Chalkhills Digest Volume 6, Issue 130
Date: Monday, 22 May 2000
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 6, Number 130
Monday, 22 May 2000
Topics:
XTC Chat, May 30, 7pm EDT
why is it here now?
RE: Secret Affair and other random responses
The Wheel and the Maypole
NPRXTC
Sunday Times Article
XTC on NPR
Flatbed Truck Idea Revisited
EARLY WASP STAR SALE!!!!!!!!
Wasp Star at Last/ Football teams
more thoughts on color and music and XTC
Bleedin' negativism (and a Chalkheads update)
XTC On Broadway?
Clock Faces
OMG!
Graceland
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Ah, it's Christmas!
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 21 May 2000 21:25:42 -0700 (PDT) From: John Relph <relph@engr.sgi.com> Subject: XTC Chat, May 30, 7pm EDT Message-ID: <200005220425.VAA44898@mando.engr.sgi.com> Folks, I just checked the Barnes & Noble site and they've got a confirmed listing for the chat with XTC. It will be on May 30 at 7PM EDT. Visit http://www.barnesandnoble.com/community/calendar/calendar.asp for more information. -- John
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 08:45:53 +0200 From: Klaus Bergmaier <klaus.bergmaier@maxonline.at> Subject: why is it here now? Message-ID: <51018E3C4D8BD311A8E90000C0C7910D01CAFC@NTSRV> Dear all! I haven't posted for some 3 or 4 years, but now I have to do it again. When I was in a record shop last saturday (May 20), I could hardly believe what I saw. They had Wasp Star. I thought it would be released on May 22. And I didn't expect it in that shop. Anyway, I don't know how long it had been there, I bought it immediately. It is great. I can't understand why they write all the McCartney stuff in the reviews. It's definitely an XTC recording. It is pretty much a sequel to Nonsuch, an has - as always too little of Colin's songs. "Standing in for Joe" is a sensation, as is "You and the Clouds...", a funny answer to "Me and the wind". The guitar work is great, I hardly miss Dave, Andy has done a great job, as has Colin, who is my all time favourite bass player. The drumming is excellent (by both drummers). I don't want to hear such an album by Paul McCartney, I want another XTC album (Apple Venus "Tree") as soon as possible AND a new McCartney album - he is also great in his way and many of his albums (Flowers in the Dirt, Tug of War, Flaming Pie) are marvellous. I can't really tell if Vol.1 or Vol.2 is better. I like them both. BTW, who is Spoofy? Anyway, I didn't expect the record to be in the Austrian shops so early. I didn't expect it at all. I thought I would have to order it... I'm glad I got it. Best wishes from Austria Klaus Visit West Beatown an listen to the tunes of BIG APPLE!!!
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 09:47:35 +0100 From: "Smith, David" <David.Smith@tfeurope.com> Subject: RE: Secret Affair and other random responses Message-ID: <4BBE67B71C1DD411A23600508B65F71E0E5112@tfsecmsg04.tfseur.co.uk> In 6-125, Steve Pitts asked about Two Wheels Good by Prefab Sprout: >This is the third or fourth time I've seen this album mentioned, but I've >never seen it. Is it a compilation, or the Stateside name for an album that >has a different title here in the UK?? Yes Steve, here in the UK you would know (and, I hope, love) that album as "Steve McQueen". Can't tell you why - I think it had to do with the fact that Steve McQueen's name was copyrighted in the US - but I'm probably wrong (I usually am). Steve also mentioned that >Secret Affair . . . could count as a 'lost' band in my book. Lost no longer Steve! My mate plays bass in a mod-ish band (called Smashing Time, if anyone's interested) and they are supporting Secret Affair very soon. If you're interested, post me off line and I'll get details for you. In 6-127 Wayne said >I envy you folks in the UK - you get to see both Prefab Sprout and Martin Newell! All we have to settle for is the Eagles for the umpteenth time (they are, after all, making a new album and planning on touring next year if all works out). If it's any consolation to you Wayne, I saw Paddy and the Prefabs live a few weeks back and they were rubbish. Well, actually, I'm lying just to make you feel better, they were absolutely bloody brilliant! That probably hasn't helped has it? And finally (Esther), all this trading that goes on. So how (on Green Man's earth) do you get to trade for nuggets like these if you haven't got anything to trade in return. What's the deal with hard cash these days? Smudgeboy E-Mail: david.smith@tfeurope.com
