Reputation earned - how?

Subject: RE: Reputation earned - how?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 10:54 AM

Duncan, I think what happened here was Mudcat's helpful side, not an attack on you.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Reputation earned - how?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 11:30 AM

So How does one earn a reputation? ......
Sit back, read the thread
and see just what kind of reputation
Duncan has earned here.

Subject: RE: Reputation earned - how?
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 12:18 PM

Over 40 years, I wrote 2 or 3 songs that I ever sang and/or recorded. Several festivals billed me as a singer/songwriter only---even though I always called myself, and indeed always was, a folksinger.

Why?

Because their audiences had ceased to show up for folksingers. They filled the joint for singer/songwriters.

Seeing the gigs dry up for the music I cared so much about, made it sad, but easier for me when my health dictated I truncate my career.

Art

Subject: RE: Reputation earned - how?
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 12:31 PM

Thanks to this thread, I listened to a cut of Duncan playing a trad. tune on guitar, and it was terrific. Anyone asks, I'll tell'm so.

Subject: RE: Reputation earned - how?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 01:11 PM

I read Duncan's opening question, read his short bio and presumed from those that he considered himself a Traditional Folk Singer who is being misrepresented as a Singer/Songwriter.
Some disagreed, offering the opinion that he was indeed "Traditional Folk Singer".
Nobody picked up on the fact that he considers himself a "Guitarist".
Clearly he is experiencing some difficulty in getting his message across.
I could just as easily have provided him with a bio, more in keeping with his own persona, had I known just what it was.
If you want the reviews to portray you in a certain way, then your bio must provide that foundation. (You, as in anyone)
Two lines on a page won't do it for you (Too much guesswork) nor will two pages. (They'll only cut & paste)
A fine guitarist, he may be but even if I was looking for one, I would have sifted through his page and very quickly, forgotten it.

Duncan: Judging by your reaction, we are all capable of being misunderstood when it comes to our written word. Just as you are.

Subject: RE: Reputation earned - how?
From: The Sandman
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 01:20 PM

Iwas once described in a kent newspaper as Dick Miles comntemporary singer accompanied by Ernie Warner on guitar,theclub was Faversham.I am a singerof Traditional and contemporary[in traditional style]on concertina,these days Iuse GUITAR as well.Ihave never been accompanied by Ernie Warner.

Subject: RE: Reputation earned - how?
From: DebC
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 01:46 PM

I don't write songs at all, yet I have been described as a singer/songwriter. I am like Duncan, where I do about 1/2 traditional and 1/2 contemporary songs.

I really dislike the labels that we are forced to be shoved into.

BTW-I know Duncan, I have heard Duncan and I am certainly NO Duncan McFarland :-) (That one was for the Americans)

Deb Cowan

Subject: RE: Reputation earned - how?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 02:23 PM

And who are the Americans, here?

Subject: RE: Reputation earned - how?
From: DebC
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 02:28 PM

I, for one :-)

Debra

Subject: RE: Reputation earned - how?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 02:47 PM

That's one!
"Meself" is two!

Subject: RE: Reputation earned - how?
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 03:06 PM

I'm one too.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Reputation earned - how?
From: Rasener
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 03:09 PM

I'm a Brummie

Subject: RE: Reputation earned - how?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 04:01 PM

Who knows a wee bit about football!

Subject: RE: Reputation earned - how?
From: Rasener
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 04:09 PM

Exactly Jim Lad :-)

Subject: RE: Reputation earned - how?
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 04:18 PM

Strictly for the sake of clarification: I am not American. Well - I am North American. I do however herewith raise a glass to my south-of-the-border American friends!


(Jim, um - can you come into the kitchen for a minute?)

Subject: RE: Reputation earned - how?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 04:31 PM

And I'm a Scot though born of Irish stock!

Subject: RE: Reputation earned - how?
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 04:55 PM

Oh no - he's starting to sing ... Jim? The kitchen?

Subject: RE: Reputation earned - how?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 05:06 PM

Are you allowed in the chat room?

Subject: RE: Reputation earned - how?
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 05:16 PM

Don't know. It's not one of them high-falutin' no-shirt, no-shoes, no-service joints, is it?

Subject: RE: Reputation earned - how?
From: BusyBee Paul
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 06:01 PM

HFA - don't leave us, please! I think that somehow the strands of this thread have become very crossed and muddled here, which probably just goes to prove the point you were making.

I'm more than happy to stand up and be counted as a great fan of Duncan, his acoustic band and his electric band, whatever label now happens to describe them. I must admit though, that the first time I came across them, at Cleckheaton 4(?) years ago, the "tag" in the programme biog that caught my attention was "celtic".

It just goes to prove that what is written does have an effect on who might come to see you "on spec" and so accurate representation is a must.

Not being a performer myself I don't have a problem in this area but have had similar problems in other activities I do.

My final comment Duncan is that people like Nic Jones, whose songs you include in your repertoire, appreciate your interpretations / arrangements. That must be the highest accolade and to my mind means that what you are doing (however you - sorry - "one" describes it) is right.

I'll buy you a pint on Saturday!.

Subject: RE: Reputation earned - how?
From: BusyBee Paul
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 06:16 PM

Guest, Meself - you say you've heard a cut of Dunc playing a trad tune. Can I ask which one, as a matter of interest, please?.

Subject: RE: Reputation earned - how?
From: BusyBee Paul
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 06:25 PM

Meself - I'm going to stick my neck out and say that I bet the tune is Planxty Newman, as found on both Dunc's website and Myspace site.

This is a tune Duncan wrote last summer while on holiday in France, visiting Mark Newman. This is therefore "in the traditional idiom" rather than trad (and a lovely tune to boot).

www.myspace.com/theduncanmcfarlaneband

It has a few additional tracks on it as well if you'd like to listen.
Please do.

Subject: RE: Reputation earned - how?
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 06:28 PM

I think that would have been the tune - I stand corrected! And yes - a lovely tune.

I'll hop over and listen to some more in a bit ...

Subject: RE: Reputation earned - how?
From: BusyBee Paul
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 06:42 PM

Thanks Meself - Being in the UK I wasn't too sure what "time zone" you were in!.

To help you along, a few notes about the other tunes on Myspace, all Dunc's compositions:

Woodshed Boys - written about the guys in the UK who kept the tradition going by singing songs in their garden sheds because their wives "wouldn't have that horrible music in the house". Walter Pardon and Harry Cox – no actually, let Duncan tell you himself – look at the "Songs" page on his website and click on Woodshed Boys CD, top left column. Scroll down and he gives the story….

In fact, now that I've checked, Can't Go There and Jigalo are also on the Woodshed Boys CD and so there is a brief explanation of them on the same page.

Jigalo is great – Dunc tells you it was on one of his early CDs, back when he was nowt but a young whipper snapper, but he doesn't mention that in it's first incarnation it sounded more punk than anything else!.

I'd best shut up and let the music tell it's own story… Enjoy Meself.

Deirdre