Chalkhills Digest Volume 6, Issue 234
Date: Friday, 11 August 2000

         Chalkhills Digest, Volume 6, Number 234

                  Friday, 11 August 2000

Topics:

                      Re: Cover Art
              Faggots of Fits-Trapes Melody
                      One more thing
                  How I discovered XTC!
                  Is it hot in here?...
                     Bike Ride to NPR
 Does Barry Andrews' presence cause pain and suffering??
             Artists That I Won't Give Up On
                         Parents
                    My Ultimate XTC CD
  Naps and a public apology for being entirely too lazy
                       Pumpkinitis
                   MP3.com & Chalkheads
                 stupidly out of the loop
                    A Modest Proposal
                     Mummer or what?
      but Napster doesn't steal music: people do...

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Softly softly in the night.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 11:05:26 -0400 (EDT)
From: Dorothy Spirito <spiritod@techmail.gdc.com>
Subject: Re: Cover Art
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.4.00.10008101045170.17299-100000@esun2028>

Tyler asked:
> Have you ever bought a record/cd based solely on the cover art, w/o
> being familiar with the artist or music? if so, what was it, and how did
> you end up liking it?

I once bought a bottle of wine for the pretty butterflies on the label,
and it was mediocre.

But I bought Al Stewart's __Year of the Cat__ for the intricate cover art
(I was into Realism at the time), and liked it so much that it's still in
steady rotation on the turntable since I finally have access to a
turntable again.  His style reminds me somewhat of Donovan's -- who I also
enjoy.

It's music to wash dishes by, late at night when you're letting your mind
unwind.  Music to relax on the sofa by, when the rain is pouring or the
winter wind is howling.  Last night I put on Skylarking for the same
reason, because I couldn't get "Another Satellite" out of my head and
must've played just that song about four or five times.

Regards,
--Dorothy.

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 12:08:05 EDT
From: Hbsherwood@aol.com
Subject: Faggots of Fits-Trapes Melody
Message-ID: <fb.9aa1124.26c42d65@aol.com>

Hello, boysenberries!

I think we've all correctly identified a cycle in our little community
whereby periods of relatively decent signal-to-noise ratio trend into
increasing interference until some sort of safety valve pops, people
complain, others unsubscribe in high dudgeon. (Interestingly enough, I'm
given to understand our former friend Natalie Jacobs actually resides in the
picturesque hamlet of High Dudgeon, Lancs.) But little has been observed on
what *follows* that turbulent moment: a period of snuggly,
footie-jammie-sporting _gemuetlichkeit_ that I like to think of as the Time
of Making Nicey-Nicey. This period in the Chalkhills Season Cycle sees
everyone withdraw tooth and claw, chuck each other under the chin, pledge
eternal mutual devotion, and swear never again to let courtesy wait upon
belligerence.

So in the spirit of Nicey-Nicey, I'd like to offer up a little morsel of
Positivity and Community Spirit. I've been sitting on this one for some time,
clucking maternally and preening my chest feathers, hoping it will hatch into
something presentable. And if it doesn't, well, add a little cheese and it'll
make a yummy omelet.

>From: "Tim Kendrick" <tim63@earthlink.net>
>Subject: XTC content

>That said, here's what I want to talk about:
>STUPIDLY HAPPY.  I still just don't get it.  Why do
>most people on this list like this song???

Well, I can't speak for most people on this list, but I do have some thoughts
about why *I* dig it.

(Oh, that reminds me: All you opinion-relativists: Wimpy! Wimpy! Wimpy! Allow
me to present for your perusal the following proposition: What distinguishes
a "correct" opinion from an "incorrect" one is the stylishness with which it
is defended. That is all ye know, and all ye need to know.)

So: Stupidly Happy.

This song has led me to ponder the nature and purpose of rock guitar riffs,
and I've noticed that most of them fall into two kinds: complete phrases and
half-phrases. "Smoke on the Water," to grab a familiar example out of the
air, is a complete phrase. It's actually four related phrases:

Duh-duh-duh
Duh-duh-da-duh
Duh-duh-duh
Duh, duh-duh

(Hey: Blame Richie Blackmore for the syllables, pal.)

