Chalkhills Digest Volume 6, Issue 121
Date: Wednesday, 17 May 2000
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 6, Number 121
Wednesday, 17 May 2000
Topics:
Soundtrack
Air dates for "The List"
HMV
My pulse will be quickenin'
laugh bark and weathrrr, beefheart replica, dance with me rotary
This Is A White Horse
One thing not seen on this list, except, perhaps, by one.
XTC LIMITED EDITION CD W/PURCHASE OF WASP STAR
Quay pasa?
Amazon E-Mail RE: Wasp Star
More on the Napster debate
New obscure band entry
spotlight on amazon.com
the XTraordinary thing about XTC
Top Ramen
How much would you pay for the rights to broadcast these XTC songs?
More ramblings
rah rah for red harrison
Yes Sir Randy! Event in L.A.
Post potpourri
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Now this is where the screen has led us all to.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 13:36:29 +0100 From: "Davies, Huw (TPE)" <Huw.Davies3@Wales.GSI.Gov.UK> Subject: Soundtrack Message-ID: <7209B69A281BD4119EE50001FA7EA975AEADE2@WOMAIL2> > Jennifer L. Geese asked "If your life had a soundtrack, what XTC songs > would we hear on it?" For me, "Wrapped in Grey" would have to be the soundtrack for the run up to the 1997 General Election in Britain. Somehow the words "Don't let the loveless ones sell you a world wrapped in grey" were saying "Don't vote Conservative". "Green Man" is the soundtrack to me studying for law exams last year. I was listening to AV1 a lot at that time, but it is "Green Man" I associate most of all with that period of my life. Is it too late to come in on this great lost bands thread. I would have to nominate Kitchens of Distinction, who never really got the success they deserved. I guess they just didn't fit in with the early 90's British music scene. Huw Davies
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 May 2000 19:40:00 -0700 From: "John Keel" <jbkev1@ev1.net> Subject: Air dates for "The List" Message-ID: <002901bfc00c$371496e0$03525d3f@sony.com> Hi Kids, I got an e-mail from VH1 today saying that the air dates for "The List" with Andy will be on during the week of July 17-21. So mark your calenders!! John ********************************************* "The world is not my home, I'm just a-passin' through." Tom Waits
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 09:49:06 -0500 From: Joe Funk <joefunk@semiserv.com> Subject: HMV Message-ID: <3922B162.1CFE0937@semiserv.com> Chalkerz; I recieved this from HMV today: "Dear JOE FUNK; We regret that up this point we have not been able to fulfill the following item(s) within your order. We have been informed by the supplier that the item(s) are currently on backorder. The item(s) are: XTC V2/WASP STAR/APPLE VENUS CD " I am planning on also purchasing a couple more from a local record shop, so this is not an inconvience... I just ordered it for the bonus disk.. Just thought I would give a Heads-Up to any of Y'all that ordered from HMV! Joe "Not Joel" Funk -- Joseph Funk Engineering Maintenance Supervisor Semiconductor Services Austin, Texas 78744
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 09:25:28 -0500 From: "Wiencek, Dan" <dwiencek@crateandbarrel.com> Subject: My pulse will be quickenin' Message-ID: <B697DB46B423D411BE970050DA793DE0341F82@escorp1.crate.barrel.com> Thanks to Ryan for posting the following: > > Mr. Lehrer, who needs no introduction in this group, > has a three-CD compilation coming out on or about my > birthday, May 23, which is a good day for releases, > Chalkhillians would agree. Titled *The Remains of Tom > Lehrer*, it appears not to be exhaustively complete -- > it may or may not include the contents of the first > Big Ten Inch Record Lehrer released on his own label > around 1948, with lyrics (especially the reference to > poll taxes in "I Wanna Go Back to Dixie") he later > changed -- but it's a must-have regardless. > > Interested? Log on to the Critics' Choice Music > website at http://www.ccmusic.com. This is great news. Of course I already have most of this material on CD, but that's the price you pay for being a completist. And I hope it doesn't have the songs from his first album--those are already on the Songs & More Songs by Tom Lehrer CD, and the re-recording of those tunes--with the much improved "I Wanna Go Back to Dixie"--is still only available on LP, unless this set finally corrects that. Here's hoping. I recommend Lehrer to anyone who likes bold, literate comedy, and I don't recommend anything lightly. I still vividly remember the first time I heard "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park" late at night on Dr. Demento. I was laughing so hard I had to clamp my teeth on the pillow to keep from waking my parents. Such a shame he retired. BTW, anyone wanting to learn more about the set should click http://www.ccmusic.com/lehrer directly. The link from the Critic's Choice homepage is broken (heh). Dan W "I do have a cause, though. It is obscenity. I'm for it." -- Tom Lehrer
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 10:08:15 -0500
From: RN van Vliet <rnv@mac.com>
Subject: laugh bark and weathrrr, beefheart replica, dance with me rotary
Message-ID: <3922B5CE.46737FBA@mac.com>
I said:
> >"You, Clouds, etc" sounds like Sting? I think it's because of the
> > use of the word "weather." Sting patented that word.
