Chalkhills Digest Volume 6, Issue 59
Date: Saturday, 1 April 2000
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 6, Number 59
Saturday, 1 April 2000
Topics:
Pop Megastars
this ones been building up for a while...
download Soul Coughing mp3
Elton John! Elton John!
Kinky Influences
Scam Alert!
Any XTC fans in Brisbane
Near Sighted
What Key Am I In?
book review???!!
Re: WS TVT CD-R
Phil Collins Thread
Xtc on tour (my yearly post)
Can't Resist
the '80's are coming, the '80's are coming
Delurking W.I.M.P.
timmybighands
'Ay!! I only post to Chalkhills Digest once a year...
Standing in for Barry
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 15:41:01 -0600 From: "Robert Kulick" <kulicro@auburn.edu> Subject: Pop Megastars Message-ID: <s8e4c71b.085@groupwise1.duc.auburn.edu> To Dan< what you say about Barenaked Ladies and BenFolds Five is very true, but the point is, that without the push of MTV (look what 120 Minutes did for "Peter Pumpkinhead") and at least an attempt at some kind of tour, the breakout success of XTC will not occur in our lifetime.... "XTC's lack of commercial success isn't because their music isn't accessible -- their bright, occasionally melancholy, melodies flow with more grace than most bands -- it has more to do with the group constantly being out of step with the times. However, the band has left behind a remarkably rich and varied series of albums that make a convincing argument that XTC is the great lost pop band." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All-Music Guide I'd like to see XTC be a huge success with Wasp Star-AV2....They've been around longer than almost every other original "alternative" band, surviving "punk", "pop" and "new wave" labels, as well as a bunch of pimple-bottomed suit-wearing sycophants at Virgin who would have gladly seen them fade into obscurity...and yet they remain one of the smartest, if not THE smartest band ever to lay down tracks; Kinks, Beatles; Beach Boys; etc aside.... I guess we can only wait and see what kind of success the new album will bring....using the Internet as a means to flood the radio station websites with requests perhaps; just a thought.... rob
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 15:12:13 -0800 (PST) From: Tyler Hewitt <tahewitt@yahoo.com> Subject: this ones been building up for a while... Message-ID: <20000331231213.10937.qmail@web2103.mail.yahoo.com> RE: So did someone really say a while back that Exile on Main St. was overrated? I know these "if-you-don't-like-what-I-like-then-you're-crap" things can get a bit tedious, but to slag Exile is a bit much. ------------- Warning: Major bitch ahead, fasten seat belts... To Hell with Exile on Main St. EVERYTHING the Stones have ever done is overrated.They are really NOT A VERY GOOD BAND. The last halfway interesting thing they did was over 20 years ago, and that hasn't stopped them at all. While I'm on the topic, Mick Jagger is one of the most nauseating human beings I have ever laid eyes on. And why the hell can't they grow up? Watching someone my parent's age run around in spandex pants is not a pleasant sight. THe RollingStones are proof that there should be a mandetory retirement age for rock stars. At least those who are stuck in perpetual adolescence. To be fair, I own a cd of Sticky Fingers, and may pick up a copy of Let it Bleed someday, but my intrest in the Stones ends there. Yes, Exile... is overated. I've never been able to see what the fuss was with that one. But that's the least of my issues with the most overrated band in rock history. OK, I'm done. I feel better now.
