Harry Boardman . . . the range of music covered was extremely eclectic

Yes indeed. It's a bit invidious to name clubs (well, I suppose to cite Harry's Manchester venues is OK since he is, sadly, no longer around), but that is surely the point: the people's music emanates from whatever grabs the people's attention at the time, what is relevant to their lives and means something. Yes, karaoke in the pub in the corner might be popular (it IS) but that is sad, symptomatic of a people who do not recognise that they even have a culture of heir own.

You could look at the Singers (not especially good at being all-encompassing at the time but it did TRY) and the later offshoot at the Knave of Clubs which certainly did manage to bring in some from the local community and involved the miners', building workers' and Northern Ireland struggles. And it was where I first met Charles Parker, and got involved in the salvaging of the Radio Ballads.

Then there is the Ryburn 3-step and the continuing Islington club, started by Bob Davenport and the Rakes in the mid-60s and running to this day in Clerkenwell. What it has always had is a house band (in common with Dingles in the 70s and Walthamstow today), and this is why it is so great. It's like that at the Lewes Royal Oak and I was just so astonished at the Snail's contribution about the Lewes Arms, whose workshops I have for too long intended to get to. I'm a little more cheered by Brian Peters' observations and will keep it on my list.

What I won't do is sit through tedious, introspective, teenage angst ditties or very, very poor renditions of songs or tunes that I love. The music, as Swarb famously said, may not mind. I do.

For an example of what English musicians today should be doing with music that is around them and will mean something to their peers (whether in the f*lk world or not) look no further than Simon Ritchie:

squeezebox schizophrenia

. . . not to mention the Anahata/Mary Humphreys theme which seems to be emerging at nearly all points. Wonder why that is . . .

Still, as Dave says above, young people are all over, mostly at the mo in Chippenham to which I am attempting to repair. Beats what's (mainly not) going on in most of the so-called 'clubs'.