The Stirring Foot

To The Memory Of Paddy Moloney“A few months ago, I had a zoom call with one of Ireland’s most respected & much loved musicians, John Sheahan. John is the last surviving member, of what is often considered to be, the definitive five member line up of The Dubliners (i.e. Ronnie Drew, Barney McKenna, Ciarán Bourke, Luke Kelly & John). Never one to rest on his laurels, John released his book of poetry, ‘Fiddle Dreams’, in 2015 & in 2020, John released his debut solo album, ‘Flirting Fiddles’, at 80 years young. John was in fine form, as he took the call from his home in Dublin. Talking us through his recent solo record, John gives us tunes on the tin whistle, as he recites a couple of poems along the way. Beginning with his first experiences of music, John shares some of his journey between then & now, with plenty of tales about his time with The Dubliners too. John also speaks fondly of his lifelong friend & fellow musician, Paddy Moloney, whom this episode is dedicated to.” - Dylan Walshewww.StirringFoot.comwww.instagram.com/TheStirringFootwww.facebook.com/StirringFootJohn Sheahan - short bio“John Sheahan was the quiet one in The Dubliners or as he sometimes refers to himself during his 48 year tenure with the group, as ‘The mortar between the Bricks’. In that cast of beardy and hairy rogues and rascals, Sheahan stood out by not standing out. Brought in to stand shoulder to shoulder with founder members Luke Kelly, Ronnie Drew, Barney McKenna and Ciarán Bourke, Sheahan’s playing brought a touch of elegant class to that gallery. The Dubliners may have sung with gnarly gusto on those full-bodied ballads and rousing airs, but Sheahan’s fiddle added a veneer of the other to the proceedings.”http://www.JohnSheahan.ieJohn’s book of poetry ‘Fiddle Dreams’ is available here from Dedalus Press http://www.dedaluspress.com/product/fiddle-dreams/John’s ‘Flirting Fiddles’ CD is available herehttp://www.celticnote.com/traditional/ty4tm1939Also see http://www.itsthedubliners.comPhotographer not knownSupport the show

To The Memory Of Paddy Moloney“A few months ago, I had a zoom call with one of Ireland’s most respected & much loved musicians, John Sheahan. John is the last surviving member, of what is often considered to be, the definitive five member line up of The Dubliners (i.e. Ronnie Drew, Barney McKenna, Ciarán Bourke, Luke Kelly & John). Never one to rest on his laurels, John released his book of poetry, ‘Fiddle Dreams’, in 2015 & in 2020, John released his debut solo album, ‘Flirting Fiddles’, at 80 years young. John was in fine form, as he took the call from his home in Dublin. Talking us through his recent solo record, John gives us tunes on the tin whistle, as he recites a couple of poems along the way. Beginning with his first experiences of music, John shares some of his journey between then & now, with plenty of tales about his time with The Dubliners too. John also speaks fondly of his lifelong friend & fellow musician, Paddy Moloney, whom this episode is dedicated to.” - Dylan Walshewww.StirringFoot.comwww.instagram.com/TheStirringFootwww.facebook.com/StirringFootJohn Sheahan - short bio“John Sheahan was the quiet one in The Dubliners or as he sometimes refers to himself during his 48 year tenure with the group, as ‘The mortar between the Bricks’. In that cast of beardy and hairy rogues and rascals, Sheahan stood out by not standing out. Brought in to stand shoulder to shoulder with founder members Luke Kelly, Ronnie Drew, Barney McKenna and Ciarán Bourke, Sheahan’s playing brought a touch of elegant class to that gallery. The Dubliners may have sung with gnarly gusto on those full-bodied ballads and rousing airs, but Sheahan’s fiddle added a veneer of the other to the proceedings.”http://www.JohnSheahan.ieJohn’s book of poetry ‘Fiddle Dreams’ is available here from Dedalus Press http://www.dedaluspress.com/product/fiddle-dreams/John’s ‘Flirting Fiddles’ CD is available herehttp://www.celticnote.com/traditional/ty4tm1939Also see http://www.itsthedubliners.comPhotographer not knownSupport the show

