Chalkhills Digest Volume 3, Issue 54
Date: Wednesday, 11 December 1996
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 3, Number 54
Wednesday, 11 December 1996
Today's Topics:
FIRST TIME XTC
Heavily Rotating
JASON! You took the words right out of my mouth!
General Delivery
O! Canada, my evil populated land, true patriot love.......
Pink
We're living on Respectable Street...
Another song pairing...
Nuances to not like.....
dem demos
More Neat Touches
Top Ten Ways To Get Flamed
A couple favorite touches
Hmm, let's see.
Fav moments
You must be Joshing, and other witty rejoinders
oozing mud and videos
Grass/the 80s/bloody birds
Re: Ten and Muzak
XTC on TV - almost
CD quandry
Top 5 Collected Albums Survey
why I love Andy
me again
Oh, oh, what are we gonna do?
lotsastuff about everything (too much!)
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The views expressed herein are those of the individual authors.
How about the Yardbirds? Jeff Beck is the greatest!!
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: FIRST TIME XTC Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 14:32:30 +0000 (GMT) Message-Id: <E0vXTEV-0002rH-00@sun-cc203.lboro.ac.uk> From: C Browning <C.Browning-95@student.lboro.ac.uk> I remember my first time with XTC vividly. it was a couple of years ago and Q magazine gave away a fre tape called LIVING IN THE EIGHTIES. i bought the issue cos it had a rather stunning article by Marcus Grey who wrote th eeonderful R>E>M companion - IT CRAWLED FROM THE SOUTH. i put the tape on not expecting much. Culture Club? yuck! Genesis? oh dear. XTC? never heard of them but the first chords of senses working overtime, so quiet on my walkman meant that i had to turn it up and i literally stopped what i was doing and just listened, listened with my all to this rather stunning song which came from nowhere. it was quiet, heartfelt, beautiful and everything from "and all teh world is biscuit shaped" to teh final crowing birds meant i never got further than that song on teh entire tape. i rewound and rewound and rewound it - the first time i had fallen in love with a song. i went out the next day and got teh singles collection out of the library. only when i first heard NORTHERN SKY by nick drake has my love of a song been greater. Heard NORTHERN SKY on Monday, bought teh box set on Tuesday. My love of XTC grew and grew until it reached the peak it is at now. and all because of some crummy compilation tape with Q magazine. Thanks Q - you are useful for something!
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 10:53:03 -0500 (EST) From: "Christopher R. Coolidge" <ccoolidg@zoo.uvm.edu> Subject: Heavily Rotating Message-ID: <Pine.A32.3.91.961210104601.42708A-100000@gnu.uvm.edu> For some strange and wonderful reason there's someone on the local AAA station in Montpelier, VT who loves XTC and insists on giving them heavy rotation, especially Nonsuch(though it's always "Peter Pumpkinhead" and "My Bird Performs"- nothing else from the album), though I remember hearing "Mayor Of Simpleton," "King For A Day," "Dear God" and "Senses Working Overtime" a number of times as well. Occasionally someone will play something more obscure, but I don't recall anything else recently. I'll keep an ear peeled. "Sgt Rock" would sound damn good...
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 09:57:37 -0600 (CST) From: AMANDA OWENS <ACOEA@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Subject: JASON! You took the words right out of my mouth! Message-id: <01ICU9XML6LG8X0TNW@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> This is regarding XTC's political music, BTW. I think Andy said it best, when talking about his dislike for videos, when he said, "Music was made for your ears, and it gives everyone great DIFFERENT mental pictures." Joshua brought up Black Sea as an example of a few political songs. "Living Through Another Cuba"....like the music, like the song. Besides, it's a song I agree with nuclear-wise. "Generals and Majors"...Colin's shots at politics end up being so damn quirky I can't help them. (This is NOT to say that every last one of Colin's political songs are cute.) Onto agreeing with Jason (I HAIL YOU!!!!!), by the time I get to XTC's more politically overt songs, I'm so caught up in how brilliant the music is I barely realise they're political. Besides which, most of their political songs are somewhat disguised and not quite as overt as other bands' songs may be. Anyways, if I'm a martyr for voting Republican, just Saint me right now. That was a very narrow statement there. I guess that makes Susan Molinari, Susan Lucci, (Suddenly Susan!), and every other Republican woman in Congress a martyr. PUH-LEEZE! Besides, I don't vote Repubican all the time. I vote for the better candidate, whether he or she is liberal, conservative, liberatarian, or anything else. In the last state election I voted for three Democrats b/c I thought they would serve us better than their Republican challengers. But enough of that. (BTW, I;m not naming Susan Lucci as a Congressional woman there, but she was the first celebrity woman Republiacn whose name flew into my mind after naming Molinari. But I digress, as usual.) Later, Amanda
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 11:03:28 -0500 (EST) From: "Christopher R. Coolidge" <ccoolidg@zoo.uvm.edu> Subject: General Delivery Message-ID: <Pine.A32.3.91.961210105706.42708B-100000@gnu.uvm.edu> < In general, if there's only one way a letter can be delivered, the Post <Office will do so. For example, to get a letter to R.E.M.'s organization, <just write "R.E.M., Athens, GA" on the envelope. Does XTC have an <organization? Is there "XTC Ltd." or some other business set up to handle <XTC's affairs? If not, you might try sending it to just Colin or possibly <"Colin Moulding c/o Andy Partridge" -- since it's possible that Andy is more Up in Milton, VT, somebody actually sent a letter to the post office c/o "the guy who owns the red pickup." No word on whether it actually got to him, but usually in rural areas with instructions this vague the locals usually ask around and sometimes get lucky. If you want to get a message to Andy you could try Postmaster, Swindon, England, the bloke on the hill whose wife left him. Unless there's been an epidemic of divorces in Swindon lately...:-)
