Chalkhills, Number 273

                 Saturday, 17 April 1993
Today's Topics:
                       That l00zer
                To the rescue of Colin!!!
                Jellyfish do "Pink Thing"
            Jellyfish's "He's My Best Friend"
                     a "faves" theory
              Grabbing The Bull By The Horns
                      johnpaulgeorge
           "The 2 Tone Story" - Anyone Have It?

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Subject: That l00zer
Date: Thu, 8 Apr 93 16:12:53 CDT
From: kopnicky@owlnet.rice.edu (Quantum Seep)

Will the idiot who keeps posting stuff like:

> i wud change nothing on it, and when i make tapes 2 heer in the car,
> or 4 frends, i find myself as frustr8ed as captain ahab bcux they do
> not maxe tapes big enuf 4 my 2 put all 20hundred o'clok songs on it
> and so i cna sit back like a lazy-ass and enjoy and drown in this
> aesthetic sea of sounds.

stop writing like a 14-year-old modemer wannabe, because I know you
can speak English.  Maybe it's funny once, but it's hard as all hell
to read, so unless you want people skipping over your posts, knock it
off.

+----------------------------Ren & Stimpy--------------------------------+
| "Psst. Hey Guido. It's all so clear to me now. I'm the keeper of the   |
| cheese. And you're the lemon merchant. Get it? And he knows it. That's |
| why he's gonna kill us. So we gotta beat it. Yeah. Before he lets      |
| loose the marmosets on us! Don't worry, little missy! I'll save you!"  |
+--------------- Quantum Seep -- kopnicky@owlnet.rice.edu ---------------+

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Date: Thu, 8 Apr 93 20:06:32 MDT
From: jrcampbe@mines.utah.edu (James Robert Campbell)
Subject: To the rescue of Colin!!!

        For the past few weeks I've really been shocked to here
(hear) so much Colin-Bashing.  After getting raked over the coals
for my 'Skylarking'-bit, I thought I'd wait unitl the storm passed
before I threw my two cents in.

        Andy has said that he writes the quantity and Colin writes
the quality.  I really believe that this is true.  Many of you have
pointed out Colin's weaker material as compared to Andy's great stuff.
Yet I believe that if any XTC albums drag on, it's because of Andy's
junk.  Since Colin only writes a few songs per album it is much
easier to point out his junk, yet Andy can hide his between his
genually good stuff.  Granted 'Bungalow' is weak, but what about 'Crocodile'
and 'That Wave' (I know I'm gonna get crap for that last one!!!).  Or
if you don't like 'Cynical Days', what about 'Hold Me My Daddy'.

        Another thing to think about is what song really made you an
XTC fan.  Personally 'Mayor Of Simpleton' brought me in.  But, what
those who were lured in by 'Generals and Majors', '..Nigel', 'Ball And
Chain', 'Grass' or 'King For A Day'.  Throughout their career, Colin
has had just as large an impact with his songs as Andy and to not
recognize this would really seem to limit how much one can enjoy XTC.
Whether you like him or not, XTC could never become what it is without
him.  And for those who have read the book, its frightful to think
what might have happened if Colin had really quit the band after
"Skylarking".

        Enough soap box.  Hopefully everyone has 'rounded up that darn
bull' and is enjoying its insides.  With the release of anything new, it
almost seems like Thanksgiving and that there is peace on earth, doesn't
it?

        --James

"I look around, around and I know the reason why"

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From: mhw@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (Mike Murphy)
Subject: Jellyfish do "Pink Thing"
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 93 12:27:47 CDT

> From: "John M. Relph" <relph@presto.ig.com>
> Subject: Pink Thing
>
> Ok, this is stretching it, but...
>
> There's a song on the new Jellyfish _Spilt Milk_ album called, "He's My
> Best Friend" [...]  But the best part is that it's very much in the
> lyrical vein of XTC's "Pink Thing".  Yes, folks, that's right, except that
> there's no "baby" involved.  Just a "friend".  Give it a listen, tell me
> what you think.

Not a stretch at all!  In fact, much as I like Jellyfish (haven't given _Spilt
Milk_ much of a listen lately because I'm still on a Hitchcock kick that
doesn't seem to be ending), when I heard the song I immediately thought of
"Pink Thing": "Hey, this has been done!"  It's also one of the songs from the
album that stands out in my mind, no less for music than lyrics.  I think it's
hilarious.  And you're definitely right on this one.  In keeping with the
comparison, "Sebrina" reminds me of the Dukes--more in general tone than
musically--it reminds me of the little girl's voice in _Psonic..._.

