Dick Gaughan....Again!

Yes it's Gaughan again.........and first an addendum....

Way back on the 14th of Feb this year I posted a review/reminder of DG's great album Handful of Earth. I hope it was of interest to you and you will give it room in your collection when you get the chance? I did miss one or two vital bits of folk trivia though. In 1981 it was voted Melody Maker's 'Album of the Year' and in 1989, 'Album of the Decade'! Not bad at all for a folk album.

Now the second bite of Folktalkinfolk's essential albums 'cherry'. Dick's first ever offering from way back in 1972 (on plastic) and still available today (LER CD 2072) from that famous Internet site and many others, No More Forever. It is made up of eleven traditional tracks with something for everyone. With Aly Bain on fiddle this must be the first signs of the band that would become, Boys of the Lough. If you are a 'slow air' fan you have them and if foot tappin' is your thing this album is full of them too. Rattlin' Roarin' Willie to Jock O' Hazeldean it is just one great track after another. Since these early days Dick has taught himself how to read and write music and has become quite an authority on folk music. Needless to say he is worth every inch of praise we give him (do you give praise in inches?). He is a true 'living legand' of folk music. Miss this album at your peril.

I have a few links I want to remind you of :-
David Hope from 'over the water', Tweet: @DavidPHope, Net: http://www.davidhope.ie/, you can find him on Facebook too.
Art Ceilidh, The Russian guys with the 'Celtic' sound, Tweet: @ArtCeilidh, Net: http://artceilidh.com/, also on Reverbnation.
Barnsley Folk Club, Tweet: @BarnsleyFolk,
Net: http://www.reverbnation.com/venue/barnsleyfolkandacousticnight.

NB. This will be my last posting for a week or so as my now VERY ageing laptop is away in hospital! Will be back in a couple of weeks.

If you get bored please 'follow' me on Twitter: @folktalkinfolk, Email: folktalkinfolk@gmail.com, or
Tel: 07526 504285.

Are we racist.............?

We should be having a long hard look at ourselves............!

Late last summer I had the pleasure of attending a concert by one of my all time favourite folkie singer/songwriters. A great show was had by all (approx 350 people). He 'gave it large' about, unemployment the housing shortage, government etc. All everyday 'fodder' for the folk musician. Really good 'get it off your chest' material, of interest to everyone. Now call me 'Mr Thick' or 'Mr Have You Never Noticed Before', but their was not one Black or Asian person in the hall. When you give it some thought, not many, if any turn up at your average folk club or festival. Over too many years to count Mr Harding on BBC Radio 2 has played the likes of 'Ladysmith Black Mambazo', (www.mambazo.com) and Eric Bibb, (www.ericbibb.com), but that's about it. I for one love the blues and think it fits in a treat with traditional folk music. So 'why oh why' do we not try and bring the two together and lets all have some fun and banter. I'm sure it would 'put to bed' a lot of the old (and quite nasty) stereotypes on both sides! Nothing better than a listen to Mississippi John Hurt, Muddy Waters etc. We can develop our own breed of 'blues' with (sorry Mr 'H') 'Blind Lemon Clegg' and 'Sleepy John Arkwrite'. So lets get our act together and make a start encouraging EVERYONE to enter what has long been a 'closed shop'!

"By gum", I feel better for that!!

Lots of festival confirmations this past week. Too many to list I'm afraid. All seems quite on the gig front. I hope to start a list of local gigs and clubs soon. Sorry it has to be local as far as the clubs are concerned as nationwide is far beyond the scope of this wee blog. So please if you have any club news and contact details please drop me a line and I will pass them on.

Following 'conversations' with David Hope (http://www.davidhope.ie/), I am going to give this 'Facebook' thing a go. I know, I know, it may be a step too far but what the hell! I am also (get this) going to post some tunes on 'Reverbnation' more details soon.

No 'pet hate' this week as still getting over the bo=**ckings about 'Kirsty' last week!

All the best and summers round the corner, Phil.

Contact, Email: folktalkinfolk@gmail.com, Twitter: @folktalkinfolk, Facebook: Zoster Folk, Moan: 07526 504285.

Every Little Helps.....?

I hope...................?

I try in my own small way to help 'folkies' old and new. Most of the people I know in and around the folk world are all round 'good eggs' and pass on knowledge when asked (and even when not!). So it was with great delight I read a 'tweet' from David Hope directing the reader to an article in the Mayo News (Portal, fb.me/1sszAfRwZ)  Now I know I 'bang on' about this guy and it seems that at last (with no help from me), the word is getting out. This pleases me no end as I, among many, think he's good! The future of folk music is in the hands of David and the like so lets give them as much support as possible.

