Chalkhills Digest Volume 3, Issue 101
Date: Monday, 21 April 1997
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 3, Number 101
Monday, 21 April 1997
Today's Topics:
My Secret Shame
Colinspeak at the end of "The Loving"
Oh, to be young again....
"Tribute" CD
In Defence Of Swindon
Lots of things
A. Partridge reading too much
Reply to Penn Question
Stupid me
Three in a row from XTC in Houston
Song #1 (The Posies)
Snipping snipping snipping......
April is the cruellest month
A Dang Adventure
Young XTC Fans
Introduction
Ben to see Been Folds 5
BPI Best songs survey
Mummer and beyond...
Oldest Member
Totally off topic and unapologetic
The Kinks and Talking Heads...
Administrivia:
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.
Louder than bombers in flight.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-Id: <2.2.32.19970417155420.00692178@popmail.dircon.co.uk> Date: Thu, 17 Apr 1997 16:54:20 +0100 From: Simon <nonsuch@dircon.co.uk> Subject: My Secret Shame From: Ian C Stewart <stewart@netwalk.com> >There were no affordable hotels in Swindon last week so we wound up staying >in the Marriott. They have a 5-foot model of the Uffington Horse outside >their entrance; it's sort of spray-painted (or something) into a hill across >from the front door. In an effort to unburden my soul of a dark stain I must admit that this note jolted from me a recollection of deep shame. In 1986, halfway through watching Diana Ross make a travesty of Billie Holliday's life on TV, I got really bored. An overdose of whimsy caused me to take some white paint and a brush from the garage and head over to the local golf course where, hindered by the 1:4 gradient, the pitch-dark and minimal ability, I daubed a wobbly facsimile of said horse. It was there for weeks, and my route to work at that time led right through the golf course so I could see it every day. Kids, eh? Tch. During the same period (I was working in the Animal Health dept. of the Ministry Of Agriculture and was hoplessly in love with my boss) I had to stamp a whole heap of files with a rubber alphanumeric stamp set (like those "John Bull" kids printing sets). Needless to say there was only a nanosecond's hesitation before I made up an XTC stamp and went mental with it. I still see people who work there and they are still finding XTC stamped all over stuff - I did radiators, ceiling tiles, files, the first thirty sheets of a toilet roll, the bottom of my colleague's tea mug, windows, underside of furniture and desks, etc. The line between vandalism and self-expression is a fine one, and it's easy to trip very heavily over it. If this seems at all manic consider also that I walked to work barefoot and spent my lunchbreaks sitting _under_ my desk - the whole ordeal of my first proper responsibility combined with my first overwhelming, aching and wholly unrequited love seems to have loosened a wheel that year. If "Skylarking" hadn't come along later that year (right about when I was told that they had no intention of continuing my employment after the 12 month temporary contract elapsed) I might have done things I'd be _really_ embarassed about now. Any other Chalkies carried out criminal acts in the name of the band? Anything leading to arrest and/or imprisonment would be good to hear about. I give a flower to the big fat cop, he take his club and he beat me up, Simon +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~nonsuch/bungalow.htm +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ XTC? Are they still going? Follow me and find out..
------------------------------
From: jssimmons@mail.biosis.org
Message-Id: <9704178612.AA861288611@mail.biosis.org>
Date: Thu, 17 Apr 97 09:18:10 -0500
Subject: Colinspeak at the end of "The Loving"
>in the ending part of "The Loving", when there are about six different
>thigs being sung, what the heck is (Colin, I think) saying? Sounds like
>"strange trip".......
I thik the thig being sug is "stand clear!"
