Chalkhills Digest Volume 2, Issue 5
Date: Friday, 29 September 1995
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 2, Number 5
Friday, 29 September 1995
Today's Topics:
Re: live music
apologies for a very short crosspost
Some other funk and pop to roll
Hello CD
Re: Chocolate Fireball stuff
XTC and Childrens Music
Testimonial Dinner
Blur
Tribute Choices
re confessions of a pop junkie
Super Tuffs
Funk Pop A Roll Beats Up My Soul
Psychedelic Albums
Collideascope
Virgin: XTC/Bowie alliance?
Dukes influences
Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-4
sundry topics. Songs to cover, welcome, Choccychip albums...
Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-4
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 26 Sep 1995 23:45:14 -0400 From: Kevin Guffey <lguffey@roanoke.infi.net> Subject: Re: live music On or about Mon, 7 Aug 1995 at 18:02:18 -0600 (MDT), Big Earl Sellar <splitred@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca> responded to a thread already in progress thusly: > >"unlike, let's say, the B******s, those studio gimmicks XTC uses are >primarily run-of-the-mill synth and electric effects units. Live, they'd >need a keyboard player and a drummer, but that's it. Plus, if you look at >bands like Pink Floyd or the Stones, they've always toured with extra >musicians and no one complains...." Then Jeffrey <jenor@csd.uwm.edu> bellowed forth: >I beg to differ on both points. Orchestras, multiply overdubbed guitar >parts, etc. are not "primarily run-of-the-mill synth and electric effects >units." As to no one complaining about Floyd & the Stones touring with >extra musicians--in every case I can think of, you start touring with >hordes of hired studio guns so you can "reproduce" the record live and >it's the kiss of death. I'm sure someone will disagree, but Floyd and the >Stones haven't produced truly gut-wrenchingly relevant music for at least >a decade. I would say you'd probably run into more people who dislike Pink Floyd touring with a bunch of extra people than who do like it. In face, the drummer for Floyd said that they thought it was a mistake, just kind of happened on the last tour and almost certainly will not happen on the next one. Obviously someone like XTC would need some extra people. When I saw the Indigo Girls, they had a little string section and I think that would work very well for XTC. I don't know about extra guitarist or drummers or whatever, though. I personally see nothing too wrong with wanting to reproduce the studio sound in concert. For some bands I go see, I want to hear the songs I know and love in a live setting and when they take them and change them all around, I get disappointed. But some bands, I also expect them to play with the songs some. Especially if they've been playing them live for 20-30 years, I can see the performers being tired of playing them the same way every time. If XTC was to somehow, someway tour, I'd want to hear "faithful reproductions" in a live setting just because touring's not something they do often, or ever. Likewise for Alan Parsons or Steely Dan. As for the statement about Floyd and recent, relevant, gut-wrenching music, I do take an EXTREME exception to that, didn't see where it had any relevance to the topic and think that Jeffrey (with two f's) is WAY off base. I'll save the list from any ranting about that, though. __/\__ Kevin Guffey All that we see or seem \ / lguffey@roanoke.infi.net is but a dream within a dream |/\| - E. A. Poe
------------------------------ From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz Date: Wed, 27 Sep 1995 17:42:35 +1100 Subject: apologies for a very short crosspost If any of you wrote to me personally a week or so back and haven't got a reply, it's because I never got the mail. The link went pearshaped over the weekend and oodles of mail got lost - any chance of resending it, please??? James
