Chalkhills Digest Volume 4, Issue 129
Date: Sunday, 23 August 1998

         Chalkhills Digest, Volume 4, Number 129

                  Sunday, 23 August 1998

Today's Topics:

                    Elvis, Erica, etc.
                      Re: 80's music
                         Pastiche
                1980s Rock Ranting and XTC
         Andy, Swindon, Primus...you name it....
                          OOPS!
     Like to know opinions on what best XTC album is
              In defence of Swindon (again)
                      Come On, Rich
                     Chocolate Chips
                Sorry if this is old newz
             Pues_si,_hay_quien_te_entienda.
                   XTC England's Glory
                        First post
              I Think You're Losing My Mind
                     Duranoverliteral
                     Joe Meek rules!!
                  Andy's guitar playing
Chalkhills Originals '98 - Awaken You Dreamers NOW SHIPPING
                     Re: The Avengers
                    Other "XTC" music
                      Re: early 80s
                          Oh Noo
      Chalkhills Originals 98 band - Clockwise news
                     Eileen/La Bamba
                           oops

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Some can't stand the beauty, so they cut off one ear, but you'll be O.K.

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

Message-ID: <35DC3739.2F80CC5E@usa.net>
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 09:48:29 -0500
From: Ben Gott <loquacious@usa.net>
Organization: Loquacious Music - http://www.bowdoin.edu/~bgott
Subject: Elvis, Erica, etc.

Chalkers,

<XTC> Congratulations to Andy & Erica. Let's send 'em a big card! </XTC>

I watched "Spice World" last night, with a kid I baby-sit for. There's
a scene in a bar where the Spice's manager is trying to drink himself
into oblivion because the Girls have decided to take the night off
before their big concert in Royal Albert Hall. Anyway, the manager is
sitting at the bar, and his female sidekick walks in. She orders a
drink. The camera pans to the bartender. It's Elvis Costello! The lady
says "Hey, wait...", implying that she'll follow with, "Aren't you
Elvis Costello?" Instead, she says, "Make it a double!" It was really
amusing, and was a nice "inside joke" to those of us who know Mr.
Costello's work. Also, the "Elvis-as-bartender" thing was funny in
itself.

Costello is also mentioned about five times in Joe Queenan's
sorta-funny new book "Red Lobster, White Trash, and the Blue Lagoon"
as an example of the author's non-mainstream tastes. He claims to own
all of Elvis's albums on vinyl.

Sorry for the Elvis rant. Back to our regularly scheduled...

-Ben

+-----------------------------------------------------------+
    Ben Gott :: Loquacious Music :: Salisbury, CT 06068
      http://www.bowdoin.edu/~bgott :: (860) 435-9726
  If I seem a little strange, well, that's because I am...
+-----------------------------------------------------------+

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

Message-Id: <199808201722.NAA18999@gw32t.fmr.com>
From: "Sawyer, Keith" <Keith.Sawyer@fmr.com>
Subject: Re: 80's music
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 13:21:48 -0400

Aren't we all feeling superior today?

Except for Dom, that is.

keith

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

Message-ID: <01BDCC68.54AB00C0@e1c6p26.scotland.net>
From: Robert Wood <wobbit@bigfoot.com>
Subject: Pastiche
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 18:07:28 +0100

>> >I just recently picked up a copy of the
>Dukes "Chips From The Chocolate Fireball" CD...I'm gonna have to
>warm up to it more, I think, because only a few of the songs are
>really catching on to me. I'm gonna have to listen to it better, though,
>because I know it's psychadelic parody music

No, it isn't. It's psychadelic, but it's not parody. <<

In fact the word you're looking for is pastiche.

Chalkhills isn't so regular these days, guess it's 'cos most of the subjects
we've been talking about are getting banned! <g>

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

Message-Id: <s5dc28d8.085@elsevier.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 13:46:38 -0400
From: Ralph DeMarco <r.demarco@elsevier.com>
Subject: 1980s Rock Ranting and XTC

Dear Affiliated:

Venting steam like a good old puffer train.

Molly wrote:
>>I read that The Avengers suck, well, I'll find out myself. I
don't listen to anybody except myself.

