Hey gang,

We need to be cool in our discussions on music. Mbo made a good point when he said, "The music that I love.... so much a part of me, it's like insulting the body and telling the head it's still cool." This applies to a lot of us but it's easy to lose track of that when we get into our discussions.

Alternatively we all need to be aware that others may not be keeping this in mind. If someone says something that really ticks us off we need to take a deep breath, count to 10 ad then reread the post. If it isn't from a flamer or troll it may have an interpretation that isn't so bad after all. I know I've read some posts that seem, on the surface, to be OK but the reaction has been World War III!

What is folk music? Folk is not what we think it is because it is, after all FOLK music. It is the music of the folk. Right now that seems to be rap music! Back in the fifties it was.... rock and roll! We may not like it, we may scream in pain that it ain't folk but I got to tell you, FOLKS, folk music is the music of the folk and if it ain't rap music, and in it's day, rock and roll, then what is it?

We traditionalists like the old stuff and think of it as folk music and it WAS in its time. Now it is a museum piece. We live in it like the civil war recreationist live in their tents and costumes. We love it and live it. We feel the lift when we sing and play it. But it isn't the music of the folk living today.

The folk living today and singing their music are the urban poor. Their folk music is rap music. It speaks to them the same way the bothy ballads spoke to the rural Scots. It addresses their issues and tells their stories. Our folk music doesn't.

OK, go ahead and hurl invective (or virtual stones) at my head. I may not be able to answer until Monday for my girlfriend is coming to visit this weekend and I expect to be away from my computer for a while.