Chalkhills Digest Volume 1, Issue 220
Date: Tuesday, 12 May 1992
Chalkhills, Number 220
Tuesday, 12 May 1992
Today's Topics:
drum sounds / chords / blathering
Waxworks? The Compact XTC?
Fleet Street
charts
The NONSVCH Moulding Songs
Stooopid Question Time
Geffen does it again
Re: Peter Pumpkinhead chords
Re: Chalkhills #219
Look Look and other stuff
Nonsvch chords, Vol I
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Mon, 11 May 92 00:26:08 -0400 From: cutter@silver.lcs.mit.edu (she returns to sand) Subject: drum sounds / chords / blathering Drukface sez: >i was merely trying to say that the drum machine sound on TBE is >incredibly distinctive and not at all present on Nonsuch. The "live >room" sound of Nonsuch reminds me MUCH more of Black Sea, given that >that huge live snare was a Steve Lillywhite trademark. But listen to the "live room" sound on TBE - "You're the Wish You Are I Had", for example, or "Wake Up!", or "The Everyday Story of Smalltown". The only Linn drum songs on TBE are "All You Pretty Girls", "Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her", and "This World Over". The live drum sound on Black Sea is TOTALLY live - not in-studio, but like a live kit would sound through a PA. To these ears, _Nonsuch_ has the sound of TBE, drumwise. Guitars come later... >Jemiah Levon Jefferson <jjeffers@reed.edu> blasphemes: >>Worst Colin mistake since "Runaways". > >does anybody else out there think "Runaways" is a MISTAKE??? I think >it's one of the greatest Colin songs. With some people, Jon, there's just no accounting for taste . . . On a related note, even if his songs are more upbeat than they were on the last two LPs, it is obvious to me that Colin has shot his musical wad. Great bass player, but it will be a miracle if he comes out with another "Wake Up!" or "Fly On the Wall". [Jonnybox lambastes KarlElvis who lambastes Jonnybox] >Logical error: the structure and the tools used to erect said >structure are not the same. I would NOT claim that it is impossible >innovate with a guitar. The medium that XTC were working in during >the White Music/Go 2 days was well established and they did little to >"push the envelope." They haven't been breaking forms at an >incredible pace, but you've got to admit that something like "Rook" is >pretty different. Therefore, my claim stands, and I await a logically >acceptable refutation. It's true that compared to contemporaries like, say, Wire, XTC were a pretty average punk band (don't NOBODY say new wave; new wave was some Sire Records exec's way to pitch punk bands like Talking Heads or Blondie to the surburban masses). However, when you ask yourself questions like "whose music do I remember more from that period: Sham 69 or XTC? UK Subs or XTC?", you may begin to see that while they might not have been "pushing the envelope" as much as some, they *were* making some quirky punk-pop that has stood the test of time better than others. I think that at least qualifies for some respect, in that they were able to begin to take a fad and *do* something with it musically, instead of becoming just another face in the punk crowd. >"once a Calvinist, always a Calvinist" <stewarte@sco.com> sez: >[recap: i think "peter pumpinkhead" sounds like a black sea track.] >>As usual, Jon, you're nuts. If it had been on "Black Sea" there would >>have been at least 10 more syllables on each line. Okay, the rhythm >>guitar is reminiscent of "Respectable Street", but the rest of it >>sounds pretty "Big Express" to me. > >it's the drum sounds and the overall guitar feel. the drums on TBE >have more gating than reverb. the drums on PP have more reverb than >gating. ["Hey, you got your gating in my reverb!" "No, you got your >reverb in my gating!" "Wow, it sounds just like Phil Collins!"] I proved you were wrong earlier about the drum sounds :), so here I go with the guitar sounds. PP: Clean guitar, heavy chorus. _BS_: Crunchy guitar, no chorus. May look like nitpicking, but that difference creates huge chasms inbetween the two. PP has REM's guitars; _BS_ has AC/DC's (well not quite but you get the picture). Nonsuch has LOUD guitars, but they are really SMOOTH and HAPPY loud guitars. Like _Mummer_ with the volume way up. Quite an enigma, timbrally, really. >From: Gregory Silvus <silvus@vauxhall.ece.cmu.edu> > >What is pop music? I think of Bee Gees and danceable stuff and >new Chicago when I think of pop. Not XTC. So what is it? What >makes XTC pop music? (I guess "pop" has a negative connotation >for me.) Bee Gees and new Chicago are PAP, not POP. :) No, seriously. I can hear Drukman writing a lengthy tome of rhetoric about pop music and such, but