fRoots magazine and folk clubs

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: Folknacious
Date: 16 Jul 10 - 07:16 AM

Will Fly wrote Why can't we - for once - just accept that Ian has done a wonderful job with the fRoots magazine . . . if the award and its publicity helps fRoots to sell a few more copies, make a bit more of an impact in the music world, reach the consciousness of a few more ignorant people - then let it flourish!

It sounds like a bit less knocking and a bit more support would be helpful right now too, if you read this appeal .

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: The Sandman
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 02:50 PM

He's ploughed his own furrow, through thick and thin, and brought his own perspective to the world of folk music and to world music. Awards are fickle things - they resound for a year and are then forgotten in the heat and excitement of the next year's award. But for one short year, Ian can celebrate decades of hard work, dedication, persistence, etc. with a simple piece of publicity. And, if the award and its publicity helps fRoots to sell a few more copies, make a bit more of an impact in the music world, reach the consciousness of a few more ignorant people - then let it flourish!
I have no problem with that.
I dont know wha tyou think you are detecting, but I detect from folknacious an attempt to stir up shit and personalise the issue, so I am making crystal clear that my objection is to Robin Denselows journalism.
PeterC,2 hours 45 minutes is not extensive mainstream roots coverage, ITS SWEET FA.
I think Ian would agree with this too, that the problem with extensive media coverage is that it does not guarantee quality.
in Ireland we have television programmes of traditional music, but the programme makers spend so much time getting the photographers to get a "right" photo, that the musicians have to go over and over the tunes ,the result is the musicians sound bored, any spontaneous life in the music is often is killed and the music suffers.






2

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: Will Fly
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 02:22 PM

Dick, reading through these recent posts - in spite of your protestations and congratulations - I detect just a touch of the curmudgeon in your comments.

Why can't we - for once - just accept that Ian has done a wonderful job with the fRoots magazine. He's ploughed his own furrow, through thick and thin, and brought his own perspective to the world of folk music and to world music. Awards are fickle things - they resound for a year and are then forgotten in the heat and excitement of the next year's award. But for one short year, Ian can celebrate decades of hard work, dedication, persistence, etc. with a simple piece of publicity. And, if the award and its publicity helps fRoots to sell a few more copies, make a bit more of an impact in the music world, reach the consciousness of a few more ignorant people - then let it flourish!

Who the devil cares whether WOMEX is a key player in the music game? Who the devil cares whether it's media hype or faux publicity or what? Who cares whether it's part of a music publicity machine? Forget the rhetoric. Stop the nitpicking. Let's, for once, just be happy that a hard-working guy and his team in the folk/world music business has been recognised and celebrated.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: GUEST,PeterC
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 02:20 PM

[quote]
In England there is one national folk radio programme once a week, that is hardly extensive media roots music coverage.
[/quote]
Three progrmmes five times a week surely.
Late Junction - Tuesday - Thursday
World on 3 - Friday
World Routes - Saturday

Even if you discount LJ as mixed programming that still gives 2 hours 45 minutes across two shows.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: The Sandman
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 01:26 PM

" And as all those who read fRoots will know, he is an enthusiast, a maverick and a guide, who promotes great new artists long before they have been discovered by the mainstream media."
I offered my congrtulations To IAN., he works hard and is very committed
I am disputing that Roots music gets played extensively or has even been discoverd by the mainstream media in England, or that Froots has had any major impact on the mainstream media outside of England.
In England there is one national folk radio programme once a week, that is hardly extensive media roots music coverage.
as far asI know Froots has had no major impact on the usa mainstream media or the irish mainstream media.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: Continuity Jones
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 01:14 PM

I stopped buying fRoots roughly 10 years ago, when Ian A told someone on the fRoots letter's page to 'fuck off and start their own magazine if they don't like his' or words to that effect. Funnily enough, he'd said the exact same thing the issue before hand and I'd agreed with him - in that case the recipient of his anger seemed really as though he needed to be told to fuck off - but the second time... well, my memory tells me that it was a harmless enough letter which got an extremely rude reply. And that was the moment I finally had enough of his annoyingly egotistical 'more-important-knowledgeable-and-special-than-thou' behaviour.

