Obit: Diane Easby (May 2013)

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo] (2013)
From: Smedley
Date: 27 Aug 13 - 06:52 AM

Sad news. Her posts here would enliven any discussion with sharp and merciless wit and she will be greatly missed.

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo] (2013)
From: treewind
Date: 26 Aug 13 - 06:37 PM

Mary and I have met Diane and even stayed with her once after a London gig. She was a charming host (I think we might have been given her bedroom while she slept in the spare room, but one doesn't ask) and over a long breakfast we put the folk world to rights (as you do). In real life she was much more quiet spoken than you might expect from her Mudcat postings, but she certainly knew a lot about the folk scene over many decades.

I'm sorry to hear she's gone, and rather sad that her death wasn't reported nearer the time it happened, even on Mudcat which often gets the news first.

RIP

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo] (2013)
From: theleveller
Date: 26 Aug 13 - 01:36 PM

Sad to hear this news. We had many a bitter battle (which I'm sure we both enjoyed)- often when we were on the same side. Latterly, we found we had a lot in common; not just folk music and especially young performers like Mawkin, but our political leanings, love of English literature and cats, our Yorkshire roots, and the fact that we both painted our bathrooms red (she repainted hers because she said it was like showering in tomato soup). Thank goodness you were an athiest - God woudn't stand a chance against you.

Goodbye, Diane. I think Nikos Kazantzakis' epitaph would be appropriate for you: "I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free."

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo] (2013)
From: GUEST,Silas
Date: 26 Aug 13 - 01:08 PM

Really sad news. I, like many people here had more than one run in with Diane - but its only because we are all pasionate about our music - she was incredibly knowledeable, we will probably never know just how knowledgeable and well connected she was which is a real shame. We said some pretty mean things to each other in the past. I regret this now - but it is too late to put that right and if she was still here I probably wouldnt want to! Such is human nature.

Ma your god bless you Diane - and thanks for the memories.

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 25 Aug 13 - 09:30 AM

From Ralph: >>Lizzie...Rude? Don't think so. Just practical. I'm sure the police would have contacted the local rescue centre months ago regarding the cats.<<

Well, they sure as hell didn't do that when she was taken into hospital, Ralph. I, and others, contacted various organizations and this was eventually sorted out for her, because she was worrying her head off in hospital, as she knew her cats *weren't* being taken care of.

George has very kindly contacted others who may know what happened to them and hopefully, they ARE being taken care.

I know she won't rest, were this not the case.



>>>>"If anyone is being rude I would suggest it isn't me."<<<<

Nope, you've been a spiteful, sarcastic, unpleasant ol' bugger towards me since I DARED to suggest on the BBC board, that many artists came together to sing some of Nic's songs, with the money being raised going to help him.

You see, Diane wrote to me to tell me that you wanted it passed on to me that if EVER I took Nic's name and started writing about him, you'd make sure I came to know about it...She wrote to me on Myspace....She'd been having a 3 hour conversation with you and seemed a little out of it, as she was spitting out vitriol to me, where before, she'd been kind and 'normal'. She also told me you were her dearest friend.


>>>"Yes, I had my run ins on line with Diane, but, having had a few meetings with her over the years, I managed to form a friendship. Don't think that the same will happen with you?<<

How absolutely correct you are, Ralph, for I do not make friends with those who are total shits towards me...You even got told off for your constant bitchy bullying of me by Fiona, another of the BBC posters now passed on...despite me being her Numero Uno person to harrass..

This was because Diane and I had both verbally whacked her bum for being a real pain in the arse towards us both, trying to get us removed from the board, constantly moan moan moaning about us....BOTH Diane and I had kept quiet until one day, she simply way overstepped the mark and got told what both of us should have told her a very, very long time before...

This upset her and, having finally had a dose of her own medicine, she then took YOU to task for doing exactly what she herself had done so often to me, telling you that she now knew how it felt and asking you stop...

But you never did...bringing it over too....

My friends aren't folks such as you, but kind, loving people who'd never dream of doing what you did, what you do.

I don't like you anymore, pure and simple. I once liked your music, but now no longer own any of it, for bullying, snidey little shits do not live in my record collection, no matter how lovely their music.



>>>>"As this is an Obit thread for Diane, I will refrain from suggesting that you stick your head up your arse for being so deliberately, and unnecessarily rude."

