Chalkhills Digest Volume 4, Issue 91
Date: Tuesday, 9 June 1998
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 4, Number 91
Tuesday, 9 June 1998
Today's Topics:
Out of this World
Greetings once again!
Australia the Guppy Country
various music
Fuzzy Warbles
All of them, of course!
embarrassing chords
Stats Bunnylab
Re: Canned Slam
Echobunnies are GO!
Survey thing, plus token non-survey bit.
XTC mailinglist newbee
Black Sea
Ping?
grab bag o goodies
The La's
Re:one of the 3 / Chalkhills stats
Those Greedy Suits
Musical Tastes 2
Bongggg! It's been a Hard Day's Night...
Re: sponses
My Head Is Spinning
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: MFa2707621@aol.com Message-ID: <b8a6e795.357aff10@aol.com> Date: Sun, 7 Jun 1998 16:58:55 EDT Subject: Out of this World Chalkers, I just needed to mention this. I was just listening to a sample from Out of This World a soundtrack to Carmen Sandiego, and there's a song on there by XTC. It's called Cherry Under My Tree, and it's really cool. That's all for now. Molly
------------------------------ From: LadyCPlum@aol.com Message-ID: <1829363e.357b3fd9@aol.com> Date: Sun, 7 Jun 1998 21:35:16 EDT Subject: Greetings once again! Missed the last three digests, I was in sunny (yet chilly) California for vacation@ Check this one out! Whilst waiting for the Disneyland parade to hurry the hell up and get out of our way, I saw a guy wearing a green shirt with XTC on the back. I traipsed up to him and asked where he got it from. He said "From the Chalkhills newsgroup." I said "Hey, I'm on that group!" He said "I'm Richard-Pedretti Allen." and stuck out his hand. I said "I'm Amanda Owens!" He came over and gave me a big hug. Tell me THAT'S not a one-in-a-million chance meeting. What are the odds? We talked for a bit, then had to be on our respective ways, but Richard, I hope all XTC fans are as cool and sweet as you are. It was great meeting you! Nopw, onto rrrrrrresponses. Kirt-=I'll fill my junk in. Religion-Roman Catholic, still a believer. Political party-Republican, tilting towards Libertarian these days. Drugs-Other than prescribed, nope. But nicotine is hugely becoming my addiction. Job-Recently fired, and I'm filing a wrongful termination suit. Dream-To move to London and teach history at university. Mitch-Well tell Dave if he needs help painting his house, I'm there! Seriously, tell him! I'm not joking in the least bit when I say that. Cheers medears, Amanda XTC song of the day-Work non-XTC song-Backstabbers-The O'Jays
------------------------------
Message-Id: <199806080425.PAA04942@hydra.au.oracle.com>
Date: 08 Jun 98 13:25:05 +1000
From: "Adam Davies" <AJDAVIES@au.oracle.com>
Subject: Australia the Guppy Country
Urro,
For those of you who care Australia has a national government-subsidised,
high profile radio station called Triple J which runs the 'Hottest 100',
an annual vote-in countdown of people's favourite songs
[www.abc.net.au/triplej/hot100]. This weekend they ran a special
version to chronicle people's 100 favourite songs of all time.
XTC didn't even get a mention. Pissed? Not half.
My house mate [a fellow XTC freak] pointed out that the guy who co-played
the top 25 songs of the countdown yesterday, Richard Kingsmill, played
'Towers Of London' on Saturday and proclaimed XTC to be one of the
greatest pop bands of all time. In addition, the feller who co-played
numbers 50 to 26, Justin Wilcomes, lists Chalkhills as 'a goldmine of
links' in his guide to the web on the Triple J website, and cites XTC
in his short list of favourite bands.
So why did XTC not get in the Triple J Hottest 100 of All Time, despite
the obvious quality of taste exhibited by its on-air presenters?
Because there are too many bloody Pearl Jam fans in the country, that's
why. You can all sod off, the lot of you.
So, here's my plan: As much as I hate swaying statistics, I think the
next time Triple J does a countdown like this I'll post the voting URL
to this Digest. That way we can all vote for some XTC and teach these
people what great pop really is.
Err... anyway.
Adam
Vzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzbx
The statements and opinions expressed here are my own and do
not necessarily represent those of Oracle Corporation.
Vzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzbx
------------------------------ From: "Lemoncurry" <dieling@hrz1.uni-oldenburg.de> Organization: University Of Oldenburg Comp.Center Date: Mon, 8 Jun 1998 13:15:15 MET-1METDST Subject: various music Message-ID: <336178A5C1E@hrz1.uni-oldenburg.de> Hi everybody ! Seeing the beautiful Stereolab being mentioned on this, here's some more music for the open-minded Chalkster to explore: 1. If you like Stereolab, check out their split CD with the marvellous Ui called Uilab. 2. If you found your ear into Ui, follow the connection to all the rest of Thrill Jockey's bands, like Tortoise, Sea and Cake, Gastr del Sol. If you like XTC's Dub experiments and Andy's collaboration with Harold Budd, you'll like them as well. Besides, The Sea and Cake make wonderful pop songs, somewhere between Stereolab, High Llamas and Tortoise, which is a band everyone should listen to at least once. Regarding HipHop, anyone else ever heard about the Mesanjarz Of Funk? I don't think they exist anymore, but the one album I have on tape is brilliant. Coming from HipHop to Metal, I used to listen to various metal bands quite a lot. Really good are Voivod (or used to be until 1994) who do ScienceFictionMetal (no better word for it); Waltari from Finland who are simply mad, they bring techno, metal, Madonna and Classical stuff together, and Thought Industry, who are experimental alternative metal jazz musicians. Bit like Primus maybe, who should be known because they have covered "Making Plans For Nigel" and "Scissorman". That's all for the moment. Metal is not stupid, XTC aren't stupid, so there's your link. Lemoncurry residing in The Lemon Lounge at www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/9259 lemoncurry@geocities.com
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199806071511.RAA05456@mail.knoware.nl> From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl> Organization: The Little Lighthouse Date: Sun, 7 Jun 1998 17:13:22 +0000 Subject: Fuzzy Warbles Dear Chalkers, First off all let's _not_ revive the White Music/Black Music thread The only reason we don't talk about rap or hiphop is because this is a list that should primarily deal with all matters related to XTC and their music. Can we stick to that, please? IMHO most Chalkers are open minded, educated people with eclectic tastes and varied dislikes. Many thanks to Mitch F. for the latest "Dave Report". I'm glad he's alive and painting and knows that we care... The news about the forthcoming Fuzzy Warbles CD set really exites me! > Dave tells me that Andy and Colin are about to release what will be > a 4 CD set consisting of all the BBC sessions that were ever done > (like the Drums and Wireless CD) as well as the live in 1980 thing > that has already come out but also a live in '78 post GO2 show with > Barry. Anybody go a clue about a possible release date? Mark Strijbos at The Little Lighthouse the XTC website @ http://come.to/xtc and http://www.knoware.nl/users/mmello
------------------------------ Message-ID: <357C78E5.F9A2B69@oxmol.co.uk> Date: Mon, 08 Jun 1998 16:51:01 -0700 From: Jon Eva <jeva@oxmol.co.uk> Organization: Oxford Molecular Subject: All of them, of course! Will (WillJ4comm@aol.com) wrote: > I love all of those, but here's my question: > does anyone think that Mummer, Big Express or > Rag & Bone measure up to my mighty five of BS, ES, > Skylarking, O&L or Nonsuch? What have you been wasting your money on for the last six years - food? Regarding which albums to buy - buy them all! (But buy White Music and Go2 last). Really, a good album is so cheap if you think about the pleasure it brings you, you owe it to yourself to expand your XTC collection until it's complete. If you get Mummer today, then in five years time it will be your favorite, it just grows and grows. Jon
------------------------------ Message-Id: <TFSHTMTS@gilead.com> From: Christopher Westland <christopher_westland@gilead.com> Date: Mon, 8 Jun 1998 9:50:14 -0800 Subject: embarrassing chords Hi all: More chord talk, and in reference to my previous post regarding a Pumpkin chord: I was dreadfully wrong! The G 6/9 (GBEADx) is the correct chord, as it sounds at the beginning of the song. I hope I lead no one astray...and for those of us trying to figure out what's going on in these songs, I can't say enough about CD players with A/B repeat buttons. If you have one (I don't anymore) listen away and all will be revealed. If there are others out there that wouldn't mind a little homework, we could just set a song to pick apart.... Chris