So, I stopped buying it every issue. I've bought it since then maybe once a year. I don't even really go for the double CD issues as they went through a phase with seemingly a lot of Parisian produced African music, which for me 9 times out of 10 means exceedingly glossy and over produced African music. I don't like any of my music exceedingly over produced and glossy, so I stopped buying those. I have first heard some great things from previous CDs though - I especially remember the recording of Bob Copper singing Rags & Old Iron.

However, Ian A seems, from a distance, to have a slightly milder editorial & personal slant now and I'm slowly warming to the magazine again. Certainly, I sincerely hope it doesn't close. Colin Irwin and Andrew Cronshaw especially I consider very knowledgeable, interesting and reliable writers. In my eyes Ian A does deserve this award, as I consider fRoots to have been an important publication - However I'm extremely glad he wasn't awarded it ten or even five years ago as I have the feeling his already mightily swollen head would have exploded.

Good luck Ian, I hope fRoots continues for a good long while yet. Oh - and in reference to the discussion on your message board re Mumford & Sons - go ahead, do an issue with all the blighters in one fell swoop - someone mentioned Nick Cave - ask them interesting questions and it'll be an interesting piece.

(apologies for the double posting, my cookies were re-set)

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: The Sandman
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 01:04 PM

So who are these artists that have been discovered by the mainstream media?, yes, I do dispute it, because ROOTS MUSIC is not featured extensively in the mainstream media in England.
In Ireland it has a higher profile in the mainstream media [but Froots is not responsible]
Folknacious your problem is that despite your perceived interest in roots music, you have the blinkered views of a little Englander, all the time you talk from an english perspective[ what happens in England].
dont you think that the mainstream media might possibly be different in Ireland or other countries, there is life beyond Walthamstow you know, even if there is not much life in it.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 12:58 PM

I stopped buying fRoots roughly 10 years ago, when Ian A told someone on the fRoots letter's page to 'fuck off and start their own magazine if they don't like his' or words to that effect. Funnily enough, he'd said the exact same thing the issue before hand and I'd agreed with him - in that case the recipient of his anger seemed really as though he needed to be told to fuck off - but the second time... well, my memory tells me that it was a harmless enough letter which got an extremely rude reply. And that was the moment I finally had enough of his annoyingly egotistical 'more-important-knowledgeable-and-special-than-thou' behaviour.

So, I stopped buying it every issue. I've bought it since then maybe once a year. I don't even really go for the double CD issues as they went through a phase with seemingly a lot of Parisian produced African music, which for me 9 times out of 10 means exceedingly glossy and over produced African music. I don't like any of my music exceedingly over produced and glossy, so I stopped buying those. I have first heard some great things from previous CDs though - I especially remember the recording of Bob Copper singing Rags & Old Iron.

However, Ian A seems, from a distance, to have a slightly milder editorial & personal slant now and I'm slowly warming to the magazine again. Certainly, I sincerely hope it doesn't close. Colin Irwin and Andrew Cronshaw especially I consider very knowledgeable, interesting and reliable writers. In my eyes Ian A does deserve this award, as I consider fRoots to have been an important publication - However I'm extremely glad he wasn't awarded it ten or even five years ago as I have the feeling his already mightily swollen head would have exploded.

