Chalkhills Digest Volume 6, Issue 281
Date: Friday, 6 October 2000
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 6, Number 281
Friday, 6 October 2000
Topics:
XTC in NY Times
Happy House
Happy Mummers' day
Re: frost circus
Mike Keneally
A Rant About Radio, In Which I Say 'Fucking' A Lot.
Wakarimasen
Nader and the rest a bucket of shi-
The other side
Feet of Clay / I'll see you and the wheel turn / The band
Lennon Remembered
School Terms
Son of Spam (I am)
Weird XTC sighting...
**Crimson ticket for sale**
Wonderousful Site!
Cover Me
Next!
Crime and punishment
Administrivia:
To UNSUBSCRIBE from the Chalkhills mailing list, send a message to
<chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org> with the following command:
unsubscribe
For all other administrative issues, send a message to:
<chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org>
Please remember to send your Chalkhills postings to:
<chalkhills@chalkhills.org>
World Wide Web: <http://chalkhills.org/>
The views expressed herein are those of the individual authors.
Chalkhills is compiled with Digest 3.7b (John Relph <relph@tmbg.org>).
She don't care if she hurts.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2000 15:32:01 EDT From: Tomgriffin100276@aol.com Subject: XTC in NY Times Message-ID: <f.a2660d4.270e3131@aol.com> Hello All. In case nobody has mentioned it yet, the XTC book "XTC: Chalkhills and Children" (I think that's the title - the one by Twomey) was spotted on page A26 of today's (10/5/00) NY Times. Apparently Al & Tipper Gore were campaigning in a bookstore in Ohio. The picture has them in the music book section, and guess which book is being displayed? -Tom Griffin
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2000 16:56:12 -0400 (EDT) From: Radios In Motion <radiosinmotion@iwon.com> Subject: Happy House Message-ID: <380037287.970779379264.JavaMail.root@web190-iw> Hi everyone! I just wanted to say that I am moving in a week and I will keep in contact better as soon as we move into our new house. Sorry for any delays (with CD's, etc) that I have caused. Also, as soon as we move and get settled in, I will send invitations to anyone who would be interested in coming over this year. We are thinking of some type of party this year now that we have a new house. I thought of something the other day; I wondered what it would be like if certain collaborations happened between some artists. Here are a few that I thought would be great: Captain Beefheart & Eugene Chadbourne Lene Lovich & Dale Consalvi Andy & Danny Elfman Collin & Ian McCulloch Robert Smith & Andy (my wife said that one, she thinks Robert tries to sound like Andy, I never really thought of it that way!) John Linnell & Robyn Hitchcock Marvin Gaye & Beck (I bet that would have happened if...) Frank Black & David J Jerry Dammers & Angelo Moore Douglas McCarthy & Chrissie Hynde (I just threw that in there to make it an even number!) Anyone else have some good collabs that you would like to see (or have saw).
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2000 16:21:13 +0100 From: "Steven Paul" <spaul@armstronglaw.com> Subject: Happy Mummers' day Message-ID: <000c01c02edf$f46c5920$6782a8c0@me> >I invite you all to join me in celebrating the very first Mummer Day in >history on October 17, 2000. > >JOY TO THE WORLD! > >Debora 'only 16 shopping days left' Brown I am so there, its on my calendar, on a post-it not on my desk and goodness, I'll have to get an extra copy for home now. By the way Debora, are we supposed to hand out pudding, meat or potatoes to the wandering mummers? I can almost remember -- but not quite.
