A point of pure pedantry on the subject of WAV's English Flute - it is a Plastic Tenor made in Japan. It was the saintly Mr Firth who came up with the term Engrish Frute to describe this instrument though WAV generally attributes it to me (saying it is more racially offensive than claiming England was more English 50 years ago) but let's be fair here. Also on a point of fairness, apart from his published (& entirely mistaken) misgivings on the nature of English Culture (see the Re. Dynamics thread for the lastest WAVlaw in the making) WAV isn't in the least bit offensive in person. He made a valid & welcome contribution to my Ballad Session in Durham back in July (the Dun Cow on Old Elvet if you must know, Conrad; free to get in but the beer was knocking on £2.50 a pint) and is always smartly turned out, polite and moderate in his habits.

Moderation is not a word that could be used with respect of Conrad's particular brand of self-promotion. Indeed, it would be interesting to know what WAV makes of his indiscriminate plundering of the folklore of alien cultures (much less belonging to a German Church). Whilst I might wince at certain aspects of it, I nevertheless acknowledge that even on Native Soil the condition of such folklore is wobbly revivalism to say the least - and, as I say, even back in the day Crawhall's Beuk o' Newcassel Sangs (1888) was a bit of wanton Novocastrian pastiche. But even so I find Conrad's Webpages in this respect (replete with naff graphics, midi musical snatches, and animated figures) offensive to my native-born Geordie soul - and, let's face it, to a more modest aesthetic sensibility as befits the material. The German Church I have no problem with whatsoever, acknowledging the rich cultural mix that is America - nor would I have a problem if Max Hunter had turned up some genuine Northumbrian Folk Songs during his travels in the Ozarks, but I would urge a little more discretion in dealing with the cultural treasures & traditions of other lands. Moderation is the key here; moderation in all things - and respect, where respect is undoubtedly due.