POP COMPLAINT

I have a complaint to make about the way you cover the rock music scene.

First of all, pop is the carbonated drink in my refrigerator with the caramel coloring, not a generic term for all music that is not classical or jazz. If you must use the term pop, use it to refer to acts such as Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond and Andy Williams.

Use rock to refer to just about any act that has at least one guitar and one vocalist (this definition gets sticky, but it usually works) and soul to any act that is usually black and plays more dance-oriented music (this too gets sticky, but also usually works).

And the fact that you don’t call it “music” demeans those of us for whom rock, soul, or pop, is our main passion.

JOSEPH SILBER

Venice