Chalkhills Digest Volume 4, Issue 15
Date: Sunday, 26 October 1997
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 4, Number 15
Sunday, 26 October 1997
Today's Topics:
The searchlight looks desperately through the fog....
Lost lyrics
Playground
The Verve & 24 words on BAB Solo
Green Man, other demos
Brian May (Half a sixpence)
title for album-to-be
Andy's demos on CD!!!
Daves Take On The BAB Solos
Do you have pics of the band? Want to be FAMOUS??
Overly long reply
Zoot Comments, Newell and more F'in "Da Da Da"
Re: Good music
Michael's Top Three XTC Guitar Solos 1979-1989
Bumper Books / Amanda and the Vicious Circle
For Sale: A Green Man
Big Day
"shameless self-promotion", Go Betweens, & Caveat emptor
No Phishing in New Hampshire
lightly tickled
I'm bugged....
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 24 Oct 1997 10:15:20 -0600 (CST) From: AMANDA CARYL OWENS <ACOEA@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Subject: The searchlight looks desperately through the fog.... Message-id: <01IP6JFY0PGI8ZJG2H@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Alright, yet another request for something I crave to add to my music collection. Here's what I need in order to die a happy death.... Anyone happen to have..... Bags of Fun With Buster 1967-Through the Looking Glass (w/Dave's "Strawberry Fields") If 6 was 9 (With....was it Third Stone??? Can't remember) The Beefheart Tribute Ciao, me
------------------------------ Message-Id: <2.2.32.19971024152810.006cf954@popmail.dircon.co.uk> Date: Fri, 24 Oct 1997 16:28:10 +0100 From: Simon Sleightholm <nonsuch@dircon.co.uk> Subject: Lost lyrics Okay, this post does carry with it the potential charge of elitism associated with ownership of certain tapes, but hey, if someone of _my_ obvious breeding (and ain't breeding so much more _fun_ when it's obvious?) can't be elitist, then who can? ;) Here's the thing; many of the tapes in circulation contain demo or alternate versions of songs we've all come to know well in their final versions. In the main, the differences between early and final takes are musical, but occasionally there are some major lyrical upheavals too. What are your favourite "lost" XTC lyrics? Lines or verses that failed the band's quality-control check and didn't make the release version? Mine are currently: "Dear God hope, you got the letter, and I pray you can take our fetters and chains, and lift them up and give your little monkeys brains." - Dear God "A boy needs a truck he can ride 'round the washing in the yard, I promise it won't always be hard." - Earn Enough For Us. Any more? I ask myself; "Is this a good day or a bad day?" Simon Seeing future and shitting pants -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~nonsuch/bungalow.htm (http://come.to./bungalow) -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- An XTC resource - "Saving it all up for you..."
------------------------------ Message-ID: <3450D9CE.1D5CA577@stewmac.com> Date: Fri, 24 Oct 1997 13:24:30 -0400 From: Keith Hanlon <hanlon@stewmac.com> Subject: Playground Concerning "Playground": > > it was showcased on a UK radio > show Andy did earlier this year Where can I get a copy of this? Keith
------------------------------ Message-ID: <3450EF2D.2CA5@a.crl.com> Date: Fri, 24 Oct 1997 10:55:53 -0800 From: Ed & Pam <ednpam@a.crl.com> Subject: The Verve & 24 words on BAB Solo re: AMANDA CARYL OWENS >"I bought the Verve's new cd "Urban Hymns" yesterday, . . . , RUN TO YOUR >RECORD STORE AND BUY "URBAN HYMS". This might be one of the best new cds to >come out this year. "Bitter Sweet Symphony" is an incredible song, but the >rest of the album is just as lush and verdant. " Geez, you want an example of a song you'll soon start using your CD player "forward" button on? The Verve's "Bitter Sweet Symphony" is it. The first time I heard this song was between sets at a Del Amitri concert. Initially I thought, "Hey, this must be off the new Echo & the Bunnyboys release; not bad." I then heard it next on my local Modern Rock radio station, and that's when I learned it was not Echo, but, no big deal. I could hear the subtleties of the song this time and everything I couldn't hear when I first heard it blasting at the Fillmore. And lemme tell ya, after the 4th time hearing this song, I'M SICK OF IT!! The same 4 chords over the same drum part, repeated OVER AND OVER AND OVER, and a singer with a 3-note vocal range and 2 -note emotional range droo-o-o-oning on & on &on. Where are the dynamics? Where's the passion? After the first 8 bar string intro, this song dies on the vine. One might say "hypnotic", but others think "bo-ring" . . . XTC CONTENT/Books Are Burning/25 words or less: The solos work for me. Any chance to hear Dave and Andy express their emotions on guitar in such fine fashion, . . . it's just *it*. ed in blackout S.F.
