countess richard sent me a personal message, explaining much of what she is campaigning for. I would like to thank her for doing that, as it caused me to go back and review this thread. I think we see a couple of dynamics at work here. I will try to sort it out, as I see it, for those interested. To those not interested, please forgive me and skip by.

It seems that the central question, that has risen from the initial assertion, is whether the folk club is germane, and will it survive. Dick Miles asserts that it is the entry point, and the critical community building block. countess richard feels that these clubs had their time, but they are now "past their sell by date". It seems she feels they are on a steady path to extinction. I don't find the two positions exclusive, nor do I agree the clubs are on a path to non existence. As in all things, you simply have two paths. And these venues are evolving in their own way. I know that when I do the small venue gig with a stable, aging audience, I love it. They are there to hear me and are appreciative. I enjoy watching the floor spots perform. Given that some are not the greatest performers, but that is part of this thing called the folk process. The great value lies not in the performance, but in the interpretation, something that the glitzier joints almost never have. Theirs is a world of polish. The folk club is a world of ordinary folks singing the songs. Each has its place. The poorly run venues will follow the evolutionary path to destruction. As to attracting young folks, I believe that to be an incomplete statement. I am not interested in just attracting young folks. I am interested in attracting young folks, like Sam Pirt (UK) and Elizabeth LaPrelle(USA), who are interested in preserving and enhancing the folk arts.

As to countess richard's approach, it is my belief that she is basically a very intelligent, very committed, promoter of English traditional music. While I have never met her in person, my guess is that she is a force wherever she goes. Sometimes that leads to making pronouncements that a person probably wishes they hadn't made in quite the way they made them. I think that is what happened here. She assured me that she has great respect for all performers, and has great respect for Dick Miles. I wish she had said that here in the same way she made the initial comment. When I reread her initial post, I still feel it crossed the line. But one can see from the follow on posts that she was backing up from that.

What I really take from this, and lie in envy of, is the passion of my English/British friends for the perpetuation of trad arts. Each and every one of you has my gratitude for what you do, and the passion you bring to our folk arts. Here in the States we have pockets like this, but there are far too many major cities without active groups. And there are far too many rural area letting their heritage slip away. Would that we had arguments, or should I call them spirited debates, as to which type of venue would survive and prosper.

Well done, and all the best,

Mick