Mute inglorious Donegans?

Subject: Mute inglorious Donegans?
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 05 Nov 02 - 08:36 AM

So many people have said that if it hadn't been for Lonnie Donegan they wouldn't be playing now; not just enthusiastic amateurs like me, but pros like Paul McCartney, Joe Brown, Gerry Marsden ... the list is very long. I believe it! I don't think I would be doing what I do if I hadn't been inspired by Lonnie.

But maybe the People's Music was an idea whose time had come? If Lonnie hadn't had the breaks to kick-start everything, perhaps someone else would have done. Who might it have been? Lonnie played banjo with Chris Barber's jazz band, and only managed to get his skiffle group on stage by nagging the boss till he gave in. The jazz bands (and they're all still around) weren't likely to have inspired the youngsters, nor were the likes of Pearl Carr & Teddy Johnson or Edmund Hockeridge. Maybe Tommy Steel? I don't think he had the "do-it-yourself" message.

Somebody said that there can't have been many "mute inglorious Miltons", because people with that kind of talent and drive usually rise to the top anyway, because they can't remain unnoticed. Folk and pop music could have been much different if Lonnie hadn't been there, but who else might have put on his mantle?

[See Lonnie's obit]

Subject: RE: Mute inglorious Donegans?
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 05 Nov 02 - 09:26 AM

Well put, Steve. Herself reckons I only married her 'cos she had the 78 of Rock Island Line. We raised a glass to Lonnie last night.
RtS

Subject: RE: Mute inglorious Donegans?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 05 Nov 02 - 10:21 AM

Somebody said that there can't have been many "mute inglorious Miltons", because people with that kind of talent and drive usually rise to the top anyway, because they can't remain unnoticed.

Somebody might have said it, but I doubt if its true. At least so far as the talent goes - maybe "drive" is something else. There are any number of people where drive has made up for lack of talent, and it seems pretty evident that it happens the other way round.

Subject: RE: Mute inglorious Donegans?
From: GUEST,Roger Rettig
Date: 27 Mar 05 - 10:25 PM

As much as I was captivated by the power of his music back in 1956, it's an inescapable fact that Donegan himself was a unique and charismatic presence.

I can recall an American magazine article in which the author expressed surprise that someone with such a lack of sex-appeal could have had thirty-plus hit records! Clearly, the writer had never seen Lonnie perform.....

RR.

Subject: RE: Mute inglorious Donegans?
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 28 Mar 05 - 04:41 AM

I wouldn't have thought Dylan, Garfunkel and Simon were sex-gods either, but they sure as hell had the hits. Which shows that Talent Will Out, and Lonnie had it by the shedload. He was an inspiration to a lad in boy-scout uniform who first heard him (or rather his records) through the open door of 'The Rainbow Room' just before the bouncer kicked his arse all the way up the street! (LOL!)The world's a worse place without him. But you can be sure they're rockin' up there!
S:0)

Subject: RE: Mute inglorious Donegans?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 28 Mar 05 - 05:10 AM

Dunno Steve, I'm convinced with the passing of Roger Brooks a couple of years ago we saw one of the best (if not the best) songwriters of our generation die without ever being offered a major festival appearance in this country. drive , talent.... Roger had it in spades, but it availeth nothing in our class ridden society.

I think we're seeing a similar phenomenon with the utterly neglected talents of Jack Hudson. Now in his 60's - now at his peak, but he has stuck with his artistic vision at terrible cost every which way.

meanwhile the gilded few who have the nod of approval from maybe two djs in this country piss away more creative opportunities most weeks than the rest of us get in a lifetime, without actually coming up with a single piece of music that connects with mainstream of our society.

The glory of talents like Donnegan, the Beatles, and ralph McTell is that they do beat the system. But ask each one of them if their success was inevitable - I think you'd find they felt that was far from the case.

all the best

Big Al Whittle

Subject: RE: Mute inglorious Donegans?
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Mar 05 - 06:03 AM

To creep the thread a little, I don't know which, if any, village that Gray was referring to,
but there could have been several local poets or versifiers in the churchyard whose output
would have meant more to the villagers than that of Milton, and of whom Gray might never have
heard.

Subject: RE: Mute inglorious Donegans?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 28 Mar 05 - 07:41 AM

I don't think "mute" is the right word for anything to do with skiffle.