-Jon in Philly
------------------------------ Message-ID: <c=US%a=_%p=Raymond_James_Co%l=MAIL-970417164552Z-4826@mail.rjconsult.com> From: Ed Miller <emiller@rjconsult.com> Subject: Oh, to be young again.... Date: Thu, 17 Apr 1997 10:45:52 -0600 Amanda wrote in her last post.... ------- It was a nice day, had the windows open, I had English Settlement blaring very loudly whilst I cleaned my room, and the next-door neighbors threatened to call the cops if I didn't "Turn that shit off". (Funny, Yacht Dance was the song that was blaring when I received said threat.) ------- It seems that each spring something happens that reminds me of springtime in college. I always loved that period between mid-terms and finals when spring hit, the shorts and t-shirts came out and the springtime stereo wars began!!! When I was in school back in the olden days, the album "Brothers and Sisters" by the Allman Bros. was popular with the open window crowd. I, personally, was not a big Allman Brothers fan and took to playing "21st Century Schizoid Man" by King Crimson at window rattling volume levels. I never actually had someone react as harshly as Amanda's neighbors, but I did have several people ask "How can you listen to that sh..??" Wish we had XTC back then...... Best wishes to all....... ed miller PS... Check out my web page at- www.cyberramp.net/~edmiller It's a little slow loading the pix, so you may want to plan in advance. A weekend trip might be about right!!! See ya...
------------------------------ Message-Id: <c=US%a=_%p=Barnes_?_Noble_I%l=MSENY1-970417195049Z-3344@mseny1.BN.COM> From: Greg Marrs <GMarrs@bn.com> Subject: "Tribute" CD Date: Thu, 17 Apr 1997 15:50:49 -0400 I'm fairly new to this group, so if this is a well thrashed out subject, forgive me. Last year I had the misfortune of hearing a really miserable XTC "tribute" disc (recently, all tribute discs I stumbled across have been unbelievably uninspired whimperings, pale imitations instead of vibrant re-interpretations-- but that is perhaps another topic). Does anyone out there in the Chalkland Isles know what this was about? Happily, only two tracks stuck in my head -- Joe Jackson's Statue of Liberty (passable...only just), and the Rembrants' obligatory Nigel (why oh why did they do such a slavish track? They sound like Alvin and the Chipmunks doing Karaoke). Can you spell Blecchhh? Someone told me that this was done to generate royalties for the group. Any confirmation on that? Did it work? If they're starving, I'd much rather send'em a care package. They can't have appreciated the musical gist of that gesture. On a happier note -- I've seen mention in these notices of XTC videos...where can these be had?
------------------------------ Message-ID: <MAPI.Id.0016.007269616e2e43613937314630303030@MAPI.to.RFC822> From: Brian Carter <Brian.Carter@btinternet.com> Subject: In Defence Of Swindon Date: Thu, 17 Apr 97 22:44:47 +0100 ( + ) I am afraid it is time for Ian C Stewart to put on his asbestos suit, because I cannot let his criticisms of Swindon go unflamed. I'm sorry mate, but judging by what you missed, you clearly didn't do your homework did you? >>Seems like most UK natives think Swindon is the kind of place one >>should avoid at all costs I would be the first to admit that Swindon would not be very high on a list of "must see" tourist destinations for overseas visitors to the UK. However, it is unfair and misleading to say that Swindon is considered somewhere to "avoid at all costs". How many people saying that have never been here? The point needs to be made about Swindon that it is an ordinary (some would say typical) English town. It has never claimed to be anything else. It does not have the tourist attractions to compete with London or Bath or Stratford-upon-Avon, but whilst the "good" bits might not seem that good, it must also be said that the "bad" bits are not bad either - which makes it a pretty good place to live. >>I can tell you that it's not exactly packed with history. Oh dear, oh dear. I don't know what sort of history you were looking for, but you couldn't have looked very far. The history in the town of Swindon itself is mainly Victorian (because the town grew rapidly from 1843 onwards), but that history is of the highest standard. The Swindon railway works was once the largest and most highly respected railway workshops in the world. A large part of the Victorian town which grew up around the works can still be found, and there is much to illustrate the effects of the Industrial Revolution, the