I'll do mine anyway. Pop, remember, is short for *popular* music. Not popular as in "everybody likes it", but as in "fitting the style of the music of the time it was written in". As with anything else, there's good pop and bad pop; alternative pop, pop-metal, pop-rock, etc etc. Debbie Gibson is pop because she writes catchy stuff that tries to be the whole world in 3 minutes 50; for the same reason, so is Kate Bush, so is Metallica, so is the Buck Pets, and so is XTC. Anyone in the world of popular music (who isn't there just for a fast buck) is, on some level or another, trying for the mythical "perfect pop song" -- that mix of infectious groove, catchy chorus, just-right production, and infinite-listenability that makes the critics rave, the beancounters smile, and the Pop Kids break out into spontaneous dance parties in the street. XTC is definately a prime offender in that category -- especially with Andy's fascination with Brian Wilson. --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- >Subject: Peter Pumpkinhead chords > >Hi, here's an initial quick stab at the chords for Peter Pumpkinhead. >I'd welcome any improvements! Anyone else have chords to other songs >to post? > >Toby I immediately pulled out my trusty acoustic (always by the terminal when reading interminable netnews posts)... >Verse >D D/F# G >Peter Pumpkinhead came to town How about: D F#m G Peter Pumpkinhead came to town >Chorus >G Bbdim C#dim D >Who'll pray for Peter Pumpkinhead How about: G Bb C D Who'll pray for Peter Pumpkinhead >Ending > G F#m C C#dim D >Oh my oh my don't it make you want to cry How about: G F#m C A D Oh my oh my don't it make you want to cry --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- Someone says: >By the way, Emmanuel, thanks for translating and typing in the wonderful >interview in five parts - I really enjoyed it! Hear, hear! Great job, Emmanuel. A terrific job!!!! C'est magnifique! Mercy buckets. (Merci boucoups!) Dass all... /joe "Notice the extreme anger! The urge to commit a drive-by shooting!"
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] From: Treefrog@cup.portal.com Subject: Waxworks? The Compact XTC? Date: Sun, 10 May 92 23:07:26 PDT Okay, dumb question, but one of you wonderful Chalkhillians will answer it for me perhaps? Are _Waxworks_ and _The_Compact_XTC_ the same album? i.e., do they contain the same tracks? Do either or both (or whatever) contain any material that is currently unavailable on any of the other album CDs? While on that track, are there any CD singles, CD-5's, etc. that contain album-unavailable material? Thanks for any assistance. peace edward ************************************************************************ * "I would gladly risk feeling bad at times * Edward Thomas Keller * * if it also meant that I could taste my * Treefrog@cup.portal.com * * dessert." * * * - Lt. Cmdr. Data * The Whethermen * * ST:TNG * * ************************************************************************ [ This question has merited inclusion in the FAQ. -- John ]
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] From: dss@minster.york.ac.uk Date: Mon, 11 May 92 10:33:11 Subject: Fleet Street Ben Trumbore <wbt@graphics.cornell.edu> writes: >> "There's a cheap sensation keeping fleet street wide awake >> Everyone wants a piece of the jingoistic cake..." > If I'm not mistaken, Fleet Street is the modern British financial center, > the equivalent of Wall Street here in the U.S. ... Nice theory, but the financial centre is actually in an area which is usually referred to as "The Square Mile". For many years Fleet Street was where many of the national newspapers were produced, but now they have all moved to sites out of the city where rents are cheaper and transport is easier. However, the term "Fleet Street", used to refer to the centre of newspaper production, lingers on. Some of the papers which used to be produced in Fleet Street were the "tabloids" (aka gutter press) (hence the reference to "cheap sensation"). These papers have a tendency towards the xenophobic, and become exceptionally jingoistic when British troops are in action overseas; this was particularly true during the Falklands War, and less so during the Gulf War. loden@ll.mit.edu (Tom R. Loden *8^0) writes: > e. why does everyone hate todd rungren Someone else mentioned recently the compression which Todd applies. I originally had "Skylarking" on vinyl and so hadn't really noticed, However, the other day I listened to the CD of "Skylarking" after listening to the CD of "Nonsvch" - what a difference! I thought at first that I had lost one channel of the stereo! Try it sometime!
