"is their own music then fair game for harsh (but open and honest) criticism?
I rather think it is."

But your example is not relevant to what I've said.

I was objecting to *personal attack* based on the expression of a critical comment of *music*. In this instance we have Shimrod being accused of "emanating sheer hatred" towards poor hapless harmony groups (to be fair to the poster who made that comment, he has retracted it, but it was that post which prompted mine in response).

Discussing music -IMO- includes being able to criticise an artists work - or a style of presentation or a technique and so-on. You may see no difference between personally attacking an individual and criticising the music they make, but I do. As do the moderators of this board, which was the point I raised above.