I do keep looking in on this thread for a giggle.

PFR - Brilliant idea. I'm off to write some stinking bishop for the folk club I am at tonight.

Lovely to see Jim reckoning if you haven't been around as long as him your opinion is shit. Do back off Jim. Your knowledge of your small section of folk is quite good as far as it goes but you do yourself no favours judging the wonderful wide genre of folk by it.

If I thought people would enjoy my own modest contributions more by wearing my trousers up to my tits I would do so. Mind you, a mate said I was living the dream by wearing a waistcoat on stage whereas to be fair, it was there to a) disguise the beer gut and b) handy little pockets for finger picks, capo etc.

I haven't laughed so much since a certain "living the dream" announced at a festival that the next song was one that he learned at his mother's knee. Then proceeded to sing a John Connolly song.....

Luckily, I am heartened by the exciting revival in folk and roots music by a much younger generation. Even only last night at a club, the highlight for me was a young lady in her early '20s singing wonderful interpretations of a few traditional songs plus a couple of her own compositions. Living folk, if you ask me.