Anyone Out There Actually Playing Music?

[collins]

Have been playing folk/trad/labour music for awhile and was wondering if anyone else is playing as well.

[Papa C.]

I started out in a rock band at 16 and I've been playing in bands ever since. I started a Trad band a while back with some fellow comrades with songs like 'rising of the moon', 'Back home in Derry' and the like. We've put it on the back burner at the moment because some haven't the time but I'm planning on recording an album of revolutionary songs as soon as I have time.

[Papa C.]

Love the sig by the way. What songs are you playing, what's the line up, musician-wise?

[collins]

Thanks, I drew the sig in CorelDraw. I've been doing a fair amount of art lately. You may have seen a recent poster I did for the RSYM in Belfast- a "Love Ulster" poster.

Playing a couple different citterns; one 21" scale and the other 16" scale. I suppose you could call the longer a bouzouki and the shorter a mandola but both have 10 strings and are tuned differently.

I cover artists such as Andy Irvine, Sean Tyrrell, Dick Gaughan, Tommy Sands, Ewan McColl, Pete Seegar, Gordon Lightfoot, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Christy Moore, etc.

Some of the songs: Joe Hill, Only a Miner, Dirty Old Town, And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda, Bittergreen, 90 Miles from Dublin, Smoke and Strong Whiskey, the Bells of Rymney, Daughters and Sons, Little Boxes, the Blacksmith, the Red Flag, Bad Luck to this Marchin', etc.

No line-up; solo at this time. Small coffee house type thing. Where I am in the world, this music is considered novelty.

OK- your turn.

[Papa C.]

In the group we had we listened to a lot of Planxty alright. We mainly played songs played by the Dubliners and we were trying a few Planxty numbers but never mastered them. I played the mandolin and Tin Whistle and another comrade also played mandolin. The other guy (all lads) played the acoustic for the rythym. T'was good craic. I'd like to get it going again but it's finding the time.

I was thinking of putting that quote on my drum kit 'This machine kills fascists!', Genius lol.

What sort of stuff do you usually listen to? Is it all folk/ trad type or is there any other genres you're interested in?

[collins]

That quote is actually stolen from Woody Guthrie... he had it painted on one of his guitars. I think Pete Seegar has it on one of his banjos as well.

I primarily listen to folk and trad. Hate to say this, but I played guitar for 43 years prior to switching to the mandolin family. In that time, I went from bluegrass to country to rock and on to metal. Then I backed off to folk-rock (still keep a Rickenbacker 12-string around), and then ended with roots rockabilly (yeah, I remember when Blue Suede Shoes was a new song). During that time I was slinging Gretches around- alot of "western maple stain (orange) coloured guitars around then. Have played in 3-5 piece bands at different times.

I'm apt to listen to just about anything: Sheryl Crow always pleases and I see alot of potential in Avril LaVigne. Own several cds by the Coors and Cranberries. I'm not too keen on "rap" because I hate canned music; also, most seems too repetative to me. Alot of female pop singers these days are just doing the same old same old Mariah Carey type sugary soul crap.

I like music that is different, interesting and doesn't try to please everyone.

[Papa C.]

Yeah, I read about Woodie Guthrie recently. I'd like to read a bit more about him and his music actually.

I'm interested in any revolutionary music because I can relate to it and find it interesting to hear other peoples opinion on social theory. I'm the same when it comes to rap but this guy Zearle is quite interesting because he talks about class warfare and I think it's a great change from the rubbish you usually hear.

As I'm a drummer I'd be listening to music that has very interesting drum beats so there's a lot of rock 'n roll on my shelf. The IRSM flute bands are very interesting as well

[collins]

Seems I always went towards Joan Baez for social commentary. Pete Seegar, too. A guy I work with from Glasgow is obsessed with Billy Bragg who, I believe, was tight with Pete Seegar at some point. Acoustic Guitar magazine has an article about him in this month's issue.

Have you ever heard the cd, "Songs of Irish Labour"? Old fashioned, traditional stuff for the most part- definately NOT over-produced. Very worth having. Another good cd is the one Ray Collins put out many years back for the IRSP. The recording quality is a bit dicey, though. Someone should remaster the thing. Great songs though. Ray gave me permission to use any I saw fit.

For a guy with a whole lot of thought on social theory (and more experience than I like to think about), I suppose I should try to write some stuff- time's getting shorter at my age (52). Maybe I will. It would be nice to leave something behind.

[RedFlag32]

collins said:

Seems I always went towards Joan Baez for social commentary. Pete Seegar, too. A guy I work with from Glasgow is obsessed with Billy Bragg who, I believe, was tight with Pete Seegar at some point. Acoustic Guitar magazine has an article about him in this month's issue.

Have you ever heard the cd, "Songs of Irish Labour"? Old fashioned, traditional stuff for the most part- definately NOT over-produced. Very worth having. Another good cd is the one Ray Collins put out many years back for the IRSP. The recording qu
ality is a bit dicey, though. Someone should remaster the thing. Great songs though. Ray gave me permission to use any I saw fit.

For a guy with a whole lot of thought on social theory (and more experience than I like to think about), I suppose I should try to write some stuff- time's getting shorter at my age (52). Maybe I will. It would be nice to leave something behind.

I have that ray collins cd,its amazing!

[Papa C.]

I've heard of that album 'songs of Irish Labour' I think there's a web site for it somewhere, which I can't remember off hand.

That's cool about Ray Collins. You should definitely write and record some revolutionary songs. There’s not enough out there for my liking lol ;D

[collins]

OK, tell you what... anything I write I'll run it by you first. You can tell me if it's total crap or worth a go. ;D

I'm starting to get the feeling you and I are the only people playing on this board. Pity really- it has given me hours and hours of pleasure. Over here it seems fewer and fewer yound people are actually playing instruments anymore. They don't know what they're missing.

[Papa C.]

Cool that'd be great Collins! I'd love to hear some of your stuff.

There are a lot of young people picking up instruments over here. When I went to school (long time ago now when I think about it. I keep thinking I'm still 18!) I knew more people who played music than those who didn't so there was a great musical 'buzz' around our areas. There was always something to talk about when it came to music and come to think of it, I think that's all we really talked about at the time lol. That, and booze and women of course

We listened to and played mainly rock music for a long time so it was great when we all slowly got into trad/folk music independently of each other afterwards. These days I'd listen to anything that pushes the boundaries even a little (needless to say Destiny's Child aren't in my cd collection).