifty dollar pay right before falling asleep in the back of our van in a hotel parking lot.

Today, as a live music venue owner, I receive dozens of calls and e-mails a day, from some band of local high school kids, asking for a show date with a two hundred dollar pay check! That wouldn't be a problem if the band wasn't only in the midst of booking their third show to date, and only drawing their five best friends and girlfriends as their on looking crowd. What happened to the passion?

What ever happened to playing music for the love of the music. I feel that because a number of great, hardworking bands have been rewarded with a mainstream audience, after 5 years of touring and promotions, that the youth feel there is some shortcut to success.

Call me old fashioned, but in all my years as a touring musician, I never once took for granted the oppurtunities I was given. I never once refused a show, not matter how far or how much I was being paid. I took each oppurtunity as a gift, because I knew the real value in what I was doing... Sharing my music with anybody I could.

The worse part in all of this is, independent music isn't thriving from this new fluctuation in demographics, like a bad disease it's only spreading the wrong way until it has effected everything good that once was. Nothing will change until those involved step back and start appreciating what they have instead of what they think they should have... Or, Im just that old school.