Chalkhills Digest Volume 6, Issue 251
Date: Wednesday, 23 August 2000
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 6, Number 251
Wednesday, 23 August 2000
Topics:
Standing in for Steely Dan
RE: Revolution
2 cents worth
ES, concerts, etc.
XTC at Emerald City
You mean I gotta pay for this?
eat my dust, bad song fans!
Beatles, Jackson, Xtc and John
XTC Clearout!!!
Concert List-me-do oh lordy!
bled any good rooks lately?
And yet more guitars!
Time for some digital remasters
The words got in the way
It's ...
Agony & X T C - A major motion picture.....
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 22 Aug 2000 18:33:42 -0400 From: "Lee Lovingood" <leelovingood@earthlink.com> Subject: Standing in for Steely Dan Message-ID: <001601c00c89$07eb7c20$6676b23f@8urfc> Hello Chalkies! For those of you who have been on this list for some time, you may remember me. If not, you can always search the archives and peruse some of my rants from many years ago. Anyway, my comment/question is this.... Has any one else here noticed the similarities between "Standing In For Joe" and Steely Dan's "Barrytown"? Not only that, but there are guitar licks interspersed throughout 'Wasp Star' which are very reminiscent of Jeff 'Skunk' Baxters licks with the aforementioned rock and roll Gods? Any comments? Man, it is good to be back amongst you beautiful people!! "...but it's the wonders I perform, pulling rabbits outta hats, when sometimes i'd prefer somebody to wear them".
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 22 Aug 2000 17:12:03 -0700 From: "William Dell Wisner" <wisner@gratuitous.com> Subject: RE: Revolution Message-ID: <EDEGLIPFAAKDLAKLOOPHOEIECAAA.wisner@gratuitous.com> > For instance, he doesn't make money from all those Phillips > Electronics commercials that use "Getting Better All The Time," > as performed by some nameless studio hacks. That would be Gomez, actually a rather entertaining band.
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 22 Aug 2000 18:17:51 -0600 From: "Steve Johnson" <sjohnson@co.missoula.mt.us> Subject: 2 cents worth Message-ID: <s9a2c3e8.006@mail.co.missoula.mt.us> Chalkoids: This is my first post. Happy to be of service. I'm guessing that XTC never came close to Missoula, MT when they toured, so I wish I could say I saw them when I had the chance. But I don't want my first post to be a lie. I don't think concerts, artists, albums or songs should ranked and scored like gymnasts at the Olympics, so I'll approach it this way... Some Pretty Good Concerts: James Taylor, Paramount Theater, Seattle King Crimson, Paramount Theater, Seattle Peter Gabriel, Paramount Theater, Seattle Jethro Tull, Adams Field House, Missoula, MT First Concert: Chicago, Adams Field House, Missoula, MT Hey, I Was Only 13: Bachman-Turner Overdrive/The Guess Who, Adams Field House, Missoula, MT Why did I eat those shrooms?: The Doobie Brothers/Ambrosia, Adams Field House, Missoula, MT Most boring: Fleetwood Mac/The Grateful Dead, Adams Field House, Missoula, MT Wish I could see: No one. I agree completely with Andy Partridge. I've never been to a concert that wasn't a big disappointment on some level. I could care less if I never see another one. (Okay, I'd see Joe Jackson if he came to town.) Just give me some new XTC to digest every couple of years and I will be one happy Montana camper (as soon as this damn smoke clears). Cheers!
