Nick
I don't decry anything - I know what Travellers sing - I tried to get Mary Delaney, or best Traveller singer toi sing her Country and Western songs for us and she refused point blank - she said they weren't the old ones and she'd only learned them because that's what the lads wanted down the pub
We were not musicologists or social historiands (we were nly doing what we did in our spare time) - we were Folk Song collectors, though we did collect much more in terms of information - in some cases we filled more tapes with talk that we did with songs.
Folk clubs, by defining themselves as such take on a responsibility of presenting a certain type of song - it was once our showcase for the songs we loved and felt important - it no longer is
I have wide musical tastes, jazz, blues, classics mainly, but my main interest lies in the songs of the people - that's what Topic called their magnificent series and that's what they are
"narrow, turgid, bombastic approach"
How ***** dare you
I have told you what folk music is as defined worldwide and I've offered you examples
If you believe the music I am attempting to promote is "turgid" you have no right to a claim of having to do anything with folk
MacColl one told us that the scene would crash when it fell into the hands of people whoi didn't like folk music - he must have had people like you in mind.
I don't give a shit of my music has a limited appeal - I'm not in it for fame and fortune
Shakespeare has a limited appeal, compared to the rest of popular culture, so does Dickens and Hardy and classical music ..............
Your "limited appeal" is laughable coming from a tiny number of diminishing folk clubs that are generally run by people of our age who have failed miserably to attract supporters who will take over.
If you are can't stump up a description of your music and value it by the number of bums you manage to put on seats...... how shallow can you get
This music is important because o what it is as well as how it entertains
You want to fill your clubs - go and book the flavour of the month on the pop scene (whoever that is - it will be somebody else in a few months time
Turgid my arse
Where is your definition if you people think I am wrong
Jim Carroll