"well i have tried in recent threads to divert the discussion back on topic asking jims opinion of the two biographies but to no avail"
Did you miss this Dick?
Date: 16 Feb 18 - 04:01 AM
I went to great length to not only give my opinion on the books but to point out there are no comparisons between the two - different talented people from different backgrounds
It really doesn't help the atmosphere here by repeating such requests when you have been given a response

"Where does Ewan MacColl and his biography come in?"
Some of the subjets touched on by Harker's book have been dealt with in depth Al - far too few in my mind, but discussing MacColl rationally is as discussing "what is folksong" - it has become virtually impossible to get beyond name changes and war records - if you don't believe me, go some of the "related threads" listed at the top of this one.
Pat and I gave interviews to Ben Harker willingly and looked forward to its publication with anticipation - it fell far short of our expectations, mainly due to the conclusions he reached
I don't think I'm speaking out of turn when I say Peggy felt the same.
I experienced working with MacColl - a life-changing experience, and Pat and I interviewed him at length - 20 tapes worth over a long period
Our object was not to get a repeat of the already covered biographical details but to explore in detail his approach to his art
I also acquired all the recordings of the Critics Group meetings - masses and masses of detailed work on folk song by a bunch of talented and enthusiastic people who were generous with their time and their abilities and who knew what they were about and were prepared to put themselves out in order to try and improve their own and other's understanding of the Folk-song genre and related subjects
I have spent several years digitising, listing and annotating those meetings - originally I hoped to make them more widely available, but, like Walter's recordings, I have come to the sad conclusion that there is no home for them in Britain, so they will end up with the MacColl family and as part of our own personl collection, wherever it is housed, which is a crying shame.
One of the constant problems I have had in working on the Critics material has been that it is so absorbing and inspiring that the documentary process gets slowed down to a standstill by being forced to listen in detail - not always helpful when indexing
I react, sometimes badly, when I hear accusations of what I know (from personal experience) to be unfair and inaccurate, often unbelievably spiteful and personal statements about Ewan, Peggy and the work of the Critics.
As far as I can see, today's revival needs all the inspiration it can get if British folk song is to survive beyond this present, ageing generation.

I agree totally with Joe's response - if there is blame to be meted out it is to be accepted by all responsible
Jim Carroll