impact of the coming of the railways, and general Victorian life. Did you visit the museum NEXT DOOR to the Railway Museum? Probably not. For more varied history, then you couldn't do any better than to chose Swindon as your base. Avebury, Silbury Hill, Stonehenge, Oxford, Bath, Bristol, Marlborough, Cirencester, the Cotswolds, even Uffington White Horse - covering EVERY period of history - are all within 45 minutes drive. What more history could you possibly want? >>And scenery... forget about it. Oh come on, be fair! Hands up anyone who can think of ONE single large town or city ANYWHERE that does have "scenery". Towns, by definition, aren't scenery, they're towns! In Swindon, its easy to find the very best scenery. Simply drive from the centre of the town (in ANY direction) for 15 minutes, and you can find whatever you're looking for. >>go to see the Queen's Tap right across from the train station No, No, NO! If you want a real British pub, selling real British beer (ie NOT from a fridge), then I'll give you a list of a hundred better pubs to go to. >>find Ermine Street on a map You won't find "Ermine Street" on any map of Swindon. It's "Ermin Street". There's only one "e" for goodness sake - the sleeve is wrong! Swindon's Ermin Street DOESN'T HAVE AN "E" AT THE END! >>If you, like me, can't make it out to Uffington proper.... You mean you didn't go to see the horse? Shame on you. It really is worth the trip. It's only about 10 miles from Swindon, and you would have found some of that scenery you were looking for. Anyway, if you travelled by train from London, then you could have seen the horse from the train if you had only looked out of the window. >>We stayed in the Acton Barnes Suite. If I ever get around to >>writing an action novel, the lead character will be called Acton >>Barnes. It would be better to call him "Alton Barnes", as that's what it is - a small village south of Swindon, near Marlborough. >>And dammit, I ALWAYS forget to take my copy of "The Big Express" >>with me to the GWR Museum. I probably spent half an hour >>videotaping the wrong damn engine. You know what's coming, don't you?... Sorry. You WERE videotaping the wrong one. The locomotive from the inner sleeve of "The Big Express" doesn't live in the Railway Museum anymore. Just to rub salt into the wound: it usually lives in York, but it is back in Swindon temporarily - 10 minutes walk from the Railway Museum. OK, I'm sorry. I really am. I admit that I've been much too harsh on Ian. I didn't mean to offend, and I don't think you really deserved it Ian, but if I don't defend my hometown, then who will? ....."Wacky accent" - what DOES he mean? Brian Carter Swindon, Wiltshire, United Kingdom brian.carter@btinternet.com
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Apr 1997 16:33:09 -0700 Subject: Lots of things Message-ID: <19970417.163313.9134.1.GTR80@juno.com> From: gtr80@juno.com (Gerardo Tellez) >Mark, I'm *39* dude. Check this out: I saw XTC in concert before you >was >born, son! AGH!!!!! Lucky punk. I'm 16v also and never got to see XTC in concert. Then again, what is all this talk about a 98 world tour? Are they really planning one? What about Andy's stage freight? One other thing, has anyone heard anything new about the XTC stuff that is supposedly happening on the Microsoft Network in May? If they are doing something, i'm subscribing. After all, they do give you a month free (hehe). If Microsoft thinks i'm going to actually pay for their service, then they can kiss my ass. I love my AOL and going to stick with it. Gerardo
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Apr 1997 18:35:36 +0100 (BST) From: "H.Davies" <H.Davies@law.hull.ac.uk> Subject: A. Partridge reading too much Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.970417181533.16588B-100000@humus2.ucc.hull.ac.uk> I recently got the book "The New Book of Rock Lists" by Dave Marsh and James Bernard and there is something in it that annoys me. Andy Partridge is listed under the list of 'Rockers Who Should Read Fewer Books' and there is the comment: "To take a break, and just to remind yourself that you're a real guy, not a fictional conceit. (You are, aren't you?)" Is this a fair comment? Andy may try to be a bit clever sometimes, but I don't think he overdoes it. What's wrong with trying to bring a bit of intelligence to pop music anyway? Ray Davies, Elvis Costello and Robert Fripp are also listed, by the way. This may be a bit off-topic, but I have just got hold of the new Nick Heyward single 'Today' to review for my University's student newspaper. I have to say it's a big disappointment. I was expecting something along the lines of the song 'Kite', but I think he's trying to sound like Oasis or something like that. Maybe it's because he's on Creation Records now. Huw Davies
