Review: John Foteman on BBC rdio 4 Now

Subject: Review: John Foteman on BBC rdio 4 Now
From: Leadfingers
Date: 19 Jul 16 - 06:34 AM

Just started listening - John Foreman interview on UK Radio now !

I imagine it will be on 'Listen Again' soon

Subject: RE: Review: John Foteman on BBC rdio 4 Now
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 19 Jul 16 - 06:38 AM

Thanks Terry - I just got onto Mudcat and spotted this thread in time to listen to most of it! "John's songs - a day with a music hall master" on BBC Radio 4.

Kitty

Subject: RE: Review: John Foteman on BBC rdio 4 Now
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 19 Jul 16 - 06:41 AM

Terry, in your haste you typed Foteman instead of Foreman in the thread title....

Wonderful to hear him though!

Kitty

Subject: RE: Review: John Foteman on BBC rdio 4 Now
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 19 Jul 16 - 03:29 PM

Born near Euston Station in 1931, John Foreman is a singer of Music Hall songs, folk songs and more. He has been singing at clubs across Britain since the great folk revival of the 1950s.

Recovering well from a recent stroke, John has decided to clear out his North London home. We join him as he picks through a lifetime of memorabilia and his own beautiful self-printed songsheets, hearing him burst into song.

The golden era of the Music Hall had long gone by the time John was born, but he learned a vast number of songs from his parents, from neighbours and from friends. He went on to sing at folk clubs throughout the country and became one of the founding members of the British Music Hall Society.

John's forebears include clowns, circus ringmasters and dancers. After a childhood in the blitz, he worked as a teacher, busker and Punch and Judy man. As The Broadsheet King, he has printed and bound countless pamphlets, songsheets and books. We eavesdrop as John looks back on his life and the songs that he has loved.

Producer: Tom Woolfenden
A Loftus production for BBC Radio 4.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07kpy3v

Subject: RE: Review: John Foteman on BBC rdio 4 Now
From: The Sandman
Date: 19 Jul 16 - 03:47 PM

an amusing interesting and entertaining man.
i find a lot of music hall songs a bit lightweight.
John was very good at entertaining, but I have no desire to sing "my baby has gone down the plughole"
"whats the use of kicking up a row", is just establishment propoganda, encouraging non wealthy people to put up with their lot

Subject: RE: Review: John Foteman on BBC rdio 4 Now
From: GUEST,Malcolm Storey
Date: 19 Jul 16 - 08:10 PM

Hi Dick

Why not just accept John for what he is and was?

I have listened to and enjoyed him in lots of different settings without ever doubting his sincerity and also admiring his deep knowledge of both his chosen "specialist subject" and traditional music and song.

We only live once so let's enjoy it.

Subject: RE: Review: John Foteman on BBC rdio 4 Now
From: RTim
Date: 19 Jul 16 - 08:13 PM

It was like going back 40 years to hear John sing again - enjoyed it!

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: Review: John Foteman on BBC rdio 4 Now
From: The Sandman
Date: 19 Jul 16 - 11:02 PM

Malcolm, that is what I am doing, I said he is an amusing interesting and entertaining man, that is what his performances were too, amusing and entertaining.
I thought his remark about how he started off singing political songs with John Hasted and then found a niche with music hall interesting and revealing.
I am curious to know the reason why he stopped singing songs of political content. I met him a few times and found him a charming well educated and interesting person.
Malcolm, I do accept him for what he was, at the same time i am entitled to BE CURIOUS as to why he changed direction and dropped songs of political content,in favour of songs like "Wait till the work comes round" neither does my opinion about Music Hall song, at any point question his sincerity, I am always curious about musical changes of direction, maybe he preferred singing music hall songs to songs of political content, that is acceptable too,in the end people have to sing that which they like, perhaps he thought those songs belonged to political demonstrations. THE INTERVIEWER OR EDITOR COULD HAVE PURSUED THE POINT BUT CHOSE NOT TOO.

Subject: RE: Review: John Foteman on BBC rdio 4 Now
From: Will Fly
Date: 20 Jul 16 - 03:45 AM

John's a great performer, with other talented musicians and performers in his family.

When living in London in the '60s, I played in a jug band called "The Egbert Sousé All Stars, whose washboard player was one - Rita Foreman, John's (then) ex-wife. A lovely lady who, in later years, has sadly also not been well.

Then there were their two sons, Chris and Nat. Nat kept ferrets - and Chris played with the band Madness.

I also recall, from those days, the excellent Punch & Judy man Professor Alexander. Anyone remember him?

Subject: RE: Review: John Foteman on BBC rdio 4 Now
From: matt milton
Date: 20 Jul 16 - 03:54 AM

I think it may have been Professor Alexander doing the punch and judy show at Dulwich Park a few months ago, which I watched with my 3-year-old son. If so, then he's still going strong.

Subject: RE: Review: John Foteman on BBC rdio 4 Now
From: GUEST,Malcolm Storey
Date: 20 Jul 16 - 07:47 PM

Fair does Dick

That is what I hoped you might say having had time to reflect.

It says a lot more about the man you are and blunts some of the criticism you have suffered in the past.

I, personally, having always being aware of my working class background and a staunch supporter of the left, nevertheless found difficulty with a lot of the musical political outpourings we encountered within the folk world.

I might be a softy on this but have always felt that a middle way where possible was preferable.