Chalkhills Digest Volume 2, Issue 159
Date: Saturday, 21 September 1996
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 2, Number 159
Saturday, 21 September 1996
Today's Topics:
Welcome to the digest of Andy Delights...
Icehouse "Complicated Game"/Psychedelic Furs similarity?
More Fuel
Digested Mr. Prolific Mail
Re: Spit'em out
those wacky ordinary people - sheesh.
Thank You Chalkhillians
Hollyhocking
Molly Molly Molly Molly Molly Molly
Green Guide review
Re: Blades
Random bites of here and there.
Fw: Chalkhills
I agree with DeWitt
Fossil Fuel Question
From Whence These Demos?
Bake This
Re: spit 'em out!/some self promotion
It's more talk about Falkner....
Testimonial Dinner
Months of Digestion
Loud Family/Sugarplastic review
Administrivia:
Okay, enough lyrics already! If you would like to contribute
lyrics, please submit them to the Chalkhills pages (send e-mail
to <owner-chalkhills@chalkhills.org>), and then send a note
to Chalkhills saying they've been submitted. Thank you!
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The views expressed herein are those of the individual authors.
You dare clasp your hands in prayer and start quoting me.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-Id: <199609190015.UAA25606@answerman.mindspring.com> Date: Wed, 18 Sep 1996 20:07:13 -0400 From: Matthew Jason NeSmith <jnesmith@atl.mindspring.com> Subject: Welcome to the digest of Andy Delights... Hello, everyone. This is my first post, and, boy am I excited. I know that my first name is Matthew, but please call me Jason. So what's all this talk about new demos? I've heard the Hello club CD, which blew me away, but not a peep anywhere else about these songs. Who would be kind enough to point me in the direction of acquiring them? I've got the acoustic radio tour shows in Boston to trade for them, which everyone probably already has. E-mail me privately if you like. Jason /////////////////////GOOD MUSIC CHEAP\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ | ##_####_## from | ## /@ /@ # ___________ | # ,___\___, < Lookit Meee! ) | # \+++++/ Records | ----~| |~---- | All LP length cassettes!! $5 plus shipping | write to Jason Nesmith 1226 Stoneybrook Dr. SE | Atlanta, GA 30316 --or-- | email jnesmith@mindspring.com for details visit the Orange Hat cyberhose page!! www.mindspring.com/~jnesmith
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 19 Sep 1996 13:36:20 +1200 (NZST) Message-Id: <v01540b02ae66fdce1863@[139.80.228.161]> From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James Dignan) Subject: Icehouse "Complicated Game"/Psychedelic Furs similarity? Hi folks - I recently purchased the Icehouse album "The Berlin Years" - mainly because I saw it cheap and second hand, and I was curious about the cover version of Complicated Game. The album's not too bad, in a fairly light, schmaltzy way, with one or two standout tracks. The version of the Velvet Underground song "All tomorrow's parties" is excellent, and "Complicated game" gets a edgy, brooding treatment which suits it well (due to the use of a well placed cello). The main reason for me mentioning this though is that one of the songs is a cover of the Psychedelic Furs song "Sister Europe". I don't know the original, so I don't know whether this is the song itself, or the arrangement, but the introduction to this version melodically is a dead ringer for the bridge section of "Ball and Chain" (the bit that goes "motorways and office blocks, they're standing on the spot where stood a home"). 2 questions: 1) is the original PFurs song like this too? 2) if so, and considering it came out the year before English Settlement, could it be a (how can I put this tactfully?) "stylistic influence"? I.e., did Colin swipe it? James James Dignan, Department of Psychology, University of Otago. Ya zhivu v' 50 Norfolk St., St. Clair, Dunedin, New Zealand pixelphone james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz / steam megaphone NZ 03-455-7807 * You talk to me as if from a distance * and I reply with impressions chosen from another time, time, time, * from another time (Brian Eno)
------------------------------ Date: 19 SEP 96 12:08:36 AST From: PCulnane@dca.gov.au Subject: More Fuel Message-ID: <0000kauyukwa.0000jjrzlnvj@dca.gov.au> Hi folks, We poor undernourished souls "down under" won't be getting Fossil Fuels for some time (although I'm eagerly awaiting my import copy of the limited edition which is on order). So in the meantime I have some questions to put to anybody who already has one (and thanks to those who've already given their impressions of this release in the 'Hills): 1) Is the mix of "Wait To Your Boat Goes Down" any different to that of the version which appears on The Compact XTC? 2) Is the version of "This Is Pop" the single version (produced by RJ Lange) or is it the version on White Music (produced by John Leckie)? 3) Is the version of "Sgt Rock" the mangled single edit or the Black Sea version? Somebody's been playing a cruel trick on me lately: the bus I get to work every morning is painted in special advertising livery, touting the values of energy conservation and so forth. The first thing I see as the bus swings into view is a large sign saying "Fossil Fuels". That same legend is also painted right across the back of the bus. (There's a big dinosaur skeleton painted along the bus' flanks). So every morning I grumble to myself "yes, yes, I know, I know".... puts a peculiar flavour on the rest of my day. Hope my copy arrives sometime soon.... Petrified Paul from the land of Oz
