Chalkhills Digest Volume 1, Issue 448
Date: Friday, 16 June 1995
Chalkhills Digest, Number 448
Friday, 16 June 1995
Today's Topics:
Looking for Footprints
Simplicity and juvenile-ness (juvenility? juvenilehood?)
hello and some thoughts
Beatles debate
Re: Future Prefect
OH MY GOD! WHAT'S HAPPENING TO US?
Holly, you asked for it. Don't blame me.
Re: Chalkhills Digest #446
Re: What were they thinking?
Re: Jeffrey Langr
Top Ten Lists
Beach Boys
100% XTC Content: Announcing The Nonsvch Coloring Book
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 14 Jun 1995 23:04:53 -0700
From: John Relph <relph>
Subject: Looking for Footprints
HShea@aol.com (she of no name) writes:
>Subject: LOOK LOOK
>
>Hello!! Where can i find the "Look Look" video?? Is there a magazine out
>there of XTC merchandise?? HELP! I want it BAD!
I have added a new question to the Chalkhills/XTC FAQ:
27. Where can I find the _Look Look_ video? Does anyone know how I can
get my hands on any XTC merchandise?
Unfortunately, unless you are looking for high-volume items like
the XTC album catalogue on CD or cassette tape, it is almost
impossible to find any XTC merchandise. _Skylarking_ T-shirts may
yet be available at outlets such as Tower Records, but otherwise
you're on your own.
There is no XTC mail order service. There is no catalog of XTC
merchandise.
There is, however, an official XTC fan club or two (see (4)
above). _The Little Express_ does have a want ads section, and
you can often find other fans willing to trade XTC merchandise.
You can also find rare and exciting XTC merchandise advertised in
magazines such as _Record Collector_ and _Goldmine_.
From time to time, people will also advertise XTC merchandise for
sale or trade in Chalkhills.
Happy Hunting!
Tim Pacheco <74512.3073@compuserve.com> writes:
>Subject: Additional XTC 3" CDs
>
>In Chalkhills #442, Jim Nichols wanted to know what other XTC
>3" CD singles were available, besides the ones he had already.
The complete list can always be found in the XTC Discography (in the
Chalkhills Archives). But I think Tim got it right anyhow.
"Ethan C. Banks" <ECBANKS@delphi.com> asks:
>Subject: Prescient Album Titles
>
>I'm sensing a trend here. Has anyone else noticed this on other albums?
>If not, could "Nonsuch" contain the title for the long-awaited Next XTC
>Album embedded in the lyric sheets somewhere? Or is this all just a
>neat-o coincidence...?
You're not the first to ask the question. Does it have an answer?
By the way, I'm looking for a job in the Silicon Valley area doing
either GUI development or Web services. Anybody know of any openings?
-- John
--
Imminent death of Chalkhills predicted! Details at 10:00!
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 15 Jun 1995 08:44:00 -0700 (PDT) From: Eric Muller <EMuller@UWYO.EDU> Subject: Simplicity and juvenile-ness (juvenility? juvenilehood?) Gerry Wheeler has (rightly, I think) taken the big flame for his suggestion that the music of the Beatles is simplistic and juvenile. Of course, if the music of the Beatles is simplistic and juvenile, one wonders which adjectives to use for the music of Wings. But enough of that . . . What I wanted to say was this: When Gerry says that he listened to the Beatles endlessly in high school, only to realize as he got older that this music that he adored in high school was simplistic and juvenile, what he is really saying is that the older Gerry came to realize that that *younger Gerry* was simplistic and juvenile. I know that I was simplistic and juvenile when I was in high school (I didn't know it then, of course). But this doesn't mean that everything I listened to and adored in high school was simplistic and juvenile just because I was. Of course, *some* of what I listened to in high school probably *was* simplistic and juvenile--Boston comes to mind--but I can still enjoy it. Yes, even Boston. (Come on--admit it--More Than A Feeling is irresistible, a guilty pleasure.) Remember, Gerry, there are plenty of folks out there who got turned on to XTC when they (the listeners, that is) were "simplistic and juvenile" high schoolers. Might they not look back on the music and label it "simplistic and juvenile"? Eric emuller@uwyo.edu
