LIKE many others, I was perplexed by the letter from Rob Meggs (HAS, June 3), who seems to draw a comparison between The Beatles and punk, and how much more rebellious punk was.

The truth is that they both saved pop and rock music.

In the pre-Beatles Sixties, rock ‘n’ roll had become diluted, Eddie Cochran and Buddy Holly were dead, Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis had low profiles as they had been too naughty, and Elvis came out of the army an establishment figure, happy to conform.

The charts were awash with manufactured pop stars. Rock music was in such a state traditional jazz nearly made a comeback.

The Beatles’ raucous rhythm ‘n’ blues changed everything.

They evolved, faster than anyone before or since, musically and sartorially kick-starting the Swinging Sixties. Where they led, others followed.

Punk attacked the bland fluff of the Top 40, and the progrockers who had become overindulgent.

Punk was needed to inspire people to pick up a guitar, learn a couple of chords, and start a band. Many future stars were influenced, because they realised they didn’t need to have expensive gear, or be a virtuoso musician.

The result was one of the most exciting musical eras since, well, The Beatles.

Paul Hardy, Darlington.

VJ CONNOR likes The Rolling Stones and Rob Meggs likes those public schoolboy eductated punks, The Sex Pistols (HAS, June 3).

Mick Jagger and his gang have entertained for decades, inflicting their bluesy rock anthems on the British public, along with their similar cohorts, The Animals and The Yardbirds, while Johnny Rotten and his band of punk rockers stuck two fingers up at the system, with raucous and often anarchic tunes.

Two popular bands from the UK, who both deserve their own credit and success.

When I started comprehensive school in 1983, acts like Culture Club, Michael Jackson and The Eurythmics were riding high in the charts, but I remained loyal to my ska roots, and preferred to gently rock back and forth in a rather demented frenzy on the school disco dance floor to bands like Madness and Bad Manners.

One of my favourite dance routines was pretending to be held down by an invisible force in front of the DJ booth, lashing my tongue around like a maniac, while the teachers often stood around me asking me if I was okay. I’ve just turned 39, and I still have the odd skank today, depending on the condition of my hamstrings.

Music is all about our own tastes, so let’s not get annoyed if someone else happens to like Shakin’ Stevens or the former Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind.

Let’s enjoy the joy of song in all its formats, and never be embarrassed if you want to do the funk in public. Music is for everybody, maaan.

Christopher Wardell, Darlington.