Folk Mafia - can I join?

Subject: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: GUEST,puzzled
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 03:40 AM

I've seen a reference to this organisation in another thread. What are they talking about? Does it mean "people who play/sing better than me"? or is it altogether more sinister? Please help as I am worried that I could be missing something here.

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Splott Man
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 03:46 AM

I could tell you, but I'd have to kill you.

8-)

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: fat B****rd
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 03:49 AM

Splott Man, you must tell the members to be aware that if you break the code of Omerta you will be forced to listen to RAP forever.

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Splott Man
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 04:03 AM

I've already got a horse's head in my bedroom.

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Folkiedave
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 04:38 AM

All I got what a horses head used by a morris team.

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Tootler
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 04:40 AM

The Folk Mafia were set up in opposition to the Folk Police.

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 04:47 AM

I'm waiting for someone to start the ' Folk Masons '

eric

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 04:51 AM

So when do the Folk Communists get a lookin?

LTS

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 05:53 AM

Yes, of course you can join. There is only one condition and that is that you desist from trying to convince us that your favourite genre of contemporary popular music is folk music on the grounds that, "I like genre X, I like folk music, therefore genre X must be folk music".

Be warned, though, if you do become a member and then try telling us that, "genre X is the folk music of tomorrow" you may well find yourself 'sleeping with the fishes'.

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: David C. Carter
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 05:56 AM

Bring me the head of....

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 05:58 AM

Bring me the Head & Shoulders of Crystal Gale.
G.

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: David C. Carter
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 06:04 AM

She's in the Mafia?

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: David C. Carter
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 06:06 AM

...or is the Mafia in...?

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: GUEST,Mingulay at work
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 07:15 AM

This is in fact a rural based organisation comprised of ex ploughboys led by a person who is known as the "Clodfather". The rank and file are called 'shareholders'. Furrowed brows are worn as badges of honour.

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Splott Man
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 07:24 AM

The Chorus Nostra?

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: GUEST,The Singing Englishman
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 07:25 AM

"So when do the Folk Communists get a lookin?

LTS"

Between about 1934 the early 50s?

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Tim theTwangler
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 07:42 AM

Hey my gran used to be in that.
It was great they made little dolls and things at different times of the year and then burned em.
And they made coasters and teapot stands to sell to the holiday makers.
As a old folk art form I would have thought Rafia would have more of a following nowadays.

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 08:11 AM

I thought you would be in the Folk Taffia Splott Man?
Giok

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Surreysinger
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 08:16 AM

Hey, it might be a useful thing to join. Isn't the Godfather supposed to do you favours? The networking opportunities must be fantastic! But then who IS the Godfather...

BTW, would the head belong to any particular horse...it wouldn't be THAT one would it???

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Paul Burke
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 08:21 AM

For soldiers' and sailors's songs, join the folk naafia. Does the folk mafia make you an offer you can't remember the third verse of?

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 08:26 AM

Perhaps we could get Shambles to make them an offer they can't understand?
G.

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: fat B****rd
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 08:33 AM

LOL Giok

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Mooh
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 08:34 AM

Guest,Shimrod...What if Paolo Nutini is in the Folk Mafia? I might have to eat more than my words, LOL!

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 08:50 AM

Surreysinger asked,

BTW, would the head belong to any particular horse...it wouldn't be THAT one would it???

Well, I hate waste, so I'm glad that SOMEONE is finally using up the other end of the horse!

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: jacqui.c
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 09:07 AM

Well, we know that there is one - folkie equivalent of the violin case....

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 09:07 AM

I am a Godfather!

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 09:08 AM

I thought it was the Fairy Godmother who did the favours round here!
Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 09:10 AM

p.s. Swimming with the fishies already. Yum!!!
Quack!
Geoff the Duck.

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 09:14 AM

Dear Mooh,

That went completely over my head - who the hell is 'Paolo Nutini'? Should I know him?

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 09:45 AM

You have to ask one to become one

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Mooh
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 10:19 AM

Sorry Guest,Shimrod, that was a reference to a current thread about Nutini and whether he is folk. It's like your comment, "I like genre X, I like folk music, therefore genre X must be folk music".

Didn't mean to be obscure.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: GUEST,Mingulay at work
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 11:08 AM

Are they the same people who are behind the recent Latte wars, or is that the Caffia?

