A British Folk Club is a bit like an old fashioned British Fish and Chip shop. You either like what they have to offer or you don't .It's an acquired taste which not all British like - and overseas visitors are astounded by our love of this highly rated but fatty dish, which, could account for the arrival of all the various other ethnic foods which have arrived in the last 20 years or so.
In Geordie Peorgies message - Sam Satyanadhan has obviously acquired the taste for fish and chips - bless 'im, , and (this analogy is getting too deep for me) many Brits have acquired e.g. the taste for Tex-Mex food (Country or Country and Western music) etc. etc.
It's a fair thread , but some conclusions are getting into the too politically correct area, which I hope, was not the point of the question.
On a final note, going back to some remarks earlier about Johnny Silvo. I believe he is one of the most intelligent, articulate, knowledgeable,well-travelled and decent people who you would ever wish to meet, of any race/creed ,with more friends in the British folk scene than most.I agree with John "Giok" McKenzie's remarks that regarding self-denigration the colour of his skin doesn't sound like Johnny.There may be some detail missing from the original account, perhaps it was more subtle than the listener imagined.
Anyway .......
Cheers,
Betsy.