Observer seems to sum up pretty much what I believe to be the truth and the problem
Our folk music was, among many other things, an enjoyable exercise in social intercourse, a way of coming together, not just to listen and to perform a music we had found (or had been given by those who found it for us) but to share it, pass it on and give it a future
We did that by talking about it, arguing its finer points and taking in what each other had to say, and (with a few notable exceptions) to remain respectful of each other while we did so
THat seems to have one with the clubs - I have never encountered such waves of bitter contempt from people I though I shared a love with as I ahve here
I have witnessed ageism, suggestions that, as I no longer live in Britain what I have to say about a music I have devoted my life to is no longer valid, dishonest accusations of being a racist by someone who refuses to qualify what I am being accused of....
Not so long ago I was accused of personally insulting people because I criticise the action (or the inaction) of EFDSS and saying what I thought about singers performances.... a list of ten so called personal insults someone who I once respacted put up
Like any art form, folk song should thrive on critical analysis - unfortunately Alex Campbell's "Good enough for folk song" seems to have won the day

Mve from folk clun to the impersonality and irregularity of festivals, concerts and what the media hashed up was bad enough - but I-pods COME ON
Over the last few weeks I and many millions of others have been screaming up the wall because we have been deprived of human contact - now there is a gleeful rush to sentence our music to a life (if that's what you dare call it) of social isolation
I wonder how many would be as happy to see live theatre, football and all other sports and pleasures we have always enjoyed suddenly shrink in size to fit it onto a small, plastic screen
Maybe there is a mjority for that, I'm rapidly beginning to cease to understand what's happening to our once vital enjoyable world
Jim Carroll




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