For our purposes what's important about this riff is that it ends in the same
tonal place as it began: the last phrase resolves to the tonic. This means
it's a circle--it ends where it began. The interest (such as it is) in Smoke
on the Water is in the repetition of that resolution, which brings us back
over and over to the same place where we started out.

Compare that now to the riff in "Stupidly Happy." This riff is *incomplete*;
it's *half* a circle, it never closes. If "Smoke on the Water" is a journey
that completes repeatedly, the "Stupidly Happy" riff is a journey that
repeatedly begins but never ends. It's like watching a tangible expression of
neurosis, a tiger in a cage pacing obsessively back and forth and never
finding a resting place. When the drums crash in to buttress the riff, they
only serve to emphasize its incompleteness. The bass is the same: The drone
note it plays, E, clashes with the implied dominant tonality of the B major
of the end of the riff, underscoring with dissonance its nervous quality. We
get a little tiny hint of tonal movement under the line "I roll like a
train," but the bass then immediately returns to its drone note. This must be
what people mean when they say they dislike the bass in this song: They
haven't thought through its *role* in the play.

The guitar riff can be visualized this way:

      Dominant          Dominant          Dominant
     /                 /                 /
    /                 /                 /
   /                 /                 /
  /                 /                 /
Tonic             Tonic             Tonic

and so on.

So now we have the rhythm section all working hard together to create an
atmosphere of obsessiveness, of the unsatisfying repetition of a neurotic
tic. What about the rest of it, then?

Every other phrase in the song resolves. Watch:

I'm stupidly happy/Everything's fine
Tonic                      Dominant (unresolved)
I'm stupidly happy/My heart pumping wine
Tonic                      Tonic (resolved)

Or this:

All the birds of the air call your name
Tonic                         Subdominant
As they land on my kitchen roof
                     Dominant (unresolved)

All the fish in the lake do the same
Tonic                 Subdominant
Should you need extra proof
                  Tonic (resolved)

(The "Devil" lines never leave the tonic. No resolution, but no irresolution,
either. It's a nice touch (though hardly groundbreaking) to introduce the
tritone, the Devil's Interval, under these lines.)

The bell-like descending guitar phrases ("guit-tar!") follow the same pattern
as the "birds in the sky" phrases, resolving to the tonic at the end.
Likewise the choral "doot-doo's" under the fade. Everything resolves, all the
melodic phrases come to a nice satisfactory end.

In contrast to the guitar riff, here's the shape of the melodic lines:

      Dominant
     /        \
    /          \
   /            \
  /              \
Tonic           Tonic

So here's the basic tension in the song, then: The guitar riff, the soul, the
core of the song, is neurotic, nervous, unresolved. The melody lines against
which it is played--and the guitar phrases that accompany them--are
classically predictable, comfortable, containing no surprises or unexpected
twists.

Can we, just for fun, give names to these two warring elements? I think of
the nervous guitar riff as an expression of Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt--FUD,
for short. And because I'm a whimsical fucker, let's call the melody's
impulse toward cheerfulness and normality Elmer. Thus, "Stupidly Happy" has
at its center the tension between Elmer and FUD.

Now watch what happens (man, this is so *great*!):

The song begins with FUD standing alone, endlessly cycling this nervous riff.
(Oh, I feel so dumb! Oh, I feel so dumb!, Oh, I feel so dumb!) The drums come
in in support. Then Elmer appears and starts to assert himself against FUD.
FUD fights back, strong at first, but becoming weaker and weaker as Elmer
elements pile up against it. It becomes increasingly difficult to discern the
FUD riff as the song progresses, you'll note; and when Andy sings the
cheerful climax "Now you're mine!" and all the Elmer elements, all the pieces
of the Elmer puzzle, introduced one by one over the course of the song, fit
together and begin to interweave and glow magically, THE FUD RIFF COMPLETELY
DISAPPEARS! It's gone! Beginning with the fadeout, FUD is banished outright,
buried under layers of confidence and self-assurance: Elmer reigns supreme.

FUD say "?"

Elmer say "!"

FUD: "Is it OK to be Stupidly Happy?"

