"why do the antis always approach it as it has been presented as a gospel writ in stone - it never has been in my experience."

You can say it as often as you like, Jim (you and others have done so repeatedly), but glueman is never going to listen to your denials. He knows the truth: you, Pip, Greg and your ilk are an all-powerful committee who rule the world of folk music and can decree that nothing is performed that fails the 1954 test.

"Fight on, fight on says Captain Ward."

Indeed he does. Perhaps someone with time on their hands might like to tot up the number of postings our adhesive friend has made on the subject of '1954' (not excluding threads that started out with no apparent reference to the subject) and wonder who is the obsessive around here.