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

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00clyvc

I hope that's the right link. I caught the folk day prom on BBC4 on Sunday. Really good. Martin Simpson and Bellowhead were brilliant and Bella Hardy has a good voice (and is very clever in my view as she can sing and play violin at the same time!).

My favorite Martin Simpson tunes include: When a Knight Won His Spurs (ok, he didn't write it, but I love the arrangement) it's @ roughly 45.47 on the timecounter if anyone's interested and his song, Never Any Good is after it.

He's also the only artist I know who can turn tuning his guitar into a piece of music in itself!

It's too bad the video for it has dropped off the iplayer. (I thought it was a technical fault with my computer!) Bit unfair really, I thought all progs were available for 7 days, but just because there's prom coverage every night on BBC 4 at the moment it looks like it's only available for 24 hrs. Damn. That means if I posted it yesterday everyone on hootoo could've seen it too.

Nnnnnoooooo!!

Was looking forward to that one!! Thought I'd sit at the computer with a cup of tea later this evening.

The audio's still there. Sorry, did I write like the *whole thing* had dropped off iplayer? It's still there, catch it while you can. Sorry!

Well the iplayer goes weird sometimes. Will have a look for it.

The link I posted should still work

yup its still there

yey! Will have a listen now.

Quite like the songs. Skipped to the bit you recommemded there. Quite relaxing music too.

Yes, I know, I think When a Knight Won His Spurs is brilliant. He wrote the bit at the beginning. It's called Kits tune. Quite hypnotic I guess. Could send you to sleep really! What did you think of Never Any Good? I think the lyrics are amazing.

Maybe amazing is the wrong word I dunno. I think it's just because the subject matter's so personal, and you want to hear the conclusion of the story. It's very moving.

I like it when song lyrics actually mean something. Gibberish ones can be fun, but in that kind of song, you need lyrics that have meaning.

Yeah. What did you think then? it's ok if it wasn't your thing, I know that it's kind of an aquired taste. I admit I haven't liked every song I had heard by Martin Simpson, but there are several I like a lot.

Quite liked it. Don't think I've heard him before really. Think you're the first person I've heard talk about him. Folk stuff wouldn't normally be my thing though.

I'm really new to his stuff as well. I didn't know who he was til about 9 months ago. I'm not a massive folkie as I was pretty much brought up with my dad's record collection and he likes rock stuff but he has some john Martyn records (he said they were mum's!) and also Steelye Span. He likes Steelye a lot but he still didn't know that Martin supported Steelye Span on tour early in his career. I found that quite surprising because their approach is so different. I don't mind Steelye, but I have to be in the mood for their stuff.

Surpising who you hear opens concerts for people. Totally different styles.

yeah I know. um, I'm trying to think of some more examples now, er, Duke Special supported Crowded House when I saw them. When I saw Toploader a local band called Easyworld supported them (they have a huge entry on Hootoo bozzarely). Deborah Bonham supported Paul Rodgers I think but I missed most of her set because we were late to the gig (blasted Bristol one way system!)

I *HATE* one way systems!! We've a terrible one here.

Sounds like you've sen quite a few good people then.

I guess I've been quite lucky with gigs. I've also seen a lot of local artists at really small gigs in pubs and at my local theatre, but those ones were the major ones I've been to. I guess there was the Finn Brothers too, but Liam Finn supported them (he's Neil's son) so that doesn't really count as he is Finn family, but he was excellent. Uses loop pedals and stuff to layer his music, gets a whole band sound on stage even though its just him and his drummer friend.

Sounds like fun. Think I've heard loop things been done before. Can sound great, though must take a bit to set up.