h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: The Wonderful World of Folk Music - A2879337
Author: Fraggle - U174252

I think this is really good, but I wrote it, so I would...

To get an entry into the Edited Guide you should have a look at the guidelines, in particular those about first-person references. As it is, this entry would be ideal for the alternative writing workshop, or the Post, but it would need work to be Edited Guide material.

I'll come back and have a look at this later, Fraggle.

Firstly PLEASE change the title.

Folk music is also about participation, be it singing along or banging your head on the table in time to the music.

I think you need to make it a bit less jokey.

Your contraversial bit is not contraversial at all, though folk purists would argue strongly for non-electrical instruments.

I think there's a hole in the guide waiting to be filled and this article could do it - but it will need some work.



(and please add Woody Guthrie to your list of artists - the guy practically gave birth to American Folk - just br writing it down.)

You could also link to the Copper Family A701010 and Scottish Folk A1061371 and possibly to mummers, pace-egging and souling folk plays A655526.

If I were doing the entry, I would make mention of the roots of folk music, mention Cecil Sharp and Ralph Vaughn Williams, the folk revival of the 50s, (the Weavers, Peter Paul and Mary, Pete Seeger, Bert Lloyd, Ewan McColl, etc) and the new wave of young talent which we now have.

Here's a great BBC link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/folkcountry/guide_folk.shtml

As has been said before, you will need to take out the first person, Fraggle and reword it in the third person.

thanks for all the feedback, I've taken it all on board and am in the process of changing bits as we speak. I am quite surprised at the positive nature of (most of) the responses to my entry. Sorry, one's entry. I might change the title, but I (sorry, one) think it kinda fits.

your's in the first person,

Fraggle xxxx

Oh yeah, and sorry about the jokes. Fraggle (see! I can do third person! D'OH!) is sure that the founder of this esteemed publication will be spinning in his grave at the mere thought of people being in the least bit silly.

Firstly I'm sulking at everybody for not having mentioned Huddie William Ledbetter (Leadbelly) who was a walking encyclopedia of american folk/blues/gospel etc... Massive infulence the folk movement from the 40s onwards,

Plus, in his later carear Dylan did put out Good As I've Been to you and World Gone Wrong which are both acoustic folk albums. Also Disc 1 of the Bootlegs is mainly folk with folk appearing on 2 and 3 a lot

My understanding as the comic protector of the Blues is that Gospel and Blues grew up side by side from folk, and spirtuals, gospel by day, blues by night as it were. With the respecable memebers of society beliving that secular music was non-christian and could only lead to runiation. Indead Georgia Tom Dorsey - the father of Gospel was orginally a bluesman, writing tunes such as Tight Like That (covered by amoung others Dylan and Everly Brothers as Step It Up And Go) with Tampa Red.

Mention could be made of the folklorists such as Harry Smith and John and Alan Lomax.

My personal opinion may be that folk generally tales a sorry from the people.

I'm wondering if perhaps the mentioning of artists worth it. Are you attempting a general introduction to folk ? By firstly saying that folk can be any music for the people by the people and then just giving a few names without explaing what type of stuff they do will not really IMHO let the guide reader out to look for their work.

I do really agree that this is an important part of the music and heritiage and should be covered.

BTW
Does anybody know what Anti-folk is ? cause I've giged with Anti-folkers and we play similar stuff..

Fair points - but I wasn't sure if there was a word limit or anything so I tried to keep it concise. I included the suggested listening bit purely because I think that those artists can give a reasonable snapshot of what Folk is about - I never intended it to be an exhaustive list.

But hey! aren't we promoting this important heritage issue just by writing this stuff! Someone types in "folk" into an H2G2 search, they get my silly and (all too, apparently) jokey entry, and then they read the comments, get ideas and go forth and record buy.

Job done.

Agree with the Leadbelly bit. My favourite old session pub had a signed and framed photo of the guy on a wall. Respect, as they say in Hip Hop...