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From: hvgtw!dhgpa!adkoning@hvlpb.att.com
Date: Mon, 11 May 92 12:03 MDT
Subject: charts
I like the bits from the charts from all-over-the-world.
Here is the Nonsvch result from The Netherlands (a.k.a. Holland) so far (not
too much I'm afraid):
The Disappointed has 'almost' reached the Top40. It climbed slowly to number
11 in the 'Tipparade' (which is a sort of bubbling-under list).
Most XTC albums reach the album-list however, and I'll try to keep you
Chalkhillians informed if and when Nonsvch gets in there...
-- Andre de Koning
It was a very XTC-able April this year:
PS: Saw the video for 'The Disappointed' during a 'zapp' session the
other day. Andy gets about 20 seconds throughout (singing), Colin and
Dave (G) both get about 2 seconds (standing, not really doing anything).
The main thing we see is people dressed in clothes that neatly fit the
'castle'-look of Nonsvch (walking around, turning, waving banners). Not a
very exiting video but not really bad, either.
PPS: My first encouter with 'The disappointed' was during a 10 minute
car-ride! It just about started when I drove away and turned on the
radio!!
PPPS: My daughter was born April 26th (just after the release of Nonsvch)!! I
bought Nonsvch on April 27, back in my car I learned that Nonsvch was
the album-of-the-day on Station 3 and they played 'My Bird Performs'!
PPPPS: Andy said: "The only other country which I could imagine
living in is Holland. I like the verdure and the dairy produce."
Just come on over, Andy! (want my address?)
PPPPPS: Hi Tim! (A baby queen this time! Can you believe it?)
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] From: wilson@psylo.enet.dec.com Date: Mon, 11 May 92 05:33:12 PDT Subject: The NONSVCH Moulding Songs Geez, I kinda like the Moulding contributions on NONSVCH. 'My Bird Performs' - This is actually a wonderfully complex song with great lyrics. The narrator, in rejecting Shakespeare, ironically expresses the sentiment the Bard himself did in one of his most famous sonnets, "My mistress's eyes are nothing like the sun." The theme of both poems is rejection of established norms of beauty in favor of something more 'common' which provides the poet with something he understands to be beautiful, on his own terms. There is also a wonderful Shakespearean play on words in Colin's lyrics, 'My bird shakes for me.' (And isn't there a percussive "shaking" going on in the song at that point?) I also like the phrase, "a diferent kind of tinsel decorates my tree." "War Dance" - Yes, the theme is ancient..."ain't war terrible" goes back to Homer. Still, I like the clarinet sample; the whole song has a moody, troubling feel. "Smartest Monkeys" - Another well-trodden theme. But he has a point, doesn't he? How DO people accomplish such great things like space travel and then have no plan to deal with the homeless? (Point to ponder.) "Bungalow" - Silly and full of despair. The part of "When I'm Sixty-Four" that it reminds me of is when McCartney wrote, "In the Summer we can rent a cottage in the Isle of Wight/ If it's not too dear./We shall scrimp and save." - - - - - Re: the Andy songs. I like a number of these (not all). 'Dear Madame Barnum' is very "Hollies", isn't it? (i.e. as in 'Dear Eloise' and 'On a Carousel', the former being a letter to someone (as is DMB), and the latter being a circus image). I'm curious about the CD track sequence vs. the cassette: does "That Wave" come at the end of the CD? On the cassette, it's the second song on Side 2. This is one of my least favorite songs, despite the nice guitar solos. It's just too overblown for me; too much. Wes
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Mon, 11 May 92 09:45:09 MDT From: pmartz@dsd.es.com (Paul Martz) Subject: Stooopid Question Time Gregory Silvus <silvus@vauxhall.ece.cmu.edu> sez: > What is pop music? I think of Bee Gees and danceable stuff and > new Chicago when I think of pop. Not XTC. So what is it? What > makes XTC pop music? (I guess "pop" has a negative connotation > for me.) > Thanks for curing my ignorance, > gReg Bee Gees, danceable stuff, new Chicago are all "top 40", not pop. Forget what you've learned about the word "pop". Pop has no bad connotations for me. "Top 40" certainly does. -paul pmartz@dsd.es.com Evans & Sutherland
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Mon, 11 May 92 12:17:42 -0400 From: poole1@husc.harvard.edu Subject: Geffen does it again Was quite depressed after struggling with a take-home final over the weekend, so I thought I'd cheer myself up by going out and buying the Peter Pumpkinhead single. What do I find? There's no CD single (but I was prepared for that), the A-side is Peter Pumpkinhead, the B-side is Smartest Monkeys (I almost hung myself on the spot), and that's it. No demos, no non-album tracks, no nothing. Don't it make you want to cry indeed. Geoff Poole poole1@husc.harvard.edu
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From: dschmidt@athena.mit.edu
Date: Mon, 11 May 92 13:34:22 -0400
Subject: Re: Peter Pumpkinhead chords
Date: Thu, 7 May 92 15:21:47 BST
From: Toby Howard <toby@computer-science.manchester.ac.uk>
Subject: Peter Pumpkinhead chords
Hi, here's an initial quick stab at the chords for Peter Pumpkinhead. I'd
welcome any improvements! Anyone else have chords to other songs to post?
