Chalkhills Digest Volume 5, Issue 122
Date: Sunday, 7 March 1999

         Chalkhills Digest, Volume 5, Number 122

                   Sunday, 7 March 1999

Today's Topics:

                      Oh, please...
                guitar player - april 1999
                    the church police!
                Dave in Downunder Land...
A surprise gift from Andy (in Toronto) by proxy: Thanks Ted!
                   AV1 on the charts...
            Album titles & other AV1 allusions
            A somewhat different review of AV1
                    frivoloos tonight
                           AV1
     Re: Incredibly Picky Lyric Details + AV1 great?
                  Leather Clad Saracens
            It is a concept Album. Try this!!
                        Rap Clique
                           BHCB
                  Re:chalkhills posting
                       NYC signing
                     In at number 42
                   Thundering Promotion
                  Re:Seattle Chalker(s!)
            Season's Cycle on "I'd Like that"
                David Hidalgo is back x 2!
                      Glowing review
             Pooh's Sick... Pooh throw up....
                 New to the list thing...
       Spirituality, sampling, and other hot topics

Administrivia:

    To UNSUBSCRIBE from the Chalkhills mailing list, send a message to
    <chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org> with the following command:

	unsubscribe

    For all other administrative issues, send a message to:

	<chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org>

    Please remember to send your Chalkhills postings to:

	<chalkhills@chalkhills.org>

    World Wide Web: <http://chalkhills.org/>

    The views expressed herein are those of the individual authors.

    Chalkhills is compiled with Digest 3.7 (John Relph <relph@tmbg.org>).

He saw the light before he'd finished his pint.

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

Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1999 18:26:50 -0800 (PST)
From: Misty Shock <mccrtny@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Oh, please...
Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.4.05.9903041817520.4415-100000@saul9.u.washington.edu>

Dunks said:
>I must say, and I'm probably one of the few, if only, that will go on
>record to say this, that I'm pretty disappointed with AV1.

I resort to an old standby -  "Are you mental?"

* ------------------------------------------

This, along with the remainder of the message, is the most idiotic way to
deal with criticism of an album.  I'll agree that I didn't like the way
the original poster chastised the way people responded to the album, but
I've felt sorry the couple times that Chalkhills has reminded me of
Macca-l, the Paul McCartney list -- that is, by assuming that if someone
doesn't like the album they must have something wrong with them or have
some vendetta against the artist.  We need to respond intelligently to
criticism as much as praise.  How else can we have *real* discussion on
the list?

Misty Shock
"No round of drinks can extinguish this feeling of love and engulfing
bliss."						--Andy Partridge

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

Message-Id: <3.0.2.32.19990304215803.0069a2c4@mail.interlog.com>
Date: Thu, 04 Mar 1999 21:58:03 -0500
From: David Oh <davidoh@interlog.com>
Subject: guitar player - april 1999

the lads, otherwise known as xtc, have a brief (4 page) article in the
latest issue of guitar player, entitled "orchestral xtc".

it's bit more technical than the standard magazine article about the band,
with andy describing gear, recording techniques & all. if anyone is
interested in the article, but not the magazine, email me & i'll type it
out for you.

av1 keeps growing on me at every listen... my review will be posted once
i've absorbed it entirely... may take a while... i'm doing too much
listening & very little thinking about how i feel about it... more later...

peace & xtc

davidoh

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

From: "Wesley Hanks" <whanks@earthlink.net>
Subject: the church police!
Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1999 19:07:12 -0800
Message-ID: <000001be66b5$4422d600$ee1c1d26@wes>

Amis,
A reminder to swing by http://clubs.yahoo.com/xtcenglandsglory to
partticipate in the standing Sunday chat, 2 PM Pacific, and/or post a
message to its board.

APPLE VENUS Vol 1 is #106 on Billboards 200!

Still disturbed by witnessing Bono and Bob Dylan on the same stage the
other night.

Wes

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

Message-Id: <3.0.32.19990305141621.00948d50@pop.chass.usyd.edu.au>
Date: Fri, 05 Mar 1999 14:16:23 +1000
From: Toni <T.Adler@chass.usyd.edu.au>
Subject: Dave in Downunder Land...