I've got me coat!!!

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 11:43 AM

Is that the Nescafia then?

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Splott Man
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 12:01 PM

Here's my horse's head

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: eddie1
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 12:04 PM

Don't know about the Folk Mafia but we've been having problems with the Folk'n'Labour Party for long enough!
Mind you, I don't think the Folk'n' Conservatives are any better!

Eddie

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: David C. Carter
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 12:49 PM

Always thought that Thatcher was a Folkin'Consevertive!

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Elmer Fudd
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 12:59 PM

Now I know why gang tattoos are in Olde English lettering. I only hope that no one has to get all the verses to "Matty Groves" inscribed on their arm(s) for initiation.

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 01:07 PM

Real men think 'arms' is cissy !

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: eddie1
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 01:13 PM

Giok
Do you mean as in AIDS and ADIDAS - or antidisestablishmentarianism if you're boasting?

Eddie

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: GUEST,puzzled
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 02:44 PM

The amount of humourous obfuscation suggests strongly to me that this Folk Mafia thing is very real and very scary. None of you has actually answered my question.

Should we right-minded people set about restoring freedon and democracy to the oppressed and cowed of Folkieland? Rise, o suffering masses - you have nothing to lose but your chains!

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: KB in Iowa
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 02:48 PM

RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?

"May" I join?

No, but you can join the language mafia.

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: fat B****rd
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 02:58 PM

Gonna Make Joe Offer You Can't Refuse........

Forgive me.

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 03:01 PM

Being a high ranking member in the Folk'n'Anarchist party I can happily tell you that we are working hard to free all folkies from the tyranny of both the Folk Police AND the Folk Mafia.

Watch out for our carefully placed messages for news of the uprising, valiantly dispersed by the kamakazi members of the Middle Bar Deaf & Dumb Choral Society.......

Power to the People!

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 03:51 PM

well they can whack the heads of the five families anytime as far as I'm concerned - one or two of the radio presenters as well......and anyone :-

1)who starts a conversation with, well my biggest influence is.......

2)who starts a performance with, I only got this from the shop this afternoon, but I thought I'd try to play it for you....

3) who starts a performance with, Its one I wrote - and I don't really know all the words to this one, and I'm not sure of the tune, but here goes.....

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 05:30 PM

Mooh,

I've just read the 'Paolo Thingy' thread - got it now! Sorry!

As far as I have been able to ascertain he is some prat with a guitar who the marketing men have decided is a 'folk singer' - typical!

Here fishys! Try sharing your beds with this one!

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: akenaton
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 07:28 PM

The "FolkMafia" are those have undue influence, ( with the broadcasting media) and their minions.

A group of folk "stalwarts" who dictate only certain performers get exposure on TV and radio.
This explains why so many of our best and most talented singers and musicians and writers are unheard of outside our enclave.

The hierarchical setup in folk music resembles that which GUEST keeps warning us controls Mudcat...be it real or imaginary....Ake

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 07:49 PM

donta worry ake, I madea my bones whena Miguel Harding was telling the one about eef he gets his guitar in tune, he'lla weld it there.

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: akenaton
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 08:20 PM

Aye very good Al :0)

Here in Scotland we se an example of this every new year with the Hogmanay Show   "and year after year,the numbers get fewer; someday no one will march there at all"...Ake

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: GUEST,Vinnie
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 08:34 PM

Look, this "Folk Mafia", it ain't real. Ya unnerstan'? It's whatchacall a "myth", ya see. Jus' somethin' some people's cooked up t' make trouble for th' boys an' me.

Now listen, fergit ya ever hearda no "Folk Mafia", got it? Yer mamma'll sleep a lot better at night knowin' her little boy's kneecaps ain't gonna git t' know Cousin Tony's tire iron whatchacall "up close an' personal". Take my advice, go back t' yer folk clubs an' fergit about this made-up "Folk Mafia" thing.

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: dianavan
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 08:56 PM

I don tink da folk fraid da Mafia.

It more like da folk and da Mafia symbiotic
...or
is da sympatico?

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Maryrrf
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 09:17 PM

I wish I was witty enough to contribute, but I have sure enjoyed reading this thread. It made me chuckle! Keep going, guys!

