Chalkhills Digest Volume 3, Issue 42
Date: Monday, 25 November 1996

          Chalkhills Digest, Volume 3, Number 42

                 Monday, 25 November 1996

Today's Topics:

                   a lost post and more
                         hardward
                Digression and dissection
                     Re: Nick Heyward
                   Re: Great Buildings
                      Re: Pink Thing
              I say - ruff. Ya know 'ny mo'?
             Not "Nuff said" and Mutant CD(?)
                      Re: Sugarsugar
                    Bands not "XTCish"
                        Hackneyed
                       Xenophobia?
               sub-par backwards is rap-bus
                      All Apologies
                      Peter Blegvad
               Trashcan Sinatras/Loud/Sting
                   Who Do Da Dukes Do?
                  :(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(
                    XTC saves the day!
          Let's see....to Ben, Steve, Craig.....
                        Thisnthat

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Reign of blows precedes a storm of revolution.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message-Id: <v01540b00aebe53171bda@[207.15.170.11]>
Date: Sun, 24 Nov 1996 13:54:01 -0600
From: kmarkman@netwestonline.com (Miss Piggy)
Subject: a lost post and more

Hello everyone!

I have a bunch of random things to say, including a post that got lost, so
bear with me!

>the conversation unless the topics go off-topic (like this one).  Anyway,
>let me say that this list is great (and if nothing else has at least
>spurred me to expand my XTC collection).

*Warm Fuzzies Alert*  I agree with the above statement - I love this list!
I recently subscribed to another mailing list for a group of bands whose
music I really like, but the list just doesn't do anything for me.  I find
myself skipping over it in order to read the latest Chalkhills digest.  We
don't always agree, but I have always found the list to provide me with
some new angle or insight or information that I find really useful.
Sometimes people slamming a song that I like has made me appreciate the
reasons I like it even more, and when people rave about a song I don't care
for, it will often provoke me to give it another listen.  So can I just say
this list is great!

>face to attribute it to. i also think that XTC could become a
>multi-million selling act or at least have a hit single. how they went
<snip>
>whoever it may be, paid the network enough to just shove it down people's
>throats, they'd be number one in no time. that's how it works nowadays.

For the most part, yes, but eventually they'd have to tour to support their
album, and this is where it would all fall apart.  If you are already
mega-famous like REM (who I love, but anyway) you can get away with not
touring for years.  But any new or newly-popular act has to get out on the
road to support the album, or you can kiss record sales goodbye.  The mass
audience has a very limited short-term memory.  Sad, but true.

>here. i really think some if it does have to do with the songs bands like
>XTC write. they write intensely personal and critical songs that most

I've always thought that they're music was also very literate, another
reason why they're not popular.

>people can't handle. they expect music to be a nice distraction from all
>the crap in their lives and don't want to hear some band discussing that
>same crap in lyrical detail. it's (for a bit of a far fetched example)

While this may be true, there are certainly bands that have become popular
by making a trademark out of gloom and doom lyrics.  It seems that there is
a segment of the mass audience that will like a song, any song, if it is
played enough.  This is one reason why commercial radio is so repetitive -
program directors are trying to build audience recognition to boost rating
to boost advertising sales to make a profit.  Commercial raido formats are
also highly researched and targeted.  I attended a conference this year
where the keynote speaker was the guy who basically invented the Modern
Rock format, and what he said is that they research and target their
programming towards 15-17 year olds.  And aside from the few on this list,
there are not a whole lot of 15-17 years olds who listen to XTC.  Certainly
not enough to be a statistical factor or show up in focus groups.  So this
is why you hear the same five industrial songs over and over again - if it
works in one market, it is copied and reproduced across the country.
Commercial stations exist to make a profit, and are controlled by a small
group of corporations who frankly do not care about artistic merit unless
it brings in $$$.

And as far as calling bands "alternative" well, again, the mass audience
seems to need decriptions to tell them what the music is going to be like
before they listen to it, calling a band "rock&roll" or alternative or
whatever is simply a marketing ply by record companies and has no bearing
on relaity whatsoever.  This is why Kenny G is considered by many to be
jazz.  As if!

Sorry for the long rant, but I had to get my 25 cents in!

Hope you're still awake, if not how bout this --FREE STUFF!!!!!
Hah, knew I'd get your attention.  Anyway, someone a while back suggested
replacing your Fossil Fuel case with other jewel boxes, since it seems to
be fragile.  Well, I have access to tons of jewel boxes if you wanted, free
for the taking, except maybe we could work out a tape dub or something.
Anyway, if you want any, e-mail me!

