Chalkhills Digest Volume 11, Issue 59
Date: Wednesday, 26 October 2005
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 11, Number 59
Wednesday, 26 October 2005
Topics:
The Chalkhills are alive, with the sound of music
shriekback - care lp
Duffy's Payin' Them Bills
Re: A Theory
Dear God in the charts
Re: wikipedia entry
On the Threshhold of APPLE VENUS, The Complete Story and Sessions
Uncylopedia XTC Free!
Addendum: Why, oh Wiki?
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Dancing us from darkest night is the rhythm of love.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2005 14:56:06 +0100 (BST) From: Paul Culnane <paulculnane@yahoo.co.uk> Subject: The Chalkhills are alive, with the sound of music Message-ID: <20051025135606.66654.qmail@web86902.mail.ukl.yahoo.com> Firstly, thank you to the various ones who reported about the recent XTC convention in Swindon. It sounds like it was FAB, and I feel jealous. Perhaps Jeff Thomas or Andre de Koning expressed it best with their descriptions, I was drooling... And, re that, I was just on the phone to Terry Chambers. He asked "how did it go?" I said, "I dunno mate, but the reports filtering back are all good". TC wants me to convey all his affection to you folks, whom he describes as "these bizarre freaks". But, he means it in a real good way. He just gets embarrassed by it all. He was thrilled that his brother Dave made it along, and the sound-guy (was it Steve Warren, Jeff?). Terry would have loved to have made it along, but he lives a separate life these days in Oz. He' s a good mate to me, you know, but I do it all on your behalves ... Other comments from recent lively "digests" (among many stimulations contained therein): David van Wert <mcknife@earthlink.net> wrote: >Subject: Re: Gentle advice > > I've generally found that, temptation and impulse to the contrary, > it's > best to avoid posting pugnacious opinions on the Internet while > falling-down, weeping drunk. Uh, yes, that's entirely true. Michael Versaci <michael_versaci@yahoo.com> wrote: >Subject: English Tea > >"English Tea" reminds me of Andy reminding me of Paul. >The new McCartney record might not make Beethoven roll over, but it is >an excellent collection of songs from a man who has been more-or-less >underachieving for about 35 years. The songs are in the style of "The >Beatles" (white album) and have some staying power. If you already >like Paul but are leery from having been burned before by hype >followed by disappointment, and you aren't expecting "Maybe I'm >Amazed" or "Live and Let Die," you probably will be quite happy with >"Chaos and Creation in the Backyard." <snip> All good. YES!!!! Mike, you nailed it. On the three occasions I've seen & heard Macca live, he didn't let us down. Even, way back when on the "Venus & Mars" tour, we met him, and he planted a kiss on my cheek. He also did same to my girl Jenny, and Linda kissed her too. Then, they blasted the place apart with the greatest Wings shit. Great visuals too (David Hockney, Miro and Magritte pictures projected on a screen, this is before vids became common). At the end (outdoor venue, the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne), they released yellow and red balloons. Next day, Jen & I were just sitting in our backyard. Over the sky, two balloons came floating, one yellow, one red. We both had no recourse other than to go: "FAAAAARK!" I thought this one was particularly handsome, it comes from Jill. Thank you Jill. Danny thought it might have come from me, but I'm nowhere near this clever. Worth re-publishing, don't you think? Joleson@aol.com wrote a Haiku for Danny Phipps (in 3 parts): > >!!!!!! !!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!! !!!!!!! !!!!!! >!!!!!! !!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!! !!!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!!! !!!!!! >!!!!!! !!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!! !!!!!!! !!!!!! >!!!!!! !!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!! !!!!!!! !!!!!! >X - T - C!!!! --O-- Ecstasy!!!!!!!!!!!!! >!!!!!! !!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!! !!!!!!! !!!!!! >!!!!!! !!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!! !!!!!!! !!!!!! >!!!!!! !!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!! !!!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!!! !!!!!! >!!!!!! !!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!! !!!!!!! !!!!!! ...now pumpin' on my stereo (because I can): "London Town" by Wings And as Phanny Dipps might say: "love is all you need" Paul Australia
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2005 08:08:47 -0700 (PDT) From: Steve <ste7phen@yahoo.com> Subject: shriekback - care lp Message-ID: <20051025150847.2617.qmail@web53313.mail.yahoo.com> hi all- i've been catching up on some old records - including shriekback's 'care.' besides liking the albim alot one thing which what strikes me about the music is an uncanny resemblance of some tracks to talkingheads' 'speaking in tongues.' they both we're released 1983. i'm curious if someone could help me determine month of release on these albums and/or thoughts on who influenced who. -another steve
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2005 11:40:22 -0400 From: Benjamin Gott <bgott@rectoryschool.org> Subject: Duffy's Payin' Them Bills Message-ID: <891BC2D0-E949-4702-9661-22CD6A8C728A@rectoryschool.org> Gang, I must say how excited I was to see that Robbie Williams's new album, "Intensive Care," was co-written and produced by Stephen Duffy of The Lilac Time (see "And Love for All" as well as Duffy's solo releases). I downloaded the album from iTunes this morning, and it (mostly) does not disappoint. Let's hope that the poppier songs climb the charts and that Duffy can buy himself a Maserati. XTC content: Partridge made TLT's "The Laundry" into the best song with programmed drums that's ever existed. -Ben -- Benjamin Gott Department of English Assistant Director of Admissions http://www.rectoryschool.org