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v03102800af7ca531760a@[206.112.194.154]> Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 00:28:19 -0400 From: arthur james virgin <audio@one.net> Subject: Reply to Penn Question artsy@sprynet.com wrote: >**Does anyone know whatever happened to the new Michael Penn CD??? It was >supposed to come out a month or two ago, right? After spending all the time >moving, packing/unpacking, etc. I lost track of the whole deal, but all I >know is, it isn't in stores anywhere. I met Brendan O'Brien in june of last year. He told me the album was almost finished then (just putting the final touches on the mix). It was slated for a November release, but was held back due to release date wrangling with the distributor for Brendan's 57 records (Sony/Epic, I believe). The date has been pushed back several times now and the new target date is June 3rd (according to Epic). The name of the new album is "Resigned". The band consists of Michael, Dan McCarrol (drummer from the "Grays"), Patrick Warren, and Brendan on bass. From all accounts I've heard, the record is cover to cover hooks. Tasty! Now back to our regularly scheduled programming, AJ
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Apr 1997 22:08:15 -0700 Subject: Stupid me Message-ID: <19970417.220835.11886.6.GTR80@juno.com> From: gtr80@juno.com (Gerardo Tellez) If you read my last post, forgive me. I didn't read the latest issue of chalkhills before I posted my message. Whoops. Gerardo
------------------------------ Message-Id: <1.5.4.32.19970418062014.0068d37c@pop.mindspring.com> Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 01:20:14 -0500 From: Mark Rushton <rushton@mindspring.com> Subject: Three in a row from XTC in Houston Fellow Chalkhillians - I was blessed at work on Wednesday to be tuned into one of the so-called "modern rock" stations in Houston. Over the lunch hour they played "oldies" - and three-in-a-rows. Oh, I think they had REM, maybe another band. Then I heard "Mayor of Simpleton" and I was like whoa! This is nice. After that the big surprise came - "Generals and Majors" (!!!) and I had no idea how GOOD it sounded on a real radio station in stereo (wimpy-powered college stations don't count) - it just chugged right along, as crisp and clear as ever! Who would know it's a 17 year old song? Then, unfortunately, it was rounded out with "Dear God", which really didn't fit the set - I was hoping for "Senses Working Overtime" or "Making Plans for Nigel" - oh well, that's commercial radio for ya! *s*h*a*m*e*l*e*s*s**a*d* Visit the Bill Nelson/Be Bop Deluxe web site at http://soli.inav.net/~rushton/nelson.html *s*h*a*m*e*l*e*s*s**a*d*
------------------------------ Message-ID: <3356B183.12B@stad.dsl.nl> Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 01:25:55 +0200 From: "Paul 't Lam" <paultlam@stad.dsl.nl> Organization: prive Subject: Song #1 (The Posies) For those interested in XTC-inspired songs. Listen to 'Song #1' of The Posies (on their cd 'Amazing Disgrace'); especially the part where they sing: 'Yes, I understand you're happy now And I understand your hand-me-down towel' By the way 'Will you ever ease your mind?', also sounds a bit like XTC. If you disagree just listen to this record: it's really super super..... Greetings, Paul
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 08:25:42 -0500 (CDT) From: AMANDA CARYL OWENS <ACOEA@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Subject: Snipping snipping snipping...... Message-id: <01IHUE9CI9448XNWE7@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Another witless entre', but I'm wired on SURGE right now, so forgive me.... THE USUAL: RESPONSES: Ben-Quotes? Hmmm......Howzabout "I don't think any one time in history is better than another?" or "Who was it that said 'Hell is other people'? That was spot on." or you could go for song lyric "Life's like a jigsaw, you get the straight bits, but there's something missing in the middle." (Or you could do the firework version, either one is cool.) or if you're in a loving peace-ish mood, "Soon the whole world will lay down swords and shields for singing." That help? PS-Thanks for the words. I'm educated now!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mark-Speak on and speak up! And to whoever rewrote All of a Sudden to the tune of the recent postings.... THAT WAS FUCKING BRILLIANT. Jes-You said Fuck! You said FUCK! (And God am I saying it an awful lot!) (For those of you who are new/have no idea what I'm talking about, the back story is that last year, when I was new to the list, I used an Andy quote "How many people can you mindfuck at once?" and a nice sized-stink was caused over whether or not anyone could come in and shut us down for using profanity.) So there you have it. Ciao for now, Amanda XTC song of the day-Young Cleopatra non-XTC song of the day-Virginia Plane-Roxy Music Je me souviens du soleil
