Chalkhills Digest Volume 6, Issue 298
Date: Friday, 17 November 2000
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 6, Number 298
Friday, 17 November 2000
Topics:
eels and redbrick dream
I want my ...
BIG EXPRESS
those pesky "c"s.
Real Player Working Overtime
Good lyrics are my undoing
Dead End!
Welcome, and good point
Answers to Todd and Randy
A KPEZ DOWNLOAD THAT WORKS!!!
On Being Grateful
bumble vote-a
We're only singing songs for Nigel
Collective Souls steals?
1989 Radio Tour question
Spin Doctored
Spin Doctored Andy
Yes,Jane. There Is A Frog Clause!
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 3.7c (John Relph <relph@tmbg.org>).
Grab your soul and pull you down down down.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 17:34:16 -0800 (PST)
From: pancho artecona <partecona@yahoo.com>
Subject: eels and redbrick dream
Message-ID: <20001116013416.73712.qmail@web10405.mail.yahoo.com>
I'm traditionally bad with names, tend to do better
with faces. This places me at somewhat of a
disadvantage in the faceless world of cyberspace. I
know but a handful of names in chalkhills (I do know
the naqme of the exalted Vee Tube-HAIL BASSMAN!) so I
apologize for the anonymous bit of gratitude. Anyway,
thanks to whoever recommended The Eeels, I got
Electro-Shock Blues and have found it very
tasty......actually its probably a cd that Vee would
appreciate ....so what's in a name. Anyway thanks to
whoever that was.
XTC content- this was my word for the day for today
'The Word of the Day for November 15 is:
redbrick \RED-brik\ (adjective)
1 : built of red brick
*2 often capitalized : of, relating to, or being
the British universities founded in the 19th or
early 20th century
Example sentence:
Maureen graduated with a Redbrick degree three
years ago and now works in London.
Did you know?
Although red brick is a perfectly innocent
building material in America, the British usage of
"redbrick" is often potentially
uncomplimentary. "Redbrick" is a British coinage
created to denote the universities which were newer
and perhaps less prestigious than Oxford and
Cambridge (and sometimes the ancient universities
of Scotland). Logically enough, these newer
universities did tend to be constructed of red
brick, rather than the stone used for Oxford and
Cambridge, and were most often created in
industrial cities such as Liverpool. Sometimes the
term is also used to distinguish these universities
from those built after World War II. Limited
evidence suggests that "redbrick" may be developing
an extended meaning of "lower-class" or "working
class," but this is not established enough to merit
dictionary entry.'
My question to the more analytical minded ones on the
list is what meaning did Andy intend in his tune Red
Brick Dream. I assume he meant the working class sense
but then again I'm not sure I have paid attention to
all of the lyrics. Discuss if you care to.
That's about it then.
Pancho XPRXTCFAN
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 07:39:51 GMT From: "Duncan Kimball" <dunks58@hotmail.com> Subject: I want my ... Message-ID: <F4499ir3wSimD3JkUwW00000663@hotmail.com> How are we all? Re: Video clips >Nesmith's "Elephant Parts" (which includes "Rio") is dated 1981. The >DVD touts it as the recipient of the first ever Grammy for music >video. I suppose that particular clip may have been created earlier >and included in the long-form program after the fact. I agree - the gold for being up front and running at the dawn of the modern video era probably goes to Old WoolHat. My info tells me that "Rio" was made in 1976 and was certainly screening here in Australia (over and over and over) in 1977. Silver medal should probably go to Toddzilla, although I think he was using video quite a bit earlier. I know that he did two of the very earliest true *video* clips (i.e. made on video, not film) for "All The Children Sing" and "Can We Still Be Friends" from his 'Hermit of Mink Hollow' LP in 1978. >>In all probability there is no definite originator of the video clip >>as >>a stand-alone product. Ummm - I think I disagree - see the last par. >>The oldest 'filmclips' (pre-video) that I recall seeing are from around >>1966-7, various Beach Boys from Pet >>Sounds, Pink Floyd' Astronomy Domine >>from Piper at the Gates of Dawn >>and (in Australia) The Master's >>Apprentices with Elevator Man. I hate to be pedantic, but hell, I'm Australian. It's "Elevator Driver" actually. And yes, I would credit the Masters as being among the