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Sep 1996 22:27:05 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <199609190227.WAA17701@cyber1.servtech.com> From: Joshua Hall-Bachner <particle@servtech.com> Subject: Digested Mr. Prolific Mail Hideho! Mr. Prolific is back with a vengeance! >I've just made an embarrassing error. Heaven is Paved with Broken Glass 12 >inch mix is on the Rag'n'Bone Buffet CD. Actually, the Waxworks version is on R&BB. The original version released on the Ball and Chain single is still unavailable on CD. A tip...check out http://www.servtech.com/public/particle/boot.html. Those of you who've been looking for demos, look no further....note, though, that I usually only have time to dub on weekends (due to school) so anything you send to me won't be back for a while.... Re: Fire is cool! Heh heh heh! > Burning With Optimism's Flames > Great Fire > Books are Burning > Sacrificial Bonfire > "You tire burn" from Roads Girdle the Globe > "How bright are the fires of thought" from Chain of Command, > "How bright is the medical torch" ditto > "Science friction burns my fingers" > "When you *flick on* your lamp" from Hang on the Night > "I'm really burning..." from Extrovert > "more of a stormtrooper to burn the books..." from Happy Families > "Shooting arrows of fire" from Gangway! Electric Guitar Oooohhh...I'm going to compile a list of Overused Literary Devices in XTC Songs. That is, Fire, Fireworks, and Boats. Let's work on fire right now, shall we? Don't forget: "The flat shoes...burned" -- from Shore Leave Ornithology I'll Set Myself on Fire Smokeless Zone "The half-light of burning republics..." -- Reign Of Blows "All ball of fire..." -- Miniature sun And for fireworks: "The brightest fireworks are lighting up my sky..." -- My Bird Performs Rocket From A Bottle My Love Explodes "Life is like a firework, you're only lit once, and you must stand and radiate correctly." -- All of a Sudden And certainly others that I've forgotten... Mr. Henderson has forced me to talk about REM here again despite the fact that this really belongs on the REMarks list: >One more comment, my friends, since REM seems to be creeping into >the conversation fairly often lately, I just thought I'd see if you'd >heard this one: when asked about influences, specifically the Beatles, >Stipe said they were never anything more than "elevator music" to him, >which really pissed me off. And John Lennon said the Beatles were bigger than Jesus. See the similarity here? I am tired of hearing about the stupid "elevator music" thing (it's almost as stupid as the "break up on New Year's Eve, 1999" rumor, and started in a similar way...) Micheal Stipe was just exaggerating to make sure the person got his drift -- growing up, he *never* heard anything by the Beatles. To indicate the fact that it's not that he disliked them, it's that he never heard them, Peter Buck tells a story about how once, in the tourbus, a song came on and Micheal said "Hey, I like this song, anybody know who it is?" and someone else replied "Micheal, that's the Beatles!" :) >BTW, I've been a big fan of REM since Day One, but I've experienced >what others in this list evidently have been through, which is that >my interest has dropped considerably with the last couple of albums. You don't include Automatic in there, do you? That's probably their best ever album, IMHO. >Haven't heard the new one - who knows, maybe it's good. I'd say it was, but then whoever-it-was would post his trendy-ass "I'm cool because I hate every band that's sold more than 100,000 records" REM-are-lame-and-all-their-songs-sound-the-same tripe again. Okay, back to XTC, what we're actually *supposed* to be talking about. <assuming that FF becomes a huge hit> >2. If the band decided to start their own label, the royalties from FF >should enable them to make this happen as it did with The Stranglers >Greatest Hits. IIRC, didn't XTC have to give up *all* rights to their back catalog as a condition of the split? Of course, it's not as if they were actually making that much money off of the royalties anyway, but there's still a huge difference between $.20/album and nothing. >I'd >also like to hear from any TEENAGE Chalkhillians (myself >being 17)...according to the survey, there are some of you >out there! I'm probably the youngest XTC fan in existence at this moment, still being a freshman...in High School. >Oh, wait, forgot something.....Andy ever give reason as to why he and Marianne >called it quits???? Evidently it wasn't exactly amicable (note the whole song "Your Dictionary" and the line from Dame Fortune "...cards scowl at me like my ex-wife..." >PS-If I was Carol Moulding, after the eopisodes with all the groupies and >ESPECIALLY the whole Debra Robertson thing, you'd better believe Colin's >ass would've been kicked so far outta my house he'd land in Siberia! Whaaaaaat? Did I miss something here? I never heard anything about that! >And here's a quiz... > >Name the demo that includes this lyric: >"I wouldn't hector if you'd be Helen of Troy" >(just love the lyric I guess) I'd Like That, of course (as all of those who actually read my posts instead of scrolling through would know... :) And what would a post from Mr. Prolific be without more lyrics? I Can't Own Her And I may as well wish for the moon in hand I own this (winter) I own this (town) All of the (climate) And it's wine all sliding down But I can't own her And I never will No I can't own her And that's a bitter pill Taken with rain 'Til the gutter shines like the swirling sky Like the swirling sky I've got all morning I've got all year It's down in my pocket In the daylight from the (?) But I can't own her And I never will No I can't own her And that's a bitter pill Taken with rain How I'd wash her hair like the swirling sky Like the swirling sky And when I say I can't own her I don't mean to buy her It's nothing at all to do with money I merely want her in my arms Forever more. Is that