Musings on the byways of popular culture
It was five years ago today on October 5, 2011 that Bert Jansch died. Along with Davey Graham and John Renbourn, Bert was one of the holy trinity of British folk blues guitarists who between them influenced countless guitarists that followed.
Of Bert’s generation, only Wizz Jones and Ralph McTell are still around and playing as well as ever.
Here’s Bert live on Norwegian TV from 1973 performing Blackwaterside one of his best known songs.
In early 2015 the great folk guitarist John Renbourn died. Along with Bert Jansch and Davey Graham, Renbourn was at the very forefront of the 60s acoustic folk blues revolution, a movement which influenced a entire generation of guitarists, in rock as well as folk.
Back on the old blog I wrote the piece below, which sadly disappeared into the ether following the big Afterword crash. With the first anniversary of Renbourn’s death not too far away, I hope you don’t mind if I present a slightly re-worked version of that essay.
Come with me now as we travel back in time and re-visit… (Get on with it! Ed)
http://i.imgur.com/4KbaUEr.jpg
I’m currently reading the Elvis Costello autobiography and there’s a chapter dedicated to the young Declan’s first faltering steps as a live performer. He describes the folk clubs and pubs who allowed virtually anyone to get up and perform. These days I suppose we’d call them “Open Mic Nights” but back then they weren’t really a feature so much as a way to fill the gaps between the main (ie paid) performers. Sometimes the floor singers were pretty good, often they were terrible, but mostly they were simply dull.
Folk clubs were the natural habit of the floor singer of course and this reminded me of the times I spent at arguably the most famous folk club of them all, Les Cousins.
Come with me now as we travel back in time to a more innocent age….
http://i.imgur.com/6W535qv.jpg
