The Changing Face of English Traditional Music: Electric Folk

The Changing Face of English Traditional Music: Electric Folk explores the ways in which traditional English music has been adapted and changed over time.

The Traditional Music Scene in England

In recent years, there has been a resurgence in popularity for English traditional music. This is in part due to the efforts of a new generation of musicians who are bringing the music to a wider audience. Electric folk is a new style of music that is influenced by traditional folk music but uses electric instruments.

The early days of electric folk

Electric folk is a subgenre of folk music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It draws on traditional folk music, and uses electric instruments and amplified techniques.

Some of the earliest exponents of electric folk were Fairport Convention, who experimented with electric instruments on their 1968 album Liege & Lief, and were followed by other British bands such as Pentangle, Steeleye Span and Tyrrell. In the early 1970s, American artists such as John Fahey and Ry Cooder began to experiment with electric folk, drawing on British and Irish traditions.

The Electric Folk Festival was held in England in September 1970, and featured Fairport Convention, Pentangle, Steeleye Span, Tyrrell, John Fahey and Ry Cooder. The festival was influential in promoting electric folk as a viable genre, and paved the way for further experimentation in the field.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a number of artists began to fuse electric folk with other genres such as punk rock (The Clash), new wave (Elvis Costello) and rockabilly (The Cramps). This led to the development of what is sometimes known as punk Folk or new wave Folk.

In the 1990s and 2000s, there has been a resurgence of interest in traditional folk music, with many artists exploring its potential for contemporary expression. This has led to the emergence of a new generation of electric folk bands who are taking the genre in new directions.

Some notable electric folk bands include Bellowhead, The Levellers, Eliza Carthy & The Wayward Band, Oysterband, Faustus and The Young’uns.

The rise of the Fairport Convention

In 1967, a group of young musicians came together in the village of Fairport near Leicester. They were inspired by the folk music revival that was sweeping the country, but they also wanted to experiment with new sounds and ideas. The result was a new kind of music that blended traditional folk songs and tunes with elements of rock and roll.

The Fairport Convention became one of the most influential bands of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Their sound was distinctive and fresh, and their approach to songwriting and musicianship was highly innovative. Many of their songs are now considered classics, and they inspired a whole generation of musicians to explore the potential of electric folk music.

The advent of Pentangle

In 1967, a band called the Pentangle released an album that would change the course of English traditional music forever. The album, titled “The Pentangle” was a collection of traditional songs and tunes that had been given a new lease on life by being performed on electric instruments.

The band was made up of three folk musicians – Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, and Jacqui McShee – and two jazz musicians – Danny Thompson and Terry Cox. Together, they created a sound that was at once both familiar and new. The electric guitars and Thompson’s double bass gave the music a driving energy that was reminiscent of rock and roll, while thetraditional melodies and Jansch and Renbourn’s virtuosic guitar playing brought an entirely new level of intricacy to the music.

The Pentangle’s self-titled debut album was a huge success, reaching number 4 on the UK charts. It cemented the band’s place in music history as one of the most important innovators in English traditional music.

The Changing Face of Electric Folk

Folk music has been around for centuries, and it has undergone many changes over time. One of the most recent changes has been the addition of electric instruments to traditional folk bands. This has resulted in a new genre of music known as electric folk.

The British folk revival of the 1960s

The British folk revival of the 1960s was a social and musical phenomenon that saw the resurgence of English traditional music. This was largely due to a growing interest in world music and the work of ethnomusicologists such as Alan Lomax, who popularized traditional songs among the young. The revival had an important impact on popular culture, influencing fashion, film, television, and literature.

It also had a major impact on the development of rock music, with bands such as Fairport Convention and Pentangle incorporating traditional material into their repertoire. The revival spawned a new generation of folk musicians, including some who would go on to form successful careers in other genres, such as Simon & Garfunkel and Sandy Denny.

Despite its name, the folk revival was not limited to England; it also had a significant impact in Scotland and Wales. In Scotland, the almost exclusively male Edinburgh Folk Club was pivotal in spreading interest in folk music, while in Wales the BBC’s Radyr Gymraeg ( Welsh for “Folk Music”) broadcasts were important in ensuring that traditional music reached a wider audience.

The influence of rock music

In the 1950s and 1960s, when traditional music was being recorded by commercial record companies for the first time, it was often seen as old-fashioned and out of touch with the modern world. In an effort to make it more palatable to a wider audience, some traditional musicians began to experiment with adding elements of rock and pop music to their sound. This led to the development of a new genre of music known as electric folk.