This is dangerous because I never bothered to figure out the chords
while I was actually listening to the song, and doubly so
because I'm correcting someone else's chords, but hey, why not?
Verse
D D/F# G
Peter Pumpkinhead came to town...
I thought maybe it was a F#min7 instead of a D/F#. And the G is
probably a G6 (you can hear the E at the top of the chord - just leave
the first string open).
G Bbdim C#dim D
Who'll pray for Peter Pumpkinhead
The C#dim might be a A/C#? I'm not sure, but from memory I remember
that chord being "sweeter" than a diminished chord. The Bbdim is
definitely right though.
C#m Bm A G F#m E A
My take on this (again from memory) starting from the D is:
D A/C# Bm7 D/A G F#m Em7
The A/C# might be something more like a F#m/C#. And the F#m might be
a D/F#.
I'll try to figure it out for real with the CD tonight, and maybe
figure out a few more. Here are some snippets off the top of my head
if anyone cares:
* My Bird Performs, main riff
E ----------------- I haven't actually tried this out on the guitar
B ----------------- but it looks playable... the "my bird sings sweetly"
G ----------------- melody is D# C# G# D# C# and the chords afterwards
D -2---2---2---2--- are something like Amaj7 F#m7, but probably not
A 0-20--2---2---2-- that exactly.
E ----4--42--20--4-
* Dear Madam Barnum
verses: C F C/E G7/D repeat ad infinitum
* Crocodile
crocodile no you won't make me jealous
A D B D G A F#m G (then descending bass line
of G F# E D C# B A)
verses:
E ---0------ lots of A (this is the guitar for the "call and response")
B -20--2---- F#m B7 E7 A
G 2-----2---
D -------42-
* Then She Appeared
verses:
D G A 8x
A#dim G D/F# Em A
* Books Are Burning
verse:
G D/F# E/G# Am D
Disclaimer: I've only listened to the album a few times and I haven't
actually tried any of these on my guitar yet. Use at your own risk.
I'll try to figure out some of them for real, and maybe even bother
with the bridges!
Dan
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Mon, 11 May 92 18:33:43 -0700 From: barb@lenny.esd.sgi.com (Barbara MacRae) Subject: Re: Chalkhills #219 Ben Trumbore writes: > >While I must admit that I don't yet have Nonsuch (gasp!), and can't verify >the lyrics or their context in this song, I think this might be a >misinterpretation. If I'm not mistaken, Fleet Street is the modern British >financial center, the equivalent of Wall Street here in the U.S. During and >preceding wartime, jingoism reaches fever pitch. Lots of money can be made >selling T-shirts and flags to wildly patriotic people. I'm sure the financial >wizards have even more profitable ways to take advantage of these sentiments. >Perhaps this interpretation is more in keeping with the song's title. Actually you are mistaken. Fleet Street was the center of activity of Britain's journalism scene. The press is still referred to as Fleet St. although most publishing activity has moved elsewhere over the past 10 years. Although there were many London papers there, generally when it's used as a catch-all harase it means less than respectable press, such as 'News of the World' or 'The Sun', basically the UK equivalent of "National Enquirer'. -Barb
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Tue, 12 May 92 18:34:01 EDT From: Emmanuel Marin <MARINP92@frecp12.bitnet> Subject: Look Look and other stuff Well I have finally found a copy of Look Look ! But I still has not been able to Look it :( (just a matter of Pal vs Secam) In fact, I should have said I have finally found a good shop. It has all the XTC CDs, some LPs and some singles, mostly "The Disappointed" in LP format (not CD). I have already mentioned the fact XTC has now no more airplay here on France (or at least on the most popular radios)(please remember in France, we do not have all this KIMHO, WRSKWO, XFUBAR radios, we have just France Inter, Europe 1 , RTL at the top and maybe two or three local radios in Paris, which have got a large audience. Hence the fact that Andy fooled the radio which somehow had "XTC's new album eXTClusivity" is a commercial disaster), but they manage to got top interview in this month's "Guitar Player French edition". Well more about this in the next few days. Does somebody know if a video collection post-Look Look will be ever released ? Emmanuel.
