I have said ecxatly not only how the scene has declined but why it has declined - over and over again
It no longer guarantees that a prospective puter will hear a folk song if he or she turns up to a folk club - simple as that
People have written about feeling "out of place" or "unwelcome" if they sing unaccompanied folk songs - one contributor to this forum described ballads as "inappropriate"
Pat pointed out to me last night that a survey was carried out some time in th seventies that suggested there were around 1,600 clubs in Britain - Dave puts up 186 as evidence of a "successful folk scene" - do the math and come back and tell me that is an improvement, or even holding its own
People on this forum, during these exchanges have described the need to set a standard of performance (not particularly high) in folk clubs as "elitism" - the same with the use of crib sheets and mobile pads, rather than learning the words
One of the worst aspects of the scene is the move away from grass-roots, resident based local clubs to festivals and booked guests

If club numbers have fallen to the extent they have and if you can no longer go to the remaining clubs and hear anything resembling folk songs then the scene is not only on the decline, it's on its last legs
When arguments are put up here not just excusing that decline, but justifying it as "success" from people I feel I should be respecting - that confirms it
PLease don't ask me to respond when I've repeateed this over and over again, try responding to what I write instead

As we headed a letter we sent to 'The Living Tradition' some years ago "Where Have All the Folk Songs Gone ?"
Jim Carroll