------------------------------ Message-ID: <357C1982.81B@bellatlantic.net> Date: Mon, 08 Jun 1998 13:04:02 -0400 From: John Irvine <jirvine@bellatlantic.net> Subject: Stats Bunnylab Howdy More boring stats on a Chalkhiller: Religion: Lapsed Church of the Electric Guitar Political Party: They're a bit passe, but I generally vote Democrat Drugs: They're a bit passe, but I've voted the acid tab and enjoyed it Jobs: Bureaucrat, Scooter Mechanic, Musician; in order of paycheck size Least Favorite XTC Record: O&L: Mostly lemons, and overproduced lemons at that. Macgyver wrote: -How many of you can stand to listen to Echo and the Bunnymen more than once a year? Count me in. If I don't hear Porcupine or Ocean Rain once a month I'd just dissolve baby. "Just look at you with burning lips, you're living proof at my fingertips. tttttips..." As to previous postings on the lack of relation 'tween XTC and Stereolab, here are a few correlations: 1. Eno. Brian wants to produce Andy. Andy paints Brian. Stereolab cover "St. Elmo's Fire" on UILab release. 2. Beach Boys. Andy paints with Brian's brush. Tim Gane of Stereolab cites Good Vibrations as the ultimate inspiration for "pop" music encompassing experimentalism: "The In Sound from Way Out". Note B.Boys string arrangements on ETK, D&L and Music for the Amorphous Body Study Center. 3. Actual musical similarities: Listen to "Smokeless Zone" and "Tempter" (from Refried Ectoplasm). A very similar use of simple chord progressions with distorto backing tracks. 4. White european people playing ostensibly pop music for ravingly cultish fan base. (BTW: anyone else out there ride a Vespa?) Cheers, John Irvine
------------------------------ From: btm@ns1.mindmagic.com Message-ID: <357BDEBC.1E1F@ns1.mindmagic.com> Date: Mon, 08 Jun 1998 13:53:21 +0100 Subject: Re: Canned Slam Tschalkgerz! I'm not looking to make any enemies, but Harrison, my dear fellow, that was the most beautiful piece of slam I have ever read in my entire life. Because of this, I will make every effort to watch what I say around here, at risk of being pummeled in such a fashion that I go skulking away with my tail between my legs. I practically felt that way, and it wasn't even addressed to me. WOW. Remember my mention a while back of ExTrads? Anyone? Here we have the perfect example. And now, on to this: Religion: NADA. Don't want nuttin' to do with organized religion. Political Party: Democrat, but only because I want to vote. Don't care for political parties myself - I consider them anti-productive. Drugs: Pot, on occasion, but not recently. Job: CD-ROM game animator, artist, musician. I see this a lot: >_know_< What do the dashes represent? Quotation marks? Something 'clever' I've not got yet? -Brian
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199806081749.KAA09008@access.tucson.org> From: "J. D. SMX" <jsmelser@access.tucson.org> Organization: Access Tucson Date: Mon, 8 Jun 1998 10:57:48 -0700 Subject: Echobunnies are GO! Hi Chalkfriends, > In the early 1980's XTC were truly hip. Sure. But then, so were > other bands, most of whom never lasted. How many of you can stand > to listen to Echo and the Bunnymen more than once a year? Ahem, I listen to them almost every day. Here in Tucson we have an all request radio show from 12-1pm (lunchtime) every weekday called, "Eat Your Eighties," and an Echobunny song gets requested almost everyday. And in the myre of Murrey Head, Men Without Hats, Dexy's Midnight Runners, and all that other CHEESE that came out in the mid-80's....Echo and the Bunneymen are quite refreshing and stand quite tall in the midst of all that other muck. And, Will Seargent is still in my Top 10 favourite guitarists after all these years. Here they are in no particular order: (as if you care) 1. Will Seargent 2. Daniel Ash 3. Andy Gill 4. Bill Nelson 5. Robert Smith 6. Chris Spedding 7. Dave Edmunds 8. Ivy Rorshach 9. Tom Verlaine 10. Jeff Beck Echo and the Bunneymen were also cool to meet, as we did. But, unfortuanely, Pete Defretes (sp.) their drummer at the time was the coolest of them all, now he's gone. AP is on my songwriter list, BTW. Also, surprised that no one mentioned that the Fuzzy Warbles quote comes from the Record Store scene, not the Milkbar scene in Clockwork Orange. " What have you got to spin your fuzzy warbles on? Pitiful, portable, picnic players, perhaps?" I'm off to play "hogs of the road," JD SMX
------------------------------
Message-Id: <199806082208.PAA21422@mail.eskimo.com>
From: "Matt Keeley" <mrme@eskimo.com>
Organization: The Dead Cat Revolutionary Army
Date: Mon, 8 Jun 1998 15:08:52 +0000
Subject: Survey thing, plus token non-survey bit.