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 22 Aug 2000 21:35:59 +0000 From: Scott Barnard <gforsche@videotron.ca> Subject: ES, concerts, etc. Message-ID: <"001501c00c80$f6c18a00$70b7c818"@oemcomputer.videotron.ca> I've quite enjoyed the posts regarding the Early/Mature XTC and have nodded yes-yes many times at the various insights, particularily those of Derek Miner. However, I would like to over-simplify the issue by categorically stating that the Mature XTC begins at the precise moment that Dave's 12-string chimes in on "Senses Working Overtime". So there. Concerts.... First: Elvis Costello/Nick Lowe & Rockpile, 1978. It's all a wonderful blur. Best: The Clash/Undertones, 1979. The Voice of God through Marshall stacks. Worst: Black Sabbath, 1981. This was with Ronnie James Dio, and they actually managed to fuck-up "Paranoid". Ghastly. Worst crowd: XTC, 1980. The downtown poseurs wanted British punk (this is '80, mind) and they didn't get it. Most disappointing: The Jam, 1982. Past their prime, lousy venue, worse crowd, Weller couldn't have cared less. What was I thinking?: Bob Dylan/The Alarm, 1988. After three or four minutes one could usually figure out what song Zimmy was playing. Shortest: Ozzy Osbourne, 1981. Perfunctory run through five or six songs from his debut plus two or three predictable Sabbath covers equals: Thirty-eight minutes. Ozzy muttered something about stomach pains, but we, the fans, knew better. Support blows away headliner: At the aforementioned Sabbath gig, noted Woodstock watermelon-juggler Alvin Lee (yes,really) put on a solid blues-rock show which featured the sadly under-appreciated Mick Taylor of Stones fame. Worst Headliner/Support combination: David Gilmour/The Icicle Works, 1984. I quite liked the 'Works, but to team a new-wave band with an Actual Member Of The Floyd in prog-rock-central (that would be Montreal) is pure and simple sadism. Wish I could have been there: Queen/Thin Lizzy, 1976. My brother gave me a ticket but Mum said no. Fuck. Finally, I would like to assure Roger Fuller that Bono's messianic tendencies were not limited to Europe in the late '80's. I saw more or less the same gimmick here in the colonies in '85. S.
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 22 Aug 2000 22:26:48 EDT From: KINGSTUNES@aol.com Subject: XTC at Emerald City Message-ID: <c.9c0a9e6.26d49068@aol.com> >Please recall that Michael Jackson owns (still, I believe) the Beatles >back publishing catalog.... >From what I understand, MJ has rights to the performances-as-recorded, >which is one of the reasons there was such a hullaballoo over the Nike >commercial (you were right the first time), I thought he sold the catalogue to Sony? To pay his legal bills? Anyone know? ********************** >Best-- XTC__Emerald City, Cherry Hill NJ 1981 Oh, my God! You were there! I couldn't go, Dammmittt!!!!!! I did see some other shows there. One of the funniest was the Cramps. A friend of mine saw the Cramps there on another occasion when the opening band was a group called the Sick F**ks. He said they had a midget guitar player, and all you could see from the back of the room was the headstock dancing back and forth over the crowd! I also caught the Go Go's there, as well as a lot of local acts. I missed a lot of acts that year because I was playing 5-6 nights a week most of the time. I missed a couple of opportunities to catch XTC. Oh, well. That Police concert I mentioned was at the Liberty Bell Race Track, '81. The Specials, The Go Gos, Oingo Boingo to name a few. The Ramones played in Margate? Get out! I wonder if OMBEAN remembers a club in Egg Harbor City called the Omni. In the mid-eighties they featured a lot of formerly big musicians. I saw what was supposed to be the Iron Butterfly, but it was really Mike Pinera from the last lineup with four kids. He'd introdued each song like some DJ - "And then we did..." The most pathetic moment was him announcing "our biggest song, was, of course..." and they went in to In A Gadda Da Vida. No one on stage was on the recording. Pathetic. But the beer was cheap. However, I also saw Robin Trower there. Here was a man that sold out stadiums, and he's playing to a crowd of about 200. I'm 10 ft. from the stage! And it was F**king Great!!! ****************** Another great concert I forgot to list - King Crimson, the Discipline tour. That is probably my favorite Crimson album to date, and the show was just fantastic. Another was Zappa at the War Memorial in Trenton, circa Bongo Fury. Captain Beefheart was with him, and Zappa would do stuff like kick him while he lay on the ground in a red striped polo shirt and a sailors hat, playing the harmonica. Aside from that craziness, it was a great show, but a little long. They did do Inca Roads! George Duke was there! Funny, I never took a girl to see someone to impress her. It had to be someone I had to see! So that's why I never got laid on a concert night..... ************** Al A Bobbit chimes in... >SNIP! > [Jeff] Beck < >Ahem. >Al S'matter? Jeff's isn't big enough? D'oh! ;-) ************ Later, Chalkers! I'm off to the Philly Folk Fest! (to get laid or something....) Tom Dooley "I'm off to join the circus, Dad!" - KG
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 22 Aug 2000 22:37:03 -0400
From: MinerWerks <dminer@gte.net>
Subject: You mean I gotta pay for this?