------------------------------ Date: 15 Jun 95 11:51:03 EDT From: Todd Bernhardt <73364.1601@compuserve.com> Subject: hello and some thoughts Okay, it's this way -- I've been lurking for a while now and am having too much fun not to post anything. Let me first express my admiration for John Relph, as well as my concern for his mental health, which is bound to suffer if he has to keep on reading messages about the Beatles; my mirth at reading some of the funnier messages over the past two weeks (you know who you are); and my consternation at reading some of the more bone-headed messages (unfortunately, you probably don't know who you are). Let me recommend to all of you that you read the FAQ file here, and that you subscribe to one of the XTC fanzines. I currently get The Little Express (P.O. Box 1072, Barrie, Ont. L4M 5E1) and have for many years, and, as a compilation of interviews, news of the band, etc., it answers a lot of the questions that I've seen bandied about here (esp. about the nature of certain song lyrix!). Pete and June put out a great publication -- support them and the band by subscribing to it! Limelight is the English fanzine, Extasy is published in Japan -- the addresses are in the FAQ file. Now, on to threads from the last couple of issues ... NO DRUGS IN OUR HOUSE -- from interviews I've read, and from the band bio Chalkhills and Children (also a must-read), it's fairly obvious that the band's extracurricular activities are limited to the odd pint or five, as Martin points out, despite the fact that Andy had a problem with "nerve pills" during the early part of the band's career. While I've also enjoyed XTC under various influences, I've also been on the other side of the studio scene, and when you're in there, time is *big* money and that doesn't mean you have time to mess around with an unclear head. Plus, it doesn't strike me as being any of their style. Concerning the producer debate and the recent mention of King Crimson members, let me say I am a HUGE KC fan -- Bill Bruford is probably my biggest influence as a drummer -- and while I agree that Belew probably wouldn't work out (I don't think he has much interest in producing other bands anyway) I feel compelled to defend Fripp ... but just a bit. He *would* be wrong for the band, because he's as much of a control freak as Terrible Todd (and would thus clash with our other beloved control freak, Mr. P), but he has produced some good-sounding albums -- The Roches and Daryl Hall come immediately to mind. Peter Gabriel never should have picked Fripp as producer for PGII, because Fripp has his own, rather sparse sound, and judging by later PG forays, that sound is inappropriate for PG. I say, get the boys away from Virgin (hisss), onto a new label and let them produce themselves, possibly with someone like Hugh Padgham or David Lord to provide engineering expertise. I also agree with various postings that Eno could be a good choice. I have to agree with Matt Hiner (and disagree, I guess, with a number of others here) -- Nonsvch is my favorite post-Terry album. I like the production, I like all the songs -- hell, my wife and I even picked "Wrapped in Grey" as the song for our first dance at our wedding! Even the album's low point for me -- Bungalow -- stands out as the best song that Berlin-era Bowie never wrote, so it's worth a listen. And if, as someone said, the lyrics of The Smartest Monkeys are forced, well, so what, they are -- Colin obviously made them fit the music, but HEY, what a rythmn section!! I recently made a tape of Bass Heroes for a friend of mine, and that was the XTC contribution I picked, because he locks in so well with Dave Mattacks (I passed on "One of the Millions" because I think it sounds a bit too much like PG). And I don't think "The Disapointed" is necessarily derivative of the BBs -- though I agree with Chris Connors on "So Pale and Precious" and wonder if he meant "Chalkhills and Children" rather than "The Disapointed." Regarding the "XTC does to studio music what the Grateful Dead do to live music" thang -- I'm glad you understood what your friend was getting at, because I'm completely baffled by it (Hey, do you know what one Deadhead said to the other when they ran out of pot? "Whoa! This band SUCKS!!") To XTCMatt, who talked about "No Language ..." relating to people who have been in love -- I always thought "Seagulls Screaming ..." was a FANTASTIC evocation of the nervousness and heightened awareness that goes along with the adrenalin rush of infatuation. "I say `I like your coat'/Her `Thank You' tugs my heart afloat" ... what a great way of expressing how the little things can mean so much in situations like that! The only person besides Andy who I think comes close to expressing such things (in other words, making me think "Damn! I wish I'd wrote that!!") is Elvis Costello (check out "Almost Blue" on Imperial Bedroom for a great "it's over" song). In fact, it's always been a fantasy of mine to be able to take Andy and Elvis to a pub, buy them all the pints they could drink, and sit back and listen! They'd probably get along famously or hate each others' guts! To Michael Travis: I'm a good drummer and a terrible guitarist, but I remember Andy saying in an interview that almost all of Mummer was done in an open E tuning, so you might want to try different tunings to figure out Red Brick Dream, since it was done pretty soon after. I understand your affection for that