best thing seen at a folk club

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: GUEST,Moneypenny
Date: 09 May 07 - 04:36 AM

Nice one, Rich

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 09 May 07 - 04:27 AM

"This is because there is no direct female equivalent of those persons of male gender of the persuasion that women are, per se, inferior to them and created purely for them to look at (and down on)."

Musht be shome mishundershtanding, shurely.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 09 May 07 - 03:54 AM

Synonym.com says: Sorry, I could not find antonyms for 'misogynist'.

This is because there is no direct female equivalent of those persons of male gender of the persuasion that women are, per se, inferior to them and created purely for them to look at (and down on).

There exists, even now, some women conditioned into conniving at male 'approval' instead of striving to become fulfilled human beings in their own right. They are as misguided and as ridiculous as males seeking to impose and to justify an outdated myth of superiority.

The 'best thing' to be seen at any music venue is musicians of whatever gender playing with excellence.

Oh and Tunesmith, Hedy West rehearsing in my living room, banging her feet on the wood floor and pissing off the neighbours beneath was pretty damn good.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Tunesmith
Date: 09 May 07 - 03:33 AM

During my first visit to a folk music event in 1964, someone sang Shoals of Herring and the way the audience joined in the refrain just blew me away. I can recall being mightily impressed when I first heard Nic Jones perform "Billy Don't You Weep for me" accompanied by that driving bluesy guitar riff. I also have very fond memories of seeing Dando Shaft at Les Cousins. But, probably, top of my list would be seeing Hedy West in folk club in Ormskirk(?) in 1967. Great stuff.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 09 May 07 - 02:48 AM

When the Countess reads that Guest...Urine trouble!!

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: GUEST
Date: 08 May 07 - 10:41 PM

An "outsider" was drunk. He pissed on the beer, declaring it not worthy. He passed out out. He lay in the roses. The club pissed on him.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Joe_F
Date: 08 May 07 - 09:06 PM

From my journal, 11 May 1988:

Passim: Concert by Pat Humphries,[...]. The performance was inoffensive but pretty thin gruel: no vivid images, not even any rhymes, all the songs very short, and politically correct. There was, however, a pair of young men in the audience who were worth the price of admission; they were in love & snuffled & touched each other & laughed a lot. I left after the first set.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: GUEST
Date: 08 May 07 - 07:34 PM

So no "Jon Anderson, my Joe" then. Or about two thirds of the songs of the tradition!

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 08 May 07 - 07:21 PM

"snogwriter^*"

Yep, there far too many of them around in 'pop-rock' today too.... :-)


Ah, there's the door....




sup>* snogwriter - a writer of songs that are all about sex....

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Dave Higham
Date: 08 May 07 - 07:05 PM

"the guys looked, and paid compliments, and I loved it! Fabulous times, Fabulous memories.I am 60 now too, but I'm not such a prune."

Well said 'Optic'. Nice to hear a sane (and honest) response as opposed to the pathetic outpourings of the vitriolic Duchess Dick. I suppose one ought to feel sorry for someone with such an obvious personality problem. Anyone know what the female equivalent of misogynist is?

By the way, the original question from Captain Mick Diles was "please tell the forum ,about the best thing you have SEEN at a folk club".

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 08 May 07 - 11:41 AM

Ralph McTell at Cousins allnighter - autumn 1968.

he wearing a turquoise Levi suit, big white desert boots that used to waggle up and down when he was playing ragtime.

someone said, ain't you the bloke who wrote that Streets of London song?

he said, yeh that's me

And he played it.

I'd never heard it before - I think everybody thought it was utterly stunning.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 08 May 07 - 02:58 AM

Hearing Scowie's "When all men sing" for the first time, in a crowded bar in Bushey on Boxing Day 2000, by Johnny Collins. Talk about hair standing up...

Hearing Martyn Wyndham-Read's version of Bogle's "Gift of years".

Dave Webber & Anni Fentiman singing "Blackbird", as she quietly slipped her hand into his.

The first time I saw Cloudstreet singing "King Willie" I cried with laughter even as I was amazed at their vocal feats. And later when I heard them singing "Scots of the Riverina", I just cried; and still do every time I hear them sing it. Too close to home.

The Songwainers singing in the Kettering folk club in October 1973. Wow - I'd give a year of my life just to go back and listen to them again.

You guessed it - I am a vocals man.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 08 May 07 - 02:41 AM

1. I think it is plain that Georgiansilver's original post that so inflamed the C**ntess was a throwaway line that did not merit the weight placed upon it.    In short an obvious overreaction by the C**ntess.

