"The problem overall here is seeing booked guests as the only source of learning; and with it a denial that you can see brillaint and inspirational people at singarounds."

I can't think why you feel people think like this Ian - I see no evidence of it. It's just so obvious that no-one needs to mention it!

"Do you really want everyone entering the folk world to pay an entry fee and see a guest when they just want a cheap night sharing folk songs?"

But that's the beauty of the folk scene. You don't have to. There's clubs and gatherings of all shapes and sizes and prices to suit all tastes and requirements, and that's as it should be. No need to knock anyone else in order to promote your own corner. What I'm trying to do is to protect the 'guest' corner, but you don't hear me belittling anyone else, do you? Quite the opposite - I'm constantly saying how important the 'am' sector is, and I support it myself all the time (I'll probably be out at a session tonight).

It's starting to emerge that you are locked into some battle from thirty years ago. If you changed your mind, and actually went to see a few guest artists today you might be pleasantly surprised not only by the artists but by the welcome - and the number of songs you got to sing! But if that's too much to swallow perhaps you might consider toning down your comments a little on the grounds that you might just possibly be a smidgin out of touch, and so save me from having to do all this darned typing! :-)

Tom