Poet against PEL - welcome Simon

Subject: Poet against PEL - welcome Simon
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 16 Jan 03 - 03:38 PM

We've got ourselves a new poet on board the Mudcat, Harlow's finest - Simon. He's the kind of poet who prefers folk sessions and singarounds to poetry readings. Leaps in when there's a quiet moment and surprises people, and it works.

I've been telling him about the Mudcat, and now he's just turned up with a PM saying he'd just joined and wanted to check up on how to go about telling people about a forthcoming concert in Harlow. He's set it up in a couple of months, in support of the fight to stop the new licencing rules destroying the session tradition. The point is, it isn't just music under threat, it's anything that can be termed a performance.

If you were at Broadstairs Folk Festival you might have run into Simon, since he was their official folk poet. Or you might have hear his song about President Lincoln and the letter from the theatre management to Mrs Lincoln after that unfortunate incident.

Subject: RE: Poet against PEL - welcome Simon
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 17 Jan 03 - 12:23 PM

The Mudcat's been down much of the time since I posted this, so I thought I'd push it up the top again.

Here's one of Simon's ruthless rhymes:

In the pub our Billy slumped
Passed away we found
Making it quite awkward
It should have been his round

Subject: RE: Poet against PEL - welcome Simon
From: Alice
Date: 17 Jan 03 - 12:43 PM

Ha, ha... welcome, Simon!

Subject: RE: Poet against PEL - welcome Simon
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 17 Jan 03 - 08:55 PM

Here's a suggestion Joe Offer made in a thread on the Help forum, while the Mudcat was down, and it sort of fits in here:

Now, if people could organize free folk festivals to show the MP's the cultural value of the music, that might be more effective.
Stridency rarely works - persuasion is much better. And if you can give the MP's and the nation a cultural gift they can enjoy, that's the best persuasion of all.

The concert Simon has set up is for May 17th in a bar at Harlow Playhouse, and he's booked Robb Johnson and there'll be a few others too:

"Folk off, Howells" presents a benefit evening against the proposed Music Licensing Bill, with song, music and poetry.

Now I wonder if our MP Bill Rammell will come along to it? And that is a great link for finding up what your MP has been up to.) All right, it won't be free, but he can afford £5. Mind, I dunno if the bar has a PEL...

So is anyone else setting up events around this issue?

Subject: RE: Poet against PEL - welcome Simon
From: harlowpoet
Date: 18 Jan 03 - 05:04 AM

Cheers for the welcome Kevin.

Anyone who wants to buy a ticket for the gig on 17th May 2003 at Harlow Playhouse, can send a cheque with SAE to Folk off, Howells, 46 Peterswood, Harlow Essex CM19 4SQ.£5.00/£4.00 concessions.

Thought I'd sign off with a short poem about when you're the only person at the folk club, because they're all somewhere else

Everyones Gone To The Festival

Everyones gone to the festival
Except me
They've all decamped
To where the music's going down
Gigs all day
Gigs all night
Gigs coming out of their earholes
There's no music in town
Everyone's at the festival
They're playing and listening
They're partying
And dancing at ceilidhs
Long and late
I've got nothing going
While they're dosey doeing
And stripping the willow
With it all
They'll be completely plastered
Bastard!s

Subject: RE: Poet against PEL - welcome Simon
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 18 Jan 03 - 05:10 AM

I thought you'd turn up soon enough, Simon. (And while you're here I draw your attention to this thread about Kim Howells, and his live web appearance scheduled for Monday...)

Subject: RE: Poet against PEL - welcome Simon
From: Dead Horse
Date: 18 Jan 03 - 12:07 PM

About time that bastard got on mudcat so I could get back at him for making me spill my beer on more than one occasion.
We serious drinkers are opposed to folk who, without warning, suddenly make us split our sides & get uncontrollable shakes, while desperately trying to hang on to our pint-pots.
As for the more serious poetical ventures, real men like myself cannot afford to be seen with tears in our eyes at a public venue.
People like Simon and Les Barker should carry govt health warnings.
I remain, sir,
Disgusted of Broadstairs
P.S. ;-)

Subject: RE: Poet against PEL - welcome Simon
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 18 Jan 03 - 01:11 PM

Welcome to Mudcat from both myself and Linda (Essex Girl) - I still love your "Action Man" poem.

Subject: RE: Poet against PEL - welcome Simon
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 18 Jan 03 - 01:24 PM

Ouch! (and if you've heard it you'll know why I said that...)

Subject: RE: Poet against PEL - welcome Simon
From: alanabit
Date: 19 Jan 03 - 04:44 AM

I was hoping that this would turn out to be Simon Pitt, whom I knew at college. He appeared at our folk club from time to time, performing his wonderfully eccentric poems. It sure made a welcome change from sincere social workers and teachers singing their deeply sincere versions of "No Man's Land" and Ralph McTell songs. A folk club is one of the few places where a poet can still perform. I believe Adrian Henri used to do it from time to time. Recitations, in poetry or prose, can add a lot to an evening of song. So even though you have turned out to be another Simon, you are welcome here mate.