Good luck Ian, I hope fRoots continues for a good long while yet. Oh - and in reference to the discussion on your message board re Mumford & Sons - go ahead, do an issue with all the blighters in one fell swoop - someone mentioned Nick Cave - ask them interesting questions and it'll be an interesting piece.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: Folknacious
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 12:53 PM

I know from past experiences that there's little point in arguing with you, Mr Miles, or expecting you to read what's not in your imagination, but the award citation thing, as quoted by Vic Smith, apparently says Froots "promotes great new artists long before they have been discovered by the mainstream media." Nothing in there about commerciality, high level presences, the top ten, the Irish media, and whatever "tin pan alley" is (you've lost me there, and I'm too lazy to google). Just that Froots has written about many artists first, before others outside the specialist press. Do you really dispute that? Did you bother to look at those indexes I linked earlier?

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: The Sandman
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 12:14 PM

if I can play devils advocate for a minute:
supposing Froots were to be successful in introducing roots music to the mainstream media, would the music benefit, or would the musical content have to be diluted to make it acceptable to tinpan alley?
I am sure Ian would like to see the music undiluted, but is it better to introduce a commercialised form of roots music or to keep the music pure, does quality suffer as a result of commercial pressure.
I am sure we would all like to see the music become a little more popular, but the dichotomy is that roots music can[possibly] become something else and loose its roots if it becomes[commercial] and part of the tin pan alley// top ten/ popular music world

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: Steve Hunt
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 11:04 AM

Vic makes a good point about relative perceptions of youth. When I go to Bodmin Folk Club, I am usually the youngest person in the room (I'm 48), but when I was in the Rif Mountain Refuge at Leigh Festival a few weeks ago, I was almost certainly the oldest. When the likes of Vic Legg and Lar Cann actually started the Bodmin Club, they were younger than either!
Most of my friends on the folk scene are either 10 + years older than me or 10 + years younger. I started regularly attending folk clubs 25 or more years ago as a result of reading the first news stand issue of Folk Roots (as it then was). The magazine was essential to me then, and still is now.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: The Sandman
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 10:57 AM

ok, vic, fair enough points.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: The Sandman
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 10:55 AM

folknacious they were good reviews,
You are missing my point, which is that sadly hardly any roots performers that get higlighted in Froots get into the mainstream media.
please name me the piles of roots performers who get in to the top ten?
in the case of of Kathryn Tickell some of us had heard of her before she was mentioned in froots, please dont tell me that an occasional appearance on Womans hour[YES iagree it is MAINSTREAM MEDIA] really constitutes, a HIGHLEVEL presence in the mainstreram media .
However in Ireland there is more presnce for traditional /roots coverage on television and national radio ,and I do not think it is because froots have covered those people in their magazine.
it is because the irish media realise the it is part of their heritage and promote ITM, on television on radio rte 1[ceili house] and other programmesraidio na gaeltachta and to a lesser extent Roots music[reels to ragas lyric fm]

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: Vic Smith
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 10:49 AM

Dick Miles wrote:-
I consider Damien Barber Mike Wilson ElizaCarthy, The Young uns to be among the better younger performers

Yes, Dick, but the likes of Damien, Mike and Eliza have been around for a long time. I first booked Eliza with Nancy when she was 18 and that is a year short of half her lifetime ago; Damien, I believe, is older than Eliza. By the better, younger British folk singers and bands I meant the plethora of teens and twenties new on the folk scene in the last two or three years and struggling to make a name for themselves and who, as a club organiser, I should know about. I know that fRoots offices are inundated with new albums and demos which do get a hearing and the ones that stand out get a mention in the magazine. Often, I follow these up; sometimes I am disappointed; sometimes I am delighted, but I am being made aware of a great many names and that is a very useful service.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: Folknacious
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 10:19 AM

If you were to take a look at even the list of cover features down the years, let alone the full features index I would be very surprised if you didn't find a lot of names of artists from all over the world who got their first UK coverage in Froots - from the likes of Kathryn Tickell as a teenager right back in the 1980s to Amadou & Mariam a decade back to Devon Sproule a few years ago to Ian King and Nancy Wallace last year to - oh, go and read it yourself! Seems that it never featured Dick Miles though, but it did review 5 of his records, I see from the reviews index. I wonder what they can have said?

