Hiya Sleepy Rosie. I am not going to name the 'guilty parties' but in answer to you other questions, they are a mix of all you mention.

The 'newbies' are fine by me. Everyone has to start somewhere. Provided they have made an effort to learn the song, and that is not just memorising words and a tune btw. They will almost always improve.

Experienced regulars who have become complacent and lazy. Hmmm, tough one. There are one or two I have come across but rarer than the next ones. generaly it is a phase and, again, they will get back 'on track'.

The ones that I take exception to most are the ones who, week in and week out, return a less than satisfactory performance. The ones who should know better but insist on telling a long rambling tale of no interest to anyone but their mothers. Those who cannot, or will not, keep the same time signature, or key, through the song. Those who obviously have no idea what the song is about.

Your example of a drunken three chord wonder at a party or campfire is an excellent one indeed. Both you and I are quite happy to listen, even join in, in those circumstances, but at a night where people are paying to see a professional artist I would not let them within 50 feet of the stage - and I suspect that most of them would not want to. But some have the X-factor syndrome that you mention. I suspect that some of these people think they are good because no one has ever told them othewise.

Hope this helps:-)

theleveller - I am sure Jim will answer himself. As he has already said that he will not be around for a few days and cannot defend himself I think it is very poor form to suggest he has said such things when he has already said otherwise.

Cheers

DeG