Chalkhills Digest Volume 5, Issue 226
Date: Tuesday, 29 June 1999

         Chalkhills Digest, Volume 5, Number 226

                  Tuesday, 29 June 1999

Today's Topics:

                         Hee hee
           Nonsuch - Hot Dog! We Have A Wiener!
                      Zombies, etc.
                  the term "apple venus"
                    Dave Dixon, R.I.P.
         "Can't stop grins from going wide today"
                      Venal dripping
                          Delay
                 Acid Zombies from Venus
             Is That A Rocket In Your Pants?
                        scared now
       Re: First time XTC (and brotherhood in XTC)
                    The Irresponsibles
                    Life as we know it
                         question
                        first time
                     drums and wires
          madame barnum and another tribute list
        Our favorite horse is a game company logo
                    NEW CARDIACS ALBUM

Administrivia:

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

	unsubscribe

    For all other administrative issues, send a message to:

	<chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org>

    Please remember to send your Chalkhills postings to:

	<chalkhills@chalkhills.org>

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

    The views expressed herein are those of the individual authors.

    Chalkhills is compiled with Digest 3.7 (John Relph <relph@sgi.com>).

And when I see 'em fiddling well I think you've guessed the rest!

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

From: Jdmack01@aol.com
Message-ID: <21367483.24985d7b@aol.com>
Date: Tue, 15 Jun 1999 21:52:59 EDT
Subject: Hee hee

In a message dated 6/14/99 11:06:03 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
<owner-chalkhills@chalkhills.org> writes:

<< John Relph will be on vacation during the week of June 20-26, so
 Chalkhills will be unavailable that week.  Be warned. >>

Oh come on!  Just let it go unmoderated for that week.  We'll behave.  We
always do (hee hee).

J. D.

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

From: Iain.Murray.70428176@army.defence.gov.au
Message-Id: <4A256792.00165C82.00@stagemaster.army.defence.gov.au>
Date: Wed, 16 Jun 1999 14:21:18 +1000
Subject: Nonsuch - Hot Dog! We Have A Wiener!

Many thanks to those of you who offered to put me out of my non-Nonsuch
misery. To those of you who suggested I should try CD Now or Amazon, I
probably should have mentioned that I don't have Internet access at the
moment. It's an unfortunate side-effect of working in the Australian Public
Service. Here's how it seems to work (at least, in my immediate vicinity) :

1.  I work in the Public Service.
2.  Most (if not all) PS Departments have Internet access.
3.  Many public servants download material from porn sites while they're
supposed to be working.
4.  Some of these people work in the same Department as me.

The conclusion that my supervisors (military) have drawn from this?

5.  I am a porn freak who cannot be trusted.

Therefore, I ain't got the Net at work no more, no more. Sad, but that's
the way it is.....

.....but I digress.

I was unable to act on the advice given to me (the advice about CD Now and
Amazon - remember that?), as my record shopping has been restricted to
"in-person" visits to the record store for several months now. However,
rather than going for an import order (which I have since cancelled), I've
been in touch with a Chicago Chalkster by the name of Jamie Lowe (I've now
had dealings with two list members from Chicago, and they've both been
wonderful in the extreme), who has agreed to send a copy of Nonsuch in my
general direction, in exchange for some juicy antipodean music bits. My
thanks to all of you (and there were rather a lot of messages in my inbox
when I came back to work this morning after a four-day weekend) who
responded, advised and offered to help out ; if I had anything worth giving
away, I'd write you all into my will.

Iain

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

From: Jeff_Partyka@idg.com
Message-ID: <88256792.006F4774.00@globalsmtp.idg.com>
Date: Wed, 16 Jun 1999 16:23:48 -0400
Subject: Zombies, etc.

<< I was wondering, are there any Zombies aficionados out there?  Someone
recently suggested on Chalkhills that XTC cover "A Rose For Emily", which
was an absolutely exquisite idea!  "Odessey & Oracle" has been hot glue
gunned to my overtaxed CD player! >>

Yes! I love Odessey & Oracle!!! "A Rose for Emily" is indeed great, but my
own favorite track is the sprightly opening cut, "Care of Cell 44" -- a
love song to a partner who's about to emerge from prison! It opens the
album beautifully, right from that gorgeously sung first line: "Good
morning to you, I hope you're feeling better baby ..." Great stuff.

