I've always regarded the term folkie as a pejorative term anyway- I appreciate the work done on traditional music by the early collectors and revivalists, BUT   

right from my early days, I certainly did not want to be associated with the folkies, with their pewter mugs and hippie tendencies, it seemed to be a southern fad anyway, anathema to a loyal Geordie!

Most of the folk club people I met in the NE were quite normal, drinking out of straight glasses, lefties & Guardian readers all(nowt wrong with that, I'm one & don't wear sandals nor do I eat muesli) but I certainly wasn't about be saddled with the folkie label.

I always wanted to grow a beard and loved the Clancy Brothers' Aran sweaters, but deliberately avoided these two marks of the folkie. I gave in to the beard idea after a long stay in hospital in 1981 & found Le Tricoteur sweaters in Guernsey- much better than Aran & less baggage!

- Never mind where did all the folkies go, whatever happened to all those pewter mugs hanging from straining belts?