To which Todd E. Jones rejoined:
> Check the weather references of Skylarking.
No, no, no: I meant the actual *word* "weather." The way Andy hits that
rrrr. That's all. Goodness me--not the *concept*. And I also meant to
convey that the Sting/Andy connection is a stretch. At best.
And then "Mor_Goth" opined:
> Funny, I always think of Tom Waits when I hear "weather" in a song.
I can hear that! But then, I love imagining Tom Waits saying lots of
things. Doing the voiceover for Nature documentaries. On Hold messages
("Your call is important to us"). NPR news casts. The voice outside
parking garages that tell pedestrians a car is approaching. And, if we
could be assured it would be his voice, I'd like our cars to tell us
stuff: fasten your seatbeat; buckle up; the door is ajar; don't ride the
clutch; you can go faster than this, step on it; your feet smell.
It's a Tom Waits World! Think of it! Oh!
And asketh Todd:
> any relation to Capn. Beefheart?
Would that I were. This, however, has not stopped various compatriots
over the years from calling me (imagine they've just taken a hit of some
nefarious weed as they drawl their leisurely way through the syllable
like they can't quite find their way out) "Do-o-o-o-on." And to the best
of my knowledge, he was actually born with the name Don Vliet, and added
the Van later (no doubt on the safe assumption that someone had
misplaced it at some earlier juncture).
And Mark in Brouhahaha waxed rhapsodic over Explode Together:
> i mean POW! it's been...such a wonderful
> delight to listen to it...
I first bought it about 8 years ago, too. I remember putting it on. . .
and actually sidling away from the stereo like it was going to pull a
chernobyl on me. It was like expecting Art Pepper and getting Ornette
Coleman. But then I started obsessing over it. Every now and again I'll
play it eight or ten times a day for a week or so, just reeling: is it
genius or just goofing off? But geniuses are allowed to goof off,
too, right?