Like many others, I'm sure, my first-ever exposure to XTC came care of
"Senses Working Overtime." I saw the video on MTV back in '82, when I was
10 ... and fell for it completely. It fit right in with my Beatle-addled
musical taste, and I knew they were a band I'd remember. I didn't actually
buy an XTC record 'til Skylarking (after which I finally got ES), but
"Senses" made me a fan. Still one of my favorites of their tracks.

Anxiously awaiting my imported copy of the "I'd Like That" single,
Jeff P. (U.S.A.)

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

From: dan@gge.com
Message-ID: <37683AAC.2B482C72@gge.com>
Date: Wed, 16 Jun 1999 17:01:26 -0700
Subject: the term "apple venus"

>Apart from the fact that it's a line from Nonsuch, anyone care to venture
>as to what "Apple Venus" actually MEANS?

here are my thoughts:

"Then She Appeared/ Apple Venus On A Half-open Shell..."

see in your mind's eye the image of botaccelli's painting "venus on the
half shell" (kill me if that's the wrong artist, but cut me slack for
spelling, and i know that's not the actual name of the painting), it's
the splash screen for adobe illustrator. so there she is, venus, woo-woo
in all her nekkid yet modest (censored?) glory: a vision of beauty. i
think calling her 'apple' venus is just poetry thrown in by our
illustrious author. she is a sweet and crisp and delicious fruit for the
eyes. perhaps there's some underlying reference to eve going on but i'm
not gonna try to juice the line for too much meaning. i just think its a
reference to the old master's painting and andy's using it as a metaphor
for the girl who made him "a little frightened/ flying with my senses
heightened".

that's it. that's all.
enjoy your vacation mr. relph! [fast cuts of 80s pop stars mugging: i
want my- i want my- i want my CHALKHILLS... now!]

i had a dream where the car is reduced to a fossil (mmm),
dan

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

From: "Wesley Hanks" <whanks@earthlink.net>
Subject: Dave Dixon, R.I.P.
Date: Wed, 16 Jun 1999 16:03:28 -0700
Message-ID: <01beb84c$72312040$LocalHost@default>

Chalks,
Sad to hear about the passing of Dave Dixon, obit can be found at the
Detroit Free Press' archive, www.freep.com.
Dave Dixon made a tremendous impression on me growing up in Detroit. Dave
was one of the original "Air Aces" on the greatest "underground" FM
stations, WABX. Still have my WABX ball cap with the pig on the front. Later
Dave was a "records host", as he insisted to be known as, eschewing the
unflattering "disk jockey", for WDET, Detroit's NPR affiliate. Dave would
play the most increadible mix of music; Django, Bela Fleck, XTC, MC5. He
called himself a records host because Dave would take pains to speak about
the music he was playing, it's history, impact/impression on him, etc.
Dave's style was how I would want to conduct a radio show. Music was
important to DAve. One of my best memories of Dave was him playing "Ballet
For A Rainy Day" when Skylarking came out while I was driving in the
hinterlands of MIchigan during a blinding afternoon snowstorm.

I will miss Dave, he influenced my more than he will know.

Peace,
Wes Hanks

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

Date: 17 Jun 99 13:10:56 AES
From: Paul.Culnane@dcita.gov.au
Subject: "Can't stop grins from going wide today"
Message-ID: <0000ecakmayu.0000cuumugwm@dcita.gov.au>

Hello

As Todd Rundgren once recommended: "if you got a pair of headphones, you
better get 'em out and get 'em cranked up, 'cos they're really gonna help
you on this one..."

Harrison Sherwood, Todd Bernhardt and John Relph (among others) were
discussing delay and double-tracking recording techniques.  In the case of
"River Of Orchids", I believe that a number of techniques were used to
enhance Andy's vocals.  As Harrison explained, the bit about the lions
roaring in Picadilly Circus seems to employ the tape delay trick (original
vocal panned hard left; slightly delayed clone of that signal panned hard
right).  Then, in the "push your car" bit, further vocal layers are added,
some in harmony, some with deliberate counterpoint (the word "push" is
doubled but out of synch).  Sounds to me like at least three separate vocal
passes going on here.  It makes for a very lush, almost choral effect on
Andy's voice.