Elmer: "You bet your wavishing wabbit pancweas! Woll wike a twain, baby!"

Harrison "Pass the Parmesan" Sherwood

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 13:41:46 EDT
From: MFanton00@cs.com
Subject: One more thing
Message-ID: <c8.8c97cf8.26c4435a@cs.com>

I just wanted to say to those people who have lumped me with some of the
others that left, that I did have good reason of leaving.  It was mainly my
job.  I work from 5:30am to 3pm (usually, today I was let out early).  But
after going through Chalkhills withdrawal I've decided to come back.  :)  I
know I said I was going to lurk, but heck I can't lurk.  :)

Molly

Molly's Pages: http://www.angelfire.com/mn/mollyfa99/index.html
Please e-mail me at: mfanton99@yahoo.com
eVoice #: 88321880

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 13:51:57 -0400
From: "Martin, Alan" <Alan.Martin@ncxix.hcg.eds.com>
Subject: How I discovered XTC!
Message-ID: <B812DC6BF121D411B3FE00508B0B94222E8B81@chowan.ncxix.hcg.eds.com>

Hello Chalksters!  A few complaints have been made about the recent drift
from topic here on the list, well I'm gonna be ON TOPIC today!

In 1988, I was stationed in Charleston, SC with the USAF.  I was in A local
music store I would occasionally haunt (Manifest Discs & Tapes) and noticed
a song playing over the system.  It sounded kind of "Beatles" so I inquired
with the guy behind the counter.  He explained that they were called "XTC"
and that the album playing was called "Oranges & Lemons" and that it was
"infused" with the spirit of the Beatles.  I was intreguid so I bought it on
his suggestion.
I HATED IT!  That's right folks, I thought it was the most confusing thing I
had ever heard.  But, I did kind of like that "mayor" song and the "living"
song was kind of "Beatles", but I still didn't like it that much.  And so,
it got put away in my CD stand and on the mental back burner.

A couple of weeks later, I was stairing blankly at my CD stand wondering
what to listen to.  My eyes fell onto the spine of O&L and I thought, what
the hay.  So I dropped O&L into the player and gave it another spin.  One
listen, hmm I do like that "Mayor" song quite a bit.  Another listen, WOW
that "Scarecrow" song is really odd but REALLY GOOD!  So, on I listened.  By
about the 5th time through, things were starting to gel.  Before I knew it,
the only disc playing in my car, at work, at home was O&L. Over and Over.  I
was in musical love.  I had experienced this kind of musical feeling before
with both the Beatles & Jethro Tull.  And these XTC guys were kind of like
the Beatles decided to make an album in 1987.  Oddly enough, I didn't persue
any other XTC albums right away, I don't know why.

About three weeks later a friend of mine (Barbara) who is now ironically my
wife, introduced me to a girlfriend of hers that she thought I might hit it
off with.  A couple of dates and things were going good when one evening, we
pulled up in front of her house and sat in her car in the dark.  Now, I had
one thing on my mind, but Cathy had another at that moment and said to me
"Hey, I have a tape you just have to listen to, this stuff is great!"  So
she pops a cassette into her car's player and on comes a bolt of music.
"Earn enough for us" just finishes up and we continue to listen.  I have no
idea this is XTC at this point and I flip over what I'm hearing. WHO IS
THIS! I immediately demand thinking, not another group I don't know about!
Oh, XTC Cathy exclaims.  Arn't they Great?!  HELL YES, I respond and
suddenly that feeling I had right when the car was switched off got a good
bit stronger.

ANYWAY, it was then the obsession started and I began buying everything XTC.
Cathy and I didn't work out, but Barbara and I did.  She's my wife now and
she love's XTC too!  That's how I discovered XTC.  Ahhh, the memories...

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 11:02:19 -0700
From: "Hiatt, Randy" <Randy.Hiatt@fsbti.com>
Subject: Is it hot in here?...
Message-ID: <F34536084B78D311AF53009027B0D7EAE3DAAC@FSBEX01>

Giovanni said
Bjurk - wonder why I don't see her mentioned often here?

