Chalkhills Digest Volume 6, Issue 131
Date: Tuesday, 23 May 2000
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 6, Number 131
Tuesday, 23 May 2000
Topics:
Interview with Colin
Free XTC and Freud...Two things that don't go Together..
Goddit!
XTC Charted in Radio and Records
First Impressions
Papa's Got A Brand New Gig Bag
God Bless Amazon
who is spoofy?
Andy Live!
XTC - Music Choice
Andy on Guitar.com
XTC review in RS
Wasp Star: Brief appraisal
One album bands
My Dream
XTC Music & Synesthesia
RE: We are the Trogs!
Wasp Star Shines Today
Weened on XTC
Older and Still Farting
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It's your big day, your big day.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 18 May 2000 15:58:18 -0400
From: "Todd Bernhardt" <todd.bernhardt@enterworks.com>
Subject: Interview with Colin
Message-ID: <39244B5A.A1DB67C9@enterworks.com>
Organization: Enterworks, Inc.
Hi:
As promised, here's the URL for the last of the three interviews that I
recently conducted in support of an article that I wrote on Chuck Sabo
for Modern Drummer magazine (for details on how that came to be, check
out Chalkhills Digest #6-125).
Not to cast the slightest aspersions on either Chuck (good on ya, mate)
or Andy (love ya, babe), but I must say I think I saved the best for
last. Colin has some really interesting, funny and even slightly
controversial things to say, and it was a real thrill to speak with him.
Plus, dammit, he's a *nice* guy. I hope I get to buy him a beer or three
someday and really pick his brain.
Once again, thanks to the Magik Fingers (25 cents for three minutes of
vibrating goodness) of John Relph, you can find the interview at:
http://chalkhills.org/articles/TBColin000523.html
You'll notice that my intro to each of these interviews starts off
similarly. I hope you also notice that they each then veer off in their
own direction. I wanted each interview to be able to be read on its own,
and didn't feel like rewording the basic description of how these
interviews came to be -- so, your indulgence at the beginning of each
piece, please.
Smithers, release the Wasp Star!
-Todd
P.S. -- Remember, you can find the Chuck Sabo interview at:
http://chalkhills.org/articles/TBChuck000519.html
And you can find the Andy interview at:
http://chalkhills.org/articles/TBAndy000521.html
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 14:48:17 EDT
From: "Seth Frisby" <vagueyear@hotmail.com>
Subject: Free XTC and Freud...Two things that don't go Together..
Message-ID: <20000522184817.70303.qmail@hotmail.com>
Well,
Strangely enough a local radio station in Montpelier VT has been giving
away *Free* copies of Wasp Star all weekend. Of course me being a skinflint
(i've already ordered it from HMV) tried to get another copy all weekend.
Little did I know that they were also offering the new Crowded House
rarities disc "afterglow" and I ended up winning that instead...so I guess
it worked itself out alright..
but I still need Wasp Star now!..I feel like I have stage
fright..butterflies and everything..am i going to love it?..am I going to
play it everyday for months straight?...will its music move me so much that
I will ascend to the clouds(best case scenario!)...???...Well nothing much
to say except...nothing...I'll be back for the post coital err...I mean post
listening review...Freud's an evil evil man...brrr...
