Jennifer Donaldson Milewski Collection of Filk Research Material

This collection contains material related to the genre of "filk", a music culture characterized by songwriting based on science fiction, fantasy and horror themes. The collection includes Jennifer Donaldson Milewski's field recordings, convention programs, filk songbooks, notes, thesis drafts, correspondence, and interviews. Of particular note are Milewski's interviews with big-name filkers such as Joey Shoji, Kathy Mar, Leslie Fish and Cynthia McQuillen.

This series contains notes, programs, and field recordings from the following science fiction and filk music conventions: Westercon (1990), ConCerto (1990), InConJunction (1990), Arisia (1991; 1993), and Philcon (1989). Also included are notes and field recordings from several housefilk events, as well as a collection of flyers from conventions, fan clubs, and zines. Please note that each sound recording is listed individually. The title for each recording is drawn from the label on the tape. Scope and content notes contain song lists, descriptions, and interview topics. Researcher's transcripts for many interviews are included.

Materials relating to the 1990 Westercon, a yearly sci-fi convention held in the western United States. Includes official programs from the convention and Milewski's personal notes, as well as recordings of interviews, panel discussions, and filk music performances.

Contains programs from the 1990 Westercon, as well as Milewski's personal notes and interview transcripts.

Audio recordings of interviews, discussion panels, and filk music performances from the 1990 Westercon. Some interviews have been transcribed, as indicated.

Thursday concert hosted by Anita Allen.

Jordin Kare: Life to the Sky -- Soul of the Bear II -- Bridge-Guard in the Karoo -- Dawson's ConCom

Kathy Mar: Paper Wings -- Old Vermont Hotel -- Carry On -- Deathwish of Hygiene -- I Am In a Box

Peter (Alan) Thiesen: A Boy and his Frog (incompl.) -- A Boy and his Frog (cont.) -- A Locktender's Lot -- I've Been Tetrisized -- True Places -- A Colony in Space -- Nobody's Green Eyes

Cecilia Eng: Captain Idra -- The Other Side -- Wave Hey! -- Smallest of the Sidhe -- Jump Toward Tomorrow -- Space Colony

Duane Elms: Threes

Thursday concert hosted by Anita Allen, continued from side 1.

Duane Elms: Madame Curie's Hands -- Ghostpuppies in the Sky -- Don't Push That Button -- Horseman.

Arlen Robbins and Duane Elms: All the Goodbyes -- Down the Long Lane -- The Hunk -- I'm On My Way.

Meg Davis: Alice -- The Blackbird -- [Peggy Irvin?] -- If I Had My Life to Live Over -- John Anderson my Joe -- A Monster's Lullaby.

Performer's Circle: Marie Curie's Hands (Duane Elms) (04:54) -- Ghostpuppies in the Sky (Duane Elms) (03:45) -- Don't Push That Button (Duane Elms) (04:24) -- Horseman (Duane Elms) (06:19) -- Introduction by Anita Allen and Arlin Robbins (01:01) -- All The Goodbyes (Alrin Robins and Duane Elms) (02:53) -- Down the Long Lane (Alrin Robins) (02:10) -- The Hunk (Alrin Robins and Duane Elms) (02:41) -- I'm on my Way (Alrin Robins) (03:01) -- Performer's Circle Begins. You Can Build a Machine (Jordin Kare) (03:40) -- Unidentified song (Gary [Anderson?]) (03:34) -- Who Can't Get It Up (Steven Savitsky?) (03:34) -- Conversation (01:35) -- Burden of the Crown (Victoria) (03:49) -- Burden of the Crown, cont. (00:12) -- Passing of the King?] (Victoria) (02:56 -- Conversation (00:46) -- [Jack The Ripper], (Jane Robinson?) (03:35) -- Conversation (00:29) -- The Two Sisters (unidentified performer) (03:47) -- The Two Sisters (another version) (Victoria) (04:08) -- In the Grim (Gary Anderson) (06:28) -- Conversation (01:02) -- 16 Tones (unidentified performers) (02:16) -- Conversation (00:43) -- Unidentified folk song (Victoria) (02:07) -- The Freezer Has Defrosted (unidentified performer) (03:03) -- A Ramboing (Leslie Fish) (08:26) -- Conversation (04:56) -- A Dark And Stormy Night (group) (02:24).

Performer's Circle: Bring Back Clark Maxwell to Me (group) -- [NASA Spends Big Bucks] (unidentified performer) -- Snakes Alive (unidentified performer) -- Both Ways Now (Lee Gold) -- Spaghetti (Lee Gold?) -- What Is Going On? (Tom Payne) -- [Don't Ever Trust A Sci-hi-hi?] (unidentified performer) -- The Beagle Has Landed (group)

Additional filk performance: The Hardened Bloody Bastards (Jordin Kare) -- Here Kitty (unidentified performer) -- The Gods of Stars ALone Touched The Sky (Gary Anderson) -- Dragon and Phoenix (Heather) -- Tell Me a Story, Sing me Tomorrow (Tara Mitchell) -- Startrekking We Will Go (unidentified performer) -- We must believe in magic (Chris W) -- The Bride of St. [Germane?] (Jordin Kare) -- Eyes Like The Morning (Steven Savitsky) -- The [Yarmouth] Castle (Gary Anderson) -- Uncle Ernie's (Gary Anderson) -- I'm a Wookie (unidentified performer) -- Makin' Wookie (unidentified performer) -- Come Ye Muppets (unidentified performer) --

Interview covers topics such as: the filk community, the dissolution of Off Centaur, the market for filk recordings.