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 18:18:28 -0600 From: Jill Oleson <Jill_Oleson@kurion.com> Subject: download Soul Coughing mp3 Message-ID: <81CC73FC2FACD311A2D200508B8B88AA0D6F3C@KURION_EXCH> D'oh! I can't email the "Shake Your Bon-Bon" file to you. the filesize is too large. However, you can download it from: http://www.soulcoughing.com/mp3.htm while it lasts! Enjoy! llij
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 20:51:34 -0500 From: "Christopher R. Coolidge" <cauldron@together.net> Subject: Elton John! Elton John! Message-ID: <l03130300b50afbccef10@[208.13.202.167]> >Hey Chalkster!! > >I've just spent a portion of my day listening to Mr. Dwight (Elton >John for the musically challenged).........Honky Chateau..Goodbye >Yellow Brick Road...Elton John...Capt. Fantastic and Brown Dirt >Cowboy. I then switched over to Nonsuch. > >It would seem to me that Reg and Andy would have similar musical >taste. They even look similar from far away!! > >I'm wondering if there are any other Elton John fans here. I know for >a while back in the eighties it was not cool to admit that he/she >liked Elton John. > >Do people here prefer the John/Rice collaborations or ,my preference, >John/Taupin. > >Mark Newberg I idolised him at thirteen, and came back to him time and again as an adult; his 80's and 90's material is dirt cheap used these days, somehow he just isn't cool anymore. The only things he's put out that I've actively disliked is The Lion King(vomit), the Diana remake of "Candle In The Wind,"(sorry, Reg, I know you loved her and all, but couldn't you have just contributed in her name to some children's hospital somewhere?)and "Jamaica Jerk-Off" from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.(to Reg and Bernie as "Illegal Alien" was to Genesis. No, Reg. No!)For everything else, even the problematic stuff is at least interesting at best and not icky at worst. Besides, there were few songs written in the 70's cooler than "Bennie And The Jets," and a keyboardist like myself needed a role model. Christopher R. Coolidge Homepage at http://homepages.together.net/~cauldron/homepage.html
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2000 08:35:41 +0900 From: "John Boudreau" <aso1@mocha.ocn.ne.jp> Subject: Kinky Influences Message-ID: <002701bf9b7f$79cb9440$6b5791d2@johnboud> Jill wrote : >After reading "Song Stories" and learning that the Kinks were a big >influence on XTC, I've been wondering which songs/albums were the >most influential on the band Well , " Waterloo Sunset " ; " Autumn Almanac " ; and " Sunny Afternoon " are singles Andy has mentioned . I would guess that the albums " Face To Face " ; " Something Else " ; " The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society " ; and " Arthur " were influential/inspirational as well . Sushiman
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 22:39:06 CST
From: "vee tube" <veetube@hotmail.com>
Subject: Scam Alert!
Message-ID: <20000401043906.17505.qmail@hotmail.com>
Some one posted...
"you can't tell a real advance copy of 'Wasp' from a boot.
It's a silver CDR with a plain old paper label w/generic
font on it"
OK, That's not a direct quote ( I still don't know how to
cut & paste) but, the copy I borrowed from my favorite local
indie store, came in a black slipcase. On the front was a red
outline of an apple with a green one inside of it.
The back was black w/the songs in color. The disc itself
had production code #s etched right before the TOC.( I wrote
them down but left them at work) It did say MFG WEA.
The top of the disc was a 'full blown' paint job (not some
E-bay sticky scam)
"Incoherently yours"
}---:)
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2000 05:51:07 +0100 From: "Gary Thompson" <nero.the.zero@net.ntl.com> Subject: Any XTC fans in Brisbane Message-ID: <000001bf9b95$e5d46e80$1814a8c2@garythom> Just a quick note - I'm going to Australia for a holiday ( arriving on Anzac Day ), and was wondering if any XTC fans in the Brisbane area would fancy meeting up for a chat and maybe even a drink ( or two! ). If you're up for it, drop me an e-mail off list. Cheers, Gary 'We won't be told the past was pure gold We were there and it wasn't' Paddy McAloon [Attachment omitted, unknown MIME type or encoding (application/ms-tnef)]
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2000 14:27:47 +0200 From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl> Subject: Near Sighted Message-ID: <20000401122408.BE5FBA6CE4@mail.knoware.nl> Dear Chalkers, Tonight there was a musical quiz show on Dutch TV that featured a question about XTC. The contestants were shown part of a clip of that Nigel song and had to finish the line: "must be happy in his ...". None of the contestants got it right, but one of them came quite close with "world". The host said they also had had their doubts wether it was "world" or "work" but had checked it out on the Internet. ( take note, Andy! ) Anyway, what really interested me was the clip they showed, albeit very briefly. It was a videorecording of an 1979 lip-sync "performance" on our local TV chart show Top Pop. I've always thought that i saw this once back then but had no proof. But all this cannot really distract me from the dreadful news that a certain softdrink company has once again seen fit to tinker with their secret recipe. i managed to salvage four Old Taste bottles but they won't even last for half a week. Panic ! yours in xtc, Mark S. @ the Little Lighthouse www.come.to/xtc