Now before you get too excited, let me explain that this post does not
relate to Dave Gregory. It's about Dave from Newcastle (Australia) who sent
me a very nice welcome back to Chalkhills kinda message. Dave, I am sorry I
accidently trashed your email. I was probably half asleep. Please send
again. I am keen to hear from other XTC fans who hail from my home town.
Maybe, we could reminisce about Foley's music store. Didn't Terry Chambers
work there at one time?

Anyway, sorry to have to do this to you. It's a bit like having your Mum
putting your name out over the public address system in the department
store. I just didn't want you to think that I had completely snubbed you.

Kind Regards, Toni.

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

Message-Id: <s6df0ecf.006@EM.AGR.CA>
Date: Thu, 04 Mar 1999 22:06:02 -0500
From: Gord Wood <woodg@EM.AGR.CA>
Subject: A surprise gift from Andy (in Toronto) by proxy: Thanks Ted!

Hello all,

I'm a former Chalkhills subscriber who now reads the digest on the Web
fairly regularly. I want to thank my buddy and Chalkhills subscriber Ted
Harms for a surprise gift he brought back from Andy's Tower Records
visit in Toronto.

I was looking forward to going to Toronto with Ted for Andy's
appearance, but I had to back out at the last minute, with the most intense
reservations, because of a work project deadline that my continued
employment depended upon. I came <this> close to accepting
termination...

So, I left a voicemail with Ted asking him for all the juicy details when he
got back, no matter how painful they might be to my tortured psyche.
After a twelve-hour+ struggle on the project, I stumbled up to my
apartment at about 1 o'clock in the morning.

I reached to my doorknob, and was surprised to see what appeared to
be a grocery receipt stuck between the door and the frame. I pull it out,
and turn it over to see scribbled in black marker on the $19.95 receipt for
the XTC Authotized Story:

GORD, YOU MISSED IT
Andy Partridge

I don't think I've laughed so hard in the seven years since Nonsuch...

Ted, I really owe you one!

Cheers,
Gord Wood

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

Message-ID: <36DF585A.2EAD49AB@vyo.org>
Date: Thu, 04 Mar 1999 23:06:50 -0500
From: Troy Peters <troy@vyo.org>
Subject: AV1 on the charts...

Hey, Chalkids --

The new Billboard chart has "Apple Venus, Volume 1" at #106 in its first
week of sales in the U.S.

For comparison, the new Blondie enters at #18.  Paul Westerberg's
"Suicaine Gratifaction" debuted at #104.

Okay, kids, it's time to go out and buy some more CDs...

Troy

--
Troy Peters
Music Director & Conductor, Vermont Youth Orchestra
troy@vyo.org

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

Message-Id: <3.0.3.32.19990304225915.007b66b0@bitstream.net>
Date: Thu, 04 Mar 1999 22:59:15 -0600
From: Mike McCormick <mikemc@bitstream.net>
Subject: Album titles & other AV1 allusions

Title - Red Curtin, good job spotting the "Apple Venus" reference on
Nonsuch.  (Except it's on Then She Appeared, not That Wave.)  I wondered
why nobody else commented on this.  It continues XTC's trend of naming
albums from their predecessors lyrics that started w/O&L.

Liner Note - The phrase "Do What You Will But Harm None" is well known to
pagans.  It is the Wiccan Rede, the central credo of Wicca, a neo-pagan
religion with English roots.  Technically the correct wording is this:
"Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill / An it harm none, do what thou will."
 To check out the full Rede, visit:
http://maxpages.com/anonlinebos/The_Wiccan_Rede

Song - The Green Man is another pagan reference, a central mythical figure
from ancient Europe who remained important through medieval times.  An
excellent book on this (crammed full of pictures & photos) is "Green Man"
by Anderson & Hicks.  They have the paperback for $14 at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0062500759/o/qid=920609987/sr=2-1/002
-3567005-9489806

Mike

Mike McCormick / mikemc@bitstream.net / m.mccormick@acm.org
"Sure, my computer is completely ready for the year 1900!"