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 11:10:23 -0400 (EDT) From: Natalie Jane Jacobs <gnat@umich.edu> Subject: April is the cruellest month Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.95.970418103955.22944A-100000@stargate.rs.itd.umich.edu> Hey kiddies - To jes, who liketh not conspiracy theories: BACK AND TO THE LEFT! BACK AND TO THE LEFT! :) Someone mentioned a couple of issues back that they thought Mummer was a winter album. To which I say: Au contraire, mon frere! To me, Mummer is a spring album - early spring, like March or April. The delicate beauty of Love on a Farmboy's Wages and Ladybird, the gusts of March gales in Me and the Wind, and the buoyant celebration of life-in-death of In Loving Memory of a Name all say "spring" to me. But maybe that's just me. By the way, I don't think there's nearly enough shouting about Ladybird or Me and the Wind on this list, so - THEY'RE GREAT SONGS! (Sorry for all the screaming.) Wesley Wilson says, >In the meantime my speakers have been >sounding out "Odelay" by Beck (WHY do I like this guy's stuff? It flies >in the face of all my pop sensibilities, but the guy is so eclectic) You like him 'cos he's brilliant. Simple. As for pop sensibilities, Mr. Hansen was copiously gifted with them. I dare you to get "The New Pollution" out of your head. I'd like to declare myself the only person on this list who hates the Ben Folds Five. There. I've done it. I've said it. Oh, it's sad to be all alone... Natalie Jacobs Perdix: The Andy Partridge Appreciation Page He's animal and panicking. http://www-personal.umich.edu/~gnat/perdix.html
------------------------------ Message-Id: <01BC4BE2.BFFDBAA0@ttruner.cs.mci.com> From: Trent Turner <trent.turner@mci.com> Subject: A Dang Adventure Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 10:24:43 -0600 Well, us Colorado Springs Chalkabillies got together for a nice lunch at our local Vietnamese/Chinese restaurant. Included were: The old Man - Jeff Langr Our boy from New Mexico - DeWitt Henderson An X-Chalkhiller - Delvin Neugenberger Your humble narrator - Trent Turner The discussion ranged all over the music scene. It was interesting that while there were many groups discussed, at least one other person knew of the band, even when it came to relatively obscure groups like "Insect Surfers". A demo tape including: The Green Man, Dame Fortune, Knights in Shining Karma, etc. was made available to the group and all are currently enjoying that, in lieu of official releases. It was a good time had by all and we will probably meet again. If there are any folks in Colorado Springs who would like to join us next time, e-mail me and I will include you in the group. BTW, it seems 1957 was a very GOOD year for Chalkhillians. At least two of us at the table will turn 40 this year, and I notice a lot of references to 39 in the list. Thanks, Trent Turner 800-427-0783 voice, fax, page Is this a great time, or what? ;-) [Attachment omitted, unknown MIME type or encoding (application/ms-tnef)]
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 18 Apr 97 11:05:33 CDT Message-ID: <vines.pL06+qTtJnA@bangate.compaq.com> From: "james dupuy" <James=Dupuy%SPD=Mainstream%Sys=Hou@bangate.compaq.com> Subject: Young XTC Fans Hello Chalkies, I am new to this mail list but have been reading the postings on the web site. I have to say this is an interesting crowd. I would not have believed that teenagers would listen to XTC if it were not for the e-mails that have been sent in. The cognitive dissonance that I am experiencing has prompted me to submit this survey directed toward the younger XTC fans (the elderly can respond also, it should make for interesting reading): 1)How did you become expossed the addictive music of XTC?, and 2)What does XTC do for you that makes you a fan? For an example: I started listening to