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 01 Apr 2000 08:15:46 -0500 From: twosheds@mindspring.com Subject: What Key Am I In? Message-ID: <Springmail.105.954594946.0.69954400@www.springmail.com> Greetings Chalklings! My dear friend Chris 'Let's start a list about lists' Vreeland quipped: >In the car cassette deck going 'round and 'round for the last week is >a cassette tape of some XTC demos that I bummed from Joe. (hands-down >the best friend a guy could have) I'm currently in LOVE with "My >Trains a-coming" and "I Don't Want to be Here." If they don't release >these as b-sides from the current sessions, I may seek permission to >go record them myself. ...Finishing with the inflammatory: >Joe, you can play a chord on the guitar. How dare you!! I, in fact, know two chords... C minus & Be flat. Joe 'Where are those confounding blisters!' Funk
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2000 08:39:00 -0800 From: "Jonathan Bean" <j_bean@talk21.com> Subject: book review???!! Message-ID: <001401bf9bf8$e7929040$fa1701d5@bean1> Can't delurk it seems without mentioning whats on rotation on the player at the moment, well my room reverberates lately to the tones of... Psychedelic Furs-1st Album Julian Cope-St. Julian World Party-Goodbye Jumbo Sinead O'Connor-So Far... Kinks-Kinks Story Vol 2 Leon Redbone- XTC-Drums & Wires Dukes-Psonic Psunspot Ian McNabb-Head Like a Rock Soft Boys-Underwater Moonlight CabaretVoltaire-Own Complilation Joy Division-Closer But what really caught my booksellers attention recently was on Paul Averitt's "Day I Met Andy" post (lucky bastard) Paul was invited in by Andy who says "Well, I'm just finishing up this book review". What book review? was he writing the review or reading a review of something. And if you're getting bored of "whats in my CD player lists" what about "What am I reading at the moment". Come on, I already know you have great musical taste, what about books. I'll go first... Kathy Reichs - Deadly Decisions Ben Sherwood - Man Who Ate A 747 James Hawes - Dead Long Enough Now what about you all?
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 Mar 2000 20:58:14 -0800 From: "Russ Reynolds" <rcreation@earthlink.net> Subject: Re: WS TVT CD-R Message-ID: <200003300502.VAA13352@gull.prod.itd.earthlink.net> > I thought I'd just throw this out there in case any of the Wasp Star promo > discs show up on an auction site... > > There is virtually NO WAY to distinguish a "REAL" TVT promo from a copy! > > The promo is on a silver CD-R covered with a white paper label with black > text and the TVT and Idea Records logo. There is no cardboard sleeve, > cover or tray art, or ANYTHING distinct about the CD (well, except for > maybe... um... the music). Not necessarily so! P'raps the Richard P-A "Andy gave me mine when he popped in for dinner" copy is an advance of the official advance. My copy has a nifty cardboard sleeve with a double outline of an apple on one side and the tracks listed on the other. The disc itself has blue & white text over a black background printed directly on it. If you get one like this, it's real. > If you want to come over and visit for a listen, write me. I'd like to echo that. If you want to visit for a listen, write Richard. Or catch me on a slow day (good luck). -russ
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2000 11:42:22 EST
From: Joebizarre@aol.com
Subject: Phil Collins Thread
Message-ID: <90.272ca9e.261780ee@aol.com>
In concert to David R. Bauman's anti-anti-Phil message:
I hadn't seen the Phil hate items and I am also not a fan of his solo
work or the later Genesis stuff, but I do think that Phil is a great drummer
and a unique vocalist. His early work with Genesis is far superior to
Bruford's (my absolute favorite drummer) earliest efforts and a lot of Carl
Palmer's (His two closest contemporaries). His decision to take over vocals
after Peter Gabriel left and his experimental work with Brand X (his hottest
drumming recorded) show a musician of extremely high caliber. I find it hard
to believe that anyone who cares enough about XTC, wouldn't appreciate how
hard this man has worked in music that was far from popular. You should be
pleased that he made it. Few talents like him ever do. Give the man some
credit.
Oh, yeah, love/hate the new XTC album title, can't wait for it to come out,
watermelon cantaloupe, lots of CDs in my various players, Aztecs and Mayans,
(some strange British reference).
"(quote from someone representing my credo or whatever)"
Love,
joe
P.S. David, Please let me know the name of the Genesis list you were
referring to. Thanks.
