Chalkhills, Number 110

                Thursday, 11 October 1990
Today's Topics:
                        Skylarking
                   Re: Chalkhills #109
                   Re: Chalkhills #109
                 there's no liner notes!
         Return to the Valley of _X-plaining XTC_

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

Subject: Skylarking
Date: Tue, 09 Oct 90 18:22:30 -0800
From: Bill Wisner <wisner@hayes.fai.alaska.edu>

The XTC discography from Your Friend And Mine, John Relph, says this
about Skylarking:

     m. CD, Virgin UK, CDV 2399 (257 905), 1986.  ADD.
     n. CD, Virgin Canada, CDV 2399, 1986.  also includes Dear God.
     o. CD, Virgin USA (Geffen), 9 24117-2, 1986.  does not include Mermaid
        Smiled.  ADD.

Does this mean that if I manage to find a copy of the Canadian release
I'll get Dear God *and* Mermaid Smiled?

w.

	[ Yes.  -- John ]

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

Date: Tue, 9 Oct 1990 20:42:07 PDT
From: John M. Relph <relph@presto.ig.com>
Subject: Re: Chalkhills #109

Rich <RLANTHIE@ducair.bitnet> asks:

>Some interesting stuff in issue 108, but I must say that there
>is not much going on here since the release of O&L.  Qhat have folks
>been listening to?  I have been listening to Ultra Vivid Scene, new
>Pixies, Wire, and other stuff as well.

In no particular order: They Might Be Giants, Glass Eye, Najma,
Beatles, Belew, Peter Blegvad, The Carl Stalling Project, Djivan
Gasparyan, Lenny Kravitz, The Lilac Time, Poi Dog Pondering, Ice-T,
Joe Satriani, Sonic Youth, Suzanne Vega, Frank Zappa, and, of course,
XTC.

>  I remember
>hearing a 12" version of "The Meeting Place" which I really enjoyed.  It
>was a Canadian release and had a number of other tracks on it.

I want this.  If it's really a re-mix.  If you know anything more
about this release, please send the details to chalkhills-request, so
the discography can be updated.

>What I wonder about
>(and I know this has been discussed before) is why they put extra tracks on
>the CD's between what would be side 1 and side 2 on an vinyl LP?  Seems a
>little strange.  Why not tack them on at the end?  Is this a CD "limitation"
>of some sort (ie a format limitation)?  Seems highly unlikely...

In the case of _The Big Express_ I think it was done because the end
of the album is supposed to be The End.  Finale.  If those songs
appeared after "Train Running Low" the impact of that song would be
diminished.  Same with _Mummer_ and "Funk Pop a Roll".  And in fact,
there really isn't any good place to put them.  So as far as that
goes, between the two sides seems fine.

I, for one, would rather get the extra tracks than have the original
album undisturbed.

                                . . .

Tom Glaab <tglaab@vtssi.vt.edu> says:

>       I would love to know how to get XTC to do some IDs for my station,
>WUVT-FM, Blacksburg Virginia.  Info would be appreciated.

You might try contacting Geffen Records USA; perhaps their publicity
department could put you down for future publicity appearances.  If
that doesn't get you anywhere, you could contact Virgin Records UK.
Or write to Andy in care of Virgin Records UK.

                                . . .

Eric Wilson Muhlheim <muhlheim@phoenix.princeton.edu> reports on
_Rag & Bone Buffet_:

>At about 78 minutes, I think it's the longest CD I've ever seen.

I've got a few longer, but it's definitely up there.

>Critical evaluation/comments:
>  Thanx/Countdown is the Three Wise
>Men single--the first song is Brian Wilsonish, while the second is just
>XTC getting down with their funky selves.

I think it's more Phil Spector-ish, wall of sound, Motown and all.

>Take This Town is from the
>soundtrack of _Times Square_ (never saw that-was it good?),

Andy Partridge says it's a "RAP" film, "The `C' is silent", and also
that it's an "ART" film, "The `F' is silent."  He also says this about
_She's Having a Baby_.

>Happy Families
>a remixed version of the song from the _She's Having a Baby_ soundtrack
>(frankly, I prefer the other mix).

