Martin Carthy, English folk pioneer and national treasure, celebrates his 70th birthday at the Royal Festival Hall next weekend, and here’s a two disc career overview.
The hypnotic, chunky, acoustic guitar style arrives fully-formed on the earliest tracks, from ’65 and ’66, pulsating round the purloined ur-folk licks on which Paul Simon and Bob Dylan built their breakthroughs.
Psychically sympathetic modal duets with the fiddler Dave Swarbrick remain timelessly intense.
By a 2004 reading of Famous Flower Of Serving Men, ten minutes of head-drone render contemporary acid folk obsolete, and Carthy’s once reedy vocal has a Methuselaic authority, his playing flowing like blood.
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com