song -- it's one of the songs that provided my "inner soundtrack" last August when I finally went to Scotland, England (and SWINDON!!) for the first time. Others, of course, included "Small Town", "In Loving Memory ...", "Washaway," and -- of course -- "English Roundabout"! Finally, I'm not going to get into the whole Beatles thing, because it has got to end (though I DID get your sarcasm, Ayanna), but I will say to Gerald Wheeler that he should have gotten the BBC album (or he should at least get someone to tape it for him, like I did) -- it shows what a great bar band they really were. They were hungry in the early daze and played their asses off ... including Ringo! Shit! Here comes my boss! Signing off ... (if you're in Northern Virginia and see a little red Rabbit with "XTC FAN" license plates, wave hi!) Todd B
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 15 Jun 1995 10:07:04 -0800 From: Michael Giammatteo <mgiammatteo@Getty.Edu> Subject: Beatles debate Yeah, this is an XTC list and the Beatle thing is going on a bit, but, hell, I'm for anything that stirs up passionate debate. It'll burn itself out. No sweat. P.S. I want to be in Brent's band. Beatles, XTC, Crowded House. Just my influences.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 15 Jun 95 11:27:03 PDT
From: John Relph <relph@presto.ig.com>
Subject: Re: Future Prefect
Michael Travis <JSMDT@acad1.alaska.edu> writes:
>Subject: Gyroscope sampler / Red Brick Dream chords?
>
>I just picked up a new disc, which should be added to the discography.
It's there! Before you wrote in!
DFerg@aol.com writes:
>Subject: Re: Young Cleopatra lyrics
>
>Your school uniform looks grey on others and super on you Your yellow wooden
>
>> rule,a golden sceptre to prove it's true
It makes a lot more sense if it's:
Your school uniform looks grey on others and SILVER on you
Your yellow wooden rule, a GOLDEN sceptre to prove it's true
She is an alchemist, transforming base materials into precious metals
by virtue of her beauty alone!
Derek Miner <ind00163@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu> writes:
>Subject: Compiled info on Radio Tour
>
>Here is my collection of information on the XTC Acoustic Radio Tour.
>Several sources were used to get this info, including a message in a
>recent digest asking for some Acoustic Shows (sorry, I forgot the name),
>and information at John Relph's Chalkhills home page.
Before Derek sent in this message I had completely re-done the XTC
Live Appearances page in the Chalkhills Web, adding information for
all live shows prior to 1989. Check it out:
http://chalkhills.org/
I have now incorporated Derek's listing into the page.
-- John
------------------------------ From: AMANION@rex.mnsmc.edu Date: Thu, 15 Jun 1995 12:29:27 GMT-6 Subject: OH MY GOD! WHAT'S HAPPENING TO US? Chalksters, >I was also pissed off by a friend that made this comparison: >"XTC does to studio music what the Grateful Dead do to live music" OK. I put up with it when we started ranting about the Beatles ad nausium...but the GRATEFUL DEAD!!! The Grateful Dead do for live music what glue factories do for horses. I enjoy dialogue on XTC's roots as much as anyone but I think we've been strolling down sixties lane just a bit too long. I love all the posts that start with "I know a lot has been said about the Beatles but..." Yes, a lot has, so give ourselves a collective rap on the knuckles and move on. Everyone want's to get the last word in on the Beatles. I'm starting an XTC list. It will be called ABBEY ROAD. Jeffrey Langr writes "XTC sure can make some catchy tunes, and put some very clever lyrics to them, but to say that they are better or smarter than the Offspring, for example, is being a bit elitist.Smartass lyrics do not a genius band make. Most of you could probably comeup with some good intellectual lyrics." The genius in XTC is not just in the lyrics. XTC blend music and lyrics better than almost any band. The song, Train Running Low on Soul Coal, for instance, includes not only brilliant lyrics but also a musical style and instrumentation that evokes train images. You would know that song was about trains if it had no lyrics. Also, listen to the music itself on other relatively unheralded AP songs like Language in our Lungs, Scissor Man, No Thugs in our House, Man Who Sailed Around his Soul, Seagulls Screaming, Garden of Earthly Delights, Sgt. Rock, Travels in Nihilon, It's Nearly Africa and CM songs like Sacrificial Bonfire, Ten Feet Tall, Oh Lord Deliver Us from the Elements and on and on. Get with it, Jeffrey, these guys are gifted songwriters and musicians, not just lyricists. That's one of the reasons so many musicians dig 'em. Cheers, Merely Amanion PS - how about this one... if you're going to give the live music world an enima, the Grateful Dead is where you stick the tube.