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: The Sandman
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 09:38 AM

really,Well we all have different ideas about who we think are good.
I consider Damien Barber Mike Wilson ElizaCarthy, The Young uns to be among the better younger performers, none of whom I heard of for the first time in Froots, in fact I encountered them in folk clubs and at folk festivals.
I too CONGRATULATE Ian Anderson,I am sure he works very hard, and is passionate about the music.
this statement however is hype; "who promotes great new artists long before they have been discovered by the mainstream media."
please, who are these artists that have been taken up by the mainstream media?
sadly,very few roots artists get taken up by the mainstream media, they[the mainstream media seem to prefer DanielODonnell , westlife, and boy groups.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: Vic Smith
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 07:31 AM

I would think that the majority of the better, younger British folk singers and bands - and there are plenty of them - I heard their names for the first time in fRoots. It has been Ian's passion in recent years to promote the younger generation, though he does not do this slavishly. He worries publicly about young performers who he feels are taking the music in a wrong direction and he gives his reasons for doing so - and that is not an easy editorial position to adopt when the majority of your income comes from advertisers.

I don't always agree with his enthusiasms or his dislikes, by any means, but I have never doubted his commitment and integrity and certainly not his hard work in producing over three decades a magazine of a consistently high standard.

Of course, his editorial policy is not going to please everyone and there are performers, particularly singer/songwriters who feel that they are not getting their fair crack of the whip in coverage, but the reasons for this are clearly stated in his published editorial policy. This does not detract from the considerable achievement by Ian and his small team. I am very pleased that they have been given this major award and would like to congratulate all concerned.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: The Sandman
Date: 14 Jul 10 - 01:06 PM

"That's why an independent magazine like fRoots is so vital to the music scene. And that's why it's only right that Ian Anderson - exemplar of the independent roots press - should receive this award."      
this is curious, can anyone give examples of the artists described; who are the people discovered by Ian Anderson?, that are later discovered by the mainstream media?.
I am not saying they dont exist, just cant think of any names.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 14 Jul 10 - 12:30 PM

By the way..an 'avert' is a very rare kind of fRoots dimentor, known to fly over fRoots Towers only at full moon.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 14 Jul 10 - 12:25 PM

Is Womex 10 a new kind of Toilet Cleaner, used at WOMAD?   And if so, why has Ian won it? Was he on Volunteer Duty or something?   

Cripes! I'd forgotten how funny this thread was! I've been laughing fit to burst over here in Torquay.

Oh..and could someone suggest to Grumpy Ed that he starts a new magazine up called fRoots&aCoustic because THAT will get him out of this pickle that he's in...He can have photos of Seth, Show of Hands, Mumford & Sons, Coldplay, Hotplay and tons of averts for Womex 10 all over it!!

Tell him to totally ignore all those FusspotFolkies who've got him into this state in the first place....and tell him to get his flute out (not in public though) stand on one leg, and GO FOR IT!

:0)

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: The Sandman
Date: 14 Jul 10 - 12:22 PM

Congratulations to Ian Anderson.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: Will Fly
Date: 14 Jul 10 - 11:31 AM

Excellent! Congratulations to Ian - couldn't happen to a nice fella!

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: Vic Smith
Date: 14 Jul 10 - 10:37 AM

Well, here's one to counter all the negative comments about fRoots. The magazine and its editor Ian Anderson have just been named for a very important award. Here is the announcement:-

"WOMEX 10 Award for Professional Excellence

WOMEX is proud to announce the winner of the WOMEX 10 Award for Professional Excellence: Ian Anderson (UK), founder and editor-in-chief of the magazine fRoots, on behalf of the independent press.

He will receive his Award on Sunday 31 October 2010, at the Awards Ceremony. The laudation will be offered by the leading journalist Robin Denselow (UK), known for his work with the BBC and The Guardian among others.

