Chalkhills Digest Volume 3, Issue 142
Date: Wednesday, 23 July 1997
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 3, Number 142
Wednesday, 23 July 1997
Today's Topics:
gbv, Matador, and XTC
Soul Coal & Snowman
"Wake up..." "NO!"
Wanted: Japanese Andy Partridge/Harold Budd "Through the Hill" CD
XTC Radio spottings, etc.
Senses Working Overtime
new album?
Holding my breath
You don't say!
What an IDEA ! (well someone had to say it)
Re: Rant On Aesthetics
oranges and lemons
A Better IDEA
More Nit-Picky Comments! (sorry!)
Questions and Opinions (100% XTC)
More non-XTC stuff for the Mommyheads fans
Newell/Partridge
Discipline me, Hot Mama . . .
LENGTHY! "Careful what you wish for..."
I've a feeling '97 will be a good year....
Random Noise, Redux
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.
Chalkhills is digested with Digest 3.4 (John Relph <relph@sgi.com>).
Help but dance for your piece of paper.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 21 Jul 1997 13:44:15 -0500 (CDT) From: Matt John <mjohn@richland.cc.il.us> Subject: gbv, Matador, and XTC Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.96.970721133812.30582D-100000@mail.richland.cc.il.us> Well, regarding Guided By Voices, they are quite huge on a underground scale. I'd dare say they're the most significant "underground" band in America today. But about Matador: In order to afford their deal with GBV, I read they had to drop 37 bands from their label to afford them. So I would be real surprised if they could ever pick up XTC. I've been wondering what's happened to XTC. Pardon me, I'm new, but what's going on? They're lookin' for a new distributor? Please clue me in (and welcome me!). Matt
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199707211735.TAA20391@utrecht.knoware.nl> From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl> Organization: The Little Lighthouse Date: Mon, 21 Jul 1997 18:43:43 +0000 Subject: Soul Coal & Snowman Cher Chalkers, Those of you who are running a bit low on soul coal might like to check out my new 'Random XTC Quote Webpage' to remind them of the lyrical genius of Andy & Colin. The URL of the site is included in my 'signature' at the end of this message. BTW: I was (pleasantly) surprised when I read in the new Andy Partridge interview from Consumable Online that the Australian Icehouse bloke Ivor Davis was going to collaborate with him. This makes him very probably the only musician in the world to have worked with both Andy P. and Terry Chambers but NOT with XTC... Cor blimey! Mark Strijbos at The Little Lighthouse an unofficial XTC website at http://utopia.knoware.nl/~mmello ===> Mark's Random XTC Quote <==When you wake up early in the morning you will find important pieces gone
------------------------------ From: StereoPuff@aol.com Date: Mon, 21 Jul 1997 21:34:54 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: <970721213146_784958050@emout05.mail.aol.com> Subject: "Wake up..." "NO!" I was rudely awakened (awoken?) this past Thursday morning by a loud pounding on my front door. It continued for more than a minute while I stubbornly refused to leave the confines of my warm cozy bed. I eventually staggered to my feet (putting my cleanest dirty shirt on) and walked downstairs, opening the front door to discover... THAT I HAD WON THE PUBLISHERS CLEARING HOUSE SWEEPSTAKES!!! Well, not really; it was just the postman, attempting to deliver a package. "Sign here", he said, and went on his way. I happily opened said package to discover the copy of the Gribouillage EP that I had ordered from a U.K. company some time ago. I listened to it over breakfast, and now i seriously wish that Virgin had gotten around to releasing that "Somesuch" compilation of Nonsuch demos... t'would only help to make one appreciate the album even more (if such a thing were possible for most of us). Heck, I even like The Smartest Monkeys a lot more now. Whatever happened to Somesuch? Wasn't it eventually going to be released around the same time of Fossil Fuel? Gribouillage is packaged in a light-grey cardboardy digipak, with the Nonsuch castle printed on the front in purple ink. A brief XTC discography is printed inside the front cover. Here are the notes from the back of the EP: "Les titres ont ete enregistres "a la maison" sur les multi-pistes respectifs des compositeurs. Ce sont des versions demo des titres qui figurent sur la face A de l'album "Nonsuch". Normalement, personne ne devrait entendre cet enregistrement a part les trois membres de XTC et le directeur artistique de la maison de disque." and in English: "These songs were recorded at home on the respective composers multi-track cassette machines. They are demo versions of songs which went on to form side one of the "Nonsuch" album. Normally, these recordings would not be heard by anyone other than the three members of XTC and a record company A&R Director." *sigh*, if only they had included ALL of Side One... (aka, "the first half of the CD")... Amusing anecdote... I work as an usher at the big York THX theatre here in Toronto. Because of its size & sound system, many of the