Good for you. But as a person named Ralph, I take great
exception to Ralph Feins calling himself R-a-i-f. If you don't
like your name - change the way it is spelled you idiot!

>>Next thing is that I'm a big fan of "cheesy" 80s music.  I'm
a huge fan of Dexy's Midnight Runners, Spandau Ballet, Talk
Talk, Duran Duran, and so on. I don't understand why people
bad mouth that kind of music. I think some people don't want
music to be fun. They want music to have a message.

I turned 19 in 1984.  The only 80s artists I could spend my
money on were Talking Heads, The Police, REM, Elvis
Costello and the Attractions...and they were all formed in the
1970s!

In my opinion the 1970s were the most important decade in
so-called rock music.  I realize that this is a dangerous
statement to make considering Disco is associated with the
70s, but that was an anomaly in an otherwise mind-boggling
creative decade.

Consider these facts:

1. Punk rock shook things up...oh and XTC was formed.
2. Many 1960s artists/bands matured and produced some of
their best work. (The Who, Zappa and Pink Floyd come to
mind.)
3. Variety.  There was an explosion of different styles and
sounds far beyond what rock music was in the 1960s.

Now MTV was cool for about two years than it was over. I
saw the ugliness and it don't get worse than Duran Duran
making million dollar videos for mediocre over-produced pop
songs. Anyone remember Prince deciding that he would
send in a video to the We Are The World Concert instead of
performing in-person?  Well that's why the 80s were
commercial suicide for XTC and great artists who care more
about the music than the image. And that personified the 80s
for me; from Ronald Reagan to Wham - it was all crap to me
and I had to sift carefully through the muck to find great new
music.

Secret confession: I love The Alan Parson's Project.

That is all.

Ralph

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

Message-ID: <35DC724C.51B253A8@earthlink.net>
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 12:00:28 -0700
From: Steven <slapdash@earthlink.net>
Organization: SLAPDASH
Subject: Andy, Swindon, Primus...you name it....

Dear folks...brothers and sisters of XTC

     Primus' CDEP is titled Miscellaneous Debris, and features covers
only, inc. Intruder by Peter Gabriel, Making Plans for Nigel by XTC,
Wish you  Were Here by Pink Floyd, and one other song (by someone I
can't remember). You can get it readily at used CD stores for like $3.99
I think Scissor Man is the perfect cover for them....as a matter of
fact, Other's I would  suggest would include Roads Girdle the Globe,
Paper and Iron, Leisure, which sounds like "happy" Primus anyway, and
Looking for Footprints.
     Andy's trying marriage again? Does he thing it'll be different
somehow this time?

     Swindon. Lovely wretched Swindon. I think it was the perfect
birthing ground for a band like XTC, who posed as punkers early in their
career. I think it actually giave them extra crdibility anyway. Who
would believe something as lovely and intoxicating as XTC would come out
of such a reportedly dreary place?
     One English acquaintence told me that if I ever went there, I
should carry a knife and know how to use it. She also said that it
wasn't a good place to find a boyfriend either, and if she was seeing
someone and found out he was from Swindon, she'd start laying down the
law about how they were NERVER going back to HIS place.

     Avengers: I love Sean Connery, and Fiennes is also a good actor.
I'm intrigued and will, probably enjoy whatever I see, having little
knowledge or first hand experience with the series (yes, I've lived in a
trunk for a few years....mob business and all that).

     Molly: you mentioned "I'll find out myself" about ten times in your
last post....I take it you're going to investigate something. :)

Again: visit my little webpage
(www.geocities.com/sunsetstrip/mezzanine/7965);
 I don't just brag about the band, I critique shows and CD's and stuff I
buy for the music listeners. Get to know me better, so you can be
critical more effectively if I mouth off here again about something. You
also can get a look at me and hear samples of MY songwriting.I've
recently bought the new Brian Wilson CD, and while it DOES sound like an
overeager attempt at selling him to modern adult listeners, he still
gets his signature songwriting style through. His voice is better than
before too.

     Bye folks. Pray for the albums and book. Make a sacrifice to the
Publishing and Marketing Gods

      Steven Graff

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

Message-ID: <35DC7315.EAAA5F94@earthlink.net>
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 12:03:49 -0700
From: Steven <slapdash@earthlink.net>
Organization: SLAPDASH
Subject: OOPS!

