Do you think there really is such a thing as a "grower"?

I tend to be of the opinion these days that if a song doesn't grab me the first time I hear it then it will not be one of the songs ripped from its album onto the ipod.

Like the thread we had a while ago about whether one should persevere with a difficult book, I really just can't be bothered listening again and again on the off chance that eventually a track will grow on me.

Went to see Neil Young at Hammersmith last week. He was as magnificent as all the reviews said he was. A one hour acoustic set, followed by 90 minutes plugged in with the band. It was mesmerizing.

What struck me was that the quality of the performance was just as good as it was 30 years ago. His singing and playing haven't declined at all. The only thing which gave Young's age away was his rather slow movements around stage during the acoustic set, although come the electric set he seemed as energized as ever.

I couldn't help but compare the evening with the last time I saw Young's near-contemporary Bob Dylan, about 4 years ago, where he spent two hours playing inaudible piano while murdering his best-loved songs. I haven't been to see Dylan since, and have no desire to do so, but I hope I see Young again soon.

The thread on the top Irish albums reminded me of last year's poll conducted by www.jocknroll.co.uk to find the top Scottish albums.

Some wonderful choices (Teenage Fanclub, Waterboys, Blue Nile) and some not so great I would say (Wet Wet Wet, Annie Lennox).

Still, overall, for a country of just 5 million, I think that's a pretty strong selection.

1 Big Country - The Crossing (1983)
2 Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy (1985)
3 Aztec Camera - High Land, Hard Rain (1983)
4 Deacon Blue - Raintown (1987)
5 Lloyd Cole and the Commotions - Rattlesnakes (1984)
6 Primal Scream - Screamadelica (1991)
7 The Blue Nile - Hats (1989)
8 Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand (2004)
9 The Blue Nile - A Walk Across The Rooftops (1984)
10 Travis - The Man Who (1999)
11 Orange Juice - You Can't Hide Your Love Forever (1982)
12 Simple Minds - New Gold Dream (81 82 83 84) (1982)
13 The Waterboys - This Is The Sea (1985)
14 Teenage Fanclub - Grand Prix (1995)
15 The Associates - Sulk (1982)
16 Belle and Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister (1996)
17 John Martyn - Solid Air (1973)
18 The Rezillos - Can't Stand The Rezillos (1978)
19 The Sensational Alex Harvey Band - Next... (1973)
20 Love and Money - Dogs In The Traffic (1991)
21 Idlewild - The Remote Part (2002)
22 Horse - The Same Sky (1990)
23 Cocteau Twins - Treasure (1984)
24 Trashcan Sinatras - Cake (1990)
25 The Skids - Scared To Dance (1979)
26 Simple Minds - Sparkle In The Rain (1984)
27 Del Amitri - Waking Hours (1989)
28 The Waterboys - Fisherman's Blues (1988)
29 Teenage Fanclub - Bandwagonesque (1991)
30 Belle and Sebastian - The Boy With The Arab Strap (1998)
31 Mogwai - Mogwai Young Team (1997)
32 The Proclaimers - Sunshine on Leith (1988)
33 Goodbye Mr Mackenzie - Good Deeds and Dirty Rags (1989)
34 Big Dish - Swimmer (1986)
35 Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out Of This Country (2006)
36 Hipsway - Hipsway (1986)
37 Kevin McDermott Orchestra - Mother Nature's Kitchen (1989)
38 The Silencers - A Letter From St Paul (1987)
39 Edwyn Collins - Gorgeous George (1994)
40 Aztec Camera - Love (1987)
41 Wet Wet Wet - Popped In Souled Out (1987)
42 Annie Lennox - Diva (1992)
43 The Delgados - The Great Eastern (2000)
44 Gun - Taking On The World (1989)
45 The Proclaimers - This Is The Story (1987)
46 Danny Wilson - Meet Danny Wilson (1987)
47 Roddy Frame - Surf (2002)
48 The Beta Band - Three EPs (1998)
49 Friends Again - Trapped and Unwrapped (1984)
50 KT Tunstall - Eye To The Telescope (2004)
51 Texas - White on Blonde (1997)
52 James Grant - Holy Love (2004)
53 Belle and Sebastian - The Life Pursuit (2006)
54 Boards of Canada - Music Has The Right To Children (1998)
55 Josef K - The Only Fun In Town (1981)
56 The Fratellis - Costello Music (2006)
57 Cocteau Twins - Heaven Or Las Vegas (1990)
58 The Bluebells - Sisters (1984)
59 Texas - Southside (1989)
60 Trashcan Sinatras - Weightlifting (2004)
61 Love and Money - Strange Kind of Love (1988)
62 The Skids - The Absolute Game (1980)
63 Paolo Nutini - These Streets (2006)
64 The Skids - Days in Europa (1979)
65 Scars - Author! Author! (1981)
66 Del Amitri - Change Everything (1992)
67 The Associates - Fourth Drawer Down (1982)
68 Teenage Fanclub - Songs From Northern Britain (1997)
69 Simple Minds - Once Upon A Time (1985)
70 Close Lobsters - Foxheads Stalk This Land (1987)
71 Simple Minds - Sons and Fascination (1981)
72 The View - Hats Off To The Buskers (2006)
73 The Bathers - Kelvingrove Baby (1997)
74 Cocteau Twins - Garlands (1982)
75 Idlewild - 100 Broken Windows (2000)

I've attended the last two Cornbury Festivals with my wife and kids. It's a wonderful event. One of the things which gives it its lovely atmosphere is that it is a real family festival, with young children running around everywhere.

So I think they've really shot themselves in the foot with this year's pricing. Last year, under 5s were free (that has stayed the same) and under 10s were £5. This year, there's no under 10 category, so my 6 year old is going to cost me a whopping £27.50 plus £1.50 fee.

So that's £29 - for a 6 year old.

Van Morrison's albums were re-mastered in 1998 as part of a re-issue of his back catalogue. So I was a bit surprised to read in this month's mag that they are all being re-issued again, freshly re-mastered.

As we're dealing with master tapes which are up to 40 years old, can there really be any benefit, a mere 10 years since the last time, to re-mastering them again?

I enjoy Radio 5. Intelligent presenters and generally high quality programmes. However, one thing which drives me mad is the obsession with reading out texts and emails from listeners. Let's say I've just heard Peter Allen interviewing someone who is an expert in his field. That's all I need. I do not want to know what various idiot listeners think about what has just been said.

I suppose it's all part of trying to involve your audience, but I'm sure it must annoy a lot of people (or maybe it's just me getting old and grumpy).

Tickets for Neil Young's Hammersmith shows are from £55 (somewhere near the roof) to £75 (most seats). So with various Ticketmaster fees it's over £85 for a decent ticket.

It's not just Neil though, is it? Ticket prices seem to have sky-rocketed in recent years. I suppose the prices charged by touts on ebay have shown artists and promoters how much the market can stand, but I for one am glad I saw most of the artists I want to see when prices were rather more affordable.