advance press screenings of upcoming films are held there. At the advance screening for Men In Black, I bumped into Peter Howell, ex-music critic for the Toronto Star... one of the few music critics i know of who actually listens to XTC. He asked if I knew what happened to the Little Express, because he had heard that they had ceased production... I told him about this list, and he said he'd try & check it out sometime. I also started on about what Andy's been up to (recording, getting out of Virgin, etc.), and he pointed to the guy sitting next to him and said "actually, he works for Virgin!". The guy (I never got his name) looked at me and said in a disgruntled voice: "the main problem we had with XTC is that they had too much material", and then went back to his magazine. I went straight to my ushering business right after that, because, well, we're not allowed to be rude to the customers! ;p And a big fat *BLAH* to whomever it was who bought the King For A Day single from Southland before I could. May all your household pets become ill-tempered & spiteful. Mike Wood
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199707220231.TAA18888@f52.hotmail.com> From: "Dave O'Connell" <jumpthecup@hotmail.com> Subject: Wanted: Japanese Andy Partridge/Harold Budd "Through the Hill" CD Date: Mon, 21 Jul 1997 19:31:17 PDT Hi! Does anyone out there know where I can pick up a copy of the Japanese edition of the Andy Partridge/Harold Budd "Through the Hill" CD (the one with the two bonus tracks)? Any help would be greatly appreciated. (Also, a fellow Chalkhillian friend of mine would get my old copy of "Hill", so I'm sure she'd appreciate it too.) Dave O'Connell York PA
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Jul 1997 21:37:23 -0500 (CDT) Message-Id: <199707220237.VAA23729@sky.net> From: Scott Taylor <staylor@sky.net> Subject: XTC Radio spottings, etc. Two post from the last Chalkhills... >Hey folks. Here's another one of those posts that starts with >"I just heard XTC on the radio". .... >The song that was >playing was Mayor of Simpleton, so I turned it up as I drove away. Now I >was surprised enough hearing the song being played but what actually >surprised me even more was what was said afterward. I'll try and write Then later... >Our local "alternativo" station has had the legally-required 3-pak >of XTC from which to choose for their weekly oldies show. While Must be something in the water. Or something that the music services are pushing to our local DJs, anyway, because on MY local alternative station this week, while I was out grabbing a bite on my lunch hour, played a 3-pack XTC retrospective with historical commentary in between. They played "Dear God," "25 O'Clock," and "Mayor of Simpleton." When was the last time YOU heard the Dukes on the air? The jock did make the typical non-fan mistakes, referring to the side project as "The Dukes of The Stratosphear" and commenting that _Upsy Daisy_ was yet to be released. But I figured, hey, it wasn't like he said that _Oranges & Lemons_ came out in 1990 or anything unforgiveably erroneous like that. :) >Matt Keeley, Scott Taylor, and other fellow Lehrer-philes: It's just >one cult after another here, isn't it? I figure with the scatter-shot tastes I have, ranging on any given day from Marty Robbins to Julian Cope to Ween, I'm going to find kindred spirits wherever I land. And much as I like to think that I've got a bead on eclecticism, I get the feeling from what I've read here that most of the rest of you out there are listening to more disparate stuff than me, even yet. Lastly, I have to second Mitch... >This is the story . . . Occassionally you may have seen references to a band >called The Mommyheads on this list. >...I implore anyone who listened to past Chalkhills advice >and purchased and enjoyed The Sugarplastic, Jason Faulkner, Martin Newell, >etc. to sprint to your nearest record store and buy The Mommyheads on >Geffen. You will not be dissappointed, in fact you may be blown away. YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! This band is really something. I was lucky to stumble upon one of their indie releases in a used CD shop for $3 and bought it strictly on the basis of having heard the name here. The comparisons to the Sugarplastic are much more fitting than those to XTC, I think, so if you liked _Bang! The Earth is Round_ you'll have no problem enjoying this band. Speaking of the Sugarplastic, does anyone have a used copy of _Radio Jejeune_ they'd like to part with? And did that rifff interview with Andy ever get transcribed? / Scott M. Taylor -- staylor@sky.net -- http://www.sky.net/~staylor \ | "There are still taboos, of course, but their nature has changed. | | For example, when I was in college, there were certain words you | | couldn't say in front of a girl. Now you can say them, but you | \ can't say 'girl.'" -- Tom Lehrer /
