"But for a collector like Jim to say there is no mediation in his work,"
Not the way Harker used the term an how it is been suggested here Joe
Some of Harkers supporters have openly suggested that how we have presented our singers views is untrustworthy
Harker based his book on that premise when he chose the title 'Fakelore'
We passed on what we got and, when it became uncomfortable for one poster, she went as far as to say the singer had no claim to being a source singer and had been hyped into one by a revival plot - it's all up for the reading
For the average, non-academic folkie 'Mediation' is what you do to stop a fight - nothing to do with our music - I'd never come across the term used in this way until this melee
If we want to make these discussions all-inclusive they need to be in a language understands and agrees on otherwise they become exclusive clubs
Jim