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August 2022

Sorrow and solidarity in the coalfield, with Bob Fox, Benny Graham, Jez Lowe and Billy Mitchell

Jagged forks of lightning tore across the sky above Marseille as I began a two-hour drive home from the airport, listening to the opening tracks of Bare Knuckle, a copy of which had been waiting for me on a fleeting... Read more →


Cover Story: (27) Seduction, witchcraft and sometimes savagery on Broomfield Hill - Bellowhead or Dr Faustus

Aug 2022: a great song and two great performances of it described. Sadly, I still cannot locate a clip of Dr Faustus's version. if anyone out there can help, please write to me at this link or just post something... Read more →


Cover Story: (72) The Bells of Rhymney. Ian Campbell Folk Group, Chris Hillman,The Alarm, Joan Baez and back to Idris Davies

The revived, evolving discussion at Salut! Live about the origins and differing interpretations of The Bells of Rhymney, Idris Davies's emotive 1930s poem from the South Wales coalfield that became an outstanding song in Pete Seeger's expert hands, reminds us... Read more →


Cover Story: (71) The Bells of Rhymney. Judy Collins, Robyn Hitchcock, Mick Softley and a Dylan enter the fray

And still they keep coming. No sooner had I added the John Denver version of The Bells of Rhymney to the original file - posted all of 50 instalments of the Cover Story series ago and now updated here -... Read more →


Cover Story: (21) The Bells of Rhymney. Pete Seeger, the Byrds or Oysterband. Or indeed John Denver

Aug 2022: responses from readers when this item first appeared in 2017 led me to investigate an unexpected treasure: John Denver's version of the song in question, The Bells of Rhymney. I have never been a fan of the late... Read more →