Chalkhills Digest Volume 3, Issue 67
Date: Wednesday, 15 January 1997
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 3, Number 67
Wednesday, 15 January 1997
Today's Topics:
Dancing Lyrics
New stuff, old stuff
XTC Stink?
Stuff
Metaphoricity is not a word
Fee and Thanks for Mitch (almost no XTC content)
XTC and the Vapors
All This, and Metaphorcity II
I side with the snake
Exterrestrials in Swindon
For TMBG Fans (XTC not mentioned)
Here's an idea
Partridge/Lovich Duet?
Steve Lillywhite & 80's New Wave Nostalgia
Steve Lillywhite's drunken mix
Wrapped In Grey Single
"Theres a bad taste in myyyy MOOOUTH"
Re: Trivia Question Of The Day....
Baby Photos
It's great to be back!
how do you martians say I love you?
Elizabethan trivia (which I'm sure you all know)
Cynical Ways - *Rant Alert*
97
FF review
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-Id: <199701102049.NAA07598@access.tucson.org> From: "J. D. SMX" <jsmelser@access.tucson.org> Organization: Access Tucson Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 14:07:38 -0700 Subject: Dancing Lyrics Hello All, Here's the answer to Cheryls last question. I'm standing in front of this girl I'm under a florescent light I've had a few beers inside me I feel like a giant tonight Alcohol is an easy key It helps you unwind And dance with me to a disco trot from Germany. Steve Lillywhite produced U2, Joan Armatrading, XTC, Urban Verbs, and more, but why no one seems to use him anymore is a good question. Maybe his "sound," just isn't hip and 90's. I put it in this letter, what could be better. SMX J. D. SMX Video Engineer Access Tucson jsmelser@access.tucson.org
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01510100aefc5beb77bb@[204.188.73.131]> Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 10:58:51 -1000 From: jimsmart@hula.net (Jim Smart) Subject: New stuff, old stuff Thanks Mitch for that Andy Partridge update....how do you get those? SOrry if this has been covered before, but are you a friend of his? The two big question for me about a new XTC album, besides WHEN, are..... 1. Who will the drummer be this time out? XTC has consistently great drums on its albums....it's one of the things I love about the albums I have (everything from TBE on...), and it is amazing that it's always someone different. My favorite drumming was on Oranges and Lemons, BTW, though I hated Mr. Mister. That is some class drumming! 2. Who will be the producer....pretty critical, as evidenced by all the discussions on Chalkhills. AND>..... I checked my journal that I kept on my trip to England last March, and i definitely drove through Swindon! If only I had been on chalkhills then, I might have made a stop. BTW, if one is on chalkhills, wouldn't one sink into the chalk? Where would be the most interesting XTC related stop? Anyway, my wife and I had been staying in Bourton on the Water, in the Cotswolds. Very rural small town area. Then we drove to Bath, and Swindon was one of the first towns we drove through. Then, I bought TBE, and heard that great song about Swindon Town....dang! Jim Jimsmart@hula.net +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ * DAILY HOWL * * "a thousand Cheshire cats grin inside of me" * * --XTC * +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199701102036.HAA03694@warchives.riv.csu.edu.au.> From: "Simon Knight" <sknight@warchivegw.riv.csu.edu.au> Date: Sat, 11 Jan 1997 07:11:21 +0000 Subject: XTC Stink? Mark wrote: >This week I discovered something really weird: >a "power drink" with lots of caffeine and guarana called XTC. >The cans look very neat: black with XTC in big yellow letters. Whilst taking part in the last minute christmas shopping war my eye was drawn away from the flash and glitter of department store tinsel by a a silver case with those familiar letters splashed across the top. Closer inspection revealed a new brand of aftershave named after our Swindonians... with matching deodorant. Couldn't fight my way through the throng of spend-crazy freaks (and believe me, they all come out of the woodwork the week before christmas) to get served at the counter though, so i'm still in the dark as to the scent. And the result of this new product? Now you too can say "My armpits smell like XTC!" Pretty sexy silver and black package design though.
