BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc

Subject: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: The Shambles
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 10:22 AM

Time to set the video for 11.50. Capercaillie - Blazin Fiddles - Kate Rusby and Roseanne Cash are set to appear on Hogmanay Live on BBC 1.

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: plum
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 12:47 PM

phil cunningham and aly bain are on too.

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: Bearheart
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 05:57 PM

Is there a way to order programs like this from the BBC if you live in the US?

Bekki

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: akenaton
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 08:31 PM

What a disaster!!! As I suspected, Kate cant sing ,Rosanne murdered "my love is like a red red rose".Blazing Fiddles were good but the rest of the show was mediochre....Perhaps the cancellation of the Edinburgh street party spoiled the atmosphere   ...Ake

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: Abby Sale
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 08:54 PM

As I recall, BBC will sell nearly anything they've got. Check their website.

Or else the BBC-America cable network might carry it live (don't hold yer breath) or Ovation cable network might air it eventually if you ask them. They bought the entire Aly Bain "At Home" series.

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: MairSea
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 09:07 PM

Dead right Akenaton! Have just watched and the live links to Edinburgh festivities (cancelled at last minute!) were very badly filled in IMHO! Still better than nothing I suppose eh?

From the Scot by birth and culture!!!

Lang may yer lums reek

Slainthe

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 01:56 AM

I thought it was all good except for that atrocious boy/girl pop singers, the girls needed to be scantily dressed to attract any interest.
eric

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 04:08 AM

I thought that Kate was being mixed down too much. The same with Aly Bain, I couldn't hear him against Phil. There were quite a lot of acoustic instruments there and it must have been a nightmare to control the sound. Still a good show from the BBC - lots of traditional music and not a sprig of white heather in sight!

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: del boy
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 04:49 AM

I thought kate was good ,but that dress!the rest was ok but its good to see acoustic music on tv. del boy

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: breezy
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 05:06 AM

That was my first experience of K R
I was dissapointed, no stage presence, was very wooden, and her songs are not performable live, no personality, looked very nervous, whereas Cash had camera and audience appeal even if her songs were average.
Cunningham's fingers on the acordion, that was showmanship
I'm not that keen on too many tunes but that piece with Aly Bain was worth watching.
Crapper k lee do nothing for me, they are boring.
You had to be Scotish to like it but would have been miffed to have you're culture invaded by Cash and Rusby.
Where were Maclean, Gaughan or Robin Laing?

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 05:16 AM

Must admit I really enjoyed it, although I didn't think Kate Rusby was at her best. Don't like her new look either.

Everything else was wonderful. Thanks BBC for this Hog-Special. It must have been a nightmare to sort out at the last min.

ZM

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 05:34 AM

Kate Rusby was a huge disappointment to me, Jackie Bird fawning over Roseanne Cash was nauseating, Blazing Fiddles were excellent, Aly Bain looked as though he wished he wasn't there, Capercaillie were crap as usual,the boy/girl group were abysmal, polite words fail me on them. As Breezy suggested, I as a Scot was totally miffed at the dumbing down aspect, the usual BBC attempt to please all of the people all of the time. In response to the comment about not being able to hear Aly for Phil, ask yourself who the musical director was :-)
Happy new year to all Mudcatters.......John

PS That dress!!

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 05:52 AM

I thought Capercaille were OK but Kate Rusby was crap! And this from an Englisman;-) Well, sort of...

In all I thought the show was reasonable considering the cancellation of the party. Good rendition of Auld Land Syne as well IMHO.

Cheers and a very happy new year to you all.

DtG

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 05:55 AM

Why do the BBC feel the need to include the orchestra on everything.
eric

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 06:23 AM

Well at least the BBC had the good sense to be indoors, and by the way, as they say in Glasgow, they WERE in Glasgow (not Edinburgh) in the studio. We turned over briefly to ITV and they had hinged their whole show on the Edinburgh street party, so they were left to flannel away like demented sheep until midnight.
To those of you who delight in slagging off the show on BBC, I say
was it the Highland Park or am I just not critical enough, but I enjoyed most of the show. But where were the rest of "Blazing Fiddles", e.g. Chris Stout and Duncan Chisholm? And why did we not hear more from John McCusker? And why did we have Kate Rusby 2 years in a row? If they must have somebody English, get Eliza Carthy next year.

