Chalkhills Digest Volume 3, Issue 70
Date: Tuesday, 21 January 1997
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 3, Number 70
Tuesday, 21 January 1997
Today's Topics:
ALWAYS WINTER: NEVER CHRISTMAS
Easter Theatre and Beyond
simon & simon
Gosh, a Dutch Go 2 ?
re: I finally got on-line!!!!!!
Girl groups (no XTC and very short)
The Lillywhite Factor?
James
Real to Reel/Audio Anthology
Length
More on Cooking Vinyl
Status of Chips
That Thing They Do
Songs per Album, continued
Re: Nonsuch References
From the Forthcoming album "NONSUCH"
The Go2 Club
The Planets & The Vapors
Hey Mitch or Anybody who might know...
Reign of Blows (jab...bam!)
Review of new ones
Quickie
an alternate viewpoint
The history of music recording, that's all
demographics (argh!) & Steve L
Love on a Farmboys Wages..
I thought I spoke English! . . .
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: RJU@aol.com Date: Fri, 17 Jan 1997 23:27:49 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: <970117232747_2023281507@emout17.mail.aol.com> Subject: ALWAYS WINTER: NEVER CHRISTMAS Has anyone heard the song "Always Winter; Never Christmas"? I''m into XTC but have never heard this song. Heard a lot of good things about it, though
------------------------------ Date: 18 Jan 1997 09:09:45 -0000 Message-ID: <19970118090945.15656.qmail@hotmail.com> From: "G.M. Quinn" <lovechunks@hotmail.com> Subject: Easter Theatre and Beyond Chalkie Children To the erstwhile devotee who mentioned Easter Theatre and our reactions to it: Wonderful. A truly beautiful song in my opinion. The music alone filled me with optimism (no mean feat), joy the desire to live if only so I could hear it once more. And, shoot me down in sexual dampenings if you must, but I also found it curiously fecund... Rich in the same way as a mature red wine is, as a hearty banquet is, as an involved passionate kiss is...or perhaps all three. At once (meaning immediately and all together, whichever tickles your fancy) Oh, and the rest of the demo is superb as well. I MUST learn to control myself! gm quinn
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199701181245.MAA10623@aoife.indigo.ie> From: "Daniel Prendiville" <modjp@aoife.indigo.ie> Date: Fri, 17 Jan 1997 14:53:02 +0000 Subject: simon & simon This is my last posting to the Digest. It's been a while since I've come across anything half-interesting in the Digest on which to comment/rant/ give out about. Then #3-67 comes along and I hit the motherlode... Simon Sleightholm (from Bobby Charlton's home town, apparently) commented about Andy's WM panning not being as recent as Andy might like us to think. D'yer ever get the feeling that Andy sits down and composes these very witty, pithy and not-at-all shitty remarks which many of us have grown up with over the years, reading interviews in the music media? In some of the recent FF interviews, it's plain to see that Andy is going through various rehearsed set-pieces. Grand when seen in isolation, but when a number of articles are read together, you start to wish that the wit and humour was a tad more spontaneous. The WM panning seems to have been another one of these set-pieces. Well spotted, Simon! Simon Knight commented on Andy's whining and blaming others for his/XTC's commercial failure. Probably not too far off the mark, Simon. But if you want to read some *real* moaning and hand-wringing, get your hands on "No Laughing Matter - The Life and Times of Flann O'Brien" by Anthony Cronin. Andy's got a bit to learn from the bould Flann about whining, but as long as he stays out of the Irish Civil Service, he'll probably be OK. Probably... I'm off now. Flame if you wish, I'll not care... djp Daniel's Den - http://indigo.ie/~modjp
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199701181741.SAA25864@utrecht.knoware.nl> From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl> Date: Sat, 18 Jan 1997 18:44:07 +0000 Subject: Gosh, a Dutch Go 2 ? Chalkies, today i bought the January issue of the UK Record Collector mag with the Andy Partridge interview (thank you Simon for pointing this out). Alongside the interview there is a short list of "XTC UK rarities" and I was shocked to read that a mint UK Science Friction single with picture sleeve is now valued at 500 Pound Sterling! (75 without p/s) Now a question to all the Serious Collectors: Does anybody own/know about a Dutch release of Go 2 ? I have never seen one and I'm starting to believe it was never released over here, but imported from the UK instead. Does anybody know ? Email me please... yours in ecstasy, Mark Strijbos at The Little Lighthouse http://utopia.knoware.nl/~mmello/ ===> Mark's Random XTC Quote <== No weeping willow was ever as beautiful sad as you are
------------------------------
From: Amukasa@aol.com
Date: Sat, 18 Jan 1997 18:40:00 -0500 (EST)
Message-ID: <970118184000_615650862@emout01.mail.aol.com>
Subject: re: I finally got on-line!!!!!!
