Chalkhills Digest, Volume 11, Number 32

                 Wednesday, 13 July 2005

Topics:

                       Serendipity
                  Revolution in the head
                        Re: Buhdge
                    Everyone alright?
              Great drummers in great bands?
             My nipples explode with delight
                      Bitter & Sweet
           Quizzing on My Station Selection....
                       I'm a mocker

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I danced imprisoned in your drumbeat.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sat, 9 Jul 2005 13:13:00 -0400
From: Joe Hartley <jh@brainiac.com>
Subject: Serendipity
Message-ID: <20050709131300.55c58b93.jh@brainiac.com>

On Sat, 9 Jul 2005 09:57:02 -0400 Alan Haber wrote:
>
>   I'm thrilled to announce that my exhaustive, two-hour interview with
>   XTC's Andy Partridge will air this coming Saturday, July 9, from
>   12-2 pm EST on my Pure Pop radio show.

I happened to read this today and thought, "Hmmm, today's the 9th,
but I'm going out tonight, bugger", then I looked at the time.  It
was only 12:03, and by 12:05 I was listening to Andy :)

I love the internet!

--
       Joe Hartley - UNIX/network Consultant - jh@brainiac.com
Without deviation from the norm, "progress" is not possible. - FZappa

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 09 Jul 2005 10:23:04 -0700
From: Stephen Phillips <sjphillips@shaw.ca>
Subject: Revolution in the head
Message-ID: <0IJD0000SEYHFC@l-daemon>

<<<Some of you told me off-list and others on-list that indeed "Revolution
in the Head" was available in the US and will be re-issued at the end of
this month. I look forward to reading it.>>>

I recently successfully ordered this book through Amazon. One of the Amazon
resellers is bringing them in from the U.K. and sending them on. I feel that
I paid a good price for it and the delivery was prompt. While you're at it,
I highly recommend Ian MacDonald's other book: "The People's Music". A
series of Ian's essays on music covering a wide variety of artists. His
piece on Nick Drake is without peer. I got this from the same source.

Steve in Vancouver

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 9 Jul 2005 11:00:41 -0700 (PDT)
From: Steve <ste7phen@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Buhdge
Message-ID: <20050709180041.38988.qmail@web53303.mail.yahoo.com>

>   Hope to see you this coming Saturday, July 9, from 12-2 pm EST. To
> listen, go to http://www.fcac.org/webr/<about:blank> and click on
> the Listen link.

I got this message just in time to hear about operatic
aspirations and "this is the end."

did anyone record it?
or
will it be posted again?

Another Steve

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 9 Jul 2005 14:25:51 EDT
From: LadyCPlum@aol.com
Subject: Everyone alright?
Message-ID: <147.48f835c8.300170af@aol.com>

And how long has it been since I've dropped my face in here? *Blows
billows of dust from keyboard*

I hope all Chalkhillians in the UK are doing alright after what
happened earlier this week. My thoughts and prayers are with all of
you, and your families. It's sad that so many people I've talked to on
other groups & discussion boards have commented that "It was
inevitable". It shouldn't have to be that way.

In somewhat XTC-related news, heard from good ole' Gregsy a bit back,
I just wanted you to keep him in your thoughts, he's going to have to
have eye surgery soon. Seems that his diabetes is catching up with
him, and he's kinda losing some of his sight to retinopathy. So just
stick a quick prayer or two in there for him before you go to
bed. (For those who believe, not out to offend.) :)

Tis all for now,
Amanda C. Owens
XTC song of the day-Scarecrow People
non-XTC song of the day-A Bullet For Everyone-Paul Weller

THE MORE I SEE, THE MORE I KNOW. THE MORE I KNOW, THE LESS I  UNDERSTAND.

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 9 Jul 2005 23:11:34 +0100
From: "Dave Smith" <David.Smith99@blueyonder.co.uk>
Subject: Great drummers in great bands?
Message-ID: <ECOWS03MqVwzAbvR3eD000d6173@smtp-out3.blueyonder.co.uk>

Greetings friends, from the land of hardly-ever-post. Chilly out here!

Re the whole Ringo thang . . .

