Ewan Macoll on The Telly / Sky Arts (UK)

Subject: RE: Ewan Macoll on The Telly / Sky Arts (UK)
From: GUEST,CJB666
Date: 01 Dec 21 - 01:14 PM

I got it last night from Freeview. Not sure about the dropout 'cos I was asleep at the time. I'll check it out later. It has been aired before earlier this year.

BTW there are three films of three Radio Ballads on YT - kindly given to me a few years ago by one JC. Whatever the beliefs MaColl & Seeger &/or Parker did not 'invent' the Radio Ballad genre. The earlier versions of that type were developed by Bridson and the Lomax's in the States as 'Ballad Operas.'

The two most well known are the 'Lonesome Train Cantata' starring Burl Ives and 'The Man Who Went To War' with Josh White and Paul Robeson. The first is available from 78s via YT, the second is locked away in the dusty archives of the LOC for only the intelligentsia to access. However the original script of the latter has been discovered, annotated by Robeson, and were PDF'd and a link uploaded here to the resulting document; with the suggestion that the Ballad could be recreated. But the link was censored and the project foundered.

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Subject: RE: Ewan Macoll on The Telly / Sky Arts (UK)
From: GUEST,Gallus Moll
Date: 30 Nov 21 - 02:15 PM

The programme 'Set the Night on Fire' is repeated on Sky Arts (free)
channel 130 at 00.45 tonight (ie early tomorrow morning!! - 30th November */1st December
(* St Andrew's Day - patron saint of Scotland an a number of other countries!!)

Subject: RE: Ewan Macoll on The Telly / Sky Arts (UK)
From: r.padgett
Date: 30 Nov 21 - 11:52 AM

I saw this yesterday on TV ~ I think a lot of footage left out, but a good overview of MacColl some details left out and not for me to point these things out

He certainly was with Peggy a driving force with Bert Lloyd a driving force with Bill Leader of the 60s folk revival

Ray

Subject: RE: Ewan Macoll on The Telly / Sky Arts (UK)
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 30 Nov 21 - 08:49 AM

I contacted Jim on Friday to ask if he knew about it and he didn't. I'm assuming that he followed it up but I'm waiting for him to comment.
One of my issues with the programme was that there are plenty people out there who knew and worked with MacColl but obviously they were not considered.

Subject: RE: Ewan Macoll on The Telly / Sky Arts (UK)
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 30 Nov 21 - 08:49 AM

I contacted Jim on Friday to ask if he knew about it and he didn't. I'm assuming that he followed it up but I'm waiting for him to comment.
One of my issues with the programme was that there are plenty people out there who knew and worked with MacColl but obviously they were not considered.

Subject: RE: Ewan Macoll on The Telly / Sky Arts (UK)
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 30 Nov 21 - 08:07 AM

Twould be interesting to know what Jim made of it.

I suppose I always feel that the totality of MacColl's achievements never really gets dealt with.

Thers a sort of 'we are building a new world' feel about all those 150's playwrights John Arden, Wesker - and they use folksong in their plays. I always think Ewan must have felt himself part of that sort of groundswell artistic movement.

And what did they make of him on the other side of the Iron Curtain where they were staging all these plays he was writing?
Touched upon - but not really investigated was the way he viewed the American folkscene.
Some of that was coming from the 'NEW Deal' FDR state intervention - The Grand Coullee Dam, etc.How would he view the work and efforts of a fellow communist like Dave Van Ronk - whoseblues based work was so far from his ethnic origins?

I find MacColl a very interesting artist and thinker

Subject: RE: Ewan Macoll on The Telly / Sky Arts (UK)
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 30 Nov 21 - 02:29 AM

It didn't help that the signal dropped out for a few minutes as they were just about to feature the Radio Ballads but I found it rather rushed as they tried to cram too much into one hour. It fell short of the two previous documentaries on MacColl "Daddy What Did You Do In The Strike" and BBC's "Ballad of Ewan MacColl" the latter which was mostly excellent.?

Subject: RE: Ewan Macoll on The Telly / Sky Arts (UK)
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 30 Nov 21 - 02:29 AM

It didn't help that the signal dropped out for a few minutes as they were just about to feature the Radio Ballads but I found it rather rushed as they tried to cram too much into one hour. It fell short of the two previous documentaries on MacColl "Daddy What Did You Do In The Strike" and BBC's "Ballad of Ewan MacColl" the latter which was mostly excellent.?

Subject: RE: Ewan Macoll on The Telly / Sky Arts (UK)
From: GUEST,CJB666
Date: 29 Nov 21 - 10:22 PM

Repeat

Set the Night on Fire: The Story of Ewan MacColl

A profile of the singer-songwriter, who found his voice through political theatre before spearheading the revival of folk music in Britain, with folk musicians and close family providing new versions of his key works

Category: Music/Ballet/Dance

Sky Arts
12:45am-1:45am (1 hour )   Wed 1 Dec 2021

https://www.tvguide.co.uk/m-detail/4172299/58357073/set-the-night-on-fire-the-story-of-ewan-maccoll

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Subject: RE: Ewan Macoll on The Telly / Sky Arts (UK)
From: fat B****rd
Date: 29 Nov 21 - 07:09 PM

Repeat 2.15 a.m. Wednesday (or what some people call "late Tuesday night) Enjoy
fB (Charlie Stenger) :-}

Subject: RE: Ewan Macoll on The Telly / Sky Arts (UK)
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 29 Nov 21 - 08:15 AM

yes indeed Sandman, it was the establishment junk on TV that drove so many of us out of our homes to folk clubs. If we had stuck together and formed a united front - politically we might have done something.