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01550100affa68ed5751@[208.198.130.29]> Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 09:07:07 -0500 From: gott@li.com (Ben Gott) Subject: Senses Working Overtime I was so inspired by Rob Macdonald's story a few weeks back, that I thought I'd serially share some of my most interesting XTC experiences This is not to put Stephen King, Bard of Bangor, out of a job. My reason for writing this quick tale is that, even though I just turned 18 last Sunday (happy birthday to me!), I can safely say that my life - and the lives of others around me who have been influenced by XTC - would be different without their music. I met my cousins for the first time in March. There were circumstances that kept us from meeting before - mostly having to do with location, and their father, who's a real prick - but we had a great time. Went to the San Diego Zoo. I was apprehensive, to say the least, about meeting Kelly (14) and Andrew (11); that apprehension quickly disappeared after I spent a few hours with them. I knew that they'd have to hear "English Settlement" by the end of the day. Unfortunately, all my CDs were back at the house. Figures. Two or three weeks later, caught up in the "bigger-better-faster-more" craze, I bought "Skylarking" and "Oranges and Lemons" on 24K disc. My brother had inexplicably given me an extra copy of "Nonsuch" (which he had cheated BMG out of a while back), so I now had extra copies of these albums hanging around my room. What to do with them? Aaah. Send them to the cousins. So I did, with a Post-It note attached to "Nonsuch," saying "Play 'The Disappointed' first...then work your way from the beginning." I thought that Andy's bouncy wittiness about the boys in black and the kings of broken hearts would be a great introduction for them. I was more than "right." Remember my own life-changing experience? Kelly is a girl who, although smart and perceptive, is very insecure. Andrew is as crazy as an eleven-year-old boy can get, but, beneath that energy, there lies a confused and frightened little boy. I came to learn this in time, of course, and we finally planned a visit for this summer - the first week in July, actually. The first day they were here was difficult, simply because I was searching too hard for a common ground that we could all walk on. Appropriate enough, it seems in retrospect, that we found this connection while driving around in the car. I had just ejected Andrew's tape, which was the new Sublime album that Kelly claimed physical revulsion to, and put my "Graduation '97" mix in. It flipped over after a while, and "The Disappointed" came on. It was a good a starting point as any. I got ready to play air drums on the steering wheel. After that drum intro, I heard "alright!" from the back seat, where Andrew (fan of Sublime, Metallica, 311, etc.) was sitting. I looked in the mirror. He knew all the words. **** I'm off to work now, but I wanted to share, and send a reproach to Chalkhillians: why didn't anyone e-mail me, and say, "Ben - you must buy Smiths albums"? How have I gone this long without hearing "Stop Me..."? I hold Ira Lieman personally responsible. (Just kidding, Ira.) I just ordered the Mommyheads, on recommendation of Mitch... Ben - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - B e n G o t t http://www.wp.com/58596 We are the music makers. We are the makers of dreams.
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01510100affaa7fea0e4@[205.189.48.192]> Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 13:11:36 -0500 From: bartok@adan.kingston.net (steady eddy) Subject: new album? hello everyone. i recently re-joined chalkhills and it's good to be back. does anyone know if there is, in fact, a new album coming out in the fall? i heard that there was a release date for an album some time around there. is it true? sorry if this has been discussed already. ed ******************************************** Sunward I've climbed and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds...and done a hundred things you have not dreamed of...wheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlit silence. ********************************************
------------------------------ From: Kelly Nickel <nickel@SEDSystems.ca> Subject: Holding my breath Message-Id: <SIMEON.9707221021.A@me-10.sedsystems.ca> Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 10:59:21 -0400 (EDT) Greetings all you now-rejoicing Chalksters: > but yes XTC will be > signing a contract! Now the specific and amazing news . . . they are > starting their very own label called Idea. I'd like to buy the world a Coke... ---------------- Kelly Nickel nickel@sedsystems.ca
