Chalkhills Digest Volume 2, Issue 39
Date: Saturday, 25 November 1995
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 2, Number 39
Saturday, 25 November 1995
Today's Topics:
God speak.
Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-33
XTC on TV!!/TBOPP
Re: Nick Drake
What's a "Sunny Jim"? and some other things
Mindless trivia
Over the Edge (Where's the Soap?)
Uh, no XTC stuff, but a good little message nonetheless...
'Beautiful' and the Cockpit
Religion-I've succumbed!
Lizard Music
Act of God / Song Soundalikes
X Smashin' TC
God stuff
Oops, said the 7-letter word. Only twice. Sorry.
Intervallic mapping
Sgt. Pepper Knew My Father -> 1967: Through the Looking Glass
Anti-ism-ism?
cockpits and children
An addition to the XTC CV
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Who's pushing the pedals on the season cycle?
---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: DAMIAN FOULGER <SPXDLF@cardiff.ac.uk> Date: Wed, 22 Nov 1995 09:38:19 GMT Subject: God speak. Okay that's it, the final straw!!!! I'm really rather bored by all this Religious Talk and I'm sure that a lot of other people are too. It makes me angry to see people write their (misguided) opinions about God and Jesus to this list where it shouldn't be, so I propose we put it to the vote; to impose a voluntary ban on all God exists/God doesn't exist type mails. Send me a Yes or No with "God" in the subject line and then I will compile the results when I stop getting replies. As there are over 600 members I expect to get at least 300 to make the vote representative. I have no wish to know peoples leaning on the subject, just a Yes or No to whether we should voluntarily suspend all religious topics (at least for a good while). Please take 1 minute to reply to this. Abstentions are of course accepted. Dames TWD (Life is good in the greenhouse:XTC) (You told me you saw Jesus, but I could only see a tree: Amber)
------------------------------ From: M Wilson <mw25@unix.york.ac.uk> Date: Wed, 22 Nov 1995 16:06:50 +0000 Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-33 > From: Danny <100637.2212@compuserve.com> > Subject: Collideascope > > Surely Collideascope is Andy imitating John Lennon. Check out the nasal > Liverpudlian accent. I think it's a pastiche of `I'm Only Sleeping' off the BTL's `Revolver' LP. Certainly the best John Lennon impression I've heard. > From: "Burgess, Christopher (msx)" <BURGESSC@linelnt1.light.GE.com> > Subject: RE: birthday > > >Also, MTV had a blurb saying 11-11-42 was Andy's birthday. Happy > >birthday! (unless, of course, they screwed up their research...) > > Hmm . . if Andy was born in 1942, he would be 53. Why do I have my > doubts about this? If it's true, maybe he should join the Stones. Should it be 11/11/52? Andy is about 43. Check the inner sleeve of `Nonesvch' all the lad's ages at the time were printed on the photos. Martin.
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Nov 1995 16:15:25 +0000 (GMT) From: Kevin Donnelly <kevin.donnelly@st-hughs.oxford.ac.uk> Subject: XTC on TV!!/TBOPP Odd places to hear XTC: Pebble Mill at One, April 1992. There I was, just innocently eating ssome sandwiches and waiting to see if Robert Alton Harris was going to go to the gas chamber after all,when suddenly Judi Spiers says:"From the band that bought you Senses Working Overtime, here's XTC with their new single, The Disappointed." which was odd, because on the whole I don't watch Pebble Mill and it constitutes the only time I've seen the boys live on TV. It was good nevertheless. This is getting a bit specialist but XTC made an impromptu appearance on DJ Heaven, broadcast on BBC2 a couple of years ago in which they're seen "playing" Sgt Rock from Top of the Pops in 1981. Well, it's one of the oddest "straight" performances I've ever seen. Andy P is quite obviously taking the **** because his mouth movements only vaguely resemble the words and Terry Chambers (of blessed memory) makes no attempt at all to actually play the drums! It's still better than Bucks fizz circa 1981 I suppose. Aaaargghh!! And the trouble I had at school earlier this year trying to persuade people that The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead was NOT written by the supergroup Crash Test Dummies, but by a little known British outfit called XTC! People thought I was lying! and I can see hear smell touch taste Kevin "Roy Wood" D.
