Heart+:

It has never bothered me one way or other what music people like or don't. Musically--in terms of history and theory--I am as adept as most people at disecting songs, music, etc. I sometimes do when I am trying to figure out what makes a song 'work for me' as a listener. But generally, when my 'music hat' is doffed, it boils down to what touches my heart or intellect or soul or gut. I find that I am much less pedantic than I used to be, and it gets to "I like what I like because I like it." The converse holds true, also.

I recently wrote a keyboard piece despite the fact I don't play keyboard. The music I got is very beautiful in spots and IMO the over-all piece works quite well. Someday I will spend a month, learn to play the piece, clean up a few rough spots, do a decent recording of it and pop it on youtube or something like that and them what likes it will listen to it and them what don't will tear it apart. That's the way it is often in music.

I happen to like some country/rock music. Also some folk, jazz, symphonies, straight rock, folk-rock, traditional, plainsong, etc. All people do not share my tastes. Such is life. I seldom enter into arguments anymore with people who are tearing a musician/writer down, because often people who do that just don't have the ability themselves, and what is offered as criticism simply shows up as jealousy.

I have a good friend here who was kind enough to give me some criticism of new material I've been writing. (He is an accomplished musician.) Criticism from someone like him is criticism I listen to, internalize and consider carefully. I also listen to an audience. When I work a room/stage, if three different crowds give tepid applause to a song I did, I have to find out if it was the performance, the material, the presentation or what. That's part of the responsibility of performing. When someone pays me bucks to perform, I tend to do what works for an audience. When I'm at home, I tend to do what works for me. If the two happen to be one and the same, hey, cool.

Various folks have introduced their work on Mudcat--their personal performances, their own material, etc. Only a cad would say anything but positive about those performances. Writers and performers know when they are 'cutting it', and some sideline quarterback jumping in with, "You should go back to being a butcher" is just a wise-assed comment that has very little usefulness to the performer.

You keep liking what you like. At the end of the day, that is what should matter to you as a listener.

Keep well.