Chalkhills Digest Volume 1, Issue 340
Date: Monday, 11 April 1994
Chalkhills, Number 340
Monday, 11 April 1994
Today's Topics:
RE: Chalkhills #339
Re: Johnny Nexdor and his Game Theory
Re: Gary Green
Shelf Of Jahs
Random Thoughts
Re: Chalkhills #339
Introducing a New Member
Carmen San Diego
Cherry in Your Tree
Re: Just Various Stuff
REVIEW: Sam Phillips' _Martinis & Bikinis_
RESULT: rec.music.beach-boys fails 218:116
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
From: seanbe@microsoft.com
Date: Fri, 8 Apr 94 13:30:28 PDT
Subject: RE: Chalkhills #339
greetings all :
reply to: Wesley Wilson <WWILSON@forumbos.mhs.compuserve.com>
||Fourth, can anyone tell me anything about a British psychedelic
||band (from the 60's) called Kaleidoscope? Any good?
The only Kaleidoscope I know of was American. David Lindley was a key
player, and if you now how eclectic he is, you will have some idea of
what Kaleidoscope was like. They put out a small number of LPs. I have
one: one side is pretty much counter-culture-country, and the other
side features an eleven-minute thing in 11/8 time, which is sort of
middle eastern raga-rock, played with very curious instruments such as
the oud. Dunno if their stuff is on CD.
PS I too am a fan of Game Theory though I find Scott to have
limitations as a singer/songwriter. But hey who doesn't. For more
80's psychedelia, y'all might check out the Three O'Clock (first couple
of albums, before they got too homogenous). Michael Quercio, of that
band, reportedly was in Game Theory too, briefly.
I also am a huge Let's Active fan and would like to put in a plug for
the dB's, whose first two albums were incredible gems.
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
Date: Fri, 8 Apr 94 13:51:53 PDT
From: "John Relph" <relph@presto.ig.com>
Subject: Re: Johnny Nexdor and his Game Theory
Steve Johnson <steve-j@teleport.com> writes:
>
>Another song on the album, CHANGE MY WORLD, is also sung by Andy
>and John Linnell of They Might Be Giants (the song performance is
>credited to "JOHNNY NEXDOR & HIS NEIGHBORS" -- a very 'Partridgesque'
>pseudonym).
Steve! How did you find this out? Can you state without a doubt that
it's Andy and John? What a great thing! I love both XTC and They
Might Be Giants (and I'm going to see the Giants real soon now).
Miles Goosens <GOOSENMK@ctrvax.vanderbilt.edu> writes:
>
>Saw your message on Chalkhills mentioning Game Theory. I'm a BIG Scott
>Miller fan--I think _Lolita Nation_ was one of those great overlooked albums
>(and, rarity of rarities, one that I still play years after its release
>at least once a month and sometimes more often)
What a very strange record it is. I have numerous times thought about
selling it, but every time I pull it out to give it another listen I
decide that I just can't get rid of it. Mostly because it's strange
and oddly compelling. But I never want to listen to it! Anyway, just
wanted to make sure everybody remembered that Scott Miller played one
song with Aimee Mann at her San Francisco concert.
-- John
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
Date: Fri, 08 Apr 1994 20:54:34 -0400 (EDT)
From: SPB0377@ocvaxa.cc.oberlin.edu
Subject: Re: Gary Green
A few issues ago, someone requested information about ex-Gentle Giant
guitarist Gary Green's current activities. Well, I have finally remembered
to put an issue of Proclamation, the Gentle Giant newsletter, in my back-
pack so I could post its subscription info for this reader. The upcoming
issue of Proclamation will have two recent interviews with Gary Green, among
other things, and the magazine is highly recommended for anyone interested in
the group.
Subscription info: in the US, send $15 to David Armas, 3730 Stockbridge
Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90032. In the UK, send 10 pounds to Pete Gray, 2
Coniston Close, Stukeley Meadows, Huntingdon, Cambs PE18 6UD.
