I'll take that as a yes. But perhaps I should have posed the question a bit differently. I have no doubt that production is a talent and a skill, and thus, I do not doubt its impact and value. What I was trying to get at however, is all things being equal, (that is, assuming the musician has significant experience and production talent): Do you think it is more common than not that the artist will fall short of what would have been done given the production being placed in the hands of another? Of course, it seems like the answer to this question lies in your response, but that was the one that I was after. I would think Brian Eno serves as a good exception. I have my doubts that Music for Airports would be what it is in the hands of another producer. It's like a double chocolate cake. There's chocolate on your chocolate, and that's why it's so good. I suppose I would have been surprised if you thought differently, but being in the industry, your reasoning is just as interesting to me as your argument.