Chalkhills Digest Volume 3, Issue 117
Date: Wednesday, 21 May 1997
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 3, Number 117
Wednesday, 21 May 1997
Today's Topics:
Labels, Profits, & Legalese
Demos and Doodlings.
A "Black Sea"
THE FATE OF THE FAN IS PROJECTION
Yazbek's Greatness (and infirmity)
Catch a .WAV
Cut it Out (Bin)
the fate of the online demos...
Louder than bombers in flight...
XTC on the radio
You gotta do it cuz' it makes you feel good!
Geffen is no Virgin
Pete Sinfield
moms who like XTC
rock reads
Sir Paul & Jeff Lynn
fave album vs fave songs
MIDI, dummy, PC, COD, whoopee, Prarie & Liberty
Questions, comments, dreams, etc.
A lot of Brass
Chalkhills and children guitar TAB
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Now he's grown up, can't smash home up, retribution must be had.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-Id: <199705201806.LAA23454@sgi.sgi.com> From: "JH3" <JH3@alternatech.net> Subject: Labels, Profits, & Legalese Date: Tue, 20 May 1997 12:58:11 -0500 > From Joshua Hall-Bachner: > Geffen is a Virgin subsidiary... Wow, David Geffen's gonna to be *really* pissed when he finds out about this! >...So, no, they need a US deal as well as UK and elsewhere deals. Maybe -- that depends on who they sign with. In my opinion they'll be better off with a small UK label that offers a profit-sharing deal than a large one with better distribution and no profit-sharing (Majors don't "do" profit-sharing, as far as I know). But that will mean having to sign a separate US deal, and the US label probably won't go for those terms. I'm just guessing here about the numbers, but considering the average label's profit margin (usually over 500 percent after hard costs but before "overhead" expenses are considered), they'd probably only need a 10-percent share of the label's profits to make the same amount selling only about 20 percent of the product they'd have to sell *without* the 10 percent share. The risk is that the limited distribution won't allow them to achieve even that figure, but I think there are enough of us willing to go out of our way to find the stuff that it would be a risk worth taking. > From: Dummyhead Girl <bendamm@infosel.net.mx>: > Why do XTC fans hate CTD so much? Well, as you know, Combined Testicular Disorder is a *very* painful and embarrassing malady. > On the "Haves" vs. "Have-Nots" issue: Some of y'all might be mistaking caution for "elitism." People who "have" this stuff don't know if you're just another well-meaning fan or a notorious bootlegger with lots of friends in San Marino. Remember that Andy & Colin no longer have a big record label to supply them with expensive lawyers to fight expensive international copyright infringement battles. (Not that Virgin would've lifted a finger anyway.) Cheryl writes: > THIS made me wonder if the songs Mr. P has written are under a copy > right and is it a violation to be playing them over the internet like that? Under the new copyright laws (passed in the US last February, in most European countries last year I think), it *is* a legal violation, and what's worse, record *labels* can now legally pursue you if you publicly post even a low-fi digital recording of a work for which they hold the publishing rights. This is a huge victory for the labels, who previously had to underwrite each artist's legal activities to pursue such activities as copyright infringement. That, of course, meant getting the permission and support of the artist, who weren't always interested in bringing down government heat on (mostly) their own fans; also in most cases the penalties weren't worth the legal expenses. Now they don't necessarily have to get that permission, and the fines are stiffer, but of course the law is largely untested (at least in the US). Obviously since XTC doesn't have a label now, this isn't likely to be a problem for demos that EMI doesn't own, unless Andy himself decides to start suing people -- which he probably won't. I suspect he's had enough litigation for several lifetimes... --John Hedges
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 20 May 1997 14:15:44 -0400 (EDT) From: Sean Hennessey <suggs@sunspot.tiac.net> Subject: Demos and Doodlings. Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.95.970520141048.8956A-100000@sunspot.tiac.net> Hallo, Ace lurker here to shatter the year or so quiet time (and occasional unsubbed time too, sorry to say). Al the prattle running about the list about posting demo versions on webpages and all has made me remember that the persons who've promised me dubs of these have still never managed to ever get them to me. Many on the list says that they is willing to trade for copies, so if that is so, is anyone willing to do so? E-mail me privately and let me know what you are looking for. Also, I happen to be in Boston, MA, where not too many people must like XTC because there are quite a number of XTC singles and the such on sale in used stores for very little, so I can have a look about for something if I don't have it. Cheers - Sean
------------------------------
From: jason.phelan@mcmail.vanderbilt.edu
Date: Tue, 20 May 97 14:51:03 CST
Message-Id: <9704208641.AA864165203@in2.mcmail.vanderbilt.edu>
Subject: A "Black Sea"
Here it is, the Mother of all parodies.....