------------------------------ Message-ID: <n1334424798.9439@mac.aaos.org> Date: 24 Oct 1997 12:22:49 U From: "Wiencek, Dan" <wiencek@mac.aaos.org> Subject: Green Man, other demos Coaxed out of lurk mode by the Green Man ... Jim S. asked: "And just curious, which of the demos do you think ARE cinches to make the album? I'd say Easter Theatre, River of Orchids and (hopefully) The Green Man are the only ones I would consider "locks." Oh, and Playground, which seems to be part of a "school" theme Andy and Colin are looking into. Anyone else? At least calm my nerves about The Green Man!" I would probably guess those three myself. I would also add Your Dictionary; I remember an interview in which Andy talked about his misgivings re the song's intense vitriol, and how they were assuaged by Dave and Colin, who thought it was a great song. I can't imagine Andy (or any songwriter) going through a divorce and not wanting to make some kind of comment on it in his work, so we're bound to see either that one or I Can't Own Her. (Jeez ... wouldn't it suck to divorce a musician/songwriter? I wonder if either of those songs have found their way to the ex-Mrs. Partridge's ears ... "I got your dictionary right here, buddy ...") Anyway, if it's any consolation, I think The Green Man is a great song fully deserving the XTC treatment, though I don't know Andy's feelings. I am curious as to what he thinks of all us fans dissecting his music before he even gets the chance to record it properly ... do any of his confidantes out there have a perspective on this? Back to my burrow, Dan/IL
------------------------------ Message-ID: <19971024182655.17571.qmail@hotmail.com> From: "Rob Crawford" <robcrawford@hotmail.com> Subject: Brian May (Half a sixpence) Date: Fri, 24 Oct 1997 11:26:54 PDT >I thought I read that Brian May of Queen did one of the solos. Tell >me if I'm right,folks... Just to add my sixpence worth (sorry about that) Hmmm I would doubt that as the Brian May (TM) guitar sound isn't there (yeah I know no superscript on TM). Rob...
------------------------------ Message-ID: <3450F05B.E7AA421D@ket.org> Date: Fri, 24 Oct 1997 15:00:43 -0400 From: james isaacs <jisaacs@ket.org> Subject: title for album-to-be Quoth Nat Jacobs, Hey, do we have a title for the new album yet? I'm tired of calling it "the new album." To paraphrase Robyn Hitchcock, "Every album needs a name, even if it's only Zoot." I think, since Robyn is more clever than any of us, we should call it "Zoot." James P.S. The guitar solo in "Extrovert" is rather nice. GO2 Rules, haters are fools.
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 24 Oct 1997 14:55:01 -0500 (CDT) Message-Id: <199710241955.OAA06730@thor.inlink.com> From: jims@inlink.com (Jim S) Subject: Andy's demos on CD!!! I just received my CD of Andy's 15 demos, done by Rob Cosentino. Let me tell you, the quality is SUPERB! If you are a serious XTC fan, you owe it to yourself to get one of these, even if you already own them on tape. The sound quality is damn near that of a commercial recording. I was astounded when I first popped it in the player and heard the opening strings of "River of Orchids". This is almost like having a new XTC album, and will definitely make the wait for the new album easier. More importantly, I will always have demos of the songs that DON'T make the new album, and have them with the durability and quality of a CD recording. For those interested, you can e-mail Rob at robertlc@erols.com. He will take either trades or good old fashioned cash. BTW, I am in NO WAY receiving anything for this glowing advert, I am merely a big XTC fan who is deleriously happy with my new CD!!! Jim S. <jims@inlink.com> Serious fan of: *St. Louis Rams *Michigan Wolverines *"JAWS" *St. Louis Cardinals *XTC *MST3K Movie buffs: Check out Jake Gove's excellent "JAWS" homepage. Video, sound, reviews, trivia and more from the 1975 classic! http://www.winternet.com/~tandj04/jaws.html
------------------------------ Message-ID: <3450FF15.1816@ix.netcom.com> Date: Fri, 24 Oct 1997 16:03:33 -0400 From: richard leighton <laydi2@ix.netcom.com> Subject: Daves Take On The BAB Solos OK, I dug out the Interview with Andy and Dave from the Guitar Player Magazine (June '92) and this is what Dave had to say. <I'm gald we could have a bit of real rock and roll guitar at the end of "Books Are Burning." The original plan was a "Hey Jude" -style na-na-na- chorus. I said. "Let's have a guitar battle just for the crack. What better way to finnish the album?" Andy was suspicious, but we twisted his arm. I think it stopped just this side of good taste. We soloed over G-D7/F#-E7/G#-Am-D7.> So there's Dave take, can we put it to rest now?
