General Cropredy Chatter

[Tim Fletcher]

If you are going to get offended by a few stickers then it was good job Billy Bragg wasn’t on the bill,

One of the things about Cropredy is that it is a broad church and most of us are in festival uniform (especially in the rain) so it is hard to make assumptions about backgrounds and roles in civvy street so to speak. I suspect that this bringing together folk from all areas of the UK means that what upsets one person might completely pass someone else by. For a member of the “metropolitan elite” those stickers were hardly noticeable. My own feeling is that there is no harm in a bit of politics or social comment from time to time - one of my favourite right on moments in recent years came rather unexpectedly from Hayseed Dixie back in 2016. As has been mentioned, without this sort of subject matter some of the artists would have not had much to sing about.

However, it might be worth having a read, or re-read, of Simon’s piece in the programme.

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

Can I just say that the language is not my issue, I regularly use language of a colourful nature!!

I also have no issue with any band getting up and singing about political issues as we know that, for some, it is their raison d'être.  If you don't like it, don't listen - go and see the stalls, wander off the field etc.

My main issue is that it starts a creep. Stickers this year, handing out leaflets next year and so on. I simply don't want politics and the nastiness that seems to accompany it these days in my face at Cropredy. I go to escape all that.

I want:
Good music
Decent food
Excellent beer
Dry weather
A comfortable dry place to sleep
Great company to laugh and maybe even cry with

That's all!

[Wandering Steve]

Can I just say that the language is not my issue, I regularly use language of a colourful nature!!

I also have no issue with any band getting up and singing about political issues as we know that, for some, it is their raison d'être.  If you don't like it, don't listen - go and see the stalls, wander off the field etc.

My main issue is that it starts a creep. Stickers this year, handing out leaflets next year and so on. I simply don't want politics and the nastiness that seems to accompany it these days in my face at Cropredy. I go to escape all that.

I want:
Good music
Decent food
Excellent beer
Dry weather
A comfortable dry place to sleep
Great company to laugh and maybe even cry with

That's all!

Absolutely spot on

[StephenB]

What Bridg said (again).

[Ancient Muse (Andy)]

Perfectly put sis  

[davidmjs]

However, it might be worth having a read, or re-read, of Simon’s piece in the programme.

Care to elaborate, Tim?  

[hendo (Dave)]

Amazing how people who don't go to Cropredy keep coming on here to rubbish it.

Amazing how people who don't go to the Brasenose come on here to criticize the Acts playing there.

For me the most enjoyable Acts of Cropredy 2018 were Brian Wilson(for Al Jardine, if he can perform like that at his age there's hope for us all)Merry Hell (absolutely brilliant at the Brase)The Afro Celts , The Doonicans,Zal Cleminson and Kaprekar's Constant. Honorable mention for Eric Sedge who I really enjoyed.

 

Trev, I haven't rubbished anything. I have put points raised by friends of mine who have loved Cropedy for well over 30 years.
It used to be that the Brase and Lion had a few bands on and people would go before the fest started or occasionally pop down to the village.
Now the fringe, particularly the Brase, is pulling it's own non festival going audience , which , particularly this year because of the strength of the Brase lineup , is changing the dynamic, seems to be their argument.
I don't have an opinion. I wasn't there......but I can ask people who were, through this site, their perspective.

I wasn't there cos I was playing somewhere else Thurs, Fri, Sat.

[Tim Fletcher]

However, it might be worth having a read, or re-read, of Simon’s piece in the programme.

Care to elaborate, Tim?  

This is the bit I was referring to, David. Hope the photos are legible and in the right order!

[kevin]

LEST WE SHOULD FORGET.

With apologies to Mr mactell.

There are hundreds buried where they fell in those fields We all adore.

(with reference to what the first word of those stickers was, and that I open cans of beans and tomatoes in the village hall for folky types breakfasts)

Europes colours are blue and gold.
Englands colours are white and red.
brown are the beans when I open the tins.
Red and white is the flag above the bells.

Through Cropredy in Oxfordshire the Cherwell takes it's course.
and the willows weep into it's waters clear.
it did not occur to me that little cropredy .
Could be witness the meeting of both sides.

