I'd love to get rid of all that is smug and insular and deeply unappealing about folk music

Hallelujah Nigel, so would I.


. . . not perfect and may not even be good, but they're 'good enough for folk'

No Jeri, they're bloody well NOT.

Tradarts are something really, really special, something which is recognised in most places other than England, although there have been 'professionals' (both in the sense of being paid as well as being consummate performers) for centuries. What is required is proper recognition and official funding (rather than for stupid running about games which are costing uncounted billions) to shock our population into appreciating what a treasure they have.