Chalkhills Digest Volume 5, Issue 36
Date: Thursday, 10 December 1998

          Chalkhills Digest, Volume 5, Number 36

                Thursday, 10 December 1998

Today's Topics:

           Re: Scuse me while I miss the point
             Prarie Prince and other drummers
              following on from Songstories
                          3D-EP
oops ("can't you think of anything tougher to say than 'oops'?")
Cavedogs, TAFKAP, Collins, and a little XTC for good measure
                          Manics
                 TB outbreak in Seattle!
            President Phil Wants Killing Again
                     Transistor@Last
                    Radiate or Breath?
                  political/issue songs!
                         Obscrity
                        Skylarking
              Thing that made me go "hmmmm"
                  Taxes and Phil Collins
               Prince and other silly ideas
              Male dominated society... NOT.
              Save me from The Dukes finale
                    Think for Yourself
                  Re: Albums and smells
                  Colonel Kant once more
                          Zappa
                         I Yazbek
   XTC are alive and well and being covered in Belgium

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Well, me I like to think while the other fish swim.

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

Message-Id: <s66d051a.044@parliament.uk>
Date: Tue, 08 Dec 1998 10:51:50 +0000
From: Dominic Lawson <LAWSOND@parliament.uk>
Subject: Re: Scuse me while I miss the point

Amanda says:
>>So if someone doesn't hold the same views as you you don't listen to
their music? Even if, for the most part, said music doesn't really
mention their beliefs?

No, and that's clearly not what I meant either. Firstly, I was being
specific about Phil Collins. He has written a lot of songs on a vaguely
sociological theme, both solo and with Genecyst, and apart from being a load
of bland cack, Collins' hypocrisy is exposed time and time again. You can't
be vastly wealthy, right-wing, utterly conformist and MOR and then pretend
to understand the plight of the homeless, or revolutionary struggle or any
of the things that Phil has leant his poorly-honed lyrical skills to. I
would hate Phil Collins regardless of his political beliefs, but since has
been so vocal in his support for the stupid, narrow-minded, heartless greed
of the Conservative party in the 80s and 90s, it becomes immediately easier
to loathe the little bald shit even more. That and "Illegal Alien", the
"Dreadlock Holiday" of the 80s. Retch.

 Secondly, there are undoubtedly many bands that I like and listen to, whose
views are wildly different from my own. This only becomes a problem when
said bands start to preach, pontificate or set themselves up as some sort of
moral force while behaving in the exact opposite manner. For example, GG
Allin was a scumbag who acted abominably all the time and was widely
acknowledged as a disturbed and unpleasant individual. His songs are called
things like "I Wanna F**k Myself" and "Kill, Rape, Destroy" (or similar) and
anyone with half a brain could see that he was a lunatic. However, he never
wrote a song about how we should be nice to fluffy bunnies or have respect
for the elderly. Phil's crocodile tears about the poor & needy are a slap in
the bollocks to anyone who faces life on the poverty line. Nobody wants to
hear a rich man feigning empathy. It's sickening.

Finally, you are, of course, perfectly entitled to like Phil's music and
even him. Quite how you can appreciate his records AND be a fan of XTC is a
complete mystery to me, but the choice is yours. We all come to Chalkhills
from different angles, it just strikes me that the Collins appeal is one of
life's great unexplained phenomena.

Steve wrote:
>>(Using OzWIN in Hemel Hempstead, England on 06-Dec-98 at 08:11:56)

Steve, get out! Run like the wind! ...And don't go back!
Twenty one years I spent in that dump. I shiver at the thought....

Dom.

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

Message-Id: <3.0.1.32.19981208065342.00dce878@pop.mindspring.com>
Date: Tue, 08 Dec 1998 06:53:42 -0500
From: "Todd E. Jones" <toddjones@mindspring.com>
Subject: Prarie Prince and other drummers

>From: Robert Wood <wobbit@bigfoot.com>

>Actually, I think most drummers that XTC have had over the years have been
>better than Pat Mastelotto, except for maybe Prarie Prince.
>
><Dons asbestos suit>

...a lurker awakens.