Bjork is hot, without a doubt.  Probably the guys on the list are afraid to
say they like her for fear of "significant other" reprisals.  Rent her live
concert, buy all her stuff.... anyone ever see her video as a white robot?
wow, she's hot.

Randy (is it just me?) Hiatt

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 11:03:20 -0700 (PDT)
From: Todd Savelle <tesavelle@yahoo.com>
Subject: Bike Ride to NPR
Message-ID: <20000810180320.7365.qmail@web3003.mail.yahoo.com>

Ahoy, Chalkhoi-polloi:

So, who do we know that's an XTC fan lurking in the
federally-and-listener-funded bowels of U.S. National
Public Radio (alias NPR)?  We know that both Andy and
Colin were on NPR's "Weekend Edition" back in May, and
now we have two XTC sightings on NPR's "It's Only A
Game," their weekend show devoted to observation of
the wide wild world of sport.

My sighting happened about a month ago (and I've been
meaning to post about it since I heard it),when the
Dukes of Stratosphear were invoked.  "It's Only A
Game" featured a lengthy story on tandem bikers
preparing to compete in the Sydney Summer
Para-Olympics (or whatever the Olympics competition is
for "physically challenged" individuals -- you and I
know them by their less "politically correct"
shorthand: handicapped).  One of the riders was blind,
not sure about the other. Shortening the story now,
when the report was done I was treated to the opening
strains of "Bike Ride to the Moon" --"Push me off to
start the fun..." and all that.   About half the song.

Well, host Bill Littlefield did his little sign-off
over the tune, thanking the production staff blah blah
blah.  Then what?  They replayed the tune from its
beginning and in its entirety.

So, unless this has been covered before, fess up,
who's the Chalker in NPRland?  (It should be noted
that a.) "It's Only A Game" is produced at WBUR in
Boston and b.) on-air news annoucements on WBUR are
often accompanied by a vocal-less loop of "Life Begins
at the Hop").

So, how's that for a contribution from a guy who's
predominantly a lurker?  On-topic and everything.

Now, off topic...  The new Everclear "Songs From An
American Movie, Vol.1: Learning How To Smile" is quite
good, except for the belabored cover of "Brown-Eyed
Girl."  Otherwise, a lovely sonic assault.

Musical artists I attempt to collect everything by:
XTC
Hunters & Collectors
Midnight Oil
Billy Bragg
Morphine
And my wife hordes anything produced by any one of the
Finn Brothers

And, finally, if anyone has info ascertaining the
identity of the Chalker at NPR, wait until August 21
to divulge your knowledge.  I just remembered I'll be
away from technology for the next week, no computers,
phones, televisions.  Thanks god for the portable CD
player!

Wasp Star: Great
NP: David Gray's "White Ladder" (still, this one just
*won't* grow old -- get it now!), the aforementioned
Everclear, Belle und Sebatian's newest, Bragg/Wilco
"Mermaid Avenue Deux," and "Johnny Cash Live at San
Quentin."

Thanks for the indulgence,
Todd "Results May Vary" Savelle

P.S. As I've said before, and despite several attempts
to change my mind about it since, I still dislike
"Roads Girdle the [frickin'] Globe."  Me safe in my
concrete robe, indeed!

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 11:15:18 -0700 (PDT)
From: Susperia Five <susperia5@yahoo.com>
Subject: Does Barry Andrews' presence cause pain and suffering??
Message-ID: <20000810181518.14181.qmail@web704.mail.yahoo.com>

Jeff Eason <eason@mountaintimes.com> said:
<<Can you imagine how XTC's music would have suffered
if Barry Andrews had stayed on for the sake of keeping
the band together?>>

Oy!
::Disabling Lurkmode::
First off, let me confirm my absolute love for XTC and
Andy Partridge before I go further with this response.

Yes, the XTC ambiance may well have suffered had Barry
Andrews remained in the band, but I don't think that
the music would have been affected.  From all I've
read of the early days of XTC (and granted I haven't
read it all, nor do I have it memorised in the least),
I get the distinct impression that Barry was never
really made to feel like he was part of the band from
the onset, feeling more like a paid session musician
to accompany the Force that is Andy Partridge.  It has
always seemed to me that the music was of Andy's
creation alone and the others were just along for the
ride.  Granted, Colin Moulding has contributed songs
over the years, but how many has he written that
weren't chosen for the official release?

