Chalkhills Digest Volume 7, Issue 2
Date: Friday, 12 January 2001

          Chalkhills Digest, Volume 7, Number 2
	     The "It's Quiet in Here" Issue

                 Friday, 12 January 2001

Topics:

                      Woman drivers
             Dabale arroz a la zorra el Abad
                 Open the pod door, Hal.
                      Gimme More....
              RE: Blimey, Is Nothing Sacred
                     a horse a horse
                     My Best Of List
           My First Post of the New Millenium!
                     Andy meets Bill
              "Gilmore Girls" mystery solved
               Hey! Hey! We're The Monkees!
                     2001 XTC Survey!
                   Manson, yes...Manson
                         Sundance
            I Just Swam Back From Fintasia...
                    Under-rated greats
                      Re: The Yachts
            Come and Dance with me, Hillians!
             Clouds of Gas Surrounding Uranus

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White horses showing / Their pearly teeth.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Thu, 4 Jan 2001 17:10:42 EST
From: Jxnsmom@aol.com
Subject: Woman drivers
Message-ID: <7c.fd53d80.27864ee2@aol.com>

Michael said:

   > Behind me, in a sporty red car w/sunroof, a young woman,
> brunette, driving quite well...I noticed the license plate, and BOFFO! BAM!
> WOW! It read:  IN-XTC !

OK..."a young woman, brunette, driving quite well." What are ya trying to
say, Mike? Are you surprised that a woman can drive well? That a brunette can
drive well? Or naturally she was driving well because she's not a blonde. :o)
Just teasing. I couldn't resist.

Now it's my turn to prejudge. I'm guessing a young gal by herself in a sporty
red car with a license plate like that probably isn't an XTC fan. Or did you
already figure that and just want to convert her by giving her XTC items?

And Sebastian said of Kylie Minogue:

<<This is a supremely confident display of fluffy and hook-laden boppy pop,
done with attitude. Shits all over the tedious "Music" (although Madonna is
cool without even trying).>>

Just yesterday, AOL featured on its main menu page a picture of Madonna
performing in a Kylie Minogue T-shirt, so she might well agree with you.

Happy 2001 to all, and keep your fingers crossed for a Kevin Gilbert Grammy!

Amy

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 4 Jan 2001 21:06:12 -0800 (PST)
From: pancho artecona <partecona@yahoo.com>
Subject: Dabale arroz a la zorra el Abad
Message-ID: <20010105050612.9575.qmail@web10414.mail.yahoo.com>

Happy New Year to one and all. I keep enjoying the
comings and goings of you chalkhill folk.

I won't give you my top whatever because they've all
been mentioned except Nine Inch Nails.  I really like
The Fragile as well as the remixes.  While I don't
care that much for the Reznor personna, the boy can
sure manipulate sounds. Hopefully he'll grow to be
more into atmospheres and stuff, like Eno.

and....

"Behind me, in a sporty red car w/sunroof, a young
woman,brunette, driving quite well...I noticed the
license plate, and BOFFO! BAM!WOW! It read:  IN-XTC !
The mystery is this:  Is anyone out there the IN-XTC
driver?? If so, pleasee-mail me at thewicks@sunset.net
or call me at 1-530-894-8899.  I may have some really
cool xtc-items to exchange/give away to you.."

I think this lad is seeking copulation.  I'm afraid my
bet is with the house on this one.

Pancho XPRXTCFAN

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2001 01:19:21 EST
From: KINGSTUNES@aol.com
Subject: Open the pod door, Hal.
Message-ID: <5f.f1cb1cb.2786c169@aol.com>

XTC trainspottings - King For A Day in the local Shoprite and ITMWML on XPN
(all in the same week!  Call the frikkin press!!)
************************
>I always envisioned Boticelli's "The Birth of Venus," or, as my art history
>professor used to call it, "Venus on the Halfshell." *

* Also the title of delicious novel by Kurt Vonnegut!
*********************
>A toast to the still-very-much-alive Duke of Ceylon,
>Sir Arthur C. Clarke.

