Chalkhills Digest Volume 2, Issue 138
Date: Friday, 19 July 1996

         Chalkhills Digest, Volume 2, Number 138

                   Friday, 19 July 1996

Today's Topics:

                       Michael Penn
             Brendan O'Brien is Not Grunge!!
                        Producers
                      Daniel Lanois
                   Re: clangorous fools
                      Re: Go 2 cover
                  Chalkhills is the beft
                 Re: Martinis and Bikinis
            Songs that are Fast Forwarded thru
                       Canned Heat
                  FOSSIL FUEL THE VIDEO?
                    Bags Of Skeletons
                   Now you Go 2 far...
                         Blegvad
                Request: Beatles' Tribute
                 AND YOUR BIRD CAN SING!
                   The Buck Stops Here
                        Idle Wilds
               Chalkhillians in a time-warp
                       Odds & Ends
                     Re: Recent Rush
                      Happy Birthday
           Acoustic Tales and a plea for peace
                   Re: Yay for Yazbek!
Marlin Perkins smokes monkey spore on the "Wild" Kingdom"!
                 XTC-ANONYMOUS DIRECTORY
                      Lost In Music
                   Virgin break/new CD

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The views expressed herein are those of the individual authors.

Ah, you believe anything, so here, have a ring.

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

Message-Id: <v03007601ae1342c2cb66@[206.104.204.131]>
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 20:27:30 -0500
From: arthur james virgin <produce@magicnet.net>
Subject: Michael Penn

Concerning someones post about Michael Penn:

Michael Penn's album is either being mixed or mastered right now..
I talked to Brendan O'Brien (who is producing...other credits include Pearl
Jam, Soundgarden, 3lb Thrill etc..) when he stopped by our school..He said
the album is going well and will be released on his new label 57th Street
Records.

Give it about another 2 months.....I cant wait!!

Now back to our original programming,
AJ

http://www.magicnet.net/~produce/

"But you're only as good as the last
   great thing you did" - Paddy McAloon - Prefab Sprout

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

From: Paul_Myers@magic.ca (Paul Myers)
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 20:38:33 -0400
Subject: Brendan O'Brien is Not Grunge!!
Message-ID: <msg15653.837650422@magic.ca>
Organization: TotalNet Inc. / Magic Online

In reply to     Kevin <mathews@cyberway.com.sg>
Subject: SOMEMORE THOTS

>>What does Brendan O'Brien know about good ol' sixties powerpop? Does his
>>experience with *ugh* grunge bands like Pearl Jam etc qualify him for the
>>intricacies and senstivities of XTC's material. I think not! The man
>>would not know subtlety if it bit him on the arse!Did you say Stone
>>Temple Pilots?  AAARRRRGGGGGH !!!!!!!And you think Rush is bad! NEXT!

Okay, you force me to reply now.   Brendan O'Brien is the perfect
producer (in the mainstream phonebook) for our beloved Swindonians
precisely because of his rock pedigree.  Our boys have had a soft
attack of late and I think (IMHO) that their most arresting work was
realized when they had a rock sound (this is not to denigrate
Chalkhills and Children or Pale And Precious or even Wrapped In Grey
which is one of the best Burt Bacharach songs that Burt didn't write)
I don't know where this grunge tag comes from, I can only guess you are
narrowcasting Soundgarden and Pearl Jam,  sure I'll give you that one.
The media put any rock band from Seattle into this one handle and now
we have to live with it.  I don;t even like Pearl Jam (I already own
Led Zeppelin III) and Soundgarden's singer sounds like Ian Gillan from
Deep Purple, but you have to listen to the way Mr O'Brien captures a
performance.  Give our boys a good crackin drummer, cut as many bed
tracks live, and go to town with cool analog sonics and you got
yourself, wait for it, a SIXTIES RECORD  not grunge whatever the hell
that is.    Kurt Cobain died years ago, it was on TV.   LONG LIVE XTC
and whoever they have behind the boards let's just get a good one okay.
P.S.  Steven Drake of Vancouver band, the Odds, would be a good choice
for mixing engineer. He did a few bands here in Canada as well as the
Odds who you should really check out.
PPS  Tom Lord Alge is also supposed to be no slouch in the sonic
tinkerings.

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

Message-Id: <v01530501ae134df76e8f@[207.77.25.197]>
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 22:33:49 -0400
From: aym@intercall.com (Ira Lieman)
Subject: Producers

Ok. Let's sum up this thread so far, shall we?

