Chalkhills Digest Volume 5, Issue 61
Date: Sunday, 17 January 1999
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 5, Number 61
Sunday, 17 January 1999
Today's Topics:
Re:Gioco Complicato
I Like Drugs
hard-to-read posts
A wakeup call
AV RELEASE IN JAPAN
Re: Italian Book
sound advice
bleow fr indiividxuatlity
"Travels" meaning/dissection?
One question
Thank you - REM does blow
Re: R.E.M.
(Fwd) Song Stories
MyLaunch review of Transistor Blast
So long and PEACE!
Is This the Impeachment Trial?
Reviews
Chalkhills Digestive biscuits #5-58 (crunchy)
AV1 on vinyl
BA
What the Canadians know...
Lettuce top flamingo'ld ay fido
Re: Take Your Clothes and Play
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: RiknBkr@aol.com Message-ID: <605c08c0.369f5c06@aol.com> Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 10:17:26 EST Subject: Re:Gioco Complicato >Anyway, it's quite funny to see those familiar XTC songtitles in >Italian. Can you guess these? Uomini Spaventapasseri, Il Sindaco Di >Sempliciopoli and Gabbiani Gridano Baciala, Baciala! Scarecrow People, Mayor of Simpleton and Seagulls Screaming, Kiss her, Kiss her.
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199901151522.KAA01882@fs.IConNet.NET> Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 10:23:43 -0500 Subject: I Like Drugs From: "John Irvine" <jirvine@bellatlantic.net> After hearing of Andy's use of uppers from childhood through English Settlement, I am beginning to wonder if my love of those early recordings have to do with Andy's muse as filtered through serious amounts of Speed. My new dream is for Andy to get back on drugs, get back on stage and do some shit kicking (cf TB Scissor Man) versions of the tunes from the ES through AV pastoral period. Eat some future shit some past. Cool. I guy's gotta have a dream. John Irvine ps. I'm starting a new band and need a name for it. Anyone have any good one's lying around?
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199901151047.KAA038.13@GATEWAY.TIRERACK.COM> Subject: hard-to-read posts Date: Fri, 15 Jan 99 10:48:17 -0600 From: William Loring <bloring@tirerack.com> David Oh says: >it seemz 2 me that i've gotten up a few people'z nozez with my posts. hmmm... >it also seemz 2 me that sum r only concerned with style & not content. >double hmmm... I'm only concerned with style, when it interferes with the interpretation of content. Your posts are _hard_to_read_. This is why people complain, and/or use the page down key. Some folks have had the same complaints for posts by others, if they're too "literary" or filled with profanity, or whatever. The point is, you have _chosen_ to write in this fashion, which many people find to be annoying. I have great patience for those who write in a particular style because it's the only way they know how... like those on the list for whom English is not their first language. I commend them for putting up with those of us who never bothered to learn another language, even conversationally. (this includes me, I took some high-school French, but it's pretty much all gone now. I am, of course, a "Lazy American.") I will take the effort to read those messages, because I know it might have taken them a great deal of effort to _write_ it. You, on the other hand, seem to have taken up a style of writing for a couple of possible reasons: 1. You think it looks/sounds cool 2. It's faster to type If number one is true, your whole style/content argument goes out the window. If number two is true, why don't you set your keyboard up in the Devorak style, as opposed to the standard QWERTY format? It will take awhile to learn, but you'll save miles of finger movement in the long run, and you will still be able to type readable messages. If there is some other reason for typing the way you do, I'd love to hear it! I do usually try to read your posts, as I feel that you often have interesting things to say. However, when I see larger paragrahps from you, I'm just as likely to skip them. It's sometimes just not worth it. Don't change if you don't want to, just realize that you're limiting your potential audience. XTC CONTENT *********** I'm very interested to hear the upcoming Dave G projects. I know I've heard word of the Remoulds project, but for some reason can't seem to make my addled brain remember what it's all about. Could someone fill me in, or point me to the appropriate web link? The "Dinosaur Egg" project sounds fascinating! I'd love to hear him do some of my old fave "prog rock" stuff. Interpretations of old KC and Genesis and other stuff would be interesting to hear from Mr. Gregory. I'm very jealous of the folks who have early copies of AV1, but I just suppose I'll have to wait. Gloat away, I'll get over it, and I can't promise I wouldn't do the same thing if I were in your shoes. Regards, William (Andy) Loring bloring@tirerack.com The Tire Rack http://www.tirerack.com
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v04003a04b2c51d13fed1@[208.240.250.142]> Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 10:34:22 -0600 From: Ken Herbst <ken@bamadvertising.com> Subject: A wakeup call Picture this: A world-weary old dog. Bored and mean. Chained down outside. Running in circles. Chasing its tail. Which is bloody, frayed, and half-chewed off. * --------------------- Welcome to the current state of Chalkhills.