Panel title: "(Is The Mundane World Ready for Filk?"

Panel title: "(Is The Mundane World Ready for Filk?" (continued). Interview with Leslie Fish covers topics such as: the increasingly prominent place of filk within science fiction and fantasy conventions, the culture of filk, and styles of filking. Panel title: "Discussion on the Various Functions Songs Fulfill"

Panel title: "Discussion on the Various Functions Songs Fulfill."

Kid's Concert: Introduction -- Horace the Horse on the Merry Go Round (Peter Thiesen) -- Dragson in the Deep (Margaret Davis?) -- Skydancer (Joey Shoji) -- The Monkey and the Engineer (Kris Toffes?) -- Kitty Kat Z (Kris Toffes?) -- Waltzing with Bears (Margaret Davis) -- Harp instrumental -- Colony in Space (Peter Thiesen) -- Unidentified song (Joey Shoji) -- [Gary Owens?] (instrmental) -- Wretched Blues (Peter Thiesen) -- Everything Possible (Joey Shoji) -- The Bed That's a Bed For Me (Peter Thiesen) -- At the Boardinghouse (Kris Toffes?)

Kid's Concert: Their Brains Were Small and They Died -- Unidentified song --

Friday Concert: Tom Payne: Mr. Compatibility -- Full of filk -- The Key of R -- Mean Ship -- Friend Forever -- Still She Rides.

Barry Gold: Costume Ball -- Mary O'Meara -- Reveille for a Sleeping World -- Blood on my Hands -- Outward Bound -- L. Ron Ron Ron (with [Kim?] Gold).

Chris Weber: All Night -- Andromeda -- No Barbed Wire -- Awful Creepy Feeling -- Starlord's Lament.

Joan Gousted and Roy Tolley: Song to the Tereba River -- Brown Rice and Tofu (incomplete).

Friday Concert, continued: Joan Gousted and Roy Tolley: Brown Rice and Tofu, continued -- Transylvanian song -- Ship of Stone.

Magic Fire (Margaret Davis and Kristoph Klover): Highland Johnnie -- I'm the County Down (incomplete) -- Irish instrumental tune -- The Mermaid's Crew.

Steve Savitsky: Can't Get It Up -- Vampire -- The Cliffs That End the World -- The Jester -- Silken Steel -- It's Lately Growing.

Dr. Jane Robinson: Have a Nice Day -- Flea Enterprise -- I'm My Own Best Friend -- Movin' the Bones Again -- Ground Zero -- That Everlastin' Outcrop in the Sky.

Jordin Kare interview discussess filking in the early 1980s, the beginnings of Off Centaur.

Jordin Kare interview continues, discussing filking in the 1980s, the Challenger disaster, and other topics.

No song titles or performers for the Bardic are clear from the recordist's notes.

Interview with Steven Savitsky covers filks about the Challenger, including a performance of one of his Challenger songs, and discussion of filk traditions, filk songwriting, and the filk community.

No song titles or performers for the Performer's Circle are available in Milewski's notes.

Panel: Filk, Folk, and Rock and Roll with Meg Davis, Kathy Mar, and Tera Mitchel.

Panel: Filk Folk and Rock and Roll with Meg Davis, Kathy Mar, and Tera Michel, continued from previous tape.

Panel: What Makes a Good Song? with Janet Wilson Anderson, Meg Davis, Duane Elms, John Hedtke, Jane Mailander, Kathy Mar.

Panel: What Makes a Good Song? with Janet Wilson Anderson, Meg Davis, Duane Elms, John Hedtke, Jane Mailander, Kathy Mar, continued from previous tape.

No song titles or performers for the filk performances are available in Milewski's notes.

No song titles or performers for the filk performances are available in Milewski's notes. Songs performed include Old Time Religion, [Sword?] of our Fathers, Ghost Riders in the Sky, R2D2 (to the tune of Frere Jacques), Come Ye Muppets, and What Do You Do With a Star Destroyer?, as well as several songs performed by Leslie Fish.

Saturday Concert: John Hedkte: I Can See Your Aura and It's Ugly -- We'll Make Some Coffee -- Life Is Hard, But It's Hardest When You're Dumb -- Untitled (Youngbloods cover) -- Ever So Slightly Confused -- Woman with a Chainsaw -- I Wanna Be Seduced.

Meryl Kern: Tam Lin -- Satisfactory -- Geoduck

Saturday Concert: Meryl Kern: Geoduck (conclusion) -- Old Time Religion.