Vaya con huevos,
kris
kmarkman@netwestonline.com

***************************
"ASSIMILATE THIS!!!"--Worf

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 24 Nov 1996 14:12:14 -0700 (MST)
From: Eric Muller <EMULLER@UWYO.EDU>
Subject: hardward
Message-id: <01IC86BZGZQA00053P@PLAINS.UWYO.EDU>

Uh, if I'm not mistaken, there are reasons for the presence of the US military
in Germany that have nothing to do with that Big Bad Russian Bear.  If memory
serves, Germany caused the odd problem here and there for her neighbors, and
indeed, many of her own citizens, from time to time this century.  Seems that
both Joe Stalin *and* Uncle Sam were needed to contain the problems.

Eric

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 24 Nov 1996 15:48:40 -0600
Message-Id: <v0153050aaebe18713a4c@[204.153.64.158]>
From: musicvil@idir.net (John Yuelkenbeck)
Subject: Digression and dissection

I saw the running thread on "Peace of Mind" where everyone agreed it was
not the Beatles, but I never saw a post identifying who it was. Paul Revere
and the Raiders had a song by that name at about that time (I still have
the 45 I bought when it came out) that is a bit Beatlesque. Was that what
was being referred to? Just curious.

A note to the guy wearing the Chalkhills t-shirt whom I spoke to at the
Dylan show in Columbia, MO: the next night in Davenport, during Raindy Day
Women, EVERYONE got on stage, not just a few dancing girls. It was
wall-to-wall people and the show had to shut down. In 30-some odd Dylan
concerts, I had never seen anything like it.

Someone mentioned a "like/hate" relationship with an XTC song. Being a
Dylan fan, I was initially dumbfounded by "Watchtower," but now find it
completely listenable. XTC takes a stand with their music rather than being
middle of the road, which is why we've seen such a diverse reaction to
specific songs here. If they were bland Top 40 fluff, we wouldn't bother
("swallowing is easy when it etc.").

All three of my thumbs up, way up, to "Donkey Up." Does anybody else notice
"She Hangs Out"-era Monkees backup harmonies in it?

I've known people to pronounce R.E.M. as "rim," so there you go.
Personally, I'm in the acronym pronunciation group.

Does anybody else think the music theorists don't have a clue as to what
they are talking about, but are just being pedantic to impress us? As an
English Major (who HAS graduated!), I liken in to those fellow students
that rambled on about the great use of form or structure within certain
poems. That's cool enough, and that knowledge can certainly enhance the
pleasure derived from the poem, but I always felt that these people often
couldn't appreciate the work from a non-technical, gut level instinct form
of appreciation. I prefer a combo of each, I suppose. I like the final
chord of "Farmboy" regardless of whether it is a suspended teriary harmonic
third feldspar diminished. Not to say I'm not interested in the technical
information, but it doesn't make it or break it in what the song as a whole
communicates to me. Reminds me of Emerson Lake & Palmer fans, for goodness'
sake.

Flame me, please. It's got to be more interesting than "AMANDA--to cap or
not to cap?"

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 24 Nov 1996 17:12:53 -0500 (EST)
From: "Christopher R. Coolidge" <ccoolidg@zoo.uvm.edu>
Subject: Re: Nick Heyward
Message-ID: <Pine.A32.3.91.961124171059.69690E-100000@gnu.uvm.edu>

  Speaking of Nick Heyward, when I heard Haircut 100's "Love Plus One"
for the first time, my first thought was "Oh God, XTC's sold out."

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 24 Nov 1996 17:42:05 -0500 (EST)
From: "Christopher R. Coolidge" <ccoolidg@zoo.uvm.edu>
Subject: Re: Great Buildings
Message-ID: <Pine.A32.3.91.961124173954.69690I-100000@gnu.uvm.edu>

<In or about 1979 there was an excellent Pop band in California called "The
Great Buildings."
Q:  What connection does this group have to XTC?

  That would be The Rembrandts, who effectively used to be Great
Buildings.(same two songwriters and frontmen, anyway)"Making Plans For
Nigel," Testimonial Dinner.