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 27 Sep 1995 01:57:24 -0500 From: st004422@brownvm.brown.edu (Gene "Sp00n" Yoon) Subject: Some other funk and pop to roll So a new release from XTC is out of the question this year. In the meantime, you can chew on the new BLUR album, "The Great Escape". Still with their XTCness, "Escape" sounds like a winner, though I need a few more listens to really appreciate the new songs. With my new CD I got a listing of current upcoming releases some fellow X-tatics might be interested in, so I thought I'd share: Sept. 26 heralded COCTEAU TWINS "Twinlights". CT are my favorite "atmospheric pop" group. No need to think about lyrics, since Elizabeth Frasier doesn't sing real words! Sometimes that's therapeutic, such as after an XTC overload. LISA LOEB and Nine Stories (of "Stay" fame and a fellow Brunonian) has "Tails". Any CLANNAD fans out there? Check out the new "Lore". DAVID BOWIE has a new album, "Outside". Friends of mine just saw him in concert where he did mostly his new material, and they say he's going in yet another musical direction, departing from his Tin Machine sound. The perennial MEAT PUPPETS have "No Joke" coming on Oct 3. October 10 sees our overripe Canadian friends in BARENAKED LADIES with "Born On A Pirate Ship". When they're not annoying, they're very talented. TEARS FOR FEARS (which is really just Roland by himself now--he seems to have the same complex as Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders) has "Raoul & the King of Spain". Also on the tenth, kd lang is releasing another Ben Mink collaboration, "All You Can Eat". TRACY CHAPMAN is embarking on a "New Beginning". BEAUTIFUL SOUTH has a "Best" album coming. INDIGO GIRLS, FLEETWOOD MAC, GREATFUL DEAD, and BASIA all have new stuff too, if you're into them. Wow. This is going to be a painful month (or a delightful one, depending on your point of view) for music expenditures, with or without XTC!! Gene
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 27 Sep 1995 01:19:16 -0500 (CDT) From: Sara Lloyd <sol3804@tam2000.tamu.edu> Subject: Hello CD > From: ZITTEL@aol.com > > And on a less interesting note, I recently found a promotional CD called 'A > Hello CD of the Month Club sampler' (HEL-1994). It includes one song from > each of the Hello releases from 1993 and 1994. It contains the Andy song > (Some Lovely) My Brown Guitar from his disc. As a Hello member, I can affirm that They put out a CD by Andy Partridge which included the songs "Prince of Orange", "It's Snowing Angels", "Candymine", and "Some Lovely (My Brown Guitar)". It's a very good CD and I think I remember that They promoted it by saying these songs were ones that were from the Bubblegum Album. sara
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 27 Sep 1995 07:32:24 -0400 From: ChrisMezzo@aol.com Subject: Re: Chocolate Fireball stuff In a message dated 95-09-26 20:06:34 EDT, twas written: >Of course, there are *tons* of other bands (the Nice, Nazz, >Blues Magoos, etc) that have added their own bit of trippiness to the >psychedelic stew. Please please please wait a tic before flaming.... The Bee Gees. That's right, the Bee Gees. Thanks to cheepo CD reissues I've been re-enjoying their 1st (US) LP "Bee Gees 1st", and was really surprised to hear alongside "To Love Somebody", "Holiday", etc. such trippy stuff as "Red Chair Fade Away", a freaky kind of rock waltz replete with mellotron flutes and a great melody, and "In My Own Time", clearly influenced by "Taxman", in fact (?) Gibb sings it quite like George... so there we is... C Mezzolesta
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 27 Sep 1995 08:13:56 -0400 (EDT) From: John Pitre <pitrej@candu.aecl.ca> Subject: XTC and Childrens Music I dont know if this has come up as a thread yet (although on the basis of volume on this list i assume it must have) As I was listening to rag and bone buffet last night it occurred to me how much of xtc's music could broadly be considered childrens music, and how much of it relates to children. Not childrens music in terms of nursery rhymes (although they use a LOT of these as chunks of lyrics), but in terms of their music seems to involve speaking from a childs point of view, or speaking to a child. XTC songs are just loaded with images from childhood and that are familiar to children. Also, i was struck by how many of their hooks are 'kid hooks'. As an example the 1-2-3-4-5 from senses working overtime, or hooray for peter pumpkinhead. As i was listening to a few other xtc songs i was continually struck by this. Virtually all of their music seemed to be constructed out of material from childhood, while still looking at things as an adult. /------------------------------------------------------------------------\ | John Pitre | | | AECL-Candu, Sheridan Park | Waitasecond! Smells like...ambush! | | (905) 823-9060 x4666 | | | pitrej@bohr.candu.aecl.ca | | \------------------------------------------------------------------------/
