should the BBC folk awards be scrapped

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: GUEST,baz parkes
Date: 19 Feb 09 - 07:12 AM

I would like to nominate Barry Lister for the "Makes the Best Gin and Tonic" award.

It's as valid as a lot of the stuff on this thread.

Baz

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: The Sandman
Date: 19 Feb 09 - 07:09 AM

I said GOOD POINT,by that I mean worthy of discussion.
there is no evidence at all,thsat the BBC FOLKAWARDS,are connected in any way to back scratching, networking or jobs for the boys,and neither did I say at any time that this was the case.here were my words
Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: Captain Birdseye - PM
Date: 19 Feb 09 - 04:55 AM

mbs george ,good point.
unfortunately. the folkworld like the pop world,and probably every other musical genre is full of jobs for the boys,networking ,backscratching etc etc.

Post - Top - Forum Home - Printer Friendly - Translate
Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: Captain Birdseye - PM
Date: 19 Feb 09 - 05:09 AM

to clarify,my previous remarks were general observations,not aimed at any particular people.
to continue
To pretend that back scratching,jobs for the boys, does not exist on the folk scene is dishonest.
to clarify further, I repeat,I did not say that the winners of the bbc folk awards,had not deserved their awards.,or had obtained them through any dishonest means.
the folk awards ,are the subjective opinions of a number of judges,who all have strong folksong connections,and who are all very experienced ,however [imo]these competitions are not the best way to promote folk music on the air,and are not [imo],the best way to rectify the weaknesses of the folk club/festival scene.
have a look at Irish radio and Television broadcasting,and you wil see much more air play given to folk music,without the need for vacuous competitions.

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: TheSnail
Date: 19 Feb 09 - 07:03 AM

I don't think anyone has suggested that The Claque should have won an award, quite the opposite in fact. Faye's original point was that trying to compare two widely different groups such as, for instance, Lau and The Claque was a matter of taste and made the award for "best" meaningless.

I expressed the opinion that it was curious that the organiser of a major folk club had never heard of The Claque. Perhaps he'll seek them out now.

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: The Sandman
Date: 19 Feb 09 - 06:48 AM

I am not doing down anyone Jim,because as I said it was a general observation,not aimed at any particular people.
Why dont you read my two posts again.

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: GUEST,Jim Moray
Date: 19 Feb 09 - 06:28 AM

"I just meant that they all seem to be well connected throughout the folk circuit, there aren't many 'unknowns' even if they are not people I have personally come across before."

I think this is because it's a friendly scene. If I hear a record I like then I'll go out of my way to get in contact with the person who made it to say hi. No one stays unknown for long because they get welcomed into the fold very quickly. That's because folk music is populated with (mostly) nice people.

"unfortunately. the folkworld like the pop world,and probably every other musical genre is full of jobs for the boys,networking ,backscratching etc etc."

Sorry Dick, but this is utter rubbish. The acts that you are doing down work incredibly hard and thoroughly deserve the accolades they get. The people at the top of the "pro media-friendly folk" tree (as it were) got there through graft, not "jobs for the boys, networking, backscratching etc" - thats just plain insulting.

The Claque are great and I would recommend them to anyone, but you can't compare them work-wise to someone like Lau who are playing nearly every day somewhere in the world and live out of a suitcase. At one stage Jon Boden was doing 250+ gigs a year - thats five days a week non-stop away from home, with hundreds of miles of motorway driving every single day. There is, therefore, a reason why it was him I saw holding 700 frenzied people in the palm of his hand last night and not Barry Lister.

If anyone wants to know the secret handshake to the "inner circle" I can tell you right now - play as many gigs as you can, be nice to everyone you meet (you never know who'll turn out to be important further down the line) and make records that ordinary people want to buy. Good luck - I look forward to seeing all of you at the Folk Awards next year.