Seth "I'm all Light" Frisby
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 22:01:12 +0100 From: "Dean Skilton" <dskilton@welded-widgeon.com> Subject: Goddit! Message-ID: <002d01bfc431$55e250c0$2b9168d4@mallard> Yesss! My two copies of 'Wasp Star' arrived by post from Cooking Vinyl today, and because I'm a member, they're both signed! What a terrific collection: Andy Partridge is without equal as a songwriter, and I must say that Colin's 'Standing In For Joe' is the most infectious song he's written for ages. Dean Skilton
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 16:51:56 -0400 From: "DuBray, Dan" <Dan.DuBray@mail.house.gov> Subject: XTC Charted in Radio and Records Message-ID: <435A5CEEACA6D211BEEA0008C75DA88506792A3E@hrm12.house.gov> "I'm The Man Who Murdered Love" has made its debut on the radio airplay charts of the U.S. industry publication 'Radio and Records'. It has entered R&R's Adult Alternative chart at #24. Congratulations to Andy & Colin. Congratulations also to all the U.S. fans who are calling their local 'modern rock' and 'alternative' stations to request airplay. Nothing moves other radio stations to climb aboard the bandwagon than these industry magazines...so let's work together to get XTC moving up this chart. http://www.rronline.com
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 22:25:47 +0200 From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl> Subject: First Impressions Message-ID: <20000522202108.A5100A6CEA@mail.knoware.nl> Dear Chalkers, All the dark forces in the world must have conspired to prevent me from listening to Wasp Star before the release date. All my schemes came to nowt and my 'friends' and contacts came up empty-handed. isn't it ironic? But today, May 22, my postman dropped a special delivery from our mutual friend the Sushiman in my letterbox. The highly collectable and delectable ltd. Japanese Wasp Star cd with all the trimmings had arrived - yummy! So now it's first impressions time! I know they are very seldom correct when it comes to new XTC albums, but here goes anyway... - it's brilliant, funny, grotesque, huge, lovable and inflatable, - recording quality is more than excellent. a clear and precise picture but not too digital - it's also just a tad over-produced "we've got a 24-track and we're gonna use it !" Wheel And Maypole is a prime example of this IMHO; the demo of this song is much more subtle and therefore more powerful and catchy. In the final version the original feel has been buried under a thick carpet of sounds. Or perhaps i should say Wall Of Sound - the "guitar solo" in I'm The Man is a joke. Those of you who predicted that A.P. would be able to replace or at least replicate Dave's parts are proven wrong once & for all. - i don't think it will be a million-seller in today's market One final point: Andy, can we please get some really new material next time around? many of these songs have been floating around for almost a decade and that's just too long, even by XTC standards. Get writing! yours in xtc, Mark S. @ the Little Lighthouse www.come.to/xtc
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 22:25:47 +0200 From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl> Subject: Papa's Got A Brand New Gig Bag Message-ID: <20000522202106.8177AA6CE9@mail.knoware.nl> Dear Chalkers and Guitargonauts! European fans in particular will be interested to know that 'our Dave' will be performing live this coming Saturday 27th at the Festival of Hope in Geneva with Steve Hogarth and most of the 'h' Band. More details on the News page @ www.guitargonauts.com yours etc, Mark Strijbos webmaster@guitargonauts.com
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 22:05:59 +0100 (BST) From: Rory Wilsher <rory_wilsher@yahoo.co.uk> Subject: God Bless Amazon Message-ID: <20000522210559.21631.qmail@web1506.mail.yahoo.com> For delivering to me, at 7:30 am, a copy of WS on the day of release! Completely useless to me, of course, as I don't have a CD in my car, nor a sound card on my PC at work. So I popped out to my local HMV after work and bought the cassette to play in the car ... thinking I'd have to go to the X section and find one, maybe two copies. BUT NO! On the New Releases section at the front of the store, two whole rows full of WS! OK, not top row (some "Garage" compilation the first of the week, presumably) but definitely prominent to the FTB. There could be an XTC fan in the store - the manager, presumably, to have that kind of influence - but both sales assistants were completely blank to my purchase hey, that's HMV staff for ya! It would be totally uncool to admit to liking music while working in a music store. Go figure. Anyway, only listened to it three times so far (once in the car I have a conveniently-timed 1 hour drive home, so I listen to most of my music in the