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 27 Sep 1995 06:17:49 -0700 From: martucci@ix.netcom.com (Dean Martucci) Subject: Testimonial Dinner Mark Ruston writes: >I'm surprised that there aren't more leaks with regard to the new album/label. As the digest was on a brief hiatus, maybe the following info is not completely common knowledge yet. If it is, apologies for redundancy; I'll be synchronized in a chalkhillian sort of way someday... >From September's ICE: Testimonial Dinner, Conceived and compiled by David Yazbek Includes: Sarah McLachlan "Dear God" Joe Jackson "Statue Of Liberty" Freedy Johnston "Earn Enough For Us" Crash Test Dummies "All You Pretty Girls" (refrain MMM, MMM,...kidding!) The Rembrandts "Making Plans For Nigel" They Might Be Giants "25 O'Clock" Ruben Blades "The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul" P. Hux "Another Satellite" Verve Pipe "Wake Up" Space Hog "Senses Working Overtime" Terry & The Lovemen "The Good Things" (I think it's them..., well, hope it's them...) No news as to whether the mid October release date is still definite or not. Does anyone know anything about P. Hux, Verve Pipe, or Space Hog? Never heard of them, but they must be over the hill '70s glam rock outfits (what is *wrong* with me today?). Thanks, Dean ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dean Martucci martucci@ix.netcom.com San Mateo, CA USA "A different kind of tinsel decorates my tree" XTC ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
------------------------------ From: ee92pmh@brunel.ac.uk Subject: Blur Date: Wed, 27 Sep 1995 14:16:50 +0100 (BST) So I don't know if 'The Great Escape' is out in the USA yet, but for those of you in the UK or wherever or who have got it, answer me this: Is Blur turning into XTC? _ |_)|_ *| | | )|| http://http2.brunel.ac.uk:8080/~ee92pmh/ ========
------------------------------ From: "Thomas G. Slack" <TSLACK@PGH.LEGENT.COM> Subject: Tribute Choices Date: Wed, 27 Sep 95 10:39:00 PDT Melissa <MREAVES@KENTVM.KENT.EDU> asks us all: >>What XTC tune would YOU do on a tribute album and >>why? Musicians, you can talk about how the song fits >>in with your particular style, the rest of us can let our >>imaginations run wild. One of two: 1) Meeting Place - always one of my faves, and the riffs sound great on my Rickenbacker 2) Mayor of Simpleton - such a great song, the perfect combination of rythm and melody (I can't believe the original version had a reggae beat!) Thanks fer askin'. TS
------------------------------ From: seanbe@microsoft.com Date: Wed, 27 Sep 95 09:30:55 PDT Subject: re confessions of a pop junkie the giles smith book john mentions sounds very good. i'll probably never find it in this neck o the woods... one question: what is "Pooterish"? sb
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 27 Sep 1995 10:28:16 -0700 (PDT) From: Thomas Long <tlong@unixg.ubc.ca> Subject: Super Tuffs Two things of late had me cheesed off... Q, a generally well written rag (notwithstanding their love affair with Bon Jovi - I'd rather read about... I dunno... Hugh Grant or something), had a little piece on the letter X and guess who they forgot to mention?! Inexcusable says I. Then Mojo does their top 100 albums of all-time thing and neglects you-know-who? They didn't even make it on their "bubbling under the surface" list!! I don't mind championing the underdog, afterall I'm a fan of the Kinks and the Replacements, but this band's neglect is truly criminal - I say we all get together, yeah, that's it... all of us... and like we go over to some journalist's house or other... yeah, Reg, and then we like do something real nasty like... Stan, your good breaking things right??
