By the way Bryan
At he risk of nipping the start of a beautiful friendship in the bud
"You seem to have conceded everything I've been saying"
I have conceded nothing.
I have never at any time promoted a'folk-only' club.
Since day one of my involvement I have sung and have enjoyed newly composed songs written using folk forms.
When I joined the Critics group I was plunged into songwriting workshops run bt Ewan and Peggy - tried my hand at sever of my own, but didn't have what it takes.
I admit, I was taken anback when I first heard Ewan express the opinion that, "without new songs the revival would be little more than a museum" - but it didn't take me too long to change my mind at that one.
My objection has been from the beginning and remains, that club after club I stopped going to no longer presented anything resembling folk song.
It was summed up perfectly for me one time when we had booked Walter Pardon for The Singers and Pat rang around several clubs in the South East area to see if she couldn't get him a couple more to make the trip worth his while.
On spec, she rang one and asked did they want to book him.
The nice lady on the other end said she had never heard of him and cou[ld Pat explain what Walter did.
Pat explained who he was, told her of his experience at clubs and the half dozen solo albums he had made.
"Sorry", came the reply, "we only book folk singers".
Nuff sed.
Jim Carroll