Rock history students take lessons from legend

He bashed the record companies and couldn't, for the life of him, remember who signed an autograph for his daughter. It was Britney Spears.\nGass had been trying to get Mellencamp to talk to the class for some time, and the "war of attrition" finally came to an end on Tuesday when Mellencamp finally took the offer.\n"He was able to give an insight that no teacher can give," Gass said. "It is like having Beethoven come out in a music appreciation class. It's amazing, really. And the fact that he has got such a social conscience and moral authority he can talk about things beyond celebrity and fame. I think you really gain a unique perspective."\nGass started the class with a quick video tribute of some of Mellencamp's music videos and a segment from a CBS story on the singer/songwriter. Mellencamp then took questions from the students and was able to give his opinions and perspective on a wide range of topics.\n"I don't know that I really relate to them on any particular level because I am very up front, very blunt, so I don't know if they are used to that in a college situation," Mellencamp said. "In life I think they are used to it, but in a college situation, it might not be the best form for me."\nWhile portions of the discussion were just fun Mellencamp yarns, he also delivered several underlying messages to the students. Mellencamp told students that songwriting is something everyone can do, and he urged them to go home and start doing it. His messages ranged in topics from politics and MTV to lessons in life.\n"There are going to be thousands of people in life who will tell you that you can't do something," Mellencamp said. "It is important to realize that you've got to believe in yourself no matter where your dream leads you."\nMellencamp stressed the importance of students being flexible with their dreams, but never giving up on them. He said many people quit too early, and that if they would only stay with it, they could accomplish anything.\n"I thought he was totally down-to-earth, and really spoke from his true heart," junior Gwen Rosenthal said. "He is very straight-forward and says it like it is. He gave a lot of information to people looking to get into the business and really gave a lot of input on his past experiences."\nEven though the class was able to get a once-in-a-lifetime experience, Mellencamp would have probably preferred the tables to have been turned.\n"I would have rather been able to ask them questions and learn something from them rather than have me shoot my big bazoo off about what I think," he said. "Everybody already knows what I think"