Chalkhills Digest Volume 5, Issue 279
Date: Saturday, 9 October 1999
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 5, Number 279
Saturday, 9 October 1999
Today's Topics:
RE: I'm leaving. Thanks for the welcome.
peculiar things are afoot?
What is going on?
Somewhat dull
"Poor Skeleton", limey observations, liars
Dave Mattacks
Is it weird to like xtc in usa?
Oh, PLEASE...
Re: Howdy Buckaroos
Re: See Saw
old browsers/most of us?
racism on chalkhills
Message to the XTC fans out there about overreaction.
Please welcome me to the list!
What XTC don't do--even more
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Another year's gone by, the world's grown older, sometimes I heave a sigh.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-Id: <199910081356.JAA16410@mail1.javanet.com> Subject: RE: I'm leaving. Thanks for the welcome. Date: Fri, 8 Oct 99 09:56:49 -0500 From: Max Germer <maxindu@javanet.com> Charlie wrote: >After mixing up the words "Seen" and Saw" and sharing a few emails with a >few people, 2 of whom called me an "ignorant nigger" after finding out that >I was black. One made the comment that I should stay out of the list >because he did not want it becoming "Nearly Africa." I find Charlie's treatment by people on this list inexcusable. I can't imagine Andy condoning this behavior. Maybe I missed the basic concept, but I thought music was supposed to bring people together, not separate them. Anyway, I was born in Liberia, Africa, and anyone who has a problem with that can e-mail me off list for further discussion. Max http://www.themaggies.com/
------------------------------ Message-ID: <19991008141044.6721.rocketmail@web2906.mail.yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1999 07:10:44 -0700 (PDT) From: nross <PhoenixYellowRose@rocketmail.com> Subject: peculiar things are afoot? Its a shame that rudeness and racism from a few fans would have an effect on the band; but, thats exactly what has happened. Due to uneccessary comments by a minority of the lists members, one fan has not only left the list (which, really, isn't a big deal) but has decided that XTC must be racist as well. Excuse me for sounding adolescent... but: THAT SUCKS. That's all I can add on the subject... tempered emotional outburst. Next Subject: I think it was Warren who posted observations from a Limey?: >>Having said all this I admire the Yanks for digging xtc at all, we tend to get the idea here that you either like bonjovi or nirvana or rap or country and anything else is weird. Is it weird to like xtc in usa?<< It is weird to like XTC in the USA, because most people don't know who XTC is (or are, depending on how you see it... but I see it as the group is a single unit, made from various parts, thus, "is" is the word of coice for me... just like, excuse me: an historic whatever is WRONG... its a historic whatever and to jump on grammar... I HATE Live and Let die... the grammatical mistake makes my head hurt. But I digress :-) !!!) So you think we all like Top 40? That's fairly accurate. Whatever sells. cynical me. I have no idea what ya'll like over there. My inlaws (in their forties-fifties)... British... like country music. Is that typical? peaceoutdudes! ===== Nicole's internet music station: http://www.imagineradio.com/mymusiclisten.asp?name=phoenixyellowrose
------------------------------
Message-ID: <37FDAC77.6AA2@realtime.com>
Date: Fri, 08 Oct 1999 09:34:00 +0100
From: chris vreeland <vreecave@realtime.com>
Organization: Vreeland Graphics
Subject: What is going on?
Below is a copy of the letter I just sent Charlie Buck after reading his
post to CH# 277. I'm the last person to want to curb free speech, but I
think racial slander may stretch the definition a bit. I'll stick by my
guns on this one, and if his assertions are true, COUNT ME OUT!
My God
>After mixing up the words "Seen" and Saw" and sharing a few emails with a
>few people, 2 of whom called me an "ignorant nigger" after finding out that
>I was black. One made the comment that I should stay out of the list
>because he did not want it becoming "Nearly Africa."