XTC in 1979. (17 then and yes I was one of the fortunate to see them in Houston, Texas backing up the Police, XTC blew the Police away!) I was really burned out of the Kansas, Boston, Styx, Journey stuff that was coninuously being played on Houston (we really need more alternative radio stations) radio, and XTC (as well as Costello, The Clash,The Jam, ...) was a god send. XTC was and still is different. I think they are a very creative band that has influenced me a great deal. (my band members are concerned, but I am conscious of the influence) I believe I have all of XTC's albumes,cassettes, and/or CD's released in America. I never get tired of them and have found, with the passage of time, songs that I once could'nt stand would become some of my favorites. (still waiting on Murmer but love the critiques that have been written in this posting) I don't want to ramble but am very interested in the younger audiences answers. The teens I seem to run into today are mostly into rap, ska, or alternative rock (if they're not having a tear in their beer). I hardly ever see XTC fans, especially young ones. I will say as a musician hobbyist that music support in Houston could be better which might explain ... something. (I hope I don't get too many "... LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT, BOY!" messages because I do love it, enough to express concerns) sincerly Inquiring Old XTC Fan
------------------------------ From: KdsInThHal@aol.com Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 18:48:53 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: <970418184821_-999168629@emout10.mail.aol.com> Subject: Introduction Hi chalkies! :) I'm new here. I'll try to make this short; I read the faq and some back issues, so that's all good. :) Well, my XTC story: my fellow tmbg-list friend and Rochesterian, you know him as JHB <laugh>, made me an XTC tape, several months back, and I finally got around to subscribing to chalkhills. I've got Nonsuch, Oranges and Lemons, and Skylarking so far. What else.... Oh! I'm into They Might Be Giants, Barenaked Ladies, the Kids in the Hall (main obsession), Odds, Tragically Hip, The State, coffee, Moxy Fruvous, CBC radio, Seinfeld, MST3K, and hating high school. :) I guess that's it! :D sarah:) linnellgirl@tmbg.org http://members.aol.com/kdsinthhal/site.html
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 20:38:31 -0500 (CDT) From: The Gottschalks <gotts@tenet.edu> Subject: Ben to see Been Folds 5 Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.91.970418200231.1351B-100000@gaston.tenet.edu> (Huh huh! Dood play on de words der!) A Todos los Chaquillos: The best five dollars I ever spent was to see BFF in San Antonio last night. I'm sure most of you know how great they are, so I won't get into this. I'll just say that it was a great concert, the more I think about it the more I love their music, and the opening band, Komeda, was pretty awesome as well. (Actually, BFF are more than pretty awesome, but you know...) I have heard some of you mention wearing your Chalkhills t-shirts. Is there a way I can get ahold of one of these?, and what do they look like? Also, how do you pronounce Roches? Not that this matters very much, but it's slowly burning a small hole through my chest. I guess that it's pronounced "rokes." Am I right? That's all for now. I like private email from anyone. (even though I have three mailing lists to keep up with) -Mark gotts@tenet.edu
------------------------------ From: CrouchEnd@aol.com Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 22:33:55 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: <970418223354_-1602008397@emout01.mail.aol.com> Subject: BPI Best songs survey Andy Partridge of XTC ``Autumn Almanac'' by <A HREF="http://www.inetbiz.com/blackmon/">Ray Davies It's a miniature movie, basically, that unravels itself as you're listening to it, and it has all these little movements or scenes. And they all seem to take place in some mythical cozy London, the kind of mythical cozy London that the Ealing studios always had in their films, like ``Passport to Pimlico'' or ``The Lavender Hill Mob.'' The song just keeps turning and changing; you see a new facet every few seconds. The lyrics are very everyday. There's no ``calling occupants of interplanetary craft'' in it. All the language in it is what you'd say over a cup of tea. It's like a rollercoaster, but it's not a high-speed chromium-plated space-age rollercoaster - it's this slow creaking wooden baroque kind of rollercoaster.
