Chalkhills Digest Volume 5, Issue 43
Date: Friday, 18 December 1998
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 5, Number 43
Friday, 18 December 1998
Today's Topics:
Zappatistas Unite!
Oh Hell! My vote for the worst artist!
Re: Best of 98?
I'm bilious - fly me.
First single?
Cost of TB and royalties
Re: XTC throws Barenaked Ladies for ippon any day
XTC-esque
Orchoustic woes
Have you heard Jackie, he tells you her Top '98
Jeez. Alright already with the recommendations :)
Re: Lots of things
Let' s hear it for The Nigels
Re: Videos since Mummer?
XTC Sight & Sound In Concert 1978
Review Spew
converting others
Transistor Blast
Give Me a Break!!
Year-end lists, paging down, etc.
TB, or not TB?
best of 98
The Woman Just Won't Listen (long post)
First APPLE VENUS Review
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-Id: <s678bfe7.055@gw.utk.edu> Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 08:28:33 -0500 From: todd steed <steedt@cie.gw.utk.edu> Subject: Zappatistas Unite! Sure Zap-boy had a lot of really stupid songs taking vicious shots at very easy targets, and yeah he had a perverted side. (Most people do/have both) But the man put out 50 (count em) 50 freakin rekerds. Maybe a third of those I enjoy. But that is a LOT of rekerds by one artist for somebody to enjoy. If ANY artist could give me 10 - 17 rekerds i really loved in this day and age I'd be amazed. Shit, I'd be amazed if they could give me 17 songs in their career worth a dang. Zappa was leaps and bounds ahead of most of his competition to the point it's almost silly to compare him to somebody like, say ...uh Phil Col....uh never mind on that one. In any case, like the writers of XTC--he was full of ideas and was never afraid to take chances and explore. Which, like XTC often left him ignored and misunderstood. Thank God he left Uncle Meat, Burnt Weeny Sandwhich, Yellow Shark, One Size Fits All, Hot Rats, Grand Wazoo, Weasels Ripped My Flesh, Roxy and Elsewhere, Freak Out, Waka Jawaka, Zappa in NY, Joe's Garage (if not simply for Watermelon), We're only in it for the Money, Rueben and the Jets, about half of Sheik Yer Booty, Make a Jazz Noise Here, and yes even that guitar one....Fz Plays the music of Frank Zappa (mail order) There, that's 17 rekerds that at least I find worth scores of listens. I'm trying to think of another artist that has done that for/to me. At this point you're probably wondering why I'm here.... So am I, so am I. ... (kazoo riff here) Twist, dance the poot, music is best, we're all Devo. Long Live Frank, Power to XTC--take us where we ain't never been. Todd of the Short Forest
------------------------------ Message-ID: <19981217134801.15023.rocketmail@web1.rocketmail.com> Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 05:48:01 -0800 (PST) From: nross <phoenixyellowrose@rocketmail.com> Subject: Oh Hell! My vote for the worst artist! The quote of the day, thanks to my trusty rocketmail: Procrastinate later. Anyways... while people are having fun dogging bands and artists I thought I'd offer up my opinion of a band that SUCKS BIG TIME... Roxette. I hate their music. Please, lets dog them now. It will be so much fun... as a Holiday present for me. Lets! XTC content: Nobody is going to buy me Transistor Blast or songstories for the holidays... I'll have to spend money on it now! Oh well! I just wanted to lighten up some of the discussions on the digest... I know the above message is frivilous dribble...oh well. -Nicole
------------------------------ From: RiknBkr@aol.com Message-ID: <d9dd5d1d.3679122a@aol.com> Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 09:16:10 EST Subject: Re: Best of 98? John Irvine wrote >...and that's about it. I bought some stuff that sucked, but I won't go >into that here. What did y'all buy that floated yer boats? Neil Finn - Try Whistling This Paul Weller - Heavy Soul( I know, that's last year, but I finally bought it this year). Ray Davies - Storyteller. That's the new stuff. The Who - Odds & Sods Remaster The Kinks - Face to Face Remaster and VGPS Remaster
------------------------------ From: Paul@pi-design.com Message-ID: <7792192DE506D2119A6100A024F0274A158792@PIMAIL> Subject: I'm bilious - fly me. Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 13:32:20 -0000 In the last digest Jeff Langr <jlangr@yahoo.com> commented on my comments... >I thought Mr. Stratford's idea of a separate >XTC news digest was great, even if his bilious >political statements are unoriginal party-line >fare. Sorry if you thought I was bilious, we've only recently got Pepto-Bismol in the UK. I think that we've found another cultural difference here, what sounds like plain fairness and humanitarianism in the UK sounds like socialism\leftiness and near-communism to an American (or Tory). Paul "I'm incredibly bored" Stratford
------------------------------ Message-ID: <C4D3F9980FD4D111892B00805FBBF5D1012A22F2@MAILSVR1> From: "Lieman, Ira" <ilieman@lernerny.com> Subject: First single? Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 09:28:32 -0500 Yeah, it's slightly premature but do we know which track will be released as the first single from "Apple Venus Vol I?" Someone in the know has got to know, otherwise what would they know? -ira, with 30 seconds to spare until yet another "touchbase" meeting. Ack!
