Zen & the Art of the Folk Tradition

Subject: Zen & the Art of the Folk Tradition
From: Brendy
Date: 29 Oct 06 - 12:38 PM

... or 'Do You Know Any Metallica?'

"Give us a good old Drinking Song", they say
"Do you know that 'Whiskey in The Jar' is a song about a chick who rings up the Cops on her boyfriend, setting in motion a chain of events which culminates in his execution, by hanging?", I tell them "You shall wrest that song from my cold, dead vocal chords. Here's a song about a guy who walks it from Galway to Dublin (before Ryanair introduced the Shuttle), who put up with all manner of abuse, before going over to England, where he bate up a load of Brits who tried to take the piss out of him"

'The Rocky Road' never tends to sound the same after....

But such is the lot of Folk Artist.

I dipped my bucket again, recently. Considering that Joseph Quentin Public believes that 'The Fairytale of New York' is just hunky dory if sang as if you're having a conversation with yerself, or that 'Duelling Banjos' on one mandolin recreates the outback, outhouse mood to a 'T', well then I do have a few thous of a tolerance, then, don't I?
Few thousand miles, of a tolerance in some cases.

Anyway, long Rizlas at the ready again, folks, The Douwe Egberts is perc-ing away, and I have a blue Clicky thing here somewhere....

Ahhh, here it is....

Clickety Click

B.

Subject: RE: Zen & the Art of the Folk Tradition
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Oct 06 - 10:25 PM

Jeez, Brendy! I think that's the first time I've ever heard you. Brill! Very beautiful and powerful. Thank yew, my friend.

kat

Subject: RE: Zen & the Art of the Folk Tradition
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Oct 06 - 10:33 PM

Ah...neatest version of Black is the colour I've heard. Listening to the rest of them, just now. Thank yew, thank yew for sharing, Brendy.

Subject: RE: Zen & the Art of the Folk Tradition
From: Big Mick
Date: 29 Oct 06 - 10:44 PM

Interesting take on Wild Rover, and very enjoyable. I enjoyed the guitar playing on all the tracks, especially Johnny Jump Up. Brendy, what brand of guitar do you play? The Blacksmith is another fine cut here.

Mick

Subject: RE: Zen & the Art of the Folk Tradition
From: Brendy
Date: 30 Oct 06 - 04:41 AM

Thanks a million, kat, and Mick for going over there and listening to them.
I've played 'Black is the Colour' that way since Barry Moore (aka Luka Bloom) released it on an album from 1978 called 'The Treaty Stone', so it's not quite my own arrangement.
The Wild Rover ended up that way after years of requests to play it 'RIGHT' On the Bothy Band's 'In Concert' album, Paddy Keenan starts off 'The Bucks of Oranmore' (key of 'D' ;-)) at regular speed, until 'The Demon Clappers' start accompanying him at varying tempos. Paddy slows the whole reel down, until the 'Clappers' get the message.
The Wild Rover is a very beautiful song, but the sentiment can (does) get lost in the delivery. I play it through DAGDAD in the key of 'F'
All the songs, barring Black is the Colour', and 'I don't want to know' are in DAGDAD. The former being in Standard tuning, the latter in DAFDAD.
Two of my guitars are in operation, there; my Limited 'Washburn D92', which stays in DAGDAD, and an old Tak that I've had for years. I normally carry 3-4 guitars around to gigs; the Wash, the Tak, a Cort Silk & Steel, and my Morris 9 String. I'll be sticking a few pictures up on the site of the guitars, shortly.

I'm off to Copenhagen later this morning for the preparations for The Copenhagen Irish Festival which starts on Thursday, so excuse the brevity of this post.
I'll check in during the week, but in the meantime, thanks a mill, again, katmeluv and Mick, for the kind words.

Talk to you again, soon.
All the best.

B.

Subject: RE: Zen & the Art of the Folk Tradition
From: GUEST,Ross
Date: 08 Nov 06 - 07:40 PM

Hey Brendy, I was doing a search for my Morris 9 string and your thread popped up. Were you going to put a photo up of your 9 string?

Subject: RE: Zen & the Art of the Folk Tradition
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 08 Nov 06 - 10:09 PM

Glad to see you back among us Brendy. I'd been wondering if you'd cut the Mudcat out of your life. You're sounding good too.

Subject: RE: Zen & the Art of the Folk Tradition
From: Brendy
Date: 11 Nov 06 - 05:28 AM

How's Kevin... I'm a fair bit on the road these days, and the fine art of musical conversation can be sacrificed somewhat, while we, the weary front-liners, are obliged to throw the gorillas the odd banana from time to time cf: 'Do You Know Any Metallica?'

... Great session with John McSherry, Donal O'Connor, and Alan Burke in The Shamrock in Copenhagen last Sunday night by the way... scary stuff....!

I'm gigging this weekend too, with me oul buddy, Shane McDermott in Esbjerg, but I'll take a few pixtures of the Morris and the other fellas on Monday or so, Ross, and get yer man to make a page for them on the old website.
Blue Clickys will be provided...

Thanks for the thumbs up for the music, folks. Greatly appreciated.

I think I remember starting a thread a few years ago about the Morris 9 String...
Later folks.

B.

Subject: RE: Zen & the Art of the Folk Tradition
From: Brendy
Date: 12 Nov 06 - 07:09 PM

Got yer man to put a few photies up on the website of the old Washburn and Morris
HERE

B.