[Tav]

I think as long as there are bands like Pearl Jam then rock will continue to be one of the best genres around. Genuineily great music and they still manage to sound some what original even when doing songs in styles which have been done thousands of times before. If you come up with a great new melody, set of lyrics and manage to put it all together then it's going to be original regardless of wether or not it's played with a standard rock beat/timing and a distorted Fender Strat through a Marshall....you don't need to invent new forms of music or use different instruments to be original...as long as it's good that's what counts.