I have found that Chalkhills is best described as...
A "Black Sea"
Note - NOT TO BE TAKEN PERSONALLY BY ANY MEMBER OF THE LIST.
ANY RESEMBLANCE TO POSTERS, PAST FUTURE OR PRESENT
IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL.
Respectable Posts
It's in the order of their old po-oh-osts
It's in the way their minds all open and clo-hose
It's in the words they send you down their no-oh-hose
All part of Chalkhills hierarchy I suppose....
Generals and Majors
Josh and Amanda uh-huh
They're never too far
From subjects so laborious
Out in a world of their own
They never slow down
Yet never are Victorious
Oh Josh and Amanda always
seem so unhappy lest they have a post
Josh and Amanda uh-huh
will never go far
and never be too actionless
Living Through Another Chalkhills
Scrolling through another Cha-aw-awlkHills
it's all us bickering again and "You-know-who"'s in the middle
Scrolling through another Cha-aw-awlkHills
Microsoft is first again while we all are second fiddle
Love at First Sight
See the posters all go crazy
as they scramble for new stuff
Reading Posts from poor AMANDA
Sure is getting pretty rough.
News at first write (what we need is)
Rocket from a bottle
Con
ven
tions
Held a cross
the
sea
I feel so like getting wet
today-iy-yay-iy-ya-ha-he-hey
I could swim
like that girl in the cage
all the way
to Uffington today
I'm contemplating a trip around the world
Like a Guiness rcord breaker that's me
I'll swim all the way a cross the sea
I'll be going at dark
I'll be chewing up sharks
Just to see Martin Newell
No Language
There is no new news left to write
To tell the world just how we feel
No, no, no, no, no, we're leaving nothing behind
It all gets u-who-who-oozed
Even if Gregsy is a quee-hear
Oh...there is no new news left to ....
Ra-HIGH-ite
*Bonus Track* Smokeless Zone
Im living in a post-less zone
My house is now a happy home
I'm so damn glad I don't
sub scribe any longer
I'm living in a post-less zone
Chalkhills fat
and with pleasant posts
Now is just a time bomb, yeah
The whole damn thing is gonna
Implode on itself
Towers of London ( PILES OF CHALKHILLS )
Piles of Chalkhills
Linger in archives
Do you remember the band at all?
Towers of Chalkhills
arriving by noontime
eleven electronic miles tall...
We talk of bands considered to be underground
Many musicians spreading their chord changes 'round
Drek is the drink of the never-never newbies who pound
ON and ON about them Crashed Tested Dummies
Paper and Iron
I pray the list ain't waining
Ears are ringing from this complaining
But new insight I am not gaining
I take home my Chalkhills posts everyweek
"There will be some new stuff out soon"
But they can kiss the other cheek
The other cheek
La la low on Chalkhills
La la low on ideas
La la low on good posts
La la low on ideas
Burning with optimism's flamers
Never seen such postings
all the flames and toasting
and now there's picking
on which side you're sticking
all this talk of
French trombones
is leaving me
a little bit
blank
it
Always goes to show
it's not whose horn you blow
but it's the tune you play
Not if you're straight or gay
or black or grey or pink or multi-
like our cheshire cousins
We claim we all have found a new way to write
all we do is open our mouths and we fight
You see us burning with unartistic flames
You see us building up all the guilt and shame
You see us bur-urn and year-ur-ning
Sgt. Rock is going to Help Me
I'm un-sub-scribing
before i get old
I'm such a spoil sport
I'm sure I'll be told
But all this quibbling
About CTD
Has got me wretching
with a want to be free
If I could only find a way
to skip
the
postings from "You-know-who"
Major Domo's gonna let me
Leave the list fine
Unsubscribe on time
Major Domo's gonna help me
to un-sub-scribe
Wave the (backwards) victory sign
Travels in Nihilon
You've learnt no lessons
all those posts so cheaply sent
There's no youth culture
just someone named "dummyhead"
Travels
Travels in Spam-a-lot ( Spam-a-ham-a-wham-a-bam-a-hamalot
-a-hamalot-a-hamalot)
We've seen
No album come or go in quite a while, in quite a while, in quite a while,
in quite a while.
Note - NOT TO BE TAKEN PERSONALLY BY ANY MEMBER OF THE LIST.
ANY RESEMBLANCE TO POSTERS, PAST FUTURE OR PRESENT
IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL.
