Chalkhills Digest Volume 1, Issue 225
Date: Thursday, 11 June 1992
Chalkhills, Number 225
Thursday, 11 June 1992
Today's Topics:
Re: Chalkhills #224
Back from Tokyo alot poorer
Chalkhills #224
Re: The Compact XTC; Last Live Show
The Bungalow Effect
Re: homely machine
Cud in NME/HMV and The Gap/Boston Question
Andy on MTV
Re: Andy Partridge in San Francisco
misinterpreted xtc lyrics
Re: Andy Partridge in San Francisco
Re: Andy Partridge on MTV
Re: Andy Partridge in San Francisco
Re: Chalkhills #224
Interview
Primus Cover!!
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From: Gen <urgent@wam.umd.edu>
Date: Sun, 7 Jun 92 13:53:55 -0400
Subject: Re: Chalkhills #224
Subject: Re: Bad Radio in DC
> ross@ray.grdl.noaa.gov writes
WHFS, of the DC/Baltimore area, bungled its way through an
Andy interview.
WHFS can't seem to do interviews worth a damn at all, anymore. But
they can still get good artist in the studio to play. They used
to be very strong XTC supporters; i.e. one could here non-single
stuff played. They seem to have "Dear Madam Barnum" in heavy
rotation this week.
tangentially,
Gen
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Date: 07 Jun 92 20:24:21 EDT
From: Steve Levenstein <70750.1117@compuserve.com>
Subject: Back from Tokyo alot poorer
Hi Chalkhills folks, we're back from Japan with a ton of XTC
purchases, and if I can conquer my jet lag for a few moments, I'll
tell yas wot we bot.
I could not have found have of this great stuff without my
wife Maya's assistance, she guided us to some tiny one room record
stores which had no sign out front and were about as big as an
average kitchen! Tokyo is not to be believed, a bizarre amalgam
of future and past containing 12 million smartly dressed people
and thousands of restaurants serving the world's cheapest good food.
But, I digress...
I found another of those strange T-shirts with Sheila Rock's photo
of the band from Os & Ls and the caption "This World Over". Also
a T-shirt of the Os & Ls cover on a black shirt.
Now, for the CDs:
"The Disappointed" 3-inch (Japanese) with the title track and
"Peter Pumpkinhead"
2 copies of "The Colonel - Too Many Cooks" 3-inch CD (Japanese)
"The Three Wise Men - Thanks For Christmas / Countdown to Christmas
Party Time" 3-inch CD (Japanese)
"Radios In Motion - A History Of XTC" 8-track Geffen promo CD
2 copies of "XTC - Acoustic Tales" 16-track CD made in Korea (!)
"Last Live Show" 11-track CD (picture of Black Sea cover on disc,
says "promo", but no info given, may be a bootleg?
"Nonsuch" CD (Japanese) with silk-screened jewel box. Already being
replaced in the stores by the non-silk-screened version.
3 copies of "Beeswax" 13-track CD (Japanese) with psychedelic
artwork on the disc and a bi-lingual booklet (with some curious
lyrics)
2 copies of Saeko Suzuki's "Studio Romantic" CD
Saeko Suzuki's first CD called "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"
7-inch single of The Three Wise Men's "Thanks For Christmas"
7-inch single of "The Disappointed" / "Smartest Monkeys"
10-inch single (!) of "The Disappointed" / "Smartest Monkeys" and
"Humble Daisy" from England.
There were also 2 7-inch singles I did not buy: "Towers of London"
and "Generals and Majors" (including free single), because they
cost about $50 each!
The big Tokyo CD stores all have big displays of "Nonsuch" and
you could here it on the in-store headphone thingy.
Looking at the "J-Wave Pioneer Tokio Hot 100" list dated May 24th,
we find "The Disappointed" at number 12, last week 10, 2 weeks
ago 12!