------------------------------ Date: 10 Jan 1997 21:50:39 -0000 Message-ID: <19970110215039.744.qmail@hotmail.com> From: "Ben Gott" <xtcfan@hotmail.com> Subject: Stuff As to JHB's comment about bands changing (for the worse) as they get older (at least, this is how I understand his comment, from reading excerpts in the last Digest): I think that bands who create a certain style early on attract fans/attention/acclaim because of their style. (XTC, Talking Heads, The Police, etc.) I think that, also, the '80's (as much as I loved 'em, having been born in 1979, and not aware enough to hate 'em) forced a lot of music to go in a much more "mainstream" direction: take (our favorite!) Todd Rundgren, for example. His early albums -- like "Initiation" -- are pretty darn good, while his mid-80's flop "Second Wind" is pretty darn bad. Remember -- this is a decade that contained hits by Toto, Devo, Billy Ocean, Billy Idol, Madonna, Tiffany, and NKOTB. Yikes. My copy of "Fossil Fuels" isn't broken, but I have to be very careful opening it. Ben * ------------------------------------------- Ben Gott http://www.wp.com/58596 The Hotchkiss School "Been in the cold too long-along-along..."
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199701102238.OAA01587@dfw-ix4.ix.netcom.com> From: "Mark G. Cuevas" <litserv@ix.netcom.com> Subject: Metaphoricity is not a word Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 14:34:42 -0800 Where on earth did this drivel come from? This guy's babbling was almost entirely incomprehensible. Why is he being indulged? Mercy . . .
------------------------------ Message-ID: <32D65601.7A6D@frognet.net> Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 06:45:21 -0800 From: Keith Hanlon <khanlon@frognet.net> Subject: Fee and Thanks for Mitch (almost no XTC content) jsmelser@access.tucson.org wrote: > The Love Bomb Tour had no Michael Cotton and no Fee Waybill, (gasp). The only time I ever saw the Tubes was the Love Bomb tour, and Fee was there (or a DAMN good imposter!) It was a grand show; Utopia opened! Lastly, ANOTHER big thank you to Mitch for keeping us posted on Andy and Co. activity. May a smile be your umbrella! Talk to ya later, Keith
------------------------------
Message-ID: <32D81614.3189@sinesurf.co.nz>
Date: Sat, 11 Jan 1997 14:37:08 -0800
From: Danielle <inadibor@sinesurf.co.nz>
Organization: University of Auckland
Subject: XTC and the Vapors
Hi all.
So weird! Yesterday I had an argument with someone about who sang
'Making Plans For Nigel' (!!!!!). They maintained that it was the
Vapors, and I said, no, that's 'Turning Japanese'. 'It's XTC who sang
"Nigel"', I said, and she wouldn't believe me, and it almost became a
vaguely snotty exchange, but we segued nicely into the Thompson Twins,
Duran Duran, and Human League ('You were working as a waitress in a
cocktail bar...')
And then I came home and read Jonas' post!
I have nothing constructive to tell you, Jonas. It's just weird that the
Vapors were mentioned to me within 24 hours, in relation to XTC.
Danielle
'"Cody, you moron. He's not a cross-dresser .... make-up is a sure sign
of a girlfriend .... Either that or he's a New Romantic."
"I'd rather he had a girlfriend."' - Emily Perkins, "Not Her Real Name'.
