Chalkhills Digest Volume 5, Issue 156
Date: Wednesday, 31 March 1999
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 5, Number 156
Wednesday, 31 March 1999
Today's Topics:
Re: Speak for yourself/Drums
Re: April 1
Re: Krakatoan Balloons...
Your rant at Molly
Cents Your Ship
Vichyssoise for the Horribly Addicted
Italian AV1 Different and a response
Simply...
xtc underground
one last sgt pepper type thing
Stop attacking Molly, for God's sake!
Trade bait
another dumb lyrics question.
cROCK indeed!
Radios In Motion
Since You Lit Me
Straight To Ya
The Drummingest of Songs
Ted V. Andy V. Technology V. Me
The dumbing down of Dominic Lawason
Ain't No Fool Like an April Fool
Re: Rhythmic Peppers
An XTC Novice's Impressions of "Apple Venus"
DAMNED/FRIPP MP3
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Don't he realise this is Respectable Street?!
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-Id: <4782AD6ADDBDD2119B570008C75DD5C1021FEF@MGMTM02> From: Lawson Dominic <LawsonD@parliament.uk> Subject: Re: Speak for yourself/Drums Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 12:36:59 +0100 At the risk of enraging the usual suspects.... (i) Thanks to Duncan Kimball. I couldn't have (and didn't) put it better myself. (ii) Molly! Don't panic! Just be grateful that you're not being patronized off-list and treated like a simpleton, unlike certain people who shall remain (ME!) nameless. (iii) To Jefferson - yes, I am impaled on your rapier-like wit and I am twitching.... >>Dom issued a formal, if strained, apology to the list. He was not >>entirely committed to the apology, perhaps because he had had >>only good intentions when he wrote the original note, and didn't >>feel right about apologizing for the unintended dismay suffered >>by people whose linguistic values differ from his own. >>Nevertheless, he publically disavowed the intent to wound. I'm just checking, but you do realise that my apology was sarcastic don't you? Damn this written word! (iv) To the numerous dickless cowards who have flamed certain individuals for agreeing with me, and/or failing to conform to non-existent rules of etiquette....SHAME ON YOU! How incredibly spineless can you get? Taking arguments off-line is one thing, but don't hide in the shadows sniping at those of us with the balls to stand up for what we believe in. I am really, really disappointed by this. I thought Chalkhills was free from this sort of bullshit. Re: Drums Oh yes, drums have always been one of my favourite things about live-era XTC. Let's face it, Terry really knew how to batter the shit out his kit didn't he? I have been known to slap the skins myself from time to time, so if you'll allow me... "Travels In Nihilon" is certainly TC's finest performance. Twisting that Bo Diddley/tribal thing into a vast psychedelic behemoth of rhythm, Mr Chambers was clearly having a very good day indeed. Spectacular stuff. It's no wonder that "Black Sea" has the reputation it has, i.e. for being the ultimate representation of the live XTC experience. Chambers' thumping dominates the album and injects so much rockular muscle into the proceedings that it remains my absolute favourite XTC album in terms of crank-it-up-and-shout-along pre-piss up potential. "Drums & Wires" comes a close second, but the production on "Black Sea" is pretty unbeatable. A special mention has to go to the wonderful drum patterns on "I'm Bugged" and "Scissor Man", especially the latter where the brilliance of AP's jabbering vocals is perfectly mirrored by the stuttering snares and pinpoint cymbal stabs (or whatever they call it in Rhythm Magazine these days......now that was a fascinating read!). Post-TC, I've always felt that despite some worthy contributions, drums have always played a much less significant role in XTC's music (or at least in its effect on me as a listener). Much as I appreciate the skills of the various session players who've added their talents to more recent XTC albums, I'm not particularly fond of that measured, technical approach to drumming. It's accurate and solid enough, but ultimately fairly soulless. The drum machine sounds on O&L are even worse, but the strength of the songs saves the day (give or take a vile keyboard sound or two). Such is the nature of AV1 that up till now I hadn't really considered the drums at all. Maybe this is indicative of the songs' subtly anti-rock vibe - I'm not entirely sure - but either way I do have to give a mighty thumbs-aloft to the patterns on "Greenman". It's easy to neglect the potential of "additional" percussion, and the effect it has on the overall sound of an album, but here its impact is obvious. Bizarrely, I love Iron Maiden's drum patterns for much the same reason. At first they sound like straightforward heavy metal beats, but the