Seems to me he's one of a myriad of stixmen over the years who, while not
necessarily being technically major-league or jaw-droppingly gifted in their
multi-limbed syncopation (like wot I are . . . I wish) found their way into
top rated bands of their era.

Take Ringo - timing a little rough? Maybe. Technique a tad ropey? Possibly.
Lacking a bit of oomph? Yep. Did he fit the Beatles? You bet your booty he
did.

But try this - take some Beatles songs and, in your head, replace his parts
with your own part, but not the same as his. It's starting to sound pretty
duff already, isn't it?

Let's try the afore-dissed Nick Mason. Stuck forever in 4/4? Seems that way.
Lowest proportional score ever in 'drums set up' versus 'drums used'?
Undoubtedly. Laziest drummer in rock? Close to it.

Once again, however, few could argue that the songs on, say, "Dark Side of
The Moon" or "Wish You Were Here" would sound as good without Nick's steady,
metronomic 4/4. I have always thought Mason's strength is that steadiness.
Even his back and forth switch between 5/4 and 4/4 in "Money" is the very
model of a "backbone" on which the real virtuosity of the other Floyders can
be showcased.

Watt about Whats? Er, sorry, what about Watts. It's oft been mooted that
Charlie can only use one hand at a time - in fact, it was Charlie who said
this! OK, he's playing it up a little, but the man himself has repeatedly
decried his drumming ability as being a poor jazz drummer lost in a blues
band.

However, the Stones would be mere pebbles without him.

The list probably isn't endless - but if every great band was posessed of
four or five outstanding musicians, life would become tedious in the extreme
(Cream, anyone?).

There has to be a balance, there has to be a sound that suits - and, more
often than not, a look as well. That's what these guys did. They fit. They
fit beautifully. And the bands in question would have been poorer without
them.

That's all.

For now.

Smudge out.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2005 10:03:44 +0200
From: jeffrey.thomas@bayercropscience.com
Subject: My nipples explode with delight
Message-ID: <OFA73A320A.58275D13-ONC125703B.002B52C2@bayer.de>

People of the collines de la craie,

J.D. wrote:

>Harrsion wrote:
>
>>>Ringo had more nipples than anyone on this distribution list. Go on --
>>prove me wrong.
>
>Well, first you have to define "had".

I assure you, Harrison did *not* have sex with that drummer!

Au revoir,

Jeff

* * * * *
PS - But he *might* have secretly lusted...  (We may never know.)

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2005 15:28:55 -0400
From: Kulak Matthew-MGI0253 <matt.kulak@motorola.com>
Subject: Bitter & Sweet
Message-ID: <4788A0BB433CD611B8B00002B30CF07D14C501BD@pa06exm02>

Rather than jump right into my main point, I think a bit of
background might be helpful in setting up my story.

It was a dark and stormy night . . . OOOPS!  (My apologies to Snoopy!)

Due to the rarity of extra spending money , I've
found myself going back and giving in depth listens to
discs I've owned for some time, but may not have really
"listened" to recently.  On one such recent listen, I
decided to re-acquaint myself with Matthew Sweet's
"Altered Beast", and then immediately following, his
"Girlfriend" release.  Although there were a handful
of songs on each that I remember having liked a lot, my
usual habit was to just listen to tracks I knew, and skip
the rest.  Well happily, I listened to both releases, all
the way through, several times, and I'm floored by the
awesome guitar-playing throughout (by Richard Lloyd and
Robert Quine).  I recall having seen mention of Lloyd in
prior Chalkills digests, so I knew, at the minimum, that he
had been with Television.  But other than that, these
two names were totally unfamiliar to me.  (I was only around
10 years old in the late seventies, so that's my excuse, as
flimsy as it is!)  Several Googles later, I feel I am much
more aware of their past work, and can't wait to add some
Television and Richard Hell to my collection (not sure about
Lou Reed).

What floored me, however, was going to a Robert Quine website
only to find out that he had died last year, an apparent
suicide, after losing his wife the year before (I believe to
cancer)!  Has anyone else ever experienced this odd sensation -
the feeling of loss over someone you never knew, and only just
became acquainted with?  I guess the letdown was amplified by the
fact that I had just begun to savor his guitar-work, and was
having delusions of one day possibly seeing him perform.  This had
only happened to me once before - with Danny Gatton, another
amazing guitarist - who had died well before his time, and
well before I was lucky enough to discover his work.  Sorry if this
comes out sounding kind of sappy, but I thought that if anyone
could appreciate this stuff, the musicians and music-lovers on
this digest could!

