A few years back jack hudson and I were at The Pokeyhole watching Derek Brimstone do his support gig to Alan taylor.

As usual they asked del to finish off the evening despite being lower on the bill - cos the crowd there loved him.

I suddenly said to jack - you know mate - I really don't envy Derek his audience - finding something to do with folkmusic that ordinary folk relate to. jack couldn't see it cos folk clubs are all he's ever done.

But England has mislaid its folk sensibility. Do other types of gigs and you would see it. A true folk music has its place in the broad highway of the nation's psyche. Not in silly little interstices.

switch on the radio in spain - you hear something that is unmistakeably Spanish. I don't feel that way about English music.
And I don't think all that many English people do. that's all I'm saying.

By all means - keep the aspidestra and the white cockade flying, but the changes you have elected to embrace have rejected the broad mass of English people.

The thought of doing my little song in a one or two of the open mikes round here (like I say BNP territory) frightens me - the thought of walking cross the carpark afterwards. When was the last time your songs felt like they had anything that edgy to say.