To George Papavgeris, I apologise for spelling your name incorrectly, but not the rest of my admittedly rather harsh criticism. My view is simply this, the balance in Folk Music has swung too far in favour of singer songwriters, and whilst they do have and always have had their place, it is now in danger of obscuring all other forms of Folk. What has happened to the type of artists we used to get in the early days of Folk, The Corries, The Dubliners, The Spinners, Peter Paul and Mary, Derek Brimstone, Wizz Jones, The McCallmans, and many many more. True all these artists wrote a few of their own songs, but sang predominately music collected from all around the world. The artist who only sings his own songs is then controled by his own limitations, and in my view there are too many of them.

Folk Clubs are currently under pressure with dwindling audiences, increased costs, the high price of alcohol, petrol, and however, unpalatable it may be for some, slow introspective songs about loss, heartache, and conscience, are not going to bring the people back.

So I would say to all you singer songwriters, wake up and recognise that in the wider context you may be assisting in the eventual demise of Folk Clubs.