Unfortunately, I can't really answer the reader's original questions
about Gary Green myself right now, but hopefully the above will be of use.
Pat Buzby
Oberlin, OH
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
Date: Sun, 10 Apr 1994 22:09:41 -0400 (EDT)
From: JahUbik <PRSAVAGE@delphi.com>
Subject: Shelf Of Jahs
> Please post a message to Chalkhills introducing yourself
> and perhaps explaining how you heard about XTC (and
> Chalkhills). --JR
** apr 10/late...**
ah...this is the well-known formula for receiving unreliable
communications...JahUbik is the not-very-concealing pseudonym of
pr savage, a person...english i suppose...peripatetic of
late...hopped off the roundabout in 83...currently in
montclairish nj...freelance writer...musician of sorts...fractal
guitar, deconstructed music...practising practising
practising...also likes costello, beatles, clash, but lots of
other indirect and non-obvious music...
...used to like X T C a lot, but so po' only bought a couple of
their things in britain...sort of forgot about them for a while
here cos of their low profile...reminded by hearing andy
partridge on a houston radio chat show a couple of years back
(mid-91), promo-ing something <oranges? nonsuch?>...then by plugs
>from mike kenneally (fz's latterday mothers, hat, dweez)...found
these 'ere chalkhills in eric braun's internet directory,
prompted to do something about it by recent online chats with
costellophiles, partic. melinda@delphi.com...and here i
is...gosh, wasn't that exciting...
...you still awake?...between 95 and 99% of all popular music is
disposable. ear candy. it wouldn't matter if it never happened.
the test of a classic record is that it still sounds good ten,
twenty years later. relistening to <english settlement> earlier
today proved the point to me...must remember to put the cat out...
--JahUbik, perhaps explaining
<for those with unfriendly mailer software that "bites the headers
off" (YUMMY!!!)....i'm at prsavage@delphi.com>
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: 10 Apr 94 18:35:35 EDT From: Joe Caparula <72600.3713@compuserve.com> Subject: Random Thoughts Just a couple of random thoughts after reading the last several issues: Re Dukes' influences: No one has mentioned the connection between "Collideascope" and "Lucy in The Skies . . ." particularly the opening bass riff and Andy's nasal Lennon-esque singing. Also, the chorus of "Your Gold Dress" seems right off of The Rolling Stones' "Satanic Majesty's Request," like maybe "She's Like A Rainbow." Anyone agree? Re Golden Guts: Someone mentioned this didn't hold up to Jules Verne. I think this is a great tape . . . my biggest disappointment is that "The Answer Was A Yes" went unfinished. What a gorgeous melody! That Andy's unfinished work can be as riveting as his full-blown songs cecertainly says something. Later. . . -JMC
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Sun, 10 Apr 1994 23:53:31 -0400 (EDT) From: "Hungadunga, Hungadunga, Hungadunga, & McCormick" <MELINDA@delphi.com> Subject: Re: Chalkhills #339 HEY, WES!! > P.P.S. Where're Melinda Hale and Marcus Deininger...? I've been in an Elvis Costello frenzy this past month... Y'know, all these new people don't yet realize that Chalkhills has regained one of its most vocal contributors. See, Wes has this way of talking about the most obscure XTC references imaginable--I wonder sometimes if he has some sort of XTC-Radar in his brain...how does he find this stuff? Congratulations on your return to Chalkhills and the 'Net (among other things :-> )! Let's finally get that Boston- area Chalkhills gathering organized (Jason and Mark, this means you) Melinda
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Mon, 11 Apr 1994 19:58:50 GMT+1000 From: PETER ANDREWS <PRAND1@cfs01.cc.monash.edu.au> Subject: Introducing a New Member Organization: Monash University Hi there, or perhaps G'day, My name is Peter Andrews and perhaps I am a contender for the "Chalkhillian residing the greatest distance from Swindon", as I live in Melbourne, Australia. I was an XTC virgin until I found a dusty vinyl copy (U.S. pressing) of 'English Settlement' and played the thing til the needle dropped off my Rega turn-table. Anyway, my fascination for English music exploded, however I'm sure the tyranny of distance (and the rather sparse Australian record market) has limited the extent to my collecting capabilities. I appreciate XTC's music from all angles, and perhaps, subliminally, they are the reason and inspiration for my rather calculated but extremely eclectic musical ventures (attempts). Perhaps my fave album would be 'Skylarking' (U.S. release), with an extremely close second to 'Mummer' or 'English Settlement'...but then again, I do tend to reel them all off, depending on my mood! Finally, I heard of 'Chalkhills' whilst browsing a friend's copy of 'Internet Yellow Pages' - little did he know what I was about to discover. Please email me (prand1.cfs01.cc.monash.edu.au) about anything!
