'I don't want it to be about whether the music is good, bad or indifferent, or about the struggle between contemporary and traditional music'

well sorry, but I think that's exactly what its about. I suspect the Pussyact (irony not misprint!) Dolls you describe and the 'tradition' are brother chip.

I was chatting to a folksinger recently who had secured a grant for writing some dull worthy unmemorable tripe.

In both cases - its not about the music.

When its about the music and it comes from te heart the heart, the scrotum and all everything visceral in between - it enters the collective consciousness - which is the true tradition.

i think I would place freddie and dreamers work, as more influential on my work than most the contents of Cecil Sharp House.