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2000 18:30:09 -0700 From: David van Wert <mcknife@earthlink.net> Subject: Re: frost circus Message-ID: <p04330101b602d0fe23ed@[216.249.74.136]> From: Johan Ekdahl <johan.ekdahl@programbyran.se> >I was looking at a TV-program covering the flooding in northern Sweden this >summer (bringing with it houses and bridges). To the pictures of two men >sitting in a row-boat in a flooded river something familiar was playing... > >Frost Circus. > >Kind'o'odd. I've always heard FC as a rather humorous, and "bagatelesque", >kind of tune. Not the kind of music You would play to pictures of a natural >disaster (albeit w/o casualties). Still, in some strange way, it worked. When I was in high school, our theatre performed Lanford Wilson's disturbing, dream-like "The Rimers of Eldritch." Our director was looking for a piece to play as sort of a signature for certain transitions, but couldn't find anything she liked and so asked us kids for suggestions. Everybody brought in something for her to listen to, but Frost Circus what the only one she liked. Of course, back in those days (before some of you whippersnappers were born) the only way to get Frost Circus was on the back of the brand new Great Fire 12" single (but that's okay because back in those days everybody had a record player). Because it was a full sized record, she didn't realize she needed to play it at 45 instead of 33. So she mistakenly listened to it slowed down, loved it, and that's what we used. I remember feeling very validated for my musical taste in a small east Texas town in the bygone era when Journey and Alabama ruled their respective Billboard charts. But Andy should sue her for royalties. David van Wert <david@davidvanwert.com> http://www.davidvanwert.com/ "Is it hot in here or is it just me?" Richard Nixon, 1999
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2000 22:54:33 EDT From: Jdmack01@aol.com Subject: Mike Keneally Message-ID: <b9.75ac1f2.270e98e9@aol.com> I've a terrible confession to make. I've been bad. I've been away for a while, so I don't know if this has been mentioned. Mike Keneally, the amazing musician who is mentioned by name in "Song Stories" (which gives this post its XTC content), has just released a new album called "Dancing." Don't let the title put you off. This album is full of joy, but not the fluffy kind. This may be Mike's best, as well as most accessible, album to date. Personally, I hear the XTC influence on "Backwards Deb," though Mike denies it was conscious. The rest of the album is a mind-zinging mix of Miles, Zappa, STP, and who knows what else. I can't recommend this album strongly enough! If you can't find it at your local Tower, you can get it from his website (www.keneally.com). J. D.
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 06 Oct 2000 09:40:25 -0400 From: "Duncan Watt" <dwatt@fastestmanintheworld.com> Subject: A Rant About Radio, In Which I Say 'Fucking' A Lot. Message-ID: <200010061342.JAA16199@gilgamesh.nh.ultra.net> Jim "Groove Disques" <info@groovedisques.com> laid upon us, re: how Y100 won't play XTC, because they don't have a Top 40 hit: > Sadly, the station manager of Y100 is right on the money. At this point, > it's not fair to blame it on radio. Blame the masses, and don't tell me > they need to be forcefed the cake they prefer. They really like the crap > they buy. (snip) >Why should they go out on a limb for a band that hasn't > produced one single as popular as - hell - mediocre McCartney singles, like > "With a Little Luck"? We should be thankful that new XTC albums even get > released on major labels. Mister, I think you're missing the point as you roll over onto your back and Accept The Stroke. I'll give you stations like Y100, which I'm assuming is a Big Ass Commercial Station, Hell-bent on making Money, and only Money, regardless of whatever Crap it must spew to get It. But where are the high-quality commercial music stations? Couldn't it be possible to make a decent living running a decent high-quality radio station? Are you telling me you couldn't get ANY advertisers to pay for airtime on a station targeting people over the age of 19 who hate Celine Dion? It's GREED, plain and simple. MANY more advertising dollars are available for teen-pop and Streisand than anything else, so why run a high-quality station when all you had to do was slip in a little Britney... and triple your money! Which, to be fair, begs a mention of the few-and-proud who at least attempt to stand astride both shores, like WXRV(92.5FM), around here(Boston), a commercial station which will play almost anything(including 'Stupidly Happy' and even album cuts, and Zappa, and Neil Finn, and Richard Thompson, and... ) during it's Free-Form Lunch Hour and Free-Form Friday Nights. There's PROOF of the public's demand: it exists, here, now! Why not somewhere else? So... "it's not fair to blame it on radio"? Of course it is! How do you think the 'masses'(which is a truly short-sighted view of music listeners, mister record-label guy) got to likin' the Crap in the first place? Lack of a viable choice, that's how, duh! Endless tie-ins between music and teen products! An insatiable advertising industry intent on making everyone over the age of 20 feel old! Music as