------------------------------ From: john%elsouth@ncren.net Subject: Holly, you asked for it. Don't blame me. Date: Thu, 15 Jun 95 15:20:28 EDT > Alan: elaborate more on this "Paul McCartney's penis" thing.. i mean, why > would XTC do a song about his penis?? > > Holly Holly, wouldn't you? Many XTC songs are about Paul's weiner. "Holly hop on Walrus Wang" was the original title for your namesake song. Andy, being that subtle lyricist, decided to bury his inuendo under a buncha mush about his daughter. He's a perv. Actually, Alan has (again) blown his references. The song Pink Thing is about Jimmy Hendrix's "unit." Other notable organ songs: Love on a farmboy's wages - Paul A rocket from a bottle - John Red Brick Dream - George You're a good man Albert Brown - Ringo The Disappointed - Michael Jackson Here comes (sic) President Kill again - Bush Ladybird - Devine Roads Girdle the Globe - Randy Rhodes The man who sailed around his soul - James Brown Hope this helps! - John White CIS Manager Electrical South Inc. john%elsouth@concert.net Announcer: Remember, he's not a real expert. Moi: I have a Bachelor's degree Announcer: That's B.S!
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 15 Jun 1995 16:17:20 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Christopher R. Coolidge" <ccoolidg@moose.uvm.edu>
Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #446
Regarding Ethan C. Banks' observation: on that note, how about Parrots And
Lemurs as a title for the next album? Watch for it! As for my first album
purchase, it was rather inauspicious; summer '73, K-Tel's Music Power(22 ori-
ginal hits! Original stars! All important parts of the song shaved off!)col-
lection. 22 of the worst hits of the 70's; dreck like Olivia Neutron Bomb,
Helen Everready, Bill Amesbury, Love Unlimited Orchestra, various obscure
and negligible Canadian one-hit wonders...the only stuff worth writing home
about today was a good Canadian blues-influenced band called Crowbar, a de-
cent soul performance from Al Wilson("Show And Tell;" good song)and my favo-
rite song by the chocolate-brown god of loooove, Barry White.("Never Never
Gonna Give You Up"- hey, try him sometime. Best aphrodesiac there is)My next
purchase that summer(I was 11, BTW)was Paul MacCartney and Wings' Band On The
Run, a slight improvement; still one of his better albums.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 15 Jun 1995 20:02:08 -0400 (EDT)
From: Derek Miner <ind00163@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu>
Subject: Re: What were they thinking?
Popping into my local used CD outlet this evening, I finally got
a copy of the elusive XTC "Demo Tracks."(not the bootlegs, the Japanese
disc). What I found amusing was the obviously transcribed lyrics for
"Down A Peg" and "Always Winter, Never Christmas." Chances are, someone
picked up on this and shared it, but I thought I'd post some of the more
gratuitous errors anyways, for a laugh.
In "Down A Peg," the only error seems to be "Like some
commissioner who has ideas for every station" instead of "ideas ABOVE HIS
station."
There are lots of errors in "Always Winter..."
Instead of "Always Easter time, never egg giving," it says
"Always Easter, but never a killing."
Instead of "I am wrapped up if you'd only step down from your
tree," it says, "I am ready..."
And, most puzzling of all, the line which I'm not ever sure is,
"Always that (close?, much?), never this (close? much?)" was transcribed
as "Always circumstance, never vespers"!!!
Happy listening,
= Derek Miner =
http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~ind00163/
------------------------------ From: HShea@aol.com Date: Thu, 15 Jun 1995 23:41:12 -0400 Subject: Re: Jeffrey Langr I hope you're not saying that the Offspring are better than XTC, because if you are, you need help, as there is something VERY wrong inside your head. the offspring suck.. (my opinion) .. they could never do better than XTC. Holly
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 16 Jun 95 10:42:59 EDT
From: patty@gdb.org (Patty Haley)
Subject: Top Ten Lists
Will the humor-impaired please skip to the next post...
