Why would any 'folk' or alternative musician want to be a member of the british empire? Or any decent person for that matter? What exactly does it mean, apart from maintaining the class system in this country?

I love RT but this just looks shameful.

I have to say I agree with you though. Accepting honours from the queen is just not right. I believe David Bowie and Alan Bennett (and John Osborne) turned them down. There's a club to be in!

... the titular head of his homeland, on being made aware of his work by her trusty team of advisors, chooses to publicly recognise his past and ongoing contribution to the culture of his country and the world - is he really taking on all of the country/empire's past and present ills by accepting? Really?

Yes, "the personal is political", but blimey, let him have his moment, and I'd also imagine his family are enormously proud of him. Good.

i LOVE Birdseye's Fish Fingers

Shameful. Ha! What nonsense.

He looks thrilled to have been recognised for doing he does and doing it well.

Why ruin his moment?

...he undoubtedly plays the best Richard Thompson-style guitar in the world!

The great Alastair Sim, incidentally, turned down a knighthood. As had his father, apparently.

But then, unlike RT, Sim almost never gave interviews or autographs - preferring to sit down with his fans for several minutes and explain to them why it was that he wasn't going to give an autograph and how it was demeaning to their self-respect to ask for such.

I'm sure he wasted a lot of time there.

....is it OK to accept them from other Heads Of State, as happens in, say, France or the United States?

...an imminent Chevallier de Legion D'Honeur, perhaps, for services to international pop harmony? :-D

from the University of Please Yourself, California

...want someone to use the word "lickspittle". That'd make my day.

I aim to please.

... has dubious origins, Alfred Nobel was a weapons manufacturer.

I'm not going to pretend my dislike of the royals is rational, as far as I'm concerned they are a mediocre shower of tax parasites whose luxurious lifestyle I truly object to funding. I'd rather my taxes allowed bin men and teachers a half decent pension.

However accepting a prize from a head of state who has been elected at least has the appearance of being a vaguely democratic and meritocratic decision so I dont object to that.

the honours system that's a fantastic photograph and he suits the topper much more than his beret.

...he should chuck beret.

Bill: I'm an O.B.E - Order Of The British Empire
Tony: Bill, you were ordered out of the British Empire

good on him

what RT would think if he read this thread?

I'm actually Brian Sewell. I just like trolling.

A meddle.

has found his new stage outfit.

Well done that man. Couldn't be more deserved.

Alec Guinness' character in Star Wars wasn't a real person. Obi-Wan Kenobi OBE would have had a nice ring to it.

It's a recognition by the state handed out by the head of state. Whether you think that the way we select our head of state is correct or not (I don't) she is nominally representing all of us in presenting honours to those who deserve them (and, unfortunately, a great many who probably don't but that's not her fault). Accepting an honour doesn't make you either a monarchist or an apologist for whatever Britain did over the last 600 years in the name of empire.

Well done RT.

I'm happy he got an award.

In the grand scheme of things, accepting an award from the queen is certainly not as bad as his advocacy of homeopathy.

done Richard Thompson....well overdue! hip hip hooray!

but who is he?

.. if Gerry Rafferty will get one next year.

I'm not a fan of the honours system as it too often seem to be closely associated with political patronage, but if anyone's going to get one it might as well be RT.

...how it was decided that Martin Carthy should get an MBE and Richard T an OBE. Did the committee prefer 'Calvary Cross' to 'Famous Flower Of Serving Men'? Did they dock a point off Carthy for occasionally putting a finger in his ear? Or were there simply extra kudos for RT because he was happy to take his chances on the wall of death?

Good luck to him. It's none of our business if he accepts the award or not.
After all John Peel accepted his gong because he asked the family and they all agreed why not?
And if The Dame turned down his alleged knighthood that's his business.
I personally rejoice he got his medal and look forward to seeing him in his topper and medal in the near future

http://www.flickr.com/photos/britishmonarchy/5880549833/in/photostream/

Annie Lennox had it all the time!

