As John Adams and Ralphie so rightly say, the biggest problem is actually listening to this stuff, and deciding what is worth keeping, and then transferring it. And, of course, any editorial decision made now may be very different in 10 years time.

When I was doing local radio in Coventry, between 1983 and 1993, I recorded all the main stage concerts at Warwick Folk Festival - 10 years of it!! This was on PCM digital recorded onto Betamax as a carrier. I have boxes of the bloomin' things. Before I moved house, I started listening to them and have notes on what's on most of them, plus some sort of usability index. They're all back in the box at the moment.

One day, when I have nothing else to do, I really must transfer them onto CD or hard disc or something, before the tapes deteriorate, or the 2 Betamax players that I have kept finally give up the ghost.

There is some fabulous stuff on these tapes - although couldn't find anything by Tony Rose, although he did play at the festival.

Some has already found its way to commercial release. One was a complete album of Gordon Giltrap - On a Summer's Night, which became one of his biggest sellers. Also, there is some Whippersnapper stuff which found its way onto their "These Foolish Strings" live compilation. The rest of their stuff is fabulous.

There is also the first ever gig by After Hours - Alan Burke keeps asking me to run him off a copy. One day mate, one day.

Even more interesting (I think), Dick Dixon has video tapes of the festival for several years. These were proper TV docs made by the then Coventry Cable TV station. There are interviews etc, plus quite a lot of concert footage. Dick has been talking about putting something together for next year when the festival has its 30th birthday. Fascinating stuff.

It all goes to prove we all like a bit of nostalgia, particularly videos when we all looked so young!!

G