Sounds alright. the thing is, groups like The Spinners and The Corries used to do quite straight folkmusic, but they presnted it in a way that was accessible.

Although I thought they were rather drippy when I was a sea green incorruptible teenager - when I had a shot at folkmusic myself, I was staggered by the enormity of their achievement.

To my mind - there are people who never got smarter than I was as a teenager. To find a formula that is a winner with the public - and then go on developing it. It takes some doing. If anyone ever manages it again it will take all that.

There are too many people sulking in the corner with a great definition of folk music that ticks all their boxes, but meanwhile the music is dying. Okay there are a few middle class kids, but there is no general push to make sure the population knows folksongs like our generation did. I bet every kid in our school knew songs like High Germany, and The Cornish Nightingale. You wouldn't find that the case nowadays.

Where is our national folk music on the National Curriulum? You can bet your ass, if its there at all - its in the hands of someone who has no clear idea of what the nation is within a hairsbreadth of losing - someone without the missionary zeal to abandon stylistic quirks for the great substance which is all but lost.