Chalkhills Digest Volume 6, Issue 74
Date: Tuesday, 11 April 2000
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 6, Number 74
Tuesday, 11 April 2000
Topics:
Get it right!
Lack of Song Stories
adieu.
French Fat Bassman from wasp star
My admission to the group....
Request for Get Back
Wasp Star
I'm the Man Who Murdered Napster! (SPOILERS!)
Q&A
Son of Lest We Forget...
mp3 debate
TVT + XTC = ?
XTC on KCRW
Weird Dream
Re: Patto
our shiny farts
R.Thompson, Wasp Star, Eric Clapton...and me yapping in between them
Wasp Star, Now Playing
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2000 01:07:11 PDT From: "Duncan Kimball" <dunks58@hotmail.com> Subject: Get it right! Message-ID: <20000411080711.93115.qmail@hotmail.com> I could be wrong (tho I strongly doubt it) but ... as far as I have always heard, known, read ... "Wild Horses" is DEFINITELY about Marianne. Can't guarrantee the authenticity, but I do recall reading a story in a Stones book somewhere, somtime, which claimed that the phrase "wild horses couldn't/wouldn't drag me away" was something that was said (by Mick?) when he visited Marianne in hospital in Sydney after she OD'd. (while Mick was here in Oz filming "Ned Kelly" in Jul-Aug '69). Dunks
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2000 09:39:31 EDT From: "JANE SPENCER-DAVIS" <janesunfish@hotmail.com> Subject: Lack of Song Stories Message-ID: <20000411133931.36233.qmail@hotmail.com> Dear Hillers: I've just recieved the disconcerting news that Amazon cannot locate Song Stories for me. Can anyone send me on a more fruitful trail? Please email me off-list if you can help. Thanks- Storyless Jane :-(
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2000 07:12:49 -0700 (PDT) From: nross <PhoenixYellowRose@rocketmail.com> Subject: adieu. Message-ID: <20000411141249.5954.qmail@web2901.mail.yahoo.com> Adieu! Adieu! I may return to you. We will see what will be, But til then My time will end No more posts shall I send. (Too much Dr. Seus) In an effort to buckle down and graduate, I find it necessary to stop receiving the digests. I hope you all enjoy May and the new XTC release! Probably few will care about this post, but I've enjoyed these digests so I thought I'd give you all a nice farewell! -Nicole ===== Nicole's internet music station: http://www.imagineradio.com/mymusiclisten.asp?name=phoenixyellowrose
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2000 11:47:17 +0200 From: fsolans@carat.fr Subject: French Fat Bassman from wasp star Message-ID: <OF6BBF13DD.A1088000-ON802568BE.00349620@carat.fr> When I played Wasp Star for the first time at work, colleagues told me : " is it the new AC/DC ? " or " new Oasis ? " (!!!). Just to tell you yes, it's an electric album. And it's the sort of remark you can expect when you will play first seconds of Playground to a non-initiated.. Surely, WS will not be considered as inovative/original as AV1, and it's a reality. Here it's classic pop music. BUT BY XTC !. And don't be afraid all Chalkz friends, our lads are always making the difference (oh yes yes yes !). It's also a first collection of songs without the Dave Gregory touch. Is it better or not ? I don't know. But it is. And we'll never know the truth about that, very few chance to see Dave working on this material in the future. At this time, my feeling is : with Dave, Wasp Star will be called Non Such Volume 2 (without cool songs like Rook, Bungalow or HumbeDaisy?but it's 12 vs 17 songs !). I will wait a bit to a song by song impression, but my faves are : Playground, We're all light, You and the clouds, the Wheel and the Maypole, In another life. Others are good too, no weakness in this album. And let me tell you, Andy was very right with his first intention : if XTC released last year a double-CD with AV1 and WS material, we would talk today about ?don't know?sort of White Sergent Pet on the Mainstreet. Not less. And one thing is sure : most of you will have VERYVERYVERY good time with WS. Amical salut de Fredo Fat Bassman