------------------------------ Message-ID: <32D7D7D6.72BB@sprintmail.com> Date: Sat, 11 Jan 1997 10:11:34 -0800 From: Stormy Monday <stormymonday@sprintmail.com> Subject: All This, and Metaphorcity II Folxtc, >>I have a cut-out vinyl copy of "All This And World War II" which I >>purchased for .79 A bargain to be sure, but only listen to Ambrosia's "Magical Mystery Tour" and Peter Gabriel's "Strawberry Fields Forever". Both are beautiful renditions. The rest ... Anything by Ambrosia is worth a listen, including their top forty "That's How Much I Feel", but if that is all you know by them, you're missing a lot of great music. If you like Peter Gabriel, make sure you pick up the tribute to George Gershwin. He does a great "Summertime, and the living is easy..." On the "new stuff is bad, the old stuff is good" thread: XTC doesn't fit that paradigm. I've been a fan since the release of "Black Sea", and I think that "Nonsuch" is a great record. I think U2 was much better when their music still went "Plinka-Plinka- Plinka-Plinka", but I give them credit for branching out. From 3-64, William F. Adamek writes: >>Let me once more express my general view, this time in simplicity If you honestly believe that you expressed your view "in simplicity", I'd love to see what you consider complex. >>and Stormy Monday's convincing "defense" of "Melt the Guns." As for >>the characterization of me as a suicidally pyromaniac infantile >>reincarnation of William Buckley, I laughed heartily. Thanks. >> so I have to say just that >>I was thoroughly convinced by your comments about "Melt the Guns." Thanks again. >> I was glad that you took the trouble to contemporize its >> message. They don't call me "The Contemporizer" for nothing! >>Regarding Philip Adamek's recent posts: "Metaphoricity"? Excuse me? >>What's that, an outtake from THE LURE OF SALVAGE? It's sure not in my >>dictionary. Have you checked the latest edition of "Adamek For Dummies"? It defines "Metaphorcity" as "The second largest city of Vocabuland. It lies just east of Vocabuland's largest city, Verbosity, and about 25 miles due south of the capital city, Pomposity". Sorry, Philip, I just couldn't resist. Stormy Monday "Melt the guns, Melt the guns NOW!"
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 23:33:26 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <199701110433.XAA12336@cyber1.servtech.com> From: Joshua Hall-Bachner <particle@servtech.com> Subject: I side with the snake >Except for Josh, since he's already hearing the demos of the new >stuff, and knows beyond the shadow of a doubt whether or not it sucks. I can tell you, it most certainly does *not* suck. :) >Some of Partridges more devoted fans would probably consider such a >venture to be blasphemous. Not I -- I'd sell my spleen to get a newly made, re-interpreted recording of XTC's singles. What an idea. Maybe Andy should do it. :) >"I'm standing in front of this girl..." "I'm under a fluorescent light." >Like Josh's theory Since two people read it this way, I must not have been clear enough. I wasn't theorizing that artists only have so much talent before they just "run out" ... I was theorizing that, perhaps, many people *assume* that as fact and use it to justify their dislike of later albums >Which band worked with Lillywhite three times? It was U2, wasn't it? >And listening to" Outside World" I always hear " she has 11 lions >laping at her legs, siiiiigh". No, I don't have a secret desire to have >my legs licked. Mine is even more embarrasing, but when I first heard the song I thought the first line was "She has sex once singing in her sauna." Ummm, I don't know what that says about me. >The plan is to make 2 albums, each one with about 10 songs; one >electric, one orchestral. This has been the plan for a while, and I fully support it; however, I'm curious about the "10 songs" bit. On Nonsvch we got 17. I think if we're only going to get 10 songs on each album I'd rather have one 80 minute album. Or pump it up to about 15 songs per album; I mean, they certainly have enough songs! >There are a bunch of newer songs ready to be added to the ever-growing list. Aaaaaaah! This is torture! I *need* to hear these songs, and yet I know that there'll probably be 20 left over after the album(s) come out. Argh... Josh And if lust equals knowledge /---------------------------Joshua Hall-Bachner---------------------------\ | particle@servtech.com http://www.servtech.com/public/particle/ | |"We all have our idiosyncracies -- maybe thinning hair, or gum disease." | \---- Kowanko, "Will You Come To?" ------ Thank You, And Goodnight. ------/
