(Attempts one last time to get the discussion back on topic and back to some sort of civility, with apols for any part played in disturbing it)

…..

Folk music in the UK is in a good state because of all the recordings that have been done.

This enables stuff to be passed on. To count as folk stuff has to be passed on. Passing on the songs was never just a favourable aspect of the tradition - IT WAS THE TRADITION, and without it, our song tradition would be very much impoverished - non-existent even.

Aural and visual recording has become a part of the passing-on process, whether we like it or not.

Worth a thought?