Chalkhills, Number 186

                 Monday, 25 November 1991
Today's Topics:
                    Re:  This Is Live
                   XTC Tribute Cassette
                   Dukes of Stratospere
                   Re: Chalkhills #185
           XTC videos, tapes, laser discs, etc.
                   early 45s appraisal
                     Cooking with XTC
           Hello Chalkhills, R U receiving me?

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

Date: Tue, 19 Nov 91 11:13:44 PST
From: Duane.Day@ebay.sun.com (Duane Day)
Subject: Re:  This Is Live

Regarding the new CD Boot _This is Live_ described by Tim Schreyer...
Tim, does this sound like it was mastered from vinyl?

I have a vinyl bootleg of this show and it sounds as if it were
mastered from another vinyl recording with its own clicks and pops.
It's interesting to hear one layer of static and snaps and then
hear another one join in - sort of like the experience you have
when you listen to a bad 3rd- or 4th-generation cassette copy of
something and you hear each generation's worth of hiss kick in,
one after the other, at the beginning of the tape.  I believe
the title of the vinyl boot I have is "XTC - Black Sea '81".  The
cover is a dumb drawing of a general (or major?).

This also sounds like it might be the same show as the following
entry from John Relph's discography:

  "5. BBC College Concert #9
      Life Begins at the Hop; Burning With Optimism's Flames; Love at
      First Sight; Respectable Street; No Language in Our Lungs; This is
      Pop?; Scissor Man; Towers of London; Battery Brides; Bushman
      President; Living Through Another Cuba; Generals and Majors.  live
      in London, 1981.  BBC transcription disc."

The set list is the same except that "Set Myself on Fire" is omitted
and "Bushman President" (did they really play that in concert?) is
inserted.  (I also notice that "Set Myself on Fire" live is available
on other "official" XTC releases.)

I really like the performance; it'd be nice to hear that this new CD
was at least mastered from a clean copy of the original recording.

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

From: wilson@psylo.enet.dec.com
Date: Tue, 19 Nov 91 11:39:21 PST
Subject: XTC Tribute Cassette

With some of the interest in Chalkhills members playing XTC
songs, and with the abundance of tribute albums floating
around these days, it sort of makes me wonder if we could
compile a CHALKHILLS XTC TRIBUTE CASSETTE.

I play the guitar and I sing, and I'd be more than
willing to make a tape of songs from which
someone could pluck out the best one, and it could appear
on the tape, along with selections from other CHALKHILLS
readers/musicians. maybe someone can play Roads Girdle
the Globe on the saxophone, for example...

I think it's a cool idea; I just don't have the
tape equipment to compile one tape from another
source (that is, my tape player is a single tape
player).

anyone interested in such a venture?

Wes

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

Date: Wed, 20 Nov 1991 15:47 EST
From: "T. O'Connor, PIT, Aust." <T8800568@phillip.edu.au>
Subject: Dukes of Stratospere

Date sent:  20-NOV-1991 15:42:28

Hi Chalkhillers!

Im trying to get some info on the XTC experiment called the "Dukes of
Stratosphere".

Is it similar to XTC, or a complete departure?

Were can I get a copy of their album? (Was there only one?)

Is it worth getting?

Regards,
Timothy.

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

Date: Wed, 20 Nov 91 10:31:04 PST
From: "John M. Relph" <relph@presto.ig.com>
Subject: Re: Chalkhills #185

J Ross MacKay <ross@ray.grdl.noaa.gov> defines
>        chuffed (chuft) adj.[Brit. Colloq.] 1) pleased, delighted,
>        gratified, etc.  2) disgruntled, displeased, unhappy, etc.
>
>Clear as mud, right.  From the context we must assume that he was using
>meaning #1.  What a wonderfully versatile word.

Gee, and I just wrote down what I heard, not even knowing that it was
actually a word.  What a surprise!

			  . . .

Ben Zimmer <ZIMBENG@yalevm.ycc.yale.edu> asks:

>A while ago there was a posting on rec.music.misc saying what the working title
> for the new album is.  Now I've forgotten it.  Anyone know?  I think it was
>two words, the first one being "Wonder".