John mentioned The Beatles' use of double-tracking and delay.  As an
example of double-tracking, where a second take of vocals is superimposed
onto the original take to "thicken" the sound of the voice, try "And I Love
Her".  Although the two vocals sound almost identical, you can hear where
it's just slightly different sometimes - adding a certain charm and texture
to McCartney's singing.  But for an example of tape delay, where the vocal
signal is fed back on itself with miniscule delay, look no further than
"She's Leaving Home" - Lennon's vocal answer lines are panned left and
right in much the same way as Andy's voice in "Orchids".  Of course, as
Harrison noted, it's not the only instance where XtC recordings have
featured either technique. Even Andy's shed demos use these tricks
extensively (cf "My Train Is Coming" - BullGuts version).

Now, just some random observations/questions...

1) Who blows that frantic sax (if it *is* sax) at the beginning of the song
"Red"?

2) Last year our favourite birthday boy Mark Strijbos sent me a copy of a
wonderful video of an interview with CM, AP & DG, done in Andy's attic by a
guy called Paul Wilde.  It was for an XtC convention in Manchester about 10
years ago.  It runs for around 90 minutes and is really interesting and ,
as you'd expect, very funny. I pulled it out to watch again the other day,
and was struck by the delicious wordplay and japery.
Some examples that appealed to me (they might make for groovy band names or
album titles):

"Baby Carrot Sex"
"Clockwork Revolving Bondage Kilts"
"The Abyss of Glitter Hell"
"Bloody Nora!"

At one point the interviewer asks who was their favourite producer they've
worked with:
         Dave:  "Todd Rundgren by a country mile"
         Andy:  "What, by a ___-try mile?"

Hilarious!

3) Last weekend (a long holiday w/end in Oz) I again had the pleasure of
the company of Duncan Kimball from Sydney and Iain Murray (of this parish)
in my home.  Once they had each found somewhere to sit among the everest of
Chalkhills printouts, newspapers, magazines, cat faeces and god knows what
else; and had been provided with a chilled something; we got down to a
serious marathon of music, banter and much laughter.  Thanks for coming
guys, I hope your ears and lungs have recovered!

I must echo Bob Estus' recommendation that if you get a chance to meet a
fellow Chalkie, then do.  With one notably aberrant exception, my
experience in meeting fellow fans has proven what a splendid bunch of
people most XtC fans can be (g'day Dom).  Must get that next Sydney
get-together organised, eh Dunks?

Anxiously awaiting the "I'd Like That" single.  Yes Mark, the cover and
disc art is simply gorgeous - thanks for putting it up on The Little
Lighthouse.

Oh, and happy holidays Mr Relph!

~p@ul "this goes up to eleven" culnane
Canberra. Australia

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

Message-ID: <19990617032246.56553.qmail@hotmail.com>
From: Andrew Gowans <ratwhacker@hotmail.com>
Subject: Venal dripping
Date: Thu, 17 Jun 1999 13:22:40 EST

Greetings,

Martin Van Rappard said in Vol 5 # 222Ha!
>Two people already took offense at my 10 Reasons To Unsub's "Andy
>probably thinks we're idiots", and while I'm pleased that I managed to
>irritate two people, they should have checked the rest of the list, "Too
>many listers irony impaired" being one of the other reasons. Get a life,
>you geeks - not everything merits a reply, least of all your postings.:)

I think that Martin's main (unstated) reason for threatening to unsub, but
failing to do so my fellow Chalkers, is that he does not want
to. Truhfully, I am of the opinion that he wants everyone else, apart from
those that agree with him, to fuck off instead.

Yes Martin, I noticed the "smiley faces", but I try not to be lulled into
complacency by appearances. I have encountered "smiling assassins" before.

Yes Martin, I have irony. I use it to press my shirts and my flat
head. Tell me, do you also mock cripples and rip off little old ladies ?