more you listen, the more unexpected frills and rhythmic interjections (Jesus, I'm turning into Bilge Collins...) jump out at your lucky ears. Yes, well obviously you won't all be rushing out to buy "Powerslave", but it was the first decent parallel I could think of! That Nicko McBrain is an extraordinarily gifted drummer, like XTC's linear pal Mr Prince, and far more subtle and dextrous than people would give him credit for. Oh the shame, talking about Iron Maiden on a Chalkhills digest! So sue me. Incidentally, has anyone heard "Caramel" from the new Blur album? It's a beauty, especially when the drums drift off into pure Can, circa "Ege Bamyasi", territory. Glorious. ...and look, XTC content! Hopefully that will shut the whining maggots up for a day or two... Dom.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 09:29:51 -0500
From: Dorothy Spirito <spiritod@techmail.gdc.com>
Subject: Re: April 1
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.4.00.9903310928220.26099-100000@esun2028>
Regarding the "Dave Trade" article quoted, in which Ray Davies and Andy
Partridge, like a couple of major league team owners, trade band members:
I think the Subject line says it all. : )
--Dorothy.
("Color me happy!")
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 10:26:41 -0500
From: Dorothy Spirito <spiritod@techmail.gdc.com>
Subject: Re: Krakatoan Balloons...
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.4.00.9903311020240.26099-100000@esun2028>
Kristen Reed wrote:
> I recall seeing a reference to Krakatoa a few weeks ago...why was
> Krakatoa initially brought up?
Because Russ Reynolds wanted to see if anyone else knew the original title
of the movie "Volcano", and the glaring geographical error in it.
(Answer: "East of Java", whereas Krakatoa is west of Java. Michael
Versaci got it.)
> I'm curious as to whether it had to do with _The Twenty-One Balloons_ by
> William Pene duBois? [which is set on Krakatoa]
No, but I'd like to crow that I own & treasure an *autographed* copy of
this wonderful piece of children's literature.
> I immediately thought of the book ... when I heard "The Last Balloon",
> believe it or not.
I believe it, because it came to my mind, too!
--Dorothy.
("Color me happy!")
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199903311054.KAA029.23@GATEWAY.TIRERACK.COM> Subject: Your rant at Molly Date: Wed, 31 Mar 99 10:53:23 -0600 From: William Loring <bloring@tirerack.com> To all the censorship/swearing posters: Take it offline. There is such a thing as personal mail for personal attacks such as the ones that you have consistently launched against people on this list. It is thoughtless and rude of you to use the Chalkhills forum for belittling others. What was it that Andy said? "Just don't hurt nobody" Think about it. I am amazed that a group of such intelligent people can be so completely lacking in social skills. This has nothing to do with censorship, and everything to do with basic human decency, which several list members seems to lack. When posting a message, it might be adviseable to ask yourself this question: Would I actually say this to this person's _face_? Would I say this if I were accountable for the consequences? William Loring
------------------------------ Message-ID: <19990331160429.11651.qmail@www0f.netaddress.usa.net> Date: 31 Mar 99 08:04:28 PST From: domenic staffieri <ddstaff@netscape.net> Subject: Cents Your Ship Enough already!!!! You people are cluttering up the newsletter with this neverending debate. I suggest you email amongst yourselves so I could look forward to reading something about XTC. Even better, why don't you create your own newsletter entitled, "****". "Damn that Television"
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 11:36:43 -0500 From: Maus <hauck_a@cc.denison.edu> Subject: Vichyssoise for the Horribly Addicted Message-id: <37024F18.AF20C5B1@denison.edu> Hi Chalkies! The week AV1 came out, I called CD101 (Columbus, Ohio's only worthwhile station) and requested "I'd Like That". This is a station where I have heard such treats as Nigel and SWO, things I never expected to hear on the radio these days... hell, last night they played TMBG's "Cowtown" out of nowhere! Well, they told me then I would have to listen to the Thursday night "Specialty Show" to have a hope of hearing it. I was disappointed, but not surprised. But last night I was doing research and listening to CD101's nightly request countdown, and who do you think appeared at number two?!! I danced around the room with delight. A quick look at the online playlist shows our single in HEAVY ROTATION, sitting comfortably next to Everclear and Fatboy Slim. I admit I initially doubted the commercial appeal of this album, but at least one station has apparently discovered that