"I think you would probably enjoy an evening with us."
Then why did you tell me you couldn't give me what I'm looking for?
"I have said many times that our policy does not lead to poor standards."
And I have said many times that accepting no standards other than "wanting to" can and has led to unacceptably poor performances - seen it, described it, been told about it by performer friends and even seen it argued for on Mudcat.
"Charmed I'm sure."
Despite our differences I include your name among the noted few Bryan and have done since I first communicaed with you.
"Jim - what a rancorous and ill-willed statement."
My statement was addressed directly to Don (Wyziwyg)T (read it) whose bullying and haranguing has done little to back up his own arguments, let alone dissuade me of mine.
"Will there be no new tunes - no new songs - "
There certainly will be, there are at present, but what they have not done is loose sight of the traditional base.
There is an extremely healthy situation here in Ireland as regards traditional music, but this has in no way prevented new songs and tunes being made, on the contrary, it has encouraged this enormously. I have persistantly advocated here on Mudcat that the making of new songs is essential for the continuance of our traditional music - that is not lip-service, it has been part of my activities almost from day one (not as a writer unfortunately).
At nearly 70 years of age I and Pat are faced with a mass of material (ours and the work of others) which we have to decide how to handle in our remaining years.
We have been given carte blanche to publish collections of our Irish Traveller material; there is a possibility of publishing our Clare recordings as song and story collections.
I get no feedback whatever from our English material (a kind offer from an old friend on Mudcat but no idea if there is a call for what we have).
A correspondant on another thread has just lumped me under the collective description of "collectors and other thieves" - all very inspiring.
When push comes to shove - where would you put the neccessary effort in this situation?   
"this statement of yours disgusts me."
And the disinterest and antipathy I have encountered on Mudcat towards the music I have been listening to for the last half century and the suggestion that it takes no effort on the part of the performers before it is placed before the public, and the equating of it with pop-pap....... etc. saddens me.
Jim Carroll