------------------------------ From: J_ARTECONA@RCMAD.UPR.CLU.EDU Date: Tue, 20 May 1997 16:03:27 -0400 Message-Id: <970520160327.220080b8@RCMAD.UPR.CLU.EDU> Subject: THE FATE OF THE FAN IS PROJECTION Hi all, a few words on the drug thing. I have read the letters regarding their use and must say it definitely puts the cactii thing in a different light.So maybe they don't do 'shrooms, not that I am totally dissuaded from my views but shall keep them for private talk if anyone cares. I have always said that THE FATE OF THE FAN IS PROJECTION, it is an unavoidable reality of being a fan. So maybe all I imagine the lads to be is illusion. Oh, and to Sherwood, never in a million years did I think that the lads where drug addled, windowpane seeking, drug addicts, just occasional users and there is quite a difference mind you. I don't think anyone who is addicted could consistently put out as much great material as the lads from Swindon have. Andy seems like too much of a perfectionist anyway. And now my last mention of drugs, and you can put this one under conspiracy theories regarding Andy, but.....I have always wondered if there was a connection between ANdy's stoppage of Valium and his stage fright. You know that valium is a powerful anti-anxiety agent, which means that the rebound effect from cessation of it is anxiety. From my many years in the addiction field I can also say that the rebound effect from cessation of benzodiazepines (of which valium is an example) can often be protracted and marked by anxiety attacks. This would mean that if Andy's stage fright was a function of valium he would no longer be scared of touring! A few trial concerts should provide the answer and of course I would also have to be there to serve as an impartial observer. So there is the theory, probably more projection I am sure. And if anyone cares or wonders, I do not use drugs, I just know a lot about them but that also means I am biased. If your only tool is a hammer everyone looks like a nail.
------------------------------ Message-Id: <s381a642.024@phjw.com> Date: Tue, 20 May 1997 13:24:23 -0700 From: "MARK G. CUEVAS" <MGCUEVAS@phjw.com> Subject: Yazbek's Greatness (and infirmity) Dearest Chalksters: In a recent Chalkhills, Natalie mentioned David Yazbek's music as not appealing to her. She then went on to explain her position a bit. For the record (no pun intended), I completely disagree with the notion that Yazbek is anything less than *outstanding*. In my opinion, David Yazbek's "The Laughing Man" is the most original music I have heard in years (five years to be exact). His use of vocal harmonies, changes in tempo, lively rhythms and synthesizers, create moods that actually take me there. I really can't wait to hear what else he has in store for us. If Yazbek were limited solely to his music, he would be above average. Thankfully, his wit and use of metaphor are so refreshingly clever that the total Yazbek experience takes me to another level altogether. It is xtc-like (and hence brilliant-like) in that the music and lyrics combine to create a whole greater than the sum of its parts. *I need more of this*. Last year I went on a bit about The Sugarplastic, especially after seeing them live and talking to Ben before the show. I still enjoy their vocal harmonies and appreciate their strong Pop sound, but with three musicians (and only one vocalist) there is not enough there, there. Yazbek is on a different level. For those of you who haven't yet heard him, visit the web site. The snippets don't do him justice, but it may be enough to pique your interest. Better yet, just buy the CD. For those who wonder what my musical tastes are like, here is a sample of what I'm currently listening to: (Early) Police (Early) Joe Jackson Jason Faulkner Martin Newell Squeeze Steely Dan Stan Kenton :) My Contribution: Jason and the Choc-Full-O-Nuts Pink Bubble Gum Thing Living Through Another Scoopa Oh Dave, about that bleeding, I can recommend a salve that has been known to reduce the swelling when applied liberally and often. It worked for ... uh ... a friend of mine. :)
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 20 May 1997 16:58:37 -0600 (CST) From: y9d62@ttacs1.ttu.edu Subject: Catch a .WAV Message-id: <Pine.PMDF.3.91.970520165411.558188581A-100000@ttacs.ttu.edu> Only real audio could be giving me this headache, because I'm sure I didn't drink THAT much last night...Just in case, can I ask if anyone could post those agreeable files in .wave format? I doubt it, but what good is a news group if you can't bum favors off complete strangers? And why hasn't somebody covered Funk Pop A Roll yet? I think if you slowed it down, and put Weiland in front of it, you'd have one...well, typical B-side! Here's hoping that modern rock doesn't refuse to die.... Dominique
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199705202340.QAA11562@f33.hotmail.com> From: "Ben Gott" <xtcfan@hotmail.com> Subject: Cut it Out (Bin) Date: Tue, 20 May 1997 16:40:18 PDT I just returned from a three-day class trip to Washington, D.C., where I happened upon a Border's Book & Music store in a large Maryland mall. Not only did they have a good XTC selection - including "Fossil Fuels," all the gold discs, and "Waxworks" - but they also had the freakin' "Greatest Living Englishman," the album that I had searched for for about three months (price=$16.95). Story gets better: I worked my way over to the cut out bin, to see what XTC I could see, and found "The Big Express," "Oranges and Lemons," and "The Greatest Living Englishman." All for $5.99. Pinch me. I almost chundered all over the clerk. Didn't buy anything, although the bookstore section did have a copy of the M-TV Unplugged book, marked down from $50 to $4.99. Smart shoppers... Does anyone know what kind of synth is used in "It's Nearly Africa"? -Ben (Any day now now.) * --------------------------------------- Ben Gott http://www.wp.com/58596 Our instruments have no way of measuring this feeling.
