Chalkhills Digest Volume 3, Issue 164
Date: Friday, 19 September 1997
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 3, Number 164
Friday, 19 September 1997
Today's Topics:
Cooking, France, Demos, Colin, Producers...
The moon in hand
Dumb & Dumber and a dumb version of a good song.
Re: Manzanara information
A non-XTC fan's perspective
I must adit, this made my day....
Re: Dumb & Dumber/Posting/Other Stuff
Lets Build A House
RE: Lovesick Girl
RE: The Man With The Neon Hat
Peter Pumpkinhead/Dumb & Dumber
Starting a record label, etc.
No XTC Content - Sosumi
Another XTC sighting
Wanted: "new" demos
We Will Skim Across The Surface
"Ship Trapped in the Ice"????
Alas, Demos again (there must be an easier way)
No crap in our house
Hello News.
and suddenly, I realized it wasn't a nightmare
Free expression...at what price?
Question on Bongalow
Gape Like Minstrel Mouths
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You won't sink if you paddle.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: bob_prowse@sw2000.com
Message-Id: <9709168744.AA874408802@gateway.sw2000.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Sep 97 12:19:57 GMT
Subject: Cooking, France, Demos, Colin, Producers...
Hi Chalksters,
Firstly, brill news about the licensing deal with Cooking Vinyl - at last!
Just got back from being on tour in the South of France - what a blast! I
was in rapture state, having got sent a copy of the demos which arrived the
day I was leaving! (double blast!! - thanks Perry.)
As someone else has said, my opinion of some of the tracks has changed as
they've sunk in over repeated listens. A few thoughts:
Church of Women - *must* go on the record. Please? Wouldn't change a thing
except record it better. Absolutely must keep that lone 'ukelele' type
guitar strum intro - love it. ("...butter, er, er." - delicious!)
You + The Clouds... - hope this makes it. That sort of disjointed-ness of
the rhythm track is excellent fun - great and quirky. UUHHHHH!!!
I'd Like That - Hope thats Colin playing the bass on the outro and not Andy!
Its fantastic against the flamenco style handclap rhythm.
Prince of Orange - Wasn't sure about this one at first. I think it was the
rinky, plinky, piano part that was putting me off. But I wouldn't want to
lose the song because of it. Great melody, great structure, great crying at
the end - Sample it, don't do it again. Its great. Andy.
Dame Fortune - yes, yes, yes! Not a classic, but again the bass line has
time to have some fun - and there's nothing wrong with that in my book.
Bumper Cars - sounds like its an outtake from a Buster Gonad session!
Quirky, space organ/stylophone. Like it. Don't think its an album candidate
somehow, although I'd secretly love it to be. Especially when the big
bridge/outro refrain kicks in. You know, now I'm on it, with a little prod
and a squeeze, nip and a fold, I think it'll work. Quick Captain, with all
respect, head straight for the candy floss and toffee apples...
Green Man - still in two minds about this. I think its just that its too
long and becomes ponderous and a bit leaden as a result. The rhythms and
ideas are great none the less, but at this point, out of my pocket would
come, the large, orange, and all powerful, Edit button.
Dictionary - I've tried quite hard with this but, 'spelling-game' style,
it's sits awkward and just doesn't sound like Andy.
And of course, we've surely got some Colin songs to look forward to, haven't
we????? How is he doing? Can anyone enquire? Please?
Generally though, we've got to bear in mind that these songs _will_ change
and become something else throughout the recording process. So don't love
them too hard - difficult, I know...
On another note, mucho mucho thanks to Mark Strijbos for posting up the
transcript of the recent Andy/riff chat. Who is Andy referring to when he
says '.. its a shame Diddly has given up drumming.'?? Also, on the subject
of producers, Andy says they were about to talk to Radiohead's producer. Of
what? 'OK Computer'? In which case, why didn't he just say '...our old
friend, John Leckie' or something like that? Fantastic if that comes off. If
not, I'd offer Ian Broudie (Lightening Seeds), or maybe Sam Williams for his
excellent work on the Supergrass, 'I Should Coco', album.