If the band were ever a democracy, I could see Barry
Andrews' presence being a detriment to the whole since
there was definite dissension between himself and Andy
(two strong-willed personalities butting heads ~ oh
my!).  But the band was not a democracy, which caused
the prickly tempers and subsequently Barry's
departure, according to the bits of XTC history I've
found over the years.  The sound and the vision of XTC
were thoroughly entrenched in the gospel of Andy
Partridge and any deviation from that path was
summarily ignored.  Given Barry Andrews' highly
divergent sense of musicality, is it any wonder those
of us interested were, regrettably, allowed to hear so
little from him during the XTC years?

Personally, I think that, if Andy and Barry could have
reached a comprimise, many glorious melodies and some
breathtaking poetry would be gracing our CD shelves
today.  I, for one, still hope for a day of
reconciliation.  Given their maturity level today,
both musically, emotionally and, yes! even
spiritually, I'm certain that a collaboration would
require nothing less than a place on that short list
of the Wonders of the World.

End of personal observation.
::Initiating Lurkmode::
Peace,
Angelina

=====
Like the swallows in the winter/Like the swarming of the bees/Some
blind and sure desire is motivating me/Call it poetry in motion/Call
it energy at play/Call it spirit into matter/Makes no difference what
they say"~Shriekback'Psycho Drift'
http://www.geocities.com/sith_raven/Midnight_Maps.html

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 13:21:00 EDT
From: MFanton00@cs.com
Subject: Artists That I Won't Give Up On
Message-ID: <ba.96671ed.26c43e7c@cs.com>

Okay here are some artists I won't give up on:

Kate Bush (I hope she releases more stuff soon, been waiting for about eight
years for her next release)
Squeeze (I think I might the only Squeeze fan who actually LIKED Domino)
Duran Duran (ducks the flying tomatoes)
XTC (of course)
Suzanne Vega (she's a great artist)
The Bangles (again ducking the flying tomatoes)

Molly

Molly's Pages: http://www.angelfire.com/mn/mollyfa99/index.html
Please e-mail me at: mfanton99@yahoo.com
eVoice #: 88321880

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 13:16:13 EDT
From: MFanton00@cs.com
Subject: Parents
Message-ID: <70.1ff111e.26c43d5d@cs.com>

Oh I LOVE how my parents and I have some of the same musical tastes.  They're
the ones who got me into:
The Beatles (they used to listen to Magical Mystery Tour and Sgt. Pepper's
all the time)
The Who (They would have parties and blast both the original version of Tommy
and the London Philharmonic's version)
The Cheiftans (sp) and any other Celtic music

And I got my parents into:
Enya
Clannad
Kate Bush (I think my dad had a secret crush on her)
David Bowie (my mom has the hots for him, I think)

I believe parents and kids should have some music that they both like.  Yes,
I do have some music my parents don't like (ie Hole or Shania Twain).  But
there are things I'm surprised my parents listen to (like my mom loves Patti
Smyth, and I didn't know that until I saw a couple of Patti's CDs in my
parents' CD collection).  I think my parents are very cool.  They're very
open minded with music, and they instilled that open mindness to me.  Maybe
that's why there are very few musical genres I don't like.

Molly, rambling away as usual :)

Molly's Pages: http://www.angelfire.com/mn/mollyfa99/index.html
Please e-mail me at: mfanton99@yahoo.com
eVoice #: 88321880

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 13:32:10 EDT
From: MFanton00@cs.com
Subject: My Ultimate XTC CD
Message-ID: <6c.1ff0725.26c4411a@cs.com>

Rory wrote:
<< Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to
 devise a similar list. Must fit onto one tape/CD. >>

I'll take that challenge, Rory, ole friend. :)  These are all my fave XTC
song.

1.      Grass
2.      All of You Pretty Girls
3.      Statue of Liberty
4.      Jump
5.      Are You Recieving Me?
6.      Chalkhills & Children
7.      Train Running Out of Soul Coal
8.      Snowman
9.      Ladybird
10. Mayor of Simpleton
11. Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen
12. Dear God
13. Dear Madame Barnum

So that's my choice.