------------------------------ From: shaefner@falcon.cc.ukans.edu Date: Tue, 20 May 1997 20:05:53 -0500 (CDT) Message-Id: <199705210105.UAA25136@services.midusa.net> Subject: the fate of the online demos... Chalkhillians, first of all, to the many people who have emailed and posted thanking me, etc. for posting the "new" demos, you are all welcome. I put the demos on the net because I know how much I wanted to hear them, after 4 years, and because it had been suggested by 2 or 3 fellow listmembers, and it sounded like a good idea. Since I have the demos, the software, and the "know-how," and because I am not interested in coordinating a tape tree, I decided to encode the best of the bunch for everyone to hear. I have also made tapes of them for about 6-8 Chalkhillians, as many others have done. But the best way for nearly everyone on the list to hear them, I felt, would be to encode them in RA. And based on Andy's comments, I reasoned that he would most likely be OK with it. But, as Simon pointed out, maybe Andy was just sorta OK with the circulation of the demos, and at the same time, not happy about it. Anyway, I have been thinking about it over the last week or so, plus I have read what Simon wrote and have to agree with a lot of it (see #3-114). So, I will be taking the demos off the Internet within the next week. So, if you haven't yet listened and would like to, do so quickly! Their purpose of exposing Chalkies to Andy's new songs has been served, and it is probably in everyone's best interest if I remove them. Jill said: >I'm grateful to the fellow who posted the current demos..thank you thank >you thank you! (I agree with the "haves and have nots" theory on the >ethics of putting them up) Actually, after reading Mark's testimony, I don't think that this is the case. James asked: >I am not very familier with Real Audio, is the quality of the demos due to >converting the tapes to Real Audio fromat or were the demos tapes the >culprits? The songs that I converted did not seem to lose much in the way of sound quality; they sound about the same as on the tape. Part of the problem may be that they are being played through computer speakers, rather than stereo speakers. Also, I recorded them in mono to keep the size as small as possible. Please be advised that I cannot do any trades at the moment since I am packing everything up and heading to England to live for six months...Maybe I could meet with some English chalkies? We will live somewhere near London, but I won't know for sure until we get there and locate a place to live. Email me if interested. definitely *not* a God, -Scott http://www.sky.net/~shaefner
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 00:03:23 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <199705210403.AAA10047@cyber1.servtech.com> From: Joshua Hall-Bachner <harlequin@tmbg.org> Subject: Louder than bombers in flight... >Josh didn't get that I was new to listening to the NO DOUBT album My point wasn't really that; I was just sharing my personal dislike of the band's lyrical abilities, since you brought it up. Personally, I tend to pay a lot of attention to the lyrics, and usually look them up after about three listens if I haven't figured them out already, but that's just me... >I apologize to anyone who may have "run to the loo and vomited," I think someone who would do as you suggest because one of their favorite musicians is gay needs to rethink their priorities. Of course, special dispensation for amanda, she had her heart set on the guy... >(Guys, did I leave anything out??????) Posting in volumes that make *me* look like a lurker? >I am not very familier with Real Audio, is the quality of the demos due to >converting the tapes to Real Audio fromat or were the demos tapes the >culprits? Probably both. Most of the copies of the demos floating around on Chalkhills are probably 5th gen or higher. >I'm definitely buying the album after hearing these demos! As soon as it hits >the shelf. No kidding! I will once again state my humble opinion that these demos are very possibly the best material Andy Partridge has ever written. >My roommate Ron and I are sittin' here listening to "She Blinded >Me with Science" by one Mr. Thomas Dolby, once considered as >Barry Andrews replacement. Ahhh, yes, "She Blinded Me With Science." If I had some sort of probability-altering machine, one of my first steps would be to see what XTC would have sounded like with an Andy / Colin / Thomas Dolby lineup. Or an Andy / Colin / Brian Eno lineup. (Both were considered as members before they picked Dave.) >THIS made me wonder if the songs Mr. P has written are under a copy >right and is it a violation to be playing them over the internet like >that? Yes, the songs are copyrighted, and technically it's a copyright violation just to be in possession of a dub of them. >Still trying to get used to Explode Together, Heh. "Mr. Ditko was *right*! Mr. A is soooo neaaaaaar." BTW, I'd just like to apologize to Keith Beck for not getting back to him on his tape request, but I'm sadly still working on the tapes I got *last time.* Josh Louder than screaming warlords... /-------------Joshua Hall-Bachner-------------Chaos Harlequin-------------\ | harlequin@tmbg.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. ------/