Hold on out there,
Bob P
------------------------------ Message-Id: <l03020900b0442a1a0261@[141.212.142.135]> Date: Tue, 16 Sep 1997 08:54:58 -0400 From: Natalie Jacobs <gnat@umich.edu> Subject: The moon in hand I promised myself not to talk about the new demos on this list, but what the heck. . . Mr. Gott says, >>River of Orchids-Honestly, it still hasn't caught on. Andy's veering >>off into preachy territory here. > >Excuse me, what? "River of Orchids" happens to be my favourite of the >new demos. Brilliant musically, and lyrically. I think it's anything but >preachy...Sorry, Amanda. It had to be said. Well, yeah. "River of Orchids" does have a touch of the preaches, but unlike some of Andy's other preachy songs, he actually offers a *solution* to the problem he's complaining about - even if it's a rather fanciful one. :) And yes, that title image is a doozy. Anyway, the music is so gorgeous, and so different from previous material, that the lyrics pale in comparison. Matt Kaden says, >I Can't Own Her: I didn't know music could do this! I've been thinking >about the notion that the bridge makes the whole thing fall apart. Well, of >course it does, yes... But the return to the beginning directly after it >"And I may as well wish for the moon in hand" is made all the more powerful >because of this juxtaposition. Yeah... it's like, the speaker's getting all poetic and off in the clouds, and then he suddenly loses confidence and turns to the audience and starts to explain, then gives up and goes back to the clouds again. I used to not like this song, but I was listening to it a while back (before I made a pact with myself not to listen to the demos anymore so I wouldn't get sick of them before the new album came out), and I thought, "Damn! Andy's pouring his damn heart out here! How can I not respond to that?" Because Andy's such an evasive sort of songwriter - even the seemingly straightforward "Your Dictionary" is clogged with metaphors and verbiage - but this song is so direct that its sadness and poignancy really come through. So although I was slagging it to start with, I've changed my mind, and hang my head with shame. A fellow Michigander recently sent me some odds and ends on video and I've been spooling through those... I've decided that XTC's videos have to be rated using a Cringe Factor Scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being completely non-cringe-worthy and 10 being so embarrassing that you can't watch at all. "Senses Working Overtime," being straight performance, rates a 1, and the truly awful "Ball and Chain" rates an 8 or 9. Unfortunately most of XTC's videos rank high on the scale, and it's pretty easy to see why the band members hate making them. It was interesting seeing some videos that I hadn't seen for a long time - they seemed wonderful when I first saw them, because seeing *anything* by XTC was such a novelty when I was a neophyte fan of 16, but now some of the luster has vanished. However, I must say that "The Mayor of Simpleton" video still cracks me up, and it actually looks like the band is having an OK time in it. (I assume Andy liked horsing around with that Emma Peel chick.) Shameless plug: Perdix has been undergoing a major visual overhaul over the past week and will look increasingly spiffy as time goes by, so check it out, and stay tuned for more interviews and trivia as well. Natalie Jacobs Perdix: The Andy Partridge Appreciation Page http://www-personal.umich.edu/~gnat/perdix.html
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Sep 1997 08:22:20 -0600 (CST) From: AMANDA CARYL OWENS <ACOEA@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Subject: Dumb & Dumber and a dumb version of a good song. Message-id: <01INPCARW08I8XTNIO@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Mien friend, the version of Peter Pumpkinhead you heard was by Crash Test Dummies, mty favorite group as anyone on this list can certainly tell you. It is, IMNSHO, a far inferior version than XTC's. Mainly because I think Ellen Reid can't sing worth a crap on it. She's a good singer, but keep her in the back- ground where she belongs for God's sake!!!!!!!!!! Ben-Tell me what you want, I still don't like River of Orchids very much. Dear friends of Agony Andy-I had a long talk with said manager. Said manager related that he didn't realise I was interpreting what he thought was plain old friendliness as anything more than that, and was sorry I took things the wrong way. Said manager is now treating me more like a manager, yelling at me and nitpicking for the tiniest things. Said employee is still infatuated with said manager, but said employee will not pursue anythig other than MONEY!!!!!!!! End of story. Matt, good sum up of the demos. Couldn't have said most of it better myself. That's all for now, be sure to check out the classifieds, love and peace, and pray that Dave uses those nine digits I sent to him. Ciao, Amanda Daemon est deus inversus XTC song of the day-The History of Rock & Roll non XTC-The Bridge-Jane Siberry/Joe Jackson
