Chalkhills Digest Volume 5, Issue 169
Date: Saturday, 10 April 1999
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 5, Number 169
Saturday, 10 April 1999
Today's Topics:
Chalkhills' Children tribute series
the endless bb/beatles thread
AV1 (at long last)
Re: AV1 #2!!
Re: 'tape as canvas' ?
Power Pop
MFSL
VIDEOS
re Dave Seddon's List
Floydy Instruvocals
Re: Which One's Pink? (and Beet Red)
re: Ridiculous...
re: Voices / Instruments merging...
XTC in CD Universe's "The Big Bang" newsletter...
Re: Which One Is Pink?
OK, here's my Sgt. Pepper story...
New Member Intro
Push my car from the road
So Much to Say!
Re: Meatloaf again?
Re: Pure Pop for Now People
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-Id: <v03102800b3348157a38c@[165.227.110.102]> Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 21:22:49 -0700 From: Richard Pedretti-Allen <richard@tactics.com> Subject: Chalkhills' Children tribute series Greetings, CC orders for Van Court, Kouzes, Gillette, Milner and Palagyi shipped from Santa Clara, California on 08apr99. Sorry for the delay. I have a six three-packs of the Chalkhills' Children XTC tribute series left available. Additionally, I have a couple CC98 left that I'll sell with CC97 as a two-pack. I will not sell any tapes separately. THREE-PACKS (CC96, CC97 & CC98) United States = 14.15 England = $18.80 USD Japan = $19.20 USD TWO PACKS (CC97 & CC98) United States = $10.00 USD England = $13.30 USD Japan = $11.70 USD See the Chalkhills website for all the details (http://chalkhills.org/product/children98.html) or email me at "richard@tactics.com" Don't delay! Do it today! Cheers, Richard p.s. ...and stay tuned to Chalkhills for a very special tribute announcement!
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v04003a00b3347f2d66d1@[208.155.130.187]> Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 23:10:20 -0600 From: "Michael De Bernardi, Psy.D." <debernardi@nmhu.campuscwix.net> Subject: the endless bb/beatles thread first let me say that i am a huge fan of both the beatles and the beach boys (but neither more than xtc at the moment), yet probably listen to the beach boys more often. their great stuff just goes to my heart more deeply. regarding the discussion about the impact of sgt pepper on smile, i have thought about this from time to time and believe that there is an argument that the upcoming pepper shot whatever last bit of brian's strength was still available for the project. 'dunks' mentioned that paul visited brian between revolver and pepper, and, as legend has it, is chewing the carrot on vega-tables. published sources have stated that paul visited brian on april 10 1967, less than two months before the release of pepper. there was only one pepper session that took place after the visit, so it is questionable as to how much smile influenced paul's work on pepper. the concept behind pepper was created and finished well before paul's flight back from america. not to say that paul to this day doesn't regularly 'pepper' his interviews with comments about pet sounds, just simply that smile had no influence on pepper. on the other hand, depending on what source you read, paul either a - played brian an acetate of 'a day in the life', or b - played 'she's leaving home' for him on the piano. he apparenly ended the visit with a smiling challenge to brain that he 'better hurry up', referring to the acknowledged rivalry they shared. brian officially ended the smile project shortly thereafter. 'she's leaving home' might be arguable, but hearing the recording of 'a day in the life' could certainly have killed the fire in brian. his verging-on-paranoid beliefs, especially around this time (i.e. the 'fire' sessions), could have stopped him in his tracks. 'dunks' is right that brian saw the writing on the wall about releasing smile alongside pepper, but paul may the one who sprayed it there. yes, brian had been struggling with mental illness and drug use over the past couple of years leading up to smile, and that certainly played a role as well. although i would argue that smoking even 'VERY large amounts of dope' does not ordinarily have a 'very strong affect (sic) on the psyche', we know that regular and excessive speed (amphetamine) use can cause psychotic symptoms. truthfully, almost any drug might push a mind that is already on the edge over. and yes, brian also had far more pressure on him than any of the beatles, an unsupportive band (especially mike love), and a clueless label, all of which contributed to the smile fiasco. still, in my fantasy world, brian's fragile mind could not handle what he knew was coming, so he simply bowed out. perhaps coincidence, perhaps something more. it may have even worked to his advantage, because smile has had far more celebrity as a lost covenant than