Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Rusty Dobro
Date: 12 Feb 12 - 02:28 PM

I wonder how healthy the Cornish tradition really is - a Cornish friend of mine, an active and much-travelled folkie, reckons that all of his usual pub sessions have gone over to bluegrass, and thinks that he hasn't heard a squeeze-box played for about four years.

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: GUEST,C.B.
Date: 12 Feb 12 - 01:47 PM

In the best of all possible worlds, there would truly be a Folk Police to arrest and imprison those who persist in conflating a twentieth century musical form with an eighteenth century profession.

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Leadfingers
Date: 12 Feb 12 - 12:16 PM

Pirates of St Piran have a Website here

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Feb 12 - 10:19 AM

If you want to hear a good old fashioned shanty group then take a listen to the "Pirates of st Piran" They have sung all over Cornwall and in doing so have raised thousands of pounds for local charities. They also have two shanty albums out and are currently working on a third album.

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 05 May 10 - 12:26 PM

PDG Video as well - http://wavehunters.wordpress.com/2010/04/29/no-hopers-jokers-rogues/

Anyone know who wrote it btw? Doesn't sound traditional.

Cheers

DeG

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 05 May 10 - 12:18 PM

I had a very nice surprise this morning - Woke to to Fishermans Friend's 'No Hopers, Jokers & Rogues'. Has musical accompaniment to this one and is certainly none the worse for it! 39 minutes into the breakfast show with Graham Norton standing in for Chris Evans. On listen again for the next 7 days. Would not have heard it normaly but had the day off work today and a lie-in. Worth it for that:-)

DeG

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: GUEST,Stuart Reed
Date: 10 Apr 10 - 08:26 PM

Phil Beer's earlier post (with typical modesty) failed to mention the part that Show Of Hands have had in bringing Fisherman's Friends to a wider audience. They were already very well known for their weekly performances in Port Isaac but Phil & Steve, having sung with them at a charity fundraiser for the RNLI, have twice invited them to sing with them at their Royal Albert Hall concerts.

On a personal note I can vouch for the fact that they are a wonderful bunch of people. At the last RAH concert three years ago Phil & Steve asked a handful of singers they knew to augment Fisherman's Friends harmonies on a couple of songs (not that they really needed it) - me being one of them. Needless to say I was absolutely terrified about stepping on to the famous stage and was thinking of ways to back out but the Cornish boys made sure I wasn't at the back of the line and more or less frogmarched me on. They were totally unfazed by the occasion and encouraged me throughout - and what a performance they gave.

I'm not sure how much of the million quid they will see but they deserve every penny - if only for their services to the RNLI, and the beleaguered Cornish tourist industry.

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Cats
Date: 10 Apr 10 - 04:23 AM

No, they most definitley are NOT a choir. Come to The Platt in Port Isaac on any Friday night and you will see and hear exactly what they are.. a group of local men who thoroughly enjoy singing shanties and sea songs. Shanty men .... Yes, Choir   NO

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 09 Apr 10 - 07:22 PM

It's still a choir rather than a ' group '

Dave H

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 09 Apr 10 - 07:14 PM

They sing well / sound good, and they are likable lads to boot. Please let them shine on their own well-earned merits, and leave off the promotional nonsense about who is authentic and how traditional or how old this or that is. We are music people here, not schmucks that need to be lured in by marketing talk ("This washing powder gets your whites whiter than white"). We tend to know what shanties are, for example -- or when the shanty being sung is something based in stock revival interpretations of Group X and which has absolutely nothing to with how many fish they've pulled from the sea. We are familiar with issues of "authenticity," and how to separate those notions from the issue of interesting/uninteresting music. So let's leave those shenanigans (including the awkward concept, "Cornish sea shanties") to whatever "mainstream" audience Universal hopes to attract. Another case in point: Universal is the biggest record label in the world (surely most people are familiar with it), but instead of just saying the are on Universal, the articles say "They are on the same label with Lady Gaga" -- quite meaningless (might as well say they are on the same planet as Lady Gaga). Needless to say, I am irked that this fine group of singers is being dished up in such silly terms. It seems disrespectful even, to involve them in spreading more mis-info about this genre of music.

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: The Sandman
Date: 09 Apr 10 - 01:58 PM

Cornwall is part of England, other parts of Englandhave great singers and harmonies too as do the welsh and the scottish.
Iam pleased for them,well done
lets hope we are not going to get any silly cornish nationalist twaddle on this thread.

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: GUEST,Julia L
Date: 09 Apr 10 - 09:42 AM

It seems to me that the fact that they are all actual fishermen and have an intimate relationship with the ocean makes them eminently "authentic".I have heard /seen a lot of so-called shanty groups that have never even seen the ocean and sound like they are trying to hard to be scurvy say-lors.
And I think it's great that these folks can actually sing. Does authenticity mean that you have to sound like a bunch of rusty door-hinges? And they are not alone. The Cornish tradition is known for their great voices and harmonies, and, having had the occasion to sing with a group of these guys(and gals) at festivals, it is a unforgettable, exhilarating experience.
Enjoy!

