Prof's Pages--Reopening after 16 years

Subject: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: SingsIrish Songs
Date: 19 Oct 02 - 07:07 AM

I'd like to share the last newsletter just so those of you who visited Prof's Irish Pages on occasion know the latest.

Mary
=============

Issue No: THE LAST ONE   Date: 16/10/2002

SAD TO SAY BUT....

This is the last newsletter... and alas the closing down of our website. It grieves me to have to do it, but changes in personal circumstances means we have no alternative. The Prof is off to find pastures new, probably in the colonies.

I would like to thank all those of you who have sent emails of support over the past five years, and all those who have sent either venue info or even corrections to song lyrics. Hopefully at some point in the future we may be able to resurrect the site, but for now unfortunately, this is the Prof closing down.

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: Mr Happy
Date: 19 Oct 02 - 07:09 AM

what's 'Prof's Irish Pages'?

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: SingsIrish Songs
Date: 19 Oct 02 - 07:33 AM

It was a resource site with Irish song lyrics and dance music (jigs, hornpipes, etc) available...We also had other "fun stuff" like Feature songs that were researched and quizzes.

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Oct 02 - 07:37 AM

That is a shame Mary.

Jon

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: Mr Red
Date: 19 Oct 02 - 07:53 AM

If there are any songs/tunes involved is it worth passing them on to an active site? Er let me think is tyhere a suitable one? er give me clue someone......

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 19 Oct 02 - 08:37 AM

Thanks for posting this, SIS. I got the newsletter and was thinking only last night - oughtn't the Mudcat to be told? The site was great, and I particularly enjoyed his 'Song of the Month' histories. I do hope Mick will keep in touch, maybe via the Mudcat, and let us know how he's faring.

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Oct 02 - 09:17 AM

Really sorry to hear this, Mary. I wish you and the Prof. well and hope to hear good news, as well as just keeping in touch. After all you've been through to get it back up and all, it's a shame to see it close.

All the best,

kat

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: Áine
Date: 19 Oct 02 - 11:35 AM

Knowing how much time and work that Mick has put into his site, it is indeed a shame to see it close down.

Mary, could you please pass on my offer to take some of the files from his site and keep them on my own until he's in a position to open the site back up. It would be a crying shame to let all that research and information fade into the ethernet.

My email is [e-mail] (but I'm pretty sure he's got it already), so he can let me know what he thinks about my offer.

All the best, Áine

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: Alice
Date: 19 Oct 02 - 12:20 PM

Very good site, sorry to see it close. I hope someone can take on the files to keep them availabe online.

Alice

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 19 Oct 02 - 12:32 PM

Sincerely Sorry,

One MUSICAL webpage lost - diminishes the entire community - you added to our combined chord.

Best wishes as you start another

Work Hard, Have Fun, Contribute to the Whole

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: Max
Date: 20 Oct 02 - 10:46 AM

Perhaps we can help let it live on. Have them contact me to see.

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: Tiger
Date: 20 Oct 02 - 01:09 PM

Using Google's cache and the Internet Wayback Machine, I was able to access Prof's lyrics pages, follow most links, etc.

The only things this method wouldn't get would be, for example, MIDIs or graphics that had not been cached.

Let me know if you need more details.

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 20 Oct 02 - 05:06 PM

Clarification-

The "WayBackMachine" is LOC (Library of Congress) not Google.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 20 Oct 02 - 05:07 PM

LOL WayBackMachine = http://www.archive.org

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: GUEST,Wolfgang
Date: 21 Oct 02 - 09:00 AM

A fine resource is lost, but thanks for the years you have been there.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From:
Date: 21 Oct 02 - 10:44 AM

I agree, Prof's Pages has been a wonderful resource for me as well.

Hopefully someone can keep the information going, even temporarily, until he can make other arrangements.

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: Gurney
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 06:11 AM

Sorry to see you go, hope to see you start again , here.
Particularly liked your links.
There's room in the Antipodes even for Tin-hatters!

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: Amos
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 09:32 AM

He could put the whole site on one or two CDs or a single tape, probably. If he has a backup, it's already stored.

If he shipped it to Max, or someone else willing to resurrect it it wouldn't have to be lost.

A

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 09:50 AM

If the site is archived on the Wayback Machine, can somebody give us a clicky or URL for the specific location.
Thanks.
Geoff!

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: Sorcha
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 10:03 AM

URL was:
http://www.prof.co.uk/irish1.htm

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: Sorcha
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 10:05 AM

And, this click should take you to the archived pages......

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 10:15 AM

Thanks Sorcha.
That gives us a link within the Wayback Machine of http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.prof.co.uk/irish1.htm This takes you to a page with a choice the site contents on 14 dates when the website was archived.

Let us not lose another Folk Resource.
Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 10:19 AM

Another Mud Posting overlap - but the do take us to a different point in the Wayback Machine system.
Quack!

