I've just counted upmthe current threads with the time tjhintg set at one day. I got to eightfour and I lost count. There are fifteen identified as BS, some of which are very much about musical issues (like copuywright and the Harry Fox agency) and I made it about as many who aren't so identified that would count as such, including this.

The problems isn't so much that the song threads you want are drowned out by the BS thgreads, it's that there are so many song threads around that it's so easy to miss ones you'd like to follow up.Like the Rosewood one, which I had missed, and only found about through this "BS" thread. So it's been a very valuable thread.

I think jeri's idea makes a lot of sense, for it's own sake, and I hope someone will start it up and service it. But I don't think there's any way of avoiding this kind of traffic jam, without losing more than we gain. I was thinking whether it might be possible to have some kind of filtering process for people to use as and when they want to - and then I noticed that "Filter" thingy up the top of the index page, so maybe it's already there. The FAQ guide to navigating the site would be useful.

But even if filtering is available, I doubt if I'd use it much - I like the serendipity aspect of it all, like wandering round the party and overhearing the conversations till you find one that's more interesting than the others. Or listening to the pick-up groups playing in the bars at a festival till you find someone you want to listen to, or join in with.

As for Paul S's comment that one of the things you do when you're bored at a party, or have had enough, or are feeling generally out of sorts, is to leave - I didn't read that as a insult, as him saying "get lost for ever" to Art. Surely he was just elaborating on what actually happens in parties? Especially when it's late at night, like now, here - so I'm off to have a kip, and that doesn't mean I'm feeling grouchy.