The Old Weird America
The Old Weird America
I've got a potential chat coming up with James Blackshaw - master guitarist and questing composer genius - and wanting to know more about the genesis of his playing style I've dug back into a bunch of old John Fahey lore. His is a fascinating (if bleak) tale, about which I'll try and get something more solid up soon. But for now, reaching back into Fahey's past as a folk and blues archivist, I've come across this fascinating site and epic project. Using Harry Smith's Folkway's Anthology, as a starting point (and the brilliant Greil Marcus phrase 'The Old Weird America' - taken from his Dylan book, The Invisible Republic) it utilises a post per track to branch out across the backpaths of the American folk and blues past. Each post (16 out of christ knows how many to come) comes with a well-researched collection of information and links plus a downloadable compilation. It's stuff like this that the internet was invented for, oh yes. Check out this site too - Wrath of the Grapevine - which explores similar themes - especially this huge post featuring six compilations on the roots of Fahey (the links are dead but reposted towards the bottom of the comments).
Download: John Fahey - Old Southern Medley