Chalkhills Digest Volume 3, Issue 151
Date: Monday, 11 August 1997
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 3, Number 151
Monday, 11 August 1997
Today's Topics:
Runt
Catching up on the digests:147-149
Regarding Rundgren
Various schtuff and fluff.
All what fuss?
double CD?
The Dandy Warhols
Recommendations?... Anyone?......
Re: Dukeish nonsense!
I am the mole from the ministry.....
quote thing
Prophet
Robyn Hitchcock & XTC
Anklung Inkling
Re: New World Order
RE: Andy and Costello
fossil fuels
Zappa
When you're near me....
Mmmm Vinyl
a buffalo with an anklung
bmob mota ruoy htiw flesruoy kcuf oG
John and Ray
Picking Bones
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Matt_Kaden/CAM/Lotus@lotus.com Message-Id: <852564EC.00527FCB.00@mta2.lotus.com> Date: Thu, 7 Aug 1997 11:35:08 -0400 Subject: Runt A good album. Seriously. I hate to make life more complicated for you, but every one of Todd's records, solo or with Utopia, is worth hearing. All of the Utopia albums have much weak material as well as outstanding, unique magical songs. In addition to the three that John Murphy recommended - 1.)Deface the Music 2.)It just says Utopia on the cover and it is "white" with a black border at the top and red U. 3.)Swing to the Right - I would highly advocate the possession of a record called Oblivion, still the only one I enjoy from start to finish. Unfortunately it was released with their worst album as a 2CD set. If anyone is vaguely interested in the sounds of this band, I could dub you a clever little mix I brewed up recently, in the height of a 4 month XTC binge after not hearing Todd's music for about 8 years. It's a good tape; it includes a few solo Todd songs as well. You might end up buying them all anyway - it's addictive you know. I hadn't seen any Todd-bashing in here, which was refreshing. In fact, the most extreme Todd-bashing I've ever seen was from Mr. Partridge directly after their stay in Woodstock. These tirades were printed in many articles all around, and since I've heard prominent Todd-influence in Andy's music. Before Skylarking, Andy had not even heard of him (though Colin and Dave, the soft-spoken ones, were already TR fans). My theory is that Andy started to investigate Rundgren's catalogue and was deeply touched by the passion and innovation he found there. I didn't read this, but I hear it in O&L, Nonsvch and the '95 demos. I've always seen parallels between XTC and TR's Utopia, and in '86 I was ecstatic to hear who would be producing the new XTC album, even more so to finally hear it. It really is a beautiful meshing of two worlds. By the way, Todd has declared bankruptcy.
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Aug 1997 15:15:36 +1200 (NZST) Message-Id: <v01540b07b010e90a2117@[139.80.228.166]> From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James Dignan) Subject: Catching up on the digests:147-149 >I agree again. Those of us brought up in the UK of late 20s, early 30s age >might recall the children's TV shows Captain Pugwash and Bill & Ben. >All the characters in Captain Pugwash had oblique sexual references in >their names: Seaman Staines, Master Bates and Captain Pugwash himself >(plug wash, geddit?). This, sadly, is an urban myth. >Bill & Ben made strange "flub-a-lub" noises. The actors who did the >voiceovers were, it is alleged, swearing all the time rather than saying >polite little kiddywink phrases. The truth on this one is weirder than you suggest, but no less wonderful. "Flubadub" was a nonsense play word that was made up by the two year old son (daughter?) of the writer to describe the noise he (she?) made when farting in the bath. Sugarhips Sherwood quoth: >I am the very model of a modern Major-General, I've information vegetable, >animal, and mineral, I know the kings of England, and I quote the fights >historical From Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical; I'm very well >acquainted, too, with matters mathematical, I understand equations, both >the simple and quadratical, About binomial theorem I'm teeming with a lot >o' news, With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse. Personally, I prefer Tom Lehrer's version, although I wince whenever I sing "Aluminum". Don't those yanks know how to spell anything??? ;) >XTC was the only "punk" band in the late 70s that would suddenly throw in >beautiful passages into otherwise fairly dissonant works. "Drums & Wires" >is as full of such examples. I hate to say this, but I can think of