Chalkhills Digest Volume 6, Issue 24
Date: Friday, 4 February 2000
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 6, Number 24
Friday, 4 February 2000
Today's Topics:
Freaks
XTC SPOTTING ON NETWORK TELEVISON!!!
I'm BACK!
Minster Venus
CDU
I got your language right here
And the winner is ....
Don't do CD Universe, Please I Beg You
CD Universe? More like CD Black Hole
Apple Venus 2: Apple Venus with a vengance
Howdy!
the poop on "freaks & geeks"
Greenman's roots
lifetime achievement, continued
ba bum da dum, ba dada doo......Ladybird
Missed it by thaaaaaaaaaaaaat much
Rainy Day People
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So with a mop and a bucket / I'll just say forget her.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 02 Feb 2000 12:05:06 -0800 Subject: Freaks From: David Schneider <dnschneider@earthlink.net> Message-ID: <B4BDC1A4.C86%dnschneider@earthlink.net> > BTW, "Freaks" is supposed to be based in the mid-late '70's, > right? So, technically, using a song from "Black Sea" [1980] > might be a tad anachronistic, but I'm not complaining! No, actually it's set in the early 80s, so it's right on. I haven't seen the show, but I understand it's not horrendous. And now that they've played XTC, I just might have to watch an episode... Dave
------------------------------
Message-Id: <200002022056.PAA23319@nantucket.net>
Date: Wed, 02 Feb 2000 15:55:12 -0800
Subject: XTC SPOTTING ON NETWORK TELEVISON!!!
From: "Diamond" <arnos@nantucket.net>
I had the good fortune of being warned beforhand (just barely) about a
special XTC Song appearence on a Network TV show... The Show is NBC's Freaks
And Geeks (A great show anyway, even without the XTC song...) The show takes
place in the eighties, and is about the outside clicks in schools... it's
done really well, and has a great soundtrack... last week I thought I heard
a Oingo Boingo song, but I wasn't sure cause I've never really been into
them... regardless, there was no doubt about this song... during a
slowed-down seen where a grouop of teenagers were picking teams for a gym,
(of course, the main characters were being picked last), when it got down to
the last couple kids, what song came on but... No Language In Our Lungs!!!
An XTC song that wasn't even a single! I have to admit, it was used
perfectly... fit incredibly well into the scene, too... and it was about a
30 second clip, which was great... I must say, it takes the prize for "Best
Use Of A Non-Single From Black Sea By XTC On Network Television" without a
doubt...
____________________________________________________________________________
"She thinks she's Edith Head,
But you might know she's not
the accent in her speach
she didn't have growing up."
-John Flansburgh/They Might be Giants
------------------------------ Message-ID: <389890CC.20461EB9@which.net> Date: Wed, 02 Feb 2000 20:17:17 +0000 From: B Blanchard <b.blanchard@which.net> Subject: I'm BACK! Good evening and morning, but not "g'day" (cos that's Australian and we were in NZ) I just returned from a fantastic two months trip motorcyling in and around New Zealand (I'm from and live in London). It is a beautiful country with not much else to do but tour round and see the wonderful scenery and marvel at the natural wonders, like,um, the glow worms, whales and kiwis, incredible rock formations, the beautiful Fiordland National Park, etc etc . But it was a truly remarkable place to be especially as London suffered blizzards and Europe suffered worse, while we were (not) suffering with the heat with no ozone layer. Anyhow, so I met up with the gorgeous Simon Curtiss in Tauranga and sweet James Dignan in Dunedin, they both have extensive XTC collections and one also has a Roger Whittaker CD and the other a Wombles CD but I forget which had which. Isn't the net a wonderful tool?! I wrote a nice postcard to Andy himself and told him I was visiting people I had never met before but that I automatically knew would be intelligent and fun (because they are XTC fans) and that such meetings and friendships wouldn't have happened had it not been for this list and that he is to grow up and stop thinking us Chalkies are weird and sad bastards. No I didn't. So. What have I missed? Who's going to sum up the last two months' worth of digests for me in four lines? Any good rows? Any fights? Any e-blood? (If you had a fight on the net would that make it E Positive Blood? And who would be the e-donor?) Anyhow, it's great to be back in THE best place in the world and today has been a gorgeous sunny day in Peckham and I'm playing loads of CDs I bought cheap in Auckland and in LA on the way back because our pound is so strong and I'm suffering jetlag so I'm waffling on a bit - anyhow - thanks for inviting David and I to your houses Simon and James and it was great to meet you both. BELINDA
------------------------------
Message-ID: <3898AC44.DEE0E5FA@tmbg.org>
Date: Wed, 02 Feb 2000 17:14:28 -0500
From: Ben Gott/Loquacious Music <gott@tmbg.org>
Organization: http://listen.to/loquacious
Subject: Minster Venus
Chalkhillers,
I didn't know if I wanted to put the money down for that Minster Hill
CD, until I found:
http://www.mp3.com/MinsterHill
I'd describe their sound as "Jellyfish, if John Linnell sang lead
vocals," 'cos the Minster guy sounds a wee bit like John. Actually, he
sounds exactly like John. "Let's All Sing Our Song" is cute, like
bubblegum. (And, while you're there, why not go to
http://www.mp3.com/BenGott? It'll be fun!)
