If Cromwell had gone Ireland and given out sweets, put central heating in the cottages, paid anybody's rent who couldn't afford it, bought a few drinks, learned the language.... I'm sure the Irish would still be raising a glass to him.

However he didn't.

Similarly fRoots pretty much ignored a whole generation of English artists in the folk clubs, letting them wither on the vine - preferring to tackle other more germane matters.

We've managed and survived without the record companies, the media, the Arts Coucil and pretty much everybody. And now theres the internet, we really don't need them.