fRoots magazine

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 08:28 AM

Thanks again CR I shall search at length.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 08:22 AM

Bugger, I meant to type 19 October, next week.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 08:20 AM

The S*nglines that's on sale at present is the Sept/Oct issue. The street date of the new November fRoots is 19 November, as I said many posts above. I got mine in the post this morning. Here's what's in it:

http://www.frootsmag.com/

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 07:58 AM

Well, I couldn't find one in HMV today although I did find Songlines. Perhaps Froots will appear after the next issue.

Posting here is a bit like shouting at people from inside the car, we wouldn't do it face to face would we?

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: GUEST,Penguin Egg
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 07:43 AM

Good question. Shane MacGowan maybe, I would love to interview him. Nic Jones, perhaps. John Tams? I have so many favourites whom I would love to plaster over the front cover - in colour, of course. I'm not really up with the newer generation of folkies, so I would have to employ someone who is. Failing that, some naked bird to get the punters in.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: Leadfingers
Date: 10 Oct 06 - 11:51 AM

I would be very strongly tempted to have one of my favourite white English Blues guitarists on the cover - Ian A Anderson !

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: GUEST,baz
Date: 10 Oct 06 - 11:06 AM

Just out of interest, if you all edited your own music magazine, who would like to have on your first front cover?

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: GUEST,Penguin Egg
Date: 10 Oct 06 - 10:31 AM

"I still have fond memories of when Melody Maker covered Folk Music , as well as Blues and Jazz!"

Me too, leadfingers, and not an oud in sight.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: GUEST,Penguin Egg
Date: 10 Oct 06 - 10:23 AM

Baz, you have got me thinking. I would call it "Folk Music and Morris Dancing Monthly." I wonder if Colin Irwin and Karl Dallas are free?

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: GUEST,Nellie Clatt
Date: 10 Oct 06 - 10:21 AM

The vitriol being heaped on fRoots is due to the popular misconception that Ian Anderson goes on about ' world music ' like it's the kings new clothes. ie. if you don't get it, you are the stupid one, actually it may not be a misconception.

Gobless you all, Nellie

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: GUEST,baz
Date: 10 Oct 06 - 09:36 AM

Then you're not obliged to listen at all are you?

In which case, you're probably not obliged to moan about it either. IF you don't like fRoots, but you want to see a magazine about music you DO like, why not start one up?

I bet you could solicit a few contributions from people you know, and people on the Mudcat as well.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: GUEST,Penguin Egg
Date: 10 Oct 06 - 08:51 AM

I do ignore it.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: GUEST,baz
Date: 10 Oct 06 - 08:42 AM

Penguin Egga wrote:

"""Susheela Rahman... is making music widespread in England today but rooted largely in her own tradition. Is that what some people are really objecting to?"

Ofcourse not. She can what she likes, but why am I obliged to listen to her? ""

Could you explain why you feel that you are *obliged* to listen to anyone? If you don't like it, ignore it.

Like I do with Martin Carthy :)

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: Surreysinger
Date: 10 Oct 06 - 08:35 AM

I am at a loss to understand the vitriol being heaped upon fRoots - while it may not be the magazine of my personal choice, it's still a good and well produced one. I'd always thought that the point of buying a magazine was buying one that covered a topic that you're interested in. After all, you wouldn't expect to be complaining that the amount of English traditional music scene coverage was far too low if you were buying "Tractor Monthly", would you? As the Countess has said, the magazine does "what it says on the tin".... absolutely nothing wrong with that. And as for death threats for the editor (I presume he counts as a high priest??) .... now what did he do to deserve that??

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 10 Oct 06 - 08:00 AM

Do oud players visit Mudcat? Well maybe some do but I hope not as I shouldn't like them to feel racially and culturally abused.

Actually, not many 'white/acceptable' people living in England visit it either, nor have much awareness of their own cultural heritage.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 10 Oct 06 - 07:56 AM

DEATH TO WORLD MUSIC AND THEIR HIGH PRIESTS

Good grief! As the fR Ed is also wont to say (again from the FAQ):

IAFWAFIAWMWQ (Old Malagasy proverb: "In a fight with a fool it's a wise man who quits.")