------------------------------ From: Combray2@aol.com Date: Sat, 11 Jan 1997 12:43:32 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: <970111124323_2055830930@emout08.mail.aol.com> Subject: Exterrestrials in Swindon Hey Chalkhillians, No doubt many of you have heard about the Englishman who recently collected on a 1 million pound insurance policy against exterrestrial abduction. No one on this list has mentioned where it occurred.... "Mr. Carpenter, according to Bridge News wire service, was videotaped by friends near Swindon, England, being beamed aboard a triangular craft. Mr. Carpenter, who had paid a 100 pound annual premium on the standard contingency policy, claims that he then found himself aboard a spaceship and talked telepathically with an alien with a triangular head, two tiny slit nostrils and olive, dolphin-like skin, before losing consciousness. The alien told him not to be afraid." I wonder if the alien's name was Andy. It sounds like an ingenious plan to make money.... John
------------------------------ Message-ID: <32D8A382.50B8@sprintmail.com> Date: Sun, 12 Jan 1997 00:40:34 -0800 From: Stormy Monday <stormymonday@sprintmail.com> Subject: For TMBG Fans (XTC not mentioned) To Many Bothered Giant Fans, Some of you may remember my negative comments regarding TMBG. I'm eating my words even as I write this note. I received "John Henry" in the mail this week. I delayed putting it on because I was sure that I would hate it. It's great. I was wrong. I based my opinions on "Don't Let's Start", "Birdhouse In Your Soul" and "25 O'clock". I stand by my original opinions regarding those tracks, but I must admit, "John Henry" is really a fine record. What's next? "Factory Showroom"? Sorry to those that I offended, my comments were born of ignorance. Thanks for your restraint in your responses to my uninformed opinions regarding at least some of their music. Stormy Monday PS. "Free Hand" by Gentle Giant (no relation) might appeal to many XTC fans, especially those who like "Mummer" and "The Big Express".
------------------------------ Message-ID: <32D817CF.4F41@netwalk.com> Date: Sat, 11 Jan 1997 14:44:31 -0800 From: Ian C Stewart <stewart@netwalk.com> Subject: Here's an idea Here's something I thought of in the shower the other night. Forget the record company crap. Forget all this waiting nonsense. I thought about taking the tape of AP demos that's been circulating for the last year and pressing up 1000 copies on CD. Throw together some modest cover art, nothing too ornate, just something to keep the disc from being naked. Yeah, I'm saying BOOTLEG THE THING. BUT then, after the costs of producing the CD were covered, send all the rest of the money directly to XTC. Sort of like vigilante bootlegging for the band's own benefit. I'm not actually going to do this, it was just something I thought of that made me chuckle as I waited for my shower to heat up. BUT now in three months someone else can think up this same idea, solicit responses from Chalkhills subscribers about what they think of the idea and how many people would potentially buy a copy and what the cover art should be and who should be thanked on the sleeve and whether Barry Andrews would get a copy and and and and then make a series of excited posts before evaporating into thin air. Isn't that how it usually works? HEY! IDEA! *blip*. Ha. Snowflakes and a bowl of tea Ian
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 11 Jan 1997 16:29:10 -0500 (EST) From: "Christopher R. Coolidge" <ccoolidg@zoo.uvm.edu> Subject: Partridge/Lovich Duet? Message-ID: <Pine.A32.3.91.970111162528.38446D-100000@elk.uvm.edu> Regarding Cheryl's speculation on an Andy/Lene Lovich duet: they came damn close once. They both do guest vocals on The Residents' Commercial Album back in '80; they may or may not have been in the studio at the same time. If so, maybe there's a juicy outtake in someone's closet somewhere. (For those familiar with the album, that's Lene on "Picnic Boy," I'm not sure which song Andy's on.)
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 11 Jan 1997 18:20:06 -0600 (CST)
Message-Id: <199701120020.SAA14755@insosf1.netins.net>
From: JH3 <jh3@netins.net>
Subject: Steve Lillywhite & 80's New Wave Nostalgia
Gawd bless Mitch Friedman! Give this man his own digest...
Anyway... others will have responded to this before me, but jes
<xtc@mindspring.com1> wrote:
>Which band worked with Lillywhite three times?
Presumably you're referring to U2 (unless you also count the mixing on "The
Joshua Tree" in which case it's four), but don't forget the three albums he
produced for his wife, Kristy Macoll. I heard somewhere they're working on a
fourth now...
>And that begs an even more philosophical question. Lillywhite's productions
>have always been sterling and unique. I daresay that those who love XTC
>grew that love from his work on D&W and Black Sea.
