Chalkhills Digest Volume 1, Issue 453
Date: Saturday, 8 July 1995
Chalkhills Digest, Number 453
Saturday, 8 July 1995
Today's Topics:
Re: Chalkhills Digest #452
Re: Chalkhills Digest #452
freak out
Live XTC et al
Weird thought: Country covers of XTC songs
McCartney and Costello
Elvis Costello reference on "Chalkhills" list
Re: Hello CD
swindon
Re: BBC Live in Concert CDs
Twomey's Book
One-Song Concert Choice
Complica-cated Games
New Little Express
Casting continues
Re:one song....cast of movie...
Misc. T
ever heard of...
An XTC Vacation
Miscellaneous Ramblings
Aimee Mann
Something to consider.
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The views expressed herein are those of the individual authors.
Far too many men dressed up as soldiers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Mojo Barfe <L.Barfe@lancaster.ac.uk> Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #452 Date: Sat, 1 Jul 1995 18:41:37 +0100 (BST) > How about Elvis Costello reuniting with the Attractions for this ad? He is back with the Attractions at the moment, working on an album of songs that he wrote for other people. The smart money is on him using them occasionally or more often in the future as well as other musicians too , like Neil Young does with Crazy Horse. The EC/Bruce Thomas rift has been healed. Thankfully. Louis
------------------------------ From: IERANO_J@DD.PALMER.EDU Date: Sat, 01 Jul 1995 13:37:01 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #452 I would like congratulate EJ Whitelock on his response to the XTC-punk connection. Nicely expressed. I also agree. Joe Ierano
------------------------------ From: Sowsij@aol.com Date: Sat, 1 Jul 1995 15:27:36 -0400 Subject: freak out OK..... I am about to freak out. I don't think there is anyway around it. Am I being to obsessive.......I don't know. Maybe but just this once......I have to say....... I can not wait any longer for new material. I am now willing to spend any amount of money and time needed to find any other material featuring this band. I am willing to do whatever possible to meet them...one of them...all of them... to tell them how incredible their music is to me... I even called long distance to Swindon, to see if it was possible that one of their numbers was listed... The way I feel when I listen to or think about their music is an unbelievable rush of emotional bliss....it is everything music should be...the very essence of life and love.... What is this power that this band holds over me? Is it because I see there work as a kind of truth that just about everybody in the world has missed or looked over? Is it because they have continued to make the most beautiful music despite poor sales and have not kissed corporate ass to succeed? Is it because no one else puts such poetic and beautiful imagery in their lyrics together with intricate pieces of music that challenges the rest of the boring sh*t out there now by most artists? The answer to these questions are yes, yes and yes!! To anyone in the band or in touch with them...let them know that they have a home in Nashville if they ever need it to relax or write and record...free of charge. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE MUSIC. sorry I freaked. Jason.
------------------------------ From: Algae99@aol.com Date: Sat, 1 Jul 1995 16:12:08 -0400 Subject: Live XTC et al Somebody pined for more live XTC. I have a bootleg called "This is Live", which I would swear was culled from the same concert as the BBC CD now available. I paid 40 dollars for it, and a month later it was released a ligit price and a cleaner-sounding sound. The only consolation was the inclusion of a psycho sounding Colin on "I'll Set Myself on Fire". I think I made a mig boo-boo on the "Ella Guru" comment. I believe I should have put the word "probably" in there, because no one is the Captain, but Andy is close. Mea culpa. I wonder if I have any consent if I were to state that Andy, Elvis Costello, and Robyn Hitchcock represent the high royalty of British songwriting. I would crawl across broken glass and crushed bugs to see any of them, anytime. A Lexington (KY) record store has 3 different demo CDs. One is from Nonsuch, one from Oranges & Lemons, and one from Drums & Wires/Black Sea period. My income has not allowed to buy one yet, at 35 bucks apiece. Life is not fair. I have always found record swap meets at the local Ramada Inn are excellent places to find demos on tape. I found the Nonsuch demos at one for 5 bucks, 2 years ago. The lengths we have to go sometimes. There is a link between Robyn Hitchcock & XTC. Paul Fox produced "Perspex Island" for Robyn, and John Leckie produced "Respect", an excellent album. XTC should produce their own albums, not only for a more home-crafted feel, but also for the money save (and earned).
