Chalkhills Digest Volume 3, Issue 83
Date: Sunday, 16 February 1997
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 3, Number 83
Sunday, 16 February 1997
Today's Topics:
Whoa......
"And Pigs Like Sondheim"
Minor League XTC Fan Posts!
Rundgren Interview
Young Nigel says," bloop bloop bloop."
Robyn and XTC
Happy Valentine's Day, guys ans gals.
Questions & signing
set phases on stun
Yazbek interview
I am sure
Re: Punks
About Erich Walthers question
Prefab Sprout
Chalkies Originals Mea Culpa
XTC & Steely Dan
re: weird al covers
I C XTC N Q
Oranges & Confusion
Terraced houses and one abused Bungalow.
Chalkhills Shirts
after lurking long, my levee breaks
and the winner is...
Here to ramble
Please inser boot disk
Administrivia:
Folks, let's keep this discussion on topic. XTC. Remember your manners.
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There is no muscle in our tongues.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 13 Feb 1997 11:19:25 -0600 (CST) From: AMANDA OWENS <ACOEA@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Subject: Whoa...... Message-id: <01IFD5VO6HK28X1N8X@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> A great big sticky thank you to everyone who em'd me b-day wishes! And now, onto the XTC stuff............ So how much longer does everyone think it's going to take for the next album to come out? I'm guessing......by the time I gradute from college. (That would be 2000.) (Uh hello, since when do we gradute? IT'S GRADUATE! Boy do I hate computers w/o spell checkers for those of us who type at lightning speed.) Later, Amanda MORE TAGLINES..... Never confuse knowledge with intelligence. Fanaticism consists of redoubling your efforts when you have forgotten your aim. Alimony is having to say you're sorry once a month. If sanity were dollars, I'd be bankrupt. I hate taglines. Laws are like bones-made to be broken.
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 13 Feb 1997 15:27:34 -0600 (CST) Message-Id: <1.5.4.16.19970213152726.1af799fa@mail.utexas.edu> From: "Jason \"Freak\" Garcia" <h.h.name@mail.utexas.edu> Subject: "And Pigs Like Sondheim" Hola. Simple query: what the hell is Andy singing over the end chorus of "Cynical Days"? The first part of it kind of sounds like "a year's gone by" but the next part...well that's anyone's guess. I've owned the CD for some time and still haven't been able to decipher this part. Someone care to enlighten? Thanks a million (?), Jason
------------------------------ From: RJCHRISTEN@aol.com Date: Thu, 13 Feb 1997 22:01:41 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: <970213220138_-872378448@emout10.mail.aol.com> Subject: Minor League XTC Fan Posts! Hello Chalkhillers! My name is R.J. Christensen, I'm from Atlanta GA, USA (where they had some sort of big sporting event last summer) and I've been an XTC fan since see "Senses Working Overtime" on a 2 hour long music video program on a Tulsa cable station waaaaay back in 1982, months before MTV was let loose on an unsuspecting worl. Actually, I became a real fan as a College DJ at Goergia Southern University's WVGS (http://www.cs.gasou.edu/wvgs/index.htm) with "Black Sea" and the Dukes of Stratosphear's "25o'clock", which I had no idea was XTC, but loved it anyway. In fact, "Chips from the Chocolate Fireball" is my favorite CD--ever! I just have not made the jump from avid listener to die hard collector, hence the "monor leaguer" moniker.. A couple of Comments on past Posts: Andy P. in the "Dear God" video & Mark David Chapman: Let's see; bespecticled, pudgy-faced white male with thinning hair and psychotically menacing glance-- I guess they do look kind of similar-- but sans beard--so do I !! The XTC "Sound": After listening to all my XTC/Dukes disks, I would describe it as Bouncing rhythm, off-kilter vocals, and whimscal, pun-filled lyrical observations accented with a crazed palette of oddly effervescent sounds, all mixed in a frantically fun manner that breaks every rules of 'pop music'. Can you tell I also wrote music reviews in college? Long vs Short Albums: Not having a monster multidisk CD changer I like the longer length CDs like "Chips..." "Nonsvch" , "O&L", or "English Settlement" due to the fact I don't have to get up to change the disk. Sure, I could program the player to play only the choice cuts, but I really do not dislike any XTC tunes enough to warrent such a move. The disadvantage is it's hard to tape (for folks who have no idea what XTC is). Well, thanks to Chalkhills, I'm off to REAL Music store to look for B-sides, collections, and those bio books.... RJ Christensen
------------------------------ Date: 14 FEB 97 14:52:52 DST From: PCulnane@dca.gov.au Subject: Rundgren Interview Message-ID: <0000wwiucqce.0000vffvttbn@dca.gov.au> An edited transcript of Goldmine Magazine's absorbing March '96 article/interview on Todd Rundgren can now be accessed thru the Goldmine Online site. Among many things, the Runt discusses the Skylarking project. Go to: http://www.krause.com/goldmine/is_409/cvrstry/cvrstry.htm p@ul-of-oz
------------------------------
Message-ID: <3303AEFF.6DFE@ou.edu>
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 00:17:03 +0000
From: Heather Tinkler <bluecanary@ou.edu>
Organization: The University of Oklahoma
Subject: Young Nigel says," bloop bloop bloop."
