Date: 06 Jan 97 18:16:53 GMT


What is this stuff called filk?  My own favorite definition is simply 
"the folk music of the science fiction/fantasy fan community.", but if 
you ask four filkers you will get seven definitions. :-> Here's what Nick
Smith had to say about it awhile back: 

WHAT THE HECK IS FILK MUSIC? 

by Nick Smith (of LA Filkharmonics) 
  
Well, it's sort of like folk music.  It is a mixture of song parodies 
and original music, humorous and serious, about subjects like science 
fiction, fantasy, computers, cats, politics, the space program, books, 
movies, TV shows, love, war, death. . . 
  
Filk music started off forty or fifty years ago, at science fiction 
conventions, where people got together late at night to have good
old-fashioned folk music song circles.  Well, late night circles being 
what they are, some folks got a little silly and started singing song 
parodies about their favorite SF books and authors.  Fans started 
writing song parodies about themselves or each other.  Some started 
composing serious songs about favorite topics.  Some authors started 
composing original songs for their books.  If the author didn't list a 
tune, fans made up one.  Sometimes two.  Sometimes several. 
  
Eventually, Filk songs wre written for just about every major science 
fiction or fantasy work.  Some of them were actually good enough that 
people wanted to learn them, or just listen to them more than just at 
conventions.  At that point, song books and recordings started being 
made. 
 Over the last decade, Filk Music has reached the point where there 
are entire Filk Music gatherings, conventions, recording companies, 
and publications.  Filk Music includes song parodies, original songs, 
and slightly musical poetry.  It's a fun way to indulge in a little 
musical creativity, especially if you are a science fiction or fantasy 
fan as well as musically inclined.  If you are only a fan, but not 
musical, you can still listen.  Filk circles aren't pushy about 
requiring you to play or sing.  If you are only musical, but not a 
fan, no one will hold it against you.  Remember, we're in this thing 
for fun! 
  
[Written for flyer for distribution at California Traditional Music
Society Annual Summer Solstice Dulcimer Festival and other local Los
Angeles folk music events and stores.]

What Nick didn't tell you is that the name started out as a typo of 
"folk"
and was gleefully adopted by all and sundry as a term for what is 
after
all a somewhat unusual subset.

Kay Shapero, Moderator/Designated Topic Cop, FILK echo 
 

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