Don McLean playing at the moment, guitar quite out of tune, harsh. But, a few weal kent faces in the crowd, including a sometimes mustard man ;~) hope I haven't missed they're nomination.
So, I'm going to put up with Don and give it an air.....
I'd be interested to hear what others think of this. As to my mind the Radio 2 Folk Awards seem weird :~|
*Quite* out of tune? It was bloody awful! And he tweaked just one string for the second song and it was almost as bad! One of the most unprofessional, p*ss-taking performances I've seen - since Donovan last year, that is!
But the Unthanks and Dubs were wonderful, as was that young Scots fiddle player...
In the past year I've had the pleasure of seeing many of the featured artists live. Brendan/Tim, Bella Hardy (with the wonderful Anna Massie), Martin Simpson, Emily Smith, Steve Tilston and more, and am pleased at this recognition. Frankly, it makes a change from the usual media coverage, who think English folk begins and ends with Carthys (various) and Rusby, and Ireland's with Altan. (And ignore Scotland altogether).
Moore and Sinnott, as always, put in a tremendous live performance. Don McLean should watch, listen and learn.
Age catches up with us all, and for some that includes tuning problems, and I'm just not talkin' 'bout string tensions...
But as to some awful stink with regards to this 2012 exhibition ~ where was a clothes peg when I needed one? I'm just glad I watched it after the fact and could skip through some of the steamy dross, sorry, i meant to say 'shight'... But no, I won't name anyone. Each to their own, but, please, at a distance from my sensitive ears... Now I've got to go shave them...
What was it Don MacLean said ?
"Don, what does American Pie mean ?"
"It means I don't have to work any more."
Or to tune his guitar, obviously. Of course, he comes from the time before guitar tuners were invented.
There are also those who say that the whole Radio2/Mike Harding thing is very cliquey and un-representative of the folk music scene as a whole; Sid Kipper, for instance, has written a song about why won't Mike Harding play any of his records - it worked for Dr Hook, after they wrote "Cover of the Rolling Stone", but obviously not for Sid Kipper.
Personally I pull/learn the odd song off of the Mike Harding Show, but it is only a snapshot of the scene, and a partial one at that, and I'm less enthused and needy about listening to it then I used to be in years gone by. Also I get out more these days.
Thats kind of my take too Pete, although I don't listen to his show.
For me Mike Harding's best work was his book on "North Country Spiders", fly patterns for fishing free stone rivers and streams, on that subject I could listen to him wax all night ;~) Don't think we'd see eye to eye on tunes and players thereof, of chanters come to that......
BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards is a very small and exclusive club, I was amazed at The Dubliners getting an award, it was the only truly deserved one in the show.
And lets face it, Don MacLean ? a lifetime acheivement award for writing 3 pop songs ? do me a favour.
You do wonder when from Eastern Europe, across North America, and beyond, and next door, folks will often say the few names you'd need to know in order to get your foot in the door of things here on this island, meaning that collective term 'Britain'. The problems of arse kissin' aren't limited to here... It's a shame, a disappointment, an embarrassment... But, I've known it elsewhere too, small and large...
"There are also those who say that the whole Radio2/Mike Harding thing is very cliquey and un-representative of the folk music scene as a whole..."
If it is very cliquey and inverted beyond belief, then it seems to me to have the essentials for being thoroughly representative of English folk music scene hell.
But fortunately, like (I believe) Buddhism, the English folk music world has 40,000 hells, not just one. This means no-one need be a total outcast. He or she just has to find admittance to one of them. This renders performance at the Radio 2 Folk Awards or the Cambridge Folk Festival unnecessary.
I'm afraid I find Mike Harding's progs pretty unlistenable. Whenever he says, "Now, this one's an absolute classic..." (or something similar), it's pretty well guaranteed to be an absolute hairball of singer songwriter up-chuck that is as welcome to the sentient as having to gag on a kilo of rancid yard. Really. I used to listen to Folk On Two often enough, so I know...
