'Rick Stein tastes the Blues'

Subject: RE: 'Rick Stein tastes the Blues'
From: GUEST,Jon Dudley
Date: 01 Dec 11 - 07:34 AM

"You can bet your life, he never had anything really nice - like a good Cornish pasty.
...presumably from Rick's pasty shop in Padstein?

Subject: RE: 'Rick Stein tastes the Blues'
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 01 Dec 11 - 07:05 AM

I used to have it on a Chess compilation with Sonny Boy doing that song. His harp sounding big and strong as Louis Armstrongs trumpet..

They make a big deal abot soul food - it always sounds a bit crap. Turnip tops etc.

Lets just hope Robert got a decent sausage roll from time to time. he always looks thin to me. You can bet your life, he never had anything really nice - like a good Cornish pasty.

Subject: RE: 'Rick Stein tastes the Blues'
From: Rusty Dobro
Date: 01 Dec 11 - 06:10 AM

I was going to say that anything that gets the blues an hour of TV exposure must be a good thing, but I changed my mind when I watched the two-part series which traced the musical roots of Dylan and Led Zeppelin (three hours in total, and yes, two more retellings of the crossroad fable). Not TV's finest hour.

Subject: RE: 'Rick Stein tastes the Blues'
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 01 Dec 11 - 06:02 AM

"Which Sonny Boy Williamson did the song Fattening Frogs for Snakes? The first one or the second one that made that album with The Yardbirds?"

My copy is by Rice Miller. I don't think Sonny Boy ever recorded it.

Subject: RE: 'Rick Stein tastes the Blues'
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 01 Dec 11 - 05:17 AM

Which Sonny Boy Williamson did the song Fattening Frogs for Snakes? The first one or the second one that made that album with The Yardbirds?

Subject: RE: 'Rick Stein tastes the Blues'
From: GUEST,Jon Dudley
Date: 01 Dec 11 - 04:49 AM

Well, for what it's worth I liked it. Of course it wasn't a searching analytical or historical documentary - it was never intended to be...just one celeb's take on his favourite music with a bit of food chucked in to justify the choice of Rick Stein. Having visited Clarksdale some years ago on a gloomy miserable day we found it deeply depressing until we discovered a sort of blues school for kids, which immediately brought out the sunshine for us. A dozen or so youngsters from the very small to early teens were jamming away under the tutelage of a teacher and were having tremendous fun. Looking for Sonny Boy Williamson's hut (which as tourists was obligatory) we were sadly disappointed to be told that that it had been uprooted by The Smithsonian which was touring it on a semi-trailer throught the USA. We found his grave though elsewhere which was a rather modest affair but very evocative, being strewn with worn out blues harps and simple messages of admiration and appreciation from visiting pilgrims. Of course Rick Stein has some home-grown folk music and traditions to investigate on his own doorstep in the shape of Padstow...

Subject: RE: 'Rick Stein tastes the Blues'
From: Will Fly
Date: 01 Dec 11 - 04:38 AM

That was Tennessee Ernie Ford.

Subject: RE: 'Rick Stein tastes the Blues'
From: GUEST,Barry B
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 07:39 PM

Well I enjoyed the programme, could almost smell the smoke. Could anyone tell me who sang 16 tons of number 9 coal?

Barry

Subject: RE: 'Rick Stein tastes the Blues'
From: Will Fly
Date: 21 Nov 11 - 11:24 AM

Ah - it seemed rather more seriously said than that to me - oh well, let's kiss and make up. :-) Not worth worrying about, really.

Subject: RE: 'Rick Stein tastes the Blues'
From: paul vaughan
Date: 21 Nov 11 - 11:16 AM

Actually, Will- It was only intended as a light hearted mickey take. Never mind, I won't bother again.

Subject: RE: 'Rick Stein tastes the Blues'
From: Will Fly
Date: 21 Nov 11 - 11:09 AM

Actually, Paul - I've just been listening to a 3-part radio documentary about Alexis Korner, narrated by Chris Jagger (on Radio 6/iPlayer) and the music he liked, played and inspired. OK - it's the British blues scene of the 50s-80s - but it was informed, interesting, well put-together - and not superficial. A really good set of radio programmes.

Let's not lose our critical faculties, no matter what the subject. I loved seeing the landscape and the backgrounds in Rick Stein's programme, but it was a bit of a misch-masch both musically and culinarily - and we even got the bloody Robert Johnson crossroads story trotted out...

Nothing whatever to do with "Mudcat" - the usual jibe also trotted out whever we speak about something with a considered view.

Subject: RE: 'Rick Stein tastes the Blues'
From: paul vaughan
Date: 21 Nov 11 - 11:02 AM

Honest to God, this has got to be the most Miserable, Uninspiring Downcast Chat About Television I've ever read! Then again it is MUDCAT I suppose! hehehe, (oh cheer up for pete's sake)

Subject: RE: 'Rick Stein tastes the Blues'
From: grumpy al
Date: 21 Nov 11 - 10:29 AM

Makes Rick some more money though

Subject: RE: 'Rick Stein tastes the Blues'
From: GUEST,davemc
Date: 20 Nov 11 - 12:48 PM

He seems to have gone off the boil. The series he did on Spain earlier this year was dreary and unfocussed too. I've liked his earlier works but he or his researcher seems to have got lazy.

Subject: RE: 'Rick Stein tastes the Blues'
From: Will Fly
Date: 20 Nov 11 - 11:14 AM

Just finished it - as you say, very tame indeed. The simplistic tourist view with no real insight into either the cooking or the music. Good to see the landscape, though.

Subject: RE: 'Rick Stein tastes the Blues'
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 20 Nov 11 - 11:01 AM

Yes Will,

I can't say I was impressed, looks like Mississippi has turned into a blues theme park. Who was the programme aimed at I wonder? The cookery programme couch potatoes must have been dissappointed and nobody with even a smattering of interest in the blues would have learned anything except what to steer clear of if they didn't already know.

There weren't even any hints on chopping meat, selling cabbage or ways of dealing with good jellyroll or even a hambone that needs boiling. Surely a lost opportunity.

Hoot

Subject: 'Rick Stein tastes the Blues'
From: Will Fly
Date: 20 Nov 11 - 10:36 AM

Just watching this on the BBC iPlayer - music and food around the Mississippi Delta. Anyone else seen it?