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2000 11:20:22 +0100 From: Adrian Ransome <Adrian.Ransome@tsi-ltd.co.uk> Subject: My admission to the group.... Message-ID: <497FEA72C392D3118AE700508B73117706FE16@NT4SERVER03> Hi, I'm Adrian and I admit....(sob!)......... I....downloaded....Napster. There were so many other people using it, I felt like I had to try it just so I could fit in, y'know, be accepted. I didn't want to feel left out. I mean, there were promo discs here, MP3s there, people unleashing their accumulated orgones all over the new XTC album in Chalkhills; I just wanted to be part of it all. But, you know what? I started that sucker up and it crashed so many times I just sent it all to the Recycle Bin. And now I feel clean, brothers and sisters, CER-LEAN!!.....a-men!! Personally speaking, I could never solely rely on MP3s as my only source of music. Okay, you can download Wasp Star from somewhere & keep it on your Hard Drive/download it onto your little Rio player. But. An album doesn't just consist of 10 or so tracks of music, it includes the sleeve artwork- the quality of the paper, the layout of the jewel-case even the smell of the disc. All these things should create a connection with the listener. Take Blur's Parklife; the music is great but the artwork just adds another dimension- the dog-track cover, lyrics scrawled on scrap paper & betting slips inside; they all complement the music but also add to it- the sleazy, cheesy London-centric mid/late 1990's UK all summed up in the whole package. And that's what MP3s lack. In spades. I downloaded two absolutely superb & quite rare Mogwai tracks from a certain site but hardly listen to them. Sitting in front of my PC isn't exactly high on my personal top 10 listening positions (hey, there's a thread right there!!) and this detracts from the listening experience. I can't be arsed to unhook my cassette deck, get round the back of my PC & wire 'em together so as to tape two tracks- too much trouble- I want instant music I can take anywhere (without shelling out 200 squids on a little MP3 player/CD Writer plus software & installation hassles). Perhaps I'm a technological throwback and some enlightened soul can guide me to the perfect MP3 listening experience, but until then I'll stay in CD Heaven & Wasp Star ignorance. Ade
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2000 11:13:21 -0400 (EDT) From: Michael Versaci <stormymonday@sprintmail.com> Subject: Request for Get Back Message-ID: <382993177.955466001958.JavaMail.root@web31.pub01> Folxtc, I am interested in trading for a copy of the famous George Martin/Glyn Johns "Get Back" album. If you have a clean copy (preferably on CD) please e-mail me off-list and we can discuss. Michael Versaci
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2000 10:45:13 -0600 From: "Steve Oleson" <Steve.Oleson@oag.state.tx.us> Subject: Wasp Star Message-ID: <s8f3024d.028@smtpgate.oag.state.tx.us> Hello Chalkies- I'm back for a quickie- My wife, Jill, received a cassette of Wasp Star. It came in a plain, brown, envelope, with no return address. QUITE MYSTERIOUS! Unfortunately for her, she doesn't have a tape player in her car. Fortunately for me, I do. So I unscrupulously nicked it! There is an advantage to having old technology! I've been luxuriating in it! I took off all my clothes, tossed on the bed, and rolled all over it! I'm having a bad day today, though. So I was inspired to write this completely original song: "I'm Stupidly Pissed-Off" I'm stupidly pissed-off I'm spitting out bile I'm stupidly pissed-off I've just thrown a file I'm stupidly pissed-off I'm angry and mean I'm stupidly pissed-off I'm making a scene! All the ants in the farm, hide their heads cause I yell when they call my name Call the boss, call the cops, call a cab, cause I really have gone in-SANE! I'm stupidly pissed-off I just need a break I'm stupidly pissed-off It's all I can take I'm stupidly pissed-off My head's round the bend I'm stupidly pissed-off I hope I can mend All the guys in the hall weave and duck cause I'm fuming and turning red You can tell I'm a mess cause there's steam and there's smoke coming right out my head! Bye, for now Steve "Going Postal" Oleson Ausitn, TX
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2000 12:23:04 -0400
From: MinerWerks <dminer@gte.net>
Subject: I'm the Man Who Murdered Napster! (SPOILERS!)
Message-ID: <l03130300b5184fb293d0@[63.28.114.135]>
Greetings all,
I should start out this message by saying THERE ARE SPOILERS IN IT... but
not until the very end. I'll warn you again.