"Jim Moray of course already had two Folk Awards (Horizon and Best Album) from a previous year, while Chris Wood also won Best Contemporary Song for One In A Million a couple of years back and also won an award last year as part of The Imagined Village."

Yes, but I didn't win an award - Andy Partridge did.

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: GUEST,Liam
Date: 19 Feb 09 - 05:43 AM

Jim Moray of course already had two Folk Awards (Horizon and Best Album) from a previous year, while Chris Wood also won Best Contemporary Song for One In A Million a couple of years back and also won an award last year as part of The Imagined Village.

You could draw a wonderful "Folk Family Tree" around the relationships between winners and working in or with members of Waterson:Carthy and several other combinations too. You could probably do an even more intriguing one between the raltionships over the years between some of the winners, the voters and those organising the awards.

So, yes there are many interconnections with previous winners, some of which are with those winners themselves on previous occasions.

And No, you are not going to find winners coming from bands who do not get seen or heard by many of the voters, because they neither travel very far or bother themselves to have aa website, MySpace, Facebook etc. People who do that only eventually get widespread recognition through those disciples who do now use 21st century techniques in additionto to the oral tradition.

Perhaps Sidmouth's leading MySpacer should now embrace The Claque and do them one her excellent adoration pages?

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: The Sandman
Date: 19 Feb 09 - 05:09 AM

to clarify,my previous remarks were general observations,not aimed at any particular people.

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: The Sandman
Date: 19 Feb 09 - 04:55 AM

mbs george ,good point.
unfortunately. the folkworld like the pop world,and probably every other musical genre is full of jobs for the boys,networking ,backscratching etc etc.

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: MBSGeorge
Date: 18 Feb 09 - 09:40 PM

I just meant that they all seem to be well connected throughout the folk circuit, there aren't many 'unknowns' even if they are not people I have personally come across before.

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: Folkiedave
Date: 18 Feb 09 - 07:30 PM

Correct me if I'm wrong

You're wrong.

Unless you can tell me which previous winners Lau; Tom McConville; Jim Moray; Demon Barbers and Chris Wood are "connected" to....

Jim Moray and Jackie Oates are brother and sister of course, so maybe there is a "connection" there.

It is possible to find a connection - they have all made records for example. Is that what you meant?

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: GUEST,Smokey
Date: 18 Feb 09 - 06:47 PM

the amount shown in Britain on all channels is Minescule compared to Irish Television,which has fewer licence payers[smaller population].
meanwhile Irish radio presents a lot of traditional music.
I rest my case .

The same could be said of Scotland, though perhaps to a lesser degree. Maybe it's something to do with quality and popularity.

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: MBSGeorge
Date: 18 Feb 09 - 05:51 PM

Correct me if I'm wrong but it seems to me to be only those who are connected to previous winners that get anywhere with these sorts of things and I for one am fed up with any BBC television programmes on folk because they have interviews with the same group of well connected folkies on the 'scene'.

More variety please.

G x

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: DMcG
Date: 18 Feb 09 - 05:13 PM

I rest my case

I very much doubt it!

:-)

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: The Sandman
Date: 18 Feb 09 - 04:53 PM

meanwhile, commercial irish television,shows plenty of good quality folk music,
tonight Nicolas Carolan ,presented Siar an Bothar.
so it doesnt follow that because television is commercial it doesnt present folk/roots /traditional music .
and the amount shown in Britain on all channels is Minescule compared to Irish Television,which has fewer licence payers[smaller population].
meanwhile Irish radio presents a lot of traditional music.
I rest my case .