car), but I have to say ... stop slagging off Wounded Horse! This is one of the best songs on the album! Along with ITM ... Maypole, YATC ... (sounds nothing like String) Playground and Stupidly Happy these are the ones that really leap out and bite, but I need repeated playings to really get into this album. Colour so far quite a brown album, I feel just the way the guitars sound to me. Maybe a light tan. Maypole and COW could easily have found a home on AV1. A thought occurs (I've been trying to avoid them but they keep popping up): who are the single-buying public? In the UK, at least, it's schoolkids. So, Playground as a single? A song about skule? OK, who cares if they don't get it, they might at least buy it! Just a thought. Shitney Spears dresses as a schoolkid and gets to number one! Now, Andy, please try on this pinafore ... perhaps not! Enough ramblings for now Rory "Is that you first impression? And is that good enough for you?" Wilsher
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 21:30:06 +0100 From: "chris browning" <chris@boodle.fsnet.co.uk> Subject: who is spoofy? Message-ID: <005401bfc430$616ef840$833d893e@pbncomputer> well finally i get me grubby little hands on it - and it is absolutely WONDERFUL! initial thoughts - cover art - very waxworks don't you think? also makes sense of artwork on cd itself of AV1 and i'd never spotted the apple on the peacock feather before. the harmonies are wonderful all the way through, as are the guitars. to be honest, sadly, i'm not missing dave gregory one bit. i like the more wild, intuitive nature of andy's guitar now. also lots of lovely keyboard sounds. very warm sounding album actually. from the burr in andy's voice down to the production. lots of lovely sonic details in each song as well, which will unfold as time passes. find myself singing "in another life" the most at the mo. "my brown guitar" i think works *better* than "pink thing". "boarded up" is astonishing. unprecedented in the oeuvre, with the guitar tapping percussion working wonderfully. also that dreamy harmonium (or whatever) solo is deliciously reminiscent of "bungalow". "i'm the man who murdered love"- first of all? what? guitar noises? what the hell is that? and then charge into the song! and "oh! yeah!" really reminds me of "train running low on soul coal". "we're all light" - oh my GOD! genius! that keyboard sound! "for your tea - YEP! wooooah!" of things goose pimples are born....that AMAZING outro - what is going on? stunning! i feared this album would be all commercial nonsense, but it has more adventure than i ever dared think... "standing in for joe" - bit, well, normal. no surprises yet. great song though as opposed to "wounded horse" which i so hope grows on me. "you and the clouds will still be beautiful". sigh. i can hear the spectre of his stingnesss, but the arrangement makes me forgive it. it is so airy and spacious compared to the lead balloon of "wounded horse". amazing guitar solo and that trumpet sound! amazing! love colins "so let it rain". "church of women" well "butter - err errrrr". amazing! trumpet - again gorgeous!guitar solo is gorgeous, lovely and relaxed. love the a capella ending. "wheel and the maypole" - stunning. stunning actually isn't; enough of a word to describe it - amazing! definitely one of the mightiest things ever recorded by the band! amazing! it welds the different songs and the two albums seamlessly. it's like the two albums are a moebius strip and this song is the connecting point. amazing. in a word - masterpiece. want to settle down in the country and live forever with this beast... crisp
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 16:36:51 -0400 From: mitch friedman <mitchf@mindspring.com> Subject: Andy Live! Message-ID: <v03007808b54f4a710160@[165.121.66.89]> http://guitar.com/features/img/f81/xtc_p1.ram http://guitar.com/features/img/f81/xtc_p2.ram Hey, if you've got a realplayer on your Mac I would strongly suggest going to these links immediately! About 20 minutes of Andy playing an electric guitar and talking about some of his early influences as well as playing parts of several Wasp Star songs. Check it out. (Oh, you can download Windows versions too). Mitch
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 17:39:30 -0400 From: Paul Burgess <pburgess@tvtrecords.com> Subject: XTC - Music Choice Message-ID: <v0422083ab54f58a7d79e@[38.149.92.114]> TVT and Music Choice will present a 30 minute audio program on the nationally syndicated Music Choice Network. Music Choice is the audio-only channel on many cable and satellite television systems across the US. These systems include DirectTV, Time Warner, Comcast, Cablevison and dozens more. The program will air twice a day from 5/24 - 6/30 on the Showcase 1 Channel. Andy and Colin discuss Wasp Star and lots more. Check it out!
