Folk off

As someone with a deep-rooted obsession with music, the concept of musical genres is always a part of the conversation when I talk about music. But the deeper you dive into the concept of genres, the more you realize how much of a human construct they are. 

I'm not just talking about the granular dissection of a genre like Heavy Metal (Medieval Electronic Swedish Christian death-core anyone?), but how two songs by the same artist can sound vastly different and yet be categorized in the same genre. Or, on the other hand, how two very similar songs can be categorized differently because of the approach of the artist or just the environment where it was built. I think that is why no one can figure out if Motorhead is a metal or punk. Or why AC/DC is a metal band and not a punk band. 

Putting music into groups does have its benefits. It helps artists get their work into the hands of consumers who will be interested in it and helps listeners choose the music that best fits their mood or surroundings. When The Navigator and I broadcast The Cockpit, I'd often describe what we played as "anything that falls under the rock genre." That's a pretty broad statement that could run from the early blues-rock of Chuck Berry, thrash metal or even folk rock. And it still doesn't completely capture what the show was about or what we were trying to do. But it at least put people in the right ballpark. 

One of the genres that has always been at odds in my head is folk music. On the surface, there's really not a lot to be concerned about. Most people have a pretty good grasp of what folk music is - generally played on an acoustic guitar or other acoustic instruments, good vocals, usually strong harmonies and the subject matter is typically geared towards the working person, maybe including protest or storytelling as the subject matter. Songs you can sing around the campfire kinda stuff. 

But when you look at the history of the genre, it all ties back to music for the folks. Stuff you would sing and perform with your friends and family - literally that "around the campfire stuff." Not complicated and approachable - stuff you sing together. And this is where this genre name and definition fall apart for me. 

So let's look at some of those key definitions in point form for clarity. Folk music is:

• Music you can perform and participate in with friends, family and community
• Music that is easy to perform
• Music that tackles subjects important to the everyday person including poverty, politics and storytelling.

So is rap music or punk music folk? Those genres meet the criteria. Is Bruce Springsteen a folk singer? We might say he's rock n' roll but his subject matter seems awful folky and songs like "The Ghost of Tom Joad" are solidly folk tunes. 

Now obviously, when we say "folk music," we're trying to describe that acoustic/vocal style. And I'm not trying to change the world there. Call it "Kumbaya Music" for all I care, I understand that people are just trying to describe that particular thing. I think I'm just looking for a way to describe music for the people. Music that isn't made because there's money but because there's something to say. Music that connects people. Music that's more at home around the campfire or in a shitty pub than it is in an arena or festival. 

So what the folk am I talking about?

Well, I guess I'm just trying to say that sometimes we need to step back from genres, categories and labels and look at what the music does to people - how people use it. Rap, punk and folk might all sound like completely different things but they all do serve a similar purpose. I don't think it's a coincidence that people consider Woody Guthrie the first punk rocker. 

What the folk do you think? Leave me a comment