|
30 Dec 09 - 04:32 AM (#2799071) Subject: Sting on BBC TV From: John J I hope I'm not duplicating this message, I've had a quick check and can't see it: Sting was on the box last night (Tuesday) in a very interesting and entertaining programme 'Sting's Winter songbook' available on BBCiPlayer. John |
|
30 Dec 09 - 05:43 AM (#2799114) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Hamish Yes - both interesting and entertaining. Thought the folkies came out of it very well: Kathryn Tickell and Mary McMaster and the young fiddle player chappie particularly. Sting can be rather pompous these days - he was an absolute hero of mine in Police and early solo days - but he was okay(-ish) last night. Worth an iPlay, most definitely. |
|
30 Dec 09 - 06:51 AM (#2799147) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: GUEST,eric the viking Liked it a lot. Always liked Police and also much of Sting when he does his solo stuff. The folkies came out really well and were a good advert for this often misunderstood genre that we all love here. It would have been nice to credit all the musicians at the end.(Don't know if growing a beard makes Sting more "folkie"?) |
|
30 Dec 09 - 06:56 AM (#2799149) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: GUEST,Mr Red If he can do a creditable Dowland pavane he can do anything he wants. If he wants. I was never a Police aficianado. But the man has integrity. And that is a good start for any aspiring folkie. |
|
30 Dec 09 - 07:02 AM (#2799152) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Suegorgeous I enjoyed it very much too. The album (with most of those songs and more on it) is beautiful IMHO. But know what you mean about the pomposity, Hamish! |
|
30 Dec 09 - 07:05 AM (#2799153) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: GUEST,buspassed Interesting to know, via end credis, who the gaffer sparks was on the show, he and his crew obviously had a job on rigging the cathedral, but it would also have been nice to know who the young lady clog dancer was and whether the young fiddler was Kathryn Tickell's kid brother. Credit where credits due! |
|
30 Dec 09 - 07:12 AM (#2799159) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: George Papavgeris Loved it, echo the comments above. I recommend it. |
|
30 Dec 09 - 07:42 AM (#2799176) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: GUEST,JM "it would also have been nice to know who the young lady clog dancer was and whether the young fiddler was Kathryn Tickell's kid brother. Credit where credits due! The fiddle player was Peter Tickell (yes, he's Kathryns brother) - both a classical prodigy and incredible traditional fiddler. Meanwhile, the clog dancer was Amy Thatcher, better known as the accordion player in The Shee. |
|
30 Dec 09 - 08:07 AM (#2799184) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Edthefolkie I really enjoyed the programme, especially as at times it resembled "The Tickells and Mary McMaster, with Sting". I wouldn't have minded propping up a wall at the Ship Inn session featured in the film. Thanks for the heads up JM, I THOUGHT that was Amy clog dancing! I do hope she at least got a taxi home after the gig, given the budget. We saw The Shee at the Nottingham riverside festival last summer and Amy appeared at the railway station afterwards, lugging the accordion and her bag across the concourse. Such is fame. |
|
30 Dec 09 - 08:59 AM (#2799210) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: TopcatBanjo Ooh, thanks for the heads-up. I will look this up on iPlayer tonight. sounds great. I loved The Police when I was a youngster and remember seeing Sting at the Manchester Apollo (front row) on his first solo tour. He's drifted into middle-of-the-road territory since (IMHO) but I do agree with the poster who says he has integrity. I think he is an interesting bloke. I also remember seeing Kathryn Tickell at the City Hall (or was it the Theatre Royal?) some time in the early 1990s, that was brilliant. And I just discovered The Shee this year. So it sounds like a good 'un for me all round! |
|
30 Dec 09 - 09:08 AM (#2799216) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Lizzie Cornish 1 I'll watch that later, thank you for telling us about it. I seem to recall that Sting's father never ever praised him for anything, and it hurt him terribly...so I guess his response to criticism, runs deep for that reason. Maybe that what brings on the pomposity..maybe not, who knows? |
|
30 Dec 09 - 11:25 AM (#2799323) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: G-Force Loved the music - I really enjoy watching musicians at the top of their game. But I thought the bloke doing the singing could have been better. Some of the songs were pretty much ruined, or lost altogether, by inappropriate vocals. Maybe the cathedral acoustics didn't help, but it was much the same in the rehearsal footage too. But his background contributions added well to the overall effect. |
|
30 Dec 09 - 12:49 PM (#2799395) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Steve Gardham Loved the whole programme. Despite the intros claiming the music/musicians were from all genres, folk dominated and shone. Well done to all concerned. Nice to see Julian Sutton on his box on the box! |
|
30 Dec 09 - 01:44 PM (#2799431) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: GUEST,nickp (cookieless) Enjoyed it very much. Will invest in the dvd (the full concert plus the programme discussed here, as I understand). Have had a quick listen at some of the mp3 extracts of the cd but they don't have quite teh same magic. |
|