a (?) request? Is that something so funny? And I may as well wish for the moon in hand As this poor chance of love from a (true) But I can't own her And I never will No I can't own her And that's a bitter pill Of all the things you got The thing you want the most Is there a chance the one thing that you just can't have? Of all the things you got The thing you want the most Is there a chance the one thing that you just can't have? But I can't own her And I never will No I can't own her And that's a bitter pill Taken with rain Which I swallow down with the swirling sky Like the swirling sky And I can't own her And I may as well wish for the moon in hand BTW, once Dave posts his transcription of "Bumper Cars", we'll have gone from only two "new demos" transcribed a month ago to all done (since I started doing two a week....:) /---------------------------Joshua Hall-Bachner---------------------------\ | particle@servtech.com http://www.servtech.com/public/particle/ | | "And I see nations playfully hurl snowballs packed with stone and clay."| \--------------XTC, "You And The Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful"----------/
------------------------------ From: "Kevin A. McGrail" <roland@digital1.peregrinehw.com> Message-Id: <199609190442.AAA26955@digital1.peregrinehw.com> Subject: Re: Spit'em out Date: Thu, 19 Sep 1996 00:42:55 -0400 (EDT) > From: pebrantl@mailbox.syr.edu (Paul Brantley) > > Given all the noble and ingenious attempts at deciphering the new demo > lyrics, doesn't this suggest perhaps *one* of the reasons for our group's > lack of popularity? Not only is the lyrical quality unusually dense, not to > mention that the vocals are characteristically mixed as part of the overall > gestalt, and we don't even need to acknowledge their charming accents -- > but they do tend to go for the musical delivery (hear hear) at the expense > of diction clarity -- on the albums as well as the demos. XTC isn't country music, and when you play it backwards, your liarbird doesnt come back, learn how to fly, and make you unfamous. XTC is XTC because of a refusal to admit to societies stereotypes. Hell, I just learned that Andy AND his ex-wife wore black to their wedding. Every time I heard a weird,quirky song by XTC that didn't make it, but is totally cool, I think how bold they must have been to push it. Artisitic integrity is definitely a trait I would associate with XTC. -- Kevin 'Roland' McGrail "I'm a 21st Century digital -- )- )- ) ) )-- ) )-- 5103 Ox Road boy...I don't know how ---- )---- )-- )------ Fairfax, VA 22030-4562 to live, but I HAD -- )- )--- )---- ) )-- (703)591-5825 (H)/(703)273-3795 (W) a lot of toys" roland@peregrinehw.com
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 19 Sep 1996 01:49:36 -0500 (EST)
From: Brookes McKenzie <RMCKENZI@smith.smith.edu>
Subject: those wacky ordinary people - sheesh.
Message-id: <01I9N7TUK4HIBTRV7D@SMITH>
Where Did the Ordinary People Go?
(CM)
This street has changed so much
A line of fortresses - look but don't touch
I'd like to call on my neighbors one day
But their Doberman won't look the other way
Chorus:
There's one thing I'd like to know
Where did the ordinary people go?
In my street I don't know a soul
The walls and fences never have no hole
If I could only be your Peeping Tom
You could complain about my bonfire-burning stove
Chorus
Money changes everyone
[There was ?]
There's no community spirit anywhere
[You may say in my green? ... my dream?]
In my street we go by car
The tinted windows never shows who you are
If I could see you, I'd complain about the noise
I can dance across the fence, we might both enjoy
Chorus
(x2)
This street has changed so much...(where did they go?)
This street has changed so much...(those ordinary people?)
This street has changed so much...(where did they go?)
This street has changed so much...(those ordinary people?)
* ----------------------------------
i like that song - the lyrics aren't the deepest, but it has a good
tune. annoyingly, the new alanis morrissette song has to go and sound
just like it - the chorus anyway. typical. although i also have to
admit that the whole idea of the song is rather a second-rate knockoff
of "Eleanor Rigby", who cares - it's a cute song anyway, i'd take
it over any of CM's songs on _Nonsuch_ (with the _possible_ exception
of "My Bird Performs"[which is itself an answer/spin-off to another
Beatles song, "And Your Bird Can Sing"]) any day. don't you think that
all of Colin's demos for _Nunchuk_ are a thousand times better than
the drivel that actually got on the album? okay, well, so it's only
two songs - "Down a Peg" and this one. but i like "It Didn't Hurt a
Bit" okay. i'm not even going to go into how much i hate "the smartest
monkeys" and/or "Wardance" knowing how many people love them and
will freak out. so please, remain calm. (i almost just wrote "remain
clam"!) i have no power anyway, so who cares what i think.
ANYway, someone wanted to know if "Troy-ward" made any sense, as in
"Troy-ward wooden horse I take to peaceful waters..." in "You & the
Clouds", and i say - makes perfect sense & furthermore is a typically Andy
construction; smart, intellectual and just a little bit weird - no one else
would think to put it that exact same way.
and speaking of typical Andyisms - Mark LaFoy, you genius, you! of
_course_ Andy wouldn't be satisfied with saying "I _would be_ Hector if
you'd be Helen of Troy" - he'd have to go for the pun and make it "I
_wouldn't hector_.." that also explains perfectly what i was actually
hearing, which was something like "I wooden Hector" but since i knew *that*
made no sense, i had to go with the 'official' version ('official' as in,
someone else wrote it and i had no better explanation). brilliant,
brilliant...