By the way, the spoilers are nothing gratuitous, mind you, because I
haven't heard the whole album...
It's very interesting that the MP3 debate has turned harsh. Even though
MP3s existed when "Apple Venus Volume 1" came out last year, they obviously
didn't have much of an effect on the list then.
I'd like to comment on some of the things I read in digest #6-72. Like
Christopher Coolidge said, Harrison Sherwood absolutely put the fear of god
(so to speak) into me for even considering downloading MP3s of our boys...
And Dom@secretidentity.co.uk ("wavingmypenis"?) tweaked us all deservedly
on this issue ("Creosote!")
But I have to agree with Joe Perez... he hit the issue quite right. I
gather a lot of us have tapes and discs with material of somewhat dubious
legality. But if they released the material legally, we'd be snatching it
up, right? I even bought the Transistor Blast box set even though I owned
half of the material on legit releases already!
If you really think about it, the major players out there are *not* going
to be concerned that people are downloading MP3s of the upcoming XTC album!
(I dont' think we should be that concerned either... XTC records are almost
exclusively sold to people who have developed a taste for the band and
intend to keep the disc.) I would bet hard dollars that they're much, much,
much more concerned that someone is ripping the new Britney Spears and
N'Sync stuff and putting it on Napster...
I would venture that OVER 90% of the people who would download "Wasp Star"
in advance will buy the album anyway. How many people would buy Britney
Spears' new album if they could get the MP3s for free? There's no
allegiance to her. The record comapnies know this and it SCARES THEM TO
DEATH... because their bread and butter isn't a band like XTC - it's
whatever teenybopper act is popular at this juncture. Or to be more
accurate to the hit music climate today, it's whatever rap act is putting
out a new disc this week. The consumers who buy the "hip" stuff are
*always* trying to get something for nothing. If you worked in a record
store in the last five years, you know how many people just want a single
and not a whole album.
As an example, take a look at Brian Wysolmierski's post about "Kokomo"...
see how many people have Kokomo on their hard drives? Well, "Kokomo" is
the Britney Spears of the Beach Boys catalogue and something like
"Caroline, No," for example, is the XTC. People who download "Kokomo" don't
want a Beach Boys album (which is fine, 'cause the album that "Kokomo" is
on sucks), they just want that damn song. But someone who wants "Caroline,
No" probably owns "Pet Sounds" AND the "Pet Sounds Sessions" box set...
Really, honestly - even though we care about Andy and Colin (and Dave) as
if they were our best friends, who *really* thinks Internet piracy is going
to make a huge dent in their album sales?? We can all jump up and down
about how their work is being exploited and they're not making any money
on it, but the truth is that PEOPLE LIKE US - people who WILL buy the album
- are the only ones who want their stuff!!
Yes, I'm downloading tracks from "Wasp Star" right now. Not because I don't
want to buy the album, but because I can't wait to buy the album!! Really,
WHY ELSE WOULD SOMEONE BE DOWNLOADING *THESE* SONGS??
Here's a thought... if we're all concerned about XTC getting more money,
why don't we convince them to sell their next album in an MP3 version, much
like They Might Be Giants did with their Internet-only "Long Tall Weekend?"
As soon as the album is mastered, it can be uploaded to a site where users
can pay for the music and download it until the discs are done and ready to
ship to stores. Chances are that when the actual disc version was released,
we'd all buy it anyway. And that's the great part - XTC would get the money
for it TWICE!! Not to mention that selling the MP3s direct to us would cut
out a lot of expenses and middlemen, giving them a greater profit.
*end rant*
Now, from what I've heard so far, this is going to be a really unique entry
into the XTC canon!
YES, THAT MEANS THERE ARE SPOILERS AHEAD!! Read 'em now or save 'em for
later... Of course if you've already heard the album, it doesn't matter,
does it?
I'm amazed how much the sound of these tracks is hyper-contemporary. The
gruff guitars and kicking drums fit in nicely with today's musical climate
- quite a contrast to the harmonies and melodies of the songs. The openings
of "Playground" and "Stupidly Happy" sound like they would be at home on
modern rock radio next to Third Eye Blind or some band like that... I want
to hear "Stupidly Happy" on my local radio station NOW...
