Snail, 01.39
Some very sensible posting.
There was and is a long-lasting folk club in my area. I went along a couple of times to see what went on. The music was obviously there as background because the audience were happily talking through it. I voted with my feet.

When in my 20s I was even more of a purist than Jim is now, there were 2 clubs at the pub I frequented, one having a strict trad policy and one with mostly political leanings. My girlfriend of the time wasn't as bigoted as me and went to both clubs. I never set foot in the political one, even though I was a staunch socialist.

Jim voted with his feet in a much more drastic way and I think he has missed out. There is plenty of evidence of a thriving folk scene with a strong trad element in England and whatever the youngsters are doing with it they are at least there doing it and some of them are bloody miles better at it than us old farts. (IMHO)