------------------------------ Date: 22 Nov 95 15:51:16 EST From: KM <76711.753@compuserve.com> Subject: Re: Nick Drake >>I'm sorry to bother you all about a non-XTC subject, but yesterday I >>was looking thru some old digests, looking for something else, when I >>found a reference to a Nick Drake tribute album. Nick Drake is my >>musical hero. I tried emailing the person who posted the message (a >>Mr. CrowsPants), but he was an AOLer who has seemingly gone >>AWOL. Anyway, if anyone has any information whatsoever about said Nick >>Drake tribute album, please email me. >>Thanks, >>Jon Eva Jon and all, I never left, I'm just Lurking Lurking. Jon, I'm off of AOL (wasn't worth the money) but the Nick Drake tribute CD is _Brittle Days: A Tribute To Nick Drake_ and it's on Imaginary Records (ILLCD 026). It's worth searching for. Your post brought back memories of a hot August twilight on a rooftop in NYC, with wine, friends and Nick on the boombox. Sheer bliss. Here in L.A., it's just not the same. To whomever posted the imaginary list of Martin Newell song titles, kudos. I haven't grinned so much since Bob Sherwood's Alehouse experience. Well done! For what it's worth, I love everything about Testimonial Dinner, particularly Ruben Blades, Sarah McLachlan and, of course, COLIN!!! I listen to The Good Things everyday before leaving for work; it helps take the sting away. Hoping for a new XTC release before the inevitable but tardy moment of my death, Ken
------------------------------ From: XDEVANS@CCVAX.FULLERTON.EDU Date: Wed, 22 Nov 1995 14:33:56 -0800 (PST) Subject: What's a "Sunny Jim"? and some other things The exact Monty Python quote that was bandied about a couple of issues ago reads, "I've always said, there's nothing an agnostic can't do if he really doesn't know whether he believes in anything or not." It can be found on the "Bells" segment of their _Contractual Obligation Album_. It's a pretty funny quote, especially for an agnostic like me. Speaking of agnostism, to W. Douglas (I forget your last name, but your middle one is the same as my first, so it stuck): You were a tad harsh in your response to Rob from issue 2-37. I don't agree with him either but I like the way he phrased what he said. You tell him to save his message for Sunday School--who's the one with a closed mind? There's room enough for all on this list, which is the way it should be. I'd kinda like to think Andy P. et al. would agree. Speaking of the Beatles, which we weren't, really, I heard "Free as a Bird" today on the radio. I'd like to see something like "The Good Things" get that kind of publicity (it's coming after a long absence, after all, and is something of a better song), but who am I fooling. And speaking of Sunny Jim, which I did in the subject line and Andy does in "1000 Umbrellas": who or what is Sunny Jim? I've spent 9 years thinking it's some English children's book character I've never heard of but I could be wrong. Maybe it's just another name for ol' man sun himself. Thanks all! Doug
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Nov 1995 22:40:17 +0000 From: fisher@easynet.co.uk (Mark Fisher) Subject: Mindless trivia Mindless trivia freaks will be intrigued to see the name of The Guardian newspaper's new web site. It's http://go2.guardian.co.uk Mark Fisher (fisher@easynet.co,uk)
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 22 Nov 1995 15:54:06 -0800
From: relph (John Relph)
Subject: Over the Edge (Where's the Soap?)
Some time ago, Gregory Silvus <silvus@lumina.ece.cmu.edu> wrote:
>
>I'm still trying to catch up on my Chalkhills reading,
Yeah, no kidding. So here is my attempt to catch up.
jd.mack@neteast.com (JD MACK) opined:
>
> As far as "Dear God"
>goes, Andy may think what he likes, and he certainly has the right to
>express it to the world, but I have have my own values, and I will not
>listen to a song that I consider as offensive as the fictious song I
>described.
"Dear God" says that if there is in fact a God in Heaven (although
those terms are already so loaded with cultural overtones as to be
nearly meaningless), that God is not the God about whom the Bible was
written. The God in the Bible doesn't exist. A divine power may
indeed exist, but that power is not the Judeo-christian God as we know Him.
And if you listen to Andy's lyrics, the god he believes in is the
power for good that is within us all. As I pointed out before:
Everybody says join our religion get to Heaven
I say no thanks why bless my soul
I'm already there!
Every individual can make this world a heaven or hell for his or
herself. It's your choice.