Message-ID: <a04310100b5c8ce162fcb@[63.25.149.195]>
Jeff Eason wrote:
>I gotta disagree with Joe Hartley on his view on promo discs. His logic
>about "hosing" the artists by buying promos is somewhat illogical. His
>first point is that no money goes to the artist when you purchase a promo.
>Well, that is true but is also true of all USED LPs and CDs. Does he
>suggest we stop looking for bargains? This music junkie will continue to
>get music where he can.
I think Joe's point there was that if you buy a genuinely used disc,
the artist got something for it when it was originally purchased. I
agree with you, however, that buying used music is a big part of life
for a "music junkie" like myself with over 800 CDs... The market is
FLOODED with product, and asking $13 to $18 for a disc by anyone but
an huge "name" artist is ridiculous. Does that mean I NEVER pay this
much? Of course not, but you gotta really tempt me... A smart move, I
think, is to put low list prices on discs by developing artists or
people who don't "shift the units" as much. I bought the first Eels
album NEW for less than $7. Some labels continue to do this type of
thing, but not nearly often enough.
>I've worked at several radio stations and the big labels just send out
>their latest discs regardless of the station's format.
>I feel it is better that these promo discs end up in the Used Bins than to
>gather dust in the closets of radio stations, record stores, and magazine
>offices. If a buyer likes the disc he is likely to buy others by that
>musician or play the disc for his friends. In a very real sense, that's
>what those promos are meant to do. I can't begin to count the number of
>bands I took a risk on because their used disc was $3 as opposed to a new
>one at $15.
I worked at a Peaches record store for a while, and I also did
college radio for a brief stint back in 1994/95. When I was in these
positions, I utilized promotional releases to the fullest, not to get
a lot of free music for myself, but to expose myself and others to
lots of different artists. So I think that in some circumstances,
promos CAN do what they're meant to do, but I don't know if labels
are even trying to do this right anymore.
While we're on the subject of free music/getting paid for your
music/stupid labels, I've been wanting to share a couple comments I
read in Entertainment Weekly about the whole Napster debate. EW went
right to some recording artists to get some interesting quotes.
In one corner, representing the musician trying to make a living is
Don Henley, who said:
"Stealing is stealing. The whole antiquated hippie notion about music
being free is really an insult to me, because it implies that what I
do is not a real job, just a hobby."
Ben Folds is representing the "hippie" view, I suppose:
"Music is for everybody. When people get excited about it, whether
from hearing it on the radio, borrowing a record from a friend, or
accessing it through Napster, they buy records and come out to shows."
Chuck D makes a point about the motives of the record labels:
"Here's an industry that once prided itself on basking in the
enthusiasm of its fans. Now that the fans have gotten ahold of the
technology first, you're seeing its real colors.... Stopping the
process of file sharing is like trying to control the rain."
And lastly, a comment from Duncan Sheik,
"At the end of the day, all of these informational mediums (music,
film, books) are going to be free. This injunction is a temporary
stopgap. As artists, we're going to have to find different ways of
creating revenue streams for ourselves."
When Napster first started coming up on the list, I didn't have a
whole lot of problems with it, but after hearing some very strong
anti-Napster words in the list, I started to reconsider. I chose the
above quotes because I see validity in *all* of them. As with any
issue, there are people who would prefer things to stay the way they
are, and others who think there are unlimited possibilities in
change. At this point, trying to avoid change, as Chuck D suggests,
is pointless. Basically, I think we're past the point of arguing
about whether using Napster is right. How to deal with it is the most
imporant thing now. Which brings us to Duncan Sheik's comment.
Artists are going to have to really think hard about how they
generate revenue for themselves.
But record labels are not off the hook completely. I've always felt
that the best way to keep people interested in your product is to
evolve it and try new things. Movie studios learned this when they
stopped battling home video and began finding ways to exploit it. A
great example of this is the introduction of DVD - an example that
the music industry should heed. DVD is, for now, the "killer app,"
and it will keep piracy down for the time being. For one thing, no
matter what the MPAA is whining about, making perfect digital copies
of movies and sharing them with people is nowhere near as possible as
Napster. Secondly, DVDs add something unique to the home video
experience. The presentation is more creative, more interactive. It
adds a new angle, a new dimension, to the product that is not easily
pirated. Where is the next evolution of music? Musicians and record
companies better be coming up with some damn good and creative ideas
for utilizing new media. If the upcoming launch of DVD-Audio produces
nothing but a bunch of rehashed CDs with nothing new added, I predict
the format will fail miserably.