Hear, hear!  There, there!  Where, Where?  Anyone out there happen to see
2001 in the theater when it was first released?  My parents took me - Dec.
1968.  They hated it.  Still one of my faves, though.  I think *the* sci-fi
movie yet to be made is Sir Clarke's stunning Childhood's End.
**********
> How's about "Here Comes President Kill Again?"

I had considered it, but it was too easy.  Quite freaky that the original was
directed to Bush Sr, who lived up quite spectaculary to the lyric's
suggestion.  King for a Day satisfies my cynically royal implications,
however.  The President is dead!  All hail King George!
**************
> the guilt-free, 31/2-minute, guitar-based confection

"Guilt-free"?  Heh?  Their other stuff isn't?  Confection?  ES and BS were
confection?
Heh?  I'm glad this guy likes Wasp Star, and perhaps I shouldn't look the ol'
gift horse of good publicity in the mouth, but something "contrived-free",
knowledgable and from the heart would be nice.  Critics, yeesh.....
*****************
>I hope everyone had a great one,
>and didn't overdo it on Sunday night...

Hey, the one night of the year I get to overdo, I'm gonna overdo!  Stayed up
till 4:30 and had a blast, thank you!  (Safely, of course - didn't have to
drive).  I hope everyone did too!  :-)
**********
>To all you Kevin Gilbert fans:  "The Shaming of the True"
>has been nominated for a Grammy for Packaging!!

Packaging?  AAAAARRRRRGGGH!!!!!!!
************
>'The End of a Long Days Life' is simply the best
>song released this year. A 'must have' album.

I second that endorsement.  A Long Day's Life is truly the greatest song I've
heard all year, perhaps in years.  Which brings me to a thread idea; how
about the best songs of 2000?

Short list (like I said, there's a lot I haven't heard yet) :
A Long Day's Life - Kevn Gilbert
The Wheel and the Maypole
I'm The Man Who Murdered Love
Look At That, Look At This - Paul Simon
Stranger Than You - Joe Jackson
Cousin Dupree, Negative Girl - Steely Dan
Tired Old Man - Kevin Gilbert (old, but just discovered it)
Sultan of Brunei - Kaviar
One Big Love, Bang the Drum Slowly - Emmylou Harris
The Last Of The Great Whales - Solas

2001!  Warbles to come!  Later, TK :)

> Come the millennium, month 12, in
> the home of the greatest power,
> the village idiot will come forth to be
> acclaimed the leader." --
>                                   Nostradamus in 1555

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2001 09:08:59 +0000
From: James.McRae@enron.com
Subject: Gimme More....
Message-ID: <OFE78D9010.DE80FC02-ON802569CB.00316025@nt.enron.co.uk>

Happy New Year everyone!

First of all, thank you everyone for re-kindling my obsession with XTC's
music over the last year.  I can't get enough of any of the albums, to the
extent that my dear wife hums or sings along with vrtually every track I
play. - brainwashing obviously works, given time and Wasp Star glued into
every CD player (giggles maniacally).

I was wondering however, if there was any news as to whether our heroes are
working on any new projects to feed our addiction?  Anyone heard anything?

Warm wishes for a happy and healthy New Year

James

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2001 14:24:12 -0000
From: "Smith, David" <David.Smith@tfeurope.com>
Subject: RE: Blimey, Is Nothing Sacred
Message-ID: <4BBE67B71C1DD411A23600508B65F71E011689C6@tfsecmsg04.tfseur.co.uk>

My fellow Chalkhillers

Whilst I, too, wish you all a happy, peaceful and prosperous
new year (or millennium, for the ever-pedantic out there), and
share your eager anitcipation of the Virgin's Fuzzy Cupboard
box set (or something) I thought I should attract everyone's
attention to a malaise that has recently afflicted many chalk-
posts.

Being the discoverer of this malaise, I get the joy of naming
it. I debated naming it after the worst exponent, but there's so
many of 'em out there . . .

So I decided to give it one of those descriptive name thingies
which would fit into a neat little acronym. So, please all rise
and acknowledge the LIKMOATY syndrome (don't it just
roll off the tongue?).