Yes, Pat Mastelotto was an inappropriate choice for XTC, but holy mother of
moose- Prarie is the absolute deity of drums on Skylarking!

When I first heard Skylarking (still #1 fave), all I could think of was,
"Who are all those great drummers on this record?" Every tune seemed to
have a different drummer, each selected perfectly to the composition on
which they played. The drums are never overwhelming (except perhaps for
"TMWSAHS" which is stunning beyond words), always supportive, blah blah
blah blah...

I'm running outta superlatives...

XTC drummers and their fit to the Swindonians, in order:

1) Prarie Prince
2) Dave Mattacks
3) Terry Chambers
4) Big Express Dude (Don't make me hunt it down)
5) Ian Gregeory
6) Peter Phipps
7) Pat, poor Pat

Now I'll absorb the flames...

Todd Jones
Manager, Producer, Insect Massage Therapist, Janitor
HUGE sound generation and capture facility
Cape Fear River Basin, NC
http://www.mindspring.com/~toddjones

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

Message-Id: <TFSKNZEP@ubk.net>>
From: Jonathan Monnickendam <monnickj@ubk.net>
Date: Tue, 8 Dec 1998 13:18:18 +0000
Subject: following on from Songstories

Having had a lot of pleasure reading this great book i had a few
questions .....

Anybody have any ideas as to why -

a )there was no chapter on the songs AP has given away, especially during
the Virgin impasse.

b) the Drunk/Black Sea Sessions (pupil hayes and sewing machine ) gather
no mention. OK,  they are parody rather than pastiche even though they
are as good as the dukes in their own clumsy way.

c) David Gregory's Songwriting

Can anybody offer anything on what DG has written from his days in
Alehouse to today? I wondered if we should await an 'all things must
pass' extravaganza.

d) Unknown XTC & Bet Lynch's Legs

Is there anything else out there that sounds like XTC but has yet to
acknowledged as such ?

e) Refrigerator Blues
Anybody heard the lyrics to this early number? Given Ap's intense
interest in sex i wondered if it bore any similarity to 'Ice Cream
Freezer Blues' which turns  up on a Martin Bogart & Armstrong release on
FlyingFish some yeas ago.

Other than that i was pleased to see so many of my favourite songs
written off as fluff and to see Welsh band Man get a mention in '25 O
Clock' as I thought they were great (in 72) and had a cracking drummer
(Terry Williams), almost as good as Bill Bruford.

Jon

PS Following Wm Shatner's return to singing (?) I understand that Jean
Luc Picard is recording a duet of 'If' with Telly Sevalas.

* ---------------------------------------------------------------
The views expressed are of the individual, and do not
necessarily reflect the views of The United Bank of Kuwait PLC.
* ---------------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: Tue, 8 Dec 1998 13:48:35 +0000 (BST)
From: Mandy Taylor <mandyt@central.susx.ac.uk>
Subject: 3D-EP
Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.96.981208134622.17831B-100000@sunx1.central.susx.ac.uk>

Hallo peeps,

BEN!!! Was your recent purchase 12" or 7"???

Mandy

By the way, thanks to all the replies I got for Zen Archer. You're all
very lovely people.

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

Date: Tue, 8 Dec 1998 14:12:01 +0000 (BST)
From: Mandy Taylor <mandyt@central.susx.ac.uk>
Subject: oops ("can't you think of anything tougher to say than 'oops'?")
Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.96.981208140728.18727B-100000@sunx1.central.susx.ac.uk>

(Erm,

Here is an ammendment to my last post:

Hello there Ben old chap, I say, is that a 7" POPULAR MUSIC RECORD you
have there, or is it a 12" RECORD, eh?

I was worried that perhaps my previous phrasing was open to
some interpretation.