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From: dschmidt@athena.mit.edu
Date: Tue, 12 May 92 17:31:08 -0400
Subject: Nonsvch chords, Vol I
Okay, first some disclaimers. In many places I did not try to figure
out Exactly what was going on - I listened to the music and tried to
figure out what chords I would play if I were to accompanying on on
the piano. So probably many of the guitar chords are simpler than
I've made them out to be. Also, in some places where I've indicated
how to voice chords, it is just how I find it convenient, and not
necessarily what they are doing on the record. I also left out lots
of bass stuff, only including it where I thought it was important.
But everything should be pretty close. Comments and corrections are
welcome!
Voicings are notated with low E on the left, high E on the right.
THE BALLAD OF PETER PUMPKINHEAD
Intro: D G6 a few times. G6 is 320000.
Verse: D D/F# G6 4x
G A Bm 2x
G A G A#dim7 A7/C#
D G6 (descending D scale under this in bass)
The end: D (instead of the last line of the verse)
G A G A
G A#+ A G/B A7/C#
D G D/F# C C#dim D
MY BIRD PERFORMS
riff A riff B (always played over riff A)
E ----------------------0--------
B --------------------24-0---0---
G -------------------------12----
D -2---2---2---2--------------2--
A 0-20--2---2---2----------------
E ----4--42--20--0---------------
rA 2x
rB 2x
Verse: rA 4x
Chorus: G#m7/D# C#m 4x \
A6 F#m9 | 2x
rA 2x /
Verse
Chorus
Solo: A6 F#m9
rA
A6 F#m9
rA 2x ("you keep singing")
rB 2x
Double verse
rB repeat and fade
DEAR MADAM BARNUM
Intro: C F C G7 2x
Verse: C F C/E G7/D* 6x
C F/D C/E G7
C F C G C
Bridge 1: Fm Fm/Ab C
Ddim7 D7 G
Verse
Bridge 2: Am Bbmaj7**
Dm Em G
Intro
Verse
Ending: A few more times through the verse line
and a C F C G C to end things off
* often Colin plays D and then G under this chord
** actually, along with the vocals, it's more like a Bb13#7, but this
sounds fine on the guitar...
HUMBLE DAISY
Intro: Em Fmaj7b5 Em7 E7
Verse: Bb Am7 F#dim7 |
G B7 C Dsus4 D | 2x
Chorus: E Emaj7 Esus4 B13*
E Emaj7 G11** Asus4**
Em9 Fmaj7b5 Em7 E7
Verse
Chorus
Bb Bbmaj7b5/E repeat and fade
Fmaj7b5: xx3200
Dsus4: xx0233
Bbmaj7b5: xx8755. very unsure about this...
* just playing a B7 or B9 sounds fine
** Actually, I just play 333533 and 555555 for these, and it sounds okay...
THE SMARTEST MONKEYS
I don't like this song much and it's not much of a guitar song, so I
didn't bother. The guitar chords in the chorus are Bm D E B. Maybe
I'll come back to it...
THE DISAPPOINTED
Intro: D A/C# Bm D/A G Fmaj7 E7sus4 E
Verse: A Esus4/G#* F#m11 F#
Bm7 E G E
Verse
Bridge: Bm G F#sus4 F#7
F#m7 D G#m E
Verse
Intro
Verse
Bridge
Verse
Ending: A Esus4/G# F#m11 E repeat and fade
* what is really being played here is a picking part with the notes E,
A, and B
Drat, I had Holly Up On Poppy written down, but I forgot to bring it
in... I guess it will have to wait for Vol. II.
- Dan
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] If you would like a copy of the Chalkhills Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) list, please send a message to <chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org>. For all administrative issues, such as change of address, withdrawal from the list, fan club addresses, discography requests (last update 29 April), 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. Sign on the dotted line.
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