A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project

Subject: The Landfill Project
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 27 Oct 10 - 08:13 AM

The Landfill Proect - curator: Sedayne.

2011 is the 40th anniversary of many significant albums, not least of which is Martin Carthy's Landfall, with its iconic cover (actually from the Topic re-issue of 1977) declaring the unashamed pastoral nature of the folk scene of 40 years ago. These days, our environmental concerns are perhaps a little different, hence Landfill rather than Landfall, thus I might ask if there are any visual artists out there in Mudcatland who could provide a suitable homage of the 1977 Topic edition of Landfall, but actually depicting a Landfill. I guess the seagulls, rolling contours and ominous skies would be a constant, whilst the proud ploughman would be driving some class of landfill compactor over this atrificial landscape.

As for the songs - Landfall is a rugged mix of the traditional & the contemporary, many of which I still hear sung today in clubs and singarounds, so the initial appeal would be to those floor-singers (primarily) who have any of these in their regular repertoires and would like to donate a recording. Here are the songs:

Here's Adieu to All Judges and Juries
Brown Adam (Child 98)
O'er the Hills
Cruel Mother
Cold Haily Windy Night
His Name Is Andrew (Dave Ackles)
The Bold Poachers
Dust to Dust (John Kirkpatrick)
The Broomfield Hill
The January Man (Dave Goulder)

Given that this will be an on-line download edition only, there will be no limit to the amount of people covering each song, giving each their own distinctive spin, variations etc. so - the more the merrier really - accompanied, unaccompanied, solo, groups, come what may. This will be an open venture reflecting the democratic nature of the Folk Scene of today; no money will be involved at an level - time will be given freely and the music will be avaiable for all.

Most importantly, there will be no vetting for quality control at any level other than at the discretion of each singer, it being assumed that if you are prepared to sing a song in a folk club or singaround then it is more than worthy of being featured here. Field recordings heartily encouraged and professional singers welcome (Martin Carthy especially!) but there will be no deference given. The Landfill Project is about all singers who have been touched by this truly remarkable album and moved to sing the songs themselves. Likewise, there will be no limits on the number of visual interpretations of the cover image.

If the response is good, I should like to host it as a blogspot throughout 2011 featuring full graphic material and biographical info on each singer with links to the downloadable material and encourage as many Landfill themed singarounds as possible throughout the year. The Durham Folk Party might be a good place to start - other suggestions welcome. If singers wish to make their contributions via YouTube, this will be seen as A Very Good Thing too.

I'm not presently PM-able but should anyone wish to contact me personally please do so at [e-mail].

Subject: RE: The Landfill Project
From: GUEST,matt milton
Date: 27 Oct 10 - 08:52 AM

lovely idea. best of luck with it.

Am put in mind of the Pete Seeger song "Garbage", a great ditty about landfill.

---

Threads combined. Messages below are from a new thread.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: A Call to All Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 06:36 AM

This is an open invitation to any folk / floor singer, amatuer, semi-pro or pro, anywhere in the world, to contribute to an on-line project in celebration of the 40th anniversary of Martin Carthy's album Landfall.

The Landfill Project - curator: Sedayne.

2011 is the 40th anniversary of many significant albums, not least of which is Martin Carthy's Landfall, with its iconic cover (actually from the Topic re-issue of 1977) declaring the unashamed pastoral nature of the folk scene of 40 years ago. These days, our environmental concerns are perhaps a little different, hence Landfill rather than Landfall. Thus I might ask if there are any visual artists out there in Mudcat Land who could provide a suitable homage of the 1977 Topic edition of Landfall, but actually depicting a Landfill. I guess the seagulls, rolling contours and ominous skies would be a constant, whilst the proud ploughman would be driving some class of landfill compactor over this atrificial landscape.

As for the songs - Landfall is a rugged mix of the traditional & the contemporary, most of which I still hear sung today in clubs and singarounds today, so the initial appeal would be to those floor-singers who have any of these in their regular repertoires and would like to donate a recording.

Here are the songs:

Here's Adieu to All Judges and Juries
Brown Adam (Child 98)
O'er the Hills
Cruel Mother (Child 20)
Cold Haily Windy Night
His Name Is Andrew (Dave Ackles)
The Bold Poachers
Dust to Dust (John Kirkpatrick)
The Broomfield Hill
The January Man (Dave Goulder)

Given that this will be an on-line download edition only, there will be no limit to the amount of people covering each song, giving each their own distinctive spin, variations etc. so - the more the merrier really - accompanied, unaccompanied, solo, groups, come what may. If any singer wishes to cover the entire album they will be more than welcome to do so. Likewise, there will be no limits on the number of visual interpretations of the cover image.