I think everyone on this list has put in their 2 cents (or pence, or yen,
or whatever) about who should be the next XTC producer.

Next thing you know, someone's going to nominate me, and I don't think I
could handle working with Andy. (That, and I've pitifully little record
producing experience.)

Maybe Lee Beddow (thanx for Fossil Fuels details, kind sir!) could contact
his contact and ask who XTC is working with in preperation for their
impending album of new songs...it's only fair.

Or get me a phone number and I'll call from work! Hell, they won't care.

-ira

 < - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - >
    _/_/  _/ _/  _/_/_/_/  Ira Lieman           | Visualize
  _/  _/ _/ _/  _/ _/ _/  Angry Young Man       |      Whirled
 _/_/_/   _/   _/ _/ _/  aym@intercall.com      |            Peas.
_/  _/   _/   _/    _/  www.intercall.com/~aym  | Stop the Violins!

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

Message-Id: <199607180305.WAA04045@mamba.arlut.utexas.edu>
Subject: Daniel Lanois
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 22:05:04 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Stuart McDow" <smcdow@arlut.utexas.edu>

Wow, I've been thinking about suggesting Daniel Lanois as a producer
for some time, but I was waiting to see what the list did. Then,
Mr. Lanois gets mentioned *twice* in the same digest by James Dignan
and <dgershmn@ametsoc.org>. Thank goodness I wasn't the only one on
that wavelength. "Acadie" is one of my faves, as is his work on Eno's
"Apollo Atmospheres".

Not only that, but he'd drag the boys to New Orleans to make the
album. I could only imagine how that'd go.

[[ Hmm, having said all that, my other choice would be Steve
Albini. ]]

--
Stuart McDow                                      Applied Research Laboratories
smcdow@arlut.utexas.edu                       The University of Texas at Austin

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

From: myke <jerk@earth.execpc.com>
Message-Id: <199607180328.WAA08303@earth.execpc.com>
Subject: Re: clangorous fools
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 22:28:17 -0500 (CDT)

> From: John M Rader <jmr0244@kgv1.bems.boeing.com>
> Subject: XTC Gold CDs, Analog Records from MoFi

> a CD, featuring the Alter Egos of The Three Wisemen, a remastering of
> Oranges and Lemons is tentatively scheduled for December.

	Yes, yes, yes!! The clangorous "Scarecrow People" in glorious
	64,004,912-bit remastering!

> Maybe they could release it on the original Skylarking release date as a
> tenth anniversary tribute to that album.

	Yes-- Happy birthday, Skylarking!!!

> Subject: Pass the chewing gum, we're circling the airport again

> Now that I've gotten that off my chest:  I was in a record store the other
> night trying to find the new Sugarplastic

	Speaking of which, has anyone heard their first album? It
	was reviewed in the BIG TAKEOVER issue w/ Catherine Wheel
	on the cover (recent!), but I've never seen it. Self-released?
	By the way, it's on Geffen subsidiary DGC.. Can't find it?
	That's very, very, very odd.

> From: Scott Taylor <staylor@sky.net>
> Subject: Fossil Fools

> I'm sure I won't be the first or only one to say this, but, jeez, I'm more
> than slightly disappointed.

	Well, I'll buy it for my girlfriend because I can't afford to
	give her all of their albums on CD. Besides, it's got to be
	the best car mix-disc anyone's ever made. Every song is smashing
	good... except "Wait Til Your Boat" that is.

> From: Joshua Hall-Bachner <particle@servtech.com>
> Subject: FF'ing on XTC Discs

	I have a feeling this is going to turn into a major bone of
	contention. Everyone posting their album-by-album hates.
	Guess I'll jump in too. :)

White Music: Do What You Do, Traffic Light Rock, everything
	after "I'll Set Myself On Fire"
Go 2: Crowded Room (reminded me of a song by a band called Horizontal
Brian-- anyone heard of them? 1981, one album, XTC-esque and quite good
pop actually)
English Settlement: "Down In The Cockpit"
Skylarking: "The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul" (i hate those stupid
	bongos)
Oranges And Lemons: everything after "Merely A Man"
Rag&Bone Buffet: Ten Feet Tall, I Need Protection, Scissor Man, Cockpit
	And I _really really really_ like Extrovert! Killer chorus,
	brilliant drum sound.
Nonsvch: That Wave, War Dance

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

Message-Id: <v01530502ae14863b95c7@[139.80.196.84]>
Date: Thu, 18 Jul 1996 16:30:26 -0800
From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James Dignan)
Subject: Re: Go 2 cover

>By the way, I believe the "Go2" cover art was designed by Hipgnosis, the
>people who designed the Pink Floyd albums "Dark Side of the Moon," "Wish
>You Were Here," etc.  Am I right?  If so, that still doesn't mean that the
>XTC boys didn't come up with the idea.