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

Message-Id: <199903050521.PAA15252@hydra.au.oracle.com>
Date: 05 Mar 99 16:24:40 +1100
From: "Adam Davies" <AJDAVIES@au.oracle.com>
Subject: A somewhat different review of AV1

To add a new angle to the AV1 reviews, I thought I'd relate each song to an
item of fresh produce:

River Of Orchids		Apple
I'd Like That			Peach
Easter Theatre			Orange
Knights In Shining Karma	Aubergine
Frivolous Tonight		Cucumber
Greenman			Grape
Your Dictionary			Lemon
Fruit Nut			Coconut
I Can't Own Her			Brussels Sprout
Harvest Festival		Corn
The Last Balloon		Lettuce

Ad

Vzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzbx
      The statements and opinions expressed here are my own and do
         not necessarily represent those of Oracle Corporation.
Vzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzbx

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

Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1999 23:17:27 -0800 (PST)
From: Misty Shock <mccrtny@u.washington.edu>
Subject: frivoloos tonight
Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.4.05.9903042312460.11308-100000@saul10.u.washington.edu>

Somebody said:
<<Is it just me, or is 'Frivolous Tonight' a sly, self-deprecating slam at
materialism?  (I fervently hope  so...)>>

I'll respond to this, only because I had this same argument with friends.
I claimed that it was a "slam," whereas my friends claimed that it was a
fond look at how silly we all are.  Well, if y'all look on Song Stories,
Colin very clearly says that it's not a derogatory portrayal.  I would
type out exactly what he says, but I'm too lazy to get off my ass and find
the quote!

And, please, tell me Andy's *not* a warlock; I wouldn't be able to think
of him the same way.  My apologies to all you witches and warlocks.

Misty Shock
"No round of drinks can extinguish this feeling of love and engulfing
bliss."						--Andy Partridge

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

From: "David Nixon" <david.nixon@tesco.net>
Subject: AV1
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1999 10:09:49 -0000
Message-ID: <000001be66f0$4e12ed40$7f468cd4@default>

Hi All

I'm an old fan of XTC and esp. AP but I'm new to this list.  I
didn't think that there would be that many people still passionate
about the band esp. from the USA and Canada! Anyway for what it's
worth my view of AV1 is it's like they've never been away- just a
progression of their last few offerings with some new instruments.

Your Dictionary, I'd Like that and Green Man stand out on initial
hearings, Green Man with more than a nod in the direction of
Travels in Nihilon(? spelling). The whole thing makes good
listening but not great....it's not up to O&L/Black Sea/Drums &
Wires or even the patchy English Settlement because nothing stands
out like Jason... or Pink Thing, there is little to shout about
here but it's good to have them back.....maybe I just want the
guitars back- roll on AV2

JDN

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

Message-ID: <E1FE4AE1AF2DD111885A00A02479F442078BE3@sofia.programbyran.se>
From: Johan Ekdahl <johan.ekdahl@programbyran.se>
Subject: Re: Incredibly Picky Lyric Details + AV1 great?
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1999 11:32:56 +0100

>From the japanese release booklet:

>1. In I'd Like That, it's "I'll be growing in your rain", not "brain",
>right? I hope so! Somehow the idea of sunflowers growing in
>someone's brain just doesn't sound quite right for a song like this.
>That's more like something Marilyn Manson would write.

   "rain" (The phenomenon opening 1000 Umbrellas!)

>2. In Knights In Shining Karma, I'm fairly certain it's "sips from restful
>slumber's cooling keg," but I've also seen "restful slumbers cooling
>cake." Regardless, nobody seems to want to put the apostrophe in
>"slumber's". Why? Don't people like apostrophes anymore?

   They'll bring sips from restful slumbers
   Cooling Keg

>3. In Greenman (Harrison Sherwood recently posted about this) it's either
>"And a knowing church," "An unknowing church," or "And unknowing church,"
>but this one is especially difficult because they all make sense, sort of.
>(I hear "and a knowing" myself.)

   An unknowing church will amplify his call

>4. In I Can't Own Her, after "I own this town, all of its climbers,
and...",
>I've seen it as "its winds all sliding down," "its wines all sliding down",
>and "its winos sliding down." The last one sounds more logical, but
>I sort of hear a faint "t" sound in there, like it's actually "wine-oats"
>or something. I guess it doesn't *have* to be logical.

