Advice on guitar playing skills acknowledged, Breedloveboy. Indeed, I am no Martin Simpson or Mark Knopfler. Never will be either. That is a cross I have learned to bear. However that is but a light weight on my conscience, as I have never set out to be a crack performer - I only ever started playing and singing in order to get the songs out, and the gigs grew out of that. I will always think of myself as songwriter first and performer second (or lower).

As for the evidence on songwriters getting together, I confess that I have still some doubts there. I know far more songwriters who don't attend regular "circles" or workshops or whatever one might call them, but work singly and independently. I know some who do collaborate or regularly "show and tell" with others, but at a rough guess they are fewer than 1 in 5 from among my acquaintances. Perhaps it might be a case that I dodn't naturally gravitate towards such workshops, and that is the reason why I don't know so many of their members? I don't think that explains it - I know the majority of the gigging songwriters on the circuit, and quite a lot of of others in most parts of the country except perhaps Wales and the South East. I do know several Cornish songwriters who have formed a circle, but I honestly cannot think of another example of similar size and (I have to say, because they are indeed very good) quality.

But I can sense that you are peeved, as witnessed by your need to score points (see your last sentence). I don't think I offered any advice, I only reflected on the readiness with which others offered it, the sweeping statements used (such as the title of this thread - "all"? really?) and the attitude with which they did so. I will make a request however: I know I have a long surname and it is hard to pronounce it, but I would be grateful if one could at least spell it correctly... There are a few, like Breezy, who have earned the right to do what they like with it, bend it and twist it etc but i don't think you are yet one of them - I can't tell behind the moniker.