Chalkhills, Number 257

                  Friday, 8 January 1993
Today's Topics:
                  XTC/Helium Kidz Demos
                  XTC Live in 1980/Go 2
                   Re:  Chalkhills #256
                   P.P. high on hitlist
                   Re: Perennial Divide
                   Re: Chalkhills #256
                    Europa (Continued)
                 Grammy Awards Nomination

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

From: Johnny S'traction <jnewton@athena.cs.uga.edu>
Subject: XTC/Helium Kidz Demos
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 01:17:03 -0500 (EST)

Hey, I just received some XTC and Helium Kidz (I believe) demos. The
problem is I don't recognize half of the songs. Does anybody
else have this tape? I recognize "Saturn Boy", but that's about it.

The tape I have is 45 minutes long and also contains "Traffic Light Rock"
and a different version of "Looking For Footprints" that ends the tape.
I'm just curious to the song titles, etc.

Also, I got the BBC 1 concert. For those who have _Black Sea Tour
1981_ you've got the show short of "Making Plans For Nigel" and "Are
You Receiving Me?"  Though curiously I've got "Set Myself On Fire" on
BST81, but it's not on the BBC 1 show. Where is this song from? Great
disc! 60 minutes.  Good improvement over BST81 - though that wasn't
too bad to begin with.

Thanx in advance!
=-=--=-==-=====--=--=-===-=-=-=
= Bryan Poole = Boots Anyone? -
-  jnewton@athena.cs.uga.edu  =
=-=-=-=-=--===--=---=-=---=--==

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

Date: Tue, 5 Jan 93 08:04:33 PST
From: Wes Wilson @PKO3 - 223-3413  05-Jan-1993 0851 <wilson@pharos.enet.dec.com>
Subject: XTC Live in 1980/Go 2

I spotted a copy of the Windsongs CD, XTC - Live in 1980, at
Tower Records in Harvard Square, Cambridge. Didn't buy it there
since I have it on order at another store that specializes in
imports.

It looks good. Too bad about the inappropriate photo on the back of the
CD. (Andy with an acoustic guitar!)

- - - - -

I'm willing to bet that Go 2 is Andy's least favorite XTC album. I
recall reading in the biography Andy saying something like, "We
were always touring so didn't have time to produce a good product."

Gee, I've grown to like this CD: "Red" is reckless, and the
album has a lot of frantic moments as well as humor. Colin
and Barry are in the spotlight on this one (maybe that's why
Andy's not too keen on it!). Like the organ solo at the intro to
"Beatown".

- - - - -

Oh, again - if anyone sees the Mayor of Simpleton CD or 12'' - you
knowe, the version with "Living in a Haunted Heart" and "The Good
Things" - let me know. I have these songs on tape but would like
either the CD or the 12''.

'Til the Silver Surfer sports swimming trunks...

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

Date: Tue, 5 Jan 93 18:59:25 +0100
From: hanneton@magbio.ens.fr (Sylvain HANNETON)
Subject: Re:  Chalkhills #256

About "Gribouillages",
you might remember about all the bad and sad things XTC did to me during
the release of Nonsuch : Gigs cancelled, radio acoustic concert cancelled,
and a Free CD Digipack with the album... cancelled.
But two or three months later... I saw an ad in a rockmagazine about
a radio show.. and the prizes were the "Gribouillage" CD and the
pack of Nonsuch gards. About 10 of them to win each night...
Alas I could not even manage to phone the radio station in order to have
them. And I have never seen one of these on the shelves of my favourite
shops...
In fact I think these free CDs have arrived far too late : all the fans had
already purchased their Nonsuch copy. So they had to get rid of them I
suppose...
John (and everybody else) since I must confess I am not much interested
in already-known-song demos, up to much are you ready to pay in the
very lucky case I should find one of these ??

Bye from France.

Emmanuel.

PS : Maybe will Andy go and buy his beer in Calais ? :)

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

Date: 05 Jan 93 19:58:39 EST
From: Steve Levenstein <70750.1117@compuserve.com>
Subject: P.P. high on hitlist

   Well, I guess it's news when XTC mak a "Top ..." list.
CFNY-fm's "Top 102 of '92" featured "Peter Pumpkinhead" at #25. Not bad!
I didn't hear the whole list, so I don't know about where "The Disappointed"
placed. Should have been on there somewhere, it got a lot of airplay.
   Got an Xmas card from those hard-working folks at The Little Express.
They say the next L.E. is coming "soon". Hopefully it will have some
info on the next home demo tape "The Bull With The Golden Guts".