------------------------------ From: sfrankli@ECHG.ORG.UK Message-ID: <802566FA.004E8575.00@Inet.echg.org.uk> Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 14:47:13 +0100 Subject: AV RELEASE IN JAPAN I have just returned from a certain house in Swindon and spoke to the great man. During our meet where I called him a bloody genius which he seemed genuinely pleased to hear, I said that there was a lot of posts about what the forth coming bonus tracks in Japan were likely to be. Andy replied NONE. He said that the record company wanted to use demos but he was not happy about the quality of these for general release and that the version would not have any bonus tracks. I cant get 'fruit nut ' out of my head tending my fruit, tending my fruit, oh you've got to have a hobby ... Steve Franklin.
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 09:26:24 -0800 (PST) Message-Id: <199901151726.JAA05447@mando.engr.sgi.com> From: John Relph <relph@engr.sgi.com> Subject: Re: Italian Book Belinda Blanchard <b.blanchard@which.net> asked: > >Nice, eh? Anyhow, does anyone know about this Italian book? I forgot to mention that two essays which appear in "XTC: Testi con traduzione a fronte" have been translated to English and are available for your perusal on Chalkhills: http://reality.sgi.com/chalkhills/articles/Traduzione.html Enjoy! -- John
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 09:29:07 -0800 (PST) Message-Id: <199901151729.JAA06946@mail2.deltanet.com> From: DCB-MBB <mb2@deltanet.com> Subject: sound advice Buenas dias, children of the chalk!!! I've been singing along at home for a few months..this is my first post, and it's nice to meet you all!!! I have admired XTC from afar (since the early 80's)- never bothered to delve deeper, until a few months ago, when I bought a copy of Upsy Daisy Assortment (it was the only XTC selection in the store!)...well needless to say I was drawn in...... since then i've been lapping up the digest in big heaping spoonfuls...So tasty,too!!--- anyway, I found another local music store that actually offers several XTC titles...my question is which one to buy first (or next)? I want to savor each new purchase, and i'd like some guidance to enhance my 'voyage of discovery'... I know that there have been numerous discussions regarding best album,etc...but geez, i can't even remember what happened yesterday!! (so be gentle)...any suggestions or reviews would be greatly appreciated... danke, everyone!! aloha from the city of the fallen arches, Debora Brown mb2@deltanet.com "and i'd just like to say, it IS sad when cousins marry."
------------------------------ From: RichMilNix@aol.com Message-ID: <5f522fef.369f7cd4@aol.com> Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 12:37:24 EST Subject: bleow fr indiividxuatlity Jusat wantedc to pmake a aquidkc post to vchalkshills and let everybodya tknow that when ei type, thx rdeuslt is rife with missepellisngs and bizarrr eeeeorrros. Its not a ne cesstiy - allo of my fihng4ers worka nd ii iin fact tyedp folr a l.ivign - just a staemdtn that I redrfudsewe to feel colnfinfed by any olf yor redstrikctive uptikght standandnadrds andr that I fight the4 poswer bhy forcding you to puzzle out my gibberish. Picking a fight, Ian
------------------------------ From: WillJ4comm@aol.com Message-ID: <8b7ad63.369f90f4@aol.com> Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 14:03:16 EST Subject: "Travels" meaning/dissection? This has probably been covered, so feel free to email me privately. I'd love to hear any knowledge/guesses/song stories data on what Travels in Nihilon is about, at least from Andy's viewpoint. Music biz, society, youth culture, etc. It's a heavy song to be sure, I'd love to hear what any of you have to say, either on the list or off. Will willj4comm@aol.com
------------------------------ Message-ID: <19990115193314.10550.qmail@hotmail.com> From: "Molly Fanton" <mollyfa@hotmail.com> Subject: One question Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 11:33:14 PST Chalkers, I have one question to ask. How did some of you get advanced copies of AV? I wish I was in the "incrowd" and could get an advanced copy. Do I have to schmooz with the record company execs or the band? I think the people of Chalkhills should have each gotten a copy. But oh well that's life. Molly, who after this post will be more happier, maybe. :)
