Being a relatively new Mudcat compared to some of you I have found a whole new range of friends on the site - and in the flesh! I've been on the scene for 30 years now and can definately state that during that time I have not spent all my time in deep discussions about music with my folk friends. We have talked about just about everything under the sun and often disagreed with each other/heard a load of crap/done or said things we later regretted. However there was always the chance to talk music or ask for help if we wanted to.

When Bill encouraged me to join Mudcats I was lead to understand that the site was for 'real' people who would be interested in folk (doesn't that mean "of the people"?) and would soon become internet friends. So let us have these threads. I don't read all of them and rarely post - but I've learnt a lot from those I have read about all sorts of things, just as I have done at a festival, pub session or club over the years. Keep up ALL the range of threads. If someone leaves in a huff it's their problem. It happens all the time in the great wide world!