product, disguised as 'art'! Carson Daly as Style-monitor is how! If it sells more than anything else, it's Good. Everything else, including second- and third-place sellers and down, or last week's masterpiece, is USELESS. What a piece of crap! And now, the list of point-making metaphors: -Wonder Bread(a USA thing) is way cheaper to make than decent bread. If the Wonder Bread people took over the entire bread industry through conglomeration, eliminating the 'masses' taste for all things Breadlike three generations back, would you blame THEM? -I like good coffee, and I'm willing to pay extra for it, esp. when presented with the alternative. There's a lot of Me out there, we're just scattered around more, and not so easy to target. But we're great customers when you find us. -There's a little cafi/lunch place around here called The Green Bean. The very fact that they attempt to put out cool, interesting food keeps people coming back. They're not making a ton of money, but they're not going out of business, either, and they're doing what they set out to do. Kind of like a Certain Quar-... I mean Tri-... I mean Duo from Swindon... The people at The Green Bean could use Wonder Bread, and make more money, but they Don't, Todd love 'em. Why should radio "go out on a limb for a band that hasn't produced one single as popular as - hell - mediocre McCartney singles, like "With a Little Luck", as the record-label guy asked? Because that's their FUCKING JOB! Because WONDER BREAD FUCKING SUCKS! And there's PLENTY of people out there who would happily sit through ads to listen to the other stuff, if radio wasn't so FUCKING GREEDY. Your Fucking Pal Duncan Watt ps Where the fuck is Dom? I could use a little help here... Seesh! pps Oh, and Vreeland... rock on, mister... high-five, bro. Don't even get me started about the Frat Days... ahh, Heffenreffer... -- email me: dwatt@fastestmanintheworld.com surf me: http://www.fastestmanintheworld.com
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Oct 2000 00:33:42 +0900 From: "John Boudreau" <aso1@mocha.ocn.ne.jp> Subject: Wakarimasen Message-ID: <003401c02fab$56011b00$7e5791d2@johnboud> From: Judee Ross <judeebug@flash.net> Subject: Re: Philly Radio In response to the person who listens to Y100 in Philly....CHANGE STATIONS!! >I listen to WXPN 88.5...not only have they been playing TMWML and >Stupidly Happy before they were officially released, but I hear at >least one older XTC song a day! You have the CDs , right ? Why waste your time listening to radio stations that play stuff you can listen to at home ? Seek stations that will expand your musical mind ... Sushiman
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Oct 2000 00:36:41 +0900 From: "John Boudreau" <aso1@mocha.ocn.ne.jp> Subject: Nader and the rest a bucket of shi- Message-ID: <003501c02fab$5875c480$7e5791d2@johnboud> Chris "get me a bucket" Vreeland wrote : >ps- Americans- register and vote, please. And while you're at it, >consider voting for Nader. I considered it for a second , and decided to watch Mr. Smith Goes To Washington on election day . Everybody in Amnesia ought to do likewise . Sushiman
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2000 06:54:21 EDT From: Jxnsmom@aol.com Subject: The other side Message-ID: <f2.3538f0a.270f095d@aol.com> To the Worrier Queen: I have total and complete confidence that we aren't "merely mortal," and though others call it "nonsense," those of us with deep faith can assure you otherwise. That doesn't take all the fear away, but for me it's an absolute given that the light of the soul is not extinguished by death. I know this isn't the forum for lengthy discussions on this topic, so now you've heard two views of the situation and we can leave it at that. Any further discussion should be off-list, in my opinion. I wish you peace during this challenging time. Amy
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 06 Oct 2000 13:20:45 +0000 From: Robin Poole <robin.poole@environment-agency.gov.uk> Subject: Feet of Clay / I'll see you and the wheel turn / The band Message-ID: <s9ddd11a.019@environment-agency.gov.uk> Rory's Challenge to rework XTC songs in a different style period...Groovy man! Well, "Your'e the Wish You Are I Had" could be given a AV1 treatment, bags of strings to give it a Beatles "Hello Goodbye" quality perhaps (The start of the chorus in it's current flavour already has the same feel of a speeded up "Across The Universe"...[See you out there someday JL] don't ya think?) And "Travels in Nihilon" with cello lines could give a real dark, menacing feel! Valkyres move over!!! And acoustic to electric transformations..what would Barry Andrews, A Theremin and "White Album" frenzy do to "River of Orchids", "Great Fire" or even "Living in a Haunted Heart"? Burn! And an acappella version of "Bungalow" and an "musicbox" bastard child of "Frost Circus" and "Making Plans for Nigel" would be.....interesting! As for the most amazing XTC live reformation concert (15 songs, 3 encores, Andy , Colin , Dave and 3 others) Wow...tricky! Here goes... 1. Stupidly Happy - get em warmed up 2. Making Plans For Nigel - Keep em warm 3. Respectable Street 4. All of a Sudden (It's too late) 5. Great Fire 6. Are You Receiving Me? 7. Knights in Shining Karma 8. King for a Day 9. You're the Wish You Are I Had (Time for a quick clothes change..) 