------------------------------ Message-ID: <369F9A92.CB2E0CE7@sirius.com> Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 11:44:29 -0800 From: David Friel <davidjf@sirius.com> Subject: Thank you - REM does blow >>REM w/o Bill Berry >Ah, good riddance. Pity they didn't ALL leave. God almighty, when are >people going to realise that REM are the most ORDINARY band in the >world? Anyway, Berry was only the drummer for god's sake ... and he's >certainly no Terry Chambers ... >>REM might be a bad example as they started to suck long before Berry >>retired.) >Oh, good call! What? you mean there was a time when they *didn't* suck?? >Christ, the only way this band could get any duller is if Tony Bennett >joined. >Oh, and Stipey, if yo're reading this - for crissakes lose tha bloody >eye makeup OK? It's not "rock" - it's STUPID and you look like a dick! >My question...why the nastiness? We all know very well by now that we have >likes and dislikes...maybe you should keep your comments about bands or acts >other than XTC to private e-mails or better yet, to yourself. Ah, lighten up, Francis. Yes, this forum should stick to XTC in general, but there's nothing wrong with getting off on a tangent every now and then. To my knowledge, the ground rules of Chalkhills are pretty loose. I, for one, enjoy the "battle royal" nature of Chalkhills. Say anything you want and let the pundits pummel you if necessary. If you can't take the nastiness, perhaps an online forum for a band like Hanson would be more suitable for you. I'm sure their fans are much kinder and gentler, and probably much more sophisticated...baaaaa! I'm glad someone else has finally said what I've thought for many years - REM FUCKING BLOWS! Their first few albums were quite good, but it seems around 1986 the band made a conscious decision to alter its sound in order to cater to the masses. This makes them, in my opinion, the biggest bunch of sell-out blowhards of all. They're also a bunch of hypocrites. They used to say they had no interest in mass-commercial success or playing in arenas, and look at them now! The loss of Bill Berry obviously hasn't had an affect on their sound. Their new schlock is just as pretentious and painful to the ears as anything they've put out in the past dozen years. - Dave in San Francisco
------------------------------ Message-ID: <369F9E1A.9DB@ix.netcom.com> Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 11:59:22 -0800 From: Rich Bunnell <cbunnell@ix.netcom.com> Subject: Re: R.E.M. >>REM w/o Bill Berry >Ah, good riddance. Pity they didn't ALL leave. God almighty, when are >people going to realise that REM are the most ORDINARY band in the >world? Anyway, Berry was only the drummer for god's sake ... and he's >certainly no Terry Chambers ... Actually, listening to Up, Bill Berry DID contribute a lot to REM's sound, as the drumming and overall "sound" of the album is a lot more sparse than on previous releases, unlike XTC, who released albums without being hurt too much in the songwriting/melody/drumming department. And what's wrong with being ordinary? That just means they're not flashy (Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys, and other crap today) or overly experimental. There's nothing wrong with a band that's simply held together well. >>REM might be a bad example as they started to suck long before Berry >>retired.) Nah...Monster blew chunks, but New Adventures In Hi-Fi was better than everyone said it was. >Oh, good call! What? you mean there was a time when they *didn't* >suck?? Uh, yeah. Try the entire 80's. If you're referring to the albums starting with Green, though, everyone actually has an argument. >Christ, the only way this band could get any duller is if Tony Bennett >joined. Umm...whatever you say. Compared to lots of the crud that's released today that utterly bores the crap out of me (Celine Dion, Matchbox 20) or a bunch of nondescript 60's/70's songs that I could never get into, R.E.M. are -much- more interesting. *------------------------------- Rich Bunnell http://members.xoom.com/taoster/ *-------------------------------
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199901152116.OAA08079@buffalo.softsolutions.com> From: spaul@armstronglaw.com Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 14:29:20 +0000 Subject: (Fwd) Song Stories I just finished reading Song Stories and feel that I must say THANK YOU to XTC and to Nevellie Farmer for letting us in on the inside story from start to finish. If you don't have it, get it. If you have it, read it. I have been an avid fan of XTC since hearing Black Sea while driving late one night from Provo to Salt Lake City in the summer of 1982. My buddies all fell asleep in the car and I played Generals and Majors over and over -- the music spoke to me. I had a friend who also got heavily into XTC at the same time, and bought all of the bands earlier work, so I had everything I could get on tape, but only Black Sea on vinyl. I was poor and didn't buy much for myself until my friend got tired of the band after Oranges and Lemons was released. I finally got a CD player and bought Nonsuch when it first came out and loved it. Still do. Then I moved to Oregon. As far as I could tell, not too many people had heard of XTC in Salem, Oregon. I quickely expanded my collection of cd's to include Rag and Bone Buffet and picked up a copy of ES