Just thought I would give all you Donkey Shakers a reason to be proud
of me...
There is a new addition to my family of a cat, a hedgehog, and a
hamster (Spinnst, Max, and Harold respectively) I have a goldfish!
He is a red oranda, and his name is
Nigel!
He was sick, so he wasn't happy, but he is happy now, and wanted
me to pass the word along.
Has anyone else named their pets from anything XTCish.. or other
favorite bandish?
I bought that Prefab Sprouts album since the quote "hot dog,
jumping frog..." piqued my curiosity. I like them pretty well! You
guys have great taste in music! O;)
Simon.. I really liked your web page and your XTC story is
inspiring. Your friends baby is the absolute cutest ever!!!
Anyways.. all for now
heather
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 07:21:58 -0500 (EST)
Message-Id: <199702141221.HAA08748@tacitus.globecomm.net>
From: Greg Brady <shadow@mad.scientist.com>
Subject: Robyn and XTC
Talking about those crazy Duke boys:
>> "Jackie" - very Syd Barrett (again) to my ears
>
>Yeah, very Syd. More his solo stuff, like "Octopus" rather than
>anything off of _Piper_. Which reminds me, does anyone else think that
>some collaboration with Robyn Hitchcock and XTC would just absolutely
>kick? To hear Robyn and Andy collaborate, well, it'd be Lennon and
>McCartney and Syd Barrett all in one, now, wouldn't it? Just a thought.
I had the pleasure recently of hearing some solo Hitchcock. The
album was _Moss Elixir_. I definitely hear Lennon/McCartney musically
present in his work. As to Syd, well, if you read the liners to _Moss_ then
I guess you could see *that* applying also.
"I'm a leaf on a windy day, pretty soon
I'll be blown away..." Brian Wilson,"Til I Die"
"If you were ever happy all the time, you wouldn't
be human,you'd be a game show host." _Heathers_
shadow@mad.scientist.com
Add some music to your day.............
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 09:37:24 -0600 (CST) From: AMANDA OWENS <ACOEA@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Subject: Happy Valentine's Day, guys ans gals. Message-id: <01IFEGOGBEY28X065Y@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Mine's gonna be spent talking long hours on the phone with my b-friend, trying to patch things up. (I'm surprised we've lasted as long as we have. We're like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver.....James Carville and Mary Matalin....in other words, he's the Democrat, I'm the Republican, so we argue a lot about tiny things. But he's cool, I"m cool, it's all good and fine.) I wonder if Colin and Carol Moulding get all sappy and sentimental for VD? Later, Amanda Remember, VD sucks when you're all alone.
