I emerged from New Milton Records excitedly clutching a cassette which 20 minutes later was ready to blast across the neighbourhoods’ back gardens. I thought I’d bought Southamptons’answer to The Cropdusters - The Men They Couldn’t Hang. I hadn’t - I’d bought Men Without Hats ….😩
I'm so glad at last to have watched the series. Fairport, Sandy Denny, Steeleye Span , Alex Campbell, Ralph McTell were obviously very fringe to the folk scene and I had always thought they were quite prominent. The commentary (not the artists themselves) is slightly patronizing and Very bizzare. Worth watching despite its many flaws and absences.
Thanks for this. My way into this as a born on the west coast Canadian is through hearing the Carthys, the Watersons, Billy Bragg, the Waterboys as a a young adult. This music still matters to me, as it reminds me that music of my heritage can be punk-folk-relevant and meaningful still in this collapsing capitalist world we’re all caught up in. We keep inspiring each other’s stories. May it go on!
The best English folk singer I have heard certainly in the last 30 years is Robb Johnson. I don't know if he got a mention in the rest of the piece I got a bit bored after Dick Gaughan and Christie Moore were on. I know it's about British folk music but music has no nationality. Probably put a Phil Ochs album on now to recover.
I've watched all three parts. Very interesting and informative. However, I can't believe there's barely a mention of Ralph MacTell. Also far too much attention paid to Ewan MacColl whose absurd "purist" (fascist) attitude turned many people away from the folk scene.
I find it unfortunate that the series focuses primarily on singers and song, and largely ignores the rich instrumental traditions--and its interpreters--from Ireland and Scotland; not one mention of the Chieftains, Planxty, The Bothy Band, or Silly Wizard, who were pivotal in bringing session and ceilidh tunes to a new generation. Even with regard to singers, I cannot imagine a history of British folk music without any mention of Andy M. Stewart, Scotland's bard second only to Robert Burns.
The makers of this film skipped over about 10 years of the British Celtic folk revival. No Bothy Band, Clannad, Battlefield Band, Tannahill Weavers, Planxty, Jock Tamson Bairns, Silly Wizard, Archie Fisher, Ossian, Mary Black, June Tabor, Dougie Maclean, Dick Gaughan, De Danann, The Clancy Brothers, Boys of the Lough, and more? That seems an idiotic blunder.
The best English folk singer of the last 30 years is Robb Johnson. I don't know if he got a mention i got a bit bored after Dick Gaughan and Christie Moore had been on.
Oh dear, this 3 parter is another rehash of the popular myth that folk music is 'the music of the people' and in some way connected with protest and struggle. Well some of it is, but the collection of folk music has been highly mediated by the viewpoints of the collectors, who were predominantly vaguely left-wing middle classers. Have a listen to Ewan McColl's 'Ballad of Stalin' (coincidentally, released in 1956, the same year as the USSR annexed Hungary) if you want an insight into the politicisation of folk music. Among other things, the folk song collectors only set down a subset of the songs sung they heard (omitting, for example, the popular songs of the day, which were in the repertoire of many of the people they collected from) and generally collected from rural singers (ever wondered why there are so few collections of folksongs from London?) And so it remains today. Folk song is overwhelmingly the child of middle class parents, who want it to be worthy. That's a good aim, but it's just one lens, and seems to fall into the trap Martin Carthy suggests - patronising of the singers and the songs, this time by trying to make their songs fit a predetermined purpose. Did you all miss the bit on episode 2 where Joe Boyd said that the folk establishment started to get worried when Dylan (all their birthdays) began to stray from the protest line 'and things were never the same'. Joe is perhaps the most thoughtful commentator of modern folk song, but the influence of the collectors' backgrounds and politics has been discussed by many writers on the issue. Not much at the BBC, I note.
It's like there's this big ongoing debate in English folk. Is it folk? Isnt it? I dont think this goes on in the irish trad scene -- i mean you do get very traditional musicians breaking out of the mould and playing with "modern" musicians (e.g. Cormac Begley) where theres a bit of debate, like "what's this crap?!" Lol. But, i think the tradition is so alive in ireland, its no big deal if it gets used or (in someone's opinion) abused.
I remember the miners on Henry street Dublin, genuine solidarity from the Irish.
