It's 'bollocks' for two reasons:

(i) Because it's just an untested theory that's been bandied about before. In my experience most people who were attracted to Folk Music through the music of 'Steeleye Span', for example, never seemed to get any further than 'Steeleye Span' (in fact I still meet people who still think that SS 'wrote' 'All Around My Hat', 'Cam Ye O'er From France' etc., etc.).

(ii) I'm damned if I'm going to like or praise something, that I don't like, because I hope it will appeal to some other section of the population (in this case 'young people'). If young people let folk music die because it isn't 'cool' enough for them then that's their responsibility and their loss - sod 'em!! Personally, I don't want to see the musical genre that I love bastardised and diluted by a bunch of trendy, five minute wonders and I have absolutely no qualms about saying so.

With all due respect, Shimrod, if anyone is guilty of spouting "bollocks", it's you, not me, because (taking the two parts of your 'justification' for your gratuitous insult in turn):

(i) Providing a counter-example of a few people who didn't progress any further into folk music after hearing Steeleye Span does not prove that my original comment was "bollocks". Yes, I accept that not everyone who goes to see Steeleye Span or Seth Lakeman will end up delving deeper into traditional folk music, but many will do just that. I gave as an example myself, earlier, having got into folk music via Bob Dylan and other artists that were just as controversial in their time, as far as this issue is concerned. I personally know many people who 'discovered' folk music in similar ways.

(ii) The second part of your 'justification' above is simply your personal opinion and you are entitled to it of course, but it does not justify you calling my earlier comments "bollocks". How you can think it does, I don't know.

The grounds on which you based your insult to me are therefore fallacious and I believe your vilification of my earlier comments are unjustified, and I look forward to receiving your apology.