Mandy)

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

From: JudeHayden@aol.com
Message-ID: <a0562255.366d4030@aol.com>
Date: Tue, 8 Dec 1998 10:05:20 EST
Subject: Cavedogs, TAFKAP, Collins, and a little XTC for good measure

Chalksters-

It's been a while, but I know that the Cavedogs have been discussed on this
list in the past as another (sadly defunct) fave.  Anyway, I recently
snagged extra copies of 2 of their EP's on cd- "Rock Takes a Holiday" and
"Tayter Country".  I am looking for their "Six Tender Moments" EP on cd.
Anybody who might want to trade or is otherwise interested (I'd take a CD-R
copy of Six in exchange for these two) please e-mail me privately.

Leon, don't let's go saying Prince is talentless.  Does he suffer from some
sort of hyper ego disorder?  Yes.  Does he shroud himself in a veil of
marketing mystery that really only makes him look like an idiot, even to a
devoted fan like myself?  Yes.  But are all of his songs crap?  No.  When
you put out as much stuff as he does, especially when a lot of it is for
contractual obligation, some is bound to be crap, sure.  But the guy is
still an amazing talent.  (And since you asked, "Anotherloverholenyohead" is
a very, very good song.  "Peach" is not).

Phil Collins, though, should go back to just being a drummer, I agree.  His
playing on Peter Gabriel's "No Self Control" is wicked, and about the
coolest thing I've heard him play on or otherwise be associated with.
(Except maybe for "Easy Lover", which is still one of the best mid-80's
cheese singles...)  ;-)

And I'll proudly come forth and say that beyond a doubt Terry Chambers was
the best drummer ever to sit in the XTC camp!  Like the others in the group
have said on occasion, the guy was a human metronome, in and of itself an
incredible thing.  I've worked with lots of different drummers over the past
ten years, and I'd take solid, steady, and rhythmic instead of technical and
over-flourishy drummers in a heartbeat.  Someone already mentioned Nigel as
a great example of Terry's playing (even though it was apparently Andy's
brain child), but also Ball and Chain shows how rhythmic and steady he was.
(Plus, he really beat the hell out of those drums from the sound of it, and
that's a good thing too.  And you know, Stewart Copeland was a big admirer
of Terry's back in the day...)

Maybe I should de-lurk more often, that was all a little too drawn out, huh?
Jude

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

From: Huw Davies <DaviesHPT@cardiff.ac.uk>
Date: Tue, 8 Dec 1998 16:50:54 GMT0BST
Subject: Manics
Message-ID: <14CBB6A0587@PARKLA1S.CF.AC.UK>

 "Steve Jackson" <smj@zen.co.uk> wrote in reply to my post:

> Evidently you have not heard much by them then. James Dean Bradfield and Co
> do many things, but whining is not one of them. You're either too fucking
> old (and I'm 30) or you have simply ignored one of Britain's most exciting
> and culturally significant bands. The whole point of XTC was that they made
> me FEEL SOMETHING and the Manics still do that. All this talk of Crash Test
> Dummies and Phil Collins....why are people bowing to the bland here? Go and
> play Complicated Game (or 'Faster',by the Manics ) and FEEL something.

I'm astonished at being accused of being too old (I'm 23). I don't
dispute that the Manic Street Preachers make you FEEL SOMETHING, but
I do disagree on them being deemed culturally significant. They've
done some good songs (such as "Design for Life"), but I just find
them rather tedious. What I think XTC have over the Manics is a sense
of subtlety. XTC make me FEEL SOMETHING (personally, I listen to
"Wrapped in Grey"), but the Manics don't. I don't understand all this
talk of Phil Collins either.

On a slightly different point, I think I may have overstated my case
when I said that XTC don't do good political songs. I don't think
they're good at doing songs on a general political issue, but I do
think they're good at doing politics in a personal sense or social
history sense, such as in songs like "Bungalow". The truth is it's
very hard to mix pop and politics without it sounding extremely
embarrassing, but it can be done. Billy Bragg is a good example.