--NV
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 22:41:35 +0900 From: "John Boudreau" <aso1@mocha.ocn.ne.jp> Subject: This Is A White Horse Message-ID: <000001bfc00b$1c67c840$785791d2@johnboud> On the subject of White Horses , the White Horse of Kilburn ( England ) was inspired by the sight of the White Horse of Uffington . Kilburn's White Horse was cut out there in 1857 by the village schoolmaster and 30 helpers . It is 314 feet long and 228 feet high . A tremendous celebration marked the completion of the work . Two bullocks were roasted and more than 100 gallons of beer drunk . The horse is a wonderful piece of work , a striking landmark visible from many miles across the plain of York . The upkeep of the horse is helped by the proceeds from the annual Kilburn Feast held in July . It starts with sports on Sat., and ends on Tues. with the Lord Mayor's Show , and the spectacle of the Lady Mayoress , a man in woman's clothes , snatching kisses from any ladies he can catch . I have had the privilege of viewing The Kilburn White Horse first hand during a visit to Yorkshire in 1985 , and highly recommend visiting this part of England if you can . Great pubs , too . Sushiman
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 09:07:48 -0500 From: "Damian Wise (Foulger)" <damian@imclaser.com> Subject: One thing not seen on this list, except, perhaps, by one. Message-ID: <39226164.28863.160F9F@localhost> You know, I was just thinking, every now and then we see a introduction written by a new member to our little group explaining how they got into XTC, where they live and sometimes even what their favourite flavour of milkshake is. But, I do not believe that I have ever seen that kind of biography from the esteemed and fantastically self-controlled John Relph. The first Archived Chalkhills, way back in '89, doesn't contain such a statement. Has anyone else ever wondered what kind of person Mr. Relph is? I have, in fact I've sometimes wondered if he is a person at all! ;-) Perhaps he is a really good Turing Experiment, e.g. a computer program set up to convince humans that they are actually talking to a person. It sounds plausible: being on a list about a band, the knowledge base that the program would need to be convincing would be fairly small and could be made to grow all the time with the information supplied by humans who are unwittingly taking part in this experiment. It sounds all too feasible. How else can we explain 'his' inhuman patience and total lack of any posts to the effect: "I'm bored stupid with this thread, stop it"? So "John Relph", spill the beans, come clean, the experiment is over as we all know that you are really a 386 based IBM compatible PC! Dames tWd 'Real' is an adjective and 'Really' is an adverb.
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 11:39:29 -0400 From: Paul Burgess <pburgess@tvtrecords.com> Subject: XTC LIMITED EDITION CD W/PURCHASE OF WASP STAR Message-ID: <v04220820b547124d3620@[38.149.92.114]> We are offering an added value CD with a limited number of copies of the Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2) album. Visit http://chalkhills.org/product/WaspStar.html#ltded for more info!
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 09:45:38 -0700 (PDT) From: Tyler Hewitt <tahewitt@yahoo.com> Subject: Quay pasa? Message-ID: <20000517164538.21826.qmail@web2103.mail.yahoo.com> RE: The Quay Brothers? Oh my god, was he talking about the Quay Brothers?!! (The identical twin directors of the "Sledgehammer" video and a production company in their own right.) Pardon me while I have a private moment to imagine my alternate reality where there exists a video for "Shake You Donkey Up" directed by them. ---------- I thought that Sledgehammer was done by Aardman (sp?) studios, of Wallace & Gromit fame. I swear I remember seeing a Nick Park interview on tv a few years ago wherein he talked about working on that video. The Sledgehammer video (which I love) looks much more like Nick Park's style than the Quay Bros. Think of videos by the band Tool and you'll have an idea of what the Quay Bros. work is like (they didn't do the Tool videos, someone did an 'homage' to their style). The Quay bros. are influenced by Jan Svankmajer, the Chech animator/filmmaker. Check his work out. It's great!
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 13:32:10 -0400 (EDT) From: "May O'Mahoney" <may5272@gte.net> Subject: Amazon E-Mail RE: Wasp Star Message-ID: <383593597.958584730681.JavaMail.root@web26.pub01> Bonjour Chalquettes: Amazon sent me an-email announcing the soon-to-arrive Wasp Star containing the following: Devotees of the cult favorites have to be delighted with recent developments. After sitting on their hands for most of the '90s, Partridge and Moulding are suddenly as prolific and inspired as ever, having released three new titles in the past 15 months. In contrast to the ornate "Apple Venus Volume 1" and its "lost years" demo companion, "Homespun," "Wasp Star" has the feel of a recording by a couple of guys who are ready to mix it up with the real world. Plugged in and feeling frisky, XTC lay it on the line with the hooky likes of baldly giddy "Stupidly Happy" and the potent first single, "I'm the Man Who Murdered Love. Now.......is it just me or does this whole passage smell of condescension........"sitting on their hands"....."suddenly prolific"......"ready to mix it up with the real world"???? Let me know what you think. - May
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 13:24:48 -0400 From: "Todd Bernhardt" <todd.bernhardt@enterworks.com> Subject: More on the Napster debate Message-ID: <3922D5E0.5669DEC8@enterworks.com> Organization: Enterworks, Inc. From America's Finest News Source: http://www.theonion.com/onion3618/kid_rock_starves.html What I want to know is, what exactly was that Moor doing under Elton John in the first place? And who ever heard of a Moor from Wales? -Todd
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 12:41:13 -0500 From: John Voorhees <johnvoorhees@johnvoorhees.com> Subject: New obscure band entry Message-ID: <3922D9B911C.DF3BJOHNVOORHEES@EXCHSRV> Any fans of The Sneetches here? Found their album "Slow" back when I was DJ-ing at my college radio stations, and it's still one of my all-time faves. Good stuff in the psyche-pop range.