------------------------------
Message-Id: <2.2.32.19971024201804.006ed6c8@popmail.dircon.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 24 Oct 1997 21:18:04 +0100
From: Simon Sleightholm <nonsuch@dircon.co.uk>
Subject: Do you have pics of the band? Want to be FAMOUS??
Hello,
Satan's Ringpiece here,
I just got off the phone with Neville Farmer who is nearing completion of
his book with the band.
He's urgently in need of photographs of the band that fans may have taken.
He's looking for anything, from any period and in any situation. He says
that unfortunately there will be no payments available for the use the
photographs but full credit will be given in the book.
Anyone who has any pictures should email me with the following information:-
Subject and setting of the photograph
Some indication of the quality of the photograph
A contact phone/fax number
A contact address
He's in a bit of a rush for this information so the plan we came up with was
that on the evening of Friday 31 October (going by GMT) I will call him and
let him know what I've got. Any submissions not in by then are likely not to
be considered.
As a taster for the book, and to encourage people to want to be a part of
it, he offered the following info.
The book will contain a lot of original and unseen artwork by Andy.
The introduction of the book will reveal which member of the band released
the most and worst farts during the interview sessions in Andy's shed.
Apparently an efficient evacuation (no pun intended) procedure was required.
Farmer himself was involved heavily in the Buster Gonad single - indeed he
set the project up - and offered some rare insights into the solemn
recording procedure:-
The b-side was supposed to be "Terry Fuckwit's Christmas Song" but they ran
out of time. The notion of the song was to have the Viz character singing
"Merry Easter" to the tune of "Happy Birthday". If you know the character,
you'll know why I nearly bust a gut when he told me this. Pushed for time,
though, they had an hour to record a b-side so - as scratch remixes were all
the rage then - they knocked the A side into a new shape. Amanda, brace
yourself... When it came to producing the actual sound for the "Scrotal
Scratch Mix" they were at a loss. They tried various methods but nothing
sounded right. All the people in the studio were wearing jeans apart from
Dave who was wearing very spacious corduroy trousers. Legs akimbo, the great
man produced the actual scratching sound by rubbing a studio mic against his
crotch in time to the music. The sax part - that approximation of competence
that I thought from past exposure must be Andy's - was actually John
Otway's. Although he has no writing credit on the song he was very heavily
involved, but his publishing deal at that time forced him to remain
uncredited.
Neville was working for a music magazine at the time of the recording and,
as Andy and he were working on the lyric togethe,r Andy would ring him up at
the (crowded) office and make him sing his lyric down the phone.
In October next year John Otway will be holding a big show in the Royal
Albert Hall, London, to celebrate some anniversary or other (Neville wasn't
sure) - as part of the celebrations he's giving a free CD away with each
pair of tickets and that CD will contain the Buster Gonad single - its only
CD release, I think. That's the plan, anyway.
The book sounds like a lot of fun from what Neville told me, it's very much
what the _band_ think and he says it likely to be a real treat for the fans.
Apparently this kind of discussion about the songs is not something the lads
do very often, even during the recording process, so it seems a lot of the
conversations went, "So Colin, what's this song about?" Colin: "It's about
X": Andy "What? Never! I thought it was about Y". Colin: "No." Andy: "Are
you _sure_?"
I asked Andy when I first spoke to him if not having played the old songs
regularly - as a gigging band would - they'd forgotten bits, but he said as
soon as the playback of song started they'd all start spilling out the
strangest bits of trivia.
The book will cover every track - Dukes and other offshoots, Johnny Japes,
for example - and will explain why certain producers were chosen, etc.
Oh, and the band have a drummer now. Neville wouldn't say who it was
("You'll all know soon enough," he said) but he said he was "a surprise" but
that he was good. I asked if it was Michael Bland and he said "No", but this
could have been a cunning bluff.
So again, ANY photographs you have are potential illustration for this book,
please get in touch as soon as possible and I'll pass your details on to
Neville. Come on Chalksters, the band need your help...
Simon
-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~nonsuch/bungalow.htm (http://come.to./bungalow)
-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
An XTC resource - "Saving it all up for you..."
------------------------------
Message-ID: <19971024215514.22444.qmail@hotmail.com>
From: "Rob Crawford" <robcrawford@hotmail.com>
Subject: Overly long reply
Date: Fri, 24 Oct 1997 14:55:12 PDT
Hmmm, after looking through the back issues about Mr & Mrs Partridge it
seems strange that nobody seems to have mentioned some of the lyrics in
Crocodile (but then I havn't managed to read and memorise every
chalkhills)
Anyway with all the quotes in this things are looking more like a perl
script.
From: Gary.Dean@manor.ch
I don't whish for this to turn into a flame war but I feel that I must
comment on this.
>Defending Oasis
>Anybody who has ever started a band (myself included) >has done so to
emulate their heroes. To accuse Oasis of
Emulate is a bit different from copy I'm afraid.