------------------------------ Message-Id: <01BC1A80.58453D40@ttruner.cs.mci.com> From: Trent Turner <trent.turner@mci.com> Subject: Questions & signing Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 14:06:56 -0700 From: "Peter Fitzpatrick" <Beatle@msn.com> Here's a couple of questions . . . . . . . if you were to meet Andy in an interview-type situation what would be the three questions you'd like to ask him ? tt> What are your favorite books? What are your muses like? When will you grow up and why not? also : if you hoped he would sign two items for you - what would they be ? tt> Any one of my CD liners My forehead backwards, so I could see it every morning while I shave! * Peter Thanks, Trent Turner 800-427-0783 voice, fax, page Is this a great time, or what? ;-)
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199702142117.PAA04064@mamba.arlut.utexas.edu> Subject: set phases on stun Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 15:17:30 -0600 (CST) From: "Stuart McDow" <smcdow@arlut.utexas.edu> Here's how I see XTC's phases: 1. White Music, Go2. - The Early, Formative Years. 2. Drums and Wires, Black Sea, English Settlement - the Gospel According to XTC. Rising towards deification. 3. Mummer, The Big Express - uncertainty and insecurity after the fall. 4. Dukes, Skylarking - letting go of the past and letting redefinition happen 5. Oranges and Lemons - gaining their rightful postition as Pop Gods, except watch out for.... 6. Nonsuch - The simmering lable war finally erupts. This could have been a classic with the right support. 7. DeVirginized. Who knows? If I had a million dollars, I'd give it all to them. Their new lable should. They deserve it. The new demos are extremely good, and the new albums could put them back on the map. No one knows this yet besides us on the list, but XTC is the most important force in pop music since the BeatLess. With any luck, they'll soon be found out. -- Stuart McDow Applied Research Laboratories smcdow@arlut.utexas.edu The University of Texas at Austin
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 13:59:42 -0800 (PST) Message-Id: <199702142159.NAA04596@f22.hotmail.com> From: "Ben Gott" <xtcfan@hotmail.com> Subject: Yazbek interview Chalkhfolk, The interview I conducted with David Yazbek is on my web page: http://www.wp.com/58596/interview.html. Enjoy! -Ben * ------------------------------------------- Ben Gott http://www.wp.com/58596 The Hotchkiss School
------------------------------
From: jason.phelan@mcmail.vanderbilt.edu
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 97 15:55:30 CST
Message-Id: <9701148559.AA855964020@in2.mcmail.vanderbilt.edu>
Subject: I am sure
Hello fellow AMANDA-hillians,
I am sure and willing to bet that this post of Chalkhills will have a
LENGTHY reply from AMANDEAR about the person who wrote the "Is AMANDA
on speed" post.
As I am sure that the next post will have a reply from her about this
post.
See how UTTERLY PREDICTABLE this has become.
We really need some new material. But now I am the classic
Doctor/Magician....
You know, the one whose patients had vanished.
Love and whatever,
Phelan
P.S. - I would have strung a friggin page's worth of useless quotes at
the end of this post but YOU-KNOW-WHO has used them all.
(Boy, what a grump, and on Valentine's Day and all. Oh if only " I'm
the Man who Murdered Love" wasn't just a song.)
Stay tuned for the back and forths defending/dismissing AMANDA to
begin. I hope you all make me eat my words but I am sure to go hungry
yet again.
------------------------------ Message-Id: <l03010d08af2a8518ac3d@[199.171.191.27]> Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 14:21:09 -0700 From: Eb <gondola@deltanet.com> Subject: Re: Punks >From: Erich Walther <enrico@fox.nstn.ca> > >I'm currently teaching a music class for 'underprivaleged' (read punks) >adolescents at the local Boys and Girls club. Well, thank God you're not teaching spelling...heh heh. :) Eb
------------------------------ Message-ID: <3304E713.5725@swipnet.se> Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 23:28:35 +0100 From: Ulrika & Magnus Fredholm <fredholm@swipnet.se> Subject: About Erich Walthers question Erich Walther <enrico@fox.nstn.ca> wondered what xtc music to play to "young punks", as he put it. Well Eric, here's what u do: Give them "Take away the lure of salvage" and every xtc record pre english settlement. Then u offer a reward (a big one!) to the "punk" who actually manages to identify all the tracks on "Take away...". Maybe a chalkie will claim the reward? Could be something fun to do on a long winter night... Dance with me, germany magnus
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 17:35:37 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <v01510100af2a4d2e637b@[128.230.1.159]> From: pebrantl@mailbox.syr.edu (Paul Brantley) Subject: Prefab Sprout If you are looking for more unusually elegant and evolved pop-music that has somehow slipped through the pop-cultural cracks, listen to PREFAB SPROUT. Thanks to other Chalkhillian mentions, I came to know this group only this past year -- a group who made their last album in 1990. The music definately springs from the 1980's, but wasn't that the time when you could be truly alternative and sophisitcated at the same time? Aside from their name, their only other liability is their tendency to begin their albums with particularly light-weight songs -- don't be fooled. If you are a Stephen Duffy/Lilac Time fan, but wish that their songwriting was a little more consistent and varied, you will probably dig Prefab Sprout. Two Wheels Good might indeed be one of the best albums of the 80's, and well Jordan: the Comeback might simply be one of the best ever. Apparently, From Langley Park to Memphis was difficult to make for some reason and is indeed kind of inconsistent -- but it has some of their best moments. Their debut, Swoon, is appropriately talented, enthusiastic and naive. Does anyone know where to locate Protest Songs?
