Peter, I,m pleased to hear your implication that that use of regulators in increasing in Ireland, I can't comment on that except that if so, I'd approve of it, as reverting to earlier styles, which I think is a good thing!

    Dick, you are happy to applaud improvements/innovations to traditional music, which by definition, has its roots in the past. I think a lot more value should be given (in music or singing) to people from the past who learned from earlier players. This is not reactionary- Tim Lyons was an example- his music was straightforward, acceptable in a social context and without all the excessive ornamentation & gimmicks prevalent today- Jimmy Shand had sinilar attributes.

    I don't think the current idolatry of folk celebs and their   antics is of any value to traditional music, and nor is the pseudo inteelectual crap of any use except to academics & nerds.

    The music has headed off in a different direction, away from this reverent and'precious' approach and into the commercial world. I don't like it & I don't think you do, but although there's not much we can do about it but detest it!- the result in my case is that I'd much prefer listening to Randy Newman or Bunk Johnson than anything on the folk scene today.

I think that'sll I have to say, it's opinion and taste & nowt to do with the thread, so I think I'll call it a day there- I'll stick to my eclectic apprach to the 'folk' repertoire if I ever get my box out of the case again....