Electric folk is a fusion of traditional folk music and various forms of rock music. It is usually characterized by the use of electric guitars, drums, and other instruments traditionally associated with rock music, as well as by a greater emphasis on melody and personal expression than is found in traditional folk music. Electric folk bands often make use of traditional folk songs and tunes, but they also typically write their own original material.

The first band to experiment with electric folk was Fairport Convention, who released their self-titled debut album in 1968. Since then, many other bands and artists have followed suit, including such well-known acts as Pentangle, Steeleye Span, Lindisfarne, Roy Harper, and Richard Thompson. Electric folk has also been taken up by a number of more mainstream artists such as Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Emmylou Harris, and Fleetwood Mac.

The rise of singer-songwriters

The 1960s and ’70s saw the rise of the singer-songwriter and the slow erosion of the English folk tradition. The new breed of performer was often educated and middle class, with little or no connection to the working-class roots of the music. The new performers wrote their own songs, often about personal or political topics, and accompanies themselves on guitar or other common folk instruments.

The traditionalists, meanwhile, looked on in horror as their music was co-opted by a generation of people who had no understanding of its history or culture. The old songs were adapted to fit the new style, with often disastrous results. The new folk performers did bring some fresh energy to the music scene, but they also paved the way for the commercialization and commodification of folk music.

The Future of Electric Folk

Electric folk is a genre of music that has been on the rise in recent years. This type of music takes traditional folk songs and adds an electric twist to them. Many people enjoy electric folk because it is a new and exciting take on an old genre of music.

The popularity of folk festivals

Electric folk is a type of folk music that first emerged in the 1960s and 1970s. It typically uses electric, sometimes amplified, instruments and is often associated with rock music.

In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in folk music, particularly among younger audiences. This has been driven in part by the popularity of folk festivals, which have become increasingly popular across the United Kingdom and Europe.

Folk festivals provide a platform for emerging and established folk musicians to perform to large audiences. They also offer an opportunity for people to learn about different types of folk music and to meet other like-minded people.

The future of electric folk looks promising, with more people than ever interested in exploring this type of music. It is hoped that this will lead to more opportunities for electric folk musicians to perform and record their music.

The growth of the online folk music community

Since the early 2000s, the internet has played an increasingly important role in the world of folk music. With the rise of social media, online platforms like YouTube and SoundCloud, and digital music stores like iTunes and Bandcamp, musicians and music lovers from all over the world have been able to connect with each other and share their love of folk music like never before.

This has had a profound impact on the folk music scene, helping to revive interest in traditional songs and tunes, and giving rise to a new generation of talented young musicians. The growth of the online folk music community has also led to the development of new subgenres, such as electric folk and neo-folk, which fuse traditional folk influences with modern styles such as rock, pop, and electronica.

As the folk music scene continues to evolve in the digital age, there is no doubt that it will continue to surprise and delight us with its creative energy and ability to stay relevant in a ever-changing world.

The influence of new technology

The influence of new technology can be seen in the changing face of English traditional music, particularly in the use of electric folk instruments. While some purists may decry the use of such instruments, there is no denying that they have made English traditional music more accessible to a wider audience.

In the past, English traditional music was often passed down from generation to generation within families or close-knit communities. However, with the advent of new technology, such as recording devices and the internet, it has become easier for people to access a wide range of traditional music from all over England. This has led to a wider variety of styles being incorporated into electric folk music.

One example of how new technology has influenced electric folk music is in the way that it is now often created. In the past, most electric folk songs were either written by professional songwriters or adapted from existing traditional tunes. However, nowadays it is not uncommon for electric folk songs to be composed by everyday people using computer software or even smartphone apps. This has made it possible for anyone with an interest in create their own versions of English traditional tunes.

The influence of new technology can also be seen in the way that electric folk music is now performed. In the past, most electric folk bands would have consisted of a group of musicians playing acoustic instruments such as guitars and fiddles. Nowadays, however, many electric folk bands make use of synthesizers and other electronic equipment to create their unique sound. This has made English traditional music more exciting and dynamic than ever before.

It is clear that new technology has had a major impact on the sound and style of electric folk music. While some purists may resist these changes, there is no denying that they have made English traditional music more accessible and exciting than ever before.