Chalkhills Digest Volume 2, Issue 86
Date: Thursday, 14 March 1996

          Chalkhills Digest, Volume 2, Number 86

                 Thursday, 14 March 1996

Today's Topics:

                 RE: Tribute Tape Titles
             Videos, Albums, Gold, & Seasons
        Tribute Tape Name & The Loving sub-lyrics
                    nonsuch nonesuches
                      XTC Reference
            Re: Berry, Beach Boys, and Beatles
                     Re:Gentle Giant
                      Various words
                        ten faves
             Record Label Jumping Fallout...
                     Joe paints Andy
                 Multifarious threads...
                    All time thoughts
About to spontaneously combust (aka Beach Boys defense fund)
               Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-85
                      not my Top 10
                          (none)
          Once More Unto the Breach (Boys), etc.
               Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-85
        correction/elucidation of earlier posting
              Misheard lyrics & other stuff
               Finally, We are in Agreement

Administrivia:

Please!  No more Top Ten lists!

To UNSUBSCRIBE from the Chalkhills mailing list, send a message to
<chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org> with the following command:

        unsubscribe chalkhills

For all other administrative issues, send a message to:

        <chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org>

Please remember to send your Chalkhills postings to:

	<chalkhills@chalkhills.org>

World Wide Web: "http://chalkhills.org/"

The views expressed herein are those of the individual authors.

And the innocents can all sleep safely.

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

Message-Id: <c=US%a=MARK400%p=GE%l=LINELNT1960311103419WP006600@linelnt1.light.ge.com>
From: "Burgess, Christopher (msx)" <BURGESSC@linelnt1.light.ge.com>
Subject: RE: Tribute Tape Titles
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 1996 10:34:19 -0500

Yah!  What a howl!  I vote for 4 or 5!

1. "Are You Recycling Me?"
2. "I'm in the Audience"
3. "Instant Tributes"
4. "Fanses Working Overtime"
and...
5. "Living Through Another Tribute"

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

Message-Id: <ad6bc29d0002100417e8@[204.168.71.165]>
Date: Wed, 13 Mar 1996 10:25:13 +1005
From: comlit2@pppmail.nyser.net (Computer Center Lab)
Subject: Videos, Albums, Gold, & Seasons

Hello all.
I have a few things to say here.
First, in response to Eric's and Brian's post (in 2-83 & 2-82) they tell/ask
about Mr. Steffen's video collection.  Yes, he does have an impressive XTC
video collection.  I have dealt with him previously and it was not a
pleasant experience.  I realize that each of us have other responsibilities
and that collecting/trading is not a job for any of us, more of a hobby,
but waiting about a year for a video is a bit outrageous, besides the fact
that $20 is quite expensive for a video tape.  I would suggest to anyone
interested in videos not to deal with Mr. Steffen.

Next, about two or three weeks ago, there were some posts about 4 albums
being re-released (Nonsuch, O & L, Skylarking, and Mummer, I believe).  I
recall that they were coming out on the 12th of March.  Were these
released?  Are they different than the others in any manner?

Third, I too have the gold Skylarking CD.  Since it is only ten dollars
more than a regular CD, I decided to purchase it.  I think it sounds like
the original, but as others have said, the percussion and background
instruments are more pronounced.  I read somewhere that you could "hear the
studio" with gold CD's; I am not sure that this is an accurate statement or
not, but a gold XTC CD is a nice thing to have.

Finally, Stephen writes:
>Once summer is here it's time to dig out English Settlement, followed by
>Mummer for Autumn- very seasonal band.
I think Skylarking is the spring album.  Oranges and Lemons for summer,
Mummer for fall, and Black Sea for winter.  I find myself playing the
albums more in certain seasons thatn others, although I do listen to say, O
& L in winter, Drums and Wires in summer, or any other combination.  Does
anyone else find this to be true?

That is all.
Take care,
Chuck.

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

From: DAMIAN FOULGER <SPXDLF@cardiff.ac.uk>
Date: Wed, 13 Mar 1996 09:57:14 GMT
Subject: Tribute Tape Name & The Loving sub-lyrics
Message-ID: <C1766602E3@nrd2s.cf.ac.uk>

Hi fellow chalkhillianbillyite-types

Richard the tribute tape coordinator wrote:

> I agree with the contest to name the tribute tape. Can someone
> volunteer to receive the suggestions, post the list, solicit votes and
> compile the results?  My personal favorite right now is "Living
> Through Another Tribute" and I've got a feeling it will have a great
> deal more meaning in September.

