Demise of Forest Tracks Records

Subject: Demise of Forest Tracks Records
From: RTim
Date: 29 May 21 - 01:26 PM

I am sorry to report that this week has seen the final demise of all that was once Forest Tracks Records and the linked web pages - Hampshire Voices, etc..

Following the unexpected death of Founder Paul Marsh in 2018, the label continued to operate at a reduced rate, but all of Paul's related and useful web pages remained available on the Internet.

Sadly that has now ceased, as the remaining member of the board has decided he can no longer cope with all that was needed to maintain both the running of the record label but also it's webpages, that were also due for renewal and re-rental.

It is an end of an era for a project that started so long ago and has produced some very worthwhile local recordings and information about folk music and song in the South of England.
A very sad outcome.

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: Demise of Forest Tracks Records
From: GUEST,#
Date: 29 May 21 - 03:04 PM

That's gotta hurt. Sad news indeed. How many recordings did you do with them?

Subject: RE: Demise of Forest Tracks Records
From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch
Date: 29 May 21 - 03:40 PM

Forest Tracks on Discogs

Subject: RE: Demise of Forest Tracks Records
From: RTim
Date: 29 May 21 - 03:56 PM

There were considerably more recordings in the later years, mainly on cd, than those listed above, but now without access to the old web page, it is not easy to list them.

There were at least re-issues with additions of both Folk Songs of Hampshire and Dorset, plus two of my own CD's, and one each from Steve Jordan and Geoff Jerram, plus a couple by Pete Harris and Brian Hooper et al...

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: Demise of Forest Tracks Records
From: GUEST
Date: 30 May 21 - 05:43 AM

That is a real shame. I tried to contact Ron Coe a couple of times about the material but got no reply. The website was a treasure house of information on Hampshire song and music. Is there no way that the files can be recovered and put elsewhere, say the British Library Sound Archive?

Gwilym

Subject: RE: Demise of Forest Tracks Records
From: RTim
Date: 30 May 21 - 08:49 PM

Hi all - I have some good news regarding the Web Pages.

I was informed today by a friend about the Wayback Machine - Internet Archive:
https://archive.org/web/

In the appropriate space provided - enter the Forest Tracks URL -
Forest-Tracks.co.uk

And you will see page with ALL the Updates of the site from Sept 2001 to Feb 2021..

If you click on the latest date you should get the last version of the web pages that were saved on The Wayback Machine!!!

It's Great - All the info. is there!!!
Happy Browsing!!

A Happier - Tim Radford

Subject: RE: Demise of Forest Tracks Records
From: RTim
Date: 30 May 21 - 09:16 PM

My enthusiasm is a little tainted since I have looked for my info. on the Wayback found web pages.....It is NOT all available! ie. The links to all song examples and the booklets for my CD's are NOT copied to the Wayback Machine.
But - do look at what is available and let me know any shortcomings you find!!

Still happy, but it could be better...Tim Radford

Subject: RE: Demise of Forest Tracks Records
From: GUEST,#
Date: 31 May 21 - 12:19 AM

I'm getting "404 - File or directory not found." on the Forest-Tracks.co.uk link.

Subject: RE: Demise of Forest Tracks Records
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 May 21 - 01:31 AM

The Internet Archive's Wayback Machine is a great way to retrieve old files. As long as they crawled and kept a copy of the site, you can at least get the gist of it.

Subject: RE: Demise of Forest Tracks Records
From: RTim
Date: 31 May 21 - 12:07 PM

Guest,# - you have to insert the Forest Tracks URL on the Wayback Machine site - clicking on it directly will only give the "404" message!

Tim R

Subject: RE: Demise of Forest Tracks Records
From: GUEST,#
Date: 31 May 21 - 01:51 PM

Gotcha. Thank you.

Subject: RE: Demise of Forest Tracks Records
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 31 May 21 - 04:11 PM

What a sad waste. It was a useful and informative site.