Yeah I liked Wonderwall (wonderful use of strings), and All my People
(or whatever it was called) had a great rhythm (thanks to the Chemical
Brothers) and they do a great cover version of I am the Walrus.
Bur come on they have released their third album and they are STILL
plundering the archives.
Part of 'Stand by Me' seems to have been lifted straight from a Mott the
Hoople single (the decending chord sequence near the chorus occurs a
couple of times) unfortunetly all my Mott stuff is on black plastic and
I ain't got a deck to play them on so I can't name the track at the
moment.
Basically Noel Galagher could be a great song writer if he had sombody
else in the band to work with (or against), but he hasn't and the songs
just grind on predictably just like therir cover of Slade.
>this is a bit rich, especially in view of the "Dukes" >stuff put out by
our beloved XTC. Oasis are
The Dukes are entirely different, songs are done in the style of many
different artists (note the plural), and no
rip offs it's called a pastiche.
>brash,loud,cocky, abrasive and obnoxious (and I love 'em >for it).
Yes but unfortunitly stupid and ignorant also apply (and I'm bored with
it)
It's all a story has been told again and again and .... (ad nausium).
>From: David Ferguson <dferg@webbernet.net>
>blah...had to speak up ...blah, blah blah...
Must agree with that line
>The band allows this, and they don't seem to be missing >out on
millions of dollars of ticket and album sales.
Aye theres the rub, bands don't lose out (well not too much), home
taping, real bootlegs, managers, record companys and PR leeches are the
ones which steal the cash from the artists pocket.
If one goes to a gig you hear it as it happened on the official live
versions you get a sanitised version from several different nights. If I
want sanitised I will buy the latest Beautiful South or Mariah Carey
product (yeah product just like cheese spread, McDonalds or Gus Dudgen
production).
>They have a new live CD coming out soon, so they must be >selling the
darn things despite the tapers.
Yeah a fan will want both versions, they also want the demo versions
which the producer didn't get to before us.
I remember Ap once saying (according to a journo anyway), that most
songwriters, write a straight song and the producer has to wierd it up,
where as his songs have to be straightened up for public release,
therefore I always wanted to hear the original versions (I actually
liked the Lure of Salvage when it came out).
>I don't have the concert that has the XTC cover (anyone, >anyone?), but
I do have the Halloween concerts they did >of the Who's Quadrophenia
(the whole album w/sound >effects like the waves crashing and such!),
and the
Hmmm I'd suggest SF Sorrow by The Pretty Things as a good album to cover
(the 1st rock opera) though I have never heard Phish (any offers).
>I hope BumperCars *IS* on the new album! I love the >bassline of that
little song!
Pity about the rest of it though :)
From: "Matt Keeley" <mrme@eskimo.com>
>I just heard the new demos, and I LOVE "Your >Dictionary"... not that
thrilled about the little
>pianoy bit, but I love Andy and the guitar alone.... >that's a really
great effect for that song... BTW, Andy >actually does spell out the
profanity, for those curious >by the omission of the vowels in the
archives... (I was >curious how the tape was, y'know...)
To me the Green Man and Your Dictionary are the two standout tracks,
though I would love them to dare to include the Stinking Rich Song for
fun.
Anyway the piano part on dictonary I love except I seem to have heard it
or somthing very similar previously on a Robyn Hytchcock album Respect
(I have the cover in front of me but the tape is MIA I think the track
in question may be Arms of Love so I can't check).
>it...), American English pisses me off... I personally >feel that since
it's called "English," we should speak >and spell things the, if you
will, English way. But >that's just me... and I don't even hold to it
all the >time...
But the problem is that we have too many silent letters and the American
spellings are usually marginly more logical than UK english (hmm at
least I'm still part of the UK of not the GB).
>From: Natalie Jacobs <gnat@umich.edu>
>>I know this a bit of a cliche subject, but what other >>XTC guitar
solos do you other 'hillsters get off on?
>Oooh, the guitar solo in "Pink Thing." (I could say
>The solo in "The World is Full of Angry Young Men" is >also lovely.
Well Are you receiving me, the intro of Towers of London and the
gentleness of Yacht Dance (the whole track), I wish that I had a copy of
the Whistle Test that they played yacht dance on
On the subject of tasteful solos Al Stewart (of Year of the cat fame),
was touring a couple of years ago and his band couldn't make it to
Belfast, so he turned up with is guitarist a guy called Peter White.
To be honest I'm glad the band didn't turn up.
Anyway he has a couple of solo albums out (jazz orientated), and is well
known in the US (apparently) and is just sooo tasteful.