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01530500afa82df96cad@[206.80.189.30]> Date: Tue, 20 May 1997 22:55:30 -0700 From: mad@macconnect.com (Michael De Bernardi) Subject: XTC on the radio just thought you might like to know... i recently moved from chicago to new mexico and figured that my radio listening days were over, but i'm happy to say that i found a station called KBAC, "Radio Free Santa Fe". Over four days, i have heard "generals and majors", "earn enough for us", and "king for a day", in the middle of the day no less! evidently, someone in the land of enchantment has been paying attention.
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 00:33:09 -0500 (CDT) From: The Gottschalks <gotts@tenet.edu> Subject: You gotta do it cuz' it makes you feel good! Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.91.970521000323.32496B-100000@Joyce-Perkins.tenet.edu> Sorry, but the person who wrote "If you can't beat em' join em'" made me think of the next line of the song. Does anyone get the reference? There have been some good responses to the comments on Dave's sexuality, but let me just add something. Growing on the point that it takes much more bravery to proclaim homosexuality than it does to proclaim heterosexuality, well, doesn't that say a lot about the homosexual? Wouldn't that kind of indicate that most people who are openly gay have a firmer grasp on their lives than some? I mean, going against society's mainframe in any way is brave, and don't we respect the brave? Oh well... I don't know how Amanda's opinions, no matter how strong, have made such an impact on this list. I've been on this list for over two months, and people still bring up how offensive she was in the past. It just amazes me that a list compiled of so many older, more mature people can go on so long about it. About Dummyhead Girl: Someone childishly criticized her for spelling the word "rules" as "rulz" and then went on to spell her name, Titiana, as something like "Tityana." Please pay attention to what you write. And besides, who the hell cares? Maybe she wanted us to think of it as being pronounced with a "z" at the end. So what? Don't some people write "kewl"? Anyway, enough preaching about that. I've been thinking about something else. Titiana wrote her first message very enthusiasticly about being a CTD fan. In her second message she just totally went off about Jars of Clay. Both unwritten Chalkhills offenses. But has it occured to anyone that humiliating her for it in front of the whole list was also wrong? It's one thing to send a private post welcoming her to the list and simply giving her a precaution about postings, but criticizing her on the list is even worse (especially in childish ways). I may be the only one who knows this, but she almost left the list because of all the flaming responses. I'm just saying (in a long-winded sort of way) that we should be a little nicer to those who make harmless mistakes. And might I add, I haven't seen anyone shove it in anyone's face to like CTD. It's just that CTD fans, like myself, are generally desperate to find other Dummyheads. Well, I've gone on far too long about all that. Christian rock is generally repulsive to me. Bands like DC Talk just sound to me like a big joke. I think it's because if a band focuses on one sound or one subject to sing about, they're gonna suck. Religion doesn't offend me. I absolutely love the album Hope Chest by 10000 Maniacs, which is quite religious, but also political, etc... Rykodisc also incorporates MONO PUFF!!!! The Roches too. Love, Dummyhead Boy, Chalkhillian, TMBGer, and Boingoloid (Mark)
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199705211052.FAA19594@dfw-ix2.ix.netcom.com> From: "Steve & Lauren Perley" <huduguru@ix.netcom.com> Subject: Geffen is no Virgin Date: Tue, 20 May 1997 18:54:55 -0400 Joshua wrote: >Geffen is a Virgin subsidiary. So, no, they need a US deal as well as UK and >elsewhere deals. To which Martin_Monkman@fincc04.fin.gov.bc.ca replied: >As for XTC's part in all this -- when XTC originally signed with >Virgin the label had no American subsidiary (as they do in Canada, >Japan, and elsewhere) or distribution ... so the band reached an >arrangement with Geffen to distribute XTC albums in the USA. A fairly complete account, my friend, marred only by the omission of the miserable CBS YEARS! Ah yes, CBS...who cut English Settlement down to one disc, and were later swallowed themselves by the Japanese Sony conglomerate. I think that The Big Express was the first Geffen release before they reissued the whole back catalog. As for Geffen, isn't the original Geffen label still with WEA and didn't David Geffen start a new label (DGC?) which is distributed by MCA? I may be wrong here, and nobody in the world may care... Hey, what can I say? I managed a Strawberries Records store in the mid-80's! I read a lot of album covers... Anxiously awaiting Chalkhills' Children on no label whatsoever- Steve
