best thing seen at a folk club

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 03 May 07 - 05:51 AM

Perhaps we ought not to poke fun at the dress conventions of our European neighbours.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Dave Earl
Date: 03 May 07 - 05:19 AM

"Feeling a bit sheepish now for having opened your mouth, silly hat man?"

No

My Granny used to tell my brothers and I that "sticks and stones can break your bones but names will never hurt you"

Dave

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 03 May 07 - 05:17 AM

I ran away from that thread - you're a scary gal, Countess.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 03 May 07 - 05:04 AM

Oh, is that what the 'jumpers' are doing in the 'collapse of the clubs' thread?

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 03 May 07 - 04:59 AM

I think I gave up being appalled by musicians and their rather basic approach to life a while back. All that stuff in Amadeus - how could God have heaped his gifts on a filthy obscene child? - it has a certain ring of truth about it. n'est-ce pas?

I always suspect the 'nice' ones. Particularly in pullovers.

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

Among the normal women I am good friends with, they are not ashamed to giggle about 'male buns and six-packs'.

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

'Lustful thoughts' about frogs or anything else are scarcely the issue.
WLD wants to talk about music, as I do and have been.
He should be as appalled as I was at those unable to refer to a well-known female fiddler without a snigger over how she was dressed.
And even more so at how women are being trivialised and demeaned in this thread,
And most of all at those 'men' who claim nastily, that it is their 'right' to objectify women as 'the best thing seen at a f*lk club'.
I've come across more mature attitudes among 11-year-old schoolboys.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: The Barden of England
Date: 03 May 07 - 03:08 AM

The first time I saw Eric Bogle live. Not the best voice, nor the best player, but when he's singing his songs he really makes me 'feel' the words. Another one was when I heard Chris While for the first time. That voice is just stunning. And finally Ian Bruce, who has one of the greatest voices I've ever heard. When he sang 'From a distance' in a packed Marquee at Ely a few years back, without the aid of amplification, you could have heard a pin drop. Each one of the very special in their own way.
John Barden

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 03 May 07 - 02:56 AM

The whole animal kingdom of which we are a part is prey to lustful thoughts.

And truth to tell, we are all revolted occasionally by the way other animals express the nasty squelchy business of sexuality. There is a wonderful Seamus Heaney poem called death of a Naturalist about him coming across a pond full of copulating frogs - and being by turns intimidated and revolted by the distasteful proximity one of the manifestations of the life force.

If that's how we old men seem to you - I can understand Countess.I suppose we're just not your idea of a nice pond of frogs.

lets adress ourselves to the music.   That's what I love to hear people talking about. On mudcat - you can almost hear their voices. I've been ill recently and I can't get out as much as I would like - sometimes on mudcat, its like being in a pub and chatting about all your old friends.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: GUEST,Ralphie
Date: 03 May 07 - 12:29 AM

Too many to recall.
But, I do remember the late George Spicer at Elsies in Edenbridge,Kent UK, trying to finish a rather risque song before his wife returned from the loo!
Failed miserably, and had to revert to something more anodyne (Thousands or more or something!)
I think she knew what was going on!!

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 03 May 07 - 12:21 AM

I have never even heard of 'The Devil's Interval' let alone seen them.

I thought I was the only one in the silly hat around here - maybe it's time for The Fooles Troupe to leave - too much competition!

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 03 May 07 - 12:17 AM

Oh my!
The man in the silly hat has just seen my mates, The Devil's Interval (note correct form of their name).
I suppose that's typical of just how far behind the times blokes round here are.
The 'best thing' to come out of the Newcastle course?
There are dozens of brilliant acts from among six years of graduates. Seen them all?
Or are you judging them by a quick appraisal of Lauren and Emily's 'other attributes?
Tsk, tsk. Jim's rather pretty too, y'know . . .
Feeling a bit sheepish now for having opened your mouth, silly hat man?

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: GUEST,Phil
Date: 03 May 07 - 12:08 AM

One of my best experiences was starting a song in a pub session and everyone joined in. The whole atmosphere in the pub changed. After the song there was a kind of silence for a short while when we realised what we had just shared. To me that's what folk music is about - who or what, PA's and mics don't matter.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 02 May 07 - 10:30 PM

"what exactly is 'positive' about such wholly outdated, disasteful, sexist crap?"