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199702142254.RAA26338@ngw2.hns.com> From: Fritz Stolzenbach/HNS <Fritz_Stolzenbach@notesgw.hns.com> Date: 14 Feb 97 17:53:30 EST Subject: Chalkies Originals Mea Culpa Folks: No, I haven't forgotten about the Chalkhills originals tape!! Yes, I am sorry I've missed the (gulp) Christmas deadline I'd set for myself! But (he said, catching his breath), the good news is that the compilation is done! All except for one song, that is, which I enjoyed so much I played the tape in my car and promptly lost it. Aaaaaarrrggghhh! I don't remember who the auteur was, either, save for the fact that he was from Scotland and the bridge went: "Show some respect, don't take it so slowly. Three hours hence, oh-oh-oh, you'll have nothing to show. Oh-oh." Or something like that. Anyway, I really liked it. So I've been holding up the tape in the hopes that it (the only tune I have left to include on the comp) would reappear. I am afraid, however, that it's lost. So, would the artist mind e-mailing me to tell me where it is? No, wait, that doesn't make any sense... would the author e-mail me to let me know he's mailing another copy or to give me permission to proceed without him (though I'd hate to do that -- it really is a charming tune, and whoever it is has a wonderful voice -- sort of Roddy Frame-like)? Again, folks, I'm sorry. Work has also been insane lately, but that's a lame-a** excuse. Couple of other notes, while I'm up: three cheers for Ms. Becki DiGregorio! And furthermore, you should al check out a short-lived band from the sixties called "The Left Banke." Their big hit was "Walk Away Renee," but -- Good Lord -- they've got a bunch of unheard pop masterpieces as well. I think their one compilation album is out on Rhino. Other good new (old) stuff: Nick Drake -- a great compilation on Hannibal records. Buy it! Cheers -- -- FS
------------------------------ Message-ID: <33051DFA.F5@sprintmail.com> Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 18:22:50 -0800 From: Stormy Monday <stormymonday@sprintmail.com> Subject: XTC & Steely Dan Folxtc, Whenever XTC and Steely Dan are mentioned in the same breath, I take notice. >It was "King For A Day", with Colin doing his best Steely Dan meets >Tony Bennet! I also here some "Tears For Fears" in this song. "The World Is Full Of Angry Young Men" sounds like something off of "Katy Lied". For me, there's The Beatles, XTC, Steely Dan, and then everyone else. Mike
------------------------------
From: HENTOE@aol.com
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 1997 03:33:55 -0500 (EST)
Message-ID: <970214194547_1049443157@emout18.mail.aol.com>
Subject: re: weird al covers
Okay--I normally just observe from afar, but amanda's list of possible weird
al covers of XTC songs could not be ignored:
"punching hootie" is the funniest thing i have ever heard--someone needs to
talk to weird al right away--this MUST be done!!!!
kate
oh, yeah, I don't mean to sound extremely dumb, nut what DOES it mean when
you guys write BTW and then a question?
------------------------------
From: nihilon@crisscross.com
Message-Id: <v03007800af2bc58e7c0f@[202.217.215.225]>
Subject: I C XTC N Q
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 1997 20:16:17 +0800
Good evening,
Just picked up the latest "Q" magazine here, and thought you might like to
see the XTC content.
In the quotes section we have the following :
"E-Bow letter? E-Bow Shite. R.E.M. can't shit without it being held up as a
holy relic. I've heard Stipe wants to work with me."
XTC's Andy Partridge, speaking from the dole office.
In the reviews, we get a review of the Geffen import version of Nonsuch.
XTC
Nonsuch
Geffen GEFD-24474
Their last album to date and the one no-one remembers. Nonsuch (named,
aptly, after a vanished Elizabethan palace) is very much malt XTC, a fine
blend of all their various styles matured to an extraordinary refinement.
So no hits then, but 17 excellent songs, a couple of their best singles
(The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinnhead, covered by Crash Test Dummies, and the
lovely The Disappointed) and a brilliant sense of three men living in
Swindon making music very much for themselves. Dear Madam Barnum finds
Andy Partridge lyrical and polite in his pissed-offness while Holly Up On
Poppy proves that you can write songs about your children and not look a
total gurning jackass and Crocodile reminds the listener that this is the
same XTC who made Drums and Wires. Nonsuch was made in 1992; perhaps now
that half a decade has now elapsed, they might make a new album?
