to be honest, I had a great affection for the old time agents. The ones on the folkscene never did me any favours. But I understood that, I wasn't showbiz enough for them. The acts were mainly entertainers who relied on getting rebooked by the working class audiences who frequented folk clubs.


The new breed. I just think they're bad news for everybody. They're part of the middle cass land grab.

Folk music is now a bit like the civil service. A safe career option for middle class kids.

The clerical officers and assistants are the ordinary joes who sit in sessions, provide the support acts and PA free for the privilege of rubbing shoulders with professionals.

The executive officers are a few posh gits. Musically accomplished but not much cop at communicating with an audience. Making records that don't sell. Gigs for college kids who know nowt, festival gigs for foreigners, dire programmes that no one watches for BBC4.

Still as Hyman Roth says in Godfather 2. this is the business we are engaged in.