Well, a prominent leading elderly Aussie politican known as '"Head-kicker" Heffernan' may now find his career suddenly and unexpectedly ended (even his own party is walking away from him!) after saying publicly in an article in the Bulletin that the female deputy leader of the Aussie Labour Party who has no children was 'barren and thus unfit to be a leading politican'.

Funny really, because his 'own goal' (which was meant to be a clever hitback because the Opposition leader was making comments that Johnny was too old-fashioned to stay as PM {after Johnny started attacking him as too inexperienced to be next PM!!!}) has now distracted the media from being interested in any possible shortcomings of the Opposition's political platform... now a very good chance that Little Fascist Johhny may actually lose the next election... pissing off 50% of the electorate is a dumb idea, to say nothing of pissing off ALL the pollies (of ALL parties!) wives!

Pretty 'positive' I'd say... :-)

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 02 May 07 - 10:02 PM

1. The effect on the audience of Brisbane unaccompanied singer Jenny Fitzgibbon, slight figure in short white sleeveless dress, singing "The Grave that they Dug him" - it seemed like everyone stopped breathing while she sang.

2. Martyn Wyndham-Read not leaving the stage after his advertised bracket ended & singing on for at least another hour, accompanied by Iris Bishop & John. magic

3. First apprearance of duo Lyrebird at any folk club, they did a 10 minute floorspot that left the audience going "wow" & were immediately booked by another club.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: woodsie
Date: 02 May 07 - 09:00 PM

Best thing I've seen at a folk club - a nice pot of tenners donated by the landlord!

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Dave Earl
Date: 02 May 07 - 08:21 PM

Countess Richard.

See it's not just me who finds the way you choose to express yourself unpleasant.

Hold whatever views you like and most people round this board will defend your right to say whatever you want. You are however getting up a few noses with your bad language.

Back to the original theme though.

Just come back from the Lamb in Eastbourne where Devils Interval were the guests. Best act I've seen in a long time. Excellant singers and musicians and in my opinion the best thing to come out of the Newcastle University Folk music degree course.

You dont have to agree with me Diane but allow me to hold my view please.

Dave


Dave

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 02 May 07 - 07:44 PM

Tony Rose aged twenty two - his first summer holiday after qualifying as a teacher, back at Exmouth folk club with the Journeymen in the background singing Tavistock Goosey Fair - strumming an old Levin.

I don't know about the best - but he was bloody good.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 02 May 07 - 07:35 PM

Addler, no idea who you are and why should I care?
You presume to know who I am.
You clearly don't.
I'm kicking the shit out of those with idiotically archaic attitudes who have no place in my musical world, yet think it funny to try and make jokes on a forum.
It isn't. And it ain't clever. It exposes their stupidity and lack of musical awareness.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 02 May 07 - 07:28 PM

Ah, I see an ever so SUPERFLUOUS wizziewig 'contribution'. No idea who this is, just that it is someone who crawls out from time to time, presumably to ogle women who don't mind. Certainly not what I'm in music for,
Crawl back under your stone, Don person.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: GUEST,Addler
Date: 02 May 07 - 07:24 PM

Diane! You are talking out of your arse and picking a fight as usual. Don't respond to this I dare you. Just think before you respond, read through this whole thread at least before posting again. Please!!!

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 02 May 07 - 07:19 PM

Maddy Prior and June Tabor when they were trying out some Silly Sisters material at the Cellar. Nic Jones at the Enterprise. Tony Rose a few years later in his only visit to Chicago.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 02 May 07 - 07:16 PM

I don't think I've seen any 'best' things at f*lk clubs because they are mostly so false and populated by lechy blokes who don't have music as anything like their top priority. The 'best' things have been at informal sessions, in fields and places like Mexican tents or shower blocks in the middle of the night at festivals.

There was that Sidmouth workshop when Rob Harbron convinced me that the only way to play concertina convincingly was to pretend to be a chicken. And fiddle workshops where Nick Wyke, Kirsty Cotter, Gina Le Faux and Pete Cooper almost got me believing I could play fiddle after all. And a ceilidh in the middle of the Essex countryside when Fi Fraser very nearly got me believing the same thing. But it all started at Keele (forerunner of the National) where I met Barry Dransfield under a staircase, fiddling frantically. He said he couldn't read a note of music but if I was a youth orchestra player then I could do what he did. Why not? Well no, I can't but I still try.