world pioneers in the use of 'conceptual' film clips' (for films they were indeed). I think their clip for the 1966 single "Buried and Dead" could well be the earliest such conceptual (i.e. not standing there pretending to play) promo ever made in this country. I must also give due credit to Sydney-based underground film collective UBU, whose members created pioneer promo clips for Aussie bands like Flying Circus, but above all to film-maker Chris Lofven, who directed the seminal concept clips for Spectrum's "I'll Be Gone" and Daddy Cool's "Eagle Rock" in 1971. "Eagle Rock" cost all of $300, and still looks great - and it bears a suspiciously strong resemblance to The Pretenders' much later "Brass In Pocket" clip (1979?) with many features in common, inlcuding the milk-bar/cafe setting, and the group driving off at the end of the song. >I remember hearing about some very early precursors to today's "music >videos," even as far back as the beginnings of the "talkies." Aside >from working sound into features, I recall there were instances where >musical performances were filmed individually and put in something >like Nickelodeons... True - there were "video juke boxes" using flim loops in the 1930's or 40's in America I believe, promoting jazz and swing hits. >Of course, if you want to talk about more contemporary "stand-alone" >music clips, in addition to the early ones you mentioned, The Beatles >did video tape some promos in 1965, around the time "Help!" was >released. By 1966, the Beatles and the Beach Boys had really jumped >into disjointed imagery and editing effects for these type of clips >(see "Paperback Writer" on the Beatles Anthology and "Sloop John B." >on the Beach Boys' "Endless Harmony" documentary). I think you'd have to credit "A Hard Days Night" as being in many ways the godfather of all music videos - it was certainly the catalyst for the endless (and increasingly tedious) flood of "we're a band, so we'd better run around" clips that proliferated through the 60s and beyond. And yes, a real revelation were those incredible clips for Paperback Writer, Rain, etc when they finally came to light in the Anthology videos -- they certainly blew us Aussies away because they had *never* been seen in this country before. "Strawberry Fields" remains of course the pinnacle -- perhaps the greatest conceptual clip of all time, often imitated but never bettered, and still stunningly beautiful and strange. However (did I say this before?) I think in fairness, the gong for the grandfather of ALL video clips should really go to Bob Dylan, whose classic b/w clip for "Subterranean Homesick Blues" (1965?) was probably the very first of its kind anywhere in the world in the pop/rock music arena. (My canny media lecturer once pointed out the similarity (tribute?) between SHB and Prince's minimalist masterpiece clip for "Sign of the Times". Good call, but then they paid to think of shit like that, don't they? Dunks
------------------------------ Date: 16 Nov 00 02:11:48 MST From: mdirvin@usa.net Subject: BIG EXPRESS Message-ID: <20001116091148.20430.qmail@nwcst289.netaddress.usa.net> I have been offline for a very long time now.....first, my computer was stolen, then my motherboard got melted....but now, all is ok. Sure missed you chalkhillians!! Well, everyone in my life is getting sooooooo tired of the Big Express. I can't get enough of this delightful album..... I can (and have) listen to it several times in a row, day after day...... this months favorite cut is Red Brick Dream. *sigh* God I love this stuff.... Picked up "Daisies of the Galaxy" by the Eels today.....wonderful tunes.... Jeannie's Dairy is killer. "Don't take any wooden nickels when you sell your soul" Mark in a house on a hill in Omaha XTC song of the day - Red Brick Dream nonXTC song of the day - Something is Sacred - by the Eels
------------------------------ Date: 16 Nov 2000 05:32:25 -0800 From: unna@worldmailer.com Subject: those pesky "c"s. Message-ID: <20001116133225.29988.cpmta@c008.sfo.cp.net> Hi All! In two of my pieces (TTATT and Secret Santa) my dashes (-)converted to "c"s! I don't know why that happened. It kind of wrecks the flow. It almost seems obscene in the TTATT. You deserve better. And I'm not going to stop until I can figure out a way to make it up to you. I'll fix everything! Wait and see! -L xtc content: I hear it thusly: "And it may be a positive boon to protect you from the man in the moon. Who happens to be naked! Look out!"