------------------------------ Message-Id: <l03020904affa9dbc0baf@[141.212.142.135]> Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 13:39:35 -0400 From: Natalie Jacobs <gnat@umich.edu> Subject: You don't say! Mitch, the Man of Muscle Mystery, writes: >No it won't be official until this coming mid-week but yes XTC will be >signing a contract! OK, this may be premature and all, but. . . YES! YES YES YES YES YES!!!! >Now the specific and amazing news . . . they are >starting their very own label called Idea. You may ask how that's gonna make >them money and how we're going to be able to find their music. Well they are >also signing a bunch of deals with lots and lots of major distributors that >are all linked together in some network way with Cooking Vinyl. So once Idea >is written in ink, XTC gets some money from one of their distribution deals >to fund the making of an album or two or twenty and then they record, press >them up and pay for the promotion themselves. I don't know much about record industry hoodoo but starting their own label sounds like the best thing for a band like XTC - I don't think they ever would have been satisfied with some corporate bigwig label telling them what to do. I was actually hoping they'd start their own label, in fact. . . less bullshit for them and more music for us. Oooh, I hope this all works out. . . A new album this year, maybe? Possibly? Hopefully? Anyway, let's all shout our praises and thank yous to Mitch for passing on the news, and let's all keep our fingers crossed. Natalie Jacobs Perdix: The Andy Partridge Appreciation Page http://www-personal.umich.edu/~gnat/perdix.html
------------------------------ Message-Id: <s3d4c73d.061@dictaphone.com> Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 14:34:26 -0400 From: Tim Kendrick <TKEN@dictaphone.com> Subject: What an IDEA ! (well someone had to say it) WOW!!! FINALLY!!!! Thanks Mitch for letting us know about the new label Idea. I think it's a great ... well, you know. Then Mitch posted: >and pay for the promotion themselves. That got me thinking. Many on this list have indicated in the past that they would be willing to send money directly to the boys for listening to some of the bootlegs. Would any/many among us be willing to contribute money for promoting the new release(s) when it comes out ??? Promoting a CD takes a lot. It needs much more than just telling all your friends about it. Proper promotion includes radio and video airplay, magazine ads, record store promotions/posters/displays, billboards, etc. It gets very expensive. Normally the record companies pay for all of this. Unless all these distributors Mitch posted about are willing to do this, it will fall on XTC themselves. What can we, as a group of fans, do to help ??? And I DO think we should help. XTC has given us a lot of joy over the years. Now I think it's our turn to repay them for all that happiness. What do you all think ????? Tim K. XTC SONG OF THE DAY: Extrovert!
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 15:04:30 -0600 (CST) From: y9d62@ttacs1.ttu.edu Subject: Re: Rant On Aesthetics Message-id: <Pine.PMDF.3.95.970722144738.560094586A-100000@TTACS.TTU.EDU> Man, this is why nobody hangs out with XTC and King Crimson fans. Sure, it's all very concisely stated, but the usual refuter, "But you can't dance to it," sounds suprisingly convincing. Have you heard what the kiddos are listening to these days? As for That Thing ripping off XTC songs; why would they have to? Those progressions are hundereds of years old. Just watch out that Smashing Pumpkins don't discover a borrowed iv chord, lest we lose our corner on the market for anything remotely eccentric. Remotely. But don't mind me; it's everyone's option to prove Laurie Anderson right. Happiest kiddo south of Palo Duro, Dominique
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01510101affad7d5bf30@[205.210.52.107]> Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 16:36:40 -0500 From: bartok@adan.kingston.net (steady eddy) Subject: oranges and lemons the $9.99 copies of UDA (god I love that price...makes me wish I didnt already own all the songs on it)? Oranges & LEmons as one of those "Original Master Recordings (tm)" 24k gold CD's. I was pretty impressed. Now, I'm a bit too young and inexperienced to know how obscure or big XTC was back in '90 (no! wait! '89! :p ), but I sort of assumed that they wouldnt be considered for one of these, even tho Oranges was prolly their biggest CD. Then again...I also have absolutely no idea how exclusive these gold Reissues are (they could be doing everything under the sun). Either way, I was impressed. >>hey man. the reason it's probably so cheap is that the cd is no longer >>available. it's now a deleted cd and you can't even order it. i can't >>understand why xtc didn't catch on big. that particular album is >>definitely their strongest since 'english settlement'. 'skylarking' was >>great but i found it sounded more like todd rundgren than them. anyway, i think that might explain the low price. the bastards were probably trying to get rid of it. ed ******************************************** Sunward I've climbed and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds...and done a hundred things you have not dreamed of...wheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlit silence. ********************************************
------------------------------ Message-id: <10966815@mailbox1.Hitchcock.ORG> Date: 22 Jul 97 17:42:51 EDT From: John.J.Pinto@Hitchcock.ORG (John J. Pinto) Subject: A Better IDEA Rumours abound... XTC will sign with NO ONE AT ALL. They will form their own lable called IDEA RECORDS and distribute through a licensee. There will be NO new album soon.