------------------------------ From: "Damian Foulger" <damian@imclaser.com> Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 08:31:35 -0600 Subject: Cost of TB and royalties Message-Id: <19981217082214.54e9c3d5.in@ceo.ceolasers.com> The very disperate prices that I've seen people paying for TB has made me wonder where the difference comes from and who gets the money? I seems that one can pay between $23 and $45. One of the most expensive prices is from TVT the US distributor. I did a quick zoom around the web and found these prices: Amazon: $45 TVT $43 IMVS $23 So what's up. If one buys the set from TVT do XTC get more royalties or is it all profit to TVT? I want to know because it might sway my buying practices. Do XTC get 50p extra if I pay stlg10 more for a CD? Is it worth it in that case? Hmmm. Dames tWd "People will always be tempted to rip off you .sig files if they have 'welcome' in them" But then I don't have copyright. ;-)
------------------------------ Message-Id: <l03010d01b29ec902428b@[207.41.148.40]> Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 09:54:30 -0500 From: Duncan Watt <kanuba@nh.ultranet.com> Subject: Re: XTC throws Barenaked Ladies for ippon any day >From: Brian <mattone@bhip.infi.net> >Subject: Barenaked Ladies sound like XTC > >Tschalkgerz! > >Hey, boys and girls, I've been spending the past week getting into the >Barenaked Ladies album 'Stunt', and there's a song on there called >"Alcohol" that you just imagine XTC doing. > >The whole album is pretty cool, too. ouch, Brian, ouch really. Really ouch. O-uchi-gari ouchie-ow. Have you noticed yet that their big hit there is, basically, The Macarena (hum-a-num-a hum-a-num-a hum-a-Macarena...) sung over "All Right Now" (bah (rest rest) buh-nah bah...)? Although I've got to give them credit for not losing the weight... Duncan Watt ps sure would like to find out what's been happening to my re:'s... sure would...
------------------------------ From: martin.clinton@dnb.no Message-Id: <199812171424.GAA06458@sgi.sgi.com> Subject: XTC-esque Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 15:24:32 +0100 Hi Chalksters, This may well be old news, but I recently finally got round to buying the album by Swedish popster's Grass-Show. The album, Something Smells Good in Stinkville, has a very distinct XTC (around Drums & Wires era I guess) feel, and the lead vocalist sounds a lot like Colin in parts. Er.... that 's about it really, except to say I can certainly recommend the album to anyone thinking of getting it. Merry XTCmas to you all Martin
------------------------------ Message-ID: <000801be29d0$289a9bb0$f06dcec0@t24806009694.DOA.STATE.LA.US> From: "John Voorhees" <griffon@earthling.net> Subject: Orchoustic woes Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 09:16:00 -0600 Before we all start to worry that Apple Venus will sink like a stone due to lushness and brilliance, remember that Fiona Apple's Tidal rocked the cosmos with a grand piano and no previous releases to stand on. Most folks have already at least heard of XTC, even if it was from their gran'pa (Yes, children, gather 'round me lap and I'll tell ye of a powerful righteous rock band that didn't suck...). There may not be any obvious Mayor-of-Simpleton-type singles (one of the best pop songs ever written, I'd say, up there with Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic), but let's have faith, people! John V.