The way I heard it, the cover for Go2 is one that had been kicking around
at Hipgnosis for a long time. Several other artists had already turned it
down by the time XTC saw it - the other groups all hated it. XTC thought it
was perfect...

James

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

Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 18:24:58 -0700 (PDT)
From: alizarine <jemiah@teleport.com>
Subject: Chalkhills is the beft
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.92.960717182204.5662C-100000@zoe.teleport.com>

God, you know, I love this list so much.  We've had more and healthier
debates on Eno than Eno's own mailing list (no offense to those of you who
have the lists in common, but that M***F**ker's dry), there's violent
discussions about monkeys and free speech, and ... well, everything!  I'm
so glad to be amongst you -- never take yourselves for granted.

Alizarine, sans long Enoslobbery .signature
"a hello and down comes the rain..."

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

Date: Thu, 18 Jul 1996 00:53:07 -0500 (CDT)
Message-Id: <199607180553.AAA27557@mail1.inlink.com>
From: jims@inlink.com (Jim S)
Subject: Re: Martinis and Bikinis

><Unrelatedly, a quick trivia question: What's the only album (I'm pretty
><certain, anyway, and I'm NOT counting any compilations) that features both
><Colin Moulding AND Peter Buck?
>
>That would be Sam Phillip's, "Martinis and Bikinis"

Which, by the way, is an EXCELLENT album. I urge ALL Chalkhillians to
check out Sam Phillips. She has 3 albums to her credit (with a 3rd, "Omnipop"
due in August) and they are all three wonderful. She is one of the finest
songwriters out there.

 Jim S.     <jims@inlink.com>

"I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous."
                  - Crow T. Robot

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

Date: Thu, 18 Jul 1996 00:58:46 -0500 (CDT)
Message-Id: <199607180558.AAA27857@mail1.inlink.com>
From: jims@inlink.com (Jim S)
Subject: Songs that are Fast Forwarded thru

>Hmmm...let's see what my "FF pattern" is.

>Black Sea: Sometimes "Paper and Iron".

Arghhh!!! I LOVE that song!

>English Settlement: "Down In The Cockpit"

DOUBLE ARGHHH!!!! This is also a favorite.

Just goes to show we all have different tastes, I guess. Funny
how some of the most "inconsequential" XTC songs are my
favorites. I don't think I could make it a week without hearing
"Ladybird"...

 Jim S.     <jims@inlink.com>

"I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous."
                  - Crow T. Robot

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

Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 23:28:00 -0700
From: relph (John Relph)
Message-Id: <199607180628.XAA20713@mando.engr.sgi.com>
Subject: Canned Heat

Todd Bernhardt <tbernhardt@aga.com> wrote:
>
>From: relph (John Relph)
>>Who in the world is Dave Weckl?
>
>John! I'm surprised at you! Dave Weckl is one of the most BADASS
>drummers in the world at this particular moment. He is one of a
>handful who can basically do anything they want on the kit.

What?!  You think I listen to jazz?  Jeez.

Personally, I was thinking about a fully different style of drummer for
the next XTC album.  For example, the guy from Metallica, or the guy
>from Clouds, or Jon Brion.  Somebody who "just 'its 'em"?

Jon Eva <jde@abingdon.geoquest.slb.com> writes:
>
>To be quite honest, and I speak as someone who would buy a recording of
>Andy Partrdige farting if I found a bootleg of it for thirty pounds at a
>record fair, I think "Explode Together" is just about entirely worthless.

I'm sorry you feel that way.  But I actually quite enjoy bits and
pieces from _Take Away / The Lure of Salvage_ and _GO+_, especially
"Commerciality", "Shore Leave Ornithology (Another 1950)" -- which IMHO
is an excellent title for a song -- "Cairo", and "The Rotary".  Perhaps
part of the fun is trying to figure out where the pieces all came from,
but like it in any case.