If this is true, please do me a favor, and publicly identify these
assholes on chalkhills before you quit once and for all. I, for one,
will quit the list immediately if they are not thrown off by our
moderator posthaste. That type of behavior is utterly inexcusable from
anyone, anywhere, any time, and I'm relatively certain that these
assholes do not represent the majority of subscribers. But if they're
not dealt with summarilly, I'll be the first one out the door behind
you.
Note the philosophy of the man these Cro Magnons perport to follow:
"don't matter what color cat you are, there's no dogs allowed
And the screaming sky wont let me sleep..."
-Andy
Partridge
"Don't matter what color skin he's locked in, Knuckle down...." -Andy
Partridge
"Aint nothin in the world like a green skinned girl..." -Andy
Partridge
Across this antheap,
Chris Vreeland
------------------------------ Message-ID: <D9E6CEC7734AD111BCF70090273C5D674B6689@user8.chemonics.net> From: Todd Bernhardt <TBernhardt@Chemonics.net> Subject: Somewhat dull Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1999 11:02:01 -0400 Hi: From: "Charlie Buck" <dontwantany@hotmail.com> >After mixing up the words "Seen" and Saw" and sharing a few emails with a few people, 2 of whom called me an "ignorant nigger" after finding out that I was black. One made the comment that I should stay out of the list because he did not want it becoming "Nearly Africa."< Etc. I hope everybody recognizes this as the flamebait it is. I had just thought Charlie Buck was not the sharpest knife in the shop, but now it's obvious to me that he's just been yanking our chain (the hotmail address is a clue). Adios, "Charlie." Interesting approach, but one that shows you don't really know us very well. Wonder who you'll try to come back as? --Todd
------------------------------
Message-ID: <900822C71730D2118D8C00805F65765CAA520A@einstein.moneystar.com>
From: Jill Oleson <oleson@moneystar.com>
Subject: "Poor Skeleton", limey observations, liars
Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1999 10:11:45 -0500
Three things:
1. When I finally got my turn with Andy during the
AV1 autograph tour, I mentioned to him that
"Poor Skeleton" was my favorite XTC song.
He seemed genuinely surprised at this and I've
wondered why ever since. Can anyone explain why
my admission startled him so much? Have any of
you on this list ever told Andy that "Poor Skeleton"
was your favorite song? If so, what was his response?
2. Warren Butson asked about musical tastes in America,
particularly as they relate to British music... Here's my
take on his question: Most young Americans listen only
to what they hear on the radio (mostly because it is the
most current thing and it's free). As Americans grow
older, get jobs, have money, and develop more informed
musical tastes, they veer away from the radio and discover
for themselves what they really like. It is in this phase
that you will find the most diversity in musical tastes.
Few of the people I know, like XTC or even know who the
band is. Many familiar with XTC's music, prefer their early
work (Go 2, White Music, and Drums and Wires) and think
they "sold out" when they released "Black Sea."
I am NOT one of these people. I've truly enjoyed watching
the members of the band morph into the people they are
today. Creativity can take many paths--including deadends--
and I admire the adventurous path XTC has taken.
3. Please don't be taken in by people on this list who lie and
blatantly try to manipulate you. It is in our best interest
and the interest of the band to ignore them.
Sincerely,
Jill Oleson
Austin, Texas
******* a rich, Harley-riding, 84-year-old great-grandmother,
three-time Olympian, governor of the Lone Star State...plus
need I mention that eleven times I was voted "Most Beautiful"
and "Most Popular" and "Most Likely to Succeed"?
