It was fabulous to get the chance to perform my album of Cicely Fox Smith poems in the were on immediately after me in the church, so I got to hear this fine duo for the second time in a week (as they also opened the Yass Irish and Celtic Festival last weekend). Sometimes as a fellow performer there is an inclination to stay around out of politeness to listen to other performers, but in the case of Wendy and Moira it is an absolute pleasure to hear to their harmonies and mastery of several stringed things. in 2017. Rod came up to me afterwards and gave me his card and suggested that I apply to ..read more

Hopefully at the 2023 festival, the plague will be a bad memory, and we will welcome back performers from across the globe, to the finest festival, in the finest little town on earth. . I had greatly enjoyed the Irish chant that she sang for Annie’s Memorial Concert, so was happy to be able to catch her set at the did an excellent job getting the best sound out of the Lovat Chapel, but I was sad to only catch him and Tidal Moon singing at partial sounds checks. . before calling it a night. sing and play as a duo was also a pleasure, having previously played with them in the local Céilí band ..read more

I have written the letter below in the hope that Julia Donaldson will eventually see it and maybe re-consider her direction to Publishers around fan-created material that is not being used commercially. copyright laws, depending on the country the copyright is held in. of Alfred Noyes poem ‘ ‘ and Julia Donaldson’s book, The Highway Rat ..read more

I ended up setting the ballad to my own melody. The final result is available . Text of the broadside and chords provided below: story. None of the tunes on with names matching the ones referred to in the ballad seemed to relate to the annotated melody. catalogue of broadsides and chapbooks at Harvard ..read more

One of the key things that interested me about the process of making this instrument is that the tools required to build it would have been within reach of many people during the time frame that this instrument was in use among Nordic, Germanic and Anglo-Saxon people (5-13 . The comparative complexity in construction and manufacturing of parts with respect to a steel string guitar, student violin or bouzouki doesn’t seem to match the asking price. I suspect that the niche market is allowing the higher price. site, I figured it would be possible to give it a go. You can hear Paul Butler playing ..read more

P.S. I forgot to mention the very fabulous and a little bit naughty as sung with much enthusiasm and skill by album.  Bob did a brilliant acapella version of By Ibrox Park, from Alistair’s , who I had a brief chat with after my set, sang a heartfelt interpretation of The Day that the Boys Came Down . There were also speeches given by which solidified my admiration for the song writing, artistry and commitment to humanity that Alistair is remembered for. Steph was part of Alistair’s punk band, , Tim Anderson and Alistair’s sister Alison Popov ..read more

So far George Lucas seems to have kept his hand on the tiller and the three most recent films have revived some of the Star Wars magic. To be honest, I really enjoyed the three prequel films as well. What hope for the future though? back then, was the first movie I was taken to as a child. No doubt I didn’t remember much, being only two or three years old. twenty years ago in part to the themes in Star Wars. Similarly, it helped me break free of the restrictive and lifeless religion of my upbringing. The words of Yoda aren’t just fiction, pick up a classical Taoist or Buddhist text and find th ..read more

Most importantly, don’t expect to make a living from your music. Not everyone is going to be Billy Eilish, your first goal should be to enjoy yourself and share your creations. Making music is good for the soul! for my less serious albums and Rolling Down to Old Maui While your computer probably has an ‘audio in’ port, it is not going to be able to capture the recording in high enough resolution or with enough accuracy to create a song that sounds good. Back in the 60s, audio was recorded and processed in analogue format, but audio production on your computer will be digital. Meaning the wavy ..read more

is absolutely false. I am happy to look at any evidence presented to the contrary. . A brief excerpt below, which confirms that in at least Ned’s own mind, he saw his life played out as part of English oppression of the Irish people. I am no historical scholar, or expert on Ned Kelly, but I have read many of the stories, plays and song that appeared in Australian newspapers in the 140 years since his death, and feel I can say with some confidence that the accusation that this particular ballad is ‘ And they hung him in the Melbourne Gaol. But I’m not a murdering man. Can hope to break the bars ..read more

The four treasures associated with Ireland also have a parallel in the mythology of King Arthur and the Holy Grail. The four elements of the ‘Spades and Diamonds, Courage and Power; Clubs and Hearts, Knowledge and Pleasure.’ are the Cup of Christ, the Spear of Loginus, the sword Excalibur (or another sword) and a dish (possibly mistranslated). Britain, not to be outdone, has . I am fascinated by the similarities between Lugh’s spear and the arrow carried by Four Treasures of the Tuatha Dé Danann of how Vikings cooked with a cauldron. In the Bronze Age, the ability to eat and the association of ..read more