Chalkhills Digest Volume 5, Issue 159
Date: Friday, 2 April 1999

         Chalkhills Digest, Volume 5, Number 159

                   Friday, 2 April 1999

Today's Topics:

       Hmm... the correct answer was "Who are XTC?"
            "I can see your place from here."
                     "rough" records
                   Re: More Austin folk
                 Re: Upbeats and Downboys
                          Pepper
                    Andy in the Amazon
                     Rhythmic Peppers
               Re: Chalkhills Digest #5-157
                       Paul Heaton
                  The Cynical J. D. Mack
                    my sergeant pepper
                      Backin' vocals
                 'Lost in Music' Author?
                Boo hiss cars nasty yeuch
                       Vichyssoise
                   Bit Of This And That
                 Re: Un-A-bomber (no XTC)
                        Chill out.
                   Right on target, ja?
                        Chalk Soup
              Re: This Sgt. Pepper thing...
                   Re: River of Orchids

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Everyday I / Have to pluck up / Courage to look her in the eyes.

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

Message-ID: <19990402083047.403.rocketmail@send501.yahoomail.com>
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 1999 00:30:47 -0800 (PST)
From: Mark Alan <reddcurtain@yahoo.com>
Subject: Hmm... the correct answer was "Who are XTC?"

XTC was on rock'n'roll jeopardy.  for $500, the answer was "one of this
bands hits was Senses Working Overtime in 1982."  needless to say,
no-one got it.

Chalkhills Children:
Queenie, you mentioned hearing an XTC Christmas song at a store.  It was
probably Thanks For Christmas, which I also heard in December '96 at
Just For Feet.  It was pretty quiet though, with a loud roar of people
talking, tvs on and stuff.  It was still quite enchanting to me, even
though at that time the only XTC album I had was Rag & Bone Buffet.  But
I was a convert and I knew it.  You should get it if you don't have it
already.  Most people on this list would agree that it's just as good as
any of their actual albums.
Well, I've lurked for quite a while now.  Not for years, mind you, but a
couple of months I guess.  I love AV1, but I actually expected more
contrast between the finished product and the demo tape that I grooved
to before it came out.  Don't get me wrong, though.  I love it.  Well, I
guess I'll throw in my three cents worth about Sgt. Pepper.  From a very
young age, my Sgt. Pepper was this really old record that my parents
kept and never played but that my brothers and I would listen to quite
frequently.  The inside picture showed
four funny-looking (well, at the time they looked funny.) guys dressed
up in bright, mock-military uniforms.  We even went so far as to
associate ourselves which each Beatle.  Sadly, no one wanted to be
George, but I guess that is his life's story.  So my Stg. Pepper is
actually Stg. Pepper.  More recently, in the seventh grade I started
getting into Queen and bought their album Queen II.  I might say that it
actually resembles AV1.  It is Pagan-oriented, but also very medieval.
Among the creatures sung about on the album are an ogre, a nymph,
fairy-folk, a magician, the White Queen and the Black Queen.  Well, I
apologise to anyone who might complain about my coherency.  I will now
cease to discuss non XTC-related topics, except for this one.  I was
once tied for being the youngest person on this list, at 16.  Now I'm
18.  Oh the good old days when Amanda was public enemy #1.  Hi Amanda :)

Before I let you go, as if you've really read this far, I would just
like to prostrate forth my enthusiasm for the idea of a laid-back XTC US
tour.  I'd go to Chicago or Indianapolis for it!
Oh and Phil, if I'm not on your list of people who will be notified as
soon as the new batch of Chalkhills t-shirts are going to be made, could
you let me know? Thanks.

-Mark Gottschalkhills ( pronounced 'got shalk hills)

P.S.  I've seen the Apple Venus commercial, but only on Comedy Central.
My heart just about beat out of my chest the first time I saw it.  Is
that understandable or just pathetic?

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

Message-ID: <19990402091047.83485.qmail@hotmail.com>
From: "Duncan Kimball" <dunks58@hotmail.com>
Subject: "I can see your place from here."
Date: Fri, 02 Apr 1999 01:10:38 PST

Sincere thanks to all the folks who emailed me with compliments on my
recent posts. I really appreciate it, and I'm glad it hit the spot for
those of you who, like me, think that a nice train ride is more fun.

BTW - No, I am neither a politician (geez - how low do you think I would
go?) nor a lawyer (wow - you guys must REALLY have a low opinion of
me!).