------------------------------ Message-ID: <37FE0C77.9D03AF4C@mediaone.net> Date: Fri, 08 Oct 1999 11:23:36 -0400 From: CBisson <cbisson@mediaone.net> Subject: Dave Mattacks Also released on 5-10-99 was Paul McCartney's album, on which Mr. Mattacks did some session drumming for Paul. [Attachment omitted, unknown MIME type or encoding (text/x-vcard)]
------------------------------ From: unna@worldmailer.com Date: 8 Oct 1999 08:31:46 -0700 Message-ID: <19991008153146.12868.cpmta@c008.sfo.cp.net> Subject: Is it weird to like xtc in usa? re: Is it weird to like xtc in usa? I would have to answer "yes". I personally know not one person in my area who likes XTC. I have tried to expose a few friends to the band and was met with luke-warm results. They just look at me with a confused expression. I drop it from that point. But, I must admit being a little disappointed. I just don't understand what they don't see! How could someone hear Nonsuch and not be awestruck? In fact, I will admit further that I have probed the depths of my soul and found the strength to stand ALONE in honor of XTC! It's my version of letting my "freak flag fly"! Is it a given that everyone loves XTC in the UK? I heard that Cher is really popular there. Anyway, Thanks for asking!
------------------------------ Message-ID: <001e01bf11a8$381a7860$ab84b3d1@oemcomputer> From: "Aaron Pastula" <apastula@earthlink.net> Subject: Oh, PLEASE... Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1999 09:14:36 -0700 I know this will get a lot of response, but....you are free to PAGE DOWN here... >Oh, my grammer was wrong again. I meant, it would be a nice gesture for >XTC, if you, the fans, would tell me what albums, blah blah blah. See, I >guess I am a dumb "ni**er" for not adding good punctuiation. Sorry, I will >leave the list now. Jesus, this really pisses me off. I personally don't care what race Charlie is, but the fact that he *claims* that his post was censored out of the lineup - only to have it show up three slots earlier - makes his overall *claims* of racism absurd. If indeed someone did respond to him slanderously then that's obviously unacceptable, but I personally don't buy it. I used to work in a public office for the state of CA, and we would occasionally get calls from people who just *loved* to play the race card to get sympathy and attention...it makes me sick, because all it does is inadvertently invalidate the arguments of people who are faced with legitimate racial problems. Charlie, if you're still listening (and for some reason I think you are), lighten up. We all *equally* take our lumps on this list, be they the result of incorrect spelling, bad grammar (that's grammar with an "a," by the way), a misinterpreted question, or something said in poor humor or poor taste. Sometimes people respond just to clarify something, and sometimes they go way overboard and jump all over you for something simple, but either way there's no rhyme or reason to it and everyone posting to the list runs the risk of being nit-picked. Way it goes. No one knew - or cared - if you were black when they asked you to clarify your original question. Just because you weren't clear in the beginning and people called you on it doesn't mean they hate you, and just because you didn't get *exactly* the answer you wanted doesn't mean you should immediately play the victim and hate everyone else. If you can't take a little friendly - and yes, sometimes unfriendly - criticism on the list, then you *should* leave...but if this is the case, then I guarantee you're going to run into the same problems everywhere you go. But if you can rise up on your hind legs once in a while and get involved, you'd not only be welcomed but you might find some pretty interesting opinions...almost everything said here is in good fun, and when things aren't, most people manage to either ignore it or work out their differences and move on. I'm sorry Charlie felt he was treated unfairly, and I truly hope that he wasn't insulted in the manner he indicated...but I have a real hard time believing that his not being able to identify a damn *rock and roll album* turned into an issue of racism. Please. AP
------------------------------ From: dan@gge.com Message-ID: <37FE1BED.9975FD0E@gge.com> Date: Fri, 08 Oct 1999 09:29:37 -0700 Subject: Re: Howdy Buckaroos you know, we all may have gotten off on the wrong foot with charlie buck, or vis/verse, but did anyone here actually email him personally and hurl racial epithets at him? shame! or is the guy just a sociopath and is making things up to play the victim? i don't know what to make of it. * -------------------------------------- attention sf/bay area xtc fans: "transistor blast" box set is at amoeba records on haight st. for $35. ask for it at the counter, it's not in the bins. i was record shopping last nite and just couldn't bring myself to shell out for 'homespun.' i just don't want it that badly. also, i see that the entire bowie catalog has been re-released, all at once, sans bonus tracks, on ... wait for it ... virgin records! * --------------------------------------- "...all the world is biscuit-shaped..." -xtc (senses working overtime) "...all the world is birthday cake..." -the beatles (it's all too much) * --------------------------------------- warren wrote: >Having said all this I admire the Yanks for digging xtc at all, we tend >to get the idea here that you either like bonjovi or nirvana or rap or >country and anything else is weird. >Is it weird to like xtc in usa? only the bad yanks like bon jovi. they're the same yanks who think it's weird to like xtc. -dan "secretly amassing the entire police catalog on vinyl, but afraid to admit it to anyone" duncan