To Guernsey Pete,
Good point, but none of the members of Doctor Hook wrote The Cover Of The Rolling Stone. It was written by the late Shel Silverstein who also wrote The Unicorn, A Boy Named Sue, the liner notes for Ramblin' Jack's first album and many children's poetry books such as Where The Sidewalk Ends.
Not forgetting "The Lion Who Shot Back"............
How I miss Uncle Shelby.
Incidentally, Sid Kipper, out of greasepaint, still sounds just like Sid Kipper.
Why didn't anyone get an award for the most affected American accent?
Who are "The Judges"?
I asked one of the judges - he said he wasn't allowed to tell me.
For me, the highlight was Steve Knightleys mention of FOLKWAVES, Radio Derby's weekly, award-winning folk programme (the only one in the North of England), which was taken off by the Beeb last year - not enough Derby listeners. Despite having a worldwide following of listeners (2,400 plus).
Radio 2 Folk Awards
Radio 2 Folk Awards
Anyone listening or watching?
Don McLean playing at the moment, guitar quite out of tune, harsh. But, a few weal kent faces in the crowd, including a sometimes mustard man ;~) hope I haven't missed they're nomination.
So, I'm going to put up with Don and give it an air.....
I'd be interested to hear what others think of this. As to my mind the Radio 2 Folk Awards seem weird :~|
# Posted on February 8th 2012 by Solidmahog
Re: Radio 2 Folk Awards
not me - folk awards...hmmm....cliquey back slapping elitist croney-ism!
IMHO
# Posted on February 9th 2012 by mickyfong
Re: Radio 2 Folk Awards
*Quite* out of tune? It was bloody awful! And he tweaked just one string for the second song and it was almost as bad! One of the most unprofessional, p*ss-taking performances I've seen - since Donovan last year, that is!
But the Unthanks and Dubs were wonderful, as was that young Scots fiddle player...
# Posted on February 9th 2012 by Steve Shaw
Re: Radio 2 Folk Awards
Aye Steve, your not wrong, all in all though and despite being a little back slappy etc, there were bits that I thought quite good.
One of the highlights for me was Christy Moore doing Kevin Littlewood's song "on morecambe bay". Great stuff;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbvPxFS26C0
And of course Tim & Brendan;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCcyU2s-U0g
Stellar
# Posted on February 9th 2012 by Solidmahog
Re: Radio 2 Folk Awards
In the past year I've had the pleasure of seeing many of the featured artists live. Brendan/Tim, Bella Hardy (with the wonderful Anna Massie), Martin Simpson, Emily Smith, Steve Tilston and more, and am pleased at this recognition. Frankly, it makes a change from the usual media coverage, who think English folk begins and ends with Carthys (various) and Rusby, and Ireland's with Altan. (And ignore Scotland altogether).
Moore and Sinnott, as always, put in a tremendous live performance. Don McLean should watch, listen and learn.
# Posted on February 9th 2012 by bigdee
Re: Radio 2 Folk Awards
Age catches up with us all, and for some that includes tuning problems, and I'm just not talkin' 'bout string tensions...
But as to some awful stink with regards to this 2012 exhibition ~ where was a clothes peg when I needed one? I'm just glad I watched it after the fact and could skip through some of the steamy dross, sorry, i meant to say 'shight'... But no, I won't name anyone. Each to their own, but, please, at a distance from my sensitive ears... Now I've got to go shave them...
# Posted on February 10th 2012 by ceolachan
Blessed were the 'few' pleasures...
# Posted on February 10th 2012 by ceolachan
Re: Radio 2 Folk Awards
What was it Don MacLean said ?
"Don, what does American Pie mean ?"
"It means I don't have to work any more."
Or to tune his guitar, obviously. Of course, he comes from the time before guitar tuners were invented.
# Posted on February 11th 2012 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Radio 2 Folk Awards
There are also those who say that the whole Radio2/Mike Harding thing is very cliquey and un-representative of the folk music scene as a whole; Sid Kipper, for instance, has written a song about why won't Mike Harding play any of his records - it worked for Dr Hook, after they wrote "Cover of the Rolling Stone", but obviously not for Sid Kipper.