Sorry about this, but "Have a Cigar" was the PF song covered on that
Primus CDEP. Someone else mentioned it on the same Digest. I guess
that's what I get for reacting too quickly! Sorrry!

Steven Graff

www.geocities.com/sunsetstrip/mezzanine/7965

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

Message-ID: <19980820204450.2851.rocketmail@web4.rocketmail.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 13:44:50 -0700 (PDT)
From: nross <phoenixyellowrose@rocketmail.com>
Subject: Like to know opinions on what best XTC album is

Like the subject heading states, I was wondering if ya'll could
offer up opinions on what the best XTC album is. Thanks, Nicole
===

"... It takes all sorts of in and outdoor schooling to
get accustomed to my kind of fooling" -R.Frost

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

Message-Id: <199808202053.NAA27682@sgi.sgi.com>
From: "Brian Carter" <xyg27@dial.pipex.com>
Subject: In defence of Swindon (again)
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 21:49:11 +0100

Has anyone noticed how all those criticising Swindon have never been here?

The aptly-named "Minister of Propoganda" is the latest to fall into the
trap and exposed an ugly prejudice.

He seems to have naively accepted the misinformed views of his 'English
family' - who probably also have never been to Swindon (and who somewhat
ironically live in London). Perhaps he would do better to judge for
himself.

>Needless to say, I still haven't made it to Swindon yet.

I rest my case.

Brian Carter
Swindon, United Kingdom
www.swindonweb.com

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

Message-Id: <199808202255.AAA12184@mail.knoware.nl>
From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl>
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1998 00:58:28 +0000
Subject: Come On, Rich

Dear Chalkers,

First of all a very big heap of thanks to Richard F. for the Window
Box tape. Really made my year !

Now over to Dominic reaction to Rich's dismissal of Dexy's in favor
of Duran Duran:

> Along with the 2 Tone bands (esp. Specials, The Beat and Madness) and The
> Jam, DMR were one of the best things about the early 80s.
The other one being XTC, of course...

> Duran Duran, on the other hand, tended to suck.
Tended to suck ? the understatement of the year...

IMHO Duran Duran is all the bad things from the 80's rolled in to one
neat, sterile and tasteless package (so much easier to swallow that
way)  All image and no music. They must have had one hell of a
manager though!

Now finally, some XTC content!

> is there (except the track listing) a difference between the
> Upsy Daisy Assortment greatest hits collection and Fossil Fuel ?
> To my untrained ear they sound different.
Your ear is fine Martin; you are absolutely right. The F.F. tracks
were remastered again, the Upsy Daisy cd uses the 'standard', older
cd tracks. And we all know that the original XTC cd conversions are
not perfect (another understatement of the year)

yours in xtc,

Mark Strijbos at The Little Lighthouse
 http://www.knoware.nl/users/mmello/
     or http://come.to/xtc

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

Message-Id: <199808202256.AAA12198@mail.knoware.nl>
From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl>
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1998 00:58:28 +0000
Subject: Chocolate Chips

Daer Chalkers,

Regarding the Dukes "Chips etc"  cd:

> >because I know it's psychadelic parody music
>
> No, it isn't. It's psychadelic, but it's not parody.

Indeed, its a pastiche, not a parody.
These guys don't joke, it's a tribute to the influences and the
music they enjoyed while growing up.

Oh, and give it a few more spins. It'll grow on you (as every XTC
record does, if you want it or not )

yours in xtc,

Mark Strijbos at The Little Lighthouse
 http://www.knoware.nl/users/mmello/
     or http://come.to/xtc

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

From: Jdmack01@aol.com
Message-ID: <d613f9ef.35dcaff5@aol.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 19:23:31 EDT
Subject: Sorry if this is old newz

Here is a pasted excerpt from an e-mail sent out be The Artists Shop:

". . .Marillion vocalist Steve Hogarth.  Steve has just put out a new
solo album called Ice Cream Genius.  Included in his band are
guitarist Dave Gregory of XTC,..."

So there you go!

J.D.

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

Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.19980820195035.0092e960@mail.cmact.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 19:50:35 -0500
From: Andrew Stevens <astevens@multimedia.com.mx>
Subject: Pues_si,_hay_quien_te_entienda.