Since 1999 we have given the WOMEX Award to extraordinary artists and professionals from our community deserving of special praise but we have never ever awarded the media. And yet the independent media play such a crucial role for our kind of music business, part of us, supporting us and providing a vital forum for topics that otherwise would fall through the grid or answer only to big-media-corp interests. With the Internet bringing change to all traditional business models, offering the media world its own urgent challenges - now, more than ever is the time to show our support for an independent media.

We will let Robin Denselow take over from here to shed light on Ian Anderson's voyage:

"1979 may have been a great year for British rock and pop music, but this was a terrible year for folk music or roots music. It was a year of great post-punk bands like XTC, the Specials, Dire Straits, and of course disco. As I noted in one of my reviews that year, 'Folk rock, once one of the healthiest strands in British popular music, is in a pretty miserable state these days'."

"But this was the year when a young folk music musician with gloriously eclectic taste and an international outlook, decided to start a fanzine, published quarterly, called The Southern Rag. In doing so he helped to kick-start the new folk revival that was to come, and the success of what came to be known as 'world music'."

"The Southern Rag did well. It attracted international subscribers, and in 1984 it became a monthly called Folk Roots. It has always been charmingly quirky, in terms of lay-out and design, and in 1999 the editor made the decidedly quirky decision to change the name to fRoots. And heaven help anyone who pronounced it the way it was spelled and called it 'froots'."

"The man responsible for all this was, of course Ian Anderson. Also known as Ian A. Anderson, to avoid confusion with a certain flute-player, he had already enjoyed a lengthy and colourful career as a musician, independent record-label pioneer and producer, specialising first in country blues before switching to what is now called Psych-folk."

"His musical career has continued, of course, most recently with Blue Blokes 3. But it's as the editor of fRoots that he has revived the fortunes of roots music, in Britain and beyond. Along with Charlie Gillett and Joe Boyd, he was one of the small group who dreamed up the term 'World Music' in 1987. And as all those who read fRoots will know, he is an enthusiast, a maverick and a guide, who promotes great new artists long before they have been discovered by the mainstream media. That's why an independent magazine like fRoots is so vital to the music scene. And that's why it's only right that Ian Anderson - exemplar of the independent roots press - should receive this award."

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: GUEST
Date: 14 May 10 - 08:59 AM

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: Folknacious
Date: 14 Jun 09 - 06:29 PM

The lastes thoughts of Chairman Anderson on folk clubs here

Sounds like we had a lucky escape in the late 1970's!

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: GUEST,Karen Tweed
Date: 25 May 09 - 04:24 PM

I have to say that I never usually have time to read or take part in these kind of discussions - I prefer to have discussions face to face or atleast where I can hear the tone of someone's voice because so much can be misinterpreted.

I have to say that the comments re Reg Meuross by DE I find both misinformed (or maybe she misunderstood his comments?) and rather misguided. Reg is, like Chris Wood, entirely professional in his conduct (and believe me there are plenty of misogynist promoters / radio presenters and journalists out there - both male and female) and both guys are brave enough to comment when they feel injustice has been done. Others don't as they are afraid that they may never get a decent review again....

Popular to contrary belief, many of us in the professional music network don't take reviews too seriously or we would pack it all in. It's only one opinion and totally subjective, even if it is from an informed viewpoint. One persons meat is anothers poison. Thank God.

What is maddening though is that there are remits that cannot be sustainable - world music has never meant world music and I just wish there were no categories so that we could walk into record stores and everything would be filed A-Z with someone behind the desk who knew as much as Andrew Cronshaw about all types of music.

Discussions like these can get entirely out of hand. We are all in favour of tradition, quality and integrity. Why can't we all just live and let live?

Because human condition is to criticize and compete.

But what do I know? I'm just an accordion player from Willesden.

No need to reply - this is just an observation and I shall resume my state of non participation in these discussions.

I think that everyone is doing as best they can to keep good music and tradition alive.

There is no best.... or as Martin Hayes says,

'The best (music) is yet to come...."