it would have as a release (sad but true). i appreciated 'dunks'' comments about some of the smile lyrics. while, overall, the beach boys' lyrics are not anywhere close to the beatles', 'surf's up' practically defines the terms 'abstract' and 'surreal', and a lot of other lyrics from the period were pretty trippy. if only van dyke had stayed around... at any rate, i love 'em both, just wanted to leave some food for thought. oh yeah, i bought drums and wires (and everything since) when it came out, love AV1, have been on chalkhills since '91 and only posted maybe five times, hate 'smartest monkeys', love xtc, blah, blah, blah. i also highly recommend the new olivia tremor conrol cd, 'black foliage.' talk about a 'smile' for the new millenium... michael
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999 02:34:47 -0400 (EDT) From: "Jennifer L. Geese" <jlg@tardis.svsu.edu> Subject: AV1 (at long last) Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.4.10.9904100223090.24607-100000@tardis.svsu.edu> Bless you, bless you all you chalkhillians, My computer has not been working well, so please forgive me if this is outdated - I'm still in the beginning of March in my digests. First of all, let me say that it was great to see Milcon faces again in Chicago, not to mention all the new friends we made, oh yeah, and Andy, too! :) Now, on to my AV1 comment. I've thought this from the very beginning, but I've kinda been waiting to see if I would get over it. I haven't, so now I bring it before the board. For those of you who have the demos I pose this question. Do you like the demo version on "Your Dictionary" better than the album version? Don't get me wrong, I love the song. I do, however, feel that the album version is somehow missing something. To me the demo version seems more angry, which works very well with the song. When I first heard AV1, YD struck me as having mellowed from angry to resigned?, hurt but accepting?. I don't know exactly how I would describe it, but it seemed to have lost that bitter edge that made it one of my absolute favorite demos. Could it be the passage of time that made it so? Or am I dreaming the whole thing? Questions? Comments? Vitriolic flames? Jen p.s. Our local newspaper (The Saginaw News) publishes an entertainment section each Thursday. Shortly after the release of AV1 they printed a short blurb with a rating of 4 stars! Amazing, considering that about one other person in Saginaw has heard of them!
------------------------------ From: "john gray" <jt.gray@btinternet.com> Subject: Re: AV1 #2!! Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999 09:28:05 +0100 Message-Id: <E10VtDS-0005wY-00@praseodumium> > we are thinking of bringing out a 2nd version of AV1 with the Japanese > booklet + all the demos + more so you might want to wait a couple of > months? whatwhatwhatwhatwhat????????? NOW they tell us !
------------------------------ From: "john gray" <jt.gray@btinternet.com> Subject: Re: 'tape as canvas' ? Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999 09:27:09 +0100 Message-Id: <E10VtDR-0005wY-00@praseodumium> Hey sixties freaks, what about Joe Meek ? Maybe low on available technology, but high on imagination and innovation. <jt.gray@btinternet.com>
------------------------------ Message-ID: <000801be82f6$4ded0fe0$13d0fc9e@default> From: "Steven LeBeau" <slebeau@earthlink.net> Subject: Power Pop Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999 01:59:32 -0000 Regarding the whole issue of power-pop bands: I think the best example would probably be Badfinger (Check out No Dice and Straight Up; wonderful music!). Great pop tunes with a hard rock slant (that's at least what I always knew power-pop to be, but am I wrong?). Also Cheap Trick, some Squeeze (they wiggled between power-pop and new-wave I think), and Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello have already been mentioned.... my $0.02 .... Steven LeBeau slebeau@earthlink.net
------------------------------ Message-ID: <370F1073.AC7A92B9@which.net> Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999 09:48:51 +0100 From: B Blanchard <b.blanchard@which.net> Subject: MFSL Oh God I just woke up. It was asked: sorry - what's MFSL? Mother Father Sister Lover "My Fanny's Sore, Love!!" (UK def of "fanny") My Fave Song Lyric Move Further South Larry More Fucking Some Laughing My Future's Stopped Lengthening Yeah, I think it's one of them. BELINDA
------------------------------ Message-ID: <002001be8339$a0e21c20$1a1d883e@gary-howman> From: "Gary Howman" <gich@ghowman.freeserve.co.uk> Subject: VIDEOS Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999 11:05:13 +0100 What about orchestrating a campaign to harass Virgin to release a follow up to the "Look Look" video. The might of the fans could not be ignored!