Leslie Fish: The Poor Man's Weapon -- No Fun Anymore -- Arabel's Song -- Sale at the Gun Store -- Hope Eyrie.

Interview with Jeff Rogers primarily discusses filking and filk conventions in the early 1980s, his work as recording engineer for Off Centaur; unidentified woman is also present for last few minutes of the interview.

Bardic: Reflections (Cecilia Eng), incomplete -- Khan -- Friend Forever (Tom Payne?).

Side A: 1. Friend Forever (Tom Payne), continued from previous tape) -- 2. Eternal Grace (D.F.) (06:31) -- 3. Helen's Song (Cecilia Eng) (05:07) -- 4. When I Was a Young Man (02:40) -- 5. Conversation (02:59) -- 6. Passionflower (Cecilia Eng) (04:53) -- 7. Ghost Riders in the Sky (02:49) -- 8. Conversation (03:55) -- 9. Conversation (06:36) -- 10. Timewind's Tavern (03:17) -- 11. Calm Down (02:41) -- 12. Magic (02:51)

Side B: 1. Shall We Play a Game? (Joey Shoji) (01:50) -- 2. Conversation (07:05) -- 3. Be Kind To Your Parents (00:58) -- 4. Conversation (01:53) -- 5. [Con song] (Leslie Fish) (03:31) -- 6. Conversation (02:11) -- 7. Unidentified song (01:56) -- 8. Conversation (01:50) -- 9. The Hawk Flies Over the Valley (02:06) -- 10. Done in the Name of Love (Leslie Fish) (05:41) -- 11. Unidentified song (08:25) -- 12. Conversation (05:18) -- 13. Never Set the Cat on Fire (03:03)

Side A: 1. Little Fuzzy Dinosaurs (Kristen) (02:36) -- 2. Unidentified song (03:11) -- 3. Unidentified song (Joey Shoji) (04:09) -- 4. Conversation (04:38) -- 5. Why the Hell Didn't They Know? (three-part round) (02:46) -- 6. Some Kind of Hero (09:29) -- 7. Darth Vader's Mother (05:58) -- 8. Barrett's Privateers (06:45) -- 9. Conversation (06:50) -- 10. Practice, Practice, Practice (incomplete) (00:45)

Side B: 1. Practice, Practice, Practice, continued from previous side (02:22) -- 2. Recessional (Leslie Fish) (05:19) -- 3. After Making 'em Pay (04:53) -- 4. Gypsy (Joey Shoji, composed by Suzanne Vega) (05:39) -- 5. Night Song (03:31) -- 6. The Ballad of Jack the Ripper (Leslie Fish) (06:44) -- 7. Lammas Night (Leslie Fish) (11:59) -- 8. Daisy and Day (Heather) (04:25) -- 9. Filkers Dining Together (Leslie Fish), incomplete (02:16)

Bardic: Leave Her, Johnny.

Interview with Leslie Fish [and Debbie Sanders?] discusses Off Centaur and Firebird Productions, as well as the economics of filk, the filk community, and fandom.

Interview with Joey Shoji discusses his introduction to filk, his involvement with Off Centaur, the economics of filk, and the filk community.

Researcher's interview notes and transcripts available in folder 1.

Researcher's interview transcripts available in folder 1.

Interview with Joey Shoji discusses his introduction to filk, his involvement with Off Centaur, the economics of filk, and the filk community.

Interview with Bob Laurent discusses recording techniques, filk songwriting, the economics of filk, and the filk community.

Materials relating to the 1990 ConCerto, a yearly filk music convention held in the northeastern United States. Includes the official convention program with schedules and sheet music, and recordings of filk performances, interviews, and panel discussions. Also included are Milewski's personal notes from the convention, as well as transcripts from some of the interviews she conducted.

Contains Milewski's personal notes and interview transcripts from the 1990 ConCerto, as well as an official program from the convention.

Audio recordings of interviews, panel discussions, and filk music performances from the 1990 ConCerto. Some interviews have been transcribed. 13 cassette tapes (Numbered 1-14, Tape 3 is missing).

Concert: The D-G football song (Claire [Maier]) -- Before the dawn (Jennifer [McGowan] and Kevin) -- Red sun rising (Jennifer [McGowan] and Kevin) -- Stake me out on the anthill (Dave Weingart) -- We're the system engineers (Dave Weingart) -- Don't push that button (Tom) -- The wild rovers (Tom) -- No Maggie's land (Kathy [Mar]) -- Washerwoman's Oz (Kathy [Mar]) -- Fiddler's green (John Sims) -- Follow the code (John Sims)

Showstopers: And this is one of them (Group) -- Prepare ye de way of de horde (John) -- 1 little, 2 little, 3 little 1/8 notes (John) -- Burger king (to Jedi queen) (Claire [Maier]) -- At the end of the con (Crystal) -- Vajuel (daisy, dab) (Spenser) -- Napalm (Jennifer) -- Off we (to sizzle) (Dave) -- And we call the fire fire (Spenser [Love]) -- Tori Lee (Claire [Maier]) -- Lethargy (Jennifer) -- Oh, I'm a vegetable -- Grok -- We are -- Alatol bottles of beer -- The hills are blue (Spenser [Love]) -- Morning has broken (Spenser) -- What do you do with a dead computer (Gary) -- Monty who? (Jennifer).