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 24 Nov 1996 17:50:43 -0500 (EST)
From: "Christopher R. Coolidge" <ccoolidg@zoo.uvm.edu>
Subject: Re: Pink Thing
Message-ID: <Pine.A32.3.91.961124174835.69690J-100000@gnu.uvm.edu>

<Speaking of subject matter, as Dave supplied us with the first two:
Pink Thing by XTC
He's My Best Friend by Jellyfish
Rosie by Jackson Browne...

uhh... forget I even mentioned it (blush).

 also:
If Stuart Could Talk- The Dickies
You're My Best Friend And My Worst Enemy-The Blackjacks

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 24 Nov 1996 17:56:08 -0500 (EST)
Message-Id: <199611242256.RAA22220@en.com>
From: mikek@cleveplayhouse.org (Michael Kearns)
Subject: I say - ruff. Ya know 'ny mo'?

Regarding recent postings: In between the commendations of 'fine Beatle
influence' and imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, to the charge
(or was it a mock-charge? I didn't see a smiley...) of plagiarism, I thought
I would do my own comparison of the similar riffs in question in Hey Bulldog
and Washaway... here's what I get. Both are 'linear alteration'
progressions, and as far as I know progressions are not subject to
copyright. It is quite possible Colin was influenced by Hey Bulldog, but I
think to seriously suggest he plagiarized Lennon is out of line.
"Imitated"... perhaps, though not exactly. Both riffs contain two such
progressions back-to-back. BTW, in a linear alteration progression, the
roots do not move (or, more precisely, the root may move but the base triad
doesn't change it's letter name because of it)... rather, the harmony
changes gradually, usually one note at a time, often chromatically. Examples
of this are Stairway To Heaven, Feelings, Chim-Chim-Cheree, to name a few.
Getting to the point: In Hey Bulldog the base triads move from B minor to E
minor. In Washaway it's E major to B major. In both songs each base triad is
altered thrice chromatically... 5 - #5 - 6 - b7. However, in conjunction
with their respective root movements, quite different lines develop: in
Washaway, the line ascends B C C# D then drops and goes F# G G# A. In HB,
the line ascends continuously: F# G G# A B C C# D. Washaway uses the
progression for most of the song and embellishes it, giving it a
delightfully wacky feeling (IMO). In HB, it is used sparingly and in it's
minor key context, it sounds kinda spooky (IMO). The different rhythmic
treatments also reinforce these moods for me.

------------------------------

Message-ID: <3298D108.5806@paonline.com>
Date: Sun, 24 Nov 1996 17:49:44 -0500
From: Patrick Adamek <Padamek9@paonline.com>
Subject: Not "Nuff said" and Mutant CD(?)

In Chalkhills #3-41, Craig Schafer wrote:

   Patrick Adamek said:
>The
>vacuous over-produced digitally perfect computer sound that emitted from
>these discs (the more recent the worst) was not what I was looking for
>out of Sting.

        And then he said:

>P.S. Any Prince fans out there?  Emancipation rocks!

                Nuff said?

I don't think there was "Nuff said."  Did you have point here or did you
just want to get in this zinger?  I don't feel like the
operating-room-precision production of "Ten Summoner's Tales" has
anything to do with the production qualities of albums put out by
Prince.  Do you?  There have been 2 or 3 songs of Prince's that come to
mind that, aside from the vocals, do sound like they came from a
computer, but a fair assessment of the production of his albums has to
be that they are good Rock\R&B albums.  The only conclusion I can make
about your comment is that you haven't heard much by Prince lately (or
maybe those 2-3 radio ready hits I alluded to).

XTC CONTENT:
    Does anyone else own a copy of "drums and wires" in which the 3rd
song "life begins at the hop" is replaced by another song (the title I
do not know...but might be "day in, day out" or "friday is heaven")?
The song list states that it is in fact "Life begins..," but that song
appears nowhere on my CD.  Also, "Limelight" and "Chain of Command"
(wich were part of an original insert) are songs #8 and #14
respectively.  How much of this have people seen before?  Maybe I got a
mutant CD.  It had been so long since I heard "Life begins at the Hop,"
that when I picked up "Look,Look," I thought at first that "Life" was a
track that I'd never heard before!  Any help here will be appreciated.
Patrick

------------------------------

Message-Id: <v01540b01aebe78082396@[199.171.191.113]>
Date: Sun, 24 Nov 1996 15:27:05 -0700
From: gondola@deltanet.com (E.B.)
Subject: Re: Sugarsugar

>I just found a web page for the band
><http://geffen.com/sugarplastic/>, and they never mention XTC as  an
>influence at all!  Give me a brake [sic]!  It's a good band, but to say they
>don't try to sound like D&W or BS era XTC is an insult!
>
>This is what they said about The Sugarplastic:
>
>"His voice, which he "doesn't quite like," bears some similarity to that of
>David Byrne. "Maybe I have the same size throat and lungs as David Byrne,"
>he muses. The Sugarplastic really bonded over bands like the Kinks and the
>Pixies and artists like Brian Eno. A Beatles thread also runs through their
>musical comings-of-age."