------------------------------ From: garyt@dna1.dnet.co.uk (Gary Thompson) Subject: re Dave Seddon's List Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999 12:10:15 +0100 Message-ID: <000001be8342$b5fa1be0$e4022ec2@gt628.dnet.co.uk> Least favourite moment on Apple Venus1: The end of Fruit Nut where the voice is left on it's own Least Fav XTC song: Here comes President Kill Again Artist most people seem to think is pretty naff, but you actually quite enjoy: Alice Cooper Worst Beatles song: If you've got troubles Songs that should have been strangled at birth: Lady in Red - Chris de Burgh Extremely popular artists that you can't see what all the fuss is about: U2 Musician you'd like to kick hard: Robbie Williams Whackiest Title for a song: Knights in Shining Karma Most Unpleasant Musical Experience: Having to listen to Fatboy Slim's album in my mate's car 'We won't be told the past was pure gold We were there and it wasn't' Paddy McAloon
------------------------------ From: garyt@sparky.dnet.co.uk (Gary Thompson) Subject: Floydy Instruvocals Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999 12:10:18 +0100 Message-ID: <000401be8342$b7c6eca0$e4022ec2@gt628.dnet.co.uk> Iain Fisher asked if the Floyd had a song where the vocals merge into an instrument - the one I can think of is on The Wall. I think it's on side one ( vinyl ), and an anguished scream ( in a Roger Watres song - never ) fades into the sound of a dive bomber. 'We won't be told the past was pure gold We were there and it wasn't' Paddy McAloon
------------------------------ Message-ID: <370F48C0.34ECC466@bond.net> Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999 08:49:08 -0400 From: mondacello <mondacello@bond.net> Subject: Re: Which One's Pink? (and Beet Red) Jumping right in to the conversations at hand... Mark Strijbos added: >> Also just wanted to say that the last Balloon where Andy's vocals >> merge into solo at the end is simply exquisite. >>Anybody else think of any other songs where vocals and instruments merge ? >>"Show Me The Way" by Peter Frmapton :) >> I've got a nagging thought that Rogers Waters has probably done it but i >> can't seem to figure out which Pink Floyd track it is ? >"Welcome To The Machine" comes to my mind On hearing that bit of gooseflesh inducing brilliance for the first time, I was immediately reminded of another Floyd gem, 'The Gunners Dream' from The Final Cut: "... you take her frail hand and hold on to the dream" ....aaaaaahhhhhhhh, bliss. Carrying on with the topic of colours, there are a few rather embarrassing items in my collection... it seems that The Monkees are pretty much accepted by many (or a few, or some) on this list. Well, you can add me into that barrel too... And how about ELO? I know that Jeff Lynne is somewhat less than admired by many, but I still enjoy a little bit of that mid-seventies fluff every now and then. Although I do prefer his Idle Race days the most, that's great stuff!! ~Mark Kirk~
------------------------------ Message-ID: <370F77BF.7EA1@schoollink.net> Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999 09:09:35 -0700 From: Dan Phipps <phipps@schoollink.net> Organization: CIC Subject: re: Ridiculous... Hey all on the Hill! -- re: >My question to you all is... What is the MOST RIDICULOUS song >you LOVE? My submission, obviously, is Mandy. Come on... embarrass >yourselves! God, this is a cool question, don't 'cha think? Lessee... The "Gilligan's Island" theme comes to mind! (By the time the line "The weather started getting rough..." comes around, I'm hooked!!!) "Porpoise Song" from The Monkees' "Head" film... (Stupid lyrics, GREAT music!!) ...and as much of an AVID / RABID Beatles fan that I am, I'd *have* to include "Ob-La-Di..." here. I mean, Christ!! Even Lennon HATED this one!! Can't stand it once it begins, but then for some reason, it finally kicks in and I can't get it out of my head for the rest of the day! Go figure... There are thousands of other tunes out there that I've missed, I know, but these three will suffice for the time being, I guess. Waiting for AV2... -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ /Dan Phipps <phipps@schoollink.net> "I would have made this instrumental, but the words got in the way." (Andy Partridge)