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 11:14:24 -0700 (PDT) From: Todd Gehman <gehman@amazon.com> Subject: spotlight on amazon.com Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.4.05.10005171100210.5766-100000@production-3.amazon.com> a leetle xtc feature a couple of guys here put together. minneapolis residents might recognize the voice of a one-time local dj: http://www.amazon.com/XTC-spotlight ...and for whatever reason (magazine article? television? act of god?), xtc are also sitting at the top of the "movers and shakers" list, meaning that wasp star sales have shot up since yesterday. as i write, wasp star is #13 in overall sales rank and #1 on the movers and shakers list. good tidings indeed: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/new-for-you/movers-and-shakers/-/music/
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 13:22:12 -0500 From: "Jan C. Harris" <wow@bluemarble.net> Subject: the XTraordinary thing about XTC Message-ID: <01b501bfc02d$563d9140$89a6f5d0@janstrigem> The extraordinary thing about XTC albums: It only takes 2-3 listens until you feel like you've known this music since you were a wee one - it slides into your consciousness and latches on and won't let go until you acknowledge howe much you love it. Archetypical. Jan"Melllllt them Down"Carol wow@bluemarble.net www.bluemarble.net/~wow
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 14:35:00 EDT From: "Stacy Starkweather" <stacystarkweather@hotmail.com> Subject: Top Ramen Message-ID: <20000517183501.3983.qmail@hotmail.com> First time respondant...long time fan (yes...I saw them several times in San Francisco)...and a Vermonter who'se been anxiously awaiting hearing the new stuff on WNCS. Seems a gent who writes in is also a Vermonter and has been hearing IMWML on the radio...when is he hearing this? My timing must suck...my computer would rather not try to get into the whole download thing so I wait for the radio... As far as "other" styles of music are concerned...I can only guess that the reason avante-garde and improvisational don't get mentioned much is, having been a practitioner of the styles for awhile, I can assure you the audience is quite diminuitive. You'd have to really love the music, as well as an all Top Ramen diet to stay with it. Has anyone heard of Peter Apfelbaum? Didn't think so...I raise his name to prove my point... a brilliant artist, check him out (By the way, when I played Peter "I Can't Own Her" he was in hysterics he thought it was so great). Whoever goes out and supports unusual music, thank you...if not, give it a try. If you can hear the difference between the group so revered here and the rest of the swill...then going to an experimental show WILL be rewarding. Me...I'm going to be a history teacher...see you in the stores next week...enjoy the album...I've never been disappointed in over 20 years (though some records do take time).
