Given the fact that I also sing the same stuff I busk for kids at schools and have had teachers (music/drama) at three different campuses with connections to recording establishments (not, I will admit mainstream or "big time" organisations) suggest seriously that I get myself recorded and sell CD's seems to say that at least SOME people like the way I sound.

Remember, Arran, I am also fighting two separate disabilities to do what I do - I lost most of my singing voice after inhaling flame while fighting a bushfire (an accident that put me in intensive care for four days and left me with a permanently scarred voice box and trachea)

Secondly I have an ABI from a motorcycle accident which, among other things, caused me to forget how to play guitar. I had to relearn in a simplified manner and only use chords that my fine-motor control affected fingers will allow me to reach. I also cannot recall chord progression so I must utilise lyric/chord books to perform.

As such I will no longer play pubs because I feel I am cheating paying customers by using "song books" and busking is now my only outlet.

However, apart from a few (Jim Lad and some others I know who occasionally minimally amplify an electric/acoustic) who amplify to overcome loud ambient sound around them: Every other "amplified busker/s" I have come across do so to hide their lack of talent behind noise - they also seemto draw less contribution.

Tell me Arran - what do YOU amplify? You took that one too personally and do YOU have to perform against the odds of disablement? Have you ANY idea how devastating it is to have ALL your music taken from you at a single blow and then have to fight to get even a small part of it back?

With regards

Muttley