Dear fellow XTC lovers,
I am new to Chalkhills and the internet, though not at all new to XTC.
Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know that I finally joined and am open
to receiving any XTC-related mail. After my first reading of Chalkhills, I
have a few questions:
1. Does anyone STILL need a copy of the Wrapped in Gray single? If so, I
can dub it for you--I'm not likely to sell my original, though.
2. What is "fossil fuels" and "upsy daisy" and do I want them?
3. Where can I get "Look, Look" and The James and the Giant Peach demos?
4. Does anyone have Beeswax?
5. Are there any fans in MD? (Baltimore?)
I am also very interseted in the XTC jacket and deoderant!!!! Crazy. Just so
you know, my favorite XTC album changes fairly often, but I think it is
usually The Big Express. Unfortunately I think I am alone in this!
Thanks in advance for any and all responses!!!!!! kate
------------------------------ Message-ID: <32E2BEFE.3DCE@sinesurf.co.nz> Date: Sun, 19 Jan 1997 16:40:30 -0800 From: Danielle <inadibor@sinesurf.co.nz> Organization: University of Auckland Subject: Girl groups (no XTC and very short) Todd Bernhardt wrote: > (can you imagine guys forming a band and saying "Boys only"? HELL YES. Or girls get to sing, because they can't *really* play instruments very well, can they? Besides, they look good up front.... Danielle, who is sick of pretending that we're 'post-feminism' because a very few courageous women have managed to avoid being stereotyped...
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 19 Jan 1997 00:52:32 -0600 (CST) Message-Id: <199701190652.AAA16721@ins6.netins.net> From: JH3 <jh3@netins.net> Subject: The Lillywhite Factor? I hate to argue, especially with another XTC fan -- particularly one with "xtc" as their e-mail address -- but... JES <xtc@mindspring.com> writes: >...I imagine that if you were to poll most users of this list, you >would find that the demographics fall into two camps...<snip> >The early listeners, like me, will probably list "Black Sea" as their favorite XTC >album (except in my case, where I will list "D&W" and "Skylarking" as my two faves) >because that's the one that grabbed them. And I will maintain that Lillywhite was >CRITICAL to the essense of that (incredible) album. At least you're using the word "probably" now, which is better than flatly saying "those who love XTC grew that love from [Lillywhite's] work on D&W and Black Sea." (BTW, my all-time favorite album is Go 2 -- does that mean you and I are both oddballs?) Putting aside the also-arguable stuff about the two camps, my point was that giving Lillywhite, or for that matter ANY producer, an inordinate amount of credit for XTC's success is unfair to them, to their fans, and especially to their *songs.* The songs might have sounded different with another producer, but they would have still been great songs. And even if most of XTC's earlier fans consider D&W and Black Sea their faves, is Lillywhite really responsible? His producing them happened to coincide with the start of some of the most frenzied, constant worldwide touring ever seen up to that point. In addition, D&W was the first XTC record to be released in the United States -- WM and the awesome Go 2 were only available as imports at the time. There was also MTV. And in the UK, Virgin Records had by then grown to where they could afford to actually promote their acts. Some might even agree that by replacing Barry Andrews with Dave, XTC became more accessible-sounding to a wider audience. I'd suggest that all that stuff helped D&W & Black Sea become XTC's first decent-selling LP's at least as much as Lillywhite's production did. As for the other bands, you ignored my other point that in many cases their best records were produced by somebody else. I mean, "Vauxhall and I" is a fine album, but I'd hardly call it the pinnacle of Morrissey's career. But all such statements are subjective, and there will always be those who disagree. >My point is, simply, that with the exception of Siouxie, every one of these >bands is now completely defunct with no real interest associated with them. OK, I can accept that statement (although Siouxsie & the Banshees actually *are* defunct now, unfortunately). But in the original post you said that those bands "sucked," which is something entirely different. Hopefully this means you've reconsidered, and I can go back to whatever it was I was doing... --John Hedges
------------------------------
Message-Id: <v01510100af07fbbf24bc@[204.188.73.139]>
Date: Sun, 19 Jan 1997 06:29:35 -1000
From: jimsmart@hula.net (Jim Smart)
Subject: James
I'm interested in hearing the James and the Giant Peach songs by Andy
P.....can any one give me some pointers?
