Chalkhills Digest Volume 6, Issue 27
Date: Wednesday, 16 February 2000
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 6, Number 27
Wednesday, 16 February 2000
Today's Topics:
re red dwarf/swindon
strange folk
Chalkhills / Freaks
Re: Chalkhills #5
Green Man
Traveling to Toronto (a little XTC)
Colin's muse
NLIOL
Kate Bush
contest entry
Little Express news
Bodysnatching Colin's Muse
I can't bone her
Sorry folks, the show's over, the monkey's dead......
What's the Budget?
Yer Left (or Right) Knee
XTC Listening Party
Near Sighting
they're missing the inter-play
Franco Turra
XTC is #33
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Chalkhills is compiled with Digest 3.7 (John Relph <relph@sgi.com>).
As the nets unravel, all exotic fish I find.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-Id: <3.0.2.32.20000209192406.00724a48@pop3.passport.ca> Date: Wed, 09 Feb 2000 19:24:06 -0500 From: David Oh <davidoh@passport.ca> Subject: re red dwarf/swindon a special thank you goes out to andrew hawkes for the heads up on the red dwarf episode with the swindon reference. i just saw that particluar episode not 10 minutes ago and it was really funny. your description of the episode was spot on, although i was wondering when the reference was going to surface, not realizing it would be the last line spoken. i thought i had missed it... thanks again, andrew. btw: the actress who plays kochanski? what a babe! schwing! ah, sorry 'bout that... i lost me 'ead... xtc content: i can't wait any longer for apple venus volume 2! c'mon andy and colin, please hurry it up, will you? peace & xtc, davidoh
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2000 11:49:26 +1100 From: Sebastien Maury 02 9950 3315 <maury.sebastien@a2.abc.net.au> Subject: strange folk Message-id: <E271IIA2K0H6*/R=A1/R=ABCNET/U=MAURYS6G/@MHS> Hi Phil, Nice list, and fascinating to read. I believe Michel Polnareff was a cross-dressing French "folk" (for want of a better word) singer of the 70s (& 60s?). The music is from that Aznavour/Barbara (*not* the nosy one)/Sinatra melange of croony chanson folk crossover. Clear as mud? My parents used to have a garish record of his stuff a while ago, so I must check out this tribute album. Sounds wild! Seb.
------------------------------ From: SLEDZNH@aol.com Message-ID: <61.167ad59.25d37324@aol.com> Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2000 20:49:24 EST Subject: Chalkhills / Freaks Chalks, I didn't see the "Freaks & Geeks" episode but reading all the descriptions of it got me thinking... I wonder if there is an e-mail address that we could all write to the network (is it NBC?) with letters of support for their song selection during this show. Perhaps congratulating the person(s) who thought of putting "No Language In Our Lungs" into this show.....blah blah blah. Why? Because they deserve it (and it might happen again). I will look for something and encourage fellow chalkers to do the same. ~~Jim "waiting for AV2, demo-less, and proud of it" White
------------------------------ Message-ID: <38A275A6.5846@bhip.infi.net> Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2000 08:24:09 +0000 From: Brian <mattone@bhip.infi.net> Subject: Re: Chalkhills #5 Tschalkgerz! Eddie St. Martin wrote: > I wanna read a post by Sir John Relph Who runs this Chalkhills list all by himselph, I gotta read the one by David Oh, He had some trouble spelling once,U no, And then onto the one by Miss Fanton, Who's usually ravin' while she's rantin' I'll then take in a post by "winky fish", He served us Turkey Pluto on our dish Next peruse the one by young Ben Gott, Who likes this XTC band quite a lott,< DANG! I haven't made enough noise around here to get included in such tip o' the hat lyric prose... Shame on me! :-) But if we're gonna parody "Mambo #5" XTC-wise, shouldn't we start out like this? "One, two, three-four-five Senses working overtime so c'mon let's ride..." -Brian Matthews
------------------------------ Message-ID: <000901bf73ee$112f81c0$0f5bd2cc@maine.rr.com> From: "J Bogner" <jbogner1@maine.rr.com> Subject: Green Man Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2000 12:41:31 -0500 Hello all . . . In Chalkhills Digest #6-26 : Steve Pitts said: >In fact, if I ask any of them, including the three year old, what >they'd like to listen to the answer is most likely to be 'the green >man' as all other possibilities put together. The same goes for my two daughters (ages 7 an 9). "The Green Man" is a big favorite. In fact, they know all the words and love to sing-a-long. If this song is that catchy and memorable to children (and to most of my adult friends as well) - why didn't TVT capitalize on the primal 'hook factor' and push the hell out of it ? Oh yeah, don't even get me started the aborted video. Andy B. www.mp3.com/andrewbogner
