The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #149763 Message #4219465
Posted By: FreddyHeadey
19-Mar-25 - 06:47 PM
Thread Name: Folk Producer Bill Leader - Discography
Subject: RE: Folk Producer Bill Leader - Discography
Four volumes of Mike Butler's Sounding the Century: Bill Leader & Co. so far.
"A major history of British music, especially folk music, based around the life of iconic sound engineer Bill Leader. Based on extensive and exclusive interviews conducted over ten years with Bill and other major players. Each volume in this series is illustrated with rare, often unpublished images and original artwork by Peter Seal."
"Sounding the Century proposes a new way of writing about music and mixes the methodology of oral historian and music critic. Characters that have crossed Bill’s path are given pen portraits – from E.P. Thompson to Bob Dylan – and the writing is strong on the thrill of discovery. Mike Butler has even been compared to H.G. Wells…"
"Through the series, a parade of the great and good come and go. These include Paul Simon, Brendan Behan, Pink Floyd and Christy Moore, all recorded by Bill at one time or another. Secrets, surprises and heresies are rife and something jaw dropping happens at least every four pages."
2 – Horizons For Some 1956-1962 " ,,,the second volume finds Bill settling in at Topic Records and collaborating with Ewan MacColl and Bert Lloyd, the architects of the folk revival. It is set in the period of the Cold War, ‘Ban the Bomb’ and lingering austerity. Yet the small pond of UK folk is about to be stirred by breezes blowing from the USA. The folk revival was more advanced over there, and the influx of US visitors, the craving for diversity generated by the Stateside Hi-Fi craze, the irresistible rise of Lonnie Donegan and skiffle, all cleared the path for the UK folk revival proper." Released: 28th April, 2022 Format: Paperback ISBN: 9781803130910 https://troubador.co.uk/bookshop/history-politics-society/sounding-the-century-bill-leader-co-6774
3 - The Poor Man’s Only Music 1957-1965 "Bill Leader’s big idea, to go where the music is playing and catch it on the wing, is comparable to the moment when technology freed film directors to shoot on location. It gets great results if you don’t mind roughing it. The third instalment of Mike Butler’s voluminous study of the legendary sound engineer, his life and times and our lives and times, is mainly concerned with field trips and traditional music making, but opens with the building of a recording facility on the top floor of the Workers’ Music Association in 1957." Released: 28th August, 2023 Format: Paperback ISBN: 9781803137353 https://troubador.co.uk/bookshop/history-politics-society/sounding-the-century-bill-leader-co-8194
4 - Time Immoral: 1959-69' "Time Immoral 1959–1969, picks up the story on the cusp of the 60s, and the UK folk scene is rapidly losing its innocence. Something has happened to folk music since the days when it was an innocent endeavour to make the world a better place. Hucksters and hustlers have emerged to stir the sedate pond. Some are song hunters from the USA, ready to carve up traditional music with native song hunters and music publishers. The folk record industry has come into line with the business standard – crookedness. Tiny sales, tiny fees, long hours and dodgy accounting methods have absolved the singers and musicians of every obligation except survival." crowdfunder 2024 Ended Jan 8, 2025 https://crowdfundr.com/32QXT0