Judy Collins...'Sweet Judy Blue Eyes'....

: My Life in Music..............

No tunes this time...It's a BOOK! Not known for having a 'Kindle' finger, books are not on the top of my 'must get this week' list. The same could be said for Judy Collins, I have never been the biggest of fans but own up to just the one CD in my collection and very nice it is too. This book was something of a serendipitous find while watching the 'one eyed monster'. Judy was on, talking about the book even though it was late promotion as it has been out a year. Anyway, I bobbed into Leeds to pick up some strings and called for a coffee (in a popular high street bookstore) and there it was, this very same book so onto the 'plastic' it went and it's a wowser!

Although I was born in '53 I was not of an age to take advantage of (what I'm told were) the hedonistic, free love, pot smoking thing that was going on in the '60's. I just missed out! But by all accounts it was the time to be 'around'! Reading this book, I'm glad I missed it! But it is a Who's Who of the folk scene at that time. From Judy's meeting with Stephen Stills to several stories and anecdotes involving Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen etc. To a very poignant meeting with Janis Joplin and recalling later that she was as 'near to the edge' as she was! She grew up with an alcoholic father and made several attempts at suicide while still very young. All in all a very interesting tale that will keep you page turning. It is also a book of hope to all that need it and a stark reminder of what can be, to those of us that don't! A good read!

Cover Photo by Francesco Scavullo.

ISBN: 978_0_307_71736_8.

£15 ish (hardback).

Home Studio Pt 1.

I think that at this early stage it would be a wise move to get your software installed. For one thing it's the FREE bit and another you can have a play around with it and follow some of the 'lessons' that come along with it.
For the recording side I have gone with 'Audacity' (http://audacity.sourceforge.net/). Also download the 'Plug-In's' (effects etc) that come with it. You will also find software that lets you export files in mp3 format when you have done editing. So download that as well.
You will be needing some file converter software and for this I have chosen a little number from NCH Software, (www.nch.com.au.) No surprise here as it's called, 'File Converter'!
As you play around and follow the tutorials you will need some data to play with. You can import any music track of your choice and practise cutting the length or section of a tune but will not improve on the quality etc. That's all been done. So get some 'raw' data. For that I used my mobile phone. Just turn on the voice recorder and play it a tune. Load that to your PC, convert it to a file type 'Audacity' is happy with via your file converter and you have your data to play with.
Next time we will look at how to get the signal from your instrument to the PC, then we can start some 'real' editing.

Top Tip: If you have never been very good at disc 'housekeeping' START NOW! Work out a system that suits you and stick to it! Every time you alter your track in any way and save it, it will create another file and you may want to edit a previous one so decide how you are going to name them and file them. It will pay off in the end!

Well I think that's enough for now? If you do have any idea's pls drop me a line but for now it's Ta Ta from me.

Contact: Email folktalkinfolk@gmail.com. Twitter @folktalkinfolk. Direct 07526 504285.

Just a quickie...............

Dates for your diary.............

Hi all! As I am sure you know by now what a keen fan and follower of David P.Hope I am. So I have a few gig dates for all those lucky enough to live over on the Emerald Isle. In his words, "a mini tour". That could mean the size of car he is driving or the length of skirt he will be wearing! Either way, miss him at your peril. To cap it all off his fellow entertainers on said tour are all ladies! Lucky bu*&er.

Yes, he seems to have hit the 'I'm a lucky man' spot with concerts with both Miss Paula Flynn and The Henry Girls!

Wed 9th May with Paula Flynn at 'The Bernard Shaw', Potobello, Dublin, (free entry).

Fri 11th May with Paula Flynn and The Henry Girls at 'The Model', Sligo.

Sun 13th May as Miss Paula Flynn's 'special guest' at Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival, 'The Black Box', Belfast.

More dates may be on the cards but at the moment these are all I have. You can keep an eye out at http://www.davidhope.ie/, or 'follow' him on Twitter @DavidPHope and 'Facebook' etc, etc. And I think his 'musicals' are available on iTunes etc.