   I own this town
   All of its climbers
   All it's winds sliding down

Is AV1 as good as I'd wish after a seven-year wait? Not yet, but as more
than one person on this list has pointed out XTC records often grow.
"I'll have to admit its getting better, its getting better all the time"
(the "It cant get no worse" that follows is not applicable here!).

Cheers!

/Johan Ekdahl

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

Message-Id: <199903051248.MAA06688@uksn82>
Date: 05 Mar 99 12:44:28 +0000
From: "CTSWEENE.UK.ORACLE.COM" <CTSWEENE@uk.oracle.com>
Subject: Leather Clad Saracens

Mugsy Rimmer wrote;

<<Hi not a lot broken apart from a british fans heart
When you've been into xtc since 78 as I have ,it's a bit dissapointing to
see no promotional stuff of Apple Venus in the UK.>>

couldn't agree more, mate.  I've only been buying XTC albums since before
Amanda was even BORN!  (Amanda don't mind me using you as a yardstick).  I
don't expect Andy to be grateful, though.  Which is fortunate, really.

The 6 degress of;
Harrison Sherwood - Sherwood Forest - Robin Hood- that was actually rather
amusing, especially since I've been watching Robin of Sherwood from start to
finish recently.

That Saracen in the leathers - gets me every time.....

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

Message-ID: <19990305133058.11832.rocketmail@send105.yahoomail.com>
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1999 05:30:58 -0800 (PST)
From: Jon Rosenberger <wile1coyote@yahoo.com>
Subject: It is a concept Album. Try this!!

Karl wrote:

>You bet. Concept? I don't know but it just makes sense that
>Easter Theatre is 3rd in and Harvest Festival is next-to-last.
>Perhaps if it opened with "River of Bricks" it could be an Oz
>concept album. It'll have to be explained to me.

So I tried it and here is what I found out. Call the Sun and the
Enquirer. It is an XTC conspiracy.

If you start AV1 at the very same time that Paul Wellers name comes up
in the opening credits of Robocop, the two things never ever sync up.
That's right they have nothing to do with each other.
On the positive side you miss most of a lousy movie and you get to
hear some great music. :-D

There is no concept people. AP and CM simply took the tracks that they
wanted to record, recorded em and put them in an order they found
appealing.

It ain't rocket science it's just Rock and Roll.

Jon Rosenberger
The Mole

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

Message-ID: <36DFDEBF.E380FB4E@bellatlantic.net>
Date: Fri, 05 Mar 1999 08:40:22 -0500
From: John Irvine <jirvine@bellatlantic.net>
Subject: Rap Clique

I for one hope the rap cover/sample of Dear God is a huge hit.  It would
give the boys something they need:  street cred.  Andy did some
wonderful sample/remix of his own with the whole Go+/Lure of Salvage
thing, and maybe xtc will be the next sample source of choice for
hip-hoppers:  I'd love to hear Terry's rhythms (nigel maybe?) sampled
and reused in new compositions: he's one phat homeboy.

Peter Mullin said:
btw, Superman was, I believe, originally by The Clete (Cleat?,
Kleet?,huh?); R.E.M. did a nice cover.

It was the Clique, on White Whale records, and the REM version adds
nothing to a perfect single (b/w a tasty Sugar on Sunday cover).  They
sound not unlike the Lemon Pipers - vaguely psychedelic bubblegum.

John Irvine, who finally finished the 1962 Vespa GS160 restoration and
can't wait for spring.

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

Message-Id: <s6dfab42.080@chemonics.com>
Date: Fri, 05 Mar 1999 09:56:42 -0500
From: Todd Bernhardt <tbernhardt@chemonics.com>
Subject: BHCB

Hi:

Edward Percival pointed out that he is:
>a big hairy chested bastard at that!<

I'd just like to point out that "Big Hairy Chested Bastard" is a great
name for a band.

Thank you.