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Sep 1997 09:57:03 -0400 Message-Id: <v01510100b04406318cc0@[128.122.161.36]> From: vanvalnc@is2.nyu.edu (Chris Van Valen) Subject: Re: Manzanara information Dave Stafford wrote: >Finally a question I MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP WITH. [snip] >MISS SHAPIRO *also* appears on the amazing "Mainstream" by Quiet Sun. > (Quiet Sun was kind of an early pre-801 801..) Close, but no cigar. "Miss Shapiro" appears on Manzanara's classic first album "Diamond Head" which was recorded concurrently with the Quiet Sun album. It's quite a remarkable feat. He was recording "Diamond Head" all day and then "Mainstream" all night. Quiet Sun was the band that Manzanara was in prior to joining Roxy Music. "Mainstream" is available wherever import CD can be purchased. CV If you have an unpleasant nature and dislike people this is no obstacle to work. -- J.G. Bennett Catch "Forever Knight" on the Sci-Fi Channel every Mon-Thurs at 9PM and 1AM EDT. -- Lucien LaCroix
------------------------------ Message-ID: <211D4A0926D2D011859E0060972D88480FD179@comail.rjconsult.com> From: "Miller, Ed" <EMiller@rjconsult.com> Subject: A non-XTC fan's perspective Date: Tue, 16 Sep 1997 08:25:58 -0600 Hi, kidz... I thought you might be interested to read about an interesting discussion I had last week. I played the most recent demos (thanks Peter) for a friend of mine. He's a fellow musician, lover of good music and a generally insightful dude. After the initial reaction... what I might expect from someone hearing these songs for the first time... he made a very interesting point. The point is this. XTC (or Andy et al...) are a VERY English band with what he referred to as "the liberty to venture off into these orchestral and unusual song formats." I wish I could remember what song we were listening to... it was probably "Easter Theatre". He made a comparison to the Beatles and how they could do songs like "Honey Pie" and "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" and get away with them because they were a British band and had broader influences than a typical American band and so did their immediate audience/producer/critics, etc. Then we tried to figure out why American bands seemed more restricted. One thing we came up with is that Americans must have fewer, true influences. We figured that, when you boil it all down, American influences must be limited folk, blues and country music. Everything else we can attribute to our English pals. Any ideas on this? Also, does anyone know what influenced Andy over the years? I'm interested in knowing the time periods, too... since that always seems to vary a bit with all of us. Thanks.... Ed Miller
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Sep 1997 09:45:43 -0600 (CST) From: AMANDA CARYL OWENS <ACOEA@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Subject: I must adit, this made my day.... Message-id: <01INPFD441OI8XVF0H@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> whilst glancing through pictures in the archives, I stumbled across what might be the best picture I've ever seen. Dave, in all his majesterial glory, reading a book entitled. "Let's Get Laid". Yes, Dave. Let's. Ciao, Amanda daeMon est deus inversus
------------------------------
Message-Id: <3.0.1.32.19970916112420.006b2924@mail.clemson.edu>
Date: Tue, 16 Sep 1997 11:24:20 -0400
From: Adam Tyner <ctyner@CLEMSON.EDU>
Subject: Re: Dumb & Dumber/Posting/Other Stuff
<<I don't know if anyone has mentioned this before, but I was watching
Dumb & Dumber on TBS last night, and I for the first time realized that
when they go to the restaurant called "Dante's Inferno" (where the
hitman dies), the song playing almost the whole time is Peter
Pumpkinhead. But it isn't XTC. It's sounds like a country version or
something. I didn't stay up to watch the credits so if anyone can fill
me in I'd be interested. Also, is anyone distributing demos? I'd like
to get my hands on them.>>
It's a Crash Test Dummies cover. I've heard the song on the soundtrack,
and it sounds rather nice. I ordered the single from FM Singles a couple
of weeks back, and I should be getting it in soon...