Karen Tweed

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: Folknacious
Date: 24 May 09 - 12:03 PM

Though if you like it, of course, in future you should buy your own copy, people!

Yes, according to the Froots board today that linked copy is only put up as a demo of their forthcoming cheaper-for-overseas digital version, and for current non-readers to see what the paper mag itself looks like. It won't normally be a free read. A loss leader then!

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 24 May 09 - 11:47 AM

Though if you like it, of course, in future you should buy your own copy, people!

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: GUEST, Chris Smith
Date: 24 May 09 - 11:38 AM

Anyone who's managed to read through this thread this far - "the horror, the horror" - but who has never seen or read a copy of fRoots magazine might care to take a look at the latest edition, here:

fRoots - June 2009 - No 312

and compare the content they will find therein with the content as portrayed by some of the posted comments here.

A big 'thank you' to Ian for producing Southern Rag, Folk Roots, and fRoots throughout the last thirty (plus) years.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 21 May 09 - 04:22 AM

I feel sure somebody could write a good song about this. In fact someone has and sang one last night in The Beech, Chorlton, and I think it might escape and become well known.

I just need Matthew to give me the nod and a chorus could be released into the community

Cheers

L in C

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: The Sandman
Date: 20 May 09 - 07:08 AM

froots brief [as I understand it]is to cover roots music from around the world including England and the UK.It is not a magazine that is specifically UK FOLK CLUB /FESTIVAL MAGAZINE.
The Living Tradition is.
because Froots has a much wider brief,it is[imo] going to be more difficult for it to cover every grass roots band,from every country,it also has an economic constraint[this applies to all magazines]it needs advertising to help fund the magazine.
a lot of grass roots bands cannot afford to advertise in magazines such as froots,and so consequently dont get exposure,it is a chicken and egg situation.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: Mitch2
Date: 20 May 09 - 06:56 AM

I haven't been here for a few days so I've just seen the last week's worth of posts.

Jeri- we didn't intend any confusion. Faye and I are a couple, and we sometimes use the same computer. Hence the identity confusion; sorry!

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: GUEST,Chris Murray
Date: 18 May 09 - 06:35 AM

Well, I don't know what else I'm supposed to have done. As I said, you've 'misunderestimated' me.

My comments on this thread about Ian were supposed to be funny, as are most of the comments that I make. It's so easy to misunderstand someone when there comments are written down.

Ian would normally have joined in with any discussion about fRoots. The fact that he hasn't joined in this time shows admirable restraint.

I think maybe I won't contribute to this forum any more, for a while, as I seem to be (unintentionally) causing bad feeling. I ought to take my own advice and not let you upset me!

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 17 May 09 - 06:54 PM

Nooo, not friends...just occasionally nice to one another.. :0)

No Chris, you're being a teacher has nothing to do with it.

Anyways, back to frooty trooty...

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: GUEST,Chris Murray
Date: 17 May 09 - 06:13 PM

Lizzie, I don't know what you're talking about - but you've got me wrong. The only times I respond to anything you write is to try to calm things down and be the 'voice of reason'. Clearly I'm not very good at it. I think postings on a message board can be misunderstood and I think that's what must have happened.

I was posting on the BBC board before you were. How could I have spoilt a great threesome? Your attitude to me changed as soon as you knew I was a teacher. Before that you thought I was OK. Who is this person who led me astray?

I quite enjoy it when you storm the BBC board and I don't grass on you. It was Jim Moray who spotted you last time, back in February.

I'd never grovel to Ian (why would I?) or go running telling tales to Joe. I don't know who Jo is.

I'll take your word for it that you and Diane were friends - but it seems unlikely!

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: Frozen Gin (inactive)
Date: 17 May 09 - 05:01 PM

I asked the question a few posts back, and, apparently, the answer is a resounding no!

