Jim Carroll

We both know I have never been to the Lewes Arms Club so I can only assume your question was a rhetorical one

Jim, you had, once again, accused me of promoting crap standards. I was pointing out that you have absolutely no idea what the standard of performance is at the Lewes Arms so you have no evidence for your accusation.

I can find nothing in your post of 19 Nov 08 - 05:47 which seems to be a question for me to answer. Are you sure that's the post you mean? What I did find was -

In the light of the existing situation on the folk scene the idea that you throw the doors open to singers incapable of singing is a bloody nonsense

Your basic assumption seems to be that anybody who wants to sing is incapable of doing so. Our experience is that people who want to sing generally can and will put in the necessary practice before doing so. Those who can't (or believe they can't because someone has told them so) choose not to perform.

In the long run it is the responsibility of the club organisers to ascertain that the music presented to the audience is of a standard that it can be enjoyed;

Two problems with that. You seem to have totally failed to grasp my point that floor singers are part of the audience; a significant part; on frequent occasions, the major part.

The other problem is that, as the quote from MacColl makes clear, the responsibility for the standard of performance ultimately depends on the performer. All that anyone else can do is give support and encouragement.

I suggest that if singers who couldn't sing turned up and you regularly put them on

They don't. We don't. Sorry if that doesn't suit your world view. We have some who may be not very good (which, if you think about it, is exactly the same euphemism as "not exactly concert standard") but I can think of no-one who doesn't steadily improve.

For the rest of your post of 25 Nov 08 - 06:29 PM, I am a little confused because you suddenly launch off into guest policy which is an entirely different subject and certainly nothing to do with Folk Club Manners.

Yes, I do believe our audiences (including the performers among them) and the music are worthy of the greatest respect.