Folk Britannia

Subject: Folk Britannia
From: GUEST,Dazbo
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 10:44 AM

An early 'heads-up' for all those folkies who can get BBC4 TV. In February the BBC are showing 3 one-hour documentaries on British folk music and a couple of concerts.

Folk Britannia Press Release

It looks good but I fear it's going to be the year's quota in one month (excluding the generally excerable Cambridge coverage), so set those videos to enjoy at your leisure.

Although I don't like Jazz the Jazz Britannia series the Beeb did last year was good I thought from the bits I saw of it

Dazbo

Subject: RE: Folk Britannia
From: GUEST,Auldtimer
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 11:22 AM

Bert Jansch, Donovan, Davy Graham, Shane MacGowan. My heart is sinking already.

Subject: RE: Folk Britannia
From: nutty
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 11:35 AM

Fascinating lineup.......if presented correctly it could be very interesting.

Subject: RE: Folk Britannia
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 01:37 PM

Interesting or not when is it on?

Subject: RE: Folk Britannia
From: GUEST,Dazbo
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 08:12 AM

There are no dates or times on the press release but these things seem to usually be on at 9pm on Friday's.

Dazbo

Subject: RE: Folk Britannia
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 08:39 AM

Thank God for BBC4. They had a lovely profile of the late Ronnie Lane over the weekend.

Subject: RE: Folk Britannia
From: shepherdlass
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 06:19 PM

Even if the guests are the usual big-name suspects, this has to be worth watching. Jazz Britannia was a highpoint of last year ... and they managed to dig up some info that was new even to my jazz-anorak partner. Let's hope this is as good.

Subject: RE: Folk Britannia
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Jan 06 - 06:41 AM

The first programme is scheduled for the Friday, 3rd of Feb.

Subject: RE: Folk Britannia
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Jan 06 - 08:48 AM

Folk Britannia
1/3. Ballads and Blues
9.00 Friday 3rd Feb. BBC4

Three part series charting the rise of British folk music.

The birth of the folk revival in the fifties saw two opposing movements: the traditionalists in The English Folk Song and Dance Society, whose patron was Princess Margaret, and communists, like Ewan McColl and AL Lloyd, whose patron was more likely to be Stalin.

This first programme also looks at the skiffle explosion and the birth of a bohemian brand of folk which would eventually end the left's dominance of the scene.

With contributions from Peggy and Pete Seeger, Martin Carthy, Bob Davenport and Ramblin' Jack Elliott. [S]

Subject: RE: Folk Britannia
From: GUEST,Confused of Coventry
Date: 18 Mar 06 - 06:10 AM

As the potted history of folk it left me wondering "Was that really how it happened?" and "Can I bear to watch it again when they repeat it?" and "If I do will it make any more sense?"

Subject: RE: Folk Britannia
From: GUEST,DocTom
Date: 18 Mar 06 - 06:48 AM

Hmmm! Not how I remember it - but then, of course, most of us weren't in London (or the token other cities mentioned)

Subject: RE: Folk Britannia
From: Brass Monkey
Date: 18 Mar 06 - 07:35 AM

Why can't we have a programme about modern day folk music in Britain?

Subject: RE: Folk Britannia
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 18 Mar 06 - 08:03 AM

Is it because the people who make programme decisions are those mocked in Absolutley Fabulous?

Subject: RE: Folk Britannia
From: Brass Monkey
Date: 18 Mar 06 - 10:47 AM

Isn't Ab Fab a bit past it in times gone by?
Isn't it time we woke up and smelled the banjos?
I'm an ex-techno DJ in her 30s, who like a lot of people my age are bored with mainstream commercial music and would like to hear something different. Folk in general doesn't get the exposure it deserves.

Subject: RE: Folk Britannia
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Mar 06 - 10:57 AM

but it deserves better than the BBC are occasionally
paying lip service to
and going through the motions of providing in its list of
obligations to viewer diversity that need to be ticked off
the annual quota

Subject: RE: Folk Britannia
From: Brass Monkey
Date: 18 Mar 06 - 11:04 AM

well, yeah, that's what I was trying to say.
Communal band websites with listening posts and video slots might be a way to go. Since when have the BBC been intouch with anything really anyway?

Subject: RE: Folk Britannia
From: vectis
Date: 18 Mar 06 - 11:32 AM

I thought the final programme was really dreary, not designed to turn people on to folk. Is that intentional?