In August 2018 the sticker people did dwell
Causing division by the canal aside the stream
my bean can slipped and hit me hard in the most sensitive of areas.
Upon the earth the brown beans scattered.


now it did distress me so to see the beans flow
and quickly create a slippery slope
in white and red My colours swam and sweat broke on my brow
And faint i knew I must lie down.
At first i thought that the stickers were just inside My head
So I raised my brow above the sticky mess.
As i watched as in a dream the brexiteers fought downstream.
The battle of in or out at cropredy.

How Simon remembers all the lines to this is beyond Me, but this little ditty ends when I realised ..

it was just My own dear BALLOCKS.

kEVIN

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

However, it might be worth having a read, or re-read, of Simon’s piece in the programme.

Care to elaborate, Tim?  

This is the bit I was referring to, David. Hope the photos are legible and in the right order!

I totally agree with this, which is why I prefer to keep Cropredy free of politics, so we can return to those days when we just accepted that other people hold a different political view point, without calling them names.
Love Thy Neighbour!  

[Albie]

I think there's a little bit of re-writing history going on. Simon Nicol saying we all used to get on and respect others opinions. I was around in the 80s. You picked a side and you stuck to it. No way would I have had Tory friends, no way, and they wouldn't have wanted me anyhow. They were the enemy.  

I'm a bit more tolerant now, but that's getting older I suppose. The problem with Brexit is it splits the left and splits the right, it isn't the usual political divide.

I like bands that are political and have something to say, as long as they more or less match my views of course.    I won't be buying the Skrewdriver back catalogue yet awhile.

[Malcolm]

Whatever one may think of the Masons, they have a very strict rule at their meetings - No discussion of religion or politics. The exclusion of those topics means that there should be no grounds for falling-out with a colleague.

There is also a very pertinent rhyme, which I think is Scottish:

"Convince a man against his will,
 He's of the same opinion still".

[Sue & Chris]

LEST WE SHOULD FORGET.

With apologies to Mr mactell.

There are hundreds buried where they fell in those fields We all adore.

(with reference to what the first word of those stickers was, and that I open cans of beans and tomatoes in the village hall for folky types breakfasts)

Europes colours are blue and gold.
Englands colours are white and red.
brown are the beans when I open the tins.
Red and white is the flag above the bells.

Through Cropredy in Oxfordshire the Cherwell takes it's course.
and the willows weep into it's waters clear.
it did not occur to me that little cropredy .
Could be witness the meeting of both sides.

In August 2018 the sticker people did dwell
Causing division by the canal aside the stream
my bean can slipped and hit me hard in the most sensitive of areas.
Upon the earth the brown beans scattered.


now it did distress me so to see the beans flow
and quickly create a slippery slope
in white and red My colours swam and sweat broke on my brow
And faint i knew I must lie down.
At first i thought that the stickers were just inside My head
So I raised my brow above the sticky mess.
As i watched as in a dream the brexiteers fought downstream.
The battle of in or out at cropredy.

How Simon remembers all the lines to this is beyond Me, but this little ditty ends when I realised ..

it was just My own dear BALLOCKS.

kEVIN

Strewth, those stickers really upset you, didn't they? Equating them to witnessing a battle, with all its bloodshed and loss of human life? Er...okay.

Just think yourself lucky they didn't stick them on the side of a bus and drive it round the country!

[Field 7 is Heaven (Trev)]

For me leavers and remainers at Cropredy should have united and driven them down the lane, over the Bridge, and out of town.

They were not invited and not welcome.

Whatever our views we are at Cropredy to share a good time. Three days free of division...is it too much to ask?

[GubGub (Al)]

Whatever our views we are at Cropredy to share a good time. Three days free of division...is it too much to ask?

No but it may be naïve. Politics is everywhere and everything is political. We just choose not to always see things in those terms.

For what it is worth, I think the sticker people have been targeting festivals across the summer. They were certainly at Wickham the previous weekend where they were roundly ignored by some and embraced by others. I am more concerned about the terminology on the stickers which dumbs down the level of discourse to the currently favoured level of infantile sloganeering. Nobody who reduces the argument on either side to three words, and cannot even do so without resorting to expletives, is unlikely to be prepared to listen to an opposing view or enter into a structured debate.

[kevin]

For me leavers and remainers at Cropredy should have united and driven them down the lane, over the Bridge, and out of town.

They were not invited and not welcome.

Whatever our views we are at Cropredy to share a good time. Three days free of division...is it too much to ask?

Spot on.


Kevin

[kevin]

LEST WE SHOULD FORGET.

With apologies to Mr mactell.

There are hundreds buried where they fell in those fields We all adore.

