"I haven't seen a good MacColl bicker here in months."
Is there such a thing as a "good" bicker about anybody Joe?
As the OP and many others have said, whether you like MacColl's singing or not, there is no denying that hisw contribution top folk song was outstanding - I can't think of anybody on the scene over the last half century who put the time, effort and thought into the singing, understanding, learning to handle and passing on the music some of us have enjoyed and dedicated ourselves to for most of our lives.
As I saiod, he may not have written much, but the recorded examples of his work with others is phenomenal - and up for grabs to all interested given the right circumstances.
It's always seemed ludicrous to me that the only topics that are no-go areas on a forum that styles itself to be about "Traditional Music and Folklore" are discussions on what constitutes "folk" and "the tradition", and the work of one of the most prolific and most thoughtful and outgoing practitioners of that music - something sadly rotten in this particular 'State of Denmark'.
Jim Carroll