--Todd

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

From: RiknBkr@aol.com
Message-ID: <9a4fd493.36dff218@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1999 10:02:48 EST
Subject: Re:chalkhills posting

John Hammond wrote:

It's great to see the incredible response and excitement about AV1 here.
If I could ask a favor, we'd love to get your feedback regarding the web
promotions we put together to introduce the album.  Did you check out the
Liquid Audio download of "I'd Like That"?  Did you find that it worked?
Did you also check out the Cooking Vinyl previews of every song?  Which
approach did you prefer?  What suggestions do you have for promotions like
this in the future?  (Like, say, AV2...)

The Liquid Audio download of "I'd Like that" was great, even if I only
copied the mono version. I was disappointed that I could not load the
Cooking Vinyl previews though.  I loaded the new version of Real player,
but always had system problems with it.....so I gave up and waited for the
CD to be released.  My preference would be to use the Liquid Audio.

Cheers,
Phil

PS.  Off to see the boys today at the LA Virgin, I'll be the one with the
Rickenbacker T-shirt, if its not too cold.

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

Message-ID: <0325F31466C9D111A76D00A0C99DD2691BE7F8@MSXCHNY2>
From: "Amari, Richard" <RAmari@penguinputnam.com>
Subject: NYC signing
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1999 10:23:54 -0500

If you're tired of reading about the NYC signings, Page down.

Jennifer said:

Chatted with a few of you while I was
in line (whoever you were, thank you for holding my spot so I could go
inside and warm up). Finally met up with the fabulous Mitch Friedman,
who was greeted with the remark "Oh, you're THE Mitch?"

That was me on the line right in front of you. I just wanted to say I'm
sorry if I seemed anti social. But that nerdy standing in front of me was
driving me nuts. He wouldn't shut UP! He refused to accept any of my hints
that I wanted him to just be quiet for at least one full minute. Also it
was rather cold out, and I was kind of nervous about meeting the two people
I've admired most through out my adult life.

I was listening to a good deal of what Mitch and you were saying out of the
corner of my ear. I wish I had joined in. Mitch seemed like a very nice
chap, indeed. And if you don't remember me, Mitch, I was the guy rolling
his eye at the thought of Jennifer's desire for peppermint shnops with hot
chocolate (yuck).

Anyway, for about two and a half hours ( in the dreadful cold), to my back
I had some great people on line, and to my front I had a yaking, drooling
mess with a three foot mouth. These are the fans of XTC.

I'd do it again.

-Richard

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

From: Huw Davies <DaviesHPT@cardiff.ac.uk>
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1999 16:08:33 GMT0BST
Subject: In at number 42
Message-ID: <97436C97FCF@PARKLA1S.CF.AC.UK>

 "Andy Miller" <andymiller@4thestate.co.uk> wrote:

>Apple Venus #1 entered the UK album chart at number 42 - don't know
>the sales figures, but that's three places higher than The Sebadoh
>by Sebadoh, also in its first week of release.

>Is this a good showing? Better than Nonsuch?

This strikes me as a disappointing chart showing as it doesn't
improve on the chart positions of both O&L and Nonsuch which both got
to #28 I believe. I doubt if AV1 will get any higher in the charts as
I assume that most of its sales will be to loyal fans buying it in
the the first week of release, although perhaps if Cooking Vinyl were
to release a single off the album it might help sales. I agree with
all those who say Green Man should be a single.

BTW AV1 is a brilliant album and it did not disappoint me. Knights in
Shining Karma is the only song that I'm not so keen on, but it may
grow on me.

Huw Davies

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

Message-ID: <36E03287.6F89@snet.net>
Date: Fri, 05 Mar 1999 11:37:43 -0800
From: "R. Cris Palmer" <crisp@snet.net>
Organization: Brookside Farm
Subject: Thundering Promotion

Adam Davies lamented the lack of "integrity" in much of todays music, as
well as the 2 blanket obsessions controlling Australian music store
owners.

While I believe that those comments may be true on the whole, I _beg_
you Adam, PLEASE recant your criticism of Jewel's breasts. They are not
part of the problem, I assure you. Those babies have PLENTY of integrity
and I, for one, am glad of it. That said, though, I concur 100% with
everything else you wrote.  Besides, the Spice Girls lost their fashion
sense when Ginger left.