Huw Davies

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

Message-ID: <204640794C39D211A21700805FA735211AA0CB@ahqex1.rei.com>
From: Steve Sims <ssims@rei.com>
Subject: TB outbreak in Seattle!
Date: Tue, 8 Dec 1998 09:12:18 -0800

It's here, it's great, and it makes me sad.  I've been a fan for years, but
they're the post-shellshock years.  I'm disappointed because I never had the
chance to hear these great sounds IN MY FACE.  These guys had the goods.
The talent and emotion really show up on these recordings.  It's the perfect
ending to a strange year.  I needed my faith restored after wasting my money
on that abysmal live set from TMBG.  $45 well spent.
-Steve

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

Message-Id: <199812081757.RAA08627@florence.pavilion.net>
Date: Tue, 8 Dec 1998 17:58:16 +0800
From: raven@pavilion.co.uk (Susan Raven)
Subject: President Phil Wants Killing Again

Ian Murray said:

>Does anyone else agree that Leonard Nimoy's verson of "Proud Mary" is one of
>>the most hilarious tracks ever recorded?

Yes!!  But next to his "Ballad of Bilbo Baggins" it might as well be a
funeral dirge for a dear friend.

John Wickens said:

>Phil Collins and bickering over O&L are getting stale.

Yes!!  But when Molly said:

>You might not like (Phil) but that doesn't mean anybody else can (sic).  I'm
>>always going to like his music and nobody can stop me from liking him.

...I felt I had to reassure her that she is not part of a persecuted
minority.  In fact, about 60% of the people on this planet would probably
agree that Phil Collins is neato keeno, or at least totally inoffensive.
So nobody will be trying to 'stop' her, least of all the record company
executives, TV/radio station managers and journalists who govern our
musical culture.

WHICH IS PRECISELY MY POINT!  People who like this sort of thing are richly
rewarded by our society year after year (when was the last time you walked
into a record shop and said, 'Oh!  I didn't know Phil Collins had a new
album out!'??).  But what about those of us who DON'T like it and have to
listen to it anyway, every time we turn on the radio or watch TV?  Don't
give me that old 'there's always the off switch' routine either, because
the off switch is somewhat inaccessible when you're in a shop, bar, mall or
leisure centre and that sickening mulch comes oozing through the P.A.  At
my workplace the radio is on all the time, and you can't change the channel
without taking a vote from 200 employees.  I AM LITERALLY FORCED TO LISTEN!

This is justification enough for those of us who dissent to take a pop at
Phil and his ilk every now and then, not to mention all the money/airtime
spent promoting such pap which could more profitably be used to introduce
people to NEW and DIFFERENT kinds of music.  I mean, what does something
like "True Colours" actually add to the sum of human experience?  It's a
very old and not very good song made EVEN BLANDER by technological wizardry
and the predictable addition of a few Irish fiddles ('Enjoy "Titanic?"
Then you'll LOVE this!').  The video features Phil making friends with
smiling children of every creed and colour...a more original and
sophisticated critique of racism can hardly be imagined.  And the whole
thing was cynically created just to be tacked onto the end of his Greatest
Hits collection so that all of his most obsessive admirers, THOSE WHO LOVE
HIM THE MOST, will HAVE to buy it even though they already own all the
other songs. It's nothing less than a TOWERING MONUMENT to GREED, LAZINESS
and BANALITY.  Of course you're welcome to like it.

How very different to our own beloved XTC.  I have to agree that their
'issue' songs often fall a little flat, but I always considered 'President
Kill' an exception to the rule.  I love the way that that imperious synth
blast contrasts with the motley, ragged horn section; it underlines the
sense of mockery implicit in the lyrics and hints that President Kill may
well be suffering from delusions of grandeur.  I can't believe so many of
you seem not to like it; is it because you're all YANKS?

