I was just making a sauce (béchamel, as it goes) so it's probably just as well Richard ain't coming round for dinner.

I applauded the book (which I have) and agreed with Charlotte Greig's (via Shimrod) assertion that the English (in the main) ignore, ridicule and despise what they have in their own cultural treasure chest.

And I haven't actually told WLD that he's bonkers (though clearly he's barking) but have concentrated on bigging up those musicians who are working within the tradition, are rooted in it and possess a sense of place and community and an ambition to instil this in others and assist them towards contributing to it.

What clinches it is WLD's weirdly insistent notion that Bert Jansch is a 'popularist' and even more so that he chooses to cite Nottamun Town as an 'example'. Bert recorded this on Jack Orion, his first set of almost exclusively trad material. If Ewan MacColl was taken aback at the mention, it was probably as a result of the inconguent recording of First Time Ever on the same LP.

Bert Jansch is a highly individual talent who performs what he wants, a mix of self-written and trad material in much the same way as highly-regarded artists like Richard Thompson (and so on . . . no more lists). It is absolutely NOT a case of 'getting people into folksong by dishing up a lowest common denominator mish-mash, a medley of All Around My Hat on a Daytrip To Bangor for a Whisky In The Jar.

Actually, a picture of the look on Mick Jagger or Noel Gallagher's face when asked to participate in such an insultingly misconceived project has just slid into my mind . . . oh dear.

No. Very well-known, fairly mainstream artists such as Billy Bragg and Paul Weller have already made inroads into the use of traditional material and shown a deep respect for its origins. (Led Zeppelin and Rod Stewart too, maybe, though just a bit light on respect). And there's a whole new musical movement out there which most people who post on Mudcat are ignoring because it's passed entirely beneath their radar. I can't admit to liking everything the Fence Collective does, but I'm ever so glad they're out there doing it.