I'm particularly interested in songs that are about events, legends, folklore of particular areas - in my case the East Riding of Yorkshire, and that's what I write many of my songs about. I know other people do, too - at Ryedale Folk Weekend I was listening to Wendy Arrowsmiths superb account of a lifeboat rescue at Robin GHood's Bay when the Whitdy lifeboat was dragged by mern and norses all the way from Whitby in a blizzard. This, to me, is the very essence of folk music - traditional or contemporary - together with regional styles of playing instruments, particular accents etc.Listen to the songs of the Watersons. especially Mike Waterson, and you'll see what a powerful force regionality is in folk music.

In fact, thinking about it, I'd be hard pressed to say what our national sound is.