By "the other mix", do you mean the version on the soundtrack?  Is the
version on _Rag & Bone Buffet_ different from the soundtrack version?
If so, then it's the original version that XTC mixed themselves.  Andy
says they definitely prefer the original mix (that is, the one they
mixed themselves) over the soundtrack mix, which was redone without
their approval.

If you mean that the version on _Rag & Bone Buffet_ is indeed the
version on the soundtrack, then I'm unhappy.

>  The stuff from Beeswax (Heaven, Punch,
>Tigers, Pulsing, Blame The Weather) is of course fantastic.  Angry Young
>Men is really laid-back and jazzy and a really good Colin song.

"Heaven is Paved with Broken Glass" is probably the mix from
_Beeswax_, and not the original mix from the _Ball and Chain_ 12".

>Tales, Over Rusty Water (an instrumental), and Cockpit Dance Mixture are
>sort of slight--actually, I think the latter is pretty boring.

I really like "Over Rusty Water".  "Cockpit Dance Mixture" should have
been on "Explode Together", because it IS another dub experiment.  I
really like the bit about the "adult male gorilla".

>Officer
>Blue is fun and noisy.  That's about it, except for the History of Rock
>'n' Roll, which really has to be heard to be understood.

Very good stuff.

	-- John

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

From: dhgpa!adkoning@hvlpb.att.com
Date: Wed, 10 Oct 90 09:35 MET
Subject: Re: Chalkhills #109

Eric Wilson Muhlheim <muhlheim@phoenix.princeton.edu> finally brings us the
news:
>Subject: Rag & Bone Buffet

 [tracks deleted]

>  Mermaid Smiled is straight off the
>pre-bastardization _Skylarking_ (not a bad idea, since I have the US
>version on CD).

Big deal, I have the UK _Skylarking_.
BUT: are you sure this is the SAME version as on _Skylarking_?
This would be the only track on _R&BB_ that is already available on CD. Looks
to me that they could just as well have included Dear God instead (as it's
not on the UK _Skylarking_).
After all, this IS a UK release, isn't it?

 . . .

John M. Relph <relph@presto.ig.com> says that MC Radioactive Lobotomy Victim
 <jsd@gaffa.mit.edu> says:

>>So, has anybody got a definitive list of what is stolen from where in
>>the Dub Experiments tracks?

And John answers him with
> a list of the tracks from _Take
>Away / The Lure of Salvage_ and their origins

Is there anybody out there who knows the sources for _Go 2_ ?

 . . .

Also, John answers Robert Dagnall <dagnall@ocf.berkeley.edu> who is Looking
for XTC CDs (say it three times fast):

>  Geffen's _English Settlement_ has no lyrics in the
>liner notes, while the Virgin UK CD has lyrics and improved sound
>quality.  I definitely recommend the Virgin UK CD.  Make sure it has
>all 15 songs, however.  An early release of the CD had only 13 songs.

Yes, that's me: I have the "old" UK version for 5 years now. Last year I
almost bought the Geffen version (glad I had no money on me!!) and now...
I'll wait a little while ok? I got a wife and kid to feed y'know.

That's all folks!

-- Andre de Koning

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

From: dkletter@adobe.com (It's all fun and games until someone PUTS AN EYE OUT)
Subject: there's no liner notes!
Date: Wed, 10 Oct 90 20:25:00 PDT

i just got _Rag & Bone Buffet_ and while it's great, i'm really
disappointed that Virgin didn't do anything in the way of liner notes.
the inside just says where all the songs are from and lists a
discography of sorts, but no lyrics or anything interesting! what a
shame....

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

Date: Thu, 11 Oct 1990 11:15:29 PDT
From: John M. Relph <chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org>
Subject: Return to the Valley of _X-plaining XTC_

More quotes from "X-plaining XTC Part 2" by Steve Kolanjian and David
Dasch, from some issue of _Aware_ Magazine from 1983:

      _Towers of London_ b/w "Set Myself on Fire", also
    "Battery Brides" b/w "Scissor Man": A-side produced by
    Steve Lillywhite; "Scissor Man" by Tony Wilson; and the
    two remaining live tracks had their sound balanced by
    Steve Warren.  Andy's "Towers of London" is an edit of the
    _Black Sea_ track, but has an extended fade.  This edit
    can be found on the _Waxworks_ compilation [Ed: and also
    on _The Compact XTC_ compilation].  "Set Myself on Fire"
    and "Battery Brides" are previously unissued live versions
    from a September 17, 1979 concert at the Rainbow Theatre.
    This version of "Scissor Man" is culled from the John Peel
    "Top Gear" session of October 8, 1979.