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 19 Apr 1997 00:59:21 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <199704190459.AAA28114@cyber1.servtech.com> From: Joshua Hall-Bachner <particle@servtech.com> Subject: Mummer and beyond... >And Josh, hope you're back to speed. Appendix surgery's a bitch. I'm amazed at how, well, painless certainly isn't the right word, but easy the whole thing's been. I was out of the hospital in less than a week, and three weeks later I'm fit as a fiddle. The hospital stay was also about as good as could be expected, but having a family member who's on staff and people who can sneak in *real* food helps a lot... >My Response: I remember John Lennon say in an interview that the last true >Lennon/McCartney song collaboration was "We Can Work It Out" which was a >McCartney song but where John wrote the bridge The opposite was true of "A Day In The Life" -- John wrote the body, Paul the bridge. BTW, Disc 1 is most excellent. Disc 2 founders a little but has enough winners to keep it up. Where would we ever be without "While My Guitar...," "Dear Prudence," "Blackbird," "Revolution 9" et al? Now, Sgt. Pepper, *there's* an overrated album for you. (Ack! <duck>) >Finally got a tape of the 'recent demos', and GEE-ZEUS! they're terrific. <IMHO> The '95 demos are very possibly the best material Andy has ever written. >From RGtG '95 (River of Orchids) to the tragic love song Andy's been trying to write for 19 years (I Can't Own Her) a truly amazing set of recordings. I can't wait to see what happens when Colin and Dave get their hands on them... </IMHO> >stop picking on AMANDA, I think it's pretty cool that someone who is 19 is >into XTC like she is Then I must be just dripping with hip, eh? Re: Mummer My problem with the vocal on "Ladybird" is not Andy's actual singing but the weird tracking effect that was applied to it, which makes it always sound just a bit out of synch with the rest of the song... As for the rest of the album: my comments on Wonderland are just a symptom of what I see as a problem with much of the album, in that it's supposed to be very pastoral but on the whole has a very "synthetic" sound. Perhaps this is only the production, but that can make or break the album... as I said also, there is no one song that I would rate as "extraordinary." Wonderland, DUFtE, Human Alchemy, and FPAR I might even rank as "sub-par." My only defense is that I find the melodies less than captivating and don't find anything to improve that in the lyrics. >Yeah, I'm sure lots of you saw the Great Ones when I was a mere infant, >sperm, or nonexistant. Am I, indeed, the youngest person on the list? (Or just the youngest outspoken one?) How old *are* you, Mark? >I have been a subscriber for chalkhills for awhile, and i've noticed that >no one has mentioned The Dubbed Experiments. Doesn't anyone here have >that CD? I bet someone does. I've got it, but I'm willing to admit that the only reason I do is because I found a used copy for $8 plus tax (if you think I'd pay $22+ for it, you're crazy!) It's, um, unique. Nice in it's own way, although, I gotta say, for that genre I like "Somnabulist" better. Sorry for pulling a me and writing so much but, um, I've been gone for a week. Josh Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (oops, wrong band!) /-------------Joshua Hall-Bachner-------------Chaos Harlequin-------------\ | particle@servtech.com http://www.servtech.com/public/particle/ | |"We all have our idiosyncracies -- maybe thinning hair, or gum disease." | \---- Kowanko, "Will You Come To?" ------ Thank You, And Goodnight. ------/