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 10:19:48 -0600 (CST) From: AMANDA OWENS <ACOEA@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Subject: O! Canada, my evil populated land, true patriot love....... Message-id: <01ICUANQM5YQ8X0TNW@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Sorry, to abuse the national anthem like that, on the subject of evil Canadians.... How's about the guy that killed Fraser's father on Due South???? He seems pretty evil....and Cancer Man from the X-Files....... Evil Canadians???? Well, Celine Dion is at the top of my list. Brian Adams must be slain, (Did I spell his name right? I don't think I did. Oh well, these dumb computers have some sort of feature where if you hit the RETURN key, it won't let you go back and correct any mistakes, hence the fact that my postings contain a modicum of errors....maybe I should stop typing so fast.....) ummm....William Shatner (how could I forget HIM?!?!?!?) But for every evil Canadian, there's an evil American (like Kathie Lee Gifford, OJ, etc., etc.) More XTC nuances..... Andy's incredibly off key, off center vocals throughout Complicated Game Dave's "perky little guitar run" on the live version of Burning W/ Optimism's Flame on the 1980 cd. The beautiful harmonizing at the end of I Rememember the Sun The middle 8 of Train Running Low on Soul Coal. The sudden change is exquisite. The dueling guitars at the end of Books Are Burning, and the "Nah nah nah nah" part that accompanies it. The "la la la la la la la" in the last chorus of Life Begins at the Hop. Onto the whole Beatles XTC thing...that's bullshit. I, like Ben, own one Beatles album, which I bought for one song (A Hard Day's Night, bought it for And I Love Her) I own the sountrack to Imagine, and I have a framed painting of them in my room, but that's as far as my fandom goes. Granted, I did get into the Beatles a good three or four years before I got into XTC, but just because I don't fall over my radio everytime a Beatles song comes on doesn't mean I'm any less of an XTC fan. Later, Amanda
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01510101aed349169ca8@[204.188.73.145]> Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 07:07:29 -1000 From: jimsmart@hula.net (Jim Smart) Subject: Pink More favorite XTC "touches: The guitar solo on Pink Thing....probably the best solo in the world. No, make that definitely! Jim Jimsmart@hula.net +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ * THOUGHT OF THE DAY * * "There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be." * * --Lennon/McCartney * +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
------------------------------ Date: 10 Dec 1996 17:24:27 -0000 Message-ID: <19961210172427.19277.qmail@hotmail.com> From: "Ben Gott" <xtcfan@hotmail.com> Subject: We're living on Respectable Street... To all my Chalkhills friends, Thanks for your kind, constructive posts about my Beatles question. I am now going to go out and buy (or at least try) a much larger and broader sampling of their materials. Please keep those suggestions coming, and I'll give you an update in a few months. I talked to one of my friends last night, who informed me that, while listening to my "Nonsuch" on a bad day, he almost started to cry. *Cry.* This is a job for AMANDA! No, seriously, he really loves the album, and "My Bird" is his (and my) favorite song on it. I bought him a copy for Christmas. A few digests ago, someone mentioned The Orb -- does it piss anyone else off that their major dance-club hit "Little Fluffy Clouds" would have had absolutely no artistic "this is cool" merit if they hadn't based the whole damned thing off of Steve Reich's "Electric Counterpoint?" Just a thought. Back to Beatling, XTCing, converting, conversing, and the like. ben * ------------------------------------------- Ben Gott http://www.wp.com/58596 The Hotchkiss School "It frightens me when you come to mind..." XTC
------------------------------ Message-ID: <78B7D72F01291300@ametsoc.org> Date: Tue, 10 Dec 96 13:06:00 -0500 From: dgershmn <dgershmn@ametsoc.org> Organization: AMS Subject: Another song pairing... Here's another one for you: "Outside World" and "Blow Up the Outside World" by Soundgarden You can't get too much different stylistically, but the titles go well together. :) Dave Gershman
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 12:10:49 -0600 (CST) From: AMANDA OWENS <ACOEA@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Subject: Nuances to not like..... Message-id: <01ICUEQQL6RU8X0WEW@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Well, the vocal distortion on Reign of Blows comes to mind. As much as I like The Big Express, it was indeed overproduced. I quite like the bird noises on Wonderland. Adds a bit of a naturey ambiance. DeWitt: At least clue me in as to what I didn't get about your posting. If you feel it doesn't belong on Chalkhills, then email me personally. Later, Amanda In my cd player right now: THE BIG EXPRESS, QUEEN'S GREATEST HITS, STRANGE DAYS SOUNDTRACK, GOD SHUFFLED HIS FEET (CTD), THROUGH THE HILL, & SONGS IN THE KEY OF X. (X-Files soundtrack) XTC song of the day: All You Pretty Girls Quote of the day: "Paranoia is just reality on a finer scale"-Philo Gant, character from the excellent movie Strange Days.