"World music' btw (for those who've forgotten) is merely a marketing term invented 20 years ago to give record retailers a name to put on a rack to display it in. Fortunately for most (but clearly not all), the time is just about here for it all to be just 'local music from out there'. We all live in, and play our music in, the world, innit?

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: Leadfingers
Date: 10 Oct 06 - 07:49 AM

I still have fond memories of when Melody Maker covered Folk Music , as well as Blues and Jazz !

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: GUEST,Penguin Egg
Date: 10 Oct 06 - 07:47 AM

I wonder: Do Oud players who live in Britain have any inkling of the existance of British folk music - or care? Do they ever visit Mudcat?

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 10 Oct 06 - 07:41 AM

When I have occasionally bought it I have found relatively little of relevance to me.

Presumably Algerians will find there is a lot of English/Inuit/Native American/Whatever and so relatively little of relevance to them. And so on.

But the resulting bulk costs (I suppose) to produce, so everyone who wants to read the little bit of relevance to them has no option but to pay for the lot (or go to a library)

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: GUEST,Penguin Egg
Date: 10 Oct 06 - 07:40 AM

Countess Richard, I would like to know what I have said that makes you think I am xenophobic? I like folk music. I don't like music from North Africa. I have nothing against North Africans and I have never said I did. I simply said I don't like their music, even if Martin Carthy does. I really dislike World Music because it is a label created by sanctimonious prigs who like to tell other people what sort of music they should listen to. Why the f**k should a British born Asian born in Bradford listen to British folk music if he doesn't want to?

World Music exists for all the wrong reasons. I can understand and relate to people the world over without having any appreciation of their culture. People are people and culture is irrelevant. How do you define English culture - Martin Carthy or Ossie Osbourne? Is Ossie Osbourne considered world music? Defendants of World Music very often come over like interferring school masters who are forever telling you what you should be reading, listening to, watching, in order to "improve" your mind, regardless of whether you actually enjoy any of their chosen selections. By the way, does anyone in North Africa listen to Martin Carthy - or is this an exclusive ring fenced area for white liberals to make themselves feel good in?

DEATH TO WORLD MUSIC AND THEIR HIGH PRIESTS!!

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 10 Oct 06 - 07:22 AM

My local library subscribes to fRoots, and I scan through each issue for articles which interest me, I don't buy it, neither do I knock it.

If it's not to your taste, don't buy it or read it, if you only read it to knock it, I can't see the point.

eric

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 10 Oct 06 - 07:17 AM

Even SH's former publisher was able to recognise that:

. . . 28 years later, the world is a very different place and the magazine's role and relevance on the news stand changed . . .

What happened in the December 1998 issue of fR (cos that is when it dropped the 'olk') was a moving on, a recognition of both a changing world and changing perceptions of just 'what is 'f*lk' (aaaaarrrrrggggghhhhhh) and contemporary over-abusage of the term.

One of these was that, especially in the USA, the F-word was now used almost exclusively to mean 'singer-songwriter with acoustic guitar with no obligatory connection with traditionally-rooted music'. The other was the underlying, covertly racist, implication that local music from cultures other than indigenous English isn't 'f*lk' music.

The Ed always explains what he covers is 'local music from out there'. I think that's right.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 10 Oct 06 - 06:51 AM

'Smash Hits' (does that still exist?)

Apparently not - seems like it ended this year. I've not looked at a copy since the early 80s btw.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 10 Oct 06 - 06:32 AM

I don't understand

Don't you Jon? I do very clearly. As I said way back in #12 when I found this latest fR-bashing thread:

fR does what it says on the tin. No-one forces anyone to buy and read it

In other words, if you want to read 'Smash Hits' (does that still exist?) or 'Hey Nonny Monthly', produced well after advertised publication date on a steam driven roneo duplicator generously sprinkled with typos, bad spelling and inadequate research, no-one is preventing you. But no, there's still that cabal with nothing better to do than moan about what they cannot emulate themselves: a mag that's well-produced, always on time and an accurate representation of where roots music is today. Still, there's no such thing as bad publicity, is there?

