Chalkhills, Number 281

                   Monday, 14 June 1993
Today's Topics:
      Separated at Birth/The Golden Age of Wireless
                Not Included On Skylarking
                        Producers
                    Teen Beat Question
                     the last in line
                    Musical Education
                     This World Over?

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Date: Mon, 7 Jun 93 15:19:19 EDT
From: 07-Jun-1993 1509 <wilson@meta.enet.dec.com>
Subject: Separated at Birth/The Golden Age of Wireless

RE: Chalkhills #280, the Colin Moulding/Kevin McHale connection.
Yes! In some photos, Kevin does look like Colin (and vice versa).
Check out the early XTC videos, where I think the resemblance is
strongest.

_ _ _ _ _

Thomas Dolby's name has been bandied about in this conference from
time to time, and I've decided to bring him up again.

I've been listening to _The Golden Age of Wireless_; what a great
album, IF you play the songs as originally intended when the album
first came out. No "She Blinded Me with Science,"; instead, start
out with "Europa and the Pirate Twins." And replace "Leipzig" and
"Urges" where they belong (inexcusable that these were ever taken
out).

I have the sequence of songs from the original, taken from a
discography. What I'm wondering is, can a CD be found anywhere
in the world that has "Leipzig" and "Urges" where they're
supposed to be (in other words, does there exist an original
order CD?). Forward to me (or to the conference) any info.

Andy was involved in the production of some of the songs on this
album, and contributed harmonica to "Europa and the Pirate Twins."

Hey, speaking of Andy being involved in other band's production,
I guess the new Blur album is coming out. I seem to remember reading
in The Little Express that Blur decided not to use Andy for production
after all, but took some of his ideas from the times he did work with
them.

That's about it 4 now, XTC-ers...

Wes

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Date: 7 Jun 1993 17:13:49 U
From: "Venverloh Jeff" <venverloh_jeff@po.gis.prc.com>
Subject: Not Included On Skylarking

In issue 179, kevin@sys6626.bison.mb.ca (Kevin Scott) asked:

>I recall reading in a 1987 Melody Maker that there were several
>songs
>that were not included with "Skylarking" because they were deemed
>inappropriate by Todd Rundgren...
>Does anyone know if these songs ever saw the light of day and if
>they are available?

I waited an issue to respond because I KNOW there are people out there more
omniscient than I on this one (help me out here, Brooks).
I don't pretend to know how XTC worked this out with Todd, but I can tell you
about the demos that went into the making of Skylarking. Amongst those songs
not included on the album (whether that means recorded and not used or just not
used) are: "Dream Down", "Gangway For Electric Guitar", "Little Lighthouse",
"Rah Rah For Red Rockinghorse", "Terrorism", "The Troubles", and "Find The
Fox". The second two showed up on _Jules_Verne's_Notebook_, and the last three
were on the b-side of _The_Meeting_Place 12". There may be more that I don't
know about.

O.K., now who knows Andy's home address?

Jeff

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From: kes@acpub.duke.edu (Ken Strayhorn Jr.)
Subject: Producers
Date: Tue, 8 Jun 1993 08:28:30 -0400 (EDT)

Hey all
        This talk about getting Todd's side of the Skylarking
story has my interest.
        A curious parallel is Marshall Crenshaw's "Field Day"
album produced by Steve Lillywhite. Like XTC and Rundgren, Crenshaw
and Lillywhite clashed over the sound of the album. Lillywhite gave
the album a big, booming sound - as if it had been recorded in a
high school gym. This was part of the album's theme and, I think,
a good choice.
        Crenshaw hated the sound and after the album was released,
had it remixed by Mitch Easter. The Easter remix is now a prized
item for devotees of the obscure and inexplicable. Frankly, I think
the first recording was the best. Mixing it down gave it a bland
sound and buried some of the energy and heart.
        Well, what *is* Rundgren's story? Someone posted his
internet address here some time ago. Anyone have it still? Anyone
want to ask his opinion?
        And, curious also, Field Day and Skylarking are exceptional
albums, among the strongest of their respective artists. It's a shame
they seem to hate their own best work.

