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Well, I struggle with the logic of most parents, teachers and adults in general. They try to regulate music, which is one of the purest forms of self-expression for both the artist and the person listening to it.

Music is something almost as personal to someone as DNA is. It's about finding a certain degree of social exploration and social acceptance. I don't believe that it affects behavior patterns half as much as a lot of people would have you believe. For example, I've listened to rock and metal for years. Therefore, I must, too, be loud, obnoxious and aggressive. Not so.

I do believe that music can change someone for better and for worse. You hear about kids falling into the wrong circles, the 'Emo' craze that is sweeping the world gets a bad reputation because they often link the genre, the artists and the fans of it with depression, apathy, self-harm etc.

I have read numerous pieces in the English media regarding My Chemical Romance. About how they supposedly tell kids to slit their wrists, that's a load of *expletive deleted*. If these sad children want to slice their wrists apart, that's their choice, it's not the responsibility of the artist(s).

We've all seen what happened at Columbine, I won't deny that it was a tragedy but the local community (and the wider media spectrum for that matter) attacked Marilyn Manson because the perpetrators listened to his work on a regular basis. I know that I'm not permitted to use coarse language so I'll refrain from the words that are circulating regarding that.

They also went bowling before they shot their fellow students, does that mean that bowling should be outlawed? I think that the music industry is an easy target for parents and politicians, simply because it means they can blame someone else rather than themselves.

Learn more about this author, Stephen Culley.
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