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2000 13:15:58 -0500 From: Kevin P Kelly <kevkelly@voicenet.com> Subject: Xtc on tour (my yearly post) Message-ID: <l03130300b50be13d977b@[209.71.85.46]> Greetings all, from the depths of Atlantic City. XTC content: Has anyone heard anything more definitive on these rumours of a truckbed tour or something similar? How would they pull that off with just the two of them, anyway? My latest rotation: XTC - Apple Venus I Pure Funk - 70's Polygram Compilation Stevie Wonder - Fulfillingness' First Finale Trip Shakespeare - Lulu Steely Dan - Two Against Nature Fountains of Wayne - first album Aimee Mann - I'm With Stupid Frank Zappa and the Mothers - Uncle Meat Stereolab - Peng! Bob Dylan - New Morning I didn't realize until looking through my CD magazines how many of these artists I truly first heard about through this list. It seems like I've always known about Stereolab, Trip Shakespeare, and Fountains of Wayne (and many others), but if I hadn't logged on to the internet a few years back, I'd still be listening to Phil Collins (very slight joke... I do love that first album). This is the only reason I have stayed on this list for five years, my love of XTC and witty repartee aside. An album that I first heard about here and I enjoy tremendously is Komeda - What Makes It Go? I enjoy catchy pop that's original and derivative at the same time, and this is that. Give it a shot. Looking forward to the new Elliot Smith album....(and you know what else)..... Kev (kepeke)
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 20:12:31 +0100 From: John Peacock <johndrewp@zoo.co.uk> Subject: Can't Resist Message-ID: <38E4F89F.48DD2192@zoo.co.uk> Organization: The Nice Organization However much I try I can't resist the "changer" thread. Or at least, in my case, "what's in the box I took to work to listen to on the computer there?" Peter Blegvad: Hangman's Hill Glorious stuff, particularly the title track and The Marvellous in the Everyday. Discover Blegvad: you know it makes sense. Jacques Brel: Integral vols 2, 4 & 6 The man. Or possibly l'homme. Including Ne Me Quitte Pas, La Mort, Les Bourgois, Les Bonbons and plus des autres. As it were. The Divine Comedy: Fin de Siecle Mr Hannon's finest work to date IMHO. National Express is irritating, yes, but the rest is magnificent. Top tip of the week - Commuter Love. Brian Eno: Before & After Science I keep having to remind myself how good this stuff is. Features Kurt Schwitters on vocals on one track. Not many people can say that. Van Dyke Parks: Clang of the Yankee Reaper (disappointing) and Discover America (totally bonkers). The Pixies: Trompe le Monde My favourite Pixies album, and I don't care what normal people think (yes, even more than Doolittle). Sudden Sway: Spacemate A CDR I made of Sudden Sway's ridiculous first album. Amazing stuff, but very difficult to explain. Best remembered for their John Peel session (including Let's Evolve). Wished I'd had (at one point or another): Five Leaves Left; Scott Walker's Tilt; XTC's AV1; Stereolab's most recent. Isn't there a new XTC album out soon, too? John -- In the spirit of shameless self promotion, my songs may be found at: http://www.mp3.com/peacock "sell yourself, sell yourself, expect nothing" as a sage saith.
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2000 10:47:43 -0800 (PST) From: Tyler Hewitt <tahewitt@yahoo.com> Subject: the '80's are coming, the '80's are coming Message-ID: <20000401184743.11697.qmail@web2101.mail.yahoo.com> RE: I want Hubba Bubba. Why did they take this gum off the market anyway? If anyone has a clue, please tell me because I am dying without my Hubba Bubba gum! ------------------- Is Hubba Bubba that gum with the liquid center? In High School we used to call it 'cum gum'. There was an urban legend about that gum, that it was made from spider eggs! A warning: don't be too happy about the return of the '80's. I think I posted here a few months ago warning about the return of parachute pants and pinstripe jeans. Add big hair and the Madonna look to that list, and you'll see why i'm filled with dread about this...