Josh: (re: "Easter Theatre") i _swear_ he's saying "smoke" - you can hear
the delayed 'k' - furthermore even though i know it makes less sense in the
overall scheme of the song, it makes more sense in terms of the line - "If
we'd all breathe in and blow away the snow" is slightly illogical - and
rhymes better. (with "yolk", of course, because "born" doesn't rhyme with
_either_ of them!) when in doubt (especially in the demos, as he himself
admits that they often are kind of sketched-in, "dummy" lyrics), i think
Andy goes for the rhyme sometimes even at the expense of the lyric - look
at "Goodbye, Humanasaurus"!! not that i'm criticizing him in the slightest
(who, me? :)), but my point being that if a given option rhymes and makes
any kind of sense, my inclination would be to go with that one over one
that didn't, unless really sounded like the latter.
now, as far as "gamboling" is concerned, of course you're perfectly right.
chalk (heh) it up to my lack of proofreading. and "prompter's" could be
right, but what about "spinning screech"?! that's really what it sounds
like, but i don't get what it's supposed to mean. it's one of those
slippery ones that i think about and then all of a sudden i think i get it,
but then it gets away from me again. as for "free ties", i know it sounds
ridiculous but i think it's less so than "eat I'd ... everywhere"(!!!).
all right, enough of my babbling - brookes (ha, ha, ha - don't think
i don't hear *that* one enough!)
------------------------------ Message-Id: <9609190816.AA3028@mailgate.mandg.co.uk> From: David Goody/M&G <David_Goody@mandg.co.uk> Date: 19 Sep 96 9:15:00 Subject: Thank You Chalkhillians Further to my plea for demos a few Chalkhills ago, I just felt I had to thank all the Chalkhillians who replied with offers of demos and live performances to trade. I am sure that these people do not want to be inundated with requests from others, so I won't mention them by name, but you know who you are!! Special big extra thanks to the Chalkhiller who has offered me a copy of all his demos for FREE!!! The response I have received has shown that there really are a lot of people out there who love their music and just want to share it with others. Also, thanks to my E-Mail buddy who offered me a tape just because I had supplied them with some XTC information. You guys out there never cease to amaze me with your generosity. Further to the comments on Fossil Fuel, I am not sure how many countries it is being released in, but if it is out in your country, can you keep us all up to date via the electronic pages of Chalkhills on how it is performing in your charts. I am sure we would all be keen to know just how high it climbs. By the way, does anyone actually use Andy's answerphone message from "The Bull With The Golden Guts" on their answerphone? What sort of comments has it brought? I really wanted to use it on my Voicemail at work, but I don't think the company would be too impressed. Once again, thanks for all the help. I will be contacting you demo-offerers soon with potential trades (once I've got all the replies sorted out!!) Dave.
------------------------------ Message-ID: <F34DD72F01291300@ametsoc.org> Date: Thu, 19 Sep 96 09:09:00 -0500 From: dgershmn <dgershmn@ametsoc.org> Organization: AMS Subject: Hollyhocking In response to my interp of "make" rather than "bake" in "Holly Up on Poppy," Mark Cuevas spat: >Au contraire, there jerky. "Bake" is what I meant and "bake" is the lyric. >As to interpretation, go for it. Hey, fella, easy there. If you can't accept a difference of opinion on your lyric readings without getting all testy about it, don't bother mentioning them here. And relatedly, Marc LaFoy wrote: >Upon reading this it occurred to me that perhaps "Poppy" could be >interpreted as Pop himself, Andy, giving his daughter a horsey ride. Wutcha >think? Definitely what I've always believed about the song. "Holly up on Poppy!" is exactly something a small child would say when she wants her father to pick her up or sit her in his lap or such. --Dave Gershman
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199609191305.JAA12818@gate3.fmr.com> Date: Thu, 19 Sep 1996 08:58 -0400 (EDT) From: "Sawyer, Keith" <Keith.Sawyer@FMR.Com> Subject: Molly Molly Molly Molly Molly Molly >Subject: Ul-Terior Responds >From: Della & Steve Schiavo <schiavo@airmail.net> > >Did anyone else email Mr. Bailey? I did, and received a somewhat less verbose response from 'Molly' around the same time. I immediately deleted it - but it was a perfunctory 'thank you' type deal. Paul Bailey (or at least Molly) is listening.... keith "The blue, blue sky is made of butcher knives" -AMC
------------------------------ From: box@nemesis.com.au Date: Fri, 20 Sep 1996 00:24:36 -0500 Message-ID: <TCPSMTP.16.9.20.0.24.36.2156250573.1768735556@nemesis.com.au> Subject: Green Guide review Don't know if anyone else has posted this yet, but The Age, Melbourne's major broadsheet newspaper, published a review of the Martin Phillipps and the Chills album _Sunburnt_. It's not so much a review as an excuse for the reviewer to rant on about XTC. :) The review reads thus: '...Phillipps recorded _Sunburnt_ in England with producer Craig Leon and a rhythm section consisting of XTC alumni Dave Gregory on bass and Dave Mattacks on drums. 'They complement his pop sensibilities well, which is not surprising, given Phillipps's musical empathy with XTC. Speaking of XTC, their sound can be heard in several other current acts. You Am I [Australian band] produced their own tribute with with _Soldiers_ and the American trio The Sugaplastic have recorded an entire album of XTC take-offs, _Bang, the Earth is Round_, on Geffen.' I think there was some stuff about _Sunburnt_ in there as well. :) Adam