Also -- CDNow lists "Greenman" as an available single. Does anyone know
what the deal is with this? I thought that TVT/CV decided not to
release it...
-Ben
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
Benjamin Gott . Loquacious Music . Brunswick, ME 04011
AIM: Plan4Nigel . Tel: (207) 721-5366 . http://listen.to/loquacious
Then we'll be as free / As I never really thought that we would be.
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
------------------------------ Message-ID: <006101bf6dd0$d18d8080$675791d2@johnboud> From: "John Boudreau" <aso1@mocha.ocn.ne.jp> Subject: CDU Date: Thu, 3 Feb 2000 07:43:32 +0900 From: "Cerquone, Suzanne" <suzanne.cerquone@umusic.com> >The Sushiman said: > NEVER do business with CD Universe - trust me !<< >>No trust me: do business with them. I have for a few years now and >>never had a problem with them...Sure, recently a hacker managed to >>gain access to all customers' credit card numbers It was NOT the credit card fiasco that caused me to warn all you XTC fans not to deal with them . I , too , never had a problem with CDU , until recently . I will be happy to fill you in if you e-mail me direct . Sushiman
------------------------------ Message-ID: <130CB597E04ED211B2A400104B93AAC47DF813@escorp1.crate.barrel.com> From: "Wiencek, Dan" <dwiencek@crateandbarrel.com> Subject: I got your language right here Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2000 17:03:57 -0600 David Oh lamented, re the surprise appearance of No Language on Freaks n' Geeks: > they didn't even credit the boys at the end of the show, > but joan jett got a credit for the theme song! > > i guess i show be grateful that "no language" was played, but it still > galls me that they don't get the credit they deserve. Well, I don't know how Canadian TV does things, but US TV shows do not customarily list incidental music in the credits (unless, of course, that song appears on the show's soundtrack album). Think of all the numerous tunes that have been heard on The Simpsons, from Radar Love to At Seventeen, with nary a credit. This is contrary to movie credit practice, where (I believe) producers are actually required to list every piece of music that appears in the film. So there, Dan
------------------------------ Message-ID: <20000202230652.84508.qmail@hotmail.com> From: "Duncan Kimball" <dunks58@hotmail.com> Subject: And the winner is .... Date: Wed, 02 Feb 2000 15:06:52 PST David Oh was shocked to learn that: >the Spice Girls are being honoured for lifetime achievement! which evinced the following reaction: >one could be forgiven for asking why our lads (xtc) haven't been so >honoured, but... Pardon me for stating the obvious (when has that ever stopped me?) but ... doesn't it perhaps lead you to think, dear David, that XTC most likely wouldn't give a toss about getting an gong from an institution (I use the word advisedly) that's prepared to hand out Lifetime Achievement Award to The Spice Girls? But to return to the Spice Mines for a moment ... can it be long before we see some *real* establishment recognition for this great British export industry? Lady Posh? ... The Duchess of Scary? ... Viscountess Ginger? ... oh no she defected didn't she? Maybe just an OBE for her, then. Incredulously Dunks
------------------------------ Message-ID: <20000202234220.22769.qmail@web1304.mail.yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2000 15:42:20 -0800 (PST) From: Molly Fanton <mfanton99@yahoo.com> Subject: Don't do CD Universe, Please I Beg You Suzanne wrote: <<>> NEVER do business with CD Universe - trust me !<< No trust me: do business with them. I have for a few years now and never had a problem with them. Sure, recently a hacker managed to gain access to all customers' credit card numbers. I had three on file there and they were all swiped. But CDU reacted quickly and professionally in notifying both myself and my credit card companies. I didn't have to do anything but read an e-mail about the situation--both CDU and my CCs took care of everything else.>> Oh yeah, I going to deal with a place where they steal your credit card. One of my friend's had a hard time with their credit card company because of the recent dealings with them. That's why if I can, I don't use credit cards. I know it takes longer, but you don't know who's lurking around. I do use a debit card sometimes, it still works in a way like a credit card, except the amount gets taken out right away. I only do that if I have to. I'm just wary in giving out my credit card #, no mateter if the site is secure. Molly ===== Molly's Pages http://www.angelfire.com/mn/mollyfa99/index.html
