Back in the 1960s, British music was awash with groups of fashionable-looking young people, usually though not exclusively all-male, who belted out the Mersey Sound and its Manchester, Tyneside, Scottish, Irish and London equivalents. But folkies had their special band,... Read more →
I was shocked and saddened to hear today of the death of Norma Waterson, wife of Martin Carthy, mother of Eliza and a wonderful woman who has been so prominent in British folk music for so many decades. She was... Read more →
CLICK ANYWHERE ON THIS PARAGRAPH TO EXPLORE THE FULL COVER STORY SERIES - COMPARING DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THE SAME SONGS AND SOMETIMES TUNES My Sunderland AFC losing 6-0 today will be labelled a disaster. It is nothing of the sort.... Read more →
Jan 2022: better late than never. Had I thought of it sooner, there might have been a post yesterday to commemorate the birth of Robert Burns on Jan 25 1759. But then, Wikipedia helpfully states that Burns celebrations may be... Read more →
January 2022 update: this magical piece of northern humour made a remarkable ascent of the British pop charts in 1981, reaching the heady heights of number three. It is a riotously funny send-up of a famous old TV advert for... Read more →
Jan 2022 update: a few months ago, I republished this item with mention of the Monday morning blues that had sent me to YouTube for one of my regular Kate Rusby fixes. I have been championing her music for around... Read more →