------------------------------ Message-ID: <36793E31.7124F3BF@geocities.com> Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 18:24:01 +0100 From: dieling <lemoncurry@geocities.com> Subject: Have you heard Jackie, he tells you her Top '98 > Chalkhillbillies ! > Oooh, the year is nearing its end. What will the next year bring ? In any > case, it'll bring the record we've all been awaiting for years. And if the > world's going into armageddon as 2000 comes nearer, I shall be glad > listening to Apple Venus Vol whatever on my headphones. Yesterday I had an overwhelming experience. I visited a friend who has a kind of home studio, with PC, Emax(?) Sampler and Nordlead Synth. We're making a song for university together (both musicologists) which we have to make a video for. So, apart from samples from Sample CDs, we wanted to sample something from existing records, so we took a drumbeat of a Barenaked Ladies song, a tabla beat from Muslimgauze, and I brought with me The Dukes of Stratosphear, as there's all this Lewis Carroll-like nonsense spoken by that girl, which I thought would fit in perfectly. Now, remember "Have You Seen Jackie ?" Right at the start of that track, before the girl says "By this time...", there's that high, strange sound I always loved and have often used for DJing. Now, we sampled that bit, and when I was playing it slower (which is no problem for a sampler, just press a lower key on the master keyboard, which was the Nordlead Synth in this setup) , guess what I found ? This sound is really a very highpitched voice, the one of the girl, saying: "Jackie couldn' t decide if he was a girl or if she was a boy" with lots of delay and flange. Wow! I was stunned. That phrase is repeated in the song, before the organ solo, as you'll know. This makes XTC aka The Dukes of Stratosphere even more clever to me, as it links that sound with the song and takes forth the central message of "Jackie". I've been singing the song all day now and I feel good ! Now, the best albums in '98: Transistor Blast - uknowho TNT - Tortoise Lifelike - Ui El Oso - Soul Coughing So, everyone have a HAPPY XMAS and also a HAPPY NEW YEAR !!! See ya in 99. -- Lemoncurry residing in The Lemon Lounge at www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/9259 lemoncurry@geocities.com XTC Songs of the Day - Have you seen Jackie ? and Thanks For Christmas
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v04011707b29eeaea9770@[208.240.250.142]> Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 12:27:47 -0600 From: Ken Herbst <ken@bamadvertising.com> Subject: Jeez. Alright already with the recommendations :) >I bought a Sloan album (from >One Chord to Another). I do rather like it. What other Sloan is good? Sloan's 1992 "Smeared" is total butta. The first tune, "Underwhelmed", is one of my favorite dashboard-pounding songs of all time. --- My '98 Top Discs: Neil Finn (Try Whistling This) -- What else can be said? Wow. --- Asian Dub Foundation (Rafi's Revenge) -- Angry, Electro-sitar driven angst with a beat. Wow. --- Talvin Singh (OK) -- More Indo-Punjabi electronica. But, very clever and well-produced. --- P.M. Dawn (Dearest Christian) -- Mellow, cerebral tone poems. Bliss out and smooch to this disc. --- Philip Glass (Koyaanisqatsi) -- Newly recorded, expanded score of the amazing soundtrack. --- Rialto (Rialto) -- Technically released in '97, but didn't make it to the US until a few months ago. Hard band to categorize...something like a poppier, all-male, cinema-influenced band like Portishead. --- Fear of Pop (Vol. 1) -- Seriously funky solo project by Ben Folds. YO! Right on, brotha! --- * -------- Best Discs You Didn't Buy in '97: Eye TV (Snakes and Ladders) -- Awesome Kiwi powerpop. Surf the net to find it! --- The Negro Problem (The Negro Problem) -- Too many styles to easily categorize. But, if you like XTC, Steely Dan, Bob Mould, Jellyfish I can't imagine you not loving this disc. --- Pierre Henry/Michael Colombier (Messe Pour Le Temps Present) -- A weird and wonderful pastiche of 60's French grooves whipped into something that resembles trip-hop. Very cool. Very hard to describe. --- David Ryan Harris -- Maybe the best pop release of the year. Complex, surprising and rich. --- The Wannadies -- Okay, so this is a best of, but it's still one of the best power pop CD's of the 90's. --- Henry Fool (Soundtrack) -- Weird instrumental music from a weird movie you never saw. Both were great. --- Cotton Mather (Kontiki) -- Beatles/Byrd's influenced, gritty power pop. --- Bill Nelson (Weird Critters/Magnificent Dream People) -- Two discs of unreleased experimental musings from the one of the original home-studio mavericks. * -------- Thanks to everyone who posted new music recommendations this year. This is one of the main reasons I frequent Chalkhills. I confess that the endless ruminating about our Swindon lads gets a little tiresome for me at times. Which reminds me.....where else do you go for references to new music? Obviously, quirk-pop and power-pop are what jazz most of us here at Chalkhills. Any good "year-in-review" lists you've seen (and trust)? Thanks again Chalkhillians! => Ken H.
