"Nothing wrong at all with lightweight."
I didn't suggest there was Dave - I too am grateful for the Spinners introduction, but, as I said, it introduced me to a watered down version of a complex and thought consuming music
If it hadn't been for a lucky accident I would have spent a n enjoyable year or so and moved on
The Folk Boom introduced many thousands om people to the same watered down version, lost interest when there was no more profit to be made and found something else to sell, and so did so many of the punters
WE reached a stage in the seventies of a fair number of people going for the real thing - people like George Deacon and Vic Gammon straddled both sides of the fence, performer and researcher - that was my own position.
WE had our own magazines, dozens of them, and a ready outlet for our music and ideas, albums, redio programmes devoted to folk music - most 'easy listening but some serious (I still have recordings of a couple of hundred radio programmes on folk music
Now the performance side has largely been taken from us in what I believe to be a hostile takeover - there are constant complaints on this forum that you can't find clubs to sing or listen to unaccompanied songs anymore
WE can't even discuss traditional song on a forum claiming to be about "Traditional music, collecting and community" without meeting "finger in ear folk police hostility and open abuse
I am involved in one side of the music but I care deeply that people are given the same opportunity I had to enjoy it in all its aspects
The added thing with me that it is a wonderful example of what working people like me are capable of producing
I'm not saying the watered down version shouldn't be there for those who want it, of course I'm not - that has happened here in Ireland and the new scene is now catering for all levels of interest
I refuse to put water in my whisky, why should I need to water down my music?
JIm Carroll