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 14:51:20 GMT From: joe.costello@talk21.com Subject: Real Player Working Overtime Message-ID: <20001116145202.LDLB1799.t21mta03-app.talk21.com@t21mtaV-lrs> Hi All, You may have heard that the boys were on the BBC show TOTP2 recently performing Senses Working Overtime - great haircut, Dave! http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/videoclips/gallery2.shtml#x will take you to a Real Player clip of this very performance. Enjoy!! Joe C
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 10:56:13 -0500 From: "Todd Bernhardt" <todd.bernhardt@enterworks.com> Subject: Good lyrics are my undoing Message-ID: <3A14039D.51E327E5@enterworks.com> Organization: Enterworks, Inc. Hi: Angie (Aaaaaan-jay) Kelson wrote about "Your Dictionary" and its use of "undone": > And that, to me, is tragic, the thought that an intimate > relationship, and all it entailed is --poof just gone. Or is all > this way too obvious? Not at all -- good catch. What's more, it's part of the section of the song that (IMO) redeems the vitriolic nature of the beginning. After much wailing and gnashing of teeth, Andy resigns himself to reality, saying: Now your laughter has a hollow ring But the hollow ring has no finger in it So let's close the book and let the day begin And our marriage be undone Like most of his lyrics, there are meanings within meanings here. I love the bittersweet "hollow ring" pun, and the way the third line evokes an image of someone who's sat up all night looking ruefully/wistfully at a photo album (or some other book; it could also refer to a wedding-registry book -- my god, he's a great lyricist). Finally, the last two lines provide the perfect shift from bitterness to acceptance -- the suggestion that *both* of them close the book, put the past behind them, and move on separately into a new day. My only complaint with the song is that it's one of the few where I still prefer the demo -- the finished product sounds too, well, finished to me. It seems to me that the the raw hurt, anger and rueful resignation I hear on the demo weren't very close to the surface by the time they did the album. Also from Angie: > My 5-year old is partial to `the Peter Pumpkinhead > song' and has taught what he makes of it to his 2-year old brother. > The two of them jump on my bed, singing, and I haven't the heart > to tell them to knock it off. Actually, I'd be concerned that you didn't have a heart if you *did* tell them to turn it off! Speaking of kids, lyrics and XTC, I had to smile the other day when I heard my 4-1/2-year-old son walking around singing, "I'm standing, standing in for joke..." -Todd
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 07:25:15 -1000 From: "Jim Smart" <jismart@ksbe.edu> Subject: Dead End! Message-ID: <3A14187A.99F7674B@ksbe.edu> Organization: 3Tripper All this talk about early music videos compels me to throw in a mention of those wonderful Kinks. They made a black and white promo clip for Dead End Street which is a sort of dark humor/silent film send up sort of thing. Some of the Kinks are carrying around a coffin, and late in the video one of the Kinks jumps out of there and runs away. Ray Davies has always been a very visual artist, and made tons of films, both long and short. Sadly, almost none of it can I get my hands on! Jim Smart (back after a long absence)
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 11:46:11 -0600
From: chris vreeland <vreecave@realtime.com>
Subject: Welcome, and good point
Message-ID: <3A141D51.5F00A61D@realtime.com>
Now your laughter has a hollow ring
But the hollow ring has no finger in
So let's close the book and let the day begin
And our marriage be undone
-AP
From: Angie Kelson Packer/Shaun Packer <nick@aros.net>
Subject: 1st post/Dictionary
Quote:
There's been much discussion about the power of the "longing look,"
which is powerful indeed, but what about AV1 "Your Dictionary" final
line, "and our marriage be undone."I got all teary-eyed first time I
really heard it. The marriage is not simply over, but completely
undone. <unquote>
In the past, several people here have expressed a dislike for the
"tagged on" ending of Your Dictionary, saying it doesn't fit in with the
rest of the song, but I feel there is good reason why Andy ended the
song the way he did.