Y no creo que sea el unico. Antes habia una muchacha, fan de los Crash Test
Dummies, cuya direccion era de mexico, igual que la mia. Lo de Scott Thunes
no te lo puedo aclarar, aunque si lo repites en ingles sobrara quien pueda.

Por cierto, los lazos de Real Audio no funcionaron.

Andrew

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

Message-ID: <35DCCC3B.78DDAB76@earthlink.net>
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 18:24:12 -0700
From: Wesley Hanks <whanks@earthlink.net>
Subject: XTC England's Glory

Hi friends,
I've taken the liberty for setting up a "club", i.e. chat room with
Yahoo.com called "XTC - England's Glory".

Go to:
http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/xtcenglandsglory

This should be a nice compliment to Chalkhills, doff of the cap to John
for all of his steady work.

Peace,
Wes Hanks
http://home.earthlink.net/~whanks/

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

From: gaugin@iname.com
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1998 00:35:40 -0400 (EDT)
Message-Id: <199808210435.AAA22003@web05.globecomm.net>
Subject: First post

Hi everyone!

This is my first posting to the list.  I'm a 25 year old Aussie guy
who's been an XTC fan since Oranges and Lemons.  I'm gradually going
back and working my way through buying their back catalogue.  I've
gone as far back as G0 2 and I love it all so far!  I can't wait to
find the first album!

I'd thought the band had broken up until i found this website.  It's
great to know they're still together (barely). I'm disappointed that
Dave's left the band but the prospect of two new albums is really
exciting!

I was at a big CD sale recently and bought an album for $2 by a band
called Sugarplastic.  Has anyone else heard it?  The lead singer is
having a major case of impersonating Andy.  It reminds me of Drums and
Wires a lot.  It was released in 1996, so i'm sorry if it's old news.

Well, that's all I have to say.  I'm looking forward to hearing what
everyone talks about.

Mike

Current favourite XTC song:  Life begins at the hop
Other current to die for songs:
"Tomorrow will be like today" - Money Mark
"Flavour of the month" - The Posies
"Blind among the flowers" - The Tourists
"Spark" - Tori Amos

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

Message-Id: <s5dd4bb9.017@parliament.uk>
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1998 10:27:35 +0100
From: Dominic Lawson <LAWSOND@parliament.uk>
Subject: I Think You're Losing My Mind

Molly says:

>>>I read that The Avengers suck, well, I'll find out myself.  I don't listen
>>>to anybody except myself.  I'm a die hard Avengers fan, and I'll find out
>>>myself.  I've heard mixed things about the movie, but let me find out
>>>myself.

That's FOUR (count 'em!) "myself"s. Interesting approach...
You are, of course, free to see whichever films you like. Seriously, none of
us mind. I bet it does suck though.

Michael says:

>>>does anyone know what the guy sings
>>>after the title?  it's like "La Bamba".  "Come on Eileen, oh a Sway
>>>da bulee"

Erm, no. "La Bamba", my knob.
He actually sings "Come on Eileen, oh I swear, at this moment......" - as
you well know. Stop being rotten about nice Mr Rowland. OK, so he has
perhaps one of the most bizarre singing voices in pop history, but Jesus,
can the man sing?
You bet your retro-80s ass.

Jeremy says:

>>>Adam
>>>heard Misc. Debris,-although I don't remember how ;)- and said the
>>>Nigel cover was in a similar fashion. But maybe it was the crack and
>>>it was completely different. Anyone else heard it?

I refer the honourable gentleman to the answer I gave some moments ago.

Iain says:

>>>Has anyone else heard the new Sparklehorse album yet?

No, but I'm gagging for it. The first one was fantastic wasn't it? ("Yes
Dom, it was, you're quite right!")
If you like Sparklehorse, you probably like Wilco as well. If not, check out
"Being There". Cracking stuff.

Finally, Dom says:

>>>Along with the 2 Tone bands (esp.
>>>Specials, The Beat and Madness) and The Jam, DMR were one of the best things
>>>about the early 80s.

Yes, Dom. True enough, but don't forget Blue Zoo, Jimmy The Hoover, Toto
Coelo and Rocky Sharpe & The Replays.
Oh, and Coast to Coast. Ah, the memories.......
I'm off for a quick hucklebuck....