------------------------------ From: "Mark Rushton" <rushton@PrimeNet.Com> Date: Sat, 1 Jul 1995 15:10:59 +0000 Subject: Weird thought: Country covers of XTC songs I've been reading the messages about a forthcoming XTC cover album with Ruben Blades, Freedy Johnston, etc and of course my mind went spinning as to what it would be like if country artists did an album of XTC songs. Now I'm not a country music fan, but I think some of their music could make the transition. "Earn Enough for Us", "Love on a Farmboy's Wages", "Great Fire", "Senses Working Overtime", "Merely A Man", "Punch and Judy", "Little Lighthouse", "All You Pretty Girls", and "Life Begins at the Hop" for starters. Trying singing those songs with a little bit o'twang in your voice, add some steel guitar, put on yer boots, and let's go two-steppin'! :-) .....and another thing before I go..... I, too, just bought the BBC Live CD for $10.99 (like many other people have posted recently) and it really is a fabulous recording because they were so good live. If you don't have it, get it. It is well worth whatever you pay! I'm serious!!!!
------------------------------ From: Algae99@aol.com Date: Sat, 1 Jul 1995 17:37:19 -0400 Subject: McCartney and Costello Someone mentioned an Elvis & Attractions reunion. In the August issue of "Musician", there is mention of shows in London to promote "Kojak Variety" with the Attractions, as well as Mark Ribot and James Burton. I saw Elvis and the Attractions last year, and it was a pseudo-religious experience. Also, to report on the dreaded XTC-Beatles front, Paul has a new album out under the name of "Thrillington". It is an album or orchestral reworks or the songs from "Ram". Leave it to Paul to do something completely weird.
------------------------------ From: AngryYngMn@aol.com Date: Sun, 2 Jul 1995 12:06:02 -0400 Subject: Elvis Costello reference on "Chalkhills" list To Tom Chao: Um...Elvis has not left the building...and he's touring with the Attractions as we speak. I'm going to see them (and They Might Be Giants as the opener) at the Beacon Theatre on 8.2.95. Thought I'd let you know. -aym
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 2 Jul 1995 12:09:50 -0400 (EDT) From: terry kroetsch f <tkroetsc@mach1.wlu.ca> Subject: Re: Hello CD A plea: could someone make a copy of the Hello CD with Andy for me? I can trade the Andy interview tape or acoustic tour tapes or whatever. Oh, please Thanks and hope to hear SOON, terry tkroetsc@mach1.wlu.ca
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 3 Jul 95 14:36:19 GMT
From: jde@intera.co.uk (Jon Eva)
Subject: swindon
Dear all,
I've just discovered that Gilbert O'Sullivan, the singer responsible for
such great works as "Alone Again Naturally", "Nothing Rhymed", "Clair" and
"A Policeman's Lot Is Not A Happy One", was raised in Swindon (although
born in Ireland); so XTC are not the only, or even the most important,
musical giants to hail from this horrible town.
Does anyone know of any other bands / singers or whatever who were born or
brought up in Swindon ? Has Swindon been the unheralded centre of the
British music scene all this time ?
Jon Eva
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 03 Jul 1995 07:58:33 -0400 (EDT) From: Delvin Neugebauer <delvin-cos1@kaman.com> Subject: Re: BBC Live in Concert CDs In Chalkhills #452, Jim Nichols wrote about the BBC's live XTC disc, adding that it appears to be the only worthwhile title in the BBC series. Perhaps you're not a fan of theirs, Jim, but Echo & the Bunnymen have a disc in that series. It's from their last tour before Ian McCulloch left the band, so it lacks some of the intensity of their earliest shows. But it's still worth hearing. Thanks, Delvin Neugebauer (delvin-cos1@kaman.com)
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 3 Jul 1995 09:53:17 -0400 From: robertk@lotatg.lotus.com (Robert P. Krajewski) Subject: Twomey's Book Just some thoughts on Chris Twomey's _Chalkhills and Children_, which I just picked up (and devoured in one sitting). * It was pretty honest and unflinching, especially when it came to the "laddish" naughty things that happened, and the depiction of tensions within the group. * Although it could have gone into a more in-depth musical analysis of XTC's output, it's reasonable that it didn't -- otherwise, the book would have doubled in size. * The worst thing about the book: for all the information in there, there's no index ! Even just an index of the contemporaries to whom XTC were related, such as the Talking Heads, Thomas Dolby (replacing Andy on a tour ? yow !), John Foxx (ever reclusive now), and Pink Floyd (I never would have beleived Moulding playing with Gilmour in a zillion years anyway), would have been pretty eye-opening.