The first two tracks I went for, though, were "The Man Who Murdered Love"
and "My Brown Guitar" because I have the demos for those tracks (from the
"Nonsuch" days!!) and I wanted to hear how a few extra years influenced the
recordings. These songs have been punched up quite a bit! "The Man Who
Murdered Love" was originally more acoustic, like "Dear Madam Barnum," but
it is much more electrified on "Wasp Star." I didn't get to hear all of "My
Brown Guitar," but it has quite a different feel than the demo. I don't
know how to describe it.
Based on glowing reviews, I checked out "We're All Light." This is quite a
nice tune, very bouncy, done with a modern sound. "In Another Life," while
a good little song, seemed a bit too close to AV1's "Frivolous Tonight."
Colin seems to be in a very specific songwriting groove. I also checked out
"Church of Women," which took me back to the sounds of "Nonsuch," with the
similar horn sounds and the middle part that reminded me of "Books Are
Burning." Lastly, I checked out a bit of the album closer, "The Wheel and
the Maypole," which is quite an interesting mini-epic. The two parts of the
song are very nice in their own right, but it's interesting to have a shift
in the middle.
I can certainly see how some people might think this a complete departure
from the XTC we know and love. But I'd have to say that "Apple Venus Volume
1" was the same kind of departure. One side is the most stripped down, too
acoustic, too orchestral version - the other side the hyper-electric,
in-your-face version. Both sides are cut from similar musical cloth, just
adorned with different baubles and such... This album reminds me a bit of
"Oranges and Lemons." It has the feel of XTC we've come to expect, but done
with different technologies. Hopefully it can convert more fans to the band
in the same way O&L did...
I am positive, however, that I'm going to enjoy this album, probably more
than "Apple Venus Volume 1."
END SPOILERS...
That didn't hurt, now did it?
Well, since you came out of that unscathed, I have a peace offering...
that is if there are no moral objections from the crowd.
I recently offered to make a CD of "Jules Verne's Sketchbook" for some
friends. When I do CDs, I go all out, making a booklet and labels and such.
Well, I realized that I've got quite a nice CD of the "Jules Verne" demos
with great artwork and even bonus tracks. I just can't keep this to myself
and a couple others. I'm not out to make any money off this, but I don't
want to end up out of pocket for supplies. If you're interested in getting
a totally unauthorized Jules Verne CD, please email me, and I'll give you
the details on what it takes to get one. I'm sure you'll be pleasantly
surprised.
Oh, and you have to promise you'll buy a legitimate one if it ever is
released officially again!!
= Derek "Yeah, I read that someplace..." Miner =
minerwerks@tmbg.org
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2000 12:39:12 -0400 From: "Todd Bernhardt" <todd.bernhardt@enterworks.com> Subject: Q&A Message-ID: <38F35530.232FB471@enterworks.com> Organization: Enterworks, Inc. Hi: R. Stevie, what's your Wasp Star agenda here? You're starting to sound a bit too strident, my friend. If you don't like the album, fine, but what's with the witch hunt? Ramblin' man Chris Coolidge said about Napster: > If I try it out It'll be with some unsigned band nobody's ever heard of.< Um, yeah. I believe becki's already spoken to that issue quite effectively. And Chris, what exactly was the point of your story about Bob Sherwood? Furthermore: > from what I know about Patti(I've skimmed a couple of her biographies > while waiting for my wife in Borders)< Ah, there's nothing like rigorous research, eh folks? You go, Chris. Erik Schlichting asked: > TVT & Cooking Vinyl, how about switching to releasing a 2- > or 3-track CD single instead of full promo copies of albums? > Or, at the very least, releasing the promo ONE WEEK before > the commercial release? > Someone tell me why this isn't a good idea. Because the magazines that typically feature interviews or reviews centered around a new album typically have a lead time (meaning their production process from writing and editing to printing and mailing) of several months. Record companies also want to get albums out to radio earlier than one week before their official release to create a buzz. And Dom, you swine, how dare you ruin the initial listening experience for me and countless others with your spot-on review! You'll pay for this, mark my words... -Todd
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2000 13:42:55 -0400 From: "Todd Bernhardt" <todd.bernhardt@enterworks.com> Subject: Son of Lest We Forget... Message-ID: <38F3641F.D1FF2702@enterworks.com> Organization: Enterworks, Inc. Hi: >From Robert Fripp's diary of 29 March: Music is a field of benevolent, living intelligence that wishes for us more than we can bear to know. But there is no force in this, rather a radically neutral availability on permanent offer. Music is as available to us as we wish it to be, a gentle necessity. If we wish for this, we have to make ourselves available to music. To make ourselves available, we begin where we are. We begin in this moment, doing nothing. From there, we move to doing something. More at http://www.disciplineglobalmobile.com/diary/diary.htm -Todd
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2000 11:01:02 -0700 (PDT) From: don share <sharedon@yahoo.com> Subject: mp3 debate Message-ID: <20000411180102.3016.qmail@web217.mail.yahoo.com> I'm just delurking to point out that radio airplay is NOT the same as listening to MP3's, since artists earn royalties from having their music played on the radio.