A video was also made for it...Jeff Daniels appeared in it, from what I've
read. I've never seen it myself, though.
As for 1,000 people being on the list, I think most of them are just on
waiting for a release date for the new album. ;) Actually, as a lurker, I
can honestly say the biggest reason I don't post often is because I don't
really know how I can contribute. I only have a few XTC albums (although
my collection should be complete in a few months), and it's akin to someone
in an undergraduate class in college sitting in on a graduate-level class.
Although I do have a vague idea what's going on, I don't really know enough
to contribute anything worth-while to the conversation. ;)
In the "other bands I like" department, I'd have to say Barenaked Ladies,
Mono Puff, They Might Be Giants, Those Darn Accordions!, Velocity Girl, and
"Weird Al" Yankovic. I actually picked up accordion because of "Weird Al"
and TMBG, although since I know nothing about playing music, once I pick it
up, I'm not really sure what to do with it. :) It's a full-size Dallape,
if anyone cares, and it's monstrously old. The keys are orange-brown, if
that's any indication. :)
Well, now you know what happens when you bring a lurker out of hiding... :)
TTYL,
-Adam, quite possibly the only South Carolinian Chalkie
/----=========================================================----\
http://www.awod.com/gallery/rwav/ctyner/
The home of He-Man, "Weird Al", Yoo-Hoo, Killer Tomatoes, and more!
ctyner@awod.com O- MiSTie #67,326
------------------------------ Message-ID: <341E71C3.726@blackbirdusa.com> Date: Tue, 16 Sep 1997 11:47:17 +0000 From: Carrie Ross <ross@blackbirdusa.com> Subject: Lets Build A House Way back in the in early 80's I heard a song that sounded like XTC (on WLIR for those of you in the NY area), and I'm pretty sure the words went something like, "Lets build a house. Make it out of wood..." Does anyone out there know this song? HELP! Please e-mail me if you know. I've been trying to figure this out for years!
------------------------------ Message-ID: <840C6065282CD111A6B400805FEA5AC5018FCF@BENEXCHG> From: Gary Minns <Gary.Minns@benfield.co.uk> Subject: RE: Lovesick Girl Date: Tue, 16 Sep 1997 17:45:11 +0100 >>...I'm a 19 year old girl who's falling in love with her >>manager at work. He flirts with me and gives me special >>treatment, which anyone else would take as a sign that >>he likes me. One small problem-he's married and has a >>ten week old baby girl. What's a lovesick girl to do... > >...Run for you life!!!! ------- or sue him for sexual >harrassment........but don't mess up a weak man's >family.......he'll do it on his own! Think with your head, >not your heart... ...Peter merely said: any kind of love is alright... Gary
------------------------------ Message-ID: <840C6065282CD111A6B400805FEA5AC5018FCE@BENEXCHG> From: Gary Minns <Gary.Minns@benfield.co.uk> Subject: RE: The Man With The Neon Hat Date: Tue, 16 Sep 1997 17:45:01 +0100 >...I noticed a guy who had a hat on that had, in bright green neon letters, XTC emblazoned on it. I wanted to approach him and ask if it was about our lads but chickened out...< It sounds like the logo of one of those energy drinks, you know, like a strong mix of caffeine and cocaine made to taste like cherry cola. Keeps you awake and jumpy for about a month. I was caught out the same way with a big poster in a bar. I hope our XTC has their name copyrighted and patented, otherwise some big shot lawyer is going to sue them even though they were 1st to the name by some 20 years. Gary
------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.3.32.19970916094732.006ac1cc@cmsnt> Date: Tue, 16 Sep 1997 09:47:32 -0700 From: James McGowan <jmcgowan@cms.dbc.com> Subject: Peter Pumpkinhead/Dumb & Dumber In Chalkhills Volume 3, Number 163, Michael Liquori <mliq@digital.net> intoned: >I don't know if anyone has mentioned this before, but I was watching >Dumb & Dumber on TBS last night, and I for the first time realized that >when they go to the restaurant called "Dante's Inferno" (where the >hitman dies), the song playing almost the whole time is Peter >Pumpkinhead. But it isn't XTC. It's sounds like a country version or >something. It's the Crash Test Dummies doing (IMO) a very bland, unimaginative (faithful?) cover. As has been mentioned here many times, Brad Roberts is a big-time fan of AP. I was very disappointed that he didn't sing the cover. Anyone know why? Maybe because he has a four-note range? ----- James McGowan jmcgowan@cms.dbc.com CMS Corporation Los Angeles, CA