I hearby volunteer to do the colating of the name for the tape.  If
anyone wants references then I'm sure that I can get my mum to write
one saying what an honest chap I am. :-)  If anyone else volunteers
too then I suggest that we communicate privately to resolve who will
oversee it.  Or perhaps we should hold a vote on that!! ;-)

On the topic of The Loving lyrics, I had a damn good listen to it
over and over again and although the first word is open to debate
(either 'straight' or 'stand') the second word defitely has two
syllables so sounds more like "To-ya" rather than "Clear" so that
would suggest the phrase is "Straight to ya".

Have fun in the sun.
Take care,
Be good,
Hugs,
And just to end the list,
Everything that could exist.

Dames TWD

(Life is good in the greenhouse:XTC)
(You told me you saw Jesus, but I could only see a tree: Amber)
(If people lived in Heaven, God would break their windows: Damian)

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

Date: Wed, 13 Mar 1996 05:00:27 -0500
Message-Id: <v01510100ad6c01904205@[128.230.1.169]>
From: pebrantl@mailbox.syr.edu (Paul Brantley)
Subject: nonsuch nonesuches

In that I'm new to Chalkhills, this may be old news, but: while reading
Thomas Keneally's novel "The Playmaker", I came across a passage (p. 68)
where a number of British "criminal insults" and "cant-talk abuse" were
being defined. Among the hilarious items was: "...nonesuches (female
pudends)...".  This is one definition I haven't heard Mr. Partridge squirm
his way out of. There's nothing in the world...

The novel, by the way, is wonderful (Keneally also wrote the original novel
version of "Schindler's List"); the stage-play version, "Our Country's
Good" is even better.

Paul

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

From: AMANION@rex.smumn.edu
Organization: Saint Mary's University
Date: Wed, 13 Mar 1996 11:13:29 GMT-6
Subject: XTC Reference
Message-ID: <20A21BC64C5@rex.smumn.edu>

Hi Folks,

After some time away, I'm back with information for all of you who
must have anything that references XTC.

I was just reading a brand new novel (published 3/96) by Vincent
Zandri called "Permanance" (paperback, Northwest Publishing, Salt
Lake City, Utah, about $9.00). In it, the main character is going
through a box of her ex-husband's things that includes, "...tapes and
CDs of bands like Steely Dan, XTC, the Beatles..."  The book is
brooding, but this reference stands out "like a shaft of gold when all
around is dark." (MP)

Good to be back. Looking forward to the conversation...

Merely,
amanion

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

From: "Dave White" <DWHITE@king.kingsedge.windsor.ns.ca>
Date: Wed, 13 Mar 1996 12:55:49 AST/ADT
Subject: Re: Berry, Beach Boys, and Beatles
Message-ID: <3F13BFF7AB0@king.kingsedge.windsor.ns.ca>

>From: Martin_Monkman@fincc04.fin.gov.bc.ca
>
>  I know, as should everyone
>  else, that "Back In The USSR" combines Chuck Berry's "Back In The
>  USA" with "California Girls" (a David Lee Roth song).
>
>  As Troy Peters noted, "Surfin' USA" is rather like the
>  aforementioned Chuck Berry song ... so much so, in fact, that
>  "Surfin' USA" is now credited to Berry (i.e. Chuck gets all the song
>  writer royalty cheques).

I'm not sure that I really care about the comparisons that are being
offered here, but there is one thing that I do know for sure:  The
Chuck Berry song that was ripped off to get the Beach Boys "Surfin'
USA" was NOT "Back In The USA".  It was in fact "Sweet Little
Sixteen".

David White

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

From: RCroz75755@aol.com
Date: Wed, 13 Mar 1996 09:11:43 -0500
Message-ID: <960313084329_349832224@emout08.mail.aol.com>
Subject: Re:Gentle Giant

Thanks to all who are fans of Gentle Giant. It's great to hear that there is
interest in a band that hasn't produced new music in 16 years! It's
interesting to know that there is a cross reference of XTC and Gentle Giant.