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: GUEST,Phil Beer
Date: 18 Feb 09 - 04:47 PM

To enlighten everyone further. This is how I came to connect with Jackie. Barry Lister (of Claque notoriety) Mentioned to Mr Mick Burch (Local musician, staunch supporter of the Topsham folk club and founder of the Barnfield open mic nights and owner of the property where our own 'Riverside' studio is located) that a young musician called Jackie needed to record some songs on a very limited budget. Barry and Mick are people whose judgements I have a profound respect for and I said yes. Jackie turned up and within ten minutes, I knew I was listening to something utterly compelling, the like of which I had not encountered for a very long time. At the end of the session, I told her to keep her hard earned cash and we continued (over a lengthy period whenever I had time) to develop these recordings until we had the first album in the bag. Its as simple as that. Its great to think that Barry can still exert that influence even after all these years. (Tips forelock reverently)

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: GUEST,ALAN PARGITER
Date: 18 Feb 09 - 04:30 PM

There must be something about these Claque fellows.Not only does Phil Beer cite them as an influence when he was but a lad,but I notice that Jackie Oates,who is as new as you can get,has them as influential on her My Space pages.That's some long time to be an influence.

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: GUEST,John from Kemsing
Date: 18 Feb 09 - 04:00 PM

Captain Birdseye,
                Umpteen years of ITV(Independent commercial broadcasting) in Britain is enough "proof" to demonstrate my point. The number of folk music orientated programmes put out on the ITV channels since its` inception cannot amount to many compared to what I`ve seen on the BBC, t.v. and radio.

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: DMcG
Date: 18 Feb 09 - 03:32 PM

I've said what I intended to so I don't see much point repeating it. But the reference to Reith and the educational aspect is not as simple as it appears. Your definition of 'educational' may be significantly different to Reiths.

I don't really know anything about RTE beyond the fact the politics at the time it was founded, those in place when the BBC was founded and for the BBC now are all quite different and [in my judgement] quite enough to account for the different approaches.

In any case, it seems absurd to me to propose a major reorganisation of the BBC including Acts of Parliament given what you want to achieve. You will have to find another way to fund it, I fear.

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: The Sandman
Date: 18 Feb 09 - 02:41 PM

Diane Easby,I hope thats not Ageism .
maybe she should rename your group, four old blokes who are not exciting .

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: GUEST,The Claque
Date: 18 Feb 09 - 02:20 PM

In response to Diane Easby.
Surely this lady is mistaking us for somebody else!
I cant imagine that there can be anyone more exciting than us!

Sean O'Shea,The Claque

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: The Sandman
Date: 18 Feb 09 - 01:33 PM

well take a look at RTE,It is a state run company it uses adverts,and it promotes folk music .
the BBC needs to take agood look at itself .
the BBC used to have a remit,to be educational[check out Reith] .Iunderstand perfectly well what the bbbc is /was and has noew become,
Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: GUEST,John from Kemsing - PM
Date: 18 Feb 09 - 12:12 PM

Absolutely right DMcG. The advertisers would demand even more banal programming to attract the audience they seek and that certainly would not include items for folk music enthusiasts.[can you prove this?]
so why are RTE able to do it ,remember the population of Ireland is much smaller, so less licence payers .

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: GUEST,Jim Knowledge
Date: 18 Feb 09 - 12:28 PM

I `ad that meejah mogul Murdoch in my cab the other day. `e `ad `is `ead well into this folk song book and `umming a few tunes.
I said, "What`s got you so engrossed then?"
`e said, " Jones`s Ale"
I said, "What, you gonna learn it up and do it at a club, or something?"
`e said, "Nah, we`re featuring on some folk music t.v. programme tonight and I`m gonna get `em to change it to `Fosters XXXX`!!"

Whaddam I Like??

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: DMcG
Date: 18 Feb 09 - 12:26 PM

I should have been clearer, as usual, on the advertising rules but rather than try again here's the BBC statement on advertising.

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: GUEST,John from Kemsing
Date: 18 Feb 09 - 12:12 PM

Absolutely right DMcG. The advertisers would demand even more banal programming to attract the audience they seek and that certainly would not include items for folk music enthusiasts.

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: Rifleman (inactive)
Date: 18 Feb 09 - 12:06 PM

Actually the BBC uses advertising on the "world edition" of their website, so it cannot be said the 'theBeeb' is entirely commercial free. Indeed I agree with DMcG in the statement regarding

"And what makes you think it is the remit of the BBC to *promote* folk music or anything else?"