And I use politically in a non party sense. In many ways it was a stylistic revolt against the buttoned up, over censored formulaic 'showbiz' shite.

It was a pity the left didn't (and still doesn't) realise this.

Subject: RE: Ewan Macoll on The Telly / Sky Arts (UK)
From: The Sandman
Date: 29 Nov 21 - 04:08 AM

indeed, usual story, of how the left is divided and the establishment rules. and now we have a co incidence omicron appears just before christmas

Subject: RE: Ewan Macoll on The Telly / Sky Arts (UK)
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 28 Nov 21 - 06:59 PM

Its interesting for us fans to see how the perspective changes. Many of the 'bits' we've seen countless times but things that were hotly disputed twenty years ago fade into the background.

Another twenty years and what will they make of all the feuding and fighting, posturing. I suppose most of us will be dead. You can't help thinking a lot too much effort has gone into factionalism - effort that could have been expended more on creativity.

Subject: Ewan McColl Documentary on Sky Arts (UK)
From: GUEST,JoeG
Date: 28 Nov 21 - 03:14 PM

Catching up with the excellent documentary about Ewan McColl on Sky Arts - great to see Martin Purdy and Harp & A Monkey contributing to the programme. Keep an eye out for repeats if you missed it

Subject: RE: Ewan Macoll on The Telly
From: DaveRo
Date: 25 Nov 21 - 03:04 PM

There is some good stuff on Sky Arts IMO , though not usually music. And programmes are not easy to spot. After much searching (Sky's website is useless) I found a usable online listing:
https://www.tvguide.co.uk/mobile/channellisting.asp?ch=384

Had I seen the title of this MacColl programme I would probably have assumed it was about the Doors, so thanks for alerting me to this fB. (And you wouldn't know from that listing that "Death of England" tonight is a play originally put on at the National Theatre.)

fwiw Sky Arts is broadcast in HD, though not on FreeView or FreeSat. Not that it'll make a difference with archive film.

Subject: RE: Ewan Macoll on The Telly
From: GUEST,ottery
Date: 25 Nov 21 - 02:40 PM

Thanks - didn't know that.

Subject: RE: Ewan Macoll on The Telly
From: DaveRo
Date: 24 Nov 21 - 03:17 PM

Comcast - a US company - bought Sky from 20th Century Fox and others in 2018.

Subject: RE: Ewan Macoll on The Telly
From: The Sandman
Date: 24 Nov 21 - 02:50 PM

yes, but is sky arts owned by rupert murdoch?

Subject: RE: Ewan Macoll on The Telly
From: DaveRo
Date: 24 Nov 21 - 01:39 PM

Sky Arts is on FreeView and FreeSat in the UK.

Subject: RE: Ewan Macoll on The Telly
From: GUEST,ottery
Date: 24 Nov 21 - 01:24 PM

Am also a fan. Thanks for sharing. Don't subscribe to Sky Arts, but hopefully it'll turn up somewhere else eventually!

Subject: RE: Ewan Macoll on The Telly
From: The Sandman
Date: 24 Nov 21 - 10:08 AM

Great songwriter, and a very polished professional perfomer

Subject: RE: Ewan Macoll on The Telly
From: fat B****rd
Date: 24 Nov 21 - 05:28 AM

Always a pleasure, Big Al.

Subject: RE: Ewan Macoll on The Telly
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 24 Nov 21 - 05:16 AM

Well I was and still am a fan. And I thank you very sincerely for this notification.

Subject: RE: Ewan Macoll on The Telly
From: Malcolm Storey
Date: 23 Nov 21 - 07:06 PM

I would certainly not count myself as a fan - the opposite in fact.
That said i will record it.
Will report back on my perception of it in due course.

Subject: RE: Ewan Macoll on The Telly
From: fat B****rd
Date: 23 Nov 21 - 03:00 PM

Absolutely :-)

Subject: RE: Ewan Macoll on The Telly
From: GUEST,Backwoodsman
Date: 23 Nov 21 - 11:55 AM

Not my cup o’char either, Charlie, but at least it’s Folk on t’telly, and I’m sure his fans will enjoy it,

Subject: RE: Ewan Macoll on The Telly
From: DaveRo
Date: 23 Nov 21 - 11:20 AM

Set the Night on Fire: The Story of Ewan MacColl

Subject: RE: Ewan Macoll on The Telly
From: fat B****rd
Date: 23 Nov 21 - 11:12 AM

My pleasure.

Subject: RE: Ewan Macoll on The Telly
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 23 Nov 21 - 10:58 AM

Thank you

Subject: Ewan Macoll on The Telly
From: fat B****rd
Date: 23 Nov 21 - 10:22 AM

Not my "scene" but I thought some of you would like to know that there is a programme about Mr. Macoll on UK Tv Channel SKY ARTS (Freeview 11)on Saturday November 27th at 10.30 pm. It is entitled "Set The Night On Fire".