------------------------------ Message-ID: <007301bf11ab$b4966c20$031017d4@smj> From: "Stephen Jackson" <smj@zen.co.uk> Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1999 17:34:20 +0100 Subject: Re: See Saw Charlie wrote... <After mixing up the words "Seen" and Saw" and sharing a few emails with a few people, 2 of whom called me an "ignorant nigger" after finding out that I was black. One made the comment that I should stay out of the list because he did not want it becoming "Nearly Africa."> Well, if this is so I, for one, am appalled. What were the names of the two people who wrote such abusive and racist messages? You should stay, because I'd like to believe that the majority of XTC fans do possess a modicum of intelligence. As far as these two individuals are concerned we should give them the respect they deserve.... Many people on this list , I dare say, have more to offer than endless discussions of which XTC album is the best, or recommendations of which albums I should be buying (If I want recommendations I'll buy the NME...and bloody World Party and Sting for God's sake!?? Someone recently posted a message regarding Nirvana, saying how they didn't want to discuss a band they personally weren't interested in, and that we should be discussing XTC, and low and behold their next post recommends "Goodbye Jumbo" - a record not by XTC or Nirvana- but collection of Rolling Stones/ Prince/ Hippy fuelled toss. I'd rather discuss the colour of orange juice than Karl chuffing Wallinger. But I digress). I'm a lurker, and most of the time I read the list, but can't be arsed to write. It's sad and unfortunate that my motivation for writing has nothing to do with XTC, but instead this. How about a discussion of the politics of the band?...perhaps with such smallmindedness apparently alive and well on this list, now is the time. (Looking forward to Mark S's Curry write-up) Steve. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Two steps forward, six steps back.
------------------------------ From: WillJ4comm@aol.com Message-ID: <0.7ca7ea00.252f829f@aol.com> Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1999 13:23:43 EDT Subject: old browsers/most of us? In CD #277, Tyler Hewitt writes: <<I haven't been on Dave's website for exactly the same reason. Granted, I have a very temperamental older version of Netscape, but I generally refuse to spend time on websites that REQUIRE the absolute latest software to view them (this includes my dear graduate school's departmental web page as well-a shame). It seems silly and pointless to me to spend all that time and energy to design a site that large numbers of people can't look at. You can't assume that everyone has the latest and best. Some of us are poor slobs and starving artists.>> Even if you're a poor slob or starving artist, you can get the latest browsers from Microsoft or Netscape on the net for FREE! Secondly, it's not silly and pointless to design a site for newer generation browsers because most people are heading that direction-- those with older browsers are quickly becoming the minority, and there's no reason not to upgrade, economic or otherwise! by this time you should have at least internet explorer 4.0 or netscape communicator 4.0, they're even a bit outdated now but they'll do most of the new stuff no problem. Do you still listen to 8 tracks? Do you still work in DOS as opposed to Windows or Mac operating systems? No excuses -- Chalkhillers, unite and upgrade! --- I find no bad lyrics on AV1, though this one does totally confound me: "I'd like that if you could slide me from this wire, toasting fork I'll be done" Does this mean something and I just haven't understood it yet? --- Charlie Buck wrote: <<After mixing up the words "Seen" and Saw" and sharing a few emails with a few people, 2 of whom called me an "ignorant nigger" after finding out that I was black. One made the comment that I should stay out of the list because he did not want it becoming "Nearly Africa." I see the kind of fans XTC has and its unfortunate. I have been a fan for over 15 years and never thought that I would receive this kind of treatment from fans of this group. Well, look for my albums on Ebay because I really think I missed the point of their music. I thought "White Music" or "Its Nearly Africa" had a different meaning than what it seams to mean to the fans.