Julia L

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Cats
Date: 09 Apr 10 - 05:39 AM

They sing every Friday evening on the slip way opposite the Lifeboat Station in Port Isaac [yes of Doc Martin Fame]and then retire to the pub next door. They are all Port Isaac men and have been singing together for years. They have been support for Show of Hands at their Albert Hall gigs and are much loved by locals and tourists alike.

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 09 Apr 10 - 03:28 AM

They've a combined age of 562. Most of their songs are even older...

B.S. I'd be a lot more interested if the people promoting them (incl. journalists) didn't feel the need to bullsh*t me right and left. For example, how many "shanties" do they actually sing?

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 09 Apr 10 - 02:38 AM

They sounded more like a choir to me, but it's still good for the music.

Dave H

Subject: Cornish fishermen new music idols!
From: GUEST,Julia L
Date: 08 Apr 10 - 10:32 PM

This is so great! Check it out!

The £1m buoy band: The shanty-singing Cornish fishermen who are the unlikeliest new pop idols

The Fisherman's Friends are not your average boy band. They've a combined age of 562. Most of their songs are even older and they are all perfectly happy with their day jobs.

Full Story:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1264644/The-1m-buoy-band-The-shanty-singing-Cornish-fishermen-unlikeliest-new-pop-idols.html

09 April 2010
www.dailymail.co.uk

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: 8_Pints
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 06:37 PM

Excellent coverage via the BBC website, so didn't notice any adverse reaction, if any, from the presenter(s).

The "Fisherman's Friends" website advertises two CDs ("Suck 'em and Sea" and "Another mouthful ..."). Not sure if the latter is the intended new CD, or not.

However, I do have an earlier recording entitled "Home from the Sea" (Covelly - CLCD12702) which is well performed and professionally produced. Much recommended.

Bob vG

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: GUEST,Richard
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 06:31 PM

I was listening to the Today programme this morning (as always) when in the car. I was disappointed at the childish giggling of Evan Davis (I think it was Evan) at the end of the audio clip of them singing.

I always listen to the Today programme as its the best in its class, but they do let themselves down sometimes, it was like listening to school children.

I know folkies are used to it, and it doesn't bother me significantly, I just find it 'disappointing' when presenters on the flagship programme that I look to for my day's news and current afairs behave in this way.

I am glad (and not surprised) that they have received a good mention from Radcliffe and Marconie. Top blokes.

Great news for the fellas, congratulations!

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 04:54 PM

They just got a very good mention on the Radcliffe and Maconie show.

DeG

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Emma B
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 03:43 PM

With pictures too

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 03:36 PM

Oh no, I can't resist this - MCPS and PRS claims for
"trad/aaaaaarrrrrrr"

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 03:15 PM

I thought they sounded great, and it reminded me of the summer when I went to my first Sidmouth festival, and then went on to join friends in Cadgwith and sing with the fishermen there(1968)!

Paul D - if the ailing Gloucestershire morris side is Splean Magna (as featured in the "TV saves the day" column of next week's Radio Times) I think this might be a spoof....?

Kitty

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 03:09 PM

Yea but St Pirans day has already gone, Steve. St Georges has a (slightly!) wider appeal for the marketeers as well:-P

Cheers

DeG

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: GUEST,Phil B
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 02:42 PM

Was actually woken up this morning by the dulcet tones of John Brown being interviewed. Brilliant!!

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Steve Hunt
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 01:06 PM

Wonder if it will hit the TV adverts as 'The perfect St Georges day gift'

Surely it would be the perfect St Piran's Day gift?

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Wotcha
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 12:52 PM

What venues can an occasional visitor to Cornwall (e.g., me) see these guys in action? I've visited some great spots in Kernow thanks to other Catters in the past 10 years.


Cheers, soon to be Skol,
Brian

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: GUEST,howler geoff
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 12:49 PM

I and many shanty singers wish Fishermans Friends all the best and hope that our local media will look out for their local shantymen... so long as we can sing where the wind won't take the sound away!
The recorded extract sounded great.This was real, gutsy, singing - unlike the awful' classical' versions of Johnny I hardly knew yer and She moved through the fair on Radio 3 earlier this week!
( Yes I do know She moved ... was not originally a trad song)

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Tyke
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 11:47 AM

The Album is alread availible on Spotify and on it's original Lable at £9.95 inc. P&P. The Boy band is alegidly thinking of a change of name to Ishermens Friends because there is no F in Fish. Go for it lads if Terry Wogan can do it so can you. This should send PRS and Pub Music Licences into overdrive.

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Paul Davenport
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 11:26 AM

'I think it is always interesting when the media 'discovers' something that we folkies already know'… I watched the earlier report this morning. The media hasn't discovered something we already knew… the music they reported on is (their terminology) 'heritage' music. They think we don't know about this genre!
Actually, it's a very useful label, it avoids the 'traditional' (crusty), it also avoids 'folk' (jokey) and allows inclusion of 'singer/songwriter', 'roots', 'fusion' etc. The really useful connection is that it fits nicely under the 'Intangible Heritage' which the UN (but not the British Government) seeks to protect.
By the way, note the next media coverage of folkiness … after reviving the fortunes of the Dinnington Brass Band in South Yorkshire, the Beeb have turned their sights on saving an ailing morris side in Gloucestershire. Could we be witnessing the 'fourth revival'?
Paul

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: MikeL2
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 11:16 AM

hi eveyone

In my message earlier I omitted to say that I enjoyed seeing and listening to them. I have just seen them again on the National News and I enjoyed them once more.

