And if Simon Cowell were to hold his auditions in the upstairs room of a backstreet pub, while folk clubs and sessions were broadcast on Saturday night television, the balance of public attention might shift somewhat. It might even inspire us all to polish up our act.

But I also have to say that I have, quite recently, seen a couple of club floor spots that were every bit as breathtakingly bad, and the performers every bit as deluded, as the early rounds of X-factor.

Marje