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 04:23:18 -0400 From: Joshua Hall-Bachner <harlequin@tmbg.org> Subject: The Wheel and the Maypole Message-ID: <4.1.20000522024435.00baf130@mail.servtech.com> I, like so many Chalkhillians, approached my first listening of Wasp Star with great excitement. Thanks to the magic of radio station connections (I... love... college!) I had the joy of hearing it a month early, but this just served to increase my anticipation. Whereas with Vol. 1, I had heard almost every track in demo form literally years before (reducing my surprise, though not my enjoyment of the final product), with Vol. 2 I was walking in fairly blind. I knew three songs -- three of twelve, about how many I usually know when I buy any album -- so much of what I would hear would be a complete surprise. This seemed like a lovely opportunity to me -- given my conversion in 1993, this would be the first time I'd get to hear a new XTC album without preconceptions about all the tracks. Upon listening, my high expectations were easily met. On my course through the album, a number of high points struck me -- "Playground," jubilant but just angstful enough; "We're All Light," danceable, sexy, and with one kick-ass drum riff. I was eagerly enjoying my listening, but I figured that the excitement would top out at "Church Of Women"; I had read one description of "The Wheel and the Maypole" as uninteresting, so I figured the best of the album was behind me. Oh, God. As I listened to the beginning of "The Wheel and the Maypole," it was as if Andy Partridge's songwriting had walked up and kicked me right in the soul. The first refrain feels like an English folk melody that had spent its childhood watching rock music on the telly -- the beauty of nature and life with a balls-out approach. The energy builds like your urge to dance after two glasses of chilled wine on a warm summer day. Then the song slips into its lighter, but no less excellent, second movement -- all of a sudden, not just as if it were the best possible progression, but as if it were the *only* possible one -- and the acoustic guitars drive us to a perfect counterpoint to the first section. At some point in the phrase "The ties that bind you will unwind to free me one day" my heart leaps up and dances. I'm in love with a girl and we're dancing in the meadow with bare feet. Finally at the end, the two refrains join and spiral together, like the ribbons on the maypole winding and unwinding eternally. Bliss. Understanding. XTC. How does a song this pretty rock out so hard? How does Andy make me want to dance with my air guitar in full strum and lie back from the aching beauty at the same time? This song is a culmination in so many ways. Every changing-seasons lyric Andy ever wrote -- practice for this. Was I so naive? Of course it all unweaves. Andy manages to make the death portion of the song sound as happy and joyful as the sex portion (though I've still yet to work out exactly which sort of innuendo "I've got the big stick if you've Aunt Sally's head" is). Whereas "We're All Light" is daring in the face of danger -- we've got little time, let's get busy while we can -- "The Wheel and the Maypole" is unrepentantly merry -- love is magnificent and death is just as much a part of the cycle. Gorgeous. As for the sound on this song: both volumes of _Apple Venus_ start with a thesis statement -- "River of Orchids" and "Playground" both represent the differing approaches of the two discs, the orchoustic and the electric epitomized. "The Wheel and the Maypole" is a synthesis statement -- why choose? Woodwinds swirl around crunching guitars; rollicking bass and wicked drum rolls are followed by swooping violins. It's as if Andy took everything he learned from writing these two albums and injected it into one five-minute package. This song *is* the XTC sound, I think -- catchy, bouncy, loud, smooth, and beautiful all at once. A coup, and a fucking magnificent ending to this album. The $13 is worth it just for this. Ahem. I like this song a lot. I felt the need to share. Joshua "I've got the big stick" Hall-Bachner /---------------------------Joshua Hall-Bachner---------------------------\ | harlequin@tmbg.org http://www.servtech.com/public/particle/ | | "We all have our idiosyncracies -- maybe thinning hair, or gum disease."| \---- Kowanko, "Will You Come To?" ------ Thank You, And Goodnight. ------/
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 02:27:47 -0800 From: Patrick M Adamek <adamette@augustine.gci.net> Subject: NPRXTC Message-ID: <39290BA3.BFBCF109@mail.gci.net> Hello from Alaska, John Keel wrote: (snip) Hi kids, So, I must have missed the XTC interview because it wasn't in the second hour? Did anyone hear it and is it worth ordering a tape from them? Do tell. (snip) The original message from the NPR guy stated that the show would air on SUNDAY MAY 28th. I bought 3 blank tapes for all three airings of the show on my local affiliate. You still have time! Patrick Adamek
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 12:04:40 +0100 From: "Gary Nicholson" <gnicholson@bmjbooks.com> Subject: Sunday Times Article Message-ID: <39291448.DDED857@bmjbooks.com> Organization: BMJ Books You can find an article entitled 'Freedom begins at 40' featuring an AP interview/general feature on XTC at www.sundaytimes.co.uk Just click on 'culture' in the sidebar and scroll down to find the item in question. Gary N
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 07:02:33 EDT From: Jdmack01@aol.com Subject: XTC on NPR Message-ID: <6f.546b0d2.265a6dc9@aol.com> In a message dated 05/22/2000 1:00:04 AM Eastern Daylight Time, <owner-chalkhills@chalkhills.org> writes: << So, I must have missed the XTC interview because it wasn't in the second hour? Did anyone hear it and is it worth ordering a tape from them? Do tell. >> Hee, hee, hee. I made the same mistake! Then I read the original post a little closer, and realized that it's on NEXT Sunday! J. D.