The Rat

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

Message-ID: <37692015.5B43F961@which.net>
Date: Thu, 17 Jun 1999 17:19:34 +0100
From: B Blanchard <b.blanchard@which.net>
Subject: Delay

I'm not sure if I understand the true technical meaning of what
you experts refer to as the delay effect, but if by delay you
mean the words in one headphone are shadowed by the same lyrics
sung on a different track (and maybe by another singer) in the
other headphone a split second later, then I have an excellent
example of this from about 1983 by Godley & Creme (ex-10cc quelle
surprise) in their single Englishman in New York.  Love it love
it.
Belinda Blanchard

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

From: Kimberly Martin <kimbriel@arches.uga.edu>
Subject: Acid Zombies from Venus
Message-ID: <SIMEON.9906171745.A@default.arches.uga.edu>
Date: Thu, 17 Jun 1999 17:01:45 -0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

Hello Chalkland!
	Just had to post, seeing that the ol' LSD thread is back (:D)
and someone mentioned the Zombies...
	Actually, I felt like attempting to answer Aaron Pastula's
question, "What does Apple Venus mean?" first.  I've been reading a bit
about the theories of C.G. Jung lately, plus, I'm a big Robert Anton
Wilson freak.  The first time I even heard that XTC were coming out
with an album called "Apple Venus" and it was being released on Feb.
_23_ (Hail Eris! ha ha) I nearly flipped--all I could picture was the
giant golden apple of Eris from the Illuminatus! trilogy.  Eris, for
those non-discordians out there, is the goddess of discord, one of
whose related symbols is the golden apple.  And, this brings me back to
Jung (whom Wilson is extensively influenced by)and his concepts of
cosmic consciousness and the archetypes that exist in the realm known
as the collective unconsciousness.  An example of an archetype would be
the devil, or the snake, who gave Eve the apple in the Garden of Eden.
These are all symbols that are embedded in each person's consciousness
and are a part of who we are.
	See the connection here?  Apples are related to the "fall of
man," and therefore to SEX.  There's something so symbolic about an
apple, something ripe for the picking, something you can savor,
something juicy in your hand...and, of course we all know that Venus is
the goddess of love, one of the greatest archetypes of the great
mother/lover/fertility goddess, which brings it all back to pagan
symbolism and mysteries, which, by the way, are most obvious in the
song "Greenman," which is about an archetype of an ancient fertility
god.  And, that little Wiccan rede on the back of the CD removed any
doubt from my mind that these references were placed in the music by
mere "synchronicity" or coincidence!
	I could go on and on about this, one because I'm really
interested in this stuff, and two because I'm procrastinating.  So, let
me just change the subject...
	THE ZOMBIES ODESSEY AND ORACLE!  Yes, they misspelled "Odyssey"
by sheer accident on the cover, b/c the artist supposedly submitted the
work too late for anyone to change it.  Or, no one noticed.  Or, no one
noticed until it was too late.  Regardless, this is DEFINITELY one of
those albums I'd have to take with me if stranded on a
desert island.  I got it last summer, and it is definitely a "summer"
album, all orange warmth and sunshine.  (Would probably go along
swimmingly WITH some orange sunshine too ;p.)  Anyway, Yoshiko Yeto
said that this CD was hot-glued to his CD player, and I know exactly
what he's talking about.  It is great beyond words, so dreamy,
psychedelic, airy, shiny-happy but not sappy.
	Actually, psychedelic music has been about my main thing
lately.  I recently got a copy of "Their Satanic Majesties' Request"
by the Rolling Stones, and that album is also freakin' amazing!!!  I'm
not really a big Stones fan, but this is sheer psychedelic genius.
Just about every band in '67 came out with some version of Sgt. Pepper,
it seems.  Okay, that's an exagerration, but '67 was a great year for
psychedelic "concept" albums.  So was '87, with the Dukes.  I'm getting
ready for '07...but why wait? There's already...
	THE OLIVIA TREMOR CONTROL!!  This is a band from Athens, GA,
whom I would love even if I didn't live here.  Their album "Black
Foliage/ Animation Music" is a must-have for fans of psychedelic pop
music.  This one is currently hot-glued to my CD player (sorry,
Zombies!).  It's very summery as well, to me.  OTC also remind me a bit
of Mercury Rev, cos they oscillate between shimmery psychedelia and
weird experimental noise.  These guys, I hear, are huge in Japan, where
their fans tried to mob them on their most recent tour.
	And, in closing, LSD...I remember a post a few digests back
from a fellow called The Rat who said something to the effect that LSD
has been around since pre-WWI.  Nope. Wrong.  LSD was discovered in
1947 by the Swiss (?  Okay, I know the year, can't remember the lucky
guys who found it first). Aldous Huxley's psychedelic experiment, as
chronicled in "The Doors of Perception," was induced by mescaline.
However, psychedelics have been around as long as man (or longer, but
who would have taken them?), from such sources as cow-shit mushrooms,
ergot, and belladonna. Fasting, yoga, and other ascetic practices are
also said to bring about intense "psychedelic"/expanded consciousness
experiences, and we all know that the founders of most of the world's
major religions fasted for periods of 40 days or longer prior to
receiving revelations.  I don't mean that statement as a knock on
religion, I'm just saying, that's how it is...These days, we have LSD,
tho, so those of us who want to talk to God can do so for $5-$10 and
don't have to hang upside down in wells, live inside a mountain,or eat
grasshoppers in the desert.
	I'd better shut up now!
Have a groovy day,
Kimberlina

