Yep. I've recorded and listen to a lot of styles, and something that's struck me is that the intention behind the music is important..... to me anyway. I had more fun recording a 45 minute drone session than doing pop tune work because the artists involved were more invested and passionate about the project than the pop work.
On a personal level, I've played and taught a lot of styles, from Miles Davis to Meshuggah, Chillis to Coldplay, and I've been more inspired by a passionate cover of a Coldplay song than many other 'cool' or 'good' music, again, because the person playing the song was invested in it. Over the last fifteen years I've had more inspirational moments courtesy of Eminem than Satch, or Vai.
If it moves me, it moves me. If it doesn't, there's no amount of telling me that it's worth my attention will make me like it. Sure, I can appreciate guitar gymnastics as much as anyone else, but that doesn't make it inspiring. In fact, in a lot of cases, it can ruin a song.
I started to play music at an early age because I liked the sounds I could make, liked the fact that I was responsible for them, and because I wanted to play the songs that I liked. This has led me to play all the genres I've found interesting, and none of the ones that I haven't.
In short, it's an old quote, but a good one: "It's good to be open minded, but no so open minded as your brains fall out."
Maybe because its a folk instrument?
