Where are the kids?

Subject: RE: Where are the kids?
From: Kim C
Date: 18 Apr 00 - 02:20 PM

Well, I've noticed a couple of things. First thing is, as living history musicians, Mister and I have kids following us around whenever we play someplace where there are kids. That may have a lot to do with the period clothing. But they eat it up. Last Christmas we played a house tour and got the kids to come down and sing carols with us. Kids always ask us questions! I think there is plenty of interest there, but maybe not every child has someone to help foster it. There are still plenty of parents who think music is not a worthwhile pursuit; plus, when school budgets have to be cut, music is one of the first things to go.

The other thing is, there are a lot of bands & artists - not necessarily folk artists, but Top40 as well - outside the US who incorporate their country's folk music into what they're doing. One night, I think it was on Thistle & Shamrock, I heard a Scots rock band doing a heavy-metal version of Loch Lomond. It was different, but it was good. And the audience was singing along. While I still have to warm up to contemporary versions of old old songs, I must admit that these type of things introduce the old old songs to a new audience, who might not have heard them otherwise. I don't really see many contemporary non-folk US bands & artists doing this- but maybe I've missed something since I don't listen to the radio much anymore.

Regards ----------------- Kim

Subject: RE: Where are the kids?
From: GUEST,Mbo_at_ECU
Date: 18 Apr 00 - 03:50 PM

Kim, the big rock version of "Loch Lomond" was the Scottish Celtic rock band Runrig, performing at the World Cup. I ABSOLUTELY love the version---especially with that "ho ro mo leannan" choral ostinato. This live version I believe can be founf on their album "Beat the Drum." Excellent stuff, and not really that different from the original!

--Mbo

Subject: RE: Where are the kids?
From: Art Thieme
Date: 18 Apr 00 - 04:22 PM

Mooh,

I rode to the Cleveland Folk Alliance convention with Phil & Margaret & Kate. Good people & good friends...

Art

Subject: RE: Where are the kids?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 18 Apr 00 - 04:44 PM

Getting back to the original question - maybe they are too frightened to come in because snooty club managers and posy gits on stage are abusive to them for making a little more noise than the average corpse..... I lost count of the times I was asked to leave, because as a new-comer I needed an oldtimer to explain what was going on....

LTS

Subject: RE: Where are the kids?
From: Chocolate Pi
Date: 18 Apr 00 - 06:02 PM

This kid (18 1/2) is going to be standing in the center of the hollow square, leading a song (probably Rainbow or Windham) at the Midwest Sacred Harp Convention (April 29-30, 9:30a-3p, Ida Noyes Hall, Chicago IL).

Chocolate Pi (who has spent many a delightful evening going through Rise Up Singing with other people in the dorm and trying to teach each other the songs we know)

Subject: RE: Where are the kids?
From: Ditchdweller
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 08:27 AM

Went to the Old Kng's Head last night with the eldest pair. Unfortunatly it was not a session night but a booked group "Monkeydoyles", so P&EM did not get a chance to play. Not a bad night however, they both enjoyed it. Sapper

Subject: RE: Where are the kids?
From: Mooh
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 08:49 AM

Art,

Small world eh? Margaret instructed puppet making at our Celtic College for a couple of years and my wife's product from there still stands in our home. I still use some of Phil's lyric sheets from a guitar course I did with him. We will miss them this year!

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: Where are the kids?
From: GUEST,JulieF (at work)
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 09:10 AM

When my daughter was young she slept through the best of bands - Fairport / Battlefield Band etc. Now she is keen on a lot of folk such as Runrig and the Levellers ( loud stuff that appeals to 14 year olds) and is just beginning to play in sessions. Her current problem is finding people she knows and making sure that we don't turn up ( Don't parents just cramp your style?). We just played allsorts of music at her ( She bounced in her cot to Anarchy in the UK by the Sex Pistols) and encouraged her with Irish Dancing -( which meant that the tunes were always there). We also have been helped by the people in Sheffield who encourage youngsters such as members of the Irish Community, The South Riding Folk Network and other individuals. Going to The Sheffield Traditional Fiddle Society has been a great help ( Selby - We may have met ! Were you at the joint Wooton and Sheffield Workshop in Bradfield just over a year ago - Havn't made it over to Wooton yet but my brother lives near in Bigby)

Julie

Subject: RE: Where are the kids?
From: Hyperabid
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 09:45 AM

Liz the Squeak has a point. I was in the habit of attending a broad variety of recitals / gigs with the lead gutarist of the band I was in at that time. We'd go to learn about different styles sometimes with the drummer, sometimes without. (I was playing bass for this particular outfit)...