Stefano De Astis <stefano@mc.village.it> noticed some hidden messages:
>
>psonic psunspot
>in side:  loosely from the stiff beach
>out side: with pink warmth

Stiff Beach and Pink Warmth were both pre-XTC bands.  Pink Warmth was
one of Dave Gregory's early bands, and in an interview broadcast on
KFJC-FM 89.7 Foothill College, Los Altos Hills, California, The Wave of
The West, Andy recalled having seen Pink Warmth when he was young.  The
following excerpt is from the first part of a recording history of XTC
found in the November 1990 issue of the U.K. magazine _Record
Collector_, by Gary Ramon:

      The band's roots date back to the mid-60s when Dave
    began taking an interest in playing guitar.  Around 1967,
    he formed a school band which, by the end of the decade,
    had acquired the name The Pink Warmth (inspired by a
    petrol ad on TV!).  This psychadelic group performed
    irregularly at various youth clubs in Swindon, one of
    which providing the meeting-place between Dave and
    15-year-old Andy Partridge, who'd just taken up the
    guitar.  Over the next few years, the pair met up at
    various guitar shops, where they auditioned new models and
    traded the leading rock riffs of the day; but it wasn't
    until 1979 that they actually teamed up in the same band.

More of this article can be found in the Chalkhills Archives and in
Digest #121.  Also, I thought "Pink Warmth" was the British name for
"Sterno" or "canned heat".

jes <xtc@mindspring.com> writes:
>
>I don't know how many Sara Lee's there are out there, but this is probably
>the same one who played with Robert Fripp in the League Of Gentlemen (which
>also featured Barry Andrews)

Barry Andrews fans take note: _Thrang Thrang Gozinbulx -- Official
Bootleg Live In 1980_ by The League of Gentlemen, recorded in Toronto,
has just been released, and reportedly is quite excellent.  Prominently
featuring more "steam powered" keyboard work by Mr. Andrews.

One final note: T Bone Burnett for producer.

	-- John

--
http://reality.sgi.com/relph/

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

Message-ID: <31EE7D18.A7E@stokecoll.ac.uk>
Date: Thu, 18 Jul 1996 11:06:16 -0700
From: lee beddow <lbedd1sc@stokecoll.ac.uk>
Organization: stokecoll.ac.uk
Subject: FOSSIL FUEL THE VIDEO?

From: Lee Beddow, Stafford, England.
I've just managed to speak to someone at Virgin regarding the possibility
of a video version of Fossil Fuel coming out. It took me a while to track
down someone who knew what I was on about BUT eventually I was told that
it is 90% certain that a video WILL follow the release of the album on
27.8.96!!
As for a new producer, it seems to me the obvious person is John Leckie.
The guys know him, have worked with him and he has a good credibility
rating with the music buying public.
Cheers E-mailers & chalkhillian types, Lee B.

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

Date: Thu, 18 Jul 1996 11:44:27 +0100
Message-Id: <199607181044.AA03091@felix.dircon.co.uk>
From: nonsuch@dircon.co.uk (Simon Sleightholm)
Subject: Bags Of Skeletons

From: dgershmn <dgershmn@ametsoc.org>

>Has anyone else noticed a musical resemblance
>in portions of "Bags of Fun with Buster" and
>"Poor Skeleton Steps Out"?
>who's singing lead on that song?

Yeah. I remember noting this at the time of O&L. Limelight pointed it out
to the band and they admitted they hadn't noticed until people started
mentioning it.

Lead vocals are provided by John Otway (of & Wild Willy Barret "fame").

Simon
* ---------------------------------------------------
http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~nonsuch/bungalow.htm
* ---------------------------------------------------
No Thugs In Our House, only XTC.

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

Message-Id: <199607181106.NAA23141@utrecht.knoware.nl>
From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl>
Date: Thu, 18 Jul 1996 13:04:45 +0000
Subject: Now you Go 2 far...

Dear Chalkies,

Tom X. Chao wrote:
>By the way, I believe the "Go2" cover art was designed by Hipgnosis,
you are right so far...

> If so, that still doesn't mean that the XTC boys didn't come up with the
> idea.
But you are wrong here. Hipgnosis apparently came up with a lot of
different designs that did not appeal to the band at all.

Here's how Andy himself put it:

"We went around and asked them for a sleeve" says Andy Partridge,
"and they came up with the usual stuff - lots of chrome taps
and women getting out of cars in the middle of nowhere.
We turned them all down and they came up with this..."
He holds up a copy of _Go 2_.

Or in the words of Mr Amazing Terry Chambers:

"Fuckin' terrible, it was" shouts TC, "they've got some six year old
child does most of the artwork around there".

(source: Melody Maker 1979)

So, contrary to popular belief, our heroes had nothing to do
whatsoever with this clever-clever sleeve design.
A pity? I'm not sure...