[All speech writing offers gratefully accepted!]

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

Molly - I didn't mean to be mean. Did I overreact? Maybe a tad. Do I
have a little too much time on my hands at work right now?
Unquestionably!

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

Good call David Seddon re: your mention of Roky Erikson. I noticed that
a week or so ago, and I'm sure the reference is deliberate.

And as for tribute album called "Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye", just
get it! I can assure you it's a ripper! One of the best tribute albums
ever made IMHO, and a real eyeopener if you're not familiar with Roky's
work.

So many good things about it; (in fact, I have to say it's everything
that Testicular Dinner WASN'T)

 ... all the best of Roky's amazing songs ... an exceptionally good
lineup - T-Bone Burnette, Jesus & Mary Chain, ZZ Top, John Wesley
Harding & the Good Liars (i.e Bruce & Pete of the Attractions), Poi Dog
Pondering, Butthole Surfers. Higlights include Primal Scream's
super-groovy trip-hop version of "Slip Inside This House" (which is also
on 'Screamadelica'), Julian Cope's  great cover of "I Have Always Been
Here Before" and the real clincher - a totally barnstorming,
ripsnorting, turn-it-up-to-11 version of Roky's classic hit "You're
Gonna Miss Me" performed by his old Texan buddy Doug Sahm (Sir Douglas
Quintet) and his sons. Talk about a rocker!

The one disappointment? For me - the inclusion of REM, whose utterly
lacklustre version of "I Walk With A Zombie" gets the Skip button every
time, chez moi.

Otherwise - essential listening!

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

Harrison - oooh you are awful - but I like you! Are you gonna 'fess up
to being "Aaron Pastula" as well?

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

One final pointer - Wendy & Lisa (schwiiingg! yes, those fabulous femmes
fatales formerly of Prince & The Revolution) have a new album out,
called Girl Bros - haven't heard it yet, but if it's half as good as
their last, 'Eroica' it'll be brilliant.

Actually, there are quite a few parallels with the Swindon Twain - the
new album has songs tinged by recent bad experiences, including the
death of Wendy's brother Jonathan Melvoin (the late touring kbd player
for Smashing Pumpkins); they were also - surprise, surprise - signed to
Virgin, who stuffed them around royally; they recorded an entire album
with Trevor Horn in 1994 which has yet to see the light of day (but may
finally be released later this year) and they were effectively kept off
the recording scene for about 7 years because of all the business
hassles. Sound familiar?

Other connections of interest? Well, Wendy's dad Mike played on "Good
Vibrations"; Wendy & Lisa recently guested with Neil Finn in LA and on
his album. Anyway, check it out, and if you don't have 'Eroica' just go
get it.

What's that got to do with XTC? Oh I'll think of something ...

Dunks

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

Date: Fri, 2 Apr 1999 01:39:55 -0800 (PST)
Message-Id: <199904020939.BAA04110@sgi.com>
From: paul <paul@pi-design.com>
Subject: "rough" records

Oops, yet again fast typing over takes slow brain... "Rough Records"
!!! What am I going on about?  I meant "Rough Trade Records" of course.
What a complete arse.

Happy Easter Theatre!

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

Message-Id: <2.2.32.19990402010720.018246d0@pop-server.austin.rr.com>
Date: Thu, 01 Apr 1999 19:07:20 -0600
From: Mitchell Harding <mitcharf@mail.utexas.edu>
Subject: Re: More Austin folk

>    don't need another Austini-i-ite...

I'm also from Austin.

XTC must have a fair number of fans around here, because at the gym I hear
XTC songs frequently.  They're almost always their more popular songs, but
it's still good to hear.

Harf,
Mitch
http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~mitcharf/index.html

"The only people for me are the mad ones: mad to live, mad to talk, mad to
be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, who never yawn or say a
commonplace thing but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles
exploding like spiders across the stars."
 - Jack Kerouac

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

Message-ID: <3704D8E7.1B33977C@pobox.com>
Date: Fri, 02 Apr 1999 09:49:11 -0500
From: Jefferson Ogata <ogata@pobox.com>
Subject: Re: Upbeats and Downboys

Page down if you don't want to read more of my long-winded garbage
about rhythm in River Of Orchids.

Last night I wrote, mistakenly:
> The beat of River Of Orchids is set by the two-measure plucked bass
> part on 1, 2-1/2, 4, 1-1/2, 3. This rhythm is a half-time Brazilian-
> style clave beat offset by one measure.