Hello... well, felt I might as well figure into the survey... and so
I didn't feel too lame, I added something that I felt that I might
want to comment on, as to pad this out a bit.
Religion: Subgenius, raised some bizarre form of Xianity... although
I recently found out that I'm Jewish... so, hey, if the sex goddesses
don't come and take me on XDay, I'll just start practicing and get me
my 200 slaves and 400 acres of land! (or is that the other way
around? Eh, it's all the same)
Political Party: Libertarian is what I claim, but it's more
3rd-party-freakish
Drugs: Aside from actual pharmaceuticals (and other mispellings) and
the occasional fistful of Aleve (OK'd by my Neurologist, don't
worry.. I don't have a problem.. I can quit any time I like...),
none.
Job: Freelance internet type work, and unpaid consultant. Meaning I
don't do jack.
Dream: Write for the TeleTubbies... you thought it was fucked up now.
Laa-Laa's ball'd actually have even MORE in common with Rover.
Maybe not eating tubbies, but still...
> From: WillJ4comm@aol.com
> I love all of those, but here's my question: does anyone think that Mummer,
> Big Express or Rag & Bone measure up to my mighty five of BS, ES,
> Skylarking, O&L or Nonsuch? Go ahead and email me privately if this doesn't
> qualify as engaging Chalkhills reading. I've been thinking about picking one
> up (I'll eventually get all of them), but do any of those stand as one of
> the band's "best" in your opinion (not that they've ever done anything
> outright bad), and if so, what makes the album ring for you?
Well, I'm betting this will be engaging Chalkhills reading, but if
not, my bad. I think that Rag and Bone Buffet is the only one that
actually measures up to the "mighty five", although, personally, I
don't really think O&L or Nonsuch stand up to said mighty five, but
hey. I'm not a big fan of either Mummer or BE (yes, I'm perfectly
aware that acro has another meaning, even if you aren't), but I'd get
them in this order: R&BB, BE, Mummer.. assuming you want them all..
if not, I'd just get R&BB and maybe BE, but well, it's good to hear
all of it, I suppose. I mean, I'm just some lamer on a mailing
list... who cares what I think?
> From: Macgyver <tonikuo@ms10.hinet.net>
> In the early 1980's XTC were truly hip. Sure. But then, so were other
> bands, most of whom never lasted. How many of you can stand to listen
> to Echo and the Bunnymen more than once a year?
Well, with the example you gave, I can't, since I a) don't have any
of their records and b) don't remember hearing anything by them to
judge... But I have to disagree on your assessment of other unnamed
one-hit-wonders.... I listen to a lot of those all the time,
especially the Vapors or M... in fact, I'm listening to M right now
(BTW, pick up the reissues of New York-London-Paris-Munich and
Official Secrets Act (and if you're in the UK, Famous Last Words and,
well, maybe, Jive Shiksha, something I've never heard, but well, it's
apparently nothing like M, but anyway)) (BTW, Vapors=Turning Japanese
M=Pop Muzik), and I can listen to them over and over... especially
the Vapors.. I've had Anthology for about 4 or so months now, and I
still listen to it everyday (recently bought Vaporised, even though I
had Magnets on vinyl, and that sometimes replaces Anthology, but it's
the same album, only with bonus tracks, so...)
Of course, with a name like "Echo and the Bunnymen"... 8) (not that
I have anything against stupid band names... "Reel Big Fish" is not
all that inspired, either, but they rock)
Ah well, that's this world over..
Matt
Are we not men?| (ICQ UIN: 1455267, Name: MrMe)
| http://www.eskimo.com/~mrme
WE ARE DEVO! | http://deadcat.mil.smartpatrol.net
Yeah.
