As a club host I don't know of any 'banned' songs, certainly wouldn't have that in our club! especially as I've performed both Fields Of Athenry and Wild Rover in the last month! But very much agree Athenry is done to death among others. If I hear another rendition of Hotel California I think I'll go insane, not only is it over done but one of the early examples of the dreadful cross over country, cross over into garbage in my opinion. Not only is it boring but everyone does it exactly the same old way,only once in 40 years in Folk music have I just once heard someone try do it a bit differently.

I've heard that Ralph McTell will no longer do Folk clubs, I wonder if that's because he's as sick of hearing Streets Of London as I am, ok it WAS a good song then, but now it's just the Folk version of the bloody Birdy song!

As if to add to my suffering, I recently agreed our Club will have a Dylan theme song night on May 25th in honour of his birthday. Now I think Dylan is a genius and could watch him sing all night. But Gawd why do so many of you come to the club insistent on doing the longest Dylan epic you can find baffles me, so it gives you extra minutes on stage, but in the process give the poor old Host apoplexy having to hope you'll ge your tuning done before midnight let alone finish the song. So far I have a minimum 31 Dylan songs to listen to on the night, I've sensibly arranged a holiday afterwards, to Ireland where I think I'll leave out Fields of Athenry ;)