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‘He lived his life the same way he made music: improvising as he went; scattering brilliance, beauty, rage and destruction in his wake. Drawing on almost 100 new interviews, Small Hours is a raw and utterly gripping account of sixty years of daredevil creativity, soaring highs and sometimes unconscionable lows.’ I interviewed John Martyn just… Read more »
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Karine Polwart Julie Fowlis Seckou Keita Kris Drever Kerry Andrew Rachel Newton Beth Porter Jim Molyneux In 2018 Folk by the Oak Festival were overjoyed to commission Spell Songs, a musical companion piece to The Lost Words by author Robert Macfarlane and artist Jackie Morris; a celebrated ‘spell book’ rich with poetic rhythms and… Read more »
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Ninebarrow are a multi-award-winning folk duo, who are impressing audiences across the country with their innovative and captivating take on the folk tradition. Described by Mark Radcliffe as sounding ‘like two halves of one voice’ and by Kate Rusby as ‘absolutely amazing’, Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere combine breath taking vocal harmonies and melodies, delivering… Read more »
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This is the book of the show, which also inspired Crampton’s adaptation of the Transports. Recounted via a series of snapshot tales and songs this book allows you to put together the sorry tale of brutality, aggression and arrogance that seems to be a never ending part of the human condition. The three words in… Read more »
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You might have come across Hedgespoken at a festival or two over the past few years. Rima Staines and Tom Hirons entertain and entrance with stories told from their travelling Summer home come stage. Tom is an exceptional weaver of tales and Rima is a fantastically talented artist (you might recognise her through her covers… Read more »
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In this time, when earning a living from music must seem a more daunting task than ever, musicians draw upon their art in a variety of ways. Some turn to painting, some are found running workshops for other aspiring musicians. For Willy Vlautin, writing novels has become a central element to his artistic output. It’ll… Read more »
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Best known as the man behind the Roud Folk Song Index used to reference songs collected from the oral tradition, Steve Roud is one of the leading folklorists in England. He’s published a variety of books but it’s the arrival of ‘Folk Song in England’ with over 600 pages that concerns us here. Unlike other… Read more »
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Written by Paul Slade ‘Unprepared to Die – America’s greatest murder ballads and the true crime stories that inspired them‘ explores the real stories behind the murder ballad. These ballads are a staple of American roots music, Slade explores the reality behind eight of these iconic songs and murders. Each chapter takes a murder story… Read more »
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The Folio Society is proud to present the first title in its new 007 collectors’series. Few characters have come to define a genre as James Bond has done, and this introduction to his world, with its merciless villains, spectacular dangers, ill-fated romances and exotic settings, is Fleming at his best. A lavish edition, with seven… Read more »
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Can you give us an idea of the history of marbling related to books. Have there been fashions in marbling over the years and do you get asked to match historical patterns? Though these days marbled papers have a diverse usage traditionally they were used within the process of bookbinding. The first recorded use in… Read more »