------------------------------ From: Nudeants@aol.com Message-ID: <978ef9ad.367948aa@aol.com> Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 13:08:42 EST Subject: Re: Lots of things To the license plate person: I assume that plate refers to Angry Young Man by Billy Joel, as well as Colin's The World is Full of Angry Young Men (a beauty, overlooked). With respect to the issue regarding significant others into XTC, I just turned someone on to XTC, someone I used to date a while ago and have been kind of seeing again. She LOVES those guys and is now obsessed. We have differences of taste within the XTC realm, of course: she doesn't like any of Colin's songs, save My Bird Performs. She's obsessed with Andy in particular. Her fave album is English Settlement, with Nonsuch a close second. She likes Mummer as well, and Skylarking and Big Express not as much, though there are many songs of those albums that she does like (in particular Another Satellite, the song that started it all, and You're the Wish You Are I Had) She's heard Black Sea once and loves it. She also loves Dukes of Stratosphear, Psonic Psunspot much more than 25 o'Clock. As for her other tastes, she started as a 'punk' girl when I knew her in high school. She likes Sonic Youth, Pavement, Cocteau Twins, Guided By Voices, My Bloody Valentine, The Smiths (though not as much now, thank god), Mr. Bungle. Her tastes have since broadened. She likes Keith Jarrett (through meeting me), Phish, Frank Zappa (though she's only heard a few things), Jeff Buckley. By the way, I finally JUST HEARD Jeff Buckley. Holy Shit, that man was amazing. What a loss! Dave matthews, eat your heart out! matt
------------------------------ From: JStrole@aol.com Message-ID: <6bc175e6.367950cb@aol.com> Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 13:43:23 EST Subject: Let' s hear it for The Nigels - Hopefully the NYC area will be seeing The Nigels soon, though I hear The Hunt Club won't be touring anytime soon. - Odds are a very good group from Vancouver, Canada! On their first LP, Neapolitan, they include a song called Horsehead Nebula that is very reminiscent of Complicated Games. It should be noted that Craig Northey of Odds did the music for the Kids In The Hall movie. - If you like Stunt by The Barenaked Ladies check out their other LPs, especially Gordon. Oh, Canada! - I can't find Transistor Blast anywhere. Maybe I'm too busy doing the Christmas shopping thing. Is anyone else having this problem? (I don't want to order through the web until I pay down my credit card, like you had to know). - I too would have liked to see more about studio techniques in Song Stories, probably why Dave didn't have a good opinion of the book. That guy knew every instrument that was played on all the songs (probably the ones w/ Barry, too) Fave 1998 albums: Moxy Fuvous - Live Noise, what a great live band (Hat trick for Canada in this post!) Luna - Pup Tent, well I bought it in '98 R.E.M.- Up, yeah they miss Bill, but it's still better just about anything else out there Cornershop - Born For The 7th Time, it's weak in spots but where its strong, its very strong Happy Holidays Harry
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 12:56:24 -0800 (PST)
Message-Id: <199812172056.MAA05342@mando.engr.sgi.com>
From: John Relph <relph@engr.sgi.com>
Subject: Re: Videos since Mummer?
Greg Mascioli <mascioli@ix.netcom.com> asked:
>
>I know that there many videos of XTC since Mummer, but where do I find
>them? And how do I get them? Help!
Love On a Farmboy's Wages
Human Alchemy
In Loving Memory of a Name
Funk Pop a Roll
All You Pretty Girls
The Meeting Place
The Dukes of Stratosphear: Mole From the Ministry
The Dukes of Stratosphear: Albert Brown
Grass
Dear God
The Road to Oranges and Lemons
Mayor of Simpleton
King for a Day
The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead
The Disappointed
These videos have been filmed, but the only one commercially available
is "Dear God" which was released on *The Best of MTV's 120 Minutes*
video compilation in the US.
You'll have to trade for illicit copies of the others.