Ken Strayhorn
kes@acpub.duke.edu

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Date: Thu, 10 Jun 93 13:52:59 PDT
From: "John M. Relph" <relph@presto.ig.com>
Subject: Teen Beat Question

I found this Teen Beat tidbit on the They Might Be Giants list.

        -- John

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Date:  Thu, 10 Jun 93 13:05:55 EDT
From: Rick <MMLRICK@ubvm.cc.buffalo.edu>
To: they-might-be@gnu.ai.mit.edu
Subject: Re:  Speculation:  The John's record collections

    I visited John in NYC in '83? '84? '85? whenever. Flansburgh, whose apt.
we visited, was playing the hell out of singles of "Senses Working Overtime"
by XTC and Laurie Anderson's "O Superman". Both had favorable comments about
both. This was when TMBG was just doing DIal-A-Song and playing the (very)
occasional gig.

    Rick

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Date: Sun, 13 Jun 93 17:44:46 CDT
From: vanvliet@stolaf.edu (Robert Vanvliet)
Subject: the last in line

two very small things. first, concerning the other skylarking songs, there was
another song on the meeting place single as well as Find the Fox, Let's Make A
Den and Terrorism, and it was called The Troubles. second, does anyone know if
Dear Madam Barnum came out as a single? I was in Aberdeen when Nonsuch came
out and I collected all the Nonsuch singles I could, which were The
Disappointed and two different Peter Pumpkinheads (one had demos of Down a
Peg-colin and Peter P, the other had a demo of My Bird and Always Winter Never
Christmas-andy) Meanwhile, I had a friend watching for stuff Stateside and he
said that he'd seen a Barnum single. I've looked, but have never seen one. was
he hallucinating?

and what's this about long xtc albums? if you're going by the rereleased CDs,
with the extra songs, then, yes, they're all huge except skylarking. but going
by the original LPs, only the three double albums come over 60 min. (tho Black
Sea comes close, if i recall)

if you doze much longer
then dreams turn to nightmare

rob

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From: dss@minster.york.ac.uk
Date: Mon, 14 Jun 93 11:39:45
Subject: Musical Education

The following news page from Ceefax (the BBC teletext service) last
Friday (11 June) caught my eye.  The subject is one of the controversial
sets of tests which the UK government is trying to introduce for school
children of various ages.  The tests may be controversial, but the
question setter's musical taste is impeccable :-)

Students Sit National Maths Tests
---------------------------------

The national curriculum maths tests for 14 year-olds were held today.
Children of lower ability were asked various questions including:

        Continue this repeating pattern: XTCXTCXT

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Date: Mon, 14 Jun 93 11:19:33 EDT
From: 14-Jun-1993 1107 <wilson@meta.enet.dec.com>
Subject: This World Over?

Dear Fellow XTC-ers,

This is a sad message to write: it may be the last one I contribute
to this list for a while. I have been told that I am at high risk
for being layed off from my company (Digital Equipment).

Since I found out last Wednesday, things have been hectic. Not
only am I doing my current job, but I am also putting a resume
together and trying to deal with the feelings at the same time.

While it is not official, my future employment here is seriously
in doubt. If I am not laid off, I will contribute to this file
as long as I can; if I am laid off, I do not think I'll have
the time to draft an "adios (for now) message to all of you.

I have grown beyond fondness for Chalkhills; I love this forum.
The wit, humor, kindness, and intelligence of its members is
something I'll never forget. I feel I know many of you even
though we haven't met (yet!).

Steve Levenstein, Melinda, Dougie, J. Ross, John (a special
thanks to you for running this forum), Marcus, and everyone
else I may have neglected to mention - thanks for all of your
help and friendship in becoming a totally out-of-control
XTC nut.

I HOPE you'll be reading my name once again in this forum.

In the meanwhile, people in the Boston area can check out
Planet Records in Kenmore Square for a great selection of
XTC vinyl and CDs (I was there yesterday and they even
had the European bootlegs!).

Take care,

Wes

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