Ralph on You Tube

[Chris]

The Tea still has it's on mini-site on Billy's website....where there's a number for wholesale sales - but I'm sure they'd tell you whether it was still being produced.

Oddly enough, I saw Billy last night on the second date of his current tour in Birmingham....I wish this had been posted sooner & I could have asked him....

[Henrik]

There was an American guy asking on YT, where
you can get this chari-tea in the US ...

I couldn't help suggesting to have a look around in Boston (harbour)

H.

[Henrik]

There is a fellow called Lee Mitchell, who does some excellent
Ralph covers on YouTube :

From Clare to Here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVqJAJXhtpY

Nettle Wine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7IyPV3Fp6w

That'll Do Babe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm8wtAImjL0

Slipshod Taproom Dance  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqL4AXn8v14

[ Can anyone here please explain to me what a "Slipshod Taproom" is ?   ]


Arthur Blake
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH0WIAVTJxU


Enjoy  

H.

[Naomi]

[ Can anyone here please explain to me what a "Slipshod Taproom" is ?   ]

H.

Certainly Henrik!  

'Slipshod' describes something badly or carelessly done, and a 'taproom' is another word for a bar - i.e. the room in a Pub/Inn where drinks are served. (Presumeably because the drinks are 'on Tap' there.) So the phrase 'slipshod taproom dance' means a badly executed dance in a pub - it's the dance, not the taproom that's slipshod in this case!

(Unless of course it's a badly run bar!   )

Hope that makes sense.  

Naomi

[Henrik]

[ Can anyone here please explain to me what a "Slipshod Taproom" is ?   ]

H.

Certainly Henrik!  

'Slipshod' describes something badly or carelessly done, and a 'taproom' is another word for a bar - i.e. the room in a Pub/Inn where drinks are served. (Presumeably because the drinks are 'on Tap' there.) So the phrase 'slipshod taproom dance' means a badly executed dance in a pub - it's the dance, not the taproom that's slipshod in this case!

(Unless of course it's a badly run bar!   )

Hope that makes sense.  

Naomi

Great - yes, it does now, thank you, Naomi.

Well, I suspected that it has something to do with a bar  
But it didn't make much sense anyway.

Hope you liked the videos ? - I think he did very well most of the time.

H.

[John Beresford]

...I suspected that it has something to do with a bar

I love the line where Dylan says, "I've never been behind bars, only in front of them."

[Henrik]

...I suspected that it has something to do with a bar

I love the line where Dylan says, "I've never been behind bars, only in front of them."

Haha, yes - unlike our Ralph who has actually been behind bars ( in the court case sketch ).

It's a shame he isn't an American though - when I think about the huge compensation
claims I could make against him - and probably win   -  for sore finger tips and hand joints,
along with endless psychological defeats and embarrassments when attempting to play his songs and for
making me highly "drug" dependant on them .....   He really ought to be ashamed with himself, right ?

H.

[Al]

There is a fellow called Lee Mitchell, who does some excellent
Ralph covers on YouTube :

From Clare to Here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVqJAJXhtpY

Nettle Wine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7IyPV3Fp6w

That'll Do Babe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm8wtAImjL0

Slipshod Taproom Dance  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqL4AXn8v14

[ Can anyone here please explain to me what a "Slipshod Taproom" is ?   ]


Arthur Blake
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH0WIAVTJxU


Enjoy  

H.

hmmm, I find it hard to take anyone seriously when they wear a baseball cap on their head like that   Maybe I'm just old-fashioned  

[Henrik]

There is a fellow called Lee Mitchell, who does some excellent
Ralph covers on YouTube :

From Clare to Here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVqJAJXhtpY

Nettle Wine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7IyPV3Fp6w

That'll Do Babe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm8wtAImjL0

Slipshod Taproom Dance  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqL4AXn8v14

[ Can anyone here please explain to me what a "Slipshod Taproom" is ?   ]


Arthur Blake
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH0WIAVTJxU


Enjoy

H.

hmmm, I find it hard to take anyone seriously when they wear a baseball cap on their head like that   Maybe I'm just old-fashioned  

Yes !   So I take it you are not into rap and hip-hop either, Al ?  

Or maybe you still have all your hair and he doesn't ?  

Well, apart from that don't you think he did very well ( most of the time -
a few details that need to be worked a bit on, yes ) ? I was very impressed
all in all.

Btw. how are your versions coming along, Al ? cap or no cap ....

Henrik

[Al]

Btw. how are your versions coming along, Al ? cap or no cap ....

Henrik

They are as they have been for years - no rehearsal necessary, nor cap  

I dont want to get drawn into passing comments on the playing of everybody doing Raphy covers on YouTube ( most of which are absolutely execrable ) but he is one of the better ones. I will say I do like some of his "Nettle Wine", some interesting variations, I would guess that that has evolved lots over the years  

[Henrik]

Btw. how are your versions coming along, Al ? cap or no cap ....

Henrik

They are as they have been for years - no rehearsal necessary, nor cap  

I dont want to get drawn into passing comments on the playing of everybody doing Raphy covers on YouTube ( most of which are absolutely execrable ) but he is one of the better ones. I will say I do like some of his "Nettle Wine", some interesting variations, I would guess that that has evolved lots over the years  

Well, but you mentioned something a while back about recording your versions for us to hear.

