We had the pleasure and privilege to have Last Night's Fun come to our local village pub a while ago.
They were telling me that on their recent tour of the Scottish Highlands they were really pleased to see the interest and participation of teenagers in trad. The guys who were regarded as 'cool' weren't the skateboard and baseball cap brigade, or the boy-racers in their street machines, but rather the guys who played good fiddle or pipes.
How refreshing - maybe there's some hope after all !
I dont think so, the day this stuff goes mainstrem is the day I stop playing it. I like the fact it has a closed circle underground feel to it (no jokes about Transport for London) The last thing it needs is some radical media type making it "cool " to the masses.
WARNING: Keep turning up at sessions looking ugly and miserable in flip flops, beards, tweed jackets and smelly shirts, as it helps maintain an uncool image this in turn will keep it Irish Trad Music as opposed to Irish Pop/Trad Music.
Ripthecalico, So I guess you join the ranks of those who think that the Titanic "session" scenes and Riverdance brought a bunch of unwashed masses into our elite clique.
For my part, anything that puts more people into the dance halls, more good music on the radio, and more CDs in the bins at the local store is a good thing. And at my local pub, we are well prepared to deal with poorly informed session "drop-ins", and point them in the right direction if they truly want to participate in this type of music.
Send us your huddled masses yearning for good music!!!!!!!!!
Aren't the unwashed masses the ones who actually PLAY this stuff ? Hasn't scottish music been struggling for generations to rid itself of the idea that speaking gaelic and playing traditional music is the preserve of an elite ? ( I think they're succeeding, by the way ).
Personally I like the idea of being respected for what I do, but, to me, the acid test of any young musician is whether he/she thinks a good tune is one that leaves everyone with mouths agape, or one everyone can join in.
PS many of todays' musicians are in their SIXTIES........just got my Freedom Pass yesterday !
I go to an English session every week or so. The last time I went, a few days ago, there were six men present, and I was the only one of them without a beard (and possibly the oldest too, I think). This isn't unusual at that session. A stranger might well think they had wandered into a meeting of the Ramblers Association .
Ever since I've lived in NE Scotland, well at least since the mid-80s, it's been seen as reasonably cool for young people to form or join trad and ceilidh bands, and even more so in the Highlands and Islands, so there's been a constant stream of them coming through. Maybe it's the journalist who's just discovered it. I suppose they'll be coming up from Sheffield to show the locals how to do it shortly
I'm with Mr. Brown....... the more the merrier I say!
When I'm busking I'm often surprised at how often I run into people who have yet to discover the joys of trad......
We are sooooo hip
We are sooooo hip
Heard this on NPR last night.:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6376567
Ceili bands are now a part of pop culture?!
# Posted on October 25th 2006 by Michele Sims
Re: We are sooooo hip
Hey! It says "ceilidh bands" are hip. And Sheffield is the epicentre!
"Ceili bands" on the other hand, are so five minutes ago
"many of today's musicians are in their 30s" - great to see the young ones coming on eh?
# Posted on October 25th 2006 by Bren
Re: We are sooooo hip
wow- s cutting edge- do I need to dye my hair or make it spikey??
# Posted on October 26th 2006 by I_Fel
Re: We are sooooo hip
We had the pleasure and privilege to have Last Night's Fun come to our local village pub a while ago.
They were telling me that on their recent tour of the Scottish Highlands they were really pleased to see the interest and participation of teenagers in trad. The guys who were regarded as 'cool' weren't the skateboard and baseball cap brigade, or the boy-racers in their street machines, but rather the guys who played good fiddle or pipes.
How refreshing - maybe there's some hope after all !
# Posted on October 26th 2006 by domhnall.
Re: We are so not hip !!!
I dont think so, the day this stuff goes mainstrem is the day I stop playing it. I like the fact it has a closed circle underground feel to it (no jokes about Transport for London) The last thing it needs is some radical media type making it "cool " to the masses.
WARNING: Keep turning up at sessions looking ugly and miserable in flip flops, beards, tweed jackets and smelly shirts, as it helps maintain an uncool image this in turn will keep it Irish Trad Music as opposed to Irish Pop/Trad Music.
# Posted on October 26th 2006 by Ripthecalico
Re: We are sooooo hip
Ripthecalico, So I guess you join the ranks of those who think that the Titanic "session" scenes and Riverdance brought a bunch of unwashed masses into our elite clique.
For my part, anything that puts more people into the dance halls, more good music on the radio, and more CDs in the bins at the local store is a good thing. And at my local pub, we are well prepared to deal with poorly informed session "drop-ins", and point them in the right direction if they truly want to participate in this type of music.
Send us your huddled masses yearning for good music!!!!!!!!!
# Posted on October 26th 2006 by AlBrown
Re: We are sooooo hip
Aren't the unwashed masses the ones who actually PLAY this stuff ? Hasn't scottish music been struggling for generations to rid itself of the idea that speaking gaelic and playing traditional music is the preserve of an elite ? ( I think they're succeeding, by the way ).
Personally I like the idea of being respected for what I do, but, to me, the acid test of any young musician is whether he/she thinks a good tune is one that leaves everyone with mouths agape, or one everyone can join in.
PS many of todays' musicians are in their SIXTIES........just got my Freedom Pass yesterday !
# Posted on October 26th 2006 by Guernsey Pete
Re: We are sooooo hip
I beg your pardon, Al and Pete; I bathe regularly.
It's only my playing that stinks sometimes....
# Posted on October 26th 2006 by Michele Sims
Re: We are sooooo hip
# Posted on October 27th 2006 by AlBrown
Re: We are sooooo hip
I go to an English session every week or so. The last time I went, a few days ago, there were six men present, and I was the only one of them without a beard (and possibly the oldest too, I think). This isn't unusual at that session. A stranger might well think they had wandered into a meeting of the Ramblers Association
.
# Posted on October 27th 2006 by Trevor Jennings
Re: We are sooooo hip
Ever since I've lived in NE Scotland, well at least since the mid-80s, it's been seen as reasonably cool for young people to form or join trad and ceilidh bands, and even more so in the Highlands and Islands, so there's been a constant stream of them coming through. Maybe it's the journalist who's just discovered it. I suppose they'll be coming up from Sheffield to show the locals how to do it shortly
# Posted on October 28th 2006 by Bren
Re: We are sooooo hip
I'm with Mr. Brown....... the more the merrier I say!
When I'm busking I'm often surprised at how often I run into people who have yet to discover the joys of trad......
# Posted on October 31st 2006 by nonesuch