This is indeed an obit thread and a little more respect is due. To say you will refrain from suggesting something whilst doing exactly that is intellectual dishonesty.<<<<

Sigh....

It's called fecking HUMOUR, Marianne! And, may I politely suggest that as this IS an Obit thread, you either talk about the person who has died, or just don't say a word, rather than come in here and ONLY post what you did....

You see, it's...doh...HUMOUR! As in, I SAID it, then said I wasn't going to say it...

I rest me case m'Lud!

Gawd, Diane would be having a fit over the lack of humour in this thread, for the one thing she did have, at times, was a rollickingly dry wit. She could be a right pain in the arse at times and drove me nuts, but there was another side to her too...and I think she'd been fumingly angry with the world ever since Sandy Denny died, who she once mentioned on fRoots as having been her best friend...

And now, I'll leave some of the Moaning Minnies to this thread...

Oh, but before I go, Chris, I DO accept apologies, because, as ever, you were so fast to jump in with criticism of me that you didn't even BOTH to go and find the thread about Diane that I started...

Please note, that the reason I started that thread Incognito (which Joe and a few others knew about) was BECAUSE of folks such as yourself who just can't WAIT to swoop down and have a go at me..

You fucked up badly
You chose NOT to apologise...

YOUR decision
YOUR personality....

Thank you.

I hope Sweetums is up there giving Fiona Faery a right talking to and making God wish he was down here for a while, because she sure will be The BADDEST Angel in town. ;0)

:0)

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: GUEST,Emma B
Date: 23 Aug 13 - 01:00 PM

Like many others who respected Diane for her wealth of knowlwdge and forthrightfulness I will miss her wit and wisdom.
I never had the fortune to meet her in real life but stayed in touch by her occasional posts to a friendship group of other likeminded 'lapsed catters' on Facebook.
R.I.P

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: Nigel Paterson
Date: 23 Aug 13 - 11:51 AM

Sad news indeed. Diane was a loyal supporter of The Halliard & Nic Jones. We never met; corresponded intermittently & spoke on the phone occasionally. I valued her knowledge highly & sought her counsel often. A great loss...Diane was one of a kind.
                                                    Nigel Paterson.

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: GUEST,Captain Jack Sparrow
Date: 23 Aug 13 - 09:30 AM

Diane was one of the great characters of the Folk Message boards. She certainly knew a lot about music and was pretty good at passing that knowledge on, albeit that sometimes you felt you had been on the receiving end of a live hand grenade. She had her own blind spots to the attractions of certain artists and sometimes overlooked deficiencies in her own favourites, but so do we all. I shall miss her.

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: GUEST,cardboard cutout
Date: 23 Aug 13 - 08:53 AM

I never (knowingly) met Diane/Countess Richard/Borchester Echo either, but always enjoyed her posts and appreciated both her defence of younger more innovative or creative artists, (which was the purpose for which she first joined Mudcat, I seem to remember),and comments against the general messageboard reactionary excesses.

Very sad, and she's much missed. Hoping she had the ending she would have chosen.

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: GUEST,Chris Murray
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 07:35 PM

I've just been looking at Diane's posts on Mudcat. Her last post (less than a year ago) was an enthusiastic review of a concert that she'd been to, with information about future concerts. That was so typical of her. She constantly enjoyed the music, particularly anything new and fresh.

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: Kampervan
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 04:44 PM

How sad, how very very sad I am to hear this news.

Like many others, my first contact with Diane came shortly after I joined Mudcat and I posted a critical comment about a well-known and very popular artist.

Diane castigated me in no uncertain terms, quite rightly, because what I said was personal and opinionated rather than constructive criticism.

I've tried never to do that since and to always look for the positive in people rather than the negatives.

Diane taught me that, and we exchanged several PMs in which she was unfailingly friendly and helpful.

As has been said repeatedly, her knowledge of f*lk was encyclopaedic and she was always ready to give anyone the benefit of it (whether it was wanted or not!)

I know that she stopped participating in Mudcat some time ago but I will always remember her with affection; and the thought that she will never again contribute to this forum is intensely sad and depressing.

Thanks for everything Diane, it was great knowing you - even from a distance.

K/van

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 04:01 PM

It's sunk in a bit now and out of the initial sadness I have started looking through old posts.