I'm still trying to dredge up something good that happened at a f*lk club. One was at Islington (not yer average cliquey dump it's best not to venture near) when Jackie Oates recorded some tracks for her first demo. This is where I first heard Stocai too, and remained gobsmacked for a very long time. In fact I'd go to Islington just for the Angel band and stay there forever if they'd just keep on playing and playing. All that can compare is Musical Traditions with The Rakes/Duck Soup/Pigeon English/Posh Band and Simon Ritchie stepdancing on the table.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 02 May 07 - 07:14 PM

Oh dear,
The only response to a military person who describes a woman as a lady is 'fuck off'.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Soldier boy
Date: 02 May 07 - 06:57 PM

Folks.Folks.Folks. A warning to you. Don't respond in any way to 'countess richard'.

From what I have seen of her rantings and ravings on other threads on Mudcat I really do politely suggest that you just ignore her.

This is usually the only way that you can stop an unwelcome 'contributor' who is compulsive in the extreme, likes to spread venom and hostility,completely change the original purpose of the discussion and obsessively take over the thread.

I'll say no more about countess richard at this stage, but if you want a taste of this character and how she behaves just have a peek at the thread "Show of hands - Roots - what a track!"

Just check out some of her latest contributions on that thread.
I have rarely seen so many F words from a lady of supposed culture and literary intelligence.
So extreme are her foul-mouthed rantings that I am very surprised that the Mudcat police haven't pulled her plug yet!!

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Ebbie
Date: 02 May 07 - 06:49 PM

Poppagator, you said: "However, please don't think that the female party to such an encounter is always innocent while the male is automatically wrong."

I read that as 'anatomically wrong'. lol

The best thing I have seen - or rather, taken away from - a folk club was the rush of being in the midst of the combination of happy performers and happy audiences.

A couple of years ago several of us started a small folk club and I think it is just about the best thing I've involved myself in.

By the way, being aware of men drooling over hot pants on a great body wouldn't call forth my contempt but it would make me grin at the predictability of men- I doubt that they would say that her looks helped her musical ability but it couldn't hurt.

The only time I felt miffed at some men's reactions to a hot looking flashy female fiddler was once at a folk festival when the young woman was arrogant and overbearing and oblivious to the women players in the group. Most of the men crowding into her space were not concerned with her playing. Most of the women left the group and started another knot of players. Flashy plus nice is fine- flashy plus unpleasant is not.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: GUEST,wordy
Date: 02 May 07 - 06:40 PM

Spotted Mr Morton many moons ago.Another of our unsung talents because he won't fit in a box.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Commander Crabbe
Date: 02 May 07 - 06:35 PM

Youre probably right!!

Ah well never mind

CC

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Jeanie
Date: 02 May 07 - 06:34 PM

Wordy: That's a great description you gave. And apart from the bits about "young" and "untold years ahead", nothing else changes over the years, really, does it ? Or, at least, with a positive approach to life, nothing needs to have changed and it doesn't have to be just a memory !

Attractiveness, charm, charisma are hard to define, and are "in the eye of the beholder" to a large extent - but I would say that of course they play a part in any performance, or in any human encounter.

To go back to "best thing seen at a folk club": I saw Pete Morton perform at a folk club this week. He does just happen to be (to my eyes/mind/etc. anyway) an attractive, charming man: but the best thing of all was seeing him get a whole hall full of people singing "Knock, knock, knockin' on Heaven's Door" in Chaucerian Middle English. Priceless. That man has won my heart.

- jeanie :)

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Surreysinger
Date: 02 May 07 - 06:31 PM

Probably not???

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: GUEST,John S
Date: 02 May 07 - 06:30 PM

June Tabor at the Empress of Russia, Islington, at about the time Aqaba came out.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Commander Crabbe
Date: 02 May 07 - 06:28 PM

Do you think if we re-named this as the best thing seen about sexual politics it would turn into a discussion on the joys of folk clubs?

