and some of his music does actually appeal to me...some does not.

Not sure I would put U2 in the same category...instead attributing much of their success to hiring Brian Eno to produce them..upped their musical quotient greatly.

Bowie, Rundgren, Thomas Dolby have all ventured into self production...will be interesting to see how the next couple of years shake out. This is really the first time that someone has mass marketed the defection.