------------------------------ Message-ID: <20000210175218.14710.qmail@web1301.mail.yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2000 09:52:18 -0800 (PST) From: Molly Fanton <mfanton99@yahoo.com> Subject: Traveling to Toronto (a little XTC) Next Friday, I'm planning on going to Toronto for the very first time by myself. I'm trying to find out what to do. I know I want to do some shopping. I'm staying at a hotel in downtown Toronto in the theater district. So do you have any suggestions on what to do? Also, do you think they would have any different XTC CDs in Canada. What I mean were there any XTC albums that were only released in Canada and not the US? Molly Molly's Pages http://www.angelfire.com/mn/mollyfa99/index.html
------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.1.32.20000210132755.00a03d40@mail.javanet.com> Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2000 13:27:55 -0500 From: Eric Loehr <loehr@javanet.com> Subject: Colin's muse In Chalkhills Digest #6-26, John Boudreau said: > How many of Colin's tunes will appear on Vol. 2 ? As long as he is content >to contribute a tune or two to future projects we have no reason to worry >about the the boys splitting up methinks . (snip) >I worry ever so slightly that IF I am right and Colin has lost his muse , >will that cause him to eventually lose interest in working with Andy >in the future ? Hmm, an interesting theory; I guess I assumed it was more a case of Andy being the dominant (use as many senses of the word as you like) songwriter and Colin not being able to get more than a tune or two on each album because Andy had so many more good ones which *he* wanted on the album. More a case of Andy stifling Colin's muse rather than him (Colin) having lost it. Just a theory.... Davidoh later said: >so, if there are any newbies (male *and* female) out there who own musical >instruments and want to be included.... Are we talking having both male *and* female body parts or parts of personalities, or what? Oh. You meant *or*. Never mind. ;-}} Eric, who is not a newbie, and isn't male *and* female, but who has his mother's hair and his father's personality, and promises to give them back really, really soon.
------------------------------
Message-ID: <000301bf7a4c$5e1e2400$92ef31d4@e.e>
From: "John Bartlett" <John@bartlett132.screaming.net>
Subject: NLIOL
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2000 16:39:05 -0000
David Oh said :-
""no language in our lungs". this, for me, is the centre-piece of the album
and one of andy's finest moments as a songwriter. i really cannot express
properly the impression that this song left on me when i first heard it; it
was an instant classic. "
I believe Harrison Sherwood dissected this song rather well about a year
ago... I have to agree with Davids' sentiments. I've been following XTC for
21 years now, and IMHO, this is still the best thing they've done.
However, for all the fine lyrical cleverness, Chambers makes this track for
me. Next time you listen,check the power of the drums.
Cheers
John
------------------------------ Message-ID: <38A355A8.65222B64@home.com> Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2000 17:19:55 -0700 From: Mark Newberg <mhnewberg@home.com> Organization: @Home Network Subject: Kate Bush Hey all! Have you ever dusted off an old favorite cd of yours and been reminded that it was once your favorite. As I type 'Hounds Of Love' is in the old player. I just love the drums in 'Running Up That Hill'. Which brings up my question: Has XTC ever recorded with any other big named artist or used anyone as backup vocals? I do not own every XTC disc and so I don't know. Please do not berate me for being ignorant. Carpe diem, Mark Newberg -- If I could I'd make a deal with God and I'd get him to swap our places.
------------------------------
From: Saints3Den@aol.com
Message-ID: <70.1083613.25d498f8@aol.com>
Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2000 17:43:04 EST
Subject: contest entry
gee... I sent this the other day,but it never showed up on chalkhills.
so...here it is again, I hope it doesn't show up twice,as once is far more
than enough.
my contest entry
I knew a fish who could TUNA BASS guitar,
while PERCHed on one fin.
He worked for SCALE, without FLOUNDERing.
My take on Colins recent output... It seems, at least while reading Song
Stories, that he basically didn't write songs while THE STRIKE was ongoing.
It isn't that he couldn't, just that he didn't.
To me , Andy writes songs because he can't help himself, it is just too
much an integral part of him.