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: DMcG
Date: 18 Feb 09 - 11:17 AM

I'm not sure you understand what the BBC is, Captain. For a start, it has a different legal structure to most broadcasters and a charter that prohibits the advertising you suggest. If it did accept paid advertisements, it would be extremely difficult to justify also having a licence fee, so you are essentially talking about disbanding the BBC as a broadcaster, at least in anything like its current form. But even if there was a way to square the circle, why should the advertising revenue end up subsiding folk? That sort of hypothecation does not happen with any of the other channels. And what makes you think it is the remit of the BBC to *promote* folk music or anything else?

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: The Sandman
Date: 18 Feb 09 - 10:24 AM

my points are thess ,
1 .is it the best way the BBC can promote folk music[My answer is NO]
2.an alternative folk programme,aimed at improving the weaknesses of the folk club scene[ie instrument/singing workshops,in the style of the BBC hold down a chord]would serve the folkscene better.,and help to raise standards,where they need to be raised.
3 Extra funding,can be obtained,through the BBC, adopting commercial breaks between programmes.

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: Musket
Date: 18 Feb 09 - 10:13 AM

I listen to a programme and hear good music.

Sorted.

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 18 Feb 09 - 09:03 AM

I have mixed feelings...

On the minus side there is the risk that media producers could look at the awards as the be-all and end-all of everything folk, thus marginalising everything that is below the surface - not just on the professional circuit, but also the social circuit (including clubs, sessions, ritual, dance, etc.). - I did not see the awards so I dont know if there were nominations for best morris side, best dance band, etc.

On the plus, it could do some good if some of the unconverted majority decide to look deeper at what folk is all about and want to know more, and even participate.

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: JHW
Date: 18 Feb 09 - 07:26 AM

"How many more times does this this need to be said?
There is no judging table!! It's a secret ballot."

All explained in a R4 'Feedback' programme a year ago when Seth Lakeman was accused of writing a Traditional song. 160 burghers of the folk 'industry' nominate those for the categories then those same 160 do the voting.

As representative as the Mike Harding show.

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: TheSnail
Date: 18 Feb 09 - 06:14 AM

We've been presenting folk music events most Sundays at the Cabbage Patch Pub in Twickenham since 1983. It's now one of best known and most highly respected folk venues in the London area and takes great pride in presenting an eclectic selection of folk/acoustic acts from all over the world in 'concert' conditions (Your emphasis.)

We put on Lau at our club just over a year ago (supported by Jackie Oates and James Dumbleton). This was before they'd won any folk awards but we still had over a hundred people.

Sounds relatively big to me.

We have all sorts of folk evenings...some big concerts with major names but that's not all we do by any means.

OK, you don't do it all the time but you can. Our old venue had a maximum capacity of fifty and you really knew when you'd achieved it. Our new room may hold a few more but we haven't had any major events yet; generally numbers in the twenties. In my experience, that is more typical.

I was basically looking for the differences between us that explained how come you've never heard of The Claque.

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: evansakes
Date: 18 Feb 09 - 03:18 AM

The Snail said "I was going by Twickfolk's own description. It sounds relatively big and concertlike compared with most folk clubs I've come across"

What a hoot! Where did you read that, Snail?

Nothing wrong with putting on events as a concert though. We approve of that.

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: Folkiedave
Date: 17 Feb 09 - 06:03 PM

I think there is also an assumption as well - that they - the band WANT to be a big national name. Some do - some don't.

There are a lot of downsides to being a "name" as well as upsides.

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: Howard Jones
Date: 17 Feb 09 - 02:16 PM

Groups like the Claque are typical of many performers on the folk scene - very good at what they do, but operating in a limited geographical area. In some cases they would be more than capable of holding their own on a national stage, but for various reasons - day jobs, family commitments etc - they choose to keep it as, essentially, a part-time hobby. Performers like this, who don't get widespread exposure, simply aren't going to appear on the radar of national folk awards, no matter how good they are.