------------------------------
Message-Id: <1.5.4.32.19961210183920.0068e9a0@pop.pipeline.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 13:39:20 -0500
From: David Pardue <dpardue@pipeline.com>
Subject: dem demos
Hi all, thought I'd take this moment to unlurk. Love this mailing list...
I've been hiding in the list for a couple months now -- when I first
subscribed the main subject seemed to be demos, then it got political, and
now there is some mention of the demos again, so my ears are perking up.
Specifically, the list of demo CD's our good King Relph enumerated in 3-49:
_XTC Demos 1 -- Demos_
_XTC Demos 2 -- Nonsuch Sessions_
_XTC Demos 3 -- Oranges & Lemons Sessions_
_XTC Demos 4 -- Helium Kids Tracks And Covers_
_XTC Demos 5 -- The Big Express Demos_
_XTC Live_
_XTC Demos 6 -- Skylarking Demos and Others_
_Jules Verne's Sketchbook and Early Sessions_
_XTC Demos 8 - Be Brought Up In The Lap Of Luxury_
Some questions have I...
a) Are these all full-length CDs of unreleased ephemera?
b) Do most people who have the demos have these *particular* CDs,
or their own nth-generation tapes of things?
c) How exactly did all this unreleased stuff get, er, released?
Have the band assisted in making these demos available in some way?
d) There is NO question d).
e) Do other people find the amount of this stuff to be as amazing
as I do? There seems to be enough stuff here for "XTC Anthologies 1, 2, 3,
4, and 5" to be released in the year 2025. Do other bands have this much
unreleased material?
Thanks for the eartime.
David (yes, yet *another* david on the list).
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 14:43:18 -0400 (AST) Message-Id: <v01510100aed315483529@[204.191.145.210]> From: enrico@fox.nstn.ca (Erich W.) Subject: More Neat Touches Gee, where to start? The euphonium solo in Seagulls Screaming The crackling flames of Sacrificial Bonfire The quacking at the end of Senses... The drop dead ending of Funk Pop A Roll (is there any other tune in the library that just STOPS? The rain at the end of Nihilon Also, whenever I hear Snowman's funky slide guitars I think of The Magic Band and smile. Natalie, I've been to the land of do-as-you-please and enjoyed the visit, esp. the link to the Beefheart sight. Sun Zoom Spark!! Erich (there are two of us on this list so look out, you Jasons and Joshes!)
------------------------------
Message-Id: <v01550100aed355af945a@[146.6.72.30]>
Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 12:46:28 -0600
From: h.h.name@mail.utexas.edu (Insane Boy)
Subject: Top Ten Ways To Get Flamed
Tomorrow, tomorrow...it's only a day away...
>top tens
Hmmm. Either you're a billionaire, or you live on the street with
nothing but a portable stereo. That's more CD's than I'll ever see!
(exaggeration to make a point) [XTC content people- get after HIM!]
>That said, "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" is the trippiest song The
> Beatles ever wrote.
And yet, firmly grounded in pop structure and sensibility. That's why
I love them [the so-called "psychedelic" songs]. It's also why I don't
consider most of them "psychedelic".
>The Moodies -
"Your Wildest Dreams" is a great song!
>("this isn't John, honest!") "Can't get it out of my head".
Ahh! Another one I forgot! No kidding, for the longest time I
thought that was some obscure Lennon track I had never heard of.
>admitting to listening to Supertramp!
Ha! Yes! I don't have any of their records, but sometimes...
Re: Favorite Little Touches [Alanis Morrissette's new album-- does
she really need to double all the consonants in her name? I think not]
>Not forgetting the sawing noises on said song - I always imagine
> someone sawing off their wooden leg at this point - don't know why.
