The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #93207   Message #1790497
Posted By: GUEST,workingclassfolkie
23-Jul-06 - 04:44 AM
Thread Name: Is it any wonder why! (folk & the working class)
Subject: Is it any wonder why ...!
Is it any wonder why young working class people are not drawn to Folk and Traditional music. I often frequent folk clubs in and around London and they are not the most comfortable places to be in. There seems to be an air of complete intellectual snobbery (or attempted intellectualism!!!!) amongst the people who attend these sessions. Most are middle aged (like myself,) who I think have a responsibility to pass on this music to the younger and also disadvantaged generation. No, this does not seem to be the attitude of many (not all) at all. Whilst singing the songs of earlier working peoples, gypsies, sailors etc, they seem to be oblivious to the songs/music's origins. Or perphaps, they disdain the origins because of their privilidged white middle class background.

I recently attended a folk festival in London, and I have never experienced such snobbism and patronronising attitudes in my life before.

Perhaps us lower down the social scale need to set-up our own clubs to retain what is (maybe) rightfully ours. I hope not, as music is suppossed to break down barriers, not erect them!