No apology needed, Jim - I understand the sentiment entirely and had I have been one of the MacColl detractors you you would have been quite right to make the comment. Unless you were to trawl through hundreds of past posts you would not have known I am a big fan of Ewan (and Jimmy:-) ) I am really pleased to see that there is a biog coming out - It certainly goes to the top of my Amazon wish list!

I was quite surprised when I went to see Peggy (with Martin Carthy and Mike Waterson)at the Lowry - There was no mention of MacColl even though they were in his home town. Peggy is an excellent artist in her own right and has no need to refer to him but I would have thought they could have used the opportunity to introduce some Salford songs. Ah well - I was not disappointed at all, just a bit surprised.

Names have a very serious impact on how people are perceived. I can't imagine for one minute that Giant Haystacks could have been beaten by Shirley Crabtree. Big Daddy could do it though:-) You want to hear my theory on Ewans name change? No? Well, you are going to:-) When he went to Scotland he realised that Jimmy Miller was no name for a serious folk singer, writer and revolutionary. As he sat in a bar pondering what to call himself an old Scottish miner came in. "Gie, us a pint o'heavy. Ah've been doon the mine all day, hewin ma coal..."

Cheers

Dave