several other bands that did this: The Stranglers come to mind most rapidly - very Doorsy stuff: brash vocals with little bubbly keyboard frills - have a listen to a song like "Grip". XTC were never really that 'punk' though, any more than Elvis Costello or Joe Jackson ever were. In fact, I'd regard XTC, Costello and Jackson as some sort of British trinity of like-minded musical acts which really grabbed my attention in the late 70s and have held it ever since. Sadly Joe seems to have fallen away in recent years, and Elvis lost me for a while around his country phase (although I'm a fan again now...) but XTC, 5 year hiatus excluded, has never really lost me. >P.S. Whoever mentioned the similarity between the Mac start-up chime and >"Miniature Sun," thank you! We use Power Macs in my office and every time someone turns theirs on, I end up humming "Miniature Sun" all day. This is definitely a good thing. every time I eject a diskette I end up humming "Summertime". It's a strange world. >Tom Slack wrote, in reference to the coda of Wrapped in Grey, >>Then the coda came on at the very end of the song, >>which seemed to me a complete departure from the >>feel that had built up, and which just kind of leaves >>you hanging. I really wished it had been left off.. >I always felt the coda was a direct tip of the hat to the Beatles. On Abbey >Road, the "and in the end, the love you take, is equal to the love you >make.." coda goes into a similarly different feel and wraps the song with a >similar quirky little epithet. Not that the two songs are similar, but the >function of the tag/coda works the same, and knowing Andy's Beatles >influence, it may have been a conscious reference. strangely enough - the guitar duel at the end of "Books are Burning" always reminds me of the Beatles "The End" (even more weirdly, I'm listening to Anthology 3 as I type...) >It bothers me a little to see all the Todd bashing here as well. I am a >huge XTC fan but must admit to being an even bigger Todd fan. Nah... in the eyes of many Chalkhillers today XTC are more popular than Todd now. I don't know which'll go first really, XTC or Rundgren... James
------------------------------ From: Matt_Kaden/CAM/Lotus@lotus.com Message-Id: <852564ED.0051A2E0.00@mta2.lotus.com> Date: Fri, 8 Aug 1997 11:00:58 -0400 Subject: Regarding Rundgren Steer clear of all post-'87); they don't even count. You may want to avoid Todd Rundgren's Utopia Another Live. An interesting note about Skylarking: Todd said that "Skylarking will never be a perfect album for me until Mermaid Smiled is on and Another Satellite is off". My sentiments exactly. In a 1980 poster of Utopia, Todd is wearing a sweater with XTC on it. And remember, you could very well be more uptight and critical than you think. IN MY HUMBLE OPIUM. Inflatably, Matt Kaden
------------------------------
Message-ID: <33EB653F.D4A8C1A9@underworld.net>
Date: Fri, 08 Aug 1997 14:28:15 -0400
From: Kevin Keeler <insanity@underworld.net>
Organization: Masters of Reality
Subject: Various schtuff and fluff.
Howdy guys. Welcome to my second post (yay! go kevin go!). I spose I
only have three little things to discuss here. (1) a few digests ago
someone (forgive me for not riffling through the archives) wrote
something along the lines of: (*very* rough paraphrase here) "i hate it
when you mention XTC and people say 'oh yeah, they did Dear God, or
Mayor of Simpleton or Making plans for Nigel etc.' I just want to yell
'dammitt, they've done other songs!" I would just like to point out
that you (or if not *you*, then most (and definately me)) are a part of
this problem. When i tell someone I like XTC they always ask "who's
that?" And what do I answer them with? You betcha: 'Oh, you've prolly
heard them they did Dear God and Mayor of Simpleton etc." See the bind
here? theres now way I can say "yeah, they wrote Funk Pop a Roll...know
who I'm talking about?". Anyway.... (2) I was listening to rag and bone
in the car the other day and I noticed that Thanks for Christmas sounds
a whole lot like Hold me my Daddy. especially in some parts. any one
else agree? (3) I have a work in progress hoping to be along the lines
of a collection of people's interpretations of XTC songs. There are no
interps yet, but if anyone wants to check out the layout and possibly
submit (please oh please), feel free to do so.
http://www.siscom.net/~keeler/xtc Eventually (soon) to be moved to
www.underworld.net/xtc. hrm...thats all. hope you enjoyed it. Peace
out, f00's.