- - - - - -
* Oh, no! Not more concerts!! * (YES!! [evil laugh])
Roger Fuller wrote:
>The upshot of all this is, as Mr P has told us, and I concur: despite
>everyone's best hopes and wishes, concerts are a bare approximation of what
>you hear on record. Such bands as Queen may sound impressive on record, but
>live, w/o the overdubs, they were abysmal. Some may say XTC's best music was
>back when Andy and Colin wrote their tunes to be easily reproducible live,
>but I dunno... w/ all the overdubbing, I agree that it is better to create
>an aural sculpture. And stay home and lead semi-normal lives.
This is somewhat true. I have had my share of abysmal moments
listening to crappy performances by seemingly "competent" bands
(Everclear comes to mind... I couldn't even tell what they were
playing). The concerts I have enjoyed the most, however, are the ones
where you get an experience you can't get listening to the record at
home. Ben Folds Five, They Might Be Giants and some others I've seen
will make up stuff or do songs you can't buy. And some people are
just full of showmanship. This is why I considered "Weird Al"
Yankovic to have such an entertaining show. There were costume
changes, short films and improvised bits in the show. Other people
like those bombastic "light show" tours that someone like Pink Floyd
puts on ("It was like a helicopter was flying around the stadium!
Dude!")... Or on the extreme opposite end, I also like seeing bands
that have a very specific niche following, because often you can hang
out with them. I've hung out backstage with The Muffs a couple times,
and my friend Renee hung out backstage with Soul Coughing once.
The worst combination, in my opinion, is something like the time I
saw R.E.M. I was really looking forward to seeing this show, because
by the time I found out about the band, they hadn't toured since 1989
or 1990... Buying the tickets was a nightmare (I mistakenly thought
using a credit card on the phone would be easier and faster)... then
getting to the show and being what seemed like a mile away from the
band in a giant stadium (the Tampa Bay Devil Rays play there now)...
it was impersonal and not exciting in the least, because the band and
the show were somewhat low key. If I had seen them in a smaller
venue, even a concert hall size one, it would have been so much more
entertaining.
Since everyone is enjoying the concert thread so much, I thought I'd
throw in a couple other bits:
"Wish I'd been there" show: Would have been cool to be in the studio
with XTC during one of their Acoustic Radio Tour gigs.
Stupidest concert decision: Driving by a FREE outdoor concert by
Violent Femmes on an afternoon where I had no plans and deciding NOT
to stop. This is surpassed, however, by my roomate's decision to buy,
in advance, a ticket to a Stereolab show and then stay home just
because he didn't want to go by himself.
Most fanboyish concert moment: Seeing They Might Be Giants in St.
Petersburg, FL then driving two hours the next day to see them again
in Orlando.
Longest trip for a concert: Drove from Orlando, FL to Atlanta, GA to
see The Muffs. (I chronicled this trip on my website, if anyone's
interested...)
Best sampler of artists: 1998 WHFS HFStival in Washington DC. Got to
visit a friend, take in the city and spend a whole day seeing bands
good, bad and ugly.
= Derek "it's hip, it's cool, it's... a minute and twenty-three
seconds!" Miner =
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 22 Aug 2000 19:48:27 -0700 (PDT) From: Tyler Hewitt <tahewitt@yahoo.com> Subject: eat my dust, bad song fans! Message-ID: <20000823024827.6264.qmail@web2105.mail.yahoo.com> You want a BAD song? how about this: The Rappin' Duke Remember that one? Mid '80's novelty song, some guy doing a bad John Wayne impression while RAPPING? Yes, it's as horrid as you're thinking.
