music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?

Subject: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: the lemonade lady
Date: 17 Jul 08 - 11:57 AM

Have I misunderstood, is Mudcat only interested in Folk and Blues? Do other genres have to go elsewhere?

Sal

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: Paul Burke
Date: 17 Jul 08 - 12:02 PM

Since Folk covers all types of music (see threads passim ad nauseam), what's the problem?

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: MMario
Date: 17 Jul 08 - 12:04 PM

Mudcat only interested in Folk and Blues?

about 30 seconds scanning threads will convince you otherwise...

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 17 Jul 08 - 12:15 PM

That's it really. Folk and Birmingham City. We have an Aston Villa supporter called Les. bit of a sad bastard, but we all talk to him, now and then.

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 17 Jul 08 - 12:19 PM

When I click on your name, Miss Lemon, I see that you have placed 1,754 posts on the Mudcat. Surely in doing that you have seen threads about many musical forms such as ballads, hymns, gospel, Girl Scout songs, and parodies. (These are the categories that come to my mind with a few seconds of thought.)

So I don't understand your question.

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: GUEST,twonk
Date: 17 Jul 08 - 12:22 PM

my computer room carpet is a worn dirty light green colour.
Is it a Folk carpet ?
or more of a Prog Rock style ?

The bathroom carpet around the base of the toilet
is definitely more grunge/heavy metal !!!

Not sure how to categorize the synthetic lino in the kitchen ??????

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: Maryrrf
Date: 17 Jul 08 - 12:26 PM

Basically, that question is answered here in the FAQ section thread.cfm?threadid=19340#196922 . That isn't to say that no one is ever allowed to drift off topic, and of course there is always the BS section where anything goes, but it is pretty clearly stated that "We specialize in folk music and blues. If the music you seek is of another genre, you may wish to try...."

Now if we could only define folk music...perhaps I'll start another thread about that (NOT!)

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: Leadbelly
Date: 17 Jul 08 - 01:15 PM

Mudcat is not strictly limited to folk and blues.
But in case of threads about other types of music it might be difficult to find enough Mudcatters interested in this kinds of music.
Therefore, a most negative outcome of such a special thread could be that you do not receive any answer.

Manfred

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: Barry Finn
Date: 17 Jul 08 - 01:26 PM

It's certinlly not about those Welsh punk rockers that you posted about.

Barry

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 17 Jul 08 - 02:43 PM

What Mudcat is "about" is subject to constant evolutionary change. In the beginnning, it was primarily about the blues, and secondarily about other forms of American folk and/or acoustic music.

When Xerox PARC abandoned its role of hosting the Digital Tradition database of traditional lyrics, and Mudcat took up that responsibility, people all over the world searching for song lyrics, especially traditional folk lyrics, found their way here. This development gave rise to a shift in focus, or perhaps more accurately, a widening of the spectrum of musical interests under discussion on the Mudcat forum.

The de facto "definition" of which genres/subgenres are and are not appropriate here is in constant flux, depending upon whether a critical mass of participants shows interest in a given topic, or expresses distaste.

Anyone who tries to prompt discussion of something of which most of us either explicitly disapprove or pointedly ignore will soon give it up and go elewhere, or nowhere, to indulge their personal interests. On the other hand, someone who breaches a topic of marginal interest will provoke responses from a few members, stay around for a while, and perhaps begin to develop a newly accepted area of discussion.

This has happened before ~ there was a time when no threads existed on the subject of, for example, Morris dancing, and then a later time when plenty of members had opinions on the subject.

I'm sure it'll happen again. Someday there might be loads of talk about Welsh Punk, or maybe not ;^)

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: Ernest
Date: 17 Jul 08 - 03:02 PM

Maybe the welsh punkers turn into folkies within due time.... similat things have happened before...

;0)
Ernest

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 18 Jul 08 - 02:59 AM

How can the Mudcat be only about folk and blues when we discuss Show Of Hands and Seth Lakeman ?

eric

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: theleveller
Date: 18 Jul 08 - 03:13 AM

Why would anyone want to talk about any other kind of music?

Oh, jazz?

Nice!(There you go!)

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 18 Jul 08 - 05:45 AM

Only? No.
Largely? Yes.
Centrally? Probably.

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: Ernest
Date: 18 Jul 08 - 01:33 PM

Hey, we have enough trouble trying to define "folk" - we can`t start to define other types of music until we got that set.

;0)
Ernest

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: Leadbelly
Date: 18 Jul 08 - 03:32 PM

Last but not least: put your question(s)on Mudcat and you will see what happens. Thats all, folks?

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: Rapparee
Date: 18 Jul 08 - 04:56 PM

Here I thought this was the place to discuss Vivaldi operas.

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Jul 08 - 05:11 PM

"Only about folk and blues"? Gee, that sounds so exclusive.

