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and made hits by other people infinitely more talented than those on stage. Can anyone remember any of the past winners? OK, I will spot you Kelly Clarkson but even she is a questionable talent. Can you name a Kelly Clarkson song? I think I sorta liked one song of hers for ten seconds before the radio station played it 478 times in an hour and made me want to smash my radio. Kelly and that blond chick who won last year and went country need to do their Playboy spread together and then vanish into the ether. Then at least they would have done something I found entertaining.

The problem I fear is that this is ruining an entire generation's perception of music. The list of names who would not have made it through American Idol is impressive. The only people who do get through are those types who belt out songs, quiver their voice and then hold out a note until you want to scream at the television. Here is a list of people I believe would not have made it through American Idol: Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Roger Waters, David Gilmour, David Bowie, Lou Reed, Kurt Cobain, Eddie Vedder, Jimi Hendrix, Peter Himmelman, Wayne Coyne, Bruce Cockburn and John Hiatt. I am sure I could come up with others but I haven't had my morning coffee. People who put the song first and the music first and have unique voices. They are not marginalized or homogenized and they are actually talented.

I know that this is something that has been done since music became a commercial enterprise. I know the group The Archies never actually existed and were a marketing ploy when they were put together to create their hit "Sugar, Sugar." I know the Monkees were created for television purposes only. However, the Monkees did eventually learn to play their instruments and went on to create some great songs and a very freaky movie.

Somehow the fact that this is on television and so insanely popular makes it so insidious and so incredibly evil. People spend so much time vested in this thing only to discard this season's winner once the season ends. It's just sad.

I think I have a way to try and save the current generation of potential music loves. I am providing the following prescription and would love some comments offering further suggestions:

1. Go to a music store. Not to Sam Goody's but to a real, dingy, privately-owned music store that still sells records. The kind of store where the guy who owns it looks like he spends too many weekends buying albums on vinyl at garage sales. He is the guy who even has

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