I love that sawing bit...it starts out as a hidden percussion instrument
and becomes someone sawing something off, and you hear it clatter to the
floor.
The bass line to "My Bird Peforms" towards the end.
The way the voices cascade over each other in the last chorus of
"You're The Wish" (somewhat clearer on the "Drums and Wireless"
version-- see there are advantages!)
The sax solos in "Leisure" and "It's Nearly Africa".
Mike Mills singing "Take a turn" while Michael Stipe changes to "Take a
fortune" in "Pilgrimage" (oh wait, that's R.E.M.)
BLATANT NON-XTC PLUG: You know, R.E.M.'s "Murmur" is really one of
the greatest albums OF ALL TIME!!! Yeah, I know it's not XTC, but
I DON'T CARE!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!
Now, let's see if I can write a six-page paper (really a 3-page)
before dinner here...
Jason Garcia (let's not forget that there are a lot of Daves on this
list as well, shall we? Including Gregsy...)
------------------------------ Message-ID: <97B7D72F01291300@ametsoc.org> Date: Tue, 10 Dec 96 14:08:00 -0500 From: dgershmn <dgershmn@ametsoc.org> Organization: AMS Subject: A couple favorite touches Hi all, Not that these are necessarily my TOP two, but here are a couple I can think of offhand: - The lazy-tempo'd piano intro to "Ladybird" - The "sniff, sniff" in the midst of the guitar intro to "New Town Animal in a Furnished Cage" Dave Gershman
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 12:52:48 -0600 (CST) From: AMANDA OWENS <ACOEA@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Subject: Hmm, let's see. Message-id: <01ICUGBAVVYG8X0WEW@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Oranges & Lemons is the album that always brings back fond memories, probably because it was the first XTC album I bought in the fall of 1994. I didn't buy it for any particular reason, I bought it because it was the only XTC album in the store!!!!! (Subsequently, my tape broke beyond all repair from my listening to it far too much.) Later, Amanda
------------------------------
Message-Id: <199612101942.LAA04810@sgi.sgi.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 23:37:41 -0700
From: hbmus047@email.csun.edu (Ian Dahlberg)
Subject: Fav moments
Hiyall,
I hope it isn't too late to add my favorite little moments
from the catalogue:
* The snare smacking twice quick right on "to" of "please don't
pull me out, this is how I would want to go" in the 2nd verse.
* Colin's "If you Hesitate, November will win her" in the backround.
* The added harmonies to "Little did I know that on rainy day..."
toward the end of "You're the Wish..."
* The bridge to "Train Running Low..."
* Colin's bass fall off after "This Is!" on the single version of
"This is Pop"
* "Knuckle Down" Boyz, oyz, oyz, oyz...
* "One bright morning the world might end with a big bang, big
(crash!) ...bang." I jes LOVE that!
* The distant french horn in the second verse of "Farmboys Wages."
* "You'll gather your senses I'm sure then, AAAAAAAAAAAAgree to melt
the guns..."
* The modulation with kazoo, euphonium, et al into the final choruses
of "Smalltown" (sends me chills just thinking about it!)
* The rude guitar interruption after "There is no language in our.."
toward the end of the song.
* The hoe-down violins on "Shake You Donkey"
That's enough for now.
Semi-name droppage: Upon perusing the credits for Jason Falkners'
album, I I noticed that I actually knew one of the string players,
Nancy Roth. She also played on Tori Amos' "Under the Pink." I
occasionally play with Nancy in a local orchestra. I just think
it's kinda neat knowing someone involved in albums that I truly
enjoy (any Tori fans on this list?)
