Oldies

In "Hint: The Oldies Are Still Goodies" (April 18), Geoff Boucher makes some interesting points but glosses over what I think is the main point. A big reason that "older" bands are still popular and draw new fans is because these bands are composed of true artists who play their own instruments and mostly write their own songs. These people made music for its own sake, and the feeling shows through in this music. Contrast that with the music of today, like the current teen pop craze.

Elton John is looking to whip up a little something special for his upcoming Face 2 Face tour with fellow '70s piano man Billy Joel to make it more than just a greatest-hits outing. Returning to the concert trail together starting next spring for the first time in six years, John and Joel want to inject some new music into the mix. "We're thinking about recording three songs together," John told The Times on Tuesday. "Definitely not our own songs, or oldies, but we're interested in getting some people to write new songs for us. I've got Raphael Saddiq and Nile Rodgers working on something, so we're booking some time to go into the studio and record."

Observations from Paul McCartney's concert Wednesday at Amoeba Music in Hollywood: Best Hollywood Karmic Moment: Michael Eisner walking past scores of scruffy music journalists and other record industry grunts to find the end of the VIP line in front of the store.