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 08:17 AM

I nearly posted last night but decided against as I thought I would come in for some stick for saying what I felt but now I see I am not alone... I had not heard Kate Rusby before but because of what I had read, excpected great things. I found her a huge disappointment. As for the rest of the show, it didn't for me reach the heights I would have expected with the likes of Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham there.

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 08:30 AM

So why didn't you all turn over to BBC2 and watch Jools Holland who had Shane MacGowan, Desmond Dekker and Primal Scream?

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: Big Tim
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 08:35 AM

The music wasn't too bad. I hadn't heard Kate Rusby before and thought she sang quite well, but my not being familiar with her songs was a disadvantage. Aly and Phil looked bored out of their skulls, probably because they were. It's not their type of scene but a pay cheque is a pay cheque. Roseanne Cash is a truly excellent voice but she could have chosen more appropriate material. And where was the much heralded tribute to Johnny Cash? I must have blinked.

The presentation was awful. Jackie Bird should stick to reading the news (her false bonhomie is just a shade too false, actually it's puke-worthy) and that wee guy who was on with her should stick to whatever else it is that he does. Surely Scotland can do better than this? No wonder I drank too much!

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 08:39 AM

CR, I never even thought to check what else was on. Would have loved to have seen Shane MacGowan.

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: rodentred
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 08:44 AM

What a bunch of moaning minnies. We wait for ages to get ANY folk on mainstream BBC and then complain about it! My usual review of a night at a folk club would be worse. We should write to the BBC and thank them for doing it asking for more throughout the year.

I enjoyed the show and was relatively sober at the time, so some of the more thoughtful pieces could be appreciated. Having said that Kate looked very nervous for her first number and against the showy stage costumes of the other artistes had a pretty boring, unflattering dress. She never was a show woman.

Were Liberty X really live or just miming? Looked like the latter to me. Loved the short kilts though (ahem)

First time I had seen Blazing Fiddles and thought they were very good although might have chosen a livelier piece to kick off with.

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 09:05 AM

Funny you should post that rodentred. I'd just had a brief chat with my mother who watched the program with me (and doesn't drink). She was of the same opinion as me about the show describing it as "mediocre".

We did recognise that it was good to get some folk though. One theory as to the disappiontment was that maybe the BBC was trying to be too ambitious and mix too many styles and although a mix can work (I can enjoy "Later..."), on this occasion, no artist was really able to settle and get into top gear.

Overall, I suppose while I agree with the good to get folk sentiment, I would like to see it show cased at its best when we do. If some of us are whinging, I can't imagine that it created too good an impression to a wider "non folk" audience.

Jon

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: fat B****rd
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 09:09 AM

Yeah ,yeah, yeah. Everybody sems to forget that there's an off button and other channels. Main confusion where I was (Dunfermline) seems to be time differences. We saw three "Auld Lang Synes"
I must say I'm surprised to see Kate being heavily criticised but most people don't care that much what's on telly on New Years Eve. Anyway Happy New Year.
Naturally I didn't notice the incedibly short kilts worn by the girls in LIberty X.

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 09:28 AM

There was also the WOMAD concert on BBC4, which I watched for the first hour, all the bands were African or Carribean except the Eliza Carthy Big Band who were excellent.
eric

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 09:50 AM

WOMAD 2003 audio and video clips are on the R3 site here and will be till the next festival this summer.

Also at this site you can here World Music Day currently being broadcast. In another thread it says Mudcatter Sam Pirt with the rest of his band 422 will be playing in about an hour's time.

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 11:20 AM

Phil may have been musical director but he had no control over what was going out live. I'm sure the sound in the monitors was OK and he couldn't have done anything about it if not. Maybe they just play too closely together.

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: GUEST,Auldtimer
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 11:57 AM

The show was as bad and predictable as I expected. The sooner the BBC drop the musical Maffias dominated by Phil Cunningham and Donald Shaw the better. Why no crit. about Karen Matheson? The lassie can't handle anything outside the world of Gaeldom and not much from inside either. Still it could have been worse, morbid Michael Marra and big Edna Reader could have droped in to bugger up some Burns songs.