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 21 May 97 13:33:12 UT From: "William Hearne" <LHearne@msn.com> Message-Id: <UPMAIL14.199705211328400368@msn.com> Subject: Pete Sinfield Go here to see interesting comments of Pete Sinfield regarding early King Crimson, and see that Pete Sinfiled is sort of a wiseass even after all these years: http://bliss.berkeley.edu/elp/digest/back-issues/1994/elp-digest-4.19 Dobby, I want to kill you for introducing me to Music Blvd. David Crider and I have together ordered about 15 cds in the last week. The place has mighty cheap prices, but it's still money. My latest order includes Quiet Sun's "Mainstream" which, as you will recall, holds the distinction of containing the best song title ever: "Daddy Was An Asteroid, Mummy Was A Non-Stick Kitchen Utensil."
------------------------------ Message-Id: <s382d0ad.077@ic.si.edu> Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 10:39:10 -0400 From: Beth Wojiski <WOJISBE@ic.si.edu> Subject: moms who like XTC I enjoyed reading the post by "james dupuy" about his breakthrough with his mom....I had a similar one with my mom back when Nonsvch came out. I had just bought my first cd player (and Nonsvch was my first cd) and blared it every evening after work, and when "Rook" came on, she came barging into my room wondering who wrote those wonderful chords. Before you knew it she was hanging out with me in my room, she with her 6-string acoustic guitar and me with my bass, and we're figuring out XTC songs quicker than you can say "XTC", and it was a really special bonding time for us! Ever since then, I have introduced mom to many other bands, including the Smiths (she loves Johnny Marr's guitar work), but on any mix tape I make her, it has to include some XTC or she's not happy. <grin> Just had to share this happy experience!!! Beth :-) PS - I'm now 25 and my mom' s 47, so, we're really not *that* far apart in age, which is probably why we can love the same music.
------------------------------ From: Martin_Monkman@fincc04.fin.gov.bc.ca Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 08:21:58 -0700 (PDT) Subject: rock reads Message-id: <9704218642.AA864228016@FINSMTP1.FIN.GOV.BC.CA> Jon tells us about "Paperback Writer" (the book, not the song) and goes on to say: >More current reading includes the Concert by Ismail Kadere and Dom Casmurro >by Machado d'Assis. I can't think of many good recent rock reads ; any >thoughts ? I've got a couple of recommendations: 1. Gerald Early "One Nation Under A Groove". This is a sociologist's view of Motown ... a fascinating analysis of the most successful of the black labels. 2. Greil Marcus "Mystery Train". I just re-read this ... and it's even better the 2nd time through. Marcus looks at the careers and music of Harmonica Frank, Robert Johnson (Andy had the Johnson boxset playing when Peter of Microsoft was visiting), The Band, Sly Stone, Randy Newman, and Elvis Presley. The Presley chapter is the highlight of the book, and perhaps the single greatest piece of analysis of Presley ever penned. "Mystery Train" was written in 1975, but later editions (I own the 3rd) have updates. Marcus has also published a collection of essays written after Presley's death called "Dead Elvis" that is altogether intriguing. Can anybody else suggest any other rock books? Martin
------------------------------ Message-Id: <s382e254.016@elsevier.com> Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 11:53:43 -0400 From: Ralph DeMarco <r.demarco@elsevier.com> Subject: Sir Paul & Jeff Lynn Dear One Armed Bandits and Affiliated Members: Re: Jeff Lynn (a.k.a. The Antilennon) I must agree with Stormy Monday when he commented on the new McCartney singles he heard recently: >The songs are good, but I still think the sound of the records is marred >by the production values of The Antilennon. I couldn't agree more if I had an electrified agreeing machine. Jeff Lynn is the most soul destroying producer I've ever heard. He could make Ray Charles sound like Milli Vanilli. Everything this guy touches turns to cheese! He ruined the Traveling Willburys (which should have been a great collaboration project) he ruined that George Harrison