------------------------------ From: Hedblade@aol.com Date: Wed, 27 Sep 1995 14:02:36 -0400 Subject: Funk Pop A Roll Beats Up My Soul Greetings, Chalkheads I don't want to start a panic or anything, but I've got some concerning news. As the music director for a new commercial radio station in Champaign - Urbana, Illinois (University Of Illinios), I recently contacted Geffen Records to obtain back catalog items. Topping the list, of course, was the XTC catalog (yes, this is one COMMERCIAL radio station that will play the livin' hell out of XTC... 'cause I said so!). Anyway, when I called to confirm that they received my fax, the rep said, "I may have a hard time getting you the XTC catalog. They've been dropped and I'm not sure if we'll continue to carry the catalog." Now, please understand that this is just a radio rep for Geffen and probably doesn't know what is happening with the catalog, but the words had a profound effect on me. To be safe, I suggest you grab those titles you don't have ASAP. In responce to DougMash (hi Doug!) in #2-1, I'm not sure if this has been posted yet, but the Martin Newell project The Brotherhood Of Lizards has been re-released domestically on the Long Play label. Here's the address: Long Play Records / P.O. Box 55233 / Atlanta, GA / 30308. The only release I've seen is "Lizardland" and it is FANTASTIC. The album was originally released in 1989. The re-issue has liner notes by Martin Newell dated September 1994. Track this one down!!!!!!! Cheers! Hedblade@aol.com
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 27 Sep 1995 13:33:09 -0700 From: Christie Byun <cbyun@ocf.Berkeley.EDU> Subject: Psychedelic Albums Well, since you brought it up... All these suggestions for psyche albums supplemental to the Dukes are great. Someone suggested the Kinks (Village Green, Something Else, Arthur)--good choices! Those three albums (for me anyway) tend to remind me more of the latter half of Chips from the Chocolate Fireball (I can't remember the album title right now--you know, not 25 O'Clock). Hey, whenever I hear "Australia" I always think of Terry Chambers. Anyone else? How about Love's Forever Changes? Christie
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 27 Sep 1995 16:50:06 -0500 (CDT) From: "Jeffrey with 2 f's Jeffrey" <jenor@csd.uwm.edu> Subject: Collideascope Michael Dallin scribed: The Move: their self-titled debut album (may be hard to find, you can also try "Early Move" -- it has a bunch of their early stuff, including Blackberry Way, which sounds ominously like Collideascope) ************** Thank you! I'd just picked up _The Early Years_ (same collection? or different) and was wondering why "Blackberry Way" sounded so damned familiar (duh!). --Jeff Jeffrey Norman "This album is dedicated to anyone University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee who started out as an animal Dept. of English & Comp. Lit. and winds up as a processing unit." e-mail: jenor@csd.uwm.edu --note on the Soft Boys' _Can of Bees_
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Sep 1995 13:47:21 -0400 (EDT)
From: Andrew Hooker <HOOKER2@MUVMS6.MU.WVNET.EDU>
Subject: Virgin: XTC/Bowie alliance?
Hey Chalkheads,
Has anyone heard the new Bowie release on Virgin? It makes me wonder
if Andy and Colin will be strong-armed into making some pseudo-industrial
sounds for their next project. (This is an actual nightmare I had last
night). Its too bad, really. Bowie used to make some really fine tunes.
As for 'Terry and the Lovemen,' if this isn't really XTC, it sure
is a brilliant name nonetheless.
????????????????????????????Andrew Hooker????????????????????????????????????
URL: HTTP://WWW.MARSHALL.EDU/~HOOKER2/
E:mail HOOKER2@MUVMS6.WVNET.EDU
Marshall University; Huntington, WV; USA
------------------------------
Date: 28 Sep 95 07:50:36 EDT
From: Jon Johnson <76614.3063@compuserve.com>
Subject: Dukes influences
To the lists that have been added so far (Beatles, Syd Barrett-era Pink
Floyd, Yardbirds, Beach Boys, Kinks, etc.) let me add a couple:
1) In a "Big Takeover" interview a couple of years ago Andy said that
"Vanishing Girl" was a Hollies tribute from start to finish. Specifically,
listen to "On a Carousel." The guitar intro is almost identical. In the same
interview Andy said that they didn't specifically *do* the Who on the album;
they forgot.
2) "You're My Drug," to me, sounds a *lot* like the Byrds. Check out any
of their first few albums, specifically "Mr. Tambourine Man," "Turn, Turn,
Turn," "Younger Than Yesterday," "Fifth Dimension," and "The Notorious Byrd
Brothers."
2 1/2) The Rolling Stones' one-and-only psychedelic album, "Their Satanic
Majesties' Request." Specifically, "2000 Light Years From Home."
--Jon Johnson
76614,3063@compuserve.com
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 28 Sep 1995 14:32:01 -0400 (EDT) From: "Christopher R. Coolidge" <ccoolidg@moose.uvm.edu> Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-4 To Melissa: I'd cover "All Of A Sudden(It's Too Late)." I recorded a ver- sion of it with a Korg Poly 6 synth about ten years ago. It worked really well as a synth-drone dirge, but it might cause manic depressives to want to slit their wrists. I probably still have the tape somewhere. Any plans to compile a tribute tape of Chalkhills subscribers?