This will be an open venture reflecting the open & democratic nature of the Folk Scene of today. Like a singaround, no money will be involved at an level - time will be given freely and the music will be available for all.

Most importantly, there will be no vetting for quality control at any level other than at the discretion of each singer - it being assumed that if you are prepared to sing a song in a folk club or singaround then it is more than worthy of being featured here.

Home & field recordings heartily encouraged and whilst professional singers are welcome there will be no deference given. The Landfill Project is about ALL folk singers of the English Speaking World & beyond who have been touched by this remarkable album and have been moved to sing the songs themselves.

If the response is good, I will be hosting it as a blogspot throughout 2011 featuring full graphic material and biographical info on each singer with links to the downloadable material and encourage as many Landfall / Landfill themed singarounds as possible throughout the year. If singers wish to make their contributions via YouTube, this will be seen as A Very Good Thing too.

I'm not presently PM-able but should anyone wish to contact me personally please do so at [e-mail]

Looking forward to hearing from you

Sedayne

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 07:13 AM

Ah, this'll be it then:
Landfall cover

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 08:38 AM

You up for this, CS? I can just hear you singing January Man!

The Landfill Project

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers
From: Tim Leaning
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 09:28 AM

Sounds great best wishes with that.

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 11:01 AM

"You up for this, CS?"

Eh, why not I guess! I don't know the album tbh, but I do sing a version of The Cruel Mother.

So what do we do? As far as filesharing or whatnot is concerned, I've only ever uploaded Mp3 files to MySpace.

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers
From: doc.tom
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 12:06 PM

That's not the Landfall cover on my LP - the original was much more Aberfan.

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers
From: open mike
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 12:20 PM

hmm--never heard of any of those songs...
sorry, i guess i am out of the loop on this.
best of luck to you.

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: GUEST,BanjoRay
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 12:35 PM

If you want to hear the songs but don't have the album, you can hear them on Spotify, and if necessary buy the tracks.
Ray

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 02:14 PM

Many thanks to those who have contacted me so far; I'll be emailing you presently, but just want to say that it's beginning to take shape with some great singers coming on board from both sides of the Atlantic.

I believe anyone who is moved to sing is a great singer, which is what this is about - how we all might be touched a great piece of art which becomes the catalyst for a whole movement. Our yearnings and concerns are likewise collective - thus the image of ploughman is more than empty nostalgia, it speaks of a hope that we might get our act together with respect of natural resources and cultivate a sustainable ecology without trashing the planet in the process. The Landfill Project is but one celebration of this. Every folk singer is a precious resource! And even if you've never heard the record and wish to take part, any version of any variant of any of the songs will be welcome.

MP3s ideally sent via YouSendIt (or such similar webhost) but in these days of faster broadband I regularly receive MP3s as attachments.

[e-mail]

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 29 Oct 10 - 09:44 AM

We've just had out first MP3 through - a sterling rendition of Here's Adieu to all Judges & Juries sung by Tim Radford in America & Ron Baxter's just been round telling me he's done a picture too. I hope to have quite a gallery of these by the time we go live.

The plan is to go live with this in January 2011, so plenty of time to get your contributions in, and of course we won't be closing any doors once it's up & running.

So, once again, thanks to all who have expressed an interest so far.

*

Eh, why not I guess! I don't know the album tbh, but I do sing a version of The Cruel Mother.

Perfect! You can mail me an MP3 in theory, or send it via YouSendIt or some such host.

That's not the Landfall cover on my LP - the original was much more Aberfan.

That would be THIS then? The original Phillips edition.

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: RTim
Date: 29 Oct 10 - 10:29 AM

Hi all,

The Philips edition cover above is certainly the version that I have owned since the early 1970's.

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: raymond greenoaken
Date: 29 Oct 10 - 10:41 AM

The reverse of the Philips LP cover shows that what we're looking at is a ceramic dragon guzzling a Bank of Biafra pound note – an all-purpose political diatribe for the times!

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 29 Oct 10 - 11:11 AM

I love Cold Haily Rainy Night... wish I still had the voice to sing.

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 31 Oct 10 - 04:58 AM

No voice, VT? Last I heard you sounded amazing.

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 31 Oct 10 - 10:12 AM

I don't practice at all any more (depression). It has gone all old and weak and wobbly.

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: RTim
Date: 01 Nov 10 - 01:21 PM

So, last week I realized I did not have a Digital copy of MartinÕs Landfall recording.

So I went top my vinyl collection and removed my nearly 40 year old, many times played, original copy and put it on my turntable.
I have my audio system set up so that I can record from either tape or turntable onto CDR loaded into my wonderful Tascam CD-RW4U CD Rewritable Recorder to obtain a good digital copy.
After an hour of listening and recording, I removed the new CDR out of the Tascam and took it to my Mac Computer.