people *like* it. If anyone on this list is from the Columbus area, be sure to make your voice heard at CD101. A spot on the countdown equals prime exposure, every night. Thanks and thanks again to everyone on the list for being the greatest group of strangers I've ever eavesdropped upon. I'm a young one (first album- Nonsuch), but the last two years led me from a casual listen to Rag & Bone to an upwardly spiraling love for all the albums (along with a rather empty wallet). Even as a college DJ, I was slowly becoming disinterested and bored with music. XTC grabbed me, smacked me around a little, and renewed my love affair with music! I was making mix tapes for friends just to have someone I could talk to about the songs- anyone! Then a few months ago I subscribed ...with some reservations. I have had less than pleasant experiences with mailing lists. But you guys manage make the best music in the world even more fun. A more intelligent, hilarious, and friendly bunch of music lovers I have never met. Case in point: AP's hysterical "Snowman" post. You rival TMBG fans for camaraderie, and that's saying a lot. I have just one question: what exactly is vichyssoise? Would you eat it? And just how cold is the stuff? On first, second, and third listens, "Yacht Dance" made me laugh, cry, and then laugh some more. Thanks again for feeding my Horrible Addiction, as my best friend likes to call it- Ave Marie Number one 10 years ago this week in CMJ: Oranges and Lemons ----------------- No need to look back through diaries of lost now turned to dust- We, we will skate across the surface of the storm as if we're wheeling sea-birds. -XTC
------------------------------ Message-ID: <19990331164246.20159.rocketmail@web104.yahoomail.com> Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 08:42:46 -0800 (PST) From: Jon Rosenberger <wile1coyote@yahoo.com> Subject: Italian AV1 Different and a response Greetings Hillians. First a quick response to Mary Beth who said "Do you think it's worth all the trouble to grow nails just so I can wear XTC nailpolish?" Of course it is. I am wearing it right now. Lovely shade and it goes so well with my Moustache. ;-D And then a collectors note. Maybe you want to note this in the discography John? The Italian AV1 Cd which I just received (Thank you, You Saint, you know who you are) has a different cover than the US, Japan and UK ones. The Italian cover features the feather pointing left (On mine anyways) but the background color is a silver instead of white. It is slightly reflective and the feather looks great on that surface. Pretty cool. The Italian tape also comes in a regular case not a bio-box. I guess that is a US only thing. Anyone know if either Japan or Australia issued cassettes? Jon Rosenberger The Mole
------------------------------ Message-ID: <37027BEC.534D@schoollink.net> Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 11:47:56 -0800 From: Dan Phipps <phipps@schoollink.net> Organization: CIC Subject: Simply... Chalkaholics, HAPPY EASTER, everyone!! -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ /Dan Phipps <phipps@schoollink.net> "We are eagles of one nest; The nest is in our soul." (Robert Plant / Jimmy Page)
------------------------------ Message-ID: <204640794C39D211A21700805FA735211AA27C@ahqex1.rei.com> From: Steve Sims <ssims@rei.com> Subject: xtc underground Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 09:46:16 -0800 Did anyone catch the recent Discovery Channel show concerning what lies underneath New York City? It was a very enlightening look at life under ground. There was a tour of subways, sewers, water mains under construction, etc. There were interviews with construction workers, police, and homeless people who make homes in the dark recesses of the subway system. The most entertaining thing to me (HERE COMES THE THREAD) was the night spent following around a graffiti artist. This guy was in the subways, dancing over 3rd rails, plastering himself against walls when trains went zipping by, all for his ART. And what was his art? This night it was spraying a D&W logo "XTC" on the side of a stalled train. They may not be making money, but it looks like Andy and Colin have made a mark on pop culture. -Steve
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v03110701b32812c61b88@[18.156.0.43]> Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 13:04:33 -0500 From: josh getman <jgetman@MIT.EDU> Subject: one last sgt pepper type thing Someone mentioned: >Weather Report's "Heavy Weather" YES! If Clapton is God, Jaco Pastorius is Clapton. I'd like to add the following to the Sgt Pepper list: Tom Waits - Closing Time Pat Metheny - Travels Michael Hedges - Breakfast in the Field Zappa - Broadway the Hard Way josh ---------- Josh Getman Technology Review - Nominated for The 1999 National Magazine Award for General Excellence