Kevin Keeler
insanity@underworld.net
Master of Reality
"We always knew that talking
about television was like dancing
about architecture..."
-- Suck, august 07, 1997
(no credit givento source)
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 08 Aug 1997 12:42:25 -0600 (MDT) From: Eric Muller <EMULLER@UWYO.EDU> Subject: All what fuss? Message-id: <01IM744ZP17A001DGQ@PLAINS.UWYO.EDU> Peter wrote that after listening to "The Greatest Living Englishman," he now know what all the fuss was about. Well, I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I think TGLE was an embarrassment. When I first heard it, I thought it sounded like a dumb Beatles tribute album. On a second listening, though, I decided that that was too kind an assessment. It's actually a dumb Rutles tribute album. Eric Muller emuller@uwyo.edu
------------------------------ Message-ID: <33EB6FB8.C3B88882@MCI.com> Date: Fri, 08 Aug 1997 13:12:56 -0600 From: "Jeffrey Langr" <Jeffrey.Langr@MCI.Com> Subject: double CD? Stephen Varga typed: >Andy is still keen on the double CD idea despite others saying it >may make more sense to release an album now and another 6-12 months >down the line in order to keep the momentum going. Oh let's hope it's not a double CD. They have virtually no momentum to start with; I would suspect considerably more people (non die-hard fans) would be willing to shell out the money for a single CD. >Sometimes I think the Kinks are often just..well..better than the >Beatles - which is very, very difficult for me to admit. XTC has lots more in common with the Kinks than they do with the Beatles. Most obvious one to start at is the fact that they both get overlooked more often than not. Better than the Beatles? Why compare? They both have their merits, but 30 years later (give or take), Sgt. Pepper sounds pretty damn dated while Village Green Preservation Society remains near timeless. Jeff L.
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v03010d00b01137e281b6@[128.148.19.25]> Date: Fri, 8 Aug 1997 15:59:20 -0500 From: Gene Yoon <Gene_Yoon@brown.edu> Subject: The Dandy Warhols I was tuning into WBRU the other day when I heard this very catchy 60's-ish song called "Not If You Were the Last Junkee on Earth" by a group aptly named the Dandy Warhols. In case anyone else might have heard it, it's the song with the chorus "I never thought you were a junkee/because heroine is so passe." Anyone heard of them? I want to know if their album is worth getting. advance in thanks, Gene
------------------------------ Message-ID: <33EBAF07.7270@gate.net> Date: Fri, 08 Aug 1997 19:43:03 -0400 From: Pandrea <pann@gate.net> Subject: Recommendations?... Anyone?...... How-do Chalkies, Lately there has been a lot of postings mentioning the songwriting talents of the Kinks. These have all been re-enforcing a nagging feeling of mine, that I should have some Kink stuff, but unfortunately do not (yet). I know all their hits, but beyond that not much else. Does anyone have any "essential" Kinks albums they would recommend to me to rush out and get? You can email me privately, that way we won't muck up the works here. Gratuitous XTC content- Ain't they still cool? Ta Ta, Perry
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01540b00b01186476358@[132.170.24.50]> Date: Fri, 8 Aug 1997 21:31:53 -0500 From: minerwerks@usa.net (Derek Miner) Subject: Re: Dukeish nonsense! In Chalkhills #3-150 Mike Wood wrote: >annyone else noticed the words etched between the fade-out grooves on the >Psonic Psunspot LP? They're REALLY hard to see... i only first saw them by >accident when the light coming through the window hit the album at a certain >angle. Side A (the "In Side") says "LOOSELY FROM THE STIFF BEACH...", while >Side B (the "Out Side") says "WITH PINK WARMTH". Any meaning, or just pure >Dukeish nonsense? > >(the LP sleeve also thanks "Lilly Fraser, whatever you are"... heh!) I'm not sure about the Stiff Beach comment, but I believe Pink Warmth was a name either considered for XTC (as was Dukes of Stratosphear) or the Dukes... Lilly Fraser was the girl who read the Lewis Carroll-y nonsense between the songs. = Derek Miner =
------------------------------
From: "Lee Lovingood" <lvngoods@beachlink.com>
Subject: I am the mole from the ministry.....