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: SingsIrish Songs
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 02:11 PM

Thanks everyone.

I'll pass on the well wishes to Mick. I know the various links are now no longer available as Mick has been making his master file copies and removing the materials from the server.

We shall hang on to our information and once we both get settled after going through our respective moves/relocations we shall see what we will do next.

Cheers!

Mary

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 31 Oct 02 - 06:01 PM

My thanks to everyone for the well wishes and offers to house all or part of our database of music and lyrics. They are much appreciated though I am going to decline all offers through various reasons, but thanks all the same. I know that begs some kind of explanation on my part and some or all of the reasons I am about to try and explain here may sound either selfish, silly or downright stupid, but at the end of the day they are my views and the site was mine so what the heck.

The first reason for the site closing down I think was explained by Mary in that we are both either going to or have moved locale. At some point in time we will hopefully be both in at least the same time zone. if not closer. Then we may ressurect the site though it will be a lot different... why?.. cos...

One of the other reasons I shut it down was the "public misconcept" re what the site was all about and the whole confussion regarding what people call "Irish" and for that matter "Folk" music. We are now in the 21st century and I think it's time we re-evaulated how we look at music especially that which is deemed to be "folk".. i.e. not the hip-hop-crap or commercially generated pop-slop that the record companies fill the charts with today. "Folk" music has had that label for what now?.. 50/70 years.. and no one as yet has come up with the definitive explanation of what it is. Music is very similiar to antiques.. (sorry.. brief pause here.. for anyone reading this who doesn't know me.. my first love is history, followed closely by music..).. anyone watching the Antiques Roadshow will be aware that early and even mid 20th century items are now collectable even if not antiques.. likewise in music I think we need to move on and encompass material the so called purists may scoff at.

I also hate the labelling and the seemingly manic desire to pigeon hole music. Our site thrived on the misconception that the majority of the music and songs was "Irish". The fact that about only 15% of it could genuinely be attributed to the Emerald Isle makes it all a joke.. Now don't get me wrong.. I think everyone who appreciates the "old music" has a great debt to pay to those Irish groups such as the Dubliners, Stockton's Wing, Bothy Band etc etc for keeping the music alive. what we need to do now is take it to a new dimension.. Instead of being English, Irish or whatever, we should be looking at music on a global level. Stephen Foster's songs have just as much right to be included in any "history of folk music" along with any African or Asian or South American song writer I've yet to come across, let alone so called "contemporary" writers like Dylan, McTell, Donovan etc...

The mudcat is great in that discussions re all sorts of music take place and yet another reason I am "gled" at closing down our site is that hopefully I will be able to take a more active part here.. I can't remember the last time I added constructively to a thread.. must be 2 or 3 years...

In the meantime, none of our material has been lost.. it's all saved to disk, though when time, circumstance and I've decided what to do with it... it will reappear, though in a totally different format. And when it does I expect all those 500 people a week who visited it to play a more active roll, so be warned..LOL



But in the short time I have my life and Mary's to sort out


Mick

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 31 Oct 02 - 06:28 PM

Thanks, Mick. You could probably start a whole new Mudcat on the questions you've raised ... I don't find anything 'selfish, silly or downright stupid' in your explanation, and I'll be looking forward to seeing more of your contributions here. For the time being, all the best to you and to Mary!

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: Brakn
Date: 31 Oct 02 - 07:02 PM

All the best Mick!

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 09 Mar 18 - 08:15 PM

Okay folks... 16 years on and things have changed somewhat. For one thing Mary and I are now married (2 years come July) and I am now living in the US. Still waiting for my cds, tapes, endless music books and above all my precious computer with all my files on to be delivered from the UK (I thought I had backed everything up to an external hard drive, got here, found I hadn't. So fingers crossed everything will turn up here intact very soon. I know they've cleared customs here, just waiting for a delivery date.

Once that happens I am of a mind to reopen the website, this time also including American music.

I think after 16 years the website will need a complete overhaul, re-vamp whatever you want to call it.. I've learnt a lot more about website design than when I first started way back in 1998.

Why am I posting this here, now?   Because I can't think of a suitable name for the website, the old one has been taken by someone else with nothing to do with music.

So 'catters... any ideas as to a name?

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Mar 18 - 08:44 PM

Yessir, Mick, it will be good to have Prof's Pages back. I'd keep something close to what you had - "prof's traditional music pages" would be fine. But you are remembered and appreciated - more than you might think. You were one of the first.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 09 Mar 18 - 08:49 PM

Thanks Joe, that is really appreciated

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 10 Mar 18 - 07:01 AM

YOWIE ZOWIE That. Is. Brilliant. News. Hmmm, a name… can you give us some idea of what sort of handle you'd like, what you most wish to define about your new site? Maybe to not specifically use the word "Irish" because - as you've said - that pigeonholes it, and is in danger of sparking off pedantic and tiresome arguments. And of course there's also the issue of domain-name availability.