Interview discusses fandom history, fan cons, coding and computers, filking performance style.

Interview with Kathy, Tom, and Spencer covers filk composition, filk cons, the filk community,

Interview with Athelstan covers East Filk, poetry readings, bards format, twofers and oneshots

Interview with Mara covers: the filk community, ground rules for housefilks.

Kid's concert part 1: Gringle, gronk, grnorch (Mara Brener) -- Li'l green big red monster (Casey Sears) -- The other day I met a bear (Mara Brener) -- Unidentified song (Mara Brener)

Recordings from filk concert exclusively with songs about the 1986 Challenger Space Shuttle disaster. Tape is missing from the collection, but is referenced frequently in the notes/interviews in Folder 2.

Kid's concert part 2: Waa, waa, waa (Mara Brener and Madelaine) -- Under the sea (Mara Brener).

Panel on vocal techniques is led by Kathy Mar and Linda Melnick.

GoH Concert (Guest of Honor Concert) part 1: No Maggie's land (Kathy Mar) -- You can't chop your Poppa up in Massachusetts (Linda Melnick) -- A chat with your Mother (Kathy) -- A Russian song (Linda Melnick) -- Paper wings (Kathy Mar) -- Whatever happened to the dragons? (Linda Melnick).

GoH concert part 2: An old Vermont hotel (Kathy Mar) -- Daffodils (Linda Melnick) -- Circle game (Kathy Mar) -- Suzanne (Linda Melnick) -- The great mandella (Linda Melnick) -- Death wish of hygene (Kathy Mar) -- Katy cruel (Linda Melnick) -- Big blue frog (Linda Melnick) -- Songbird (Kathy Mar) -- Chimes of freedom flashing (Kathy Mar) -- Blowin' in the wind (group).

Interview with Mike Stein discusses: writing Challenger memorial ballads, themes and performance of his work, performing others' music, songs carrying news, Stein's song "For all Friends of the Piper," and his composition process.

Interview with Filthy Pierre part 1 discusses: getting into filking and general history of filking.

Researcher's transcripts of interviews are available in folder 2.

Transcript of interview is available in folder 2.

Interview with Filthy Pierre part 2 dicusses:. general history of filk beginning in the 1940s, geographic trends, subgenres of filk including filk musicals, fanzines, interviewee's collection of microfilk tapes.

Concert part 1: And the bard played during our filksong (Claire) -- Blood [inaudible] (Claire) -- A holiday inside the inn (Tom) -- Poem: And the rest was gamma rays (Tom) -- Poem: Owl and the Pussycat (Tom) -- The Mary Ellen Carter (Tom) -- Concerts on the west coast -- Cats in the dawn (Heather) -- Quitter (Heather) -- Do you know what it is? (Heather) -- Flying stone (Abbi and group) -- You've got to reach L25 prime with that beer (Abbi and group), incomplete.

Concert side A. Druzylin' thru the cosmos (Abbi) -- On the day the big bang comes again -- I know why the caged bird sings (Mike Stein) -- Filkwriter of note (Mike Stein) -- Frozen dreams (Mike Stein) -- The jolly piper (Mike Stein) -- Security (Matt Leger and Crystal) -- Covention life (Matt Leger and Crystal) -- Frank Hayes disease (Matt Leger and Crystal) -- Musical chairs: Spin the light from the glory of the sea -- Enterprise -- Lonely girl -- Black widows in the privy -- It never rains on Mars -- A grazing mace (fragment).

Concert side B. Zap zap (Roberta) -- Domesticated alien (Roberta) -- My name (Roberta) -- We are free (Roberta) -- Who are the people in the tunnel world (Roberta) -- As good as dead (Kathy Mar) -- Around goes the luggage (Kathy Mar) -- Johnny be fine (Kathy Mar and Tom) -- New Joisey (Kathy Mar) -- Shapeshifter (Jennifer and Tom) -- [Fell cabrian?] (Tom) -- Sound the horn (Jennifer) -- Darkness dancing (Jennifer).

Concert side A. The cat came back (Jane) -- It was sad when the great ship went down (Jane) -- Death of poor cock Robin (Jane and Jean [Woodruff?]) -- Green trees (Jean [Woodruff?]) -- And so will we be merry (Jean [Woodruff?]) -- Megan is bakin' today (Jean [Woodruff?]) -- Johnny, I hardly knew ye (Jane [Woodruff?]) -- Glorious mud -- Across the western ocean -- Silver and gold -- Lilly go lightly -- Walzing with bears -- I don't want more sequels (Mike Brown) -- A Subway Rider's Prayer (Mike Brown).