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199707222145.QAA21064@dfw-ix12.ix.netcom.com> From: "Steve & Lauren Perley" <huduguru@ix.netcom.com> Subject: More Nit-Picky Comments! (sorry!) Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 17:46:30 -0400 OK, OK, I know that there's been an epidemic of people correcting each other about insignificant stuff, and that I've done it myself recently (hopefully without being a dick about it!). That's why I let that supposed Laurie Anderson quote slide. When she said "Writing about music is like dancing about architecture" she was quoting Frank Zappa (whether she knew it of not; I get the feeling that she's a fan, as they've both been known to sign paychecks for Adrian Belew.) I think that he said "art" instead of "architecture" though. I've been looking for the book where I saw it; maybe The Rock Book of Lists, but it's a pretty thick book... I did, however dig up another funny quote about rock critics (whom FZ loathed) and it goes like this: "Definition of Rock Journalism: People who can't write, doing interviews with people who can't think, in order to prepare articles for people who can't read." I'll shut up now. Sorry for the inconvenience! Steve
------------------------------ Message-Id: <s3d4f20a.091@elsevier.com> Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 17:46:31 -0400 From: Ralph DeMarco <r.demarco@elsevier.com> Subject: Questions and Opinions (100% XTC) Dear One Armed Bandits and Affiliated Members: Questions and Opinions (100% XTC) >Hopefully, once we all get our long awaited 'fix' from a new XTC >release, we will all stop seeing the spiders, the withdrawal pains will >stop, and we will all respect each others views and opinions once again. ! Yes, we are all a bit cranky about the whole thing. The recent UK and US collections have not helped one bit. We all need a new album desperately! I don?t know why people are so worried about non XTC content. They haven?t put out an album in five years, they don?t perform live, there is no way I know of to buy a collection of their videos, so what the hell are we supposed to talk about? We are not Dead Heads for God?s sake, we should be allowed to discuss other artists and other types of music. The fact that we all love XTC is what should bind us, not cause us to nit-pick and argue over stupid questions and personal opinions. * XTC starting their own record label?! I thought only very wealthy bands could pull that off, ie: The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zep, Frank Zappa. Often they don?t work out. Will XTC be producing other artists? Is this all true? ?*I have always felt that "The World is Full of Angry Young Men" is one of Colin's best songs! The arrangements are great with Dave's jazzy guitar riffs and gentle piano, and the lyrics, well, let's just say I can really relate to them (which helps). I suppose it was left off Mummer because it didn't fit with the sound of the album. It's my favorite Colin song after "Making Plans for Nigel". Does anyone else feel this way about that song or am I a lone voice in the wilderness? ?* "Burning with Optimism's Flame": I was checking the lyrics section of Chalkhills and noticed that the line "Now you see I'm smiling / back to juvenile'ing / I learnt her lesson / in like flint and styling / all the world is neatly curled around my littlest finger" I thought the line should be "in like Flynn". Am I wrong or was Andy being his usual clever self by changing it to "in like flint" y?know - related to sparking a burning (optimistic) flame? (BTW "in like Flynn" is a rather obscene term - it started when Errol Flynn was charged with statutory rape for sleeping with a teenage girl.) Opinions (5% XTC Content) >there has been very little mention of one of pop music?s greatest >songwriters. In case you haven't guessed it by now, I am speaking of >one Elvis Costello. There is no doubt that Elvis Costello is one of the most intelligent songwriters of his generation. Andy Partridge is also. I have always loved Elvis and feel that he has matured in a very positive way. I have a short list of my favorite singer/songwriters. They are: Lennon/McCartney, Bob Dylan, Ray Davies, Richard Thompson, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, and of course, Andy Partridge & Colin Moulding. (Honorable Mentions goes to Van Morrison, Harry Nilsson, Randy Newman, Joni Mitchell and Jagger/Richards). What do you think? *I would like to introduce a band to y'all called "The Hollowbodies". They have a debut album out on Polydor called "Lame". Just because the lead singer/songwriter is an acquaintance of mine does not make me biased. I love them and want to spread their simple rock/pop sound to all who can appreciate it. They are sort of like early Replacements a bit. Great melodies and great lyrics. They are not over-produced and have a very honest sound that does not remind you of every other band out there. They easily slip from hard-driving rock, to acoustic ballads, to catchy pop songs. You can check out their web site and listen to some sample tunes at: www.polygram.com/polydor/artists/hollowbodies/splash.html Trust me, we've never met... "There was a time when I fought the world. " Whew! Love ya, Ralphie