2. Surely most people are pleased, at least in part, by the statement or implication that they are sexually attractive. What is improper is any actual or implied threat - but such threats occur, whether they be of the kind discussed here, or the generic threat of violence that may be uttered merely by stance (although it is more usually offered to men than to women, perhaps the legacy of territorial or other embattlement in previous generations).

3. Generally I think that folk clubs events are less truly threatening (sexually or otherwise) to women than most other events. Nonetheless I have posted to the Rochester Sweeps thread some comments that maybe relevant here (in edited form): -

"Some factors that will tend to militate against my daughter's further enjoyment of "folk sessions" (a shame since she herself is such a spectacular performer and there one of the two or three in total of performers present under 25) include navel-gazing snigger snogwriters, amplification (ie "open mic"), the absence of folk song, and lecherous old men who although they are unable to intimidate her may intimidate others. There was a bad example on one night at Sweeps(not, I think, a Cat member), who was fawning over a particularly contemporary singer, and making a fool of himself persisting in trying to kiss reluctant young(ish) women. Oddly, I remember her mother being critical of one or two very respected figures of the 60s and 70s folkocracy who allegedly were more (and equally unsuccessfully) interested in her nether regions than in her voce or guitar work. These were not limited to primary supporters of fatlib."

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 03 May 07 - 11:46 AM

"The answers are the question, sir"

(Robin Williamson)

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 03 May 07 - 11:38 AM

Ooooooh - Runrig have had their crown snatched from them. I had forgotten all about the Incredible String Band. I had heard of the obviously and I am of an age where you would think I had seen them before - Not so.

I was at a very dull trade show in Brighton a couple of years back when I noticed a poster advertising the ISB at the Komedia club. What a fabulous night that was. The Komedia, for those that do not know it, seems to be a throwback to the old 'night club' days. Table seating, table service and food as well as good beer and live music.

The band were out of this world. I have bought everything I could of theirs since. Some of the early stuff is very naive 60's 'hip' but musicaly they were stunning even then. Now, if the line up is still going, they are even better.

Cheers

Dave

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 03 May 07 - 11:26 AM

My, my, fancy being actually pleased that a sexist Glaswegian throwback was behaving in the crass manner which was his wont. While one may well despair of such sexist behaviour it was, at the time, sadly not uncommon. But for a woman to be so lacking in self-respect that she failed to apply her knee to a crucial area was a glaring omission. But not to regret not having done so 40 years on defies credibility. There are some women really do seem to deserve, indeed welcome, their oppression. Brian McNeill, can you please rewrite Strong Women Rule Us All cos the original hasn't worked too well. Alternatively, compulsory songwriting workshops with Sandra Kerr and Frankie Armstrong are urgently required. Which brings me to those two (and a few others) as probably the best thing I've ever seen in a club: The Knave of Clubs in Bethnal Green circa 1975.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 03 May 07 - 11:01 AM

optic...nice to see that you appreciated being appreciated. I have certainly appreciated your input here...sort of restores ones faith in human nature. Best wishes, Mike.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 03 May 07 - 11:01 AM

I have head hair I can sit on (just) but nothing on earth would induce me to wear a miniskirt or hotpants...

My first introduction to Pete Coe, when he sang an amazingly haunting song that finished with him singing into the back of his banjo to get a hair-raising echo... there was complete silence for a good 10 seconds after it, it was stunning.

If festivals count...

Watching Nic Jones attend his first festival after the accident... I knew nothing of his work beforehand, and didn't fully understand the look of incredulity and joy and happiness that he got when he remembered the words to a chorus song. It was like he'd found a lost child, which, I now realise, is more or less, what it was.

Eric Bogle and someone else singing together at one of the northern festivals (CRS has struck, can remember neither festival nor other person!)... They did 'The Gift of Years' and it blew me away. In a crowded hall that 10 minutes earlier had been a roaring hellhole of shrieking laughter (Incredible String Band), you could have heard an ant fart.

LTS

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 03 May 07 - 10:59 AM

Reading back through your posts Countess and some on other threads I have taken the time to look at... I would say you are a very balanced sort of person......you are the only person I have seen on Mudcat that has a chip on both shoulders.....lighten up please!!!!!!

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: optic
Date: 03 May 07 - 10:54 AM

Just to add to my previous post...I remember once Alex Campbell playing in a folk club and inbetween songs I thought I'd nip to the ladies. I had to walk past himm to get to the loos and as I passed he made that gutteral growling noise that men make when a lady takes their fancy, to the audience, and all the guys whistled in the room! The place was heaving,. and I was very embarrassed , but if I'm honest, I did enjoy it too!

