Specially chosen links for fans of Roaring Jack. Please let us know if any of these links don’t work, or if there are any sites which you would like to suggest for inclusion.
DIRECTLY RELATING TO ROARING JACK AND ITS MEMBERS:
The Roaring Jack Mailing List - Aligned with the Roaring Jack Archives, this is the mailing list that keeps you in touch with news relating to the band, its former members and fans and this website.
Alistair Hulett Official Site - Biography, discography, gig list. Includes some brief sound files of Roaring Jack, Alistair Hulett solo and Alistair Hulett with Dave Swarbrick.
The Winter Station – A loose collective of independent Sydney musicians, set up by our very own Steph Miller. Under construction.
SwarbAid - A fearsome collection of British folk musicians – including Alistair Hulett – united to play benefit gigs in support of their ailing comrade, fiddler Dave Swarbrick.
Hunter and Suzy Owens – Hunter Owens was Roaring Jack’s original mandolinist. He also played in a Celtic bluegrass duo with Alistair Hulett long before Roaring Jack came along! Hunter and Suzy are regulars in the pubs of inner western Sydney, belting out their unique brand of honky-tonk music.
MEDIA AND RESOURCES:
Audioscrobbler – Roaring Jack - Audioscrobbler is a computer system that builds up a detailed profile of your musical taste. After installing an Audioscrobbler Plugin, your computer sends the name of every song file you play to the Audioscrobbler Server. Statistics from Audioscrobbler User Pages are used to compile statistics on individual bands, available for everyone to view.
Celtic Connections - Glasgow’s annual festival of traditional music. Features Alistair Hulett and many other outstanding international folk acts.
The Centre for Political Song at Glasgow Caledonian University - A unique source of information on political songs and the culture that surrounds them. This site covers the English–speaking world, with lyrics, articles and a mighty links page.
Fiddlestix – the Fanzine of the Australian Friends of Fairport is a site devoted not only to Fairport Convention, but also covering a wide range of great folk and folk rock acts. Editor Michael Hunter has a particular soft spot for the works of Alistair Hulett and Roaring Jack!
FolkCast - a thrilling monthly folk music podcast from the UK, featuring traditional folkies, folk-rockers and singer-songwriters.
Folk Punk Tabs - Guitar, mandolin and banjo tabs for songs by Roaring Jack, The Pogues, Flogging Molly and others.
Foot Stompin’ Celtic Music - A huge resource for traditional Scottish music: a music store, radio station, record label, guide to music, forum. Free downloads.
Green Man Review - a nifty source of reviews relating to folk and folk-inspired music. Alistair Hulett’s releases are reviewed here.
Jem’s Poguetry Site – A Sydney-based tribute to Celtic punk bands old and new.
Jump Up Records - This German record label reissued Roaring Jack’s recordings as a 2CD package, The Complete Works, in 2002. They release and distribute a lot of other great music and political material too.
Pure Brilliant Podcast - An excellent podcast blending traditional folk, Celtic punk and the Scottish underground. From Texas!
Radio BritFolk - Online radio station with a broad range of programming relating to all facets of British folk music. Alistair Hulett’s music is played here.
Shite’n’Onions – the premier online Celtic punk fanzine! Lots of fantastic interviews and reviews, with many kind words to say about Roaring Jack. Includes an online store (selling Roaring Jack and many other great CDs), a radio station (Roaring Jack’s on the playlist) and a very active discussion forum.
OTHER ARTISTS WITH THE ROARING JACK ARCHIVIST’S SEAL OF APPROVAL:
Attila the Stockbroker - The noted punk poet with equally astounding talents in poetry and songwriting. Plays solo and with a full-on band, Barnstormer.
Boys From The Hill - The prime exponents of Welsh Urban Folk.
Billy Bragg - Armed with just an electric guitar, a keen political eye and that voice, Billy wrote some of the best pop songs of the 1980s. His more recent stuff is worth a listen too!
Dick Gaughan – Probably the most significant influence on Alistair Hulett’s singing and songwriting. An awesome singer, storyteller and performer.
Highlander - From Newcastle, NSW, a stomping Celtic rock band featuring the piper from Hell, Justin Body. A few classic traditional tunes, covers (including ‘Destitution Road’ and ‘The Old Divide and Rule’ and some killer originals.
Robb Johnson - Sharpshooting contemporary British songwriter.
Nancy Kerr and James Fagan - English fiddler and Australian bouzouki virtuoso combine talents and voices to create something special.
Rory McLeod - Well-travelled English singer, songwriter who has spent far too much time in Australia.
The Men They Couldn’t Hang - The brilliant British band that played with Roaring Jack in Sydney in 1989. Still going strong.
Murder The Stout - Celtic folk and punk with a Texan twist.
Mutiny - 'Folk punk for punk folk’, Melbourne band with a keen sense of history.
Nuemmes - Left-wing German street rock! The site is in German, but you'll get the drift.
Karine Polwart - Talented Scottish singer-songwriter.
Riot Folk - ‘Making folk a threat again!’ A collective of radical American folk musicians. Anti-profit by nature, there are loads of free MP3s for download on this site.
Leon Rosselson - Legendary political folkie whose songs have been covered by many of the people listed here!
David Rovics Alistair Hulett’s kindred spirit from the USA. Many great political songs to download for free!
Dave Swarbrick - The famous fiddler, Dave has added his distinctive style to the works of Fairport Convention, Alistair Hulett and many others.
Sydney City Trash - The new breed of Sydney folk punk, with country influences thrown in for good measure. Played a bunch of Roaring Jack songs live with Alistair Hulett in Sydney in 2005.
Richard Thompson - a major inspiration on the music of Roaring Jack. Richard’s site is packed with information, history, reviews and downloads.
Steve Towson - A one man politico punk rock band from Brisbane, Queensland.
Urban Guerillas - Legendary Australian band in existence since the punk era. Still around today and very active politically.
ODDS AND ENDS:
Albert Appreciation - Alistair Hulett is involved with this tribute to a famous live music venue in Bristol, The Albert. It is under threat of closing down after hosting live music for 25 years.
The Merry Muse - this is the Canberra folk and acoustic venue website, with a links page that is truly comprehensive for anyone wanting to explore the folk scenery in Australia.
Jill Swarbrick-Banks - Dave Swarbrick’s wife Jill is a noted oil painter. Jill’s website is an online exhibition of her works, many of which are available for purchase.
The Roaring Jack Archives - Home