"Wheras your list of attraction - nice guys I'm sure, but they belong as the entertainment for a parents evening at a primary school. They'd go down a bomb with that middle class audience that wants to go home and watch Eastenders. To inspire the poets and dreamers to take up gitars and mandolins and bodhrans and fiddles - and walk on water, you need something a little more"


So you're telling me you've listened to them all, Al? You can define their audience as for parents' evenings at primary schools, when some of them, for example, are the finest representatives of the folk traditions of their respective countries, but are mixing their music with new genres and taking it out to young audiences? Or have you simply written them off because you've not heard of them?

I think what you're actually saying, Al, is that you can't be arsed to find out what these people actually play and whether it's any good, but you've decided to dismiss a bunch of excellent artists whose music you don't even know. How does that make you any better than the "Mafia" who have destroyed these various careers that you speak of?

Maybe that's the difference between you and me: I actually listen to something before I decide whether I like it or not. And I'll tell you what: come up to the Bulverton this year and see a thousand kids jumping up and down in total joy watching The Usual Suspects, or The Chair, or Anxo Lorenzo. Then tell me this is music for parents' evenings down the local school.

Unfortunately, the ticket-buying public seem to really like what we're doing, Al. I'm sorry to disappoint, but there it is: sales growing year on year, with 12,000 tickets sold last year. But as I say - if you think there's a better way, and better bands out there, no one is stopping you putting them on. Go for it. I'll totally buy a ticket - I like to support other organisers, and I'd be genuinely interested to check out your event.