Nude Publicity Stunt for festival

Subject: RE: Nude Publicity Stunt for festival
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 05:08 AM

well, my farming friends employ pest controllers. Usually the fox is shot dead (which is apparently not nearly so difficult as the hunting fraternity would have us believe). The farmers I know are no great fans of the hunt, by the way - the damage they do they may pay for, but when you're a farmer with limited human resources, repairing fences and hedges is another job you could really do without...and don't even get my friend Craig started on the way that they ride roughshod over whichever fields they like, regardless of what is agreed in advance. One farmer I know has banned them from his land - not that they pay any attention, which is symptomatic of the arrogance of the breed. They do, of course, remove beasts' carcasses, which is a useful service - but it's not like they don't charge the farmers to do it.

"foxhunting has been an important activity in the lives of rural communities, as was singing about it in the pub afterwards"

Well, hurrah. Why not bring back public hangings and all, so long as we can have a good sing-song afterwards?

Subject: RE: Nude Publicity Stunt for festival
From: Mitch the Bass
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 06:09 AM

> ...we are no nearer identifying Mark's concertina.
> I still think it is an Edeophone........

As CB said a little earlier, it's an anglo. An 8-sided instrument, so in the style of an Aeola (Edeophones are 12-sided). It was made in March 2006 by Geoffrey Crabb. I've seen the instrument in the flesh - just the instrument.

Mark reported last year -

After spending some time persuading my good friend Geoff Crabb to make me a new concertina I finally took delivery of the instrument yesterday when Geoff delivered it.We attended the Royal Concertinas session where various anglo afficianados played it and were favourably impressed.As I started off playing a 40 key Wheatstone anglo,the standard Wheatstone layout on a C/G anglo is what I prefer.The instrument Geoff has made is an 8 sided 40 key with finely fretted stainless steel ends and eight fold bellows.Clearly I have had a limited time to play it but the action is light and very responsive and the tone is loud without being too strident.The balance of the sound between the left and right hand sides is excellent and shows what long periof of time Geoff spent on the reed work.The reed frames are hand filed rectangular and the reed pan is that standard non radial Crabb layout.It will clearly need to be played in but meets my requirements exactly.There are a number of innovations on the instrument which are probably unique and are testimony to Geoff's inventive frame of mind and technical skills.The air button on right hand side is in fact a lever and air is released by pressing down on the side of the button rather than pressing in the end of the button.This is very easy to use.The air button/lever in fact operates two entirely separate levers and pads.Depressing the button slightly allows limited air to be released whilst depressing the lever fully operates a separate lever and a larger pad enabling a larger amount of air to be released.This idea appears to work very well.The drone button on the right hand side operates on a similar lever basis as the air button.However it has a cranked action which enables the drone button(standard drone in C)to be locked into place.Geoff made the 30 key No 1 concertina,previously reviewed on c.net, just to satisfy himself that he was still able to make a concertina.The No 2 concertina certainly shows that is the case and suggests he is perhaps the most innovative of the current makers whilst sticking to traditional construction methods.

Geoff was highly amused when I showed him correspondence from his late father Harry dating from 1974.I had ordered in 1974 a Crabb 40 key anglo(identical to No 2 apart from the innovations referred to above).The price in the catalogue was I think £110.I had paid a £10 deposit.However when Harry wrote back confirming the order he said the price had gone up to £150.I was training to be a Solicitor at the time,newly married and earning £4.50 a week so I decided to cancel the order and got my £10 back!Wasn't I a silly boy.The price of No2(still a bargain)was substantially more than £150.

Geoff again gave a fascinating talk at the Royal Concertinas session on the history of the H.Crabb & Sons up to the closure of the business on the death of his brother Neville in 1989.He is the last living connection with the Victorian concertina through his great grandfather John Crabb and his memories of the concertian trade are thus fascinating.He has organised a data base of Crabb concertinas so is able to tell you when individual instruments were made and at a small cost is able to provide certificates of authenticity.


Mitch

Subject: RE: Nude Publicity Stunt for festival
From: GUEST,chris
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 06:14 AM

Dick (captain birdseye)
foxes may be cruel in our eyes but 'barbaric' is the province of the human race.We are supposed to be able to 'reason'I doubt that anyone would expect an animal to 'reason'
chris

Subject: RE: Nude Publicity Stunt for festival
From: GUEST,Dave S at Work
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 08:17 AM

Well said Chris, that has always been my take on the subject too. While I have not witnessed the devastation that a fox can wreck I have been (unwillingly)present at the culmination of a foxhunt (in the Lake District on the site where I was camping)and I fancy I know which is the more barbaric.
Sorry but I now have no desire to attend Bradfield Festival which is not too far from me and to which a number of my collegues go.