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199707222146.QAA21178@dfw-ix12.ix.netcom.com> From: "Steve & Lauren Perley" <huduguru@ix.netcom.com> Subject: More non-XTC stuff for the Mommyheads fans Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 17:49:34 -0400 While waiting for my last post to upload, I found this in the Yahoo! Reuters entertainment section: (all rights reserved, etc...) The Mommyheads "The Mommyheads" (DGC) 3 stars Another band that wears its Beatles envy on its sleeve, the Mommyheads play melodic, occasionally pretty and seldom heavy pop that sounds like a slice of Merseybeat that's been cryonically stored and thawed out for the '90s. It's more McCartney than Lennon -- in other words, it's easy on the ears and loaded with hook-filled melodies. Not terribly original, perhaps, but you will feel like you're listening to an old friend. Steve
------------------------------
Message-Id: <020EA33D52DB1004*/c=no/admd=telemax/prmd=dagbladet/o=/s=Erlandsen/g=Egil/@MHS>
Date: 23 Jul 1997 00:01:21 +0200
From: "Egil Erlandsen" <Egil.Erlandsen@dagbladet.no>
Subject: Newell/Partridge
To those of you who happen to be in Amsterdam
this summer, and are looking for the Newell/Partridge
CD "The Greatest Living Englishman":
It is available for a mere 9.90 dutch guilders
(some 5-6 US dollars) at the record store
Fame in the city centre. They had quite
many copies when I bought one a week ago.
The address:
Fame
Kalverstraat 2-4
Amsterdam
tel: 020-6382525
Does anybody know the story behind this recording?
I hadn't heard about it before I spotted it in Amsterdam.
Egil Erlandsen
Oslo, Norway
------------------------------ Message-Id: <s3d4cc34.053@phjw.com> Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 15:04:06 -0700 From: "MARK G. CUEVAS" <MGCUEVAS@phjw.com> Subject: Discipline me, Hot Mama . . . Yes indeed. Harrison, you spanked the proverbial buttocks crimson on that one: > it's the _arrangement_ of MoS that pulls it ... into the realm > of [a] Perfect[ly] Polished Pop Diamond. Layer upon glorious layer adorns MoS. This alone adds an element unmatched by mere mortals. Thankfully St. Andy and Co. don't stop there. It is as you say, every phrase has a purpose and is revisited in some form. [I believe it was Edgar who exhorted so . . . or was it Joyce?] Harrison, you are spot on. Thank you for your enlightened posting. I look forward to hearing your version of Real by Reel on CC '97.
------------------------------ From: Richard.PedrettiAllen@octel.com Message-Id: <c=US%a=_%p=Octel%l=EX-CAMPUS1-970722235554Z-49229@ex-campus1.corp.octel.com> Subject: LENGTHY! "Careful what you wish for..." Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 16:55:54 -0700 MAN! I could have looked so intelligent! So insightful! So... so... so... ahhhh, ptoooey! I wrote the following LENGTHY blather many months ago and just never got around to posting it! (I did mention it to Mr. Relph over dinner, one evening.) I make mention of the notion that XTC might form their own record company and just seek a distribution deal, thereby giving them much more control over the product and the profits... and before I get around to posting it, Mitch reports that that's exactly what they are going to do! Ahh, RATS! Anyway, here is my LENGTHY prattle about some of the comments made about other musicians, record company influences and letting artists be artists. -Richard ================================================== Ya know... I've read a few comments about "Sugarplastic, Yazbek and so-n-so" ripping off the XTC sound/style/posture. I don't get it. Why would I attempt to sound like someone who truly hasn't been very successful? Don't start ripping on me for the last statement, I realize that there are other factors like Record Company Sodomy-style Contracts and Golden Carrot advances, but it is true. As good as Andy and Colin may be at creating crafty songs, clever lyrics and unconventional hooks and as good as XTC may be at implementing sounds to their final mix, they haven't been extremely successful. They have not garnered big market share. They have not been the talk-of-the-town. They have not been the media darlings. They have not made the song that everyone wants to identify with, hum or quote! As a musician, I would take offense if I happen to put some angular chops together into an original composition and make it work smoothly and devise some clever lyrics and record it clean with style and precision and someone says, "The XTC influence is evident." So many of rock-n-roll's hits have been based on the same three chord intervals that the whole thing seems to reside between plagiarism and incest. If I throw some curveball chord or passage into my work and someone says. "...blah, blah, blah, XTC." I don't see how they have license to imply such things. I don't get it! If you intentionally