Same with you Vic
You've been round long enough to know that all is not well
I must say that I resent you telling me what I know and don't know. My impression is that the English folk scene in on a high at the moment. A recent club appearance by Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne was magnificent. Amongst the best club performance of traditional ballads, songs and dance tunes that I have ever seen. The new album of traditional tunes by Matt Quinn & Owen Woods is superb. They are second and third generation folkies respectively. I have been inspired to submit five magazine articles on these and other young performers which is more than I wrote all last year. In the last couple of years my attendance at folk clubs has probably increased though I attend and take part in more song and tune sessions than I go to clubs. You will be very pleased to hear that no money changes hands at these well-attended sessions but there a high standard of singing and musicianship. In fact the sessions are just like those mythical long lost days that you were on about earlier before all those nasty professional singers came along. Just like the good old days, eh?
However, we have dissimilar involvements in the current English folk scene so our opinions, viewed from County Sussex and County Clare are bound to be different.

Not sure which side you are on really - the ones that say all (o)is ok or the ones throwing up excuses
Sides? What sides? I am not in anybody's gang. Hopefully folk enthusiasts are all in the same position of working together at our different abilities and contrasting emphases; all part of what Hamish Henderson called 'The Flowing Stream'.

Basically - the problem as I see it is simple - the club sene no longer has a basis in folk
Jim
I think what you meant to say was Basically - the problem as I see it is simple -In my opinion the club s(c)ene no longer has a basis in folk.
Jim