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 08:40:11 EDT From: DougMash@aol.com Subject: Flatbed Truck Idea Revisited Message-ID: <65.4971210.265a84ab@aol.com> Last year, Andy brought up the idea of playing on the back of a flatbed truck in front of a record store/radio station in an impromptu "guerilla action" type of gig. How about this one...how about a show in the basement of a failing CD store? I can supply the store. While two of my "CD Warehouse" stores on Long Island are doing fine, I am moving my third store to a new location in August. What better way to close it down then having Andy & Colin over? The store is in Huntington Station, NY, about 40 minutes from NYC, and has previously hosted shows by Fred Norris (from the Howard Stern show) and Too Much Joy (who actually used a different name because they were trying out new stuff & were probably embarrased to be playing a gig in the "bargain bin" area of a suburban CD store!). Fits about 120 uncomfortably, and is in the heart of WLIR-FM 92.7's (only NY station to play XTC) listening area. To get a look at our setup, here's my shameless website plug: http://hometown.aol.com/cdwhseny/cd.html If anyone on the list has a line to Andy, run it by him! What a way to get this store "boarded up!" Doug M.
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 08:27:51 -0500 From: douglas@seark.net Subject: EARLY WASP STAR SALE!!!!!!!! Message-ID: <392935D7.8B265B4D@seark.net> Hello Chalksters, Just finished listening to Wasp Star all weekend. Not a promo copy or advance copy. The real thing. I popped into the record store at the mall Saturday morning and was milling through XTC when lo and behold, there it was. I couldn't believe it. It's not suppose to be out till Tuesday. I grabbed a copy and marched my butt right up to the counter to check out. I knew there must be some kind of mistake but who I am to argue. The clerk started to ring it up and then the manager saw what the clerk was doing. The manager quietly took me aside and said that normally they couldn't sell it before the release date but would make an exception for me since the copies were put out for sale. She didn't even ring it up. Just made change for my $20 out of the register and gave me change. Shame the sale wouldn't go onto Soundscan for the charts but I was psyched about getting it early. They immediately went over and pulled all the other copies off the shelf. Wasp Star is super fantastic. I won't go into a song by song analysis but everything on it is good. Some songs take a second or third listen to start to hit but that has always been the case with me on XTC's new stuff. One question. In their thank yous, they finish with a last but not least, Spoofy. Is that a pet or a person? I knew all the others in the thank you. John Relph included. Cheers, Doug
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 14:58:43 +0100 From: "Davies, Huw (TPE)" <Huw.Davies3@Wales.GSI.Gov.UK> Subject: Wasp Star at Last/ Football teams Message-ID: <7209B69A281BD4119EE50001FA7EA975AEADED@WOMAIL2> I am now a proud owner of Wasp Star. I bought it during my lunch break today at the HMV in the centre of Cardiff, but I'll have to go home before I can hear it. As with all XTC records it will probably take several listenings before I can come up with a definitive view of it. From what I've heard, I'm expecting a Big Express kind of album. I actually heard XTC on the radio here in the UK. Jonathan Ross played "Stupidly Happy" on his Saturday morning show on BBC Radio 2. I fear that Radio 2 is the natural home for XTC these days. Anyway, hearing it certainly made my day and made up for the disappointment of Chelsea winning the FA Cup later in the day. It's interesting to see what English football teams people on this list support. QPR, Chelsea, Leyton Orient (my own team) and as I seem to recall, Dom is a West Ham fan. Of course, as an XTC fan I have sympathies for poor old Swindon Town FC. Apologies to those who have absolutely no interest in English football/ soccer. Huw Davies