Christie Byun <cbyun@ocf.Berkeley.EDU> asks:
>
>I always assumed that This World Over was a political song. But with all
>the religious talk tossing around, I'm wondering--especially because of
>the lines that go: "...and how a child to the Virgin came...etc...so we
>can stand right up and say we did it in his name." Is Andy referring to
>a generic political figure, or God (like a religious war, bringing
>Christianity to the heathens)?
It is both. In the modern world, as you well know, religion and
politics are closely intertwined. In the hypothetical future of "This
World Over", there was a global thermonuclear war, and it was caused
by a combination of cold war arms race and religious extremists. Here
is a simple interpretation of the verse in question:
Will you tell them about that far off and mythical land
And how a child to the virgin came?
Will you tell them that the reason why we murdered
Everything upon the surface of the world
So we can stand right up and say we did it in his name?
In "This World Over", `that far off and mythical land' is the land in
the Bible, one of the greatest symbolic fairytales ever written. A
land where a virgin gets pregnant and gives birth to a god. The war
which destroyed the planet was fought because we were fighting for
that child, that god. A modern Crusades.
Mark Rushton <rushton@primenet.com> brags:
>
>As for the ongoing "Dear God" babble: When I bought "Skylarking" on
>cassette in 1986 it didn't have "Dear God" on it. Still have the cassette.
>Still doesn't have "Dear God" on it! Ha ha ha ha!!!!!!
I still prefer the original running order of _Skylarking_. Although I
think "Dear God" is a good song, I also think that it does not belong
on _Skylarking_. The remainder of the album is nearly apolitical,
"Dear God" just doesn't fit in. And I hate the segue between "Dear
God" and "Dying", it's badly edited. "Dear God" should always fade to
black; "Dying" should always start from cold silence.
BARBER@emuvax.emich.edu asks:
>
>can anyone please send me a list of recordings that Andy
>appears on. Also, doesn't Colin have a side project/band (that hermit
>thing) or is that Dave, or what. Please educate.
All of this information can be found in the XTC Discography, available
through the miracle of the World Wide Web at:
http://reality.sgi.com/employees/relph/chalkhills/
The list of recordings on which Andy appears is too long for me to
take the time to compile it. However, you asked about Colin's
Hermits. That's Dave Gregory, at home on his four-track, with Andy
Partridge on vocals.
Vzzzbx <h8hc035@wilbur.mbark.swin.oz.au> writes:
>
>I ordered in the Dukes's 'Chips...' CD from the UK a few weeks ago, and I
The UK version is much better than the USA CD; the UK version features
color pictures in the booklet!
Eagle-eye Timothy Chi Him Chan <uu023@freenet.victoria.bc.ca> notices:
>
>Also,
>I found this in GUITAR WORLD's Dec. 1995 issue in an interview
>with Julianna Hatfield:
>"In high school there were the Big Three: the Replacements, REM,
>and XTC. Those were the three bands that made me realize,
>'I have to do this, too!'"
Good reason to put Juliana on _Testimonial Dessert_.
richard.pedrettiallen@octel.com (Richard Pedretti-Allen) writes:
>
> I notice XTC listed in the Spirit of the Forest lineup (I've highlighted
> their name with **). I've never heard or seen this mentioned on
> Chalkhills... anybody got any details?
It's in the discography!
Oh yeah, on that "Future Producers" thread, I have but one name to put
forth: John Leckie. Excellent work on Radiohead's latest, _The
Bends_. But then again, perhaps David Yazbek could do it, too.
7IHd <ee92pmh@brunel.ac.uk> writes:
>
># From: Laura Parent <laura@geosun1.sjsu.edu>
># I don't like ANYTHING on Big Express?
>
>Listen to it every day for 6 months. Then you'll understand.
I loved it the first time I played it. Then I listened to it every
day for six months. Still love it. I just don't listen to it all
that often any more.
fisher@easynet.co.uk (Mark Fisher)
>
>I'm intrigued to know how Laura Parent reckons Down in the Cockpit - a song
>that is explicitly about men's inadequacy and women's competence - can be
>classified as sexist.
Well put! I have found that most of Andy's songs which seem sexist at
a glance ("Down in the Cockpit", "All You Pretty Girls", "Sgt. Rock")
are tongue-in-cheek or facetious.