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

Message-ID: <E3B777F7C741D211A2C100A0C9DCF97B9CAC0B@MSE9TH1.barnesandnoble.com>
From: Greg Marrs <gmarrs@book.com>
Subject: Transistor@Last
Date: Tue, 8 Dec 1998 13:57:17 -0500

Thanks to a certain record shop clerk who agreed to "presell"
a copy of TB last night, I'm listening to disc One right now.
My coworkers are wondering, no doubt, just what could be
responsible for my rare good humor...  My only complaint?
I wish the liner notes were more extensive!  That's it, no
substantive content -- just had to gloat!

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

Message-ID: <366D8885.EC740203@zoommusic.com>
Date: Tue, 08 Dec 1998 14:14:00 -0600
From: Kyle melancon <babyloco@zoommusic.com>
Subject: Radiate or Breath?

On the subject of misheard lyrics:  For years I thought the line in All
Of A Sudden that goes "Life's like a firework, you're only lit once and
you must stand and radiate correctly" was actually saying "you must
stand there breathing incorrectly"...Either way, it's a good lyric.  I
ordered TB from IMVS about a week ago but they tell me it's out of
stock...I really wish I could hear it...7 years is too long of a wait
for new XTC product!!!!

Kyle

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

From: WillJ4comm@aol.com
Message-ID: <c31d092a.366d9282@aol.com>
Date: Tue, 8 Dec 1998 15:56:34 EST
Subject: political/issue songs!

Delurking for a moment:

Folks have been bagging on Andy's and Colin's issue songs, to which I have to
say I either misunderstand or totally disagree.

Political/issue songs by XTC I LOVE include: Peter Pumpkin (politics,
organized religion), Complicated Game (religion), Generals & Majors
(politics and war), Respectable Street (class struggle/heirarchy), Travels
in Nihilon (slight religion), Towers of London (politics), Paper & Iron
(labor injustices), No Thugs (youth issues), melt the guns (violence),
leisure (labor), down in the cockpit (women's issues), red brick dream
(labor), small town (politics, development, progress), reign of blows
(politics, violence), prez. kill (politics, war, oppression), scarecrow
people (environment, tolerance, awareness), dear god (religion), sacrificial
bonfire (superstition, tolerance), merely a man (religion), across this
antheap (societal, progress), books are burning (freedom of expression),
ugly underneath (politics), omnibus (tolerance, diversity), and pink thing
(phallic oppression ;) ).

And finally, Amanda's XTC song of the day, after she finishes dissing xtc's
"issue" songs: Knuckle Down (tolerance)! People, without the "issue" songs,
we have, for all intensive purposes, but half the xtc we know and love, with
some of the best bits lost in the void! Am I misunderstanding the comment,
or have you all gone wankers on me???? (that was the American usage of the
word, or at least my Western U.S. dialect).

While I'm here, to whomever it was that didn't like No Language in our lungs
and thought it plodded along: give it time, you will come around, it's one
of the finest things they've ever done. I initially didn't like the song
either, thought it was filler, but after repeated listenings to Black Sea, I
realized that this track rocks unbelievably hard, and is now one of my very
favorites -- the instrumental build up in the middle is incredible, and turn
it up loud and listen to the crunching, precise double-guitar attack of Andy
and Dave, it'll blow your doors! Then there's the lyrics! You'll cry in
ecstacy, you'll be reaching for a wanky, er, hanky!

That's all for now, and as always, my new show has xtc in it. Will
---
the music show:
http://come.to/theblissroad
---

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

From: Melsta@aol.com
Message-ID: <69b95ca6.366df117@aol.com>
Date: Tue, 8 Dec 1998 22:40:07 EST
Subject: Obscrity

O Knights of the Chalk Table--

I took a peek inside _The Great Rock Discography_ by Martin Strong at the
bookstore the other day. Of course I flipped straight to the Xs. It had about
half a (good-sized) page on our heroes, most of which I didn't read. Nothing
we didn't know already so I'll leave it to someone more keen than I to report
on the entire article - I just liked how it ended. To paraphrase:

"After Nonsuch failed to light up the charts, XTC faded into obscrity."