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Apr 97 03:17:42 UT From: "William Hearne" <LHearne@msn.com> Message-Id: <UPMAIL14.199704190451240380@msn.com> Subject: Oldest Member Chalks: I was prompted to write in response to the 16-year old who wanted to know the oldest member. I may not be the oldest, but I'm 40. I've been listening to XTC since Drums & Wires was released. I "discovered" XTC through my love for King Crimson. In an interview of Bill Bruford in an old Trouser Press magazine, Bruford said one of his favorite (then) current bands was XTC, so I naturally went out and bought Drums & Wires (with the bonus EP of Limelight +2 others) included. I sure wish I still had that vinyl! Speaking of Krimson, I saw Fripp mentioned in connection with the Roches' "Hammond Song." Hammond refers to Hammond Louisiana, about 45 minutes from LSU, my alma mater. (I have never seen XTC or the Roches, but I caught Krimson on Halloween, 1995 - mesmerized the entire show). I have a comment to add to the Mummer debate. My opinion is that most of the songs are strong, and agree that the production is lacking. My unconfirmed theory about the deficiencies of Mummer are that they are related not only to the production, but also to the engineering. I think the recording is weak. Mummer was recorded at The manor, but the engineer is not listed in the credits. English Settlement, a much stronger album, was also recorded at The manor, but the engineer (and producer) was Padgham, who also engineered Black Sea. Both of those albums "sound" better to me than Mummer. So Long. Lake
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 19 Apr 1997 18:28:20 +0800 (CST) From: Don Rogalski <tonikuo@ms10.hinet.net> Subject: Totally off topic and unapologetic Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.970419181506.14474B-100000@ms10> Chalkhills people: I unlurk here with a sudden desire to know if anyone loving XTC also had a deep experience with THE JAZZ BUTCHER? I know I did, and saw them play Winnipeg many years ago, when they had a song out called "Mr. Odd" in which the word "Winnipeg" was mentioned. What? Winnipeg? I'm sure Amanda will be curious about my connections to the fabled city. I don't confess to being a fan of the Crash Test Dummies, but I did graduate from the same university as Brad Roberts. My best friend Bryan, however, used to hang out at the even more fabled Blue Note Cafe on Main St and regularly saw them doing their Celtic thing. (Incidentally, this is the same Blue Note Cafe in which I and thirty other people saw Neil Young jamming after hours with CTD's harmonica player -- this night was the inspiration for his "Blue Notes" album). I'm a shameless name-dropper, I know. My friends Andy and Colin hate it when I'm like this. Your'n Don
------------------------------ From: kekkone@sci.fi Message-ID: <3359EB6E.3E39@sci.fi> Date: Sun, 20 Apr 1997 03:09:50 -0700 Subject: The Kinks and Talking Heads... Martin Monkman wrote: >"In Loving Memory of a Name" is the only pop song I know of that deals >with a cemetery with the exception of "Eleanor Rigby" "Some Mother's Son" by the Kinks (on the album "Arthur" which, if I dare say, is a must for any Chalkie) makes, thematically, a perfect pair with "In Loving Memory of a Name", and may well have been an influence on Colin. Interesting that the Kinks have been brought up quite a lot on this list lately. I can't really hear much of a musical influence of the Kinks in XTC; the lyrical/thematical influences are much more obvious. Ralph DeMarco wrote: >I was shocked not seeing The Talking Heads. >I think that they were one of the most original and innovative >bands of the last twenty years. (Much like XTC) Agreed. Have you noticed that "Wonderland" on Mummer is about as Talking Heads as you can get? You can easily imagine D. Byrne singing it in lieu of Colin. (Oops. Is this blasphemy? (smiley)) Later, kekkone
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #3-101 *******************************
Go back to Volume 3.
21 April 1997 / Feedback