Yow! Aren't you generalizing here... just a LITTLE BIT?
>He shaped Great Albums by bands that sucked (like Penetration, The
>Brains, early Siouxie & Those Banshees, Ultravox!).
"Sucked?" Those were great bands. To say that their records were great just
because Steve Lillywhite produced them is insulting to those of us who liked
them mostly for their non-Lillywhite-produced stuff (see below).
>He created masterpieces by bands that didn't suck (Joan Armatrading,
>Peter Gabriel). So.... why do bands sack him after two LP's?
They don't/didn't, necessarily - after Lillywhite became "hot" he started
asking for larger fees and taking two to four months to produce an album,
where before he'd been reasonably priced and finished records in just a few
weeks. After a while none of the acts he'd produced earlier could afford
him, or else his schedule was such that they just didn't want to wait four
months for him to finish the next Kirsty Macoll or U2 album.
>Anyone remember how many copies of Ultravox! were sold?
The first Ultravox album was produced by Brian Eno (Lillywhite was listed as
third co-producer), the second (and least appealing -- "Ha Ha Ha!") by
Lillywhite. But the best (and best-selling) Ultravox albums by far ("Systems
of Romance" and "Vienna") were produced by Conny Plank.
You may be right about the Brains, but the best Siouxsie albums by far were
produced by Nigel Gray, and Penetration... well, they surely would've kicked
butt regardless of who produced.
Jonas Lind <tilia@buzzsaw.mti.sgi.com> writes:
>I'm really curious about this band [the Vapors] also; I want to find as
>many XTC-soundalikes as possible from that period in time. So, if any of
>you know anything about The Vapors, or The Planets, please let me know.
The Vapors didn't sound much like XTC at all, really (IMO). If you want XTC
soundalikes, there was a band called Airkraft that put out a single called
"Move in Rhythm" that's the closest thing to XTC's early sound I've ever
heard. You might also want to look for stuff by the Stadium Dogs -- that was
the band that original XTC keyboardist Jon Perkins joined and left XTC to be
in (not a very astute decision). He then joined a band called the Original
Mirrors, who sounded less like XTC but still more like them than the
Vapors... the Original Mirrors also featured Ian "Lightning Seeds"
Broudie... Ah, the memories...
Oh, and don't forget the Spys. Whoever *they* were.
--John Hedges
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 12 Jan 1997 09:36:36 -0600 Message-Id: <v01530501aefe6012e78c@[204.153.64.110]> From: musicvil@idir.net (John Yuelkenbeck) Subject: Steve Lillywhite's drunken mix In answer to Jes' Trivia Quiz: Lillywhite produced "Boy," "October," and "War" for U2 (and was a recording engineer for "Blood Red Sky." Now for a follow-up: Name the song and artist/band from which the following lyrics are taken: First Lord Nelson's sunken ships Now Steve Lillywhite's drunken mix
------------------------------ From: Stephen Hughes <stephen@hugher.demon.co.uk> Subject: Wrapped In Grey Single Date: Sun, 12 Jan 1997 20:44:32 -0700 Message-ID: <853102491.104201.0@hugher.demon.co.uk> I've just read the Andy Partridge interview in "Record Collector" and he say's that only 2000 copies of Wrapped In Grey were pressed and that Virgin withdrew the release. I bought the CD single easily at the time and am now confussed as to weather this is a rareity, does anyone know the true story, and if this is now rare how rare and how much is it worth!