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] From: DAMIAN FOULGER BSc AUS LMB <SPXDLF@cardiff.ac.uk> Date: Mon, 11 Apr 1994 13:23:08 GMT Subject: Carmen San Diego Hello everyone. Does anyone know whether Carmen San Diego has been released in the good old United Kingdom? I am intrigued to hear some new XTC and I love TMBG too. I was incredibly lucky to see TMBG live, in USA ( can't remember exactly where! ) when I was last there and I heard their 'new single' - the Sun Song. It is incredibly silly and very catchy too, so I would just LOVE to hear it again. Just to add my bit, I have always pronounced XTC as X.T.C. and not the word. Also, if there are any fans out there, and I know that there is at least one, how do people pronounce SIBERRY as in JANE? Dames. [If God had meant us to fly he would have given us aeroplanes - oh yeah - he did!]
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Mon, 11 Apr 94 10:53 EST From: "Neil D. Bernstein" <0004361918@mcimail.com> Subject: Cherry in Your Tree I got my hands on _Carmen_ this weekend. The local Media Play (go for it Marshall) had two copies, in the children's section. Don't bother with Best Buy - they'd never heard of it. Since no one has yet done so, I thought I'd post the lyrics to "Cherry in Your Tree"... Chorus: Cherry cherry in your tree Jump down on the ground and make a pie with me Cherry cherry in your tree Jump down on the ground and make a pie with me I got toys like the other boys Come down from your tree now I can set you free now I got toys like the other boys For baking love with you For baking love with you Chorus I'm the cook who wrote the book Pour a little soul now Right into the bowl now I'm the cook who wrote the book On baking love with you On baking love with you Cherry in your tree now Do you love just me now I'm the chef of the treble clef Roll into the flour now Knead it for an hour now Copyright 1993 EMI Virgin Song Inc. O.B.O. EMI Virgin Limited Composer: Andy Partridge Performance credits are given as: Andy Partridge - vocals, guitar, percussion, claps Colin Moulding - bass, harmony vocals, claps Dave Gregory - good natured ghost effects with Brian Doherty - drums Garo Yellin - Cello David Yazbek - keyboards, backing vocals, claps Sean Altman - backing vocals Produced by David Yazbek "Backing vocals" is a bit of a misnomer: the second and third lines of each stanza are sung as sort of a "gang vocal", more shouting than singing. I don't recall Andy ever using quite as fuzzed-out a guitar as he does on this track. Perhaps, done with the 60's, they're heading toward the 70s. And yeah, it's a cooking song - maybe Andy's answer to "Too Many Cooks..."? Anyone know what "good natured ghost effects" might be? As for "Change My World", this one gets as close as possible (without going over) to the line that separates bubblegum from childrens' music. Fortunately, since this is an album full of both the song sounds right at home. What saves it is lyrics like, "You suppose there's nothing much a meager man can do / Bare his hairy chest & hold his morning breath, stick his thumbs into the screws." There's no credit given for the vocal performance, btw. Does anyone have any background on Rockapella? I heard once that they grew out of a Brown University a capella singing group, but this may be pure fantasy. Finally, if you do get the soundtrack, don't miss the last track, "Carmen's Song." Excellent lyrics. Lots of fun. -Neil
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
Date: Mon, 11 Apr 94 14:50:25 PDT
From: "John Relph" <relph@presto.ig.com>
Subject: Re: Just Various Stuff
Wesley Wilson <WWILSON@forumbos.mhs.compuserve.com> writes:
>
>Third, anyone have any ideas on why studio-conscious Andy would
>want the sound of a guitar cord being plugged into an amp to
>start of _Nonsuch_...? :-)
Uh, because it's just a little odd? Because of the obvious contrast
between the apparent roughness of that sound and the polished contents
of the album? To make it sound a little like someone walked into a
studio with an electric guitar and out came this album? Clearly, just
for the effect. Like leaving in the studio chatter before "Fly on The
Wall" and "Towers of London". An effect.
