Mick Peat and Lester Simpson have over the last 25 years given so much support to the folk genre through their internationally renowned Folkwaves programme, a show which is now destined to be broadcast for the last time on December 27th. This page has been created to allow people to make their feelings known and to voice their concerns to the faceless bureaucrats at the BBC. It is the very least we can do to demonstrate our collective support for these two fine broadcasters and respected stalwarts of the folk tradition.
Whatever support is offered here over the next week or so, I will print off the comments, bind them together and personally present them to the person(s) responsible the decison at the BBC in London. Any artists/musicians/fans who would like to join me to at the handover would be very welcome.
Thanks,
Phil Carter.
Folkwaves is Derbyshire’s, and the East Midlands’, premier folk programme and each week includes the very best of local, national and international folk music.
Combining their many years of experience performing the music they love, Mick and Lester aim to play a variety of material to please even the discerning listener.
The pair are committed to raising the profile of folk music, cherishing the tradition and nurturing new talent.
Mick Peat
Mick is a professional musician, actor and presenter.
As a musician, Mick plays guitar and melodeon, specialising in traditional folk music and has been a trad. music devotee for more than 30 years.
He is a founder member of the Derbyshire band Ripley Wayfarers and still plays with the ceilidh band Rogues Gallery.
Mick is also an experienced country-dance caller, directing and teaching dances – some of which date back to the 16th Century.
He has been co-director of the Amber Folk Festival and Dance Director for Whitby Folk Festival and organises the Festival of the Peak in Derbyshire.
As an actor, his film appearances include DH Lawrence’s “The Rainbow”, “Skallagrig”, and as a court official in the film about Queen Elizabeth I, “Elizabeth”.
TV appearances include “Dalziel and Pascoe” and as a choreographer and Sue Johnston’s Dancing partner in “My Uncle Silas”.
Stage appearances include “The Mysteries” at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield and the lead role of Ted Mellor in “By The Baseball Ground” at Derby Playhouse.
Mick’s interests and hobbies include the countryside, vintage cars and, yes, you’ve guessed it, listening to new folk music from the British Isles and beyond!
Lester Simpson
Lester is a singer, songwriter, actor, musician and broadcaster. He works with the internationally acclaimed a cappella trio Coope, Boys and Simpson and has recorded numerous CDs with the trio and other artists, working in Europe, America and New Zealand.
His work in film and theatre includes a period with the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Barbican Theatre, London.
Lester has written commissioned work for Flanders Fields Museum, Belgium, Kershaw Comes Home (BBC Radio 1), Peace Concerts (Passendale) The Belper Suite (Belper Millennium celebrations) and March of Time for Wellingborough Council.
He also performs as a soloist.
“Some of the best songwriting in Britain” – Andy Kershaw, BBC Radio 1.
“Shed-loads of talent” Mike Harding, BBC Radio 2.
“Lester Simpson is pitch-perfect… I salute him.” – Living Tradition.
(This response was e-mailed to BillCopelandMusicNews.com)
To: Webmaster
From:
Malcolm & Maggie Imhoff
malcolmimhoff@yahoo.co.uk
Message:
Dear Mick, Lester and Nigel,
I have written to every councillor I can find e-mail addresses for
with the following:
We wish to add our voices to the avalanche of protests at the proposal
to axe “Folkwaves” on BBC Radio Leicester/Derby/Nottingham, but heard
all over the east and West Midlands, and listened to with regularity
and affection all over the world on the internet.
It is in our opinion the best programme on radio, and the only local
radio programme catering for folk and roots music we have here in the
Midlands. The presenters, Mick Peat, Lester Simpson and Nigel Cash are
practionioners who have an enormous body of knowledge and wisdom which
would be lost if the programme were to be axed.
Where else will we be able to find out what is happening on the folk
scene, who is appearing at which of the hundreds of Midlands folk
clubs, where and when are the festivals, what music is being created
and released on CD?
We can imagine what would replace it: more of the same musak, inane
phone-ins, and sport. You can be assured that we would no longer tune
in to Radio Leicester/Derby/Nottingham.
It does not make economic sense either. “Folkwaves” is an extremely
low budget programme. They do not have a production team, or costly
overheads. Quite often the presenters will be playing their own
records.
The powers that be are making themselves look very foolish over this
short-sighted and petty decision, and we would urge you to exert
pressure to have the proposal cancelled.
Yours faithfully,
Malcolm & Maggie Imhoff
Sutton Coldfield
I’ll forward any replies to you.
Good wishes,
Malcolm & Maggie Imhoff
Surely the whole point of radio is to entertain-none did it better than Folkwaves. Had it had been a national radio programme then no doubt it would have been deemed a triumph of broardcasting, but because it was a local programme then it has been seen as irrelevent and of minority interest!
The BBC should have been proud of the quality of the programme that served the East Midlands and beyond!
It defeats me that they will pay extortionate amount to the likes of Terry Wogan, Johnathon Ross and Chris Evans to broadcast drivel but axe a radio programme that equalled the quality of the late John Peel’s show!
BBC reconsider! Do you not understand the popularity of the Folk Music scene