Just on the same subject...

I revisit my photo files (negs, slides, prints) occasionally to see if I have "missed" anything of potential future value (to the world, ha ha) on previous passes, dismissed as for example insufficient artistic quality, poor technical quality, or subject not of sufficient interest to the wider (in this case, folk music) community. One such has come back to my attention, namely a shot of Elecampane (70s-early 80s "folk theatre" group originating from Bristol) on a low stage at Cambridge Festival, 1977. In my first pass I ignored it because it was of poor technical quality - grainy B&W image with plenty of defects - and (I thought) not terribly well composed (just a somewhat bland audience shot), also that the group was not very widely known. However I have reconsidered - the shot can be improved a lot with modern photo post processing programs, a little cropping / judicious shading to focus on the performers helps a bit, and the group might be said to have some interest, being documented on AllMusic and Discogs as well as at least one thread here on Mudcat. So I uploaded it to a Facebook page to try to assess potential interest, and lo and behold "Meta AI" chimed in wth some reasons why it might be worth saving for posterity... normally I am not a fan of auto-generated commentary, but in this case not too bad, guys ... the auto-generated commentary said:

"The photo appears to be significant for its historical value, capturing the folk-theatre group Elecampane's performance at the 1977 Cambridge Folk Festival. It provides a visual record of the group's lineup and style during that era. The photo's significance could be:

1. Documentary evidence: Serving as a primary source for researchers or enthusiasts interested in the folk music scene of the 1970s.

2. Nostalgia: Holding sentimental value for those who attended the festival or were fans of the group.

3. Educational: Potentially used to illustrate the evolution of folk music or the role of festivals in shaping musical movements."

Actually I think that is not bad!

Accordingly I have made an "editorial call" and added it to Wikimedia Commons, for future viewers to make of it what they will... You can find the image in question here:

Elecampane (UK folk-theatre group), Cambridge Festival, 1977

As I get the chance I will edit the description further to include personnel and other relevant ancillary information.

So I count this as a small win for posterity versus the tip on my demise - maybe more to come, maybe not...

- Tony