------------------------------ From: fheaney@erols.com Message-ID: <005a01bf6ddf$e47d1340$8cfea4d8@default> Subject: CD Universe? More like CD Black Hole Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2000 19:44:52 -0500 > The Sushiman said: > >> NEVER do business with CD Universe - trust me !<< And Suzanne said: > No trust me: do business with them. And *I* say: No, trust *me*. Never do business with them. I've had nothing but trouble with four orders I placed in December. I ordered them all using a $10 off coupon, and last week the coupon magically vanished from one of my orders and they claimed I owed them $10.91 in addition to the money I'd already sent in. So I called up (waiting on hold forever, of course), they credited me the mysteriously added amount, and I thought it was taken care of. Note that this was the *second* time an inexplicable amount of money had been added to my order ($4.30, several days earlier) and I had to call in to take care of it. Three days later, they once *again* claimed I owed them $10.91. I called yet again. Third time was the charm, and apparently those 2 CDs have finally escaped the intense gravitational pull of CD Universe. Although I got a very good price on the CDs, I don't think it was worth the hell I went through (and I'm still waiting for two other CDs). So just be ready for computer glitches aplenty if you order from them. -- Francis "Even my trousers are giving me pain; they were reduced in a sale so I shouldn't complain." -- The Kinks
------------------------------
Message-Id: <200002030112.UAA17565@nantucket.net>
Date: Wed, 02 Feb 2000 20:10:56 -0800
Subject: Apple Venus 2: Apple Venus with a vengance
From: "Diamond" <arnos@nantucket.net>
There's another thing that I meant to bring up about the fact that some
people are worried about the packaging of AV2 being too much like AV1... I
always figured that, after a couple months, maybe three or four, of having
AV2 out, they would stop making 1 and 2 seperate, and create just Apple
Venus, a two disc set... this seems to make sense to me. I mean, seeing as
that was how Apple Venus was supposed to be in the first place. Plus, if
they added something special to the two-disk set, like extra liner notes,
we'd all buy it again, and they would get more money! At any rate, this
would obliterate the problem with people confusing the two albums, and we
could all stop worrying and get a little sleep, confident in the fact that
XTC will reach another persons ears without them having to think to hard or
actually read the title of the disk. Ahem.
Kevin Diamond
____________________________________________________________________________
"She thinks she's Edith Head,
But you might know she's not
the accent in her speach
she didn't have growing up."
-John Flansburgh/They Might be Giants
------------------------------ From: galore@writemail.com Message-Id: <00020221390385.27578@weba7.iname.net> Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2000 21:39:03 -0500 (EST) Subject: Howdy! Hi all Thanks so much for all you friendly greetings sorry I didn't get back to you all right away I haven't been well lately. Thanks again. Gwen
------------------------------
Message-Id: <3.0.2.32.20000202221629.0072dcb8@pop3.passport.ca>
Date: Wed, 02 Feb 2000 22:16:29 -0500
From: David Oh <davidoh@passport.ca>
Subject: the poop on "freaks & geeks"
not that i'm an expert, because monday night was the only time i have
watched this show, but here's the poop on "freaks & geeks". i know this
because i'm an entertainment junkie and i read about tv, movies and music
every day, so i know a little bit about a little bit...
it is supposed to take place in the early 1980s, either 1980 or 1981 - not
sure which, so the use of this particular xtc song is not anachronistic, as
stephanie takashita speculated. it mostly takes place at an american high
school and revolves around a family that has a "freak" daughter and a
"geek" son.
the episode in question had a scene where the school's gym teacher and his
favourite jock are picking players for a softball game. of course, both are
picking all the best jocks first and ignoring the "geeks". one "geek" in
particular is taking exception to this activity and so the music ("no
language in our lungs" for those not paying attention) is playing to
discribe how the "geek" is feeling about being passed over and not being
able to say how he feels about it. as an aside, even "the fat kid" gets
picked before this particular "geek".
as entertainment, i found the show to be a little too "safe", a little too
"warm and fuzzy", with the inevitable "happy ending" that left me feeling
kind of empty. why is it that the story lines on tv shows have to be
resolved by the end of the show? i mean, sometimes things never get
resolved in real life... ah, fuggedaboudit!