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 11:50:45 -0700 (PDT) From: Jon Rosenberger <wile1coyote@yahoo.com> Subject: How much would you pay for the rights to broadcast these XTC songs? Message-ID: <20000517185045.2667.qmail@web120.yahoomail.com> Chalkizins, How much would you pay for the rights to broadcast these XTC songs? ALL YOU PRETTY GIRLS BALL AND CHAIN BALLAD OF PETER PUMPKINHEAD COMPLICATED GAME DEAR GOD DEAR MADAM BARNUM DISAPPOINTED EARN ENOUGH FOR US EXTROVERT GENERALS AND MAJORS GRASS KING FOR A DAY LIFE BEGINS AT THE HOP LOVING MAKING PLANS FOR NIGEL MAYOR OF SIMPLETON MERELY A MAN OMNIBUS RESPECTABLE STREET RUNAWAYS SENSES WORKING OVERTIME STATUE OF LIBERTY THIS IS POP TOWERS OF LONDON WAKE UP WAR DANCE WONDERLAND WRAPPED IN GREY Well? How Much? Come on! I am a busy guy here! Ok you are too slow. How about $500? $375? $250? Come on! $250 annually, you wouldn't be jumping all over that deal? Well those are the real rates. For $250 annually you can broadcast via the web these 28 XTC songs and a ton of non XTC stuff by becoming a BMI Licensee. I found a news story yesterday that linked me over to this BMI site.. http://www.bmi.com/iama/webcaster/index.asp It turns out that BMI owns a good deal of the licensing rights for public performance of a ton of regularly played radio staples and other stuff. We're talking Beatles, Elton John probably Phil Collins etc... You know the really big guys that everyone likes (OK STOP we do not need another P. Collins Debate) . So BMI has a new deal, if you want to broadcast music over your website (or simply play it while people are doing their surfing) you can pay BMI an annual stipend and then have access to ALL of the tunes that they license. This will cost you a minimum of $250 and a maximum of $500 a year. So I am thinking to myself. WOW I wonder if any of the boys stuff is out here. I figure out how to search their site and LO AND BEHOLD the tunes listed above are all part of the package. So if you are a web developer or have any sayso over your company's web page and you are thinking about some background music to play for your surfers, you might consider getting a BMI license and playing XTC for your audience instead of some elevator music stuff. BMI claims that 80% of their revenues get back to the artist which I think is a load of CACK! But who knows? the boys might get a buck or two from it and it certainly can't hurt to give their music some more exposure. Just a thought that I had here in the mole hole. Do with it what you will, but harm none. Mole OUT PS The usual stuff about not being an employee of BMI etc. Etc...
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 11:52:11 -0700 (PDT) From: Molly Fanton <mfanton99@yahoo.com> Subject: More ramblings Message-ID: <20000517185211.1737.qmail@web1306.mail.yahoo.com> Someone mentioned these bands: << Roman Holliday JoBoxers Big Bam Boo Big Daddy The Bluebells Black>> I've heard of Roman Holiday, JoBoxers,and The BlueBells. I actually have the JoBoxers and Bluebells albums on LP. I think the JoBoxers were very underrated. I love their music. And The Bluebells were wonderful. I love their song, "Cath". I was in a restaurant recently, and they played this song. I started singing it, and my friend looked at me funny. I wish stations would play more JoBoxers (instead of "just Got Lucky", why not Boxerbeat"?), and The Bluebells. The Bluebells do a great version of "Young At Heart", which was a cover version of Banarama's song. Someone also mentioned that there should be an XTC Monkee tribue. What songs do you think they should do? Dom look away, since I know you don't like long lists. :P Here's what I would put on my list. Last Train to Clarksville Papa Gene's Blues Sweet Young Thing I'm a Believer I'm Not Your Stepping Stone Your Auntie Griselda Look Out Here Comes Tomorrow I'll be Back Up On My Feet Shades of Grey For Pete's Sake Randy Scouse Git Goin' Down Zor & Zam Porpoise Song Circle Sky Listen to the Band Mommy & Daddy There you go with my list. I got the songs from my Monkees Anthology. Molly ===== Molly's Pages: http://www.angelfire.com/mn/mollyfa99/index.html AIM Name: MFanton00