------------------------------ From: McGREGOC <McGREGOC@regents.ac.uk> Date: Mon, 13 Jan 1997 12:26:19 +00 Subject: "Theres a bad taste in myyyy MOOOUTH" Message-ID: <1F9ABFA75EC@asdf011.regents.ac.uk> Hey there! My head is reeling from the news from Mitch! >>playing live on the back of a truck.....probably in the USA What, not here in good old Engalnd?! It would be that I would end up in the wrong place for this possible monumental occasion. Grumble. Anyway, this isn't quite a misheard lyric but I get a kick out of it. On those oh, so, bitter days when I happen to be listening to ES and I get down to that gem of a song "Snowman", it seems I can almost he him saying at the start of the song in that scat...."I'm a dweeb, I'm a dweeb". I then break into peels of laughter and think, Damn Right! This is only when I'm in a bitter mood. I'm not against men....just only sometimes. This isn't XTC related but I was watching Top of the Pops the other night and this girl band Kenickie came on. They looked so bored and pathetic! They looked like" Barbie goes Rockin". What I'm getting at is I always have the same reaction to girl bands like this. Neither the GoGo's or the Bangles intrested me too. Girl bands just don't seem to have the.......what am I looking for.....umph! I guess that will work. Girl bands suck is seems like. I always wonder if they really play their instruments( guitars) or is like a cool funky hip necklace? I don't want to put down my own gender but I have not yet come across a girl band that I thought "Yeah, they know what they are doing". Its fluff! Any ideas why this may be or can you clue me into some bands that have the knack. And thus ends another confusing post from yours truly, Cheryl "This is the first verse" "First verse of what?" "My song" "What song?" "This one." "Which one?" "Well, if you listen, Piglet, you'll hear it." "How do you know I'm not listening?" -A.A.Milne
------------------------------ From: "Steve Flynn" <stevef@inno5.inno-net.com> Message-Id: <9701111310.ZM5150@inno5.inno-net.com> Date: Sat, 11 Jan 1997 13:10:17 -0500 Subject: Re: Trivia Question Of The Day.... Greetings chalkies! In response to jes's Trivia Question Of The Day.... Steve Lillywhite was a much-sought-after producer during those happy, grassy days of the PneuWave. However, to my memory, he has only worked with one band on three albums. (Although, there is always a chance that the next Dave Matthews Band album could screw this question up, but that's Trivia Of The Future, which doesn't count unless you can tell me next weekend's lottery numbers.) Which band worked with Lillywhite three times? The answer of course is U2. The first three albums, Boy, October and War. Lillywhite also lent a mixing hand on The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby. This is my debut offering to this list. I will, in future installments, provide more insight than trivial responses. I have appreciated XTC since Drums and Wires and continue to marvel at the knack for a brilliant hook. I have converted a few followers myself and consider myself to be a true believer. One of my fondest concert memories (and there are many) was XTC at the San Francisco Civic round about 1981. Somebody check me on that date. The smoke was pretty thick back then. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Steve Flynn inno 1850 Alma St. Atlanta, GA 30318 Phone: 404-351-2042 FAX: 404-352-9370 e-mail: stevef@inno-net.com <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
------------------------------ Message-Id: <2.2.32.19970113173159.0069be6c@popmail.dircon.co.uk> Date: Mon, 13 Jan 1997 17:31:59 +0000 From: Simon <nonsuch@dircon.co.uk> Subject: Baby Photos >From Jonas Lind (Lund, Sweden) >And finally, Andy Partridge tells us about an embarrasing situation >recently, when he was attacked in public by XTC's first album. >"- I went into a restaurant, and somebody on the staff must have >recognized me. After only a few minutes the music was turned off, and >White Music was put on, much too loud. It was awful. I had to ask the >waitress to turn the rubbish off." Hmmm. Andy told that story to Limelight about 12 years ago too, which knocks the stuffing out of him claiming it was a recent occurrence. Either he's resurrecting the old story, or it never happened and it's just a bit of illustrative fiction to highlight his evident dissatisfaction with the early recordings. I can understand his hesitation, it must be like taking your dream girl home and having your mum tell her all about the "tummy trouble" you had when you were a baby. Having said that, as "baby photos" go, White Music and Go 2 are pretty cute. Anyway, anyone recognising the present day Andy from the pictures off the back of White Music deserves a medal, not abuse. >>Does anyone have one that hasn't broke? Refering to Fossil Fuel. Me, but then I don't play the limited version. Ever. It is, as Andy said, pretty unsatisfying to listen to in one sitting. I sometimes throw the standard edition (being a sad fan, I bought standard and limited copies) into the computer CD slot when I'm busy, or if we have some friends over and I really want to annoy them I might put both discs and the Cure's Pornography into the CD changer. You're going? So soon? Music you should not be without at the present: "Your Woman", by White Town and *anything* by Kenickie - but especially "In Your Car" Breathe with me, Simon +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+-- http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~nonsuch/bungalow.htm +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+-- XTC - This Is Pop?