------------------------------ Message-ID: <324157F7.1CC7@sirus.com> Date: Thu, 19 Sep 1996 10:25:59 -0400 From: Peter Dresslar <pdresslar@sirus.com> Subject: Re: Blades ----Quoting #2-158--- From: "Mark G. Cuevas" <litserv@ix.netcom.com> ... About Mr. Blades' version. I love what he's done here. He's one of the only musicians who gave his chosen song a thorough reworking while maintaining the beauty of the original. ... P.S. In the last verse of the Blades version, he says something in Spanish about XTC. Does anyone know what he's saying? ----End Quote---- I always thought it was... "and I hate that XTC." But that can't be right, can it? I agree that the song is the most original on the album. I always liked the P Hux AS too. ------------------- -Peter Dresslar Holland, MI, USA
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 19 Sep 1996 10:58:21 -0600 (CST) From: AMANDA OWENS <ACOEA@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Subject: Random bites of here and there. Message-id: <01I9NSCIFQ1I8ZV41V@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> I'm doing a nice sized job of turning my friends into XTC'ers, thank you very much. One friend recently required three adorable kittens and named them Nigel, Albert Brown, and Braniac. I also wish to ask....why such a condescending attitude towards Brad Roberts/ Crash Test Dummies? They are just fans of the band expressing that admiration through their music. All the snooty remarks about how much their song versions suck really aren't necessary (although, like I said earlier, I wasn't too impressed with Peter Pumpkinhead.) That's all for now. (Although I will probably think of something to add in a few seconds.) Amanda "What you can do with a guitar is nothing compared to what you can do with a penis."-Andy Partridge
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199609191740.KAA22258@dfw-ix8.ix.netcom.com> From: "Mark G. Cuevas" <litserv@ix.netcom.com> Subject: Fw: Chalkhills Date: Thu, 19 Sep 1996 10:35:06 -0700 Guess I struck a chord. ;-) ----- begin forwarded message ----- From: Welton Barker <barkerw@messaging.tfn.com> To: litserv@ix.netcom.com Subject: Chalkhills Date: Thursday, September 19, 1996 6:36 AM Just an off-list response to your recent note on Ruben Blades. I AGREE 1000%!!!!! It is definitely my favorite cover on the album, and my favorite cover of all time is the Oingo Boingo "You Really Got Me"! If you want to forward this onto Chalkhills with any other responses, feel free to do so. Welton Barker weltonb@ix.netcom.com barkerw@tfn.com
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199609191744.KAA22520@dfw-ix8.ix.netcom.com> From: "Mark G. Cuevas" <litserv@ix.netcom.com> Subject: I agree with DeWitt Date: Thu, 19 Sep 1996 10:39:31 -0700 Greetings Chalkubim (Chalkhillians + Cherubim): I'm with DeWitt. But let me state it somewhat more emphatically. I'm getting just a bit tired of these selfish little "so-called" Chalkhillians who drone on about demos they damn well know most of us have never heard. Despite repeated requests (read pleas) for sharing they continue to mock by posting guesses to lyrics ad nauseum. Are you listening JHB? Don't be a weenie. Money doesn't seem to be the issue. Most of us would gladly give our benefactors a few bucks for their time and effort. Moreover, it would elevate their stature in the eyes of their peers (e.g., fellow and fellowess Chalkhillians). I say put up or shut up. Either spread the wealth by offering to dub the demos or email your guesses privately. We've waited long enough for more ear candy from The Great Ones. We don't need to have salt poured on the wounds. [Yes, I'm mixing metaphors.] At least have the b. . . er . . . courtesy to respond to our requests. Lovingly yours, MC =================================== Neil: "What do you know about the beans!?" ===================================
------------------------------ From: Delphin7@aol.com Date: Thu, 19 Sep 1996 14:59:49 -0400 Message-ID: <960919145948_312553314@emout05.mail.aol.com> Subject: Fossil Fuel Question Hello, all! As this is my first post to the list, I'd like to say it's really nice to meet all of you. I was hoping you could help me out. I'm trying to order Fossil Fuel, and I've run into a bit of a snag. I've been talking to one of the local stores, and they'll order it for me, but they need a little more info than I've got. If someone could tell me what XTC's new label is (or if FF is on Virgin), or what the label# of the CD itself is, I'd be very grateful. Also, does anyone know when the limited edition Fossil Fuel is going to be released in the US? Thanks for any help! I also wanted to say that I was thrilled to see The Mommyheads mentioned here! They really are a fantastic band! I've only seen them live once, which is terrible, I know, but I live down in Charleston, SC, and they don't come around here much... but I'm rambling. Sorry. I'll just ad this...you should definitely go see them if you EVER have a chance to. And if you can, get a couple of their CD's. You'll be glad you did. On a similar note, another band you should watch for is Jump, Little Children. They're getting pretty big in this area, and they've been touring around alot lately. If you hear that they'll be in your area, go check them out. They have an incredible set, and their sound is always changing. Thanks again, everyone! Bye! Elisabeth
