Oh, c'mon, Cap!
I said nothing about emulating the strange, nor did I mention selling out by playing stuff you hate. I'm talking about playing different genres of music, & I contend that there is something worthwhile in nearly every genre, for most of us.
To play only one kind of music makes you closed to the benefits of learning what the other genres have to offer, & it narrows your abilities to BE a "MASTER" of music.
Simply because you're closed-minded approach may get you all the gigs you ever wanted, since it's so popular, that doesn't mean that you could ever be a musical master. Don't tell me that you've never played a love song (emo!) or a country tune. You're old enough that I know better.
Also, by knowing how to play it, & play it well, that doesn't necessarilly mean that you have to play it all at every gig. You need to know how it's done, though, & be able to play it well, to be a true master of music. When Bela's touring & playing in his bluegrass act, he doesn't dump any jazz into the set lists, cuz his audience wouldn't approve. When he plays his jazz, however, he does occasionaly slip in a bluegrass piece, cuz that audience is a lot more open-minded & can appreciate both the musical style & the skill involved.