------------------------------ From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz Date: Fri, 29 Sep 1995 13:08:20 +1200 Subject: sundry topics. Songs to cover, welcome, Choccychip albums... Melissa pondered... >While we're waiting for Testimonial Dinner, I want to ask y'all: > >What XTC tune would YOU do on a tribute album and why? Musicians, you can >talk about how the song fits in with your particular style, the rest of us >can let our imaginations run wild. > >Myself, I might do "This World Over" cause I can hit all the notes and >really blast the song while I'm in the park walking my dog. The band I used to be in did occasionally run through "Another Satellite" in practice, but it never sounded good enough to perform in public (our fault, not the song's). A pity, too, as it suits my voice, methinks. --- welcome to Adam Vzzzbx - what a surname ;) Good to see another Chalkhillian who at least occasionally visits NZ... --- >Would other Dukes fans care to compile a "listener's list" of >period (and modern) recordings that approximate the Chocolate Fireball >sensation? >For starters, I can think of: dammitall, add in: Greatest Hits - The Hollies (Vanishing Girl is the best Hollies song they didn't perform!) The Best of Traffic - Traffic (including the young-girl-speaking-surreally section) Disraeli Gears - Cream Benefit; Stand Up - both Jethro Tull anything by Herman's Hermits. They were terrible, but they were an influence... other than that I agree with Mike, and Martin, Chalkhills's other Pentangle fan! "Zummertime is with uz wunce agaaaaannn..." 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: Thu, 28 Sep 1995 22:30:51 -0700 From: rimshot3@ix.netcom.com (ERIC ROSEN ) Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-4 >Date: Sat, 23 Sep 1995 09:10:42 -0400 (EDT) >From: glancaster@mecn.mass.edu >Subject: demos, demos, and more demos > >why are you folks with the "new" demo tape torturing us? can't one of ya >give the rest of us a hint how you came by your copies? and won't >someone be willing to do a tape tree? i am willing to make dubs for >anybody & everyone, should i ever find a copy myself. so... come on!!!! I second that (e)motion! Now, should such individuals be capable of delivering the goods, I'd be more than happy to dupe some of the Ecstatic CD's in exchange. Also, I have cassettes of those sessions that include tunes that never made their way to CD (as an extra incentive). BTW Jeff, where does that Elvis Costello quote come from...it's on the tip of my QWERTY... >> From: pgm2@cornell.edu (Peter Mullin) >> Subject: Chocolate Fireball addiction >> > Would other Dukes fans care to compile a "listener's list" of >> period (and modern) recordings that approximate the Chocolate Fireball >> sensation? 1. 25 O'Clock--Electric Prunes, I had too much to Dream, Pink Floyd, Money (25 O's bass intro), Time (sound effects), the Doors, The Lizard King(?) (with the inner piano string plucking at the end), the Chambers Brothers (TIME!!). 2. Mole from the Ministry--Beatles I Am the Walrus (most of tune), Strawberry Fields (end of MftM) 3. Vanishing Girl--Zombies, Hollies 4. Have You Seen Jackie-- instrumental keyboard break sounds like early Elvis Costello. Lyrically like Pink Floyd, Arnold Layne. 5. Little Lighthouse-- Moby Grape 6. Collideascope-- John Lennon 7. You're My Drug (intro)-- The Byrds, So You Wanna be a Rock n Roll Star 8. Shiny Cage-- Beatles, I'm Only Sleeping 9. Brainiac's Daughter-- pre song bit with girl talking about "the Puffin"-- Small Faces Ogden's Nut Gone Flake album. Instrumental part like Beatles, Yellow Submarine. 10. The Affiliated (instrumental bit)-- Byrds, So You Wanna be a Rock n Roll Star 11. Pale & Precious (opening)-- McCartney. (Middle) Beach Boys, Smiley sessions, Good Vibrations. 12. It's Snowing Angels-- Lovin' Spoonful, What a Day for a Daydream, Donovan, Mellow Yellow. As derivative as it may be, it's still a masterpiece!! >From: relph (John Relph) >Subject: Rumors and Misinformation > >jims@inlink.com (Jim S.) writes: >> >>I saw a 'new XTC album' planned (or is that rumoured?) to be released >>IN 1995 ON the Virgin label! 21 tracks! >No way. It's only a rumour. Maybe 1996. If we're lucky. On Virgin? I thought that they left Virgin in response to shabby treatment, a matter of principle, etc. Did they really have to waive their rights to the back catalogue if they were to leave? That's a pretty powerful "inducement" to stick around. Getting shafted by record companies seems to be the rule more than the exception which makes one wonder how our Swindon heroes have endured it this long!! This world over...next one begin... ELR
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #2-5 *****************************
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