and D&W from a second hand record shop. I moved back to Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1997. By now all my tapes were in a box somewhere. So lost was my library of XTC music, except for a few cherished CDs. Then I heard of Chalkhills. My computer sucks, so I had to find a way to access the net. Every chance I could I went to Chalkhills to check up on the boys from Swindon. Then I landed a real job where I had a decent computer and access to the internet. I subscibed to Chalkhills in November and learned that Song Stories had gone to press. I began reading Song Stories in November. Each page took me back to a wonderful period of my younger years and evoked memories that were long dormant. With each new chapter, I rushed to the record stores to get a copy of what I didn't have. My list of 1998 purchases includes White Music, Oranges and Lemons and Skylarking. I've checked a couple of local stores for TB, but they just look at me as if I'm weird. My wife, who likes XTC and smiles as I tell her the stories behind the songs, understands my passion for the music. She's been good to me and has indulged my craving for more. Having just read Neville Farmer's discussion of the songs, and todays (1-15--99) posting from JP Nicholls with a review of "the best XTC album since Drums and Wires" I feel a kinship with Andy Partridge and feel that his music takes me back to my childhood and the romance of the innocence and creativity of a child and school days. I now have small children of my own and feel the pride and joy of seeing them grow, learn and develop. People often ask me what I like about XTC, I've come to what I feel is the most telling reason, which is -- the lyrics and music written by Andy and Colin put into form how I would express myself were I a poet and could say what I felt. Sorry to have dragged on - but I had to get this off my chest. Andy, Colin, Dave, thanks for being part of my youth and my middle ages - Now, on to the music. Burn up the old, ring in the new. Steven.
------------------------------
Message-ID: <697A4CA51395D111A658AA00040058069D9F1D@NT6>
From: "Wiencek, Dan" <wiencek@aaos.org>
Subject: MyLaunch review of Transistor Blast
Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 16:22:54 -0600
(Another good review for the boys ...)
Life may well begin at the hop, but you wouldn't know it from the recent
performing history of XTC. For close to 17 years, the English band has
eschewed live gigs, thanks to the pathological stage fright of
co-founder and principal songwriter Andy Partridge. So, for late-comers
whose knowledge of the group's oeuvre is based mainly on later albums
like Skylarking and Oranges & Lemons--which were as much advertisements
for the production acumen of Todd Rundgren and Paul Fox, respectively,
as they were examples of Partridge's and partner Colin Moulding's superb
playing and brilliant songwriting--this four-CD set of concert and
live-in-the-studio shots for the BBC will be an eye-opening entry. (It
also serves as a nice curtain-raiser for two new XTC studio albums, the
first in seven years, set for release by TVT in 1999.)
The first two discs of Transistor Blast are drawn from studio sessions
cut for shows by BBC jocks John Peel, Kid Jensen, Bruno Brookes, Richard
Skinner, and Andy Kershaw. Many of the 26 tracks were recorded before
XTC's precipitous retirement from stage work in '82; the earliest
feature the band's energetic keyboardist Barry Andrews (who was replaced
by Dave Gregory in 1979). According to Moulding's liner notes, these
tracks were knocked out in "bang it down" fashion with the British radio
network's staff producers. The consistently high quality and dazzling
complexity of the playing on these sides is testimony to XTC's now
long-forgotten prowess as a live act; songs like "Garden Of Earthly
Delights" and "Making Plans For Nigel," which one associates with
production chicanery in their original album incarnations, remain vital
and elegantly filigreed in these bare-bones versions.
The sheer astounding quality of Partridge's and Moulding's songs also
comes across in spades. Though XTC came up amid the outbreak of U.K.
punk, the group was really a mutant pop-rock band that melded melodic
classicism (Beatles, Beach Boys) with a herky-jerky rhythmic psychosis
shared by the primitive-edition Talking Heads. At their simplest,
Partridge and Moulding penned songs that reveled in rock 'n' roll
stupidest pleasures ("Life Begins At The Hop," "Meccanic Dancing"); at
their most refined, they could write Ray Davies-style commentary, either
droll ("Into The Atom Age," "No Thugs In Our House," Making Plans For
Nigel") or affecting ("Runaways"). Even at their most lyrically gnomic
("Roads Girdle The Globe," anyone?), the XTC-ers knew the value of a
great tune with a bear-trap hook. The BBC studio sides display these
assets at their unvarnished best.