On another topic, someone on this list posted about a band called "The
Mistakes". I found a CD by a band called "Mistakes" from CDNow and it did not
list any song names or any of the members of the band. If anyone has any
information that I can confirm that this is the same band please e-mail me
privately at rcroz75755@aol.com.

Thanks in advance!

Rob Crozier

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

Date: Wed, 13 Mar 1996 10:38:03 -0500 (EST)
From: Natalie Jane Jacobs <gnat@umich.edu>
Subject: Various words
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.960313101358.18606A-100000@centipede.rs.itd.umich.edu>

Some responses to a couple of ongoing threads...

1.  To the person who thought he was the only person who liked Mervyn
Peake - you are not alone!  My friend Bryan is such a raving fan that he
named his cat Steerpike (truly a devious creature).  I told him about
these Gormenghast film rumors and he nearly had a heart attack.

2.  Well, I'm glad to see *one* person doesn't like the Beach Boys.  I
can't stand them, and my least favorite XTC songs - the ones that make me
leap for the Skip button - are the ones with the most BB influence
("Chalkhills and Children," "Humble Daisy").  I can barely tolerate "Pale
and Precious," mainly because I see it as parody or tongue-in-cheek
(which it probably isn't, but never mind).

"It's growing green..."

Natalie Jacobs
**************
"Are we not proof that the universe is a drooling
idiot with no fashion sense?"	- Mr. Nobody

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

Date: Wed, 13 Mar 1996 10:52:18 -0500
From: "Brian T. Marchese" <btmarche@student.umass.edu>
Subject: ten faves
Message-id: <01I2ACW2RQKC94FO1Y@oitvms.oit.umass.edu>

Here's a question: John Leckie was producing both The Fall and XTC (as
The Dukes) between 1985-87. I see both Andy Partridge and Mark
E. Smith as both very British, eccentric geniuses with a love for
alcohol and Captain Beefheart (though their differences are that Smith
is anti-melody and a heavy smoker/was a speed/acid freak, and
Partridge is quite the opposite) Though they both are never at a loss
for words.
I've wondered about the two ever crossing paths, and I wonder if they ever
have? Anyone know?
Also, has Elvis Costello ever passed judgement on XTC? I suppose I'm
just into intermingled idolatry. Or something like that. So shoot me.

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

Date: Wed, 13 Mar 96 08:54:10 PST
From: "Sean Robison" <sean_robison@studio.disney.com>
Message-Id: <9602138267.AA826735932@ccmsmtp2.wds.disney.com>
Subject: Record Label Jumping Fallout...

Just a question, should the band actually hop to a new record label (Sony
or whoever), does this mean their entire back catalogue would move with
them? Do you think the new label would do a full upgrading and reissuing of
those titles, much like Virgin did with the Stones catalogue or Rykodisc
did with Bowie, Zappa and Costello. I would love to see XTC's discs receive
the same treatment the Who catalogue is currently undergoing - with totally
remixed and revamped sound and spectacularly expanded booklets. Any record
execs reading this list???  :)

Sean Robison

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

Date: Wed, 13 Mar 1996 12:09:11 -0500 (EST)
From: "Tom X. Chao" <tqc8542@is.nyu.edu>
Subject: Joe paints Andy
Message-Id: <Pine.OSF.3.91.960313120657.18794C-100000@is.nyu.edu>

Surf over to Joe Jackson's website to see his kind mention of Andy
Partridge at:

http://www.joejackson.com/

(under the section on "The current music scene")

Of course, his appearance on "Testy Din-Din" is a clear giveaway.

On the other hand, Joe claims he LIKED Walter Becker's album--ouch!
TXC

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

Date: 13 Mar 96 12:32:45 EST
From: Simon Sleightholm <101477.1611@compuserve.com>
Subject: Multifarious threads...
Message-ID: <960313173244_101477.1611_EHU91-1@CompuServe.COM>

Bit of a long one this, but also broad with it's brush strokes...

XTC Videos

I have the two XTC scenes from "The Laughing Prisoner" on video and a grand
clip, from a "So It Goes" compilation, of the band cracking through "Neon
Shuffle." These, though, are copies of copies and the quality is
appalling. I'd love to see these, and all the other videos since Ball And
Chain on a better quality genuine release. I have an idea.  I am a member
of Compuserve; Compuserve has a forum run by Virgin records... How about
an e-mail petition?