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199609191712.NAA12630@ngw2.hns.com> From: Fritz Stolzenbach/HNS <Fritz_Stolzenbach@notesgw.hns.com> Date: 19 Sep 96 13:05:15 EDT Subject: From Whence These Demos? Hey, folks! My brother just came back from an extended trip to Japan, where he picked up a couple of XTC demo CDs for me (love that guy!). I had no particular want list, since until now I have never heard any demos other than B-sides, etc., so he picked up whatever was available. In any case, though I have yet to listen to them (they're in the mail -- can't wait), my brother was kind enough to forward me the song titles from each CD. But, since these songs are unknown to me, I wondered if any of you fellow archivists could help me figure out the period when they were written. Some of this information can be easily derived by the release date of those that made it to vinyl, but I'd appreciate any information about those that didn't. Thanks -- a song list follows. DEMO 5 All You Pretty Girls Bought Myself a Liarbird Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her (The Everyday Story of) Smalltown Train Running Low on Soul Coal You're the Wish You Are I Had Reign of Blows (Vote No Violence) 25 O'Clock Bike Ride to the Moon My Love Explodes Spy in Space Jump the Cup Ocean's Daughter Familiar Primal Gawery Aqua Dream DEMO 7 Young Cleopatra Motorcycle Landscape Happy Families Glow Moonlit Drive Broomstick Rhythm Work Ra Ra for Red Rocking Horse Disque Bleu Mopti Fake Little Lighthouse Shaking Skin House Obscene Procession Let's Have Fun Fireball XL5
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Message-Id: <199609191922.MAA23916@sgi.sgi.com>
Date: Thu, 19 Sep 1996 12:21:29 -0700
From: hbmus047@email.csun.edu (Ian Dahlberg)
Subject: Bake This
In #155, Mark Cuevas said:
>"She has escaped from the world where they bake beautiful girls .
>. ." When Holly is riding Poppy she is in her own world, oblivious
>to the nastyness of the cold cruel world we live in.
then Dave Gershman said,
>>"Bake" beautiful girls? Unless that was a typo, I believe the line
>>is "MAKE beautiful girls" and Andy's just imagining there is a
>>world somewhere where beautiful girls come from and she has escaped
>>from that one to ours.
then Simon Knight said,
>>>I've always assumed it was "bake", given his love for alliteration
>>>(most evident on Skylarking and Nonsuch). It also...
Then I say,
I believe it's bake in the sense that, in the world where she
escaped, they make beautiful girls by putting ingredients (sugar, spice,
everything nice) in a pan and baking it. Making via baking; that's how I
interpreted it, anyway. It seems too innocent a song to introduce violent
oven induced torture!
in #158, Amanda wrote:
>On You're My Drug, who in the world is singing????? It doesn't sound like
>any of them at all.
I'm pretty sure that's Andy singing in a funny voice, with
over-dubs, of course.
Something to do before the next Chalkhills,
munch on this "Ladybird" chord: 044400
Bye!
Ian
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01540b00ae67a4da284b@[139.80.126.38]> Date: Fri, 20 Sep 1996 13:34:03 +1200 From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James Dignan) Subject: Re: spit 'em out!/some self promotion pebrantl@mailbox.syr.edu (Paul Brantley) suggested: >Given all the noble and ingenious attempts at deciphering the new demo >lyrics, doesn't this suggest perhaps *one* of the reasons for our group's >lack of popularity? Not only is the lyrical quality unusually dense, not >to mention that the vocals are characteristically mixed as part of the >overall gestalt, and we don't even need to acknowledge their charming >accents -- but they do tend to go for the musical delivery (hear hear) at >the expense of diction clarity -- on the albums as well as the demos. sounds like a good description of Lifes Rich Pageant-era REM to me, and it did them no harm! Oh: and I tried to resist, but I can't! At the risk of being flamed for self-promotion here, I'd like to announce that after a break of several years, I've recorded and released a cassette of my own songs, recorded in glorious low-fi 4-track sound. "Partial Rapture Theory" contains 12 songs in all, so that's about 45 minutes of music, style? Well, it isn't really that XTC-y, which is why I haven't mentioned it here before. Reviews have compared my music the the Chills, the Bats, the Church, Julian Cope and Baby Bird (who is this???). Other influences range from Ed Kuepperto Eno to (dare I say it?) Yes (gah!)). I've never been one to try to hype myself, so I'm not sure that I feel comfortable with any of these comparisons, but I'm pretty pleased with the music. I will say that top Dunedin record seller, critic and all round music person Roy Colbert described it thus: "...this tape is a bewitching listen....an enjoyable and very melodic tape...good on yer james dignan ! " On the vague offchance that any of you might be interested in buying a copy, you can contact me offlist on <james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>. Cost (inclusive of postage) is $NZ12, $A13, $US11 or UK L6.50. James
------------------------------
Message-Id: <199609200226.VAA34403@audumla.students.wisc.edu>
Date: Thu, 19 Sep 1996 21:40:42 -0500
From: "Adam J. Ostermann" <aosterma@students.wisc.edu>
Subject: It's more talk about Falkner....
