The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #170752   Message #4130712
Posted By: Big Al Whittle
01-Jan-22 - 08:39 PM
Thread Name: Is folk a dirty four-letter word?
Subject: RE: Is folk a dirty four-letter word?
Of course Jim and Les Ward and Derek Grinell (over at The Bell and Pump) were fairly unashamedly showbusiness agents - although they booked folk acts also. Jim's club the Fox and Hounds was very successful. Jack Hudson told me that Jim booked him into a night club in Kenya for a month.

The great folk scare was over by 10 years - but the folk comedian business gave a woof of air beneath the wings of the professional folksingers.
Plus there ware acts that worked in Scandinavia and Germany. I remember Waterfall did some gigs in Holland.

It was a very diverse time. Barrie Roberts (who ran the Fitters) was always full of gossip - he told me about Free Reed going bust when it produced The Transports for Peter Bellamy.I think every one was excited by the breadth of vision of Peter Bellamy, even if they had reservations about buying it.

Victoria Wood was winning New Faces and appearing at The Bell and Pump. Fivepenny Piece were also on New Faces. And I heard The Spinners play The Bleacher Lass of Kelvinhaugh on Pebble Mill at One. The late Donny McLeod who introduced Pebble Mill at One was a folk fan and invited Jon Raven to play on the programme.
I think we knew the movement was getting away from us, but looking back - it was an interesting time.