Ian Dahlberg
------------------------------ Message-ID: <A8B7D72F01291300@ametsoc.org> Date: Tue, 10 Dec 96 15:09:00 -0500 From: dgershmn <dgershmn@ametsoc.org> Organization: AMS Subject: You must be Joshing, and other witty rejoinders Josh, disagreeing with the following comment, responded with the one right after it: >>I also read grass as also meaning marihuana in the song of the same name >>by Colin. >What? I have to apologize, but that's rather ridiculous. It's about sex. >What do you think "over and over we flatten the clover" means? Sorry, Josh, but I'm nearly certain that Colin intended it as a double-entendre, to mean both types of "grass." Sure, they flattened "the clover," but note the use of a word other than "grass" so as not to ruin the double meaning: he's talking about sex, but he's also talking about *stoned* sex. Josh also claimed: >I would like to mention in response to this announcement that Pearl is a >pretty lousy song -- one of the weakest XTC tracks I've heard. I disagree...I find it to be beautiful in its simplicity, just Andy and his guitar, with a very pretty melody. I love the rhyming lines, "Don't cloister yourself away" and "The world's your oyster, come out to play." But hey, that's just me. Jason (h.h.name) said: >The thing that bothers me is that most people I've met that consider the >Beatles one of their musical "influences" are really big classic rock fans. >If there are any on this list I apologize, but CLASSIC ROCK MUST DIE!!!!! >It's the only way we're going to move forward with music. I understand your feeling, but I'd like to suggest a rephrasing of that. It's not that "classic rock" must die (well, okay, I wouldn't mind if some of it did - oh, let's say, Bob Seger), but it's more that "classic rock radio stations" must die. Before them, the bands they play represented a variety of rock styles, some of them good, some of them not so good. Now, with the advent of these stations, there's this whole so-called genre that lumps together music that really covers too broad a range to be trivialized with the "classic rock" name. I mean, heck, do you think that the bands they play considered themselves to be recording something called "classic rock" back then? And now, because of the bad name the classic rock stations have given to the music they play, no other stations will touch it because it would seem too backward of them. Regarding ELO, very briefly, I know that I've said a couple of less than positive things about Jeff Lynne, but there is one song of theirs that I really enjoy: the instrumental "Fire on High" -- I love that fast acoustic strumming. Natalie Jane said: >As for what constitutes a "real" XTC fan, I would say that you not only >need to be a Beatles fan, but also a Kinks fan, a Beefheart fan, a Harry >Partch fan, a Lady Windemere's fan, and a ceiling fan. You also have to >know all the lyrics to "Frost Circus" and be able to sing "My Bird >Performs" while standing on your head underwater. >...or, maybe all you need is a head, a heart, and a pair of ears. But >then, I could be wrong. Beautifully put, Natalie. Till next-C time, this is: Dave Gershman
------------------------------ From: McGREGOC <McGREGOC@regents.ac.uk> Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 20:17:11 +00 Subject: oozing mud and videos Message-ID: <35C36C6BFC@asdf011.regents.ac.uk> Hello! Everyone is talking about when they first heard XTC on the radio. Here is my story. Well, I first learned of them through MTV. I used to see "Senses Working Overtime" all the time in '83. Funny though, how I remember the video isn't how it actually is. I not too long ago saw a clip of it for the first time in years and it was completely different. I don't know what dream state I was in when I saw it all those years ago. It was kind of a disappointment actually. good thing I like them for the music and not the videos. Whenever I listen to Skylarking, it takes me back to a morning when I was on my way to work. It was about 7:45 and it was early May. I had the window rolled down and the air was just slightly chilly. The school year was just about over and the feeling of summer was all around. Guess what was playing on my tape deck? "Summer's Cauldren" I think I spelt it wrong. It gives me such a relaxed feeling. The sun was shinning and the clouds were huge and puffy. One good thing about NM, the sky. Oh! and the food. That album also makes me think of spring break and my failed attempt to work with clay. I made a hell of a mess( that was the fun part!) and the thing just went to peices when drying. Oh well. I'll stick to canvas and paint. Its a good memory. All sticky and muddy trying to figure out how to turn the tape over with all the goo on my hands! Good bye friends, Cheryl
------------------------------ Message-ID: <32ADEB7A.769E@intercall.com> Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 15:00:10 -0800 From: Ira Lieman <aym@intercall.com> Organization: Not in this lifetime... Subject: Grass/the 80s/bloody birds JHB JHB'ed: >>I also read grass as also meaning marihuana in the song of the same name >>by Colin. > What? I have to apologize, but that's rather ridiculous. It's about sex. > What do you think "over and over we flatten the clover" means? Hmmm...young'uns. They don't know how to roll one, do they? One of the reasons I love Colin's lyrics (more than his music most of the time) is his wry sense of humor and double-entendres. EVERYTHING in that song can be related to either sex or pot. I.E.: "You are helpless now" -- if THAT's about sex then Colin's a masochist. "The things we used to do on grass..." Smoking or poking, your choice. * * * James Dignan of The Beautiful South(ern hemisphere) wrote: > Gah. First I say that Billy Joel's written some good stuff, now ELO - next > you'll have me admitting to listening to Supertramp! And what's wrong with them? "Take The Long Way Home" and "The Logical Song" are fantabulous. And everyone's missing "Don't Bring Me Down" by ELO. * * * Allan Hislop commented: >I really hate all those bloody bird noises throughout Wonderland - too >electronic for my tastes, but there you go. But you don't mind 'em through Summer's Cauldron? I happen to LOVE the gasping in 1000 Umbrellas. I forgot about that. Oh yeah, and there's a new Andy demo that sounds like "Toys" almost exactly. What's the name of it again? I forgot and I'm stumped. That, and I don't have a set list. And one more thing: get "Costello/Nieve." It's just fantastic. Of course I overspent for it but I work in Midtown Manhattan. -ira "We'll be together till the end of time"
------------------------------
Message-Id: <v01540b0aaed37c55efd4@[199.171.191.28]>
Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 14:59:32 -0700
From: gondola@deltanet.com (E.B.)