And lastly, I read the lyrics on the Shonen Knife 7-inch single
of "Space Christmas". The B-side ("Bear Up Bison") IS the cover
song done by Big Dipper as "Making Plans for Bison". I didn't buy
the single, but I did buy a "Shonen Knife" T-shirt!!
Gotta sleep RIGHT NOW, oh yeah the duplicate items named above
are potentially for sale, e-mail me if you have an interest or
even any questions about these items. Sayounara! ---> Steve
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Subject: Chalkhills #224 From: unkaphaed!phaedrus@cs.utexas.edu (James Hartman, Sysop) Date: Sat, 06 Jun 92 12:08:09 GMT Organization: Unka Phaed's UUCP Thingy wilson@psylo.enet.dec.com said: > There's been some talk about "The Compact XTC" of late in Chalkhills. > > My understanding is that this CD, while not available (yet) in the > U.S., is available in Canada, the UK, Germany, and Japan. I ran into two copies yesterday in the import section of Sound Warehouse (wow, SW wakes up and realizes there are other parts of the world other than the USA). Didn't check their pedigree, though, since I was under the impression that everything on the Compact XTC I already had on the newer CDs... Back to the FAQ list for me! -- phaedrus@unkaphaed.UUCP (James Hartman, Sysop) Unka Phaed's UUCP Thingy, (713) 943-2728 1200/2400/9600/14400 v.32bis/v.42bis
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Mon, 8 Jun 1992 07:55:43 -0800 From: (John Purlia)jpurlia@qualcomm.com Subject: Re: The Compact XTC; Last Live Show [wilson@psylo.enet.dec.com writes to the XTC mailing list] >Speaking of Japan, I just recently swapped for the Japanese bootleg >CD, "Last Live Show." This is basically the 22 December 1980, BBC, >Black Sea '81 Tour concert at the Hammersmith Odeum. The bootleggers, of course, do it again... tsk, tsk, tsk... more deception in advertising, as 12/22/80 was not the final live XTC show. As a native San Diegan I have to defend my town and remind the entire XTC universe (well, at least a small segment) that XTC'c last concert was in San Diego. At least, according to a recent interview with Andy appearing in the San Diego Union. Oh, had I only skipped college to attend! :-) (Yeah, I know... *technically* they played live on Letterman, but that wasn't a full concert.) -- John ........................................................................... John Purlia : My brain; not my company's brain. My brain says... jpurlia@qualcomm.com : "Just about any movie could be made better AppleLink: AM0470 : if one of the characters were a vampire." ...........................................................................
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] From: Nik Newark plc <niklasn@cogs.sussex.ac.uk> Subject: The Bungalow Effect Date: Mon, 8 Jun 92 15:57:23 BST My colleagues and I at the Centre for Research into Abnormal Phenomena have recently been investigating a new phenomena known as _The Bungalow Effect_ We have noticed that many people undergo a strange reaction, having been lulled into a state of bliss by the gorgeous play out of 'The Ugly Underneath', then being subjected to Colin Moulding (& Hammond Organ) shouting 'BUUUUNNNNNNNG - A - LOOOOWWWWWWWW !!!!!'. The poor victims then develop strange urges to walk into quiet rooms with many people in (such as libraries), or phone up random numbers and shout 'BUUUUNNNNNNNG - A - LOOOOWWWWWWWW !!!!!'. Has anybody else noticed this? Prof. Noggy Newark --
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Mon, 8 Jun 1992 08:04:58 -0800 From: (John Purlia)jpurlia@qualcomm.com Subject: Re: homely machine ["Bird Rendell H." <rhb@ucs.usl.edu> writes to the XTC mail list] >I have been faithfully taping MTV _Unplugged_ for the past month or so. I >have not been able to catch neither hide nor hair of our boys from >Swindon. It *looks* like Unplugged is winding down for the season. >There is no listing for it in next week's TV Guide. Still, I will >keep hoping and taping.... _Unplugged_ doesn't really follow a "season" in the normal corporate America cram-crap-down-the-publics-throat network sense... Since touring musicians aren't bound by a season, neither are the programs that cater to them. Rest assured that there will be new installments of _Unplugged_ throughtout the summer. I've seen a list of a half dozen or so upcoming artists (not XTC, sorry, but I'm hoping too) plus word has it on the Prince and Springsteen lists that negotiations are in progress to tape them during their respective tours. It pretty much matters when an artist is available and when the airing will fit in with "the Master Plan" for promoting their material. But hasn't XTC already taped their segment?? -- John ........................................................................... John Purlia : My brain; not my company's brain. My brain says... jpurlia@qualcomm.com : "Just about any movie could be made better AppleLink: AM0470 : if one of the characters were a vampire." ...........................................................................