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2000 00:09:56 EDT From: WTDK@aol.com Subject: Beatles, Jackson, Xtc and John Message-ID: <73.6425ea2.26d4a894@aol.com> In a message dated 8/22/00 9:18:43 AM Pacific Daylight Time, <owner-chalkhills@chalkhills.org> writes: > From what I understand, MJ has rights to the performances-as-recorded, > which is one of the reasons there was such a hullaballoo over the Nike > commercial (you were right the first time), which used the actual > Beatles track. However, he has long since sold the publishing of those > songs to Sony. For instance, he doesn't make money from all those > Phillips Electronics commercials that use "Getting Better All The Time," > as performed by some nameless studio hacks. Actually, Jackson sold a 50% stake of the songs to Sony. He doesn't own the performances as recorded. EMI/Apple (depending upon whether they are older or recently recovered recordings) own the rights to the original recordings. That's why there was such a big deal about it at the time--Emi had consented to the use of the Beatles' Revolution recording (the single b side version) without consulting the Beatles. The relations between EMI & the fab three became frosty at that point (which is, I believe while McCartney was releasing his MPL recordings through Columbia at the time. At that time Sony hadn't purchased the 50% stake). So the band had no say in the matter. Jackson, however, still has control of the songs and has allowed them to be used in commercials while paying the Beatles their 1969 royalty rate. That's why McCartney is so miffed at Jackson. Jackson's making millions more off their songs than he is as the author (source--Yesterday & Today by the late writer Ray Coleman). Speaking of royalties--now that the Xtc has "paid off" Virgin (and with the change of management in the last 7 years) perhaps there is a chance that the demos project at Virgin can allow them to renegotiate their royalty arrangement. Re: Kingtunes' last bit--I forgot to mention that George Martin would "suggest" a melodic phrase for George's solo after listening to what George had prepared. He didn't always suggest another but did so quite a bit in the band's early days (a good example of Martin's solo suggestion for A Hard Day's Night--which was played on both piano and guitar). I suppose my point was that with enough study it's possible Harrison could have learned that style of guitar--but it was clearly out of his area of expertise. The difference that was pointed out between Dave and Andy's abilities as guitarist was apt. Both are inspired and very interesting but in very different ways. Dave (based on his Remoulds CD) can play a variety of styles with skill and expertise. Andy, while limited as guitarist, can play some truly inspired bits as well but lacks the technical ability to play some of the more difficult stuff. Could he do it? It's possible with enough practice that he could. Now that that has run its course on to other important matters... Wayne
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2000 09:52:29 +0100 From: Giles Ward <hhc.cw.g@netcomuk.co.uk> Subject: XTC Clearout!!! Message-ID: <39A390CB.4B47870E@netcomuk.co.uk> Just a quick note to say I've just posted a list of XTC and XTC related items on to Chalkhills classifieds that I'm selling off... or wish to trade. Go take a look! Cheers Giles
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2000 12:33:03 +0100 From: Adrian Ransome <Adrian.Ransome@tsi-ltd.co.uk> Subject: Concert List-me-do oh lordy! Message-ID: <497FEA72C392D3118AE700508B7311776C627B@NT4SERVER03> First concert- Barclay James Harvest @ local ABC cinema around 1973 Dragged along by Prog-head big bro. Impressed with Woolly Wolstenholme's Mellotron. Most Painful Gig - Rush @ Wembley Arena (Red Balls tour) Replace Alex Lifeson's guitar with hot knitting needles in eardrums for at-home recreation of said gig. Why Am I Here Gig - Sunday @ Reading 1991(?) : Missed Blur & Teenage Fanclub on previous day, didn't mind Godfathers, hated Gangstarr, Neds Atomic Dustbin & Sisters of Mercy...missed Kitchens of Distinction whilst queuing for loos. Unbearably hot with high pollen levels to aggravate my untreated hayfever. Early in the day one of my contact lenses ripped in half & I spent rest of the day seeing everything half-blurred through a vale of tears. Travelled home in a Renault 19 with a failing front wheel bearing, expecting to be smashed at high speed against motorway Armco at any given moment. Driver fell asleep at the wheel halfway home. High spot - John Peel enthusiastically announcing Alain Prost had won the French Grand Prix to the complete indifference of the crowd. Most Disappointing - Jesus Jones @ Cambridge Corn Exchange (Doubt Tour) : The samplers went down 15 minutes into the show, the backup samplers went down 2 seconds