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: TheSnail
Date: 17 Feb 09 - 11:20 AM

I was going by Twickfolk's own description. It sounds relatively big and concertlike compared with most folk clubs I've come across.

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: GUEST,JM
Date: 17 Feb 09 - 11:06 AM

The Snail said (about Twickfolk) :- Yours is a (relatively) big venue holding concert style performances.

hahahahahaha... (sorry Gerry, couldn't resist)

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: GUEST,Phil Beer
Date: 16 Feb 09 - 07:09 PM

The Claque are a wonderful bunch of veteran unnacompanied singers, two of whom are part of the original group, Isca Fayre, who were residents at the old Jolly Porter folk club in Exeter through the sixties and early seventies. I first heard them when I was sixteen and have been singing songs learnt from them ever since. My version of 'Adieu Sweet lovely Nancy' was originally heard from them as were most of the 'Songs of the west' that I know. They are great blokes and well worth a listen!!

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: GUEST,Smokey
Date: 16 Feb 09 - 06:06 PM

Adverts and 'folk/roots workshops' on the BBC?
Hmm..
Nice to see the weather's cheered up a bit.

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: TheSnail
Date: 16 Feb 09 - 11:37 AM

Sounds excellent, TwickFolk. I'd rather got the impression from your previous posts that if anyone didn't have an award or massive recording deal or a professional management team, they weren't worth considering. Hence your rather dismissive attitude towards The Claque.

Why would I have heard of them?

Isn't that what folk club organisers do, seek out talent to put before their audiences? The world is bigger than YouTube.

I really think you should find out about The Claque. They really are very good and great fun.

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: evansakes
Date: 16 Feb 09 - 10:43 AM

If you were the first to give the Askews a gig we couldn't have been to far behind, Bryan....they got their first chance in Sept 2005 (support to Nancy Kerr & James Fagan) and their first headliner the following summer. We're also fully committed to giving young up-and-coming names a chance and have consistently done so...the first time Jim Moray came in July 2003 was the first proper gig he'd ever had in a folk club (before his debut album was released).

We have all sorts of folk evenings...some big concerts with major names but that's not all we do by any means. Last night we had a simple but wonderful singaround....during the course of the evening we had some Andean music by a Peruvian duo playing guitar and charrango, a primitive blues version of 'Who Do You Love' on resonator guitar, Gerry Milne playing traditional songs on his concertina, a ten year old lad singing Weird Al Yankovic's 'eBay' (a parody of a Backstreet Boys hit so I'm told). Everybody enjoyed everyone's contribution, embracing and celebrating the different music on offer....we even had Gerry Milne jamming along on a Everly's style close harmony version of a Razorlight song. No kidding! Eclectic...but all good!

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: TheSnail
Date: 16 Feb 09 - 10:01 AM

TwickFolk

Re The Claque. No, I haven't heard of them....judging from the mollusc's reaction this is obviously to my eternal shame

Well, I wouldn't put it quite that strongly, I just found it a little surprising that a folk club organiser in the south of England had never heard of them. (Sorry about the "north of the Thames" crack; it was irresistable.)

I was more concerned with what point you were trying to make when you said "Who?". Of course Lau are excellent and nobody could possibly begrudge them their award but the implication of your last posting was that they won not through their talent but because they had a pushy agent and a powerful publicity machine. Apparently you can only get your profile raised by an award if you've already got a high profile. I doubt if The Claque are losing much sleep about not winning anything.

We do seem to move in different worlds. Yours is a (relatively) big venue holding concert style performances. Those of us with more modest ambitions need to look further afield than awards ceremonies and the internet. MySpace and YouTube can never give a real feel for what a performer is like in front of a live audience and by getting out and about, we find some real gems.