Date: Fri, 8 Aug 1997 22:48:13 -0400
Message-Id: <19970808224416.3b99cc40.in@mail.beachlink.com>
(sniff) Hello all,
Just three word's, Chalkies.....
Belle
And
Sebastian
Go to your record shop and find it. Buy it, too.
I demand you!
||||||||||
You will obey me! (=0-0=)
~
----
------------------------------ Date: 9 Aug 97 02:07:15 +0000 Subject: quote thing From: "David vanWert" <mcknife@xsite.net> Message-Id: <B0118164-C18F3@206.126.254.182> On Mon, Aug 4, 1997 8:09 PM, <owner-chalkhills@chalkhills.org> <mailto:<owner-chalkhills@chalkhills.org> wrote: > Harrison Sherwood's excellent description of the reasons why "The Mayor > Of Simpleton" is a pop gem makes me wonder how much truth there is in > the line 'Writing about music is like dancing to architecture'... I > thought there were a couple of buildings in Chicago I could have gotten > down in front of under the right circumstances. I believe it was Goethe who said (or probably wrote, actually): "Architecture is frozen music." Not that it's got jack to do with XTC, but ever since the whole "dancing to architecture" thing started, I've been reminded of that quote. So maybe writing about music is actually like ice skating to architecture. Or maybe not. Okay, bye.
------------------------------ Message-Id: <l03110703b012ad3992b8@[205.231.217.114]> Date: Sat, 9 Aug 1997 18:35:18 -0500 From: Ben Gott <gott@li.com> Subject: Prophet Could someone point out the Prophet V bits on "English Settlement" to me (send an e-mail to me personally so we don't clutter up the list.) I, too, have had "The Disappointed" in my head for weeks at a time. I also get "She's So Square" stuck on an endless loop sometimes. I was listening to the Live at the BBC (1980) concert in the car today, and I realized how great it would be to see XTC live again (or to have seen them live in 1980, I suppose. I don't think an up-tempo version of "Grass" would be the same as a speedy "Towers of London.") I'm always impressed with the energy level of these concerts - just made me want to open all the windows and sing at the top of my lungs (which I did.) Been updating my Smiths collection; just received Mike Oldfield's "Orchestral Tubular Bells" in the mail. Some great stuff. David Bedford arranged it for orchestra (he also worked with Elvis on the string arrangements for "Punch the Clock," I believe.) I'm not a huge Todd fan, but I like "Healing" (the album) and "Love Thing 1.0" (the song) very much. Saw him in concert last summer - he looked old, and a little eccentric, but still good. I'm going to see James Taylor at Tanglewood on the 19th (?) If anyone else from Chalkhills is going, e-mail me personally. I'll wear my Chalkhills t-shirt, or we can meet up somewhere. Hope it doesn't rain (like last year). Whenever I see your smiling face, I have to smile myself... Ben - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - B e n G o t t :: Bowdoin College :: Brunswick, Maine Genius is the ability to reduce the complicated to the simple.
