Another Radio Programme to Listen To

Subject: Another Radio Programme to Listen To
From: Folkiedave
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 11:20 AM

Those interested in these things may like to know in advance that the subject of the "Folk Awards" and the nomination of Seth Lakeman's "White Hare" will be one of the subjects covered on "Feedback" BBC Radio Four 1.30 pm Friday.

The person who did the interview may not have said what you might have said and his contribution may have been edited since it was made.

So if it is wrong - blame me!!

Dave

Subject: RE: Another Radio Programme to Listen To
From: greg stephens
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 01:10 PM

Well done, Dave. But be prepared for your portrayal as a folk nazi who doesn't think young people should be allowed to play folk music; and they may suggest you a conspiracy theorist as well. The people who do the editing, and who control who says the last word, have more cards in their hand than you do. Good luck!
   Just remember, people. In all the interminable discussions I have seen on this intriguing subject, I have only seen one person who claims to believe that the White Hare is a traditional English folk song, and that is John leonrad, organiser of the Folk Awards, chooser of the membership of the voting panel and boss of Smooth Operations. So a little expnation of how this strange statistical anomaly arose might be in order: it is known as a "cluster" statistically, as when a lot of people in one area get the food posoning on the same day and they turn out to have been eating at the same restaurant. There may be all sorts of possible explanations, bnut the most likely one is often the first one you should investigate.

Subject: RE: Another Radio Programme to Listen To
From: Folkiedave
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 01:59 PM

Not many people noticed this I suspect - but last year the winner of the best Traditional Track was Bitter Withy by John Tams. The only traditional track on a CD of contemporary songs.

Subject: RE: Another Radio Programme to Listen To
From: GUEST,Terry McDonald
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 02:05 PM

Pretty Nancy? A Sailor's Life?

Subject: RE: Another Radio Programme to Listen To
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 06:59 PM

I look forward to the programme, and fair play to you, Dave, for putting yourself in the firing line. It's a somewhat convoluted issue at best, but one well worth exploring in the open, non-ghettoised environment of a programme like Feedback, rather than it being confined to folk messageboards.

I am really interested to see whether Smooth Ops treat it as a serious issue.

Subject: RE: Another Radio Programme to Listen To
From: Folkiedave
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 04:02 AM

Well, since they have got John Leonard to reply it certainly seems they are.

I made the point that the folk world does treat the awards as valuable (to stop him saying it really!!), we just want them to be more transparent.

I also pointed out that last year's prize (Bitter Withy by John Tams) was the only traditional track on a record of contemporary songs. What a coincidence everyone picked it.

I suspect they will be more transparent next year - or perhaps not be so obvious.

Subject: RE: Another Radio Programme to Listen To
From: Folkiedave
Date: 18 Jan 07 - 06:17 PM

Just to remind everyone - "Feedback" tomorrow BBC Radio 4 will deal with the issue of the folk awards.

Dave

Subject: RE: Another Radio Programme to Listen To
From: greg stephens
Date: 19 Jan 07 - 01:14 AM

It's today.

Subject: RE: Another Radio Programme to Listen To
From: Folkiedave
Date: 19 Jan 07 - 04:23 AM

Thanks Greg for that time adjustment - it is indeed today at 1.30 pm

Dave

Subject: RE: Another Radio Programme to Listen To
From: Folkiedave
Date: 19 Jan 07 - 09:04 AM

As the complainant, you might know that I was edited of course.

In fact I had tried to keep it down (which is why it says at the beginning "It's about this one song").

In retrospect it was a mistake to mention there was an already traditional song with this name. John Leonard knows perfectly well that the song the Watersons recorded as "White Hare of Howden" is not connected but it gave him chance to confuse the two.

And I am reasonably certain that Seth Lakeman has not considered this song as traditional, once it was pointed out that it wasn't. Still we got somewhere - at least the votes will be published next year.

Thanks to all those who helped and me put it all together. They know who they are....

Thoughts good or bad are welcome.

Subject: RE: Another Radio Programme to Listen To
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 19 Jan 07 - 02:42 PM

Very glad to have heard this issue raised on the air, whatever about creative editing, and I thought he came off rather the worse, even with his obvious advantage of a last-word live reply. I don't believe he ever truly managed to refute the issue (his thundering silence to the initial suggestion of publishing the votes was very telling) as much as dance around it, politician-style.

To my ear (admittedly biased), and my partner's (ditto), he came across as weak and unconvincing, and it just sounded like he was excuse-making or back-pedalling the whole time rather than constructing a solid case for his side.

Subject: RE: Another Radio Programme to Listen To
From: Folkiedave
Date: 19 Jan 07 - 04:05 PM

I am not sure how to do this - Joe is it possible to combine this thread with the BBC Folk Awards thread?

Dave