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 18:23:38 -0400 From: Paul Burgess <pburgess@tvtrecords.com> Subject: Andy on Guitar.com Message-ID: <v0422083db54f630a4a89@[38.149.92.114]> You absolutely must go to the URL below and check out our very own Any Partridge giving lucky punters a video taped guitar lesson. Boy can Andy play!!!!! http://www.guitar.com/features/img/f81/xtc_p1.ram
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 May 2000 08:05:34 -0500 From: "Christopher R. Coolidge" <cauldron@together.net> Subject: XTC review in RS Message-ID: <l03130301b54d8d666681@[208.13.202.49]> >4-20 is supposedly "police code" for a pot bust (or a pot "situation" >calling for a bust). I only discovered this a few years ago, when some >hippy friends had a "420" party on April 20 (4/20, get it?), which happens >to be my birthday, and as a result I was treated to a lot of... herby >goodies. (And yes, I'm reminded every time I tell someone when my birthday >is that I share it with one of the 20th century's most evil people...) > >Not a beleiver in astrology, > >Ed K. For that matter, Martin Luther King was shot on my birthday. I didn't notice, I was too busy playing. On an XTC note, I couldn't help noticing Rolling Stone already has a review of Wasp Star in the most recent issue(the one with Tom Green on the cover- ick). The review is good(three stars), qualified by the reviewer saying "They don't all rate with XTC's best(that would be a lot to ask)," but it's a favorable review nonetheless, referring to the songs as "streamlined, uncluttered miniatures." I don't have time to type out the whole review, but possibly it will be on Rolling Stone's website. Christopher R. Coolidge Homepage at http://homepages.together.net/~cauldron/homepage.html "A Great law protects me from the government. The Bill of rights has 10 GREAT laws. A Good law protects me from you. Laws against murder, theft, assault and the like are good laws. A Poor law attempts to protect me from myself." - Unknown
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 23 May 2000 13:33:02 EST From: "Vzzz bx" <vzbx@hotmail.com> Subject: Wasp Star: Brief appraisal Message-ID: <20000523033302.82023.qmail@hotmail.com> If anyone in Melbourne saw a silver Hyundai hooning down Nepean Highway at around 5pm yesterday [Monday 22nd], that'll have been me with a red hot copy of Apple Venus Volume 2 in the passenger seat. Um, so yeah, thanks for your help regarding the release date in Australia, but I kind of know the answer now. :) Got home, dived straight into the Tosh SD-2109 and cranked it up. Bloody marvellous, this album. Bloody marvellous. I don't have a favourite yet, but 'Boarded Up' is superb and SO atmospheric, and 'Wheel/Maypole' is two awesome songs I can't get enough of. I only heard it five times last night so it's early days, but this is one special album. I didn't bring it into work with me and now I'm having disastrous withdrawal symptoms. Adam D
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 23 May 2000 06:43:44 -0500 From: "Christopher R. Coolidge" <cauldron@together.net> Subject: One album bands Message-ID: <l03130300b5501913101a@[208.13.202.172]> >Fellow Chalkvillians, > >Just a few notes. To Veronica: I must insist that The Nails were too busy >ripping off Lou Reed to bother with stealing any tripe from Jim Carrol. I >like his work but he gets points off for approving "The Basketball Diaries" >movie starring Leonardo "Retardo" diCraprio. >One of those albums that I have that is only good for one song is by Jona >Lewie. It's horrible stuff except for the infectious "In the Kintchen at >Parties". Whatever happened to him? [snip] >I'm new to this site but has anyone listed great albums by bands that only >had one release? My favorite in that category would have to be Quiet Sun's >eponymous album with the runner up prize going to Ultraprophets of the >Psykick Revolution's album "Christmas". > >Making Plans for Dinner, >Jeff. Actually, this twisted part of me wants to hogtie every single teenybopper girl who cried buckets through Titanic and force her to watch The Basketball Diaries all the way through. I thought DiCaprio was a pretty good actor until he got too famous. The movie isn't perfect by any means, but how many movies equal or even improve on the book. Yeah, used to have Jona Lewie's first album. It was mostly crap. No idea what happened to him after Stiff dropped him. I still have fond memories of labelmate Wreckless Eric, though. That's a good thread, good one album bands. Let's see: Thunderclap Newman Toy Matinee The Cicadas Indio Pretty And Twisted Reckless Sleepers Elliot Easton Swinging Steaks The Local Boys The Nils There's many others as a more exhaustive search of my collection would show; at one point I was thinking of writing a book on great lost one album