Hi Tom

And we can talk about this more tomorrow evening - I'll get there early!!

It seems that Ewan is saying there are no decent folk clubs where he lives, so he has stopped going to folk clubs where he lives.

He and others seem happy to conflate folk music and folk clubs.

They assume that because one aspect of folk music is struggling - moribund even - the other sections are similar.

And please take account of the fact that I am of the generation that didn't want your folk clubs and apparently, judging fom what you all seem to be saying about folk music skipping a generation, still, on the whole, doesn't.

Ewan seems to be able to speak for a whole generation (!!) who didn't like the folk clubs and because they don't like them don't go to them. The conclusion he seems to draw is that his generation has missed out on folk music. Ewan - they go to sessions if they play and they go to festivals and often they do both. I was at a festival this last weekend - anyone who was there will tell you there was a huge age range including plenty of 40 somethings as far as I could gather. And that applies to all the festivals I have been to this year.

When I go to a folk club I do see (mostly) an older generation. I don't see anyone stopping people coming in - in fact as far as I can see most folk clubs seem to welcome visitors. But that doesn't apply to all of them. But those who don't go to folk clubs get their folk music in other ways, so it isn't the music that is dying.

As for people being shot at when they poke their noses over the parapet, let's examine these. The criticism of Rachel UnthankATW that provoked rows was (as I remember) was along the lines that they were a manufactured group based on floaty dresses and looks, a created band been made up by a folk svengali. And sold out to EMI.

It was nonsense so when people who feel it is nonsense reply - a row ensues and Alex Petridis (it is "Petridis") and his ilk write "Row over new folk stars who have broken the mould of beer -willing tankard-carrying sandal-wearing bearded folkies".

The row over Seth Lakeman was NEVER about his music but about the fact that one of his self-penned songs was entered in the "traditional" category of the BBC Folk Awards. I know this because I appeared on Radio 4's Feedback about it and started off by saying precisely that it was not about his music.

Again this became ""Row over new folk stars who have broken the mould of beer -willing tankard-carrying sandal-wearing bearded folkies".

The row about Kate Rusby (as far as I know) once again was never about her music but about the amount of publicity Mike Harding gave her.

And have you noticed how they are invariably described as "young folk stars". Seems like no-one can be bothered to check their ages.

Alex Petridis as far as I can see is saying "Every time I go the the video store there are fewer and fewer videos and nobody is watching them. I can't buy a video machine anymore. There is a row about the quality of programmes on TV. The conclusion I draw is that no-one is watching TV and no-one is watching recorded TV".

And when someone points out people are watching on-line TV, satellite TV and DVD's, the headline is written "Row over TV watching".

And by the way I did a house swap in 2002 for a month.