>> Charlie, I hope for all our sakes that this is a joke, but if it isn't, I for one am completely apalled. Let me say immediately that anyone using racial epithets as you've described hardly describe me, or I imagine, Andy or Colin, and I'd hope that holds true also for the VAST, VAST majority of the people on this list and fans of XTC. It blows my mind that someone can listen to a band as intelligent and all about inclusiveness and love as XTC and still be racist -- clearly not getting the messages in the music. As for selling your albums on ebay, why rid yourself of something you like just because someone else has a viewpoint you or I understand is incorrect? If I hear Andy or Colin ever say or imply anything racist, you can bet I'll probably never buy another one of their albums. However, I don't think that will ever happen -- read the lyrics to Human Alchemy and then ask yourself whether or not you think these guys are racist in any way. They're not, probably couldn't be farther from it, nor are the vast majority of the people here, I'm willing to bet. Whoever wrote those words to Charlie, care to tell us who you are here on the list? Or Charlie, I openly invite you to reveal the names of those misinformed people for the rest of us to know. I'm almost inclined to think this is a joke unless I hear specific names. Love to all is one of the things it's all about. "Ain't nothing in the world like a black skinned girl Make your Shakespeare hard and make your oyster pearl!" --Andy --- And it continues. Charlie Buck wrote: <<Oh, my grammer was wrong again. I meant, it would be a nice gesture for XTC, if you, the fans, would tell me what albums, blah blah blah. See, I guess I am a dumb "ni**er" for not adding good punctuiation. Sorry, I will leave the list now.>> Charlie, I took your post the same way, as if you were saying it would be nice for XTC (meaning Andy and Colin) to recommend something to you personally, so I took the response as perfectly appropriate, explaining how, as far as we know, XTC the band do not read this list regularly. So now I come to your response, Charlie. You respond with "I meant, it would be a nice gesture for XTC, if you, the fans, would tell me what albums, blah blah blah." Your tone here implies that you think we should have understood your request, even though it was written to mean something different -- what in your perspective makes you feel that you can type something that means one thing and then get annoyed with us when we answer the question you wrote, instead of the question you meant? We're not mind readers, but as a group I've found that this group does do a good job of trying to be helpful to each other with information requests. I'd like to make an observation at this point: your tone smacks of a victim mentality in this particular case. That's accentuated by your next sarcastic comment, "See, I guess I am a dumb "ni**er" for not adding good punctuiation." Do you really think that the majority of people on this list think like that? I'm telling you right now, I'm guessing that 99% of them don't think anywhere near that way. You're taking the words of a few and ascribing them to the thoughts of many. That's a knee-jerk reaction, and it belies a mentality that wants to think that everyone hates you because you're black. Sorry to disappoint, but I don't think that's the case here. My question to you is: do you see yourself first as a black person, or as just a person? A black man, or Merely a Man? If it's the first answer in either case, you could be one of the very racists you're railing against. Hey, whatever floats your boat, but just wait till your boat goes down. ;) And for the record, mistating a question doesn't make one stupid -- most people on this list have done the same thing -- that's different though, they ARE a bunch of stupid bastards ;) . How about facing up to the fact that you mistyped your question, decide to try not to do it again, apologize if you feel like it (though you're certainly not obligated to, you're among friends here, though maybe not for long if you keep accusing everyone of being racist and unfriendly), then move on. If you like XTC, I'm sorry to see you leave the list, but of course it's your choice. I must say, however, that if you intend to be here to try to create conversations about racism where it may not exist among 99% of the people here, your participation may not be viewed as entertaining or informative. We all get good reminders from time to time not to let trivial things like our race help define who we are, and your comments were a good reminder to me of that. Thank yee, hope to see you here at the list with some more good XTC-related conversation, Charlie... --- Now to XTC content: for all you Homespun rebelers, go buy it! Like you, I was not planning to buy it, but then, there I was at the record store to pick up "The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society" (delicious, I might add), and there was Homespun, looking oh so cute and knitted on the shelf with the new releases, and then, there was the accoustic guitar version of The Last Balloon playing over the sound system (which I'd never heard, Harvest Festival being the only AV1 demo out of the bunch I have), and I had to pick it up! And I am so pleasantly surprised! Two earlier demo snippets of Harvest Festival and I'd Like That that you probably haven't heard (very rough and VERY interesting and different (Harvest Festival originally sounding like a McCartney number on accoustic guitar)), PLUS Colin's delightful guitar and bass demo of Frivolous Tonight (Fruit Nut ain't bad either, but FT really shines here). PLUS the cool and informative liner notes (no, Fruit Nut is NOT about poisoning people, it's about gardening). In short, IT'S A COOL BUY, AND IT WAS WORTH EVERY PENNY! Recommended to all on this list. --- Warren Butson wrote: <<Is it weird to like xtc in usa?>> Not as weird as I imagine it is over there -- they sell better in the U.S. than in England (proportionate to population may be another matter, however). Still, I'd be willing to bet that they get more radio airplay over here than they do in GB. Thoughts? OK, that's enough, time for more work. Best, Will
------------------------------ Message-ID: <19991008173402.4510.rocketmail@web2102.mail.yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1999 10:34:02 -0700 (PDT) From: Tyler Hewitt <tahewitt@yahoo.com> Subject: racism on chalkhills RE: After mixing up the words "Seen" and Saw" and sharing a few emails with a few people, 2 of whom called me an "ignorant nigger" after finding out that I was black. One made the comment that I should stay out of the list because he did not want it becoming "Nearly Africa." I cannot defend or condone behavior of this sort from anyone, be they an XTC fan or not. If this occured the way you claim it did, then you have a right to be upset. But any reasonable person would not equate racist behavior from 2 people as indicative of the attitudes of EVERY Xtc fan. Or of Xtc, for that matter. I find it insulting to be generalized/stereotyped in any manner, and try to avoid doing it myself (and I have a lot to be generalized/stereotyped about: Raised a working-class rural caucasian (you all know the stereotype there), I grew up gay, and now work as an artist). I've been called white trash, a stupid lazy slacking artsy-type, and a faggot (not by anyone on this list), and survived intact. Being an asshole is the asshole's problem, not mine. As for the people on this list who correct grammar: I've had it done to me several times. Ignore it, it's not worth the high blood pressure. Charlie, you may have missed the great David Oh debates of a few months ago. A couple of corrections is nothing compared to what transpired there! As for the help you wanted, I'm not sure what you were looking for. I e-mailed you privately the day I read your original post, offering an opinion on what I thought the records in question might be. I recieved a somewhat curt reply informing me that I was wrong, and thanks anyways. Sorry I couldent be more helpful, but I am not an encyclopedia of all things XTC. I am merely a fan, and I bring nothing but xtc info for you! Fast forward a couple of weeks, and all of a sudden, it's too late-angry posts from you start appearing in Chalkhills accusing everyone on the list of ignoring your question. Successive posts reflected an increasing anger on your part. I read them and wondered why this made you so angry. I myself have posted many questions to the list and most of them have gone unanswered. Shit happens. Maybe everyone assumes that someone else will answer, I don't know. I don't explode in a seething mass of rage over it. Of course, the racism you experienced may have been the real source of the anger, but most of us on the list had no way of knowing that. I'm not trying to discount what you are feeling, but I am suggesting that maybe a lot of what you are feeling is mis-directed anger. So, there's a couple of ignorant racists on Chalkhills. Perhaps you should have alerted us to this sooner, instead of seething and implicating all of us. Blaming everyone on the list, blaming Xtc, etc. is only passing the buck, and it empowers these racist assholes. Acknowledge what is really going on in your head. Frankly, I could care less what you do with your Xtc cds or whether or not you or remain on the list. It's your life. But, if you are angered by being judged by your skin color, how does it help to in return judge others based on their being a fan of a particular rock band? I'm not trying to defend myself or anyone else here. It just dosen't make sense. Ok, long message, I know. And I'm not the most lucid voice on this list. I'm just trying to make sense of this in a reasonable manner. Any comments, etc. welcomed. Tyler This has been e-mailed to the Chalkhills list and privately to Charlie Buck.