This rhythm is a half-time Brazilian-style clave beat delayed by
three beats (not a full measure). In batucada it might also occur just
as it does in River Of Orchids with no offset at all.

For those with difficulty working with measure positions, think of
it this way. Start at about 0:52. Now there's a sequence of five evenly
spaced bass notes followed by a short pause. On the first note after
the pause start counting: 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3-4.
The 1s should all land on a bass note. These counts are a total of
sixteen eighth notes, dividing two measures into four groups of three
and one group of four. The first note of the first group is the 1 of
the first measure, and if you tap your foot on that first 1, and on
every other eighth note (i.e. every quarter note), you'll tap out eight
beats, which are the two measures of 4/4. If you count out the groups
at the same time, the taps will land on 1, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1, 3. It's
probably easiest if you work with the section before the trumpets come
in at 1:20.

--
Jefferson Ogata.  smtp: <ogata@pobox.com>  http://www.pobox.com/~ogata/
finger: ogata@pobox.com  ICQ: 19569681  whois: jo317@whois.internic.net

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

Message-Id: <s7048981.005@OAG.STATE.TX.US>
Date: Fri, 02 Apr 1999 09:10:01 -0600
From: "Steve Oleson" <Steve.Oleson@OAG.STATE.TX.US>
Subject: Pepper

Regarding this thread-

>What's all this about people's personal Sgt Pepper? Are you saying what
>your favourite album ever is? To me, Sgt Pepper the most overrated album in
>history.

The reason that Sgt Pepper is so highly regarded, is that AT IT'S TIME, it
was so different from everything that had come before, in pop music. Prior
to Sgt. P, songs were generally, about boyfriend/girlfriend bliss/disgust.
This album's songs covered the spectrum of emotion, using some of the most
innovative recording techniques, and musicianship seen in pop music to that
time. No one had played drums like Ringo, or bass like Paul, before that
album.

It is regarded as epochal, not because I like it, or you dont, but because
it is a high watermark in the development of pop music.

I agree that talk of the album as a concept album is hyperbole. What's the
concept?  It does hang together nicely, but it doesnt all go toward
expressing a unified concept.

Like it or not, Sgt Pepper changed pop music dramaticaly, and has influenced
musicians and songwriters (like XTC) ever since.

(all you need is)
Love,
Steve Oleson
AUSTIN!

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

Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.19990402102547.009607b0@smtpgw.ametsoc.org>
Date: Fri, 02 Apr 1999 10:25:47 -0500
From: David Gershman <dgershmn@ametsoc.org>
Subject: Andy in the Amazon

Hi all,

 Andy is in fine form in responding to a variety of questions about his
musical picks, which you can find at:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/subst/music/recs/artists-picks.html/002-0241835-6076225#second
(if the address gets broken in transmission, you may have to cut and paste
it into your browser...)

"The Monoptera Set"! Ouch, my sides hurt...  :)

Dave Gershman

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

Message-Id: <s7048f3b.057@OAG.STATE.TX.US>
Date: Fri, 02 Apr 1999 09:34:36 -0600
From: "Steve Oleson" <Steve.Oleson@OAG.STATE.TX.US>
Subject: Rhythmic Peppers

Those lads have been beat off for so long, they must be going blind!

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

Message-ID: <3704B264.CCA9FB05@erols.com>
Date: Fri, 02 Apr 1999 07:04:52 -0500
From: Todd and Jennifer Bernhardt <toddjenn@erols.com>
Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #5-157

Hi:

Well, #157 was the most fun I've had with this list in a long time...

Bitchin' biker Ted Harms pointed out:

> Now, you can ride an XtC while wearing X.T.C. while drinking XTC while
> listening to xTc.  Will wonders never cease....

One more thing to add to that mix, Ted: You can ride an XtC while
wearing X.T.C.  while drinking XTC while listening to xTc while
ingesting ecstasy (better wear that helmet, though!  :^)

Thanks for your efforts, Tyler. Gawd, how I love those translation
algorithms.

Cheryl thought about XTC playing

> the Teletubby theme...no...now I've made
> myself sick. Ack.

Barry, Terry ... Andy ... Colin ... Dave ...
Eh-oh!

What I (and Jerry Falwell) want to know is, which one would carry the
purse?