**** (four stars)
David Quantick (reviewer)
And , once more in the review of the Ben Folds Five album.
"Good news for all those smitten by the North Carolina trio's debut; this
follow up is even better. Not since the early days of XTC has so much
joyful tunefulness, pent-up energy and clever wordplay been combined to
such irresistable effect."
Ian Cranna (reviewer)
Thought you might all like to see some words of praise for the boys from an
English magazine.
with regards from the mire,
Steve (MGV)
*----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Don't ask me how I feel - I might really tell you!
(Terry Scott Taylor)
*----------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 15 Feb 1997 05:08:04 -0800 (PST) Message-Id: <199702151308.FAA28920@f17.hotmail.com> From: "Ben Gott" <xtcfan@hotmail.com> Subject: Oranges & Confusion OK...In answer to my O&L trivia question...It seems like Ed Thacker had some fun during the mixing stages, because the times for "Hold Me My Daddy," "Pink Thing," and "Miniature Sun" are 3:47, 3:48, and 3:49, respectively. Hmmm. -Ben In my CD player: Steve Reich - The Four Sections * ------------------------------------------- Ben Gott http://www.wp.com/58596 The Hotchkiss School
------------------------------ Message-ID: <3305BF62.3F6@virgin.net> Date: Sat, 15 Feb 1997 13:51:30 +0000 From: peter.wright2@virgin.net (peter.wright2@virgin.net) Subject: Terraced houses and one abused Bungalow. Chalks, In response to David Pardues querie about terraced houses in #82. No, they are not council flats. Council flats are basically apartments in , usually , large estates or tower blocks . Terraced houses are a long row of houses that are connected to each other. ie no spaces or 'alleys' between them. It is essentially one long building that goes the whole length of the street and is partitioned by dozens of 'party' walls that are usually too thin and you share the entire life experiences of your immediate neighbours ! Strangely, in some of the older terraces, the party walls only go up as far as the top floor ceiling which means the loft spaces are actually shared with the whole street ! You can take an indoor stroll above your neighbours on your side of the street. This has resulted in the occasional newspaper article detailing one householder drilling a small spyhole into the ceiling of an attractive neighbours bedroom or bathroom ! I can't imagine why ! Nowadays, these older terraces are, coincidentally, mostly owned by the local councils as they are now a less desirable type of dwelling and are mostly the home of that great old British backbone, the 'working class'. While on the subject of bricks and mortar, why is everybody on such a downer about 'Bungalow' ? I love the song. Its touching, amusing and atmospheric. I always think of it as a second cousin to McCartneys 'When I'm 64'. It proves the old chestnut " one mans meat is another man's poison ". ( Obviously, you veggies out there will observe that meat and poison are one and the same . ) It still puzzles me that people will slag off a song, book, movie etc. and label it rubbish as if theirs is the final say on the subject . It is not. We all have an opinion on everything. Nobodys opinion is better than anyone elses . If Andy Partridge lists his favourite 10 songs and they don't concur with yours, don't head for the gas oven, just accept that his is simply another viewpoint in a very crowded world of viewpoints. Opinion, taste and preferance are unique in each of us . If we all agreed all the time , what a very dull world this would be. Finally, thanks to Cheryl, Dave Gershman and Parrish Wilkinson for their help ., Pete.
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 15 Feb 1997 11:08:18 -0700 (MST) Message-Id: <199702151808.LAA08784@snowden.micron.net> From: philco@micron.net (Phil Corless) Subject: Chalkhills Shirts Due to popular demand, I'll be doing another batch of the Chalkhills t-shirts in March or April. This time around, you can get them in black, dark blue, dark green and the original sage green, all with white ink of course. Anyway, if you are interested, please send me a private email simply stating your interest. Don't tell me how many you want or what sizes.... Not yet anyway. What I'm doing is gathering email addresses so that when I am ready to start taking orders, I will email the information directly to you. I am determined to get this next batch of orders in as quickly as possible. So, let me know if you want to be informed.... Again, I will send out pricing and address info in March or April. Then you'll have a couple of weeks to get a check to me before I go to the shirt shop and place the order. To view the shirt design: http://netnow.micron.net/~philco/chalk.htm - Phil Corless, philco@micron.net
------------------------------
Message-ID: <330607FF.BC0@televar.com>
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 1997 11:01:19 -0800
From: T Lewis <tlewis@televar.com>
Subject: after lurking long, my levee breaks
Dear Chalkies:
From: Martin R Esselink <slinkman@compuserve.com>
>I used my CD-ROM to
>"sample" the first 2 bars of "Love on a Farmboy's Wages", and made it my
>program sound for when I exit windows. (Makes me eager to turn off my
>computer) Anyone else stumbled onto this concept?