------------------------------ Message-ID: <E1B236602CA5D011B7CF00805FFE9ADE01252B23@xch-sea-08.ca.boeing.com> From: "Hiatt, Randall L" <Randall.Hiatt@PSS.Boeing.com> Subject: XTC mailinglist newbee Date: Mon, 8 Jun 1998 15:18:19 -0700 Hello all! I will only say a few words (at work), but I'm excited your all out there. I too am a long time avid fan and have even attempted to cover a few tunes myself and with other buddies. As a drummer I never had to learn the XTCish chords, but know when they're done wrong (which is often). Thanks for the Pumpkin Head chords, I will pass them along and we'll try them out. A note to Will of California about Mummer and Big Express... got to get them dude, tons of new melodies . I love these 2 projects. Great acoustic guitar parts, classic XTC writing and style. I am one who has enjoyed each project even more than the previous and don't understand the lack of acclaim for NonSuch. I don't see this as a departure from their past projects, just fuller. Another point that blows my mind is the lack of funding for their next project(s). For a band this prolific they should have unlimited funds at their disposal....I too would spend my lottery winnings floating their boat (in exchange for a guest tambourine spot...or I'll make coffee!). gotta go for now, any fans in Seattle? Randy Hiatt rhiatt@gte.net
------------------------------ Message-ID: <19980609015734.22018.qmail@hotmail.com> From: "k. siegel" <beatlebird@hotmail.com> Subject: Black Sea Date: Mon, 08 Jun 1998 18:57:34 PDT Todd Bernhardt wrote: >And now for item #2: All this talk about Travels in Nihilon got me >listening to Black Sea this morning (thank you for that, if nothing >else, Dom), and as I listened to the Somambulist Um, this song doesn't exist on my version of this, my very fave XTC album. Actually, mine is a cassette version. Am I missing more than one song here? Where can I find a version of "the Sonambulist"? And moreover, is it good? From the Bungalow, Kristi ------Go Devil Rays!-----
------------------------------ Date: 8 Jun 98 23:17:56 -0600 Subject: Ping? From: "David vanWert" <mcknife@xsite.net> Message-Id: <B1A221AE-B87CE@206.126.236.104> On Mon, Jun 8, 1998 9:00 AM,Todd Bernhardt <tbernhardt@chemonics.com> wrote: >as I listened to the Somambulist I realized that Andy >was rather overtly tipping his hat to one Thomas Dolby by using TD's >trademark sonar "ping" throughout the song. Judging by copyright dates, Somnambulist predates anything off of Thomas Dolby's debut by a year or two. But I'm not familiar with his stuff before the first "Thomas Dolby" record so maybe he established the "ping" with Camera Club or somebody... Is that what you're saying? David vanWert mcknife@xsite.net http://www.xsite.net/~mcknife "I hate quotations." Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1849
------------------------------
Message-ID: <357CBA85.AF3D7B63@teleport.com>
Date: Mon, 08 Jun 1998 21:31:01 -0700
From: Eric Miller <emiller@teleport.com>
Subject: grab bag o goodies
hi y'all.
I'm curious where I might find "Drums and Wireless." any clues? CDNow
didn't pull it up...
Oh, and I'll take the bait. I like the Spice Girls. Particularly
Ginger, and I was somewhat disappointed that she left the group. I
enjoy their manufactured, homogenized, delightfully content-free music
the same way I get a kick out of CW McCall and the entire early
seventies truck-driving music genre. ("Convoy" is a beautiful anthem,
and "Teddy Bear"...well, just try not to cry when all those semis pull
up to give that kid a ride.) Not all music is meant to be noble and
devoted to the advancement of political agendas, humanitarianism,
[insert your cause here], and so on. Some stuff is fluff, and is more
enjoyable because of it. C'mon, do we really need a diatribe in lyrics
every time we pick a tune to listen to? To make this relevant to an XTC
list, just look at all the issues Andy and Colin have tackled in their
music. Very noble and thought-provoking, but to be honest I don't
always connect with their earnest denunciations of guns/organized
religion/Falkland Island interventions/whatever. The problem with
stating issues in black/white absolutes is that your message tends to
become somewhat irrelevant in a grey, ambiguous world where reality
dictates a more flexible approach.
ooh, this looks like fun!