Michael Davies brought up the subject of age:

> I'm 16, and I think there's a 13 year old on here.

Good on ya, mate, but as my Oz friend Paul C. noted, the youth thing
has been done -- we were trying to find out who the _oldest_ member of
the list is. So c'mon, all long-in-the-toothers out there, 'fess up
... or are you all a bunch of fuzzy bunnies? (My sincerest gratitude
to Roger for supplying us with such an evocative alternative to twa
... oops, almost wrote it. Sorry.)

And JD Mack stunned me for a second with:
>Exteecee (what is your real name anyway?), if you want to take me on in a
>flamewar, be forewarned that others who have attempted such a foolhardy
>venture have left this group in tears.  The Chalkhills archives can provide
>you with plenty of evidence.  Just ask any of the longtimers in this group
>about Vicky5, Andyboy, and Terrybarry.  Now there's some history for ya!

before a bit of back and forth with Bob Sherwood's brother, and the
subject line

> Necessary response to a fool

 convinced me that his timing was exquisite.

Micheal Stone remembered that he saw King Crimson in 1980

>      in a small club in Detroit. Some guy kept wailing, "Thank you
>         Robert Fripp... Thank you for coming!"  yeah.

No doubt during the quiet parts of "The Sheltering Sky." I love KC,
but sometimes their fans...

When I saw Bill Bruford's jazz band Earthworks in 1993 or so, in
Baltimore in a small club, during the quiet parts of the songs some
moron kept yelling a request for -- get this -- "Roundabout." Sheesh.

Lady Plum took J. "Charlie" Brown to task for chiding her about
tooting her own French Trombone, saying:

> Oh but did I say Mitch said that? No no no, deary. What I said was that
> it was passed on through Mitch. The one who actually said it? Gregsy,
> comparing me to Aimee Mann.

I'm not going to quibble with your other points, Amanda, but I
understand Chuck's reading of your post. Check it out:

>And on a more personal note, handed down to me by Mitch was this
>comment, one of the best compliments I have ever received in my life.

Wasn't clear to me at all that you were talking about a quote from
Dave about you vs. Aimee Mann (love ya honey, but in that battle I'd
put my money on the leggy blonde bass player with the Chrissie Hynde
voice).

Micheal was back with

> Katy
> Look in the Chalkhills archives!  That's what they're there for.

Wow! Have you ever considered a career in diplomacy, Mike?

Finally, Dom responded to Day Video:

> >all the rest of you, take care for now, keep this digest alive, don't take
> >too much shit off of dom
>
> Oh please! ...and that's "don't take too much shit from Dom" - my name
> should be capitalized, and the generally accepted grammatical form is 'from'
> not 'off of'. Be back soon now!

So, I guess this means the wedding's off? What am I going to do with
this "Type-O-Matic" that I got the two of you?

And, I must say, I'm genuinely offended by David's use of the word
"shit." All the shit I've taken off Dom has been really _good_ shit,
and I'm always willing to take more.

--Todd

Happy Fertility Day to everyone!

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

Message-ID: <01BE7D27.FDC9CD10@robert>
From: Robert Wood <wobbit@bigfoot.com>
Subject: Paul Heaton
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 1999 12:42:52 +0100

Interesting review of AV1 in 5-153, but I have to take slight exception...

>> "Your Dictionary": Andy hits a bullseye on the target that the
Beautiful South have been aiming at for years. The disproportionate
attention this track has gotten from reviewers, as well as the fact that
Andy didn't want to do it in the first place, made me a little uneasy about
it, but I think it's a good song. Sinister, yet delicate and
beautiful. Although the coda feels tacked on, the sumptuous harmonies make
the lyrics all the more heartbreaking to me. Paul Heaton, take note. <<

I like Your Dictionary, it's one of my favourite songs on AV1, but I don't
think it's fair to say that this is what Paul Heaton's been striving for
for years and failing to achieve. Quite the contrary - it's exactly what he
*has* been doing for years, quite brilliantly. I find some of the Beatiful
South's production a bit lightweight, but as a lyricist, he's up there with
the best.