I know Ben Eshbach, the songwriter/leader of the Sugarplastic. He doesn't
deny his adoration of XTC, but he also indeed will swoon equally about the
Kinks, Eno (check the "King's Lead Hat" piano on "Montebello") and Pixies.
In fact, he told me that the Pixies' Doolittle was the reason he went into
music, that mystical epiphany/inspiration which drove him into
songwriting....

I don't think he denies XTC's influence. But considering how the press
harps on this, you can't blame him for avoiding the subject. On the other
hand, I think the XTC influence is only prominent on certain songs, like
"Polly Brown" and "Another Myself." Other tracks ("Montebello," "Soft
Jingo," "Say Katie," "Ohio") don't really have too much of a resemblence.
And the first album Radio Jejune sounds FAR more like the Kinks than
XTC....

EB

------------------------------

From: HifiToastr@aol.com
Date: Sun, 24 Nov 1996 18:37:30 -0500
Message-ID: <961124183730_1586566164@emout05.mail.aol.com>
Subject: Bands not "XTCish"

Howdy residents of the Chalkhill

When I signed on to the Chalkhill last month I expected to see the
Sugarplastic references (how can this band not be compared to XTC) and the
like of the Kinks and Beatles thrown about.  I stumbled accross Yazbek after
countless references (I'm glad I did).  I don't see why TMBG come up so
often (a fine band, but outside of their "quirkyness" is their some other
connection I'm missing?) and I just can't get behind the Crash Test
movement.  But anyway...

I'm always on the lookout for new bands and tend to gravitiate towards bands
that I'm told "are XTCish" or "if you like XTC you'll love these guys".
That's how I found some cool bands, but I've been burned so many times!
Some stores throw that "sounds like XTC" a bit too carelessly.  I bought a
record by a band called Hug that wasn't so bad, but I still haven't figured
out the XTC similarity at all.  My best friend got stuck with a band called
Fertile Crescent that was stickered as being "XTC influenced" and it was
quickly put in the discard stack.

Does anyone out there have any records/bands they got stuck with because of
a bad XTC comparison?

Dale (hifitoastr@aol.com)

------------------------------

Message-Id: <v01550100aebe8355d665@[128.83.102.28]>
Date: Sun, 24 Nov 1996 17:52:04 -0600
From: h.h.name@mail.utexas.edu (Mike Mills)
Subject: Hackneyed

I've heard the lies that time will tell
Scraped the bottom of the wishing well
And so there's only one way left-- I'm headed west.

                                 Javelin Boot

>My apologies to everyone who had the sense not to stoop to this level.
>I am the disappointed.  I thought we were all here for the same reason?

Not being one of the stoopers, apology accepted.  But hey, I think YOU
might be taking everybody's comments a bit too seriously.  Yes, this is
an XTC forum, and everyone is entitled to their opinion.  But you know,
as the band haven't released a record in almost 5 years, we need *something*
to argue about, is my guess.  Try to see it all as good-natured and you'll
be alright.  No one's actually attacking anyone, as far as I can tell.

>What are you, in 3rd grade?

OK, maybe there IS some attacking going on here, but I'm SURE none of
it was directed at you.

> REM & T.M.B.G. fans, sharpen your
>keyboards

Hey, I *LIKE* George Harrison!  (I'm also a big R.E.M. and TMBG fan.)
Is that weird?  Like you, I enjoy scattered songs from his '70's days,and
I think Cloud Nine is a very good album.  In particular, "When We Was Fab".
That arrangement is EXCELLENT!  And it's the only song on the record that
lacks the characteristic bad Jeff Lynne snare drum sound.

>On the other hand, [Billy Joel] gets the award for
>writing two of the *worst* songs (lyrically) that have ever received
>airplay.

Have you ever read "The Worst Rock 'n' Roll Records of All Time"?  It's
a hilarious book written by two [former] Rolling Stone writers.  In
addition to the 50 worst singles and 50 worst albums, there's the "Worst
Rock 'n' Rollers" section, in which Billy Joel is named the winner.  They
do a good job of explaining why.  Check it out.

>"As far as I'm concerned, there is no such thing as alternative music
>anymore.  It died when REM hit big with Losing My Religion."
>
>Rather than snip at AMANDA for that statement here, I will merely ask "What
>the HELL is that supposed to mean?"