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 9 Aug 1997 22:44:51 -0500 (CDT) Message-Id: <199708100344.WAA01900@sky.net> From: Scott Taylor <staylor@sky.net> Subject: Robyn Hitchcock & XTC Seeing all the recent Robyn Hitchcock references here got me to wondering about something... Do I hear a tip-of-the-hat to XTC in "Ride" from the _Perspex Island_ CD (another fine production from XTC-alum Paul Fox)? About four minutes into the song he sings "sitting in a carriage in the pouring rain.... in Swindon." Or does he? Am I mishearing this? And if not, does it seem too coincidental that a Paul Fox production, coming so close on the heels of _O&L_, should contain this reference? Some of you fegs enlighten me if you would. Re: cheap Geffen CDs: Somebody mentioned seeing XTC stuff at Circuit City for $4.99. My local Best Buys are carrying all the Geffen Goldline stuff in their throwaway $1.99 bin, including _O&L_, _Big Express_, _Rag & Bone Buffet_, & _Nonsvch_. Such a shame. I did pick up the Soft Boys' _Can of Bees_ and the Undertones _Hypnotised_ from that bin though. >From: Natalie Jacobs <gnat@umich.edu> >Re. new album action - I'm also of the opinion that XTC should release some >sort of teaser or appetizer before the album proper in order to let the >universe know they're still alive. I'm in total agreement... how about "Don't Get Your Panties In a Wad, This is Still Not The New Album"? / 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: <199708101528.RAA08474@utrecht.knoware.nl> From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl> Organization: The Little Lighthouse Date: Sun, 10 Aug 1997 17:33:42 +0000 Subject: Anklung Inkling Dear Chalkers, Our friend Natalie Jacobs (who runs the most excellent PERDIX site) asked this question : > what the heck ramsey is an "anklung" (as used in "Yacht > Dance")? A new species of fish? A type of African jewelry? Do tell. Nope. It's a traditional tuned percussion instrument from Indonesia that's used mainly in the 'krontjong' and 'gamelan' music form Java and Bali. It looks like a rack filled with hollow bamboo tubes and it produces a kling klang klung type of sound - so now you know why it's called an anklung ;) In Indonesian music this instrument is not "hit" but the musician moves the tubes so they strike each other (like windchimes) As far as I can tell it was hit with a drumstick or mallet on XTC's Yacht Dance. yours percussively, Mark Strijbos at The Little Lighthouse; the XTC website @ http://utopia.knoware.nl/~mmello ===> The Random XTC Quote <=== Love's not a product you can hoard or pack a suitcase with
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 10 Aug 1997 14:54:24 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <199708101854.OAA27906@marquis.netinc.ca> From: John Leith <jleith@marquis.netinc.ca> Subject: Re: New World Order Hi! I totally disagree with this view! While it took at least 10 listens before I started to "get it", I now feel that N.W.O stands with Todd's best work. Just read these great lyrics & maybe listen with a more open mind. Cheers; John No World Order 1.1 Composer: Todd Rundgren Duration: 6:21 Let me tell you 'bout the new world order Not the kind to make you run for the border It's a new religion wrapped in a revolution With a proven solution for your mental pollution Cars and gold bars and chains and diamond rings These are the symbols, we want the real things Peace in the soul and a natural insight Things that please the mind and make the body feel right Don't let no one tell you that god ain't got a sense of humor Someone said he's pissed off, but that was just a rumor I know he's laughin' when the preacher starts to scream about How trippin' is evil, and sex is unclean Nature wants your life to go on long and on strong To have children and show them where you went wrong So if your life style leads you into hell or into prison Wake up and listen, this is what you're missing Free will, we can't seem to get our fill We are beggers, we are choosers drunk on a lack of power I believe in understanding, I've got to know where we're landing I'm takin' my survey now, hands up if you're with me Do you want different choices? Can't hear the quiet voices Got to dim all the lights, turn down the volume Put on a little more forgiveness, who's gonna be my witness? If we must endure this trial, someone is bound to touch us Do you want more sex, more comforting A little more foreplay and afterglow, let my people go Everybody wants peace on the earth, children sheltering Calling every man, every woman We're gonna take control of our own bodies Peace breaks out in the battle of the sexes We start to learn what the other one expects is We stay away from what the other one rejects is And have respect for individual perspectives We're gonna break out of this cycle of dependency And liberate each other from a hopeless life of drudgery And face up to the truth as we dispel all of this secrecy And simplify the situation when we learn to speak plainly We're gonna take control of the machinery Bad little actors that chew up the scenery Job number one is gonna be findin' a way That we can rave all night and meditate all day Mankind's strugglin' hard to see the light To hear the voice of the spirit in the night To lay down his heavy burden and pick up his soul power And build a heaven on earth hour by hour by hour Child protection, more careful mate selection Everyone wants to be wanted by a natural father and mother Lookin' for a sense of wonder, don't let your faith go under This is a beautiful world, if we could only give up fighting The answer is surrender, every race, every gender Beat our swords into plowshares on the anvil of a pure heart We gotta have honest answers and the courage to take our chances Opportunity's knockin' loud, give me your attention >My two cents on TR: his New World Order was a piece of garbage. There >should have been a warning sticker on the front. >All the best >Bill Green
------------------------------ From: J_ARTECONA@RCMACA.UPR.CLU.EDU Date: Sun, 10 Aug 1997 18:36:01 -0400 Message-Id: <970810183601.2120d561@RCMACA.UPR.CLU.EDU> Subject: RE: Andy and Costello Hey all, I see there are lots of XTC and Costello fans out there, myself included. Does anyone know how EC feels about AP and viceversa?....they are both great songwriters but seem to come from totally different points of reference. Any info would be great.