Michelle

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Date: Fri, 9 Apr 93 13:45:00 CDT
From: "Chuck Tomlinson"  <chuck@ssc.space.umn.edu>
Subject: Jellyfish's "He's My Best Friend"

In message <9304081907.AA07818@presto.ig.com>  writes:

> From: "John M. Relph" <relph@presto.ig.com>
> Subject: Pink Thing

> There's a song on the new Jellyfish _Spilt Milk_ album called, "He's My
> Best Friend". But the best part is that it's very much in the
> lyrical vein of XTC's "Pink Thing".

That's the first thing I thought of once I read the lyrics a little closer!
Granted, "Spilt Milk" sounds like a big-budget-we've-got-lotsa-toys-studio
-overdub-festival, but I love it.

The third song, with the "...Sabrina makes me feel so serene" chorus is a
favorite, along with "Russian Hill"

The comparison with XTC's "Pink Thing" was inevitable, but I do prefer Andy &
Co's tune wins in the end...

chuck

P.S. - Any Trip Shakespeare fans out there? They are practically on
the verge of breaking up.

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From: melinda@world.std.com (Melinda M Hale)
Subject: a "faves" theory
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1993 17:14:59 -0400 (EDT)

I've often wondered if an XTC fan's favorite album tends to be the first
one they were into.  My favorite has always been Black Sea, and the other
ones people often list are English Settlement and Skylarking, both of which
had hit singles and gained the band a lot of new listeners.  Granted, ES
is a masterpiece, but I'm amazed at how many people's fave is Skylarking
-- I love it, yes, but I don't think it's one of their best (and I would
put "Mermaid Smiled" back and put "Dear God" back on a single where it
belongs). So what do y'all think?

Again with Colin vs. Andy... There was never an XTC song that I disliked
enough to skip over until "Cynical Days".  I love Colin's music, and I've
even gotten to where I can stand that track -- AND I like "Bungalow"-- but I
have not been able to get into "Smartest Monkeys" and "War Dance".  "My
Bird Performs" makes up for them, but...

Melinda

"Do you know what noise awakes you every morning from your bed..."

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Date: Tue, 13 Apr 93 05:46:57 PDT
From: 13-Apr-1993 0827 <wilson@pharos.enet.dec.com>
Subject: Grabbing The Bull By The Horns

Okay. I'm really sorry about that punnish subject line, for which
I should be punished.

But I am here to help. A number of people have been asking, "Where
can I get a copy of that "Bull with the Golden Guts" tape, like
that cool guy Wes has? Well, ask no more. The original article
is available by writing The Little Express, Box 1072, Barrie,
Ontario, L4M 5E1 CANADA. However, I believe one must first be a
subscriber to order a tape. (Subscriptions are $10.00 for four issues.)

My memory's a bit hazy, but I think a 39 cent airmail stamp covers a
letter to The Little Express from the U.S. Check with your post office.

I just got my first issue of The Little Express about two weeks ago.
Good stuff! Loaded with info about what the band's been up to,
along with photos, articles, letters, artwork, classifieds.

_ _ _ _ _

By the way, I still have a (like new) CD - U.S. version containing
the whole album - of English Settlement. Make me an offer I can't
refuse...

_ _ _ _ _

Final thought o' the day: Right now, I bet Andy and Colin are working
on new toonz for the new album (I read it in The Little Express :-)).

Wes

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Date: Wed, 14 Apr 93 11:15:25 CDT
From: vanvliet@stolaf.edu (Robert Vanvliet)
Subject: johnpaulgeorge

hi, i just joined up. a tiny little note about this andy=lennon,
colin=mccartney thing. doesn't it seem more appropriate to say that
andy, by himself, is lennon/ mccartney, while colin is george
harrison? at least in terms of output.

does it seem to anyone else that "wardance" is just a rewrite of
"generals and majors"? i have 5 words to say to colin: "slow slow
quick quick slow."

(isn't it a shame she kicked you back?)

p.s. hi michelle

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From: Christopher Rimple <crimp@microsoft.com>
Date: Thu, 15 Apr 93 11:58:52 PST
Subject: "The 2 Tone Story" - Anyone Have It?

[No, it's not XTC, but on what other mailing list am I going to find so
many people with eclectic music tastes?]

I'm looking for a copy of the book "The Two Tone Story" (or somesuch)
that was published in (apparently only) the UK a few years back.  It a
bookumentary (is that a word?  I think not) about the Two Tone record
label and the multitude of Ska bands that appeared on it during
1979-1982.  As far as I can determine, it's out of print.  I'll pay top
dollar for it, or would appreciate a loan if someone has it and doesn't
want to sell.

Chris

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