Religion: lazily swinging between atheist and agnostic (another fine
product of a Catholic education)
Political Stance: Indie
Drugs: tasty beverages is about it
Job: tomorrow--photography studio acc't coordinator, this
weekend--brewery tour guide, in two weeks--production for a company
working on that newfangled Internet Web thingie
Dream: to find the energy and time to do actually do half the things I
want to do
------------------------------ Message-ID: <01BD937E.BDAC7400@e2c6p18.scotland.net> From: Robert Wood <Wobbit@bigfoot.com> Subject: The La's Date: Tue, 9 Jun 1998 08:07:06 +0100 Kirt asked. >> One last random question: does anyone know what ever happened to the La's? I played that album to DEATH for about a year. My poor wife was so patient. << Yeah, the lead singer (can't remember his name) realised his ambition of recording and releasing an album .Once he'd done that he moved on the next stage of his life. Music was an ambition for him, it wasn't in his blood I s'pose. Cast's lead singer (John Power I think his name is) is the bassists from the La's. Check them out, they're pretty much the same music. The first album, "All Change" is quite good.
------------------------------ From: "Lemoncurry" <dieling@hrz1.uni-oldenburg.de> Organization: University Of Oldenburg Comp.Center Date: Tue, 9 Jun 1998 11:24:40 MET-1METDST Subject: Re:one of the 3 / Chalkhills stats Message-ID: <34C40516826@hrz1.uni-oldenburg.de> Hi everyone ! 1. Regarding Will's question in the last digest, of course all of Mummer, Rag and Bone and Big Express are extraordinary records compared to the rest of the pop music universe. I actually wanted to say that I like Rag and Bone best of them, for there's "Tissue Tigers", "Punch and Judy" and "Take This Town" on it, which I can listen to all day, but thenI thought: "Hang on ! on Mummer there's 'Me and the Wind', 'Great Fire' and 'Ladybird' which are equally beautiful, and on Big Express there's 'You're the wish you are I had' and 'Remember the sun' and, of course, 'Train running low on soul coal', all of them marvellous songs !". You see, Will, it's best to get them all. And while you're at it, remember to get White Music, Go 2, and the Dub Experiments (on a CD called Explode Together) as well, or you may miss a lot of true beauty in your life. The Dub Experiments especially are excellent, once I found my way into their strangeness, I listened to them on a heavy rotation for weeks. 2. Stats: Religion: raised Lutherian (mum) and Agnostic (Dad), I'm sorta undefined Theistic. Politics: Green Party (that's in Germany) Drugs: THC, XTC (the band of course) Job: student Dream: be a successful DJ/producer working with XTC on an experimental remix album called "The Lemon and the Lime". Sure enough, quite unrealistic, but the category is "Dream" not "Future Plans" ! Bye everyone. Lemoncurry residing in The Lemon Lounge at www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/9259 lemoncurry@geocities.com
------------------------------ Message-ID: <357D55D2.6670@sprintmail.com> Date: Tue, 09 Jun 1998 11:33:38 -0400 From: Stormy Monday <stormymonday@sprintmail.com> Organization: Stormy Monday Enterprises Subject: Those Greedy Suits Folxtc, Mr. Sherwood, in his last outing stated, among other things ... > I can, in short, be true to myself--to my own perceptions, and not those of > some desperate greedhead marketeer with a line of bad faith and crappy values > and nowhere to peddle them except my face. It's deeply, deeply satisfying to > know just how many emperors out there are walking around stark raving nude. True enough, but I feel the need to comment further. There are only two viable possibilities when it comes to the distribution of intellectual property: the government can direct it, or profit can drive it. Clearly, the latter has fewer problems associated with it than the former, because the profiteers care less about content than the politicians do. When I was in my late teens, a song lyric written by John Lennon when he was feeling particularly bitter caught my attention. It prompted me to look at myself and those around me, and question things that my parents and my teachers took for granted. "Keep you doped with religion and sex and TV And you think you're so clever and classless and free But you're still fucking peasants as far as I can see" I have no doubt that the suits in the record companies wanted to make a lot of money by peddling "The Plastic Ono Band" album in my face. I don't believe that Richard Nixon and his buddies shared the record company's enthusiasm. In the seventies, Elvis Costello told us "I want to bite the hand that feeds me / I want to bite that hand so badly", and the "hand" played the record! Today, apart from artists like XTC, Peter Gabriel