Folk Singer Name Change

Subject: RE: Folk Singer Name Change
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 23 Feb 15 - 11:29 AM

I've never liked the name "punkfolkrocker"... [makes me cringe every time I see it..]

I might change it to "PFR" - that sort of sounds more young and modern and techno dance hip hop drum 'n' bass wicked....????


My real name is actually quite common in the music industry;
a serious jazz musician - a movie soundtrack composer - a trendy record producer - etc

.. and I'm not one of them...

Though by rights, as I'm probably older and ought to claim seniority,
those imposter buggers should change their names just to clear the way
in case I ever release my musical masterwork...!!!

Btw.. quarter century ago when I was desperately skint enough
to try making a few quid from advertising telesales in central London,
the team manager made it clear I needed to invent an alias for phone calling;
and that would be the name commision cheques would be made out to
so I could cash them in the bank down the road which they had an 'arrangement' with.

Subject: RE: Folk Singer Name Change
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 23 Feb 15 - 11:04 AM

This thread reminds me of the attitude prevalent in many folk clubs way back in the 70s when any form of "professionalism" was frowned on by many.

Why shouldn't folk singers change their names? - many other performing artistes do and have done for years - Marian Morrison, Reginald Dwight, Harry Webb and Mike Bray to name but four!

Subject: RE: Folk Singer Name Change
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 23 Feb 15 - 10:57 AM

i changed my name to overcome the height restriction....

Subject: RE: Folk Singer Name Change
From: The Sandman
Date: 23 Feb 15 - 10:45 AM

why do they change their names?why not ask the ones who are still alive bob dylan, johnny handle, saffron summerfield,the answer might be different from different people, as far as i am concerned it is not important

Subject: RE: Folk Singer Name Change
From: GUEST,Ellen Vannin
Date: 23 Feb 15 - 10:11 AM

Well done Fred, first one to spot that! I was just surprised by the idea that Karl would have had a church naming ceremony.

Subject: RE: Folk Singer Name Change
From: GUEST,Fred McCormick
Date: 23 Feb 15 - 08:13 AM

Ellen Isle of Man. Possibly not, but his birth was certainly registered.

Subject: RE: Folk Singer Name Change
From: GUEST,Ellen Vannin
Date: 23 Feb 15 - 08:07 AM

Karl Dallas was christened?

Subject: RE: Folk Singer Name Change
From: GUEST,Fred McCormick
Date: 23 Feb 15 - 08:02 AM

This must be the most fatuous thread since the last time this subject came up.

For the record, Karl Dallas was christened Karl Frederick Dallas, in celebration of Karl Marx and Friederich Engels. He doubtless feels perfectly comfortable using both handles.

For another record Diana Dors' real surname was Fluck. Now there's a name change everybody ought to be able to understand.

Subject: RE: Folk Singer Name Change
From: GUEST,Reinhard
Date: 23 Feb 15 - 07:04 AM

Maybe I'm nitpicking, Mr Red, but the original poster wrote "*born* Jimmy Miller". Jimmy may have been MacColls nickname but his birthname was James.

Subject: RE: Folk Singer Name Change
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 23 Feb 15 - 06:05 AM

"Ewen"
Ewan MacColl - get it right.
Ewan learned many of his songs from his parents before he changed his name - hence Jimmy Miller.
He first came to public notice singing "ancient ballads and songs in English and Scots Gallic" to cinema queues in the depression.
There is, as far as I am concerned no question on "integrity and authenticity" other than in the minds of those who would make it so.
I knew MacColl's mother as a singer and I had described to me his father William as having hundreds of "queer old songs and pieces" by contemporaries, notably, Eddie and Ruth Frow, founders and curators of the Salford Working Class History Centre.
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Folk Singer Name Change
From: Mr Red
Date: 23 Feb 15 - 05:53 AM

Ewan MacColl, not Maccoll, was born James Henry Miller, not Jimmy.
as it says in his book of "traditional" songs "from the singing of Jimmy Miller". It is as he sees it, why would we question it. Other than an "in" joke maybe causing endless debate on integrity and authenticity.

FWIW The Equity union rule applied when Jimmy Miller became Ewen MacColl. Ewen was a budding playwright/actor and there was an actor with his name at the time. His mother was Scottish.

Why am I Mr Red here? Corporate identity. It relates me to my website. There is no hiding with my name anyway, but I do try to make it harder in the context of identity theft, the miscreants will move on to less diligent people.

Subject: RE: Folk Singer Name Change
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 23 Feb 15 - 05:47 AM

I hide behind my Mudcat "handle" and also Tonedeaf Lime Clinton and Thimbles O'Hooligan to protect my loved ones from guilt by association!