Jim
jimsmart@hula.net
~*-,._.,-*~'`^`'~*-,._.,-*~'`^`'~*-,._.,-*~'`^`'~*-,._.,
`Things seem so hectified now.'
-Jason Falkner
~*-,._.,-*~'`^`'~*-,._.,-*~'`^`'~*-,._.,-*~'`^`'~*-,._.,
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 14:35:41 +0900 (JST) Message-Id: <199701200535.OAA16966@japan.co.jp> From: mikewix@japan.co.jp (Michael Wicks) Subject: Real to Reel/Audio Anthology Hi All! First of all, let me thank everyone who e-mailed me expressing their desire to help with the Video project. A few of you pointed out to me that it would be more fun/better to make an Audio Anthology on casette tapes. I then thought of a couple things to make it even more interesting. If any of you are interested in commenting on your favorite XTC songs/albums, ones that have affected your lives profoundly enough to have an opinion on it/them, then what I'd like to do is compile these into a sort of "History of XTC" tape, complete with audio clips of some interviews that I have, along with our fellow Chalkhillians comments! Comments should be between 1-5 minutes. Following the comments about the particular song/album, I was thinking of dubbing a demo version/live performance of the song/songs on the album. The quality of the demos vary, but most are pretty good quality. After compiling all of this onto one (or two) tapes (I'm not yet sure about the length of such a compilation-any ideas?) , I could send a copy of these out to those who a) send me something in return (audio/video live/demo recording; a magazine article; photos; anything related to XTC!) b) participated by sending in their comments. If some of you find it difficult to record your comments onto a cassette tape, perhaps you could write in your comments, and I'll try and make a newsletter/yearbook-type thing (don't expect anything glossy/color-y, unless some of you are willing to help ;-) <nudge-nudge>). In all honesty, what I'd like for this to be is a group effort, a collaboration that many of us Chalkies can sink our teeth into. I can make the cassette portion of the Anthology, and whip up a generic video compilation (but the quality of some of my video clips, esp. Look Look, is horrendous! Although I may be able to get a 1st generation copy of it soon), but for those of you that just want to provide written comments, perhaps someone (Natalie?) can help with the newsletter/yearbook portion of it. All these ideas come with a price, however, and that is its going to take a while for the finished product; it is quite an undertaking, very daunting, I must admit! One more note on the audio tape compilation, to convince some of you to send in your comments: if this thing does make it through, I was thinking of sending a copy(copies) to the three lads in Swindon...I'm wondering if they'd like to hear the tape, and our comments. Thoughts on this and everything else I mentioned can be e-mailed to me directly. Let's get it started! Mike (mikewix@japan.co.jp) P.S. Sorry for the 100% XTC content! :-)
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199701200556.QAA11234@warchives.riv.csu.edu.au.> From: "Simon Knight" <sknight@warchivegw.riv.csu.edu.au> Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 16:32:02 +0000 Subject: Length The ten songs thing. We're coming off the backs of Skylarking (14 songs), O&L (15 songs) and Nonsuch (17 songs). 10 seems a little sad, considering the backlog. >Those who are not [diehard XTC fans] (the majority of the record >buying public) will want to own a great album that they'll put on again and >again. People without the patience to reap a more intricate records' rewards should just sod off and buy Alanis Morrisette anyway. Like they'd EVER pick up XTC's next album. >Very few artists (IMO) can deliver a 75 minute MASTERPIECE. Funny, give or take 3 minutes, i thought XTC already did with english settlement. >XTC, on the other hand, made a masterpiece with Skylarking, clocking in at >45:48 Which had FOURTEEN songs (fifteen if you're canadian and one out-of-place one if you're american). Look at it this way. When i was a kid and i'd finally saved up enough money to afford to buy my first record did i buy Devo with 10 songs or Blondie with 12?
