In retrospect Pip, I'm abit cheesed off with what you said. I would never presume to be as prescrpitive as Tunesmith has been. Censoring a young man's first efforts and saying that it has NO place in English folk clubs.

I speak as an artist who has worked hard at MY vision of folk music for over forty years - no magic formulae for me, weird guitar tunings and odd affectations - just working with the sounds and voices that I found coming out of my mouth. No subsidised World Council tours, highly unpopular TV programmes, subsidised folk festivals, arts council grants - just my vision. An English artist whose point of reference has been English folk clubs.

And this clutz has the effrontery to tell me that I don't know what I'm talking about. And its me who's got the attitude problem.

I would never ever dream of telling you that you had no place in folk music. I've often bloody felt it as some cultural autistic grabs another piece of the cake - but I wouldn't dream of saying it.

Just assure me of one thing Tunesmith. You are not a relation or close friend of one of the other contestants trying to rally the troops to bugger up the opposition out of sheer malice.