Tim RUSSELL" <T.R.Russell@newcastle.ac.uk> writes:
>
>As I'm fairly new, could someone please put me straight on the
>following issues:
>
>1. What is "muzak"?
That's Muzak(tm). It's not just a type of music, it's an entire music
programming and distribution system. The idea is to increase
productivity by programming specific styles and speeds of music at
different times of the day: quieter songs in the morning, faster
louder songs in the early afternoon to keep people from falling asleep
after lunch, etc. A mood controller.
>2. Is "Demos 6" an album?
It's a bootleg, an unauthorized release. Taken from cassette demo tapes.
>3. Is "Testimonial Dinner" an album?
It's an official compilation album of XTC songs performed by other
artists, intended as a tribute.
>4. Is "Chip-Choc Fireball" available on CD? - If so, where can I get
> hold of a copy?
The Dukes of Stratosphear:_Chips From the Chocolate Fireball: An
Anthology_ is in fact ONLY available on CD. If you want vinyl you
have to buy _Psonic Psunspot_ and _25 O'Clock_ separately. The CD is
(or was) available in the USA, the UK, and Japan. Possibly out of
print at this time.
>5. Have XTC ever made a video compilation?
Yes. _Look Look: A Video Compilation_ was a collection of promotional
videos from 1977 to 1982 with a bit of interview.
>6. What is the likelihood of ever being able to see them live?
Nil. Except on videotape.
Gene_Yoon@brown.edu writes:
>
>Combustible Edison look and act like a 50's lounge act from a parallel
>universe, complete with organ, vibraphone, glittery Fender electric guitar,
>upright bass, color-coordinated silk suits.
Three members of Combustible Edison were previously in a band called
Christmas, whose album _Ultraprophets of Thee Psychick Revolution_
comes warmly recommended. If you can find it. Hard pop, not swinging
at all. Including one song with lyrics by Ernest Noyes Brookings
(lyricist of "Rocket", to which Andy put music).
Ciao.
-- John
--
Chance favors the prepared mind.
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Nov 1995 17:02:13 -0700 (MST) From: Big Earl Sellar <splitred@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca> Subject: Uh, no XTC stuff, but a good little message nonetheless... Howdy! After going on and on about listening to some pop group of the 60's, Algae99@aol.com confusingly mused: > Did the 3 Wise Men do a track on "Sgt. Pepper Knew My Father"? I have only > seen it once about 800 years ago, but at the time I was not memorizing > artists. Someone told me that they did have a track on it. The THREE WIZE MEN do the initial theme and the reprise. ^^^^ Actually, the album is pretty well dross, but it was for charity. I think I've listened to mine once - fav track was Frank Sidebottom totally deconstructing BFTBOMK. (Whatever happened to him anyhoo?) Later... EEEEEEE Big Earl Sellar - splitred@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca EE "Prisonyard stares and fleur-di-lis tatoos EEEE Cannibals are saving all their bones for soup EE Eating with my fingers and sucking hulls of ships EEEEEE My parasite don't deserve no better than this." - The Hip ***** REPEAL BILL C-7 NOW; GOVERN CANADA THROUGH OPEN DEBATE, NOT FOREIGN INFLUENCE; WHY FEAR A PLANT? *****
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Nov 95 00:12:57 UT
From: "Kristan Fackler" <KristanF@msn.com>
Subject: 'Beautiful' and the Cockpit
I have to disagree with John Christensen about Smashing Pumpkin's
'Beautiful'... This song does not even *remotely* remind me of XTC; in
fact I think the song (and the new Smashing Pumpkin album as a whole) is
one of the worst pieces of musicianship they've ever produced. Its sort of
sad to see how much they've degenerated.
On a more XTC related topic, I have to throw in my $0.02 on Down In The
Cockpit. As a former women's studies major (my current school does not
offer this major) I don't think this song is sexist in the least (IMHO, of
course). I believe Andy is describing a potential future world in women
have taken over in order to improve the world. ("the girl tribe are
growing up and filling the world full with a new soul. to get so far they
payed a high toll....") In order to survive, women have isolated
themselves from men ("oh! look what is this creature down in this hole?
well, my daughter, this strange being was once abundant upon this
earth....some say they were called 'men' " ) I think it is also important
to note that Andy says "try not to make they same mistakes as man has done
or you'll fall in that hole and you will see us changing our role." which
I believe also eliminates the possibility that this song is sexist towards
men, as women must also be wary of oppressing men in the same way that men
have oppressed women. To me, the most important message in this song is
that man needs woman to help him realize his mistakes, so neither man nor
woman will be down in the cockpit. ("man needs the woman to pull him right
out of it..." and "he's needing your milk of kindness") This song made me
such a firm believer that Andy was *not* sexist that I was able to listen
to other songs like Sgt. Rock and All You Pretty Girls and see them as
sarcastic. Besides, XTC is too intelligent a band to be sexist...again
IMHO.
