Alternatives to Mike Harding

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: danensis
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 12:22 PM

Just a reminder, as the discsussion has moved to recording filk clubsin the 1970s, that I'm still rying to find out who was recording at the Jug o'Punch in Digbeth in the early 1970s. I'm convinced that someone, somewhere must have a recording of my late wife's floor spot,

John

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: Howard Jones
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 09:41 AM

Ah yes, Folkweave! I could never decide whether that was a genuine attempt to display the grass roots of the folk movement, or just a way to do a programme on the cheap (but was it cheap, as they had to take an Outside Broadcast team all over the country?)

For the uninitiated, or those too young or too American, in the early 1970s Folkweave went round the UK folk clubs and broadcast the floor singers' performances. It sounds a dreadful idea, but this was when the folk clubs were at their peak, and the standard was often pretty high. There was some editorial control, and the clubs themselves were probably quite selective about who they allowed to perform.

I remember when Folkweave came to my (then) local folk club at Blackmore, Essex. The tiny room was even more packed than usual. There were a couple of mics in the corner and a big bunch of cables leading out of the window to the OB van. The organisation that night was tight as a drum: get on, two songs, get off, no messing, and they got through far more acts than in a normal evening.

As one of the performers who was later broadcast, I received a detailed multipage BBC contract, full of clauses about copyright and repeat fees (which regrettably never materialised), and eventually a cheque for, I think, £5, from which they'd deducted 5p National Insurance! To my everlasting regret I can no longer find the contract document.

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: GUEST,Fidjit
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 02:48 AM

Alan.
I can agree with you, but it was what we had at the time and that's what I meant.
Yes we need more stations sending out the music for everyone. Not just folk music.

The alternatives are there already. I quite like Hennesey.

Chas

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: Alan Day
Date: 12 Jan 07 - 05:57 PM

Not alternatives to Mike Harding's show ,ADDITIONS TO is what I want.
We have so little Folk music on the BBC that what we do get does not meet everybody's requirements.I did not enjoy Jim Lloyd's programme Fidgit, he tried to please too many people at the same time.
Everybody's tastes are slightly different, more programmes will suit most peoples taste.Instead of knocking Mike Harding,have a go at the programme planners and try to get us different music formats.Some of the fringe programmes are excellent and BBC Ulster is one of the best Folk programmes I have listened(Sat).So it can be done,it just needs a bit of imagination by UK BBC and give us a bit more variety.The artists are there,the music is there and the audience is there.
Al

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: Folkiedave
Date: 12 Jan 07 - 02:09 PM

To the OP (Folkiedave): the alternative to MH on R2 is to switch him off and do something else - like go to a folk club or session, or just watch telly, have a beer, etc. :-)

I do all of those things (though I manage to combine some of them by not having a telly!!)

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: oggie
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 05:57 PM

Jim Lloyd and Wally Whyton? Why has Tony Capstick and Folkweave been written out of the collective conciousness?

oggie

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 05:38 PM

John Shaw Saga 106.6 in the Midlands. Sunday night 22:00 to 01:00 usually plenty of folk and alternative music from this most aware of radio presenters.

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: GUEST,Fidjit
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 08:49 AM

Thanks Scrump
Yes of course it was JIM Lloyd.

I used to got to the live recordings too! Small world.

Talk to you at miskin about it.

chas

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: GUEST,HughM
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 08:07 AM

Occasionally, when Jim Lloyd or Mike Harding have been unavailable, the programme has been done by Ralph McTell, and I have been impressed by the increased variety of the music, some of it material I hadn't heard before.

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: Mr Happy
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 07:03 AM

Hiking dream??

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: s&r
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 06:39 AM

Lancashire Drift with Phil Brown (Big Whistle Music, and one of the finest low whistle players in the country)info here

Stu

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: GUEST,Bruce Michael Baillie
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 06:30 AM

...and don't forget 'www.wovenwheatwhispers.co.uk'

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: GUEST,Julia
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 06:21 AM

It was more usually known as "Country drowns Folk" in my day.

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: Scrump
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 06:16 AM

Ah, Wally Whyton and Jim Lloyd - brings back memories of "Country Meets Folk" on R2 back in the late 60s / early 70s. That was great because it was a live show you could go and watch being recorded, as a member of the audience. I regularly went along and saw some great acts. I wasn't generally as keen on the 'country' acts, although a few of them were pretty good too. I'd prefer to hear more live folk on the radio, in preference to album tracks like you normally get on the MH show.

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: andrewq
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 06:13 AM

The Folk Show on Manx Radio is excellent. It's broadcast in the Isle of Man from 21:00-22:00 on Tuesday nights and is also streamed for 7 days after the broadcast on the web site's Listen Again facility.

http://www.manxradio.com

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: GUEST,fidjit
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 06:12 AM

Before Mike Harding, we had John Lloyd and Wally Wyton. Never been the same since they left us. That was in the days of "Steam Radio" of course. "FM" was unheard of and meant something else then.

