BBC4 Folk Related Documentaries

Subject: BBC4 Folk Related Documentaries
From: AllanW
Date: 10 Jul 04 - 04:40 AM

I just read a thread on Richard Thompson's Solitary Life documentary. BBC4 is showing some pretty good retrospective documentaries and they all do eventually come to BBC2. John Martyn, RT, Nic Drake and Martin Carthy have been covered so far. Brilliant, I have no complaint, songwriters are my first love. But when are they going to make one on Swarb? There's got to be a story to tell there hasn't there? I mean isn't he the only living legend who has in fact died once and lived to tell the tale? I would like Dave to tell his story before the Telegraph gets it right.

Subject: RE: BBC4 Folk Related Documentaries
From: AllanW
Date: 10 Jul 04 - 08:12 PM

Shall we talk to ourselves?

Subject: RE: BBC4 Folk Related Documentaries
From: AllanW
Date: 10 Jul 04 - 08:15 PM

Yeah, might as well. Looks like a bit of a clique mate, better do something more productive, what do you reckon?

Subject: RE: BBC4 Folk Related Documentaries
From: AllanW
Date: 10 Jul 04 - 08:16 PM

Yeah. Night night.

Subject: RE: BBC4 Folk Related Documentaries
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 11 Jul 04 - 07:14 AM

I think the disappointing thing about these documentaries is that the casual outsider would be hard pressed to know what all the fuss was about.

John Martyn drinks, Richard Thompson is a muslim, Martin Carthy got an MBE, Nick Drake had trouble with open tunings (as did all guitarists before electronic tuners were invented and widespread - Martin Carthy will tell you he didn't, but then he wasn't the one listening to him tuning up!) - this is all undeniable and true and almost interesting - however it doesn't even start to explain the extent of these guys achievements and the extent of their talents.

Lots of people drink, lots of people are Muslims, lots get MBEs - these aren't the important things about these chaps.

The trouble is of course that England is a small country with a very small media industry for the size of population - it was even smaller in the 1970's when these guys were for the most part at the height of their powers. Most of the time there were only three tv channels

The 'hits' our four heroes wrote were never allowed to be hits because the showbiz mafia filled the tv screens with crap like the rolf harris and the younger generation , and suzi quatro's greatest whatever. I suppose these things have their constituency, but 70's tv sent me scuttling out to whatever folk club was available every night of the week...... tv still does to some extent.

The programmes we have seen so far have been devoid of insight into the demons that; drove these men along, made John and Martin style icons, and above all inspired an army of admirers & imitators. What was it these people were seeing that the rest of the population so missed while they were singing along to can the can and jake the peg (with a extra leg).

Yes they're all pretty nify musicians - but that still isn't the point. Do you know what it was?

Cheer up, neither did the makers of these documentaries

Subject: RE: BBC4 Folk Related Documentaries
From: sapper82
Date: 11 Jul 04 - 09:36 AM

but om the other hand, did anyone listen to the BBC R4 archive hour rebro last night? Bob Copper and Pete Seager.

Subject: RE: BBC4 Folk Related Documentaries
From: Ragman
Date: 11 Jul 04 - 10:07 AM

Note for weelittledrummer

Hate to be picky, but don't forget that John Martyn is SCOTTISH, and Scotland is still part of United Kingdom, NOT ENGLAND!

Subject: RE: BBC4 Folk Related Documentaries
From: GUEST,Anne Croucher
Date: 11 Jul 04 - 10:46 AM

BEWARE - SUNDAY AFTERNOON RAMBLINGS!!

I listened to the Radio 4 program - will have to wait for the TV to come to BBC 2 and hope that I notice they are on. TV reception is bad in my kitchen - maybe I ought to chop down some trees, but it always makes me feel guilty to kill such harmless things.

I found the attitude of Bob Copper, that singing is something they did at home as a family not as a performance, rather interesting.

When I went to Portsmouth Poly and was taken to folk clubs I was rather surprised that people performed songs and music for money/ fame/acclaim, but since then I have got used to it - it was odd to be reminded of how it was on the radio. I do find it unsettling, even after so many decades, that music sets me apart somehow - it should be something which causes a gathering together, not a singling out - I feel thankful I am not good enough to attract too much attention. When they are and do people often don't cope well - but then people with ordinary quiet lives aften don't do any better.

It surprises people that I don't play folk music cds and tapes as in car entertainment - I prefer Status Quo - but I don't have folk music on playable media, I just have blowable and strumable access plus I am writing down songs so that as I get older and forget more I won't lose them, as long as I write in large clear letters.

Anne

Subject: RE: BBC4 Folk Related Documentaries
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 11 Jul 04 - 12:35 PM

well perhaps you lot should put him on shortbread tins instead of Bonny Prince Charlie - then we'd all know