Cris!

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

Message-ID: <19990305164337.14802.qmail@hotmail.com>
From: "K. D." <kmemmy@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re:Seattle Chalker(s!)
Date: Fri, 05 Mar 1999 08:43:37 PST

Count me in amongst the number of Seattle-based Chalkers.  And where are
you guys getting your AV1's here in Seattle?  The two record stores near
where I work don't seem to have a single copy.  With the list buzzing
with talk of the new release I don't know if I can contain myself much
longer.

-Kort
(who really enjoys the rain, but isn't a fan of the windstorms)

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

From: sclarke@maritz.co.uk
Message-ID: <8025672B.005D186E.00@lisa.maritz.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1999 16:58:15 +0000
Subject: Season's Cycle on "I'd Like that"

> Karl Witter Wrote
> Am I the only cyclist on Chalkhills who recognizes the spinning
> freewheel after the first verse of "I'd Like That"? Cool bit.
>However I do miss the high "Iiiiii'd liiiiiiiike thaaaat" vocals
> over the end, as someone else picked up.

The Cycle in question belongs to a certain Mr Colin Moulding - wonder if
that's why a man must have a shed :-)

-Steve Clarke
Bummed at not being able to run the video at i-chat :-(

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

From: WillJ4comm@aol.com
Message-ID: <42b8f4cc.36e00e20@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1999 12:02:24 EST
Subject: David Hidalgo is back x 2!

I don't have either one yet, but for all you Los Lobos/David Hidalgo fans, two
new albums with him came out Tuesday:

1. "Dose" from Latin Playboys (David and Louie from Los Lobos, plus Tchad
Blake and Mitchell Froom, sonic stew for your tum)

2. "Hound Dog" from Hound Dog, featuring David Hidalgo. Nothing else known.

Plus new Los Lobos this summer supposedly, and new Van this coming Tuesday.
Excellent... Will J

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

Message-Id: <199903051729.JAA28730@utopia.West.Sun.COM>
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1999 09:29:43 -0800 (pst)
From: Barry Greenberg <barry@utopia.West.Sun.COM>
Subject: Glowing review

There's an article sure to please XTC fans in the current Los Angeles
Weekly at http://www.laweekly.com.  Apparently Partridge and Moulding
will be appearing at the Virgin Megastore (bit of irony here?) on Sunset
today at 6:00PM.

--Barry

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

Message-ID: <19990305173650.25920.rocketmail@web4.rocketmail.com>
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1999 09:36:50 -0800 (PST)
From: nross <phoenixyellowrose@rocketmail.com>
Subject: Pooh's Sick... Pooh throw up....

Oh! I can comment... I actually have something to say, this is new!

Now THAT is self-deprication.

>From: Peter Mullin <pmullin@biocomp.unl.edu>
>Subject: Re: AV1 and more men
>
>Is it just me, or is 'Frivolous Tonight' a sly, self-deprecating slam at
>materialism?  (I fervently hope so...)

Yeh, I guess you can see it as that... but I choose to imagine a bunch
of Brits in a pub drinking Guiness, ahavin' a good old time
and all that other nonsuch. HA!

Face value is sometimes worthwhile and endearing, don't you think?
I think the song points out the silliness of humans... but, more, I
think it enjoys the frivilousness, or the ridiculousness. It has
its sort of sad tones, to me, at times... but, overall, the song
leaves me feeling warm. Like I've had a hot toddy with a bunch of
friends after work.

Anyway... take a peak at what they (Colin, Dave...) say about the song
in Song Stories (I took a peak at it in the store to see if I was
RIGHT... oh I so love to be). It was a quick peak, mind you... I still
don't own the damn thing.

I'm years behind all of you in XTC-ness... but not age.

-Nicole

(hey, again, self-deprication... I'm good at that!)

Was that sly?

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

Message-ID: <19990305181845.2741.rocketmail@send202.yahoomail.com>
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1999 10:18:45 -0800 (PST)
From: "Lisa G." <devilgirlchocolate@yahoo.com>
Subject: New to the list thing...

I would just like to say "hola" to everyone on the list.  This is my
first time being on ANY list.  So far, it's amusing.