Here's what it means:  "Alternative" music as a LABEL became mainstream
around that time.  Now on order catalogues they list "alternative" as a
category.  It's
as mainstream as blues, funk, pop, etc.  What she means is that you can't
call anything "alternative" and actually have it BE alternative.  I thought
I'd been over this...

> If I were Andy, I'd be honored that someone
>would like one of my songs so much that they write a song that is very
>similar to it

Wow, like ANDY FUCKIN' PARTRIDGE needs to feel honored that someone like
CTD writes a song like his.  Whatever.

Okay, here's the quiz.  Hope you've been taking notes.
Match the name or term on the left with its best description on the right.
Each answer used only once.

1."Alternative"                a. Worst Rock 'n' Roller
2.Andy Partridge               b. "Fab"
3.Quinn                        c. Personable Man
4.Billy Joel                   d. merely a man
5.George Harrison              e. mainstream
6.John M. Hackney              f. the disappointed

This is worth 100% of your grade, so consider carefully.

Jason

------------------------------

Message-Id: <199611250048.QAA15264@dfw-ix12.ix.netcom.com>
From: "Steve" <huduguru@ix.netcom.com>
Subject: Xenophobia?
Date: Sun, 24 Nov 1996 19:49:57 -0500

In Chalkhills 3-41, John M. Hackney went off on Amanda Owens with phrases
like:

" Anyone with half a brain ..."
"I think that it's pathetic for you to suggest ..."
"What are you, in 3rd grade?"
"At least they weren't raised by television sets, like you..."
"...mall rats like you ..."

John, I've got to assume that you've never met her.  Neither have I.  Under
the circumstances, you're making an awful lot of assumptions and
accusations.  Do you want to be pigeonholed as an ivory-tower
pseudo-intellectual tree-hugging bed-wetting liberal hippie who talks to
plants by people who don't know you just because you signed off with
"Department of Botany at Some College?"  Your comments make you a bigot just
as surely as if you had insulted someone's race or religion.  Think about
it.  Maybe life's a little too good in the greenhouse (token XTC content.)
Get off campus for a while and calm down.

Steve

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 24 Nov 1996 21:05:29 -0600 (CST)
From: "Jeffrey with 2 f's Jeffrey" <jenor@csd.uwm.edu>
Subject: sub-par backwards is rap-bus
Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.91.961124210239.6197C-100000@alpha1.csd.uwm.edu>

...which is irrelevant, really, except that Todd Bernhardt mentioned that
Andy Summers' guitar solo in "Mother" was "sub-par Fripp." Actually, it's
a note-for-note homage to Fripp, borrowed from Fripp's solo in Eno's "St.
Elmo's Fire."

Let's see...Andy Summers, Robert Fripp, Brian Eno...ah-ha! "Andy Paints
Brian"! I knew there was some vaguely XTC-related content in here
somewhere....

--Jeff

Jeffrey J. Norman        <jenor@csd.uwm.edu>   <http://www.uwm.edu/~jenor/>
Dept. of English & Comp. Lit.            University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
::Californians invented the concept of the life-style.                   ::
::This alone warrants their doom:::::::::::::::Don DeLillo, _White Noise_::

np: Long Fin Killie _Valentino_

------------------------------

Message-ID: <3298D485.3DD3@paonline.com>
Date: Sun, 24 Nov 1996 18:04:37 -0500
From: Patrick Adamek <Padamek9@paonline.com>
Subject: All Apologies

This is my official apology for committing the embarrasing mistake of
asking a question on Chalkhills without consulting the FAQ\Discography
first.  Disregard my questions regarding the Mutant CD of Drums and
Wires.  As explained in the Chalkhills Discography:

CD, Virgin UK, CDV 2129 (610 490-217), 1989. front cover
          has ``Compact Price'' stripe, back cover same as
          original LP. track listing incorrect, does not
          include Life Begins at the Hop as listed. reissue.
Peace  Patrick

------------------------------

Date: 25 Nov 96 09:38:00 GMT
From: david.mcguinness@bbc.co.uk (David McGuinness)
Subject: Peter Blegvad
Message-Id: <"<ACAB993281821573>ACAB993281821573@GW.BBC"@-SMF->

>I've not heard any of his stuff, and would like to
>get a general consensus on something (like on "The Naked Shakespeare" being
>Blegvad's best - an album I have not yet heard, either.) As was the case
>with Martin Newell (now winging its way toward me courtesy CDnow!), could
>someone please advise?