If I get an e-mail address for Virgin all we Chalkhillers could launch a
bit of a campaign, failing that (it might actually amount to almost
"flaming" if we all send messages together) send me a short e-mail, to my
non Compuserve e-mail address please, (Compuserve is expensive and it'll
take time to download any great quantity of mail), which is:-

nonsuch@dircon.co.uk

with a comment to the effect that you would like to see an updated video,
and include your name and/or e-mail sig. I'll stitch them together into one
long mail and post it in the Virgin forum. Whatddya think?

XTC Guitars :-

kanderso@wheatonma.edu (Kirk Anderson) wrote

>Has anyone ever seen A.P. play a Rickenbacker?

I'm not sure about AP using Rickenbacker guitars, but Dave certainly smacks
away at one in the Senses Working Overtime video.

Extract from an interview given by the band to 1, 2 Testing about the
making of The Big Express.

Dave on "Wake Up"

"The choppy guitar chords at the beginning I played on a short scale 'John
Lennon' Rickenbacker, probably the worst-sounding guitar you've ever
heard. We managed to get it sounding good for these bits by putting it
through a Marshall at deafening volume"

The guitar was also used by him on "Liar Bird" -

"I play the Gary Brooker keyboard bits, and those little slide guitar
pieces - I used the little Rickenbacker that I used on 'Wake Up' for them,
they're sort of George Harrison-style slide parts.  You'd really have to
work forever to get that guitar sounding good - it's inaudible because the
pickup output's negligible, there's no response from the strings, and the
whole thing sounds flat and uninteresting. It worked for this, though."

Dave also used a Rickenbacker 12 string on "Train Running Low"

Hope that was some help.

Andy & Beach Boys :-

Bill Godby <wgodby@sun.tir.com> wrote

>Has anyone see anything in print that admits the truth?

Quote from Colin in Limelight 7

"I've been listening to a lot of Beach Boy lately. I'd never got into them
at all. Andy lent me a copy of Smiley Smile."

Chris Twomey's Bio :-

Greg Beecher aka drbeat@apple.com wrote

>I am glad for this book, but is it me or was it rather lacking?
>Specifically, I would have loved to have had more information on the
>development and recording of the band's music.

It's not just you. I was hoping for a bit more insight into the recording
processes and the creation of the music too - not so much as used in
Revolution In The Head, the Beatles book that picked at the music until it
was stone dead - but just some notes on what, say , triggered the Dear God
video concept, that sort of stuff.

Gormenghast :-

Martin_Monkman@fincc04.fin.gov.bc.ca wrote

>The last I heard about Gormenghast being turned into a film was, oh,
>ten years ago.  At that point it was reported that Gordon Sumner
>(a.k.a. Sting) had purchased the film rights ...

Nice to see my original Gormenghast posting causing some interest - I
thought I was the only one who read him, too. Sting made a couple of radio
plays for the BBC about ten or so years ago, based on the first two books
in the trilogy. He played Steerpike (quite badly, actually) but the rest of
the production was very, very good indeed. David Warner was wondeful as
Sepulchrave and Bernard Hepton was Prunesquallor incarnate! The tapes are
available as part of the BBC Radio Collection for about L8 (that's for both
plays).

Bye for now,

Simon

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

Message-Id: <v01530500ad6cb46543d0@[199.234.201.201]>
Date: Wed, 13 Mar 1996 13:53:51 -0400
From: kevkelly@voicenet.com (Kevin P. Kelly)
Subject: All time thoughts

OK, time for another loyal follower to delurk. XTC changed my life from the
first time I heard White Music in 1978.
I and a bunch of friends were sitting around one night and talking about
albums that smacked you in the head when you first heard them, made you
play them over and over, made you feel like nothing else before or since.
On another occasion a similar conversation took place; albums that you
couldn't wait to be released and lived up to high expectations. Well for
me, on both counts, that album is English Settlement. Everything about that
album, the diversity, the cohesiveness, the songwriting, the inventiveness,
the production, the packaging (I loved the texture!), blew me away. It
always evokes great moods of mind in me when I listen to it.

So I put it #1 on my list of all time favorite albums.