Yeah. Several months ago I took the last 11 seconds of "Wake Up" off my
"Big Express" cd, sonically tapered the front and back ends of the
snippet, and replaced the canned Windows opening fanfare with it. Now
when I power up, that billowy, multi-layered angelic chorus of "...wake
up...wake up..." greets me, and always makes me smile. As a matter of
fact, I mentioned it in an email to this forum back then and got a few
requests for the avi file, which I then emailed to the askers. [...and
for something completely different, except in its Anglocentricity, I
took the soprano line "...Remmmemmber meeee...." from Purcell's opera
Dido & Aeneas, and made it the Windows adios music]
This little mention has pried me from my lurker's shell, and as long as
I'm here, I might as well touch on some things. A few of these thoughts
reference months-old threads, so bear with me.
We all probably have a few seminal records in our lives. Our own
personal "Sgt Peppers" that, seen in retrospect, really were pivots that
certain formative chunks of our lives swung on. My three are: (oddly
enough) "Sgt Peppers" and "Uncle Meat" and ..............(big gap
representing the 70's) "Black Sea". Yes, I'm one of the black sea bunch.
Wotta disc. Hadn't heard it in years due to traveling and marriage and
child-rearing (every child should have one). Got the cd recently, and
whammo, was once again struck by its genius. XTC wove such nuance and
hookiness and honesty together to make something that is, still and all,
a great slam-your-head-against-the-wall rock album (thank you, Terry
Chambers). A great summation of where they (and we) were, and where they
were headed. I've been with the boys since the start, first time I heard
Statue of Liberty...my ardour for the whole discography is real, in
spite of the occasional tendency toward studio presciousness in more
recent releases; but BS is the fulcrum of the list.
This leads me to a quickie list of some favorite nuances (one of the
best threads I've seen on CHills...it's often those special, sometimes
courageous little touches that can push an XTC tune over the top to
greatness)...I'll be brief (maybe):
>the drums on Nigel
>the overall snap and freshness and shimmer of Mayor of Simpleton. Clears
>the air.
>the vocals on Radios in Motion (ap's stretching downwards of the word
>"slo-o-o-w" to mimic tape drag is priceless)
>Moulding's playing throughout Oranges and Lemons. Concentrate on the bass
>alone on Simpleton. An ingeniuos line of hooks and near-melodies that,
>complex as they are, never ditract from a simple song's momemtum
>guitar solo on Life Begins at the Hop
>weird percusive thing going on behind All You Pretty Girls
>swirling, patience-trying (yet intoxicating) instrumental break in Jason &
>the Args.
>opening of Snowman (tinkling, yaaarg, scat babbling)
>middle vocals of Snowman ("wipe their feet" bit)
>ending of Snowman, with its angry little bite
>everything about Rocket From a Bottle. I could write a thesis on
>it. Silly/profound lyrics. Accurate summation of love's dizziness in word
>and music. Ap's I'm-losing-my-balance "I,I,I...who-o-oa" chant. Droll,
>unrelenting piano in background. Headlong forward motion. Cracking,
>"Nigel"esque drums. Inspired rising guitar solo. Leading to ap's
>ooooh's. Leading to --surprise-- an unexpected downward modulation (if
>that's the term I want) into the last chorus. More ripping drums, rising
>guitars, leading to (great idea) the Hard Day's Night chord. One Great Pop
>Song, nuance upon nuance, all energy and guts and sweetness.
Okay, I'll stop. But boy, could I go on. Haven't even touched on much of
O&L (Antheap makes my head spin, Chalkhills sends me elsewhere). Or any
of Skylarking (Season Cycle...oh, Mama) or Nonsuch.
Closing note #1:
Best cover in music history: Rueben Blades' take on Man Who Sailed
Around His Soul off Testimonial Dinner (the rest of album is slightly
disappointing, esp. They Might Be Giants)
Closing note #2:
I might point out, to those of you chagrined about the predicted 10-song
total of the next release, that Black Sea (did I mention I'm fond of
it?) had only 11 in its original form (and even many BS fans can't abide
Nihilon). If it's prime, dense XTC, 10 will hold me for a good long
time.