Ah at last!  Peter Blegvad is a genius.  Get 'King Strut and other Stories'
 - there's only 3 tracks produced by Partridge, but it's still better than
'The Naked Shakespeare'.  I normally hate singer-songwriters, but this guy
is something special.  Haven't heard the new one yet though ('Just Woke
Up').  Check out his web-site if you're feeling esoteric.

Can I also put out a plea for less Chalkhills discussion of people like
Costello, Sting, etc., who, let's face it, get plenty of media coverage
already?

'Imagination, like a muscle, will increase with exercise' (King Strut)

David

------------------------------

Message-ID: <c=AU%a=_%p=JDEAUNZ%l=MEL_SERVER-961125004424Z-5@mel_server.jde.com.au>
From: Paul Haines <Hainesp@melbourne.jde.com.au>
Subject: Trashcan Sinatras/Loud/Sting
Date: Mon, 25 Nov 1996 11:44:24 +1100

Cheryl ( and you other Chalkhills lot)

I got into the Trashcan Sinatras "I've Seen Everything" album last year.
It is one sublimely beautiful album, and would've been my favourite
album of the year (up there with Radiohead's 'The Bends' which is
completely different to the Trashcan Sinatras). They've just put out
there 3rd album, which is still not available in Australia yet. Have a
listen to "I've Seen Everything" and fall in love. It is fantastic. By
the way, I'm a cery cynical bastard so this is saying something.

Also, everybody else,  when talking LOUD!!! play 'Procession Towards
Learning Land' very LOUD!!!!!!. This is great and was also a song I used
to take with me when trying out various bits of hifi equipment.
(Skylarking was along too of course, 'Summer's Cauldron' just drowns me
played loud. Yes! Play that one too!!, oh and 'Sacrificial Bonfire', the
strings are just mindblowing, oh and yes! play the whole fucking
lot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Also, Sting is good. Enough said.

Haines, kiwi in Oz

------------------------------

Message-ID: <c=US%a=_%p=IPC_Technologies%l=RIPLEY-961125132506Z-59@ripley.ipctech.com>
From: "Leopold, Dale" <dleopold@ipctech.com>
Subject: Who Do Da Dukes Do?
Date: Mon, 25 Nov 1996 08:25:06 -0500

Has anyone put together a definitive list of the various & sundry bands
that the Dukes paid homage to? Is it in the FAQ (and if not, I hereby so
move)?  While some (Smile-era Beach Boys, Cheese & Onions-vintage
Rutles--you know which ones I mean) practically announce themselves with
a gold-embossed card, others are a little more obscure.  Here's a few
I've either uncovered or imagined:
	"25 O'clock"--besides the inevitable nod to the Chambers Bros., the
melody and arrangement are quite similar to the Electric Prunes' "I Had
Too Much to Dream Last Night."
	"Vanishing Girl"--spot-on Hollies (OK pretty obvious)
	"What in the World" thematically recalls Zager & Evans "In the Year
2525",  'tho with a Rainy bassline.
	"Your Gold Dress" and "Little Lighthouse" both recall "Satanic
Majesties"-era Stones; I really like the way the former has a
letter-perfect Nicky Hopkins piano part (and, as with "My Love
Explodes," there's a Yardbirds riff there for sure), while the latter's
drumwork and general tempo are straight off the first Monkees album
(think "Last Train to Clarksville").
	"You're a Good Man Albert Brown"--duh, Dave Davies "Death of a Clown"
(right down to the falsetto on the bridge) with a touch of Herman's
Hermits. Are they singing this one in the pubs yet?
	"You're My Drug" - definitely Byrds (circa "Younger than Yesterday" to
"Notorious Byrd Bros.").

While we're on the subject, has anyone else noticed how "Dear God"
resembles the Lovin Spoonful's "Summer in the City"?

Obviously suffering an acid flashback...anyone want to talk me down?
Dale
dleopold@ipctech.com

"You know it's a lie,
It'll always be a lie
The invention of an animal
That knows it's going to die.

Some fools in the desert
With nothing else to do
So afraid of the dark
They didn't know if they were coming or going
So they invented me
And they invented You
And other fools keep it all going
and growing..."

the Devil to God in Randy Newman's "Faust"

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 25 Nov 1996 09:36:02 -0600 (CST)
From: AMANDA OWENS <ACOEA@jazz.ucc.uno.edu>
Subject: :(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(
Message-id: <01IC9AP7HGS08ZEZ7Y@jazz.ucc.uno.edu>

Sorry if I make any inate typos, I'm crying right now I'm so upset.