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

Date: Fri, 02 Apr 1999 11:38:12 -0500
From: "George L. Rockwell" <terrybarry@mailcity.com>
Message-ID: <KHHCEDEIJPJMAAAA@mailcity.com>
Subject: The Cynical J. D. Mack
Organization: MailCity  (http://www.mailcity.lycos.com:80)

In Chalkhills #5-157, J. D. Mack whined:

> Exteecee (what is your real name anyway?), if you
> want to take me on in a flamewar, be forewarned
> that others who have attempted such a foolhardy
> venture have left this group in tears.  The
> Chalkhills archives can provide you with plenty of
> evidence.  Just ask any of the longtimers in this
> group about Vicky5, Andyboy, and Terrybarry.  Now
> there's some history for ya!

Just for your info, Mister Angry P**p-H**d, you may have driven my
Vicky5--the only woman I'll ever love--to suicide with your cruel taunts,
and Andyboy is now a hopeless drunk who walows in his own issue in a
flophouse in South Detroit, but I'M STILL STANDING, Mackie-boy, and any
time you want to start back up with me I'm ready for you.

You're vulnerable, flame-boy, with your iritating hopscotch posts and your
numskulled asertions about Paginism and Xtianity. You'll burn for that,
Mack, you'll burn the way Andyboy's bedsores burn....

And just for your info, Mister Bigshot Spelling-Flamer, just because the
honourable Exteecee mispleled "coherant" doesn't make you Noah Webster! AND
I QUOTE: when you wrote "there's some history for ya" you mispelled
YOU!!!!! Plus it's an incomplete sentence!!!! LOL! LOL! LOL!

Is that how you spell "hipocrite" in YOUR DICTIONARY? Get a spell checker!

Terrybarry

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+===+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+===+=+=
Girl you though he was a man
But he was a muffin
     --Captain Beefheart
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+===+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=)=+=+=+=+=

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

Message-ID: <003801be7ce8$eb1c2620$0d2aa8c0@me.myoffice.com>
From: "Steven Paul" <spaul@armstronglaw.com>
Subject: my sergeant pepper
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 1999 10:11:47 +0100

This thread has been thoroughly depleated, but upon reading several
responses in digest #150, I wanted to share my Sgt. Pepper.

XTC - Black Sea and Adam Ant - Ant Music

Bought them at the same time while a sophmore in high school.  This music
and attitude became the springboard for my age of discovery and growth.
While I don't attribute who I am today to the first time I heard Generals
and Majors, I think the ideas and expressions in the music was the
fertilizer that nourished my own character and gave me the open mindedness
to look for new and different things in my environment - - and not be just
"one of the millions".

Being an XTC fan for 17 years has given me a uniqueness that has made it
easier to be unique in other areas of my life, where if my Sgt. Pepper would
have been more mainstream the rest of my life and thinking would have been
mainstream as well.

We are all made up of the subtle choices we have made and experiences we
have lived through.  The often undistinguishable events and miniscule day to
day influences make up the individuals we are today.

Wow, no more brownies for me today.

- - Enter Easter and She's Dressed in Yum-yum. - -

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

Message-ID: <697A4CA51395D111A658AA0004005806E12EA0@NT6>
From: "Wiencek, Dan" <wiencek@aaos.org>
Subject: Backin' vocals
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 1999 11:52:53 -0600

Todd wrote:

I'd bet large amounts of money that Colin is singing the backup part
during the bridge of  "Harvest Festival," which you asked about in
#155. What puzzles me is why they'd choose to have one, lonely voice
do that part when the part itself seems such a good candidate for some
harmony.

Speaking of vocals, particularly Colin's vocals, I had an idle thought
recently that nags and won't go away.  That is: wouldn't it be cool if Andy
and Colin sang on each other's songs more, the way Lennon and McCartney used
to?  I think that's an important part of the Beatles' chemistry, one so
obvious people forget it's there: they had not one, but two (some would say
three) phenomenal singers to choose from, and having a middle eight or a
chorus sung by a different singer keeps the song fresh, surprises the
listener, and adds new layers of meaning to the song.  I think XTC have
gotten a little complacent about their "the writer sings the song" policy
and that there are times when it could be bent a little, to good effect.

For instance: in "I Can't Own Her," a song I consider nearly flawless, I
desperately want to hear *Colin* sing the opening "And I may as well wish
..." bit, with that still-amazing falsetto he has.  Hell, he can sing it
again in the middle too, just for continuity.  Close your eyes and imagine
it: wouldn't that be great?  Mmm ...

Of course, I also would love to see Colin and Andy write together a la
Lennon-McCartney, with one guy doing the verse/chorus, the other doing the
bridge ... but that's another fantasy.

