Podcasts, the Folk Revival and the New Rope String Band

Originally published in FoT Issue 107: Apr-Jun 2006

Now here’s a sentence I never thought I’d begin a column with. Not that, this: I have a podcast to recommend. A few issues ago, it would have been meaningless, but now, with the increasingly rapid advance of civilization (smiles ironically) it means we can acquire infotainment while on the move and looking hip (removes tongue from cheek). First, a word or two hundred of explanation. If you know all about podcasting, and don’t know how you managed to survive without it until last Christmas, feel free to skip to the next paragraph. Even if you haven’t, you will I am sure have realised how important podcasts are because the state broadcaster and the national press have all jumped on the bandwagon and told you so. But I’ll let you in on a little secret. Podcasts are essentially rather old-fashioned, because they are little more than a radio programme. An “on demand” radio programme admittedly, but for “downloading a podcast” read “taping off the radio”. Back in the last century I used to use an old reel-to-reel tape recorder to record programmes to listen to later. Then I progressed to cassettes. Only the technology has been changed, to protect the self-image of the upwardly mobile society. You don’t need an iPod or even an mp3 player. You do need a computer with a soundcard and speakers. You don’t need any fancy software. You would be better off with broadband, just because the size of some podcast files are on the large side. And listening to anything at a time that’s convenient to you seems admirably well organised, especially if it’s enjoyable and informative.

Which brings me back to FolkCast, which claims to be the first folk podcast, and I certainly wasn’t aware of any others. And really it’s just a very good radio show. Presented by Phil “Widds” Widdows and Ken Nicol, who promise “the best new music, interviews with artists, behind the scenes soundseeing tours at festivals and fun and frolics from the broad world of folk”. Ken is a musician, Widds a journalist. There is a new edition on the first Saturday of each month, produced in Ken’s studio in Preston, with songs, interviews (Ken in edition 001, Simon Nicol (no relation) in 002) and articles. Bits of it are great. Bits of it are not. Bits of it were not my cup of tea but may be yours. But if you like folk-rock, FolkCast is for you. And they certainly introduced me to people who I will be looking out for. And it’s free! In 001, I found a really interesting arrangement by London trio 3 Blind Mice. There was also an overlong interview with Ken Nicol, but as it’s his studio, I suppose that’s allowed. He is currently with Steeleye Span, so I guess he does come under the umbrella of folk music. I say that because a lot of the show is geared towards the singer-songwriter and folk-rock genres, rather than traditional songs or tunes. Issue 002 actually gets into traditional mode quite early on, with an effective Jock o’Hazeldean from left-handed Scottish guitarist Dave Gibb, but that’s almost it. Also the programmes do have a tendency towards American acts, but that’s because there is oodles of US stuff available. As more British acts realise they can put their music online, more of it will come onstream. And people are invited to send songs, comments and information in to them, so as FolkCast becomes more well known, there should be more British material available.

And by the way, despite having been listening to the Watersons’ “for pence and spicy ale” while rewriting most of the above, I just had a screen break and put on ‘Ducks on a Pond’ by the Incredible String Band and John Martyn’s ‘Outside In’ and ‘Solid Air’, so I agree, I have no right to champion traditional song over contemporary.

It will probably not have escaped your notice that early in the year BBC4 honoured the British Folk Movement with some cracking programmes which will hopefully be repeated on a regular basis, including showings on the more widely available BBC2. It’s surprising what early footage can be dredged up when people make the effort. There were quite a few goosebumps of nostalgia round my place, I don’t mind confessing. But for the purposes of this column, the series also threw up shed-loads of information on the BBC website as well as links to a lot more, and lots of attention in the press. But to keep it all in context, my cynical half must share this “nail on the head” summary with you, from uk.music.folk contributor William Black:

“The current 'folk revival' is being powered by the people who fell in love with the late Nick Drake last year and then suddenly realised that he wasn’t a ‘lone genius’ but part of something else. It’s not folk music, it’s more like the singer/songwriter thing that was popular thirty-five years ago.
“Apart from a sort of reflex genuflection to the Seegers and Cecil Sharpe they’ll ignore the folk scene, probably because there’s obviously no money in it, and concentrate on manufacturing a new generation of ‘singer/songwriters’ (anyone noticed how Donovan is currently being rehabilitated?) who’ll be high profile and exploitable, and disposable...
“It’ll run for a year or so, the usual suspects will put on a few big concerts with manufactured ‘stars’, and the folk festivals will get a few more customers who’ll wander about wearing fashionable clothes, looking slightly puzzled and drinking bottled lager.
“Next year it’ll be something else and we’ll be left alone with our beards, beer that tastes of something and even less money because the predatory manipulators of the media and music industry have taken a proportion of it. If we’re lucky none of the big festivals will go broke thinking that the increased ticket sales will happen again next year and so overspend...
“Oh yes, and folk will be uncool again...”

Now let’s finish on a more uplifting note. I was delighted to see that the Old Rope String Band have put their annus horribilis behind them and undergone a sort of reformation, with Tim Dalling and Pete Challoner joining forces with Jock Tyldesley and Vera van Heeringen as the New Rope String Band. Their new website is in its formative stages but includes forthcoming gigs and festivals. Do visit it, and if you can, stop surfing and go and see them.