I get back from my two month old nephew having to be hospitalised over the
weekend with a lun infection to find that all of the sudden I'm the Bitch
From Hell mallrat of America just because I voiced my political views, which
is my GODDAMN RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, I'll admit. I cry my eyes out everytime I hear the national anthem. I
cried when the USA won so many medals at the Olympics.

I'm not going to even get into this. I should unsubscribe due to the intense
double standards here. What do I mean? Well, I say fuck and people jump to
my defense in the face of criticism. But I voice my political views and
Whoa, wait a minute! She certainly can't do that, that's sacrilege! How
interesting.

Anyways, I'm sick of politics, I'm sick of all this crap, and I'm just plain
sick right now with goddamn strep throat! What else could happen!!! Oops,
just jinxed myself.

Now, onto the XTC stuff on this XTC mailing list....I notcie that I tend to
mishear lyrics and add names where they don't belong. Such as this rather
funny thing I found after I printed up the lyrics off of English Settlement,
Rag & Bone Buffet, and Go 2.....

Cockpit Dance Mixture-"And this is Guy and Adolph Loenbrowler, chuckling in
the London Zoo."  Buzzcity Talking-You close another door, Rick and
Eleanor.....  and I think I misheard just about the entire song "It's Nearly
Africa". The lyrics are completely different from what I heard!

No more politics, no more Dummies, no more anything but XTC will flow from
my mouth from now on. I'm hereby censoring myself. (Unless of course
somebody says something that pisses me off, that is, which, as you can tell,
isn't very hard to do.)

Peace and everlasting XTC love to all (except Hackney...you're personal
email is coming later.)(See, damn typo.)
Amanda Caryl Owens
XTC Song of the Day: Sgt. Rock
Amanda's quote of the day: "Whoever said this is the land of the free,
you're a liar"-Sebastian Bach.

------------------------------

Message-Id: <v03007801aebf69860e20@[132.236.115.83]>
Date: Mon, 25 Nov 1996 10:45:26 -0500
From: Tom Cole <tec2@cornell.edu>
Subject: XTC saves the day!

I go years on this list without sending any posts, and now this is the
second in less than a week.  I'll try to keep the story short, as it's only
marginally XTC-related.

On our way out of town for the weekend on Friday, my family and I made a
quick stop at the grocery store.  While I was sitting in the parking lot
waiting for my wife, I saw a stretch limo pull up and two young men emerge
and position themselves in front of the entrance.  On the back of the limo
was a banner advertising a local radio station.  When my wife got in the
car, I said, "Hey, I'll bet those guys are giving away stuff.  Let's check
it out."  We pulled along side them, rolled down the window and said, "Hey,
are you giving away CD's?"  "Yeah, but first, what's the home of Rock &
Roll?" they replied.  Having seen the banner, we correctly answered "WVBR",
even though ever since my car stereo went on the fritz, I almost never
listen to the radio, and on the rare occaision that I do, it's usually not
that station.  "OK.  And what's my name," said one of them (evidently a
DJ).  Now we were stumped.  "Aw, c'mon, you must know my name."  I was
afraid not.  Then, his partner started to sing, "We're only making plans
for...".  "Nigel!", I exclaimed.  Thanks to my knowledge of the XTC canon
(how many men/women on the street would have gotten that clue?), we got the
new R.E.M. CD and a video to boot (anybody ever see the movie "Red Line"
starring Chad McQueen?!).  Needless to say, we were pleased with ourselves
for having met the challenge and gotten some free stuff in the bargain.

Back to the shadows.  Keep up the good work.  --Tom

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 25 Nov 1996 10:01:07 -0600 (CST)
From: AMANDA OWENS <ACOEA@jazz.ucc.uno.edu>
Subject: Let's see....to Ben, Steve, Craig.....
Message-id: <01IC9B9VMMII8ZEZ7Y@jazz.ucc.uno.edu>

Ben: I also especially love Dan's little bassline there. I went back and
listened to both tracks simultaneously (one on my portable cd player, one on
tape) and I was actually quite amazed at the similarity. But I do also think
that Andy should indeed be flattered. Hell, I know I would be. Besides, we
don't know if they were attempting to really sound too much like TD. Brad
has said that he writes melodies before lyrics, so we'll just leave it at
that.

Craig: Ahh, forget I got pissed. It was a bad day. Mind you, today is an
even worse day.