>Before the cock crows thou shalt deny XTC thrice! Look >- I too am one
ofthe tiny minority on this list that >doesn't like "Nonsuch," but I
know from listening to the >1995 demos that the new album will be
better. When I
You mean that I am not the only one, apart from Wrapped in Grey and
Holly up on Poppy (and thats because it sums up how I feel about my
daughter).
The album was way too bland, having only recently learned that Gus
Dudgeon produced used to produce Elton John that is possibly enough of
an explination. I'd rather have heard them doing a Dance or ZZ Top album
instead.
Possibly sombody can put me straight was to why AP, DG & CM agreed to
this man (machine) producing Nonsuch (I hope it wasn't their idea)
though I suppose Virgin may have been to blame.
While absently mindedly thinking about producers I thought the guy who
produced Respect for Robyn Hytchock (mentioned earlier) would have been
a good choice but after looking at the sleeve I realised why it was John
Leckie.
>Having also heard a couple ?of newer, "guitar-y" demos >("Playground"
and "We're All >Light"), I am now fairly >certain that the new album
will
I WANT I WANT (stamps feet in best 3 year old manner)
>unless Mr. Bendall *really* fucks up, it's probably >going to be a good
album. So take heart, St. Jeffrey, >all is not lost.
It's their own money he'd better not ;)
>Hey, do we have a title for the new album yet? I'm >tired of calling
it "the new album." To paraphrase >Robyn Hitchcock, "Every album needs
a name, even if it's >only Zoot."
Well how about Vera that's a nice name
Rob...
------------------------------ Message-ID: <EB3FE924F73DD11187E400805FEA8E8103BA59@BCBCMAIL.bcbc.bc.ca> From: "Macdonald, Robert" <RMacdonald@bcbc.bc.ca> Subject: Zoot Comments, Newell and more F'in "Da Da Da" Date: Fri, 24 Oct 1997 14:02:20 -0700 comments...comments.............. Colin Someone a while back was asking about Colin and what he was up to. The only reference that I have heard about was when Andy did the "Rock Over London" Broadcast (Autumn '96) he mentioned that Colin had written a couple of songs about being at school. Unfortunately he didn't say "good" songs, he just said songs. I pray Colin is able to write some wonderful songs for the album....I personally have found his tracks weak (with a couple of exceptions....damn it, I'd probably have sound nastier if I'd left this out) since Skylarking. I would assume he finds Andy's songwriting proficiency rather daunting by comparison. "Playground" Andy went on to mention that he had happened to write about his school days as well and proceeded to play a snippet from the demo of "Playground". It's a good song. Much fuller (fuzzed) harder guitar sound than anything on the "Orchestral Demo's....but don't expect hard rock (even though Andy described it as "rowdier")....it's definitely Beatles territory with great harmonies on the chorus. Bland: I like what I've read so far about Michael Bland.....now just sign him and get him behind a kit. The album Zoot: My hope for the Zoot album is that the songs that we've heard don't suffer from being over produced. Some of the demo's already sound close to being perfect.....just let the band fill out the sound and add their own signatures. I too found the sound on Nonsuch just a little too slick and inoffensive (someone else said it recently). Maybe the cost constraints could lead to a little more ragged sound. Also a kick ass drummer couldn't hurt either. Demo's that make it on Zoot: My guess is that only about half the songs we've heard will make it, and that if there is not a warzone in the studio over which songs get chopped then there will be one inside Andy himself when _he_ has to choose which of his babies to drop overboard. My vote for sure things are....Easter Theatre, I'd Like That, River of Orchids, The Green Man, Church of Women and then.....????????? Jazz: There have been several mentions of the classical musical influences on the new demo's.....I would also say that Andy has been listening to a lot of Jazz. Not simpering jazzy-rock, but good old early jazz and be-bop. There are some improvised sounding piano breaks on several of the demo's and while I've heard a couple complaints about them.....I for one like it. Martin Newell: I was a little late getting on the Martin Newell bandwagon and I want to urge those of you who haven't heard him and love great British Pop to seek out his two solo albums and anything by The Cleaners from Venus (special thanks to Keith!) Trio - Da Da Da Story: Just two weekends ago my wife and I had to take my sisters children (6 year old girl, 8 year old boy) away for the weekend. Don't ask why we got stuck doing it but we don't have kids and it was hellish. About a quarter of the way into our five hour drive I had a brain storm. One of the mixed tapes that I had with us had the song Da Da Da. My hunch was that it was the kind of song that kids would like, so I played it for them. Then I played it again. Then fifteen minutes later they asked to hear it again. and again. and I'm sure you get the idea by now. For the rest of the weekend (including the five hour drive back) every time we got in the car there was a chorus of "We want "Da Da Da"......."Da Da Da" coming from the back seat. Rotten kids, I don't think I'll ever enjoy the song again. Ciao, Rob. Rob Macdonald Victoria, B.C.