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 10:21:18 -0800 (PST) From: Misty Shock <mccrtny@u.washington.edu> Subject: Stop attacking Molly, for God's sake! Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.4.10.9903311003481.12820-100000@saul5.u.washington.edu> Dunks said to Molly: <<Now, I have no doubt that your position is genuine, and stems from good motives. I'm sure you're a nice person (and I'm not being sarcacstic). BUT I find your position, and the arguments you defend it with to be both deseptive and patronising. It implies/assumes that these undefined "people", on whose behalf you claim to act, cannot speak for themsleves, and that you must therefore act to protect them. >> I think that it should be clarified that Molly was not intending to be deceptive or patronizing. You claim that while Molly was masking something as a kind act, she was really belittling listmembers by attempting to speak for people who don't need to be spoken for. Even if this is the case, I'm certain that this was not Molly's intention. It's akin to people offering an old person their arm. It may be patronizing but it is not intentionally so, ultimately derived from good will. Even if it does assume that people can't speak for themselves, that assumption is not unfounded. Aren't there like thousands of people on te list while only very few post? It's not that these people can't talk for themselves but they choose not to (I'm a lurker on most of the lists or newsgroups I read) which quantitatively equals the same thing. Plus, it seems like you're saying that nobody should ever speak about things that involve more than their direct self-interest, lest they appear patronizing! I don't think she was even necessarily dictating what the list is like for others but rather describing the kind of environment she would like -- one that is considerate to all of its member. Am I being patronizing by posting this message? :) Misty Shock mccrtny@u.washington.edu "No round of drinks can extinguish this feeling of love and engulfing bliss." --Andy Partridge
------------------------------ From: "Dean Martucci" <martucci@verio.com> Subject: Trade bait Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 11:58:34 -0800 Message-ID: <000701be7bb0$dbaf1e60$a88715cf@oemcomputer> Chalk Completists, If you want the promo cd from Transistor Blast "What Do You Call That Noise?," I'll trade ya for pretty much anything. I'm easy stylee... Dean Unicycle Records "Get Up For The Download!" http://www.unicyclerecords.com
------------------------------ Message-ID: <+LTRGkARkiA3IwbY@coopefamily.demon.co.uk> Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 14:54:25 +0100 From: KT <Katy@coopefamily.demon.co.uk> Subject: another dumb lyrics question. What are the words to the first verse of 'No thugs in our house'? I tried looking on the lyrics book in fossil fuel, but it misses a line, only pritng the first half of the second line, joined up to the second half of the third line... anyone else noticed this mistake? -- KT Coope
------------------------------ Message-ID: <000a01be7bb6$5f7c2b70$d8f0c4cc@t24806009694.DOA.STATE.LA.US> From: "John Voorhees" <griffon@earthling.net> Subject: cROCK indeed! Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 14:37:58 -0600 > I can't believe what I just read at cROCK.com............ Yeah, neither can I! I don't know whether the Hallmark card was real, but this is a delightful little hoax, it is. I.P. Daily indeed... Now Adrian Belew, there's a potential trade! :) John Voorhees
------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.19980331213956.0079b4d0@mail.u-net.com> Date: Tue, 31 Mar 1998 21:39:56 +0100 From: Andy Ruffell <pample@moose.u-net.com> Subject: Radios In Motion My first posting - I only joined last week. I was surfing the cable channels at 3.00am last Saturday and came across 'The Best Of The Old Grey Whistle test' on UKGold. The first song was 'Radios In Motion' - live in the TV studio. Its amazing - I've followed the band since buying Generals + Majors on its release, but you tend to forget just how young these people were when they started. Mr.Partridge was not waering any flat caps then. They were excellent, though, and so energetic. My main regret is not going to see them live, especially as I lived near Swindon then! Did anybody else see the programme on saturday night? All the best Andy
------------------------------
Message-Id: <199903312048.WAA02762@mail.knoware.nl>
From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl>
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 23:00:50 +0000
Subject: Since You Lit Me
Dear Chalkers,
Elena asked:
> What are some other "strange" locations that their music has been
> heard?