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: optic
Date: 03 May 07 - 10:45 AM

Countess Richard......in the 60's when I was but a young lad, I saw a beautiful woman in a Folk Club...a stunning woman who was with her boyfriend...I was captivated by her beauty as were 99.9% of the other guys in the club.....it was allowed then and I believe it still is.
I lightheartedly made a comment about it at the beginning of this thread and you seem to have made a crusade of what is right and what is wrong with regards you what you believe are sexist attitudes.
I will be 60 next year and still find young women beautiful...and I am not just some pervert or dirty old man or indeed sexist.
I had a look at your photo by the way....I think you are very attractive but am I insulting you by telling you this?????
Please lighten up...life is too short!!!

Sorry I don't know how to put that into a quote on here!
Anyway, VERY WELL SAID!
I was in many a folk club watching the Watersons in the 60's, in mini skirts or "hot pants", hair that I can still sit on, flowing down my back. Of course the guys looked, and paid compliments, and I loved it! Fabulous times, Fabulous memories.I am 60 now too, but I'm not such a prune.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 03 May 07 - 10:28 AM

The Dog & Gun, Maidstone...1978.

We'd booked Cyril Tawney as guest and we put him up on the stage at one end of the room.

He said hello, picked up his drink and his chair, and moved down between the two front rows, and treated us to an evening of wonderful songs and patter at about loud whisper volume.

You could hear every word.

He grabbed 45 people by the heart, and just didn't let go.

Don T.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Rasener
Date: 03 May 07 - 10:16 AM

>>Muppett threatening to bare his arse (and doing so) to the audience<<

Was it smiling :-)

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: jacqui.c
Date: 03 May 07 - 09:48 AM

Eric Bogle at Watford - the first half consisted of acts by George Papavgeris, Johnny Collins and Martin Wyndham Reid. The whole thing just blew me away, it was wonderful.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 03 May 07 - 09:37 AM

One Nun Dead!

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: GUEST,BY ECK
Date: 03 May 07 - 09:36 AM

Muppett threatening to bare his arse (and doing so) to the audience, if they didn't join in the chorus, you should have been there countess richard, even you would have seen the funny side of it

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 03 May 07 - 09:23 AM

Seeing as he has already been mentioned - A VERY young Pete Morton was one of the best things I saw at Swinton many years ago. It was apparant from the word go that he was destined for greater things. I still haven't forgiven him for getting me hooked on a band called Danish Dia Delight on a radio show he ran though:-)

Coals and Newcastle as well - I am now living up in the frozen North from Monday to Friday and have had the great pleasure of attending the Bridge Folk Club on a Monday night. Far from being cliquey I was made very welcome on the first singers night I attended and was then absolutely blown away by the students of Newcastle Universities Folk degree on the 'Rising Stars' night. If this lot go out into the world beyond accademia with th esame attitude they have now we need have no concerns for the future of folk:-)

Still not had a single 'best thing' though. It would probably be a close toss-up between Anthony John Clarke, Martin Marthy and Stanley Acrrington! Best folk releated band I have seen is no contest though - Runrig at Manchester Appollo.

Cheers

Dave

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 03 May 07 - 09:21 AM

Ballad of Long Lankin by Magic Lantern - anybody?

Taffy Thomas (he of Magic Lantern fame) also had a folk club, somewhere in the murky depths of the Black Country - precise location forgot. And he had some great residents - Pete Coe, and Dan Fone - who later played in Ricky Cool and the Icebergs.

Remeber Pete's Derby Ram with affection.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 03 May 07 - 09:20 AM

Pssssst, hey George, wanna lift?
Only joking. If I was heading in that direction, he'd have to walk from Loughborough where I'd stop off for the ceilidh.
As it is, I'm not.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Rasener
Date: 03 May 07 - 09:14 AM

>>Les...even a kick in the b....... would not stop me from coming to Faldingworth Live to see George Papavgeris.....wouldn't miss him for all the Countesses in the world! <<

Good to hear that Mike :-)

Now then Countess Richard, don't you go giving George a bad name by suggesting that he puts human beings on his lamb roasting spit.
All George will be doing tomorrow night, is getting us to sing along with him and enjoying ourselves. I hope you are not driving him up here CR!!!

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Grab
Date: 03 May 07 - 09:06 AM

It's a toss-up between Artisan and the Abbie Lathe group. Also Thomas Leeb, although that wasn't exactly a folk club.