I once had an idea to walk the route as sung in Mr Fox's 'The Gypsy'. Two grand things came from that thread. I got in touch with Bob Pegg to go over some details and found him one of the most helpful and generous people I have encountered. Second was Diane offering to join me -

I love mad ideas! In early April this year I walked the Hambledon Drove Road section of the Cleveland Way and part of the Lyke Wake walk.

I'm up for this one. We could all have Mr Fox on our walkmans...and try and make the overnight stops at pubs with music.



I really wish I had done it now but, when I do, I will certainly take Diane up on the Walkman idea and have a pint or two for her as well :-)

There were many others and lots of PMs, far too many to mention. But I shall reflect and remember her fondly as one of my mentors and a fellow spirit in not suffering fools gladly.

Cheers Diane, I am sure you would know what I am referring too!

Dave

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 03:46 PM

You accused me of being sexist... of leering over women.... of being some sort of pervert... but hey Diane... you knew your music even if you got me wrong! Rest in peace.

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: Jeri
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 03:09 PM

Chris, I'm sorry I crabbed at you, too.
(Mudcat is losing posts again -- third time I've sent this.)

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: MikeL2
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 02:41 PM

Sorry to hear the sad news. Never met Dianne - except through her many posts here.

RIP Dianne you are already being missed here.

MikeL2

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 02:34 PM

I emailed Jim C with a request to pass it on the David Delarre, with a request to pass it on to his Mum, with a request to get in touch with me.

I considered refraining from suggesting that you refrain from holding your collective breath. But in the end I refrained from refraining.

Anyone got an aspirin?

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: GUEST,Chris Murray
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 02:21 PM

Sorry, Jeri, I misread the message. I'm sure Diane would have laughed.

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: GUEST,Chris Murray
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 02:04 PM

There was a thread a few years ago when Diane first became ill. A mudcatter went to see her in hospital - but I can't remember who it was. I must admit that I've been wondering how she was - and fearing the worst.

Yes, she was very very funny at times. That's how I like to remember her.

I'm surprised Ian from fRoots doesn't know more - I always thought they were friends.

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: GUEST,Ralphie
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 01:19 PM

Lizzie...Rude? Don't think so. Just practical. I'm sure the police would have contacted the local rescue centre months ago regarding the cats. If anyone is being rude I would suggest it isn't me. Yes, I had my run ins on line with Diane, but, having had a few meetings with her over the years, I managed to form a friendship. Don't think that the same will happen with you?

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: GUEST,grumpy
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 01:11 PM

Diane was a cantankerous, grizzly, and very grumpy old git, but she certainly knew her stuff and her postings made me laugh out loud many times. Above all, she recognized the power of tradition and sought to support it as much as she could.

I'll down a pint for her tonight.

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: GUEST,highlandman at work
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 01:11 PM

As promised:
In a 2008 thread entitled "Folk Dreams," Jack Blandiver related that he had dreamt about winning some sort of competition, first prize in which was "to take Maddy Prior to a singaround of my choice for her 50th birthday."
Jack elaborated for a paragraph or three and asked if anyone else had these sort of dreams.
To which Diane immediately responded, "Her fiftieth? Did you fall asleep in a Tardis?"
I apologize if I am the only one who finds this so funny, but I laughed at it for hours then, and it still makes me chuckle.
It is how I will always remember Diane, for her blazingly quick and razor sharp wit, plus her encyclopedic knowledge and her passion for music.
RIP Diane.
-Glenn

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: GUEST,Marianne S.
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 01:08 PM

"As this is an Obit thread for Diane, I will refrain from suggesting that you stick your head up your arse for being so deliberately, and unnecessarily rude."

This is indeed an obit thread and a little more respect is due. To say you will refrain from suggesting something whilst doing exactly that is intellectual dishonesty.

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 12:42 PM

Thank you, Jeri.

Ralph, I will try to get a message to David Delarre.

George, can you contact him via Jim Causley, I wonder? David said ages back on the BBC board that his Mum and Diane were best friends.   



Unlike you, Ralph, I would rather try to do what I can to try and trace her cats, if it is at all possible, but thank you for you message. As this is an Obit thread for Diane, I will refrain from suggesting that you stick your head up your arse for being so deliberately, and unnecessarily rude.

Again, thank you.

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 12:18 PM

I always enjoyed her posts.