Colin, on the other hand seems to write them when he needs to.To some
extent , at least. For instance, I think he also said in the book that he
only had one song laying around for 25 o'clock, as he wasn't expecting to be
doing any recording anytime soon. just some thoughts...
eddie st.martin
------------------------------ Message-id: <fc.00003c54004581a800003c54004581a8.4583a8@nynet.nybe.on.ca> Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2000 18:22:39 -0500 Subject: Little Express news From: Joe_Jarrett@nynet.nybe.on.ca (Joe Jarrett) For all of you who subscribe to the Little Express: I was talking to Peter Dix two nights ago and he told me he is in the process of sending out the last issue of the LE. After 18 years he's packing it in. He regrets having to take this step but after lengthy discussions with his partner (June, his wife), they decided they have no other alternative. When they first started they were the only source of inside XTC news. But with the advent of the Internet and all the websites about the band, they know they cannot compete. The Internet is so fast that by the time they talk to the band, get the news, write it, publish it and send it out, they are months out of date. Now much of the news about XTC is released by Andy through friends who then post it to Chalkhills. In addition with the loss of Dave Gregory the Little Express lost their most reliable source of info and pictures. Dave used to make sure the Peter was kept informed and supplied with candid shots. So sadly the LE is going to die. It will just be an important historical footnote to the band's career. For those of us who have all or most of the issues, they will remain as accurate documents of the band's history. Andy, Colin and Dave could not have had more dedicated and loyal supporters if they hand picked them. From the day that Peter and June approached the band backstage after a concert at Massey Hall in Toronto in 1980, they have continually protected, defended, supported and promoted the band for eighteen years. They are both very shy, unassuming people with a passion for XTC. They refuse to blow their own horn. They have thoroughly enjoyed the years they put in as they had the opportunity to meet the band on many occasions, and other luminaries connected to the group. But the part they enjoyed the most was the connection they felt with the fans they made contact with through the mail and by phone. I for one would like to express publicly my sincere gratitude to Peter and June for their years of unselfish work. You can only imagine the thousands of hours they put into their magazine: interviewing, writing, publishing, compiling, and writing individual letters to anyone who took the time to write to them. And all this while working regular jobs and raising three children. Remember before eBay there was the LE Classifieds, they only way to find like minded fans. It is through Peter and June that I first got information, addresses for other collectors, and made many valuable connections to other XTC fans. Don't forget that Peter and June organized and ran the very successful Canadian edition of the XTC Music and Friends Convention in Barrie. They were also the people who released Jules Verne Sketchbook, Windowbox and The Bull With The Golden Guts. I hope this doesn't sound too much like a lecture. But I couldn't let the demise of the Little Express and recognition of all the effort put forth by Peter and June go unheralded. It was one of the finest fanzines ever written about any band. If any of you feel so inclined you can still reach them the usual way. The post office box number will remain active for the foreseeable future. I think they deserve a loud resounding round of applause for all their work. Thank you Peter and June for a job incredibly well done!!
------------------------------ Message-ID: <81CC73FC2FACD311A2D200508B8B88AA07F3EE@KURION_EXCH> From: Jill Oleson <Jill_Oleson@kurion.com> Subject: Bodysnatching Colin's Muse Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2000 09:33:14 -0600 Cajun Sushijohn wrote that he thought Colin's muse had taken a hike since the release of "Nonsvch." I'd counter, however, with the notion that Colin has been bodysnatched by none other than Mr. Anthony Newley. In listening and reading to Andy's descriptions of AV1 around the time of the album's release, he repeatedly made the comment that much of their new music was influenced by "show tunes." To me, Colin's contributions to AV1 sound the most like show tunes. In fact, they sound to me as if they should be part of a stage production featuring the unique vocal interpretations of Mr. Anthony Newley. Now all I can think of is that for some people, their muse looks like Sharon Stone, but for Colin, it's Anthony Newley...hmmm... watch the old "Dr. Doolittle" movie and you'll hear for yourself what I mean. Jill Oleson Austin, Texas [Note: I've got a new email address.]