------------------------------ From: "Michael Goral" <mGoral@DevTrans.ch> Subject: More on Cooking Vinyl Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 09:29:48 +0100 Message-ID: <19970120083227310.AAA217@Compaq20.DevTrans.ch> This label has my sympathy as well. I was glad to discover 3 years ago that Jackie Leven ( formerly the voice and inspiration of Doll By Doll - I would like to read some notes on Doll By Doll, are other Doll By Doll fans listening ?) is back again. In the meantime Cooking Vinyl have released several Jackie Leven CD's ( although I would prefere them on vinyl ... ). I do strongly recommend his comeback effort "The Mystery Of Love Is Greater Than The Mystery Of Death". It contains original material but one cover of "I Say A Little Prayer". Why to mention this cover: 'cos I hated the original. With Jackie's cover I do live very well. Chalkhill-Digest is great, thanx. Ciao, Michael eMail: mGoral@DevTrans.ch
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 10:04:51 +0200 Message-Id: <97012010045161@c31.rb.op.dlr.de> From: hosken@c31.rb.op.dlr.de (Paul Hosken) Subject: Status of Chips I recently tried to buy _Chips from the Choc. Fireball_ in both the UK and Germany, and in both cases was told that it's been deleted. Since then I've been told that it was included on some shop's new release list. Does anyone know if this CD is planned to be rereleased in Europe, and what's it's status in the US, is it readily available? Cheers, Paul
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v02130500af08f1bf87f0@[134.32.48.186]> Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 10:03:39 +0000 From: varga@ferndown.ate.slb.com (Stephen Varga) Subject: That Thing They Do The new Tom Hanks film (Well, new to us Brits, anyway) That Thing They Do is being released nationwide in the UK this Friday (24 Jan). I understand that in the US, this film was released about 3 months ago. What I want to know is this: Andy Partridge was asked to submit some musical scores for the film. I understand amongst the material he provided was a new Beatlesque version (circa 1964) of "My Train Is Coming" Was this or any of Andy's material used in the film or was it all rejected outright? Stephen Varga
------------------------------ Date: 20 Jan 97 09:32:00 GMT From: david.mcguinness@bbc.co.uk (David McGuinness) Subject: Songs per Album, continued Message-Id: <"<F289E33281821573>F289E33281821573@GW.BBC"@-SMF-> Hi there hill-dwellers. As a footnote to the songs-per-album discussion in #3-68, I was talking to an acquaintance the other day (not saying who) who's just got a 6 album deal with Sony. When I'd stopped seething with jealousy, he told me he was now going to have to write 25 songs for the first album. As he's quite new to writing songs, this had come as a bit of surprise. The reason for the vast number (according to Sony) is that there's 4 tracks on a CD single (or rip-off collection of 2 CD singles of the same song). So if there's 4 singles from the album, that's 16 songs before you even start filling up the rest of it. Presumably that's where all Andy's demos will end up. Much as before really. Just time for a quick recommendation of Peter Blegvad's 'Just Woke Up'. AP only contributes to one track, but this album is ... splendid. So there. Bye for now David McGuinness "ay ay ay" (Meccanic Dancing)
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v02130502af09064141a2@[134.32.48.177]> Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 11:33:43 +0000 From: varga@ferndown.ate.slb.com (Stephen Varga) Subject: Re: Nonsuch References In Chalkhills #3-68, David Goody wrote: > >There is a whole area around Epsom which contains many roads named Nonsuch >Way, Nonsuch Place etc., and there are at least 50 houses around the UK >named Nonsuch. About 2 years ago I spotted a tin of Nonsuch toffees in Makro. Perhaps these are manufactured by Walkers Nonsuch? My biggest regret was not buying them especially as the design in the tin was a combination of red and gold colours. Anyone else seen these? Stephen Varga