-- John
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 13:36:14 -0800 (PST) Message-Id: <199812172136.NAA03391@mando.engr.sgi.com> From: John Relph <relph@engr.sgi.com> Subject: XTC Sight & Sound In Concert 1978 Wow. Did I mention that XTC rocked in 1978? Wow. -- John
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 13:38:31 -0800 (PST)
Message-Id: <199812172138.NAA08998@mando.engr.sgi.com>
From: John Relph <relph@engr.sgi.com>
Subject: Review Spew
Wesley Hanks has submitted reviews of *Transistor Blast* from the
following publications:
The Washington Post
Boston Herald
The Commercial Appeal Memphis, TN
Surf to http://reality.sgi.com/chalkhills/articles/TransistorBlast.html
to get the full text. (Too much traffic on Chalkhills lately, I'm
trying to cut down.)
Thanks, Wes!
-- John
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 14:11:43 -0600 (CST) From: Marshall Joseph Armintor <mojo@is.rice.edu> Subject: converting others Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.96.981217133707.23206A-100000@is.rice.edu> << 1.) How would you explain why you enjoy the music of XTC, to a non-fan?>> Several years ago, my housemate Bill and I were an ill-fated band named Flood, not after the U2/Smashing Pumpkins producer, but for other reasons I don't really remember. We had our own songs, but of course we learnt covers mostly to explore the music the other guy liked. He was into things like Fugazi, Buffalo Tom, Minor Threat, Soulside, etc. etc. I was into [around then] Big Star, XTC, Robyn Hitchcock, Neil Young, Wire, etc. So one day I say to him "Let's learn 'Respectable Street'." He says okay, he doesn't know that song from a hole in the ground. I play it on disc for him, he purses his lips, shrugs his shoulders and says, mmmm, alright. We work out the bass/guitar parts (a little complicated for him, though), do like a runthrough or two, I sing, it's not bad. A couple days later, we're rehearsing again, and I say, "Let's do 'Respectable Street'." Bill folds his arms violently, sets his mouth, and growls, "I'm NOT playing any more a'your dancing-through-the-flowers-with-my-faggot-friends music again!" We immediately get into a shouting match about the whole thing, but I promised to learn Buffalo Tom's "Enemy" as a trade-off for XTC. Still haven't let him forget that outburst. I've never been able to convert anyone, really. Most of the people I know who like XTC already were that way when I met them. <<2.) What songs/albums would you suggest as most likely to interest her (before you say 'how should I know?' see more details below.)>> _English Settlement_ was the one I started with, and in an odd way, I kind of assume everybody should have started with it. A great transitional album from the touring band to the exclusively in-studio band, and I think it's the most representative of them, if I had to pick just one. marshall
------------------------------ From: "Damian Foulger" <damian@imclaser.com> Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 08:09:06 -0600 Subject: Transistor Blast Message-Id: <19981217075945.54d52e07.in@ceo.ceolasers.com> > :) The flimsy neon cd-cases are very cheezy though. One would expect > slightly sturdier construction for $40+, but I'm glad I have it I must have a different version of the above mentioned set. I thought that the flimsy neon cd-cases were great value for the $23 that I paid for TB. It all sounds the same though. (When is the Mo- Fi gold disc version coming out? ;-) ) Dames tWd * ------------------------------------------------ 'People will always be tempted to wipe their feet on anything with welcome written on it.' - AP
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 16:39:32 -0800 (PST) From: "J. Brown" <ringostr@u.washington.edu> Subject: Give Me a Break!! Message-ID: <Pine.A41.4.05.9812171612520.96184-100000@dante29.u.washington.edu> David Oh wrote > Amanda Wrote >>non XTC song-Don't Let Me Down-The Beatles (I have been on an incredible >> Beatles kick since the anniversary of John's death passed. "It was >> 18years ago today, that fucking xxxxxxx took a genius away.....") > > every1, please, as a favour 2 me, anytime any1 mentions john's tragic > passing in the future, can u never, ever mention the name of the > perpetrator? i can't even bring myself 2 think of that selfish asshole, > & i hate that i even have 2 refer 2 that incident here! Come on!! I fail to see why John's murder is so sacred. Now mind you i'm as big a Beatles fan as anyone but why is John's death such a tragedy? Now if John had died in say 1967 i can see the tragedy. The murder of anyone is awful but i think the deification of Lennon is ridiculous. What did Mr. Chapman's gun rob the world of? More half-baked liberal platitudes? A pointless beatles Reunion? Further evidence of Lennon's diminished songwriting skills? John hadn't put out a good album since Imagine. Even Wings at its worst is better than Somewhere in New York City or Mind Games or Walls and Bridges or Double Fantasy, not mention the atrocious Stand By me. Am I glad John lennon's dead? Of Course Not. But these sorts of hysterics are really silly. "he can not be named" come off it man! Mark David Chapman is a crazy man! He is not satan for christ sakes. John Lennon was not a god (inspite of what Grant Morrison argues), he was just a songwriter, and most of the time a great songwriter but that's all. Maybe i'm just full of hot cheese on this or maybe i've just had it up to here with boomer icon worship shoved down my throat every year just before my birthday (you should all be celbrating me dammnit not mourning him! ;-) sorry if i offended anyone this little rant has been building for some time. Jason Wilson Brown - History & Canadian Studies - Seattle, WA USA "Wasn't it a millionaire who said Imagine no possessions?" -Elvis Costello