and John Hiatt (among a few others) I find less inspiration in the lyrics of popular music than I used to. But I don't know that I would feel the same if I were twenty years old. In my day, while John was spitting lines like "Some monkeys sit there With your cock in your hand Don't get you nowhere Don't make you a man" , The Carpenters were cooing "Why do birds suddenly appear / Every time you are near?" Since I don't listen to much rap (not a racial thing, I just like melody!), I can't draw a similar analogy, but I know buried somewhere in all of the nonsense is some meaningful message to somebody. Yeah, it is much easier to find Puff Daddy records than it is to find records by XTC. I don't have to go far to buy a book by Stephen King or V.C. Andrews, but if I want to read Mark Twain or Hermann Hesse, I might have to walk to the back of the bookstore. "Titanic" is playing in every city, but if I really want to see Hitchcock's "Rear Window" or Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange", I need to look a little harder. But at least I have these options. Stormy Monday
------------------------------ From: MPadg@aol.com Message-ID: <9c6840cd.357d5e1e@aol.com> Date: Tue, 9 Jun 1998 12:09:01 EDT Subject: Musical Tastes 2 Arndt_Bar stated: >What I just don't understand is people listening to some sort of music >because *everyone else does*, or because *the music industry says it's >hip*. Ok, the distinction may be a question of rhetoric when you >happen to like the music that's trendy at the moment. A sure sign for >discovering your own music taste is, however, when you (re-)discover >music that hardly anyone else listens to (yet or anymore). I have long observed that most people listen to whatever music was popular when they were 18. Radio stations support this by concentrating on best of the decade formats that follow the listener from teenage to old age with the same tunes. XTC fans seem to have broad tastes and a continued interest in new music. I think Arndt's statement is supported by the number of young members we have who are "discovering" XTC just as we almost-forty members spent the 70s discovering jazz of the 50s or Classical from the 1800s. ************* A poster mentioned David Sylvian's "Gone to Earth" in the double album thread, which prompted me to pop it on the stereo. If you have it, listen to "Home" - it sounds like a missing Homo Safari cut. Religion: general acceptance of subjective morality Political Stance: another chalker with a Libertarian bent (a result of years of indoctrination with Chicago-school economics). Drugs: three words - random drug testing. Job: Health System CIO Dream: XTC continues to record and Michael Jordan never retires in a world where the creative musician is held in the highest esteem. Song of the Day: Audrey's Dance - Twin Peaks Soundtrack
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199806091744.SAA20216@boober.lineone.net> From: "David S White" <david.s.white@lineone.net> Subject: Bongggg! It's been a Hard Day's Night... Date: Sun, 10 May 1998 12:01:10 +0100 Dear Chalkists, That first chord in A Hard Day's Night is, I think, a barred G7sus. Bar across with the first finger at the third fret, and fret the third and fifth strings at the fifth fret with the third and fourth fingers. So, you're playing GDFCDG. These things are easier to play than describe, aren't they? Play it softly with some chorus effect and it's Walking On The Moon by The Police, but, for safety reasons, I wouldn't recommend you try and sing it. Scotland for the World Cup (still) David White
------------------------------
Message-ID: <357D9AFC.57F339A6@intermetrics.com>
Date: Tue, 09 Jun 1998 16:30:44 -0400
From: Harrison Sherwood <sherwood@intermetrics.com>
Subject: Re: sponses
Thank you to all the nice people who replied to my "Soapbox" post (I prefer
"informal essay" to "rant," thank you) both here and offline. To judge from
the impassioned content of many the responses, quite a few of us have been
thinking along the same lines. I hereby declare "Commodify Your Dissent" the
Zeitgeist Book of the Month, and add it to the syllabus.
A few administrative details to clear up:
> From: Arndt_Bar <trash@cdgmbh.de>
> Subject: Re: Harrison's Soapbox
[snip]
> By agreeing to Harrison on this list, I realize that I also follow a major,
> not to say "hip" trend, thus contradicting some of his statements :-)
This paradox occasioned a dull pounding in my temples and the sudden
appearance of the "Confutatis" movement from Mozart's Requiem on the
soundtrack. The symptoms have been alleviated by generous lashings of
brandy-and-soda, perspective back--but it was nip-and-tuck for a while
there--I nearly put my affairs in order and reached for the hemlock. Don't
_do_ that, guy!