30 Dec 09 - 02:19 PM (#2799456) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: George Papavgeris I agree, the studio album will be dry - the DVD of the concert now, that would be worth the money. |
|
30 Dec 09 - 03:20 PM (#2799491) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Dave MacKenzie Thanks for pointing it out. I've just enjoyted on the iPlayer. |
|
30 Dec 09 - 03:25 PM (#2799498) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Tattie Bogle Currently downloading it to I player(before I read the thread!) |
|
31 Dec 09 - 05:30 AM (#2799889) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Les in Chorlton I have looked for the rest of the cast on Google but can't find them. Perhaps those of you who recognise people could name them, as people have started to above. L in C |
|
31 Dec 09 - 06:34 AM (#2799911) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Steve Shaw All the bits without Sting were brilliant. He ruined everything he sang on and, well, as for his frequent bouts of holding court...buttock-clenchingly awful. |
|
31 Dec 09 - 08:37 AM (#2799962) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: TopcatBanjo I enjoyed much of it, didn't like all the music but thought the majority of the programme was interesting, especially enjoyed the bouts of great fiddling from Kathryn and Peter Tickell. Personally I thought Sting was very generous to his crew of musicians. The only person that I found vomit-inducing was one of the backing singers who was continually mugging away and trying to draw extra attention to herself, everyone else was very understated. Interesting programme and why on earth was it stuck on at 11pm (or even later?). I didn't see it trailed at all either, despite searching desperately for something decent to watch on BBC TV over the festive period. |
|
31 Dec 09 - 09:00 AM (#2799978) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Bonnie Shaljean Was that the same backing singer who made some snide-sounding remark about people's talent being in inverse proportion to their egos? I thought that was a bit strange... I only heard about this programme from Mary Macmaster who is a Facebook friend and put a little blurb about it on her wall. Otherwise I would not have known. |
|
31 Dec 09 - 09:10 AM (#2799986) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: TopcatBanjo No, the blonde one who said that was OK. But she may well have been making a barbed remark about the one I am referring to!! |
|
31 Dec 09 - 09:23 AM (#2800002) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: GUEST,Mr Red Well - as I never saw the programme and unless it is repeated never likely to: If the man shows a bit of pomposity and that gets him to where he is at - that is what I call the "price of genius". If you don't consider the genius level to be high enough - maybe the pomposity quotient was hardly a barrier to liking the musicianship either. The man has catholic musical tastes, and everyone and his brother wants to hang on to his coat-tails. He needs distance for his own sanity. I will be watching for the repeats........... |
|
31 Dec 09 - 09:29 AM (#2800012) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Tradsinger I watched the programme and enjoyed it. The musicianship was great as were the arrangments. It certainly was pleasant to see a pop singer embracing a lot of the folk idiom. The only thing that grated on me was Sting's phony American accent on everything. But a good effort. |
|
31 Dec 09 - 09:55 AM (#2800036) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: GUEST,erbert long may Sting continue his latest & any future "talented rich man's" musical vanity projects.. He brings positive publicity and some short term income to those expert co-workers of any esoteric music genres he feels the fancy to patronise and alight on; and at least it distracts him from movie acting ! vanity projects |
|
31 Dec 09 - 10:00 AM (#2800042) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Folknacious I think most of the musicians got a verbal credit at some point, if you were paying attention. You could certainly hear Sting give a namecheck to Amy Thatcher at the end of her clog dance. It was an excellent programme. Yes, Sting's singing is a bit daft but his fans obviously like it to buy all the records he's sold and his heart's obviously in the right place - so it can have done nothing but good for all the participants, the folkies in general and the Tickells in particular. You have to remember that mainstream TV programmes are made for the mainstream TV audience, not us weirdos. The non-folkies I know (like my mum) who watch these things see them in a different way to us - she greatly enjoyed the Bellowhead Christmas Show too, precisely because it was different, interesting, entertaining, done by clearly talented people and she doesn't have any axes to grind or offences to choose to take. |
|
31 Dec 09 - 10:15 AM (#2800060) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Les in Chorlton I have looked for the rest of the cast on Google but can't find them. Perhaps those of you who recognise people could name them, as people have started to above. L in C |
|
31 Dec 09 - 10:20 AM (#2800064) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: GUEST,erbert please could mod clone on duty clean up that accidental editing error - long gap and repetition of 'vanity project' at the end of my post. thanks. |
|