I wanted to load the CD onto my iPod, so I inserted the disk and iTunes automatically comes up with the CD (which on the Desk Top appears as ÒAudio CDÓ). I am currently using iTunes version 9.2.1 on a Mac Mini box using OS X 10.5.8.

Now I know from previous experience that the track list should just say: Track 1, etc. thru Track 10, and am therefore prepared (with the album cover) to type in the track names, etc.

Well blow me down - Somehow iTunes had retrieved all the correct track names and I did not need to write them in!!

What I want to know is - How the hell did it do that?

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: doc.tom
Date: 02 Nov 10 - 07:07 AM

Yep - that's the original sleeve - gave the concept of 'Landfall' a very powerfull contemporary relevance: Aberfan, Biafra, etc. - there were about five at the time which I can't now remember!

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: Ross Campbell
Date: 02 Nov 10 - 08:12 PM

Here's a few links - some on Mudcat (Digital Tradition), others from Reinhard Zierke's excellent site "Mainly Norfolk: English Folk and Other Good Music", one from the Child Ballads website:-


Here's Adieu to All Judges and Juries

Brown Adam

O'er the Hills

Cruel Mother

Cold Haily Windy Night

His Name was Andrew (David Ackles)

The Bold Poachers

Dust to Dust (John Kirkpatrick)

The January Man

The Broomfield Hill

I always meant to learn Dave Goulder's "January Man" properly - I guess that gives me a couple of months? Might dig out a version of "Cold, Haily, Windy Night" as well.

Ross

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: Kev Boyd
Date: 20 Nov 10 - 05:35 PM

Great idea. And in the spirit of the project I made a Spotify playlist from just a few of the variations on these songs that are already available.

Cheers
Kev

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 20 Nov 10 - 05:48 PM

Any more anyone? The Blog will be going live in January (man!) & we've got a few nice ones lined up. I'm a bit busy otherwise right now so I'm not pushing this as hard as it deserves, but we've got a few tracks in, and many more promised AND a Ron Baxter take on the cover!

So, please, read the remit and contribute!

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: Kev Boyd
Date: 21 Nov 10 - 06:47 AM

Well, my Spotify link doesn't appear to work. Try this instead.

If that doesn't work I give in!

Kev

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: RTim
Date: 21 Nov 10 - 08:14 AM

Kev - The link works, you just have to apply for Spotify if you don't have it - and it does not seem to be available here in the USA.

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: EBarnacle
Date: 21 Nov 10 - 08:41 PM

I note with dismay two egregious omissions from your list. Jan Christensen's "Ode to the Fresh Kills Landfill" and Dan Einbender's "It Isn't Really Garbage [Till You mix it all Together]."

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 06 Dec 10 - 06:42 AM

Just a reminder that we're going on line with this in January - and that everyone is invited to contribute.

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 04 Jan 11 - 09:09 AM

I've got the first page up + our first image! Some songs to follow by the end of the week hopefully...

http://thelandfillproject.blogspot.com/

So all you singers out there - please contribute!

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 07 Jan 11 - 09:54 AM

The first three songs are up, with a promise of lots more to follow. Thanks to Alan, Tim & Yael for getting it off to a fine start...

http://thelandfillproject.blogspot.com/2011/01/first-three-songs.html

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: RTim
Date: 07 Jan 11 - 10:00 AM

So the only way to listen. is to down load something called - RadidShare?

But I don't want that?

Tim

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 07 Jan 11 - 02:28 PM

You don't have to download anything - just click the links & wait a few seconds for a free download. It's one of the easiest way for hosting stuff free (unlimited) & is generally favoured by the blogging community.

Anything to add there, Tim? Images / biog / links / tweets - send them on & I'll put them up.

Thanks again.

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 02 Feb 11 - 07:40 AM

Okay - a few changes & a couple of more tracks making a grand total of FIVE so far. Hmmmm... Still, it's the quality that matters & what are numbers anyway?

So - the Landfill Project is now using Soundcloud to host the tracks: http://thelandfillproject.blogspot.com/

We're on a promise of TWENTY more, so please enjoy - & keep 'em coming!

Blog: The Landfill Project

Email : [e-mail]

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 02 Feb 11 - 09:28 AM

Soundcloud link: http://soundcloud.com/the-landfill-project

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 09:16 AM

Cancelled due to lack of interest!

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 10:23 AM

what a pity.. I just learned Cruel Mother. But I do it with Appalachian accent.

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: RTim
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 10:42 AM

Shame.....