One last question - why can't they release a version of Drums and Wires
with the proper tunes listed?

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

Message-Id: <1.5.4b11.32.19960313191903.00678994@oz.net>
Date: Wed, 13 Mar 1996 11:19:03 -0800
From: Todd Wells <twells@oz.net>
Subject: About to spontaneously combust (aka Beach Boys defense fund)

Steve said:

        Well, YES, there is someone else out here who doesn't like the
        Beach Boys.  I really dislike most of their stuff, especially the
        whiny, nasally vocal harmonies.  I'm glad I'm not the only one
        who hears a difference between XTC harmonies in Beach Boy style
        songs (Difappointed, Pale And Precious, Chalkhills And Children)
        compared with actual Beach Boy whinings.  Yes, I've heard the Pet
        Sounds era stuff and some of it rises to mediocre but to put them
        in the creative league of XTC to me is ludicrous.  I might
        mention I am over 40 and most people my age seem to wax nostalgic
        about the Beach Boys but I never thought they were more than a
        good-time lightweight party group doing music that was usually
        derivitive (to be kind) and even at it's best dull and boring.

        Let me put on my flame-proof suit now...

Oooh-ooh-<hissss>-youch!-eek!-mmrphfff!

(steam pouring out my ears trying to contain the flames)

I must break my long and restful silence to jump in here!

I realize many people have a hard time getting over the Beach Boy's image
and background vocals.  Personally, I think that the background vocals
(although "nasally" as some would characterize them) are incredible.  Brian
Wilson was arranging and composing as no one had before.  The structure of
his songs, while sounding deceptively simple, is very complex.  He turned
the idea of a song (both in terms of recording and structure) on it's ear.
Pet Sounds still stands out as my (usually) all-time favorite album.  I
thought it was pretty good on my first few listens, but by listen #5 it was
outstanding!  I encourage you naysayers and/or Beach Boy virgins (oops,
didn't mean to inadvertantly plug a certain nasty record co.) to get past
what you've heard on the radio (i.e. California Girls, car songs, etc.), get
past Mike Love's (especially) nasal voice, get past the surf lyrics and dig
into their albums.  Ask most musicians active in 1966, "Good Vibrations"
changed the way music was recorded.

One of my favorite quotes on the subject is included in the Pet Sounds liner
notes:  "The equipment in today's recording studio was created so that they
could make records the way Brian Wilson was making them in 1966 without the
technology.  They've almost caught up."

So, I managed to change all that flame energy into a wonderful diatribe that
didn't really have much at all to do with XTC.  Sheesh...

-Todd Wells (twells@oz.net) "I'm pickin' up good vibrations..."

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

Date: Wed, 13 Mar 1996 11:44:33 -0800 (PST)
From: Anthony Ciarochi <ciarochi@pe.net>
Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-85
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.960313114050.18836A-100000@nfs1>

>>"Astronauts & Heritics" is one of my all-time favourite records, it
>> blows me away every time I play it. "The Gate To The Minds Eye
>>Soundtrack" is almost as good, IMHO.

Really?  I own A&H, and I just can't seem to get anything from it.  I
would like to, since Dolby's first two LPs are among my favorite of all time.

Do you like it better than "...Wireless" and "The Flat Earth"? I can't
imagine...

Anthony F. Ciarochi

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

Date: Wed, 13 Mar 1996 11:45:33 -0800 (PST)
From: Thomas Long <tlong@unixg.ubc.ca>
Subject: not my Top 10
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.960313114053.18140C-100000@netinfo.ubc.ca>

...oh, re: The Loving, i haven't heard it in a while ( "stone him, stone
him"), but i always thought it was STAY TUNED...

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

Date: Wed, 13 Mar 1996 14:46:15 -0500 (EST)
From: Drew! <apn@UDel.Edu>
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.960313144004.27436H-100000@copland.udel.edu>

I've come across a copy of the Japanese Nonsuch Demo CD.  I couldn't see
paying 17 or 18 dollars for five tracks though.  I would pick it up for
someone for the price of the CD plus postage.  I would also, however find
the desire to make a copy for myself overwhelming, so maybe I would have
to knock a few dollars off the price.  Anyone who wants to work something
out can email me privately.  (it's illegal i suppose, but i assume this
is a bootleg, which means xtc aren't getting any money anyway)

-- Drew

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

Message-Id: <m0twwZj-0003ksC@mercury.mcs.com>
Subject: Once More Unto the Breach (Boys), etc.
Date: Wed, 13 Mar 1996 13:51:10 -0600 (CST)
From: "Joe Lynn" <jtl@mcs.com>

From: James Poulakos <engjcp@gsusgi2.Gsu.EDU>

> What are the "Smile" tapes/sessions/whatever that several of you have
> mentioned here?