10. The Mole From the Ministry 11. The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead 12. Summer's Cauldron 13. Grass 14. Towers of London 15. Senses Working Overtime Encore 1. Rook 2. Love on a Farmboys Wages 3. The Wheel and the Maypole (Everything decays...and so must end) Venue: The Roundabout in Swindon...no, it's not a club or posing palace, just the roundabout in the middle of Swindon...or in some converted Railway sidings and storage near Swindon station or perhaps the Natural History Museum in London. Near the "Vale of the Horse" would be most appropriate as an outdoor venue, don't ya think..?! X-Stock...theres a thought.. Personnel...besides the three wisest of men....predictable I know but Barry Andrews to help with the bells and whistles, Terry Chambers for the boom and energy and...me...not to contribute anything musically, but to see things unfold in the closest possible location. Selfish, but hey, wouldn't you? R :o)
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2000 23:37:14 EDT From: WTDK@aol.com Subject: Lennon Remembered Message-ID: <a5.c03eb41.270ea2ea@aol.com> > This may be a delicately macabre thread idea, but maybe a good > cartharsis and a good tribute to Lennon's memory for the anniversary. > (60 years! It makes my head spin! The Beatles turning 60!) Anyway, > maybe those of us who remember that horrible night could relate their > tales. You know, where were you, what were you doing, how it affected > you. Just got back from Arizona....so am catching up on the latest thread... Watching Monday Night Football. Don't remember who was playing but I do clearly remember Howard Cosell mentioning that John Lennon had been shot. Cosell didn't have any other details so I stayed glued to my t.v. Had to revise my article on Lennon's Double Fantasy which was scheduled to run the within a couple of days. By the way the Beatles Anthology book just came out as well as a new version of the Rolling Stone book Lennon Remembers. What I remember most clearly after that is the media's insensitivity to both Yoko and the surviving Beatles. Wayne
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2000 08:20:14 -0400 From: Andrew Boyle <uscolor@uscolor.com> Subject: School Terms Message-ID: <v04210100b603710d8128@[192.168.0.3]> Hello again, Like a good little Hiller, I was given a gift certificate to Amazon and quickly ordered my Chalkhills and Children and Song Stories (still on order, of course) and the Punk Diaries (still to read and listen-nobody ever told me there were CDs with them!). Great book. The purpose of this post, however, is a question about some English terms for school levels. Though I consider myself an Anglophile, I have never heard of the terms "Forth Form" and "O Level exams" We have K-12 and college and SATs to get into college. How do these relate over the pond? Feel free to email of post, though someone else in the States might enjoy the knowledge as well. Thanks! Andrew Boyle Orlando, FL ___________________ "A BUMBLE-ling Buzz Lightyear was aided by Ranger NOVA to defeat the evil Zurg."
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2000 08:36:21 -0700 (PDT) From: Brown <mb2@deltanet.com> Subject: Son of Spam (I am) Message-ID: <200010061536.IAA27136@mail2.deltanet.com> My favorite Caledonian, Jayne, hath suggested: <<In celebration of Darlin' Deb's hard work in winning all that spam & to celebrate Mummer Day can I suggest a few party foods. How about some Spamish Rice, Spambled Eggs or even Eggy Cheese Spamwich Sandwich.>> Spot on, mon petit! Mummer Day + spam.. the perfect marriage of art and commerce.. A whole spamtastic theme!.. and since we will need some sort of media coverage to get this Mummer day project off the ground, I suggest we ask Spam Donaldson to drop in and cover the festivities.. oh, and a sprinkling of celebs at the gathering wouldn't hurt the cause.. How about Jean-Claude Van Spamme? ..Spam Elliot? ..Spamela Anderson(Lee)? My first smile of the day, care of Jayne's pearl: <<(and yes I have been known to be just a bit economical with reality from time to time)>> Jayne, you really *are* The Queen <G> Hugs and kisses! Debora Brown
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 06 Oct 2000 14:00:20 -0400
From: "Benjamin A. Gott" <bgott@bowdoin.edu>
Subject: Weird XTC sighting...
Message-ID: <B6038B73.1CC9%bgott@bowdoin.edu>
Gang,
So, I strolled into Applebee's (your friendly neighborhood chain restaurant)
for a cheap bite to eat last night, and what song did I hear playing over
the P.A. system but "Making Plans for Nigel"! Isn't that *weird*? Yeah. I
thought so, too.
I must add my tuppence in praise of the new Sugarplastic album. "Dunn the
Worm" is probably (definitely?) the best song that Ben has ever written.
"Talk Back" is fantastic, too.
Can anyone give me a condensed list of Prefab Sprout dos and don'ts? I just
ordered "From Langley Park to Memphis" on the strength of "Cars and Girls"
and "The King of Rock 'n' Roll"...Where to from there? (Remember, I don't
give a shit about Radiohead-esque experimentation...If I want strange,
goddammit, I'll look for strange. All I care about is these days melody,
baby! And jangly guitars, and pumpin' synths, and all that stuff...)