   Has anyone heard of a band called "The Waltons"? They have a single
out called "Sunshine" which bears a strong sonic resemblance to XTC's
"Dear God".

   over & out, --->Steve

Distribution:
  Chalkhills >INTERNET:CHALKHILLS@PRESTO.IG.COM

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

Date: Wed, 6 Jan 93 10:11 CST
From: srfndave@ihlpb.att.com (Fundamental mental derangement)
Subject: Re: Perennial Divide

I've got 1 LP and 2 12"s by Perennial Divide:

        Beehead 12"
        Burn Down 12"
        Purge LP

Beehead is not on Purge, it is only on the Beehead 12".
It is the only song produced by Andy.  All the rest are
produced by Johnny Pegg.

It is not something I would recommend to your average
XTC listener.  Very different kind of stuff.  But, if
you really, really, really like Andy's dub stuff, you
*might* like some of Perennial Divide.  No guarantees,
though!  The fun part about the 12"s is trying to guess
what speed to play them at.  Not that it really matters...

Surfy-D.

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

Date: Wed, 6 Jan 93 13:57:46 PST
From: "John M. Relph" <relph@presto.ig.com>
Subject: Re: Chalkhills #256

Peter Petto <ppetto@ncoast.org> asks:
>
>I seem to recall a report here about a CD single of "Dear Madame
>Barnum" (and that it contained the song "Rip van Reuben"?) -- does it
>really exist? and if so, can someone tell me where it might be found?

Actually, the CD single you are looking for is the "Wrapped In Grey"
single, which includes "Rip Van Ruben".  It exists.  It seems to have
been withdrawn from release, so that only a few promotional copies got
out.  Here's the pertinent information: CD-5, Virgin UK, VSCDT 1426
(7243 8 90015 2 5) (665 516).

The "Dear Madam Barnum" CD single was a one-song promotional CD in the
US only.  No picture sleeve.

>Also, could someone remind me what the two songs were on the
>XTC/Reflex flexi-disc?

I think there was only one song, and it was "Rip Van Ruben".  However,
I don't know of anybody who has actually SEEN this flexi, so if
anybody out there has better information, please send in now!

        - - -

Timothy M. Schreyer <schrey@vfl.paramax.com> wonders:
>
>  My brother says that while browsing in a small CD store in
>  Providence, RI, he found an XTC collection of demo's and one-shot's
>  called _Odds_and_Ends_.  Is he crazy?  What can anyone tell me
>  about this disc?  He is under orders to purchase it if he sees
>  it again.

Good orders.  Never heard of it.  It's not in the discography and it's
not in the Wonderland discography.  Perhaps he was thinking of "Rag &
Bone Buffet"?  Perhaps not.  Maybe it's a new bootleg (ROIO, oreo).
If you ever see it again, please let us know what it is!

        - - -

Toby Howard <toby@computer-science.manchester.ac.uk> opines:
>
>The programme was from 1987, a spoof written by Stephen Fry and Jools
>Holland. Not terribly good. The XTC bit was the band miming to 'The man who
>sailed around his soul', filmed in Portmerion. Andy looked utterly bored. I
>think it was Ian Gregory on drums. Sorry not to be able to report anything
>more exciting!

This clip and one or two others from the same filming session are
available on XTC video compilations from traders in The Little
Express.  Actually quite humourous.

        -- John

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

Date: Thu, 7 Jan 93 05:50:13 PST
From: Wes Wilson @PKO3 - 223-3413  07-Jan-1993 0844 <wilson@pharos.enet.dec.com>
Subject: Europa (Continued)

On the radio this morning I heard a new song from Thomas Dolby's
"Astronauts and Heretics" (Dolby's latest).

This song is apparently a sequel to "Europa and the Pirate Twins,"
and has bits of that song in it, and also Dolby sings "Are
you receiving me?" as part of the chorus! (For those who don't
know, Andy's contributed to and produced Dolby songs in the
past.)

Also, the radio station had an ad for a nightclub in Providence, RI,
boasting that they play (among others) XTC on Thursday nights,
"Alternative" nights at their club.

C'est tout.

Wes

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

Date: Fri, 8 Jan 93 13:40:48 PST
From: "John M. Relph" <relph@presto.ig.com>
Subject: Grammy Awards Nomination

I must admit it, I couldn't believe my eyes...

XTC's album _Nonsvch_ has been nominated best album in the Alternative
Music category of the Grammy Awards (the U.S. music industry patting
themselves on the backs).

Maybe some American record company will want XTC more than Virgin UK.
I can't decide if that would be good or bad.  Probably some of both.

        -- John

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

For all administrative issues, such as change of address,
withdrawal from the list, fan club addresses, discography
requests (last update 30 December), 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.  The man who walked across his heart... 

---

Go back to Volume 1.

8 January 1993 / Feedback