"Back in May (2021) I had a zoom call with Steve Ignorant. Steve is now based out of Sea Palling, Norfolk on the coast of England. A few days after our chat, I found out that a throat infection had kept Steve awake the night before. Steve didn't postpone or cancel the zoom call, because that's the kind of person Steve is. He never even mentioned it. Steve's journey with life & art has truly been unique. Possibly best known as the founder & frontman of the culture changing band Crass, over the years, Steve has worked with many musical artists & groups. For me, Steve is a working class folk hero, not that he would accept that title. A wood carver, a Punch & Judy professor & a lifeboat volunteer, Steve's creativity & spirit has gone from strength to strength, as he continues to explore the journey of life, head on, with his most recent group Slice Of Life. In this episode, Steve talks about his earliest influences, his arrival at the renowned Dial House, his relationship with Penny Rimbaud, the formation of Crass & the other groups who were around during that time. Steve goes on to talk about how Crass challenged a predominantly male punk scene, he talks about his passion for animals, his many other music & art projects & how film has often shaped his work. With the Crass art collective having been pioneers of D.I.Y. multimedia presentation, Steve also discusses how this led to the KGB, MI6 & CIA "sniffin' around" the Crass camp." - Dylan Walshe www.StirringFoot.comwww.instagram.com/TheStirringFootwww.facebook.com/StirringFootDonation link for the Sea Palling Independent Lifeboat www.seapallinglifeboat.co.ukSteve Ignorant - short bio"Steve Ignorant is a singer-songwriter and artist. He co-founded the anarcho-punk band Crass with Penny Rimbaud in 1977. After Crass stopped performing in 1984, he worked with other groups including Conflict, Schwartzeneggar, Stratford Mercenaries, Current 93, and US punk band Thought Crime, as well as occasional solo performances.Steve is also a wood sculptor and has published his autobiography 'All The Rest Is Propaganda'. Steve was also a volunteer on the Sea Palling Independent Lifeboat and he has worked as a traditional Punch and Judy performer using the name Professor Ignorant.In recent years, Steve has recorded and performed with Irish group Paranoid Visions, as well as occasionally touring Crass songs. He now performs with his new band Slice Of Life. A far cry from the aggression of Crass, nevertheless compelling, with powerful songs delivered in an acoustic style.“Impossible to categorise, Slice Of Life’s music is up-front and soul-baringly personal. It’s a mixture of songs and spoken word that draws you in and stays with you long after the final note has been played.”Music & merch available directly from Steve Ignorant at www.steveignorant.comPhotography by Simon Takes PhotosSupport the show

"I first met international treasure Ramblin' Jack Elliott in Cookeville, Tennessee at Muddy Roots Music Festival in 2015. Jack turns 90 this year (2021) & he has been getting familiar with video calls while the current pandemic has restricted his travels. On March 18th, the day after St. Patrick's Day, I had an hour long video call with Jack & I turned the audio of the call into Ep1 of 'The Stirring Foot'. Needless to say, the audio isn't of a studio quality, it's a zoom call through the internet. But the stories transcend & shine through, after all, it's Ramblin' Jack Elliott... Jack now lives on the coast of California & has been described as the "son of Woody Guthrie & the father of Bob Dylan". In this episode, I talk to Jack about his trips to Ireland, Europe & the UK. The Clancy Brothers, Frank Zappa, Bob Dylan, Odetta, The grateful Dead, Magaret Barry, Ewan MacColl, Woody Guthrie & Brendan Behan all get a mention." - Dylan WalsheOriginally aired on Dublin Digital Radio, Ireland. This is an extended version.www.StirringFoot.comwww.instagram.com/TheStirringFootwww.facebook.com/StirringFootRamblin' Jack Elliott - short bio "One of the last true links to the great folk traditions of this country, with over 40 albums under his belt, Ramblin' Jack Elliott is considered one of the country's legendary foundations of folk music. Long before every kid in America wanted to play guitar - before Elvis, Dylan, the Beatles or Led Zeppelin - Ramblin' Jack had picked it up and was passing it along. From Johnny Cash to Tom Waits, Beck to Bonnie Raitt, Ry Cooder to Bruce Springsteen, the Grateful Dead to The Rolling Stones, they all pay homage to Ramblin' Jack Elliott.In the tradition of roving troubadours Jack has carried the seeds and pollens of story and song for decades from one place to another, from one generation to the next. They are timeless songs that outlast the musical trends of any given day. He wrote one of the first trucking songs- Cup of Coffee-recorded by Johnny Cash, championed the works of new singer-songwriters such as Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson and Tim Hardin; and became a founding member of Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue. He continued the life of the traveling troubadour influencing Jerry Jeff Walker, Guy Clark, Tom Russell, The Grateful Dead and countless others. Ramblin' Jack is a two-time GRAMMY winner, National Medal Of Arts recipient, and in 2016, received a Folk Alliance Lifetime Achievement Award. Featured in the recent Rolling Thunder Revue film by Martin Scorcese and also in the early 2019 PBS release of the Woody Guthrie All Star Tribute Concert Center, Ramblin' Jack is an icon of American roots and folk music. A lover of storytelling and veteran troubadour style musician, on tour he is in his element and known for telling the tales gathered along his magnificent journey through the roots of Folk, Blues, Americana and Cowboy musicand poetry. His permanently enshrined seat at Woodie Guthrie Center Theater in Tulsa, OK., sits among other greats, including Lead Belly, Cisco Houston and Pete Seeger."Nobody I know—and I mean nobody—has covered more ground and made more friends and sung more songs than the fellow you're about to meet right now. He's got a song and a friend for every mile behind him. Say hello to my good buddy, Ramblin' Jack Elliott. "-Johnny Cash, The Johnny Cash Television Show, 1969."www.RamblinJackElliott.comPhotography by Michael AvedonSupport the show