Dom.

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

Message-Id: <199808211525.QAA18510@uks447>
Date: 21 Aug 98 16:20:52 +0100
From: "CTSWEENE.UK.ORACLE.COM" <CTSWEENE@UK.oracle.com>
Subject: Duranoverliteral

Howdy - I'd like to say, in my new incarnation as ctsweene......

People took me literally re Duran Duran, which has a certain logic, I
suppose.
 Well, sort of.

Andy Miller seemed to understand, and I thank him.

Anyway, I've had a great deal of entertainment out of it, so I'm grateful to
you all.

Best to let it lie.

tee hee...

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

From: Robert.D'Aprile@metagroup.com
Message-ID: <85256667.005A9032.00@metagroup.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1998 12:23:08 -0400
Subject: Joe Meek rules!!

Just thought I'd mention I'm listening to "It's hard to believe it: The
Amazing World of Joe Meek" ... XTC content: Andy Partridge quote: "Meek
spoke to the dead and heard music from other planets, making #1 hit records
in his kitchen."

apologies ... if this was posted long ago ...

Bob D'Aprile
robertd@metagroup.com

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

From: mmyers@notes.cc.bellcore.com
Message-ID: <85256667.005CBF8D.00@notes950.cc.bellcore.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1998 13:05:47 -0400
Subject: Andy's guitar playing

Chalksters and Chalkettes;

I was listening to Martin Newell's brilliant "Greatest Living Englishman"
CD yesterday, which is one of my favorite releases of the last 5 years.  Of
course, Andy contibuted production, programming and a little bit of other
instrumentation.  It led me to think of Dave's departure from XTC and
Harrison's comment awhile back that Andy's solos on "Books are Burning"
show that he is a very good guitarist in his own right.

So, for those who think that Dave's departure means that there will never
again be great guitar playing on XTC songs, I invite you to take a listen
to Andy's solo on Newell's "We'll Build a House".  It is wonderful.  It has
all of the elements of a great guitar solo:  melodic, powerful but subtle
when necessary, and a sense of dynamics.  It is terrific not only because
of what he plays but also what he doesn't;  there is a fine use of space
between the notes that helps lead to the powerful conclusion leading back
into the vocal section of the song.

I am NOT saying that Dave won't be missed;  I'm sure that we all will miss
him terrible.  And I agree with those who will say that Dave's virtuosity
on guitar far outshines Andy's.  But I believe that Andy will contribute
some great guitar licks to future XTC releases.

Mike

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

Message-Id: <s5dd4a9c.021@phjw.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1998 10:22:31 -0700
From: "MARK G. CUEVAS" <MGCUEVAS@phjw.com>
Subject: Chalkhills Originals '98 - Awaken You Dreamers NOW SHIPPING

Chalkhertz:

I am happy to announce that "Awaken You Dreamers" is now shipping.
The first batch went out today.  For ordering instructions, visit the
Chalkhills website.

As I mentioned last time, Todd Bernhardt and Mitch Friedman also
contributed.  Todd Bernhardt's song is called "Good Enough."  Todd
describes this as "The Mayor of Simpleton (lyrically) meets the Godfather
of Soul (musically)."

Mitch Friedman's playful song "Purple Burt" is described by Mitch as
"simply what would have happened had Syd Barrett been hosting a
children's tv show and written a song for it."

Becki diGregorio's tune "Love Can" features the velvet voiced one *solo*
and *unplugged*.

As Randy Christopher mentioned in the last Chalkhills digest, his group,
The Mind Reels (who perform *Anastasia* on the Awaken You Dreamers
compilation), will be performing at Luna Park in West Hollywood at 9:00p
on August 24.  These guys are top notch.  Check them out.

Lastly, I think there's good news brewing for Clockwise.  ;)

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

From: JStrole@aol.com
Message-ID: <aff4b49.35ddbc04@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1998 14:27:08 EDT
Subject: Re: The Avengers

Hello,

I, too saw The Avengers and found it quite entertaining.  I was dissapointed
that the Verve Pipe song was missing from the final cut.  I also noticed that
there were scenes missing from the previews.  However, I felt the writer &
director stayed rather faithful to the TV series.  Hardly parodying or making
it seem like a relic from yesteryear (the way Mike Myers did w/ Austin Powers,
which I liked as well that was the intent after all).  I would expect the
average American to have problems with it.  But, they're just going to see Uma
Thurman in tight outfits.

