Or to be more clear, well known music or tunes people recognise. In many ways this comes from seeing articles that children do not see the recorder in the Popular music scene which is part of the image problem for them. What examples can we think of in Popular, or perhaps New Age, Folk etc. in the not too distant past?

Examples often cited include the Beatles, Springsteen, Mick Jagger who are believed to have used some sort of recorders in a few of their tracks. Adiemus famously had a recorder solo played by Pamela Thorby. Of course you could argue Piers Adams is Popular music due to his approach and the demographic his music tends to be aimed at.

There are of course all these Celeidh bands who use variants like whistles (not quite the same) and Jazz such as Evelyn Nallen.

Any more ideas to prove the recorder can have a 'cool' image.

Not quite sure if it counts as popular music (or would be seen to small children as cool) but we went to see the Medieval Baebes yesterday and they had lots of recorders (and lutes, hurdy-gurdies etc too)

Oh you were there too Sarah. My son was singing with Ely imps, so hubby and I were doing the proud mum and dad bit. They were really nice to him too, and not only signed his CD, but addressed it to him.

Speaking to them afterwards the certainly are advocates to the Recorder is a real instrument.

Stairway to Heaven has recorders in. And Mike Oldfield used recorders. And Spinning Wheel by Blood Sweat and Tears ...

And in the 1970s various prog bands had recorder bits ... including of course the mighty Gryphon, who were a sort of rock version of the Early Music Consort!

Nick

It was a bit freezing, wasn't it! I felt so sorry for the imps, as they were visibly sitting there shivering.

Having said that children wouldn't think it was cool, one of my teacher's small pupils who was there was definitely in awe of their playing and was very excited by the fact that she had a treble recorder (not entirely why that was though ).

We insisted that eldest son put a vest and T shirt under his uniform... however, I've known Ely Cathedral Colder.

He thought the Baebes were Cool, and he is 9.