(with reference to what the first word of those stickers was, and that I open cans of beans and tomatoes in the village hall for folky types breakfasts)

Europes colours are blue and gold.
Englands colours are white and red.
brown are the beans when I open the tins.
Red and white is the flag above the bells.

Through Cropredy in Oxfordshire the Cherwell takes it's course.
and the willows weep into it's waters clear.
it did not occur to me that little cropredy .
Could be witness the meeting of both sides.

In August 2018 the sticker people did dwell
Causing division by the canal aside the stream
my bean can slipped and hit me hard in the most sensitive of areas.
Upon the earth the brown beans scattered.


now it did distress me so to see the beans flow
and quickly create a slippery slope
in white and red My colours swam and sweat broke on my brow
And faint i knew I must lie down.
At first i thought that the stickers were just inside My head
So I raised my brow above the sticky mess.
As i watched as in a dream the brexiteers fought downstream.
The battle of in or out at cropredy.

How Simon remembers all the lines to this is beyond Me, but this little ditty ends when I realised ..

it was just My own dear BALLOCKS.

kEVIN

Strewth, those stickers really upset you, didn't they? Equating them to witnessing a battle, with all its bloodshed and loss of human life? Er...okay.

Just think yourself lucky they didn't stick them on the side of a bus and drive it round the country!

They didn' treally upset me, as offend Me, they had no place been there.

There will be no difference whether We are in or out.
our so called politicians should be told clearly to ….


GET ON WITH IT.

And stop all this division.

I stood in front of them and answered in the way all should have done.
I tore off the first word and stuck that on me and said nothing verbally to them.
I think they understood how offended I was at their presence.

Kevin

 

[GubGub (Al)]

Whatever our views we are at Cropredy to share a good time. Three days free of division...is it too much to ask?

No but it may be naïve. Politics is everywhere and everything is political. We just choose not to always see things in those terms.

For what it is worth, I think the sticker people have been targeting festivals across the summer. They were certainly at Wickham the previous weekend where they were roundly ignored by some and embraced by others. I am more concerned about the terminology on the stickers which dumbs down the level of discourse to the currently favoured level of infantile sloganeering. Nobody who reduces the argument on either side to three words, and cannot even do so without resorting to expletives, is unlikely to be prepared to listen to an opposing view or enter into a structured debate.

Sorry, that should have been "likely".

[StephenB]

Double negative apart, you've hit the nail on the head I think (unless you just did a  Trumpesque fake news U-turn    

[Henry Tompkins (Pete)]

LEST WE SHOULD FORGET.

With apologies to Mr mactell.

There are hundreds buried where they fell in those fields We all adore.

(with reference to what the first word of those stickers was, and that I open cans of beans and tomatoes in the village hall for folky types breakfasts)

Europes colours are blue and gold.
Englands colours are white and red.
brown are the beans when I open the tins.
Red and white is the flag above the bells.

Through Cropredy in Oxfordshire the Cherwell takes it's course.
and the willows weep into it's waters clear.
it did not occur to me that little cropredy .
Could be witness the meeting of both sides.

In August 2018 the sticker people did dwell
Causing division by the canal aside the stream
my bean can slipped and hit me hard in the most sensitive of areas.
Upon the earth the brown beans scattered.


now it did distress me so to see the beans flow
and quickly create a slippery slope
in white and red My colours swam and sweat broke on my brow
And faint i knew I must lie down.
At first i thought that the stickers were just inside My head
So I raised my brow above the sticky mess.
As i watched as in a dream the brexiteers fought downstream.
The battle of in or out at cropredy.

How Simon remembers all the lines to this is beyond Me, but this little ditty ends when I realised ..

it was just My own dear BALLOCKS.

kEVIN

Strewth, those stickers really upset you, didn't they? Equating them to witnessing a battle, with all its bloodshed and loss of human life? Er...okay.

Just think yourself lucky they didn't stick them on the side of a bus and drive it round the country!

They didn' treally upset me, as offend Me, they had no place been there.

There will be no difference whether We are in or out.
our so called politicians should be told clearly to ….


GET ON WITH IT.

And stop all this division.

I stood in front of them and answered in the way all should have done.
I tore off the first word and stuck that on me and said nothing verbally to them.
I think they understood how offended I was at their presence.

Kevin

 

You’re going to explode Kevin. You’ve made your point over and over again. Let it go.
Deep breaths now.............