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 12:00:19 -0700 (PDT) From: pancho artecona <partecona@yahoo.com> Subject: rah rah for red harrison Message-ID: <20000517190019.5844.qmail@web215.mail.yahoo.com> Chalkhillers First I'd like to second the kudos to Mr Sherwood regarding his golden pen. Always a real pleasure to read. While on the subject, I really enjoyed the bit about the chord changes in 'God Only Knows'. I do wonder however, if Mr. Wilson, as well as many other great songwriters, sets out to construct a song with a clear idea of the chordal tensions in the song or whether the song simply 'comes out' and only through our later analysis can we understand the theoretical underpinnings of the song, or if you will the many layers. My guess is that most writers simply feel the song flow through them without that much of a cerebral component and only the musicologists get to work the details out later. I am sure that there are plenty of instances where the idea predates the song but i'd think they would be in the minority. I wonder what the songwriters in the list have to say about that. My next point is that I am indeed jealous of RN Van Vliet. I have no synesthetic abilities whatsoever, and generally I tend to be very aural and not very visual despite my love of film. Regarding synesthesia I have Daltonism. By the way, is RN Van Vliet related to that other master of the colorful stroke, Don Van Vliet aka Captain Beefheart? Perhaps its in the genes......I've always liked to say that I have a photographic memory but my mind's eye is myopic. Oh, and I just saw WIRE in New York City and feel that my life is more complete for it. That's it for now, still waiting for my copy of Wasp Star. Pancho XPRXTCFAN "whatever it is......I'm against it!" - G. Marx
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 12:43:27 -0700 From: "Radiosinmotion" <radiosinmotion@earthlink.net> Subject: Yes Sir Randy! Event in L.A. Message-ID: <001b01bfc038$2e1828a0$0200a8c0@digitalpc> I was just about to lay my 2 cents down about the whole PC/MAC debate (why is this such a big debate? Everywhere I go it seems to be going on!) but your right. I will not say anything about it so it will just fizz away. On another note, about artists who only did one good song. I elect "Boys Don't Cry." "I wanna be a cowboy" was a fun song, but the rest of their music just stinks! Really bad, worse than George Clintons finger on a Saturday night... ?... Anyone going to be going to the Tower on Sunset tonight? I will be there around 7PM because DEVO will be making an appearance. I will be wearing my Chalkhills hat.. See you there!
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 13:17:48 -0700 From: Ed Kedzierski <ed.kedzierski@blvdmedia.com> Subject: Post potpourri Message-ID: <08B5DDC2BABCD311BFC6005004A884B013B656@mgcservices.com> Sorry this is such a mix... Lost artists: This just hit me... SNAKEFINGER! A while back, I came across a "great rock guitarists" book in the store (the exact title escapes me, but it was an alphabetical listing of great/influential guitarists...), and while I was impressed that both Andy and Dave were in there (thus proving that it wasn't a total mainstream waste of time), I was shocked and appalled that Snakefinger was nowhere to be found. I'm usually not a big fan of "musicians" per se (more songwriters, or those who create pleasing textures; I confess that musicologically I'm relatively ignorant & wouldn't know an open tuning from, well, any other kind, I guess...), but this is one guitarist whose solos I could actually tolerate listening to for extended periods without yearning for the words to start up again. Someone once said "he played all the wrong notes in all the right places" which is a pretty good description of his upside-down-and-sideways playing style. He was also, of course, known for doing a lot of work with the Residents, who, as we all know, Andy collaborated with and frequently praised. I managed to see him once before his tragically early departure, and he was phenomenal (Nomeansno opened for him - amazing show). There's someone who really should not be forgotten. Tom: I wouldn't worry too much about the final versions vs. the demos. I've had the demos for a couple of months now, and have managed to sample most of the final versions, and yes there are differences, but nothing to get ones' tail in a knot over. The only thing I haven't heard enough of to really tell is "We're All Light" and even then, from what I've heard & read the official version definitely has its charms. I actually really liked the "Wounded Horse" (what the hell's everyone's problem with this song?) demo, and the sample sounds very faithful (though I love Colin's vocals coming in as Andy's "friends all say"). Sure, the "Church" solo is much more, well, restrained, but that certainly doesn't make it less enjoyable. And a word of friendly advice: citing your age and experience to back up every point you make does nothing to make people receptive to what you have to say. The age range of this list is very wide-ranging, from teenagers all the way up to people who are actually older than you, if you can believe that such people exist (I fall somewhere between). Everyone's opinion is respected (even violent disagreement implies a respect of sorts, doesn't it?), and if someone doesn't know