The recent frequent rotation of Paul Simon�s Greatest Hits through my CD player had been causing me to consider some of my more potentially embarrassing musical tastes, but an article in Metroland [via pop culture junk mail] which isn�t there any more, has got me writing about them.

Among the Metroland list of people�s guilty musical pleasures were ACDC, Britney Spears, Steely Dan, Fleetwood Mac, Duran Duran and John Denver.

Of those, I couldn�t identify a Steely Dan song if I tripped over it, have no secret love of Britney Spears (the Travis cover of Baby, One More Time aside), and used to listen to John Denver as a kid, but only a soft spot for Leaving on a Jet Plane survives from that time. And that�s mainly because my class once performed it with great success at a primary school concert. As for ACDC, this may just be national pride talking, but I don�t believe there should be anything at all embarrassing about loving Aka-daka. Anyone who can rock like they can after 30-odd years, and pull off school uniforms and bag pipes, deserves their legendary status.

But Duran Duran and Fleetwood Mac are very high on my list of guilty musical pleasures.

I am about the right age to have been a Duran Duran teen girl fan in the 80�s, but I really wasn�t. Most of my musical tastes up until the age of about 15 were sadly dictated by what my parents were listening to, which is how Fleetwood Mac (and John Denver for that matter) found its way into my consciousness, but Duran Duran was something I only properly started listening to after they�d hit the peak of their success and started on the downward slide. I don�t feel that their music has any great musical or lyrical value, and damned if I know what �the reflex� is, but it�s fun and I guess I�m only partly embarrassed about liking it because I will throw on the Greatest Hits CD at parties without having to consume several beers first.

Fleetwood Mac, on the other hand, I would never put on at a party unless Dad was there, because it�s from him that both Boofhead and I get our shameful love of the band. I am sadly looking forward to living alone again so that I can play Rumors as and when I please without being embarrassed. And singing along, of course. I don�t know what it is about their music, but I�ve always loved it � not the new stuff � but pretty much everything up to Tango in the Night. There. It�s sad, I know, but now it�s out there and I feel better.

Then there�s the aforementioned Paul Simon. And Simon & Garfunkle. I don�t like all their stuff, and I don�t think I�ve heard anything Paul Simon has done post-Graceland, but I love that album, and much of Simon�s stuff from before that � particularly the more upbeat songs (in terms of music, not lyrics) and can�t help singing along.

My other ongoing guilty pleasures also include Neil Diamond�s Hot August Night (again Dad�s influence � it was recorded the day after I was born, so he�s always had a strange affinity with it), Dire Straits and The Bee Gees.

Actually, looking at that list I can blame Dad for everything except Duran Duran. However, he has never been able to get me caught in the deadly trap that is The Eagles, and for that I will always be thankful.

I love listening to music with Dad. He loves concerts whether live or on DVD, and when in doubt around his birthday or Christmas getting him a concert DVD is always a safe bet. Especially since he�s gradually working towards replacing all his old video tapes with the DVD versions. He cranks up the stereo speakers until you�re completely surrounded by the noise and then air drums to his heart�s content (despite the fact he actually plays guitar, it�s Boofhead that�s the drummer). While he has his favourites, if it�s a good show he�ll be converted, even if he didn�t necessarily know or like the band to begin with. In fact The Bee Gees thing came from him getting free concert tickets a few years ago and going with Mary and the Munchkin. They loved the show so much they bought the concert DVD and got the rest of us hooked.

So I�m guessing I�m going to continue generating embarrassing musical affiliations to go with the PJ Harvey and Foo Fighters and Radiohead in my CD catalogue as long as I keep hanging out with Dad. And that can only be a good thing.