I shall assume, unless Joe Offer explains that this is wrong, that it is acceptable to critique and comment upon the research methods, reasoning, and ideological bias of those who have produced material relating to Walter Pardon, including Jim Carroll.


My view is that it should be possible to offer such a critique without it being taken as a personal assault or responded to as such.

If this assumption is incorrect, I would be happy to hear it, as this would clarify things.

I shall also assume (bearing in mind before anybody raises this, that one should not necessarily be applying aesthetic criteria from what the Americans call 'art music' to vernacular singing, that it is possible and reasonable to offer a view on the quality of Pardon's performances, as these survive via recordings, that is other than adulatory. Again, if this is not acceptable, I should be glad to know it.

@ pfr takes one to know one :)