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 10 Oct 06 - 06:20 AM

Can someone explain what the problem with froots is. I can understand that its scope is not to everyone's taste (and my own "folk outlook" is pretty much "anglo/celtic") but it seems clear to me what the magazine offers. I don't understand why just about every mention of the magazine seems to end up going the same way as this thread.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 10 Oct 06 - 06:17 AM

indigenious

What is it indeed? You tell me . . .

England is, at last, part of 'the world', as indeed Scotland and Ireland have long been considered to be. Oud players are ten-a-penny nowadays in these islands, reflecting the fact that many musicians originally from North Africa (and from elsewhere across the globe, obviously, plus their respective instruments) are living in Britain and contributing to the cultural mix that is our society today. What is so wonderful about it is that as well as keeping their own cultural heritage alive in exile, they are enriching our own with collaborative projects. Admittedly, not all of these work but not every white, anglo-saxon purist combo works either, often on the grounds of sheer anachronism. Martin Carthy (who you mention) is one of the most open-minded musicians there is, always willing to investigate sources of his music that has parallels outside these islands and to try out the latest recording effects. Never would you hear him coming out with such xenophobic, blinkered penguin shit.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: GUEST,Penguin Egg
Date: 10 Oct 06 - 06:05 AM

"Susheela Rahman... is making music widespread in England today but rooted largely in her own tradition. Is that what some people are really objecting to?"

Ofcourse not. She can what she likes, but why am I obliged to listen to her?

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: GUEST,Penguin Egg
Date: 10 Oct 06 - 05:49 AM

The above is from me, by the way. I forgot to put my name on it.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Oct 06 - 05:38 AM

"fR policy is to promote musics of both indigenous and immigrant communities."

Codswallop! What is indigenious music, anyway - Heavy Metal, Prog Rock, Grime, Punk, Des O'Connor? What I like is folk music, be it from England, Scotland, Ireland or the North Americas and Southern Rag and then Folk Roots use to cover this. Why should I be interested in an Oud player from North Africa since he does not play the sort of music I like. Conversely, I do not expect someone from North Africa to listen to, say, Martin Carthy. One can do if one wants, that is a matter of choice, but don't lump it all under one label - the dreaded World Music - and expect me to listen to it.

What's Folk on Tap like, anyway, and where can I find it/

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 09 Oct 06 - 05:10 PM

There seem to be problems with producing Folk on Tap at the moment too! Hope they will be sorted.

Kitty

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 09 Oct 06 - 03:40 PM

Thanks CR, too idle myself, but I did have food to scare.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 09 Oct 06 - 03:38 PM

Perhaps magazine websites could indicate from where they are available to buy, or maybe they do?

The fRoots site (which is the first to come up when you google) does:

http://www.frootsmag.com/content/check/outlets/

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: GUEST,Ralphie
Date: 09 Oct 06 - 03:34 PM

Hi Folkiedave.
Am reading with amusement. But will not take sides.
Like all the arguements regarding Radio shows and Magazines. If you don't like them, Don't read them, or listen to them. End.
Regards R

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 09 Oct 06 - 03:02 PM

The reason I started this thread was that I couldn't find fRoots in WH Smug where I had often seen it before. When I googled I could not quickly find a fRoots website, although one has been brought to out attention above.

Perhaps magazine websites could indicate from where they are available to buy, or maybe they do?

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: Surreysinger
Date: 09 Oct 06 - 02:56 PM

"surely we'd be sorry if any of them disappeared? "
Hear, hear - couldn't disagree with that. There's little enough in the way of informed comment on "our" sort of music (whatever type of label you wish to give it) around at the moment without that!

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: shepherdlass
Date: 09 Oct 06 - 02:38 PM

Got no problem with the world music content of fRoots, which has opened up whole new vistas over the years. The mag does have an NME-style tendency to seek out the "next big thing" - but I suppose that's inevitable. No music journalist wants to say that they overlooked someone really special in their formative years. Every music mag alternately delights and infuriates, but fRoots, Living Tradition and Songlines all help promote different aspects of roots music - surely we'd be sorry if any of them disappeared?

