No, I think the London thing is a bit like the Parisian thing used to be in France - superior to anything provincial with an insurmountable wall between the two.

 

 

I used to go along o The Free Trade Hall in Manchester for classical concerts - there was no way they'd be better in London but, I did see some travelling plays tha were dire.

I should have said "thought to be superior" and therefore more worthy to wangle tickets for to review. Why bother travelling to those far away places oop North?

Because it's important to the people who live there? Oh sorry, they don't matter.

Precisely the attitude which pervades our 'national' press.

When I was a kid there was a lot of anti - south feeling but, it seems that most of it has gone now.

I think the North -South divide did actually exist and there was a huge gulf economically between the two in Mrs Thatcher's time. There was a feeling that those living in the comparative comfort of the South were totally bereft of any compassion for the thousands whose jobs were going forever or being transferred South because of decisions taken in offices hundreds of miles away or by the government. I could see their point, watching the brokers and such from Docklands etc. flaunting their wealth and not giving a toss about anyone but themselves. That's when the "money money money" attitude took hold in the UK and people would do anything to get it.

 

I'm not aware of a North-South divide now. The them/us flak seems to have shifted to economic migrants from Europe.

 

Scotland and England still sabre rattle a bit but much of it is in jest.

 

 

My family is spread over Britain and so are a lot of oher people's and that helps too.

I do think a lot of Scottish artists suffer because the national papers which have Scottish versions make room in their English editions for other stuff by cutting the Scottish coverage out. I'm sure the same must happen in NI and Wales.

 

That's why I think it's so very wrong of the DR to do the same.

It is a shame. I think Darius should have the same coverage in all the UK. English bor and US born seem to.

Amy McDonald and KT Tunstall would get more interest down south if they shed some clothes and started partying hard, because who they're going out with, what they wear and how much they weigh are the only topics which will get talented Scottish singers major coverage. Hugely successful albums rate a few lines only.

Unless it's combined with drug and drink - then the album is mentioned in the background