------------------------------
From: jason.phelan@mcmail.vanderbilt.edu
Date: Mon, 13 Jan 97 15:35:03 CST
Message-Id: <9700138531.AA853196181@in2.mcmail.vanderbilt.edu>
Subject: It's great to be back!
Hello Chalkids,
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and I hope to see an increase
of Chalkhill Posts. I love getting two a day because it's the only
thing that gives me a break from work.
As to Mitch Friedman's Partridge report (lucky bastard!), what would
it take to get Colin to agree to do the bootleg album????? If there is
more than 40 songs floating around and Andrew wants to do 2 albums
with 10 songs each, what's going to happen to the other songs?????
I mean, I am starving for XTC and I want to eat everything they
put in front of me ( unless it's left overs ie: "Upsy Daisy", "Fossil
Fuel" etc. ).
As for the wanting to play out of the back of trucks, at radio
stations or wherever, I say, I'll believe it when I see it. I think
all this waiting has made me pessimistic. Sometimes it's hard to
imagine that there is a place for this band in this world besides
just in OUR hearts and heads anymore. But I don't care. I want them
to continue even if I become the only one left on the planet that
likes them.
Anyway, I digress.
In terms of the new demos I have heard ( YOU MAY WANT TO STOP READING
HERE NOW) I find the use of imagery in this latest batch of songs to
be far superior to recent releases and the less reliance on
over-politicized or lesson songs is also refreshing. My favorites so
far in order are "I'd like that"( imagine the sound of The Beatles,
"The Two of Us" with a little awesome "Yacht Dance"-ish ending), "You
And the Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful" ( totally infectious melody,
especially the little "Uhhhhnn" after the title line ) and "Your
Dictionary" ( Even though it borrows heavily from "Dear God" it's a
cool sad song. ) Also, I can say that if they do this Orchestral album
properly with a real Symphony, It will be amazing.
Anyone else want to talk about the NEW DEMOS, please e-me.
Peace and that,
Jason Phelan
"Who knows, by the time America has a black female president,
England's Prime Minister could be a pair of Rugby shorts"
Andy P.
------------------------------
Message-ID: <32DA73CE.318@ou.edu>
Date: Mon, 13 Jan 1997 17:41:34 +0000
From: Heather Tinkler <bluecanary@ou.edu>
Organization: The University of Oklahoma
Subject: how do you martians say I love you?
Hello everyone,
You may or may not remember me from a few months ago.. I owned
Skylarking, and could never follow any conversations. I pretty much
gave up and lurked. Untill now. Over Christmas break I bought Mummer
and Waxworks. I got them at Media Play, where I was working, for 20%
off. I looked for others, but all that was left was Drums and Wires..
which I haven't heard ANYbody talk about.. and a collectors ed. of
Skylarking, which I could not afford.
I really like them, for the most part.. they have really strengthened
my affection for XTC.. before whom (and still) I knew next to nothing
about.
My favorites..
Science Friction
Statue of Liberty
Making Plans for Nigel
Senses Working Overtime
Me and the Wind
Jump
Toys
Wonderland
Love on a Farmboys...
Great Fire
Deliver Us From...
on Mummer, I always skip #1. It has been in my exp. that almost every
song takes 2 listens before I really can like it. I almost didn't
touch Skylarking untill I got bored and popped it in for a second
round. After that I was hooked.
My boyfriend came over when I was listeneing to Waxworks, and couldn't
beleive it was the same band.. he did it again with Mummer. He says,"
I always surprised by them!"
thats my cents... hope it was all right.
Heather
------------------------------
Date: 13 Jan 1997 23:31:43 -0000
Message-ID: <19970113233143.17522.qmail@hotmail.com>
From: "G.M. Quinn" <lovechunks@hotmail.com>
Subject: Elizabethan trivia (which I'm sure you all know)
Back after three weeks of pain and a meddling brother-in-law who
somewhat curtailed our access to the world of the Net...