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

Message-Id: <199906172300.BAA18970@mail.knoware.nl>
From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl>
Date: Fri, 18 Jun 1999 01:13:46 +0200
Subject: Is That A Rocket In Your Pants?

Dear Chalkers,

I almost totally agree with Yoshiko Yeto...

> "Rocket", the XTC (or more specifically Andy Partridge)
> contribution to the Ernest Brookings CD, is absolutely mesmerizing.  In
> fact, it is a personal favorite!  I would urge all fans to search high and
> low, leaving no crevice untouched to obtain it.

except for the "no crevice untouched" bit, that is...
I can think of a few crevices i wouldn't touch with a seven foot pole!

The lyrics (by Brookings) are quite wonderful but what i find really
striking is how these lyrics could just have easily have been written
by the young Mr. Partridge himself. The sci-fi and planetary imagery
and euh... quirky zaniness of the song fit him like a pair of tartan
trousers on a sunny day.

Now i could go on and on about how stars, planets, rockets and
firework are often used (metaphorically speaking) in Andy's work but
i won't 'cos you already know that.

Then i would point out that this appears to be in sharp contrast with
the "fear of stars" he suffered from as a kid - just to prove i'm really
clever - and refer to the interview cd that accompanies the Punk
Diaries book that features a very short segment where he talks
about that rare condition. But don't worry, i won't.

PS: the I'd Like That cd single lyrics settles it once & for all: it is
"growing in your RAIN" and not BRAIN.

yours in xtc,

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

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

Date: Thu, 17 Jun 1999 16:52:31 +1000
From: Sebastien Maury <MAURY.SEBASTIEN@a2.abc.net.au>
Subject: scared now
Message-Id: <E1541IYX3LA6V*/R=A1/R=ABCNET/U=MAURYS6G/@MHS>

Dear Mr JG, Chicago,
I get quite SCARED when people start using CAPITALS all the way through
their POSTS. Are you perhaps AFRAID that people will MISS your crushing
IRONY or sparkling WIT?
Rather than trying to defend the offensive nature of your post, accept that
certain, perhaps even many, people took umbrage.
And for heaven's sake, if you're going to use BIG words like SYLLOGISM (no
need to bother e-mailing me back, thanks, I *do* know what it means), don't
make the flimsy house of card come crashing down in a heap with sloppy
syntax, grammar and spelling. It really makes you look as if you're trying
a mite too hard.  You'll notice the lack of smiley-face shit and other
little net-geek icons scattered liberally throughout my text. This means
you actually have to think about what I'm saying, not have the meaning
handed to you on the platter of irony-signposting symbols. Am I serious? I
guess only I'll know.
Ultimately though, your self-congratulating little (well big actually) post
and desperate follow-up were nasty, but mostly boring, and heavens above,
irrelevant. Just like this one. I don't care if you're irrelevant. Just
want to point out that this is another reason people may have attacked
you. As they may me.
Oh, and better refrain from the word "irony". It doesn't sit well with your
style, which isn't (stylish or ironic).
Seb.

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

Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.19990618003517.007aa9f0@popmail.iol.it>
Date: Fri, 18 Jun 1999 00:35:17 +0200
From: Giovanni Giusti <giovanni@delizia.com>
Subject: Re: First time XTC (and brotherhood in XTC)

My first time with XTC:

1981.

I was visiting the USA (I live in Italy) and the elder son of the family I
was staying at was a "punk rocker". I was 15, he 16 I think, and his
definition of "punk" went from Black Flag to... Black Sea.