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2005 09:26:43 -0700 (PDT) From: Jeff Eby <jeffaeb@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: A Theory Message-ID: <20051025162644.93705.qmail@web50301.mail.yahoo.com> Warren Wrote: >I did indeed purchase the Apple Venus Box set (in advance) for three reasons: One, because I really do want to see how the double disc would have been sequenced; Two, because I have NO problem with spending my hard-earned dosh on products put on the market by two of my favorite artists of all time. And three; because I really, really, really want to download the new tracks ........................ One. The sequence of the discs will be exactly the same. But I for for one don't understand why everyone thinks that if the AV's had been released as a double set that the the order would be any different. As I understand it, the idea was always to have one disc "orcoustral" and another electric. That's what they did, only as two discs and not a set. Two. yeah, me too. If I get them that'll be the main reason Three. I have a suspicion they'll be available apart from the box not too much later, but it is a treat to get them early. Also: >The email from Idea said something about the rights to AV returning to Andy and Colin's control. Could it be possible that they were dissatisfied with the Cooking Vinyl deal and elected to let it run it's course by just putting out the demos and the "sing along" AV's ... essentially going on "strike" again? .......................... Yeah, they were upset with Cooking Vinyl, not giving them what they felt they deserved. But I don't think they went "on strike." I don't think they were in any obligation to continue working with CV like they were with Virgin. It's just that Idea wasn't yet able to handle all of distribution duties and such. But they are now, and in fact have been since Homegrown, which was the first entirely Idea Records release and has nothing to do with Cooking Vinyl. It just took all this time to wrest the rest of the rights of the first three releases from CV in order to print their own. This is the biggest reason for the set! Cooking Vinyl won't be printing any more copies, it's all up to Idea now and instead of putting out new printings of the exact same albums they are offering the four disc box set at a resonable price (by UK prices). and finally >Oh yeah, this past Tuesday (October 18th) my wife and I brought a new XTC fan into the world ... Ian Thomas McGaffic Bishop has already shown me the true meaning of "Chalkhills And Children". ............................. All to say there is Congrats! Welcome to the Garden, Ian. Jeff Eby AKA Spastic Minnow
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2005 18:34:13 +0100 From: Mark Fisher <mark-fisher@blueyonder.co.uk> Subject: Dear God in the charts Message-ID: <BF842B25.51EA%mark-fisher@blueyonder.co.uk> On 25/10/05 2:45 pm, "Chalkhills" <owner-chalkhills@chalkhills.org> wrote: >> the Beatles thread on >> Chalkhills got out of hand years ago and it's never been reined in. > > Well, there was a good reason for that. The Beatles thread had to do with > music, which we're here to discuss. The guns thread did not. XTC being a well-known instrumental band. Of course, I forgot. Did anyone notice Dear God hitting the number 5 spot in the Guardian's chart of songs about God and the devil? It's at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/readersrecommend/story/0,,1591224,00.html It's a column where readers are encouraged to add their suggestions for each week's theme. Two or three of us mentioned Dear God. Last week's theme was hatchet jobs. Somebody did suggest Your Dictionary but it didn't make the final list: http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/readersrecommend/story/0,,1596508,00.html This week's theme is the supernatural and, oddly enough, someone's suggested Peter Pumpkinhead - a fine suggestion, except they've added it to the wrong part of the site and it isn't about the supernatural. Spooky or what? But, sorry, all this talk of religion, hate and ghosts and I should be talking about something called music . . . -- Mark
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2005 12:13:39 -0700 (PDT) From: Mark Burnell <yondermeister@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: wikipedia entry Message-ID: <20051025191339.93991.qmail@web53608.mail.yahoo.com> i thought the Wikipedia entry was pretty darned thorough ; 9/10 for sure. Mark B in NYC my new blog : http://ramblinoveryonder.blogspot.com/
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2005 15:29:25 -0400 From: KEVIN.WOLLENWEBER@jpmorgan.com Subject: On the Threshhold of APPLE VENUS, The Complete Story and Sessions Message-ID: <OF489A34BB.27439373-ON852570A5.00680A07@jpmchase.com> Chalkhillions: Oooh, the possibility of owning everything APPLE VENUS all in one lavish package--it so entices me, and I guess I'll eventually grab it. I was especially intrigued when someone on the last DIGEST mentioned that there's also a possibility that the track listing could be somewhat re-arranged. I never knew whether it was intentional, but at one time, around BLACK SEA, Andy and Colin songs were overlapping in a way reminiscent of classic Moody Blues albums. The opening track of APPLE VENUS, VOL. I seemed so close to what the Moodies might have produced in their prime, a kind of sonic soundscape representing either world disorder or the eerie whirring of progress both good and bad as we hoped that it would indeed be constructive--wow, what could a new arranging of the original tracks sound like? I grew to rather like the first album opening with "River of Orchids" and, like