Tent City, a large camping site somewhere in the London suburbs
during the summer of '86. That year i made my first pilgrimage to
Swindon and after 2 weeks of hitch-hiking across England
i eventually ended up there.
During that trip i spend a lot of time and the little money i had on
XTC goodies but i had no means to play them! So i was going cold
turkey while my rucksack was loaded :)
Anyway, Tent City was a great place with lots of friendly young(ish)
tourists who were also doing London on 10 quid a day. But for me the
best part was the fact that this girl who worked the reception desk
had a tape of Black Sea. What's more, she played it a lot. Like 10 or
15 times a day, at high volume _and_ she knew all the words.
Of course i immediately fell in love and of course i didn't have the
guts to approach her. He who hesitates is lost...
yours in xtc,
Mark Strijbos at The Little Lighthouse
http://www.knoware.nl/users/mmello/
or http://come.to/xtc
------------------------------
Message-Id: <199903312100.XAA04153@mail.knoware.nl>
From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl>
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 23:12:25 +0000
Subject: Straight To Ya
Dear Chalkers,
Censorship rears its ugly head again and again:
> (Molly has her) head screwed on straight. I believe we should set an
> example for others, especially children, as they only learn bad language
> off adults.
Seems to me you two just don't get it... "bad language" is just a
concept, there is no such thing as inherently bad language. And the
whole problem with censorship is that your definition of "bad" is
very likely not the same as mine. And i don't want you to control
what i get to hear - or say. No fucking way (pardon my French)
BTW: i used to learn "bad language" from my peers, not from adults
yours in xtc,
Mark Strijbos at The Little Lighthouse
http://www.knoware.nl/users/mmello/
or http://come.to/xtc
------------------------------ Message-ID: <37028535.931198D5@mnsi.net> Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 16:28:03 -0400 From: Micheal Stone <nedrise@MNSi.Net> Subject: The Drummingest of Songs Chalk a longs Drude spoketh thus like: >and I would have to say that a few XTC songs stand out for amazing >drumming/drum sound: >1)Travels In Nihilon >2)Paper and Iron >3)Tissue Tigers >4)Nigel >5)Train Running Low >6)Pumpkinhead Good list, but how could you leave off Summer's Cauldron? Amazing performance by Prarie Prince. Hearing that song (along with Grass, of course) on the radio was the final piece of the puzzle for me as far as becoming a worshipper at the Church of XTC. And I'd also put Senses Working Overtime on the list, if only for that one great drum fill by Terry (4'28"). Mike
------------------------------ From: Chauncy14@aol.com Message-ID: <1ce5619d.37029380@aol.com> Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 16:28:32 EST Subject: Ted V. Andy V. Technology V. Me Good day to all. To Tyler: Regarding Ted Kuzinski: I too was being a smartass when I posted my response. And sure, there clearly is no comparison re: Ted V(ersus) Andy. It is an interesting thought ...how far out of proportion we've managed to blow up one specific line in one specific song. And even then, is the phrasing "push your car from the road" even about the detestation of technology? Or, is Andy simply saying...."move that piece of shit out of the way ( or out of my way?)?" Or something to that effect? "I am late for a recording gig, get that thing out of the way?" with a smile?? Perhaps this is Andy's way of mocking us? To Dunks: Sorry we made you vent in a two page post, but man you're awesome! Are you in politics? If not, you should be. Your arguments are on point. Come to Chicago, I've got a soap box waiting for you here!!!!! :) But, by the end of the day.....I really need my car! Sorry chuckles. -John "you can't get the buttoms these days!" Gardner In Chicago P>S> to you aol-ers...see you on the 7th at 9 CDT in the Art and Entertainment room?