Concert side B. A stoney rover's prayer (Mike Brown) -- [Song about the Challenger disaster] (Mike Brown) -- [Song about the Exxon Valdez and BT Nautilus] (Mike Brown) -- I'm taking my guitar (Greg Baker) -- No, it's not for radiation (Greg Baker) -- Whee-I'm a ranger! (Greg Baker) -- Put another ship on the comlink (Virtual Orchestra) -- Chocolate conquers everything (Virtual Orchestra) -- Jumping the turnstiles (Virtual Orchestra) -- Swing low, sweet double-A (Virtual Orchestra) -- Fannish Orchestra (led by Roberta) – Partial tape of Fannish Orchestra played back for audience.

Researcher's transcript of interview is available in folder 2.

Concert concludes with Hallelujah Chorus.

Interview with Mara part 2 discusses: housefilks in Bay and L.A. area, early filk experiences and attendingearly conventions.

Titles and performers for open filk unavailable in Milewski's notes.

Titles and performers unavailable in Milewski's notes.

Interview/Song with Heather Rose Jones, Kathy, and Claire: they discuss writing process and perform a song, Jones explains how she wrote about the Challenger disaster, the group lists other songs related to a tragedy.

Interview with Roberta Ragow: discusses early filking through Star Trek and fanzines. Other unidentified filkers join conversation about Star Trek in the filk community and parody songs.

Continuation of interview with Ragow discusses Star Trek, parody songs.

Interview with Kathy Mar: discusses sound quality of Off Centaur tapes and styles of filk.

No titles or performers available for concert in Milewski's notes.

No titles or performers available for concert in Milewski's notes.

Interview with Mike Browne: discusses songwritting process, early filk experiences, songs related to space travel.

Interview with Matt Leger: discusses a song about the Challenger disaster, early filk experiences, filking on the Gulf Coast.

Interview with Matt Leger: discusses a song about the Challenger disaster, early filk experiences, filking on the Gulf Coast.

Interview with Claire discusses filk and sci fi con attendance, the filk community, and filk recordings.

Contains materials relating to the 1990 InConJunction. Includes a copy of the convention program/schedule, Milewski's personal notes, and recordings of interviews, panels, and filk music performances. Also included are transcripts of some of the interviews/panel discussions.

Contains Milewski's personal notes from the convention, as well as transcripts from interviews she conducted. Also includes the official program from the 1990 InConJunction.

Audio recordings of interviews, panel discussions, and filk music performances from the 1990 InConJunction. Some interviews have been transcribed. 9 cassette tapes.

Interview with David and Carole Grace discusses:

How a filksing is organized and community norms, cons that have filk presence, definitions of filking, filk song themes, instrumentation and instrumental filk, spontaneous filk performance and jam sessions. They also discuss the definition of a filker and how filk songs are learned.

Friday Night Filking (Casual Filking): Brown-Eyed Girl (Barry and Sally) -- Credit Cards (Naomi) -- Hitch your Wagon to a Star (Barry and Sally) -- Building Q (Barry and Sally) -- Garden Song (Naomi) -- Unidentified dulcimer tune (Dave Alway) -- Flying to Port 9-C (Barry and Sally) -- Cockroaches on Parade (Marie) -- Overflowing Catbox Blues (Naomi) -- Always Empty Dogdish Blues (Naomi) -- Unidentified blues song (Tom) -- Making Love Weighing Nothing (Lee) -- Send Me to Glory in a Glad Bag (Marie) -- Oh God, The Dawn It Comes So Soon (Unidentified performer) -- Witch (Mark).

Friday Night Filking, continued, side A: Devilin (Juanita Colson) -- To the Gambler (Barry and Sally Childs-Helton) -- [Song about Theiln?] (unidentified performer) -- Bimbo Wizard (Tom) -- [Filk on an Ecklar Song] (Naomi) -- Sittin' Here Lonely at the SF Con Blues (unidentified performer) -- Con Dog (unidentified performer) -- Mary Jo (unidentified performer) -- Driving Song (Juanita Coulson) -- Dumb Mundane Women (Barry and Sally Childs-Helton) -- All of the Filkers are Singing (group) -- Dead Dog Sunday (Naomi) -- I Raid the Filks (unidenitified performer) -- After the Con (Juanita)

Friday night filking, continued, side B: Unidentified dulcimer tune -- Starbound, Soilbound -- Return of the King -- The Final Revelation -- Clay County Basketball -- We're Gonna Barbecue Spuds Mackenzie -- Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor on the Bedpost Overnight -- Defrosting the Freezer.

Friday night Filking, continued, side A: A Dragon Meal -- Filk on a Shredded Wheat commercial -- Watch me Fly (Juanita Coulson) -- I'm a Fly in a Plane -- [Story with guitar accompaniment] -- Tyrannosaurus Rex -- Flocks of Birds of Beady Eyes -- Tipper -- The Wild West Show -- [Song from the perspective of Kermit the Frog] -- Just Another Country Western Wino -- Wheelchair in High Gear.