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2000 11:21:10 PDT From: "Ralph Simpson DeMarco" <sawpit@hotmail.com> Subject: TVT + XTC = ? Message-ID: <20000411182111.89064.qmail@hotmail.com> Chalkies: Re TVT posting: <<Brit-pop legends XTC are set to release "Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2)" on May 23. ...XTC will head to the U.S. in early May for a bicoastal publicity run that will include several TV appearances (non-performance, of course) and a lot of radio promotion. Though rumors of a "flatbed truck tour" still run rampant, it is unclear whether XTC will lift their 18 year tour embargo.>> OK - someone tell me how they can start publicity appearances in early May when there is no CD to sell yet? Will the CD signings start on May 23rd? I know that CD releases are like embargo dates for publishing. Record stores won't be able to sell the thing till the 23rd. And, c'mon people at TVT, what are you talking about? "flatbed truck tour" rumors? Unless Andy himself states "yes, we are going to perform at this time and we've signed an agreement in our blood, and there will be guns pointed at our heads unless we perform..." I still wouldn't believe him. Very tired of the touring thing. Just stop please! Ralph
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2000 11:50:30 -0700 (PDT) From: brown <mb2@deltanet.com> Subject: XTC on KCRW Message-ID: <200004111850.LAA16712@mail2.deltanet.com> (Wasp Star is coming....) For those about to rock, I salute you! ..and for those who aren't, bugger you... Hi-ho to all! Many of you may be familiar with the radio program, 'Morning Becomes Eclectic', hosted by Nic Harcourt. Here in Southern California it airs on KCRW, 89.9FM. This program might be syndicated on NPR, but don't quote me. Anyway, I sent a request to Nic, asking him to have our boys as guests on his program. He kindly responded and said he would seriously consider my request. I guess you know what's coming next...please take a minute to send a request in support of this proposal. Now is your chance to express your devotion, children... so be loud and proud about it, won't you? Send those sweaty, little posts to- nic.harcourt@kcrw.org Come on, this is a perfect opportunity to have our darlings share their magic with the world...well at least a corner of it! Please send a request today...right now...go .... With miles of smiles for you, Debora Brown *Patti Smith alert* -- Patti Smith will "grace the airwaves with song" on 'Morning Becomes Eclectic'. This is scheduled to air on Friday, April 14 (according to the KCRW website). The program runs from 9am to noon PT. You might want to check npr.org for syndication info.