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01510103b014170baa23@[205.210.52.147]> Date: Sun, 10 Aug 1997 20:12:04 -0500 From: bartok@adan.kingston.net (steady eddy) Subject: fossil fuels i don't know about anyone else but i thought that fossils fuel was a bit of a rip. why the hell couldn't they have put some sort of rarities on it or something to entice those of us who have all of those songs anyway? there must be some more stuff/outtakes lying around. 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: <c=AU%a=_%p=DPIEXCH%l=DPIEXCH/MHOEXCH/001D4655@pibcrmexh001.pib.dpi.qld.gov.au> From: "McDonald, Roger" <McDonaRF@prose.dpi.qld.gov.au> Subject: Zappa Date: Mon, 11 Aug 1997 11:49:00 +1000 Dear Todzilla, Why did Frank Zappa produce Grand Funk Railroad? I read an article at the time that the album (Born to Die?) came out and I quote (yes, I have a photographic memory), "I like 'em 'cos they're not stardom struck and all fucked up! Shit, these guys fart on each other!" And that's the truth. As for XTC vs Zappa - weeeeell, I'm a bit of a late starter with Uncle Frank. I mean I sniggered all the way through Apostrophe when in high school but it wasn't until a couple of years ago that I was introduced to the stunning Hot Rats via a Rycodisc reissue. Whoa! (as you Americans say!). I've just heard Bongo Fury for the first time this week and although I'm told it's dismissed by most Zappa freaks as 'flat' I like it a lot! Helios!! I like Zappa for playing jazz rock (the 'I can play faster than you can' style of music that should be carried out at dawn at twenty paces) with the humour it so richly deserves but Zappa can't make me cry like XTC can. Mind you, Uncle Remus is kinda emotional I suppose... I also like One Size Fits All but it doesn't do it for me like English Settlement. Although there is a similar musical thread running through Zappa and XTC comparing these works is like comparing cheese and chalk - or comparing English and American and that's one flame war I'm not about to start!!! So as Dennis Hopper said to Martin Sheen in Apocalypse Now!, "And with that I am fuckin' splitting!!!" RogerFromOz
------------------------------ Date: 11 AUG 97 15:59:53 AST From: PCulnane@dca.gov.au Subject: When you're near me.... Message-ID: <0000ftnbjbzv.0000eckcaeye@dca.gov.au> Chalksters, Those of us who file our CD collections alphabetically may have noticed that David Yazbek albums will always nestle alongside those of XtC on the shelf. Just one of those strange things in life. Yazbek would no doubt be pleased about that! Oh, hang on. I just realised that some clever-clogs is likely to write in and claim to be a big collector of Xymox! Rats, there goes another half-baked cosmic theory...... p@ul-of-oz "now i've got a beautiful plan now i've got a beautiful IDEA" - Big Heavy Stuff "Beautiful Scenario"
------------------------------ From: gravity@loop.com Message-Id: <3.0.32.19970810235143.00690adc@pop.loop.com> Date: Sun, 10 Aug 1997 23:51:45 -0700 Subject: Mmmm Vinyl Hello fellow Chalkmarks! Reading the latest. The bit about cd's and vinyl caught my eye. Recently and for no apparent reason I have purchased the entire XTC catalog on vinyl.Dukes included.Mostly UK versions. Ah yes the very excellent English Settlement 2 lp's! Just the albums mind you not all of the EP's. although a couple of those slipped in. The "experimental records" Mr. Partridge seems so fond of making were left in the bin as well. I like songs,call me daft and old fashioned,but it's my hard earned cash! These "vinyl versions" are far superior to the cd versions I have been listening too for a few years now. The drums on Black Sea are a standout,just as an example. In fact everything sounds "better" on these discs. Listening to the cd's is now an experience equal to seeing a movie that was filmed in black and white