bands. That one Thunderclap Newman album is a masterpiece, consisting of a Pete Townshend cohort(John "Speedy" Keen, whose "Armenia City In The Sky" can be found opening The Who Sell Out, practically the only cover The Who has ever done that isn't a R&B classic), a classically trained keyboardist, and a tiny 16 year old guitarist who later spent several years as a member of Wings. The rest are mostly one-off projects put together by people more famous from other bands, with a couple of regional bands(such as The Nils and Swinging Steaks)who got one chance at national exposure on a major or major independent. I'd be inclined to discount self-produced releases unless they're REALLY good, there's too many of those. Christopher R. Coolidge Homepage at http://homepages.together.net/~cauldron/homepage.html "A Great law protects me from the government. The Bill of rights has 10 GREAT laws. A Good law protects me from you. Laws against murder, theft, assault and the like are good laws. A Poor law attempts to protect me from myself." - Unknown
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 23 May 2000 04:52:00 -0700 (PDT) From: Molly Fanton <mfanton99@yahoo.com> Subject: My Dream Message-ID: <20000523115200.28788.qmail@web1304.mail.yahoo.com> Last niht, I had this weird dream that I got to meet XTC. They came to my hometown of Wellsville, NY (which is a very unexpected place for a band like XTC, since it's a very small town.) The thing I remember was that their limo broke down in front of my house, and they had to stay overnight at my house. Andy slept with me in my room (different beds though, darn) and Colin slept in my brother's room. That's all I remember. Wouldn't that be a hoot if that really happened. If that really happened I'd faint. Molly, with a very vivid imagination ===== Molly's Pages: http://www.angelfire.com/mn/mollyfa99/index.html AIM Name: MFanton00
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 23 May 2000 09:16:27 EDT
From: Tomgriffin100276@aol.com
Subject: XTC Music & Synesthesia
Message-ID: <26.60d0383.265bdeab@aol.com>
I'm sorry to prolong this discussion, but one thing has been gnawing at
me. I have a very limited form of this condition (if you can call it that).
I do, on rare occasions, have the ability to see sounds (although it has
never happened during an XTC song yet - Drats!). And, I want to stress that
this is very different from what we have been talking about here.
It is not merely that different songs/sounds make you sense a different
color, but that you actually see the sound as plainly as I see the computer
in front of me. This is not to lessen the discussion of color & music (In
fact, I find that discussion very interesting), but merely to let you know
the difference.
Thanks for your ears.
-Tom
PS - To me Skylarking is as blue as its cover.
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 23 May 2000 14:20:02 +0100 From: "Smith, David" <David.Smith@tfeurope.com> Subject: RE: We are the Trogs! Message-ID: <4BBE67B71C1DD411A23600508B65F71E0E5126@tfsecmsg04.tfseur.co.uk> Thanks to Gary Nicholson for pointing us to the Review in the Sunday Times online edition. Sounds (for once) like it was written by someone with some knowledge of and/or interest in the band. Not sure about the following lines, though: >>That their new album, Wasp Star: Apple Venus Volume 2, is one of the >>greatest they've produced will no doubt be a source of quiet >>satisfaction to its creators, and to the small, rather troglodytic army >>of true believers who've stuck with them through good times and bad "Troglodytic"? I'll have you know I own my own cave. I even peeped out once, about four years ago. Ug! Also, Huw Davis said: >>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. Slight London bias there - which I will add to, being a supporter of the "Mighty Addicks", better known as Charlton Athletic, who have of course just been promoted to the Premier League. "Stupidly Happy" sums up my feeling about that. :-)) :-)) (one smiley face simply will not do!). Off to see the Average White Band at the Jazz Cafe in Camden tomorrow. Don't know what to expect, but will report back later in the week. I'll leave you with this thought - has a Guinea Pig ever been used as a Guinea Pig? Smudge out (off for a chunky KitKat) Smudgeboy E-Mail: david.smith@tfeurope.com
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 23 May 2000 09:56:04 -0400 From: Paul Burgess <pburgess@tvtrecords.com> Subject: Wasp Star Shines Today Message-ID: <v04220840b5503da8a9a7@[38.149.92.114]> (For those of you who haven't stumbled upon a pre-street date copy of) XTC's new gem Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2) is out today!! Don't miss the video interview with Andy Partridge at Guitar.com. You won't believe the chops on this "singer/songwriter!!"