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 10:56 AM

Love to hear it anyway, VT. We're exploring those links the whole time - in fact our version of The Cruel Mother comes directly from the singing of Mrs Pearl Brewer of Arkensas in The Max Hunter Archive. Just uploaded the old demo we used for Landfill:

http://soundcloud.com/rapunzel-and-sedayne/green-wood-side

Not sure about the accents though!

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: RTim
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 11:39 AM

Sedayne:
I have to say I was intrigued with your entry on the new recordings, as it was NOT on the original Landfall recording?

Tim

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: RTim
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 11:41 AM

Ahhhhh - now I see, version of Cruel Mother - Dah.

Tim

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 11:42 AM

What do you mean?

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 12:06 PM

I sing the Martin Carthy lyrics (somewhat modified) and tune, but with my Gammy's (grandmother from West Virginia) accent.

I do this because, sadly, I did not learn this song direct from my Gammy. She may not even have known it. I am singing it as I imagine her singing it. So I am sort of making up for a traditional past I did not have.

Is that wrong?

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 01:28 PM

Is that wrong?

Perish the thought! Like us doing Mrs Brewer's song in English accents using an Indian harmonium and a Hungarian zither; what goes around comes around as they say, which isn't to diminish Mrs Brewer's superlative rendering which is one of my favourite things in the entire universe:

Down by the Greenwood Side - As sung by Mrs. Pearl Brewer, Pochahantas, Arkansas on November 12, 1958

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 02 Apr 11 - 01:16 PM

Wierdly - typically... No sooner have I shut this down I receive a belting January Man from one esteemed member of of the Mudcat Community (aren't they all?) and severe threats from another that he's got a number of tracks poised on completion as well as various others in the offing...

Okay.

So to ANYONE AT ALL with a version, a variant, a direct cover or even a remix of any of the LANDFALL tracks, then do send them on for a
re-launch when everything promised is safely gathered in.

There are NO LIMITS here - cover the entire album if you want to; cover it ten times over in different ways if you must...

And if this means I bask in VT's Cruel Mother then so much the better really.

Please, bring 'em on (tracks listed above, with Ross's links to them all.)

S O'P / Sedayne

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 02 Apr 11 - 03:01 PM

ok... If I can make my Appalachian version of Cruel Mother work on my little digi voice recorder, I will send along. The recorder is at work at the moment, so won;t be this weekend.

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 02 Apr 11 - 03:32 PM

Cheers, VT! No hurry - I've got a few things on right now so I expect to relaunch the site in June.

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: MoorleyMan
Date: 02 Apr 11 - 03:53 PM

Sean - I was on the point of emailing you in shock-horror at the news of abandonment but now I see a possible relaunch is on the cards I can breathe easier again and make renewed efforts to get some stuff recorded for the project... good luck!

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: Mysha
Date: 02 Apr 11 - 07:54 PM

Hi,

To my foreign eyes, it sounds like you're calling your project "Waste Dump". Does the original indeed have a meaning similar to that? I don't know, "Waste Dump" just doesn't have the ring of a fun thing to do together.

Bye
                                                                  Mysha

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 03 Apr 11 - 05:13 AM

MoorleyMan - looking forward to hearing from you!

Mysha - A Landfill is so much more than a Waste Dump. One thing we find a lot of in the Folk Zeitgeist is a yearning nostalgia for traditional methods of land manangement and our relationship with the fundamentals which are now lost to us, pretty much. Such concerns are uppermost the soul of most folkies - where an indifferent society is suddenly hung up on the re-cycling of packaging that should neve have existed in the first place gives me a headache - much less the thought of that stuff becoming part of our landscape for future generations to have to deal with!

Anyway, this is about the songs first and foremost - the name Landfill is a reflection of the underlying ecological concerns which are hard to escape from in this day and age.

Fun? You bet!

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: Mysha
Date: 03 Apr 11 - 06:22 AM

Hi,

OK, I stand corrected: A Waste Dump that we try to pretend fits in but will still bother future generations.

Still doesn't sound like name for a good folk project. Was the original about a ship reaching port or about a storm hitting the coast?

Bye,
                                                                  Mysha

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: Ross Campbell
Date: 03 Apr 11 - 10:27 AM

Mysha, the answers to your questions are to be found in the original post.

Still working on my contributions, Sean. Glad the project's still on.

Ross

Subject: RE: A Call to All Folk Singers: Landfill Project
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 03 Apr 11 - 11:20 AM

Was the original about a ship reaching port or about a storm hitting the coast?

Wasn't it about Aberfan? I think the original cover hinted at that. You can't take the politics away from the land, or the songs...

*

Cheers, Ross - maybe we'll get your stuff done soon & persuade the MB Boys to record Over the Hills...