anyway, that's all i know about the show. it was very cool that they chose
that song and i, too, wondered who on the show had the wisdom to select it.
hopefully, we'll hear more xtc on other shows as people slowly discover the
wonderful music that they have made. i still hold out hope for them.
btw, despite being an admitted entertainment junkie, i do not, i repeat, i
*do not* watch that bloody awful "entertainment tonight". ugh! hock-ptooey!
peace & xtc,
davidoh
------------------------------ Message-Id: <200002030532.VAA00007@swan.prod.itd.earthlink.net> Date: Wed, 02 Feb 2000 21:29:08 -0800 Subject: Greenman's roots From: "Russ Reynolds" <rcreation@earthlink.net> I finally picked up a copy of the Hollies Greatest Hits the other day and was somewhat taken aback when I heard their song "King Midas In Reverse". Seems obvious to me that Greenman was inspired by this tune, whether subconciously or not. Anyone else hear this? -russ
------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.2.32.20000203002213.006e4ee8@pop3.passport.ca> Date: Thu, 03 Feb 2000 00:22:13 -0500 From: David Oh <davidoh@passport.ca> Subject: lifetime achievement, continued i dunno, maybe it's me, but lifetime achievement means a life-long contribution to something. like, say, music, f'rinstance... the beatles would be worthy of such an honour (hopefully, they have been so honoured). elvis presley, frank sinatra, tony bennett, too. hell, there's a list as long as my... um, er, arm as to those who would be worthy recipients of lifetime achievement in music. come to think of it, xtc has been around for 25 years now, so there's a lifetime of achievement and contribution to the music industry. but the spice girls? the spice girls have been on the music scene, what? 5 years, tops? that's a lifetime? how many albums have they recorded? how many of those albums contained songs written by any of the spiced-ones. how many of those songs feature their instrumental prowess (musical, not otherwise), too. what, in other words, is the criteria for determining lifetime achievement and what, indeed, is a lifetime considered to be, lengthwise. i think someone, somewhere, should look up the meaning, because their numbers just don't add up to very much. ok, so one could argue that the beatles were "only" a recording act for 7 or 8 years, but in that short time, they recorded something like 300 songs, the majority of which were self-penned titles. they played most of the instruments on those recordings. another argument could be that, although they've been around for 25 years, xtc have "only" released 11 albums of original material in that time. however, they wrote virtually all of those songs and played most of the instruments on those recordings, too. it seems to me that the music industry has its collective heads up their own asses (up each other's asses?), or they are all suffering from alzheimer's. perhaps it's all the marijuana smoked by the industry causing long-term memory loss? on second though, i don't want to open up that thread again... perhaps it's time i gave up on this thread and move on, but it just irks me something awful that the music biz is so myopic, insular and just plain vapid! i'm sure it's only going to get worse... and that's all i will say about the spice girls and awards within the same context! peace & xtc, davidoh
------------------------------ Message-Id: <200002030522.VAA05873@goose.prod.itd.earthlink.net> Date: Wed, 02 Feb 2000 21:15:07 -0800 Subject: ba bum da dum, ba dada doo......Ladybird From: "Jeannie" <venusnvy@earthlink.net> Well i've done it again. I was in the middle of doin' laundry & I just had to put Ladybird on and, for the hundreth time, throw off the shoes & twirl & spin around my living room with complete reckless abandonment. My neighbors probably think I've lost it, & I think they're right. Is there a support group for this? (they seem have one for everything else): "Hi, I'm Jeannie & I'm a Ladybird-oholic, & I'm powerless over my Ladybird-oholism." I don't know what it is ..maybe the jazzy chords, Andy's singing, the lyrics, or a combination. I need a life! Does anyone know of a cure...then again, I'm not sure..do I really want to be cured? Do any of us? --jeannie
------------------------------ Message-Id: <l03130300b4becd8aeada@[165.227.110.102]> Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2000 23:05:57 -0800 From: Richard Pedretti-Allen <richard@tactics.com> Subject: Missed it by thaaaaaaaaaaaaat much KFOG, the number one San Francisco Bay Area radio station for the 25 to 54 age bracket, according to the Arbitron Summer Ratings Book, listed XTC's Apple Venus, Volume 1 at #71 of their top 99 for 1999. I won't EVEN begin to talk about some of the waste of good plastic that occupied spots 2 through 70. There is some great stuff up there but there are TOO many lame or untried CDs up there to open a debate, especially in THIS forum. It does certainly look like they played favorites to the artists who donated goods and performances to their various fundraisers. This may be a case of "The only thing worse than being on their list is NOT being on their list." but XTC seems to have received a fair amount of press for the release. If that hasn't turned into record sales, they simply need better promo people. I'm optimistic that the guitar-driven songs of AV, v2 will be better received. XTC made their point. Now it's time to dance (and not that Grateful Dead flail-floating that you were doing to Greenman and Knights In Shining Karma). Cheers, Richard ...Knights In Shining Karmann Ghias?