------------------------------ Message-ID: <ySJEaJALvpA3EwTB@demon.co.uk> Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 23:03:55 +0100 From: Jon Holden-Dye <jon@jhd-designs.demon.co.uk> Subject: The dumbing down of Dominic Lawason In Digest #5-154, Lawson Dominic <LawsonD@parliament.uk> writes :- >Firstly, I'm sure you're all gagging to hear what my Sgt Pepper was. Just SNIP...BLAH...SNIP...BLAH...BLAH...BLAH > >Dom ****ing Lawson. Bollocks, Dom - not one REAL sweary thing, and two '****' type things. Wha' 'appen ? Is it really time to hang up the cool duds, break out the pipe 'n' slippers and chill out (to Foreigner, or suchlike) ? Hi honey, I'm emasculated. In summary - not_nearly_enough swearing, too much niceness. Please try harder, in future. -- Jon Holden-Dye "I like to keep an open mind - but not so open my brain falls out." (Anon.)
------------------------------
Message-ID: <37029D26.1EFFD25E@averstar.com>
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 18:09:52 -0400
From: Harrison Sherwood <sherwood@averstar.com>
Organization: Averstar, Inc.
Subject: Ain't No Fool Like an April Fool
It all began a couple of weeks ago with a post about Beauty.
The lovely & talented Jill Oleson, perhaps under the influence of a couple
of bone-dry Shirley Temples and a gray day, posed the age-old question,
What the hell ever happened to Beauty? Why, queried Jill, have we come to
evince such expressions of oogieness when confronted with art that's
unabashedly, simply, sincerely, un-post-modernistically _beautiful_?
An excellent question, I thought, and began a little mental journey of my
own, examining my own feelings about it. My first, instinctual conclusion
was that, in this age characterized by ironic detachment and "cool"
indifference to genuinely felt emotion, we have so thoroughly eradicated
any connection to our less cynical impulses that we have completely
forgotten they are there--and we are embarrassed by any reminders of their
existence.
This was all very well, but to me unsatisfying--chiefly because I knew
somewhere back in my head that this debate had gone on before, somewhere in
history, a less media-saturated time, and blaming These Days of Modern
Times answered only part of the question.
Then the lovely and talented Stephanie Takeshita set me straight: "...The
problem for the artist in aiming for sheer beauty in his or her art is that
falling short often results in a work of easily-derided kitsch instead."
Aha! methought, slapping the Sherwood forehead. Kitsch! Of course! Kitsch
is the hinge-point in this whole discussion! At what point does beauty stop
being beautiful and become kitsch? ("Something that appeals to popular or
low-brow taste and is often of poor quality," according to the Big Dic,
which dates the word to 1925--which is just about exactly right for our
purposes.) And this is where I began to solve my problem of historicity. I
remembered who it was in the past who had hashed out this question--the
generation of artists that were most directly affected by the horrors of
the First World War. These artists, who included the Dadaists and
Surrealists, directly asked the thitherto unnecessary question, If
modernity and the political status quo can bring about something as
inconceivably evil as World War I and trench warfare, what is the use of
beauty? Is "beauty" (read, "kitsch") not simply a tool of the war-machine
and the oppressor classes that "inspires" the cannon-fodder to sacrifice
themselves before the machine gun and mustard gas? In light of this, should
we not seek the beautiful in the obscene?
Given this progression (perhaps the very central obsession of artists of
every kind in this here Dying Twentieth Century), and noting the imminence
of my Very Favorite-est Holiday (that's April Fool's Day, not Easter), I
hatched a little prank as a sort of _gedankenexperiment_ for people in the
throes of debate over Beauty and Its Uses. Zip over to Hallmark.com, pick
the goopiest, kitschiest E-Greeting they had, deface it with gibbering
Surrealist sloganeering, sign it with the names of two artists who would
never in a million years *dream* of sending such a greeting, and off to
Chalkhills with it. All in a Surrealist's (or perhaps better, a
Neo-Expressionist's) day's work: "recontextualization" of iconic figures,
jarring juxtaposition of "beautiful" and "ugly" imagery, disregard for
bourgeois sensibilities, confusing misdirection of cultural signifiers--but
wearing (I *thought*!) enough red noses and fright wigs to tip folks off
that this was not what it appeared to be--Ceci N'Est Pas Une Pipe, as the
man once said.