Those who find it hard to believe that XTC ever performed live will
delight in CDs 3 and 4, containing BBC concert recordings.
Three-quarters of the first disc is taken from a 1978 London show, with
three tracks from a 1979 gig tacked on; the last is a record of a 1980
Hammersmith Odeon date. I much prefer the hopped-up '78-'79 material
featuring Andrews; the versions of such idiotically irresistible numbers
as "Radio's In Motion," "I'll Set Myself On Fire," and "This Is Pop,"
represent the band at its considerable best, while a cover of "All Along
The Watchtower" finds it at its most robustly deranged.
The only reason I can't rate Transistor Blast more highly is the
thorough cheesiness of its packaging and annotation. The tinted slimline
CD cases, though cool-looking enough, don't bear track listings; the
skimpy booklet contains dashed-off notes by Partridge and Moulding
typeset with a nod towards Raygun magazine's painful graphic style, and
confusing track details in irritatingly hard-to-read type. Too bad the
presentation doesn't meet the high standards set by the wacked-out pop
mastery of the music.
This review was written by Chris_Morris who gave it a rating of 5 out of
7.
* ___________________________
Dan Wiencek
American Academy
of Orthopaedic Surgeons
(847) 384-4125
www.aaos.org
------------------------------ Message-Id: <s69f27ef.085@snm.org> Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 11:34:39 -0500 From: Marie Davis <MDAVIS@snm.org> Subject: So long and PEACE! To all those who replied to my post by saying that I could quit the list if I wanted to: Thanks for reminding me; buh-bye!
------------------------------ Message-ID: <369FBC6E.473D24AC@erols.com> Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 22:08:57 +0000 From: "Neal H. Buck" <nealhbuck@erols.com> Subject: Is This the Impeachment Trial? Hey Ho! Don't you hate the sound of screeching Chalk on a blackboard? Perhaps it's the phase of the moon or season cycle that propels humanity into contentiousness these days. As I've previously opined, the free exchange of thoughts is what draws me here, even if I don't agree. If you want news & info, you might find some here (as with those lucky AV recipients), but I thought the web site was set up for that sort of thing. To me, the Digest is more like a chatroom on time delay. At least I don't have to actually HEAR the yelling and screaming (unlike a visit to my relatives - more than you wanted to hear, I know, I'm getting therapy). I appreciate XTC-related discussions, but how BORING to ONLY go back and forth about drummers, O&L, and Dave leaving. I think it's important to have balance - some quiet contemplation, some raucous cacophony, and some mix of both, too. In other words, don't get too hung up about it, people - It'll all work out. Now here's MY two cents on two daves: Dave G. - XTC will not be the same without him, but then they weren't the same without Barry, either. If Andy & Colin had the good sense to hire Dave to fill the previous gap, then I'm sure they will find someone else equally qualified (whom we may or may not have heard of), if needed. Just think, a NEW member to spend endless digests on! Dave Oh - I feel uncomfortable writing this, since I don't like to get personal here (I generally leave that up to others). I don't particularly like his style of writing - I find it hard to read - and it DOES remind me of a Prince imitation, BUT I have taken the trouble to get thru some of them, and agree with some of the content. Just like anyone else's. I suppose that when you try something different/controversial, you have to expect criticism (the amount and intensity relative to the divergence from the norm). If it's genuine artistic expression that you believe in, then I say more power to you - I'll do the best I can to keep an open mind and slog thru it. One last thing - If Andy can be vitriolic (see "Your Dictionary," "Reign of Blows," "Funk Pop-A-Roll," etc.), then why can't we? Watch out or we may have to get Sister Mary Elephant in here! Love, Neal
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 19:07:14 -0800 (PST) Message-Id: <199901160307.TAA15438@mando.engr.sgi.com> From: John Relph <relph@engr.sgi.com> Subject: Reviews Hey chalk-folk, Seeing as *Transistor Blast* was recently released and *Apple Venus Vol. 1* will soon be released, I will no longer allow reviews to be posted on Chalkhills. They will be culled from the queue and published on the Chalkhills pages. But that does not mean that I want you to stop sending them! By all means, continue posting the reviews. As I say, I'll publish them on the Chalkhills pages, and I'll try to include a note in each issue of Chalkhills detailing what reviews have come in recently. You can also check the "What's New?" page on Chalkhills. Thanks! -- John
------------------------------
Message-ID: <7yI5TNAJvBo2EwUk@emdac.demon.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 16 Jan 1999 04:55:37 +0000
From: Phil Hetherington <phil@emdac.demon.co.uk>
Subject: Chalkhills Digestive biscuits #5-58 (crunchy)
OK, usual crappy email program so I can't tell you who wrote any
(well, most) of this, but anyway, it's all there in 5-58:
>I have this beautiful fantasy that one day, Virgin will release an XTC album
>similar to The Beatles Anthology.