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 05 Jul 1995 12:37:19 -0500 From: Gustavo Machado <gmachado@DMBB.com> Subject: One-Song Concert Choice Just imagine... XTC in your backyard... guitars, microphones, lights, all plugged in and ready... Colin counts in "One, two, three, FOUR!" and the rhythmic strains of "WAR DANCE" fill in the air... pure bliss. Sarcasm aside, my vote would go to The Mayor of Simpleton, with a VERY extended and improvised coda (20 minutes or so). Cheers --Gustavo
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 5 Jul 1995 10:53:13 -0500 From: lschick@magnet.com (Lawrence Schick) Subject: Complica-cated Games >A couple of years ago I picked up the "Ye Olde Card Game NONSVCH"... As a card-carrying professional game designer, I've always been fascinated by Andy's interest in games. In addition to the promo mentioned above, I know there was also a game included with an early UK single. Can anyone clue me in to other game-related XTC items or stories? Any opinions on how Andy's interest in games has influenced his songwriting? I'm a relatively new subscriber; hopefully this is not an old thread that's been done to death. -- Lawrence
------------------------------ From: Joe_Jarrett@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca (Joe Jarrett) Subject: New Little Express Date: 05 Jul 1995 14:11:04 GMT Organization: North York Board of Education The new Little Express in now out. Peter and June are in the process of mailing them out. Relax if you haven't got yours just yet. As usual the wait although long has been worth it. It is again fact filled and includes exclusive pictures and reviews. With the speed of the Internet it is easy for us to get impatient with the Little Express and the snail mail, but remember it is a fanzine put out by two devoted people who have jobs and a family to raise. Remember also that not all fans are on the Internet either. They have to fit there XTC habit around their lives. They can't keep up with the speed with which band information is spread by Chalkhills and fans but they nevertheless fulfill a great service to the band and their fans with their classy magazine. Long time subscribers and the Little Express people themselves get disheartened when they hear that people are knocking what they do, or how long it takes them to get an issue out. So before complaining about it, think about how uneventful regular mail would be without the Little Express gracing your mailbox 2 or 3 times a year!
------------------------------ Date: 05 Jul 95 17:26:30 EDT From: Todd Bernhardt <73364.1601@compuserve.com> Subject: Casting continues Hi Chalkhillians! Well, let's see .... There have been some good suggestions for XTC: The Movie, but the cast remains largely unfilled, and with no new album on the horizon for now for us to kick about, let's get this movie off the ground! I like James Dignan's suggestion of Woody Harrelson as Andy P., but only as the young Andy -- we're going to need someone else for his more mature, stouter, badass self. Christopher Walken, as suggested by Bradley Preuss? Hmmmm... too creepy, methinks. I do, however, like BP's suggestion of Hunter Thompson as Barry, for both looks and attitude. And good call to Eliot Fish for casting Michael Palin as Dave G.! If we're going on the Monty Python route, perhaps Terry Chambers could be played by Terry Jones! (Both Terry J. and Michael P. would have to be 15 years younger, tho). DeNiro as Terry C. is also a good call, as made by WillYum, since he would make himself fit the part, no matter what weight gain/loss, surgery or whatever was required (he'd probably learn to play drums just for the part!). And David Lynch is a good choice for director, tho I must admit I'm not as familiar with him in front of the camera, so I don't know about his being cast as Mr. P. So here's the rehash: Andy P.: Woody Harrelson (young Andy) Dave G.: Michael Palin Terry C.: Terry Jones/Robt. DeNiro Barry A.: Hunter Thompson Oh, and of course, as Amanion rightly pointed out, Jerry Mathers as "the Beaver." I still haven't seen a convincing casting of Colin ... c'mon XTCfanz, put yer headz to it!! We have a host of drummers, producers and evil managers/record company execs yet to cast! Todd B.