It's Friday, March 5th, and I am going to meet Andy and Colin in a few
hours (Virgin Megastore, 6pm.)  How exciting is that?!  I want to ask
the guys intelligent things like, "Is the Greeman a wood nymph or a
metaphor for all men?," but I know I will end up pleading, "Oh,
PLEASE, come play at my wedding reception on April 1, 2000!!!"  Not to
mention fainting and drooling.  My fiance continually reminds me that
they are merely men, and I should not fawn and be obsequious.

As to the sampling of "Dear God..." OH, NO!  Please, Andy, don't fall
in the way of Sting and become a sell-out!!!  First they sample, then
Puffy will turn "Pink Thing" into a song about a hooker, then you will
have to sing along with the ghost of Tupac...

Lisa (aka "The DevilGirl")

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

Message-ID: <19990305184110.13477.rocketmail@send102.yahoomail.com>
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1999 10:41:10 -0800 (PST)
From: Tyler Hewitt <tahewitt@yahoo.com>
Subject: Spirituality, sampling, and other hot topics

Lots of people seem to be pissed off about the Dear God sample issue.
While not a fan of rap myself (and I suspect that's where a lot of the
objection comes from) I fully agree with the recent post about free
use.

Matt Keeley wrote:
...Anyway, how I see it is that sampling should be legal if the sample
is used to create something inherently different and new.

Absolutely! In my career as a visual artist I have often found myself
in the position of appropriating images to incorporate into my own
collage-based work.  The key here is recontextualization. I take old
images, and by changing their context, force them into commenting
about themselves, or commenting on the way they were originally used.
I think the rap community does a similar thing through sampling,
although I think that artists like Negativland, John Oswald, Christian
Marclay, etc do a much better job of it. I personally avoid the use of
other artist's work when I appropriate, prefering to use images rom
old magazines, textbooks, etc. But that's just my asthetic at work, it
by no means implies that I disagree with appropriating at any level.
Check out the Negativland web page-www.negativland.com (and much
thanks, Matt, for the John Oswald web address. I used to have his site
bookmarked, but he shut the page down for a while and I coulden't find
it again). I had the pleasure of meeting Mark Holzer of Negativland
last year, he came to my graduate school as a visiting artist.  I've
been a huge Negativland fan for years,and it was nice seeing Mark in
person. Negativland has firsthand knowledge of how the copyright laws
favor large corporations over the little guy.

This is actually a big interest of mine.
Sampling/appropriation-either from original or borrowed sources,
exists in various forms throughout the arts, from Picasso
incorproating bits of newspaper into his paintings, and Robert
Rauchenberg's famous silkscreens, through classical composers like
Charles Ives and Luciano Berio, and uncatagorizable
composers/musicians like Bob Ostertag.  It has widespread use in the
pop/rock world, too, existing years before rap came along.
Appropriation is a basic tenet of postmodernism in the arts, and has
played a vital role in the creation of a great deal of this century's
finest creative expression.
So-rap may not be among the century's finest creative expression (and
this, like anything is open to debate) but, it has the right to do
what it does. If you object, don't buy the single!

An unrelated (but also interesting) subject:

about Andy's spiritual beliefs (or lack thereof)
Someone someone sent a post which contained this:

My subversive implication here is that he treats religious and
spiritual references in much the same manner:  they are
artistic tools to be wielded for their affect on the listener.

Yes again! the culture of the USA, England, and lots of other places
is full of Christian Mythology. Whether or not you ascribe to those
beliefs, If you live in an overwhelmingly Christian part of the world,
you get exposed to Christianity on a daily basis. Many words, ideas,
sayings, platitudes, etc. have a christian origin. Many universities
(in the US anyways) offer a bible as literature course. Taking a
course like this really opens your eyes as to how much of our culture
comes from the bible. So, it seems to follow that using christian or
biblical references in a song lyric could be a way of addressing a
topic so that people will 'get it', regardless of the belief of the
author.  Some of these references are so ingrained into our culture
that they almost lose any religious meaning.

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

End of Chalkhills Digest #5-122
*******************************

Go back to Volume 5.

8 March 1999 / Feedback