Thats a pint you owe me David on your next trip 'over the water'!

Just afore I go, 'Masons Apron Radio' (http://www.masonsapronradio.co.uk/) have two new shows in the tubes which will be fun and if they do not make you smile you have no soul!

Bye for now but next time I will have Part 1 of the 'Home Studio', aka 'The Spare Bedroom'.

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

Joni Mitchell...'Miles of Aisles'...

Another round of the 'essential folk albums' slot............

As I'm sure most of you kind readers know, I am one of those 'finger in the ear', 'dyed-in-the-wool' type of folk fan...Traditional or be done etc. Now when it comes to playing (a VERY loose term), I am. If it's not tuned GDAE I'm lost but enjoy it just as much. In fact I can clear a room faster than the 'rozzers' in a Marijiwanna farm! And that's QUICK! But when it comes to my 'listenables' I have quite an eclectic mix. I would like to point out at this early stage that I know one of the co presenters of a famous Internet folk radio show is a closet 'Metal-Head' (he's the one heard eating bats in the background). So I make no excuses for taking a trip to the U.S of A for this helping of what I think is an 'essential' for your CD collection.

It's Joni Mitchell and to be honest she is not American. Born in Canada, 'Roberta Joan Anderson' in Nov of 1943 she moved to the USA in 1965, as that was where it was all 'happening'! If you are trying to second guess me at this point I bet your saying "it's going to be a review about 'Blue'". Well it's not. 'Miles of Aisles' is what my suggestion is today. Before we get onto that.....Dinner party trivia, 'Blue' is often given the title of 'Best Album Ever Made' by the American press!

Quite a few regard Miles of Aisles (MoA) as a 'Greatest Hits' album. But it's not! Yes, all the material had appeared on previous recordings and some had hit the 'mainstream' charts as singles but this is a 'live' album. If you want a Joni, Gt Hits, album from that period then 'Hits 1' (1996) would fit the bill. MoA is an out and out 'live' album that suffers from the technical difficulties of the time. Let me explain..... In the days prior to the invention of the Mp3 file that we now all know and love. And the advantages (or disadvantages!) of the ability to fit 50/60/70 tracks on the one disk. We had 74 mins of recording time available. That is why their is an abundance of both the 'double album' and 'double CD'. So why does MoA suffer? Well it's not in the song content or it would not be in this blog. It's the other 'bits'! I want to feel as I am at the concert with all the "Hello New York", whistles and "Hows about, Last time I Saw Richard" etc, etc. But it's not here and you miss it. To get a flavour of what 'could have been', the introduction to 'Circle Game' has been left in and just shows what even MORE of a cracker this album could be! Someone, somewhere, will have the complete tapes so lets hope they 'hear' the light of day.
The content of this album stands on it's own two feet and hardly needs any introduction. My favourites (for what it's worth) are 'Jerico', Carey (of Blue fame), 'Circle Game' (a great story), 'The Last Time I Saw Richard' and it goes without saying, 'Big Yellow Taxi'.
And yes. it's from over the water and no 'finger in the ear' singing. Still one of the best!!! What next? Maybe James Taylor. I hope you enjoy it?
ps. Just had a search around the usual outlets and it's under a tenner!!

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

LATE NEWS

It's Louise Hamilton and those 'Flaming Junes' again!! Just a quick promo for a charity concert down in the Cambs area so get yersens along.

Good News & Bad News!...a bonus posting.

Lets get the 'bad news' out of the way................

Sad to report that earlier this week we lost a LEGENDARY member of the folk world. 'Banjo' Barney McKenna, (Bernard Noel McKenna, born 1939) passed away. As a founding member of The Dubliners (in 1962) and 'King' of the tenor banjo, if you don't miss him your not a 'folkie' Not only banjo though, oh no, mandolin and melodeon also came easily to his hand. Just to add a little 'folk trivia', he played with The Chietains before the 'Dubs', (their loss!!). To anyone who is a reader of FTF who knows his family and friends please be kind enough to pass on, not only my condolences, but those of the 'everyday folkie'.
RIP Barney.