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] From: wilson@psylo.enet.dec.com Date: Mon, 8 Jun 92 09:14:48 PDT Subject: Cud in NME/HMV and The Gap/Boston Question I checked out the latest issue of NME and there's a two-page story complete with photos, of the band "Cud" (Dave Gregory produced "Hey! Wire"; and all tracks except "Magic" on the LEGGY MAMBO album). The article doesn't mention Dave at all, but it does refer to "1990's fabbo LEGGY MAMBO." P.S. Don't be misled by the reviewers assertion that Cud is part "70's disco." Nothing I've heard even comes close to 70's disco as far as Cud goes. Otherwise, a pretty good article on Cud! P.P.S. I didn't see XTC charting anywhere on any of the charts at the back of NME. - - - - - HMV in Harvard Square has a huge poster of the Nonsvch castle at the back of their main register! The Gap at the Burlington Mall plays ORANGES AND LEMONS (I think someone there must have a tape). "Peter Pumpkinhead" getting airplay on WFNX and WBCN. - - - - - Speaking of Peter Pumpkinhead, has anyone in the Boston area seen the video available anywhere for sale? (Finally, John, thanks for the tape you sent in '91, "That Other Stuff"...just listened to it yesterday!) --Wes
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Mon, 8 Jun 1992 07:54:32 -0500 From: "Bird Rendell H." <rhb@ucs.usl.edu> Subject: Andy on MTV In other MTV news, XTC has had the number one alternative album for the past two weeks! I am impressed that XTC can keep The Cure out of the top spot, given that the Cure are touring like crazy all over the country... All the news that's fit, Rendell
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Subject: Re: Andy Partridge in San Francisco
Date: Mon, 08 Jun 92 13:50:55 -0700
From: bmacdona@bonnie.ics.uci.edu
> I have heard from a non-Chalkhills XTC fan that Andy Partridge
> will be appearing in San Francisco for an autograph signing on
> Thursday, June 11, at Tower Records, at the corner of Bay and
> Columbus, from 3.00 pm to 5.00 pm. I will be there.
>
> If you have any additional information about this or other
> signings in the near future, please send in now!
Since I live 40 miles south of L.A., I wouldn't now about stuff goin'
on in San Francisco, but of course this could ALSO mean somethin' similar
happening in L.A. in the near future...... :) :) :)
K!z!K
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] From: asuccop@milton.u.washington.edu (Annemarie Succop) Subject: misinterpreted xtc lyrics Date: 8 Jun 92 07:01:31 GMT Organization: University of Washington i had always heard the lyrics in 'senses working overtime' as 'and all the world is biscuit shaped/it's just for me to feed my face' and 'and all the world is football shaped/it's just for me to kick in space and i had always thought that was cool. part of what i'd really liked about it was i thought of a scone for 'biscuit' and scones are these kinda triangular muffins. & footballs are kinda oblong/triangle ish. & i thought it was neat & trippy that he was seeing the world as these kinda weird shapes (scone & football) that were trainglish & similar to each other. today i heard this song again at work, where i have a british co worker who always calls her cookies 'biscuits'. i *finally* realized that he's singing about a *cookie*, not a scone, & duh, cookies are round, *just like the earth*. then two minutes later i realized a british football is a soccer ball, which of course also is round, just like the earth. besides feeling dumb, i liked the song a little less. annemarie, suffering from a *bad* obsession w/jane's addiction's 'jane says' recently... [ Cross-posted from alt.music.alternative, with permission. -- John ]
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] From: Caoimhin <ukevc@mcl.mcl.ucsb.edu> Subject: Re: Andy Partridge in San Francisco Date: Mon, 8 Jun 92 15:41:51 PDT Andy at Tower on June 11th, the last day of my finals. Sob, sob, cry...
