This time, it's for real. This is not a test; this is real life. America was attacked! All of a sudden, the things that seemed to matter now seem not to matter at all, anymore. But you would be wrong to buy into that. All the things that mattered before not only still matter, they matter more than ever. One of those things is Rock and Roll. Rock and Roll is uniquely American music, and has been the sound of America around the globe for half a century. Let's not allow events to dampen the spirit of America, and let's be sure not to allow it to silence our uniquely American voice. We need it to ring loudly, now more than ever. It will help us to heal, and it will show the forces of darkness that we will not go down into their hole with them. We will not be silenced! We will make music, beautiful American music with the same spirit of adventure, of hope and of pride. Rock and Roll, like America itself, is here to stay, and here to stay with a vengeance.

As this terrible tragedy has united us in grief, sorrow and anger, the hyphenated descriptions of ourselves have melted away. We are no longer African-Americans, Polish-Americans, Mexican-Americans, Italian-Americans, etc. We are now only Americans, and proud to be so. So, it doesn't matter anymore what the tag is. Just the same as Rock, which has spawned so many genres in the last twenty years that it doesn't seem to know itself anymore. Art-Rock, Thrash-Rock, Country-Rock, Hard-Rock, Glam-Rock, Arena-Rock, whatever. It's all Rock now!

I call on you, the members of OnlineRock, to let yourselves be heard. Loud and clear, let the true American musical voice of freedom ring throughout the world. Make the best, most passionate music you could ever make, and play it loud enough for them to hear it in every corner of the globe. Do it for all the poor, innocent victims that lost their lives in the most senseless act of violence the modern world has ever known. Do it for their families, who grieve for loved ones lost in a sudden, insane and despicable act. Do it so that our sworn enemy will know we are not cowed, and never will be. Do it so they know that we will give their hatred no quarter and will continue to live free, and make great music. Do it for America! .

My deepest sympathies go out to all who have suffered a devastating loss as a result of the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001.

Stay Tuned,

The Virtual Musician