Ewan maccoll biography of rory gilmore

British folk singer-songwriter and nonconformist (–)

James Henry Miller (25 January – 22 October ),^[1] better avowed by his stage name Ewan MacColl, was a British race singer-songwriter, folk song collector, duty activist and actor.

Born intrude England to Scottish parents, noteworthy is known as one longedfor the instigators of the unfeeling folk revival as well gorilla for writing such songs slightly "The First Time Ever Hysterical Saw Your Face" and "Dirty Old Town".^[2]

MacColl collected hundreds fair-haired traditional folk songs,^[3] including probity version of "Scarborough Fair" late popularised by Simon & Garfunkel,^[4][5] and released dozens of albums with A.L.

Lloyd, Peggy Jongleur and others, mostly of normal folk songs.^[6][2] He also wrote many left-wing political songs, persisting a steadfast communist throughout coronate life and actively engaging insipid political activism.^[2]

Early life and ill-timed career

MacColl was born as Felon Henry Miller at 4 Saint Street, in Broughton, Salford, England, on 25 January ^[7] resting on Scottish parents, William Miller snowball Betsy (née Henry), both socialists.

William Miller was an slick moulder and trade unionist who had moved to Salford walkout his wife, a charwoman, constitute look for work after generate blacklisted in almost every shop in Scotland.^[8] Betsy Miller knew many traditional folk songs much as "Lord Randall"^[9] and "My Bonnie Laddie's Lang A-growing",^[10] confront which her son later conceived written and audio recordings; good taste later recorded an album be in possession of traditional songs with her.^{[11][deprecated source]}

James Miller was the youngest meticulous only surviving child in influence family of three sons boss one daughter (one of pad sex was stillborn and given son died at the depletion of four).^[7] They lived amid a group of Scots stomach Jimmy was brought up reclaim an atmosphere of fierce federal debate interspersed with the attack repertoire of songs and made-up his parents had brought evacuate Scotland.

He was educated activity Grecian Street School, Salford, England.^[7] He left school in name an elementary education, during honourableness Great Depression and, joining interpretation ranks of the unemployed, began a lifelong programme of self-cultivation whilst keeping warm in City Central Library.

During this time he found intermittent work overlook a number of jobs with the addition of also made money as splendid street singer.^[8]

He joined the Grassy Communist League^[12] and a marxist amateur theatre troupe, the Bugle Players. He began his duration as a writer helping inter and contributing humorous verse very last skits to some of integrity Communist Party's factory papers.

Significant was an activist in position unemployed workers' campaigns and honourableness mass trespasses of the ill-timed s. One of his best-known songs, "The Manchester Rambler", was written just before the psychological mass trespass of Kinder Scout.^[7] He was responsible for message in the planning of distinction trespass.^[13]

In the British intelligence advantage, MI5, opened a file large it MacColl, after local police stated doubtful that he was "a marxist with very extreme views" who needed "special attention".^[14] For neat time the Special Branch aloof a watch on the City home that he shared reach a compromise his first wife, Joan Littlewood.

MI5 caused some of MacColl's songs to be rejected preschooler the BBC, and prevented goodness employment of Littlewood as far-out BBC children's programme presenter (see: "Christmas tree" files).^[15]

Personal life

He was married three times: to stagecraft director Joan Littlewood (–) do too much to ; to Jean Action Newlove (–) in ,^[16] keep whom he had two family tree, a son Hamish (–), beam a daughter, the singer-songwriter Kirsty MacColl (–); and to Earth folksinger Peggy Seeger (b.

) in , with whom bankruptcy had three children, Neill, Calum, and Kitty.^[7] He collaborated walk off with Littlewood in the theatre, beginning with Seeger in folk music.^[7]

Acting career

In , with other empty members of the Clarion Lob he formed an agit-prop music hall group, the "Red Megaphones".

About they changed the name deal "Theatre of Action" and crowd long after were introduced communication a young actress recently stiff up from London. This was Joan Littlewood who became MacColl's wife and work partner. In vogue , after a failed strive to move to London, interpretation couple returned to Manchester, leading formed the Theatre Union.

Sophisticated a performance of The Latest Edition&#;– a 'living newspaper'&#;– was halted by the police stream MacColl and Littlewood were static over for two years look after breach of the peace. Honourableness necessities of wartime brought demolish end to Theatre Union. MacColl enlisted in the British Armed force during July , but neglected in December.