later. After ten minutes watching BarryD kicking his keyboard gear, the band played a couple of songs then walked off. Best Gig - Tied between Neil Finn @ Nottingham, REM @ Nottingham (Green tour) and Genesis @ NEC 1983 (purely for pre-Six of The Best dry run of Supper's Ready) Weirdest Gig - Pop Will Eat Itself / Wonderstuff @ Aston Villa Sports & Social Club (Hup Tour) : Clint Poppie had broken his leg & was strapped into a wheelchair onto the forks of a forklift truck. Cue much Clint-type headbanging at top of forklift's reach causing forklift to almost topple into the crowd. Worst Gig - Yes @ NEC (90215 tour) where the Poodle Rock and Prog Rock planets collided. They did redeem themselves somewhat by showing Warner Bros cartoons before they came onstage. Kicking myself for missing - any XTC (natch), Cardiacs playing Cambridge Strawberry Fair not 100 yards from my then place of work about 15 minutes after my shift finished (cue interplanetarily heard D'oh!). I can't believe I knew the soundman for that gig and utterly failed to get any kind of special access to one of my favourite bands through him. Adrian *Won't the real Slim Shady please SHUT UP!!*
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2000 00:43:57 -0600 From: "Joseph Easter" <easter2000@earthlink.net> Subject: bled any good rooks lately? Message-ID: <000901c00ccd$84232a60$36730a3f@default> How to convert the uninitiated? Simple... Take one 110 minute audio tape. On the first side, make a fun mix. Splice little commentaries like Eddie Murphy (ala 1983) imitating Jackie Gleason having anal sex. Have fun, no xtc at all, and then... For the next side, do this... All Along the Watchtower Making Plans for Nigel Respectable Street Senses Working Overtime/Grass/Love on a Farmboy's Wages Medley Wonderland This World Over Mermaid Smiled (anyone worth their mettle already owns Skylarking) Extrovert Brainiac's Daughter King for a Day The Dissapointed Easter Theatre Knights in Shining Karma In Another Life (Eddie Murphy imitating Mr. T's anal intercourse) This has worked for me everytime. Most of these tracks are rather commercial and well known but it seems to get me mates interested in anal sex and XtC. Joseph Easter
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2000 03:24:33 EDT From: KINGSTUNES@aol.com Subject: And yet more guitars! Message-ID: <be.86efcf3.26d4d631@aol.com> >I suppose my point was that George's guitar playing skills (which I >frequently hear being slagged) was quite an accomplished player within his >own style. It's really the same as my point. Within his style. The Beatles were extremely talented musicians, and are not given the credit due, because they, as well as most rock musicians, are too often erroneously compared to musicians of a much higher degree of technical accomplishment. What people who do this don't get is that it means nothing, because the music they produced was brilliant in it's own right and did not rely on such technical prowess. The public understood this. They loved them, and rightly so, and they became who they did in the scheme of things with no need to feel ashamed about their abilities. They were about songs, arranging, recording, and connecting with their fans. Paul couldn't play like Jaco, but Jaco could never do what Paul did. Ringo couldn't play like Billy Cobham, Yet Cobham could never pull off a rockabilly swing like Ringo. And so on. And no instrumentalist, no matter, how acomplished, can pull off the rarest and most ephemerally wonderful art of all, writing an incredible song. Songs speak more to the listener than any other musical art. Songs are the framework for all music. And what the Beatles did so well was write songs, and make their instrumental performances serve and enhance the final recording of the songs. The other point to make here is that rock music was very much in it's childhood when the Beatles hit. NOBODY was playing like Van Halen or whatever in rock in the early sixties. The seeds of virtuoso rock playing could be found in some of the better rockabilly players of the fifties and the blues players in England in the early sixties. George was an exceptionally good player for the time, but was eventually surpassed technically by the end of the decade by the likes of Page, Clapton, Hendrix and so forth, even AS he matured and improved himself. The sixties were unbelievably rapid in musical change, maturity and growth. Prior to the sixties ascendence of popular grassroots garage rock, accomplished instrumental musicianship was in the province of classical and jazz players. These folks, who spent a tremendous amount of time honing their skills, were quite contemptuous of rock & roll, and for good reason (at the time). "Kids" who could "barely play" were being revered and made stars. Surely it was just a fad, and people would come to their senses eventually