------------------------------ From: ElizaS33@aol.com Message-ID: <a17d9a31.3679a618@aol.com> Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 19:47:20 EST Subject: Year-end lists, paging down, etc. A slightly modified version of a 1998 year-end thang I wrote for another list: 1. Yazbek - Tock. This album just slays me, pure and simple. Saves me huge amounts of listening time by rolling almost everything I like about music into one shiny, portable package. The baby on the cover is awfully cute, too. 2. The Solipsistics - Whatever Makes You Happy. Main Solipsistic Jeff McGregor is possibly the most underrated (under-heard-of?) songwriter working today. He's Jon Brion's favorite collaborator, and Aimee Mann's favorite opening act. And he'd be mine, too, if I could get him to collaborate with or open for me. And yes, this *is* an act on the label I tout in my sigfile, but no shameless promo going on here... I help them out for free because I think they're amazing. 3. eels - Electro-Shock Blues. The second eels album resurrects the strongest points of E's solo work and combines them with the eels' supergroovy collage soundscapes to create an album that's both highly original and deeply touching. 4. Deanna Kirk - Where Are You Now. This cabaret-pop album is just indescribably beautiful. She cowrites all her songs, so I'm not sure who does what exactly, but some of the song structures here should be used in songwriting classes, they're so perfect. Plus, she covers "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch," with just the right blend of camp and restraint. 5. Elliott Smith -XO. Proof that lo-fi indie guys *can* come out sounding pretty damn cool with an actual budget. 6. Pernice Brothers - Overcome by Happiness. Really lovely orchestrated pop album from the former (or perhaps current) vocalist of the Scud Mountain Boys. 7. Rufus Wainwright - Rufus Wainwright. Rufus is the chanteuse of the year. I wish I'd made this album. 8. Sparks - Plagiarism. Despite some overly techno-ish remixes (for my non- dancing taste), this is largely an excellent reworking of some classic songs. 9. Rebekah Florence - Mexican Prozak. Because she's hilarious, painfully honest, and because she really wails. Too bad "country" fans don't listen to stuff like this instead of Garth and Leeann... 10. Jonathan Richman - I'm So Confused. Well... he's Jojo! What more do you want? Honorable Mention: Sheryl Crow, Mary Lou Lord, Sun Sawed in 1/2, Wendy & Lisa, Dave's True Story, Brad Mehldau. Box sets of the year: 1. Louis Armstrong 2. John Lennon 3. XTC 4. Randy Newman Stuff that might well have made the 1998 list except I haven't heard it yet: Squeeze, Dave Dobbyn. Stuff I wanted to like more than I did based on the artist's previous output, but which is still pretty OK: Neil Finn, Paul Kelly, the Nields, Hothouse Flowers. Stuff I'm really excited about that's theoretically coming out next year: Michael Penn, Aimee Mann, Jon Brion, the Solipsistics. Live performances of the year: Andy Prieboy's White Trash Wins Lotto, Jon Brion's weekly psychodrama (maybe either last week's Hawaiian/Birthday-Themed Ukulele Night or the Spontaneous 2-Hour Show-Tune Medley, if I had to choose one), Sparks at the Key Club. Well, those are the ones I saw, anyway! And on the subject of what we should & shouldn't discuss... I've left lists because of excessive off-topic discussion. But I love reading Chalkhills, no matter what the topic. Most of the folks here are such gifted writers that it's a joy to read what they have to say, whether I happen to agree with it or not. Sure, in the last few years, I've thought, "OK, enough already!" once or twice... but I certainly don't think that my tolerance limits should be forced on everyone. The only posts that I routinely find trying are the ones that ask everyone to stop discussing something the writer is bored with... do people do that at parties and things, too? While paging down isn't always a viable option, the listing of contents (and generally accurate subject lines) at the top of each Chalkhills certainly make it an easier proposition! Anyway, since it's the holidays and all, I'll finish by saying a holly jolly thanks to Mr. Relph for the work he puts into this fine list, and to those who contribute for keeping it so entertaining. Here's to a year with actual new XTC music in it! Elizabeth The Gallery of Indispensable Pop Music homepages.infoseek.com/~popgallery www.frigidisk.com/the coolest cds on the Internet
------------------------------
Message-Id: <s67939be.084@tcwgroup.com>
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 17:04:14 -0800
From: "Dane Pereslete" <peresd@tcwgroup.com>
Subject: TB, or not TB?