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Mon, 8 Jun 92 16:58:06 -0700 From: will kreth <kreth@well.sf.ca.us> Subject: Re: Andy Partridge on MTV Indeed. Truly a shame. But Pauly Shore would be worse. %^)
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Mon, 8 Jun 1992 23:06 MST From: "Robert A. Dagnall" <DAGNALL@ccit.arizona.edu> Subject: Re: Andy Partridge in San Francisco Will he be appearing for any autographing sessios in the L.A. area? If so, tell me and I will make a pilgrimage. I'm taping Andy on KROQ's "Love Line" now; he's fielding questions on many complex (and simplex) issues regarding sex and love and sex... I'll make copies available to anyone who wants them later. Robert Dagnall dagnall@ccit.arizona.edu
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From: Derf <spmt147@compsci.liverpool.ac.uk>
Subject: Re: Chalkhills #224
Date: Wed, 10 Jun 92 14:14:45 BST
Yes there are 2 CD Singles for PP in the UK as follows:
CD one:
1.The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead
2.Wardance
3.Down a peg (demo)
4.The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead (demo)
CD two:
1.The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead
2.Wardance
3.My Bird Performs (demo)
4.Always Winter, Never christmas
there are only 4 formats allowed, so there is no 12", with the 7" and
Cassette being the 1st 2 tracks only. The second CD is a digipack,
and came out a week later than everything else, taking the single to
no.71 in the charts.
Jon
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] From: William H Stoner III <bilbo@cis.ohio-state.edu> Subject: Interview Date: Thu, 11 Jun 92 5:13:17 EDT Hey all this is from the Columbus Disgrace, oops I mean Columbus Dispatch the local newspaper. The critic is generally considered a big weenie as far as his musical tastes and reviews but every once in a while he'll surprise you by reffering to a group you wouldn't expect him to like.... [Tuesday April 28th 1992 (The Arts (section 8E)) Eclectic XTC 14-year-old British band refuses to be pinned down By Bill Eichenberger Dispatch music critic What is an XTC? There's no easy answer. At first, XTC was an aggressive new-wave band. then it was a quirky pop band. In its 14 years, XTC has concocted dissonant rock'n'roll and quiet, pas-un-dance music, Beatles-esque pop and, as the offshoot Dukes of Stratosphear, Rutles-esque cover tunes. "Well, yes, I suppose we've been a mess of contradiction," guitar, vocalist and founding member Andy Partridge said recently from his home in Swindon, England."And that's made for some messy albums. "But what are you going to do? Play one fuzzy guitar and a drum kit with all that Phil Collins ambiance for an entire career? We didn't want to Ramones ourselves out of existence." Besides, Partridge said, it makes sense to illustrate a range of emotions, to employ an entire palette of musical colors. "Why paint with only one in only one color? What painter starts out by saying 'I'm only going to paint in brown'?" "We like it messy, like one morning you're laughing your socks off and, before you know it, you're miserable by midafternoon." Similarly, XTC--Partridge, Colin Moulding (bass, vocals) and Dave Gregory (guitar, keyboards)-- has refused to follow the rules of the rock'n'roll business. When Partridge tired of touring in 1982 ceasing touring--period. A Geffen Records publicist recently joked that he almost had to hold a gun to Partridge's head to get him to agree to newspaper interviews to promote the group's new album, Nonsuch. Partridge avoids spotlights. He also avoids fashions and fads. It's If he's told rock'n'rollers should write about booze and bimbos, he's more likely to record Pink Thing, Garden of Earthly Delights or Holly Up on Poppy, songs about or for his daughter. "Certainly there are things expected of you if you are a member of the rock'n'roll-slash-show business--all these people forcing themselves to be stupid for entertainment. But don't these groups ever grow up?" Partridge wondered. "OK, so the guitar is supposed to be loud. And you're supposed to flip a finger at