And thanks to John Rader for his news re. the possible O&L MoFi
release. He wrote:
>As far as sound goes, no releases, Gold, Japanese, CD, MD or anything
>else has come close to the double LP English Settlement, English Import.
Hear hear!
This record never ceases to amaze me, after almost 15 years it still
sounds fresh and exiting. To me, this is the pinnacle of pop
production; I have never heard a record that sounded so good on any
hifi set. But if you play it on some really good equipment you will
not believe your ears. Seriously.
So if you got a few thousand bucks to spare, invest them in a top
Hifi set (spend 1/2 on the speakers) and experience pure aural ecstasy.

I would be the happiest man on earth if Mofi would remaster ES.
The UK CD is ok but not as clear and vivid as the vinyl version.

Re. Fossil Fuel:
I agree that a rerelease of Nigel or even better, Senses on
single coninciding with the Fossil Fuel release could get our boys a
surprise hit and some hard-earned cash. They are slowly getting more
and more respect. And many people are surprised they still exist.
I think the time is riper than ever for a comeback.

bye,

m@rk

===> Mark's useless XTC quote for today <==
We smelled your soup on the fire cooking

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

Date: Thu, 18 Jul 1996 13:10:25 +0200 (MET DST)
Message-Id: <199607181110.NAA15638@mailbox.swip.net>
From: tomas.karlsson@mbox3.swipnet.se (Tomas Carlsson)
Subject: Blegvad

Hello Ex-The-see-ers!

Please tell me everything about Peter Blegvad.

A couple of years ago I bought "Stories..." on a blind shot because the
envelope reminded me of XTC. Now I bought "Shakespear..." and found two
XTC-members participating telling me that my subconsiousness was right.

Kindest regards

Tomas Carlsson                 email: tomas.karlsson@mbox3.swipnet.se
Sweden, Europe
*****************************************************
We're scattered here, we're scattered there__________________________
______we're scattered everywhere_________________
                      /Raymond Douglas Davies - The Kinks
***********************************************************

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

Subject: Request: Beatles' Tribute
From: wwilson@mail07.mitre.org (Wesley H. Wilson)
Message-Id: <960718081408.25163@mail07.mitre.org.0>
Date: Thu, 18 Jul 96 08:14:09 -0400

Anyone willing to make a dub for me of the much talked about Beatles' tribute?
I have a *lot* of XTC material, including some boots (Making Plans for Andy),
their extracurricular work,  and Martin Newell's "Off-White Album," that I
could trade in return. I live in the U.S.

Wes Wilson
wwilson@mitre.org

I just made two tapes for a next door neighbor. I'll convert him to XTC-fandom
yet!

When is this new XTC compilation CD due to be released? (I've missed the
details in the last few issues.)

P.S. Marcus Deininger, I received your e-mail, printed it, and lost it!
Please write again with your e-mail address. I'd like to respond.

"What's the latest dope on Wall Street?"

"My son..."

- - Henny Youngman

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

Date: Thu, 18 Jul 1996 20:35:36 +0800 (SST)
Message-Id: <199607181235.UAA09082@mailh1a.cyberway.com.sg>
From: Kevin M Mathews <mathews@cyberway.com.sg>
Subject: AND YOUR BIRD CAN SING!

                        Hey, Chalkhillians, what exactly is the fuss about
monkeys and Red, huh? I mean the real deal with XTC is/are BIRDS!
                        Don't believe it?
                        Howsabout ROOK? Or maybe And my BIRD performs and
even I Bought Myself A LiarBIRD?! Not convinced? SEAGULL SEAGULL Kiss her
Kiss her!! SKYLARKing and LadyBIRD ( yeah ... I know ... )
                        And, what about that bloke - Andy PARTRIDGE?

                        BWAH-HAR-HA-HA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                     P.S. Yazbek is the bees knees! Fantabulous! Any XTC fan
doesn't deserve to call him/herself one without a copy of THE LAUGHING MAN -
absolutely blows THE SUGARPLASTIC away!!!
                        Has anyone heard HINDU RODEO?
                        PPS anyone interested in my band THE CROWD's
cassette ep MODEST? Lines are open now!!!!!
                        Cheers, Kevin.

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

Message-ID: <3203D72F01291300@ametsoc.org>
Date: Thu, 18 Jul 96 08:38:00 -0500
From: dgershmn <dgershmn@ametsoc.org>
Organization: AMS
Subject: The Buck Stops Here

In Chalkhills #137, "GB" begged:

>And please...no Mitchell Froom! Blecch. Let him ruin more
>Suzanne Vega albums, but just keep him away from Andy!