------------------------------ From: Richard.PedrettiAllen@octel.com Message-Id: <199709161712.AA186979974@elroy.corp.octel.com> Subject: Starting a record label, etc. Date: Tue, 16 Sep 1997 10:07:32 -0700 re: James Dupuy: How does one go about forming an independant label? There are two good books that I know of. The first is "THIS BUSINESS OF MUSIC" (678 pages) by Sidney Shemel and M. William Krasilovsky. This book has TONS of information! It is thicker than my dictionary and heavier than Your Dictionary. Published by Billboard Books ($32) The other book is "Tim Sweeney's GUIDE TO RELEASING INDEPENDENT RECORDS" (148 pages) by Tim Sweeney and Mark Geller (ISBN 0-9651316-0-2). This one addresses the particular subject but is a bit light on THE EXACT details (which any realist will tell you are only learned through experience but the authors could have been more thorough). I'm only about 1/4 of the way through this but it looks okay (if a bit overpriced at $30). The only real downside is the author seems to be pretty full of himself and at times talks down to the reader. It is self-published and can be had via www.tsamusic.com. Cheers, Richard
------------------------------ From: Richard.PedrettiAllen@octel.com Message-Id: <199709161718.AA188450280@elroy.corp.octel.com> Subject: No XTC Content - Sosumi Date: Tue, 16 Sep 1997 10:16:16 -0700 Terribly sorry! I wanted to reply personally to Dave Stafford but how does one reply to something like THIS?! "cthulhu.engr.sgi.com!sgi.engr.sgi.com!tradesvc.attmail.com!NOVELL!TRADE !dstaffor (Stafford, Dave)" Hey man, put your email address in your sig file! Sheesh! In any event, Isn't MISS SHAPIRO (also?) on Diamondhead by Phil Manzanera? Oh wait! I do have XTC content!! How about another "XTC" translation?! 88-84-67 (ASCII) Now sue me! Cheers, Richard
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199709161745.KAA27942@sgi.sgi.com> From: "Dr. Foulger" <Damian.Foulger@astro.cf.ac.uk> Date: Tue, 16 Sep 1997 12:42:56 +0000 Subject: Another XTC sighting Last night I was driving along 64-40 into St. Louis and I saw a large black American car with the lisence plate X-TSEE. Come on, own up, which of your was the 40-50 year-old woman driving that car? We both got off at Lacledes Landing though I doubt that she noticed me as I only have 877 FNK on mine! Dames tWD P.s. the Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead was covered by The Crashtest Dummies. * ------------------------------------------------ 'People will always wipe their feet on anything with welcome written on it.' - AP
------------------------------ Message-ID: <01BCC2F0.511B1440@t4o39p18.telia.com> From: Pelle Jansson <pelle.eva@pejansson.pp.se> Subject: Wanted: "new" demos Date: Tue, 16 Sep 1997 22:31:30 +0200 Hello, out there! I haven't heard the "new" demos. Anyone wants to swap? I can offer Jules Verne or The Bull on homemade CD......... Greetings from Sweden Pelle +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Pelle Jansson E-post: pelle.eva@pejansson.pp.se Baldersgatan 5 http://hem.passagen.se/perolof S-29536 Bromolla Sweden
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199709162235.AAA25827@utrecht.knoware.nl> From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl> Organization: The Little Lighthouse Date: Wed, 17 Sep 1997 00:40:21 +0000 Subject: We Will Skim Across The Surface Dear Chalkers Just had a nice chat on the Buzzcity channel with 2 other XTC friends It's cool - you should join us. I'll try to "be there" every night at 9.30 CET - 8.30 GMT John Bartlett asked: > Could someone please have a go at transcribing "Wait till your > boat ...", and I will be very grateful. the band already did this in the Eleven Different Animals songbook; the only XTC music & lyrics book that was ever printed. It was published in 1980 or 81 i think and is a real collector's item now. I'm sure there must be someone out there who is willing to xerox the relevant pages for you. I would if I had a copy... any offers? yours, Mark Strijbos at The Little Lighthouse the XTC website @ http://come.to/xtc ===> The Random XTC Quote <=== Sometimes relationships don't go as planned
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 17 Sep 1997 00:11:17 -0500
Message-Id: <v02110101b044540657b6@[144.92.210.174]>
From: jhackney@facstaff.wisc.edu (John M. Hackney)
Subject: "Ship Trapped in the Ice"????