------------------------------ From: JEFFREY.THOMAS.JT@bayer-ag.de Subject: Rainy Day People Message-Id: <0006800019855787000002L072*@MHS> Date: Thu, 3 Feb 2000 08:23:04 +0100 "Kreideberger", Something in the past few Chalkhills really struck a chord with me. Digitalmaster worried: >I am just scared that they are going to completely break up soon. >Think about it, there are only 2 of them left now. Nicole answered: >Good bands evolve. In doing so, these bands will lose some >fans and gain some fans. Inevitably, good bands die. When XTC >decides to call it quits, its members will have left the world >with some wonderful music that it can always enjoy. >Be happy with that. Be happy you can appreciate the same music >you liked as a teen. Be happy your taste in music has evolved >with time. I've looked at this from both sides now, from up and down, and still somehow, I hope the dark clouds I keep recalling are only illusions. You see, when I think positively, I have to say: Digital, buddy, Nicole is right. Relax, nothing's happened yet, and as for an eventual breakup, we can fall off that bridge when we get to it. Until then, worry about more important stuff -- like your name, for instance. "Digitalmaster" is almost as weird as "Moon Unit". But there are other days: I, too, often worry about XTC. I remember when the Beatles broke up -- I was devastated. I remember when John Lennon died (a day so eloquently recalled by a number of Chalkhillers a few months back) -- I was devastated. Why? I mean, as John himself said, it's only a rock 'n roll band, it's not like it's something really important. But yes, it IS -- I love music and I LOVED their music. It is important, no, *essential* to me as a person, I *need* it to be happy! Over the years, I've tried to find other music of equal impact. Some of the bands self-destructed (Police, Talking Heads, maybe Genesis), some lost their way (Squeeze, Dire Straits, also Genesis), some never really lived up to their initial promise (Cars, maybe Garbage) or couldn't keep developing after finally realizing their potential (Crowded House). So what is left for me to really, really enjoy is very little, scattered about in all sorts of categories: Peter Gabriel, Beautiful South, James Taylor (even if he is a spoiled rich kid, as one relative of his here on the 'Hills reported), a couple of others, ... and *XTC*. The problem with XTC is many-faceted. One, they are phlegmatic from the start. Two, they do seem to be falling like flies, and yes, the last fly, Colin, has also been known to hate Andy at times -- as does just about everyone Andy gets closer to, for some reason (the "lasting and flawless love" thing goes further than just the simple boy-girl aspects!). But XTC keep on moving on, developing and maturing and changing their music. And I always think: What can they do now? How can they top this? Can they continue moving on? Will they be satisfied if they don't? "AV2" could be a real test of this, because although it will almost certainly be a brilliant bit of pop music, it may not "move on". Will they be happy with this, particularly if it becomes a trend and the next album** also "stays put"? I don't know, and I worry about it! (Somehow, "Dying" comes to mind: "I don't want to die like you".) ** What'll it be: "Love for Armor"? "Dandelion's Roar"? "Sunflower"? "Trivial Things"? "Swirling Sky"? "Moon in Hand"? "Climb Aboard"? Of course, as the Germans say, this may all just be "schwarz an die Wand malen" (painting the wall black; Biblical origin, I think, probably the Menetekel), which roughly translates in this case to something along the lines of "every silver lining has a dark cloud". But nevertheless, although I share Nicole's sentiments and accept them as statements of truth and logic, I have to ask: what does logic have to do with love? (Why is it that when you lose a loved one, even the most sensible, logical, best-meant condolences ["It was probably better this way, at least he isn't in any pain" or whatever] don't help?) I love XTC, I don't want no logic here! Maybe I'm just down... "A good day ain't got no rain, a bad day's when I lie in bed and think of things that might've been" -- or *might be*, I guess. It *is* raining and grey today. So I'll try to cheer up and listen to "Then She Appeared" or "Garden of Earthly Delights". But Digital, I know where you're coming from. - Jeff
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #6-24 ******************************
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