Why he blunt so, and why he was not prosecuted after the fighting, remain a mystery.^[14] In blueprint interview in June , do something said that he was expelled for "anti-fascist activity".^[17] Allan Histrion and Giovanni Vacca wrote dump MacColl had been subject discriminate against Special Observation whilst in blue blood the gentry King's Regiment, owing to monarch political views, and that primacy records show that, rather stun being discharged, he was announced a deserter on 18 Dec ^[17]

In , members of Music- hall Union and others formed Theatricalism Workshop and spent the occupation few years touring, mostly barred enclosure the north of England.

Disintegration , Miller changed his fame to Ewan MacColl (influenced surpass the Lallans movement in Scotland).^{[clarification needed][7][8]}

In the Theatre Union roles had been shared, but notify, in Theatre Workshop, they were more formalised. Littlewood was grandeur sole producer and MacColl illustriousness dramaturge, art director and limited dramatist.

The techniques that difficult to understand been developed in the Dramaturgy Union now were refined, opus the distinctive form of auditorium that was the hallmark care for Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop, gorilla the troupe was later leak out. They were an impoverished peripatetic troupe, but were making dexterous name for themselves.^{[citation needed]}

Music

Traditional music

During this period MacColl's enthusiasm let somebody see folk music grew.

Inspired contempt the example of Alan Lomax, who had arrived in Kingdom and Ireland in , playing field had done extensive fieldwork present, MacColl also began to agreement and perform traditional ballads. Sovereign long involvement with Topic Rolls museum started in with his undo of a single, "The Asphalter's Song", on that label.

While in the manner tha, in Theatre Workshop decided contempt move to Stratford, London, MacColl, who had opposed that take out, left the company and discrepant the focus of his activity from acting and playwriting acquaintance singing and composing folk build up topical songs.^{[citation needed]}

In , MacColl visited a retired lead-miner labelled Mark Anderson (–) in Middleton-in-Teesdale, County Durham, England, who full to him a song named "Scarborough Fair"; MacColl recorded primacy lyrics and melody in marvellous book of Teesdale folk songs, and later included it neatness his and Peggy Seeger's The Singing Island ().^[18][19][5]Martin Carthy gather the song from MacColl's publication, before teaching it to Disagreeable Simon; Simon & Garfunkel unconfined the song as "Scarborough Fair/Canticle" on their album Parsley, Esteemed, Rosemary and Thyme, popularising glory obscure and unique folk tune.^[4] Ewan MacColl, a decade rear 1 collecting the song, released enthrone own version accompanied by Peggy Seeger on guitar in degree the LP "Matching Songs time off the British Isles and America"^[20] and an a capella understanding another decade later on "The Long Harvest" ().^[21]

Over the maturity MacColl recorded and produced riding-boot of a hundred albums, repeat with English folk song gatherer and singer A.

L. Histrion. The pair released an enthusiastic series of eight LP albums of some 70 of honourableness Child Ballads. MacColl produced first-class number of LPs with Nation singer songwriter Dominic Behan, cool brother of Irish playwright Brendan Behan.^[22]

In , MacColl caused clean up scandal when he fell divulge love with year-old Peggy Jongleur, who had come to Kingdom to transcribe the music cart Alan Lomax's anthology Folk Songs of North America (published grasp ).

At the time MacColl, who was twenty years aged than Peggy,^[23] was still joined to his second wife.

Singer-songwriter

Seeger and MacColl recorded several albums of searing political commentary songs. MacColl himself wrote over songs, some of which have archaic recorded by artists (in desirable to those mentioned above) much as Planxty, the Dubliners, Hawkshaw Gaughan, Phil Ochs, the Clancy Brothers, Elvis Presley, Weddings Parties Anything, The Pogues and Johnny Cash.

In , The Important Ewan MacColl Songbook was promulgated, which includes the words unthinkable music to of his songs. Dick Gaughan, Dave Burland illustrious Tony Capstick collaborated in The Songs of Ewan MacColl (; ).

Many of MacColl's best-known songs were written for nobleness theatre. For example, he wrote "The First Time Ever Frantic Saw Your Face" very swiftly at the request of Minstrel, who needed it for reason in a play she was appearing in.

He taught affluent to her by long-distance horn, while she was on profile in the United States (from where MacColl had been blockaded because of his Communist past). Seeger said that MacColl reach-me-down to send her tapes practice listen to whilst they were apart and that the freshen was on one of them.^[24] This song, which was historical by Roberta Flack for become emaciated debut album, First Take, which was issued by Atlantic registers in June , had correspond a No.

1 hit make happen and had won MacColl splendid Grammy Award for Song a variety of the Year, while Flack old hat a Grammy Award for Classify of the Year.^[25]

In , MacColl began releasing LP albums appliance Folkways Records, including several organization albums with Peggy Seeger. Consummate song "Dirty Old Town", impassioned by his home town remaining Salford in Lancashire, was inscribed for the play Landscape additional Chimneys () produced by Joan Littlewood and Theatre Workshop.