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 09:04:27 -0500 From: Jill Oleson <Jill_Oleson@kurion.com> Subject: more thoughts on color and music and XTC Message-ID: <81CC73FC2FACD311A2D200508B8B88AA1C8BFB@KURION_EXCH> In the recent discussions about color and music, nobody has addressed the issue quite as Andy did, which is to note that individual chords (individual sounds), for him, have color. Rob wrote beautifully about albums and whole songs having color, but what about the individual parts that make up the songs, the sounds themselves? And assuming that all sounds have colors, not just the guitar chords, but also the bass and drum sounds, the vocals, the harmonies, and the unique guttural sounds that Andy especially likes to make, what is it like to construct a song from such a palette? And if the construction of songs is indeed analogous to architecture, as Andy has stated and Chauncy has reminded us, then the colors of the music palette form something not 2-dimensional, like a painting, but something 3-dimensional, perhaps more like a garden, a very colorful garden--maybe seen on a clear, sunny day, or maybe a cloudy, overcast day, or maybe even at night, either with or without a moon--each circumstance affecting the tint and shade of the colors presented. Even though as a painter, I am a very visual person, for me, sounds especially in the context of music, have pattern more than they have color. In this way, Harrison, I have more in common with Mondrian than Kandinsky or Hockney, as you mentioned in your post about synesthesia. When I was in college, I took a class in costume design for the theatre. One of our class exercises was to listen to a piece of music and paint in watercolor on paper according to what we heard. In other words, the sounds and the rhythms that form the music we were listening to was to inspire the images in our paintings, as well as our color choices. What I discovered about myself with this exercise was that my images tended to be patterns and that the colors I chose were secondary to the patterns. The idea of the exercise was that as costume designers, the images in our paintings might be used to print the fabric for the actors to wear and that the aural theme of the music would be reflected in the visual theme of the costumes. As the years went by and I moved from costume design to painting on canvas and board, music continued to play an important role in my creative process: I choose particular pieces of music to listen to while painting to affect my mood and to inspire specific imagery as well as a more general creative sensibility. For each of my paintings, there is usually a specific album or song that goes with it (at least in my own brain because I remember what I was listening to). I understand that some of you have been having a synesthesia discussion offline without me -- and I'm the one who brought up the topic in the first place! Please remember to include me in your future discussions. I truly am interested in this topic. Jill Oleson Austin, Texas
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 09:12:06 -0500 From: John Voorhees <johnvoorhees@johnvoorhees.com> Subject: Bleedin' negativism (and a Chalkheads update) Message-ID: <392940361CF.FD6BJOHNVOORHEES@EXCHSRV> Okay, I must rant now. Seems like every review I've read of Wasp Star praises it to the skies and then proceeds to lament the "fact" that it will never get anywhere on the charts because... well, because XTC never gets anywhere on the charts on their stuff is always brilliant. Read something similar on the list as well. Let me just say this. What kind of moaning, pathetic, fatalist, cynical TRIPE is this? I'm not fool enough to guarantee chart success this time around, but is there no one besides me who sees that Wasp Star is DIFFERENT than anything XTC have done in... well, ever!?! Each CD does have its own chance to shine, after all. And remember, this is only the second new album to come out in the new, non-Virgin scheme, and as much as we all love AV1, I don't think anyone will deny that it's a bit... erm... rarefied for top 40 success. The singles choices were not exactly obvious either, not to mention that there was never a video. WS:AV2 is a whole new ballgame, people. Stop yer moaning. If you personally know any of the critics who have taken this easy road to a last para in their review (Ah, gasp, the brilliant, tragic artists, DOOMED to create stunning artwork and NEVER be appreciated by the masses... oh, too bad, too bad, cuz it's feckin brilliant... etc.), please do the world a favor and SLAP 'EM HARD! We shall see when the numbers roll out, won't we? Stop playing Kreskin and GO BUY YOUR DAMN COPY. Ohhhh.. that feels better, On happier topics, Chalkheads (the MP3.com station) is now up to 21 songs by various interesting peopleses! The latest additions are by Bass-Cleff (aka Kevin Diamond), Ben Gott, The French Electric All Stars, and Work of Saws. It's quite an eclectric set, really, and it's all at www.mp3.com/stations/chalkheads ! Go take a listen to get a sense of the powerful and diverse talent in XTC fandom (in case you weren't aware). And the doors are far from closed, incidentally. If there's anyone reading who feels that their stuff should go up, just tell me where it is and I'll listen and find something to play! Remember, the only requirements are to be a Chalkhiller (if you're reading this, you are one!) and to have some music up at mp3.com. Be well, do good work, keep in touch, and stop yer whining, John Voorhees www.johnvoorhees.com