Molly

Molly's Pages: http://www.angelfire.com/mn/mollyfa99/index.html
Please e-mail me at: mfanton99@yahoo.com
eVoice #: 88321880

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 11:15:04 -0700 (PDT)
From: nross <PhoenixYellowRose@rocketmail.com>
Subject: Naps and a public apology for being entirely too lazy
Message-ID: <20000810181504.12762.qmail@web2905.mail.yahoo.com>

The apology:

John K... I am so so so so horribly sorry I've not sent the stuff out
to you yet, even though its been ready for like 3 months. I've been
chained to my desk... I can't even go out to visit my ailing
grandparents. Okay, I've not been chained... that may actually be fun.

Thought I'd say it publicly... I ought to be tarred and feathered.

Napster... Wayne posted this:

>>>>>>>
Napster could easily occupy the niche that is currently occupied by
bootleggers--to the benefit of the audience. You won't have to pay
$50.00 for
that rare Xtc bootleg, etc
<<<<<<<

Well... yeah, I mean seriously, to get some of those things that are
not sold through record companies... that are no longer produced,
Napster is great.

Fine, you can go and record an almost cd-quality song off the net for
free, and thats illegal or not right or whatever... How many of you
have copied a CD and sent it to someone to "promote" the band in your
own way... How many of you have copied a tape in the 80's and not
bought the particular album later on (but may have bought others by the
same group)? These are the same actions as Napping, don't you think?
They are just as "bad"... and more prevalent... and no one gets
prosecuted and no one "minds"... until you make money off of the copy.
Which is Napster's point.

In my old age, I've become more likely to buy music I've already had a
chance of listening to. Napster provides that ...

That said... totally understand the opposite point of view. I just
think its the wrong view. In the end, artists may be better off having
their music traded... they'll lose the impulse buy, but gain long term,
obsessive fans who buy up three copies of each new album, just in
case... or just to have the bonus songs or the different jewel box or
whatever.

I think I'll go out and buy some Prince music now...

-Nicole

=====
Nicole's internet music station:
http://radio.sonicnet.com/mymusiclisten.asp?name=phoenixyellowrose

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 19:45:57 +0000
From: Jayne Myrone <myrone@tesco.net>
Subject: Pumpkinitis
Message-ID: <3993066A.B192605B@tesco.net>

Darlin' Deb wrote

Go see what the music of XTC inspired-
http://www.caligari.com/gallery/onemanshow/jeffwallmd/jeffwallmd.html

Click on the pumpkin..  I think you'll enjoy it.

So that's what gynaecologists do in their spare time.

--
Jayne the Worrier Queen
Want to know how many boxes have been packed? And just
how many books there are here?
http://www.stas.net/myrone/news.htm

"Nothing is meaningless if one likes to do it"
Gertrude Stein

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 12:59:34 -0700
From: "Hiatt, Randy" <Randy.Hiatt@fsbti.com>
Subject: MP3.com & Chalkheads
Message-ID: <F34536084B78D311AF53009027B0D7EAE3DAAF@FSBEX01>

Hey great idea to have a section on MP3.com dedicated to Xtc fans music
(Chalkheads).

My problem is playing them on a Mac.  After downloading (all of them) I
tried to play them with SoundApp Fat and it locks/crashes my puter.  If I
try a file open, does the same.  If I double click the mp3 directly it
freaks out my Mac's (new and old).

However if I drag them to RealPlayer 7 Basic they work fine.  Is this
another example of Bill Gates' plans of world stupidity?  I don't have this
problem with other MP3's I get elsewhere.

My hope was to convert these to audio and burn a CD.  AudioCatalyst is what
I use to convert file types and this is tipped over as well.  What the hell!

Another question is how do I get my MP3 on that section.  I'm already a MP3
member with a file in there.

