Jim I have to disagree with you here.

I feel there should have been a discussion before Peter Kennedy´s death about his practices and his archive. I believe it would have been honourable to do it when he was alive and to wait until his death to do so is a bit cowardly. But, I can go along with a discussion after his death. Personally I think it is a bit early to start "grave-dancing" since he only died on June 10th, but if people want to do that I can hardly stop them and I have no intention of trying to do so.

I understand from Fred McCormick that you and others have discussed his practices openly before he died. Since I feel sure I would have heard if Peter Kennedy had sued then I think it is safe to assume he didn´t.

I believe the idea that Peter Kennedy would have sued is nonsense anyway. He may have huffed and puffed a little but that is all. Anyone who felt they had right on their side would have challenged him successfully and at little if any cost.

My point is that I feel it is a wrong to save a file of anonymous allegations, publish those allegations about someone shortly after their death and then ask for concrete evidence to back them up and I am sorry you feel that that is the right thing to do Jim.

With you, I also think we ought to be concentrating on making sure his legacy in the form of the original tapes, photographs and films etc. is preserved. That way scholars would be able to sort the rights and wrongs of this issue much easier. We would also be able to sort out copyright royalties etc.

And yes Jim, there are a couple of institutions that bear some blame in this. The problem is that one has little money to spare and the other prefers to spend it on other things.

Oh, and like you Jim I don´t own any Folktrax material either!

Dave Eyre