------------------------------ Message-ID: <370F7955.3940@schoollink.net> Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999 09:16:22 -0700 From: Dan Phipps <phipps@schoollink.net> Organization: CIC Subject: re: Voices / Instruments merging... Hey all! -- re: >Also just wanted to say that the last Balloon where Andy's vocals merge >into solo at the end is simply exquisite. Anybody else think of any other >songs where vocal s and instruments merge ? I've got a nagging thought that >Rogers Waters has probably done it but i can't seem to figure out which >Pink Floyd track it is ? >The song is from the Animals LP, I believe it's Dogs, but I'm not sure I >remember correctly. The CD is at home, and I'm at work. I'm sure someone >else will correct me if I'm wrong. Isn't this the song titled "Dogs" from Floyd's "Animals" CD where the line comes up "Dragged down by the stone..." and then the word "stone" mysteriously changes into a dog barking in the distance? I think it is, ya'll. Weird, but WONDERFUL song and album by PF, BTW!! :-) But, am I wrong here? Just wondering out loud... (Still) waiting for AV2 -- -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ /Dan Phipps <phipps@schoollink.net>
------------------------------ Message-ID: <370F7AE7.80B@schoollink.net> Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999 09:23:03 -0700 From: Dan Phipps <phipps@schoollink.net> Organization: CIC Subject: XTC in CD Universe's "The Big Bang" newsletter... Read on 'Hillians!! -- Got this today in my e-mail from CD Universe (cool damned music site!! I get all my mail- order music from them -- no plug, just fact!) Check it out and enjoy!! *________________________________________ ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :: Pop/Rock Music News :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: SHEER XTC After a seven year absence, XTC returns with a new recording APPLE VENUS VOLUME ONE. The project took a year to complete and the band lost guitarist DAVID GREGORY about half-way through but remaining members ANDY PATRIDGE and COLIN MOULDING have seen it through to release an amazing album. Flutes, horns and strings add luscious colors to the mix offsetting bittersweet and mostly melancholy lyrical musings. XTC has always been an innovative ensemble lurking in the quasi-genre corner known as "art-rock." This new outing breaks new ground while retaining a familiar XTC sensibility and results in a homogenous collection of hauntingly beautiful songs. The band hasn't toured since 1982 and Partridge has no plans to appear live anytime soon-- however, the TRANSISTOR BLAST box set released last year does offer some live recordings between 1978-80. The band is currently hard at work on APPLE VENUS VOL.2 that will feature a more stripped down electric sound. XTC's hauntingly bittersweet & orchestral sound APPLE VENUS VOL.1: http://cdu2.cduniverse.com/asp/albuminfo.asp?lc=1658+3250 * _________________________________________________ "The Swindon Two" are surely getting around lately, aren't they? Wonderful!!! :-) Waiting for AV2 -- -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ /Dan Phipps <phipps@schoollink.net>
------------------------------ From: "STEVE PERLEY" <steveandlauren@grolen.com> Subject: Re: Which One Is Pink? Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999 09:44:12 -0400 Message-ID: <01be8358$37bc4a80$4c6140d8@steveandlauren.grolen.com> Various folks wrote thusly: > Also just wanted to say that the last Balloon where Andy's vocals > merge into solo at the end is simply exquisite. One of my fave moments on the AV1 album also. But it does make me wonder a bit... is it real or is it ProTools? > Anybody else think of any other songs where vocals and instruments merge ? "Show Me The Way" by Peter Frmapton :) > I've got a nagging thought that Rogers Waters has probably done it but i > can't seem to figure out which Pink Floyd track it is ? "Welcome To The Machine" comes to my mind The track that stands out in my mind as an example of this is either "Sheep" or "Dogs" on Pink Floyd's Animals album. I can't remember which track it is, but in several spots a held vocal note merges seemlessly into a synth, then into a feeding back guitar that ends in a crashing chord. It's a really cool effect. I think that Waters did it on The Final Cut too, but not as memorably. Steve