      _Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen_: Produced by Mick
    Glossop.  Colin's solo single under the nom de vinyl The
    Colonel.  Terry Chambers is featured on drums with
    additional musicians: Rob Hendry and Bent (misprinted as
    Bert) Larson (guitars); Steve King (keyboards); Steve
    Warren, Bridgett Glossop, Philip Vinal, and Maz
    (uncredited) (backing vocals).  Bridgett also added
    recorder to the festivities.

      "Strange Tales, Strange Tails" is a _Go 2_ outtake;
    "Officer Blue" stems from the "Wait Till Your Boat Goes
    Down" session.  The chatter that connects these two tracks
    is Terry questioning the tempo of "Officer Blue".

      _The Rhythm_: This is a bootleg (and it sounds it) 2-LP
    set comprising most of XTC's concert at Hurrah's in New
    York City on January 16, 1980, and broadcast on WPIX-FM.
    Andy believes the second show of the evening was used for
    the broadcast.

      "Egyptian Solution": The song's subtitle, "Thebes in a
    Box", does not appear on the label or jacket [of the
    _Senses Working Overtime_ 12" single] as Andy had intended
    it.  The personnel on this track (not given anywhere) is
    as follows: Dave played guitar and bass, and Andy drums
    and synths.  Colin and Terry didn't contribute to this
    track.

      _English Settlement_: In an early form, "Senses Working
    Overtime" was a song called "With Wonderment".  "The end
    section of 'Jason'", explains Andy, "was recorded at half
    speed and then sped up to normality and edited on to the
    track proper, so everything sounded sparkly."  "Yacht
    Dance" was at one stage called "Collecting Honey for the
    Queen".  Outtakes include four songs rehearsed but never
    recorded: "My Brother Ralph", "Lazy Day Play", and "Still
    At War With the Japs", all by Colin, and Andy's
    "Snowflakes In a Mound".  Also written for these sessions
    is a song called "Hangin' Around".  There were also
    several hours of cover versions (Hendrix, Led Zeppelin)
    recorded during the _English Settlement_ days.  A tape of
    these covers is known to be in circulation.

      [The Epic USA LP release of] _English Settlement_:
    Disappointing one-record consolidation of the UK two-record
    set.  The group was quite unsatisfied with Epic's move for
    American audiences, as were US reviewers who consistently
    compared it to its English counterpart.  Rumor has it that
    Epic wanted to obtain Virgin, for the most part, to get
    XTC.  When the American tour was cancelled due to Andy's
    ill health, they were devastated.  Little promotion was
    given after that.

      "Heaven Is Paved With Broken Glass" [on UK _Ball and
    Chain_ single]: ... is also featured on _Beeswax_, but the
    version there was remixed by Andy, so it sounds starkly
    different.

      _Waxworks_ and _Beeswax_: In most cases, the versions
    included here are the same as the 45's except for the
    following: "Making Plans for Nigel" is faded early, and
    "Wait Till Your Boat Goes Down" is graced with an extended
    break featuring a synth part not found on the 45.  The
    cover is hand-drawn by Andy in crayon...  "Hang On To The
    Night" hangs on a little longer, and "Heaven is Paved With
    Broken Glass" is an edit of the single rendition that has
    been remixed by Andy.  The concluding passage here fades
    with Andy singing "heaven" before he decays into
    non-verbal [sic] chanting.  At the end of the 45 track, a
    swelling synthesizer part overwhelms the vocal and then
    fades out.  You do not hear the non-verbal chanting at all
    on the single.

				. . .

More _X-plaining XTC_ to come, so stay tuned!

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

If you are interested in receiving a list of all known
mailing lists concerning music and musical groups, please
send a short note to <chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org>.

For all administrative issues, such as change of address,
withdrawal from the list, discography requests (last
update 6 October), back issues, etc., send a message to
the following address:

	<chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org>

All views expressed in Chalkhills are those of the
individual contributors only, and don't you forget it.

---

Go back to Volume 1.

11 October 1990 / Feedback