Pete was always disillusioned with how his art was critcised by the politicos on the scene and his great cycle of songs based on Kipling poems is a forgotten masterpiece. I always wondered how much this played in his decision to take his own life. Politics have long been part of the folk scene and I remember a furious argument I got into with a booked singer at a club when he sang songs about the Whitby whaling trade. To paraphrase one of the masters "I was so much younger then". Unfortunately, too many people let politics get in the way of a good song. Now that I've seen a few more miles, I cringe at that argument and realise what a puffed up little shite I was. Political expression is more than valid through song and the folk revival spawned more than its fair share of activists ( look at Pete Seeger, who I thought hijacked the scene a bit and was far too precious abut HIS politics). Gareth, I have the party planned for when the Queen Bitch dies, I shall book a special flight to the UK just to have the pleasure of pissing on her grave. As Elvis ( Costello) said...tramp the dirt down.