------------------------------ From: "STEVE PERLEY" <steveandlauren@grolen.com> Subject: OK, here's my Sgt. Pepper story... Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999 09:56:24 -0400 Message-ID: <01be8359$eba464a0$4c6140d8@steveandlauren.grolen.com> I wouldn't really call this a Sgt. Pepper because it's a pretty stripped down record, but the one album that totally changed my life and maybe even screwed it up immeasurably was Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols. It was about 1977 or 78, and a buddy of mine gave me the old "you GOTTA hear this!" routine. As soon as I heard Pretty Vacant, I knew that I would be throwing away those lame Kiss and Ted Nugent albums. For an encore, he put on The Ramones' Rocket to Russia, and it was all over. I was a punk. Still am. My friend and I started what was probably one of the first punk bands in NH, and now 20 years later we're in another one. Of course, we're better at it now... Speaking of which, look for the Rat Fink website coming soon to a browser near you... As for the Real Sgt. Pepper, I had it on 8-track. As any of you over 30 or so can probably imagine, the songs were in the wrong order and I think that one of them did that old "fade-out, big click, fade in" trick. Plus, I had to endure Within Without You to get to A Day in the Life. When I finally heard it on LP, it sounded totally wrong. Never really listened to it again. Steve
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999 10:33:37 -0400 From: Matthew Turner <matthew@papercode.com> Subject: New Member Intro Message-Id: <19990410143219.KSVY1012.mail.rdc1.on.home.com@[24.112.90.70]> Hello, I just joined your wonderful list, and got that triple-hit of digests!, so I thought I'd join in the fun. I first visited Chalkhills a few years back, shopping for xtc news where I could. I typically went out looking for xtc sites once or twice a year. I love the band, but I spend most of my time surfing graphics and design related stuff. Anyhow, once AV1 hit, I went out in search of more info and... the rest is history. My AV1 story: I didn't even realize it had been released. I'm driving in my car, listening to a radio show when they announce that their upcoming weekly music review will be xtc's new cd. WELL!, I pulled off the road, lit a smoke and waited 10 or 15 minutes for the review. To hear the reviewers affirm that xtc was indeed "back", with a gorgeously crafted album... it literally brought tears to my eyes. And as they played ILT I was trying desperately not to sob. Straight to the music shop of course, and as I stood at the cashier, my cheeks streaked with tear stains, gripping AV1 like it was the arm-rest at the destist's chair, I thought, why are you getting so flippin' emotional over this? I suppose it's because XTC was the soundtrack to my angry, booze-soaked late teens and early twenties. Early xtc was just the thing for drinking, trying to steal airplanes, dressing up in women's clothing, drinking etc. You know, the stuff we *all* do. This was a time of immensely good times, my zenith, as it were, and xtc is just so intimately wrapped up in it all that I feel a great attachment to the band. That said, I have fully embraced the style changes which xtc has grown through. I suppose growing up in relatively the same age bracket as the band that I've grown with them. My first listen to AV1 (at home), I was just slightly disappointed. I think more at the single style of the music (dynamically) and at the lack of tracks. After seven years I wanted a good 20 tracks or so. Of course I adore the cd now. Cuts that grabbed me right away were ROO, ILT, Gm and HF. I think Colin's cuts, while exhibiting that silly charm he excels at, are a bit of a let-down after such a lengthy hiatus. Needless to say, I'm anticipating AV2 in a big way, as I'm sure you all are. *One thing I've gotten in my head lately that I can't shake - I've really grown to like ICOH, but I got this