FIRST:
>From: wiggum@juno.com (Kerry P Hinton)
>There's been a little traffic on Jason Falkner and his new album
>(released late August in the US), and the few posts regarding it have
>been positive.
>
>Well, if you like Falkner, you will also enjoy a new record by Brendan
>Benson. over 1/2 of the songs on "One Mississippi" (on Virgin! Sorry...)
>were co-written with Falkner.
>
>Some can't stand the beauty...
Hmmm....I heard that album, but was not overtly impressed. Boy, that
Falkner kid does the rounds, doesn't he? The Grays, Benson, Eric
Matthews....maybe Jason could write some songs for the Sugarplastic
and totally make that XTC connection stick!
THEN.....
>"Very Best Years" from RoShamBo, the debut (and likely only) album by an
>amazing band called The Grays. The song was written by -- Jason Falkner,
>who played guitar/bass and sang on a number of cuts on the album.
And the other "big name" in the Grays is Jon Brion, who most recently
worked with Aimee Mann, who has more than a few connections to the
boys from Swindon. Boy, the Six Degrees separation thing here is
getting close to incestuous!!!!
For anyone in the know, what WAS the purpose of the Grays? It always
seemed like a one-shot deal to me, or was it supposed to be more, and
those damned "artistic differences" rear their ugly heads?
>Later in the digest, someone mentioned "Artist Unknown," Jason Falkner's
>new solo album, on which he plays _every_ instrument, and displays an
>amazing talent for beautiful pop song craftsmanship. I won't bore you with
>a long-winded song-by-song review, but I do want all Chalkies to know that
>the album is just fantastic, in a Kinks-meet-the-Beatles-meet-10cc-meet-
>the-Buzzcocks kind of way. Please, please, please buy this record (and
>RoShamBo by the Grays, if you can still find it). You will not be
>disappointed (hey -- there's a reason why I mentioned Jason Falkner in
>list of 10 fave composers that made the rounds a few months ago).
YES, YES, YES!!!!!!! Buy this album NOW!!!! If the Sugarplastic
dissapointed you, get this disc, you will not regret it. I've been
listening to it non-stop since I bought it last Sunday, and the writer
above gets the references mostly right, though I'd throw in some XTC
("don't Show Me Heaven") and (gulp) Randy Newman ("before My Heart
Attacks") in the mix. But Jason Falkner is a keeper.
BTW, how do you spell that last name? I assume it's spelled as is on
the album (Falkner) but throughout Eric Matthew's disc the guy throws
a 'u' in the middle of it. Answers?
Sorry for the lack of XTC content, but since I blew all my import cash
on new goodies from Blur and Suede, I'm never gonna add that ammonite
collector's item to my shelf. (droopy face)
But buy Jason Falkner, a collaborator who's FINALLY getting his crack
at the whole spotlight.
>Sorry for the lack of XTC stuff in here...um...lemme think of
>something... oh, yeah, if the band or their management is lurking out
>there, here are a few producers to consider: Jack Joseph Puig, Geoff
>Emerick, or --hey, why not -- Roy Wood.
Yes, Jack Joesph Puig is seconded here...always gets a good Beatlesque
sound. Hmmm....maybe if John Leckie produces, Jim Rondinelli engineers
(he did stuff with Sloan, Lotion and Matthew Sweet among others) and
Puig mixes, we can have that long-awaited Dukes follow-up!!!
But I doubt the boys would have the budget for that. (droopy face) All
right, how about Darren Allison, if the boys are getting into that
baroque thing as threatened? He did a bang-up job on the new Divine
Comedy disc....