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2000 12:47:10 -0800 (PST) From: Todd Savelle <tesavelle@yahoo.com> Subject: Delurking W.I.M.P. Message-ID: <20000401204710.19450.qmail@web3003.mail.yahoo.com> Chalkies: My name is Todd, and I'm an XTC-aholic. (collective reply) Hi, Todd. (a few sniggers in the back of the room, someone calling me "another delurking twat".) First post from a medium-term subscriber, long-term digest reader, and XTC fan since 1980. Without sticking my tongue too far into a place where it neither belongs nor where it's welcomed (and no, for those of you who might enjoy it, I'm not offering), I'd like to say thanks to John Relph for this venue; to Harrison Sherwood, Dom, Dunks, and "the unusual cast of too-ready-for-Internet players" for making this list such an irreverent and hilarious experience; and to Mitch and "others in-the-loop" for the tidbits of band news. Anyway, John Keel's report of Wasp Star just about had me exploding in a jealous rage (no hard feelings, John). I'm drooling over here. The weight of the wait is becoming unbearable. Happily, however, Wasp Star hits the stores just after my wife and I move into our first house, so I plan to premiere the CD at a volume of 11 without having even a nanosecond of worry about the neighbors. I plan on capturing each note in all its blaring beauty. Will I annoy the wife? Nicely enough, she came to our marriage with her own copies of The Big Express and Nonsuch, so she'll be listening happily along. Here's what's in rotation in my various CD players (the presence of only 1 XTC disk contradicting my initial XTC-aholic statement, which was merely dramatic license): XTC: Apple Venus, Vol. 1 Morphine: The Night Johnny Cash: The Man In Black - His Greatest Hits Belle and Sebastian: If You're Feeling Sinister Tim Finn: Say It Is So James: Millionaires Midnight Oil: Redneck Wonderland Hugh Cornwell: Black Hair, Black Eyes, Black Suit Lyle Lovett: Live in Texas The Charlatans (UK): Us and Only Us Zero Accidents on the Job: The Luaka Bop 10th Anniversary Collection ($10 for 2 CDs from HMV -- a steal like that should be illegal, the collection is THAT good) Thanks for letting me waste some bandwidth. Indefatigably yours, Todd
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2000 11:43:14 -0800 From: "Wes Hanks" <wes@iolvegas.com> Subject: timmybighands Message-ID: <001901bf9c12$9959b240$36b59fce@default> Dear Friends, Fans of mid-70s era National Lampoon as well as (obviously) Mystery Science Theater 3000 need to drop everything and turn your crank to www.timmybighands.com. This is what the alumni of MST3K are doing now. I have not laughed this hard since reading the Terry Chambers - Brian Eno encounter in Uncut. Wes "Touched By The Hand of Dom" Hanks
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 01 Apr 2000 11:48:55 -0800 From: Ed Daranciang <ednpam@atdial.net> Subject: 'Ay!! I only post to Chalkhills Digest once a year... Message-ID: <38E6529D.880E5707@atdial.net> Organization: FMP ...so let me indulge myself (and bore you) with... 10 CD Cases Randomly Piled Around the 'ol CD Changer: Sam Phillips: "Zero, Zero, Zero" --What a talent; great arrangements & production by her husband, T-Bone Burnett... what's she been up to lately? Did she retire? Todd Rundgren: "LIVE in Chicago '91" -- Nice versions of "Something to Fall Back On", "Parallel Lines" and "Johnee Jongo"; Todd delivers the goods live. The Best Of Del Amitri: "Lousy With Love" -- One of my wonderful wife's favorite bands; have to admit, there's some good songwritin' by Justin Currie Voices Of Modern Irish Music: "Common Ground" -- The Kate Bush track was worth the bidding price of the whole CD on e-Bay. Is Kate another retiree? Martin Newell/Andy Partridge -- "The Greatest Living Englishman" -- what an underrated album; long live the Kinks!! Do any of Newell's other releases sound this catchy? Peter Gabriel: "Secret World Live '93" -- This has secret weapon Paula Cole singing the Kate Bush parts on "Don't Give Up" -- pure spine tingling Squeeze: "Play" -- not their best, but ya gotta love 'em for trying to stretch the pop format. John Linnell: "State Songs" -- CD highlights include "Arkansas", "New Hampshire", and "Illinois" -- can't wait for his "Canadian Provinces Songs" series to begin... NRBQ: "Tiddleywinks" -- just getting into this one... can anyone recommend my next NRBQ CD purchase? The Clash: "Give 'Em Enough Rope" -- just heard a rumour that they are (except Topper) planning to do a "one-off" gig at some festival in England within a few months. Required XTC Content -- who are all these rich people bidding in the hundreds of dollar$ (i.e., outbidding me) for XTC stuff like the "Look Look" video & "Wasp Star" promo?? I don't have a point to make...., I'm just middle-class and envious... Ed in S.F. -- waiting to post again next year... ednpam@atdial.net
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2000 14:36:22 -0800 (PST) From: Al LaCarte <allacarte@yahoo.com> Subject: Standing in for Barry Message-ID: <20000401223622.728.qmail@web1607.mail.yahoo.com> All: John Keel wrote: >The main character in "Standing in For Joe" finds >himself having an affair >with his best friend's wife in another great song >from Colin. The melody in >the first half of the verse reminds me so much of >another song and for the >life of me I can't think of what it is. I hear the melody behind the phrase: "I'm no one to look behind I know that times have changed..." from Steely Dan's "Barrytown." But, after a few times, it takes on its own life. Similar, but not detrimental to the song. Colin is at the top of his game on this album. (CD, if you prefer!) Al
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