Denizens of the Diatomaceous,
Holger bemoaned:
> I am a great fan, chalkers, really - but that has a bad smell of just X-mas
> business.
> I am a bit disappointed.
Yeah?, well, despite this people like myself who jumped on the big express
too late to see the boys play live will still flock to buy this - believe
you me!
We'll scrape together whatever meager earnings we can or resort to em-
barrassing (embare-arse-ing?) acts of base fawning to receive it for
Christmas!!!
In other news: I was out holiday shopping and believe it or not, heard
"King
For a Day" _ muzak version _ ugh!!!
Why didn't anyone mention that in addition to XTC, there is also the
appearance
of "Winter Wonderland" by the Cocteau Twins on the Starbucks holiday comp-
ilation album? I've been looking for that for what seems like ages now.
XTC SOTD: "Mermaid Smiled"
Non-XTC SOTD: "Christmas Time is Here" - Vince Guaraldi Trio
*----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Logging in from beautiful Glendale, CA USA
"Where it'll be 85 f***ing degrees at Christmas"
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 19:58:55 -0500 Subject: best of 98 Message-ID: <19981217.195858.8942.0.sgtpooper@juno.com> From: sgtpooper@juno.com (Keith A Sather) ive never posted before, and half of the 'best of 98' things ive read mention stuff ive never heard of, but i thought id tell you my favorites cuz i like questions like this... 1. eric clapton- pilgrim--- very weird for him, a lot of programmed drum tracks and shit, but truly excellent. he hadnt released an album of all new material since 'journeyman' in 1989, and he still has his shit together but isnt afraid to change a little. 2. the jimi hendrix experience- the bbc sessions--- this shit should have been released forever ago, but its awesome, with some excellent cover songs, and great versions of his originals. im sure transistor blast is cool, but i made the mistake of mentioning it to my mom, and i think shes gonna buy it for me for xmas. so if i buy it now and she buys it for me, ill feel bad, but if she doesnt get it for me for xmas, ill feel like an asshole. one honorary mention for 98 would be bad religion's no substance. its not great, but its good, and they had an album signing in nyc so i got to meet them. then i went to see them that night in concert and they ripped shit up. anyway, two things you may have already figured out about me are that i dont like to use apostropes or capital letters, and i curse a lot in order to express my thoughts. so, nice to make your acquaintance... keith
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v03102800b29f5bade93e@[165.227.110.102]> Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 18:11:31 -0700 From: Richard Pedretti-Allen <richard@tactics.com> Subject: The Woman Just Won't Listen (long post) Phil, Dump the old battle-axe! What were you thinking when you married?! Where's your priorities?! ...Hey, I know this guy that can take care of this little "PROBLEM" of yours... for a surprisingly small amount of money. Just kidding. You don't need to explain why you like XTC (for many, it's like trying to explain WHY you like the color blue). You can if you are able, but giving her a brief synopsis (which you've probably already done or attempted) and letting her learn why, should be redeeming beyond your expectations. I believe your wife has diverse enough tastes to be suited to some of the music of XTC but, like my wife, not a majority. A great fun moment for me was a few weeks back when I noticed my wife singing along with Oranges And Lemons. Calling her attention to it backfired. It was like busting someone burning off a major posturing, phallic air guitar lead lick (complete with a painful visage) when they thought they were home alone. So, don't force it on her. Suggest, and allow her to take what she will from it. My wife really enjoys songs she likes, avoids the songs she doesn't and tolerates (bless her heart) the stuff in the middle (most of my collection). In any event, DO NOT GO CHRONOLOGICAL! White Music and Go2 is not the place to start. My wife is a Kenny L fan, as well as Adult Contemporary Jazz and if your wife listens to that and some 70's pop-progressive (and is an Ant Phillips fan)... we should have no problem. Perhaps you could make her a tape... "less agressive best of" Mummer & The Big Express & Skylarking & Nonsuch (with a few others thrown in, space willing) Beating