Paul with big pants, painted on smile and red nose here, oh and I've just fallen over.

Jim,

How long have you worked for the Sun? I assume you are quoting me when you mention "finger-in-ear" and "97 verse ballads". This is out of context as we were discussing what puts "the public" off attending folk clubs not what has intrinsic value as a folk song.

I like and value traditional music (and very scarily, I found myself with my hand cupped around my ear last Saturday night when involved in a mass sing at a Front Room Folk gathering), but it is not the whole story.

Even more scarily I agree with you that "Yellow Submarine & "Blue Suede Shoes" would not be my choice of listening (even when they are dressed up as "folk" songs).

I maintain that there is still a process of adoption, adaption and creation of a form of music that sounds to me very like "folk" within a community that I am part of. This involves a lot of traditional material as well as "newer ones made using traditional poetic forms and musical styles, sung to a reasonable standard by people who sound that the enjoy and understand them".

I struggle to understand why this being part of a revival or an unbroken line of tradition makes it sound any better or worse? Please feel free to educate this arrogant little upstart.