Chalkhills Digest Volume 10, Issue 50
Date: Tuesday, 2 November 2004
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 10, Number 50
Tuesday, 2 November 2004
Topics:
re: BW's "Smile"
SMiLE
Brian Wilson presents SMiLE
Peel
More rare autographs
The Bossa Nova version of Making Plans for Nigel...
I'm Afraid of Making Plans for Americans
Wonderfalls DVD
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I say it really doesn't matter where you put your vote.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 28 Oct 2004 16:48:55 -0400 From: <phipps117@charter.net> Subject: re: BW's "Smile" Message-ID: <3a5840$alm88t@mxip01a.cluster1.charter.net> three words - WORTH THE WAIT!!!!!!
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 28 Oct 2004 16:29:54 -0500 From: Bill Sherlock <bdsherlock@sbcglobal.net> Subject: SMiLE Message-ID: <418164D2.8020009@sbcglobal.net> Hi all, I have to concur with Duncan's assessment of Brian Wilson's masterpiece. I came to the album having heard so many people on the Audities list gush about it, and I wasn't disappointed. Alas, it was just days after it was performed here in Chicago. (I'll forever mourn that missed opportunity!) I was never much of a Beach Boys fan aside from being familiar with the songs played on the radio and thinking that they put out some catchy bubblegum pop, but this one is a revelation. I can envision an alternate history where SMiLE was released as scheduled and Sgt. Pepper was shelved, with John Lennon sinking into major drug abuse (earlier than he did) and the Beatles drifing their separate ways. 37 years later Paul McCartney cobbles together a band that is able to recreate the Beatles' sound and he takes it on the road and it is celebrated as the greatest "lost" album of all time come to life. That is how good Brian and the Wondermints' effort is here, folks. Sure, Brian's voice is not what it once was (to hear a sample of what SMiLE could have been check this out http://www.npr.org/programs/asc/archives/asc56/) but, as Dunks points out, not many 62 year old men sound like they do when they're 24. It's still a very serviceable voice and the Wondermints do great things to disguise its shortcomings. XTC content: I would say that any fan of XTC has already learned to love and listen to a group with a lead singer possessing a less than perfect voice. Go buy this album! Bill Sherlock -- They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither safety nor liberty. Ben Franklin
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 29 Oct 2004 10:45:31 +0100 (BST) From: Paul Culnane <paulculnane@yahoo.co.uk> Subject: Brian Wilson presents SMiLE Message-ID: <20041029094531.11865.qmail@web86903.mail.ukl.yahoo.com> Here's my tupp'orth about this album if I may... First up, somebody said Brian's vox weren't up to par - you're entitled to your opinion, but I thoroughly disagree. He cuts it! And a friend told me he didn't like the album much. Okay, move on, that's okay, in its original form it carried some flaws too, but... This new version has made it necessary for me to be peeled from the ceiling, attached to it as I am by a film of musical jism. And picked up by some kindly soul from the floor, drowning as I am in joyous tears. SMiLE has made me do just that - no other piece of music has moved me so much in recent times. The most fantastic suite of music this year (and beyond) by miles. Get the album in its pretty box, and buy a box of Kleenex tissues to go with it. I promise you, you will be rewarded, and be left gobsmacked. Oh, considering Brian is blind in one ear, I found it delightful that the stereo on this is amazingly wildly widescreen! Yours, awaiting the swells PORL
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 29 Oct 2004 08:37:01 -0400 From: Anthony Chapman <anthony.chapman@gmail.com> Subject: Peel Message-ID: <71498c20410290537423af327@mail.gmail.com> Quoting Adrian : "I still remember the shock of hearing him play Mayor of Simpleton (my first hearing of it) sandwiched between some bangin' drum'n'bass and heavy Jamaican dub. I think he described it as a perfect pop song, but derided the quality of the pressing he was given. Then he played Bogshed." I remember exactly the same incident! And yeah, the 7" pressing was terrible. I still love both Mayor Of Simpleton and the mighty Bogshed. Therein lies the genius of John Peel. On tuesday morning, thousands of musicians and labels across the world awoke to find their only outlet for music on UK radio (and sometimes in the world) had been taken away from them. At the moment, those of us who worked with John, even in the most fleeting way (he called me twice, 14 years apart, to say how much he liked two self financed 7" singles the band I was in had produced - he also said a Bis b-side I produced was "The best thing they've ever done!" which was possibly my proudest moment) are feeling sad and angry, but when the dust settles I think the UK music scene is going to be changed forever. And not in a good way. -- Anthony Chapman