and come back to "real" music. What they missed was that these kids were making music for other kids, and that no matter what generation is happening there will be musical cleverness and genius and it will come out, just as it did in rock. And rock as a popular style had an entire generation by the balls. It still does! As time passed, musicans who sought a more accomplished instrumental style found their niche in rock, so that by the end of the seventies there were players who were light years ahead technically than the players of the sixties, to the point that they could play at the technical level of the pre-rock musicians. Yet none of this diminishes the accomplishments of the Beatles as song writers or as players. >Your point is well taken, though as each guitar player (or bass player or >drummer...) has their moments. No doubt I probably over reacted ( I have a >good friend who has never listened to the Beatles because their music is too >"simplistic" so I'm always willing to defend them- It's OK. I've been defending them for nearly thirty years. And I'm a classically trained musician! (Although I'm really a wolf in sheep's clothing. I've always been a rocker at heart. Classical was just a foot in the door at college). Your friend is denying himself the joy of their music, and the joy of music altogether, if his criteria is "complexity". He should just lighten up and enjoy something because it makes him FEEL a certain way. Fuck execution. Art is about moving people emotionally. If a musician does not serve this greater goal, no matter their level of ability, then he/she is a phony. Period. And the Beatles were not phonies. And we all know how XTC does it to us!!!!!!! That's why we're all here! BTW, thanks so much for your kind comments! ***************** However, from technical point of view, I stand 100% behind my comments. NONE of the folks I mentioned could cut that lick. I know, truth hurts. Oh, well! :-) ************************** Tawk amungst your selves. See ya in a week! Tom (Are you alright? Then stop slapping me!) K "Your heart is the big box of paints, and love is the canvass we're dealt"
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2000 11:53:29 +0100 From: "Stephen Jackson" <smj@zen.co.uk> Subject: Time for some digital remasters Message-ID: <002301c00cf0$a2409640$101017d4@smj> Steve wrote >Nope. The only XTC version of 'Dear God' that I have is on Fossil Fuel (and >it was the prime reason that I bought the compilation at all, normally I >don't bother), Fair enough. But another good reason for buying 'Fossil Fuel' is the fact that it's been digitally remastered, and as a consequence sounds fantastic. I defy anyone with a pair of ears not to notice how much better the early singles (i.e. up to Skylarking) sound on the compilation. Put it this way, play "Sgt Rock" on Fossil Fuel and then play the version on the Virgin cd reissue of Black Sea and realise how utterly shite the Black Sea Cd actually *sounds* (Flame Disclaimer: I'm not saying Black Sea is shite. I'm saying it could sound a lot better..) Surely it's about time XTC had a good set of remasters...All original artwork, with any extra tracks tagged to the end of the albums, rather than being stuck in the middle. The recordings deserve some justice... Steve. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ They use the head and not the fist.
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2000 08:11:38 +0100 From: SPitts@thesaurus-computers.co.uk Subject: The words got in the way Message-ID: <OF94CD0B61.1DD67324-ON80256942.005FF010@thesaurus-computers.co.uk> Chalkfolks, In #6-245 Francis Heaney offered us: > I've written a somewhat idiosyncratic review of "Wasp Star," < Hey, Fran, you could have made it a lot easier on yourself by adding the subtitle :) (wouldn't have been so neat, obviously, but you could've been more wordy) In #6-267 Tom K observed: > someone at work believes that the quote I attributed to Casey Stengel, about the 90% of the game being half mental, was actually Yogi Berra < Twas my first reaction when I read the original post, but it didn't seem important enough to bleat about. However, 'The Yogi Book' attributes the quote to the man himself, and he adds the kicker 'I have said this many times. It is one of my better coaching tips'. So I guess that is conclusive enough for me. Of course, you need to bear in mind another Berraism - 'I really didn't say everything I said' :) In #6-248 Roger Fuller gave us this heckler put down line, from Jello Biafra: > "That's because I like jelly doughnuts, more than I like YOU!" < My fave put down, albeit somewhat less subtle, was used by John Cooper Clarke on some idiot ragging him from the audience - "Sorry, I can't hear yer mate, your mouth's full o' shit" (for full effect imagine it in a drawn-out Mancunian drawl) I'm beginning to wonder if Andy Partridge and Roy Harper aren't joined at the hip, in some way. Roy's new album, to be released in September, is called 'The Green Man' and contains a track of the same name (albeit utterly different from the XTC track of a similar monicker - go to UBL and search for 'Roy Harper' if you'd care to listen to an official MP3 of the track). Since Roy and Andy both have a preoccupation with Mother Nature I guess it is no great surprise that there is such an overlap Cheers, Steve (an Englishman, who loves Baseball, Berraisms and XTC) NP: Pink Floyd - '1967 - The First Three Singles'