For me, it was instant love. I bought all their albums on vinyl till
Skylarking, then when CDs became a must I bought them all again... in
addition to their new ones.

But my strongest recollection was when I tried to proselitize for the first
time, that same summer, to my best friend back in Italy. He scoffed at
Black Sea, saying it sounded "like the Beatles played by the Sex Pistols".
That didn't last long however: soon he was as hooked as I am, although he's
not the rabid collectionist I was (I have quite a number of XTC 45s).

It's for this that he could easily part with his advance press-only copy of
AV1 and give it to me as a present. It has no jewel box, just a green and
red paper jacket saying:

"a is for..." on the front, with a huge "a", and on the back:
"... advance copy of XTC's Apple Venus Vol. 1"

In exchange, I print out and fax to him all the issues of Chalkhills (he
still has no email).

A brotherhood in XTC.

Giovanni

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

Date: Fri, 18 Jun 1999 11:17:04 -0400 (EDT)
Message-Id: <l03130300b38fd79d55ca@[128.122.161.41]>
From: Chris Van Valen <crv1@is2.nyu.edu>
Subject: The Irresponsibles

Hi Chalksticks

Last weekend went to Adrian Belew's solo show at Maxwell's in Hoboken(quite
a schlep from Manhattan, let me tell you!). His opening act was a Boston
band that he produces called The Irresponsibles, who are really excellent
and are heavily influenced by XTC. If you get a hance, see them on tour
with Belew(tour dates can be found at
http://www.murple.com/adrianbelew/tour.htm). Also available at their
show(and at online CD shoppes) is their first full-length CD, "When Pigs
Fly", Well worth checking out.

CV

P.S. Was getting my morning coffee fix at McDonalds today and "King For A
Day" came on the sound system. Started my morning with a smile.

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: <3AE4C7B8CC1BD31194140008C7B14DE8042652@hfd-exch008.aetna.com>
From: "Witter, Karl F" <WitterKF@aetna.com>
Subject: Life as we know it
Date: Fri, 18 Jun 1999 14:17:33 -0400

>rather like saying "Get a life!" to a roomful of Trekkies. Rather >foolish
and dangerous.

I thought the humor from that line was that the targets were
blissfully ignorant of everything being missed. Anyway, what are
they going to do? Fire their phasers or apply that Vulcan neck pinnn.......
*plonk*

My parents didn't even have a basement,
Karl

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

From: Wisemoon@aol.com
Message-ID: <78a5ce13.249c3a2b@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 18 Jun 1999 20:11:23 EDT
Subject: question

What religon are the members of xtc... i noticed that many of the new album
themes seen EXTREMLY pagan... and with the Wiccan Rede on the back cover of
Apple Venus i wonder...... can you help??? :) thanks

moonie

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

From: jsteich@mindspring.com
Message-ID: <003a01beba15$910ed320$5d908ad1@funtosplamisham>
Subject: first time
Date: Sat, 19 Jun 1999 01:35:35 -0400

my first experience with xtc was on the "rock over london" show that used to
play on some crappy alternative station late at night in the early 90's.
they played mayor and ballad of pp several times in my couple of months of
listening.  so i kind of knew who xtc were, although i thought they were
closer to that "mexican radio" song and oingo-boingo than what they really
were.  so... i read some stuff about them... then one day at a friends
house, i heard about half of the first side of skylarking and while my
friend was visiting the toilet, dashed out to a record store.  there you
have it.  *bliss*
jesse

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

Message-Id: <199906191748.KAA03760@sgi.com>
Subject: drums and wires
Date: Sat, 19 Jun 1999 12:48:31 -0500
From: "K.D." <zos@SoftHome.net>

I finally found myself a CD copy of drums and wires in a local record
store today.  Having heard/owning a few of the songs on the CD already, I
knew it would be good.  But damn is it good!  And probably the best part
of the whole album for me is the last track, Complicated Game.  Where has
THIS been?  This is heaviest XTC song I've ever heard.  What a great
track!  Is this song one of the "3 additional tracks not on the original
LP" that the cover speaks of?

I swear...just finding the few old XTC albums that I don't have has kept
things new with XTC for me (besides the new album of course).  I'm glad
these guys were/are so prolific.

Just some quick praise for something that most of you out there have had
for years.