And I thought they were still in Swindon.

--Melissa "Someone needs to enlighten this guy" Reaves

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

From: MrsHugh@aol.com
Message-ID: <caae85fa.366e2544@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 9 Dec 1998 02:22:44 EST
Subject: Skylarking

Chalkers,
Josh said in the last digest:
<<On a side note....as a relatively new subscriber to this newsletter, can
someone explain to me the mild anti-Skylarking tenor I've noticed?  I think
it's absolutely the best XTC album, and I'd argue that it's the greatest
concept album I've ever heard.  What's the problem?>>

I'll tell you the problem is that a lot of people don't know a good album
when you hear it.  I love Skylarking.  I think it's a great album, because of
the melodic songs.  I love it how the songs melt together.  Before I saw the
video for Grass I used to imagine the guys in a meadow singing to me. :)

Molly
http://www.angelfire.com/mo/mollyfa/index.html

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

Message-ID: <19981209060933.4277.qmail@www0s.netaddress.usa.net>
Date: 8 Dec 98 23:09:33 MST
From: Derek Miner <minerwerks@usa.net>
Subject: Thing that made me go "hmmmm"

Chalkfolks,

I was recently perusing some used books in a record shop and I came across a
Rolling Stone book on "Saturday Night Live." It was published around 1979 if
I'm correct. The odd thing, though, is that it was written by one... Marianne
Partridge! Could that be Andy's Marianne Partridge? I'm very curious!

= Derek =

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

From: CCooli9575@aol.com
Message-ID: <b822f4a3.366e5ccf@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 9 Dec 1998 06:19:43 EST
Subject: Taxes and Phil Collins

>WHy shouldn't someone who earns millions pay 50% tax? Answer me that,
>comrades!

  Well, for one thing, people who earn millions spend more. You think they
spend their time sitting on a mountain of money? Of course not. They use it to
buy things. If there were no income tax at all, more of their money would be
spent in the private sector on consumer goods. Now, what I'm in favor of is
replacing the income-based tax with a consumption tax on consumer goods. The
beauty of that is it would still affect the rich on what they spend their
money on. If they want to beat the system, they just won't buy luxuries, and
they're not likely to change their habits. However, the poor and middle class
would especially benefit. The poor spend most of their income on rent, food,
and other necessities for basic survival, so they would be little effected by
the consumption tax unless they want to buy something extra, which they would
have more disposable income for under this system. The middle class would
benefit by having more income that used to be taxed that they can instead put
into savings, or do whatever else they want with. There's a movement in the
United States gradually gaining hold called, I think, Fair Taxation that's
advocating this as a solution to the tax problems we have now. If England
instituted a system like this, maybe some tax exiles would finally come home
and spend their money. As for Phil Collins, I'm not surprised he's a lying
sonofabitch.

Chris

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

From: "Leon X. Deggs" <ldeggs@excite.com>
Subject: Prince and other silly ideas
Message-Id: <913203563.9005.767@excite.com>
Date: Wed, 09 Dec 1998 03:39:23 PST

Chalky,
I stand corrected about Prince. It seems he HAS written at least ONE good
song.
Trouble is, I ain't never not heard of them there songs, not nor I ain't.
So, as far as I - yes, ME - am concerned, he'll still remain a mystery, as
will his (mediocre) success.
The only good thing I have to say about Prince is this:
He once gave this excellent review of Michael Jackson's 'Bad' album.
'Bad? Why did he call it bad. Surely he meant 'terrible'. :-)
Good one.

Why did everyone buy that album? Why did Jacko release liek NEARLY EVERY
song as a single?
Why did he have the nerve to call himself the King Of Pop?

Still - at least Parters is still God of Pop. Right, gang?
RIGHT!