Chas

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: GUEST,padgett
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 06:09 AM

Radio Derby Mick Peat and Lester Simpson Mon nights

Radio Shropshire Genevieve Tudor

Colum Sands prog in Ireland

Radio York

Radio Britfolk

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: Scrump
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 05:58 AM

I never listen to MH on Wednesdays as I'm always out at the local folk club. I agree with Ross above. However I sometimes "listen again" (i.e. for the first time) on the BBC website, if I'm aware of something of particular interest to me on there, e.g. an interview with someone I like.

I don't think MH is that bad, it's just that there's not enough folk music on the BBC or other radio stations generally, at least in England. I agree that in general, Wales, Scotland and Ireland have much better radio folk shows than we English do - honourable exceptions include Johnny Coppin on Radio Glos, and the N Yorks show (with a guy whose name I forget for the mo - sorry!)

To the OP (Folkiedave): the alternative to MH on R2 is to switch him off and do something else - like go to a folk club or session, or just watch telly, have a beer, etc. :-)

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: GUEST,jimlad
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 05:38 AM

Many years ago I was in a pub in the Manchester area where Mike Harding comes from. His record "Rochdale Cowboy" was being played on the jukebox. I turned to the 70 something old wino who had been tapping me up for a drink and said " This singer comes from around here y'know" "Yes,the vision of loveliness,(NOT)"replied " He was having sexual relations with me a while ago"

Harding was about 30 at that time so I incredulously asked "What,Mike Harding?"

'No you daft bugger,him who has just come in through the pub door" she said indicating another 70 something wino.

I do seem to attract 'em!!

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: sian, west wales
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 05:13 AM

Splotty's flagged up Celtic Heartbeat and it's interesting to note that this programme gets the highest number of web 'hits' of all Radio Wales' programmes: something like 60,000, with the number 2 position coming in at 7,000, or figures to that effect. The number 2 is, I think, sort of jazz/easy listening.

This kinda ties in with the question, "why isn't there more folk on TV" (or media of your choice).

sian

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: Ross
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 04:25 AM

Go out and listen/play/sing live music

It saves on heating & electricity too

If you can of course - no aggression intended

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: Splott Man
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 04:11 AM

Radio Wales on Saturday nights has Celtic Heartbeat

An always excellent programme, 7.30 till 10pm

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 12:26 AM

. . . Andy Kershaw, soon to be 23.15 on Monday. And Late Junction, cut down to only Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Search out stuff in the R4 schedules. And avoid anytung produced by Smooth Operations, it's junk.

The there's theacousticstage, 24-hour mostly good music and no ads or stupid talking.

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: Richard Atkins
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 11:19 PM

Try Andy Kershaw Sunday BBC Radio 3 10.15 PM.

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: Gizmo
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 06:36 PM

I have to admit, when I started to get in to folk music - MIke Harding was the only one who filled up the emptiness with his show - as I'm from London, and quite frankly limited to what is available. I found some of his collection very useful, and then started to look elsewhere.

The listen again has become a sort of lifeline for me into reaching new folk stations fo rfree via the BBC website.

Granted it is not as good as it could be - The whole beeb set up that is - but for something with little or no alternatives in my region I put up and appreciate what is available.

Mike Harding is a show which only lasts 1 hr in comparrison to the other folk shows - perhaps if he had more air time would his playlist be better?

I like travelling folk, and some music on Genevieve Tudor show ( too much talk IMO - but some good info and background of some people/bands)

I'm coming from a newbie folk perspective - but guide me where I am misled and any suggestions would be welcome!

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: Bugsy
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 05:40 PM

Now don't bite my head off, bearing in mind that I haven't been listening to him for long, and that I don't live in UK, what's so bad about Mike Harding?



Cheers


Bugsy

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: Folkiedave
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 05:09 PM

Thanks for the link Anahata, and the way that the BBC (England) treats folk music is a disgrace as we know. Years ago when you protested about the lack of folk music on the BBC - they said local radio was the place for folk music. Obviously because it made it easier to cut!

However listen again does give a lot of choice from the other regions.

Dave

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: The Sandman
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 04:25 PM

Try tuning to radio na gaeltachta,traditional music most of the day and night,and all in gaelic.

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: stallion
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 04:16 PM

North Yorkshire folk
http://www.bbc.co.uk/northyorkshire/content/articles/2005/09/16/ny_folk_feature.shtm

Subject: RE: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: treewind
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 03:53 PM

BBC Scotland: John Purser (corrected link)

There is a lot of folk music on local radio (but not enough and what there is has been getting cut), and especially on Scottish and Irish radio. Radio 3's Late Junction is excellent too.

And don't forget Radio Britfolk!

Anahata

Subject: Alternatives to Mike Harding
From: Folkiedave
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 02:13 PM

I often seek out other radio programmes to listen to when Mike Harding is on. Using the BBC listen again feature I often listen to "Travelling Folk" on Radio Scotland.

Whilst there I came across this.

www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/music/scotlandsmusic/john_purser.shtml

Judging by the first programme this is well worth a listen.