the whole world. That fine from about the time you're 13 until you're in your 20s. "But...if you're still doing it in your late 30s, you're well on your way to becoming the president of the United States." Growing up is not synonymous, though, with growing soft. XTC caused a stir on 1986's Skylarking album with Dear God (an open letter challenging God to get to on the ball). Nonsuch maintains that high level of cynicism and sarcasm; witness The Smartest Monkeys or the defiant Books are Burning. The sarcasm and vitriol on Nonsuch are balanced, however, by XTC's willingness to wallow in joy, as on its odes to women (Omnibus) and daisys (Humble Daisy), or sweet- natured My Bird Performs, which Moulding describes as "a happy-with-my-lot song." Soaring melodies help on Holly Up on Poppy and Then She Appeared. A typically infectious hook carries The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead to top heights. The Beatles and Beach Boys are omnipresent, although Partridge thinks comparisons can be misleading. "I was playing the chords to I Get Around and borrowed them for Books Are Burning, though they're not in the same key. Then I put a brand new melody on it. "So these point or reference come up in my songs. I don't look to the past for inspiration.... It's more like the Beatles and the Beach Boys went in my head head at an early age and I'm just now learning how deeply. "Writing these songs is more exercising the beast than it is trying to copy anything. It's an attempt to kill off the Ray Davies inside me and the Paul McCartney and John Lennon. I'd like to kill off the Burt Bacharach with a blunt instrument." Originality is overrated, Partridge said. "there is no way you can be an original human being. What you do is pull your soul out and find this long piece of string knotted together. "And each tiny piece goes toward making up the sum total of your influences. the originality, if you want to call it that, is in how you unravel your piece of string." Unfortunately, silly people are often an impediment to unraveling that string. The working title of Holly Up on Poppy was Holly High on Poppy. "It's a song about my daughter riding her rocking horse, Poppy," he said. "But I knew it would be changed into a drug song if I didn't change it. Too bad, since high is much more accurate than up. She's a little girl and was very high on that horse." Partridge is prepared for nay misguided criticism of Omnibus, his song praising women. "I love women in every way, shape and form. If that's sexist, then nail me up. I worship at the church of women. The world would be a better place if it were just women and me." Although XTC has covered considerable ground in 14 years, Partridge can foresee another project or two along the lines of the Dukes of Stratosphear. "We won't call it the Dukes. But I'd love to do a beat album, a glitter album and especially a bubble-gum album, something that would cause instant tooth rot. That would be fun." the interview is accompanied by a discography which contains Black Sea, Mummer, The Big Express, Skylarking, Oranges and Lemons and Nonsuch. And a colour pic of the boys. Funny that Black Sea should be mentioned and English Settlement isn't...hmm bilbo -- "Your heart is the big box of paints | William H. Stoner III And others the canvas we're dealt... | Systems Operator OSU CIS Just think how the old masters felt, they call... | bilbo@cis.ohio-state.edu Awaken you dreamers" -XTC "Wrapped in Grey" | All spoken is IMHO
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From: Derf <spmt147@compsci.liverpool.ac.uk>
Subject: Primus Cover!!
Date: Thu, 11 Jun 92 12:23:19 BST
Primus are releasing a cover of 'Making plans for Nigel'. Oh dear.
Jon
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] See you in San Francisco! For all administrative issues, such as change of address, withdrawal from the list, fan club addresses, discography requests (last update 2 June), back issues, FAQ list, 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. Stand up naked and grin.
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