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: C-flat
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 12:02 PM

I did switch over to Jools Holland and watched Shane MacGowan. I have never understood what the appeal of MacGowan is though. There have been other artists that, while they couldn't be called singers, manage to inject enough style or character into a performance to make it special but he just sat, wooden-faced singing appallingly from an auto-cue that he could barely read (completely pissed), before stumbling back to his seat.
I'm sure that there are many devotees of his here who will argue that he is a great poet/writer and I wouldn't disagree, but in my opinion he is a lousy performer.
C-flat (reaching for the tin hat)

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: akenaton
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 12:14 PM

I agree c-flat,but Dylan is a lousy performer and his shortcomings are accepted as part of his personna
With a very few people ,its not just the performance that counts.
   Ake

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 12:14 PM

Shane MacGowan certainly sounded sober enough when Jools spoke to him earlier on in the broadcast. And he certainly looked in good form...er, healthier...than usual. I didn't much like the song, still less the musical arrangement but then, as someone said earlier, a pay cheque is a pay cheque...

Maybe Shane was just nervous of those who are only too ready to criticise a poor performance. I was just glad to see him alive and performing at all.

I remain convinced I made a wise choice in giving the Wilting White Heather Mark 2 show a miss. I'd have hated the sight of Phil & Aly looking miserable...

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: GUEST,Ed
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 12:20 PM

Well I enjoyed it! (Both BBC1 and BBC2)

The fact that I'd had a bottle of port may have helped. Seriously though, this bitchiness is somewhat unbecoming on the first day of the year, when we (hopefully) decide that we'll try and be nicer for the next 12 months.

Kate Rusby had a rubbish dress, certainly. I still want to marry her though.

Any ideas as to how to get that pesky McCusker bloke out of the way?

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: C-flat
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 12:21 PM

I can see that,akenaton, in a number of artists, including Dylan whose songs were almost always better (to me) when someone else sang them, but for some reason I just don't see anything to warm to in MacGowan.
I never feel any emotion in his delivery, which can often over-ride the neccessity to "perform". I just see a drunk who doesn't care.

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: C-flat
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 12:24 PM

I'm sorry, Guest Ed, if I sound like I'm bitching. I enjoyed the show overall and I'm quite sure that I'm in a minority where MacGowan is, which is really what prompted my post. I'm more curious to know what buttons he presses with people.

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: C-flat
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 12:31 PM

As for the "Wilting White Heather Mark 2" show, all it needed to recapture it's former glory was a wee-man-in-kilt, elbows raised, cheeky grin, singing "Donald where's yer troosers?" with a canny wink to camera, and you've got it! :-)

Aaah!, where did it all go wrong?

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: GUEST,Ed
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 12:32 PM

I like his teeth...

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: C-flat
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 12:42 PM

So you're the one who's got them. I think he'd like them back!

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: GUEST,rog m.
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 12:49 PM

Jools put on an excellent show. It was soul food seeing Desmond Dekker, he sang well, moved well, and the audience loved it too. A real treat.

Shane looked/sounded much better than I have seen him for a couple of years. Sure he is a result of his hard living, but that doesn't detract from the man's passion in my eyes.May he continue to exist.

No idea what they were all wearing.

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: Big Tim
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 12:57 PM

What did Shane sing? I started a Thread about him a couple of years ago: "Shane MacGowan: Saint or Sinner?". Some strong opinions were expressed! (I've just finished reading "A Drink With Shane MacGowan" by his wife Victoria Clarke -he's a very well informed and intelligent guy).

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: smallpiper
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 01:06 PM

I enjoyed it even though Kate was not at her best

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: Blowzabella
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 01:32 PM

It's just all so predictable though - Kate Rusby on one channel - Eliza Carthy on another - fed up to the back teeth of hearing about both of them I'm afraid!

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 01:34 PM

Tim: Shane sang To Be Home With You. According to the row raging on his website at the moment, this was written by Jools Holland and performed at his request.