------------------------------ From: Saints3Den@aol.com Date: Thu, 6 Jul 1995 10:00:35 -0400 Subject: Re:one song....cast of movie... one song...too tough .... so do what costello did a few years ago the spinning songbook. on a roulette wheel write down perhaps Beating of hearts Snowman no thugs paper & iron extrovert (you get the idea ) then spin..... Cast for the XTC movie ? from the movie "Lord of the Flies" The kid who played "Piggy" as Andy.... I have always thought of him as a young Andy . For Colin how about Michael J. Pollard who played C.W. Moss in "Bonnie & Clyde" the little guy with the baby face and cleft chin. Both of these are far-fetched and the wrong age but good likenesses, methinks. By the way,nonsuch is a fine record by me,Adrian belew is a good choice as producer,and if a certain someone has to sign off with a verse from Brian eno, could you at least use other verses occasionally,or is there only one line worth writing? Eddie St.M Southington ct.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 06 Jul 95 15:24:19 EDT
From: Matt Hiner <R2MCH1@VM1.CC.UAKRON.EDU>
Subject: Misc. T
First a few questions (please send answers directly to me at the above
address):
1. Where can I get the Dukes outtakes? Are they available as a set, or as
b-sides?
2. What is the release date of the XTC tribute lp? What label is it on?
Now a few comments.
1. It is too damn difficult to pick one song to hear live. I can narrow it
down to four, and they could be played as a medley. "Respectable Street,"
"Scissor Man," "Meccanik Dancing," and "Instant Tunes." If I had to pick
one, "Respectable Street" would be it.
2. The XTC movie would have to star John Hurt as Barry, David Hasselhoff as
Terry, Tim Robbins as Andy, Val Kilmer as Colin, Tom Hanks as Dave, and
will be directed by Jonathan Demme.
3. As for XTC and punk, I see no aesthetic differences. I grew up on both,
and I often will place XTC, Ramones, Black Flag, Talking Heads, and David
Bowie in my CD changer, and set it on random. Some punk is little better
than infantile rant, but most of it spoke volumes during an extremly
apathetic period. While I would never characterize XTC as a punk band,
they are (or used to be) one of the most energetic.
P.S. Do any fellow Chalkhillians live in the Akron/Cleveland area? I am
having a hell of a time finding any record stores that carry any XTC
material. How about telling me where you shop?
- Matt Hiner
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 07 Jul 1995 01:07:15 -0500 (CDT) From: "my world is spinning..." <LEACH@AC.GRIN.EDU> (Arlo B Leach) Subject: ever heard of... hey all- i was just wondering if anyone knows anything about a musician named jim infantino? i actually received one of his CD's as a sample from a duplication house i'm working with, but i really like it! although he doesn't sound anything like XTC (acoustic/american/folk etc.), he actually shares some common themes with them. and the title song from this album, "strawman," of course uses the same metaphor as "scarecrow people" from oranges and lemons... anyway, if anyone could tell me anything about this guy's background, other albums, concerts, etc, i'd appreciate it! writing to me personally would probably be a good idea though. bye, -arlo
------------------------------ From: adkoning@hvsag01.att.com (Andre de Koning) Date: Fri, 7 Jul 95 16:52:34 +0200 Subject: An XTC Vacation Just came back from a lovely vacation in Cornwall, England. Drove past SWINDON on the M4 passing a van of 'GREGORY deliveries'... been to 'Lydford GORGE' which has a place called 'Devils CAULDRON', where you could easily drown if you didn't mind the step... drove through a (very small) place called 'WASHAWAY'... saw a car with a licence-plate containing the letters NGL which of course stands for 'Nigel'... read an old dutch magazine that had a photo of the formula-1 car of dutch driver Jos Verstappen that features the letters XTC very big on the backwing... came accross some new punk collections with 'Making plans for Nigel' on them... and on the radio heard the group 'Sailor' singing the song 'Girls, girls, girls' which reminded me of 'Omnibus': the lyrics go 'Well they're yellow, red, black or white' either Sailor should do 'Leisure' on the tribute CD, or Andy could sing 'Girls, girls, girls' on a Sailor tribute... Andre
------------------------------
From: StevieSkeg@aol.com
Date: Sat, 8 Jul 1995 00:18:54 -0400
Subject: Miscellaneous Ramblings
"You better grab a snorkle, folks, 'cuz we're going down!"
-Country Dick Montana
Greetings, Chalkhillbillies! ("Chalkhilbillies" gets my vote, BTW)
I've been more or less lurking around here for several months, sending in
small posts from time to time...now the time has come for my first
overwrought diatribe.