------------------------------ From: MaxPower29@aol.com Message-ID: <38.207d53a.25d616e7@aol.com> Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2000 20:52:39 EST Subject: I can't bone her and I never will
------------------------------ From: Nigels4u@aol.com Message-ID: <34.15abe22.25d644b6@aol.com> Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2000 00:08:06 EST Subject: Sorry folks, the show's over, the monkey's dead...... To all the great XTC fans who have made our existance possible....we are sorry to inform you that the Nigels have disbanded. Drummer Tommy Joyner has gone off to tour with Digable Planets, Kieran Mulvaney and Timothy are planning to tour and are writing the next album for their band, Gabriel's Horn, and Kevin Cavanaugh has built his film-making empire. To all those who have supported us and came to our June 5th, 1999 show, thanks you. Cheers, Timothy
------------------------------ Message-ID: <001401bf7595$05042d80$1597143f@unlpm> From: "Jamie Lowe" <jamielowe@email.msn.com> Subject: What's the Budget? Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2000 10:39:16 -0600 Greetings Chalkers: In song stories Neville Farmer wrote on page 282 that AV Vol. 1 was produced with a "realtively small budget ". Does anyone know how much it cost? Or better still does anyone know the budget for AV Vol. 2? Please mail me privately if someone can provide an answer(s), thanks. Jamie "Opportunities are often the things you haven't noticed the first time around" C. Deneuve
------------------------------ Date: 12 Feb 2000 22:30:20 -0000 Message-ID: <20000212223020.24095.qmail@whitfield.chek.com> From: "Murgatroyd Llewellyn" <murgatroyd.llewellyn@scotland.com> Subject: Yer Left (or Right) Knee Starship Sherwood, may I have your attention for an aeon? An acquaintance of mine, Cato The Elder Jr. III, recently and unwittingly walked through a theirsfield in Saigon, Texas. Upon its relatively safe return to the Mother Trailer it found more than a dozen Cartesian Hunk-A-Delics lodged between its toes. Now, since you seem to be the detainer of a wealth of mundane experience, I ask you most disdainfully; should my acquaintance try to reasonable with them or turn them into a tennis team? Thank you darling, Murgatroyd Llewellyn XTC content: Bonus track on AVII for the really friendly hangers-on will be "In A (Or Multiple) Badger(s), With Love (Reprise)". Now prove your really friendliness, or you won't get the bonus track, for all I care, Esq.
------------------------------ Message-ID: <20000213215518.24429.qmail@web1302.mail.yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 13 Feb 2000 13:55:18 -0800 (PST) From: Molly Fanton <mfanton99@yahoo.com> Subject: XTC Listening Party I was thinking of maybe starting up the listening parties again for XTC albums. The only problem is I don't have all of their albums. I don't have White Musi or Go2. I have the rest of their major albums. I was thinking of having the listening party in Talk City, so everybody has a chance. If you're interested in wanting to participate go to http://www.talkcity.com to sign up. I was thinking of having the listening party Wednesday nights at 10pm EST. I won't start until February 23 though. The first album will be Drums and Wires, since I don't have their first two albums. If you have any questions, please e-mail me privately. Molly Molly's Pages http://www.angelfire.com/mn/mollyfa99/index.html
------------------------------
From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl>
Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2000 01:26:34 +0100
Subject: Near Sighting
Message-Id: <20000215002345.0D1ABA6CE2@mail.knoware.nl>
Dear Chalkers,
I'm sorry but i have to be the bearer fo this sad news.
Last week BBC Breakfast News had a feature on the imminent
closure of the Chipping Norton studios where (XTC content!)
Nonsuch was recorded.
The owner was interviewed for a bit and said that the digital age was
forcing him out of business.
I'm sure there must have been some other reasons too but he must
have a point. The proliferation of sampling, sophisticated audio
software and 'heavy' PC's must be eating away at the margins of
lesser known studios all over the world
But i digress... (i know, i should cut down on those funny cigarettes)
Anyway, they also mentioned that the whole studio would go up for
auction. They didn't give any details about it but it's probably not on
eBay :)
Perhaps this is _the_ chance to pick up a unique XTC trophy; i know
i would love to get my sweaty palms on a microphone or two.