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v03007802af092f4952bd@[207.77.26.168]> Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 09:26:18 -0500 From: Ira Lieman <ira@myself.com> Subject: From the Forthcoming album "NONSUCH" Jeff Smelser exclaimed: >I just got back from the reca-stoe where I purchased something I've >never seen before. It's called,"Radios in Motion a history of XTC. >It's got The Balled of Peter Pumpkinhead (edit), The Mayor of >Simpleton, King for a day, Dear God, Grass, Love an a Farmboys Wages, >Senses Working Overtime and Making Plans for Nigel. On the inside, >it says,"From the forthcoming album NONSUCH," PRO-CD-4397. > >Is this something rare? I never knew it existed until today. Well i think that's the album that I played on the air when I worked at my college radio station. I remembered the song "Dear God" from the mid '80s, so I decided to play it and "Mayor of Simpleton" which I liked but didn't know of XTC at that time. So I played those songs and that next weekend went out and bought Skylarking. And the rest is history! Thanks for finding it Jeff...do they have any more there? -ira Ira Lieman - ira@myself.com - http://www.intercall.com/~aym "Awaken you dreamers, asleep at your desks!" - A. Partridge
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 23:19:18 +0900 (JST) Message-Id: <199701201419.XAA25621@japan.co.jp> From: mikewix@japan.co.jp (Michael Wicks) Subject: The Go2 Club Hello again! As I'm rummaging through my videos, demos, interviews etc., I'm listening to some early XTC...just today I was riding on the train, with Go2/Xtc Explode in my ears (I made a tape that has both the Go 2 songs, Go +, and their "companion" dubs from Take Away/ The Lure of Salvage. Now, I've listened to this tape about 10 times the past few years, but today it just seemed fresh and , dare I say it, quite enjoyable! Especially Colin's songs....Crowded Room absolutely kicks, as does The Rhythm...You'd have to agree that this is one of Terry's finest moments...and Andy's songs , like Red/Beatown show that during that period , indeed, XTC did 'NRG! So, what I want to know is, has anyone out there had a total 180 degree turn around about a particular song/album/CD ; one that when they first heard it, they found it to be weak, either musically or lyrically, but that suddenly one day the damn songs actually come together and make sense? (Although I'm not sure if what I wrote above makes sense! Sorry!) Anyways, I fall down on my knees to the mercy of my fellow Chalkhillians and admit that, yes, I like Go2! Now, can I be in the Go 2 club? Thanks! BTW, here in Japan, on the NHK educational channel 12, on the weekends, they televise some of the Go games and offer instruction on how to play. Though it looks like Othello, it's pretty different. I don't know how to play, but have learned a few moves from it. Personally, though, I'd rather play Shogi, which is the japanese form of Chess. But I've already rambled enough! Bye - Bye!! Mike
------------------------------ From: Stewart Evans <stewart@bigmon.boulder.co.us> Subject: The Planets & The Vapors Date: Sun, 19 Jan 1997 19:28:37 -0700 (MST) Message-ID: <9701191930.aa25881@bigmon.boulder.co.us> Speaking of the Vapors and Bruce Foxton, rumor was shortly after the Jam broke up that Bruce was gonna form a band with David Fenton, frontman for the by-then-also-defunct Vapors. Supposedly the idea died because Foxton was only able to get a solo recording deal; nobody was interested in a new band. Pity...I've always thought Fenton was a very good songwriter, and certainly a better lead singer than Foxton. -- Stewart
------------------------------
From: jason.phelan@mcmail.vanderbilt.edu
Date: Mon, 20 Jan 97 10:18:23 CST
Message-Id: <9700208537.AA853784147@in2.mcmail.vanderbilt.edu>
Subject: Hey Mitch or Anybody who might know...
Hey Chalk-bore-ds,
Is there any chance of finding out a Snail mail or e-mail address to
XTC's Management or some address where a letter or e-mail might get
even close to any of the members of XTC?
I would really like to find out if Possible. Some people think it's a
long shot but I have had pretty good luck getting through to others
that I admire in the field of Art and Entertaiment.