Randy (can't we all get along?!) Hiatt

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 17:16:44 EDT
From: Stroo@aol.com
Subject: stupidly out of the loop
Message-ID: <6e.2008e9d.26c475bc@aol.com>

Jim Kendrick wrote:

>That said, here's what I want to talk about:
>STUPIDLY HAPPY.  I still just don't get it.  Why do
>most people on this list like this song???

I agree with Jim and Rory as well.  Yes, I like the song, but if I was trying
to win a new convert, this isn't one that would have been at the top of my
list.  My personal favorite after dozens of listens is clearly Playground.
Yet, of the first two uninformed that I loaned this CD to, I heard, "It's OK.
 But I really liked Stupidly Happy."  Is it really that much different from
anything else on WS?  Heck, maybe it is.

Bob "Careful What You Say Ground" Strunak

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 17:45:07 -0400
From: Peter Nau <caps@hockeymail.com>
Subject: A Modest Proposal
Message-ID: <B5B89A64.CE6%caps@hockeymail.com>

The following paragraphs are excerpted from the Chalkhills posting
guidelines:

>  Please do not use Chalkhills to send non-XTC information.
> Especially do not send political information....

>  If you have information which you believe is of interest to
> Chalkhills subscribers but is not directly XTC-related, either send a
> SHORT note to the list asking subscribers to send you e-mail for more
> information, or post a SHORT message with a URL to a Web page. In other
> words, give the subscribers a CHOICE, don't force your message down
> their collective throat.
>
>  If you want to ask a "general survey" type question, such as "What
> are your top ten favorite albums of all time?", please ask everybody to
> e-mail their answers to you directly. Then summarize responses to the
> list, if possible. If it is not possible to summarize (for example, how
> do you summarize Top Ten lists? You don't.) make the answers available
> on the Web and e-mail them directly to anyone who asks, and post a note
> to Chalkhills notifying us that the answers are available (include URL
> and e-mail address).

>  When someone asks a question, many people send out identical
> answers. When this happens, dozens of identical answers appear in the
> digest. Mail your answer to the person and suggest that they summarize
> to the list.

Lately, some have proposed that people follow the above rules to which we,
as subscribers, implicitly agreed, but this suggestion has not been met
favorably.

Therefore, I suggest that the Chalkhills posting guidelines be rewritten to
read as follows:

"Chalkhills is a loose association of people initially drawn together by
their common interest in the band XTC. You are free, however, to write about
anything that comes to mind, even though forums probably exist elsewhere
that are better suited to the subject matter. This ensures that we have
sufficient content to continue to send out a 33K file twice a day. It also
ensures that our readers will be kept well-rounded and engaged. We
especially welcome album lists of all kinds, debates about non-XTC music,
political tirades, and attacks on other participants."

Thank you.

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 22:57:09 +0000
From: Jayne Myrone <myrone@tesco.net>
Subject: Mummer or what?
Message-ID: <3993331B.60EEEC53@tesco.net>

Jeezus H Christ on a bicycle.

Why didn't you tell me?

Sorry I'm in shock.  I've just got my sticky paws on Big Express, Mummer
and Skylarking as an aid to filling boxes.
I've just listened to BE & Mummer and wha' hey the lads.
Expect complaints about seismic activity in Scotland -
I'm about to crank the volume up.

Currently reading Rembrandt's Eye, a fascinating but seriously heavy
book.
Drop it on the cat and you'll get a furry pancake.

Skylarking tomorrow.

Jayne the Worrier Queen
Want to know how many boxes have been packed? And just
how many books there are here?
http://www.stas.net/myrone/news.htm

"Nothing is meaningless if one likes to do it"
Gertrude Stein

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 16:16:26 -0700
From: Randy Posynick <randy.posynick@isiresearchsoft.com>
Subject: but Napster doesn't steal music: people do...
Message-ID: <v04220801b5b8e53848cd@[157.22.229.100]>

another Randy (Hiatt) said:

"Going after Napster is like jailing Ford because their car was used
in a robbery."

no. it's more like going after Smith and Wesson because their gun was
used in a murder... or perhaps going after the cigarette companies...

rp (with apologies for inevitably bringing chuck heston's crew into this)

------------------------------

End of Chalkhills Digest #6-234
*******************************

Go back to Volume 6.

11 August 2000 / Feedback