------------------------------ From: kekkone@sci.fi Message-ID: <3451C181.5E7E@sci.fi> Date: Sat, 25 Oct 1997 02:53:05 -0700 Subject: Re: Good music Thanks, RogerFromOz! What a relief it was to read this: > Here in Australia we have a thing called > the 'tall poppy syndrome' whereby if ya do good, ya get a pat on the > back but if ya start gettin' too many kudos ya get kicked back down with > the pack. For generations we've been led to believe this is typical of us Finns only. So heart-warming to learn this happens in the British Commonwealth too... But now on to the "good music" thing which is getting really interesting. >From Harrison Sherwood: > Now: I refuse to live in a universe where an advertising jingle, > conceived and executed with the intent of appealing to my natural > covetousness, with nothing humanistic, nothing engaging, nothing > vulnerable or personal about it, can carry the same artistic weight as > "In My Room"--*even if it's exactly the same song.* The two are not > equally good. Yes. Again, I agree with this as such, but I still don't think we're looking at "absolute values" here. To be able to feel the "artistic weight" of "In My Room" as described above, you have to be familiar and sympathize with the life history of Brian Wilson. Suppose you've never heard of him or the Ford Motor Company, and accidentally hear the Ford song on the radio and find you love it and it touches you deeply? Is this experience of "goodness" any less valid than one that's based on the (supposed) intentions of the author? (Another question is, can we ever know the "true" intentions of an artist, or indeed, should we deduce intentions from a work of art. This is the "intentional fallacy" Natalie J. once brought up and maybe could elaborate on... ) Furthermore, intent tends to lose significance in the course of time. Mozart scribbled most of his piano concertos in a state of delirium tremens under a table in some seedy bar just to pay the rent; today they are "classical" pieces and therefore, inevitably and undeniably, "good" music. Kekkone
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Oct 1997 09:34:17 +0900 (JST) Message-Id: <199710250034.JAA12126@japan.co.jp> From: mikewix <mikewix@japan.co.jp> Subject: Michael's Top Three XTC Guitar Solos 1979-1989 Hey All! Harrison Sherwood (in #4-9) wrote this: > >> I'd pit Dave Gregory's 14 bars in "No Language in Our Lungs" > >> against any guitar solo you'd care to name for emotional power. ...and in #4-12, Mark Brown wrote this: > OK Harrison, I'll pit it against the guitar solo from _Reel By Reel_. > For many reasons, that solo has always struck an incredible chord > with me. (Pun intended.) The skill level ranks a 10 to me, even > though I don't have a clue about playing guitar. It is almost more > of a jazz solo than a traditional _rock_ solo, but it fits the feel of > the song perfectly. > > I know this a bit of a cliche subject, but what other XTC guitar solos do > you other 'hillsters get off on? ... Oh, no! So many great songs...so many cool solos...errrgghhh! :) Tell ya what-I'll put down my top three (as of right now...these choices could change depending on the weather, time of day, mood I'm in, etc..but generally, these are the three that keep coming to mind more often than any others...) Let's Begin! : #3) Life Begins At the Hop/Pink Thing- Must be those "twiddly bits" at the end! #2) The Loving- "LIVE! XTC at Shea Stadium! '89 World Tour!" Dave Gregory: Guitar God??!! You better believe it! #1) Reel By Reel/Ten Feet Tall - Damn! I can't choose between these two; RbyR has that incredible jazz-classical gutar sounding riff in there ( is there anyone out there that can come close to playing this? whew!); Ten Feet Tall , I like because of the two recorded versions, and the one on Drums and Wires (as opposed to the tweaky-er one on Rags&Bone), though not a crunching, loud solo, has some wonderfully subtle changes that makes it oh so cool...catch those last two bars of the solo!..a great little song circa 1979-80... As for Andy's "new" demos: which song(s) do you think Mr. Gregory's presence will be most felt? i.e. what song(s) will benefit from Dave's musical expertise? Same questions can be asked in reference to Colin--which ones will he have an impact on the most (aside from his usual 4 or 5 per album)? Ciao for now, Michael
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199710250116.LAA09005@warchivegw.riv.csu.edu.au.> From: "LOOK AT ME! MY NAME'S IN CAPS!" <sknight@warchivegw.riv.csu.edu.au> Date: Sat, 25 Oct 1997 10:56:30 +0000 Subject: Bumper Books / Amanda and the Vicious Circle It's funny - almost everyone's written off "Bumper Cars" and "Your Dictionary" from the running order of the new album, but they're two songs i use as ideals to aim for when i sit down to compose. If the general consensus is songs that brilliant are, at best, B-side material, is it too late to get my contribution removed from CC 97? ;-) Also, consider this statement from an interview in 1992 - "Books are burning" contains XTC's "first guitar duel," Andy jokes. "You've got to approach every song as if it's your last, and we had never done a duel, so we thought we should." - so i think the solos were performed in a playful spirit rather than heralding the start of XTC's "progressive period" (pause to shudder). Hmmm, wait a minute - six years between albums? You don't think... WARNING - I'm sure you're all sick of Amanda being toasted, so skip to the next post. (Don't you think she'd learn by now?) Amanda - you may squeal when your beloved Dummies get flamed but you alone have managed to thoughtlessly trash Oasis, 10, 000 Maniacs and Aimee Mann in the last couple of posts from your big, big mouth. More thought was put into 5 seconds worth of music from Aimee's brilliant "I'm with stupid" album than you've ever shown in your all too frequent postings. Which explains why Dave would respect her on a musical level whilst you're left crying in your beer - which you might actually be old enough to buy in a few more years. Flame me back - there's nothing you could say to me that would of any value, judging by the law of averages.
