Mudcatvision Song Contest 2009

Subject: RE: Mudcatvision Song Contest 2009
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 05 Jan 09 - 10:39 PM

How about a woman to do the Wogan job Al and you put on your best French accent.
"Royaume Uni... douze points"!
"Amerique.. dix points"

Subject: RE: Mudcatvision Song Contest 2009
From: open mike
Date: 05 Jan 09 - 10:28 PM

should there be a theme for this song?
(world peace, international co-operation,
use of technology to unite us)

should this be an original song?
and should it be recently composed (just for this "event")?
who will "judge"?

this could be some sort of extension of the new year's sing around the world thread by Chance...and others...

see links in that thread for world peace sings and videos....

including one interesting one where people all over the world sing
the same song and then the performances are spliced togethe

Subject: RE: Mudcatvision Song Contest 2009
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 05 Jan 09 - 07:32 PM

Great idea - Jim Carrol for the terry wogan job!

Who gets to be his glamorous assistant?

And the lady with a foreign accent (and a foreign name like Gabby, Nabby or Ptabby) reporting (in three laguages) from Helsinki....

I think you're a bit of a spoilsport not allowing video George, I'd like to be the man from Bulgaria dressed as a Beetroot.

Subject: RE: Mudcatvision Song Contest 2009
From: Acorn4
Date: 05 Jan 09 - 12:45 PM

To me right fol boom bang a bang!

Subject: RE: Mudcatvision Song Contest 2009
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 05 Jan 09 - 10:09 AM

Thanks for great input- re: a & b I bow to those who know more about the internet than me.

c - I've no strong view on name & date of 'event'.

d - my thoughts were on the idea that Mudcat is an international forum and could act as a window to what is 'folk' around the world, and not be so much UK or US dominated.

e - with regards categories - I still like the idea of entries being new and original compositions - the eligibility of that may be hard to pin down, maybe previously unrecorded. That puts the focus on the song/tune rather than the performer.

f - definiately agree - no guests, members are the only way to validate votes.

g - I agree that getting into details of 'what is folk' could get in the way of a fun event. In terms of whether something is 'folk enough', let the voters decide!

it will be interesting how the forum will work in reaching a final consensus on the terms of reference.

Subject: RE: Mudcatvision Song Contest 2009
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 05 Jan 09 - 09:28 AM

My initial raction is a little bah-humbug, but there might be something in it. However:

a) I would emphasise the upload of sound-only MP3s over video, not only because decent video production is harder and less accessible to people, but mainly because I see video as distracting from the music and lyrics - and the latter deserve prominence in genres such as ours.

b) As for where to upload them to, I would suggest either MySpace, or we can make private arrangements (for example I could easily host such a competition on my "folk4all" website).

c) I would drop any links/nods towards Eurovision as inappropriate (Mudcat's appeal is much wider, for a start). So, no "xxxx-vision" name, and it should be held on some other, more appropriate, date: How about the birthday of one of the great collectors?

d) If we go with a "by country" representation, I can see the need for preliminary heats to choose the representatives; and some very decent songs may come 2nd and never be heard. I would suggest therefore some other way. Perhaps by county, or region? Or even allow all submissions to be heard in a single "heat" - we could easily accomodate 20, 30 or 40 songs. I would personally favour avoiding the use of "committees" to preview and pre-select competition entries; let's just throw it all into the pot, and people can listen to them and decide.

e) We will also need to have different categories, or we'll never stop arguing the toss about what is folk. I suggest, as a starter (based on the likely numbers of entries):

   - Traditional song (judging the performance)
   - Traditional tune (ditto)
   - (original) Blues
   - (original) Bluegrass
   - (original) Contemporary folk song
   - (original) Dance Tune

f) We should run this first as an internal event - i.e.entries only by Mudcat members (no GUESTs). Similarly, only member votes to be counted. If successful, we could expand later. But let's start with something manageable.

g) Note that I avoid specific country or culture references (no English Music, or Scottish, or Celtic, or World etc), first to avoid breaking this into a thousand pieces, and also to avoide further acrimony over what belongs where.

That's it so far, though we ought to consider other eligibility rules etc. Tom Bliss will have some good ideas, I am sure.

Subject: Mudcatvision Song Contest 2009
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 05 Jan 09 - 06:15 AM

Just an idea.....

To shadow the fabled Eurovision event.

(1) A new folk song written and perormed by a mudcatter from each country with mudcat members. - the selection process would need to be thrashed out.

(2) The representive for each country performs the song and uploads it on you-tube.

(3) On the same night as the Eurovision song contest voters watch all the videos and vote for their favourite.

Any suggestions on how this can all be made to work?

(4) Winner gets the Qudos and admiration of the Mudcat Community.