31 Dec 09 - 10:31 AM (#2800072) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Bonnie Shaljean Sting: A Winter's Night, live from Durham Cathedral Sting was joined by guest musicians including Kathryn Tickell (Northumbrian pipes and fiddle), Peter Tickell (fiddle), Julian Sutton (Melodeon), Dominic Miller (guitar), Vincent Ségal (cello), Scottish harpist Mary Macmaster, Ira Coleman (bass), Chris Gekker (trumpet), David Mansfield (violin and mandolin), Cyro Baptista, Bashiri Johnson and Rhani Krija (percussion) and vocalists Laila Biali, Lisa Fischer, Jo Lawry, and Steven Santoro. Producer Robert Sadin conducted the ensemble of 35 musicians, which includes additional string and brass sections. The clog dancer was Amy Thatcher. |
|
31 Dec 09 - 10:52 AM (#2800079) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Les in Chorlton Thanks Bonnie that's most informative L in C |
|
31 Dec 09 - 12:30 PM (#2800129) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: double stopping I have just watched this (had recorded it) and thoroughly enjoyed it. What a wonderful mix of musicians and styles - there was quite clearly great rapport between the musicians. Kathryn and Peter obviously impressed the others they were working with who seemed to be quite bowled over by the vitality of their playing. It was also interesting to see how the project developed. I personally don't have any issues with either Sting's voice or attitude - I found the bits between the music interesting. Have saved the recording to show to my pupils - I teach music in a secondary school. A great example of mixing styles and genres successfully. |
|
31 Dec 09 - 01:49 PM (#2800218) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: GUEST, Poxicat I read the description in the Radio Times and ran a mile. "Newly created folk songs"! Just how ignorant of one's subject matter can one be? |
|
31 Dec 09 - 02:22 PM (#2800249) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Smedley 'Created' by being put through the vocal mangle of El Stingo, I expect.......... |
|
31 Dec 09 - 02:30 PM (#2800257) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Linda Kelly I enjoyed the settings-who wouldnt kill for a gig in Durham cathedral? On the whole it was good but I found Mr Sumner's accent irritating and it put me off. If anything it was a little precious but I guess you had to be there. Nice to see something original from the BBC even though it was on at an hour that most wouldnt be watching it! |
|
31 Dec 09 - 02:53 PM (#2800282) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Smedley And how kind of the BBC to broadcast such a long advertisement for a multi-millionaire's new album. |
|
31 Dec 09 - 03:48 PM (#2800336) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: fat B****rd Loved it !! Could somebody please recommend a lively Kathryn Tickell album. Happy New Year to you all from Dunfermline. |
|
31 Dec 09 - 05:00 PM (#2800394) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Hamish "Was that the same backing singer who made some snide-sounding remark about people's talent being in inverse proportion to their egos?" The one who was continually mugging away and trying to draw extra attention to herself had sung with The Rolling Stones and other mega-stars so I guess she thought she was something. But the remark about inverse proportion was okay - just open to misinterpretation. What she meant was that everyone was very talented and everyone was ego-less. At least that's how it came across to me. |
|
31 Dec 09 - 08:21 PM (#2800507) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Suegorgeous That's how I understood it, Hamish. But.... I don't get this criticism of a singer apparently "trying to draw extra attention to herself" - to me, she seemed to be simply really enjoying singing the song, and expressing herself more physically than the others. To me, that's a good thing. |
|
01 Jan 10 - 04:58 AM (#2800660) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Dave MacKenzie If my experience of "Songs of Praise" is anything to go by, BBC producers encourage singers to "try.... to draw extra attention to herself". They reckon it makes better television. |
|
01 Jan 10 - 01:13 PM (#2800860) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: fat B****rd Kathryn Tickell ?????? Somebody, somewhere. |
|
01 Jan 10 - 05:49 PM (#2801029) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Dave MacKenzie As far as I'm conderned, all albums by the lively Kathryn Tickell can be highly recommended. |
|
02 Jan 10 - 06:52 AM (#2801328) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: GUEST,Mr Red Views of the cathedral would be motivation enough for me. Nearly all Norman with Saxon heritage. Wish I was going to the IVFDF w/e this year. (Wall to wall dancing, ceilidhs, squares & contra etc). I will be looking for those repeats. Expectation is half the enjoyment and I would expect an eclectic mix of music from Sting. It looks like my expectations will be rewarded. |
|
02 Jan 10 - 07:21 AM (#2801353) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Wolfhound person Fat B*****d: www.kathryntickell.com Depends what you want - the more trad stuff she does or the more experimental. There's a CD on there called "what we do" which is advertised as KT and Peter and has a fairly trad. or "composed in the tradition" mix of tunes on it. Might be what you want, I don't know - but there are sound samples. I haven't heard it. Paws |
|
02 Jan 10 - 03:34 PM (#2801749) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: GUEST,eric Her sister Tess isn't bad either! |
|
03 Jan 10 - 10:02 AM (#2802109) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: fat B****rd Thankyou, I've now got a selection of Ms. T's work which is fascinating and varied. |
|