I'm certain I'll be the 27th person to answer this one, but
_Smile_ was the Beach Boys' followup to _Pet Sounds_, and
depending on which critic you believe, it was either the
most magnificent pop album never released, or the biggest overhyped
bunch of recordings that were best left unreleased.  In any
event, the (almost-) album has been said to be responsible for:
(a) Brian Wilson's going over the edge; (b) straining the relationship
between the Beach Boys and Capitol; (c) the band's being sidelined
(especially during the Monterey Pop festival) and being labeled
'has-beens.'

Some of the work done during _Smile_ was reworked and released as
individual tracks later on (e.g., "Heroes and Villains," "Cabinessence,"
"Surf's Up"), but this left hours and hours of tapes unreleased.  When
some of this stuff was officially released with the Beach Boys' boxed set
in '93, it was apparent that there was a lot of noodling going on in
the studio, and Brian Wilson was deliberately trying to use the Beach Boys'
basic sound (i.e., their harmonies) and get entirely away from the
surfin' fun stuff.  Some of it works, but for me it's really an historical
document of an experiment, like Andy's _Take Away_.

From: steven.reule@24stex.com

> Well, YES, there is someone else out here who doesn't like the
> Beach Boys.  I really dislike most of their stuff, especially the
> whiny, nasally vocal harmonies.  I'm glad I'm not the only one
> ..
> mention I am over 40 and most people my age seem to wax nostalgic
> about the Beach Boys but I never thought they were more than a
> good-time lightweight party group doing music that was usually
> derivitive (to be kind) and even at it's best dull and boring.

When I first heard XTC in 1982, I thought they were another
good-time power pop band who had a knack for clever lyrics.
It wasn't until I got seriously into the band's music a couple
years later that I realized the creative power they possessed.

When I heard Pink Floyd when I was in junior high, I thought they
were some drug-soaked band who knew how to play cool tunes.  Once
I got into the group's music, I discovered the wealth of talent
they had.

I never considered myself a Beach Boys fan, although I knew there
was something there that caused them to create stuff beyond surf 'n'
girls.  It wasn't until someone played the boxed set for me that I truly
appreciated what they did, what they were capable of doing, and
what they've become (well, *lamenting* what they've become is probably
a more appropriate term).

Just like any other artist, there's something behind the work waiting to be
discovered-- it's up to you to decide whether or not you want to find it.

No flames intended.  Just trying to make the point that
not everyone who enjoys the Beach Boys' music is Bob Greene ("Hey,
why doesn't every band make happy music about stuff?").

From: "Tom X. Chao" <tqc8542@is.nyu.edu>

> ..
> Did you know that Godley and Creme invented a guitar synth called "The
> Gizmo" long before any others were developed?  And that, in order to
> promote it, they recorded a 3-record boxed set called "Consequences"?

One of the first appearances on the device was on (tying it back to
XTC, stand by..) fellow Swindonite Justin Hayward's "Blue Guitar" single.
The record was sold as a Blue Jays disc (Hayward and John Lodge's
post-Moody Blues project), but the players on the song are Hayward,
Godley, and Creme.

> And did you know later they directed dozens of videos for The Police,
> Duran Duran and others, thereby setting the look of MTV for years?  Did

Their crowning moment was with their own 1985 single, "Cry," which
was the first video to use morphing.  There were a whole bunch
of celebrities in this one, too-- I remember Mr. T., but wasn't
Little Richard in there too?  Oh, the old days of MTV, when they
used to play things like this... and "Senses Working Overtime."

jtl
--
jtl@mcs.com

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

Date: Wed, 13 Mar 1996 11:54:14 -0800 (PST)
From: Anthony Ciarochi <ciarochi@pe.net>
Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-85
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.960313115228.18836B-100000@nfs1>

I just heard the Dave Matthews Band on Letterman last night for the first
time.  Damn near blew my socks off!  They were so good!