suddenly "colorized". Listen to a "mono" Sgt. Pepper sometime,on vinyl of course, you will enjoy the music as it was "supposed to sound". You will find artists and their producers have the right IDEA to begin with. Let's not forget all the cool things that accompany the vinyl packaging.I can easily read all the liner notes as well! Cd's have their place and all the new formats will too I'm sure. I like the "compactness"obviously.The sound isn't awful. However, try a vinyl version of your favorite record from a time when vinyl was the technology.See how good it still is! Corporate scam or not digital technology is here to stay. Have a guilty pleasure and sneek some VINYL into your audio diet! "I'm the bad thoughts inside your head" john murphy
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199708111028.LAA07242@pip.maires.co.uk> From: "Stephen Clarke" <S.Clarke@nopres.co.uk> Organization: NOP Research Date: Mon, 11 Aug 1997 11:30:31 +0000 Subject: a buffalo with an anklung Natalie wrote: > Re. the Prophet V (Prophet Vic? Prophet Vinnie? A new book of the Bible > is discovered, the Prophecies of Vinnie. . .) - so now we all know it's a > synthesizer, but what the heck ramsey is an "anklung" (as used in "Yacht > Dance")? A new species of fish? A type of African jewelry? Do tell. er.. that's V as in five note polyphonic - but hey, the prophecies of vinnie. the gospel according to our favourite wimbledon footballer sounds plausible to me. according to the random house disctionary an.klung (ang'klung), n. a southeast Asian rhythm instrument consisting of a set of bamboo tubes that are tuned in octaves and slide in the grooves of a frame shaken by the performer. [< Javanese angklung] Steve Clarke
------------------------------ Message-ID: <c=GB%a=_%p=Benfield_Group%l=BENEXCHG-970811110010Z-7569@benexchg.benfield.co.uk> From: Gary Minns <Gary.Minns@benfield.co.uk> Subject: bmob mota ruoy htiw flesruoy kcuf oG Date: Mon, 11 Aug 1997 12:00:10 +0100 >"LOOSELY FROM THE STIFF BEACH..." >"WITH PINK WARMTH" >Any meaning, or just pure Dukeish nonsense? Yeah I never quite got to the bottom of that. It always struck me as sexual but, then again, most things do! Can any experts out there lend a hand? The bit that got me was the back-masking on 25 O'clock. It's fine on the vinyl coz you can twizzle your turntable backwards and make out what is being said but I upgraded to the Chips CD a while back and it made me chuckle that Virgin had transcribed the back-masking to the CD as well. I tried to twist my CD backwards with the lid up but the laser kept burning my fingers. It got me thinking whether it was standard form for CDs and cassettes to contain back-masking even though it's pretty much impossible to make any sense of it on these formats. Once again, can anyone shed some light? Gary
------------------------------ Message-ID: <33EF5C10.3B0A@sprintmail.com> Date: Mon, 11 Aug 1997 11:38:08 -0700 From: Stormy Monday <stormymonday@sprintmail.com> Subject: John and Ray Folxtc, Our good friend Ralph states: > Sometimes I think the Kinks are often just..well..better than > the Beatles - which is very, very difficult for me to > admit. And, yes...they have been overlooked way, way too much! In > regards to lyrical themes - Ray Davies is the true working class hero - > not John Lennon (with all do respect to John). Cough cough, AHEMMMMMMMMMM! Gasp gasp, (sigh) hack hack! Stop... Hold on, stay in control... Stormy Monday