03 Jan 10 - 10:11 AM (#2802113) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Catherine Jayne I got the album for xmas and it's beautiful. I recommend it. |
|
03 Jan 10 - 10:28 AM (#2802122) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: banjoke Suggest a look at the DVD of the concert. 90mins long and very good sound. Also it is not interrupted by 'talking heads' and the booklet credits everyone. Got mine from HMV (website)for £9.99! |
|
03 Jan 10 - 12:05 PM (#2802190) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker i get this instinctive feeling that sting is a by-product of the good old fashioned tradition of working class self education and self advancement; despite the negative impedements of regressive peer discouragement and institutionalised societal glass ceilings.. .. probably accounts for why he appears to be such a pompous knob.. .. overcompensating for his ingrained insecurities and isolation from any meaningfull genuine good old school mates network.. needing to impress all the upper middle class oxbridge media biz twats who've shaped his life this last 30 years.. poor sod. a lot of what he does aint too brilliant, but i got empathy and respect for him and his well deserved success |
|
03 Jan 10 - 12:41 PM (#2802230) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Bonnie Shaljean I dunno... I really don't find him pompous or pretentious - he just strikes me as an artist who likes to step outside the box and try different things. Why should he stay confined to one genre? This same point came up in a thread about his Dowland project too, and playing a lute in a song accompaniment. To me, he's an interesting and creative musician who keeps on moving and developing - OK, with varying degrees of success, but I admire his spirit of adventure and willingness to take chances, and I like a lot more things of his than I don't. I can't see that psychology or class-consciousness necessarily have to enter into it. He's got fine taste in backing musicians, that's for sure. |
|
03 Jan 10 - 03:57 PM (#2802386) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Suegorgeous Well said, Bonnie. |
|
03 Jan 10 - 04:22 PM (#2802396) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Gervase I wonder if he treats 'em as well as he treats his domestic staff. |
|
03 Jan 10 - 05:49 PM (#2802478) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Dave MacKenzie I was trying to link the Scotland on Sunday review, but it doesn't seem to be online yet. Basicly it says great musicians, great venue, shame about Sting. |
|
03 Jan 10 - 08:53 PM (#2802592) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Suegorgeous What's he do to them then, Gervase? |
|
04 Jan 10 - 02:45 AM (#2802749) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Gervase From what I recall, the egregious examples include him ordering one of the several nannies to his children to drive from Wiltshire to London to heat up some organic soup for the family, and a cook being forced to work 14-hour days while pregnant. The cook later won her case at an industrial tribunal where the judge had many harsh things to say about the regime imposed in Mr Sumner's seven luxury homes. |
|
04 Jan 10 - 03:33 AM (#2802763) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: evansakes One of the most interesting (and illuminating) sections in the documentary for me was when Sting was demonstrating his 'man of the people' touch by leading the film crew around Newcastle's quayside market. They stopped at a second hand book stall and someone picked out a copy of Sting's autobiography (don't think it was particularly 'well thumbed' either!). Meanwhile our hero has come across an old book on Newcastle United FC and asked the seller how much he wanted. The answer was ten quid...but in an instant the poor man inexplicably crumbled and followed up with "nine for cash". (who the hell offers Sting a cash deal!) You could see it coming a mile off. As sure as eggs are eggs Sting then turns round to his posse of lackey gophers and asks "Anyone got ten pounds?" (surely no-one expects a rock god of his calibre to carry loose cash...do they?). On handing over the duly supplied tenner the poor man is then seen proffering a pound coin in Sting's direction....only to be told "That's allright my man.....keep the change!" Well....it's Christmas I suppose. |
|
04 Jan 10 - 05:10 AM (#2802798) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: Diva Cracking programme, not a huge fan of Sting...but interesting collaboration. I found myself thinking that a couple of hours wi faither Tickell would sort out his voice. |
|
05 Jan 10 - 09:36 AM (#2803928) Subject: RE: Sting on BBC TV From: C Stuart Cook Well after all the comments I finally got round to watching it on Iplayer. THat's what happens when you're snowed in and not inclined to do the jobs the bosswoman wants doing. Very interesting, certainly makes me want to take in the end product. As a "how do they do that" it was interesting. I see what some peoples grouses were and wouldn't disagree with them but what I saw I liked. However at the top of it all my first thought would be that Sting is a classic case of "knows the words, doesn't know the song". When you've got all that talent and excellence on the music front I think the vocals needed to be at least rising to the the same levels. As it was he gets nowhere near, too straight up and down for me despite his efforts. I would suspect that the root of that stems from his arranger who seemed to be totally lacking in the subtlety of the base folk music when he does his directions early on in the proceedings. Better than nothing though. |