First: I first heard the Fab Three (then four) in about 1982, when a friend
of mine in college played Drums and Wires for me. But English Settlement
(the hackneyed CBS single-LP version, no less) sealed the deal for me, and
I became a die-hard fan. Boy, do I love these guys! My greatest hope for
them is that since "alternative" music has become somewhat palatable to the
masses, their next album may not be so totally ignored by the general
public.
Second: Now that i've established my credentials, I'll flaunt my ignorance:
What's the deal with this Cleopatra song I've been seeing so much lyrical
argument about? Is this on some compilation album? A soundtrack, perhaps?
Where is my copy? Gimmegimmegimme!
Third: I dug up a copy of a magazine called Contrast published in 1990 which
featured a great interview with Andy. There's way too much to recount here,
but my favorite part is where he discusses one of my other fave bands...(I
don't mean the b******s, although I like them too)
(interviewer) When did you start playing guitar?
(Andy) I liked the B*****s and I liked the idea of being in a group. But the
idea of learning
the guitar scared me off. Then the Monkees came along. I was a little bit
older and I started getting interested in playing guitar. I thought this
being in a group thing looks great. You all get to live in one house, you
get to come down a fire pole in the morning, and you can just turn up
anywhere with your guitar, plug in, and you sound great...
(Interviewer) Striving to imitate Michael Nesmith...
(Andy) No, I was the Peter Tork. I had the hair. I had the shirt. I
bought a Monkees shirt from my mom's postal catalog.
When I read this I flipped out! This was the same exact reason that I
learned to play and started a band! (The first Monkees album was the first
record that my parents bought me back when it came out. Thanks, Mom & Dad!)
Anyone else feel the same?(at the risk of starting a Monkees thread that
could eventually eclipse the insidious B*****s thread...)
Anyway, Andy goes on to say this about Dear God:
When I finished Dear God I thought, "Oh, no, this is too husterical, not
pointed enough, not sharp enough, the barbs are a bit too pleasant, and it's
too short." I mean, it's such a huge subfect, and I had to try to
encapsulate it in three and a half minutes. We finished it and I thought
that I hadn't done it yet, that it hasn't said in undiluted enough terms what
I wanted to say. People said, "Oh, this is great. You should put it out."
And we got badgered and badgered, and we decided to put it out on the
b-side.
This should put to rest the speculation that Dear God is an affirmation of
faith (except perhaps in the minds of the faithful..)
Fourth: Isn't Holly the name of Andy's daughter? Read the lyrics again and
think about it.
And now the Shameless Plug: If you're ever in Central New Hampshire, and see
that The Skegs are performing somewhere, please come and see us! You now
know what two of our biggest influences are, and we need all the support we
can get in a state where people don't want to see bands do their own
material! (You can e-mail us at stevieskeg@aol.com) Thanks Folks! You've
been more than kind...
-Steve
------------------------------ From: ZITTEL@aol.com Date: Sat, 8 Jul 1995 14:32:50 -0400 Subject: Aimee Mann Finally got a audio tape of the November 15, 1993 concert by Aimee Mann at New York's Bottom Line. The concert features not only Dave Gregory on guitar, But Andy Partridge jumping on stage during an encore to perform the Dukes song Collideascope. It must have been the first time in over ten years that Andy has sung a song in an actual concert. It is an audience recording so the sound is kind of murky, so I would not reccomend it to anyone if they demand cleaner sound. But if anyone wants a copy please feel free to email me for details. Also, I don't know if any one has written about this before (and I am having trouble downloading the entire discography), but there was a CD issued a while back out of Chicago called ONXRT. It is from the radio station WXRT and features a medley from XTC's radio tour. The medley is Senses Working Overtime/Grass/Love On A Farmboy's Wages. The CD was issued to raise money for charity and is still available in some locations.
------------------------------ From: Mitch McGlothlin <mhmcglot@koicps01.delcoelect.com> Subject: Something to consider. Date: Sat, 8 Jul 95 14:04:26 CDT Since XTC are likely to end up with a new record company (hopefully soon), I bet there is a good chance that we may benefit greatly. Don't you think that it just makes plain good sense to have a video compilation of a band out in stores, and since there isn't one officially out for XTC, I bet there new label whoever it may be, will remedy this problem. Just wishful thinking. Ok, just one awesome tune of many : "Reign of Blows" ROCKS! Moment of supreme greatness : "Train Running Low On Soul Coal" 'nuff said. Mitch
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #453 *****************************
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