>Go2 Outtakes:
>
>Sargasso Bar
Worth noting that this was officially released as a Barry solo song
on the "Town And Country" EP. So does it still count as an XTC tune
(which I believe the original demo was)?
>Drums And Wires Outtakes:
>
>I Feel Blue *
I think poor old Colin would die of embarrassment.
-=-=-=-
>Whilst countless albums have been near-mutilated through the
>ubiquitous CD medium, it's not necessarily the format that's inferior
>in itself. When you consider that the music's been fragmented into a
>bunch of zeros and ones, the compact disc does manage to compete quite
>well with the beloved "liquorice pizza". And it's an ideal format for
>more precision-oriented music, e.g classical.
I _think_ it's all to do with sample rate - basically, when CDs
first appeared, in order to get more minutes of music on there, they
compromised on the sample rate. With the technology available now,
the format of the CD could be significantly improved such that the
ear wouldn't really notice the difference, but of course not without
throwing away all of your old CDs and player.
The word 'minidisc' springs to mind (though I confess ignorance).
To explain what happens as best I can: an analogue instrument will
produce a nice smooth sound made up of various sound waves, harmonics
etc. To put this on a CD you need to sample it at whatever the
particular frequency is; basically you look at the nice smooth wave
every so often and take a load of measurements, and are left with a
series of little steps going in roughly the same direction.
The problem comes when you play this back, as the CD player has to
try to reproduce the original smooth sound. Some systems do this
better than others, but basically you end up with a load of harmonics
which weren't there originally, so it sounds rather harsh.
Apparently listening to CDs over a long-ish period of time is more
likely to give you a headache than listening to vinyl.
Having said all that:
(1) It's a long time since I looked at my notes on the subject
(I took audio as a final year option in my elec.eng degree
but I don't profess to be an expert, by a long way)
(2) CDs are damn convenient.
-=-=-=-=-
>Jason said:
><<And molly if it really bugs you that you can't afford the
>Japnese pressing i'm sure you can scrape up an extra 15 bucks if you
>really want to. i know that's what'll do if Apple Venus has some bonus
>track that i just can't find elsewhere.>>
>
>I hate people like you who say things like that. I wish I could do
>that, but I have bills to pay. I'm not a millionaire, like some of you
>think you are. I just don't really understand how can anybody afford
>things with bills and stuff like that. Or are most of you people that
>life at home with their parents and don't have to bother with bills. I
>understand this is a forum for people to talk about XTC, but do you
>really have to remind us who can't afford things like the different
>versions of AV? I'm really getting sick of it. I joined this list to
>talk about XTC, and not to bost about what version of AV I got or how
>many copies of TB I bought. I mainly came to talk about the band, and
>how I appreciate it. But this is my own opinion, and I like you guys
>have every right to voice it.
>That's all for now.
Molly, you are being ridiculous.
You're quite entitled to not want the Japanese version, but please
don't try to justify it by pleading poverty. What you spend your
money on is entirely your business, but it's all to do with priorities.
If having the Japanese version of AV1 was that important to you,
you'd do whatever it took to raise the extra finance. Obviously it's
not that important to you, though you may not have realised it yet.
Nobody here is going to think any less of you for not getting it.
Collecting CDs is an expensive business. I have lost count of how
many I have (it's over 1000), but then again I drive around in a 10
year old Austin Maestro (made almost entirely of rust), because I
can't justify the expense of a new car, Not that I couldn't afford
it, because if I stopped buying so many CDs then I could. But there
you go.
Besides, if you joined the list to talk about the music, why are
you even discussing this?
And please don't post saying that you hate people, because there's
no need for it.
-=-=-=-
>The Natural Life Cycle Of Mailing Lists
<snip>
I _think_ we're still at 5, though at times we're verging on 6.1
(yes I'm probably as guilty as anyone... see just above, for
example). Thanks for posting that. Ain't democracy wonderful...
-=-=-=-
>One word to Apple Venus:
>How come a label called Cooking Vinyl doesn't release an album which
>is supposedly of such an aural complexity on vinyl ?
I've never understood this either. If I have two criticisms of
Cooking Vinyl then they are these:
(1) Why the name, when almost _nothing_ they do is released on vinyl?