We laughed our socks off and eventually got into slanging matches both for the same reason... once in a prog rock recital once in a folk club... Being musicians we like to discuss the technique / style / musicality of the poeple performing - comment on things we might like to imitate.

Both times some beardy-wierdy told us to shut up... Then got offended at simple questions like "why?" and "are you having any fun then?" and "where's your lot going on to after then, the laudrette or the cemetary?"

I'm not "young" on the music industry scale any more, but if you have to put your hand up to ask teahcer if you can talk you ain't gonna see teenagers turning up.

My £0 0s 2d...

Hyp

Subject: RE: Where are the kids?
From: GUEST,Frank Hamilton
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 11:31 AM

We play folk music to kids in the Georgia public schools through Young Audiences. For the most part, kids are highly accepting.

There is a kind of prevailing attitude that quiet folk concerts are too "adult" for kids. Some "adult" audiences have complained that kids are too noisy for "adult" concerts. I love to see kids in the audience. I love the enthusiastic response that they give, albeit sometimes boisterous. I can't imagine a Pete Seeger concert without kids there. Woody always wrote for them. The best folk singers honor children and speak to them directly.

One of the beautiful things about folk music is that it's meant for all ages. It's important that kids are recognized and respected as the carriers of the tradition of folk music.

Kids are there. Folk music lives.

Frank

Subject: RE: Where are the kids?
From: selby
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 01:31 PM

The school holidays are here in the UK so on that bend The Jug (previously mentioned in many other threads)is young muscian friendly. We will be there tonight 19/4/00 with our kids a 10 year old melodeon player and a 12 year old fiddler. Many Catters gather there on a Wednesday so it is worth a journey. Keith

Subject: RE: Where are the kids?
From: Joan
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 03:44 PM

After teacher training, I got a half-year job as a permanent sub in music...not certified in music, but the system needed to replace the regular teacher quickly and they knew me from doing school programs locally. Certification was waived. The first day I stood up in front of the classes and sang "Rattling Bog" telling the kids when it was their time to sing the refrain. They were shocked! No piano; no music books; no word sheets, even. AND they were expected to sing out loud. These kids customarily got music by either burying their noses in the book or glueing their ear to the boom box. They didn't know from singing out loud for fun. Anyhow, they got distracted from rigor mortis when it finally dawned how a cumulative song works and it was funny. They sang. I pulled out every crazy kid pleaser I could think of the first few weeks.

For that half year, my goal for them was to teach lots of songs with good singing choruses so that they could sing non-stop in the bus on field trips going and coming home. (We won't go into the anguish of teaching them recorder by keeping one lesson ahead of them). They may have gone back to rock and rap, but somewhere in their little heads there will be a nice memory of good songs and singing them with friends. At least a little seed got planted.

Joan

Subject: RE: Where are the kids?
From: Kelida
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 04:28 PM

I don't remember a time when I didn't like folk/blues/jazz. I've only now started getting seriously into it--starting a folk band and all, learning new instruments, etc. I think that young people just aren't exposed to it, and a lot of people I know (even some of my friends) don't want to try anything new (well, actually, a lot of folk music is old, but it would be new to them). Also, if most teenagers are like me, they are still heavily dependant on their parents. I own a car and have my license, so transportation isn't usually a problem--however, I spend all my money on car payments, insurance, and art supplies(future career stuff), so I don't always have money for music. It may not be that young people aren't interested, but that they don't have time or money.

Peace--Keli

Subject: RE: Where are the kids?
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 11:07 PM

I am looking for the lyrics to a song about a grizzly bear in the circus that escapes and than is shot by a hunter. Anybody have some info?