Subject: Re: Ten and Muzak
>From: "Jeffrey with 2 f's Jeffrey" <jenor@csd.uwm.edu>
>Subject: That dreaded time of year...
>
>...when top tens are compiled. Rules: no comps, lives, eps.
OK...mine goes something like: 1. REM 2. Beck 3. Golden Smog 4.
Stereolab 5. Richard Thompson 6. The Wrens (high five!) 7. Robyn
Hitchcock (Elixir, not Liquor) 8. Patti Smith 9. Sebadoh 10. Neil Young
& Crazy Horse. You fill in the album titles. I sure hate to leave off Jason
Falkner, but I guess I gotta.
Best new bands and/or personal discoveries (no particular order): The Wrens
(of course), Brainiac, The Sugarplastic, Neutral Milk Hotel, Cibo Matto,
Butter 08 (which I actually like better than Cibo Matto), Land Of The
Loops, Red Five, Olivia Tremor Control, Jason Falkner, Placebo, Komeda,
Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, Bandit Queen. Debut of the year: Neutral Milk Hotel,
unless you count Jason Falkner (and I don't).
Nice surprises/better-than-they-should've-been: Possum Dixon/Star Maps,
Ride/Tarantula, Archers Of Loaf/The Speed Of Cattle, Love & Rockets/Sweet
F.A., Lush/Lovelife, Butthole Surfers/Electriclarryland, "I Shot Andy
Warhol" soundtrack, Billy Bragg/William Bloke, Weezer/Pinkerton, Arto
Lindsay/The Subtle Body.
Compilations: The Who/Live At The Isle Of Wight (the best album I got this
year), Frank Zappa/The Lost Episodes, Beatles/Anthologies 2 & 3 (nyaah),
Nirvana/...Wishkah.
Big ol' disappointments (whew, there were a lot): Frank Black, J Mascis,
Paul Westerberg, Nick Cave, Spinanes, Halo Benders, Cracker, Guided By
Voices, Ministry, Lou Reed, Ween, Throwing Muses, Sam Phillips, Golden
Palominos, Rosa Mota, PJ Harvey/John Parish, Rutles, Luscious Jackson.
Worst albums ('nuff said): 1. Wesley Willis/Fabian Road Warrior 2. Wesley
Willis/Feel The Power
Well, you did ask. At least this post oughta rid me of my
living-in-the-past-Beatlemaniac rep. ;)
Eb
PS I could post about my collection of Beatle muzak albums, but I'll spare
everyone. ;P
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199612102314.AAA01361@utrecht.knoware.nl> From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl> Date: Wed, 11 Dec 1996 00:16:34 +0000 Subject: XTC on TV - almost Dear Chalkers, I have just finished watching an amusing TV show on BBC 2 called Never Mind The Buzzcocks. It's sort of a comedy quiz on pop music with two celebrity teams and a host. One of the panelists was Nick Heyward BTW... Anyway, the teams had to "finish off" some quotes from songs and the last quote was "I've got one two three four five..." The teams did not get it right but o.c. Senses Working Overtime and XTC did get mentioned on national UK television this way... In issue 3-53 the friendly mailbot Josh said this regarding XTC's alledged drug (ab)use : > And they say stuff about "tripping out on 'shrooms" in the ad for 25 > O'Clock! It must be true! Of course Josh, ads never lie ;) And Steve Schiavo was right when he said: > Mark - you're not being too mello here. ;) I was only trying to get my point across there... Nobody likes to be judged or told what to think, that's why I was so rude and 'judgemental' ( i think that's the correct English term...). Mark Strijbos at The Little Lighthouse http://utopia.knoware.nl/~mmello/ ===> Mark's Random XTC Quote <== A thousand Cheshire cats grin inside of me
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v02140b00aed3987bf3e3@DialupEudora> Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 18:46:13 -0400 From: jmisaa00@service1.uky.edu Subject: CD quandry I have found a copy of the Demos, with the songs from D & W and Black Sea on it. Is it worth having, those who own it? It would cost 20 bucks. James
------------------------------ Date: 10 Dec 96 18:42:01 EST From: DaveKGold <70673.317@CompuServe.COM> Subject: Top 5 Collected Albums Survey Message-ID: <961210234200_70673.317_FHP69-2@CompuServe.COM> Hiya Chalkies! Well, I'm sorry to be so slow with the survey results, but I am in the process of moving due to my seperation/divorce. Actually, I haven't gotten a lot of responses anyways, so if you haven't sent yours yet, please do so soon. The survey question was: what are the top most frequent artists in your CD, LP and Tape collection? Don't count bootlegs or dubs, just genuine releases..... Send your reponse to me at 70673.317@compuserve.com. Dave Gold