Just wondering, wandering,
Jason Phelan
- Henceforth, as there are too many Jasons on this list, known only as
Phelan
------------------------------ From: McGREGOC <McGREGOC@regents.ac.uk> Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 18:30:34 +00 Subject: Reign of Blows (jab...bam!) Message-ID: <65F11E7833@asdf011.regents.ac.uk> Hello, >>Right. You. Outside. Now! Nooooo Way! Its cold out there! Right here, right now! Jab, jabjab. Come on (she says jumping around with her dukes up)! Jab, combination jab. shuffle. Okay I'm tired. Have a cup of tea and calm down Mr. Simon UK. >> Drummer is male. Ohhhhh, token male, I see. I'm teasing with you Simon. I can only say I've heard the one song so perhaps I should listen to some other songs before I jump all over them. It was just fresh in my mind from seeing them on t.v. >>I don't see any "Go-Go's" or "Bangles " connnetion...bands predominantly female. I had mentioned them because of the "girl" factor trying to illustrate my point of girl bands. These two are the ones that I REALLY didn't like in my youth. I thought they gave girls a bad rep for looking silly while trying to be a rock band. (careful Mcgregor, going to cause a frenzy with that statement) >>Nut Saw them as the opening act for the Heads. She gave me a headache! She frightened me too! Fiesty one aren't you?! On ward, Dave Gershman: >>Okay, enough! No more bashing the Bangles. >> Boy oh boy. People hear a couple of songs and they think they know a group. Jab. Hey! I happen to have All Over the Place by the Bangles and I'm sorry to report that even though I TRIED it still did nothing to change my opinion of them. I forced myself to listen to it numerous times only to be totally bored by the whole thing. Sorry. Shesh! And really is possible to shimmy while playing the guitar?! Can you do it? Next, What I'll say here is: it isn't Women in general in the music industry that I have a problem with, its more to do with the girl bands. I love Kate Bush, Jill Sobule, Sara Mclauglin, Tori Amos, and I'm sure there are others. Its just these supposed "girl bands" that get my goat. But other have pointed out bands/ musicians I forgot about such as Hole, Breeders, Shelia E. (how could I have forgotten her, I had the tape! She is an excellent musician). I wish I understood it more myself this........dislike. I guess I'm rather selective in my dislike. Its these bands like the Go-Go's and Bangles (sorry Dave!) Hole- Haven't heard much of their stuff but, yes they do have an edge. Of the other bands mentioned, I haven't listened much to either, they just haven't captured my interest. I better put some XTC stuff in here . Allan mentioned the Eastenders and Tony's jacket. I missed that! That must have been on Thursday when I missed an episode. Damn! >>yes, they've broken up, so chill What?! uh, no, XTC are STILL together and about to make more sweet music for our listening enjoyment. I thougth that was the case when I first got into them but luckliy that is not how it is. >>But then I still like Alanis, so sue me. Okay, get your solicitors ready! Your tastes in music is contributing to the perversion of good music. Can't have that. Its trumatizing me! (joke, ha, ha) Alright, round one is over so thus ends a violent and confusing post from yours truly, Cheryl
------------------------------ Message-Id: <2.2.32.19970120190736.006dcdc4@online.no> Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 20:07:36 +0100 From: Karl Harald <karloe@online.no> Subject: Review of new ones If anyone would give me a review of the new demos I'd really love it, Someone on this list is tapeing them for me, but to keep the waiting shorter and to hear what others think of each of the new ones would ease the pain. Please e-mail me in case! also! Is it only in Norway that Factory showroom (tmbg) hasn't come out yet,aaarrghh! Song of the day:The Somnambulist
------------------------------ Message-Id: <2.2.32.19970120193313.0069db64@popmail.dircon.co.uk> Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 19:33:13 +0000 From: Simon Sleightholm <nonsuch@dircon.co.uk> Subject: Quickie Can any one help me? I'm looking for a picture of John Leckie. I have a scanner, but if anyone knows where I can get a web-ready image from I'd be gibberingly grateful. Simon +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+-- http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~nonsuch/bungalow.htm +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+-- XTC - This Is Pop?
