I think that the uk folk revival has lost its way since MacColls death, that might be a co incidence it might not, his so called cut and dried pronouncements were partly responsible for singers like myself exploring our indigenous repertoire rather than singing American material, there were many positives to that and only one negative imo [ we did not sing Woody Guthrie songs or American social comment songs], imo since his death the uk folk revival has become more pop orientated, the importance of being a name or even having a certain name or having a famous name which Agents will use for coomercial ends
More latterly on occasions it has lost its direction and become an acoustic music club scene,Is that a result of Agents influence? or the fault of organisers in the pursuit of what they think will produce bums on seats or commercialism? or both?
.Is the pursuit of making more people aware of the music[ which brings in the Agent]more important than people playing a certain repertoire because they love the music they play and want to do it because they enjoy doing a job with skill?
Why, and what are the reasons for playing this music is it purely to make money, Agents Priority is making money for themselves and the people they represent AKA as commercialism