Just a little bit of 16th Century gossip, which is most probably
common knowledge, re Nonsuch.
Reference: 'The Virgin Queen - The Personal History of Elizabeth I'
Christopher Hibbert, 1990, Penguin Books Ltd, Harmondsworth
"Not far away was Nonsuch, an extravaganza lavishly decorated in the
Renaissance style, built by the Queen's father as a hunting palace and guest
house for foreign visitors on the site of the church and village of
Cuddington which were pulled down to make way for it. Here the Queen loved
to hunt, wearing clothes and jewels more suitable for the audience chamber
than the hunting field, and riding her horse so fast she opften tired out
her frightened companions. As a girl of fifteen she had cut the throat of a
fallen buck; and throughout her life she continues, without apparent
squeamishness, to kill 'the great and fat stagge with her owen Hand'."
(page 133)
The text also contains an illustration of the hunting lodge which will be
ever so familiar to you all.
Thanks for bearing with me...
gm quinn in a lower case mood
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199701140417.PAA00703@warchives.riv.csu.edu.au.> From: "Simon Knight" <sknight@warchivegw.riv.csu.edu.au> Date: Tue, 14 Jan 1997 14:53:44 +0000 Subject: Cynical Ways - *Rant Alert* Mitch filled us in thus: >The plan is to make 2 albums, each one with >about 10 songs; one electric, one orchestral. 10 songs an album seems a bit stingy in this CD age. Why not make just the one album with 20 songs? Or does rationing the songs out in this mercenary way mean more $$$? At least the bootleg album idea was an honest ripoff. Does anyone else like this idea of dividing the songs between acoustic and electric? I'd rather the songs were mixed in together in a "grab bag" style where you didn't really know what you were going to get next. It's weird, i've loved XTC for years but i'm starting to get sick of Andy's constant whinging in every radio / magazine interview i hear / read. Have you ever noticed how fast Andy is to point the finger at everyone else for his lack of success? How quick he is to blame Virgin for their troubles even though they financed the recording of his songs for years, even when they had many opportunities to dump the band? And the endless bitching about producers... Are we going to have to keep hearing this about the next producer / new record label when the next album/s only sells to xtc's usual circle of fans? What's Andy's excuse for the lackluster sales of Fossil Fuels when Virgin spent a great deal of money with high profile TV / Radio and Magazine advertising? Would a couple of new tracks made the difference? A better booklet put together by someone with a spellchecker? Or does he want all the rewards with none of the effort? Wait a second, that just describes their touring policy... Sorry to complain. I'm suffering from the malady i'm sure everyone on this list has been fighting off: "NOXTC42LONG"
------------------------------ Message-Id: <1.5.4.32.19970114051339.0067644c@pop.pipeline.com> Date: Tue, 14 Jan 1997 00:13:39 -0500 From: David Pardue <dpardue@pipeline.com> Subject: 97 What a great year -- music-wise, of course -- 1997 is going to turn out to be! It seems every few days I hear about another album which is due out this year. So far, I'm looking forward to: Blur -- early Feb. Michael Penn -- Feb. 18 Genesis -- Summer, with a 5-cd box set next winter P. Gabriel -- ? Depeche Mode -- ? Sugarplastic's 2nd album, hopefully? and of course, 1-2 new XTC treasures by the end of the year??? Who would like to add to this list? later, David
------------------------------
Message-ID: <32DC92CC.7E0C@netwalk.com>
Date: Wed, 15 Jan 1997 00:18:20 -0800
From: Ian C Stewart <stewart@netwalk.com>
Subject: FF review
Someone probably already unearthed this little "gem" of a review for
FOSSIL FUELS ("deliciously wonky"? uh...okay), but check it out anyway.
http://elbombo.shmooze.net/pwcasual/zines/exclaim/index.html
Ian
[ It's under Reviews:Comin Back At Cha. -- John ]
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #3-67 ******************************
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