yours in xtc,
Mark Strijbos at The Little Lighthouse
http://www.knoware.nl/users/mmello/
or http://come.to/xtc
------------------------------ Message-Id: <F34536084B78D311AF53009027B0D7EA1449C2@fsbex01-2.web.boeing.com> From: "Hiatt, Randy" <Randy.Hiatt@fsbti.com> Subject: they're missing the inter-play Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2000 11:07:57 -0800 SushiMan wondered: I worryever so slightly that IF I am right and Colin has lost his muse , will thatcause him to eventually lose interest in working with Andy in the future ? It may be the result of a "band" drying up... or the effect (or lack of) of not enough inter-play between the boys. It's one thing to sit at home and write tunes and quite another to get together and play them live, between themselfs at least. I think the lack of live play has caused them to go within for inspiration (not to say there is anything wrong with that), at which point it becomes pointless to include the other. Each could hire all the musicians they wanted to play the parts allready defined in their vision. Look at Andy's complete demo capability. Though Colin adds great bass parts, his initial influence is not the same as it was when all the boys got together and rehearsed as a live "band". I think this is a sad yet logical result of this kind of evolution. At least we have 2 great song writers and I'll allways buy whatever they do together or solo or with others, but I think their "band" greatness was fuled by their live time together. My wish is to have them do the reunion thing someday...even if they hire a handfull or two of backup folks to pull it off, in a small studio with their closest friends so not to freak out Andy (and DVD'd). Randy Hiatt http://members.tripod.com/RandyHiatt/ "Remember when you were with the Beatles and you were supposed to be dead? That was a hoax, right?" Chris Farley interviewing Paul McCartney on Saturday Night Live
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v04220809b4cfd386204a@[129.105.37.97]> Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2000 22:12:02 -0600 From: Olof Hellman <hellman@ksan.ms.nwu.edu> Subject: Franco Turra Is that Andy singing italian? Franco Turra really does have the XTC sound. http://www.charm.net/~duke/xtc/Franco2.aif - Olof Olof Hellman Northwestern University, Dept. Materials Science & Engineering
------------------------------ Message-ID: <20000216205006.75716.qmail@hotmail.com> From: "Ralph Simpson DeMarco" <sawpit@hotmail.com> Subject: XTC is #33 Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2000 12:50:05 PST Dear Chalkers: Ok, it's another list, but our boys are on this one! The weekly New York City paper, The Village Voice, has just released this year's Pazz & Jop Poll (no that is not a typo). Out of dozens of music critics and staff writers they compile the best of the previous year's music. Out of #1161 slots to place in, XTC Apple Venus Vol. 1 made #33 (And Homespun made #423!). After being MIA for 7 years and getting no air-play on the radio and no play by club DJs, I'd say placing #33 is pretty damn good! Here is just the top 40: 1. Moby: Play (V2) 2. Magnetic Fields: 69 Love Songs (Merge) 3. Beck: Midnite Vultures (DGC) 4. Flaming Lips: The Soft Bulletin (Warner Bros.) 5. Tom Waits: Mule Variations (Epitaph) 6. Rage Against the Machine: The Battle of Los Angeles (Epic) 7. Fiona Apple: When the Pawn... (Clean Slate/Epic) 8. Wilco: Summer Teeth (Reprise) 9. Beth Orton: Central Reservation (Arista) 10. Mos Def: Black on Both Sides (Rawkus) 11. Randy Newman: Bad Love (DreamWorks) 12. The Roots: Things Fall Apart (MCA) 13. Macy Gray: On How Life Is (Epic) 14. Nine Inch Nails: The Fragile (Nothing) 15. Handsome Boy Modeling School: So...How's Your Girl? (Tommy Boy) 16. Prince Paul: A Prince Among Thieves (Tommy Boy) 17. Basement Jaxx: Remedy (Astralwerks) 18. Steve Earle and the Del McCoury Band: The Mountain (E Squared) 19. Fountains of Wayne: Utopia Parkway (Atlantic) 20. Me'Shell Ndegeocello: Bitter (Maverick) 21. Mary J. Blige: Mary (MCA) 22. Built To Spill: Keep It Like a Secret (Warner Bros.) 23. Sleater-Kinney: The Hot Rock (Kill Rock Stars) 24. Ol' Dirty Bastard: N***a Please (Elektra) 25. Ibrahim Ferrer: Buena Vista Social Club Presents Ibrahim Ferrer (Nonesuch/World Circuit) 26. Eminem: The Slim Shady LP (Aftermath/Interscope) 27. Kelly Willis: What I Deserve (Rykodisc) 28. Richard Thompson: Mock Tudor (Capitol) 29. Pavement: Terror Twilight (Matador) 30. TLC: Fanmail (LaFace) 31. Chemical Brothers: Surrender (Astralwerks) 32. Everything but the Girl: Temperamental (Atlantic) 33. XTC: Apple Venus Volume 1 (TVT) 34: Old 97's: Fight Songs (Elektra) 35. Underworld:Beaucoup Fish (V2) 36. John Prine: In Spite of Ourselves (Oh Boy) 37. Robbie Williams: The Ego Has Landed (Capitol) 38. Dr. Dre: Dr. Dre2001 (Aftermath/Interscope) 39. Kid Rock: Devil Without a Cause (Atlantic/Lava) 40. Santana: Supernatural (Arista)
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #6-27 ******************************
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