Dan
___________________________
Dan Wiencek
American Academy
of Orthopaedic Surgeons

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

From: WWi8064839@aol.com
Message-ID: <d0efc654.2436614b@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 1999 13:07:07 EST
Subject: 'Lost in Music' Author?

A few posts back someone mentioned a book by a former member of Cleaners
from Venus band member (not Martin Newell); I didn't get the author's name
or the book title (unless it's... 'Lost in Music' wasnt that also the name
of a song by The Fall?).

I really enjoyed the excerpts. (Speaking of C from V, I got the Wayward
Genius of Martin Newell today from Siren Music [www.sirencd.com]).

Would the person who posted the book information please send me e-mail, and
also tips on where to get this UK book (since I'm from the US), if
possible?

Thanks,

Wes Wilson
WWi8064839@aol.com

P.S. Speaking of Siren, they say that sometime in April they will offer
'The Small Faces' album remastered on heavy duty vinyl. (Itchykoo Park,
Green Circles...) ARGGH! Where am I going to get the $ for all of these
goodies I want?

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

Message-ID: <370505C6.E1BD44DA@which.net>
Date: Fri, 02 Apr 1999 19:00:38 +0100
From: B Blanchard <b.blanchard@which.net>
Subject: Boo hiss cars nasty yeuch

Dear fellow good people.

There is no direct XTC content in this and I don't apologise.
Someone wrote a couple of lists ago that they felt all postings
should have XTC content.  Well I disagree.  I really enjoy the
diversity of subjects such as swearing that are being discussed
so beautifully and eloquently on this very list by much better
writers than I could ever hope to be.  And my opinion on swearing
completely differs from that of Molly but she has the
intelligence to understand and accept others' views on the
subject and come back and tell us so and learn from them at
least. As for the person who asked if such things would ever be
said to her face - well maybe they would.  I have heavy heated
arguments about all sorts of things to my friends and
acquaintances and what's great about the net is we can play this
same game worldwide. And learn. And grow. And meet each other!
(Simon: Neal never got any "inside" knowledge.)

To business.  In 155 Duncan Kimball wrote, as usually very
eloquently (God I love this list) about why cars are a bad thing.
He near ended - "Call me old-fashioned, but I think that, in
general, the world would be a much cleaner, quieter, safer, more
civilised place without the car. They have their place. I just
wish it wasn't
*my* place."

Nearly every sentence he wrote I could afford to agree with -
because they didn't all apply to me.

I'm a motorcyclist.  Us bikers see ourselves as part of the
solution.  Bikers can go anywhere cars can go AND some. (BTW
before I get mail re. the benefits of cycling, my physical health
prevents me from being well enough to cycle.)  Bikers have to be
better road users than the average car driver.  Car drivers are
cushioned with air bags and side impact bars and all sorts of fun
- but when bikers crash we break something or die. And yet and
yet.

Every single journey - no matter how mundane - even the journey
to and from work - is a fun adventure which sees bikers grinning
from ear to ear with happiness (no really - ask Neal Buck!
(though it might be that I never fixed the vibration under the
seat sufficiently well - ("Women bikers don't need to do it"
hohoho))), and having ridden across USA, Europe and London (and
Nov 99 to Jan 2000 in NZ) on a bike, having been a motorcyclist
for 17 years, and having trained well and kept my skills up (the
fact I have lasted this long means I'm doing something right), I
am here to tell you that motorcycling is the 2nd most fun thing
you can do that's still legal (and they tried making motorcycles
illegal in Sweden I believe).  Anyhow, I have no clever argument
to counteract Dunks' obvious and well constructed posting. I am
here
to tell you that I am merely a (wo)man who is contributing to the
fucking up of this world just as much as everyone else.  But I
would never, never, ever  EVER get a car - or - or vote right
wing anything even when disguised as left wing, or do anything
that would knowingly contribute to the destruction of the human
race.  But then I'm just a dumn human saying this. Let's think:
I take my glass and paper and used oil to the recycling units, I
pack up my waste paper when I have picniced in the park/beach, I
would never ride off road in the desert with friends in USA up
trails which deafen lizards and other creatures who otherwise
have to survive out there.  When getting a new fridge we even
made sure the old one went to a place where the CFC gasses could
be re-used.  And how many people think to do that eh? I don't
smoke (and the reactionary part of me believes that people who
smoke should be expected to pay for the full price of their
smoking related healthcare - but then that's just me - how's it
going Dom?! - and so the argument also says that if I should come
off my bike as a result of my own bad driving I should pay for
the treatment as a case of contributory negligence).  And I try I
try and I try to think things through before making decisions
that may change my life.     I have seen a lot of the world and
enjoyed (hopefully not exploited but I expect you can put me
right) what the world has to offer me.  I have tried to give
something back. But I ain't giving up my bike.  And I have much
disrespect for many many car drivers who are taught to pass their
test and not necessarily how to be useful thoughtful road users.
I hope and pray I never have to give up biking.  And if this list
is still going in thirty years time please email me and ask me
how it's going. A wonderful man in Colorado did a study and
worked out that out of all the thousands of Americans in therapy,
only a tiny tiny percentage of them were motorcyclists.  He
worked on this further and realised why - biking is fun and
therapeutic!  (His book "Motorcycle Sex or why Freud would never
understand the relationship between me and my motorcycle"   by Dr
Gregory W Frasier  ISBN 0-935151-19-2  tells it like it is).