RtS

Subject: RE: Folk Singer Name Change
From: Musket
Date: 23 Feb 15 - 05:33 AM

Quite a few change their name to get in Equity, as especially for pro folk singers, bit part acting can bring in a few needed pennies. Brian Dewhurst became Brian Preston for example, in order to be seen playing darts in the background of The Rovers Return....

I had a stage name when I was in rock bands. My PRS membership is still in that name and it is a aka name that the bank accepts cheques in the name of for that matter. (A long time since I had one though..)

Why did I do it? Dunno. Seemed a good idea at the time, but for that matter, showing my arse in Burtons window for a publicity shot seemed a good idea at the time too. The printers advised not using it as we didn't have permission from Burtons, members of the public could see my arse and we were committing at least two crimes by doing it, so the photos were never used.

Happy days.

Subject: RE: Folk Singer Name Change
From: Michael
Date: 23 Feb 15 - 05:16 AM

I believe that Jim's full name is all of the above; James Douglas Moray Oates, so he probably decided that was a wee bit too long.

Mike

Subject: RE: Folk Singer Name Change
From: G-Force
Date: 23 Feb 15 - 05:06 AM

Richard Digance used to joke that he changed his name to make it more memorable, and that his real name was Tex Moonbeam.

Subject: RE: Folk Singer Name Change
From: GUEST,Mark Bluemel
Date: 23 Feb 15 - 04:52 AM

Doug: If you need a change of name, just use the porn or blues name rules.

Francis Butch aka Flatulent Pineapple Clinton

Subject: RE: Folk Singer Name Change
From: Leadfingers
Date: 23 Feb 15 - 04:40 AM

I am aware of the problem with Equity not permitting two artists of the same name to be registered , and also the problem 0f Non Viable original names - I know one Folk Artist who's 'real' name is Boreham .
Would YOU book Michael Boreham for an entertainment ?

Subject: RE: Folk Singer Name Change
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 23 Feb 15 - 04:38 AM

… born Douglas Oates

I'm not surprised that anyone saddled with the name Douglas would want to change it. I'm often called Dougie, which I put up with, though I prefer Doug. In fact, I've grown to quite like it but I hate the name Douglas.

When it comes to changing names, I can't even think of a Mudcat handle that suits me more than Doug Chadwick. If I get to be a famous folk singer, you can look for me under that name. I'm not likely to become an actor but if I do and Equity won't take me with my own name then I just won't join.

DC

Subject: RE: Folk Singer Name Change
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Feb 15 - 04:01 AM

Is it important?
I often wonder why nobody questions why Bob Dylan changed his name from Zimmermann - can't remember anybody questioning why - he certainly has never been criticised for doing so, though MacColl was throughout his life in traditional song; he certainly never was when he was prominent in the theatre - maybe it's an inbuilt quirk in the folkie persona!
For many years I was listening to and enjoying the singing of Johnny Handle without realising he was really named John Pandrich - finding this out didn't make one iota of difference to my enjoyment of his singing.
One of MacColl's great critics, who always made a point of mentioning MacColl's name-change was Karl Dallas, despite the fact that he appeared on the scene in the singing duo, Fred and Betty Dallas.
All very silly really
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Folk Singer Name Change
From: Reinhard
Date: 23 Feb 15 - 12:11 AM

Please check your facts before you ask questions, especially as an anonymous guest who might be suspected to be a troll.

Ewan MacColl, not Maccoll, was born James Henry Miller, not Jimmy.
Jim Moray, not Jon Boden, was born Douglas Oates.

To your question, "[a] performer will often take a stage name because his/her real name is considered unattractive, dull, unintentionally amusing or difficult to pronounce or spell, or because it has been used by another notable individual or because it projects an undesired image. Sometimes a performer adopts a name that is unusual or outlandish to attract attention. Other performers use a stage name in order to retain anonymity." (Wikipedia)

Again according to Wikipedia, James Miller changed his name to Ewan MacColl "influenced by the Lallans movement in Scotland".

In the case of Jo Freya, she changed her name from Jo Fraser "as a condition of joining the actors' union Equity, which does not allow two of its members to share the same name". (Wikipedia)

Subject: RE: Folk Singer Name Change
From: Noreen
Date: 22 Feb 15 - 11:54 PM

Now that would be strange if Jon Boden was born Douglas Oates- as that was also the given name of the singer/composer/producer known to us as Jim Moray.

Subject: Folk Singer Name Change
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Feb 15 - 10:51 PM

Why is it that folk artists change their names? From old Ewan Maccoll (Born Jimmy Miller) to the modern Jon Boden(born Douglas Oates)why do these artists change their names?