Chalkhills, Number 199

               Wednesday, 12 February 1992
Today's Topics:
            Japanese XTC CDs/A Recommendation
                      Urban Blight
A tiny little ticklish thought, about one of the new song titles
                   Re: Chalkhills #198
               Re: Peter Punkin and Nonsuch
                "Nonesuch" title source...
          Calling XTCellent musicians: Bay Area
                         New XTC!

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From: wilson@psylo.enet.dec.com
Date: Mon, 10 Feb 92 11:36:23 PST
Subject: Japanese XTC CDs/A Recommendation

It's good to be hearing a bit more about the connection XTC has
with Japan. Most of the XTC CDs are available on Virgin Japan and,
like most Japanese CDs, the sound quality and manufacturing are
superb. Personally I own The Compact XTC and Chips from the
Chocolate Fireball.

The import company I order from is based out of Portland, OR. They
order from Japan, England, and Germany at present.

I'm intrigued because this company can get a couple of Japanese
CDs Andy has played on - "B2 Unit" is one..."I Wish It Could
Be Christmas Every Day in the UK" is another. Both are
$30 dollars each! So, if someone has these and can comment
on whether Andy's contribution would make them worthwhile
purchases, please do so.

Meanwhile, I'm buying all of the Cud material that Dave Gregory
had a hand in (Cud isn't bad - rough pop, but very distinctive
with a definite edge to their music).

I have the Blegvad disc - THE NAKED SHAKESPEARE. I wouldn't say that
Andy and Colin's influence is very strong, although this is a
pretty good, if a bit uneven, album. Is Peter an American or a Canadian?

Finally, I wish to thank Emmanuel Marin for getting THE TINY CIRCUS
OF LIFE CD for me. Emmanuel, if you haven't already written me, please
do so and let me know what you'd like in exchange. Merci beaucoup!

Another item: I recently bought a best of Zombies CD. "Time of the
Season" is terrific. I like Gus Dudgeon's work. Criminy, I even
liked Elton John when Gus was producing him.

Wes

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Date: Mon, 10 Feb 92 14:43:18 est
From: Ben Trumbore <wbt@beauty.graphics.cornell.edu>
Subject: Urban Blight

Steve Levenstein <70750.1117@compuserve.com> writes:
>  Last and least, I heard a song the other day which sounded
>  remarkably like XTC. It's called "House of Gold" by a
>  New York City band called "Urban Blight". The lead vocalist
>  is an Andy sound-a-like, and the tune reminds me of a cross
>  between "Gold" and "Generals & Majors". Anyone heard of it?

Yes!  Urban Blight ventures out here to Ithaca, NY a few times a year,
and has quite a local following.  Ithaca College's radio station, WICB,
plays some of their tunes, including "House of Gold."  For some years
I've thought that this tune sounded more like XTC than anything else
on the radio.  I've searched for it in record stores, but was told that
Urban Blight's tapes had all been sold out, and that to date they had
not released any CDs.  I saw them perform in town, and enjoyed the show
very much.  I should observe that they're actually a serious Ska band,
with a great hornline and aggressive, dancey beat.  The song in question
may not be considered representative of their work.  If anyone has
information or opinions on Urban Blight or their albums, I'd appreciate
hearing it!

   Ben

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Date: Mon, 10 Feb 92 15:53:58 EST
From: klm@cme.nist.gov (Ken Manheimer)
Subject: A tiny little ticklish thought, about one of the new song titles

First, i'm glad to see the traffic about the new album - it's really
whetting my aural appetite.  Maybe it won't take me as many listens to
*hear* the songs for this one (yeah, right).

So, one of the song titles on the new album - "Holly Up On Poppy" -
has struck my fancy.  It reminds me of the title of the Dr Seuss book,
"Hop On Pop".  That this may be deliberate tickles me, 'cause i happen
to think that Seuss' often preposterous, gentle whimsy fits well with
XTC music, and vice versa, and probably with Andy's contributions, in
particular.  I think it'd be cool to see where XTC would wander in
that vein, particularly considering the "recent" preoccupation they've
had with kids.

And i guess i'm inclined to guess that "Holly Up On Poppy" is a
creature of partridge's, especially if that's the deal...

Ken
klm@cme.nist.gov, 301 975-3539

The only permanent rule in Calvin ball is that you can't play the same
way twice.					- Calvin (watterson)

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Date: 10 Feb 92 17:08:33 EDT
From: Jan Schiffman <SCHIFFMAN@wmgt-mail.wharton.upenn.edu>
Subject: Re: Chalkhills #198

Regarding Urgh!, A Music War, The Butthole Surfers didn't exist yet
and the Police played driven to tears, alone. Not to nit pick but I
have the soundtrack. The idea behind Urgh! was to showcase all of the
current alternative bands that were being distributed by A&M (right!
IRS was distributed by A&M). The Butthole Surfers (Austin, Texas
natives) were not together as of yet, Gibby was still playing
basketball for Trinity College, I believe. As for a dontation of band
members, when the Police played "Driven To Tears" someone played the
synth, but is not credited on the album...I suppose it could have
been Dave Gregory.