TRY to sound like them, then it becomes quite clear and that's something different altogether. There are hundreds of volumes of library music that is used behind commercials that sound very, very similar to... (insert latest top ten pop title here). That was their intention... to sound like Steely Dan, or whatever group has "that sound" that everyone is grooving on this month. I like the Sugarplastic. Quirky and clever, yes, but I don't hear some obvious XTC influence. I hear some fun, original stuff. And nobody has the copyright on "original." Maybe the Sugarplastic bassist actually says, "That opening base line is something that I kinda copped from "Wake Up" from XTC. It's got a real cool "bounce to it. It was something I was working with and it's changed quite a bit... blah, blah, blah..." It changed. It isn't XTC's anymore. It is different notes, different cadence, different tempo, different instrumentation. With songs like Season Cycle, Andy wears his "Beach Boys" heart on his sleeve and many people say, "Ooooh, well done! How clever." But if another band hints of XTC, many fans (a word derived from "fanatic") do not view it as homage, but rip on it abject disdain. Are McCartney fans grousing about Colin's creative bass lines? This brings me to... "Be careful what you wish for!" We all want to hear some new XTC. We all want them to sign with a credible record company. Record companies need to get something from the artist and this can take many shapes from requiring them to tour to support the recording, to radio tours, to virtually REQUIRING them to produce a hit song. I'm not that naive to believe that that is all it takes to have a hit but the point is, there are thousands of stories about record companies turning down the songs of artists under contract and as many stories of artists being pressured to "recreate the feel of that last song that everyone loved." Our beloved XTC might get pressured to eradicate any of the verve of Reign Of Blows or Respectable Street and any of the attitude/opinion of Books Are Burning or President Killagain and opt for Middle-of-the-Road, Adult Contemporary, non-confrontational styles like Wrapped In Gray. Please don't misunderstand me, I really love Wrapped In Gray. I think it is a well-stated, well-executed, beautiful song without an "edge", as it should be (of course, Andy had to put a smidgen of anarchy in there with the "Stand up naked and grin" line). I like XTC's early material (even if XTC doesn't anymore) for what it is. It takes me to a place in time. Detroit. Late 70's/early 80's. Great punk and new wave scene. Great clubs. I also like their later stuff and their softer stuff. "I'm getting older too." to quote Colin. I know a few people that absolutely love The Police through all their phases but don't like Sting's solo stuff. "Kinda lame..." is the common critique. I personally find it quite engaging but it is certainly not The Police. The same can be said about many... Elvis Costello, Eric Clapton, Peter Gabriel, Pat Methany, etc. Let's not wish so hard for XTC to sign a deal (though I know there are some people out there that selfishly think, "I hope the record company makes them tour!"). They may end up pressured into having to write "The song that everyone wants to sing" just to ink a deal (or they might even be motivated to make some real lasting money for a change.). The bad thing is that some of us will be sneering over our espresso saying stupid shit like, "Yeah, they used to be really cool but the sold out." and a whole bunch of "I knew them when..." statements. There are not many record companies that are going to take them on THEIR TERMS unless they allow the company to have some influence over the making of a hit. The only sanctuary may be if they start their own record company and link up with a strong international distributor. This will give them full artistic control over their output. We can only hope that they have the production capabilities to step out of their performer role and objectively wear the producer's hat. (Most of us know what Andy thought of Todd during and after the Skylarking sessions. He may not "like" him still but, after some time passed, he admitted that he was humbled into singing the merits of that production.) They've got to do what's right for them and if that turns out to be "Adult Contemporary, middle-of-the-road, non-confrontational, apolitical, number one hit machine" then so be it. I just hope I'm not one of the people who ends up saying shit like, "Yeah, but back in the late 80's, they were sooooo coool! It's just a shame... blah, blah, blah. ...Just my $0.10 worth (inflation) Mind the gap. Cheers, Richard