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2000 15:23:46 -0400 (EDT) From: galore@writemail.com Subject: Weird Dream Message-ID: <000411152346GD.24215@weba2.iname.net> HI Chalkhill people, Since I don't post very often I decided to post about one of the weirdest dreams I ever had,I don't dream about anything very often. Dave Gregory once a year ago but other then that nothing. Last night was I had trouble sleeping when I finally fell to sleep. It was weird. Heres the dream as I rember it; I was in the hospital for some reason. I don't really know why. I get infections to my hands and feet alot so Im guessing maybe that's why I was there.They kept taking blood and enjecting me with shit.Which scared the hell out of me Because I have phobia of needles! Later In the dream my best friend oddly enough comes by.I say oddly enough because she lives in Newfoundland and I live in Alberta.And neither of us can afford to go see each other at the persent moment. She has several packages,She says she got my mail for me.I thank her and we talk.finally I open my mail.Much to my surprise every package contains XTC albums that I never thought existed!I don't even remebered ordering those cds!or how they became part of my mail! I was thrilled!I had my diskman with me and just as I was going to play the first of the cd the bloody dream ended!I forgot what the albums look like! Uggg! I wish I could of atleast heard what they sounded like.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2000 15:32:22 -0500
From: "Paul Averitt" <paveritt@dallas.net>
Subject: Re: Patto
Message-ID: <001701bfa3f5$0bc77800$90292cd1@louie>
Pat O'Donnell wrote:
>He also stated that he was heavily influenced by the guitar player called
>Ollie Howsell from a band called PATTO 'I never heard a guitar as inventive
>as that, the songs aren't great but the guitar playing stands on its own'.
>If anyone has access to this band, please contact me, I'd be curious to hear
>this Ollie dude.
Funny you should mention it. He was telling us about how much he digs
Howsell and the first two Patto albums over dinner last month. We were kinda
suprised to hear it, but were familiar with the group, as Nik Solomon of The
Bevis Frond has been telling us the same thing!
Paul Averitt
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Visit the doublepluspop website at
www.doublepluspop.com
and the Volares website, found at
www.thevolares.com
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2000 10:12:25 -1000 From: "Jim Smart" <jismart@ksbe.edu> Subject: our shiny farts Message-ID: <38F38726.7BAC84B5@ksbe.edu> Organization: 3Tripper Let's review. Some people have Wasp Star. Many of them (like me) are playing the thing constantly and have thoughts and ideas and questions to share. Lots of people who don't have the album like hearing the thoughts and impressions of those who do have it. Others say "shut up about it". What's a Chalk Head to do? Should we vote on it? Personally, though I'm dying to discuss it, I can shut up about it. That's OK. But I wonder if that's what the majority wants, or what is best. If one can't discuss Wasp Star here, then where? Isn't this the XTC list? Isn't writing a spoiler warning at the start a good compromise? Is reading Chalkhills mandatory? If that last question offended you, remember that a good portion of us have been told to SHUT UP, which wasn't exactly like a basket of daisies. I'd like to discuss the album, but I won't here, if that's the general consensus. But I'm not sure it is. I've been getting private e mails from "have nots" saying go ahead, we like reading people's impressions. I guess this'll just be an awkward month. But think what you could be missing: the great back and forth over whether The Man Who Murdered Love is secretly about Mike Love of the Beach Boys, Andy's way of standing up for Brian Wilson. I predict this will be the Great Lost Thread of April 2000. Sigh. And the Napster thing has a real downside that hasn't been mentioned yet. I have no doubt that 99% of people who bother to read all these Chalkhills will buy at least one legal copy of Wasp Star. The problem is with all those potential fans out there, folks who might be like me in the late eighties. I had never bought an XTC album. I heard the Mayor of Simpleton and liked it, and then bought it. Then I started buying their other albums. This is how it is supposed to work. But for someone on the fence, listening to free MP3s might be enough. It's not just what you or I will do or not do, it's what the great masses might do. It might deprive XTC of money and success and number of units sold. It's about the Newbies, the Chalker's of the future. Then again, maybe sampling MP3s will make them want to buy the real thing. Some of the regulation by heavy gov or whatever may actually benefit guys like Andy and Colin, or even indie artists (like me). "Now, how would a "Wall-of-Sound" XTC album sit with people? " Awful! Thanks for clarifying things for me! That's why Spector is my "huh?" guy. He seems to wreck everything he touches. So what if John Lennon chose him for lots of his solo work? He shouldn't have. He's the Man Who Murdered The Long and Winding Road and Across the Universe. Appalling versions nothing like what the Beatles intended, and made without their input or knowledge. God only knows that if Brian Wilson can do gigs, after all he's been through, it's not too much to hope for Andy Partridge to do the same someday. Wouldn't it be nice? Jim
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2000 17:32:46 EDT
From: "Seth Frisby" <vagueyear@hotmail.com>
Subject: R.Thompson, Wasp Star, Eric Clapton...and me yapping in between
Message-ID: <20000411213246.9249.qmail@hotmail.com>
them
Hello,....Wow...