something, they ask, and everyone's always glad to help out. If someone states something you know to be factually incorrect, just supply the correct info, without all the "why, I've been around listening to & playing music since you were a gleam in the milkman's eye" type stuff - it's really not called for & will just get you into fights unrelated to the topic at hand. The same goes for differences of opinion; most people here are uncommonly into music (even the really young people here show uncommon taste & fortitude in overcoming the industry-dictated "official favourites" for their age group, wouldn't you say?) and while many are non-musicians, and might not have a full two walls of shelves filled with vinyl, most everyone has paid enough "dues" as listeners not to have their tastes & opinions dismissed on the basis of youth or record collection size. Whenever someone says "wasn't that before your time?" (and not just about music), whether it's someone older who expects everyone younger to be totally ignorant, or someone my age or younger who can't be bothered to learn anything, I like to say "well, there's this amazing thing, it's called "history", and it enables me to know about things that happened before I was even born! It's like some kind of weird magic!" All I'm saying is give people a little credit, and be mindful of the danger of undermining your own points by projecting an arrogant attitude. (And I realize, everyone, that I'm probably still too new around here myself to act as any kind of spokesman, but I just thought the above needed to be said.) Comsat Angels: Thank you to Dunks for the clarification regarding their name change troubles. I suspected that it couldn't have been Ballard making a fuss (who always struck me as someone who'd be fairly cool about such things) but the term "Comsat" just seemed so generic that I didn't know what to think. Capitalist dogs! (no, that's not an invitation to start a left vs right thread, it's just me goofing around, though I do tend to lean to port...) I haven't the slightest idea as to what the hell Vee Tube's last post was even about. To the guy who lost his virginity to the tune of "Melt the Guns". Hmm. That song never really struck me as one with a particularly "pelvic" rhythm, but I'm sure it was wonderful... I ordered Wasp from HMV to get the bonus single, and have just received an e-mail from them saying that it's now on back order & may be delayed. Before it's even out? Has anyone else had this happen? (this is actually my first-ever online order, so for all I know this may happen every time...) In 6-119, Mor Goth said: >Look at good ole Carlos Santana. He's been making music for years. He makes video with plenty of beautiful people prancing about and he's got a best >selling album. (Granted, there are plenty of other factors.. a decent guest singer, a generaly damn good tune etc.) Sorry, I have to differ. "Decent guest singer"? That horrid Matchbox 20 guy? They've got to be one of the most annoying bands I've heard for years, because of that damn guys' voice in particular. Last year (or was it the year before) my friends were getting a good laugh out of my frequent rants about how much that godawful 3am song was driving me up the wall... Although your main point about the industry was perfectly valid, that Matchbox 20 guy just bugs me... Ick, blech, poo. Oh, and I also agree that they (XTC, remember them?) should at least bite the bullet for a video. As stupid as many (or most) videos are, it really seems to me that realistically you can either swear off gigs or videos, but not both. Some level of visual exposure is essential, as stupid as that may seem when you only want to concentrate on the music and nothing else. Now that they're independent, surely Andy can exercise all the control he wants, especially as he was once so full of video ideas that kept getting ignored by Virgin... (and yes, money's an issue, but some of the shittiest videos I've seen have been among the most high-budgeted, and some of my favourites have been the cheapest. They should give Mothersbaugh & Casale a call...) To me, the colour of Summer's Cauldron is the orange-ish colour of a glass (not a cup, but a transparent glass) of strongish milkless tea held up to the sunlight. Put yourself in the middle of that hot, light-infused liquid... I can remember playing games where we'd take on the roles of various members of the "Mighty Heroes" when I was a little kid... And now, here's my list of double albums where side three commands no more and no less than five repeat plays... (no, not really) Ed K.
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #6-121 *******************************
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18 May 2000 / Feedback