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01540b00aed3a64d9186@[207.15.170.20]> Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 17:57:18 -0600 From: kmarkman@netwestonline.com (Miss Piggy) Subject: why I love Andy Greetings Hillers! I'm a day behind on posting, but Chalkhills seem to be like the energizer bunny, they just keep coming...and coming and coming.... Anyway... >From: "Simon Knight" <sknight@warchivegw.riv.csu.edu.au> >I don't know if this has been posted before, but here goes. >It's a short interview with Andy about No Talking, Just Head from the >Heads website: Hey, thank you for posting this interview, it was too cool, and... >Q: How has creating lyrics and vocals to the Heads' backing tracks >differed from your usual creative process? > >A: Usually, I grow songs, music and lyrics together organically. With >them it was more like crucifying bits of heretical poetry onto an already >extant cross. This right here is why I love Andy! The man uses "organically," "heretical," and "extant," in two contiguous sentences! You just don't hear sentence construction like that much these days, certainly not where I live (west TX, USA). OK, so I admit it, I'm a bit of a word geek. (Ok, a *Big* word geek, but who's counting?) Which brings me to another point... A lot of people have mentioned that they got into XTC songs by liking the music first, and then the lyrics, and that they were able to tolerate lyrics they were not so fond of because of the music. Well, I have to admit to being exactly the opposite. I hear the lyrics first, then the music. Maybe this is why I also like Andy's voice, because I sing, but am not a musician, so the lyrics attract me. And if I can't get into the lyrics, then the song means nothing to me, though I have also gotten turned off of songs because of the music. And so I have to say that I have a high tolerance for a lot of XTC songs, including many of the ones that have been maligned on this list, simply because of a clever phrase or great word here or there. As I said, I'm just a big word freak, I love 'em, can't get enough. And yes, I do talk too much. I'm weird. Anyway, I just mentioned it because I wondered if I was the only one who felt that way. Now on to the next Chalkhills! -Kris ############################################################# "If you can stand to leave me, I'd just love to see you go." --Sonny Boy Williamson
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01540b01aed3a9b05d24@[207.15.170.28]> Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 18:10:28 -0600 From: kmarkman@netwestonline.com (Miss Piggy) Subject: me again Yup, it's me again. This whole posting thing is quite addictive. >From: DeWitt Henderson <dewitth@lanl.gov> >But XTC songs on Muzak?!? I thought we were only kidding, and then someone >said they heard 'Mayor of Simpleton' Muzakked! Aaagggh! Then someone else >said 'Washaway' was an un-Muzakable XTC track. Are you kidding? That's >the kind of hummable song they'd suck up like a Hoover. I can (unfortunately) >hear their version already. I was hoping someone else was horrified. I'm sorry, but I *never* want to hear an XTC song on Muzak. IMHO, Muzak is the *worst* thing to happen to music in a while. Talk about evil. Scary, scary, scary...please let's stop it before it's too late. >From: Ira Lieman <aym@axe.intercall.com> >Now everyone who likes 80s music as much as me, raise your left hand and do >a first-and-fifth finger salute to Mork and Mindy. I'm not ashamed of it, >as a matter of fact I trumpet it! "Da da DA!" I love just about all music >from the 1979-1987 period, with few exceptions, and maybe that's why i'm so Count me in. What can I say, I'm 24, it's what I heard growing up, and I'm sorry, but I admit, I'll take Duran Duran over Green Day any time of the year. Now where are my jelly shoes.... >This one's for Kris: "You put your cleanest dirty shirt on..." I'm not even going to dignify that with a response. ;) >From: HifiToastr@aol.com >"It's been a long time since the party and the room is in a mess" - Mickey >Dolenz Hey Insane Boy - can it be that we have another Monkees fan on this list? That would make three of us, this is scary! Have a chalky day! -Kris #################################################### "So, where does jazz come from?...Good question...."
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 20:42:37 -0600 Message-Id: <v01530500aed379495c17@[204.153.64.184]> From: musicvil@idir.net (John Yuelkenbeck) Subject: Oh, oh, what are we gonna do? Regarding the Clem Burke post: I'm not much of a drummer, although I won a kit in a Musician magazine sweepstakes and I've been giving it a go. Check out Burke's bashing and thrashing on Blondie's "Union City Blue" from, I believe, 'Eat To The Beat.' It's what rock drumming is all about.