The title you're thinking of is _Wonder Annual_.  Check out the recently
posted WFMU interview with Andy for a description of the original Wonder
Annuals.  An alternate title for the LP is _Balloon_.

			  . . .

Alan Fink <ST9960@siucvmb.bitnet> sez:

> I've been wondering if
>there is an XTC studio album in the works. It's been quite a while since
>Oranges and Lemons, and I'm getting rather impatient. Also, if there is
>an album on the horizon, will it contain a song I heard and recorded from
>a live set at the studios of WXRT in Chicago called Blue Beret?

Yes, there is an album in the works, possibly to be entitled _Wonder
Annual_.  Dave Mattacks from Fairport Convention is to be drumming on
the album, and Gus Dudgeon is producing.  The rumour that I made up is
that XTC have finished recording the album and it just remains to be
mixed, mastered, packaged and pressed before it's ready to go out.

But first there has to be A SINGLE!

No, "Blue Beret" isn't scheduled to be on the new LP.  It was a demo
track for _Oranges and Lemons_ which didn't make it onto the LP.

>And last
>but not least, are there any more albums floating around in the vein of
>Rag & Bone Buffet? I really enjoy hearing some of my XTC favorites as
>they were first sketched out.

None of the tracks on _Rag & Bone Buffet_ are sketches.  They are full
fledged XTC tracks like any on their LPs.  In fact, "Mermaid Smiled" was
originally included on _Skylarking_ but was removed to make way for the
"hit song" "Dear God" which was included in subsequent reissues.

But in any case, there is also _The Compact XTC: The Singles 1978-85_
CD, which includes many of their early singles (A-sides only) up to
those from _The Big Express_.  If you don't mind buying vinyl then
there's always _Beeswax_ which collects many of their early B-sides into
one place.  However, I believe that all of the tracks on _Beeswax_ are
now available on various XTC CDs.

And there's the difficult to find _Jules Verne's Sketchbook_ which is a
"North American fan club limited edition cassette containing `Andy
Partridge's Home Demo Recordings of Un-released XTC material from 82-86.
Volume 1.'"  Long sold out, you can probably find someone willing to
trade a copy of this tape.

Or you could trade with some other XTC fan for a tape of XTC demo tracks.

	-- John

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

Date:     Wed, 20 Nov 1991 13:07 PST
From: HAMILTON@daq.semi.harris.com (Fred Hamilton)
Subject:  XTC videos, tapes, laser discs, etc.

Does anyone know if that Japanese XTC laser disc is still in print?  I
had a chance to buy it 5 years ago but didn't have a laser disc player
at the time.  I haven't seen it since.  If anyone can give me more
information on it (like name, catalog number, and label), that would
be great.

I'm also interested in getting some of these videos and tapes that I
see a lot of people talking about on the net.  I understand that there
are some advertisements for these items in The Little Express. Does
anyone have a recommendation for who has the highest quality/best
selection of XTC material?  Are Chalkhill readers interested in
trading?

Finally, I play guitar and would like to share all the XTC stuff I
know with anyone who's interested.  Unfortunately, email has got to be
the most painful way to transfer music notation.  If you live in the
San Francisco Bay Area, drop me a line and we'll get together sometime
to play and exchange bits.  If you don't live in the bay area, feel free
to post a request to Chalkhills or send a request to me and (if I know
it), I'll try to help you out.

Chalkhills is really great!

-Fred Hamilton

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

Date: Thu, 21 Nov 91 08:43:50 EST
From: bab@bdrc.bd.com (Bruce A. Belanger)
Subject: early 45s appraisal

My (Australian) roomate just returned from Down Under with some 7"
45 rpm singles he'd purchased there in the years 1978-83.  We were
wondering about the worth of the following XTC 45's.  All but one
of these are on Virgin(UK). One is on RSO(UK), which was distributed
by Virgin.  Most have really cool sleeves.