Anybody know anything about this group?  I know nothing, except they're
all over the web.

Anthony F. Ciarochi

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

Date: Wed, 13 Mar 1996 15:44:07 -0500 (EST)
From: Drew! <apn@UDel.Edu>
Subject: correction/elucidation of earlier posting
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.960313154234.27436J-100000@copland.udel.edu>

OK, so it's not a bootleg, but a Japanese Virgin release.  Here are the
tracks, as listed in the discography:

Demo Tracks
     The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead (4'39 demo); The Smartest Monkeys
(2'56 demo); Down A Peg (2'32 demo); My Bird Performs (3'31 demo); Always
Winter Never Christmas (3'17 demo).
          CD-5, Virgin Japan, VJCP-14044, 17 July 1992. obi.

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

Date: 13 Mar 96 16:04:18 EST
From: Simon Sleightholm <101477.1611@compuserve.com>
Subject: Misheard lyrics & other stuff
Message-ID: <960313210417_101477.1611_EHU137-1@CompuServe.COM>

As Melissa Reaves was kind enough to revive the misheard lyric thread,
here's one I've been playing pretty close to my chest. It's from "That
Wave"

"I was in heaven, dressed up in leather..."

God only knows what Freudians would make of that...

>A non-Skylarking late discovery was how Colin whispers "we're only making
>plans for Nigel" behind his singing.  Adds a rather sinister effect with
>headphones.  Anyone have other examples?

Something that didn't reach these headphone-dulled ears until I heard it on
the Compact XTC was the whispered voice in the short break after "how do
you Martians say I love you?", in Science Friction, at about 1:40 that says
(what sounds like) "psychedelic".  That made me grin all afternoon when I
heard that - I'd only been listening to the blasted song for about six
years and never heard it before.

I think that's quite enough from me

Simon

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

From: Benjamin Woll <bwoll@abacus.bates.edu>
Message-Id: <9603132145.AA23406@abacus.bates.edu>
Subject: Finally, We are in Agreement
Date: Wed, 13 Mar 1996 16:45:24 -0500 (EST)

Anthony - I agree that our arguments over interpretation have gotten a
little tiring, and from your last posting, I think our ideas might be more
closely linked than I had previously thought...At any rate, it is fun to
have these little back and forths.  I am a big fan of good discussions...

Since a bunch of people posted ten best lp lists, it might be interesting
to get even more picky and ridiculous and  post a ten best song list.  Once
again, a maximum of three songs per artist.  So, in no particular order...

1.  Water Music by Handel - the only classical music I could ever stand.
Absolutely beautiful.

2.  The Greatest Living Englishman by Martin Newell - maybe I am putting
this down because I am listening to it right now, but this song is
everything Paul McCartney ever wanted to be.

3.  Seven by Possum Dixon - sit down Nirvana, this is THE teen angst anthem.

4.  Things To Say by Pete Himmelman - a sparse but stirring love song.  I
know a woman who cries everytime she hears it.

5.  Runaway by XTC - if someone put a gun to my head and told me to pick
one XTC song out of the whole lot, I think this would be the one.

6.  Strawberry Fields Forever and Dear Prudence by The Beatles - I put
these two songs together because I think that they have defined so much
popular music over the past 25 years.

7.  Long Time Dead by Shed Seven - Radiohead is good.  That said, these guys
kick Radiohead's ass, and this song is ten times as powerful as Creep.

8.  Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her, Kiss Her by XTC - one of those rare tunes
in which both the lyrics and the music are poetic.

9.  Oscillate Wildly by The Smiths - the song that proves once and for all
that Morrissey was Marr's vocalist.  Marr is too good to be anyone's
guitarist.

10.  Any Major Dude and Turn That Heartbeat Over Again by Steely Dan - it
is unfair to pick out Steely Dan's one greatest tune.  Everything they did is
amazing from absolutely every point of view.

Some near misses - Flood by Jars of Clay, True Happiness This Way Lies by
The The, Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd, St. Stephen by The Grateful
Dead, and The Concept by Teenage Fanclub.  Good listening, Ben

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

End of Chalkhills Digest #2-86
******************************

Go back to Volume 2.

14 March 1996 / Feedback