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: akenaton
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 10:05 PM

After much investigation I think i have discovered the origin of the term

Footstompin'.com post by Akhenaton 7 Jan 2007 15:54

"With the exception of Paulo, this years offering must be the most dire on record.
Leaving aside the Gaelic tradition, there a huge number of very talented a very underrated performers in Scotland. I've mentioned a few already but what about folk like Peter Nardini, or Simon thingy the concertina player.
Ive crossed swords online with Big "Edna" and tho' she's no friend of Rabbie's, she could out party any of these dead beats.
I think there's a folk "mafia" at work. the capo's are on view every New Year and the spies are everywhere

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Cluin
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 10:13 PM

The Folk Mafia is just the strongarm front for the REAL power... The Quilter's Guild.

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 09 Jan 07 - 12:36 AM

To get in you must know all 65 versions of Barbry Allen...and you must be able to rank them in order of acceptability and determine which one most merits official acceptance as the definitive version.

You must also know all 123 verses of Lord Randall, and in the right order!

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Rowan
Date: 09 Jan 07 - 12:40 AM

All these years I thought the folk mafia were the ones with a silver stripe up (down?) their backs, and now I find out it's every guitarist with a capo!

?

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Cluin
Date: 09 Jan 07 - 12:45 AM

No. Every guitarist IS a capo.

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: GUEST,puzzled
Date: 09 Jan 07 - 03:29 AM

Well now, thanks to my cunning ruse most of you seem to have come out of the shadows and shown copious amounts of true disrespect. Not least those of you who threw in mock - Chicago Italian stuff. Here's news, thickos - we're from the Home Counties.   

So prepare to die.......Harold, Peregrine, Toby; get out your rolled-up Guardians and go to work on them........and make them suffer before they die...sing Dirty Old Town.......no, that's too good for them......do the Thirty Foot Trailer.....

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: GUEST,Mingulay at work
Date: 09 Jan 07 - 04:26 AM

GUEST Puzzled - your cunning ruse backfired, you see none of those posting have used their real nom de plumes but have, in fact, adopted false identities that can never be traced. Your second error is in assuming that we are afraid of gumbies wielding copies of the Grauniad for even a blind man could see the typo's coming from a mile off. Not only that, but the real Folk Mafia would only understand the Daily Star and would not wield copies of that exalted publication as a frightener but quote extracts from the 'showbiz' page much in the manner of Vogon poetry.

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Mr Red
Date: 09 Jan 07 - 08:08 AM

You can join the Mafia but they may well require you to unlearn how to play the banjo.

Does that give you a clue?

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: GUEST,puzzled
Date: 09 Jan 07 - 12:37 PM

all right, it's time for a bit of straight talking here. About the Folk Mafia I mean. Like most organisations, we have both gentlemen and players. The guys with the Daily Star are members (just), but not full members if you know what I mean. They play good quality fretted instruments (so you were wrong, Mr Red) and sing Ewan McColl stuff. We, the creme de la creme as it were, sing only Child ballads and give guidance to our footsoldiers, who see to the wet jobs. You'd be truly honoured if our Guardian squad stooped to do you over.   

As for the nom de plumes, keep worrying. Our people have infiltrated all the organs of goverment communications intelligence. Have a good look round next time you're at a session in Cheltenham. We've got your number.....

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Rusty Dobro
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 04:21 AM

I fool people by carrying my guitar in a machine-gun case...

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Mr Red
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 05:31 AM

What about the Cheltenham Ceilidh Mafia? Good guys all round but we (oh whatagiveaway) can sell-out the Town Hall on occasions - and it is a big hall.
And for locations of the Cheltenham sessions/ceilidhs see cresby.com

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 07:53 PM

Our anthem is La Polka Nostra, and if you don't know the words, fugeddabadit.

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: bubblyrat
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 07:51 PM

For some time now,the Folk Mafia have been active in Lincolnshire & Norfolk. However, one should be wary of offending them, lest one become the subject of a Fendetta.

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: Paul from Hull
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 07:53 PM

*groan*

Subject: RE: Folk Mafia - can I join?
From: GUEST,Don Cecil
Date: 12 Jan 07 - 11:36 AM

and my ENT doc is in the cosy nostril...