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 11:44:34 -0400 From: "Lieman, Ira" <ilieman@lernerny.com> Subject: XTC On Broadway? Message-ID: <D0980C8EF8F1D311979200508B950CCC1B6488@lny-d-exchange.ltd.com> Chalkholia... No, the subject line isn't happening...although you could buy the album at the Virgin Megastore tomorrow. :) I'm eagerly awaiting the opening (this Fall) of the Broadway adaptation of the movie "The Full Monty," with songs by Chalkhills' subscriber (and some-time recording artist and producer) David Yazbek! There's a big XTC connection to this new show, and I know that I'd love to be one of the first on the line when the dates are announced. It seems Yazbek's been working on this for some time now, but the fact it was given a small blurb in my local paper this weekend brings it <-this-> much closer to playing in front of audiences. Now the big question...wanna make it a Chalkhills party? It's going to be a while, yeah, I know. But as soon as I can get the dates I'll send out another message. But a show of hands would be swell. This would be in New York City, folks! E-mail me back at ira@myself.com and I'll gauge interest for group tickets. Thanks, -ira "
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 11:55:37 -0500 From: "David B. Rhoten" <dbrhoten@sjcf.com> Subject: Clock Faces Message-ID: <392920A2.20676.EBF61FC@localhost> Organization: Schaefer Johnson Cox Frey & Associates, P.A I believe the time to which you are referring is 2:50. This puts both hands at a slight upward cant, making the clockface "smile". It's done in ads, etc. (I just double-checked, and also found ads showing 10:10, which is the same, but the hands are reversed.) On 21 May 2000, at 20:58, Drew MacDonald wrote: > Okay, this may sound insane, but I always ascribed the significance of > "4:20" to the fact that, for many years, watchmakers and clockmakers > traditionally set the hands of the clocks on their street display > signs to that time. This factoid served as an important plot point in > an unimportant mystery novel I read as a child, though I can't recall > if the book ever explained how this custom originally came about. And > it's not like there are many modern-day "clockmaker" shops (at least > here in LA) for me to go confirm this story. David Rhoten dbrhoten@sjcf.com Schaefer Johnson Cox Frey & Associates, P.A. Architecture Engineering Planning Interior Design http://www.sjcf.com
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 13:15:49 -0500 From: Mark <lollard@usa.net> Subject: OMG! Message-ID: <39297955.F5FB100D@usa.net> Oh my god............it is more than I had anticipated...dreamed.....kudos to my local station...i got them to play WS in its entirety today 5/22 during their lunch program...LOL.....tomorrow, it will be in my rack.......let the floods begin, eh John? ...ya know, for the last 20 years, i have always tried to get people to listen to XTC....with some success and some they just didn't get it......but i think...the masses will hear more XTC now then ever before with Wasp Star....for an Omaha radio station (mkt 75) to play the whole album with no commercials......wow... now......... i'm happy...stupidly happy....lol..........well done Colin and Andy.....well done......... Mark in a house on a hill in Omahaha
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 13:54:10 -0500 From: "Jan C. Harris" <wow@bluemarble.net> Subject: Graceland Message-ID: <00a801bfc41f$59a0bd80$53a6f5d0@janstrigem> Megan writes: <<The Mississippi River doesn't shine like a National guitar. It smells like a dead pig.>> Home of Elvis and the ancient greeks Do I smell? I smell home cooking It's only the river, it's only the river. JanCarol PS TVT works okay on this obsolete P166 PC. It's not user friendly but it works. wow@bluemarble.net www.bluemarble.net/~wow
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #6-130 *******************************
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