Apologies - Ian's quotes are missing from the above post. In trying to highlight some text in bold type or italics I seem to have hit a wrong key. (Advice on how to do this when posting would be most welcome.)

My post should have read as follows:



Ian Fyvie wrote:

"I could go a session tomorrow night and get one floorsong, and see a well known artist for nothing..."

So what's not to like? The venue is a short bus ride from where you live and the artist in question was Paul Downes.

Your reaction?

"No thanks! - not worth getting the guitar out for (no offence to the artist - who's a decent bloke)"


Decent enough indeed to agree to travel a great distance to a venue where he knew that his fee would only be what was raised by a collection. And this is someone whose income is derived from the pay club circuit you despise so much.

And he's not the only "big name" to fly in the face of your apparent obsession with money and status. In this thread and elsewhere there are countless examples of professional singers who help to run clubs and festivals and turn up unexpectedly to do floor spots. Martin Carthy epitomises this ethos, being well known for his generosity to organisers of countless clubs in not demanding outlandish fees.

So, it's not about money is it? You could have seen Paul for the price of your bus fare. So was it because you would only have got to sing one song? I'm one of the people who help to run the monthly session and I only get one song because there are so many other floor singers to fit in - and unlike you, don't run three sessions a week.

Luckily we have a wealth of floor singers - some of whom are of a really high standard - who DO think it's worth getting their guitars out, even if it's only for one song, and DON'T mind putting money in the collection.

If you change your mind, come and see Ben Paley & Tab Hunter next month - I'll even defray your expenses by buying you a pint...