album "Cloud Nine", he ruined those "new" Beatles songs and made them sound like the Traveling Willburys. And now, continuing in the tradition, Sir Paul McCartney's best work since "Tug of War" is greatly diminished by Lynn's "production values". Jeff Lynn creates the same drum sound on every track he produces! He makes the live drums sound like a damn drum machine programmed to sound live! He tries to get a "ambient" sound but ends up making most songs very sterile and contrived. The irony is that, according to Lennon, it was a good thing the Beatles broke up when they did or else they would have ended up sounding something like ELO. Now I'm certainly not saying that slick production equals bad results. Their are so many great artists who know what sound works for them. McCartney should have picked someone like Daniel Lanois who knows how to achieve a perfect balance between slickness and warmth (good example is Dylan's "Oh Mercy" album). Other poducers who can create a good balance are George Martin, Todd Rundgren, Phil Spector, Brian Eno and the list goes on. Jeff Lynn and XTC - may they never meet. Ralphie
------------------------------ Message-Id: <s382e629.025@ic.si.edu> Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 12:10:46 -0400 From: Beth Wojiski <WOJISBE@ic.si.edu> Subject: fave album vs fave songs In Chalkhills 3-116, David Pardue wrote: "Anyone else have a similar dilemma? Is there an XTC album for you which has a lot of great songs, but it still isn't your favorite album?" --Well, yes, actually, I do. I would classify English Settlement as my favorite album, tho' most of my favorite songs are on other albums (namely Mummer, Drums & Wires, and Black Sea). I don't know why this is...perhaps it has something to do with how an album runs from start to finish overall, leaving you with a impression of it's wholeness instead of it's bits-n-bobs. I dunno....anyway, that's my two-cents. I'll be interested to hear of other people's experiences with this. cheers! Beth PS - These are terribly bad, cheesy, and sick, but, here goes (and I apologize if any of these were done before): "Pink Lemonade Thing", "Officer Blue Raspberry", "This is Pop-sicle", "Sno-cone-Man", "Down in the Choc-late".....[somebody stop me, before I get worse.......] :-D
------------------------------
Message-ID: <338335A1.4E02@ns1.mindmagic.com>
Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 12:49:27 -0500
From: Brian Matthews <btm@ns1.mindmagic.com>
Organization: Ringling Multimedia Corporation
Subject: MIDI, dummy, PC, COD, whoopee, Prarie & Liberty
Head For The Hills! (if you're lucky...)
OK, now, I'm starting to find an audience out there for this XTC MIDI
issue. More is welcome, however. This next bit of information will no
doubt cause some stir: I have a pretty good version of "Melt The Guns"
ready to go, but I need to do just a little more work on it before it
sees the light at the end the 5-pin DIN cable. Look for it very soon on
the Chalkhills website (I presume that I have permission to say/do
that).
One of the posters who contacted me suggested that there are a lot of
musicians subscribing, and my question is... where are you guys & gals?
Everyone on Chalkhills is so overwrought about the lack of new music
from the lads in Swindon that I would have thought that someone out
there would have created a few more MIDI's of XTC tunes than there are,
if only as an outlet for their frustration. Perhaps I equate being a
musician with having access to the latest hardware/software (I mean, why
not?), as I do, and that is probably unfair. But stuff gets cheaper all
the time, and this world community that we all are Calvin-&-Hobbesing
downhill towards is going to be built on everybody being able to put
their two-cents worth in, and for you musicians that means MIDI/audio &
the Internet. Don't get left out of the fun!
Did anyone else receive e-mail from Dummyhead Girl in Mexico? I did, and
she (Tatiana, BTW) told me that she had already unsubscribed and had
never heard XTC do XTC ("The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead"), only CTD's
version (ar-ar-ar!). I beamed back that she ought to give XTC a chance.
Maybe we'll have a convert (HA! kids...).
I have a penchant for saying controversial things... Who the hell gives
a damn if Dave is gay? What is the difference (besides Chalkhills
post-fodder)? Don't get me wrong... I wouldn't go out of my way to turn
a barstool upside-down for a barbershop quartet of 'em, but everybody's
got at least some small vice(s). Let me see some guiter tabs/chord
charts for XTC music, for crying out loud. That's news I can use.
Someone from the group here is supposed to send me a copy of the demos.
I hope it comes soon.
BTW, I don't think there is an XTC song that isn't good... just
different music for different moods.