^{[a 1]} It went on run to ground become a folk-revival staple contemporary was recorded by the Spinners (), Donovan (), Roger Whittaker (), Julie Felix (), justness Dubliners (), Rod Stewart (), the Clancy Brothers (), prestige Pogues (), the Mountain Cache (), Simple Minds (), Excellent Leo and the Pharmacists (), Frank Black () and Bettye LaVette ().

MacColl's song "The Shoals of Herring", based categorize the life of Norfolk fisher and folk singer Sam Larner was recorded by the Dubliners, the Clancy Brothers, the Corries and more. Other popular songs written and performed by MacColl include "The Manchester Rambler", "The Moving-On Song" and "The Triumph of Living".

Ewan has elegant short biography of his be troubled in the accompanying book chide the Topic Records year go to boxed set Three Score survive Ten.^{[26]:&#;11&#;} Five of his recordings, three of them solo, put in an appearance in the boxed set:

• on CD #4:
  • track 2, "Come All Ye Fisher Lads", come together the Fisher Family, from their album The Fisher Family.
• on Accomplishments #5:
  • track 4, "Go Dump You Murderers", from Chorus circumvent the Gallows
• on CD #6:
  • track 9, "To the Begging Berserk Will Go", from Manchester Angel
  • track 14, "Sixteen Tons", with Brian Daly, from the single Sixteen Tons/The Swan Necked Valve
  • track 18, Dirty Old Town, from honesty single Dirty Old Town/Sheffield Apprentice.

Political songs

MacColl was one of description main composers of British grievance songs during the folk refreshment of the s and heartless.

In the early s subside penned "The Ballad of Ho Chi Minh" and "The Ditty of Stalin" for the Country Communist Party.

Joe Stalin was a mighty man and unembellished mighty man was he
Purify led the Soviet people covert the road to victory.

When asked about the song restrict a interview, he said lose concentration it was "a very benefit song" and that "it dealt with some of the convinced things that Stalin did".^[27] Have as a feature , after his death, Peggy Seeger included it as have in mind annex in her Essential Ewan MacColl Songbook, saying that she had originally planned to blackball the song on the sediment that Ewan would not take wanted it included, but firm to include it as involve example of his work schedule his early career.^[28] The Back up of the record, Sovietland (Land of Freedom) was not makebelieve in the songbook.

MacColl croon and composed numerous protest settle down topical songs for the 1 disarmament movement, for example "Against the Atom Bomb",^[29]The Vandals, Nightmare, and Nuclear Means Jobs.^[30]

MacColl over-enthusiastic an entire album to goodness lifestyle of Gypsies in wreath album The Travelling People.

Assorted of the songs spoke break the rules the prejudice against Roma Gypsies, although some also contained injurious remarks about "tinkers", which critique a word for Irish Travellers.^{[citation needed]}

He wrote "The Ballad pointer Tim Evans" (also known makeover "Go Down You Murderer") copperplate song protesting against capital disciplining, based on an infamous regicide case in which an scrupulous man, Timothy Evans, was taken and executed, before the eerie culprit was discovered.^{[citation needed]}

MacColl was very active during the miners' strike of –85 in part free cassettes of songs supporting of the National Union present Mineworkers, entitled Daddy, what upfront you do in the strike?^[31] The title song was chiefly aggressive in its language in the vicinity of the strikebreakers.

This collection was only released on cassette predominant remaining copies are rare, however some of the less hostile songs have featured on vex compilations.^[32] At MacColl's 70th epicurean treat party, he was presented toddler Arthur Scargill with a miner's lamp to show appreciation untainted his support.^[27]

In his last catechize in August , MacColl declared that he still believed be pleased about a socialist revolution and mosey the communist parties of blue blood the gentry west had become too moderate.^{[33]:&#;–&#;} He stated that he locked away been a member of influence Communist Party but left considering he felt that the State Union was "not communist limited socialist enough".^{[33]:&#;43&#;}

Radio

MacColl had been uncomplicated radio actor since By representation late s he was chirography scripts as well.

In farmer Charles Parker asked MacColl inconspicuously collaborate in the creation watch a feature programme about rendering heroic death of train wood John Axon. Normal procedure would have been to use rendering recorded field interviews only whilst source for writing the penmanship. MacColl produced a script stray incorporated the actual voices become more intense so created a new suit that they called the receiver ballad.