C-flat: Suggest you take a look at the thread Tim refers to, especially Aidan Crossey's contribution.

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 01:41 PM

With all due respect, Blowzabella; what the fuck do you expect?

Your personal favourites? Folk Music is a minority interest. The artists that you like best are liked by even fewer.

I'm sorry that you don't like Kate Rusby (your loss) but what do you really expect

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: GUEST,rog m
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 01:52 PM

CR.. didn't realise Jools wrote that tune. Just had a look at the row raging, I think that Jools, as a big Shane fan, would have wanted him to sing it out of his admiration for Shane, and not out of some meglomaniac need to hear his composition aired. Jools has provided us with many chances to see Shane live on TV over the years, and maybe they have an appreciation of each other?

Did he and Victoria get hitched then? Hope so, his sobriety earlier in the year was being attributed to the fact that she had left him, and he was endeavouring to clean up?

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: C-flat
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 01:58 PM

countess richard, I've been reading Tims thread and it would seem that Aidan Crossey and I are pretty much in agreement.
In short, he's a talented man who, due to his prediliction for self abuse, is probably not cut out for performing.
And I certainly wouldn't advocate the throwing of bottles!!!
C-flat

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: LesB
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 01:59 PM

I taped it, (I was out enjoying myself). It may not have been perfect but it was more folk music on the box than I had seen in all of 2003.
When I say "the box" I mean the normal 5 channels, which you get for your licence.

Les

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 02:03 PM

rog m: Neither did I, it's just what someone on Shane's site said.   If it's the case, then I'm sure Jools meant well. It's just that it isn't really Shane's usual sort of song. Anyway, it would explain why he had to read the lyrics. I think it would probably have been better if he'd done one of his own, well-known songs, given the sort of audience on New Year's Eve who, if they's heard of Shane at all would probably only know FToNY...

Re getting hitched: no idea, they've been talking about it for at least 20 years though...

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: smallpiper
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 02:08 PM

Too right LesB and I even enjoyed the bit with the girls in short kilts and noted that quite a lot of the musicians in the studio, including Phil and Balzing fiddles, joined in with them - nice touch I thought. Me mam who has been around longer than TV thought that it was great, best new years telly in years so there!

Stop complaining and congratulate the beeb for doing it.

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: GUEST,rog m
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 02:13 PM

CR.. yes, that does explain the lyric reading bit. When I knew he was on I had everything crossed that he wouldn't trot out FToNY, I wouldn't have minded really though, it would have still been a chance to see Shane on the box.

C-Flat..having seen Shane perform live for the last twenty years , I must disagree with you. I have often left a gig thinking, he was pissed, but never thinking he was shite.

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 02:14 PM

I always liked The White Heather Club! Moira Anderson being all hoity-toity. Kenneth MacKellor (Was it?) wearing plaid shirts, sitting on hay bales and pretending he was a country singing tenor. Andy Stewart being pissed out his head...

Eeeehhhh. The good old days:-)

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: BB
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 02:17 PM

As my other half had a (lucrative) calling gig, I was all alone at home nursing a breaking cold, so watched the whole of the BBC1 broadcast, which, music-wise wasn't half bad - at least it was a whole hour of (mostly) my kind of music. However, my feeling was that KR let the English down badly, and probably confirmed a largely held Scots belief that the English know nothing about traditional music!

I'd not seen her perform previously, only heard her on CD, and not been impressed with her rather 'little girl' voice, but thought that all the fuss must mean that she must be stunning in performance. Far from it, even allowing for nerves. She's been performing for a long time now, and surely should have learnt something about communicating with an audience. I don't think you can do that with your eyes down the whole time, and your mouth hardly open. The contrast between her and the other singers on the show couldn't have been greater.

I have to say that, as an English person and heavily involved in the English folk scene, I was ashamed that the presenter was talking her up as being nominated for four Folk Awards, including her self-penned song, which for me was something and nothing. Against the brilliant musicianship of the Scots musicians, where does that leave us in the public perception?

Subject: RE: BBC TV Hogmanay - Rusby etc
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 02:17 PM

I'm sorry, Dave...

It's a bit more important than a joke, mind.