"If you do not attend real folkclubs with "name" guests you are not truly supportive..."

Touch yer forelock Breezy, if you're into believing what folk's organizing cliques, record companies and festival promoters' opinion is "good".

You won't like the top quality traditional folk performers who come to our local Singaround Clubs because, presumably, none of them (to my knowledge) have made commercial CD albums. I guess you won't like the suberb folk style songwriters we have around here for the same reason.

However I have to assume you would be enamoured by a mediochre guest your local Punterclub might put on because their name is in print as a guest at a so called 'Real' Folk Club".

I really don't see why I have to part with money for a so called 'professional' guest to support Folk. I view these pros as PART of the folk scene - no more than that.

I prefer to support another part of the folk scene, equally if not more valid than the guest/commercial part of the folk scene. My preferred part of folk is that bit which enables anyone to participate and develop their love for folk and abilities to contribute.

And has it occurred to organisers that charge singers that they've simply set up a talent contest with an entry fee (Folk X Factor Club?). Singers who won't take part in their silly contest are then lost to that folk audience because of the entry fee.

If this thread provides a network for sensible singers to reach audiuences who are sick of the old folk scene hacks and their pecking orders then it's doing a brilliant service for a healthy folk future. If today's singer charging clubs fade as a result of demanding floor singers pay and grovel to the Big Cheeses of the folk stage before they are considered as part of the folk world - then fine!

What will replace these Punterclubs will then be something true to the folk tradition and ethos, not a commercialised perversion of it.


Ian Fyvie