Friday night filking, continued, side B: Matty Groves -- Synthesizer Song -- Conversation and synthesizer demonstration -- Hellraiser -- Hellraiser II -- Just Rewards -- The Smallest Thing Known to Man -- Sleepin' With TV On -- Singulars and Plurals -- Bring on the Goddamn Cat.

Friday night filking, continued: - Don't Leave the Circle -- The Filk is Over -- The Kind of Love You Never Recover From -- Instrumental -- Walk with Me.

Panel: The Good Ole Days, a discussion of early fandom, with Ray Bean, Rusty Hevelin, and Wilson Tucker.

Panel: Filking History, with Sally and Barry Childs-Helton and Juanita Coulson. Transcript for this panel available in Box 1, Folder 3.

Panel: Filking History, with Sally and Barry Childs-Helton and Juanita Coulson, continued from tape 4. Transcript for this panel available in Box 1, folder 3.

Interview with Moonwulf discusses connections between filk and the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA), conventions of filk performance, and what makes a good filk song and performance. Rough transcript is available in Box 1, folder 3.

Interview with Don and Marie [Schneider?] discusses the Midwest filk scene, conventions of filk performance, etc. Rough transcript in Box 1, folder 3.

Interview with Don and Marie [Schneider?], continued from previous tape, discusses the Midwest filk scene, conventions of filk performance, the ethics of taping at cons, the dissolution of Off Centaur, etc. Rough transcript in Box 1, folder 3.

Interview with Mark contains brief discussions and performances of two songs: "White Witch" and "Alexa Got Married."

Saturday night filking, side A: Unidentified song (Barry and Sally Childs-Helton) -- The King's own Regulars (Juanita) -- Ladyhawke (Phil) -- Ballast (to Crane Dance) (Tom) -- And They Call Them Bones (Barry and Sally) -- Everyone Loves Us, Everyone Needs Us, Overflowin Cathouse Blues (Naomi) -- 307 Ale (Tom) -- Zulyka (Juanita) -- [Dinner party] (Bill Roper?) -- Green Grow the Rushes-O (Mark) -- Flight of the Bumblebee (Tom).

Saturday night filking, side B: [Dorsai Song] (Naomi) -- [Filk of Waltzing Matilda] (Lee) -- The Pusher (Juanita Coulson) -- Little Black Train (Phil) -- Just Rewards (Renee) -- [Filk on Sloop John B] (Juanita Coulson) -- [Drinking Song] (Dave) -- Bimbo Wizard (Tom) -- Party Hearty (Moonwulf) -- Eight Foot Two [filk on Has Anybody Seen my Gal?] (Mark) -- Frank Hayes Blues (Tom) -- The Words Came Back (Renee)

Saturday night filking, side A: Sing with a Drunken Angel (Moonwulf) -- Dream Child (Naomi) -- Mouse and Squirrel (Barry and Sally Childs-Helton, Moonwulf, Tom) -- Karres (Juanita Coulson) -- [I Wanna Be Peter Lorre] (Unknown performer) -- Plan 9 From Outer Space (Bill Roper) -- Ballade from Cyrano de Bergerac (Moonwulf)) -- [Morgaine?] (Lee) -- The Shining (Mark) -- Hellraiser (Tom) -- I Always Will Remember (Naomi).

Saturday night filking, side B: [Dorsai song] (Mark) (03:27) -- [Filk of Waltzing Matilda] (Lee) (06:20) -- The Pusher (Juanita Coulson) (03:51) -- Little Black Train (Phil) (03:42) -- Just Rewards (Renee) (04:00) -- [Filk on Sloop John B] (Juanita Coulson) (04:40) -- [Drinking Song] (Dave) (04:28) -- Bimbo Wizard (Tom) (03:17) -- Party Hearty (Moonwulf) (06:13) -- Eight Foot Two [filk on Has Anybody Seen My Gal?] (Mark) (03:06) -- Frank Hayes Blues (Tom) (03:24) -- The Words Came Back (Renee), incomplete (00:43).

Saturday night filking, continued from previous tape, side A: The Words Came Back (Renee), continued from previous tape (02:24) -- [Filk on Lord of the Dance] (Tom) (00:25) -- Come Back, Jimmy Swaggart (Juanita Coulson) (03:10) -- My Name is Jimmy Swaggart (Lee) (02:38) -- Zucchini (Naomi) (03:54) -- The Spree (Mark) (02:49) -- The Bold Marauder (Moonwulf) (08:15) -- My Library Card (Bill Roper) (04:19) -- My 1000 Dearest Friends (Naomi) (04:56) -- Elvis Everywhere Tom) (04:17) -- Freddy Likes to Fugue (unidentified performer) (07:26) -- MTV (unidentified performer) (02:42)