Does anyone know who owns the rights to XTCs videos.  With this box set coming
out a companion video would be nice.  Also, what are the chances of VH1 here
in the states making a Behind The Music show on our boys?  I would think XTCs
story is more fascinating then Ozzy Osbourne's even to people who've never
heard of them.

Harry

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

From: "Pedretti-Allen, Richard (Richard)" <rpa@lucent.com>
Message-ID: <72EDB966944AD1118DC90080D8207488A98A31@ex-campus2>
Subject: Other "XTC" music
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1998 11:34:22 -0700

Hey I'm only about 16 digests behind so I won't even comment about any
threads but while searching on "XTC" at www.allmusic.com, I found the
following:

Artist: Evil's Toy
Album Title: XTC Implant
Release Date: 28jan97
Genre: Rock
Style: Industrial, Alternative Pop/Rock

Artist: Zolex
Album Title: XTC Alarm
Release Date: 22oct96
Genre: Rock
Style: Club/Dance

Artist: Anthony Hamilton
Album Title: Xtc
Release Date: 29oct96
Genre: Rock
Style: Urban

With the proliferation of the use of "XTC", I fear that our heroes will
have a tough time reclaiming their sole rights to the name (unless THEY
weren't the first ones to use it!).  The more this name is used, the
tougher it is to defend.

Is there a lawyer in the house?

Cheers, Richard

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

From: CCooli9575@aol.com
Message-ID: <742fdea6.35deaf34@aol.com>
Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 07:44:51 EDT
Subject: Re: early 80s

>Along with the 2 Tone bands (esp.Specials, The Beat and Madness) and The
>Jam, DMR were one of the best things about the early 80s. Duran Duran, on
>the other hand, tended to suck. A couple of golden pop moments aside, Fatty
>Le Bon and chums have contributed precisely nothing to the world of
>music. Kevin Rowland remains a vastly underrated songwriter, and I think
>XTC fans should be able to relate to that!

  I was never a huge fan of the ska scene, but The Specials and The Beat
would have been good and inventive bands in any genre; their stuff has aged
well.  The Jam I still miss; The Style Council sounded like a young white
guy with a limited voice trying to do classic soul and not quite
succeeding. Paul Weller's 90's solo material has been a distinct
improvement, but nothing compares to The Jam at their peak; I was even more
into them than XTC in the early 80's.

  Kevin Rowland was a strange one; he seemed talented but kept reinventing
himself. He started giving me a headache by the third Dexys album, he seemed
to have a case of musical ADD. Couldn't completely write him off though. As
for Duran Duran, my wife's a huge fan; for myself, the first album and Rio
had their moments, "Is There Something I Should Know" was probably their
best single, and they actually improved with age after they stopped having
hits(and started again, in the early 90's). That said, Simon LeBon still
full of crap, especially on their huge album Seven And the Ragged Tiger;
sounds like he snorted a lot of coke and decided he was a great poet. Not!
And their recent album of covers, while an interesting plethora of
choices(everything from Lou Reed and Elvis Costello to Grandmaster Flash and
Led Zeppelin; the Led Zeppelin and Lou Reed work, Flash and Elvis are clunky
and inept), is the very definition of uneven. I would have liked to hear
them try an XTC cover myself.  (They'd probably do an OK job with "The
Disappointed," which come to think of it sounds like XTC trying to sound
like Duran Duran, kind of. Only better.)

Chris

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

From: R.Crawford@mgn.co.uk
Message-ID: <80256668.005811E4.00@mgnmail4.mgn.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 16:59:03 +0100
Subject: Oh Noo

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Come on folks, enough of this astrology crap already.

I've been avoiding almost all media (except that which work requires) since
last Saturday, and what do I see UTTER SH*T about astrology.

If you beleive in it fine (though I'm sorry for whatever you lack in your
life), and if you don't then why talk about it, "walk away" unless you are
so unsure of your life that you need people to agree with you.