In a minor way, I see a hint of irony towards how trivially a
divorce can be perceived, and how easily one can be performed. When all
two married people have to do is climb to the nearest roof top and shout
"Divorce! Divorce," often, they sadly see no need to put as much effort
into a marriage as their vows suggest. It's as easy as saying a few
scripted words in front of a judge. "Your Honor, let the marriage be
undone."
But more importantly to me, the ending (or coda, I guess) of YD
stands apart from the rest of the song because our "narrator" is trying
to move on from the negative feelings held through the song's main body.
"So, let's close the book and LET THE DAY BEGIN" (emphasis added, of
course) if you will note, sounds like an attempt to be hopeful about the
future, instead of wallowing in pain and grief.
I think Andy does a really splendid job here of separating these two
disparate thoughts musically as well as lyrically, tailoring the music
to the emotional intent of the words, something at which he becomes more
adept with each album. In my opinion, he's saying "Whew, that's enough
of that! I'll stop wallowing now, and get on with my life." I think
without the ending as it is, the song would lose it's whole purgative,
redemptive qualities, and just be one big long complaint. I won't be the
first person here to point out how one of the best qualities of Andy's
lyrics is his maturation as an adult, and full fledged human being.
These are qualities which, despite being occasionally angry and bitter,
I think he's expressed better than any of his contemporaries, musically
and lyrically.
So anyway, welcome, Angie. It's refreshing to see a first post with as
much substance as yours, and no, you're not rambling. Wait and see what
tomes some of us can produce when we really try.
Cheers,
Chris Vreeland
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 11:39:58 -0800 (PST) From: Ryan Anthony <hamsterranch@yahoo.com> Subject: Answers to Todd and Randy Message-ID: <20001116193958.1121.qmail@web113.yahoomail.com> May I borrow a bit of bandwidth to reply to a couple of Chalkbrothers? First, Todd Bernhardt: "Ryan Anthony asked: 'And can we add Dead Chicken Launcher to the list of band names no one has used yet?' "Too late. It's now mine, pal." Okay, Todd, but you have to thank me in the liner notes to your first album, and I want a copy. (As has been noted often, but probably not often enough, an *album* can be released in any format, including Edison Cylinders.) Second, Randy Hiatt, reading about the hamster cannon, asked me: "Are you gay?, not that there is anything wrong with that." The best answer to this question came a few weeks ago from Ralph Nader, the American environmentalist gadfly and Green Party presidential candidate. His openly socialist campaign plucked votes away from the larger, closet-socialist, Democratic Party -- which responded in two ways: out in the open, with honest anger, and secretly, with a last-minute smear campaign to spread the whisper that Nader, a confirmed bachelor, is homosexual. Nader is no such thing, but as a man of the Left, he took great pains to construct a denial that rebuked the smear-mongers but did not insult the (to use toothache-inducingly politically correct terminology) gay community. The final four words of Nader's statement: "The answer is no." Ryan Anthony An independent Internet content provider P.S.: Please don't take this post as an attack on Randy Hiatt, whose question, albeit weird and unexpected, is honest and fair, or as an invitation to discuss the American presidential election in this forum.
