Eeh Al, you're in one of your curmudgeonly moods again.

When I wander up the High Street to the George tonight for our monthly session, I'll ask the musicians if they want to play anything for twenty minutes - and ask the landlord if we can play for eight hours. I'll also ask the many people who come regularly to listen to us what they think of all that as well. I wonder what answers I'll get.

So, nul points for exaggeration, I'm afraid. I also don't know of any local music venues where the idea of a traditional approach to performing traditional songs is insisted on. There are some local folk-ish groups down here who have vocals-only evenings in pubs - no instruments allowed - but that's their choice. It keeps me away from them, and I'm sure our mixed vocal and instrumental sessions may keep them well away from us.

But the point is, as you say, we don't all have to have the same approach to the same music - which also means that those who do want to hold to a traditional approach have every right to do so. Whatever the consequences. I don't sing any traditional tunes whatsoever - I just play tunes and sing daft songs from the 1920s - so it doesn't bother me. We can't all be original and vital and creative interpreters either, Al, and role models don't have to be living entities in the community. Most of my role models as a youngster were black, dead and on vinyl!