"Well, since none of you are brave enough to tell it like it is, here goes."

Wow, you're really brave, Poxicat. I wish I was as brave as you. I just hope that one day I too will be able to summon up the noble courageousness to use phrases like "Epic Fail" in an anonymous post on an internet forum.

@Gwilym - Don't see why you couldn't get some folk club gigs. Don't see why they shouldn't be paid. You strike me as a performer in the full-voiced tradition of John Kirkpatrick or Roy Harris. I've seen some better performers at folk clubs but I've also seen a lot, lot worse. (Among them several big names who routinely play towards the top of bills at Cambridge, Sidmouth etc) Best of luck to you.