Well, I personally love Suzanne's "99.9 F" album...I think it's her best.
And have you heard what he and Tchad Blake have done on the last couple of
Los Lobos albums ("Kiko" and "Colossal Head")? I would tend to give Los
Lobos a lot of the credit for the excellent songs, but both albums just
SOUND wonderful...so many cool, experimental sounds. It's definite "ear
candy," as they say (though I don't want that to make it sound like they're
"bubblegum" music, obviously).

And Peter McCulloch responded to my quiz thusly:
>>Unrelatedly, a quick trivia question: What's the only album (I'm pretty
>>certain, anyway, and I'm NOT counting any compilations) that features both
>>Colin Moulding AND Peter Buck?

>That would be Sam Phillip's, "Martinis and Bikinis", though I'm not sure if
>they appear on any songs together or not. Any further insight,
>chalkhillians? Is my no prize in the mail anyway?

Congratulations, Peter! That's the album I had in mind, although I don't
know either whether they appear together on any songs. I suspect they do, as
I believe Colin plays bass throughout the album, so they've got to meet up
somewhere! As for your prize, would a hardy slap on the back and a handshake
be sufficient?

Dave Gershman

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

From: sharedon@mbcc.mass.edu
Date: Thu, 18 Jul 1996 09:21:43 -0400
Message-Id: <96071809214351@mbcc.mass.edu>
Subject: Idle Wilds

while we continue to await more music from XTC, i'd like to toss out another
recommendation for an album to try.  if you loved Yazbek's and Martin Newell's
recent albums, or if you adored Big Star, you must pick up the Idle Wilds'
"Dumb, Gifted, and Beautiful."  it was produced by the same guy who produced
early Ardent records in Memphis (including Alex Chilton's "1970"), and was
A&R'd by Big Star drummer Jody Stephens, and indeed, it's on the Ardent label,
and was recorded in Memphis.  lyrically, its wit is on a par with Andy's work,
while musically, it's more Big Star.

*

what's the latest from Erik Anderson?

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

Message-ID: <n1374439174.61036@gateway.itic.nw.dc.us>
Date: 18 Jul 1996 09:31:50 +0100
From: "Ken Salaets" <ksalaets@itic.nw.dc.us>
Subject: Chalkhillians in a time-warp

Gosh dang, I realize what a pain it is to sit here in this sultry summer
swamp drowning with desire for the next release from Swindon, but really!
For the past three months, I have dutifuly resisted reading any "issues" of
this list , but decided to check out the most recent one to see if there was
anything new to consider.  Hanged if you all aren't still beatin' on the same
horses!  Someone suggested we all get outside and enjoy the summer.  Here
here!

Now back to my cybernation...

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

Message-Id: <199607181704.OAA11158@Fox.NSTN.Ca>
Date: Thu, 18 Jul 1996 13:09:53 +0100
From: enrico@fox.nstn.ca (Erich W.)
Subject: Odds & Ends

Greetings fellow Chalkheads!

It is a bummer that the compilation apparently won't have anything new on
it but it will have it's uses (meaning I'm probably not the only one that's
compiled a pretty similar package for my own use). A friend of mine (hi
Mark) that reads our musings over my shoulder thought it would be the
perfect gift for those in need of conversion to the Swindon Sound. It looks
to be a pretty comprehensive overview of the band's evolution. Of course
I'll probably buy it anyway just to clear out some slots in my CD
changer...

J. Hall volunteered to set up a lyric interpretation centre. Perhaps dear
Mister Relph might inform him of what kind of volume he'd be in for ;-)

Re the producer thread (ho hum), it came to mind that perhaps what we
should be discussing is the ENGINEER. Ultimately the song's will come
through in all their brilliance but I'm more concerned about the over-all
sound. Any ideas?

BTW it was Hipgnosis that designed the cover art for Go-2, which is
sometimes my favorite (when it insn't ES, BS, D&W, Mummer....) I must admit
that I too have been known to skip the odd track. It sounds like sacrelige
but  I'd just as soon skip President Kill most of the time.