Nobody, at least not in folk, can leap to instant stardom. They need to serve their apprenticeship somewhere and that is the function of grass-roots clubs like ours. I notice you've got the Askew Sisters booked for the 29th March. Excellent choice. We gave them their first folk club booking a few years ago.

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: The Sandman
Date: 16 Feb 09 - 06:52 AM

thats my point,introduce them,and use the revenue to fund workshops on folk /roots music ,and promote the music in other ways other than a vacuous competition .

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: evansakes
Date: 16 Feb 09 - 06:50 AM

Re The Claque. No, I haven't heard of them....judging from the mollusc's reaction this is obviously to my eternal shame but that's hardly the point.

Why would I have heard of them? They never play anywhere near where I go to see gigs, they don't have a website (beyond a page on someone else's) and there's no where like MySpace on the internet that I can actually hear them if I went looking to do so. Good luck to them....I'm sure they're very good but the fact is they're happy to do residencies around their own area and not stray much further apart from the odd festival (and perhaps an occasional pilgrimage to the self-proclaimed epicentre of the folk universe over in East Sussex)

This was the quote from Faye Roche's posting that I was reacting to...

"Of course, opinions are subjective; you can't compare Lau with, for instance, The Claque and say that one is better than the other; it's a matter of taste. That's why the awards are meaningless"

We put on Lau at our club just over a year ago (supported by Jackie Oates and James Dumbleton). This was before they'd won any folk awards but we still had over a hundred people, it was a great success and the event was reviewed very favourably by Robin Denselow in the Guardian a couple of days later. Lau have a vibrant record label, a go-get-em agent, great management and publicity behind them. They play all over the world, tour the country, appear at all sorts of festivals, advertise, get written about. Not only that you can sample their wares on the internet (I'm listening to six preview tracks from their upcoming album on MySpace as I type). In short, they have a professional attitude. Of course none of this would mean a bean if they were rubbish. Fortunately they're not....in fact they're bloody good. When you see them live it's not an experience you forget in a hurry.

Is it really any wonder Lau get acknowledgement in the Folk Awards? ....and that The Claque don't?

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: Folkiedave
Date: 16 Feb 09 - 06:48 AM

Dick,

As far as I know there are no adverts on the BBC.......


I knew I should have gone with the doctor.

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: The Sandman
Date: 16 Feb 09 - 04:04 AM

Dave, increasing the licence fee,is not the only way of raising revenue,If one find advertisements irritating, just turn the sound down and make a hot drink .

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: Folkiedave
Date: 16 Feb 09 - 03:55 AM

Hands up who wants to pay a bigger license fee.

I don't mind - I'd take a one hundred% increase. Course, I don't have a telly so I don't pay one.....

I'll get mi coat...coming doctor.....

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 15 Feb 09 - 07:24 PM

The Claque comprises former members of Isca Fayre and Songwainers, plus Sean O'Shea.....

Kitty

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: TheSnail
Date: 15 Feb 09 - 07:12 PM

Rifleman

there are those who have heard of The Claque and those who haven't

Find them out. You won't regret it.

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: GUEST,Smokey
Date: 15 Feb 09 - 06:55 PM

I think if the BBC were to scrap the folk awards, it's highly likely that they would spend the money on something with more of a majority interest, sadly. I think we are lucky that the Beeb gives 'folk' as much coverage as it does.

Folk music isn't popular, its apparent rise in popularity in the 60's was largely due to the baby-boom providing big enough numbers for marketing people to take an interest. I'd hazard a guess that if the BBC gave it more coverage then, it was because, though obviously not exclusively, they perceived a big enough minority to be worth keeping in front of the box.

Hands up who wants to pay a bigger license fee..

Subject: RE: should the BBC folk awards be scrapped
From: Folkiedave
Date: 15 Feb 09 - 04:33 PM

I drink Adam's Ale these days too - I just happen to like it flavoured with other substances like barley and hops.