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Oct 06 - 11:58 AM

Living Tradition is available in at least one branch of Borders - Buchanan Street, Glasgow.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: Folkiedave
Date: 09 Oct 06 - 11:30 AM

try radio 4's front Row - it has much the same flavour - sort, screw you! we're clever and you're not!

Are you sure that is the programme you mean? That´s a wide ranging arts magazine that comes on after the Archers on weekdays.

There are one or two programmes which might be described a bit like Folk Roots, but they are on Radio 3. Late Junction being one of them.

Ralphie!! Where are you?

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: Surreysinger
Date: 09 Oct 06 - 11:15 AM

I subscribe to Living Tradition, but have to say that production standards on the last edition were pretty poor - many,many typos, textual and grammatical errors, which suggested a lack of decent proof reading. Otherwise it's still my preferred magazine,as it features more of the type of music which I'm personally interested in, although my immediate perception of it is that there's an overly high emphasis on Scottish music. This isn't surprising, perhaps, in view of the land of it's birth. On taking this up with the editor on one occasion he said that he thought the split was about 50/50 between the various types of Celtic and English music. This may, in fact, be correct - on the various occasions I've felt inclined to check that out the split was mostly in that proportion (but not always!)

I used to buy fRoots under it's previous name, but gave up when WHS stopped stocking it locally. The high content of "World" music articles prevents me from taking out a sub, as my interest in the majority of that is only mild (and I can't afford more than one).Previously I used to flit through the content of the copy on the shelves before buying, in order to prevent purchase of an issue which might prove uninteresting,and therefore a costly mistake, to me.

As to fRoots disappearing - where on earth did that one come from??? No sign of that as far as I can see on the last time I ducked into the website (this morning).

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: Paul from Hull
Date: 09 Oct 06 - 10:59 AM

I've never found a shop that would carry it.

W.H. Smiths used to carry fRoots a good few years ago, but no longer.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 09 Oct 06 - 10:40 AM

Is Living Tradition sold in shops or is it subscribers only?

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 09 Oct 06 - 10:31 AM

I told your ladyship - Tenterden. And I heard some cracking hell-bent harmonies from Kimber's Men, and also some from Tom Lewis when he and I and Capella were forming the naughty boys corner during the Saturday sing.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Oct 06 - 10:11 AM

I like fr when I was running a folk radio show theyset me load of copies with cd's very useful.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: The Sandman
Date: 09 Oct 06 - 10:10 AM

I have to diagree, living tradition is not poorly produced,.
folk roots is an irrelevance.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: greg stephens
Date: 09 Oct 06 - 10:06 AM

I used to think fRoots was an unitnteresting metropolitan rag. However, the last few issues have seen the Boat Band on the fRoots radio playlist, the subject of an extremely favourable review, and also the subject of an interesting article. So I would now like to state publicly that I think it is an intelligent and discerning magazine that all the citizens of the woerld should be forced to read.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: GUEST,Janine
Date: 09 Oct 06 - 09:55 AM

Thanks muppitz - that's the one.

Janine

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 09 Oct 06 - 09:52 AM

I don't much like LT because it's:

(a) poorly written and produced
(b) 'living' in its own unreal and distorted world.

Hey Richard Bridge, where were you on Friday? The Devil's Interval were REALLY looking forward to meeting you . . .

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 09 Oct 06 - 09:46 AM

Yes. I like Living Tradition too.

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: muppitz
Date: 09 Oct 06 - 09:38 AM

I prefer to read the Living Tradition.

muppitz x

Subject: RE: fRoots magazine
From: GUEST,Janine
Date: 09 Oct 06 - 09:37 AM

Well, I can't say I'll miss it. I used to buy it a few years ago before it changed to that silly title, presumably when Folk Music became a dirty word. It didn't bother to review those Woody Guthrie CD's that Smithsonian-Folkways released a while ago. But then he plays an instrument we can recognise and sings in English.

Janine

I did buy a few copies of an English folk magazine a while ago which was very good but can't find it now. I've forgotten the title too - any ideas please.