(2) Why so few singles?
I suspect the answer is simply cost. CDs cost less to produce and
can typically be sold for more. The days of the CD version including
a bonus track are pretty much gone - it's not unknown now for the
_vinyl_ version to include bonus tracks.
For example, Rev Hammer's "The Bishop Of Buffalo" has 1 or 2 bonus
tracks on the vinyl, and was released by... oh dear, Cooking Vinyl.
Well there you go then, I've established a precedent. Lets do it...?
-=-=-=-
>May I please give my impressions so far on Chalkhills Digest as a new
>subscriber :
>The worst of it is, definitely, trying to figure out the David Oh posts.
>
>Rogerio
>Brazil
Which explains why we should all be striving to make the best use
of the English language that we can. Remember, not everyone reading
Chalkhills has English as a first language. It doesn't help matters
that many people who do have English as a first language aren't
actually very good at it, but at least people should make the
effort. Would you write a letter to a newspaper like that and
expect it to be published? What's the difference?
Phil
--
_
|_) |_ * | Me: http://www.emdac.demon.co.uk/phil/
| | ) | | Then for Shriekback add: shrkindx.html
=========== Or for Gang Of Four: gof/gof_indx.html
------------------------------ From: "Gerardo Tellez" <gtellez@access1.net> Subject: AV1 on vinyl Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 21:01:12 -0800 Message-ID: <000401be410d$3d057260$696768cf@ns1.access1.net> To Cooking Vinyl (and TVT)..... We want Apple Venus on vinyl! Come on! I'll buy 10! Just picture this... Some guy comes into a record store. While looking around sees a nice new (vinyl) copy of Apple Venus. "Hmm.... XTC. Didn't they do (insert favorite song, album here). This could go into my collection. I'll take it!" I don't know exactly how many people do that, but I do! I'll go into a record store and experiment with bands I haven't really even listened to. I don't know anyone that would do that to a CD though. "Hmm, The Fruitcakes. Maybe I'll... $17.99???? For a CD? Nevermind!" Not that I've never bought a CD for that price but I would only do it if I REALLY wanted that album. Either way, I can't wait to hear Apple Venus 1 and 2! Gerardo
------------------------------ Message-ID: <+XaGjJAFTCo2EwmW@emdac.demon.co.uk> Date: Sat, 16 Jan 1999 05:33:57 +0000 From: Phil Hetherington <phil@emdac.demon.co.uk> Subject: BA A couple of separate but vaguely related things from 5-59: >I mean, after seeing that our BARRY ANDREWS had engineered some Peel >Sessions on the CHAMELEONS "Peel Sessions" CD, I figure that anything is >possible. More or less. Barry produced quite a number of BBC sessions actually. I once bought (for someone else) an LP which was something like "The Best of the Radio One Evening Sessions", and Barry had produced sessions by quite a number of the bands featured on the LP. I've also seen a 7" single which Barry produced, but I haven't a clue who by. Not to mention the fact that he produced or co-produced some of the Shriekback albums. >Wasn't Barry's first post-XTC band called "Restaurant for Dogs" or >somthing like that? I'm at work, so I don't have my old 7" singles from >that era handy... First came the Barry solo singles, then Restaurant For Dogs and Robert Fripp's League Of Gentlemen alongside each other (RFD supported LOG on tour, with Barry playing in both bands). Anyway it's all on my web pages which I really should shut up about. Phil -- _ |_) |_ * | Me: http://www.emdac.demon.co.uk/phil/ | | ) | | Then for Shriekback add: shrkindx.html =========== Or for Gang Of Four: gof/gof_indx.html
------------------------------ From: "Wesley Hanks" <whanks@earthlink.net> Subject: What the Canadians know... Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 21:47:00 -0800 Message-ID: <000101be4113$a2ea4a00$4a1c1d26@wes> Friends, an excerpt... The Toronto Sun, January 15, 1999 HEADLINE: HEAVY HITTERS ARE UP BIG NAMES IN MUSIC BRING ON THEIR NEW RELEASES The first quarter of music releases got off to a pretty ho-hum start this week with new albums from the Black Crowes, Sugar Ray, teenage newcomer Britney Spears and -- would you believe it? -- Nazareth. But don't worry, if none of those acts exactly thrills you, there's plenty of hype-filled releases to follow in the coming months. MARCH 2: XTC, Apple Venus Volume One; I am trying to get confirmation of the release date from TVT. Looking for footprints, Wes
------------------------------
From: Saints3Den@aol.com
Message-ID: <57396fb4.36a08458@aol.com>
Date: Sat, 16 Jan 1999 07:21:44 EST
Subject: Lettuce top flamingo'ld ay fido
Deer peephole,
Eye rilly tank Day Fidoz poe stings r oak hay,butt mayk 4 ruff ,still
ted reed ding .Lettuce top flamingo'ld day fido.Police top due wing git
Day Fido. Police donut cunt in ewe. Ewe ill knot I M shore list N
"Twoomey",butt cud jew rite won poe sting prop pearly ,police? Justice sho
yukon?