Or, at least, those "cool dudes" who feel that accepting an honour for services to music is a somehow an acceptance of all that is wrong with the monarchy (maan) and it's convoluted history with the country. As already stated, Nobel prizes carry also some not inconsiderable baggage. But, to stretch this point, as the giver of the gong is merely the (accepted) conduit of the gift, is there a feel that one should turn down any award on the basis of whomsoever is giving it? They have some mighty dubious presenters at the Oscars*, Brits etc etc. Does this stop acceptance?
BTW, Benjamin Zephaniah turned down on the somewhat different principle of having a problem with the concept of the "British Empire", a point he made well and sensitively, given his heritage. I am uncertain whether RT would feel the same to that level, or has the background to carry it off.
Just remembered, Marlon Brando turned down an Oscar because of the USAs treatment of its native peoples. Uncertain whether that makes or destroys my point!

...I don't have views one way or the other on the honours system vis a vis people accepting honours or not.

My only view is that a great deal of people seem to be given honours who don't seem to 'deserve' them (pompous civil servants, bumptious bureaucrats etc) while a great deal of what you or I may feel are more 'deserving' people - whether creative arts people in some degree of the public eye or simply people who make huge contributions on a low key community level - get routinely passed over. The system isn't perfect, but that shouldn't be a deal-breaker in itself for people accepting.

I think Martin Carthy had problems with the 'British Empire' baggage aspect but accepted on the basis that, as far as he was concerned, he was accepting it on behalf of the whole oral folk tradition/his forebears. If that works for him, fair enough.

the ceremony begins as her Maj leans over to pin the OBE on and whispers to RT:

"One has always been a huge admirer of your work Mr. Thompson, especially that tune about the chap who rummages through his lady friend's unmentionables looking for evidence of her past dalliances. Although Prince Philip has long expressed a preference for the more uptempo ditty with the line about the 'half-naked women with her tongue down my throat'. Jolly well done and keep up the good work."

Dark Hand Over My Heart
Written by Richard Thompson.

Becky loved me and I let her
Wish I could have loved her better
On the day we pulled apart
She primed a time-bomb in my heart
Now there's a shadow hiding
Now there's a horseman riding
Lover of all broken things
Standing waiting in the wings

Sometimes I wonder why I love and let it die
Can't give, can't live just to hold back, hold back

There's a dark hand, there's a dark hand
There's a dark hand over my heart

There's a dark hand, there's a dark hand
There's a dark hand over my heart

You call me fraud and faker
You call me user, taker
You say I throw you scraps
Prove my strength by holding back
But I shine my honour brightly
Swear my allegiance nightly
But through my hands it slips
The same old demons paint their lips

Sometimes I wonder why I love and let it die
I can't give, I can't live just to hold back, hold back

There's a dark hand, there's a dark hand
There's a dark hand over my heart

There's a dark hand, there's a dark hand
There's a dark hand over my heart

There's a dark hand etc etc

released?

In many cases the criteria for the award to public sector people is recognition of charitable work or something that benefits the community in addition to the normal job.

Anyway I went along to watch my big brother receive a gong at the Palace and the whole day was certainly special.One of the treats for those observing is that throughout the occasion a rather splendid military brass band is playing music. Now as the whole thing takes a few hours they go through a rather varied repertoire which included some medleys of songs from the show. This meant that one person received their gong to the strains of Hand Me Down That Can O Beans from Paint Your Wagon and another to the tune of Bless Your Beautiful Hide from Seven Brides For Seven Brothers

Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn. RT deserves every plaudit available. He is the man. And her Madge's OBE was just an acknowledgement that someone shared her appreciation of the 1952 Vincent Black Lightning.

..to receive anything in the name of a 'British Empire' that kept 'Order' at the point of a bayonet, gun & cannon.

We've come a hell of a long way since the 1960s.