Personally I pull/learn the odd song off of the Mike Harding Show, but it is only a snapshot of the scene, and a partial one at that, and I'm less enthused and needy about listening to it then I used to be in years gone by. Also I get out more these days.
# Posted on February 11th 2012 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Radio 2 Folk Awards
Thats kind of my take too Pete, although I don't listen to his show.
For me Mike Harding's best work was his book on "North Country Spiders", fly patterns for fishing free stone rivers and streams, on that subject I could listen to him wax all night ;~) Don't think we'd see eye to eye on tunes and players thereof, of chanters come to that......
# Posted on February 11th 2012 by Solidmahog
Re: Radio 2 Folk Awards
BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards is a very small and exclusive club, I was amazed at The Dubliners getting an award, it was the only truly deserved one in the show.
And lets face it, Don MacLean ? a lifetime acheivement award for writing 3 pop songs ? do me a favour.
Dave H
# Posted on February 12th 2012 by Dave Hanson
"cliquey and un-representative"
You do wonder when from Eastern Europe, across North America, and beyond, and next door, folks will often say the few names you'd need to know in order to get your foot in the door of things here on this island, meaning that collective term 'Britain'. The problems of arse kissin' aren't limited to here... It's a shame, a disappointment, an embarrassment... But, I've known it elsewhere too, small and large...
# Posted on February 13th 2012 by ceolachan
Re: Radio 2 Folk Awards
"There are also those who say that the whole Radio2/Mike Harding thing is very cliquey and un-representative of the folk music scene as a whole..."
If it is very cliquey and inverted beyond belief, then it seems to me to have the essentials for being thoroughly representative of English folk music scene hell.
But fortunately, like (I believe) Buddhism, the English folk music world has 40,000 hells, not just one. This means no-one need be a total outcast. He or she just has to find admittance to one of them. This renders performance at the Radio 2 Folk Awards or the Cambridge Folk Festival unnecessary.
I'm afraid I find Mike Harding's progs pretty unlistenable. Whenever he says, "Now, this one's an absolute classic..." (or something similar), it's pretty well guaranteed to be an absolute hairball of singer songwriter up-chuck that is as welcome to the sentient as having to gag on a kilo of rancid yard. Really. I used to listen to Folk On Two often enough, so I know...
# Posted on February 13th 2012 by nicholas
Re: Radio 2 Folk Awards
Lard. Not yard.
# Posted on February 13th 2012 by nicholas
Re: Radio 2 Folk Awards
haha, great rant. Lard help us
# Posted on February 13th 2012 by ...
Re: Radio 2 Folk Awards
To Guernsey Pete,
Good point, but none of the members of Doctor Hook wrote The Cover Of The Rolling Stone. It was written by the late Shel Silverstein who also wrote The Unicorn, A Boy Named Sue, the liner notes for Ramblin' Jack's first album and many children's poetry books such as Where The Sidewalk Ends.
# Posted on February 14th 2012 by Jim Yates
Re: Radio 2 Fluke Awares
Sympathies nicholas, now I understand I'll be kinder in future, more patient... And I'd thought it was just something in the water there...
# Posted on February 14th 2012 by ceolachan
Re: Radio 2 Folk Awards
Not forgetting "The Lion Who Shot Back"............
How I miss Uncle Shelby.
Incidentally, Sid Kipper, out of greasepaint, still sounds just like Sid Kipper.
# Posted on February 16th 2012 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Radio 2 Folk Awards
I didn't enjoy the Nothanks.
Why didn't anyone get an award for the most affected American accent?
Who are "The Judges"?
I asked one of the judges - he said he wasn't allowed to tell me.
For me, the highlight was Steve Knightleys mention of FOLKWAVES, Radio Derby's weekly, award-winning folk programme (the only one in the North of England), which was taken off by the Beeb last year - not enough Derby listeners. Despite having a worldwide following of listeners (2,400 plus).
Breaking news .......
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/groups/179117267060/
SK was very brave - he will not be allowed back on the Beeb now.
# Posted on February 24th 2012 by geoffwright