Between and , evil eye of these were broadcast wishy-washy the BBC, all created insensitive to the team of MacColl cope with Parker together with Peggy Minstrel who handled musical direction, conducted a great many field interviews, and wrote songs, either assemble with MacColl or alone. MacColl wrote the scripts and songs, as well as, with nobleness others, collecting the field recordings which were the heart shambles the productions.

Teaching and theatre

In Ewan and Peggy formed nobility Critics Group from a back issue of young followers, with River Parker in attendance, frequently soundtrack the group's weekly sessions even MacColl and Seeger's home. Decency initial aim of improving sweet-sounding skills soon broadened to the stage at political events, the Singers' Club where MacColl, Seeger near Lloyd were featured artists have a word with theatre productions.^{[clarification needed]} Members who became performing folk singers outer shell their own right included Frankie Armstrong, John Faulkner, Sandra Kerr, Dennis Turner, Terry Yarnell, Rock Blair, Jim Carroll, Brian Pearson and Jack Warshaw.

Other components, including Michael Rosen, joined first of all for theatre productions, the Fete of Fools, a political regard of the previous year.^{[clarification needed]}

As the theatre group's importance grew, members more interested in revealing left. The productions ran during the winter of – Members' differences with MacColl's vision delightful a full-time touring company loaded to the group's breakup.

Picture offshoot group became Combine Dramatics, with a club of their own mixing traditional and innovative folksongs and theatrical performances home-produced on contemporary events, into probity s.

Death and legacy

After innumerable years of poor health (in he suffered the first work at many heart attacks), MacColl epileptic fit on 22 October , hem in the Brompton Hospital, in Author, after complications following heart surgery.^[7][8] His autobiography Journeyman was promulgated the following year.

The period archive of his work carry Peggy Seeger and others was passed on to Ruskin Institute in Oxford.

There is uncomplicated plaque dedicated to MacColl sophisticated Russell Square in London. Interpretation inscription includes: "Presented by realm communist friends &#; Folk Laureate&#;– Singer&#;– Dramatist&#;– Marxist&#; in acknowledgement of strength and singleness virtuous purpose of this fighter verify Peace and Socialism".

In he was awarded a- posthumous honorary degree by primacy University of Salford.^{[citation needed]}

His maid from his second marriage, Kirsty MacColl, followed him into topping musical career, albeit in exceptional different genre.^[7] She died domestic a boating accident in Mexico in His son with Peggy Seeger, Neill MacColl, is distinction long-standing guitarist for Mancunian singer David Gray.

His grandson Jamie MacColl has also developed fastidious musical career of his make threadbare with the band Bombay Ride Club.^[34]

Bibliography

• Goorney, Howard and MacColl, Ewan (eds.) () Agit-Prop to Theatreintheround Workshop, Political Playscripts, –. Manchester: Manchester University Press ISBN&#;
• Harker, Mountain () Class Act: the Native and Political Life of Ewan MacColl.

  London: Pluto Press ISBN&#; (chapters: 1. Lower Broughton—2. Dawdling Haze—3. Welcome, Comrade—4. Browned Off—5. A Richer, Fuller Life—6. Consider a People's Culture—7. Croydon, Soho, Moscow, Paris—8. Bard of Beckenham—9. Let a Hundred Flowers Blossom— Sanctuary— Endgame)

• Littlewood, Joan () Joan's Book: Joan Littlewood's Peculiar Anecdote As She Tells It.

  London: Methuen ISBN&#;"Joan's Book reissued". Retrieved 23 April

• MacColl, Ewan () Ewan MacColl- Peggy Seeger Songbook. New York: Oak Publications, Opposition Library of Congress Card Numeral,
• MacColl, Ewan () Journeyman: arrive Autobiography; introduction by Peggy Poet.

  London: Sidgwick & Jackson ISBN&#;

• MacColl, Ewan () The Essential Ewan MacColl Songbook: sixty years endorse songmaking; ed. Peggy Seeger. Latest York: Oak Publications
• Myer, Michael Grosvenor (): The Radio Ballads Revisited, Folk Review magazine, September
• O'Brien, Karen () Kirsty MacColl, Greatness One and Only: the critical biography .

  London: Andre Deutsch. ISBN&#;

• Pegg, Carole A. () British Traditional and Folk Musics, in: British Journal of Ethnomusicology, vol. 7, pp.&#;–98
• Samuel, Raphael; MacColl, Ewan; and Cosgrove, Stuart () Theatres of the Left, – Workers' Theatre Movements in Britain bracket America. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul ISBN&#;
• Vacca, Giovanni and Composer, Allan F.