------------------------------ From: "Lee Lovingood" <lvngoods@beachlink.com> Subject: I've a feeling '97 will be a good year.... Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 21:46:56 -0400 Message-Id: <19970722214351.2577bac0.in@mail.beachlink.com> Chalkmarks! 'Sup? First off, thanks to all of you who voiced your support for my post on King Elvis, and a special thanks to those who didn't lambast me. You guy's (and gals) are great, man. Anywho, good to hear the news in the last post about the boys new label. Did I mention it has been five years since Nonsuch? Also, I would like to send a big hearty thanks to the person, ( I can't recall who, sorry.) who voiced my unspoken sentiments about the single minded banality of American society in general. It is for this very reason that a lot of artists take their wares to other countries. I can't blame them, really. Although the new Prodigy album may be selling as well across the pond as it is here, and by saying that I hope you can tell that I think Fat of the Land is nearly an hours worth of discordant, annoying noise, at least artists like Prefab Sprout can still make it onto the charts there. They would be laughed off the airwaves here in the states. Why? It is music that makes you listen. Americans (the masses) don't have time for that. In this society, it would be shameful indeed if you didn't buy the latest Prodigy disc, or the new Wu Tang Clan disc. If it is number one, you gotta have it or you will be shunned by your friends. God knows what a tragedy that would be! It sickens me, yes, but to each his own, I suppose. I feel, however, that those who lose touch with the spiritual side of music are as good as dead. Ah, America! Land of the wee and home of the slaves. Three words - Think For Yourselves! (Lee climbs down from his soapbox, like Moses from the mount, and proclaims gleefully....) "Perhaps this is old news, but, I have just learned that the new Eric Matthews disc, "The Lateness of the Hour", is due in stores on August the twenty sixth. And yes, he is still on Sub Pop! If for no other reason, I have a feeling '97 is gonna be a good year! (Yes, that is a line from Tommy.) "She's my Soft Touch typewriter, and i'm the great dictator..." Leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeee eeee eeee zure
------------------------------
Message-Id: <199707230346.UAA18667@mail.eskimo.com>
From: "Matt Keeley" <mrme@eskimo.com>
Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 20:45:10 +0000
Subject: Random Noise, Redux
Hmm... I really don't put as much effort into my subject lines as I
used to...
> From: Dave Blackburn <dblack@access1.net>
> much in the last few years; no new releases etc. But since I went (came?)
> online a few months ago, typed "XTC" into my first search engine request,
> discovered Chalkhills, then Bungalow, Perdix and of course this list, I
> have been listening to them with sheer delight again. This forum has
Wow! You're luckier than I was... when I typed XTC, all I got were
"Adult Club Pages"... although when I typed "XTC +Andy Partridge", it
seemed to work a bit better...8)
> From: Chaos Harlequin <harlequin@tmbg.org>
> >By the way.... have you posted to the Ryko message center recently? No?
> >Well... don't just sit there... go to it! XTC on Ryko!
Well, the way I usually post to Chalkhills is to select stuff as I
read and respond... so even while this is overshadowed by better news
in the next message quote (or two, I've forgotten), my original reply
was that if Ryko wouldn't sign them, maybe go after Oglio (pronounced
"oleo", like the margarine) who re-released a lot of things,
including the Barnes and Barnes album Voobaha (and will be followed
by Spazchow! I'm happy about that, but not nearly as happy as I am
about Idea...)
> From: mf@well.com (Mitch Friedman)
> No it won't be official until this coming mid-week but yes XTC will be
> signing a contract! Now the specific and amazing news . . . they are
> starting their very own label called Idea. You may ask how that's gonna make
Yay! I've often hoped that this would happen... The whole indie
label is an idea (no pun intended) I really like...
> From: Andrea Rossillon <alr@UDel.Edu>
> Also: a friend of mine has a vinyl EP of the guys recording at K-ROC
> (KROK? KROQ?) in L.A.; they did "Love on a Farmboy's Wages" and three
> others.... Does anyone else have these?
While I don't have it, the call letters are KROQ... from what I hear,
they seem to be a cool station... they've had XTC on a few times I
think, TMBG on a few times and Barnes and Barnes thanked them in the
liners to "Soak it Up".... Hmm... higher B&B content in this post...
probably shall stop soon....
> From: "Sherwood, Harrison" <hsherwood@btg.com>
> Consider "The Mayor of Simpleton"--I know _I_ frequently do. Now I'm
Not that I really have anything to add, but you know that you're a
math nerd when you see _I_ and instantly think "Perpendicular?"....8)
Yes, it's true... Quit laughing at me!
Ah well, that's this world over....
Matt
-=>Matt Keeley mrme@eskimo.com<=-
Living Through | Visit my home page
Another | http://www.eskimo.com/~mrme
Cuba -- XTC | I used to be temporarily insane!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Now I'm just stupid! -- Brak
(ICQ UIN: 1455267, Name: MrMe)
Yeah.
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #3-142 *******************************
Go back to Volume 3.
23 July 1997 / Feedback