Well, it's taken me about an hour to wade through this whole thread and what a journey it's been!

I'm personaly feeling quite positive about the youth scene at the moment, some observations:

term 'Folk music' as a context for playing music socially, there is certainly a strong tune session culture aroung festivals and in cities, events for young people to go and play together are frequently organised by young people and publicised through their means of communication. ie postings on Bigsession, word of mouth, email contacts. Interesting to point out - folk clubs were quite an underground scene in the 60's - do you think things aren't happening, just because you don't see it. As a 'way of life' young people see the value of playing music for the sake of playing music - although there is quite a wave of young superstars on the folk scene it doesn't mean the value of context is lost to us.

I am a member of 'The Witches of Elswick' we are a four part a cappela group, all under 30 and we're bookied at quite a few festivals and clubs, Spiers and Boden (previously mentioned on this thread) are also a 'professional' folk act ie have CDs out, play for money etc... My point is, that though we all ploay on the stage, nothing in a million years would stop us from singing in the pub on a regular basis - for fun like, y'know.

Second point: term 'Traditional music' as a repertoire or body of material is also in a quite healthy state at present IMO. As I've stated on a different thread, I think there is a dearth of young songwriters - there isn't however a lack of singers, so the songs are absolutly being perpetuated, some real old trad stuff, some writen in the seventies, but the proccess is continuing, and people, are very happy to look through the old books and find gems of history.

New songwriters such as Rose Kemp (refered to earlier) are present and involved in the scene. Although her songs are good, I personaly don't feel they are a part of traditional/folk music genra (yet?) The context they are writen for and their form/content feel quite alien to me.

One last point, someone said earlier (sorry can't remember who and it's taken me so long to get here I can't look back now...) that you don't get English music at Weddings, that people would laugh at the idea. Ceilidh bands I know turn offers of work down all the time for weddings. People can't get enough of it - and thats not hardcore folkies - thats everyday young people wanting to celebrate the most important day of their life with everyone enjoying themselves and folk dancing is what they want.

So Thats what came out of my head from reading this thread. Its quite cathartic this discussion forum thing - Mike o'North.. you know you like to pontificate along with the best of us!

Fay x