Eye M a hun 10 pecker tie pissed width 10 d gitz. Eye no mice tile iz
agrav8ing 2,butt icon chayng 4d bed-r . (c b low) .Sew Kenya.
Owe b-ligature-y eggs teasy ko meant; know knew eggs teasy inn 8 chairs,
eye m weigh ting pay shintly 4 a pull v ness.
since earley, ed st.martin
ps sore-e, butt toucan plate dat gayme.
pss What really bugs me about david h's posts is he has twice mentioned
what 'real chalkers" or "real xtc fans" would know or do.To me ,we are all
real chalkers/fans. Few of us ever come out to say xtc is the best band
ever-bar none- but we don't have to. We (many of us )already understand
that(my opinion-and not an open invitation for a "well,this band is
certainly better" thread)And no one has to know everything to be a real
fan,it is the love of the music,not the love of the trivia that makes a
fan.
psss MISHEARD LYRICS .I always heard it as AMPLE Venus.
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199901161337.IAA02689@hammurabi.nh.ultra.net> Date: Sat, 16 Jan 1999 08:34:08 -0500 Subject: Re: Take Your Clothes and Play From: "Duncan Watt" <kanuba@nh.ultranet.com> Harrison writ: >The only valid way to listen to music is on a Close-n-Play. A 1969 *Barbie* >Close-n-Play. *That's* warm. Now shut up. Bad Haiku-ish Thing In Response I laughed Until Oats 'N More Came out my nose Kind of I'm thinking the 'imprinting' principal comes into play here, though. Imprinting in a duckling-mom/Puck way, follow this out, maybe I'm off. Isn't there something about the way you heard something the first time? Or where you were? I used to work in a little record store, and we used to get promo copies of stuff no one had heard of, and it was so cool(like 1 out of 50 times, most of the time it was just another sucky commercial-for-ourselves) when we'd get something really poppy and you'd put it on the turntable on top of the Entertainment Column behind the desk and the backups were going 'yeah yeah yeah' or something and you could just *see* the single spinning, warped in time with music sometimes, so the needle went up and down along with the groove... So I still can't listen to Dave Edmunds or the Pretenders or The Clash on CD, it's just not the same. Works the other way, too; how about this blasphemy: My generation *hated* The Beatles and Hendrix, etc.(yes, embarrassing, I know, 'your entire fucking legacy is "You Can Ring My Bell" and "Sukyashi" ', I know), so I never really gave into the reality of "Revolver" until my boss popped it into our new-fangled Digital Compact Disc Player, and I was killed by how much "Taxman" sounded like XTC... so I got the LP and it wasn't the same. "Revolver" is still my all-time favorite sounding CD, can you believe that? And I KNOW it's not the best-sounding CD I have, duh. It's just what & when & where, like an old perfume, although I'm not sure the Beatles smelled that great... So it's 'Oranges And Lemons" on cassette, in the basement woodshop, working on a cradle for my kid, and "Extrovert" doing like 119 db's out of the awful old Urei's at the old Baker Street recording studio control room, all VU's and peaks, and "The Man Who Sailed..." in the car doing like 81 at 2:30 in the morning coming back from a gig... So since most of us don't have the retentiveness to keep our old LP's ultra-clean, I've got to believe the little clicks & pops, the sight of the spinning, the delicacy, the 'my rig sounds better than your rig', the undeniable Two-Sided-ness, all feed into the imprinting thing again, you lovable, grumpy, fanatically clean old farts... 'Wood also queried: >Hey Duncan Watt: Does the Devil sing consistently a quarter-tone flat? > He did on the "Trilogy" LP, sho' nuff. 'Course, God continues to avoid singing altogether... Duncan Watt ps: Want to hear Prince being influenced by XTC? Check out "Ballet For A Rainy Day, transition to last chorus, "...dropped in diamond disarray"... then check out the middle break in "Diamonds And Pearls"... ouch!
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #5-61 ******************************
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