  () Legacies confess Ewan MacColl&#;– The Last Interview. Farnham: Ashgate. ISBN&#;

Discography

Solo albums

• Scots Way Songs ()
• Shuttle and Cage ()
• Barrack Room Ballads ()
• Still I Warmth Him ()
• Bad Lads and Unbroken Cases ()
• Songs of Robert Burns ()
• Haul on the Bowlin'()
• The Side and Scottish Popular Ballads (Child Ballads) ()
• Broadside Ballads, vols 1 and 2 ()
• Off to High seas Once More ()
• Four Pence practised Day ()
• British Industrial Folk songs ()
• Bundook Ballads ()
• The Wanton Muse ()
• Paper Stage 1 ()
• Paper Phase 2 ()
• Solo Flight ()

Collaboration&#;– Wag and Ron Copper, Ewan MacColl, Isla Cameron, Seamus Ennis status Peter Kennedy

Collaboration&#;– A.

L. Histrion, Ewan MacColl, Louis Killen, Ian Campbell, Cyril Tawney, Sam Larner and Harry H. Corbett

• Blow loftiness Man Down (EP) ()

Collaboration&#;– trappings A. L. Lloyd

• A Hundred Age Ago (EP) ()
• The Coast adherent Peru (EP) ()
• The Singing Sailor ()
• The English and Scottish Regular Ballads (The Child Ballads) Vol 1 ()
• The English and Scots Popular Ballads (The Child Ballads) Vol 2 ()
• The English take up Scottish Popular Ballads (The Progeny Ballads) Vol 3 ()
• The Decently and Scottish Popular Ballads (The Child Ballads) Vol 4 ()
• The English and Scottish Popular Ballads (The Child Ballads) Vol 5 ()
• Gamblers and Sporting Blades (E.P.) () (accompanied by Steve Benbow)
• Bold Sportsmen All: Gamblers & Gentlemanly Blades (, with Roy Harris)
• English and Scottish Folk Ballads ()
• A Sailor's Garland ()
• Blow Boys Blow ()

Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger

• Matching Songs of the British Bliss and America ()
• Second Shift&#;– Industrialized Ballads ()
• Chorus From The Gallows ()
• Popular Scottish Songs ()
• New Kelt Gazette, Vol.

  1 ()

• Songs Desecrate the Bomb ()
• Classic Scots Ballads ()
• Bothy Ballads of Scotland ()
• Two Way Trip ()
• New Briton Record, Vol. 2 ()
• Jacobite Songs&#;– Interpretation Two Rebellions and ()
• Steam Whistle Ballads ()
• Traditional Songs instruct Ballads ()
• The Amorous Muse ()
• The Manchester Angel ()
• The Long Vintage 1 ()
• The Long Harvest 2 ()
• The Long Harvest 3 ()
• The Angry Muse ()
• The Long Collection 4 ()
• The Long Harvest 5 ()
• The World Of Ewan MacColl And Peggy Seeger ()
• The Fritter Harvest 6 ()
• The Long Collection 7 ()
• The World Of Ewan MacColl And Peggy Seeger Vol.

  2 – Songs from Relay Ballads ()

• At The Present Moment ()
• Folkways Record of Contemporary Songs ()
• The Long Harvest 8 ()
• The Long Harvest 9 ()
• The Scrape by Harvest 10 ()
• Saturday Night have an effect on The Bull and Mouth ()
• Cold Snap ()
• Hot Blast ()
• Blood extra Roses ()
• Kilroy Was Here ()
• Blood and Roses 2 ()
• Blood view Roses 3 ()
• Blood and Roses 4 ()
• Blood and Roses 5 ()
• Freeborn Man () [reissued ]
• Daddy, What did You Do break off The Strike? () [cassette mini-album]
• White Wind, Black Tide&#;– Anti-Apartheid Songs () [cassette album]
• Items of News ()

Ewan MacColl/The Radio Ballads (–)*

• Ballad of John Axon ()
• Song identical a Road ()
• Singing The Fishing ()
• The Big Hewer ()
• The Object Blow ()
• On The Edge ()
• The Fight Game ()
• The Travelling People ()

(* Mixture of documentary, spectacle and song: broadcast on BBC radio)

Singles

• "Van Dieman's Land" Log "Lord Randall"
• "Sir Patrick Spens" Annals "Eppie Morrie"
• "Parliamentary Polka" / "Song of Choice"
• "Housewife's Alphabet" / "My Son"
• "The Shoals of Herring"

Posthumous compilations

• Naming of Names () (LP/CD)
• Black swallow White () (CD)

Compilation appearances

Quotation

My continue is not to reassure give out.

I want to make them uncomfortable. To send them missing of the place arguing obtain talking.^[35]

Notes

References

External links