Saturday night filking, side B: MTV (unidentified performer), continued (00:50) -- Throw Away Your TV (unidentified performer) (02:44) -- I've Been Tetrisized (Tom) (02:45) -- Tyrannosaurus Was Bad to the Bone (B.J. Willinger) (02:58) -- Tecumseh Speaks (Moonwulf) (06:26) -- Lightsail (Barry and Sally Childs-Helton) (06:48) -- Saxophone (Tom) (06:47) -- When I Sat and Played on Your Guitar (Naomi) (04:58) --The Ballad of You and Me (Mary Ellen?) (01:19) -- Walk With Me Today (Renee) (03:31) -- [Lordcock Woodpecker?] (Juanita Coulson) (03:06) -- Good Advice (B.J. Willinger) (02:33) -- It's Superman's Fault (Renee), incomplete (02:30)

Saturday night filking, continued from previous tape, side A: It's Superman's Fault (Renee), continued -- I Snore (B.J. Willinger) -- [On With the Flow] (unidentified performer) -- [Guitar instrumental] -- Bates Motel Song (B.J. Willinger) -- Smurfin' USA (Tom) -- Cruiser Dreamin' (Bill Roper) -- I Am the Soul of the Steel (B.J. Willinger) -- A Dragon's Retort (unidentified performer) -- Unicorn Song (Tom) -- When I Was a Young Man (Bill Roper).

Saturday night filking, side B: I'm a Toad Again (B.J. Willinger) -- Crisis (Renee) -- SF Fan (B.J. Willinger) -- I Know I Can (Renee).

Beginning and end of side B contain no audible content.

The Arisia Science Fiction Convention is a yearly sci-fi convention held in Boston, MA. It was started in 1990 and is organized by the Arisia Corporation, a non-profit group. The convention is still being held today and features a variety of activities and panels.

Contains official programs from the Arisia Science Fiction Convention from both 1991 and 1993.

Audio recordings from the 1991 Arisia Science Fiction Convention. 4 cassette tapes (tapes are misnumbered).

Tape is blank.

Filking at Arisia, possibly a Bardic session, with unidentified songs and some conversation. Recording levels are low and there is considerable tape hiss, making conversation and some songs partly unintelligible.

Interview with unidentified filker discsusses: filking in California and on the West Coast, West Coast filk conventions, Bardic filking vs. other styles of filking, the early years of Off Centaur, the filk community, and copyright and filk.

Interview with unidentified filker discusses the dissolution of Off Centaur, filking and filk conventions in the late 1980s, Juanita Coulson and early filk.

Philcon is an annual science fiction convention put on by the Philidelphia Science Fiction Society. Collection contains Milewski's notes, interviews, and recordings from the 1989 Philcon.

Contains Milewski's notes from the 1989 Philcon, and unlabelled interview transcripts.

Audio recordings from the 1989 Philcon. 5 cassette tapes. Contents unknown.

Contains recordings of filk performances and conversation during the convention, possibly an open filk or a filk concert. No song titles or performer names are available in Milewski's notes.

Contains recordings of filk performances and conversation during the convention, possibly an open filk or a filk concert. No song titles or performer names are available in Milewski's notes.

Side A contains recordings of filk performances and conversation during the convention, possibly an open filk or a filk concert. No song titles or performer names are available in Milewski's notes.

Side B contains an interview between three filkers, labeled M, B, and A in Milewski's notes. Interviewees compare East Coast, West Coast, and Midwest filking, discuss sci fi and filk conventions, the process of composing filk, filk performance traditions, and Off Centaur records. A partial transcript is available in Box 1, folder 5.

Content near the end of side A and the bulk of side B has speed problems, likely due to a failing battery in Milewski's recording device.

Continuation of an interview between three filkers, labeled M, B, and A in Milewski's notes. Interviewees compare East Coast, West Coast, and Midwest filking, discuss sci fi and filk conventions, the process of composing filk, filk performance traditions, and Off Centaur records. A partial transcript is available in Box 1, folder 5.

Recordings, notes, and song lyrics from various "housefilk" events. Audiotapes contain group and individual performance of filk, folk, and popular songs, as well as substantial group conversation about the state of filk, the aesthetic qualities of filk, and conversations about planning and advertising additional housefilks and convention attendance. Milewski's fieldnotes for housefilks are scant, and contain few references to performers or song titles.

Recordings, notes, and song lyrics from two different MIT Housefilk sessions.

Audio recordings from two different MIT Housefilk sessions, the first of which was held in August 1990. 5 cassette tapes. There is scant documentation of song titles and performers from Milewski's field notes.

Audio recordings from a Milford housefilk event. 4 cassette tapes.

Audio recordings from a Haverhill, MA housefilk event. 2 cassette tapes.

Contains flyers/promotional materials for a variety of things including sci-fi conventions, filk events, fan clubs, and zines.

This series contains both published and unpublished collections of filk songs. Also included are two filk music catalogues, which list albums and songbooks that are available for purchase.

The New England Science Fiction Association (NESFA) was established in 1967 and is one of the oldest science fiction clubs in New England. The association published collections of filk songs written by its members in "hymnals", which were then sold at conventions and other events. Included here are two complete hymnals and a collection of submitted songs to be considered for later publications.

NESFA Hymnal: 2nd Edition. Reprinting of the 1976 publication "The NESFA Hymnal, Vol. 1". Contains additional songs, new verses, and credits songwriters/lyricists not included in the previous edition.

