Hi!, GeorgeH – did I tread on your corns, or something?

Of course, you're perfectly entitled to disagree with my remark that "Youth is a law unto itself". But is your conclusion based on experience ? If so, you've led a sheltered life.

My experience has been different. For the record, it includes 28 years as a parent, and 35 as a teacher (mostly with adolescents and young adults). Also various musical activities involving young people – playing for sing-along sessions in schools, calling for children's barn dances, and helping with workshops for juvenile morris teams at Sidmouth and Whitby festivals. Oh yes, and I was young once – a long time ago, but I can still remember it vaguely.

And my conclusion? Young people habitually ignore instructions from their elders - especially parents and teachers. At home, we say "… eat up your greens … do your homework … keep your bedroom tidy …", and they seldom respond positively. At college, we say "cite your sources properly … leave the lab as you would wish to find it … back up your data on a spare floppy…" , but it makes little impact. So why on earth should we expect them to take our advice on the kind of music they listen to?

Youngsters don't enjoy being lectured. They much prefer to discover things for themselves. Of course, they need help from people with more experience. But unless the help is offered discreetly, it's liable to be rejected out of hand. And if this is true in schools and colleges, it's even more true with leisure-time activities. Young folks need to find their own path to musical fulfilment. If it leads them to our door, we should welcome them in. If they seek our advice, we should give it freely. But until they ask us, we should let them be.

And by the way, GeorgeH - if you're still listening - I agree entirely with your proposition that we should all strive to remain young at heart – ever open to new ideas and hungry for new experiences. It's just that constraints like the day job and the mortgage payments (plus the various ailments that afflict our ageing flesh) tend to tie us down a bit as the years go by. But if I'm ever lucky enough to get a lucrative early retirement deal, I'll see you round the campfire at the next festival (youngsters welcome,drums and bass optional).

Wassail!