CC

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 02 May 07 - 06:27 PM

I am amazed that you guys bother trying to reason with countess richard. You should by now have realised that the good countess sees herself as the perfect uberfrau, and her posts are positively dripping with contempt and disdain for most, if not all, of Mudcat's membership.

She obviously thinks of herself as some kind of superwoman, and I must agree.

She is supercilious, supercritical, superficial, and, in any discussion (which presupposes that protagonists will at least take note of the opinions of others), superfluous.

Just my opinion, of course, and I don't think I'll join in

Out of here
Don T.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Surreysinger
Date: 02 May 07 - 06:23 PM

Tony Rose playing in the cafe bar at the Electric Theatre in Guildford during his (sadly) short lived comeback in the early 1990's.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 02 May 07 - 06:18 PM

This is like the Lloyd thread - we want to talk about something and end up talking about the obsessions of the aristocracy.

Too many brilliant acts over the years. I think its the moments that sort of stick with you - rather whole songs.

Gerry Lockran capturing a room with just the first two three notes.

The first time I heard Fred Jordan's voice.

Pete Quin's ragtime guitar, never heard anybody play guitar ragtime better.

Derek Brimstone looking round a Birmingham nightclub before striking up - flash little place innit...?

Ian Campbell stopping the band and singing an unaccompanied song from Peter Grimes opera - totally brilliantly.

Paul Downes had this scratchy little rhythm guitar that started off the first song - Won't you let me play for you tonight? - and Phil Beers fiddle just hitting the groove.

Tommy Dempsey (of Bourneville and County Roscommon) singing As I roved Out to the tapping of his foot......

Roy Harris throwing his head back and singing Nobody wants to know you when you're down and out

the late Roger Brooks singing anything

the late John Dunkerly(of the campbell folk group) - his banjo on The unquiet grave - plaintive and perfect.

I'd wear a miniskirt to the folkclub meself if I could live through one of those moments again.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: GUEST
Date: 02 May 07 - 06:07 PM

Countess. You don't remember? Where were you?
We only get one shot at life you know.
Je regrette rien. ( failed french O level)

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 02 May 07 - 06:04 PM

Of course, I didn't say that Nic Jones success was just down to his good looks! I said that his good looks added to his popularity! Good looks alone aren't going to get you very far on the folk scene.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 02 May 07 - 05:59 PM

Wordy: No
Dick: Good grief!

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: The Sandman
Date: 02 May 07 - 05:57 PM

I remember Countess as a librarian she was helpful, charming and attractive.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: The Sandman
Date: 02 May 07 - 05:55 PM

NicJones was popular because he could sing and play very well,but also because he was charismatic,part of his charm was his good looks,so both Tunesmith and Countess are right.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: GUEST,wordy
Date: 02 May 07 - 05:54 PM

Ah countess, we were young and in our prime. Life was joyful and exciting. Lust was in our loins, both male and female. We were lovely to look at, lovely to know and the whole world was ours. We had untold years ahead of us. A kiss was bliss. We held each other tight and sang for sheer pleasure. We......
But surely you remember?
No?
That's sad.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 02 May 07 - 05:50 PM

If Nic Jones decided to sue for defamation because somebody called Tunesmith thinks his popularity was due only to how he looked, I'm quite sure he wouldn't choose Richard Bridge as his solicitor.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 02 May 07 - 05:45 PM

Nice to see your usual grasp of the law, madam.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 02 May 07 - 05:43 PM

ROFLOL

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 02 May 07 - 05:39 PM

'Scuse me while I throw up.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 02 May 07 - 05:35 PM

You mean you WISH I was James Blunt

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: The Sandman
Date: 02 May 07 - 05:35 PM

do you mean John Blunt,There was an old fellow lived under a hill.
John Blunt,also means..........

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 02 May 07 - 05:30 PM

I think you are James Blunt.

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 02 May 07 - 05:27 PM

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!!!

Subject: RE: best thing seen at a folk club
From: PoppaGator
Date: 02 May 07 - 05:16 PM

Your 'impression', based on nothing whatsoever as you haven't a clue who I am, is incorrect.

My impresion is based on what you have written, and it remains about the same now as it was back at 3:40 pm today, Mudcat time.

Should we ever meet in real life, I'll try to have an open mind. For now, the written word is all I have on which to base my opinions.