I would also like to thank all you readers who take the time out to drop me an email with suggestions both clean and not so! The albums you remind me about will find their way onto the blog one day, I promise. Also the reader who also used to frequent 'The Bankhouse Inn' in Pudsey all those years ago. Do you know if Brendan Egan is still on the go? It was always a good Sunday night with free pasties as I remember. The local band he is thinking of is 'Millstone Grit'. I have an album of theirs to this day. Good, solid, traditional folk music. By the way, if you go to the 'Bankhouse' now, it's a posh place with good food but no beer crates to sit on! Well you can't have everything, can ya?

Oh, less of this 'memory lane' trip!

This is just a quick 'end of the week' blog. I hope you all have a good weekend? Transatlantic Sessions 20:30 tonight.

Byeee, Phil.

Contact, Email: folktalkinfolk@gmail.com, Twitter: @folktalkinfolk, Moan Line: 07526 504285.

ps, What is the difference between a violin and a fiddle? The owner does not mind if you spill beer on a fiddle!!

"Yorkshire, Yorkshire"

"That's the place for me".............

OK, so I'm biased, but up here in God's own county we do seem to turn out more than our fair share of super folk artists. Lancs don't do too badly either. It must be all that 'going downt pit' and 'up to mill' for fourteen hours day, nine days a week that does it! These may be cliche's as old as the hills but we do seem to turn out some good ones.

Which brings me to, Sarah Greenwood, John Platt and Dave Bottomley or collectively the band 'String Theory'.

String Theory

As you can see from this picture they gave the producers of the film 'The Artist' the idea for going 'black and white, but far from 'silent'! What they lack in colour in the photo they more than make up for in performance! Check out, http://www.reverbnation.com/stringtheoryuk and see and hear for yourself. I for one are looking forward to a live session soon and when I do will report back. In the meantime catch them at a club near you. The site has details.

Steve Tilston, fresh from success at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards seems to be turning up all over the shop in the next few months. Find all the details at, http://www.stevetilston.com/. You can also join his mailing list and be one of the first to know up and comming gigs etc.
I really find these artist websites and mailing lists useful.

Going to 'cut a dash' now as a busy day awaits. Will post an update on my 'tenor guitaring' exploits soon but enjoying it no end at the moment. Also hope to have the website up and running by April (thats April this year!!) so fingers crossed for that.

Contact, Email: folktalkinfolk@gmail.com. Twitter: @folktalkinfolk, Moan Line: 07526 504285.

Rusby & Roberts

Think before you post.........!

The headline refers to me! I live in the world where 17 years ago was yesterday and nothing much, apart from technology moves forward. Oh I forgot, the pain in my knees and elbows also moves forward at a rate faster than my 'Smartphone'!
As you know from time to time I suggest a little 'star', recorded music wise, to add to your collection if you missed it the first time around, or you are new to folk music. So it was on Sunday last, while perusing my CD collection I came across 'Kate Rusby & Kathryn Roberts'. Now if your expecting a title, that's it, Kate Rusby & Kathryn Roberts.

I did my usual 'extensive' research (10 mins) and found this 'little cracker' quite hard to get hold of. In fact on the second hand market anything from £25 - £30!! So did a bit more digging and found to my amazement it is available on 'Amazon USA' as an import at $19....NEW! Please do not ask me 'how' or 'why' that's just the silly industry for you or the silly 'interweb' who knows?. Anyway, if you do want to give it a go you can get hold of it without too much bother.
So the CD then.....Yes it is a 'little cracker' with ten traditional tracks sung in a way only these two could do. It's just fantastic, from 'Ned on the Hill', to 'The Lorry Ride' and back again, I'm sure you will not be able to stop listening. OK, if your not a 'Rusby' fan it will not be for you. If you are, get hold of it. Kate plays guitar and piano and Kathryn a list of instruments as ling as the proverbial. Iincluding, piano, flute, sax and clarinet!
First released in 1995 on Pure Records (PRCD01) it was Kate and Kathryn's debut recording following many years of trips with Mum and Dad to the local folk clubs. Evan at this early stage you can see the germination of the 'Kate Rusby Band' as John McCusker both 'fiddles' and produces This album will take you back, in a nice way!

I hope you have a super March! Spring is on it's way. Will have another comp' at the end of the month with t-shirts as prizes so you can get a nice suntan. Sorry, that should say 'pale and interesting'!

Contact, Email: folktalkinfolk@gmail.com, Twitter: @folktalkinfolk, Moan Line: 07526 504285.