terrible thought that I was watching a 50's musical, especially when it comes to a full stop and Andy says: "And I may as well wish..." Don't try this at home! Now to get in on a couple of the threads I saw: Embarrassing Songs: I love the Dionne Warwick-Burt Bacharach stuff like "Walk On By", "Do You Know The Way To San Jose" etc, and most stuff that, for me, evokes a kind of mid-to-late 60's easy-listening California feel. Sgt P: I have three older sisters, so I got a healthy dose of Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Santana and Jethro Tull. All of these had a major impact on me, and certainly got me to pick up the guitar. <Cringe> I guess I'd have to include Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells in there as well. </Cringe> Least Fav XTC Song: Gold. Guess that was AP's marching band phase. Won't keep you any longer, sorry to drone on... Cheers, --Matthew Turner
------------------------------ From: Chauncy14@aol.com Message-ID: <e1424811.2440c367@aol.com> Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999 11:08:23 EDT Subject: Push my car from the road Phillip Lawes wrote about in Vol #5-166: Mark Fisher wrote >You need it (a car) to travel a greater distance to reach the out-of->town supermarkets that wouldn't have existed were it not for the car. >You need it to live further and further from your neighbours, and then >wonder why there's no sense of community any more. Were once you >would have sent 15 minutes walking to the shops, you now send 30 >minutes driving there. And you call it freedom. Mark was referring to my situation in Chicago. I had proffered the statement that I needed my car, without providing any real explanation why, and his reply was as above. I live in Chicago's suburbs, and have a job which requires me to travel in and around Chicago, the suburbs, and surrounding states of Indiana, Wisconsin and lower Michigan. Of course, it also helps to have a 10 changer CD in the trunk of the car filled with XTC classics to listen to while I drive :) So I can't push my car from the road, as it were, because of its necessity to get from a to b to c...in a three binary syncopation :) But, if I could, I would. On another note: regarding "kissing glue." Andy's lyrics remind me of the phrase "give me some sugar." Just one of those statements where you want the sweetness of a kiss from someone badly. John Gardner -Chicago
------------------------------
Message-Id: <370F6D10.AB2FDF67@tmbg.org>
Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999 11:24:04 -0400
From: Ben Gott/Loquacious Music <gott@tmbg.org>
Organization: http://listen.to/loquacious
Subject: So Much to Say!
Chalkers,
First, let me just express my extreme happiness that there's another Ben
(Lukoff) who posts to the List. I'm sure that, in a couple of years, Ben
Fitzpatrick will also contribute invaluable XTC information (like father,
like son!)
Last week, I was checking out some of the reviews of "AV1" on Amazon.com,
to see what other folk had to say about the album. One guy (from
Liverpool, nontheless) said that it was s**t (basically), and that "we"
should just go out and buy "The White Album." I chuckled.
6 albums that have had a profound impact on me:
Mike Oldfield : Tubular Bells I and II
XTC : English Settlement
The Smiths : The Queen is Dead
Robyn Hitchcock : Globe of Frogs
Suzanne Vega : Days of Open Hand
The rest are at http://www.bowdoin.edu/~bgott/influx.htm.
I consider all my musical pleasures "guilty." I have a certain fondness
for the side projects of Soundgarden and Pearl Jam (i.e., "Temple of the
Dog" and "Mother Love Bone"). I know all of the words to "Opposites
Attract." I own a few "Weird Al" CDs. However, my claim to fame is this:
over my vacation, I met the son of the co-writer of "Me and You and a Dog
Named Boo." Hah! He's a nice kid, but imagine trying to live *that* down?
Last night, I was performing at yet another Bowdoin coffeehouse (hey -- it
gets the word around!) Before the performance, my friend Mike came up to
me and said, "You've *got* to play that dictionary song, OK? Someone
requested it." So, last night's playlist included Richard Thompson's "Read
About Love" and..."Your Dictionary."