Top Ten Things I Hate About Chalkhills
10. Endless B*****s discussions
9. Endless producer/drummer discussions about the next album when
we don't even know for sure there's going to *be* a next album
8. Colin bashing
7. Pink Thing debates (Read the FAQ, s'il vous plait)
6. Other Chalkhillians live in cities where boots/singles are
easy-to-find
5. Incredibly "interesting" interpretations to innocent song lyrics.
"Humble Daisy" is about the flower, really
4. Male listmembers' calls for email from single white females
3. People who saw the band live when I didn't (Why oh why didn't
I see them at Painters Mill when I had the chance?)
2. People who've gotten to meet the band when I haven't
1. The fact that if it wasn't for contractual problems, by all rights
I'd have their new album to talk about by now instead of
posting these Top Ten lists
Top Ten Things I Love About Chalkhills
10. Best WWW site in town
9. Almost always respectful "Meeting Place"
8. Restores my faith that intelligent conversation can be found on
mailing lists--some of them are unbelievable
7. I learn a lot about English history and other good stuff like who
Sgt. Rock is
6. Usually good for a chuckle, sometimes a real hoot
5. Chalkhillians finally turned me on to the wonderful Jellyfish
4. Lots of inside poop scooped here first
3. Almost always relevant posts
2. I get to enjoy the list without administering it (not that I'd mind,
but this list is like riding a Greyhound bus)
1. Comfort in knowing I'm not the only person on the planet who froths
at the mouth over XTC
-Patty
Catherine Wheel World Wide Web Home Page:
http://gdbdoc.gdb.org/~patty/CW/CW_home_page.html
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Jun 95 16:12:26 -0400 From: "Greg O'Rear" <jgo.systems@mhs.unc.edu> Organization: UNC Subject: Beach Boys cmcst42+@pitt.edu (Chris Connors) wrote: > XTC has the distinction of performing the two best Beach Boys song written > by some one other than Brian Wilson. One is "the Disapointed", and the > other is "So Pale and Precious". I think you mean "Wrapped In Grey," rather than "The Disappointed." I agree with your assessment. I wish Brian was capable of such things these days. An honorable mention goes to the Jellyfish for their "The Ghost at Number One." -- Greg O'Rear Computing Consultant IV, Novell CNA ADP, Univ. of North Carolina E-mail: jgo.systems@mhs.unc.edu 440 West Franklin Street Phone: (919) 962-0821; FAX: (919) 962-0900 Chapel Hill, NC 27599-1150 WWW: http://www.adp.unc.edu/~jgo/
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 16 Jun 1995 23:33:20 -0700
From: dfranson@execpc.com (Dave Franson)
Subject: 100% XTC Content: Announcing The Nonsvch Coloring Book
http://www.execpc.com/~dfranson/nonsvch.html
The Nonsvch Coloring Book
This page pays homage to the ever-eclectic, ever-eccentric British
pop band XTC; more specifically, their latest album, released in
1992, called Nonsvch.
Nonsvch continues XTC's tradition of strong songwriting and
outstanding, inventive musicianship. However, the album has become
a bone of contention among the band's fans who, perhaps tired of
waiting for a new XTC entree, have deeply scrutinized this last
substantial feast.
Nonsvch has become the XTC fan's oracle. Impossible questions are
asked of it. Does it truly represent a redefinition of XTC's
sound? Was a wonderful selection of songs overproduced and sapped
of its essence? Will Colin ever write a substantial song again?
And just what song holds the elusive lyric that's sure to become
the title of the next LP?
The Nonsvch Coloring Book invites you to set those questions aside,
flip on the disc, insert the tape, cue up the vinyl, or bang out
the tunes from memory, and contemplate with awe and wonder the
majesty of XTC's music.
On this very page you will find digitized images of the song
vignettes that graced the album's packaging. No mere scans, these
images -- they're strictly black & white, with clean, unbroken
lines so you can load them into your favorite bitmap editor and
fill them with mind-blowing color.
A silly pastime? Undoubtedly. A jolly bit of fun? For sure.
Those in search of ultimate enlightenment should dump all these
images to their printer and break out the fingerpaints!
http://www.execpc.com/~dfranson/nonsvch.html
Check it out!
Dave
http://execpc.com/~dfranson
_______________
* Now I try hard not to become hysterical *
* But I'm not sure if I am laughing or crying *
-- Declan MacManus, "Brilliant Mistake"
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #448 *****************************
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