I agree with melodeon boy. I go to three local folk clubs regularly plus a couple of sessions and also go the Folkworks Caedmon classes at the Sage in Gateshead - CR please note, to improve my playing, I do not wish to bash out "any old shit". I find the people I have met their to be as friendly a group as you can meet anywhere.

The attitude of the organisers is to encourage people to participate and a good effort receives applause even if it is a little shakey. The clubs I go to are about participation so anyone who turns up and wishes to sing or play, can. Even so I see little evidence of the so-called "dross" that was referred to earlier. The vast majority of those who attend regularly are at least competent musicians and many are excellent and I am sure all wish to give a good performance when it is their turn.

The songs that are sung are a pretty fair mix of traditional and recently composed material, the latter being mostly by songwriters who have come out of the folk scene. There are one or two who write their own material and good luck to them. I hear little evidence of the "teenage diary" songs and, anyway, songwriters need to develop their craft somewhere.