To Thread - Forum Home

The Mudcat Café TM
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=161874
20 messages

The Great Folk Debate - John Snow Pub.

10 Apr 17 - 08:48 AM (#3849824)
Subject: The Great Folk Debate - John Snow Pub.
From: GUEST,SByers

This has been sourced from a well known recordist of folk traditions. This file was recorded in the John Snow Pub in Soho, London, around 1965. The meeting was convened by Ewan MacColl and Bert Lloyd. It was a debate on the 'folk scene' and 'folk singing' (of that time) and included such luminaries as Ewan MacColl, Bert Lloyd, Bob Davenport and Alex Campbell.

Bob Davenport and Alex Campbell were invited as speakers, along with Bert Lloyd - Ewan MacColl was chairman. Reportedly folks got quite agitated and vociferous. Bert tried to keep the peace, and Ewan tried to chair. The thing degenerated into a shambles when it was opined by one member that a well known female was a crap singer. As the recordist opined "Not folk's finest moment, but an interesting piece of history."

Download link

https://we.tl/2U28jEJkta

It has only recently come to light.


10 Apr 17 - 09:21 AM (#3849831)
Subject: RE: The Great Folk Debate - John Snow Pub.
From: Stanron

Another one of those sites where you have to click an "I agree" button to see the content. As I don't want to agree to an unknown set of stuff I clicked the little X at the top right instead.


10 Apr 17 - 11:16 AM (#3849854)
Subject: RE: The Great Folk Debate - John Snow Pub.
From: Nigel Parsons

John Snow, You know nothing:)


10 Apr 17 - 12:43 PM (#3849865)
Subject: RE: The Great Folk Debate - John Snow Pub.
From: GUEST

ask Bob D he's the only one still around & has never had delusions of folk music grandeur


10 Apr 17 - 02:22 PM (#3849892)
Subject: RE: The Great Folk Debate - John Snow Pub.
From: The Sandman

Bob is a great man, Jim Carroll was there as well, so you might get two different versions


10 Apr 17 - 03:24 PM (#3849899)
Subject: RE: The Great Folk Debate - John Snow Pub.
From: Big Al Whittle

its funny how these old donnybrooks are going into history something akin to the Yalta Conference.


10 Apr 17 - 03:29 PM (#3849900)
Subject: RE: The Great Folk Debate - John Snow Pub.
From: The Sandman

Isuppose Jim is too busy below the line delivering killer blows, to Teribus and keith a and bobad


10 Apr 17 - 04:04 PM (#3849904)
Subject: RE: The Great Folk Debate - John Snow Pub.
From: The Sandman

VERY INTERESTING Alex talking sense, Bert Sounds rather like one of Sellers skits[ blue bottle] but also has some interesting points, fascinating to know what the audience made of him singing for weeks in a night club


10 Apr 17 - 04:12 PM (#3849907)
Subject: RE: The Great Folk Debate - John Snow Pub.
From: The Sandman

did i hear john foreman, at one point?


10 Apr 17 - 05:12 PM (#3849914)
Subject: RE: The Great Folk Debate - John Snow Pub.
From: The Sandman

Now, I have listened to the full debate, Bob did not distinguish himself, and was the cause of much of the trouble.
The rubbish, Bob talked about joe heaney and paddy tunney.
Alex in my opinion, came over well. he said"the song must mean something to him"he also said something apt about commercialism.
Ewan was remarkably restrained.


10 Apr 17 - 05:15 PM (#3849915)
Subject: RE: The Great Folk Debate - John Snow Pub.
From: The Sandman

Alex was right.


11 Apr 17 - 06:37 AM (#3849982)
Subject: RE: The Great Folk Debate - John Snow Pub.
From: The Sandman

thanks, very interesting


12 Apr 17 - 03:47 AM (#3850117)
Subject: RE: The Great Folk Debate - John Snow Pub.
From: Will Fly

Bob Davenport: "Folk clubs are full of disturbed people..."

:-)


12 Apr 17 - 05:26 AM (#3850135)
Subject: RE: The Great Folk Debate - John Snow Pub.
From: The Sandman

i find it interesting that people were concerned about poor standards 50 years ago.
"Folk clubs are full of disturbed people..."
Hilarious. especially in view of the fact that on that occasionBob seemed a trifle disturbed
in my opinion,Folk Clubs are only a reflection of Society. howver the recording seems to have been truncated towards the end before the infamous fight.
Alex Campbell had some sensible things to say.
I thought Berts contributions were flawed and unconvincing


12 Apr 17 - 07:17 AM (#3850152)
Subject: RE: The Great Folk Debate - John Snow Pub.
From: The Sandman

BobDavenport, who doesnt play any kind of concertina or musical instrument[as far as i know]pontificating and showing his ignorance about Concertinas and Talking Codswallop about the English concertina


12 Apr 17 - 08:54 AM (#3850175)
Subject: RE: The Great Folk Debate - John Snow Pub.
From: GUEST,matt milton

" howver the recording seems to have been truncated towards the end before the infamous fight."

Was it an actual physical fight?


12 Apr 17 - 10:36 AM (#3850188)
Subject: RE: The Great Folk Debate - John Snow Pub.
From: The Sandman

I believe it was, my understanding which may be wrong is that bob attacked ewan phsically, Jim Carroll was there, he might be able to tell us whether this is right or wrong.
He might be too busy below the line verbally fighting Teribus and co


12 Apr 17 - 11:53 AM (#3850195)
Subject: RE: The Great Folk Debate - John Snow Pub.
From: GUEST


12 Apr 17 - 06:51 PM (#3850262)
Subject: RE: The Great Folk Debate - John Snow Pub.
From: GUEST,Ebor Fiddler

And here was me thinking this was about the finest flower of our family, but no, just the usual inconclusive row about "what we will allow to be called folk" ...


12 Apr 17 - 07:14 PM (#3850263)
Subject: RE: The Great Folk Debate - John Snow Pub.
From: The Sandman

Yes, Ebor, and they were at it 50 years ago, it seems like its traditional for folks to be worrying about the uk folk scene, or what is folk.,lets hope someone is still doing it in 50 years from now.
We Brits are excellent at queuing,and fairly good on hot air expulsion