Business sure has picked up around these parts, its almost as if
somethings going down..Oh! Wasp Star? Never heard of It..sounds
interesting.. (there is sarcasm in the preceding words) Contrary to
some posters belief, there are folks who do not have any sort of
promos or demos and are enjoying the premature reviews; though I wish
some were a little bit less descriptive. I myself am a very forgiving
fan and will like most anything a favorite band puts out so even the
negative reviews don't scare me...much. IT IS an AUDIO cd so simple
WRITTEN words will not affect me (except maybe excite me...)
Its been a busy week show wise for me. Just saw Gorky's Zygotic
Mynci and Richard Thompson (separately) both were great. Though I was
one of maybe only 15 or so people who knew who Gorky's were in all of
Boston..oh well.. Richard's show in Burlington Vermont was packed, I
even got to meet him and he was very kind to me. He's got a good sense
of humor. I handed him a cd to sign and we both noticed the prevailing
color scheme was black leaving almost no place to sign; he grinned at
me and said "Who would make such a shoddy product?...I signed it in
Hieroglyphics for you!". Got a picture of us too...sorry i'm still
gushing..I feel like a school girl and i'm male..(please don't read
into that)..
I do not have a problem with anyone hearing the album before me
by using the computer, its not a method I would choose but hey to each
his own. I don't think its unethical just not much fun. I have a
personal taboo against that sort of thing, but whatever gets you
through the night...
and please be careful with this Sacred Cow thread. Just because
something is sacred doesn't mean its perfect,nothings perfect, it just
means that somebody holds that particular band or album personally
sacred. Its only when someone starts to say their personal preference
out weighs another's that we have a problem (so maybe public domain
Sacred cows are open for interpretation not fixed judgements)...but it
is fun to slag some of them lightly..especially the Stones. Someone
once told me that you could either be a fan of the Stones or the
WHO. For me its the WHO, hands down. That my friends is the sound of
a rock band..theres a reason why the Rolling Stones Rock&Roll Circus
wasn't released for almost thirty years. Its because the Stones felt
their performance wasn't as good as the who's..it wasn't. but
generally I don't have anything against the Stones anymore...I should
go before I contradict myself some more....but I can't help it....
If you want the king of sacred cows you need look no further
than Eric Clapton, heck they even call him god. Richard Thompson
deserves as much respect (as do countless others) Richard is an
amazing guitarist AND songwriter yet the writer of Change the world
eclipses him!?...Eric was great in the Bluesbreaker, Cream, and good
in Derek& the Dominoes,but it seems the great bug of laziness has
captured his muse since the mid to late seventies. But no one's
noticed. He's done great work, but not in my lifetime...if you like
him that's cool, there are reasons. If you don't I happen to
agree. Well I better go...
My humble recommendations for the week: Listen to AV1 more, its
beautiful and still surprising. Track down Gorky's Spanish Dance Troop
album, its gorgeous, strange, catchy, and more that a little
charming. Oh, and be good everybody...later.
Seth "my foot tastes better than it looks" Frisby
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2000 18:37:33 EDT From: "Paul Fitzgerald" <paufitzg@hotmail.com> Subject: Wasp Star, Now Playing Message-ID: <20000411223733.76298.qmail@hotmail.com> Lots of good music out there recently. (SLIGHT SPOILER ALERT THIS SENTENCE) Heard Wasp Star on Napster and am in agreement that the tracks sound very similiar to the demos, almost unfortunately so and not the electric bombast we were so promised....I'm having way too much fun now with Trey Garitty, Heavy Blinkers, Minster Hill, Lambchop, and some others to sit on the end of my barstool drooling over the release XTC. There's so much exciting new and fresh stuff out there amongst us all now....so be patient! (my medication is working I think?!!). Pauli
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #6-74 ******************************
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