I think I know where you're coming from-- I don't mean to contradict you.
I just chimed in because Bluegrass is so refreshing compared to the trappings of rock these days. I certainly won't be defending southern rock here any time soon.
I'm realizing more and more that not every musician is meant to be a song writer. So I guess when you get 6 of those guys in a room you pretty much have to lean on genre convention.
I mean, although we've (us as a group at J's joint) never all been able to agree what Indie Rock means-- I think we all end up at this forum in particular because of our mistrust of any "that's just the way it's done" type solutions.
Rock is a mess. A friend of mine, who makes his living playing in a rock band, predicted a few years ago that Rock will eventually descend to the level of Jazz in popularity. I think he has a point, I also think that might be good for the genre in the long run. In fact sometimes I think that's what Indie Rock really is, the decay of "Big Rock" into something on a more appropriate scale. Although, it does need a name less evocative of ringer tees IMHO.
I think a lot of people like music, but I'm less and less convinced that that many people really love it. I guess that's ok, there are too many horrible bands as it is. I can't imagine feeling this way about music and not wanting to play, that's beyond me.
I think Originality is really only a horizon, you can't really ever get there without moving the line. And I don't think history always remembers the people who do things first, more likely it favors those who do things around the same time and move the most units or have the best publicist.
Oh man, I'm rambling here. Sorry folks.