I (as you may guess) don't beleive in it, but it may be fun to see the
predictions of several different astroligers (well I never claimed I could
spell or predict somebodys future), and to see if any of them actually
agree.

The band will have a brief period of popularity in their early days ?

But please pi** off if you are going to bicker about the subject.

This worlds bad enough (Iv'e seen it) without people running around with
knives drawn over astrology thank you very much.

No wonder Andy dosn't seem to like discussions like chalkhills if this is
the best we can come up with.

Please continue your flaming and justifications privately if you are sad
enough to need to.

Rob...

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

Message-ID: <35DF1FD5.8E09D1FF@home.com>
Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 14:45:25 -0500
From: Paul Rogers <progers@home.com>
Organization: @Home Network
Subject: Chalkhills Originals 98 band - Clockwise news

A bit of news on Clockwise (all major XTC fans and Chalkhillians). First
however, I wanted to say thanks to all of you who took me up on the
offer of the Clockwise CD.  A lot of good things have happened by
choosing to "spread the love" of music for free as opposed to trying to
just make a buck.  Thanks for listening.  A big hurrah and copius
gratitudes to Mark Cuevas for coming out to see us in LA and giving us
space on the CO 98 tape, (my dream has always been to have Andy and the
boys actually listen to something of mine and perhaps now they might! -
Dare to dream) and also to Mike Myers for spending time with our CD and
suggesting we go to Not Lame Recordings with it.

So anyway the news is that Not Lame Recordings has picked up our first
CD and is distributing it.  Yea.  I hope the pedigree of XTC influence
reigns proud with a bit larger audience.  So thanks to all you
chalkhillians for being the music fanatics you are - I proudly am one
myself.  To all the artists out there I want to say - that neither
recompense nor recognition make you an artist. Rather the daily struggle
to find a way to keep doing what you love puts the meat on the bones of
your art and fleshes out your creative dreams - Paul Rogers. Keep
striving!!

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

Message-Id: <199808231718.MAA26753@sky.net>
From: "Scott Taylor" <staylor@sky.net>
Subject: Eileen/La Bamba
Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1998 12:25:10 -0500

> people singing along, because does anyone know what the guy sings
> after the title?  it's like "La Bamba".  "Come on Eileen, oh a Sway
> da bulee"

I think the line is confusing because it's a call-and-response type of
lyric, wherein Kevin Rowland sings "Oh, I swear" and the background
'chorus' (although it's really just him again, isn't it?) chimes in "What
he means" or "Well he means".  I'm starting to think this "oh a sway da
bulee" lyric has a charm all its own, however.

As regards "La Bamba", if my high-school Spanish classes taught me
anything, the simple opening lyric which everyone insists on singing as "la
la la" babble went something like:

"Para bailar La Bamba (x2)
Se necesito una poca de gracia"

Which translates roughly into "In order to dance La Bamba, you need a
little grace" (feel free to jump in here at any time, Luis).  Again, my
high-school Spanish memories are a little rusty, but I think he then goes
on to say something about not being a mere sailor ("yo no soy marinero"),
but in fact a captain ("soy capitan").  I believe he also asks where the
library is, indicates that he left his notebook on the desk, and relates an
anecdote about a cheese omelette and somebody's grandmother.  Of course, I
may be in error.  It's been a long time since high school.

Little-known fact: "La Bamba" is a Spanish phrase meaning "The Bamba".

Thanks for the opportunity to flaunt my public-school education.  I knew
those six semesters would pay off eventually,

Scott Taylor
staylor@sky.net

(Obligatory XTC Content:  XTC es muy bueno.  Me gusta XTC.)

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

Message-Id: <v01540b00b2052df66866@[139.80.101.12]>
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 14:41:00 +1200
From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James Dignan)
Subject: oops

Dominic wrote:

>(i) Primus have covered both those XTC tunes, and remarkably well too.
>"Making Plans For Nigel" is on a mini-album called "Miscellaneous Debris"
>which also features a cover of Pink Floyd's "Have A Cigar"

yup, Dominic, you're right - it was Cigar, not "Wish you were here", as I
reported. Another slip in the memory cogs...

James

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

End of Chalkhills Digest #4-129
*******************************

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