Now some good news............

If you can take your mouse back to my last posting (4th April 2012). I was giving one of my now 'infamous' (I try not to kill off any future career) plugs to one of my 'friends' from 'Tweetshire', @folkcircus, aka Louise Hamilton (please follow the link in the last posting for an excellent 'earfull'). Now it does not take Stephen Fry to work out that she is of the 'lady gender' and as such can do loads of stuff at the same time! I know for a FACT she entertains her kids in silly ways, juggles family life, and WATCHES her partner mend the shed, (although she does help by brewing the tea and tugging the 'ring pull')! Well on top of all this she finds time for involvement with a band called Flaming June, http://www.flamingjune.co.uk/. Now they have a track called 'The Insane Ex-girlfriend Parade' (great tital and great song). And as I sit here 'jotting' it is #2 in the CAM 105 chart and in my 'humble' it could do with #1, so help req!! So please follow the link and do yer bit https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/C7RLBYD.

Well thats it for this 'sad n glad' posting. Just one more thing....The power of the FTF blog has DOUBLED the 'listenership' of the now famous 'Mason's Apron' podcast, http://www.masonsapronradio.co.uk/. to four!!!! Now thats what you call POWER! Byeee for now, Phil. 

Contact, Email: folktalkinfolk@gmail.com, Follow on Twitter: @folktalkinfolk or Chat: 07526 504285.

WHAT!!! No Dick Gaughan!!!

A man doing two things at once.........impossible?

Yes folks, sorry to say you have a 'Dick free' posting this time. What I aim to do though, is try and pull off  two topics in one go. Now as you well know ladies, for a man that could be quite a feat! I will give it a shot anyway. The first half of this posting is part plug and part support for a pair of guy's who enjoy folk music. When I say folk music, I mean the 'good stuff' and all power to them for sticking to their guns. They produce one of those 'pod cast' thingies, (I thought it had to do with fly fishing!). But no, it makes your computer into a wireless. What will they think of next? And if you enjoy it you can listen all over again and you cannot say that about everything now, can you? I am talking about 'Under the Mason's Apron', which can be found at, http://www.masonsapronradio.co.uk/. Introduced with both great silliness and knowledge by, Mal Tinker and 'Planxty Gramster' who have enough combined musical talent to know a good thing when they hear it and this is reflected in the show....Enjoy it! Also if you are of the 'Tweeting type', you can follow them @Masonsapronradio. And just to show I am NOT 'beardist' here we have a pic of those fine young gents.

Now here goes with the multitasking...............

At one of our executive meetings here at FTF Towers we decided what a spiffing idea it would be to do one of those 'part work' things. You know, build HMS Victory in two years at only £5.99 a week (after selling the wife and kids). But this will be free!!! (the advice will be anyway). For years now I have wanted the facility to record my 'pickings' just for the fun of it and to produce cheap gifts for my enemies! With new technologies never being cheaper and some of the software free, their has never been a better time to 'have a go'. At this early stage I will point out that this will not be of much use to the 'pro muso's' out there who, as we know take off to a studio in an exotic location. But if, like me you play the odd gig or even busk, having a CD to hand could make you a few extra bob. Now, I am not blessed in the 'dosh' department so rest assured this will be 'on a shoestring' record production and more the fun for it. So join me, starting next posting on our journey. It should be interesting!

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Quick plug time. Follow this link and get an ear load of the super Louise Hamilton. A singer/songwriter of (in my opinion anyway) the highest order and well worth following. Once again it's that 'Twitter' thing, @folkcircus and www.soundcloud.com/louisehamilton, tell your friends!

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Contact Details,Email: folktalkinfolk@gmail.com. Twitter:@folktalkinfolk or winge direct on 07526 504285