Till next time BYE BYE
Enrico

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

Date: Thu, 18 Jul 1996 13:37:08 -0900 (PDT)
From: Chris Coolidge <ccoolidg@moose.uvm.edu>
Subject: Re: Recent Rush
Message-ID: <Pine.PCW.3.91.960718132701.4431A-100000@[0.0.0.0]>

  I'm not particularly a Rush fan, but anyone familiar with their more
recent material would see the connection isn't that farfetched. Both
bands resolutely do things their own way and aren't afraid to experiment
with their sound. Their most recent album(I forget the title; somebody
left the CD at the club I used to run, and when it closed I took it home
and listened to it out of curiosity)has some surprisingly understated and
rhythmic stuff on it. Neil Peart seems to have outgrown his Ayn Rand
fixation and tendency to overplay, and much of the album actually has
some stylistic similarity to some of The Big Express. Even Geddy Lee
sings normally for the most part.
  On the other hand, Rush still tours and releases a new album regularly
every year or two. There's also an XTC/Rush connection in the person of
Aimee Mann, who sings backup on Rush's "Time Stands Still" and has shared
a tour(and presumably a bed)with Dave Gregory much more recently.

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

Date: Thu, 18 Jul 1996 15:01:39 -0400 (EDT)
From: Ted Harms <tmharms@library.uwaterloo.ca>
Subject: Happy Birthday
Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.91.960718150057.4974A-100000@library.uwaterloo.ca>

Happy 41st Birthday, Terry Chambers.  (where ever you are...)

Ted Harms                    Library, Univ. of Waterloo
tmharms@library.uwaterloo.ca         519.888.4567 x3761
"I got it all when I gave it back."   N. Young

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

Message-ID: <31EE846D.5FE0@sirus.com>
Date: Thu, 18 Jul 1996 18:37:33 +0000
From: Peter Dresslar <pdresslar@sirus.com>
Subject: Acoustic Tales and a plea for peace

I've been gone for awhile (over a year) and I am back in time to see a
little grumbling - but not too much, happily. This is the XTC digest.
We are all fortunate to have a common bond that, in my opinion, is a
pretty powerful and deep one. XTC is *not* an everyday band, you know.
I have always felt very at home perusing the notes because I feel I
can relate to what I'm reading (well, except maybe the Rush stuff ;-))
and the people who are writing it. I'll bet many of you feel the same.

Point is, we're lucky to have a place like this, a forum that fits
like a glove. We're lucky to have XTC, too. So let's be happy.

Okay, enough ebulience.

I just picked up the Acoustic Tales CD from a local dealer for $15US.
I would have paid more. I know it's a bootleg and all, but if you have
an addiction, you'll commit crimes... The first seven tracks, recorded
>from the KROQ are excellent, and Blue Beret really touched me; it's
one of my favorite XTC songs. Does anyone know why it was omitted from
O&L? The medleys were quite enjoyable as well (Andy is hilarious
missing the line on Love on a Farmboy's Wages). I wonder how many
other non-album songs I'm really missing out on, and which ones?
Anyone have some advice?

I'd pay $100 at least for a new (ten new songs, say) album. The boys
mean quite a bit to me.

-Peter

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

Date: Thu, 18 Jul 1996 20:58:21 -0400
From: nmcgrath@world.std.com (Nancy McGrath)
Message-Id: <199607190058.AA10081@world.std.com>
Subject: Re: Yay for Yazbek!

In Chalkhills 2-137, Dave from York, PA <RJOCONNO1@aol.com> said:

> I'm just posting to thank David Yazbek for his response to
> my inquiry about the Testimonial Dinner tracks that never
> happened. It's really cool to be able to ask a question about
> an album you like and then get a response from the producer.

Come see for yourself what a nice (not to mention talented!) guy Yazbek
is -- he'll be performing at the second annual Danbury Festival on Sunday,
July 28 at Lake Kenosia Park on Kenosia Avenue in Danbury, Connecticut.
Gates open at 1:00 pm; admission is $10.

For further information and directions, check out the folk festival's
web site at http://www.cris.com/~cjmacs/folkfest1.html, send email to
cjmacs@cris.com or call 203/744-0388.

Nancy McGrath
nmcgrath@world.std.com

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

From: TikaMasala@aol.com
Date: Fri, 19 Jul 1996 04:30:26 -0400
Message-ID: <960719043026_437478085@emout14.mail.aol.com>
Subject: Marlin Perkins smokes monkey spore on the "Wild" Kingdom"!

From: AMANION@rex.SMUMN.EDU

<<<< I don't like the trend I've seen on the list toward harrassing others
into discontinuing threads, eg. the monkey thing, the six degrees of
separation thing. Who cares if you (or I) don't care for a particular topic.
If people are having a good time engaging in brain teasers involving xtc, I
say have at it.>>>>

Okay, A (Way-too-hypersensitive) Manion:

Continuing the monkey thread, just pour vous..............

