^^^I've been obsessed with James Blackshaw lately, his 'O True Believers' record is well worth checking out.

Also, Six Organs of Admittance, Scorces and Josephine Foster are a few other favourites of mine.

yeah, James Blackshaw is great, but he ain't no folk.

Fahey and Basho have been mentioned in this thread, and James Blackshaw is obviously influenced by both of them. He's worth checking out anyway.

Exc find. thanks.

I about shit when I saw there were five pages for a thread called folk music. I thought I was alone. A thread on Harry Smith's Archive of American Folk music sunk like a rock, for some reason (essential listening, by the way).

Then I started reading. You're talking about English folk. That's different.

For some reason, I have trouble getting into English folk. To these American ears, Fairport Convention, for example, is just weird.

Can anyone else hear the difference? It's difficult to put into words, but English folk seems more complex, to a certain extent. Yeah yeah, I know Americans borrowed a bunch from the English (Barbra Allen is as much a staple here as it is there, for example), but it gets changed when that happens. Becomes simpler?

By the way, someone clue me in on "anti-folk." Thanx.

This isn't an exclusively UK folk thread; many Americans have been mentioned here, and can continue to be discussed of course.
Personally, I tend to favor the UK stuff (especially regarding the 60s/70s era), but the USA has a lot to offer in this area as well, especially pre-WWII. But yeah, my tastes lean heavily toward UK people like Jansch, Graham, Martyn and some of the groups I mentioned earlier. There are definitely a lot of Americans doing some great stuff now. Stone Breath and their offshoots are totally the real deal.
And yes, one can definitely spot differences from different sides of the ocean. The USA stuff seems to go into more of a pure narrative with minimal chord structures and is sometimes "strummier" (with the notable exception of the Takoma label crowd), while the UK music seems to be more ornamental and places as much emphasis on intricate string work as on the story of the song. My perception anyway...

^ You're right. Woody's been mentioned. He's regarded as this hip, pre-Beat cool guy in the States, where even people who aren't into folk will give him a thumbs up.

((On the other hand, there's the Carter Family, who on the surface of things are about as sqaure as you can get. But holy shit... One of my favorite bands of all time. "Single Girl, Married Girl" is a lovely place to start.))

The Carter Family are great, but I think of them as being more country than folk. I know the line blurs severely at a certain period and there is quite the convergence of hillbilly/folk/country/blues, but I still think of the Carters as a country thing.

Buffy St Marie, Fahey, Basho, 6 Organs, Stone Breath, Metzger, and many others in this discussion are Americans. I just think you were hoping to go a little further back, which is definitely a worthwhile place to go.

My parents used to be Bob Dylan-lovin' hippies. I grew up listening to Woody Guthrie.

So I don't think I'm that into actual folk in the "listens to actual folk instead of Dylan's Bring It All Back Home" way. Fuck that hippie shit. *ignorantly strums power chord*

Just realized something re: US vs UK folk. The US has the blues tradition behind it, which, as far as I know, UK folk does not. This might be the crucial difference?

And yeah, to my ears, country/folk/blues/hillbilly(apalachian) are in the same family. Once I figured out that they're all using the same three chords and singing about the same things, the differences between the genres became harder for me to discern.

The influence of blues/songster music on the hillbilly culture that grew up playing their (already evolving) versions of British Isles traditionals cannot be denied. There was quite a lot of cross-pollination going on there. The banjo was derived from African origins, the guitar from Europe, and the two changed hands and races pretty freely here. Same for the drum and fife music that survived in rural black tradition dating from the time of the American Revolution. Ever heard that Othar Turner's Rising Star Drum and Fife stuff? Pretty great.

The differences between British and American folk traditions really fascinate me. I'm quite knew to both (and admitedly favour the UK style) but it would seem that given differences in both countries' history, the UK style has more of a medievelist slant to it - both in terms of structure and, at times, instruments used.

Given the limits of my knowledge, I also see this translate into a real sense of the pagan in lots of British folk, whereas American folk seems more interested in issues of social 'authenticity'. As such
the Brit tradition (at least during the 60s-70s) seems more escapist and therefore less tied to political issues than the American one.

That said, bands like Fairport Convention were heavily influenced by American rock from the '60s. Their American equiv. is probably The Band (who FC really admired) in that they both brought in trad. songs but played them in a more 'modern' style.

and jack rose, man.

recommended listening for this thread is nick drake's family tree, you can clearly hear his roots on american folk and the blues...i think i should add something to this sentence but i'll let it slide unless someone brings it up.

recommended reading is dylan's chronicles, not so much for him but for his (and many of his contemporaries') influences and range and how he talks about them, not only in music but also in literature.

oh yeah and expanding on the previous c93 mention, last year's masterpiece, black ships ate the sky is definitely a great folk record.