One last thing... When trying to convert a friend of mine to XTC, I first
loaned him Skylarking, which he loved. But then, when I loaned him Oranges
and Lemons, he gave me the tape back the very next day and told me he
couldn't believe how offensive XTC was!! Naturally I was shocked & asked
him what he had found so offensive & he said it was Pink Thing. Now, I
always thought it was a lighthearted song about sexuality. I've never
discused this song with other XTC fans, so I was wondering if there are XTC
fans who find this song offensive, or if my friend was overreacting. Just
curious.
Kristan
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Nov 1995 23:16:20 +0000 (GMT) From: Kevin Donnelly <kevin.donnelly@st-hughs.oxford.ac.uk> Subject: Religion-I've succumbed! Well at least we now know the truth-that religious beliefs are indeed "insults" to those without.And it is also clear that those who reject Christianity out of hand are _indeed_ much more open minded than those who believe. Don't we have any respect for anyone else's beliefs anymore? Must we pick them apart piece by piece until people agree with ourselves? C'mon guys, let's be a bit more mature about this. Whatever Andy P meant with Dear God that is his opinion and others are entitled to theirs. At least that's what I thought. I must have been wrong. Yes I think i can see people in uniforms and jackboots marching this way... Kevin
------------------------------ From: 7IHd <ee92pmh@brunel.ac.uk> Subject: Lizard Music Date: Thu, 23 Nov 1995 00:49:12 +0000 (GMT) Apparently there is a band called Lizard Music. Apparently they have an album out called 'Fashionably Lame'. Apparently it is released by World Domination, that's the label Dave Allen (ex-Shriekback) owns, so I checked my WD sampler CDs and sure enough, there they were, with a track from said album which I confess I don't like much. But still, someone decided this album was worthy of a review in our Stident Union magazine, and from said review, I quote: "Credited for thanks on the sleeve are Dave Gregory, Colin Moulding and Andy Partridge of XTC whose early work was also obviously an influence." On the basis of the one track I've heard, I can't honestly see it, but there you go. Does anyone know anything about this album, for example does anyone know whether XTC were actually involved, or is this just a bit of casual acknowledgement of influence / name dropping? All for now, Phil _ |_)|_ *| | | )|| http://http2.brunel.ac.uk:8080/~ee92pmh/ ========
------------------------------ Date: 22 Nov 95 20:44:38 EST From: Danny <100637.2212@compuserve.com> Subject: Act of God / Song Soundalikes Enough theology already. But... ...there's one tiny little detail on Skylarking which has always bugged me, and that is the curious high-pitched tinkling sound at the start of the middle section. It's on both my vinyl and CD copies. Funnily enough it happens over the words "I really get confused on who would make all this". A sign?? An act of God?? Nah, probably just a studio glitch that got missed or couldn't be fixed. Still, funny to find a flaw like that on what is one of XTC's most smoothly-produced albums. On the topic of song soundalikes, the first few notes of "Disque Bleu" are a straight lift (albeit unconscious I'm sure) from The B*****s "For No One". Plus, the Frenchified atmosphere and the chord change near the end of the chorus are strongly reminiscent of "Michelle". But maybe that's why it never made it beyond a demo.
------------------------------ From: BugRoom@aol.com Date: Wed, 22 Nov 1995 21:25:33 -0500 Subject: X Smashin' TC John Christensen wrote: ---> "There may not be many Smashing Pumpkin fans on this list, but did anyone else notice that a few songs on Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness sound very XTC?" <--- Three words: "Take Me Down"! The artwork booklet is _very_ XTC-ish. Psychedelic verging on Dukes' artwork also. Art Direction and design by Frank Olinsky and Billy Corgan. Hmm... perhaps Billy's a fan. Bug ps - I heard from the grapevine that while The Verve Pipe were mixing their new album in New York, they got a li'l visit from... God!! (um, I mean Andy Partridge!!!). How better could a mixing session get? Wonder if Andy touched the board. I'm sure he did spiritually anyway!