> From: Todd Bernhardt <tbernhardt@chemonics.com>
> Subject: Kareful with those German references, pal!
[snip]
> Ah, you poor, tragic, idealistic fool.... Your illusion of
> internal freedom is a ploy that we devised and implanted.... The thing is,
> now that you've outed yourself in this manner,
> you'll in for a little discipline -- O'Brian and the goons should be
> there any time now to take you to Room 101 (you _know_ what's in Room
> 101)...
Jesus. It's the Duck!
OK, you win, Mr. O'Brien.... I love Big Brother.... Just get that fucking
duck away from me.... AIIEEEEE!!!
> What I'm looking for here is clearly identifiable
> flattery-by-imitation via attitude, sound, the way a certain chord is
> used, etc.
It would no difficult thing to make a very long list indeed of Beatle quotes
in XTC songs, going back at least as far as Black Sea, when the Beatle thing
first became overt--the arpeggios in "No Language in our Lungs" as homage to
"I Want You (She's So Heavy)." Even barring the Dukes as a source, the
Beatle-isms abound--Andy has gone on record that the middle eight of
"President Kill" ("Ain't democracy wonderful?") is an attempt to summarize
the entirety of the White Album in a few short strokes. How about the horn
solo in "Merely a Man" as the Piccolo trumpet solo from "Penny Lane"? The
chopped chord intro to "Ball and Chain" compared to that of "Getting
Better"? I'd also point to "Then She Appeared"--particularly the bridges
("And the moon, which formerly shone...")--as an unalloyed McCartney
knockoff (particularly the descending guitar lead-in to that passage, which,
it couldn't be plainer, is a straight lift from "Fixing a Hole" ("Silly
people, run around...")
Ask about the influence of McCartney on Colin's bass playing, go ahead....
Speaking of which...
> From: "k. siegel" <beatlebird@hotmail.com>
> Subject: "Peter Pumpkinhead" chord
> I have always
> thought (in the back of my mind) that that chord sounds suspiciously
> similar to the chord at the beginning of "A Hard Day's Night".
>
> Is there anyone out there able to transcribe that Beatles chord so we
> can compare the two?
If you value your life you will retract this question before the entire
place goes up in a holocaust of music theory. I am an occasional denizen of
rec.music.beatles, and I can attest that no question on Earth--not even "Did
Yoko break up the Beatles?"--is better for setting off round after round of
vitriolic poison-pen oinkage than "What chord did George play at the
beginning of 'A Hard Day's Night'?" I haven't checked in there lately, but
odds are pretty good that they're still scratching and kicking over the post
in 1992 that set the ball rolling. My music theory isn't quite studly enough
to explain why, but evidently the chord George played is...ambiguous. Best
to leave it at that.
It may even have contained the notes B, E, and A.
And finally, this:
> From: ziglain@cruzio.com (becki digregorio)
> Subject: shindigs and sheep
[snip]
> "withnail and i"
_Man_ I love this movie! The first ten minutes are even more hysterically
funny than the rest of it, with the "thing in the sink" incident and
Withnail's idea of all-over unguents as substitute for central heating. If
nothing else it'll put you off methedrine for a while. Perfumed ponces!
Harrison ""My thumbs have gone weird!" Sherwood
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199806092147.XAA10855@mail.knoware.nl> From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl> Organization: The Little Lighthouse Date: Tue, 9 Jun 1998 23:49:17 +0000 Subject: My Head Is Spinning Dear Chalkers, Before the honourable Mr. Relph puts an end to all this bandwidth gulping nonsense here's my two Eurocents (the correct term) Please note that i've added a category that was missing IMHO Religion: raised Catholic, now atheist Political Party: Dutch Labour Party Drugs: yes Job: computer programmer Dreams: a jam-session with Terry Chambers or a spaceflight Instruments played: bass and keyboards yours in xtc, Mark Strijbos at The Little Lighthouse the XTC website @ http://come.to/xtc and http://www.knoware.nl/users/mmello
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #4-91 ******************************
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