I tend to think that good music is good music. I've never seen the sense in dinging a band based soley on the fact that it's similar to something I've heard before. Not that originality need be totally abandoned or dismissed, quite the contrary. I'm thinking more along the lines of bonus points for someone that can create a genre or take off in a direction here-to-for unknown. Besides, how can we ever attempt to describe a band to someone else if we don't have some points of reference along the way. These musicians didn't grow up in a vacuum, and neither did I. I don't see how it's possible to create music without some sort of influence creeping in along the way. Fortunately it's not a problem for me to deal with. It goes without saying that this applies only to bands relying on stuff I like. I can do without anyone ever borrowing from the Bee Gees.

jc