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: TheSnail
Date: 17 May 09 - 03:58 PM

Er...I was just..um...sort of wondering if...maybe...there was any...sort of...chance of a...more or less...polite...um...discussion of Ian Anderson's fRooots editorial.

Just a thought.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 17 May 09 - 03:43 PM

"I don't think Diane or Fiona found many of them funny, either."

Fer Goodness sake, Diane loves me really..haven't you sussed that one out yet? :0) We both respect each other's humour and passion for the music. She doesn't care when I call her Sweetums, and I don't care when she calls me madlizziecornish or the Sidmouth Seagull.

Fiona was way too intent on proving to you all that I was a troll, and tried her hardest to be the new Diane. She never made it, I'm afraid, just caused a deep unrest. Once, we were 'friends' on that board, but she decided to change it all, despite me asking her, over and over, to stop. And now, probably best to let any more talk of her stop, as she's not around to put her side of the story forward, but I can assure you, that if you want to join Longdogs, and ask them exactly what happened, they'll tell you the whole bloomin' story, as it happened in front of about 6 or more witnesses.

And now, back to fRoots and Ian Anderson....

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 17 May 09 - 03:36 PM

"No, I haven't any "funny stories" about mobility scooters."

You don't????

Oh, I have TONS! You need to come and live in Sidmouth for a while...
I'm going to have a sparkly piypul one, with a 'Show of Hands 4 EVER!' flag on it, fluttering wildly in the breeze!

"My understanding of that particular remark is that the Ed found it mildly funny"

Nope, you said, over on Myspace, that Ian had found that remark VERY funny. It was the same you told me about meeting fiona, and Ian meeting her too. I zink yoo muzt be getting forgetful... :0)


>>>"Actually, I don't remember Ian ever being amused by your comments, Lizzie, but I'm probably wrong. I don't think Diane or Fiona found many of them funny, either.

Normally Ian posts on any thread on this board (and the BBC one) that attacks him or fRoots. I've no doubt he's followed this thread but has retained his dignity by not posting, giving no-one a chance to make attacks that are even more personal and offensive."<<<<

Oh, for Gawd's sake, Chris, DO see the funny side of things now and again. Ian, Diane and I, for your information, used to have a riotous time on the BBC, outdoing each other with wit and dry, black humour. It brought LOADS of people into that board, and lit it up.

Diane can be a little er...erm...now and again, but I've always appreciated her humour and she can be bloody funny at times! Also, for your information, Diane, Ian and I, have, at various times, all spoken to each other 'behind the scenes', sometimes with **!*!*!* flying around and sometimes not.

You, along with just a few others, spoilt a great threesome and helped to make the BBC board a shadow of it's former self. NONE of you knew what I was about, what I was trying to do, what I did....because you were all so busy willing to be led astray by someone with a deeply personal (and totally bizarre) grudge that you lost your sense of humour along the way and that board lost something special...and THAT was an absolute passion for the music. Now, the most passionate it gets is when one of you spots me, and you all jump and down running to teacher about it.."Miss, MISS, she's over THERE, LOOOOK!"....spending so much time pressing the darned complaints button that you don't even probably read half of what's on the board in the first place...

And now, I'll leave you all to go running to Joe about me, and give him a headache, so he'll come to me and tell me not to be on this thread anymore.

Sooooo bizarre!

Anyways ups, I expect Ian thinks that video is a hoot...and of course, Diane will have spluttered all over her desk whilst watching it..

Get Diane to give you some humour lessons, life will be much more fun.

Oh..and no need to grovel to Ian, he's quite capable of looking after himself.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: Frozen Gin (inactive)
Date: 17 May 09 - 02:42 PM

Jon Boden wrote The Vinegar Reel.
John Spiers wrote Frozen Gin.
The Sloe is Trad.