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 17:06:01 -0800 From: "Wes Long" <wlong2@carolina.rr.com> Subject: A KPEZ DOWNLOAD THAT WORKS!!! Message-ID: <000001c05032$9606f880$fb5b1918@carolina.rr.com> C'ripes man...finally. Tested and tested again, then tested once more. https://www.idrive.com/extrovert/files/Shared/?curr-node=3163044455586463765 Once there, click on the file and you will have the option of opening from current location or saving. There is also a "download" button...ahhh, you'll figure it out. It appears as if idrive is the only one worth a damn. Uh, that...or I just don't know what the hell it is that I'm doing. wes"200 lbs of pot didn't hurt my brain"LONG
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 21:29:12 EST From: IMSUNBAKE@aol.com Subject: On Being Grateful Message-ID: <5c.3697b9c.2745f1f8@aol.com> Chalk Darlings - In a year that has had many wonderful highs including finding Chalkhills; the music of XTC, Kevin Gilbert, and Johnny Clegg; the New York Yankees winning the World Series; the release of Harry Potter #4), and a major sad low (lost Mom to cancer last month), may I put this on my U.S. Thanksgiving table: I am most grateful for my new Chalkhills friends who have been hilarious, thoughtful, thought-provoking, amusing, articulate, frustrating (the God thing), and generous beyond belief with their thoughts, time, direction, advice, and offers to burn CDs without even being asked. Smooches to you all! Annamarie
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 22:30:20 EST
From: Saints3Den@aol.com
Subject: bumble vote-a
Message-ID: <d9.c5e2c6b.2746004c@aol.com>
a bit more of the bumble nova...
RE-COUNT
Poked a hole, tried to vote Gore
Oops! I think I pushed in Buchannan
Try again, need another
Ballot to fulfill Al's destiny
Re-count, its a re-count
Tried to pick a liberal
Instead chose a bully
So we'll re-count
Change the amount
Of votes we're receiving,
A black eye for democracy
Watch the Bush lead fall away 1 by 1
'till he's behind Gore
so unfortunately
What did that reporter say?
CNN?
Candidates are praying "oh please"
from down on thier knees
E-lect, e-lect,
Careful who you se-lect
Re-count re-count,
gonna change the ammount
Nader, Nader
can i re-vote later?
Enough of that...
What if we bumble nova-ed two songs....or,
actually , what if andy did like Harvest festival and Bags of fun with
buster...hmmm...
See the Two who've been swollen
Largest Testicles, Largest testicles
They both grew, and they got dragged across the floor,
then out of nowhere got stuck in revolving door
ouch, that is enough eddie st martin
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2000 00:37:31 -0800 (PST) From: andrew sneddon <andrew_sneddon@yahoo.com> Subject: We're only singing songs for Nigel Message-ID: <20001117083731.28271.qmail@web615.mail.yahoo.com> Morning world Greetings from a very hungover Andrew who is having trouble focusing on the screen. And how did that bit of pizza get in my shoe? Spent the night down the local Karaoke night and treated the punters with my renditions of "Lady Madonna" and "A town called malice". The guy running the machine was called Nigel so naturally I had to break into an impromtu rendition of you-know-what (no, not Your Dictionary) to the "delight" of my peers. Anyone sung any XTC on Karaoke? Hmm, a fried breakfast beckons A
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2000 10:22:26 -0400 From: Andrew Boyle <uscolor@uscolor.com> Subject: Collective Souls steals? Message-ID: <v04210103b63aee068154@[192.168.0.3]> Hello, So. Um, I'm sitting here listening to the brand new Collective Soul CD, Blender, and I think, um, someone should ring Andy up and see if he gets a royalty. On the opening number, Skin, the riff is just a tad like one of our favorite new Wasp Star songs. Or is it just me? I love me some Collective Soul but they usually don't sound like anyone else. ___________________ On another note, thanks to everyone for not getting cheeky when I rhetorically posted "Guess what I will have in my hands in 3 days?" a while back. Seems I am still waiting. Hopefully that will change by next week. Andrew (what kind of BUMBLING idiots do we have in this state to cause such a political superNova?) Boyle Orlando, FL
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2000 13:08:35 -0800 From: "Wes Long" <wlong2@carolina.rr.com> Subject: 1989 Radio Tour question Message-ID: <001401c050da$8c575480$fb5b1918@carolina.rr.com> Hiya: I was at the Charlotte leg of the '89 radio tour, curious if anyone else on list got a chance to sit in on any of the gigs. If so, please contact me. If you have any memories of the radio tour...or are very familiar with one of the radio stations that they recorded at...I'd like to pick your brain for a moment. wes"if you pick it it will bleed"LONG