If you can give us a few clues as to what sort of images float your boat, I'm sure the amazing Mudmind can come up with a few gems. SO glad to read this, after all the crappy news we get bombarded with every day.

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--We've closed...
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 10 Mar 18 - 07:05 AM

P.S. Joe or somebody - please can't you change the thread title to reflect opening & renewal, rather than "We've closed"? Also, a lot of folks won't now know what Prof's Pages is and could scroll by, so perhaps some indication as to content. I do think this is important -

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--Reopening after 16 years
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 10 Mar 18 - 03:04 PM

When I started the original site I was playing predominately "Irish" music and had a need for source material, thought other folk would also so having learnt the wonders of the internet, set up our website. It was kind of fun researching and putting together our monthly features especially since I was in England and Mary was in California at the time.

Then we expanded it to include English folk music due to demand for material and then sea shanties/songs and army/war related material.

Mary and I had intended to include a whole new section "adult only" of ribald songs purely so they don't get lost in the mists of time. And because history is my prime driving force they do provide a window into the past.

But the fickle wheel of life turned so I had to give up the website, playing and a whole load of other stuff I won't bore you all with.

In the interim I saw a BBC programme with Bruce Springsteen and the Seeger Session Musicians playing and it re-sparked my interest in the whole "folk" movement. I hate using the word folk.. to too many it conjures up images of people in Arran Jumpers with one finger in their ear singing unaccompanied.

Traditional or Trad is being over played.. in fact we went to a couple of "Syracuse Trad Fest" events on Thursday (saw Teada, they were as brilliant as ever), and some of the material we have isn't traditional especially the "army stuff"...

So in trying to give Bonnie some idea as to what floats my boat, I'm not even sure if it would even float at this moment in time.

Perhaps Prof's All Encompassing Website is a bit too egocentric a name...

Seriously any suggestions would be welcome.

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--Reopening after 16 years
From: SingsIrish Songs
Date: 10 Mar 18 - 03:35 PM

MickMary's World of Music...

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--Reopening after 16 years
From: leeneia
Date: 12 Mar 18 - 08:01 AM

Tunes for Home and Session

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--Reopening after 16 years
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 17 Aug 18 - 04:43 PM

Sorry for the rather large delay in keeping this post up to date. All my computer kit eventually arrived from the UK and horror of horrors I thought I'd lost all the files and website stuff.

Purely by chance I found them yesterday, obviously I had moved them and forgotten about it. Now is the major task of updating, revamping and modernising everything. Not least of which is coming up with a new name for which the domain name is available.

It might take some time but we will get there.

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--Reopening after 16 years
From: GUEST,John C. Bunnell
Date: 17 Aug 18 - 06:17 PM

This sounds like a resource I'll want to bookmark instantly on its rebirth. As to names...

...how about "The Semi-Infinite Songbook"?

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--Reopening after 16 years
From: leeneia
Date: 20 Aug 18 - 10:32 AM

Prof Mike's Tunebank

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--Reopening after 16 years
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 21 Aug 18 - 06:22 AM

Of course nothing ever runs smothly.. Spent was it 3 days updating all the code to HTML5 and being able to use CSS as well as having to convert all the midi files into ogg format because nothing past Win 7 can embed midi files.. About 5am yesterday I was putting the finishing touches to the Danny Boy feature we had in 2000, when the whole thing just vanished from my computer before my very eyes. The entire folder just disappeared.

Spent 4 hours today trying to recover it without joy so I've had to start from scratch yet again.

As for a name I'm toying with "Music Suite" because the domain name is available, the first year being free.

Having to go through all these files again for the first time in years I'd forgotten just how much time and effort Mary and me had put into this website, so I'm damned if I'm going to let it just fade into nothing.

We will be back!!!

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--Reopening after 16 years
From: Brakn
Date: 21 Aug 18 - 07:46 AM

Keep at it Mick.

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--Reopening after 16 years
From: vectis
Date: 23 Aug 18 - 08:55 PM

How about Prof's Music Suite? It would tie old and new together.

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--Reopening after 16 years
From: leeneia
Date: 24 Aug 18 - 01:54 AM

The word Suite makes it sound like a classical music site.

I hope you find the files.

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--Reopening after 16 years
From: C-flat
Date: 24 Aug 18 - 03:24 AM

Hi Mick,

How about calling it "Folk music Lowe-down" ?

Subject: RE: Prof's Pages--Reopening after 16 years
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 28 Aug 18 - 10:21 PM

Thanks for all the suggestions re a new name. A lot depends upon what domain names are available and the cost. Still got time to make a decision as I'm still working my way through the 4,500 pages that need updating. But we will get there.