I'm prepared to call the experiment a crashing failure, apologize to
anybody whose feathers got ruffled, and Move On, as the current expression
goes. An April Fool's joke that nobody gets is no joke at all, and I'll
just have to do better next year. I will blow a cheerful raspberry to the
folks who feel the thing was in bad taste: Show me a piece of Surrealism in
*good* taste and I'll show you...kitsch.
Harrison "April Fool's gags will be impulsive or not at all" Sherwood
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 15:14:24 -0800 (PST) From: relph (John Relph) Message-Id: <9903311514.ZM67156@mando.engr.sgi.com> Subject: Re: Rhythmic Peppers dieling <lemoncurry@geocities.com> asks: > >Question: >Does anyone actually understand how the line "River of Orchids" fits in >rhythmically in the rest of that song. I feel it starts somewhere between >the second bar (assuming it's 4/4 which might be wrong) and any other bar, >I don' know, its pronounciation and intonation sounds like it had to be >starting on the 1, but like someone moved it around on the harddisc >recording program window. If you count the beats starting with the first syllable of "River" it works out to eight beats, or 4/4 (or something, my music theory knowledge is nearly nil). 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Ri - ver of or - chids wind - ing my way / Want to Walk into London on my hands one day Completely straightforward. >Same with Greenman, the intro woodwind bit is not starting on the 1 of the >rest of the song, how does it work ? Anyone knows ? This is exactly the same as on "Wake Up". The first note starts on the "and". Count "1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and". So if you start counting on the first note of the melody you're actually half a beat off. -- John
------------------------------ From: MPadg@aol.com Message-ID: <e9e9c48c.3702abf4@aol.com> Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 18:12:52 EST Subject: An XTC Novice's Impressions of "Apple Venus" The week AV1 arrived, I received e-mail from a friend in Homer Alaska begging me for some musical recommendations. I had a copy of AV1 shipped immediately, and have made a convert. I know we've had a thousand reviews posted, but I found it interesting to hear the perspective of someone who is listening to XTC for the first time. Here is the latest e-mail I received from her: An XTC Novice's Impressions of "Apple Venus" "River of Orchids": closely recorded water droplets syncopate with orchestral pluckings, cool! Strange, nothing ever seems to fall on the beat. Trumpets! Voice! Lots of triplets! This feels as if it's in some exotic time signature, 5/4, maybe? or--gasp!--9/12? but no my foot keeps patting out 4. Wonderful voices, strong but breathy, masculine and sexy like Sting. I like this bouncy, bubbly synthesis. "I'd Like That" is so charming and happy, innocent, traditional rock like younger Beatles, but better. What a fresh, sunshiny line: "I'd smile so much my face would crack in two/ then you could fix it with your kissing glue." Not much orchestral complexity here, it feels so youthful and easy, like I'm free and joyful on a sunny day, riding bikes with my sweetie down a country lane--it's a pastoral! There's no trace of irony or bitterness; it's a great expression of youthful love. "Easter Theatre" is the track of the disc, the song in which the farthest extremes marry. Complicated rhythms, far-flung pitches. Relentless syncopation in the trumpet and strong voice on top of an equally relentless downbeat. It gets increasingly disjointed, building to an uncomfortable tension just before the bridge, where there is a sudden, glorious resolution, softens, becomes feminine, buoyant--and that trumpet! Upright! On Pitch! Certain! Triumphant! so happy, happy! I'm at a circus, riding the Ferris wheel, dizzy with joy, but then, thankfully, the voices melt soothingly over me like cheese, stilling my sensations under a thick, healing coat. "Easter in her bonnet/ Easter in her hair"-- fabulous line. So moving, the highs and lows, the rushed transition back into the melody. Dway-do-wipp-di-do, dway-do-wipp-di-do," a charming finish. This track pretty much pushes all the relevant buttons, providing a rich listening experience. The voices in "Knights in Shining Karma" are pure, strong, and airy. I like that. The lyric, "Jealous winter sun/ cold like vichyssoise"--arresting, but what does it mean? Jealous sun (?) like a cold potato soup? Hmmm... Haunting