Hey Fraggle,

When you get around to doing more to this article it would be worth creating hyperlinks to the following Edited Guide Entries:

The Copper Family A701010
Popular Music Genres A337024

Fraggle,

If and when your entry gets pick by a <./>scout</.>, the first thing that the Editors will do is to see if you have taken account of comments in the PeerReview and if you haven't, chances are that the entry will be rejected. When an entry is accepted, then a new copy is sent to a <./>sub-editor</.> and when it appears on the front page, it will be without the Peer Review thread.

Fair point matey, guess I was just having a bit of a strop! Sorry. I've checked out the guidelines and I am a bit off the mark, so I'm in the process of sorting bits out. As regards hyperlinks, can that only be done in GuideML? And as for all the suggestions of other people to include, keep 'em coming. I might just include a thread link so people can keep adding suggested listening ideas, rather than my (admittedly limited) suggestions being prevalent. Even if they are rather good.

I do appreciate the feedback and apologise again for not taking some criticism seriously.

Oh yeah, Zarquon's Singing Fish: main apology to you.

Frag xx

I would, however, recommend that anyone with any interest in anything even vaguely folky get their bottoms over to www.edenburning.co.uk and download "the Hatchery", a free MP3 "best of" album produced by the sadly defunct and hugely underrated band.

Why are you still here?

Go on!

No offence taken, Fraggle. As a scout and a sub-editor, it's part of my job. We're here to help and encourage.

It's also a subject of interest for me, although I haven't visited a folk club in some years now, not since little was born (no, I fib, I got a babysitter once).

You can add hyperlinks to an entry in plain text. Although the scouts like entries in GuideML, some of the subs would much sooner have a good entry in plain text than one in poor GuideML. I don't mind either - having an entry needing work to do gives me more of a challenge.

I'll remember your last sentence Zarquon, next time a Reviewr asks me to put in all my para. tags correctly!

Okay ladies and gents: Version 2.0 of the entry has been posted and is available for your purusal. I took on board the majority of feedback - including taking it out of the 1st person, Zarquon!

I hope you enjoy it, and again, keep up the feedback.

Ooh, yeah, have fun with the suggestions bit...

Cheers
Frag xx

Ad, BIGAL, remember I was speaking personally ... I don't claim to speak on behalf of all scouts or sub-editors. I know some who are distinctly unhappy at the thought of having to go through an entry with a) typos, b) poor GuideML, c) double apostrophes used where single ones should be, etc. Me, I don't mind - makes it more fun.

Fraggle,

The entry's looking much better now. It still has a fairly generalised feel. How about some relevant links, which might help it be more specific. There are several suggestions in the thread.

Cheers Zarquon. Quick question: to link something in, do you just type in the entry code while editing and the guide does it all for you, like hyperlinks on Word?

I think I left it general because as I said, it is such a massive area of music. Any recommendations on specifics?

yours with a hey-nonny-no,

Frag xx

oh yeah, don't know where you are geographically, but there's a pretty good folk club down here on the outskirts of Londinium called The Ram at the Foley Arms in Claygate, just between Surbiton and Epsom. I think they've got a website called the Ram Page (yeah, I know...). Friday nights.

Fraggle,

Been to Claygate before the advent of little and always had fun there. With an eight year old and no-one to look after him, it's not so easy, and it's a fair way from here.

Well, there are h2g2 Edited entries to link to. All of the ones on the thread would be suitable. As it's ages since I did plain text for an entry, I'm not sure whether for an h2g2 link you just put the entry number and it's name, eg A701010 The Copper Family or whether you have to put the whole address.

Tell you what, why not try putting it in GuideML. All it needs is to top and tail each bit with the relevant tags.

Go to Edit Entry. Change to GuideML and you will immediately get the right format to begin.

Put at the beginning of paragraphs and at the end. For headers, use Name of header.

Once you've done that, give us a shout and we'll help put the links in. It will look sooooh much nicer. Promise!

you are the dude, Zarquon. I will change it as soon as this damn red wine wears off. I hate suffering for my art...

frag xx