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2000 21:55:56 +0900 From: "John Boudreau" <aso1@mocha.ocn.ne.jp> Subject: It's ... Message-ID: <000801c00d10$25d30c80$6b5791d2@oemcomputer> Ed K. wrote : >Oh, and I forgot this entry for my "Concerts" list... >"All-Time Most Glad to Have Seen": Monty Python, Me , too . I saw them at a theatre in NYC in - geez - 1974-5 . The two guys I went with were MP maniacs like myself and we were the only employees at a small business out on eastern Long Island . We used to drive the boss nuts every Monday morning as we acted out the skits from the show the night before . Surprised we weren't fired ... "... spam , eggs , sausage and spam ... spam , spam , spam , eggs , spam , sausage and spam ... spam , spam , spam , spam ... " Sushispam
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2000 16:06:07 +0100 From: Adrian Ransome <Adrian.Ransome@tsi-ltd.co.uk> Subject: Agony & X T C - A major motion picture..... Message-ID: <497FEA72C392D3118AE700508B7311776C62DF@NT4SERVER03> Andrew Sneddon wrote: >Who would you get to play the lads in the film of the >great XTC story- and what would it be called?? The Hollywood version would have Mel (I hate the English) Gibson as Partridge, Tom Cruise as Moulding, Kevin Spacey as Gregory, Alec Baldwin as Chambers and Will Smith as Andrews. Their manager would be played by any number of English actors (choose from Rickman - Alan, Irons - Jeremy, Carlyle - Robert, Branaaaaaargh - Kenneth) who would be more dastardly than the combined evils of Hitler, Josefs Mengele & Stalin, Darth Vader and Barney the dinosaur put together. The boss of Virgin records would be played by an evil and twisted David Hyde Pierce. XTC would be a bunch of High School buddies from Buttfinch, Nebraska who play together in a garage for kicks between going to the drive-in with their sweethearts and shootin' hoops in Partridge's Mom's backyard. They play the High School Prom where they're spotted by Branaaaargh (cue shots of his shadowy face with strip of light across his menacing eyes) who signs them up and individually sells their souls to Hyde Pierce for a buck each, whilst promising them support slots with Chicago and Styx (with whom he is best buddies). Branaaaargh locks them in a shed at the bottom of his 200-acre ranch in Colorado where he forces them to write & record ten albums. As payment they get to see daylight once a fortnight and eat pine cones dipped in Maple Syrup. Andrews tries a daring escape, but is tracked down by Branaaaargh's Dobermann guard dogs who tear the skin off his back. The lads hear his shrieks of pain from the shed. Chambers loses his mind in the tiny confines of the shed and decides to tunnel to freedom using his drumsticks. He takes a wrong turn under Albequerque and ends up in Australia. Luckily, the local sheriff (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger) passes by, hears the lads' pitiful whimpers for help and engages Branaaaargh in a 45 minute gun battle which culminates in a stand off on motorbikes at the top of Mount Rushmore with tactical nuclear missiles. There's an enormous explosion, flames & smoke everywhere, and Arnie victoriously walks out of the smoke with his cruise missile draped over his shoulder. Free at last, our heroes head for Londonengland where they take on the combined might of Virgin records with a blistering 20 minute kung-fu sequence ending up with a bloody Partridge kneeling on the chest of a vanquished Hyde Pierce, who humbly rips up the recording contract and frees our boys from English oppression hoorah! "Ha! Take that, you Limey Nazi Fascist bastard son of a bitch!" the boys cry in unison as Partridge delivers a stunning 3603 camera panned kick to Hyde Pierce's head. The film plays out with a tear jerking High School Reunion, Andrews playing in a wheelchair and Chambers freshly returned from Australia (with dangling-cork hat and mud stains from the digging) where XTC once more play their songs and we see them once again as the lithe, clean-living young guys who stole our hearts 2 hours ago. Freeze frame on a slow motion group high five. Adrian
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #6-251 *******************************
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