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: Jeri
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 12:02 PM

Diane Easby - 'Countess Richard' ill. This is "that" thread to which Lizzie referred, begun last November. Her brother posted in that thread.

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: Jeri
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 11:44 AM

Or with someone who screws up an Obit thread because they can't read...

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 11:39 AM

yes perhaps we're all talking and arguing with one big piece of cyber protoplasm......beware THE NET....!

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: GUEST,Chris Murray
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 09:54 AM

I'm a relic of the Radio 2 boards and was sometimes on the receiving end of some of Diane's more cutting remarks but I didn't mind as she was often very funny! I used to enjoy reading her comments and there's no doubt that she knew more about folk music than I ever will. I'll miss her.

I don't contribute to Mudcat now mainly because of the nastiness that used to be directed towards me but I am a lurker so I knew that Diane had been ill and I knew what was the matter with her.

I don't really believe that the Radio 2 folk message board was closed down because of the bickering. If I remember rightly, all of the boards were closed down to save money, including the Terry Wogan board. The Archers message boards have gone the same way.

What Ralphie said about the cats.

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 09:45 AM

I daresay the police would have contacted the RSPCA at the time but as Ralph says it's too late to worry about them now.

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: GUEST,Ralphie
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 09:39 AM

Lizzie. If you were such bosom pals with late Diane, I assume you have the means to contact her family if you so wish. I have no connection with the family. And if she sadly died in May, the cats either ran away or are dead from starvation by now. Why not contact the local PDSA (or similar) Anyway, I already have 2 cats. So I couldn't take anymore on. BTW cats are pretty resourceful animals, assuming they managed to get out of the house. Sorry, but I can't help.

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 07:14 AM

David Delarre's Mum was one of her close friends, as was Ralph Jordan, and if anyone can contact Ralph, with regard to Diane's cats, I'd be very grateful.

I'm really worried about them...need to know they're OK and being loved and cared for.

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 06:41 AM

Could any of her friends give a short description of her life. She clearly did and knew a lot

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: Edthefolkie
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 06:23 AM

Oh dear, that is bad news. RIP Diane. Although at one time we moved in some of the same circles, we never actually met. I'm so glad I sent her a card when she was ill.

Actually, if you forget the invective, she talked a lot of good sense. Lizzie, I didn't know that she knew Sandy - I can imagine sparks flying there, both of them took no prisoners on the surface, but underneath??

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: GUEST,Banjiman
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 04:08 AM

One of the great Mudcat characters gone ......... like everyone else I will miss having my throat torn out by her.

Again as others have said, private correspondence with her was always of a different nature completely.

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: GUEST,JeremyRS
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 04:00 AM

Very sad to hear this news. I never met Diane but like many enjoyed reading her posts here and elsewhere even when I didn't agree with thm. And also like many here had a spat or two with her, but always felt that she was driven by her passionate love of music and caring about it and so never took offence.

Much sympathy to her family and friends.

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: Will Fly
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 02:27 AM

Ah - will we ever talk of "f*olk" again... RIP Diane, and thanks for our conversations about the Cousins and Klooks Kleek.

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 02:13 AM

"...I find the sad thing at this moment we as a community where not there for her if she needed us because unfortunately she did not ask or tell us, I remember her going into hospital earlier in the year and being worried about her cats but I feel we all forgot her,"


No, Selby, we did NOT forget her, and that thread is testament to that.

I was the one that started that thread, albeit in disguise, so as not to get the usual flack.

What few people know is the Diane and I wrote to each other 'behind the scenes'...and when one of her beloved cats went missing after she had moved house, long before she became ill, I wrote to her, suggesting that he might be back at her old house....as this had happened to a neighbour of mine, and their cat had walked from Pinner back to Walton-on-the-Naze.

She was very touched that I had written to her and told me that many, many others had also written to her and how deeply it had touched her heart. She'd put on Ian's board, over on fRoots, that the pain she felt from the loss of her cat was only akin to the sense of loss she had over losing her great friend, Sandy Denny.

We both knew that we brought people into the BBC board and, as such, into folk music...and Diane and I sparked off each other as no other two posters did...and often she'd have me rolling round the floor with her wit...although she most certainly went OTT at times, but those times were possibly some of the best, where I screeched and she sighed and we'd fight our verbal battles to the death.