L.
_____________
Leon X. Deggs

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

Message-ID: <366E6C8B.105C@bhip.infi.net>
Date: Wed, 09 Dec 1998 08:26:58 -0400
From: Brian <mattone@bhip.infi.net>
Subject: Male dominated society... NOT.

Tschalkgerz!

>I believe it was Cheryl that wrote in Digest #29 that this
list seems to be male dominated --SNIP-- Actually, I believe there are a
lot of articulate women on this list that do offer up worthwile opinions
without the need to be nasty or derogatory.  We have our place on this
list, no question.<

Like Red Green will say, "We can't help it - we're men!"

--
 BRIAN THOMAS MATTHEWS
* Digital & traditional illustration/animation
* Caricaturist-for-hire
* RENDERMAN ~ One-Man Band Ordinaire
SAPRINGER CENTRAL ~ http://www.angelfire.com/fl/sapringer
mailto:mattone@bhip.infi.net

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

Message-ID: <cdxc4JAeXnb2EwrY@wordsrus.demon.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 9 Dec 1998 13:06:38 +0000
From: Tim Harris <Tim@wordsrus.demon.co.uk>
Subject: Save me from The Dukes finale

In message <199812090644.WAA06874@mando.engr.sgi.com>, owner-
<chalkhills@chalkhills.org> writes
>Chalkfullonuts,
>
> let me point out that Tim Harris has been
>slowly compiling chord charts for the songs of The Dukes of
>Stratosphear.
John

thanks for the credit - I'm doing this as relaxation, I think, the way
some people do crosswords - as weekend relief from helping prepare the
company I work for for a stock market flotation.
I'm rapidly approaching Pale & Precious with trepidation. With an
untrained guitar background I don't kown how I'll get on. But I'm not
proud - if anyone cares to step in and save me the effort I'd be
grateful!
--
Tim Harris

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

Message-ID: <19981209163843.16626.rocketmail@web4.rocketmail.com>
Date: Wed, 9 Dec 1998 08:38:43 -0800 (PST)
From: nross <phoenixyellowrose@rocketmail.com>
Subject: Think for Yourself

Hi Chalkhills people,

     I just saw a quote I thought I'd share with ya'll:
"Little is the number that think with their own mind and feel with
their own heart" -- Einstein.

     I really think this quote fits the mood of these digests.
People tend to get hung up on their own opinion of what is good
and right.  Others will spend their time arguing that all opinions
matter, and, in Molly's case, that no one can changes these opinions.
Isn't that the essence of posting your opinions on the web? To get your
word in and get feedback, whether derogatory or sympathetic.  I have
found that the wonderful thing about chalkhills is the ability to
express whatever one wants to express, while retaining some sense of
anonymity.  Thus, we can express what we want... in the way we want to
express it. Therefore, we all increase the  amount of people who
can "think with their own mind and feel with their own heart".

     Could I be more sappy? Probably.

     Anyway, it does seem that a lot of ya'll like Mr. Partridge's
songs ten-times more than Mr. Moulding's songs.  To bring my opinion
to the stage... I like Colin's music just as much as anything
Partridge has written. Moulding has an incredible sense of the ironic,
while Partridge has a great sense of sarcasm.  The two are wonderful
together.  As for the great drummer debate... I'd like to suggest
Lars Ulrich (Metallica) as one of the great, and entertaining drummers.
He's just damn f*cking fine! He makes the drums have their own
personality and place in the music. If there is one thing missing in
the newer XTC music... its the drums... they don't really seem to have
a mind of their own, they are just background! Opinions?

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

Message-ID: <366EA8F2.B60@bhip.infi.net>
Date: Wed, 09 Dec 1998 12:44:39 -0400
From: Brian <mattone@bhip.infi.net>
Subject: Re: Albums and smells

Tschalkgerz!