Catalogue #    Songs
_____________________________________________________

vs282		"Making Plans for Nigel" b/w "Bushman President" and
		"Pulsing, Pulsing"

vs490		"No Thugs in Our House" b/w "Chain of Command", "Limelight",
		"Over Rusty Water"   Note: XTC Theatre jacket

vs201		"Statue of Liberty" b/w "Hang on to the Night"

vs553		"Great Fire" b/w "Gold"

vs365		Fold-out double single "Generals and Majors" b/w
		"Don't Lose Your Temper"  and "Smokeless Zone" b/w
		"The Somnambulist"

vs482		"Ball and Chain" b/w "Punch and Judy" and "Heaven is Paved
		with Broken Glass"

vs462		"Senses Working Overtime" b/w "Blame the Weather" and
		"Tissue Tigers"

vs231		"Are You Receivng Me" b/w "Instant Tunes"

rso71		"Take This Town" b/w "Babylon Burning" by the Ruts

va67004		"Ten Feet Tall" b/w "Helicopter" and "The Somnambulist"

vs259		"Life Begins at the Hop" b/w "Homo Safari"

vs407		"Respectable Street" b/w "Strange Tales, Strange Tales" and
		"Officer Blue"

k-8015(vs365)	"Generals and Majors" b/w "The Somnambulist"
		NOTE: green vinyl;  cover is sheet giving australian tour
		dates

Thanks.

Bruce
bab@bdrc.bd.com

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

Date: Thu, 21 Nov 91 13:54:07 PST
From: "John M. Relph" <relph@presto.ig.com>
Subject: Cooking with XTC

Another in a long line of albums containing some XTC music, Imaginary
Records (UK) has released _Out Of Time -- The Very Best of the
Imaginary Tribute Series_.  This CD (and LP, I suppose) contains a
smattering of songs from each of Alan Duffy's tribute albums released
on his Imaginary Record label.  Some of those tribute albums are _``If
6 Was 9'' -- A Tribute To Jimi Hendrix_, _Fast & Bulbous -- A Tribute
to Captain Beefheart_, _Shangri-La -- A Tribute To The Kinks_, and
_Time Between: A Tribute To The Byrds_.  _Out of Time_ contains XTC's
cover of Captain Beefheart's "Ella Guru", from _Fast & Bulbous_, which
is also available on the B-side to some of the "Mayor of Simpleton"
singles.  The new CD has catalog number ILL CD 031.

For those of you who are also Robyn Hitchcock fans, _Out of Time_ does
NOT include Nigel and The Crosses performing "Wild Mountain Thyme"
>from _Time Between_.  However, _Out of Time_ does include Cud's cover
of "Lola", from _Shangri-La_.

	-- John

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

Date: 23 Nov 91 18:04:14 EST
From: Steve Levenstein <70750.1117@compuserve.com>
Subject: Hello Chalkhills, R U receiving me?

HELLO Chalkhillsians and XTC lovers This World Over!!!
My name is Steve Levenstein, and my wife Maya and I have been
XTC fans since Go2 or so.
But I'm new at this whole computer deal, and all I know about
"Chalkhills" is what John Relph has said in a recent issue of
The Little Express.
So, I'd like to "come aboerd", whatever that means!!!
Is Chalkhills an E-mail system, or an interactive thing???
I don't know now, I'm just composing this message through
the Compuserve Mail system. You may never read this,
I just can't say right now!

Well, anyways, I'm not the world's fastest typist and I'm
not sure that anyone will get to read this message,
but if any Chalkhill-ers should, drop me an E-mail or
HELP me someone before I type again!

Steve Levenstein
Toronto, Canada
70750.1117 on Compuserve (darn! I forgot the special address thing!)

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

Welcome to XTC fan extraordinaire Steve Levenstein!

The deadline for the Chalkhills Reader Survey is 1 December!

For all administrative issues, such as change of address,
withdrawal from the list, fan club addresses, discography
requests (last update 13 November), back issues, etc., send
a message to the following address:

	<chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org>

The Chalkhills archives are available at "http://chalkhills.org/".

All views expressed in Chalkhills are those of the
individual contributors only.  She's so square she's nowhere.

---

Go back to Volume 1.

26 November 1991 / Feedback