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Nov 1995 20:20:52 -0600 From: acraine@interaccess.com (Anthony G. Craine) Subject: God stuff Straying a bit, but I couldn't hold back any longer... robert.cowart@cbn.org wrote: >I find great comfort that Andy is brave enough to mention "the topic" >rather than ignore it. He must feel that Jesus is the right to one to >complain to -- it seems to be a continuing theme of his. He doesn't whine >to Buddha or Krishna nearly as much. At least he has God's "handle" >correct. I would guess that this is because Andy's own cultural environment was much more informed by Christian ideology than the ideology of Buddhism, Hinduism, Shintoism or any other ism. He "whines" to the deity with which he is most familiar. No big mystery there. My own theory is that he could just write songs about human misery, but that wouldn't get the attention of the faithful. If he writes about human misery *and* juxtaposes it with the Creator, it gets people to discussing and, perhaps, questioning their faith -- never a bad thing, no matter how the questions end up being answered. He could be wrong about the non-existence of God, but he's willing to engage in the debate while including God and Jesus -- i.e., from a Christian perspective; I have met very few Christians willing to engage in the debate, even for a short while, from an atheist perspective. And... "RUSSELL" <T.R.Russell@newcastle.ac.uk> wrote: >I'm afraid that the existence of Jesus of Nazareth is a historical >fact. (Various bits of information from the Bible are cited here and presented as facts.) >Basically, any intelligent historian would say that the existence of >Jesus was, by no means, a fairy tale. >The Bible is used by many historians as an important source of information >and is regarded by many of them to be an indispensable window on the >social, economic, political and religious aspects of the time. The same can be said of the Sunday Times. And in 2,000 years, after numerous translations, the Sunday Times could be picked up and read by intelligent historians who in turn would write page after page about the great religious figures of the day: Brian Lara, Michael Jordan, Manchester United. Facts do not exist in a vacuum. Facts are only facts because we are told they are facts. They are highly subjective, no matter when they are recorded or by whom.
------------------------------ From: BugRoom@aol.com Date: Wed, 22 Nov 1995 21:30:54 -0500 Subject: Oops, said the 7-letter word. Only twice. Sorry. ---> "Anyone but Jeff Lynne! I was very disappointed to hear he produced the new B****es' material!" <--- Did he really? I heard "Free Like A Bird" on the radio. I thought it had that "Travelling Willbury" sound (whom I don't really mind). What really cheeses me off about all this is that it's an OLD John Lennon DEMO. NOT a new Beatles song!! All doctor-ed up with added "stuff". I don't mind, very much, that this happened... I just get weary of DJ's treating this like it's supposed to be the 'new Beatles single'. They all get down on it because it's not the next "Hey Jude". Whaddaya expect? I personally think the whole thing is SILLY. Very embarrassing. Oops... is this the XTC list? (ha). Let me try to tie this in here. Okay... got it. My ultimate TD request would be for John Lennon to do "Books Are Burning". It already sounds like a JL song. Guess that one can't be done. Darn, Bug
------------------------------ From: MiKearns@aol.com Date: Thu, 23 Nov 1995 00:35:42 -0500 Subject: Intervallic mapping YES... the music is certainly worth more study! I'm much more at home with this concept than with lyrical analysis. To whoever suggested intervals and math: I have nothing currently to offer in specifics, but I'll explore and Email you or post here if it seems relevant. In the meantime Chalkhillians, How about 'tone painting'? That's where a melodic (harmonic, timbral, etc.) device suggests (or is perhaps suggested by) a _simultaneous_ lyrical phrase. For example: 1) "Omnibus": the sound of brakes hissing when they sing Omnibussssssssss. 2) "That Wave": "I flew down to the bottom of the sea" - the melodic line descends the scale, and makes a steep glissando on the word sea. 3) "Down in the cockpit" (descending line) "... to pull him right out of it" (notes on "pull" and "out" are approached by leap.) 4) "Peter Pumpkinhead": "...slur his name" (phrasing reflects slurred speech) Caution: Though evocative and noteworthy, sound effects in instrumental sections (e.g., the wintry intro to "Snowman") don't really count as tone painting, nor do constant textural activity (e.g., the chopping rhythm guitars throughout "Helicopter") as they are not synchronized with a specific lyric. I'm sure there are more I have missed, or haven't heard yet. Any ideas? (We can always move on to other things)