Goddamit I ain't giving up my bike!  And there's your problem. We
have all got it too easy now and we ain't giving up.  We're not
suffering enough. I don't earn much money - I only have a part
time job - live in and pay rent for state housing - I am a
grateful beneficiary / major user of the very wonderful National
Health Service in this country without which I would have died
many many times over and on which I am on many drugs and
treatments which allow my body (specifically lungs) to function,
so that I can carry on contributing to society (albeit in only as
a taxpayer!).   I am not suffering enough.  Which is why there
can never be another revolution of any kind in UK -  (I believe -
oh god here we go - ) because with the welfare state as it barely
still is, with the NHS as it still barely is - and with loads of
second hand cars going round cheap although each budget puts up
gas prices though not ENOUGH to put enough people off driving,
there will never be enough of us who suffer ENOUGH.
Anxiously nervously awaiting the backlash: (Now where's my keys)
BELINDA

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

Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.19990402124300.00811570@mail.utexas.edu>
Date: Fri, 02 Apr 1999 12:43:00 -0600
From: Claudia Alarcon <cad@mail.utexas.edu>
Subject: Vichyssoise

     Kristen Bennett wrote that vichyssoise is a cold fish soup, but it is
not. It is a potato and leek soup that is best when served ice-cold on a
hot summer (or spring) day. In fact, it would make great fare for Easter!!
Anyone interested in a recipe can email me. Trust me, I'm a chef...

happy Easter to all,

Claudia.

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

Message-Id: <199904021917.VAA16856@mail.knoware.nl>
From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl>
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 1999 21:30:24 +0000
Subject: Bit Of This And That

Daer Chalkers,

just a short note to let y'all know i've just uploaded yet another
interview with Andy to my site. But this one (transcribed by Paul
Culnane) is quite entertaining. And it's got some lovely pictures
too!

And while you're there, you should also check out the new additions
to my Picture Gallery.

yours in xtc,

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

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

Date: Fri, 2 Apr 1999 11:32:09 -0800 (PST)
From: Benjamin Lukoff <blukoff@alvord.com>
Subject: Re: Un-A-bomber (no XTC)
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.96.990402112934.11649A-100000@locutus.alvord.com>

> From: CCooli9575@aol.com
> Date: Thu, 1 Apr 1999 07:03:00 EST
>
> >Tyler Hewitt wrote
> >>You're not the only person to feel that way. Many brilliant, intelligent
> >people disdain technology and go off to live in the woods somewhere. In
> >fact, we had an infamous one here in the U.S. recently. His name? Ted
> >Kosinski-the Unibomber>.
>
>   That's Kacsinski, kids. I'd love it if we could all pull our cars

This has absolutely nothing to do with XTC, so I apologize for the waste
of the bandwidth, but I hate seeing incorrect corrections.  The man's last
name is spelled Kaczysnki.  Be sure you yourself are correct before you
correct others!

Ben

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

Message-ID: <01BE7D3D.4A079300@robert>
From: Robert Wood <wobbit@bigfoot.com>
Subject: Chill out.
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 1999 17:20:29 +0100

To Jason, who seriously got on Amanda's back for her little piece of
"gloating" - leave her alone for goodness' sake, talk about an OTT
reaction.  It's no worse than people advertising their own music on
Chalkhills (which I have no problem with!)

