[Ceejache]

I'm not replying now to further provoke things - indeed this post should be taken in a more conciliatory tone! Maybe inflammatory remarks was the wrong phrase - I just felt that one poster received an unwarranted put-down. I certainly don't kow-tow to current PC thinking - it fact I hate it.

Obviously personal opinions and tastes are just that, and I understand your thinking and explanation thereof to a certain extent. Yet I still have to reject your reasoning that if a contemporary band is just that, contemporary, then they are automatically worthless. I strongly believe that without experiencing a medium (in this case the band in question themselves, not the genre as a whole) any opinion formed carries little weight. I can understand your point though as from personal experience I cant stand Country & Western and have felt that way for a long while - yet I have conceded at times and lent my ears (albeit begrudgingly) and found that I can find value in certain songs belonging to the form.

Whose value judgements carry more value? Whilst I agree with your paradigm shift reasoning concerning the genres you mentioned I can see the same model change in music since the 70's. Maybe it is not as obvious, or not at all obvious, to you, yet the variation in todays music is huge as are the means of its production. My opinion could be explained by the fact that I am a peer of the current generation of musicians, still I believe that my judgements hold equal value. I do not pander to whatever is the current trend in modern music by the way, I agree with you that quite a lot of contemporary music is nothing new and like you said lacks any creative thinking, but there are some who are pushing the envelope...honest! A differentiation needs to made here between throwaway pop nonsense (money-driven) and the 'real' music (motivation by the need to express).

Of course you are not obliged to please me or anybody else with your views on the subject - your opinion is certainly as valid as mine and others - but I do appreciate the fact that you have taken time to articulate your view, and yes, I do agree to a certain extent.

The Stag is on Henry St? I frequent the Adelphi exclusively (with the sole exception being the Crown!), funnily enough due to the fact that I cant abide the music that is played in town centre pubs! Oh the irony...!

Ceejache - Reasonably intelligent male.