Chalkhillians:
On Sept. 15 our moderator mentioned a song (*presumably* by our
boys) entitled, "Ship Trapped in the Ice". Mr. Relph, I've never heard of
this before. Is it in fact by XTC, what is its status (demo, bootleg from
a concert, obscure B-side, or whatever), and how did you learn-about/obtain
it? A quick look at my last printout of the discography (admittedly a
little dated) yielded nothing----
John
John M. Hackney
Department of Botany
University of Wisconsin-Madison
430 Lincoln Drive
Madison, WI 53706
(608) 233-5685 Home
(608) 262-0657 Lab
(608) 262-7509 FAX
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199709170514.BAA11714@fixed.underworld.net> From: "Kevin Keeler" <insanity@underworld.net> Subject: Alas, Demos again (there must be an easier way) Date: Wed, 17 Sep 1997 01:12:27 -0400 While I personally have never requested any demos from anyone, I have seen numerous other people, and hence feel like I'm being a burden. If anyine knows of a page or anything designed for this purpose feel free to direct me there. Basically what I want are demos. Simple enough? yeah,i thought so. Also, I recently splurged and bought myself a cd burner, so i have the means to do some pretty nifty stuff. This leads to 2 things: 1. I prefer a higher quality recording to make it worth my while to put on CD. 2. the procurer of said demos would also be in for a copy of their very own. SO that is about it. I am not interested in any 12th generation dubs, but i also realize that demos by nature arent always of a superior quality. Please e-mail me privately to let me know what you can do or with any questions. thanx ?????????????????????????????? ! Kevin Keeler ! ! insanity@underworld.net ! ! ***Official Master of Reality*** ! ! " the value of a quote is severely ! ! overrated." -- me ! ??????????????????????????????
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Sep 97 21:15:41 UT From: "Stephen Clarke" <Clarke_paprican@classic.msn.com> Message-Id: <UPMAIL02.199709170804540791@classic.msn.com> Subject: No crap in our house Rob Crawford raised an interesting point,,, so interesting that I am now un-lurking after some time...Nice one Rob The idea "let the boys put some banal tripe out so we can enjoy the good stuff" requires some analysis. I used to have a taped interview with Andy, done by University of Bath (UK) Student Radio in 1982 (My GOD WAS THAT 1982??). On it Andy compares record company types to people asking Leonardo Da Vinci shortly after he's painted the roof of the Cistene (sp?) chapel "Yup, that's OK, that works for us, what else do you do"? This was in '82, before Black Sea and indicates that the uncompromising "no crap in our house" stance (not changing lyrics for the beeb, telling Virgin to take a hike) that has seen XTC through thick and thin for more than a few years. My hat is permanently off to them. Before anyone asks, no, I can't lay my hands on the tape of the interview. After 15 moves (including a change of continent) there's a good chance it's lost to mankind. Ask me how I feel about that. Mind you, the gig that they did right after the interview was simply the best I have been to ever ...... EVER! Please address any out of list experiences to me at: clarke@vanlab.paprican.ca It's a long story Back to lurkdom perhaps Steve Clarke