Nick Drake was a god in my eyes. I listen to Pink Moon almost every night before I go to bed (no joke, I really do)

I was reading some excerpts of chronicles on amazon (they have this 5 part thing called 'Bob Dylan's List Of Music You Should Hear') & he makes everything seem so good.

this post doesn't say much, now does it?

For those unable to get hold of this month's copy of The Wire, the albums they recommend in their 'primer' of British Psychedelic Folk are:

I couldn't find a link to the list so I typed it out. Excuse typos if you're cutting and pasting into something like Amazon.

Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick, Prince Heathen

Lai and Mike Waterson, Bright Phoebus

Tim Hart and Maddy Prior, Heydays: The Solo Recordings 1968-76

Steeleye Span, Please See the King

Richard Thompson, Henry the Human Fly

Sandy Denny, The North Star Grassman and the Ravens

The Pentangle, Soloman's Seal

John Renbourn, The Lady and the Unicorn

The Sallyangie, Children of the Sun

Mark Fry, Dreaming With Alice

Heron, Upon Reflection: The Dawn Anthology

Synanthesia, Synanthesia

Fresh Maggots, Fresh Maggots

Trees, The Garden of Jane Delawney

Mellow Candle, Swaddling Songs

Shelagh McDonald, Let no Man Steal Your Thyme

Comus, Song to Comus: the Complete Collection (includes the album First Utterance)

Spirogyra, A Canterbury Tale

The Strawbs, From the Witchwood

Paul Giovanni/Magnet, The Wicker Man Soundtrack Album

John Martyn, One World

Also, for those into reading up on the more mainstream end of this scene (F. Convention, Incredible String Band, etc) I've just started Joe Boyd's autobiography, White Bicycles, and find it really interesting/informative. Obviously, given Boyd's connection with Pink Floyd, a large part of the book concentrates on that story, but even so.

http://www.amazon.com/White-Bicycles...5937223&sr=8-1

Just been listening to The Fall's Live at the Witch Trials album and sense a definite psych-folk influence in some of the tracks. Even more so in the Dragnet and Hex Enduction Hour albums.

Bands like C 93 and The Fall definitely seem to have opened up the genre even further into this almost psychotic, occultist area (picking up from bands like Comus, as someone already mentioned).

Another album that sort of hanesses this sort of energy is, of course, Charles Manson's Lies and the Family's Family Jams. Although I'm not sure if I'm making the association because of the music or because I know about the events associated with them.

That Fresh Maggots LP is tremendous.

I haven't heard it yet, but for its cover alone I can't wait to get it.

I'm about 3/4 of the way through this at present - a very interesting read, and plenty about the folky stuff J Boyd worked with.

this thread has a terrible stench of fail for getting to six pages, being about folk, and not having one mention of Phil Ochs.


serious levels of fail guys :(

Baaah, Phil Ochs fans. They're all the same. Turn up six pages late and then blame everyone else for not standing in for 'em.

Anyway, just to make you feel better Vulva:

^ Here's an Phil O. mention: he blows.

I kid, I kid. Actually, he's a fine songwriter and I enjoy other people's versions of his tunes, but there is something really squeaky clean about him that I can't get down with.

what about japanese artists like Kan Mikami?

Kan Mikami is pretty great and all, but I think with him in particular it helps if you actually speak Japanese, becuase his words and sense of humor are at the forefront of fully appreciating his music. I used to have that enormous box set of his, but eventually passed it on to someone who could appreciate it more because my Japanese is so pathetic. Definitely an important figure though.

When you talk about a Japanese artist playing folk music, do you mean in the generic Anglo-American 'folk music' style (only sung in Japanese) or one that plays traditional Japanese music?

Sorry, I haven't heard Kan Mikami. I just wondered

EDIT:

Downloading this right now, so i'll be able to answer it for myself in a few mins.





Edit 2: Hmmm. I genuinely don't know what to make of it. It definitely sounds more 'Western' than I'd imagined - vocals aside, obviously.

This has some downloadable John Peel shows from the late 60s - 70s. Top Gear, Perfumed Garden, etc:

http://kats-karavan.blogspot.com/

There used to be some streaming radio feature on the Unbroken Circle site too; not sure if that's still part of that or not.

Nick Drake's Pink Moon is awesome. If I'm not wrong I think his estate is releasing more of private recordings or an album of sorts.