-Kort

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

Message-ID: <19990621103158.41970.qmail@hotmail.com>
From: hans stromberg <hojs65@hotmail.com>
Subject: madame barnum and another tribute list
Date: Mon, 21 Jun 1999 10:31:57 GMT

Bonjour!  I`m new on this list, but I`ve been reading the mail for a month
or so. Twenty years ago I would never have imagined something like this
could exist. Also, twenty years ago I was running around in Stockholm
looking for the Swindon boys then awaited Drums & Wires album (with the free
7O inside: but that one didn`t reach the stores here).
	My favourite album is Nonsuch, but I like most of what they`ve
recorded including the dub experiments and the homo safaries.
	About Barnum: Phineas Taylor Barnum, 1810-1891, was managing the
musical sensation, swedish singer Jenny Lind, 'The Swedish Nightingale',
when she toured in USA 1850. On September 11 in 1850, Lind opened The
Castle Garden in New York City, where she performed 95 concerts.  And in
1881 Barnum met James Anthony Bailey and formed 'The Barnum and Bailey
Circus'. Anyway, somebody commented the lyrics for Dear Madame Barnum some
weeks ago, and proposed something about Andy`s affair with somebody (or
something like it).  I always thought that the lyrics is actually about
stage freight and leaving the music scene once and for all:

'I put on a fake smile
And start the evening show
The public is laughing
I guess by now they know
So climb from your high horse
And pull this freak show down
Dear Madam Barnum
I resign as clown'

So, the female Barnum is an allgory for the music industry with it`s
demands on the artists to do whatever the company requires of them. The
artist is a clown who performs for a public; a crowd who not always realize
the darker sides of the entertainment business and the impact it has on
some (!) of the performers:

'My heart torn and broken
And they just scream for more'

And now, the artist is no longer capable of performing on stage:

'You tread the high wire
Between truth and lies
Your safety net just walked out
Much to your surprise'

I don`t think this interpretation is too far-fetched; to have the clown for
a symbol of a tragic performer is not really something new.

So, the cover version of 'Don`t lose your temper' that Elvis did up there
last night was absolutely fabulous. He did it alone with just his guitar
(like in 1969, when he did the old country songs dressed in the leather
suit); wild and dangerous! There were surprised comments abouty the choice
of cover, but Elvis didn`t seem to bother about earthly reactions like that.
  Nirvana did a 'Bleach'-like version of 'Complicated game' and The
Residents (yeah, what were they doing up there?) played 'Meccanic dancing'
in their 'Satisfaction'-style. The live-version I loaded down from MPHEAVEN3
broke down right when Jimi Hendrix was doing 'Dear god'. Too bad, but that
is how it is in the atom age.

/ Hans

Hans Stromberg
hojs65@hotmail.com

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

Message-ID: <001d01bebc19$294d7920$3f0623c6@pppl.gov>
From: "Tobin Munsat" <tobin@Princeton.EDU>
Subject: Our favorite horse is a game company logo
Date: Mon, 21 Jun 1999 15:05:56 -0400

Hi folks,
Maybe this is old news, but take a quick look at the Mythos Games logo...
http://www.ndu-myth.demon.co.uk/index.htm
Cheers,
Tobin

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

Message-Id: <4782AD6ADDBDD2119B570008C75DD5C10A32D1@MGMTM02>
From: Lawson Dominic <LawsonD@parliament.uk>
Subject: NEW CARDIACS ALBUM
Date: Tue, 22 Jun 1999 15:36:27 +0100

Yes it's relevant, you hysterical cock-end.

Cardiacs have a new album out, called "Guns", and it's utterly fabulous. If
you missed my previous outburst of Cardiacs evangelism then this might not
mean a great deal, but take it from me that any XTC fan with an open mind
should find plenty to get excited about. Imagine XTC, Zappa, Devo, Gentle
Giant and a whole heap of pastoral English whimsy, mixed up and played by
mad people. Everything they've ever done has been splendid, but they seem to
be on particularly astounding form this time round.

Check out http://www.cardiacs.com if you're interested - I'll gladly record
this album for anyone who can't be arsed to risk buying it - just ask
nicely.

Cheers.

DOM.

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

End of Chalkhills Digest #5-226
*******************************

Go back to Volume 5.

29 June 1999 / Feedback