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 17 Sep 1997 22:09:32 -0500 (CDT) From: The Gottschalks <gotts@tenet.edu> Subject: Hello News. Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.96.970917220055.13111A-100000@Joyce-Perkins.tenet.edu> Hello to all new guys, as it seems there are more of you than usual. Michael, I'm surprised you didn't know this, but the Crash Test Dummies covered The Ballad for the movie Dumb and Dumber, and to be quite frank they kicked XTC's butt in doing so. They sped it up by roughly at minute and sounded like they meant it. Yes, people, flame me for this, for I am heathen. But I still like XTC better, if it's any comfort. Ween: The Mollusk, oh mannn... ahhh. Gotta have it. They had about thirty songs, and settled on 14 for the album, which should tell you that those songs are... oh yeah. Get it. I just went to my room to see if there are any new albums to recommend. Yep, Album Of The Year by Faith No More. You betcha. I bought English Settlement. Orgasmic to the third degree. Killer intro. and closer, but also much more, but you knew that. I also recently bought Todd Rundgren's 2nd Wave. Good thing I only spent five bucks for it because whew! You guys actully like that k-rap? Simpsons are on. Love 'em. Mark
------------------------------ From: "The Great Lemur" <GRIFE@Athena.valpo.edu> Date: Thu, 18 Sep 1997 03:05:33 CST Subject: and suddenly, I realized it wasn't a nightmare Message-ID: <27926355624@athena.valpo.edu> MAD MAD MAD MAD MAD MAD MAD am I.. lemme tell ya.. my copy of Go2 is missing... aughhhhh... i need it back.. granted it's the xtc main release i listen to the LEAST (which is still a great deal more than most of my other cd's) but i still would like to have it. I am hosting a radio show in which I play a lot of thier music (or so i hope soon (i did last year.. yes, college radio is fun)). WHERE IS IT... that was the one that took me the LONGEST to find as well... all of the other's i was able to get my hands on by simply going to the store and seeing it and picking it up... and purchasing the wonderful art that is an xtc masterpiece.. and now, i am missing an intricate piece in my gallery of priceles art... oh well.. on other news... I was upest to find that a friend of mine purchased a copy of nonsvch for only $2 on cd at a garage sale... not because i paid $15 for it but because it's WORTH so much more.. who would sell such a thing for so little... the previous owner must be an idiot of some sort... ah well... that's all for now
------------------------------
Message-ID: <c=US%a=_%p=AETNA%l=HFD-EXCH003-970918121218Z-25620@aetna.aetna.com>
From: "Witter, Karl F" <WitterKF@aetna.com>
Subject: Free expression...at what price?
Date: Thu, 18 Sep 1997 08:12:18 -0400
>[Brad Preuss] (My friend Tony) works at a Barnes and Noble bookstore.
>(Following an overtly religion-oriented performance) he wanted to
>play Dear God (at the store's open mike) but was warned not to by
>the music manager.
Lessee, Borders pulls Michael Moore's best-seller from their shelves
cos of his union rabble-rousing, Wal-Mart pushes labels and movie
companies into compromising the creators' work, NC-17 means "no kids
in the theater at all" so Blockbuster doesn't rent them to adults,
and now this. No wonder I always end up at the public library.
>{William Wisner] Smashing Pumpkins. Musically, the band has
>merit -- some of the songs are great -- but...Billy Corgan's
>singing makes me want to eviscerate myself.
Corgan has hooked up with ex-Cars leader Ric Ocasek, who isn't
exactly Placido Domingo, but learned that deadpan Beat-like delivery
which meshes well with his songwriting. Maybe he can steer Corgan
towards not overreaching his grasp vocally.
To Ambient, but unambivalent Dave: "It is my assumption that the
harsh, brasher short solos are Andy's and the more fluid, "Frippy"
solos are Dave G's."
The 1st and 3rd solos are Andy's; the 2nd and 4th are Dave's
(including the trail-out stuff), as listed in the CD booklet. I'd
never have started to guess without being told, so your ears are
doing pretty well.