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

Date: Fri, 2 Apr 1999 11:52:15 -0800 (PST)
Message-Id: <199904021952.LAA16781@mail2.deltanet.com>
From: DCB-MB2 <mb2@deltanet.com>
Subject: Right on target, ja?

* --------------------------------------------------------
"Regrets are for weeping old frenchmen..." -Andy P.
* --------------------------------------------------------

Hey there, chalk-heads!

Saw this gushing descriptive of the Waxworks cd in a music catalog--
"12 early highlights from one of the catchiest, craftiest, most
consistently brilliant (and stubbornly quirky) pop bands the world has ever
seen."--

. . .Pretty much says it all. . .*

Stir the embers till they glow,

Debora Brown
* --------------------------------------------------------
NOW HER MIND IS NOT FOR RENT, TO ANY GOD OR GOVERNMENT ***
* --------------------------------------------------------

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

Message-Id: <v01510101b32ad7a7a222@[128.122.161.124]>
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 1999 15:30:12 -0500
From: crv1@is2.nyu.edu (Chris Van Valen)
Subject: Chalk Soup

>From: "Bennett, Kristen L." <klbennet@iupui.edu>
>
>Hey Maus, Vichyssoise (sp?) is a type of French fish soup.  I guess it's
>notable in the soup world for being served cold....

Actually, vichyssoise is cold potato and leek soup. And as far as cold
goes, how about some gazpacho, or even borscht, for that matter?

I'll be your server for tonight,
CV

If you have an unpleasant nature and dislike people
this is no obstacle to work. -- J.G. Bennett

And it's potato, potato, potato. -- Mike Keneally

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

Message-Id: <199904021555.PAA047.95@GATEWAY.TIRERACK.COM>
Subject: Re: This Sgt. Pepper thing...
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 99 15:55:00 -0600
From: William Loring <bloring@tirerack.com>

David G.,

Great defense of Sgt. Pepper's! What's really amazing is that the
incredible layers of sound on the album were created in ONLY FOUR TRACKS of
audio. What foresight it takes to be able to create the final mix for the
album "on the fly" as you continuously dump three tracks to one, fill those
open three, then dump them back to one... having spent some time with an
old Fostex four track, I can certainly appreciate this. And of course,
no-one had done this before. Amazing production on that album, although I
also listen to Rubber Soul and Revolver more.

When I was in high school, I took a film study course. We watched "Citizen
Kane," which I pretty much hated. I thought it looked dated and cliched. In
my rebellious youth, I couldn't see how totally groundbreaking this film
was, and that were it not for this film, much of what came after it would
be far different. Orson Wells did things with film that had never been seen
before.

Of course, at the time I loved Sgt. Pepper.

Context is everything.

My personal Pepper would likely be English Settlement. Or if you want to go
earlier, King Crimson's Lark's Tongues in Aspic. Or perhaps it was Revolver
that got it all started for me. Or maybe it was PG III. Or My Aim is True.
Or...

William (or Graham Parker's Squeezing out Sparks, or...) Loring

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

Message-ID: <370529C6.5A13007C@mnsi.net>
Date: Fri, 02 Apr 1999 16:34:47 -0400
From: Micheal Stone <nedrise@MNSi.Net>
Subject: Re: River of Orchids

Chalk alongs

Jefferson Ogata wrote:

Michael Stone <nedrise@MNSi.Net>, in response to Dieling, wrote:
>> RoO is based on a continually repeating 2 bar pizicatto string phrase, in
>> 4/4 time.  Once it gets going, it never varies.  The line "River of
>> Orchids" starts at the beginning of this 2 bar phrase, and since that line
>> is also 2 bars long, it stays in sync with the underlying string phrase.
>[etc.]
>
>This is not quite right, in that it implies the beat is set by the
>pizzicato string bit.
>
>The beat of River Of Orchids is set by the two-measure plucked bass
>part on 1, 2-1/2, 4, 1-1/2, 3. This rhythm is a half-time Brazilian-
>style clave beat offset by one measure.

In using the word pizzicato (even though my spelling was atrocious!), I
was referring to all the strings, including the plucked bass.  Any
plucking in the string section (violin, viola, cello, double bass) is
considered to be pizzicato.  So in RoO, it's all pizzicato.

Now I'm gonna make like Yehudi Menhuin and get the pluck outta here.

Mike

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

End of Chalkhills Digest #5-159
*******************************

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