-Ben G.
..................................................................
Benjamin Gott . Bowdoin College . Brunswick, Maine 04011
AOL: Plan4Nigel . Telephone (207) 721-5513 . Mobile (207) 798-1859
And it's always been the same / It's just a complicated game.
------------------------------ Message-ID: <199904100201160470.00750647@mail.redcreek.net> Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999 02:01:16 -0400 From: "John McGreivey" <mcgreivey@redcreek.net> Subject: Re: Meatloaf again? >Extremely popular artists that you can't see what all the fuss is about: >Meatloaf and Bruce Springsteen I agree that Meatloaf is a puzzle (though he does have a great voice), but Springsteen is a great songwriter. I don't say this as a great Springsteen fan or anything. In fact, I have maybe 5000 records, and no Springsteen records, but only because I've never gotten around to it (like somehow I never got around to buying a Beatles album until a couple years ago). But listen to "Nebraska", and other of his less-well-known stuff. The popular stuff was, I'll grant you, pretty annoying and boring, but the suff you've never heard is pretty good.... >Only Knows" is the best pop song ever, but I think that "Yesterday" is a >better song, not to mention most of the songs that were recorded during the >"Sgt. Pepper" sessions. Better records. Better songs. Better lyrics. >Categorically better. But please remember that this is your OPINION, not an absolute truth. (...attempting to start a philosophical discussion here.... HO-HO...) >Absolutely. Is it "better" than "Pet Sounds"? I believe that it is. I believe that it is NOT better. Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa, fa fa fa (Listeneing to "David Watts" as I write this) Both are great. Why choose? >Of course Brian regarded the Fabs as competition. But there were many
------------------------------ Message-ID: <199904100201140660.0074FF3F@mail.redcreek.net> Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999 02:01:14 -0400 From: "John McGreivey" <mcgreivey@redcreek.net> Subject: Re: Pure Pop for Now People >grips) There are two things I see in Sgt. Peppers that I have never >detected in the Beach Boys material that I've heard. One is the >surrealism of the lyrics, and the other is the downright abstract nature >of the noises the Beatles used to color the songs. I think it was a >major leap from the world of 20th century visual art into the auditory >world. It was only the flood gates swinging open, though, as the tide >had been rising for a while. In fact, I have to disagree somewhat. In fact, the songs from "Smile" (never released, but most of the songs found their way onto Beach Boys albums in the late 60's) were pretty surrealistic, at times. THe music itself certainly was. Listen to "Vegetables" (which features, by the way, a "solo" by Paul McCartney, munching on a carrot) and "He's going Bald" from "Smiley Smile".... Both groups had a profound sonic influence on the music that came after them. Both were great. But certainly the Beatles, od course, were more of a "phenomenon." >"Red Rubber Ball" by The Cyrkle is a close runner-up, especially since I Great song! Co-written by Paul Simon and the leader of the Searchers (of "Georgy Girl" fame). >Forgive my English senses of humour, but what the lightly-poached arse is >"power pop"? DEF: Poppy songs with lotsa guitar. ALT. DEF: Poppy orgasmically great songs that aren't popular. With lotsa guitar. SPECTRUM DEFINED: [lusher] "Earn Enough for Us" or Utopia's "Cry" or "Hammer in My Heart" ^ | | [midrange] Some Cheap Trick stuff | v [more... umm... garagy?] Buzzcocks, Rezillos, as well American (mostly) garage-pop bands like the Parasites, ... Maybe the Muffs.... Anyway, it seems like a convenient descriptive; not necessarily a generic classification. Sort of melodic songs that make you want to sing along in harmony AND play air guitar at the same time. Well, that's the way *I* see it, anyway. Hmmm.... >Mitchell, but she's too damn good to get embarassed over. Yeah! And, speaking of the Parasites, they did a great ...umm.. gulp...garage-power-pop cover of "Both Sides now.... Another definition of power pop: a can of coke, shaken violently, and then opened in your boss's face.
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #5-169 *******************************
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