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2000 17:11:55 -0600 From: "Richard" <rjpa1@home.com> Subject: Spin Doctored Message-ID: <034301c050eb$c79f0cc0$15ec1718@mckiny1.tx.home.com> Andy called me yesterday (yes, I am bragging. it's so unbecoming isn't it?). We yacked in detail about all kinds of stuff. Totally disjointed stuff like oil painting, confederate hats, multitrack equipment, the music of the 1920's, charities and the wholly oppressive recording contract that they originally signed with Virgin - I don't know if the details have ever been made public but man, oh, man, we're they ever SKA-RUDE. I had heard it was bad deal but it is much tougher to accept the details when you listen to someone you respect, talk about how downright stupid they were. Spin Magazine asked Andy to provide them with a list of his Top 5 songs of 2000. Once he provided the list, Spin refused to print it stating something like "real picks would be more useful." Here it is, in all it's industry anarchist, politically incorrect glory: (in no particular order) Britney Spears - Tits, Tits, They're My Christian Tits Puff Daddy - My Jewelry Bill Needs Paying (So Who Else Can I Rip Off) Madonna - Spirituality is SO Last Week Christine Aguilara - Britney, Shitney Eminem - Way Down Upon De Swanee Ribuh
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2000 17:25:09 -0600 From: "Richard" <rjpa1@home.com> Subject: Spin Doctored Andy Message-ID: <038801c050ed$a0d10ce0$15ec1718@mckiny1.tx.home.com> Andy called me yesterday (yes, I am bragging. it's so unbecoming isn't it?). We yacked in detail about all kinds of things. Totally disjointed stuff like oil painting, confederate hats, multitrack equipment, the music of the 1920's, charities and the wholly oppressive recording contract that they originally signed with Virgin - I don't know if the details have ever been made public (nor do I think it is my position to report) but man, oh, man, we're they ever SKA-RUDE. I had heard it was bad deal but it is much tougher to accept the details when you listen to someone you respect, talk about how downright stupid they were. It was a totally foolish deal. Ah, frivolous youth! Spin Magazine recently asked Andy to provide them with a list of his Top 5 songs of 2000. Once he provided the list, Spin refused to print it stating something like "real picks would be more useful." Here it is, in all it's industry anarchist, politically incorrect, Acidic Andy glory: (in no particular order) Britney Spears - Tits, Tits, They're My Christian Tits Puff Daddy - My Jewelry Bill Needs Paying (So Who Else Can I Rip Off?) Madonna - Spirituality is SO Last Week Christine Aguilara - Britney, Shitney Eminem - Way Down Upon De Swanee Ribuh Cheers, Richard "Coat's in the Cupboard?" Pedretti-Allen
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2000 21:42:06 CST
From: "vee tube" <veetube@hotmail.com>
Subject: Yes,Jane. There Is A Frog Clause!
Message-ID: <F234wjATmTjeIDt7kda00001239@hotmail.com>
Our beloved worrier Queen asked...
>Is a frog an exotic Patagonian nose flute or instrument of
>another kind? Or should we be sending around the RSPCA or
>other animal protection agencies?
Yes/No! But it's too late! Seems in the days of olde,
certain British musicians were reduced to creating 'organic'
samples. (if you listen very close, you can hear haggis being
made during the Beatles "Baby you're a rich man now")
Fact of matter is, Andy told Virgin records, "This song
won't work unless you get 'Screaming' Lord Sutch to squat on
a frag (that's frog for all of you in West Palm Beach) and let
me record it!"
Of course, Virgin relented and gave Andy everything he wanted
(like they always did). Andy, understandably, then ran home and
'looped' an organic sample on his "portable SONY entertainment
center". From this, was built the rhythmic 'croak' which propels
'knuckle down' to it's ultimate climax.
(please don't ask me about those groans deep inside the mix
on the hyper-fidelity Platinum single CD of Church of Women)
}---:)
P.S. Don't forget, XTC LIVE in Holland!
http://www.orangetwin.com/drunken/march81982.html
Vote -->O
O<-- For
Trout -->O
O<-- Out!
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #6-298 *******************************
Go back to Volume 6.
18 November 2000 / Feedback