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 23 May 2000 07:05:59 -0700 From: "Victor Rocha" <wstsidela@mediaone.net> Subject: Weened on XTC Message-ID: <004e01bfc4c0$05e32380$4e568218@we.mediaone.net> The London Guardian named "White Pepper" album of the week, taking the honor away from XTC's latest, "Wasp Star." That's a big coup, since Britain has never embraced the all-too-American Ween, Dean admits. "The album is all the excitement in London," he says. "It's great for us because I'm a huge XTC fan. But, I kind of feel bad. XTC came way before us." http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/4391.htm
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 23 May 2000 03:08:20 EDT From: KINGSTUNES@aol.com Subject: Older and Still Farting Message-ID: <7b.46f760e.265b8864@aol.com> Hey, gang! Been away for 4 days to a local folk fest. Eating, imbibing, and lots of rain. Loved it! Saw Arlo Guthrie with his daughter, Sarah; also David Grisman. Great show, for a couple of old farts. And now I'm back, older and still farting. Anyway, catching up. Just got an advanced copy of WS - I wanna hear it a few more times before I give my 'verbose' reactions. Love it so far! But will post later on that... For now, some catch up thoughts: >From Rory Wilsher: >>p.p.s. Tom Kingston I'd like you to meet my friend Short Post. Short Post, meet Tom. I hope (I REALLY hope!) you two can get along together.<< Eventually. I promise, I'm quite capable. I'm just new to the fracas, and I'm adjusting to certain flamethrowing techniques. I've thrown my tantrum, I've unzipped my massive list, and I've been duly chastised, but I'll come around. But in all fairness, I'm not the only wordy bastard on the list. And if brevity is an immediate concern, scroll past this one. Jim Smart wrote: >>I've heard both - the demos and the finished Wasp Star. I recently went back to the demos, and was struck by how dull they are compared to the final product. There's all sorts of exciting little touches scattered like sprinkles on a cupcake all through the album. Little drum bits or lyric bits or guitar bits that just weren't there before. << At this point (remember, I've just heard it) I fully agree. There are a couple of things I miss, but on the whole it rocks. The production is incredible! I guess what hurts the most are the songs I that didn't make it (Ship Trapped In The Ice, IDWBH, Wonder Annual, Dame Fortune, so on). More on this on my next post. Well, er, my buddy from another life, Dom, points out: >>Spot the deliberate (cough) mistake.... ...despite what Ol' Pa Kingston would tell you, Black Sabbath had/have some splendid pop tunes >>I never said they did, you young whippersnapper! (My reply.) >>I know. That's what I'm saying.<< Dom. You got me. I meant "I never said they DIDN'T". I realized my mistake when I read the post. It was not deliberate! (Damn! blew the joke!) And I DO appreciate Sabbath. Jan"Mellllt them Dowwwwwn"Carol submits (re: my infamous album list): >>Though I found the list tedious to go through - and I *hate* lists - I found Tom's to be delightful. It was as if I was reading the way my list would sound if I had the resources to accumulate and explore more than I do. I found it a good guide for directions to explore. Therefore, I found it expanding (as well as expansive). It took some time and energy and thought to do it, and I for one, appreciate it.<< I've been alternately scorned and praised for this indulgence. It was a damned if I do and damned if I don't venture. But since we're all frogs (I read that someplace) in this pond, I took the risk of my splashing. It took about 2 hours to compile. What happened was that I started out thinking of a few, then I realized I there were more than I anticipated, so I briefly (yes, briefly!) flipped through everything and went, "omigod, this is great too!" So what I posted was the result. Yeah, it was long, but it was true in heart. And they really were all 'must listen too all the way through' albums for me. The short list I shot back at Dom was really cheating, since all I did was pick my alltime favorites in a desert island format. "Editing, dear boy"! I included non rock styles because I love and play other styles, but pop / rock