I strongly advise that you get on to Kats-Karavan. Some amazing stuff on there.

There's a Perfumed Garden from 1967 with Peel going 100% hippy: playing Zappa; talking about the night he'd just had at UFO; recalling trees in Hyde Park whispering 'dark green words of love.'

Not the best of quality but fuck it; It's still the best thing i've found on the net since god knows when.

http://www.divshare.com/download/899710-784

Some cool folk/blues radio downloads here
http://brokenbricks.com/dnb.shtml

Come on comrades, only a few more posts 'til page seven. What's more, we're almost neck and neck with the 'boycott the white stripes' thread.

Yes.

http://pitchforkmedia.com/article/re...86-family-tree

Just stopped by to say that this thread is wonderful. Some of the stuff you guys posted is gold. I'm now catching the train to see what's going on in the post pictures of your knob thread, but I'll send you a letter.

Cold Spring Records have just released a 2CD set of folk stuff - hopefully not the industrial dalek strum of Deaf in Joon or other nonsense like that.

Whatever you say; I still think "But What Ends When The Symbols Shatter" is quite a masterpiece of apocalyptic (if musically very simple) folk music, along with several Sol Invictus LPs.

Do you mean this Melly?


CSR84CD (August 2007)
Various Artists | John Barleycorn Reborn
A discovery of folk music from dark Britannica. 'John Barleycorn Reborn' explores seasonal birth, death and rebirth on this double CD. Our cycle begins at Lammas 2007 (1st August), a day traditionally known for 'the first fruits of the harvest'. Pre-orders will therefore begin on this day. All orders also receive a free complementary thirty-three track download only set of further music.

This compilation explores the darker side of British folk music, evoking the mystery of our ancient past and peoples, the strangeness of their beliefs, arcane traditions and the remnants of this carried down the centuries as folklore. The set has an extended booklet with articles, essays and explorations of the album's concept.

The album is a collaboration between Cold Spring and Woven Wheat Whispers, a folk music artist community and legal download service (where the third part complementary part will be available). Curated by Mark Coyle.
Visit the John Barleycorn Reborn website
Shipping August 2007. Pre-order John Barleycorn Reborn
Track Listing:

Disc 1
1. The Horses Of The Gods - 'John Barleycorn'
2. The Owl Service - 'North Country Maid'
3. The Story - 'The Wicker Man' [MP3]
4. Damh The Bard - 'Spirit Of Albion'
5. Mary Jane - 'Twa Corbies'
6. Andrew King - 'Dives And Lazarus'
7. The Triple Tree - 'Three Crowns'
8. Sol Invictus - 'To Kill All Kings'
9. Sieben - 'Ogham On The Hill (Remix)'
10. Sharron Kraus - 'Horn Dance'
11. Charlotte Greig And Johan Asherton - 'Lay The Bent To The Bonny Broom'
12. Pumajaw - 'The Burning Of Auchindoun'
13. Peter Ulrich - 'The Scryer & The Shewstone [MP3]
14. Alphane Moon - 'Where The Hazel Grows'
15. English Heretic - 'Hippomania'
16. Far Black Furlong - 'Icy Solstice Eye'
Disc 2
1. The Anvil - 'John Barleycorn Must Die'
2. Tinkerscuss - 'To Make You Stay'
3. The Straw Bear Band - 'Trial By Bread & Butter'
4. Electronic Voice Phenomena - 'The Sorrow Of Rimmon'
5. The Purple Minds Of Lazeron - 'Dragonfly'
6. Sand Snowman - 'Stained Glass Morning'
7. The A Lords - 'Summerhouse'
8. The Kitchen Cynics - 'The Guidman's Ground'
9. Quickthorn - 'PewPew'
10. Clive Powell - 'Reed Sodger' [MP3]
11. Venereum Arvum - 'Child 102 Willie And Earl Richard's Daughter'
12. Drohne - 'Nottamun Town'
13. Stormcrow - 'Gargoyle'
14. Doug Peters - 'Pact'
15. While Angels Watch - 'Obsidian Blade'
16. Xenis Emputae Travelling Band - 'John Barleycorn: His Life, Death And Resurrection'
17. Martyn Bates - 'The Resurrection Apprentice'

^^^ Jawohl, Herr Demonrail.

Savage Clone - I much prefer Tony Wakeford's stuff, finding it more melodic and somewhat less obsessed with ze Germans and all that jazz. Have also said hello to T Wakeford in the flesh once, and he seemed a pleasant enough geezer.