Dave Beckman <daveb55223@aol.com> writes:
>
>I first heard XTC in 1985 when I was 15 years old. A friend of mine gave me
>a tape of Drums & Wires and Camper Van Beethoven's Telephone Free Landslide
>Victory.
What a great combination! Two of my most favoritest bands.
> John as
>asked me to write a little something about last years XTC convention which I
>still plan to do. I will say that it was a
>good time and everyone should try to go to the next one. In Madison?
Is this a suggestion or a premonition? Oddly enough, I was asked (by
the two women in the photograph inside the cover of the recent issue
of _The Little Express_) if I might want to help put on an XTC Music
and Friends Convention here in California. (What an overwhelming
thought!)
-- John
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
Date: Mon, 11 Apr 94 16:00:20 PDT
From: "John Relph" <relph@presto.ig.com>
Subject: REVIEW: Sam Phillips' _Martinis & Bikinis_
Excerpted from the "Reviews" column by Scott Schinder, in Tower
Records' _Pulse!_ magazine, April 1994, Issue 125:
On her third mainstream album _Martinis & Bikinis_
(Virgin), one-time contemporary Christian songstress-
turned-secular visionary Sam Phillips delivers an
audacious art-pop classic that's both emotionally
forthright and gently subversive. Phillips' producer/
husband T Bone Burnett and an elite musical crew
(including XTC bassist Colin Moulding) lend mildly
psychadelicized sonic settings to Phillips' sharply
observed, melodically crafty compositions, which she
sings with an emotional authority that suggests an
intimate knowledge of her subject matter. Tunes like
"Sign Posts", "The Same Changes", "Strawberry Road" and
"When I Fall" speak knowingly of grave personal and
spiritual choices, while "I Need Love" is a cohesive and
far-reaching statement of faith.
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
Date: Mon, 11 Apr 94 20:38 EDT
From: jamesm@dialogic.com (Mark James)
Subject: RESULT: rec.music.beach-boys fails 218:116
VOTE RESULT
Unmoderated group rec.music.beach-boys
Voting closed on 30 March 1994 at 23:59:59 GMT. The results are:
Yes votes: 218
No votes: 116
There were two abstentions.
This margin is insufficient for newgroup creation; there needed to be
100 more YES than NO votes (this was met), and two-thirds of the votes
needed to be YES (this was not met). There will now be a five-day
period during which corrections to the vote count may be made. Barring
sufficient corrections to change the result, the group will not be
created, and the proposal to create rec.music.beach-boys may not be
formally discussed again for six months.
This vote was conducted by a neutral third party.
Vote-taker: Mark James <jamesm@dialogic.com>
Group proponent: Ben Lukoff <lukoff@helen.bush.edu>
The complete list of votes was posted to news.announce.newgroups.
--
Mark James <jamesm@dialogic.com> *** Opinions, errors etc are mine. ***
Dialogic Corporation, 300 Littleton Road | "You have violated Robot's Rules
Parsippany NJ 07054, U.S.A. | of Order and will be asked to
+1 201 334 1268 ext 438 | leave the future immediately."
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] I will be away all week, please be patient. For all administrative issues, such as change of address, withdrawal from the list, fan club addresses, discography requests (last update 28 March), 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/". The views expressed herein are those of the individual authors. My blood ran like ice right through.
Go back to Volume 1.
29 September 1994 / Feedback