"From: glueman - PM
Date: 09 Mar 10 - 02:07 AM
JC, what's the difference between MacColl and a tinpan alley popular music composer? (no, this isn't a gag with a funny punchline) And if you say I 'must be an idiot' not to know, why isn't this folk...EE"

Yes. This is the part of Jim's argument that for me really undermines the sustainability of his complaints against folk clubs that give their audiences music by singer songwriters.

It reads to me, I'm afaraid, as "I want to hear traditional music AND modern compositions in folk clubs - but only so long as those modern compositions were written when I was a young man. Because only songs composed when I was a young man, are any good." This is of course is a fairly common refrain from anyone over thirty-five, ironically except most folkies who continue to dig new songs in the folk idiom. And I guess that's why they keep going to folk clubs who provide them with such entertainment.

Despite being impressed by some of MaCcol's Traditional Ballads I don't find Ewan MaCcoll's own compositions very interesting. They can be nice to hear sung at singarounds, as indeed is everything in an 'anything-goes' environment, but I wouldn't buy a recording of them. I find them pleasant songs intended to be accompanied by an acoustic a guitar but I don't place them together (in my head) with traditional songs AT ALL. As popular products of the revival they belong fully to the revival as far as I can see, as do ALL revival folk band compositions. Including THIS Which is hippy-dippy shite of the highest order, and quite fabulous for it.