And I agree - only I don't mention every single SoL version that appears, only those
Ralph covers that I think really stand out, are interesting and are non-SoL  

Fair enough, Al - I just wondered what you - and others - thought about his skills in general.
They are way above mine anyway, so I feel I can pick up a lot of info watching these.
I think his Slipshod and Arthur Blake still need a bit of work though, but there are still some really
promissing signs, I think. "We" would so much love to have (more) video of the man himself playing these
wonderful songs, so until that day comes around, this will have to do.

H.

[JJ (Joanna)]

I think this guy does the best 'Ralphy' stuff I have seen. Being a non-guitarist I can't account for all the 'twiddly bits' but I think his technique is very good and better than a lot of amateurs. I am sure it's not easy playing some of this; plus to have the confidence to film it too. I am not altogether sure about his different timings etc but overall I like him!

 Keep on practising Henrik and you never know some day we may be putting a youtube of you playing Nettle Wine or HofJ in the not so distant future!  

J

[Henrik]

I think this guy does the best 'Ralphy' stuff I have seen. Being a non-guitarist I can't account for all the 'twiddly bits' but I think his technique is very good and better than a lot of amateurs. I am sure it's not easy playing some of this; plus to have the confidence to film it too. I am not altogether sure about his different timings etc but overall I like him!

 Keep on practising Henrik and you never know some day we may be putting a youtube of you playing Nettle Wine or HofJ in the not so distant future!  

J

Good points, Joanna
Thank you.

Well, hmmmmm  ..... to paraphrase a well known ToTT-episode ( The Great Mysterio - Christmas special  ) :

"Oh, Nooo ?!??!  Nooo !?  No, No, NOO !!! "  ( said in a very astonished and panicking, Ralphy way  )  

[Leighton]

I think this guy does the best 'Ralphy' stuff I have seen. Being a non-guitarist I can't account for all the 'twiddly bits' but I think his technique is very good and better than a lot of amateurs. I am sure it's not easy playing some of this; plus to have the confidence to film it too. I am not altogether sure about his different timings etc but overall I like him!

J

I should find this guy very annoying, but I'm afraid I don't; and on the whole I find him very entertaining. I love the sound of acoustic guitar and he does good versions of the songs he plays, as well as his original stuff. It takes a lot of bottle to film yourself playing and then to put it on the internet for all to see and I have a great deal of respect just for that.

Keep up the good work.

Leighton

[Henrik]

I think this guy does the best 'Ralphy' stuff I have seen. Being a non-guitarist I can't account for all the 'twiddly bits' but I think his technique is very good and better than a lot of amateurs. I am sure it's not easy playing some of this; plus to have the confidence to film it too. I am not altogether sure about his different timings etc but overall I like him!

J

I should find this guy very annoying, but I'm afraid I don't; and on the whole I find him very entertaining. I love the sound of acoustic guitar and he does good versions of the songs he plays, as well as his original stuff. It takes a lot of bottle to film yourself playing and then to put it on the internet for all to see and I have a great deal of respect just for that.

Keep up the good work.

Leighton

Should ? why  Is it that cap thing again ?  

Yes, I agree - most of it is really good - and the rest is very promissing, just a bit more
practice and better timing - taking it easy, instead of speeding too much.

And he is even a nice, helpful guy too. I managed to cut a deal with hiim about some (more detailed)
tabs and advice for some of those tunes.  

And now I even have a slow demo of those parts of HoJ/GDoH, that have
been causing me trouble, including those two infamous base licks/ runs that
have been impossible for me to figure out ( in case anyone is interested ).
 
He has now also added a version of Dry Bone Rag and a John Renbourne tune
about a Lady in a Church ( or something like that ). Both sound fantastic, but
look really difficult ... *SIGH* Looking for matches to set my guitar ablaze - I give up !  

H.

[Henrik]

I forgot to mention his excellent version of Ralph's wonderful instrumental
"Leah's Favourite" :

http://youtube.com/watch?v=_jP3GHqKG70


Enjoy - and start practicing !  

H.

[Leighton]

Ralph singing with his finger in his ear, playing an electric guitar AND Smoking with Swarb - I don't believe it.  

Meet on the Ledge, with FC at from Broughton Castle 1981.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g10UT1WgEFs

[Henrik]

Ralph singing with his finger in his ear, playing an electric guitar AND Smoking with Swarb - I don't believe it.  

Meet on the Ledge, with FC at from Broughton Castle 1981.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g10UT1WgEFs

Haha, great, Leighton - thank you.

He was so wild back then, wasn't he ?  
Bad company ? Peer pressure ?  *LOL*

[davidmjs]

He was so wild back then, wasn't he ?  
Bad company ? Peer pressure ?  *LOL*

I know...but what about the smoking, eh?

[Henrik]

Yes, that too, David  

Setting such a bad example for the rest of us.  


Really great cover version of First Song just up on YT
by Mike. Nice to see more and more of Ralph's other
songs being covered - the really deserve a far wider
audience.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=5ADtjGXMkQU


H.