Well done Nigel Spencer for picking up on the unnecessary comments regarding guests. Had a scan and it raises a few things in my mind:

I think the comments from (I think Melissa) are valid regards mudcat being hard to penetrate and somewhat brusque at times. I have posted before and chuckled at the light hearted p*** taking responses, but been dismayed at the more venomous ones.

I think there is a burgeoning young scene (amateur and professional) and I think Ruth makes this point well.

Most importantly, we are all pretty much agreeing on the inappropriateness of MP's POTW comments. However, just have a think about how (collectively and individually) mudcat sometimes treats other musical genres. I repeatedly see the 'rap-crap' analogy on here. Do you investigate this musical field before casting such aspersions? Have you looked into the development of rap music in the late 70's as a cultural phenomonon giving poor, predominantly minority neighbourhoods of various districts of New York a voice and an identity? Have you thought to consider the different periods and styles of this genre or have you just outright said/thought rap = crap.

When you do this, are you behaving as you expect MP to behave, or are you doing the same thing that he has done, to a musical genre that you maybe don't understand, just as he has to a musical tradition that he obviously doesn't understand?

Just thought it was a point worth raising...

Rich.