Thanks for your original post Rick, because I happen to think that buskers, however good or bad, are the closest link we have to the oral tradition. I have never made any bones about the fact that I do it for money. I try to entertain people well, look as good as age and nature permit and behave like the sort of person you would want to drink a coffee with. Good work is worth good money wherever you work and I have always had that attitude to busking. There are people who are good and bad at every profession - and Lord knows - there are some rotten buskers too! However, I have always had time for buskers who genuinely care about what they do and want to improve. Naturally, In Obu's comments strike a chord with me, as do yours Rick. That's good attitude.Above all we need to project the positive side of what we do. A good opportunity for Europe based people to experience that is at the "Pflaster Spektakel" in Linz, Austria,which takes place on the third weekend of July every year. It is hard to disagree with the sentiments which inspired Jeep Man's post, but I have to say that I have not just seen blind old men playing on the street. I knew Kieren Goss, the platinum selling Irish folkie, in his busking days here in Cologne. I also ran into Don Partridge, Phil Free, and Pete Morton. I last saw Klaus der Geiger playing last Friday. He is (in my view) one of the world's greatest living folk musicians in terms of musical accomplishment. If he had worked in English, his stature would probably have approached that of Woody Guthrie. His lifestyle is probaly the closest in spirit. Russ has made a fair point - namely that busking never really was legal. We always seem to be tolerated rather than encouraged. Hesperis talks about the good things which buskers bring to walking areas. Perhaps if we bring more good things there we will become more universally welcome. Alan.