What's the Country Music Scene Like in Europe and the UK?

[johnnelles]

A good friend of mine - who plays in a country swing band - went on a European tour about a year and a half ago. It's funny: in the US, they're nobody - but in the EU they were treated like stars.

His tour report can be found here. It's a very funny read.

[Fatmanstratman]

Originally Posted by Roli

Less is more.

Keep Britain tidy.

[Maestro]

My dad had in a country band in the 60's 70's here in holland they made 2 us tours on an invitation from the CMA. both tours where 6 weeks. They had a number 1 hit in 75 here in holland with nice cover of a merle haggard song. They where the first band in holland to have a n1 hit with a country song and the 2 to have a hit with a country song. They also played a lot in germany on US bases there. My dad is a huge country music fan and when he talks about the us tours he always talks about meeting chet atkins playing at the grand ole opry (I'm was the only kid in school who knew what that was) Country has a strong wave from in populairity here. Some years it's very populair (mostly because of line dancing and shania twain) some years it's almost dead. But there are also here the cowboy wannabe's (I think you'll have those all around the world, john wayne is just to cool to resist, even if you don't like
country or the old west)

But there is only 1 country music show on the radio (hosted by the singer of my dad's old band actually) So the apeal is only with a very specific crowd. And younger singers like Ilse delange who started out as a country singer didn't become populair until she started to go more mainstream.

I grew up listening to country music, I love the music, but I think that country, for reasons unkown to me, seems to have a higher percentage of bad lyrics and vocalists then most other music. So country music is the only music that I prefer to be without vocals. Though there are always exceptions to this rule (Cash, Conny smith, Dusty springfield etc)

just my 2 cents

[Paul in Colorado]

Linked from the "Nashville Nights and Dixie Days" web site I found this:

http://www.cmib.co.uk/

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by J-man

Hehe I'll get you for that one day.

No harm done I hope!?

[Daniil]

There's a surprisingly active bluegrass scene in Finland - well, in Helsinki anyway. Jams every week, some gigs and a couple festivals every year. Also there are some rockabilly bands, I think quite a few, actually. But apart from these we don't really have much country music in Finland.

Put it to you this way: we have a single radio station that has a country music program for one hour once a week. That's it.

I once walked into the biggest department store in Helsinki and asked if they had any Hank Williams records. They said: "Hank who?" and "try the jazz section." Mind you this was a few years back, nowadays they do have a country section - not much of a selection, but it's an improvement.

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by Fatmanstratman

Rec79, I'm really sorry, but I think that is exactly the point that soltwanger was trying to make - I couldn't even watch beyond the first chorus, 'cos that was the most sterile type of "Achey Breakey Heart" music I have ever heard...

If you posted it "tongue in cheek", then forgive me for being a bit 'thick' and not spotting the humour. But if you were being serious, I think you have just (unintentionally) explained to me why the Country scene IS so limited in the UK.

We are simply not brought up with this type of music on a day-to-day basis. It is far removed from the 'mainstream' music that recieves airplay on our main radio stations. You have to be introduced to this sort of music by other "disciples" - it rarely comes to you.

Now, on my visits to the States, one thing that I noticed is that Country & Western music is a big part of your lives - especially down in Texas - and it is MUCH more common to hear it on any radio station while driving along.

Please don't take this to be in ANY way a criticism of your taste in music - I'm sure it sounds just as good to your ears as it sounds dreadful to mine - I'm sure that you would probably abhore MY taste in music too!... - just to try to explain that, I happen to HATE asparagus, cheese sauce, aubergines and avocado pears, yet my wife LOVES all those things, and just can't understand how I could fail to like 'em. For my part, I can't understand how anybody could put themselves through the 'torture' of eating such awful things! But we ARE all individuals.....

If ever there was proof that (a.) we all have our own opinions, and (b.) those opinions are often at variance, this discussion concerning Country music has nailed it for me.

All I said was that Harlan Howard wrote that song - Heartaches By The Number - . And I do enjoy that song on a friday night with a good cigarr and a glass of whiskey and the TELECASTER in my hand (or my beautiful girlfriend !) If you don´t like it, don´t tell me about it! I don´t care!

[johnreardon]

Originally Posted by john s

John...I apologise and should have realised the diffrence.
"Hatred of English sport eh?...ha..."

No problem, at least you were aware that Wales existed. The EEC lot cut Wales off one of their maps

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...06/wales06.xml




BTW well done for hammering England at cricket

[weelie]

Originally Posted by johnnelles

A good friend of mine - who plays in a country swing band - went on a European tour about a year and a half ago. It's funny: in the US, they're nobody - but in the EU they were treated like stars.

Yes, that happens, for sure.

A relatively obscure Sun records country artist (He recorded there around 1958-59, I think) recently recorded his latest album right here in Finland. Went to see the concert (thanks to Freewheeler, who's band played the support slot), and the country stuff was great, he was like an imitation of Johnny Cash (played his songs too), the all Finnish band was sublime. But the crowd wasn't into it, they were waiting for the Rockabilly set that came after the country set. And, well, he had a different backing band, and the rockabilly set was pretty lame. :/

And on of the guys from Volkaert/Kirchen/Goldmark's "Twangbangers", Dallas Wayne, lived in Finland for a while in the 90s. It was real big that he recorded some Finnish songs in English... but I wonder if he is/was really known anywhere else? Fine traditional country stylings, for sure, but...

[Fatmanstratman]

Originally Posted by Rec79

All I said was that Harlan Howard wrote that song

Sorry, Rec79, I think you may have misunderstood me. I did of course see that you pointed out the writer of the song. I was referring to your other comment...

