Robin Williamson Storytelling Recordings

Subject: Robin Williamson Storytelling Recordings
From: MoorleyMan
Date: 25 Jan 22 - 08:31 AM

I'm seeking digital transfers of two storytelling cassettes Robin recorded back in the mid-1980s: "Five Humorous Tales of Scotland and Ireland" (1984) and "Five Legendary Tales Of Britain" (1985).
I understand these both appeared briefly on the Time Has Told Me pages but have, frustratingly, long since vanished. (As so often, i got there too late!!) Long shot perhaps, but maybe someone out there managed to grab them?

Subject: RE: Robin Williamson Storytelling Recordings
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Jan 22 - 09:21 AM

If you provide the original Time Has Told.link they may have been archived on archive.org or a similar website -- have you checked or can you provide it?

Subject: RE: Robin Williamson Storytelling Recordings
From: DaveRo
Date: 25 Jan 22 - 09:35 AM

http://time-has-told-me.blogspot.com/2008/05/robin-williamson_26.html

Did that host the casettes?

Subject: RE: Robin Williamson Storytelling Recordings
From: MoorleyMan
Date: 25 Jan 22 - 11:14 AM

Yes it appears it did, but it just throws up the "exclamation mark-in-triangle" sign across both entries. I'm guessing they're no longer archived, and there's no info on the pages as to how or whence they can be retrieved. (Hence my OP!)

Subject: RE: Robin Williamson Storytelling Recordings
From: Hagman
Date: 25 Jan 22 - 10:50 PM

MoorleyMan, the exact title of "Five Legendary Tales Of Britain" (1985)is "Five Legendary Histories Of Britain" (1985). That may aid any Google searching.....

Subject: RE: Robin Williamson Storytelling Recordings
From: Helen
Date: 25 Jan 22 - 11:07 PM

MoorleyMan, you could try contacting Robin Williamson to find out if any recordings are available.

Subject: RE: Robin Williamson Storytelling Recordings
From: MoorleyMan
Date: 26 Jan 22 - 08:40 AM

Thanks for your suggestions, folks - but i can report that the RW/Pig's Whisker website is some years out of date.
I have virtually all of Robin's recordings on CD including several of his storytelling, but the two I mentioned in my OP have to my knowledge never been rescued from cassette oblivion. I was hoping that some Mudcatter out there may have downloaded from the THTM source before they were taken down.

Subject: RE: Robin Williamson Storytelling Recordings
From: cnd
Date: 26 Jan 22 - 09:12 AM

Apologies, the unsigned guest above was me.

MoorleyMan, a few suggestions. First, try contacting some of the people from the blog spot link. User "ge" (link) appears to still be somewhat active. There may be others but that seems like the best route to me.

Second suggestion, try local libraries. I searched WorldCat for both and found about 5 copies in library possession (click, click) but all of them were state-side. Some libraries may not have entered the name correctly, and some don't post their collections to WorldCat, so consider checking out some local libraries. As a tip, at least one library near me was offering digitization services for in-library-use-only material earlier in the pandemic, though they may have stopped since then. (This unfortunately was not one of the libraries which has a copy).

Third suggestion: there were some... suspicious... looking websites offering to sell the tracks for about 16 cents a piece. I found them by searching for the artist name and an individual track in quotes (ie, Robin Williamson "The Kintail Witches", it was about 8 results down). I won't link them, and it is obviously pirated music, but reviews online seemed to paint the sites an otherwise-favorable light (ie, no known viruses, however use your judgment). Not ideal, but certainly a last resort.

Subject: RE: Robin Williamson Storytelling Recordings
From: DaveRo
Date: 26 Jan 22 - 11:39 AM

MoorleyMan wrote: RW/...Pig's Whisker website is some years out of date

It looks like he has abandoned the website and moved onto Facebook - regretfully a common scenario.
https://www.facebook.com/RobinAndBinaWilliamson

I'm not a member of Facebook so I can't see what's there, but I can see a post* from 22 January this year which seems to be by Robin. So if you know someone who's on FB you could ask there.

* The post has a little globe next to it which, when hovered over, says 'public' but if I scroll down to read it the page is blocked. Maybe 'public' doesn't mean, er, public? (Or as Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger sang, 'the public's the public any more'.)

Subject: RE: Robin Williamson Storytelling Recordings
From: DaveRo
Date: 26 Jan 22 - 11:43 AM

That should have been 'the public's not the public any more'

(The song is 'The Un-public Public'.)

Subject: RE: Robin Williamson Storytelling Recordings
From: Helen
Date: 26 Jan 22 - 12:07 PM

MoorleyMan, I wasn't suggesting that you search for the recordings on the Pig's Whisker website. I suggested contacting Robin Williamson to ask him if he has them and whether he can supply/sell copies. DaveRo has now posted a link to RW's Facebook.

Subject: RE: Robin Williamson Storytelling Recordings
From: Anglo
Date: 27 Jan 22 - 02:32 PM

MoorleyMan, see PM.

Subject: RE: Robin Williamson Storytelling Recordings
From: MoorleyMan
Date: 28 Jan 22 - 05:59 PM

Helen - I too am not a Facebook member, and the page obstinately remains blocked to non-members.
But I heartily thank Anglo for his kind and helpful PM.

Subject: RE: Robin Williamson Storytelling Recordings
From: Andy M
Date: 30 Jan 22 - 07:14 AM

I have the cassette of 'Five Celtic Tales of Enchantment'. and well remember Robin's wonderful performaces of these tales, accompanied on Harp. How to digitally transfer them, and any copyright issues involved is something I know less about.

Subject: RE: Robin Williamson Storytelling Recordings
From: Helen
Date: 30 Jan 22 - 02:14 PM

Andy M, the issue of breaching copyright, and also supporting a living artist whose work is appreciated are the primary reasons why I suggested that the OP should contact Robin Williamson. He may have copies of the work for sale, or he may give his blessing for sharing his work informally. He may also appreciate the positive feedback. There are other ways of contacting him which are listed on his website, including the old fashioned snail mail or the phone.

I have a vinyl copy of his Winter's Turning album, and also a couple of Incredible String Band albums, including U on both vinyl and CD. RW is a multi-talented, multi-instrumentalist and singer with an interest in traditional music and he is clever, creative and quirky in the Incredible String Band albums.

Subject: RE: Robin Williamson Storytelling Recordings
From: GUEST,paul
Date: 16 Feb 23 - 01:02 PM

at least one seems to be available from this site

https://songswave.com/greek-music/album/185863/Five-Humourous-Tales-Of-Scotland-Ireland/