stigweard, rather than telling us all to go home, I think you need to note carefully who is merely getting their giggles by whacking away at an easy target, and who is actually trying to get through to David.

An artist friend of mine (who, incidentally, referred to himself as a "painter." "Whether I am an artist or not is for others to say, not me.") once said that an artist's most valuable tool is his waste basket. And the taste and intelligence to use it when his work merits it.

I don't know what it would take to get through to David, but if he would spend half the time learning to write poetry, to sing, and studying up on English traditional music from authoritative sources than he does on attempting to prematurely promote his "life's work" and claiming that those who have been folk music performers and scholars longer than he has been alive should listen to his singing, learn from it, and follow his example. . . .

Not to mention his neo-fascist political ideas.

It's probably impossible to get through to him, but one makes the attempt.

Also, if nothing else, these threads have stimulated some interesting discussions.

Don Firth