When the BBC banned us both, they ended that board, utterly and totally. It had become the most popular, thriving and vibrant board they had and it ONLY worked because of Diane and I.

We were made for each other....and I most certainly had respect for her, even though she drove me nuts at times.

Her fieriness encouraged to me to learn so much more and her imagination brought out mine.

Strangely, with the news of her death, albeit seemingly to have occurred months ago, I feel I've lost the best writing partner I ever had....Diane was able to say things to me that NO other person was allowed to get away with.

I'd probably not even have become the passionate writer I have, were it not for her, for she ignited something in me.

I have missed her for many years, ever since we were broken apart by the BBC. I will always miss the silly ol' bat, for there will never be another Sweetums, for sure.

And I know that if she were reading this, she'd be putting fingers to keyboard to tear all the wimpish emotion apart, but inside her, inside that deeply private part of her, lay a very different side of her...

She even got a Get Well Soon card from her Sidmouth Seagull when she was taken ill, as I knew the hospital she was in and spoke to the nurses there as I wanted her to know that her cats WERE being taken care of. The nurse told me how very pleased she was to hear that, as Diane had been so desperately worried about them, and that she'd tell her immediately. "Could you also tell her that Lizzie sends her love, please"...and that was passed on to her...and she knew that I cared when she received my card, for it was one my daughter had painted, of a Sidmouth Sunset...and it was filled with words of concern and humour too.

So she DID know, very much, that people cared.   She lived the way she did because that was the way she wanted to live....But she KNEW she was cared about.

Lizzie

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: GUEST,highlandman at work
Date: 22 Aug 13 - 01:07 AM

Sorry to hear this. Never met her other than here; as someone who can be at times no less a fool than most of us, I blundered into her line of fire a time or two. But I always respected her knowledge and passion.
I will always remember her as having posted the absolute, far-and-away all-time funniest one-liner I have read anywhere, and it was a good-natured jab to boot. I'll have to hunt it down and refer to it here.
She has been missed already; sad to know it will be permanent.
-Glenn

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: Ron Davies
Date: 21 Aug 13 - 11:26 PM

Somebody said that if he suffered fools gladly he'd have no time for anything else. She acted on this insight, it seems.   Good for her.   She'll be missed.

Subject: RE: Obit: Diane Easby [borchester echo]
From: Janie
Date: 21 Aug 13 - 10:14 PM

I'll simply second what LEJ said much more articulately than could I.

Condolences to her family and friends.

Subject: RE: Obit: diane easby [borchester echo
From: The Sandman
Date: 21 Aug 13 - 07:19 PM

good words,Al.

Subject: RE: Obit: diane easby [borchester echo
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 21 Aug 13 - 05:25 PM

I'm sorry if I was nasty to her.

Subject: RE: Obit: diane easby [borchester echo
From: selby
Date: 21 Aug 13 - 05:06 PM

Had a couple of strong discussions with her I find the sad thing at this moment we as a community where not there for her if she needed us because unfortunately she did not ask or tell us, I remember her going into hospital earlier in the year and being worried about her cats but I feel we all forgot her,

Subject: RE: Obit: diane easby [borchester echo
From: Rusty Dobro
Date: 21 Aug 13 - 04:44 PM

She gave me such a hard time when I first joined the Mudcat family, but failed to scare me off. Life was never dull when she was at the keyboard. RIP.

Subject: RE: Obit: diane easby [borchester echo
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 21 Aug 13 - 04:27 PM

Very sad news.

Subject: RE: Obit: diane easby [borchester echo
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 21 Aug 13 - 03:33 PM

Very sad indeed.

DtG

Subject: RE: Obit: diane easby [borchester echo
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 21 Aug 13 - 03:28 PM

Reading the Froots thread it seems nobody knows much about it.

This is very sad news.

Subject: RE: Obit: diane easby [borchester echo
From: GUEST,Sean Breadin (Sedayne / Blandiver)
Date: 21 Aug 13 - 03:16 PM

Sad news. RIP. Much respect.

Subject: RE: Obit: diane easby [borchester echo
From: gnu
Date: 21 Aug 13 - 02:44 PM

Oh my! Ditto all of the above posts. RIP and thanks, Diane.

Subject: RE: Obit: diane easby [borchester echo
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 21 Aug 13 - 02:30 PM

I've just written to Ian Anderson, to see if he knows more...