Steve: Thank you for not being overly critical. I agree with quite a bit of
what you said.

Let's get something straight. I am NOT a xenophobic person. I am not a
person who fears what I do not know of. (AKA the KKK...hey, that's a good
rhyme there.)I quite admire other countries, esp. Canada for reasons which I
prefer not to get into now b/c I'm getting sick of this topic in
general. (PS-I forgot about Alannis being evil...but I won third place
singing that hidden song on Jagged Little Pill in a talent show, so she's
okay in my book.) I guess you could say that I get slightly jealous when I
see other countries. Why???? I have yet to come up with a clear cut answer
to that. Maybe it's because the land is so much more beautiful, or the
people seem nicer, or the government's better, I don't know. (Although I'm
hard pressed to find a country that isn't politically divided somehow,
whether it be along party lines or whatever.) Come live in my neighborhood
in Louisiana for a few days. You'll want out. Maybe it's just how I view my
own state (which ranks near the bottom of the nation is just about
everything...I do believe we're fiftieth in education right now, although we
do have the most popular governor in the country.) that makes me think that
this country's just the same. But I realise that it's not true. I've lived
in California and loved it. Hell, I wish I could go back there. Our
next-door neighbor was about a mile down the road...but I digress.

I thought it was quite prejudiced for...whathisface, I really don't give a
crap,to call me a mallrat. He doesn't know me, and right now I doubt he
wants to because I'm trying very hard to be pleasant right now and it's not
working very well. I already rescinded (did I spell that right???) My
political statements, although to a certain degree I don't see why, I mean
they're my views and I don't ask you to agree with them. HOWEVER, there is a
HUGE difference between most of the criticism that I received (and I'd like
to thank you all for throwing little Nerf Foot-Flames at me instead of the
fireball that whoever threw at me. That I can take. Explosions, I can't.)
and the torrent of gob that Mr. Botany hurled at me. (Thankfully, I'm
wearing my anti-gob suit today.)

I've been flamed too many times for voicing my opinions. I've become heavily
armored in the face of criticism, not to cop a phrase from the biography. So
it's all good and fun and I'm not taking it too seriously. Remember, I'm a
mallrat. I'm only a little third grader. I don't understand what's going on
around me. I should be at home right now with my mommy watching her bake
cookies instead of DESPERATELY ATTEMPTING to keep my cool right now whilst I
try to get through the rest of the day with a nephew in the PICU and a sore
throat from hell.

Enough of this. Satan was evil. Hitler was evil. Mussolini was evil. Ted
Bundy was evil. Charles Manson=evil. Reagan and Bush......on that level, I
don't think so.

0  0
 ii
\_/ (Best attempt at a smily face.)

Everyone's OH SO FAVORITE little mallrat,
Me.

------------------------------

Message-Id: <199611251617.IAA09893@sgi.sgi.com>
Date: Mon, 25 Nov 1996 10:50:25 EST
From: "Todd Bernhardt" <tbernha@columbiaenergy.e-mail.com>
Subject: Thisnthat

Howdee:

Anyone else receive #41 before #40?  Weird...

To GM Quinn:

Hey, man, reLAX. All I was doing was making gentle fun (as evidenced by the
emoticon) of your misplaced modifier...

Brookes McKenzie mentioned yet another example of Andy's fun with grammar,
and the common thread here is all the songs mentioned are on The Big
Express. One of the many reasons I love that album. It was then that I
became convinced that he is a reincarnated 17th Century English poet (Andrew
Marvell, anyone?).

Steve Perley raved:
>Even our current president, as wonderful as young people think he is...<

How old are *you,* Steve? I'm 37 and thought he was the better choice in
this election -- not wonderful, but better than the alternative.

>...has no qualms about sending the US forces all over the world at the whim
of the Boutros-Boutros Whatshisface<

It's Ghali, Steve. Read your newspapers. Or do you have a problem with
"foreigners" and their "funny" names? And yeah, Clinton is really his puppet
-- this whole thing about working to see he is not re-elected as Sec'y
General is obviously just a ploy...

>Who got us into Vietnam?<

Dwight Eisenhower.

>Who got us out?<

Richard Nixon, who, ironically enuf, was Eisenhower's vp. After intense
bombing and a secret war in Cambodia failed, he bowed to public pressure and
got us out. This was shortly before he resigned in disgrace, the only
president ever to do so.

Sheesh. Maybe we should take Josh up on his offer...

ByeBye!

------------------------------

End of Chalkhills Digest #3-42
******************************

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25 November 1996 / Feedback