I guess we do try to gently prod illiterate rockers and BNP politickers to go elsewhere - but we try not to exclude anybody who's civil and interested, and at least moderately coherent.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: Bill D
Date: 18 Jul 08 - 06:53 PM

who is this 'we' you speak of, Mr. Offer, sir? *wry grin*

The place began as that rare spot that one COULD find discussions of folk & blues and stuff that was 'almost' in those categories.

I predicted 8-9 years ago that if we didn't try to limit it, it would be diluted by those who don't care for ANY limitations or categories...partially because we do what we do so well, but partly because many of our members are eclectic and have a wide range of knowlege of music.

"Folk", even with its hard-to-define gray areas, kinda needs a little spot where those with 'folk related' questions and information can trade posts without 'pop' and 'rock' and 'rap' etc. being distracting. We have done moderately well, but as more folks discover us, more & more divergent stuff pops up. I used to protest loudly, but since management (meaning the owner,Max, in this case) has decided not to make any hard & fast rules, there's little I can say...except to suggest once more that traditional folk/blues is NOT a huge part of the musical scene anymore, and if ANYTHING is allowed here, it will get harder & harder to sort out.

I am not in charge, I can't stop anyone....I can only look sad & pitiful and plead for restraint...*sniffff*....

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: olddude
Date: 18 Jul 08 - 06:59 PM

Mudcat is dedicated strickly to "RAP"
we are all fans of "Rap" music only! If you have any interest in Blues or Folk well sadly Mudcat is about RAP music

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: Sugwash
Date: 18 Jul 08 - 07:25 PM

Oh Eric, you was only teasing when you said "I have lost the will to live", how very disappointing.

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 19 Jul 08 - 02:45 AM

It's called ' irony ' Sugwash, you in the USA by any chance ?

eric

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: gnu
Date: 19 Jul 08 - 04:19 AM

Joe... "...and at least moderately coherent."

WHEW!

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Jul 08 - 06:19 AM

Gnu, we regularly delete dozens of posts like this:

zvrvr rwefw julbj ffhuy

Never HAVE figured them out. Are they messages from an alien race?

-Joe-

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: Sugwash
Date: 19 Jul 08 - 07:34 AM

Now, now Eric, it wasn't a comment on your heavy-handed use of 'irony', more a clumsy attempt at humour with with reference to your post in the 'Lost Mike Harding Show' thread. Not the States, Devon by way of The People's Autonomous Republic of West Yorkshire.

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: van lingle
Date: 19 Jul 08 - 07:53 AM

olddude, I'm assuming RAP is an acronym for Rare and Ancient Phonography.

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 19 Jul 08 - 07:59 AM

Hey Sugwash, I'm a Yorkshireman, West Yorkshire at that, you've got that Yorkshire wit too.

eric

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: Sugwash
Date: 19 Jul 08 - 10:59 AM

I'm very pleased to hear that Eric, between us we'll put the world to right.

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: JedMarum
Date: 19 Jul 08 - 11:45 AM

Mudcatters are folks whose primary interest in music is folk oriented. For the most part that includes, folk, blues, celtic, bluegrass, American and British Isles Folk Roots, Gospel, various ethnic folk, and folk oriented country - it gets thinner and thinner after that.

But, of course the forum is wide open. You can talk about whatever you want. You just might not get much response if your comment or question doesn't interest the folks at the forum.

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: olddude
Date: 19 Jul 08 - 12:10 PM

---olddude, I'm assuming RAP is an acronym for Rare and Ancient   Phonography.

I love it !! why yes that is what I ment ... ahhh yes ...

Subject: RE: music:Mudcat only about Folk and Blues?
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 19 Jul 08 - 01:27 PM

A more open forum allows topics to bounce off on some interesting tangents, which keep the mix unpredictable and rewarding. Because a lot of us are A Certain Age, we can recall the same artists and cultural trends from our pasts that shaped us, giving rise to discussions that shed light on social as well as musical history, or sometimes just a good laugh (not to be underestimated in these stressful days). It's natural to talk about what you remember.

I was a city kid raised in central California, and most of my "oral/aural tradition" was the radio. I didn't hear any singing farmhands - not because they weren't there (plenty of agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley) but because in my little numbered-street-address world, I was never exposed to any. Where I live now (Ireland) one of my adult harp students, whose people come from Sliabh Luachra, can remember house ceilidhs in her grandfather's front room, where two of the musicians sitting unobtrusively in the corner playing for the dancers were Johnny O'Leary and Denis Murphy. I wish I had memories like that. But I don't.   

All I (and many like me) could listen to was the airwaves, so popular music had a large influence on my development as a child - it's still a matter of hearing songs sung to you at an early age, whether live or broadcast. I think the Cat is all the richer for maintaining its wide brief. A good example is the pair of recent Jo Stafford threads.      

As people have already said above, these communication networks do evolve over time. No forum can be about everything, so they tend to self-define. I prefer that process to an externally-enforced one. And a quick canter through assorted subjects will show that any Thread Police who do surface and rear their batons are about as welcome as the poll tax.