I wish them well - This kind of music does not get the right amount and kind of coverage it deserves.

Now the the popular media seems to have found them I wonder if we will be seeing them on Doc Martin ???? lol

Cheers

MikeL2

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: GUEST,Georgina Boyes
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 10:43 AM

They're a great set of people who've promoted shanties and sea songs to the public in a straightforwardly enjoyable way in Port Isaac for years. The album deal is excellent news and they deserve every success.

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 10:41 AM

Who's digging Sunray? We can go round and beat them over the head with a Cornish Makeral:-)

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: SunrayFC
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 10:35 AM

Please, why not enjoy the added exposure rather than dig dig dig.

Sing sing sing!!!

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 10:12 AM

Good luck to them. I enjoyed their singing. I can't see any negatives in what they're doing. It might even allow for more outlets for other shanty groups.

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Tradsinger
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 09:41 AM

I think it is always interesting when the media 'discovers' something that we folkies already know, i.e. that there are loads of good singers and groups out there, having a great time and keeping up our traditions. The media always seem a little bemused that this music actually exists, and that people perform it and enjoy it. The Fishermen's Friends are a class act, most of them men of the sea, which gives them a particular empathy with the material, and very rooted in the Cornish singing tradition. Good luck to them but let us remember that there are lots more out there and that you don't have to be young, glamorous or trendy to make good, committed music. If their CD is a chart success, which I hope it is, it might lead Joe Public (and the media) to ask 'What's all that about, then?' and dig out folk music in their own area.

Properjob

Tradsinger

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Charley Noble
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 09:00 AM

Good news in a world which has "little use" for good shantymen and shantywomen!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 08:20 AM

Just realised that their album is being released next month. Wonder if it will hit the TV adverts as 'The perfect St Georges day gift' - I do hope so! If not Universal have missed a trick and they need me as marketing manager:-)

DeG

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 07:28 AM

Perhaps somebody complained after the 7am airing then, Keith. In any case, I am glad Bill and Sian got something out of it!

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: MikeL2
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 07:28 AM

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: David el Gnomo - PM
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 04:46 AM

< "Oh aye - forgot about the record deal. Same stable as Take That and Lady Gaga apparently. Could make for some interesting collaborations!>"

Could be interesting.....Lady GaGa in oilskins and Souwester...lol

cheers

MikeL2

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 07:27 AM

Come on. Would you rather be ignored than sniggered at? How has morris dancing survived?

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 07:11 AM

Perhaps they thought it was a sniggers night...

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 07:00 AM

The sniggers were after the first airing, around 7am.

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 06:51 AM

Nah, I watched Today too. No sniggers, they just remarked in passing to the "whoops" before the choruses. But then if you are not familiar with this type of singing you would remark on it. I know I did, when I first heard shanties. But the remark was not made in a sniggering or in any way derogatory manner.

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Banjiman
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 06:47 AM

Maybe I was still dreaming when I heard the sniggering on "Today" then. I hope so!

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Marje
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 06:45 AM

There was another radio feature about this group a week or two ago. I think it was Radio 2, but I'm not sure. They played "Let the Lower Lights be Burning" and asked listeners to say what they thought of it. There was no apparent sniggering by the presenters, and they said, by way of introduction, that the South-West was producing some interesting new folk performers, mentioning Jackie Oates and Seth Lakeman, among others.

What impressed me was that it wasn't a dedicated "Folk" programme - this item was just thrown into the general mix as an interesting track. No one mentioned fingers-in-ears, tankards, Aran sweaters or beards. I find it encouraging to hear folk(ish) music presented in a non-specialist context, with no apologies or excuses. As it happens, I don't think this group are any better (or worse) than many other shanty groups I've heard, but good luck to them.

Maqrje

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: GUEST, Sminky
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 05:14 AM

Definite sniggering on 5 Live, but we expect that.

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Tradsinger
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 05:08 AM

I was contacted this morning by Radio Gloucestershire about the story and did a one-minute interview live about it. It was thanks to Mudcat that I had prior notice of the story! Good luck to the boys. I have just listened to them on YouTube and they are Properjob.

Tradsinger

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 04:46 AM

Oh aye - forgot about the record deal. Same stable as Take That and Lady Gaga apparently. Could make for some interesting collaborations!

:D

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: SunrayFC
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 04:43 AM

Excellent exposure.

But I do struggle to get through saying:-

"Cornish sea shantys"

And to be fair, over the past few months there has been a decent amount of "folk" coverage on TV. Let's hope it continues.

Subject: RE: Cornish Shanty group on BBC news today
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 04:40 AM

It's just been on the Today programme (do people really tune in to anything else in the morning?) with not a trace of sniggering. And the point of the piece is that Fisherman's Friends have landed a major record deal when they were just about to fund a recording themselves. Which is a Good Thing.