I was thinking, while watching Rockstar Supernova, that there's a missing link in the way the music industry appears to be evolving.

On one hand, it's never been easier to write songs and 'get them out there.' Various types of software give you a multi-track studio in a laptop, and the web gives you an easy way to send tunes around the world.

On the other hand, there are more and more of these manufactured performers and bands, in which one group of extroverts auditions in front of another group of extroverts. I'm not intending to be malicious in using the word 'manufactured;' I think many of the Rockstar contestants, for instance, are solid, seasoned entertainers.

But as the music industry pulls its talent from these purpose-built ensembles, it's ignoring the potential of all of the unsung basement geniuses. The latter are likely generating more potentially lucrative material than has ever been available.

The result is a ton of people making music, yet nothing but dross and oldies on the radio.

This ecosystem needs a new creature, some kind of middle-man. Someone to extract, like oil from tarsands, the best material from the unknown songwriters, and get it into the hands of the 'rockstars.' It won't be as poetic as the rise and fall of Curt Cobain, but at least there might be a few more good songs getting airplay (or webplay), and a few more folks might get rich.

Of course, the guys likely to end up cashing in the most will likely be these new middle men. The least musical, but most entrepreneurial link in the chain will walk out with the most gravy. Nonetheless, the previously ignored songwriter will get some recognition and a bit of change, and all of these self-proclaimed 'rockstars' might get some substance to go with their style.

Various Items:

-There was a fire near 2nd and Quebec on Friday night. I could see the reflection of the flames out my window, on the windows of the glass towers on the opposite side of False Creek. Kind of a odd accompaniment to the release of the new Stoke record this weekend (I've got copies). The cover of the album features a photo of a piece of graffiti that adorned the wall of a now-demolished building at the same intersection as Friday's fire. The work can be seen at blacknblues.com...a portrait of an unkown woman.

-I feel very despondent these days. I'm in a shell, as JR McClelland once said. Or as someone else once said, 'how did I get to this place?'

-Instead of auditioning for a lead singer, shouldn't the members of Supernova be looking for a songwriter? Perhaps I'm being unkind, but between the three of them they've managed one great tune in 20 years (that being Gilby Clarke's admittedly superb 'Cure Me or Kill Me,' a song that has about three killer riffs in the first 50 seconds, and also includes the words 'Tarantula Fuzz'; I think I'll add it to my list of six favorite songs...I think I've finished the list now).

I know they're relying on the producer to supply a Mutt Lange-like thunderbolt or two, but is that wise?