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

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.