I would like to express my agreement with what Pete Woodworth and Doug
Rhodes (and others) had to day about our goals & opinions.  I don't see
a problem at all with the various topics we discuss here, or their
relevance to historical AMI.  Let's deal with the facts, and go from
there.

That anyone would come into this hobby by way of MIDI should be no
surprise to us - it's funny, you know, the blues music people have the
exact same problem on Blues-L, the email list for blues aficionados
(spelling?).  In that field, many people have come to love the
traditionalists (Robert Johnson, Charlie Patton, Sun House, John Lee
Hooker, Muddy Waters, and a zillion "roots" blues artists) by way of
the MODERN practitioners: Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and even Led
Zeppelin (try discussing Led Zeppelin on blues-l and you will invite an
AVALANCHE of objection from all corners of the list!!).

The "old stuff" in blues and AMI is essentially unheard of by those
outside our circles, and we should be grateful that the "new stuff" is
there to serve as a lightning rod to attract those like ourselves:
we're interested in the old, but we don't realize it exists until we
stumble on it via the new!  If there's new blood out there, how will
they ever find us otherwise?!!!

The same thing applies to Artis Wodehouse's Gershwin stuff, in my
opinion.  The AMI purists (look out, another word that incites flame
wars!  Purists hate being called purists!) seemed to hate Artis' work,
and yet I'm thrilled that so many people were finally exposed to the
Gershwin rolls, regardless of how it came about.  I'm recutting one of
Gershwin's Welte rolls in my current list; guess how many people I will
reach with my efforts?  Maybe a dozen or two.  Artis made millions
aware that Gershwin made some excellent reproducing rolls.  If only
0.1% of them dig a little deeper, she still had more impact than I.

Well, I've gone on about this enough for now.  Robin, chill!  We'll
miss you if you stay away, and how can I tease you about recutting
PianoLodeon rolls if you're not listening?!!!!!    You could change
your business name to Big-A__ Hole Notes.  ;-) See you in St. Louis in
about 30 days...

Your pal,¶
Rob¶
(deland_robert@macmail1.csg.mot.com)

 [ Editor's Note:  I trust you know Robin well enough to pull his
 [ leg here.  And for those of you who don't know or remember the
 [ context of "St. Louis", the AMICA convention is in St. Louis.