a typical Moodies' album, morphing eventually into a more accessible number like "I Like That". If, indeed, this box set is the lads' remastering and reworking of the concept of the ultimate XTC double album that even that smaller label wouldn't allow to be issued as scheduled, I'm there, even though I do have all things APPLE VENUS on the individual disks. But this will be entirely *THEIR* concept, untouched and uncensord and completely their own! So what is the ultimate price, $80 here in the states? I'm also interested in the packaging since the original album, APPLE VENUS, VOL. I didn't come at all with lyrics. I thought that, originally, the album was sparsely packaged to make it easier for Andy and Colin, who were doing a kind of album signing tour, to remove the insert and sign their names for oh so many eager fans that very cold winter in New York and other locations!! Not a word was spoken that the duo were actually dissatisfied with the design of the disk, although perhaps word of this came out either in the rock press or in the booklets to the demos disks. And, finally, since I can't see the package, it would be nice if there were some cool tactile things about the drawn images throughout the flaps and casing of this now lavish box. If it is as nice as COAT OF MANY CUPBOARDS (sigh), I'm there. So why am I somewhat wincing in pain? Well, this has been a rather expensive year of reissues some of which have been less than satisfying, and I know I'm going to feel the pain here of the price, but as most of you agree, this is XTC product slowly leading perhaps to a future project or, if no new music is in the works, perhaps the eventual buying back of their catalogue and issuing of the individual albums the way *THEY* saw fit, not the record company who, even with the mini-LP's, just stuck the things out there to make more money, while leaving the task of getting all bonus tracks out there to Andy Partridge, eventually splitting the guys on just how far to go with the project. I love excess, and that is why I eventually do fall for reissue campaigns just to have ultimately the perfect mastering of a given album and all the cool extras that they would have loved to stick inside such a package were that album created today or if there were actual extra space in the package for another platter or two. If the track list is toyed with, and we could be reintroduced to the albums, somewhat fused together, this would be great, but I also thought that each project was originally conceived separately, one as an acoustic semi-homage to old musicals, both stage and filmed, while the other album, WASP STAR, was merely a good collection of XTC songs. So, guys, this is not a complaint at having to buy the good stuff again; it is the unfortunate occurrence of the moment of this limited edition, amid so many other limited editions from our own major record labels. It's so hard to keep up with it all! I'm kinda sorry that the guys are left to do this on their own. But they should make all the money they can on these items and on their future albums, if any. Let's hope it is all worthwhile and the XTC story can one day be fully told, and maybe Andy and Colin could actually collaborate and rearrange one of those Andy Partridge tracks, thus "finishing" the demos. I always wondered what a full band version of "Prince of Orange" would sound like ever since I first heard it on one of those little e.p. disks offered through a series of limited edition samplers under the heading of HELLOCD, offered by mail from the Johns of They Might Be Giants. Keep 'em comin'! Kevin
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2005 08:19:46 +1000 From: "Simon Knight" <homefrontradio@hotmail.com> Subject: Uncylopedia XTC Free! Message-ID: <BAY109-F29506B5152A204CC82BECDD0760@phx.gbl> RE: Wikipedia Actually, i've been browsing the Uncylopedia lately, a Wikipedia parody that's miles more fun than the real thing: http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Main_Page I've noticed a disturbing lack of an entry for XTC. Since the quality of content varies wildly on the skill of the writer, (there's a lot of 12 year olds writing nonsense), I'll defer writing the entry to someone who'd be really funny at it. Their 'Did you know' box cracked me up this morning: Did you know... ...that 9 out of ten people make up 90% of the population? ...that I know what you did, and I'm going to tell your mom before you get home from school today? ...that only when you know that you know nothing can you attain true wisdom? ...that knowing that you know nothing is still knowing something? Where else can you learn that Kate Bush put out albums called 'Northhanger Abbey', 'Jane Eyre', 'Pam Ayres' and 'Miming The Attack Of The Crab Monsters (the album)', and that contrary to rumour, Tori Amos is NOT her daughter? Check it out: http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/You_have_two_cows http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Undictionary:Abstraction http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Nihilism http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/The_Smurfs http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Image:I_himmler.jpg Who's up to the XTC challenge?
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2005 07:23:31 +0200 From: "don device" <device@noos.fr> Subject: Addendum: Why, oh Wiki? Message-ID: <000801c5d9ed$67982d30$a43e4251@computer> Wiki on XTC, nit's pcciked n' all: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XTC xo, d^2 ps: A big shout out to MR Relph for noticing I'd forgotten to include the link to the article before letting me show me arse yet again (that is, unintentionally!)
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #11-59 *******************************
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