melody, though. "Frivolous Tonight" is catchy and easygoing, very Beatlish; the melody is instantly committed to memory. Reminds me of reading about audiences humming Mozart's melodies in the streets after his performances. That's how one could tell a hit in the days before recording. Ah, "Greenman"! my favorite. It's so full, so meditative, and maybe a tad humorous with that funky bassoon sound and something twanging in there. I love its Peter Gabrielish rhythm. It sounds like the Ganges in its undulating, distorted symphonic passages and lush cymbalic/tympanic climaxes. Its like a funky score for "Ghandi"--these guys have a lucrative future in scoring films if they so choose. I like the combo of Indian meditative tedium (which is energizing rather than tiring in its repetitive rhythms and seeming directionlessness) and driving rock. Is something vaguely Irish in there, too? a mandolin? This is good sound-soup. Groan, this dictionary song...great melody, but such angry, resentful lyrics. Unlike any other song in this collection, most of the words are clear, so there can be no mistake that this guy is really mad at some woman. Listening to this is like witnessing the severely personal outburst of someone I don't know, I feel embarrassed. "Fruit Nut" is Beatlish, agreeable, but not especially noteworthy, to me, in comparison to the spectacular reaches of the other songs in this collection. I love the masculine voices and full orchestral textures of "I Can't Own Her." What a build-up to "swirling sky"--chill-city! Full blaring lows and trilling highs, a flock of birds suddenly lifting off over a great pool of water. "Harvest Festival" with its broad, symphonic sounds and resigned beat would have been a fit conclusion on this disc. We hear people take their chairs, a few coughs, then silence before the song starts like a ceremony. It's a wedding, but so sad, so unutterably sad!! What can be worse than watching your true love get married to someone else? Yet one must accept facts. Great lyrics: "Harvest Festival/ What was best of all/ Was the longing look you gave me/ That longing look/ Across the hymn-books and the canvas chairs./ The longing look you gave me/ That longing look/ More than enough to keep me fed all year." I am in love with the man who wrote those lines. After the explosive sadness of "Harvest Festival," I don't want to hear anything else, especially not the funeral dirge of "The Last Balloon." This is the saddest waltz I've ever heard. So much sadness is not healthy. Finish me with lift, with hope! Give me a reason to live, for crying out loud. Yet it is good, ending with a violet-blue, Miles Davisish trumpet passage. Did XTC really have to end it like this? I feel like I've been wrung through a wringer. Overall, what is exciting, I think, about this CD is that XTC has all but fulfilled the synthetic promise of the White Album or Sargent Pepper's, which attempted cross-cultural depth and modern art with patched-in, added-on classical instruments, Oriental embellishments, and "found" sounds. But where the Beatles were pastiche, here we finally have integration, something new. It's not really rock anymore, it's more complicated and mature. This music feels like the future.
------------------------------ Message-ID: <3702A813.891924BB@autoreverse.net> Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 17:56:19 -0500 From: Ian C Stewart <ian@autoreverse.net> Subject: DAMNED/FRIPP MP3 Hola for all the respondents in the THE DAMNED "Fun Factory" thread (and others, I suppose): I have The MP3 just finished uploading... it's at http://www.netwalk.com/~stewart/funfactory.mp3 You may need to experiment with opening Winamp first and opening the file from there, or just downloading the entire file first. When I tried to stream it, it was choppy as hell and unlistenable, so just do whatever works. TECHNICAL NOTE: yes, I uploaded an MP3. However I am not the person to ask technical questions of. If you need to know anything at all about MP3s, please go to http://www.mp3.com or any other such site. I am not the man! : My record player is kind of fast and this single is a little warped, but you definitely get the picture. I'd actually forgotten how great this song is. You can always tell when a Damned song is GREAT as opposed to just being good: Captain says "all right" at the beginning. rock: Ian C Stewart xtc videos? Aw yeah baby: http://www.netwalk.com/~stewart/xtcvideo.htm
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