Subject: RE: Nude Publicity Stunt for festival
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 08:27 AM

you want to see (and feel) what it's like when you're out walking with your family, and the hunt comes tearing through the surrounding fields. It's terrifying, not least for children (especially if you happen to be walking your own dog, because you just don't know what the pack would do if your dog crossed their path) and all in all you feel rather small and defenceless and vulnerable. Rather like the fox, I should imagine.

Kind of spoils your day out, and ruins the peace and tranquility of the countryside...

Subject: RE: Nude Publicity Stunt for festival
From: The Sandman
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 09:28 AM

also rather like my defenceless duck that had its head removed.
many years ago I experienced,THE HUNT rampaging over my land,and I f;;;;;;;THEM OFF MY LAND,However as far as I am concerned FOXES are a nuiscance,Probably best dealt with, when their population is too high by shooting them.[and thats not perfect either],thats why I havent made up my mind [and am a dont know].

Democracy is only used when it suits the incumbent politicians. However the correct democratic thing to do is have a referendum,after all Tony Blair is always blathering on about democracy in Iraq.,some democrat, a two faced hypocrite.

Subject: RE: Nude Publicity Stunt for festival
From: Folkiedave
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 12:15 PM

Thanks for that - of course Mark would want to have his pride and joy in that particular picture. Though why he wanted to hide it with a concertina is beyond me.

Crabbs you say? Well, well who would have thought it of a judge!!

(My understanding from one who was present was that he got a bit of stick at Royal Concertinas last night!!)

Subject: RE: Nude Publicity Stunt for festival
From: Alan Day
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 12:27 PM

Dave S the weekend is about Folk not Foxhunting .It did not spoil a good weekend for me and not a hunting horn in sight.
Worth going just for the pies.
Al

Subject: RE: Nude Publicity Stunt for festival
From: GUEST, Topsie
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 12:46 PM

I heard that the reason the foxhunting bill got so many votes as the bill to be repealed was because hunting supporters organised a campaign to get as many of their followers as possible to vote, vote, vote.
I am sure I have seen similar campaigns on Mudcat, e.g. urging people to vote for morris dancing as an English icon - also successful.

Subject: RE: Nude Publicity Stunt for festival
From: The Sandman
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 12:54 PM

well said ALAN,
a typical peice of newspaper reporting,inaccurate and sensational,this paper spent its time in the 1930,s,recruiting for oswald mosleys blackshirts,.
and during the first world war,whipped up an anti german frenzy,as a result of which my families shop was smashed up,and my grandmother father and uncle, had to hide in a chicken shed at the bottom of the garden,terrified for their lives.
the daily mail were accusing all german immigrants of being spies for the kaiser.
Ruth Archer; folkie Dave,you must learn to question everything you read in any newspaper,even the weather forecast.

Subject: RE: Nude Publicity Stunt for festival
From: Folkiedave
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 02:17 PM

Dick I never buy the Mail because of its fascist past.

I don't agree with Mark and his ilk regarding hunting and I have spoken with him about it over a pint. But it doesn't stop me going to the festival he runs, especially since it is up the road from me and I have helped by offering accommodation to people who are there.

And as for questioning things have you never read anything I have written?

Subject: RE: Nude Publicity Stunt for festival
From: The Sandman
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 06:13 PM

I agree, Dave

Subject: RE: Nude Publicity Stunt for festival
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 18 Jan 07 - 05:52 AM

I was married to a national broadsheet journalist for 15 years, Dave. I think I'm relatively media-savvy.

But thanks for the advice.

Subject: RE: Nude Publicity Stunt for festival
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 18 Jan 07 - 11:26 AM

oops - I meant Dick, of course!

Sorry, Uncle Dave.

Subject: RE: Nude Publicity Stunt for festival
From: Folkiedave
Date: 18 Jan 07 - 12:29 PM

No need to be avuncular with me Ruth.

Subject: RE: Nude Publicity Stunt for festival
From: TheSnail
Date: 19 Jan 07 - 07:56 AM

Even more off the subject of this thread but Captain Birdseye said -

"the english are very good at telling people what to do,banning musical instruments in Ireland.,among other things"

Really? References please.