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 14:17:45 -0700 From: loughman@air.atmo.arizona.edu (Rob Loughman) Message-Id: <9701202117.AA11635@air.atmo.arizona.edu> Subject: an alternate viewpoint On the subject of CD length: I don't understand all of the griping about the movement towards longer & longer CD's. This is one of the few things that record companies do that I appreciate. If I don't like a particular song, I skip it. If I don't like the running order, I rearrange it (do they even make CD players that can't be programmed thusly?). I certainly prefer this modicum of effort to the prospect of buying a 45-minute CD, then buying each single in turn to get that extra track or two that could easily have fit on the original CD. And I disagree that the deleted tracks are necessarily the "inferior" ones whose inclusion would've reduced the impact of the CD. That track that gets cut to shorten the disc or preserve its continuity might have become a favorite for someone out there. Just look at all of the great ones that were relegated to B-side status until CD's (& Rag and Bone Buffet) came along. And remember that some of these tracks were cut for reasons that have precious little to do with art. Yes, the La's made a wonderful debut album of LP length, but who knows how many great songs might've been cut to keep the album at some arbitrary length? Give me a grab bag every time; I'll decide what I like & what I don't. Rob Loughman
------------------------------ Message-ID: <c=US%a=_%p=AETNA%l=AETNA/AETNA/002E15A9@aetna.aetna.com> From: "Witter, Karl F" <witterkf@aetna.com> Subject: The history of music recording, that's all Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 16:25:00 -0500 >[Dave Gershman]"The average (vinyl) album had 10-12 songs, and folks were >quite happy with that...Musicians [or] record companies" maybe pressured >from the fans, "feel like they have to fill all that space [on a CD]... >The music industry unnecessarily charges WAY too much for CDs...but I'd >prefer 10 excellent songs...[just] the best of the bunch...No sense filling >it up just for the sake of it. Of course...how many "filler" songs have XTC >put out? (Don't answer that...it's rhetorical.)" >[Keith Hanlon] I can't tell you how sick I am of LONG compact discs >(anything over 50 minutes)...Very few artists (IMO) can deliver a 75 >minute MASTERPIECE. XTC, on the other hand, made a masterpiece with >Skylarking, clocking in at 45:48 (if you have the one with Mermaid Smiled). >...I'd rather have 2 albums that are XTC's definitive statements, rather >than "here's all the stuff we've written in the last 5 years." >[Josh] While an album full of songs that are very diverse stylistically can >achieve great "flow" and feel to it, more often than not it ends up sounding >choppy and meandering around more or less randomly. (Pardon my rearranging.) The 10-song tradition is a holdover from the days when an album was really an album, of 5 2-song 78s in a book. (Way before my time--just passing history. Correct my facts as needed.) With the invention of the LP 50+ years ago they just put them all on one record. I think the content limits of 10 78s was roughly equal to one LP at the time. Thanks to the technology of the CD we literally don't know how long a recording is "supposed" to be now--am I the only one to notice how both XTC double albums are shorter than Nonsuch? (Don't answer that either.) I concur with Keith about time, especially (but he didn't mention it) per song. Strange to talk about Skylarking being a "short CD" cos it's a rather long LP, no? (Being my favorite too, it doesn't seem that long.) But its 14 songs average <3?' each. I'd much rather 14 short songs for 45 minutes than 9-10 longer ones. Acts like Neil Young and Big Country often go the latter route but that typically doesn't serve Andy's or Colin's songwriting best IMO. I'm starting to favor the unified feel theory :-), either sonically or emotionally. That's given us English Settlement and Skylarking (respectively), after all. Nonsuch's songs are often great but the sum is a bit non-cohesive, somewhat kitchen-sinky (Hey, is that a word?), and its length is part of that, plus the mixed sonics. I'd like the new one to be a bit more cohesive one way or another, and the songs that don't fit can go on CD maxi-singles. While we're on the subject, XTC always has a boffo finishing song on their albums. Any opinions on what people would like to see at the end of a new XTC CD? (No, "Another CD" doesn't count.) >[David Goody] I present a show on Thameside Hospital Radio, which provides >a service to 2000 beds in Southend General Hospital. I'm reminded of the old saw about a TV show being cancelled due to low Neilsen ratings. "Wait!" the producer says, "that totally ignores our huge non-traditional numbers. Everyone knows Nielsens only rate *households*, but we're very popular in pubs and prisons!" ;-) >>[Simon Knight] Closer inspection revealed a new brand >>of aftershave named after our Swindonians...with matching deodorant. >Hmmm. Let's see, already this year we have found an official XTC soft drink >and official XTC aftershave. What's next? Andy has also mentioned the namesake "Dutch cap". I've found the accompanying, em, lubricity agent in a store, but buying and keeping it as a "collector's item" may not pass muster in this household. "That's nice, dear. We can put it in the china closet for all our friends to see!" I whiled away the hours, Karl Blasting Nonsuch while doing dishes yesterday, in my mock-intellectual tone I said "This isn't actually about a crocodile. Andy is using a literary device known as metaphor" to my fiancee. A bit later she heard Omnibus loud and for probably the first time genuinely paid real attention. "Hey! 'Flag unfurl!' Does he mean..." and I nodded my head. She appreciated that; Mr. P's influence is making a bit of headway here.