-Ben
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
Benjamin Gott . Bowdoin College . Brunswick, ME 04011
AIM: Plan4Nigel . . http://www.bowdoin.edu/~bgott
You can feel it all over / You can feel it all over, people...
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 06 Oct 2000 14:08:50 -0800 From: William Loring <bloring@tirerack.com> Subject: **Crimson ticket for sale** Message-ID: <B6038D72.78EB%bloring@tirerack.com> For Sale: 1 ticket to see King Crimson Where: Park West Theatre in Chicago When: Wednesday, November 1st, 2000 7:30pm How much: $35.00 I really want to go to this show, but must take a business trip at that time. If you're interested, please e-mail me, and we'll work out the details. Regards, William Loring bloring@tirerack.com tech_boy@mac.com
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 06 Oct 2000 18:24:05 EDT From: "Paul C" <psyduck_123@hotmail.com> Subject: Wonderousful Site! Message-ID: <LAW2-F285J9kVfbuhhh0000d41f@hotmail.com> Hello! I've recently visited your site and I'd like to say that it's a wonderful resource. I've been a XTC fan since 1986 and the information on it is very nicely displayed. Question: The RS reporter in one of the articles you have says that 25 songs were presented to Rundgren for Skylarking, and that he picked the 14 or 15 softest of them. Do you have any idea what happened to the other ones? I know a couple are on Rag Bone, but what about the rest? Do you have any idea where I can find these songs?? ANy info would help! Thanks! Paul
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Oct 2000 02:01:16 +0200 From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl> Subject: Cover Me Message-ID: <20001006235407.7DBDCA6D7C@mail.knoware.nl> Dear Chalkers, And now for something completely different: > Honkin' smart Harrison Sherwood <Hbsherwood@aol.com> ponied(pony-d?) > up, re: Cure fans' assembly of covers of all 431 songs the Cure ever > recorded: mmm... this really calls for a clever snide regarding the relative ease of covering the Cure catalog as opposed to XTC's but i'll leave that to others... > > So: Who up for, it, gang? Every single XTC song ever done--gotta be > > a piece of cake, right? just hold y'r ponies there, Doc ! ain't no such thing as a piece of cake here in Beatown > Now *this* is a GREAT idea. I'll bat clean-up. Euh... but isn't it a bit silly and utterly pointless to repeat their (both XTC and the Cure fans) performance? Wouldn't it be a better idea if we all contributed something (a song, a poem, any work of art) inspired by and / or in return for their songs? Let's take all the "official" XTC originals, divvy them up between us all and get those creative glands working! perhaps we can really surprise our Heroes with something personal and original instead of embarrassing them and ourselves with second-hand interpretations. Just a thought... any takers? PS: made myself a Tshirt this afternoon that sez: STUPIDLY H A P P Y (in BIG print) plus "with the new XTC album 'Wasp Star'" in fine grey print underneath. Am i sad or what? Your answer on a postcard to the following address: Mark Strijbos mmello@knoware.nl
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Oct 2000 02:01:16 +0200 From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl> Subject: Next! Message-ID: <20001006235408.A341AA6D7B@mail.knoware.nl> Dear Chalkers, Somebody wanted us to know that > The new Radiohead album is really rather special you know, especially > the last track which is probably the most gorgeous thing ever. no it isn't, not even by a long shot. wanna know why? IT"S NOT BY XTC !!! Keeping the faith, Mark S. Mark Strijbos mmello@knoware.nl
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 07 Oct 2000 01:31:49 +0000 From: The Worrier Queen <myrone@tesco.net> Subject: Crime and punishment Message-ID: <39DE7CFD.8587B1F0@tesco.net> When I read that Mark Chapman's request for parole was turned down my reaction was "Thank god." I want him to be put away for a very long time. You see I think that having to live with what he's done is a much harder punishment than 'legally' killing him. My "the day John died" is very simple. I was fourteen years old and John Lennon meant the Beatles, Give Peace a Chance & that song they played every Christmas. I had gone down with a virus or 'flu type thing and needed a lot of looking after, so I was taken into my parents room for the night. My Dad got up at 5:30 every morning and he had a clock radio to wake him. The news was on every half hour, so when the clock started up the first thing I heard was that Lennon had been shot and was dead. I'd had a bad night, coughing and feverish, so I thought it was something I'd dreamt, but every half hour there it was again. Hard to believe he would be 60 now. Jayne the Melancholy Worrier Queen He Toi Whakairo He Mana Tangata Where there is artistic excellence, there is human dignity. Maori saying
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #6-281 *******************************
Go back to Volume 6.
7 October 2000 / Feedback