Of Hearts, Wonderland, Love On A Farmboys Wages, Desert Island, Ladybird, In Loving Memory Of A Name, Seagulls Screaming..., This World Over, Red Brick Dream, You're The Wish You Are I Had, I Remember The Sun, Summer's Cauldron/Grass, Ballet For A Rainy Day, Season Cycle, Another Satellite, Dear God, Sacrificial Bonfire, My Bird Performs, Dear Madam Barnum, Humble Daisy, Holly Up On Poppy, Rook, That Wave, Then She Appeared and Wrapped In Grey with maybe Ten Feet Tall, The World Is Full Of Angry Young Men, Mermaid Smiled, Pale And Precious and maybe a dance-pop gem like Mayor Of Simpleton. Whatever you do, END with Wrapped In Grey. ...and if you get it done within the week add Thanks For Christmas. If you want to get a bit rougher and then bring her back down, using Kenny Loggins as a reference, it's possible. Go for the less angular, more melodic and danceable, i.e. Footloose. TBOP Pumpkinhead, Mayor Of Simpleton, Extrovert or Merely A Man. Then, when she's boozed up, has taken her shoes off, is dancing in the living room (even between songs) and ready to scream... Funk Pop A Roll, Rocket From A Bottle and When You're Near Me I Have Difficulty. If she's analyzing things, she will find a wealth of exploration available in the first big bunch of songs. My wife's biggest critique with me and music is, "You analyze everything... If I like it, I just sit back and enjoy it." While I understand her position, her summary is not ENTIRELY true. I do enjoy picking some things apart or figuring WHY they work but I don't do this every time with every song and I'm not one to interrupt things with "Hey, listen to this part coming up... they soak one word with echo and then go dry again... It's too cool." Well... I don't do that very often anyway. Okay... I don't do it very often with people who don't appreciate or understand what I'm talking about (and those parameters rule most people out). If your wife is scrutinizing the performance, I am very interested in hearing what she has to say about XTC. They had some renegade spirit to their earlier material that was a bit more loose but I agree that a vast majority of their released material is very well executed (and if not technically "tight", seems intentional in light of the songs style and structure for the sake of the "feel"). Again, give her some of the softer material and ask her to objectively listen to the "feel" but also listen to the songwriting, lyrics, chord construction, etc. and give her time. Then, post her response! Cheers, Richard "It could be a zombie, draggin' his foot" Pedretti-Allen p.s. Best of 98? In October of last year, I was picking "Radiohead - OK Computer" for best of 97. This year I have picked "Gomez - Bring It On" a few months back. Has anyone else checked this out? The funny thing is... I always seem to find my "Best of..." pick in October and didn't feel comfortable mentioning it because there was still two months left.
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Message-ID: <3679C2AA.220B@earthlink.net>
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 21:49:14 -0500
From: Tim Kendrick <tim63@earthlink.net>
Subject: First APPLE VENUS Review
Hi Everyone!
WOW! I can't believe it - a review of APPLE VENUS has
already been published. It's in the new issue of OUT magazine
(just out - Jan '99 issue) (OUT is an American gay mag, similar to
UK's GAY TIMES).
Here it is (copyright OUT magazine, etc.):
XTC, 'APPLE VENUS' (TVT). Rockers dabbling in classical music is
nothing new - just ask Paul McCartney or Billy Joel. Not being
pretentious or feeble, however, is an entirely different matter. On
their first album since 1992's NONSUCH, Andy Partridge and pals
masterfully mine more "serious" compositional territory without
forsaking the pop simplicity of signature recordings like "Dear God"
or "The Mayor of Simpleton". In fact, the subtle symphonic underpinnings
of "River of Orchids" and "Your Dictionary" illuminate the beauty
of Patridge's concise, Beatlesque tunesmithing far better than
any traditional rock arrangement could. -
Larry Flick
It's hard to believe that after all this waiting, the
new XTC material is finally seeing the light of day.
Here's to a great 1999 for us all!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tim K.
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #5-43 ******************************
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