Chalkhills, Number 194

                Wednesday, 22 January 1992
Today's Topics:
                    Primus' XTC Cover
                        Sunny Jim
                 Nonsuch...? Tribute Tape
                    Earn Enough For Us
                      Re: Sunny Jim
                Making Plans for... Bison?
                   ahoy theree mateys.
          The Tiny Circus Of Life & Times Square

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Date: 13 Jan 1992 10:13:02 -0800
From: "Steve Krause" <steve_krause@qm.sri.com>
Subject: Primus' XTC Cover

According to BAM Magazine (1/10/92), Interscope Records has released a
limited-edition CD of cuts from Primus' _Sailing the Seas of Cheese_
along with covers of XTC's "Making Plans for Nigel" and Peter
Gabriel's "Intruder." The disc will be commercially available only in
Japan, so the import racks are your best hope.

Steve Krause

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Date: Mon, 13 Jan 92 13:08:21 GMT
From: Toby Howard <toby@computer-science.manchester.ac.uk>
Subject: Sunny Jim

Curious in Cleveland says>
   Did we ever get an answer on who or what "Sunny Jim" is?

As far as I know this is just an British term of endearment for a young
man. My dad used to call me this sometimes, I think. I think it probably
appears in 1000 Umbrellas just to make the lyrics scan (plus pun on
'sunny')!!

Britishly,
Toby

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From: wilson@psylo.enet.dec.com
Date: Tue, 14 Jan 92 06:16:16 PST
Subject: Nonsuch...? Tribute Tape

"Nonsuch"...?

What happened to "Wonder Annual" or "Balloon"? These were far better
choices, IMO. Oh, well...I have a hard time visualizing an XTC
album named "Nonsuch."

***********

Regarding the xtC tribute tape, I am now able to record some songs.
Just myself singing and my guitar. Are people sending tapes to
anywhere yet?

i have to tell everyone that I'm not making a big deal out of
what I'm doing, but it's perfectly okay if you do...:-) It's
just me and my home tape player...a real "Donovan" feel, if you
will. :-)

Wes

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From: Brummer <r36105f@saha.hut.fi>
Subject: Earn Enough For Us
Date: Tue, 14 Jan 92 21:31:07 EET

>  o       On "Earn Enough for Us" the song is very much structured
>          like a Beatles song

   And the end of the song is directly from a Beatles song (which one, I don't
 remember) Oh, and I think "Satellite" is one of the most beatiful songs I've
 ever heard.

                   The Piano Has Been Drinking
                      artobrummerSUURIKONU
                             Not Me

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Date: Wed, 15 Jan 92 16:32:41 -0800
From: mcb@presto.ig.com (Michael C. Berch)
Subject: Re: Sunny Jim

> Did we ever get an answer on who or what "Sunny Jim" is?

James "Sunny Jim" Rolph was a colorful mayor of San Francisco in the
earlier part of the 20th century.  In my exegesis, Sunny Jim is an
oblique reference to the Chalkhills list (Rolph -> Relph) and also a
backhanded nod to "Mayor of Simpleton" (Mayor of San Francisco ->
Mayor of Simpleton).  And if you count up the letters in...

Oh, never mind.

--
Michael C. Berch
mcb@presto.ig.com

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Date: 18 Jan 92 18:20:31 EST
From: Steve Levenstein <70750.1117@compuserve.com>
Subject: Making Plans for... Bison?

Hello, fellow XTCphiles! I've found another cover song, well, sort of.
   I bought a cassette called "EVERY BAND HAS A SHONEN KNIFE WHO
LOVES THEM', which is a tribute to the Osaka, Japan based band
called "Shonen Knife". It's along the same lines as the "Imaginary"
series of tributes. This particular one was featured on CBC radio's
"Nightlines" show last year, but I just bought it now.
   Anyway to get to the point, there is a song on the album called
"Making Plans For Bison". Yes, really. It's not the classic cover
treatment, I mean the tune is different and the only common lyrics
are "We're only making plans for (bison)" and "We only want the
best for him", but the influence is obvious. This song is done
on the tribute tape by "Big Dipper". I've never heard of them,
but they do a reasonable job of it. At least I assume so, not
ever having heard the original version by "Shonen Knife".
   The tape contains 23 songs, including performers such as
Sonic Youth, Mr.T.Experience, Death of Samantha, and Das Damen.
   Maya tells me that Shonen Knife and most other Japanese bands
have been influenced by XTC. Shonen Knife's style seems to be
kind of a '60s pop/new wave/metal hybrid. Some of their more
"interesting" song titles include "Flying Jelly Attack",
"Twist Barbie", "Froot Loop Dreams", and "Tortise Brand Pot
Scrubbing Cleaner's Theme - Bye Bye". ...'nuff said.
--> Steve

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Subject: ahoy theree mateys.
Date: Tue, 21 Jan 92 12:03:50 -0800
From: jjeffers@reed.edu

I can blather on and on about the connections between
XTC and the Beatles, given a chance.  The main thing
for me is the fact that there are two distinct
songwriters in the band and each of them has a
discernible style (re: my letter in the last issue
of _The Little Express_).

Speaking of _L.E._, does anyone know when the next
issue is due?  I just renewed my subscription a month
or so ago.  And is there really a new album coming out
within the next month or so?  Oh, wow....

Is there anybody out there who wants to tape me some
videos (from "Look,Look" or wherever)?  I have only
"Dear God" and  fragment of "Mayor of Simpleton".  I
would especially dig some of the earlier ones and the
ones from _Mummer_.  You can also drop me some mail if
you like -- jjeffers@reed.edu

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Date:         Wed, 22 Jan 92 18:50:18 EDT
From: Emmanuel Marin <MARINP92@frecp12.bitnet>
Subject:      The Tiny Circus Of Life & Times Square

The XTC compilation is finally out !!!

I simply wonder if it is not a only-French release ? Because there are
a lot of French inscriptions on it, and above all
"limite a 3000 exemplaires" (only 3000 copies)

Anyway it was not expensive at all 75FF (14$) but :
- I already have got all the tracks,
- I could not read the booklet because all copies were sealed,
so I didn't buy it... but if it is French only and you are interested
I can do it for you !!

So it is:
The Tiny Circus Of Life,
Virgin 30953 PM500
1-History of R'n'R
2-Simpleton
3-Scarecrow
4-Dear God
5-Season cycle
6-Grass
7-Seagulls
8-Great Fire
9-Runaways
10-Senses
11-Knuckle down
12-Fly On The Wall
13-Blame the Weather
14-Respectable Street
15-Nigel
16-This is Pop ?

                  -------------------

And it seems it was the day, because in the same shop (!), but in the
"bargain" part of it, I have seen the "Times Square" LP... with
"Take this Town" on it...
I don't remember the other songs but the sleeve was so awful, the price
not so low (120FF-24$), and well, the sleeve was REALLY awful
(it looked like a soap box) ... I didn't buy it too...

But anyway I came out of the shop with two 5$ Jethro Tull so I didn't
spoil my day :)...

Emmanuel.

PS : only French or not, the low price of the CD and the fact that the
March release of "Nonsuch" is written on it, means Virgin wants to make
some effort to popularize XTC.. (in France ?)...

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