is my favorite. That's why I love XTC! Anyway, thanks for your sweet comment. Steve Pitts writes: >>Why do we waste so much time and energy defining just what does, or does not, fit into a particular genre?? ... I lump all those artists that got their 'start' in the late 70s together, irrespective of whether the 'purist' would view them as punk, new wave, pub rock, mod or whatever other label you fancy. << I got your back on where you're coming from here. The sixties were even more glommed together as far as styles. But it's not a case of being a purist. Believe, me, nothing is pure musically. From folk to metal. But observing and understanding how musical styles and trends evolve into others enhances the musical experience. I feel it does matter especially where XTC is concerned. The point I was making had to do with original punk and the later new wave. The Sex Pistols, the Ramones and so on were not musicians who labored many a year to crack the rock market. Don't get me wrong! I'm not knocking punk! Thank God it came along, after the stagnation of the post sixties overindulgences! We needed it! But musicians like XTC, Joe Jackson, The Police and so on were artists who (for the most part) had picked up their instruments in the late sixties and had been knocking around a long time when punk hit. I know this and understand this because I was the same way! (Please, no crap about age & arrogance; I'm just trying to shed light!) They went with the new craze and brought it to new heights, but they were able to do so because they were writers and players steeped in the rock music of the sixties & early seventies (and other styles) and secretly harbored nostalgic attacthments to their early teen musical exposures, as we all do. Just listen to The Dukes, O & L, and now, AVI and II! C'mon! It's retro, but only as someone who was there can do it! That matters!! It's unique and new, but firmly footed in the sixties! The Ramones and the Pistols will remain trapped in their time, while XTC, JJ, EC et al roll on! (Too bad Sting lost it somewhere.) They continue because they remain true to the creative force of songwriting and arranging that defies catagories. But they USED punk to establish themselves. IMHO. Then he added: >>Yes. Knights in Shining Karma is reminiscent of a song Simon and Garfunkel might have done if they were adding something to the White album. Well, sort of. S & G did their share of Travis picked sensitive tunes. But, a lot of folks liken KISK to White Album Beatles. Most say he sounds like Macca, but I feel it's really Lennon. Paul never fingerpicked like that. He was always 'pick strum, strum-a-strum' (Yesterday, Blackbird, Mother Nature's Son), while Lennon sort of Travis picked. (I know the pattern he (Lennon) used, if any player wishes to contact me. It was always the same.) He acquired the style from Donovan during the famous trip to the Maharishi's compound in India in '68. He returned from there with Dear Prudence, Julia and Happiness is a Warm Gun, and employed it on later songs. Andy emulated Lennon. Listen to those songs, THEN listen to KISK. Then re-read my above comments about XTC and the sixties! Jim "Partsy Sage" Smart Christopher Coolidge admits (re:Skafish): >>I used to have his first album years ago. I got tired of it real fast. He's talented enough, but I got tired of his annoying personality and cruel humor(especially "Joan Fan Club." That song's just plain mean.)<< I agree. His attitude was his stumbling block. But he was a brilliant musician. My take on Joan's Fan Club was more like Randy Newman's Short People, where he was poking fun at a society that would treat a poor girl like that. "In the playground......" But it was either too subtle or not subtle enough. Anyway, just wondered what ever happened to him. Now, turn on the Way Back Machine, Sherman, and tell me if anyone recalls the Critters! Anyway, shorter posts are coming! I swear! Thank you Ed K. for reminding me properly (unlike Dom) to act my age with some dignity. By the way, I'm 44, and I'm younger than the object of our gabbing. But I will rock forever! Go Sixers! Later, Tom (fill in the blank, gently) Kingston
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23 May 2000 / Feedback