great like Elvis without the tassels....

We went round to a friend's house for dinner on Sunday evening.  It was a lovely evening: my friend and his wife are Hungarian, and we were served a traditional goulash.  He's amused that we think we know what a goulash is because we have Viennese friends, and he wanted to show us the error of our ways.  Well, there ain't no rivalry like a local rivalry.

Anyway.  It was nice.  Both the goulash in particular and the evening in general.

But....but.....there was a fly in the ointment of an otherwise pleasant evening.  The music. Oh God, the music.

It was only playing in the background, but once I'd tuned into it, I found it impossible to tune out.  How bad can it be, I hear you say.   Well.

Nickelback."All The Right Reasons". The whole album.  THE WHOLE ALBUM.  

Just ask Dave Grohl.

Then a pause as we listened to "By The Way" by Red Hot Chilli Peppers.  An album that I love.  And breathe, relax and enjoy the rest of the evening.

As the last notes of "Venice Queen" faded away, the next album came to life.  Then, slowly, I realised that I was listening to the opening chopper noises that herald the beginning of "D'You Know What I mean" and that I was about to listen to "Be Here Now" by Oasis for the first time in full since 1998.

Time definitely hasn't improved it.

But I'm way too mature these days to allow a slightly iffy choice of music to colour an otherwise delightful evening.  Way, way too mature.

I've basically forgotten all about it already.

The next time I see my friend, he will probably be the father to bouncing new baby girl (his wife was fit to pop on Sunday night).  I'm sure his daughter will turn out just fine, whatever music she's played as she grows up.  I mean, how much of an effect could music have on someone anyway?

Even Nickelback.

.....?

She will be fine, right?

Yeah.  Fine.  I'm sure she'll be fine.

......maybe I'd better start making her compilations, just in case.  Nick Drake is a powerful antidote to Nickelback, I think.