First edition of the NESFA Hymnal, vol. 2. Contains winning songs from the Boskone Filksong Contest, as well as other songs that were submitted specifically for the hymnal.

Collection of possible song submissions for the second volume of the NESFA Hymnal. Includes note asking readers for their feedback regarding which songs should be included in the new hymnal, and which ones should be discarded.

Collection of filk songs from the second Bayfilk convention. Compiled and published by Off Centaur Publications.

Collection of filk songs by Phillip Wayne and Cynthia McQuillin. Compiled and published by Off Centaur Publications.

Collection of filk songs written by Cynthia McQuillin. Includes lyrics and chords; originally published with an accompanying cassette tape. Published and distributed by Unlikely Publications.

Issue no. 7 of the Star Wars fanzine "Guardian". Contains fan fiction, poems, and filk songs. Published by Mazeltough Press.

Compilation of filk songs by various authors. Published by Off Centaur Publications.

Filk music fanzine published by Buffalo Chip Press. Contains filk songs by various authors.

Collection of songs about space travel- various authors. Published by Off Centaur Publications.

Filk music songbook- all songs written by Heather Rose Jones. Published by Off Centaur Publications.

Collection of filk songs by various authors. Published by Off Centaur Publications.

Assorted lyric sheets for filk songs by various authors.

Contains three filk music catalogues: Off Centaur Publications (Fall 1987, Off Centaur Publications); Filk Index, vol. 1 (1987, Sourdough Jackson); and Wail Songs (1991, Wail Songs).

This series includes Milewski's research notes, interview transcripts, reference materials, and thesis drafts, as well as personal and subscription-based correspondence.

Includes Milewski's field notes, interview transcripts/notes, reference papers, and thesis drafts.

Audio recordings of interviews with Jane Robinson and Cynthia McQuillin. 2 cassette tapes.

Both interviews discuss songwriting techniques, the filk community, professional filk recording and the development of Off Centaur, and traditions of filk performance.

Continuation of interview with filker Cynthia McQuillin, discussing songwriting techniques, the filk community, professional filk recording and the development of Off Centaur, and traditions of filk performance.

Notes from interviews conducted over the phone- many of which are with early filk musicians and other pioneering members of the filk community, such as: John Boardman, Duane Elms, Spenser (likely Spenser Love), Juanita Coulson, and Bob Asprin.

Contains papers/articles/theses written by other people. Topics include folk music traditions, music composition, and the history of filk music.

Notes, reference papers, and drafts of Milewski's junior essay.

Two notebooks containing Milewski's research and field notes.

List of contact information for colleagues, filk musicians, and other people Milewski met while at conventions.

Includes thesis drafts, field/research notes, notes from a folklore class, lyric sheets, and promotional flyers for conventions/other events.

Includes notes, thesis drafts, and photocopies of interview transcripts.

4 cassette tapes, including a very brief recording of live filking, a dub of the Wail Songs release The Joy of Singing, an attempt to record a telephone interview, but only the interviewer's side of the conversation was recorded, and a tape of unidentified filk performance.

Contains conversation, likely from a convention, but only contains 8 seconds of recorded content.

A cassette dub of The Joy of Singing (Wail Songs WS003).

Tape contains an attempt to record a telephone interview, but only the interviewer was recorded.

Filk performance at an unidentified location by unidentified performers.

Recordings of filk music sent to Milewski from Kerry Gilley. 9 cassette tapes.

Audio recordings of southern filk music. Accompanies the 10/8/1990 letter from Kerry Gilley.

Filk music recordings; cassette tape accompanies the 7/10/1990 letter from Kerry Gilley. Tape 1/8.

Filk music recordings; cassette tape accompanies the 7/10/1990 letter from Kerry Gilley. Tape 2/8.

Filk music recordings; cassette tape accompanies the 7/10/1990 letter from Kerry Gilley. Tape 3/8.

Filk music recordings; cassette tape accompanies the 7/10/1990 letter from Kerry Gilley. Tape 4/8.

Filk music recordings; cassette tape accompanies the 7/10/1990 letter from Kerry Gilley. Tape 5/8.

Filk music recordings; cassette tape accompanies the 7/10/1990 letter from Kerry Gilley. Tape 6/8.

Filk music recordings; cassette tape accompanies the 7/10/1990 letter from Kerry Gilley. Tape 7/8.

Filk music recordings; cassette tape accompanies the 7/10/1990 letter from Kerry Gilley. Tape 8/8.

Contains various newsletters and zines that Milewski subscribed to, including: MASSFILC, the Secret Masters of Godzilla, APA-Filk, and the Canadia Folk Music Bulliten.

Personal correspondence from friends and colleagues- mostly about filk music and Milewski's research. Two letters from Kerry Gilley include accompanying cassette tapes with field recordings of southern filk music (10/8/1990 letter: 1 tape, Box 5; 7/10/1990 letter: 8 tapes, Box 7).