The English are not alone in having Folk as a fringe interest. We were on our third trip to Ireland before we found any Irish folk music. In Athy a pub landlady told us there was music all over the area, but none of the bloody diddley dlddley stuff. In Wales we have found music in pubs that is Pop - and none the worse for it. Don't know about Scotland.

I like and play folk music but not to the exclusion of other forms of music, and I think most people are the same.

Stu