For the lovers: it's your wedding, they'd better damned well play what
you want (right, Bob?) Good luck to you, Karl (it's nearly Africa).
Has anyone out there heard the most recent Tubes album ('Genius Of
America')? What did you think?
Matt: Fire that MIDI of "Statue Of Liberty" my way, will ya?
OK, Hillers, its time to blast.
Someday I'd love to know the whole history of the notorious Amanda.
-Brian
------------------------------ From: gopack@postoffice.worldnet.att.net Subject: Questions, comments, dreams, etc. Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 18:04:51 +0000 Message-ID: <19970521180445.AAA9333@CTX> Does anybody know who did the voice of Ella Guru in the song of the same name? I really enjoy XTC's cover, and I am very curious as to who sings it. I can tell that Andy does the lead, but the background voices are somewhat of a mystery. Also, I have somehow missed the release date of "Uppsy Daisy." Does anybody know when it will be appearing at the local Best Buy? As to the recent threads concerning drugs, CTD, Amanda, Dave's sexual preference, and the like - excellent! It is this fascinating lively debate that has kept me a member of Chalkhills for damn near three years. When things get boring, many people start to lose interest in the postings, thus the overall quality of the netgroup tends to drop. Finally, I had a fascinating dream two nights ago that is still very much in my memory. My wife, a friend from college, and myself were at the Music Hall (Cleveland) for a twin bill concert featuring Devo and XTC. My friend (who in the real world is incredably disorganized) lost his ticket, and by the time we found it we had missed all of the Devo show except for the last song, which I didn't recognize. Then after waiting for about 2 hrs. for XTC to come out, the curtain rose, and out stepped Malcolm MacLaren (sp?). I turned to my wife and told her that Malcolm was XTC's new manager and had produced their new album. (Actually, this is more of a nightmare than a dream!) Malcolm walked to the microphone and told the audience that XTC couldn't preform because Sid the bass player had died. As people started to leave the arena, I started yelling that he was lying, that XTC's bass player was named Colin, and to stay and demand the band play. That was the end. Maybe I need to quit drinking so much coffee in the evenings. Matt "If you think there's a solution, you're automatically part of the problem." - George Carlin
------------------------------ Message-ID: <c=US%a=_%p=AETNA%l=HFD-EXCH003-970521205547Z-156295@aetna.aetna.com> From: "Witter, Karl F" <WitterKF@aetna.com> Subject: A lot of Brass Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 16:55:47 -0400 >>[Harrison Sherwood] Amanda, Dave Gregory is as gay as a French >>trombone. I'm really surprised nobody's told you this. >[Stormy Monday]I needed to think about this one for awhile. Dave's >sexual preference is his business, unless he makes an issue of it. >Can anyone honestly say that this shy artist deserves comments >like the above, even if spoken in jest? (my snipping) I don't know, I thought Harrison was just yanking Amanda's ears in a farcical manner. Rather than insulting or speculating on Dave's preference I saw right off he was playing with Amanda's admiration for Greggsy. Is this familiar: You're with relatives & acquaintances who have a bottomless well of mean-spirited, labored and unfunny jokes about gay men (blacks, Hispanics...). Been there, done that, was ostracized for "ruining everyone's fun" while wondering how I could be related to these idiots, so I know where you're coming from, Stormy. Well, Harrison's post didn't get my blood up, but the deadpan vocal delivery didn't make it completely into print. >[Harrison] My confident assertion that he is, er, left of center, >was a deliberate and tasteless provocation. I'm not just agreeing with Althea because she's a brass player, but "gay as a French horn" is what I've heard. However, I'd never heard "left of center", but as a left-handed left-winger, I'm curious where that came from. E-mail me direct w/answer. >[Richard Pedretti-Allen] Follow these rules implicitly. Implicitly? We'll have to wonder what you mean by that, unless you imply "explicitly" :-). Martin Monkman knows far too much about record labels! Perhaps a little chart would help the rest of us understand; my head's still spinning. My mind's on the blink, Karl
------------------------------ From: PAUL FERGUSON <p.ferguson1@lancaster.ac.uk> Message-Id: <199705212157.WAA00710@unixa.lancs.ac.uk> Subject: Chalkhills and children guitar TAB Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 22:57:41 +0100 (BST) I've put my neck on the chopping block and transcribed guitar TAB for Chalkhills and children - you can find it in the chalkhills chord archive. If anyone wants to tell me it's OK, or if I've ballsed it up completely, please mail me. Cheers, Paul.
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #3-117 *******************************
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