Thanks Diane, I couldn't remember who wrote what without finding my copy of Burlesque, which is around here somewhere.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: greg stephens
Date: 17 May 09 - 02:41 PM

Chris Murray: apart from the two usual suspects, this thread seems to be pretty much pro-fRoots (can't I've read absolutely all of it!). Ceratinly the vast majority of contributors to Mudcat are in favour of the magazine, much like contributors to the fRoots Forum

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 17 May 09 - 02:33 PM

Jon Boden wrote The Vinegar Reel.
John Spiers wrote Frozen Gin.
The Sloe is Trad.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: Frozen Gin (inactive)
Date: 17 May 09 - 02:28 PM

I agree with that theleveller, the humour that is

oh and the origins of Frozen Gin (was that masked stranger Jon Boden?)is as follows

The Sloe Gin Set is: Frozen Gin / The Vinegar Reel / The Sloe

by the by, for our Canadian readers, Bellowhead are doing a mini Canadian tour in July

lots of jumping up and down involved, and the ability to have a good time is, of course, a good idea!

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: GUEST,Chris Murray
Date: 17 May 09 - 02:21 PM

Actually, I don't remember Ian ever being amused by your comments, Lizzie, but I'm probably wrong. I don't think Diane or Fiona found many of them funny, either.

Normally Ian posts on any thread on this board (and the BBC one) that attacks him or fRoots. I've no doubt he's followed this thread but has retained his dignity by not posting, giving no-one a chance to make attacks that are even more personal and offensive.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: theleveller
Date: 17 May 09 - 02:11 PM

"What I am wondering though is how exactly will the current Sidmouth organising committee feel about being likened to the 3rd Reich."

Probably depends on whether they have a sense of humour or not. Personally, I find it essential to get through life.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 17 May 09 - 01:56 PM

No, I haven't any "funny stories" about mobility scooters. My understanding of that particular remark is that the Ed found it mildly funny and not as gratuitously offensive as most of the rest of the stuff flying from madlizziecornish's mouth as Sidmouth Folk Week was attempting a takeover from the International Festival in 2005.   It does not, however, merit repetition.

What I am wondering though is how exactly will the current Sidmouth organising committee feel about being likened to the 3rd Reich.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 17 May 09 - 12:31 PM

Yup, almost as much dignity as when he used to come on the BBC, eh...Chris?   ;0)

I think Ian's quite happy to 'take it' as well as 'give it out' you know...and if you ask Diane, she'll tell you the story of how the comment I made about having a zoomed up mobility scooter all ready for Ian, at the first ever Sidmouth Folk Week, and volunteered to push him up and down the promenade, as I puuled his leg that he was too old for Sidmouth..was enjoyed very much by Ian.

Of course, Fiona used it to tell everyone in Longdogs 'Live Chat' how I hated old people...and the rest, as they do say, became internet history.

Lighten up and enjoy the thread. Ian doesn't mind having his ARSS kicked in the same way he kicks the ARSSs of others.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: GUEST,Chris Murray
Date: 17 May 09 - 11:50 AM

I must say that Ian has behaved with a lot of dignity by not getting involved in this nasty thread.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 17 May 09 - 09:20 AM

Oh VIC! I think I lurve you!

Apart from the bit about the Folk Award...tut tut...that was absolutely marvellous! I am splitting my sides down here in Sidmouth, but you'd better hide from Bellowhead next time you see them, or you may find them trying to fit that tuba into rather a strange place!

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine and folk clubs
From: Vic Smith
Date: 17 May 09 - 09:06 AM

APOLOGIES!!!

.... to everyone who has taken part in this vitriolic thread! The fact is that not one of us knew the evil machinations that were going on.

The fault does not lie with Ian Anderson, with Show of Hands, even with Lizzie Cornish or Dick Miles!

Fortunately, secret filming has now resolved the whole Machiavellian source of the dispute as can be seen from this YouTube video.

It is the duty of everyone who has taken part in this discussion - or even read it - to go and see the evidence this very minute and consider what has been written in the light of this evidence.

Click straight away on -

Show of Hands - Bellowhead