I emerged from New Milton Records excitedly clutching a cassette which 20 minutes later was ready to blast across the neighbourhoods’ back gardens. I thought I’d bought Southamptons’answer to The Cropdusters - The Men They Couldn’t Hang. I hadn’t - I’d bought Men Without Hats ….😩
I'm so glad at last to have watched the series. Fairport, Sandy Denny, Steeleye Span , Alex Campbell, Ralph McTell were obviously very fringe to the folk scene and I had always thought they were quite prominent. The commentary (not the artists themselves) is slightly patronizing and Very bizzare. Worth watching despite its many flaws and absences.
Thanks for this. My way into this as a born on the west coast Canadian is through hearing the Carthys, the Watersons, Billy Bragg, the Waterboys as a a young adult. This music still matters to me, as it reminds me that music of my heritage can be punk-folk-relevant and meaningful still in this collapsing capitalist world we’re all caught up in. We keep inspiring each other’s stories. May it go on!
Great to see CHRISTY MOORE
The best English folk singer I have heard certainly in the last 30 years is Robb Johnson. I don't know if he got a mention in the rest of the piece I got a bit bored after Dick Gaughan and Christie Moore were on. I know it's about British folk music but music has no nationality. Probably put a Phil Ochs album on now to recover.
I've watched all three parts. Very interesting and informative. However, I can't believe there's barely a mention of Ralph MacTell. Also far too much attention paid to Ewan MacColl whose absurd "purist" (fascist) attitude turned many people away from the folk scene.
I find it unfortunate that the series focuses primarily on singers and song, and largely ignores the rich instrumental traditions--and its interpreters--from Ireland and Scotland; not one mention of the Chieftains, Planxty, The Bothy Band, or Silly Wizard, who were pivotal in bringing session and ceilidh tunes to a new generation. Even with regard to singers, I cannot imagine a history of British folk music without any mention of Andy M. Stewart, Scotland's bard second only to Robert Burns.
All the variations of folk music today emanate from the foundation work of Bert Lloyd and Ewan MacColl.
The makers of this film skipped over about 10 years of the British Celtic folk revival. No Bothy Band, Clannad, Battlefield Band, Tannahill Weavers, Planxty, Jock Tamson Bairns, Silly Wizard, Archie Fisher, Ossian, Mary Black, June Tabor, Dougie Maclean, Dick Gaughan, De Danann, The Clancy Brothers, Boys of the Lough, and more? That seems an idiotic blunder.
The best English folk singer of the last 30 years is Robb Johnson. I don't know if he got a mention i got a bit bored after Dick Gaughan and Christie Moore had been on.
Oh dear, this 3 parter is another rehash of the popular myth that folk music is 'the music of the people' and in some way connected with protest and struggle. Well some of it is, but the collection of folk music has been highly mediated by the viewpoints of the collectors, who were predominantly vaguely left-wing middle classers. Have a listen to Ewan McColl's 'Ballad of Stalin' (coincidentally, released in 1956, the same year as the USSR annexed Hungary) if you want an insight into the politicisation of folk music. Among other things, the folk song collectors only set down a subset of the songs sung they heard (omitting, for example, the popular songs of the day, which were in the repertoire of many of the people they collected from) and generally collected from rural singers (ever wondered why there are so few collections of folksongs from London?) And so it remains today. Folk song is overwhelmingly the child of middle class parents, who want it to be worthy. That's a good aim, but it's just one lens, and seems to fall into the trap Martin Carthy suggests - patronising of the singers and the songs, this time by trying to make their songs fit a predetermined purpose. Did you all miss the bit on episode 2 where Joe Boyd said that the folk establishment started to get worried when Dylan (all their birthdays) began to stray from the protest line 'and things were never the same'. Joe is perhaps the most thoughtful commentator of modern folk song, but the influence of the collectors' backgrounds and politics has been discussed by many writers on the issue. Not much at the BBC, I note.
Very good but a little bit English dominated.
What does Billy Bragg mean when he says English music is beardy???
I take first prize cos I spotted Terry Pratchett and you didn't.
It's like there's this big ongoing debate in English folk. Is it folk? Isnt it? I dont think this goes on in the irish trad scene -- i mean you do get very traditional musicians breaking out of the mould and playing with "modern" musicians (e.g. Cormac Begley) where theres a bit of debate, like "what's this crap?!" Lol. But, i think the tradition is so alive in ireland, its no big deal if it gets used or (in someone's opinion) abused.
22:30
As soon as you see Billy Bragg you know it's a crap documentary. And it was.
whish she could die again and again,again,agin and again what a CLINT
What is it about folk music in the British Isles that they feel it’s ok to use a bloody piano??