I woke up the other day, right.  And I felt this rumbling around my bum, see?
 And before I knew it, a damned monkey flew right outta my ass.  (Kinda
sounded like Mitchell Froom blowing a priest in a confessional).  As soon as
the monkey left my anus, he turned on my computer, jumped on the web, and
started reading Chalkhills.

He was all excited.

Then he started reading about stoopud producer dreck, and his thick moist
lips started to tremble.  He read on, and his body started to shake.

When he read a posting by an "Amanion" about the freedom to carry on the
monkey thread, my furry little friend screamed out in terror, pulled out my
12-gauge shotgun, and blew his simian lobes all over my Kiss poster.

The moral of the story:

Don't bore us with (self) righteous indignation.  Dazzle us with wit, a
whimper, or perhaps a little whine.

My damned monkey's dead because of you.  Are you happy now?

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

Date: Fri, 19 Jul 1996 15:17:19 +0100 (BST)
From: William Ham Bevan <whambeva@jesus.ox.ac.uk>
Subject: XTC-ANONYMOUS DIRECTORY
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.91.960719151023.20060A@jesus>

IMPORTANT MESSAGE ON XTC-ANONYMOUS DIRECTORY!!!
--------- ------- -- ------------- ------------

Thanks to everyone who has mailed me to have their pages included in the
XTC directory. Unfortunately, I am no longer able to maintain this page -
at least for the time being. This is because I have left Oxford, and have
to telnet in from Wales to access my account.

I shall probably be able to start this site up again at the start of
October. I still have records of those who have asked to have their URLs
placed on the page, and will try to do this ASAP in October.

In the meantime, apologies to all those who have seen no response to
their requests. I shall still be reading Chalkhills at irregular
intervals throughout the summer: mail or post if anyone has any suggestions.

Cheers
---
Mumbles, Wales         **************************          Oxford, England
                       *  William P. Ham Bevan  *
PER ARDUA              **************************               AD NAUSEAM

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

Date: Fri, 19 Jul 96 19:49:05 GMT
Message-Id: <9607191949.AA002m5@prime.demon.co.uk>
Message-Id: <22e3a7a7.1a7c7-Deckard@prime.demon.co.uk>
From: Steve Dawe <Deckard@prime.demon.co.uk>
Subject: Lost In Music

Just finished reading a tremendous book - "Lost in Music" by Giles Smith
(English journalist),published in the uk by Picador books - no,I'm not
shamelesly promoting this tome,suffice to say,the book is his account of
growing up in the late seventies-early eighties and he includes 2 chapters
on XTC.It appears that Giles seems to be a huge XTC fan.He refers to them
throughout the book and even devotes 2 chapters to them.He was in a group
called "The Cleaners from Venus"?! who , although 'Big in Germany' never
cracked the UK.Read the book but Giles eventually ends up meeting Andy who
produces his friends album.It's a tremendous book and resulted in me trying
to turn the clock back 15 years and reforming my group! (if westcountry ears
could take it!).Read,read,read-unless you suffer from 80's nostalgia and end
up reminiscing about 'the good old days'.

On a separate note-here we are in July and no XTC to accompany a variable
English summer.I equate XTC with seasons and summer finds me playing side 1
of English Settlement and the whole of Mummer with annoying regularity.I've
always thought of the band as a sort of autumnal group - late
August/September - Autumn evenings,bonfires,getting ready for winter,you
know the sort of thing - where is the album?

* -------------------------------------------------------------------------.
!Email Deckard@prime.demon.co.uk
!Mail Sent Via Demon Internet Services                                    !
!Full Internet Conection For 10/Month Fixed. Tel: 0181 371 1234          !
`-------------------------------------------------------------------------'

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

Message-Id: <2.2.16.19960719191952.22b791f6@soapbox.lanl.gov>
Date: Fri, 19 Jul 1996 13:19:52 -0600
From: DeWitt Henderson <dewitth@lanl.gov>
Subject: Virgin break/new CD

Did I understand this correctly, in reading some of the Chalkhills
soon after I subscribed a couple of months ago?  That our boys
had finished a new album with Virgin, but because of the split
with them, that we'll never hear it????  Or were they able to
"carry it with them" to whatever new label they sign with?
Please don't tell me that we won't even get to hear it!!!
* ------------------------------
DeWitt Henderson
CIC-13
Los Alamos National Laboratory
MS P223
505/665-1434
* ------------------------------

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

End of Chalkhills Digest #2-138
*******************************

Go back to Volume 2.

20 July 1996 / Feedback