------------------------------ Message-ID: <19991008172706.11311.qmail@hotmail.com> From: "Charlie Buck" <dontwantany@hotmail.com> Subject: Message to the XTC fans out there about overreaction. Date: Fri, 08 Oct 1999 13:27:05 EDT First of all, I have to thank the MANY people on this list who e-mailed to say positive comments. I never realized how big this list is! Most people hardly post I guess, and its a shame because the people who emailed me should be the ones posting on a regular basis. This list is made up of many very nice people that I am glad I had the chance to speak to. As for me giving up my XTC collection, ha, that was out of anger! Even if I wanted to, I couldn't. I love the group too much. I also want to clarify the statement about XTC contacting me. I NEVER MEANT they themselves should contact me. If you read carefully, I meant, it would be good gesture for XTC to help me find what albums I was looking for. I did not mean, it would be good for them to help me, I meant it would be a nice gesture to them for the fans on this list to help me! I should have been more clear, but just the same, many of you over reacted to my lack of grammar and clarity. Some people on this list take things a little to seriously. Others agreed that you were taking things to seriously and sent me comments like: >>self-centered and arrogant group of people I've ever met in cyberspace.<< Anyway, I am not calling the majority of this list arrogant. You are better at expressing yourselves and take more time in posting, and I can respect that, and I see respect in that. You want to make your message as clear as possible. However, please done expect everyone to be so clear. In the future, I will try and be more clear, but please don't analyze everything. Why not just ask me for clarity and make a comment like: >>>I did not understand what you were talking about. Could you explain in >>>more detail what albums you seen and I will help you>>> (I got the seen >>>vs. saw thing right that time I hope!) If this were the one message I received I could have clarified things and it would have never gone further. Please try and show newcomers some respect as they too are fans of XTC and maybe have been longer then some of you. Even if they are new fans, come on, I want to see Andy and Collin (and Dave) make some money! They deserve it. I hate the fact that they have so many classics and Nirvana is so highly respected. I like Nirvana (in a Barney/Telletubies sort of way) and I cant believe groups like that get more respect then XTC! Check out www.kroq.com and look at their list of top 106 bands. Now, I love groups like Rage, etc. BUT I DID NOT SEE XTC ON THAT LIST! Rage has NO PLACE near the top of the list! XTC should have at least been in the top 50 (top 10 in my opinions)! At one time KROQ (A station in southern California) use to play great music. No Limp Biscuit or whatever, but real good music. XTC was played on an hourly basis, really. But they sold out their respect for longevity to the hands of young Platinum groups. I cant stand it. (A matter of fact, you all should write them as listeners (whether or not you are!) and tell them to put XTC On that list! My long, but valuable point? If we as fans help other fans find out what they are missing, or at least keep them up-to-date on what's selling, they will buy the latest releases of XTC and support their careers in music which equals many great albums to come! Until this list, I did not even know about AV1! When I went to the site, and heard on the list of a new album I was so pissed that I had not heard of it! I have yet to buy it because I have not found it in local stores. As soon as I found out about the book I bought song stories online. But when I tried getting AV1, it was on backorder I was told, so I have yet to get it. Anyway, I love XTC and will for years to come. Remember my comment about XTC being better because of longevity and people jumped on that statement? Well, the point I was making is that I have liked XTC for 15 years now. I liked them when I first heard them and now, 15 years later, I love their music a lot more. So, my point was, they have grown with me, kind of like a friend or something. Though I may like new groups like (umm, I cant think of any) I don't know, Rage or something. Well, the point is, after listening to XTC for 15 years, I have a greater bond with their music then I do stuff that just came out. Anyway, point is, help the fans so they can make some money and put out more albums. Thanks again for all the nice comments and making it this far, (if you did)!