Closing note #3:
I draw a comic strip, "Over the Hedge" that might appear in your local
newspaper. In the one that ran last Sunday, I placed the main characters
(turtle and raccoon) in an abandoned school, and in the opening panel
showed the name of the place as "Partridge Elementary School" in honor
of Our Buddy. It should be viewable at our website:
http://www.unitedmedia.com/comics/hedge/. Soon (perhaps this week, we
work so far ahead, I lose track) I've named a snow-covered playground
Skylark Park.
Personal plug: there's now a "Hedge" collection out (at a bookstore near
you or http://www.amazon.com ), with another due this spring,and
another in the fall.
Thanks to Chalkhills for the connection. And also for the Top Sound
Suggestions of 96: Sugarplastic, Self, and Yazbek. Rekindled my interest
in ears.
Pardon the length. It's back to lurking.
T Lewis
(currently listening to "When the Levee Breaks" by Led Zep, and not a
bit ashamed of it... a majestic slab of music)
--
"...human reason may carry you a
little too far--over the hedge, in fact."
...George Elliot "Middlemarch"
*********************************************
Over the Hedge...in the funnies or:
http://www.unitedmedia.com/comics/hedge/
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 15 Feb 1997 14:54:27 -0600 (CST) Message-Id: <199702152054.OAA10679@mail.utexas.edu> From: "Jason \"Freak\" Garcia" <h.h.name@mail.utexas.edu> Subject: and the winner is... >Punching Hootie (Punch and Judy) That's hi- larious! That's pee-n-yer-pants funny!!! -H. Ross Perot
------------------------------ From: McGREGOC <McGREGOC@regents.ac.uk> Date: Sun, 16 Feb 1997 15:14:11 GMT Subject: Here to ramble Message-ID: <641A2F2D0A@asdf011.regents.ac.uk> Hi there! I found somethings to comment on in the last digest! Simon said: >up 'til now the alternative has been to tape the CDs (in the dead of >night, wearing gloves and a mask)... Oh! Thats too good! I could almost hear the "Mission Impossible" theme playing in the background there! This got me thinking again...when you people tape XTC, do try to get a grand scope of songs from all the cd/tapes you have of theirs or do you sit down and try to figure out just the favorites? I think I remember someone had mentioned taping by themes or grouping the songs by themes. What is your idea of the ultimate compilation by the guys? Has this already been asked I wonder? Until recently my collection has only been of CDs, a 12", and a video. When I would try to come up with a compilation, I, for some reason, had to have songs from each of the albums. Even though I didn't like the first two albums, I always included the few songs I tolerated. I had to have songs that spanned the career of the band. This leads right into the next comment... Steven Hoskins said: >For long time fans, Nonsuch belongs in the Dissappointed pile. Really?! Thats a shame! I'm one of the fans that was hooked by Nonsuch. I do think it fits all together as you had theorized in your post about us late comers. Its neat to see the progression that the band has been through. I think Nonsuch is a wonderful thought out album! It really shows how much the band has changed and how comfortable they are with their musical ability. I don't understand why you feel this is a dissappointment? Can you explain this? Is it because of the change in their music? Is it not what you had expected of the band? Is it too mellow? I'm not trying to flame you here, I'm just baffled that you would think it was a dissappointment. There are not many musicians who can take a subject like a flower and turn it into a beautiful painting of a song! Or tug at your heart-strings such as "Holly Up On Poppy". I don't think all the long time fans feel this way. At least thats the impression I have gotten from the few I have written. Whats the dissappointment here? Okay, and thus ends this ponder session from yours truly, Cheryl
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199702161519.QAA07598@utrecht.knoware.nl> From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl> Organization: The Little Lighthouse Date: Sun, 16 Feb 1997 16:23:22 +0000 Subject: Please inser boot disk Chalkers, I have come across an extra copy of the Extatic bootleg CD #1 ( XTC demos & rehearsals from D&W/BS era ) Alas, the sound quality of the recordings is not very good. These discs are very hard to find so if anyone wants it, he/she should email me right away... ta, Mark Strijbos at The Little Lighthouse http://utopia.knoware.nl/~mmello ===> Mark's Random XTC Quote <=== There is no muscle in our tongues to tell the world what's in our hearts
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #3-83 ******************************
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16 February 1997 / Feedback