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01540b04aed485d753ee@[139.80.228.168]> Date: Wed, 11 Dec 1996 15:38:39 +0000 From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James Dignan) Subject: lotsastuff about everything (too much!) >****Least Muzak adaptable XTC song**** heh! Imagine doing your shopping or riding in an elevator to "Shake you donkey up", "Deliver us from the elements" or "Travels in Nihilon" (apt for an elevator!) would be rather amusing. "Melt the guns" is a little quirky for muzak, too. How about a nice, gentle., laid-back version of "Do what you do"? >I keep >coming up with "the weird ones" like "Battery Brides" or "Greenhouse", but >then I can actually imagine the arrangements! [...] Now I actually want >to hear some of the these. I know what you mean! Mind you, a muzak version of "Burning with optimism's flames" would have shoppers scratching their heads a bit! as for being born after the Beatles' career started, according to my mum, my first words were "yeah, yeah, yeah". Perhaps no-one born after 1977 can truly be an XTC fan... >I also read grass as also meaning marihuana in the song of the same name >by Colin. I would love to hear what people have to say about that..... I think a lot of people, when they get a bit older, look back at their teenage years and say "I was so reckless and stupid - how did I survive?". At age 30, Colin wrote "Shocked me too the things we *used* to do on grass" (my emphasis). For me, that says it all. Also, Colin's showing that its not just Andy who can come up with nice punning songs - it's (IMHO) fairly clearly about both marijuana and, erm, grass. >>So do I. If the music doesn't grab me, I'm going to have a hard time >>liking the song. Generally, if the music's good (unless it has really >>stupid lyrics) I'll like it. Stupid music and lyrics tend to go together >>(Green Day) so there's usually no confusion there. >I basically agree with that except for one thing. There's been more than >one song I liked that got ruined for me when I discovered how awful the >lyrics really were. But, yeah, I'd rather permit great music and okay >lyrics than great lyrics but poor music. now this one all depends for me (I suppose partly at least because I, as a songwriter, take more time over my lyrics than perhaps I should!). There are definitely songs and singers that for me attracted me for their lyrics rather than their music. Joe Jackson still appeals to me more on a lyrial than a musical level a lot of the time. Same with Paul Simon. And sometimes a song has such amazing lyrics that I wouldn't even care if there was no music with it (yeah, I know the old "lyric as poetry" shit, but try reading the lyrics of, say Bob Geldof's "Thinking Voyager 2-type things", or any mid-70s Joni Mitchell). But there are also cases where the opposite is true (recent King Crimson, f'rinstance). Most of my "most favourite" (bleah - I can't believe I typed that) musicians are ones that appeal on both levels - XTC, Robyn Hitchcock, the Church, Billy Bragg, etc etc etc. Just occasionally, once in a million songs, the spark will be perfect. The lyrics will be enough in themselves, but the same is true of the music. And together they weave a gestalt magic, amplifying each other. These are the songs I'd take with me to my desert island. The "Into the mystic"s, the "By this river"s, the "Air that I breathe"s, the "Man with the child in his eyes"s, the "Airscape"s and the "Another satellite"s. >...One Hit Wonders (of which John and I had a great time >recounting in the car back from New Haven...which reminds me: did you use >Scandal's "Goodbye To You" or "The Warrior" for your mix tape?) in this >world. Remember Slade? yes - they had quite a number of hits, too... not just one. About ten top ten songs if I remember rightly. Sort of like hippies trying to do a parody of AC/DC, and succeeding. >>I'm kinda surprised by this. But not as much as when I read that Peter >>Gabriel is a big fan of Springsteen. That was the beginning of the end of >>life on Earth as we know it. > >Hey, I may have just bashed classic rock, but I LIKE Springsteen. The >earlier, poppier stuff (I think "Hungry Heart" is one of my fav songs >of his). Lately however I've been wanting to ask him, "Who died and >made YOU Dylan?" agreed. What Broos does well, he does very well. And, as I'm sure I'vre said before, anyone with the lyrical nous to make a song slamming the US and then have everyone patriotically and idiotically singing along mush have something going for him! (NB - this isn't an anti-US comment, it's a pro-clever songwriting comment!) >RUTLES vs. THE DUKES: Stormy Monday compared the Rutles and Dukes saying >that "The Dukes are hands down the better parody/tribute act of the two." > While both are fun records, the Rutles is obviously a very good in-joke for >Beatle fans, while the Dukes are more of a fans adoration for the past. If >you want to hear another (and more obvious) fan tribute to the Beatles check >out Utopia's "Deface The Music", which is a chronological tribute/parody/rip >off of the fabs. Each song takes a few elements from an era of the Beatles >and combines it into one song. It's not rocket science, but it's good fun >for a Bealtes trainspotter. perhaps (in a way surprisingly, in a way not at all surprisingly) the biggest Beatles trainspotting exercise comes from the video clip for Free as a Bird. I counted references to about 25 Beatles songs in that, although in some cases they're relatively subtle ones (the man delivering eggs, for instance, referring to I am the Walrus). And looking for the references is probably a lot more fun than listening to the song... Dammit, too much talk! Am I becoming JHB? James
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #3-54 ******************************
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