Walking down State Street is like stepping into a movie: The scene changes with each block, and dynamic characters abound, even if they only flash across the screen for a few seconds. And in the background, local street musicians provide the perfect soundtrack.

But even though they give Madisonians a soundtrack to rival that of "Garden State," State Street buskers don't get nearly enough credit for it. Just watch any street performer for a few minutes — most passerby don't even slow down, and some actually speed up to avoid any sort of interaction. The guy who sells glass pipes near Potbelly's often gets far more attention just for putting some paraphernalia out on a table.

"Most people are wrapped up in their own business; they don't have time to deal with street musicians," remarked Bob London, who operates a one-man band he calls "Bob London and the Rolling Trolls."

London started out playing in the hometown from which he takes his moniker more than 30 years ago, and has performed in cities throughout Europe and the American south. Once, he even packed his bulky equipment aboard a commercial airliner to go perform in Hawaii.

Of all the places he's been, he likes playing Europe the best, since people there seem less inhibited and more likely to stop and listen to his show.

"In European countries, the pressure on the individual isn't as heavy at the end of the day," he explained. In his favorite city, Paris, he can find potential customers out having a good time any night of the week, as opposed to Madison, where Friday and Saturday are the only days worth playing.

"Americans party a lot, but mostly behind closed doors," he said.

Americans also keep a tighter hold on their money, London added.

"It's a strange kind of equation in a way," he mused. "It's harder to get a buck, save a buck … health insurance is way too expensive. It all makes it much more difficult for a person like myself … I'm like PBS — I depend on donations from people like you."

But donations aren't always forthcoming, especially when many people don't regard busking as a real profession.

"Some people say I'm a glorified panhandler," London said. "I'm not; I trade my talent for what I can get."

"This country's founded on a Puritanical work ethic," explained Catfish Stephenson, a blues and roots-music guitarist who's been playing on State Street since 1971. "People feel that if you're just sitting there playing, you're not working."

But it takes a lot more time than you might realize, as Stephenson can attest. He'll spend hours, days or even months learning to play a song.

"I'm not into it because I think it's cool, or because I want to get laid," he said. "It's something that's been there my whole life."

Stephenson, who started performing with a jug band when he was five, has dedicated his life to music in every sense of the word. He even spent a year living on rooftops in Austin, Tex., when he was first learning to play guitar.

He takes music seriously, which makes it that much harder to deal with people who don't understand what he's trying to do and don't care.

Stephenson quit playing harmonica, which was his main instrument for several years, for this very reason. "I got tired of people asking me to do Neil Young or Bob Dylan," he said. "Everybody's doing that. I'm not a jukebox — I play stuff that most people haven't heard. It seems a lot more real than the pop stuff."

Even worse is what Stephenson calls the "football mentality," which mainly involves drunken idiots pulling stupid stunts. "They'll try to pour a beer in my guitar case, or take my hat off my head," he said, referring to his trademark white 10-gallon. "Don't fuck with my hat."

The hat thing might piss him off, but otherwise, Stephenson doesn't let these actions get to him.

He says it would take a lot to really affect him, since he doesn't give much weight to what hecklers have to say. "Common decency should be granted, but true respect is earned," Stephenson mused. "I really don't care if [drunken idiots] like me or not."

It's a good lesson for anyone in any field, but especially for street performing, where it's key to develop a thick skin.

In fact, street performers can offer a lot of life lessons that are relevant to college students who are going to school just so they can get a high-paying job. If the get-a-good-job syndrome is the main reason you're here, then you're missing the point.

Stephenson admits he's down on State Street to make money.

"If I want to play music for music's sake, I might as well play at home or with friends," he said.

But that's not what drives him to play.

"I will never use money as a measure of wealth," he said. "That's a pretty essential way to live your life, no matter what."