Hi Nigel,

This debate about the term "old fogy" has taken many twists and turns. In my earlier post I suggested that the term "old fogy" is a derogatory term used to denigrate older people with whom younger people have disagreements or a dislke of the person referred to when using the term. I also suggested to Luce that she learn some manners and I accepted her apology.

I resent being placed in the category of an "old fogey" by reason of age or for being falsely accused of not being "open to explore new things" as you put it.

I've been exploring for 75 years! In terms of travel for example, I have lived and worked in the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe, the British Isles, and my native country, the United States. Am I an "old fogey" because I have no intention of exploring Africa, South America, or Australia? I think not.

In terms of music, I have been playing and listening to all music genres since I was just a little guy. I've listened to the indigenous music of Japan, Korea, Thailand, India, and Saudi Arabia (to name a few); I've listened to classical, country, easy listening, blues, jazz, rock and roll, and big band (to name a few more).

When I say rock and roll is a musical wasteland, I mean it in a general and personal sense. I've been listening to rock and roll since the 50s (longer than you've been living). I'm bombarded with it on TV, the Super Bowl, restaurants, super markets, shopping malls, indeed just about everywhere I go - even today as I ran errands. To my musical ears it is mainly noise pollution. I dislike most of it intensely. It pollutes my environment and I resent it.

Has good music (in my opinion) been written in the rock and roll era? Certainly! And I play the good stuff. But Sting, Springsteen, Madonna, Minogue, Clapton, Jackson (male and female), the Gallaghers (Oasis), Bono, and their like are rubbish as vocalists when compared to Eckstine, Como, Williams, Sinatra, Fitzgerald, Vaughan, and the other greats. And their music is rubbush as well. There is a currently popular male vocalist by the name of Michael Buble who has a fine voice and is making really nice recordings. Another who has a better than average voice and has produced CDs of the "standards" is Robbie Williams. In the jazz field, the current best female vocalist is in my opinion Diana Krall.

You see, Nigel, I am not an old fogey after all. I hear (explore) it all - from rock and roll, to big band, to orchestras, to country and classical as I go through my life. When I say I don't like to listen to rock and roll it is because I've been listening to it every day of my life for the past nearly 60 years and it is mainly noise to my ears. In short, I am merely exercising choice, something we all do every day of our lives. I am not an old fogey because I exclude 95% of rock and roll from my music library and playing.

Diana Krall is on my stereo at the moment and I want to listen to her because her music is good music. So excuse me. Its time to go.

Chuck