------------------------------ Message-ID: <344FF56C.FDA01215@earthlink.net> Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 18:10:08 -0700 From: Wesley Hanks <whanks@earthlink.net> Subject: For Sale: A Green Man Dear Dance Band, "Art and Artifact" 2451 E. Enterprise Pkwy. Twinsburg, OH 44087 1-800-231-6766 is a mail order gift cataloge outfit. (Boy, you order one thing mail order and your branded a mail order purchaser forever.) Their holiday catalog has an interesting garden wall decoration thingy: ["THE GREEN MAN" - This ancient spirit of Celtic lore may even pre-date the Druids. Gaurdian of the forests, and all growing things, and a symbol for renewal and resurrection, he is thought to be an inspiration for Robin Hood, Peter Pan, Hern, and other legends. Hang this plaque on your garden wall, in the patio, for good luck in growing things. Made of intricately detailed composition marble with mossy finish. 19"h x12"w x 2"d. Item F100749 $65.00] The accompaning picture is of a stone face made out of leaves, berries and other woody bits. Reminds me of those portraits that are composed out of assorted fruits & veggies. (a whole lot of good those art history classes did me) I listened to the Drums & Wireless BBC Radio Sessions for the first time today. It was if they were just stopping by my house to play some songs in my living room, --seeing as though I never had the opportunity to see them live you know, and, well, we just thought we'd make it up to you Wes. Dirt & Treasure, Wes "affiliated with no one" Hanks
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199710212241.AAA05386@utrecht.knoware.nl> From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl> Organization: The Little Lighthouse Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 00:49:23 +0000 Subject: Big Day Dear Chalkers, First of all many thanks to our friend (and Smartest Monkey) Simon S. for keeping us all up to date with the latest from the horse's mouth. Secondly: should we not start planning (& saving) for an international convention annex release party in the summer of next year? BTW 1: I've still got a couple of Rockpalast videos available - hurry while stocks last... BTW 2: Today was another ecstatic day in my household as I received a huge shipment of XTC goodies, including a lovely Japanese Black Sea with the original green outer bag and obi and the New Zealand pressing of Science Friction. I still need lots of other XTC records, tapes & CD's though... If anyone has anything from outside the US and the UK available for sale or trade, email me privately. Many fine trade items on offer! yours in ecstasy, Mark Strijbos at The Little Lighthouse the XTC website @ http://come.to/xtc ===> The Random XTC Quote <=== Life's like a jigsaw; you get the straight bits, but there's something missing in the middle
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Oct 1997 15:46:52 +1300 (NZDT) Message-Id: <v01540b05b077c5bf2ff9@[139.80.86.20]> From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James Dignan) Subject: "shameless self-promotion", Go Betweens, & Caveat emptor Chalereux-coeurs! (hey - it means 'warm hearted" - I like it!) Kimberley wrote: >The last time I posted I mentioned my little fanzine "Juxtaposition." >About 5 folks responded and sent me some money! yee-hoo! So, once again it >is SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION time! well, if we're into shameless self-promotion, then I just want to say thank you to those of you who bought copies of my cassette "Partial Rapture Theory". For the rest of you, if you'rte interested in hearing 45 minutes-worth of original songs by a fellow Chalkhiller, there are still copies available... email me for more info! >James,a bit enigmatic at the end there;don't be obtuse ,let everybody in >on the Gobetweens,a band which in many ways are like XTC,melodic,catchy in >a strange way , and thought-provoking.Go on,share them around. okay John - I'll recommend three Australian bands which Chalkhillers might appreciate: The GoBetweens (beginners, try "Tallulah" or "Spring Hill Fair" - the 'five words' quote came from the latter); The Triffids (try "Born Sandy Devotional"); and The Church (try "The Blurred Crusade" or "Heyday") Our own AMANDA queried: >Anyhoo, the piece first referred to their little fling as a "caveat >emptor". (Not good with language, anyone care to translate?????) It means "let the buyer beware". James James Dignan___________________________________ You talk to me Deptmt of Psychology, Otago University As if from a distance ya zhivu v' 50 Norfolk Street And I reply. . . . . . . . . . Dunedin, New Zealand with impressions chosen from another time steam megaphone (03) 455-7807 (Brian Eno - "By this River")
------------------------------ From: CCooli9575@aol.com Date: Sat, 25 Oct 1997 10:39:19 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: <971025103918_473357946@emout02.mail.aol.com> Subject: No Phishing in New Hampshire >Phish are a New Hampshire rockSLASHfolkSLASHjazzSLASHaccapellaSLASH Phish are from Vermont. Don't you dare even SUGGEST they're from New Hampshire. I know this because the courier company I work for sometimes picks up and delivers packages at their corporate office at 435 Pine St, Burlington, VT. Jon Fishman is even listed in the phone book in Underhill, VT, at least he was a couple of years ago. The only connection Phish has to New Hampshire is they may have played some shows there. Sorry to be harsh but I'm damn proud that a band from Vermont has made it that big. I can remember when they were playing small clubs in '90 when I first moved here. Now back to our regular program.