                                -Jan Schiffman
                                 The Wharton School
                                 University of Pennslyvania
                                 Philedelphia, Pa
                                 Schiffman@wharton.upenn.edu

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Date: Mon, 10 Feb 92 17:04:09 PST
From: "John M. Relph" <relph@presto.ig.com>
Subject: Re: Peter Punkin and Nonsuch

Kevin Carhart <ukevc@mcl.mcl.ucsb.edu> writes:

> one of the reviewers has heard a big tape of demos with 20-some
>songs... and the first single is the "Ballad of Peter Pumpkin...." something?
>head?     Anyway, it is already being played on KROQ in LA.

Is this true?  I asked a guy at a local rekkid store and he said that
no radio promos had been released yet for XTC.  Maybe KROQ got one
because of Dusty Street, who hosted their KROQ appearence on the
Acoustic Radio Tour.

				. . .

Emmanuel Marin <MARINP92@frecp12.bitnet> tells us "The meaning of `Nonesuch'":

>"Nonesuch" is the name of the record company which releases music from
>the XV to the XVII century, and that Andy is listening a lot now...

Is this from the "Les Inrockuptibles" interview?  Any chance you'll
find the time to translate this interview for Chalkhills?  Anybody
else here fluent in French?

	-- John

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Date: Mon, 10 Feb 92 20:26:00 EST
From: meep@wpi.wpi.edu (A Son of the Silent Age)
Subject: "Nonesuch" title source...

There've been lots of theorizings about "Nonesuch" being a ship's name or
a record label, but couldn't it just be a bit of self-derivation?

	I'm skating over thin ice, while some nonesuch net holds me aloft...

Sound familiar? Maybe they even took it from that song just to let us know
they like _Chalkhills_. (Maybe not...I'm not THAT optimistic)

Ah well. Just a thought.

doug

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Date: Tue, 11 Feb 92 10:30:05 PST
From: tonys@guitar.berkeley.edu (Anthony Stevenson)
Subject: Calling XTCellent musicians: Bay Area

Here's putting chalkhills into practice!: Power drummer needs bass for
emerging band.  Pro ability and capability.  Sound is not limited to niches
but energy is high, tempo often fast, melodies ripping, rhythms dynamic,
and all the rest of it.  Serious.

Happy to speak with quality musicians/artists of any stripe.  I have several
projects going.

(510) 452-9238

Enjoy!

tony

	[ Obligatory XTC content: Tony also told me that he would be
	  interested in obtaining "notes and chords" for the songs
	  from "Black Sea", so if you have figured any of them out,
	  please "send in now".  -- John ]

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Date: Wed, 12 Feb 92 15:48:02 PST
From: "John Relph" <relph@presto.ig.com>
Subject: New XTC!

Wow!  I can't believe nobody found out about this!  Or maybe I just
wasn't paying attention...

I was able to procure a CD called "Holiday Greetings From Geffen
Records" which has three minutes of promotional spots from different
Geffen artists, including (fanfare) XTC!  Andy Partridge sings the
"Merry Christmas Song" (all 36 seconds worth) and also contributes the
"Psychadelic Christmas" spot (another 36 seconds).

I took the 72 seconds (haha) to transcribe it all for youse.

Merry Christmas Song:

    (spoken)
    Hello, I'm Andy Partridge of XTC

    (plays acoustic guitar and sings)
    We'd like to wish you
    Just the merriest Christmas
    The merriest Christmas
    You've ever seen

    We'd like to wish you
    Just the merriest Christmas
    The merriest Christmas
    There's ever been

    (spoken)
    Yeah, have a good one.

Psychadelic Christmas:

    (spoken, with mass quantities of reverb and echo)
    Hello, this is Andy Partridge of XTC.  Have a psychadelic
    Christmas and a great new year, and remember: don't drink
    and drive; don't sacrifice goats if you intend to use
    heavy machinery; and don't boil your best friends alive in
    vats of their own phlegm if you intend to go hang-gliding
    much more often.

Pretty silly, eh?  Gotta love it.

And a BIG "THANK YOU" to Emmanuel for procuring a copy of *The Tiny
Circus of Life* for me!  Not a bad compilation, it even has "Seagulls
Screaming", new pictures of the band, cool art on the CD, and of
course:
     ,   ,      ,
    resume en prelude au nouvel album NONSUCH.  (sortie fin mars 92)

	-- John

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