And if compliments about someone's looks make you a lecher, then damn, the world is in trouble. Compliments do not mean that you're trying to get into the other person's underwear! Still, wait a few years and that problem will solve itself. ;-)

Graham.

(FWIW, the most fun I've had at a folk festival was the bellydancing workshops at Broadstairs, and it certainly wasn't simply because I was a lone bloke surrounded by several dozen dancing women of varying ages.)

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 03 May 07 - 08:54 AM

Oh, don't say teh "v" word, it will get someone all excited again.....

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 03 May 07 - 08:45 AM

The best thing I saw was in the Sunray at Osmington - the courteous behaviour from the audience to both booked guest and 'virgin' singer alike...


















but it was a very long time ago.

LTS

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Surreysinger
Date: 03 May 07 - 08:40 AM

Am I allowed to add another best thing - not at a folk club (since someone else has already gone that route, I reckon I can) - but it'll have to be George Withers at the last National in Sutton Bonington, singing his "MBE" song with a devastatingly witty twinkle in his eye, with Martin Carthy, Brian Peters, Eliza Carthy, Spiers and Boden et al sitting around the wall behind him. He brought the house down, and I reckon was an incredibly hard act to follow .. I'm just hoping that he'll be at the Dorset Singing Weekend in Stourton Caundle as usual in June this year (health willing)!!

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 03 May 07 - 08:35 AM

Oh, is George going?
Perhaps he can put you on his lamb-roasting spit.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 03 May 07 - 08:33 AM

I've absolutely no time nor inclination to spend time with you.
Better stuff to do.
I'll just leave it to the Villan or perhaps that nice (ha!) Mr Betts to give you a good kick in the bollocks.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 03 May 07 - 08:33 AM

Les...even a kick in the b....... would not stop me from coming to Faldingworth Live to see George Papavgeris.....wouldn't miss him for all the Countesses in the world!

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 03 May 07 - 08:31 AM

Betsy, when I saw Richaed Digance in his ealry days of Folk Clubbing, his humour was much more generalised...it changed with TV fame I suppose to things he felt he could get a laugh with. His natural humour was much better before. Best wishes, MIke.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Splott Man
Date: 03 May 07 - 08:30 AM

Are we talking about Folk Clubs yet?

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 03 May 07 - 08:27 AM

With language like yours however Countess...I would not consider you a person suitable to spend time with....perhaps a few more of those beautifully chosen words now.....

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Rasener
Date: 03 May 07 - 07:55 AM

Well I hope you are not going to kick Georgiansilver in the bollocks Betsy, as I am hoping to see him at Faldingworth Live tomorrow!

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: GUEST
Date: 03 May 07 - 07:54 AM

Roy Harris !!
It wan't a folk club, it was the Albert Hall, but he turned it into a folk club.

-

One day all women will have to wear burquas, problem solved.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Betsy
Date: 03 May 07 - 07:42 AM

Hi Georgiansilver - Richard Digance was as funny as a kick in the bollocks . He may have been humorous if you understood jokes about West Ham, same with Max Boyce if you understood Rugby/things Welsh .

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Grimmy
Date: 03 May 07 - 07:31 AM

"That's right they opened the Sea Life Centre and built that bridge"

Yeah, the monkeys, but all after I had left, thank goodness.

I notice the Blue Bell is still there though.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 03 May 07 - 07:29 AM

Keep trying Mike....deep down, she likes you.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 03 May 07 - 07:25 AM

make you more acceptable as a woman

Acceptable to whom?
Fuck off . . .

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 03 May 07 - 07:22 AM

That's almost a proposal Mike........romance blossoms amongst the Mudcatters.

Spring here at last....?

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 03 May 07 - 07:12 AM

Countess, perhaps if you spent more time with mature men (albeit those who may find women attractive) instead of obviously spending time with too many 11 year old boys, your attitude to men might improve and make you more acceptable as a woman.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 03 May 07 - 07:02 AM

That's right they opened the Sea Life Centre and built that bridge.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Grimmy
Date: 03 May 07 - 06:38 AM

I seem to recall a certain fellow called Musgrave going to church for reasons other than divine worship (I know what you're going to say - "yeah, and look what happened to him!").

I've had many best moments, but the one that has stayed with me is the first time I ever heard traditional singing.

I, a dyed-in-the-wool rock freak, was persuaded to visit the Old Blue Bell in Hull one night (HQ of the Watersons). It was spell-binding. Things would never be the same again.