May I also suggest that there's a hint that certain professional musicians (like Roy Harper, perhaps?) may be looking for someone to blame for their own lack of commercial success? The fact is that the 'music biz' is a highly competitive and precarious one and there are bound to be casualties, even among the most talented. To pour all the blame on a tiny minority, of largely amateur trad. music fans is ludicrous!

The fact is that I don't feel the least bit guilty about my musical interests - and if I had to choose whether to listen to a talented singer-songwriter or an equally talented performer of trad. material I would probably choose the latter - it's my choice, after all! Nevertheless, if a singer-song writer presented his/her work at a folk venue at which I was present I would give it all the attention and respect that it deserves. I insist that I'm not prejudiced - but I do have preferences.