So if anyone has more intimate knowledge of Lloyd or Quine, and would
like to suggest the best releases to look for, I'm always open
for suggestions!

And in a very weak example of tying this all back to XTC, I can mention
that in one interview I read online with Matthew Sweet, he had this to say:
"I was always more into the melodic side of the new wave - like early XTC.
I could appreciate the over-the-top aspect of punk, but if it didn't
have song sensibility the stuff didn't hold my attention for long."

So there you have it!  And to think that without the internet, I would
probably never know of Quine's passing, or have been able to research
the two guitarist's past so easily, and most of all, would never have
been able to peruse a fine collection of photos of garden gnomes being
impaled with various apparatus:

http://www.bifrost.com.au/hosting/gnomes/

But as much fun as rediscovering old stuff is, I'd much rather be listening
to a new release from XTC - please???????

Regards,
Matt Kulak

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2005 22:15:21 -0700 (PDT)
From: Jason Pytka <jpytkausanet@yahoo.com>
Subject: Quizzing on My Station Selection....
Message-ID: <20050712051521.70048.qmail@web52714.mail.yahoo.com>

  Hello Chalkers,

  I've only posted here once or twice before and as
such, none of you likely know me (or at least not from
here).  Nonetheless, I'm chiming in now because it
looks like I'm going to be given the opportunity to
co-host a radio show on Wednesday, June 20 from 2p to
4p Eastern Daylight Time (that's 11a to 1p PT and 7p
to 9p GMT, if I'm not mistaken).  If you happen to
live near Boston in the Lowell, MA area, the station
is 91.5 FM WUML out of Lowell...it is affiliated with
U Mass.  The rest of the world can listen via glorious
mp3 audio using Winamp 5 (or other compatible players)
at

http://www.wuml.org/webcast.php

  The show is called Coffee and Cartoons and
concentrates on the humor and folk genres, but I plan
to sneak in some XTC and possibly some other artists
of interest to some of you (i.e. Mitch Friedman if he
gives me the OK to broadcast his work, maybe a little
Yazbek or Brian Wilson if I can find something
appropriate).

  I used to work in radio regularly, but this will be
my first time on the air in several years and my first
time ever on a station that will be streaming the
broadcast online.  If you enjoy Dr. Demento, Moxy
Fruvous, or just want to hear our favorite Swindonites
actually get some airplay, I hope you can tune in.
Thanks for the ear time.

-Jason (air name: Crazy Jay) Pytka

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 12 Jul 2005 01:58:23 EDT
From: Emooleson@aol.com
Subject: I'm a mocker
Message-ID: <1a2.375e96ed.3004b5ff@aol.com>

It's late:30.  I've had a glass or two...  I shouldnt type-tap!  But I
shall!

Ringo the drummer.  One of those things that shouldn't be discussed in
polite society, like religion, politics, Mac vs. PC, etc...  Luckily
this society is not always polite!

Andrew Gowans recalled:
"John has been quoted as responding to a question on whether Ringo was
the best drummer in the world by saying that he wasn't even the best
drummer in the Beatles - referring to Paul's drumming on some tracks."

I'm not sure of the context in which John said this. Those of us who
have read and heard things that John has said know that he was always
a great quote and misquote.  Remember Jesus?

Re Paul's drumming: Paul has a great ear-drum.  Much of the percussion
he added to Beatles recordings was wonderful.  But anyone that says he
is a great drummer hasn't listened to McCartney, his first solo album.
(which I love).  It would have been a better album if Ringo had played
on it.

One of my definitions of a great musician (in a pop band) is someone
who creates a part that fits a song in a unique and creative way.  The
kind of part that would be missed by even casual listeners, if it were
played differently.

Ringo, at least from their middle period on, fits my definition.

So does Colin Moulding.

Cheers!

Steve Oleson

------------------------------

End of Chalkhills Digest #11-32
*******************************

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