Rosie, I was banned for constantly jabbering on about English folk music, traditional and non-traditional, on the BBC board, as well as fighting back against the Traddies and their constant put downs of excellent artists in the folk world, who they don't like.

I LOVED this music. I also stumbled into it by accident...

I have since, stumbled out, because of the derrogatory comments and the holier than thou attitude about this music, above all others.

I don't believe in slagging artists off. Yes, they are hugely popular, and so they should be, because they're excellent musicians.
I fought for a very long time to get the names of many other musicians out there too from the English folk world and beyond, but some folks in here took it upon themselves to end all that.

Ask Ralph Jordan, heck, I sold quite a few of his CDs via my enthusiasm on the BBC board.

This is a long and terminally boring feud.

For me though, what is so sad is that I feel English traditional music will always remain a minority music because of the way it has been taken over by the pseudo intellectuals.

Any music that appeals to the masses is so often derided on here, because success is looked down upon.

Yet think on this, the very music that they now keep locked up, and look at with cotton gloves on, whilst worshipping at its altar, was once the very music of the masses themselves.

I tried to give it back to many, but you know what, they don't want it given back, because they deem it 'theirs' rather than 'ours'.

So be it.

It's a good thread, and has raised many interesting points, by the way.

(And check out The Body Shop's new 'roll on glitter eye shadow', it's the best I've seen in ages...also Barry M (Superdrug stores) :0)