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01540b02af09c267f20c@[139.80.228.167]> Date: Tue, 21 Jan 1997 11:53:00 +1100 From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James Dignan) Subject: demographics (argh!) & Steve L >>Yow! Aren't you generalizing here... just a LITTLE BIT? << >Not really. I imagine that if you were to poll most users of this list, >you would find that the demographics fall into two camps.... the early >listeners (people like me, approaching 40, who discovered the band in the >70's when they were still touring), and the later listeners (younger, >discovered the band after a disenchantment with so-called "alternative" >radio, who turned to college radio, or began experimenting with new >material that was not getting air play). The early listeners, like me, >will probably list "Black Sea" as their favorite XTC album (except in my >case, where I will list "D&W" and "Skylarking" as my two faves) because >that's the one that grabbed them. And I will maintain that Lillywhite was >CRITICAL to the essense of that (incredible) album.< Now hooold the bus young feller... I got hooked to XTC after hearing "Are you receiving me?" I'm sure I'm not the only one - otherwise there'd be no-one who's liked the band from day one, or who lists White Music of Go2 among the band's finest (BTW, my favourites are ES and Skylarking). I realise you said *most* not *all*, but I think it's too broad a generalisation. Most of this list are in the US, where XTC would have been unknown until at least their third album - isn't that a far more likely reason that so many people on the list 'found' the band at that stage? I dare say that if you were to poll just the British list members, you might get a different distribution of "first heard", "first bought" and "favourite". (that might make an interesting poll, but No, I am NOT willing to do it!) James
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Message-ID: <32E3BDCF.1C18@ou.edu>
Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 18:47:43 +0000
From: Heather Tinkler <bluecanary@ou.edu>
Organization: The University of Oklahoma
Subject: Love on a Farmboys Wages..
Well, all..
I'm moved on from TBE to Nonsuch.. and so far it's my favorite..
for now.
I was wondering about Love on a Farmboys Wages...
Does the "love" mentioned here possibly represent a child?
It kinda makes sense.. How can we feed love on a farmboy's wages?
Anyway, just a thought.. forgive me if it has been already addressed...
Heather
"She will remember your heart when men are fairytales, and books written
by rabbits..." _Shmendrick the magician from "The Last Unicorn"
" Thats good..go and love some more.." Maude from "Harold and Maude"
------------------------------ From: Jdmack01@aol.com Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 21:26:21 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: <970120203338_72852437@emout07.mail.aol.com> Subject: I thought I spoke English! . . . . . . But I don't; I speak American English, which I'm sure we all know has quite a few differences from standard English. Anyway . . . I was reading the Andy Partridge interview in the January issue of Record Collector magazine, when I came across this paragraph: "Most people think we've split up. We never used to appear in those coffee-table rock books. But now we're starting to. But we've been doing our British Leyland bit, with our Chad Valley junior miner's kit. We'll have to grow our hair in more of a Scargillian manner. I'll have some of Colin's overflow." Can someone explain all of the proper nouns in this quote (save for Colin)? Thanks in advance for the chance to exapnd my cultural knowledge! J.D.
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #3-70 ******************************
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