Locked all reason in the hold,
Karl
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 Sep 1997 09:33:24 -0500 (CDT) From: James Dupuy <dupuy@nol.net> Subject: Question on Bongalow Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.96.970918090814.22699A-100000@grassy.nol.net> Harrison wrote <I guess this intelligence adds to the already suspiciously large body of evidence that Andy Partridge has a _serious_sea fixation.> I have a serious fixation with Andy's sea fixation. I am fascinated with the feel of the sea in most of XTC's music. I went deep sea fishing a couple of weeks ago and I had Jason and the Argonauts going through my head the whole trip. I am wondering if the nautical flavor to XTC is due to cultural influences. Wasn't he born on a naval base in the Mediterranean? Anyway I have been trying to understand the chord structure to Bungalow. I got no reply to an earlier posted question on the underlying theme to Bungalow (unrequited love?) Maybe it was a dumb idea but I still can't help but feel that this may be true. What makes be think this is the music of the song. Can anyone, this includes you Sugarhips Sherwood, tell me about the chord progression of Bungalow and why it, along with Collin's voice, makes me feel this is a song about unrequited love? "Lie for a lie but a tooth for the truth Men have thorns around their minds I'm on my mountain preaching"
------------------------------ Message-Id: <2.2.32.19970918230631.006aeaa0@popmail.dircon.co.uk> Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 00:06:31 +0100 From: Simon Sleightholm <nonsuch@dircon.co.uk> Subject: Gape Like Minstrel Mouths I'm sitting at home, wrapped around my wife and listening to Through The Hill. It's 9:40pm and the phone rings. I grumble over to the phone, cursing the spoiled moment. "Hello?", "Hello Simon? This is Andy Partridge..." On the whole I think I coped pretty well. About ten minutes into the conversation I got hit by a wave of "fuckinghellit'sandypartridge!!!" but I think I recovered and remembered to use vowels before he noticed anything amiss. Actually it was probably more diffuclt for him to talk to me that the other way around; I know his voice so well, and we all so so much about him from interviews and his music, while he was talking warmly to someone he's knows nothing about. It was strange - because I knew the voice so well it was easy to slip into a fairly natural conversation mode with him. We chatted about the band and what they were up to; they are still working on that book with Neville Farmer about all their songs - it's taking a lot longer than they expected, but they're remembering the oddest little details, even if they do have to listen back to some old stuff a few times. He's been approached to supply 6 songs for a possible new film by noted Brit writers Dick Clemence and Ian laFrenais about the comedic tribulations of a reformed 70s Glam Rock band. This could be a very easy commission, he said, because he could just haul out some old Helium Kidz material and give them that. Idea are still looking for a producer for the next album but the problem of having no money gets in the way a little especially as they want him to do a double for the price of a single. I asked him if there was no way he could do the production and he said Dave and Colin wouldn't take to kindly to him having _total_ control in the studio. He was interested to know which demos I had (and was pleased to discover that I rated Easter Theatre highly, he didn't even baulk when I told him about my _gingham_thing_...). Work on the bootleg album has been started but, along with the formation of Idea and other things, there have been a few unforseen minor difficulties such as "Obscene Procession" being in a key that was ideal for him whispering along to in the attic, but absolutely no good for a full-on bellow in the studio. He told me about some of the weird things he gets sent, religious books with passages marked for his special attention, that kind of thing, and I mentioned some of the strange e-mail I've had on his behalf - he checked in the mirror and agreed that he did, indeed, wear glasses and was thus, of course, _obviously_ Mark Chapman. He and Harold Budd are working together by means of a sort of postal tape exhange, so there may be more from them at some time. Idea would love to sign Jamie Block and may well do in time. What can I tell you? He's as nice a guy as I always hoped he'd be - open, talkative (no surprise there) and keen to converse rather than just say his piece. My undying thanks to the people - you know who you are - who made this possible. Boy, was _that_ something... Simon -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~nonsuch/bungalow.htm (or http://come.to./bungalow) -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- An XTC resource - "Saving it all up for you..."
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #3-164 *******************************
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