Scots musicians deny claim that folk is fading out

Ali Howard - The Herald newspaper, Scotland.
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15 Jul 2010

Folk music could soon be consigned to history if pop, rock and rap tunes continue to dominate television and radio, according to two academics.

It is claimed that over the past 20 years British teenagers have been increasingly exposed to restricted play-lists on radio stations, TV and websites – fuelling a interest in acts like Lady Gaga and N-Dubz.

Meanwhile, traditional instruments such as the violin, clarinet and flute are "endangered" because fewer children want to learn to play them, the researchers have claimed, putting folk, brass bands and even classical music at risk of slowly disappearing.

Professors Sue Hallam and Andrea Creech, from the Institute of Education at the University of London, said that even though there is now a wider choice of music available because of MP3 players and other technology, the playlists on TV and radio are far

narrower than 20 years ago.

They added: "Young people – unless they are introduced to a range of different musical traditions early when they are still open-eared – can refuse to engage with any music other than their preferred genre."

However, key players in the Scottish music industry cast doubt on the report, pointing to a surge in popularity for traditional music.

This year's Celtic Connections festival, featuring artists such as Orkney-based folk duo The Wrigley Sisters, saw audiences top 100,000, and T in the Park crowds warmed to folk rock band Mumford and Sons and folk singer-songwriter Laura Marling.

Scots singer-songwriter Karine Polwart believes the folk scene is stronger than it has been for 20 or 30 years and cited the Feis Movement (a group of Gaelic arts tuition festivals for young people), the "flourishing sessions scene" and the number of emerging young folk bands as proof.

    Anyone who says folk music is dead in Scotland just isn't listening to modern music

Vic Galloway

She said: "People who haven't previously considered themselves folk musicians are becoming interested. There's now crossovers with folk and different genres like classical and jazz," said Polwart.

"Folk isn't only flourishing, but people outwith the scene have taken folk music and made it their own. People are hacked off with the commercial music they are getting fed. There's an interest out there for independent, grass-roots music with meaning and identity."

BBC Radio Scotland DJ Vic Galloway claims there has been an increase in folk music within modern indie pop in Scotland.

"Folk music is in the DNA of song-writing in our country," said Galloway, citing acts such as King Creosote, James Yorkston, Arab Strap, Zoey Van Goey and Emma Pollock.

"There's a new wave of bands who are taking the indie template and infusing it with folk. Anyone who says folk music is dead in Scotland just isn't listening to modern music."

Roddy Woomble, singer with Idlewild, said: "Music is an evolving language and the generation we live in now is one in which musical genres are redundant. Folk music can be defined by so many things and lots of music can be classed as folk music."

The Glasgow Gaelic School, where traditional instruments are encouraged from primary one, has reported a rise in the uptake of fiddle and accordion.

At the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, in Glasgow, there has also been an increase in applications for undergraduate Scottish Music courses – from 38 for the 2008-2009 term to 49 this year.

Johnny Lynch, who runs Fife-based Fence record label along with Kenny Anderson – otherwise known as musician King Creosote – believes folk music is thriving. "People aren't so limited by musical genres any more," said Lynch, who performs with The Pictish Trail and electro band Silver Columns. "There's less musical snobbery now. And there will be more genre crossovers as time passes.

"Bands like Mumford and Sons – who are one of the most popular bands in the country – use traditional instruments, inspiring bands up and down the country."