>On a side note....as a relatively new subscriber to this newsletter, can
someone explain to me the mild anti-Skylarking tenor I've noticed?  I think
it's absolutely the best XTC album, and I'd argue that it's the greatest
concept album I've ever heard.  What's the problem?<

Concept album?
Concept album?
I'd like to know what the 'concept' is...

'Skylarking' is a finely-crafted piece of work, no doubt. I'll even
listen to it all the way through, IF it's the XTC album I decide to
listen to, and it isn't usually at the top of the list. Gimme BS, ES or
O&L any day.

--
 BRIAN THOMAS MATTHEWS
* Digital & traditional illustration/animation
* Caricaturist-for-hire
* RENDERMAN ~ One-Man Band Ordinaire
SAPRINGER CENTRAL ~ http://www.angelfire.com/fl/sapringer
mailto:mattone@bhip.infi.net

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

From: Melsta@aol.com
Message-ID: <b034b37a.366eb753@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 9 Dec 1998 12:45:55 EST
Subject: Colonel Kant once more

Standing too close is one of a long list of "sexually harassing
behaviors" that Susan Strauss and Pamela Espeland caution us
"have been reported in U.S. high schools."  (Others are MAKING
"VERBAL COMMENTS ABOUT CLOTHING" and "WEARING AN OBSCENE HAT.")

Just thought you'd like to know.

--Melissa "semper ubi sub ubi" Reaves

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

Message-Id: <v04003a00b2943392c254@[10.0.2.15]>
Date: Wed, 9 Dec 1998 09:03:19 -0500
From: John McGann/Original Custom Transcription Service
Subject: Zappa

> There aren't too many people out there who enjoy
>listening to Zappa

Oh?

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

John McGann (jmcgann @ world.std.com) PO Box 688 Jamaica Plain, Ma.
02130-0006 USA
http://world.std.com/~jmcgann

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

Message-Id: <v02140b00b29440ee37f4@[208.251.162.139]>
Date: Wed, 9 Dec 1998 10:02:05 -0500
From: gloop@ntr.net (Yazbek)
Subject: I Yazbek

My gupo de Yazbek is playing.  NYC- Dec. 15th. Brownie's. 9 o'clock. Horn
section. Free beer supposedly.

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

Date: Wed, 9 Dec 1998 19:11:21 +0100 (MET)
From: Tim De Cock <tim@vum.be>
Message-Id: <199812091811.TAA13227@vum.be>
Subject: XTC are alive and well and being covered in Belgium

Hi,

Don't know if this has been pointed out before, but here goes anyway:

There's a cover-only album out in Belgium by a duo called Hautekiet &
Riguelle. It's called _A Minor Thing_ and features piano+vocal versions of
the not so unfamiliar tunes 1000 Umbrellas and Books Are Burning. Among the
thirteen other songs are God Only Knows (Wilson), Carribean Sunset (Cale), I
Feel So Good (Thompson) and God's Song (Newman): fair company, as most of us
would agree. There is no, I repeat, NO cover of a Phil Collings song on _A
Minor Thing_.

Jan Hautekiet is a popular radio deejay/media figure/piano player/session
musician. Patrick Riguelle is one of Belgiums finest singers. I have heard
only scraps of this album (they sound interesting but not breathtaking, IMHO
of course) but if there are avid collectors of XTC-cover versions out there,
they should know that _A Minor Thing_ is out on Via Records
(viarecordsbel@hotmail.com). I sincerely doubt the album will be released
outside of Belgium. I can get copies for you if you like, email me
privately.

Please not that I am in no way connected to the artists or their record
company. I am only doing my Chalkhills duty here. Sir!

By the way: this Jan Hautekiet guy has recently been appointed head of
Flanders largest alternative rock radio station, Studio Brussel. I wonder
what he'll do for the lads when _Apple Venus vol. 1_ is released?

Greetings from a fruitfly infested office in Antwerp (don't ask),

Tim

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

End of Chalkhills Digest #5-36
******************************

Go back to Volume 5.

10 December 1998 / Feedback