------------------------------ From: CCooli9575@aol.com Date: Sat, 25 Oct 1997 10:39:24 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: <971025103923_191791482@emout07.mail.aol.com> Subject: lightly tickled >1) so very nice to see a Flanders and Swann reference, I've been a >fan for many years and know of so few who know them. I own the box >set, even. So, big smiles to all those in the loop. My dad of all people turned me onto them, or more properly At The Drop Of A Hat was a staple in the family record collection as far back as I can remember. I used to annoy the whole family by performing the entirety of "The Reluctant Cannibal" in the living room. One of these days I'll get around to taping it off my dad, except he doesn't have a tape player. I'd have to bring my own. I borrowed At The Drop Of Another Hat from the local libray once and found it disappointing in comparison; a severe case of followupitis. I loved their take on "This Old Man," though. >2) so very nice to hear Trio on the radio (and TV!) again. Anyone >else remember the video that went with 'DA DA DA', that prompted the >buying of the vinal? I still got my copy (and no, it's not for >sale). I can't keep quiet on this anymore. Trio is one of the most original bands I've ever heard, one of the few I've heard where even if they were singing in Tagalog rather than German or English they'd still be droll and funny. Not ROTFL funny, just lightly tickled funny.
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199710252055.NAA19497@mail.eskimo.com> From: "Matt Keeley" <mrme@eskimo.com> Date: Sat, 25 Oct 1997 13:50:18 +0000 Subject: I'm bugged.... Hi... couldn't think of a "witty" (read as "stupid," "annoying," or "dull") Subject line, so I just listed the song I'm listening to right now... at least it's an XTC one... I've got Upsy Daisy, White Music and Barnes and Barnes' _Spazchow_ in the player right now... [Cheap Plug] Ok, know it has nothing much to do with XTC (except that "I'll Set Myself on Fire" has the distinct flavour of a B&B song), Oglio Records just re-released Barnes and Barnes' second album _Spazchow_, which is a wonderful album, and I hope that everyone here picks it up... at least in America, Oglio gets pretty good distribution... don't know about their world-wide distribution though... Anyway, back to the normally scheduled posting. > From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl> > Easy, you are absolutely right! Virgin insisted on having that line > edited from the single version of Senses Working Overtime. Why? To > get to the chorus a bit sooner... Ah, so THAT's the reason... it's still a stupid reason, but it's a reason... ah well, what did you expect from Virgin, anyway? > From: Gary.Dean@manor.ch > "Bags of fun with Buster". > This song was originally sold in Viz (a comic for adults So, is this the same Viz that seems to now deal mainly in Anime? Just curious... > Defending Oasis > Anybody who has ever started a band (myself included) has > done so to emulate their heroes. To accuse Oasis of this > is a bit rich, especially in view of the "Dukes" stuff > put out by our beloved XTC. Oasis are brash,loud,cocky, > abrasive and obnoxious (and I love 'em for it). Well, admittedly Oasis is better than I seemed to say in my next-to-last post, but still, I'm not that fond of the way they seem to vacilliate between praising the Beatles and admitting their influence on Oasis and from saying that they're not trying to be the Beatles, and instead better than them... Ah well, that's just me... To me, to even think of being better thant the Beatles is a bit of sacrilege to me... Ah well, that's this world over... Matt Living Through | (ICQ UIN: 1455267, Name: MrMe) Another | http://www.eskimo.com/~mrme Cuba -- XTC | I used to be temporarily insane! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Now I'm just stupid! -- Brak Yeah.
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #4-15 ******************************
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