Originally Posted by Rec79

Here is a version with Martina McBride! Oh what a wonderful classic 4/4 shuffle!!!

That was what I was referring to when I said:

Originally Posted by fatmanstratman

Please don't take this to be in ANY way a criticism of your taste in music - I'm sure it sounds just as good to your ears as it sounds dreadful to mine - I'm sure that you would probably abhore MY taste in music too!...

It was simply my opinion in a discussion about country music. It just happens to differ to your opinion, but when I last checked the forum rules, members were allowed to express opinions that may differ to others, provided that they were respectful.

I made a special point of asking you NOT to take my comments as a criticism of your taste in music, and tried my best to show the utmost respect to you. Which was more than can be said for your comment of:

Originally Posted by Rec79

If you don´t like it, don´t tell me about it! I don´t care!

With respect, if you "don't care", then why respond to an honest opinion in such a rude manner?.....

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by Fatmanstratman

With respect, if you "don't care", then why respond to an honest opinion in such a rude manner?.....

I am sorry too Fatman. Didn´t mean to be rude. But when I post a song that I like and YOU tell me:

that was the most sterile type of "Achey Breakey Heart" music I have ever heard...

I get a bit upset...

[Fatmanstratman]

My apologies, Rec79 - I just re-read my earlier post and I can see that I was somewhat inconsiderate of other folks' tastes in music.

I guess I must also learn more respect for the opinions of others....

No hard feelings?...

[J-man]

Originally Posted by johnreardon

No problem, at least you were aware that Wales existed. The EEC lot cut Wales off one of their maps

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...06/wales06.xml




BTW well done for hammering England at cricket

Yeah and Ireland seems to have wandered over to england..

[Paul in Colorado]

Originally Posted by J-man

Yeah and Ireland seems to have wandered over to england..

It's the Continental Drift combined with Global Warming.

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by Fatmanstratman

My apologies, Rec79......
No hard feelings?...

No hard feelings here!

[OrovilleTim]

I'd bet it's about as good as the Euro music scene in the South

[Paul in Colorado]

Originally Posted by OrovilleTim

I'd bet it's about as good as the Euro music scene in the South

That's a good way to look at it!

[Gunslinger]

Originally Posted by soltwanger

I live in Norfolk, england which is considered the 'country music central' of the UK

BY WHO?????

I'd would second that question, i've been swinging a telecaster in country bands since i was 14, thats 15 years and the only thing I associate Norfolk with is Bernard Mathews Turkey Roasts

Linedancers: Let me tell you about Linedancers. I used to play in a country band called The Last Train, We used to play every couple of months at a large country music venue called Forte San Antone. Here, people dress up as cowboys, they drink out of tankards and have big knives and guns that go BANG. They dance around like fools and then they have pretend gun fights to see who is the fastest gun (judged by a lazer)

[Big John]

Originally Posted by soltwanger
I live in Norfolk, england which is considered the 'country music central' of the UK
BY WHO?????

Historicly that IS correct, but not really since the 80's !
East Anglia was home to the USAF from WWII up to the fall of the Berlin wall and although we didnt have a 'club' scene as such we didnt need one, every tiny village had its weekly dance and it was pretty much always a C&W band of some description that played there.
Living with and mixing with folks from "over there" was second nature as was alot of the music/lifestyle, i dont think i ever "filled my car with petrol", it was always "gassed up".
I left school at 15 to play for a living and then 85% of my work was on base, we were close to a dozen big bases each with their own club system, why would i want to play anywhere else ?.
We were also lucky enough to have some great bands come 'off base' too, the 'real deal' i guess, at least, it was too me.
The whole idea of a 'club' is what killed it really, most people i know dont WANT to be in a 'club' for anything, only the sad individuals who like to be in 'clubs' i guess.
Yes, things are different now, without the 'drip drip' of culture coming off base it just 'aint the same, i'm happy to say " I was there" when the scene was really at its hottest.
Unfortunately i'm no stranger to your neck of the woods either and that bl**dy 'Fort San Antone' place !!, the things you see when you dont have your gun !!

[soltwanger]

haha yeah, Norfolk is the capital of everything represented by Gunslinger's comments, and then some. festivals in aircraft hangers...... line dancing to scissor sisters...... couples dancing with their yorkshire terriers dressed up in western gear (no joke)...... norfolk is very much the capital of 'country music' because believe me, over here the term means something completely different to what it means in the real world :-)

Big John, i thoroughly enjoyed that insight. Glad to hear a little about the background from someone who knows what they are talking about, rather than the aforementioned nerds who populate my county haha. favourite from elitist nerd so far:

''willie nelson has a load of my songs, i sold them to him in nashville even though i have never been in my life. hes in the studio recording them right this second''

reminds me of the fast show's archie ''hardest game in the world!''

[Big John]

Originally Posted by soltwanger

''willie nelson has a load of my songs, i sold them to him in nashville even though i have never been in my life. hes in the studio recording them right this second'' reminds me of the fast show's archie ''hardest game in the world!''

Haw haw de haw !! :-0

The only worry is, i know someone who dresses up like that at the weekend but during the week he is some kind of aircraft fitter at Norwich airport, thank God i fly from somewhere else !!

FOR SURE there is a good documentary to be made from around here but if you did it people wouldn't believe it !, they would think it was scripted to be that stupid !!

Dont worry Sol they'll all be gone in another 5 years, trouble is who's going to replace them ??