------------------------------ Message-ID: <387224703.939408576541.JavaMail.root@web04.pub01> Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1999 14:49:36 -0400 (EDT) From: Satanas Diablo <thedevil@minister.com> Subject: Please welcome me to the list! Hello, my name is Brian and I just joined the list a few days back after being told to join by my friend, err, Charlie Buck (which is not his real name, it just sounds funny!) I think its terrible the way he was treated, and is still treated, by some of you. However, I also find it commendable that many of you were actually genuinely sorry the whole thing happened and sent him some really nice messages. Me, well, I am also a fan, obviously. I am white, but preferred to be called peach as my skin is darker then snow :) I am an activist of sorts. There is no place for racism anywhere, from anyone. Blacks, Native Americans, Aborigines, have had enough torment from the likes of us! I love music, all kinds of music. I listen to anything that I find appealing. I cant stand heavy metal (does it still exist?), I cant stand the new so called alternative music (for the most part), and I cant stand R&B, or at least what is now considered R&B. I listed mostly to old new wave (I still call it that!), punk, Hip-Hop, Ska, Reggae and some rock. I am a liberal and am a vegetarian (as is Charlie). Like Charlie, I am an audio engineer, but I also am a web developer, a musician and a really good guy. In fact, you could call me god-like. Don't let the name fool you, or the email! Its only to avoid Spam. I am in no way evil. I am really a nice guy to get to know. So please, if you are Christian, don't threaten to kill me. Nice meeting everyone. You can reach my through the list and I invite personal responses as well. I do have questions about some XTC albums, but before I ask them, I plan on spending the next week investigating all the online information so that I don't waist anyone's time answering things that are already mentioned on the site. Nice being part of the list! Nice name for the list too. So, are we the children then?
------------------------------ Message-ID: <3AE4C7B8CC1BD31194140008C7B14DE8012DE1D9@hfd-exch008.aetna.com> From: "Witter, Karl F" <WitterKF@aetna.com> Subject: What XTC don't do--even more Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1999 15:14:11 -0400 >Megan: "This discussion also makes me think about how truly >disturbing I find this Garth Brooks/Chris Gaines thing." Ain't that the truth. I am curious about it, but my gut feeling tells me Garth drank the magic elixir and he's still Dr. Jekyll. Cool observation by "unna" that (in my words) XTC are able to differentiate various shades of sexy or romantic (or even just plain lecherous) story-telling from "I am the singer; don't you want to touch my monkey?". Here I go again: That's mature lyric writing, like you'd get from Comden & Green, Oscar Hammerstein II or Yip Harburg. Another thing they shy away from is extraneous vocals, so some of their songs approach singing nirvana (ooh, Inspector CheapLaffs will get me for that): The Everly Brothers, Lennon & McCartney, and The Beach Boys. I'm keen to hear AVV2 fleshed out with both voices rather than Andy's overdubs on the demos. As for the canon, here are some examples: Earn Enough for Us Dear Madam Barnum The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead Mayor of Simpleton Season Cycle What are some "duettish" faves by other Chalkhillers? We're Sgt. Rutter's Homely Darts Club Band, Karl PS That new song "Out of my mind", is it from the upcoming stage spectacular "Rutlemania"?
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