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 23 Nov 1995 03:48:35 -0800 From: Michael Travis <JSMDT@acad1.alaska.edu> Subject: Sgt. Pepper Knew My Father -> 1967: Through the Looking Glass Algae99@aol.com wrote: > Did the 3 Wise Men do a track on "Sgt. Pepper Knew My Father"? I have only > seen it once about 800 years ago, but at the time I was not memorizing > artists. Someone told me that they did have a track on it. Nope. (I have this album.) I wish they had. There is a cover of Strawberry Fields Forever by "Colin's Hermits" on a disc titled _1967: Through the Looking Glass_. I've been trying to get that CD for a year now - checked my local store's import catalog, looked through many shops while on holiday in Portland, and even had my girlfriend search for it when she went to London. (She did pick up _Drums & Wireless_, which I couldn't get locally.) If anyone could help me obtain that CD (new or used), I'd be very ecstatic. Email me. --- jsmdt@acad1.alaska.edu (Michael Travis)
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 23 Nov 1995 12:22:37 +0500 (EST) From: Slackman <tgs@telerama.lm.com> Subject: Anti-ism-ism? Hi All, Since we're doing so much theorizing about the intent behind the lyrics of XTC songs, I thought I'd drag up a recurring theme that I find a bit curious. In songs like Mayor of Simpleton and My Bird Peforms, they seem to want to make a point of disdaining intellectual pursuits. Yet, XTC consistently produces some of the most intelligent and thought provoking lyrics in popular music. I mean, I'm fairly well educated, yet I often find myself pulling out the dictionary to look up a word from an XTC song (e.g. "frydgian"). So why the anti-intellectual stance? Perhaps its more of a general disdain for institutions and the trappings of those who claim to represent their ideals. In a similar fashion, Andy shows digust at some of the atrocities performed under the guise of organized religion, while at the same time exhibiting an obvious spiritual yearing by even discussing the subject. Maybe he's just met too many intellectual blowhards who flaunt their education without displaying any real capability for delving into the important subjects. Just a thought. TS
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 24 Nov 1995 15:49:41 +1200 From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James Dignan) Subject: cockpits and children yet another meaningless comment about the "Down in the Cockpit" debate, following the train of thought that "down in the cockpit" could refer to a crashed pilot. Andy has occasionally used nautical imagery (e.g., All You Pretty Girls) - in times past when a person was "in the cockpit" they were wounded in battle. The cockpit was the cabin of a fighting ship (especially a man-o-war, ironically) where the wounded were tended. It is also the name given to the arena used in the ancient and brutal sport of cock fighting, and was the name of a prominent theatre in London in Shakespearean times, although I don't really think either of these two things has much relevance to the song. Just in case someone out there wanted to know... James
------------------------------ From: Martin Bell/New Zealand/IDG Net <Martin_Bell/New_Zealand/IDG_Net@idg.com> Date: 24 Nov 95 16:56:15 Subject: An addition to the XTC CV Hiya Chalkhillians, As a long time XTC fan, but recent Chalkhill subscriber (about a week now), I thought I'd share a strange XTC-related coincidence with you. I was visiting a graphic artist friend of mine yesterday and noticed on his desk a work in progress - cover artwork for the new "Chills" single (A New Zealand band of some critical repute, but few sales). As I scanned down the credits list I noticed that Dave Gregory was credited with bass and one-time XTC and Fairport Convention member Dave Mattacks with drums. This single is the first from a new album which apparently features DG and DM extensively, as well as Colin Moulding (I think).Interestingly lead Chill Martin Phillipps had to use session musicians for the new album when the rest of his band were refused entry Visa's to the UK and put on the first flight back to NZ. For those of you familiar with the band, it's just another sorry chapter in "the curse of the Chills", although with such able replacements, this particular cloud may well prove to have a silver lining... ************************************ Martin_Bell@idg.com P.O. Box 6813 Wellesley St Auckland, New Zealand ph 64-9-377 9902 fax 64-9-377 4604 ************************************ A quote? Hmmm...how about "you made a fool of me and physics"
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #2-39 ******************************
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