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2004 05:00:27 +0000 (GMT) From: Paul Culnane <paulculnane@yahoo.co.uk> Subject: More rare autographs Message-ID: <20041031050027.93599.qmail@web86907.mail.ukl.yahoo.com> Really enjoyed seeing the pic of Carl Lightbody's beautiful Andy-signed guitar. As usual, AP went the extra distance to personalise it with those funny little bits of onomatopoiea. Thanks for sharing with us Carl! In similar vein, I thought you might like to see my little treasured artefact [John: are you able to find space on the Chalkhills site for this attachement, and if so, please provide a link within the mailing list - thanks in advance]. This "slick" for the Fossil Fuel CD is, as far as I know, one of only two in existence signed by all four members of the classic XtC line-up. Our clever and very generous Chalkie-friend, Peter Fitzpatrick in Ireland, was fortunate enough to witness first hand the orchestral recordings for AV1 in Abbey Road Studios, and while there, he managed to get signatures from AP, CM and DG, in the now obligatory gold pen. Peter sent two booklets to me in the hope that I could coax Terry Chambers to sign as well. So I sent TC the booklets and a gold pen, and he was happy to oblige. Peter said I was to retain one; the other was for his collection. So I selected the one with Andy's happy snail. Peter's has a bunch of (humble) daisies poking out from the fossil, and on his copy, Terry has inscribed "looks like Partridge is trying to re-invent the wheel again". Nice little artefact, don't you think? Oh, and I have enjoyed the various appraisals of SMiLE, particularly the erudition from Dunks, Dom and Ben. I haven't had a chance to read the booklet yet - too wrapped up in the music and (according to the instructions) grinning like a cheshire cat. Maybe the booklet might confirm or deny as the case may be, but I'm wondering whether at least some of the backing might be from the original tapes and re-tweaked? I know most of it is The Wondermints, but some of the sonics resemble the production ethic that Brian employed in the 60s - those big booming timpani-like drum sounds and the fat bass. Whatever, he's nailed it authentically, and overall it's an aural phantasmagoria! Okay, I'll put away my Thesaurus now... Paul [ see http://chalkhills.org/img.cgi?images/photo/FossilCulnane.jpg ]
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 01 Nov 2004 15:25:09 +0100 From: Jan Bletz <jan@xs4all.nl> Subject: The Bossa Nova version of Making Plans for Nigel... Message-ID: <6.0.3.0.2.20041101152341.02060198@localhost> ... by The Nouvelle Vagues can be heard here: http://www.vpro.nl/3voor12/luisterpaal/luisterpaalalbum.shtml?10617791+19638921 Enjoy! Jan Bletz
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 1 Nov 2004 14:28:39 -0500 From: John Relph <relph@tmbg.org> Subject: I'm Afraid of Making Plans for Americans Message-ID: <16774.36455.949194.941327@f5.idiot-dog.com> Folks, According to various Bowie websites and the Go Home Productions mashography, Go Home was contacted by EMI to produce a mashup of Bowie's "I'm Afraid of Americans" and XTC's "Making Plans for Nigel". Has anybody heard this mashup? Can I get a copy? :-) -- John NP: The Sugarplastic: Will
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 02 Nov 2004 09:35:38 -0800 From: Phil Corless <phil@pkmeco.com> Subject: Wonderfalls DVD Message-ID: <6.0.1.1.2.20041102093357.01c73970@pop.mindspring.com> Wonderfalls: The Complete Series will be released on February 1, 2005 from Fox (SRP $39.98) featuring 3 discs in anamorphic widescreen video and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. Extras will include audio commentary on several episodes by the show's cast and crew, and the Greetings from Wonderfalls and Fantastic Visual Effects featurettes.
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