"I doubt The Irish Times "
None so convenient as those you wish to doubt, as they should have said
Lat'e be clear about this
We weer involved in the music with out aspiring to make a careere out of it
Robert Zimmermann (real name) was involved as a step on te road to fame
So we should shed tears fpr someone stugglibng to hget to the top on songs of the tarvails of black people, who is more concerned about getting to the top using those songs
I was just out of my apprenticeship at the time and was struggling to pay my way at home, yet me and many more also had to find the fares to Aldermaston to try stop the nuclear madness, and South Wales and Faslane to stop Britain being used as a US Nuclear base
And pay what we ddi to keep up with our involvement in the musiC
Sorry - not many tears for Booby ran down my cheeks, especially as I am now being asked to be happy that the clubs should now stand aside for the scene to become something for young people who want to make careers and win prizes

"Truly listening to music and engaging emotionally/intellectually with it,
is far from being a mere passive recipient... "
Are you serious ?
That is exactly what it is
We set up the folk scene to give people the opportunbity to play an active part in our art
We could have satyed and got Emotionally amd intellectually involved in Max Bygraves
Must go - folk song proper calls
Jim