Since Chumbawamba brought out their unfeasibly good versions of English traditional protest songs, some in the folk establishment began to book them and to review their subsequent work (even though it is not of a traditional bent). Does the fact that a punk-ish co-operative brilliantly recorded some traditional songs render them a more appropriate club guest than a folk-ish performer who does the odd punk song? Does it matter? Is there room for music in the search for authenticity? Isn't there a danger of selecting the tradition in the same way as the collectors who edited out the music hall repertoire of source singers? Discuss.