Adam J. Ostermann
aosterma@students.wisc.edu
------------------------------ From: JStoffs@aol.com Date: Thu, 19 Sep 1996 22:34:28 -0400 Message-ID: <960919223427_288920292@emout01.mail.aol.com> Subject: Testimonial Dinner Whenever I reach for Testimonial Dinner, it's always to hear "The Man Who...", (which several others on this list have already praised), or my other favorite, "Another Satellite". The reason I'm writing is because I haven't heard anyone else mention this track as being among their favorites on the TD album. The P. Hux version is dramatic, energetic, and inventive, yet still true-to-form. (No, I don't write for a fashion magazine!) Does anyone know anything further about P. Hux? I've checked some major record stores and about all I've found out is that their full name is Parthenon Huxley, which sounds a little bit like a Monty Python character to me. Thanks, Jeff (JStoffs@aol.com)
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 20 Sep 1996 09:35:09 -0700 From: relph (John Relph) Message-Id: <199609201635.JAA03523@mando.engr.sgi.com> Subject: Months of Digestion This disorganized e-mail attempts to respond to various and sundry issues raised in the last batch of unanswered Chalkhills Digests. Sorry. varga@ferndown.ate.slb.com (Stephen Varga) writes: > > The original UK English Settlement CD manufactured >by MPO France was originally released in 1984. This was probably the first >XTC CD to be released along with the Big Express. The first one I ever saw was _The Big Express_. It has a matte light blue background on the label of the CD. I bought it (and two others) as my first CD purchase ever. I didn't have a player at the time. mnaran@village.ios.com (Matt Naranjo) writes, more or less correct: > >To inform Simon Sleightholm of the status of the American CD >"Longbox"--It's pushing up the daisies! About 3 years ago,under a >tremendous amount of pressure from both outside and within the record >industry, the American record companies, more or less, collectively decided >to do away with the 12" high longboxes. Actually, the record companies had little or nothing to do with the decision. Public pressure drove the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) to make a blanket decision stopping the longbox. The record companies had been waffling for too long, and so the RIAA stopped the boxes once and for all. One of the only good things they've done in years. pjmuck@mail.idt.net (Peter McCulloch) asks: > >1. Who's Alan Burston? Why did Andy record a couple of short demos in his >honor? I believe it's Burstyn, and it might be Allen, and I believe he's a DJ >from a Swindon radio station, so Andy recorded a couple of promo blurbs for on-air play. Scott Taylor <staylor@sky.net> asked: > >"Rhino - Photo by: B.C. Kagan" (1 pic) > >Anybody know the scoop? This photo is from the liner notes of the _Teenage Kicks: UK Pop I (1976-79)_ compilation CD which features XTC's "This is Pop?". Jim ZITTEL@aol.com writes: > >Hello. I am looking for the CD by Hiroyasu Yaguchi called "Gastronomic" that >was released in Japan in 1988. Andy Partridge, of course, plays on this CD. I am looking for this CD, too, please. MPadg@aol.com wrote in with Beavis & Butthead on XTC. And I was ROTFL! >Butthead: Yeah, heh heh, Chalkhills is cool. patty@gdb.org (Patty Haley) writes: > >I'm sure I'm not the only XTC fan out there who is also gung-ho on >the Bevis Frond. And you'd be right. My fave: _New River Head_. Ted Harms <tmharms@library.uwaterloo.ca> asks: > >But, I'm wondering if anybody knows if Colin plays with his fingers or a >pick (or plectrum, for our non-N. America readers)? I know this question has been answered before, but I believe the answer is this: "Instead of a pick he prefers a fingernail (home-grown)". That quotation is from an article in the May 1989 issue of _Musician_ magazine. varga@ferndown.ate.slb.com (Stephen Varga), adds: > >4. Poorly punctuated lyrics, lack of capitals and too scared to print >'Coca-Cola on tap' for Life Begins at the Hop. Why was the 'Coca' bit > left out? Actually, the original lyrics as printed in 1979 say "ccc cola". And that's what Colin sings, too. -- John
------------------------------ Message-ID: <D34FD72F01291300@ametsoc.org> Date: Fri, 20 Sep 96 10:50:00 -0500 From: dgershmn <dgershmn@ametsoc.org> Organization: AMS Subject: Loud Family/Sugarplastic review Well, gang, I've got a short concert review for you, not that you asked. Last night (9/19) I went to the Middle East in Cambridge to see the Loud Family, with the Sugarplastic opening. On a 4-band bill, Sugarplastic played second, followed by a pretty lousy band called Swizzle--the Loud Family headlined. Sugarplastic (I'm leaving off "the"...it just sounds a little better to me) played a half-hour set, chock full of songs from their CD. They came off as fairly likable guys, particularly the lead singer (you'll have to pardon my not recalling who's who in the band...I don't have the CD with me at the moment, and I haven't memorized the names), who reminds me somewhat of a young David Byrne (though not as off the wall as DB could be in his younger days). The bassist looked a little too "early Beatle"-like, but certainly had an attention-getting style of playing bass, standing front and center for several bass intros to the songs. Musically? I wasn't blown away, but they were very good...if you like the CD, you'd certainly be pleased. They don't stray far from the way the songs were recorded...they and the songs seem too tightly wound to do that (plus, of course, they're trying to get the uninitiated to hear what the songs sound like so they'll buy the CD). If they're still around in 5-10 years, I'd expect maybe they'd start to mess around with the song structures a bit. They hung around off to the side for a while chatting with fans and whoever, but I didn't take the opportunity to chat - I really didn't have much to say except "good show" or "you're a big topic of discussion on Chalkhills," and I figured they're probably tired of the XTC comments at this point. The Loud Family were fantastic...they played a mix of songs from their 3 albums, naturally leaning more heavily on the latest, "Interbabe Concern." I saw Scott Miller play live back when his band was Game Theory, but, in the 7 years since, he has developed into much more of a performer (and reinforced for me that he is an unheralded pop genius). He was having a great time on stage and was in fine voice and humor throughout the show. The band really let loose on the songs, keeping it tight but fired up throughout (including a great cover of the Pixies' "Debaser"). If you haven't heard anything by the Loud Family, I strongly urge you yet again to go search out their CDs: "Plants and Birds and Rocks and Things," "The Tape of Only Linda," and the aforementioned "Interbabe Concern." You will not be disappointed. They'll certainly help tide you over to the next XTC release (which is not to say they sound like XTC, however). Good listening, Dave Gershman
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #2-159 *******************************
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