Review: Revival - Got to be!!

Subject: Review: Revival - Got to be!!
From: Folkiedave
Date: 28 Feb 06 - 05:45 PM

Maybe we in England are in the throws of a(nother) folk revival/renewal/revitalisation/call it what you will.

Evidence?

Massive publicity for "Folk Britannia".

The programme about the miner's strike tonight on BBC Radio 2 treated folk music with respect.

New series of Radio Ballads. (Without Billy Bragg in it so far!!)

Discuss.............................

Subject: RE: Review: Revival - Got to be!!
From: GUEST,DB
Date: 01 Mar 06 - 04:22 AM

All a bit dull though, isn't it?

Not a lot of passion or excitement.

No discernible intellectual rigour.

Where are the modern day equivalents of Bert or Ewan?

And all the great trad. singers, to learn from or be inspired by, are dead - just their ghost voices left.

I gloomily predict that it will all end in rock music and Billy Bragg.

Subject: RE: Review: Revival - Got to be!!
From: Purple Foxx
Date: 01 Mar 06 - 05:20 AM

I would say "renewal of interest in..." rather than revival after all there is no need to revive something which is in a perfectly healthy state.
I see the Billy Bragg's of this world as bridgebuilders rather than invaders (arguably the people who participate in the likes of "Rubber Folk" are reciprocating.)
Once you have a bridge you can cross back & forth at will.
There must be many people who have had their interest in Folk ignited by a folk-influenced rock act/song.
I hope they will be always welcomed.

Subject: RE: Review: Revival - Got to be!!
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 01 Mar 06 - 05:24 AM

Long ago and far away, I saw Billy Bragg perform live. He played a Bison electric guitar and was most definitely PUNK! What happened? In the words of the Togmeister "Is it me?"

Subject: RE: Review: Revival - Got to be!!
From: Paul Burke
Date: 01 Mar 06 - 05:32 AM

Perhaps they'll go to our folk clubs, dances, and sessions, and think "What a crowd of old farts, we can do better than that"....

And do it.

Subject: RE: Review: Revival - Got to be!!
From: stallion
Date: 01 Mar 06 - 07:51 AM

Fact. the Friday night session at the tap in York has a regular following of Uni & St. Johns students, joining in with instruments and voices. What is changing is that they actually want to participate, sitting and listening isn't good enough, sessions are generally free and so they only have to pay for their beer etc.
Peter

Subject: RE: Review: Revival - Got to be!!
From: greg stephens
Date: 01 Mar 06 - 07:58 AM

Well, for what it's worth my own Boat Band's CD came out yesterday, and it is as hard core trad folk as you can get, exclusively traditional Cumbrian tunes, played acoustically. And they are, apparently going to be put into retail outlets like M6 service stations. This is unprecedented in my experience.
Also, I have discerned a slight increase in young people at Boat Band gigs recently. Admitedly most of the audience still have beards, and have a tendency to keel over with heart attacks if we play too fast, but there are a few kids appearing as well.
   So, while this is hardly a wild explosion of 1962 proportions, there are some cautious grounds for optimism.

Subject: RE: Review: Revival - Got to be!!
From: GUEST,DB
Date: 01 Mar 06 - 08:31 AM

"Old farts", "beards and heart attacks"? It's a bit dismaying to see that rampant ageism appears to be a prominent feature of the Shining New Revival!
Please remember that Martin Carthy, stalwart of the post-war and subsequent revivals, often relates that one of his early inspirations was an 80 year old fisherman - Sam Larner. Many of the artists, featured in my CD and record collection, were past the 'first-flush-of-youth' when they were recorded - but it was often these older people who had kept the old songs alive.
Musical tastes and abilities don't usually atrophy and wither away when a person reaches 50, you know - sometimes they can benefit from maturity. Most popular musical culture, these days, seems to cater exclusively for young people but what've always liked about the folk scene is its inclusiveness. In recent decades younger people have had a tendency to stay away from folk because they have perceived it as 'uncool'. There may be signs that the present generation of young people are taking a new interest - and that's a good sign and to be welcomed. Nevertheless, if folk shows signs of becoming just another aspect of youth culture, and nothing else, I'm out-a-here!

Subject: RE: Review: Revival - Got to be!!
From: Purple Foxx
Date: 01 Mar 06 - 04:16 PM

Earlier this evening I was asked by a youngish woman if James Blunt was a Folk singer.

Subject: RE: Review: Revival - Got to be!!
From: Folkiedave
Date: 01 Mar 06 - 05:19 PM

And what did you say?

Subject: RE: Review: Revival - Got to be!!
From: Purple Foxx
Date: 02 Mar 06 - 02:26 AM

I said i would have to seek advice from 'Catters