------------------------------ Message-Id: <s3ef05ee.000@elsevier.com> Date: Mon, 11 Aug 1997 12:30:04 -0400 From: Ralph DeMarco <r.demarco@elsevier.com> Subject: Picking Bones Dear One Armed Bandits and Affiliated Members: Bryan Gillespie & Brian Matthews both have questioned whether Skylarking ever included 'Dear God' and 'Mermaid Smiled' together. They mentioned cassette versions possibly containing both tracks. Now, I understand that Virgin replaced 'Mermaid Smiled' with 'Dear God' after the first vinyl pressings due to Dear God's radio popularity...but, what I don't understand (something I find myself saying every time I mention Virgin/Geffen) is why the hell didn't they include both tracks on the CD version??? - There is room on CDs for that sort of thing. Ahh just another XTC fan bitching away. Erich Walther wrote: >The only bone I have to pick with TR is his tendency to OVER-produce; >seems to abhor (sp) a vacuum and has to fill every little space. Still, 'A >Wizard, A True Star' (he's soo humble), 'Something/Anything' and >'Swing to The Right' are must-haves. I know I already responded to this post before but must say that 'A Wizard a True Star's over production is quite annoying to me. Instead, I recommend 1978's 'Hermit of Mink Hollow' very, very highly. It does not suffer from too much over-production and is chock full o' catchy-clever pop-rock tunes and simply beautiful ballads. Those who don't care for TR should try a bit of 'Hermit..' and of course, the masterpiece 'Something/Anything?' From: pawnee q >Question: What's the deal with the missing line in most later releases of >"Life Begins At the Hop" ? What are you talking about specifically? Are you referring to the edit version as opposed to the long version? I just picked up (used) the Virgin (Atlantic) USA October 1979 'Drums and Wires' and noticed that it does included 'Making Plans for Nigel' which the Virgin (Epic) July 1982 US re-issue does not - though all the other tracks are the same. What's the deal? Did the boys decide they didn't like the song anymore? And how come some of the CDs contain 'Life Begins at the Hop?' and others don't - which I feel is a great song and a perfect opener for a great album. Silly, silly silly... From: The Village Green Subject: New Guy >Greetings, this is a long one so skip if it you don't want to hear from the >new guy. I am, if my E-mail name gives any clue, a *big* Kinks fan. Ray Davies is ... well ... an living legend. Watch out for Dave's solo tour and new solo album which should be out soon. Re: XTC >Starting with Drums & Wires they just got better and better. I'm not >partial to any one album, but as a whole like The Big Express, >Skylarking, Oranges & Lemons, and Nonsuch. What about Mummer???!!!! (Original song line-up of course). >What I have found most annoying about the general response from >critics has been that the band have been their own worst enemies with >smart-alecky, nonsensical lyrics and quirky, inaccesible, all over the >place melodies. (I've never used all those words in the same place >before, never mind the same sentence). Nonsensical lyrics? Perhaps for those who don't want to have to THINK when they listen to rock lyrics - they can always listen to Hootie and the Blowfish!!! Artists should not compromise their craft if they are true artists. XTC, and others like Frank Zappa and Richard Thompson, do not like to compromise for the sake of commercial success - and that is why they will be respected as artists long after other pop stars have been written off as pandering lapdogs - ie: U2, Elton John... etc. History almost always vindicates. If you don't believe me, read some of the reviews of Bob Dylan's first album and for that matter, book reviews that panned books now considered literary classics. Critics can't separate 'art' from a pre-conceived notion of a 'product' made to sell. Sometimes 'art' and 'product' work together and we get a popular song that is intelligent and catchy and critically acclaimed (but that's not very common in my experience). "Gone are the days when hate filled my heart..." Ralphie
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #3-151 *******************************
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