25/02/2010

Chumbawamba grasp the nettle

day four of their guest editorship and they tackle the eternal riddle; What is Folk? Their dissection of the current scene and its foibles is a masterful analysis of the gentrification of folk music, where are the factory songs amidst the rural idyll conjured by Cecil Sharpe et al?

A great quote from Cecil Sharpe is '(Let us) distinguish between the instinctive music of the common people and the debased street-music of the vulgar', Boff's riposte is 'Well, I love that vulgar and debased street music and I’d say it has as much right to be seen as an important part of our culture and history as John Barleycorn and the rest.'

Whatever your opinions, this is a stimulating piece. Click here to read it

bookmark this story with::