LIKMOATY stands for:

Look, I Know More Obscure Artists Than You

It has appeared, Phoenix-like, in the many "my top ten
albums of 2000" posts which have come up like a rash in
recent weeks.

Now don't get me wrong, nobody likes a good list better
than me (except, obviously, some of you . . .) but jeez
guys, COME ON!

While I can accept the Kevin Gilberts, Radioheads, Eels
and Sugarplastics of this world - and, in fact, have been turned
on to many of them via the list - am I really going to go
searching my local Croydon record shop for "The Moogie-
Oogies, Outer Mongolia's leading exponents of thrash metal".
I don't think so.

So, in the spirit of fun - and 'cos my sorely overworked bank
account didn't allow me to do much more than upgrade most
of my XTC vinyl to CD - here's my list of album releases from
2000 which you *just might* not have noticed:

	20 Number One Singles - Led Zeppelin
	The Dub Roots Tapes - Britney Spears
	Fooled Y'all (The Comeback Album) - Elvis Presley
	The Grunge Years - Frank Sinatra
	Laugh-Along-with-Stevie (Vol 2) - Morrissey
	Reunited - XTC feat. Dave Gregory
	Unplugged - Limp Bizkit
	Bugger That Wistful Bollocks - Nick Drake
	The Love Album - Eminem
	Techno Techno Techno - Johnny Cash

Here's the obligatory ;-) - thanks for reminding me Debs.

Danny Phipps - thanks for the new year greetings.

Danny Phipps - er, yeah, thanks for the new year greetings.

Danny Phipps - alright, alright thanks for the new year greetings.

Danny - stop it now. Please.

Oh and I too DESPERATELY want to know about the latest
Andy/Dave rift. Despite the little jibe above, I'm a hopeless
gossip!

And I never did rate Dave's drumming.

Ed K - "Mr Poo-Tongue and Mr Faint-Praise". Now that's
an album title if I ever heard one.

And finally, The Worrier Queen and myself came up with
an alternative "12 Days of Christmas" - sorry Jayne, but
I'm not taking all the blame for this. Apologies if it's been
done before:

	On the twelfth day of Christmas
	Chalkhills sent to me
	Twelve studio albums
	Eleven Dave's guitars (?)
	Ten wheels and maypoles
	Nine runaways
	Eight bungalows
	Seven wounded horses
	Six fuzzy warbles
	Five senses working (overtime)
	Four dear Gods
	Three chart hits
	Two Duke's albums
	And a Partridge in a pair (not a three)

	Wunz again, I thang yew

Happy new year all :-)

Smudge "Please, it was just a joke!" Boy
EMail: david.smith@tfeurope.com

Oh bloody hell, if you insist:

"I'd rather be a could-be if I cannot be an are;
because a could-be is a maybe who is reaching for a star.
I'd rather be a has-been than a might-have-been, by far;
for a might have-been has never been, but a has was once an are."
(Milton Berle)

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 05 Jan 2001 18:36:28 +0800
From: The Worrier Queen <myrone@tesco.net>
Subject: a horse a horse
Message-ID: <3A55A3AC.7C020538@tesco.net>

Nicked this from The Guardian on line 5th jan 2001

White horse turning into old grey nag

Geoffrey Gibbs

Conservation experts have been called in to help
find the answer to a worrying decline in the
appearance of one of England's best known rural
landmarks.

For almost two and a quarter centuries the
Westbury white horse has stood on the steep chalk
escarpment of Salisbury plain in west Wiltshire.
Visible from up to 20 miles away, the scheduled
ancient monument is a popular visitor attraction
and features prominently in tourist literature.

But the equine outline has seen better days.
Deterioration of a protective concrete overcoat
laid down in 1993 has left the white horse looking
more like an old grey nag.

English Heritage, guardian of the horse, said it
was aware of its present condition.

"We are concerned about its discoloured
appearance and we are aware of the concerns of
local people for whom it is an important landmark
- something needs to be done about it," a
spokeswoman said.

"A technical investigation is under way to see
what is causing the deterioration in its
appearance."

The Westbury horse is the oldest and largest of
eight horses carved into chalk hillsides across
Wiltshire.

The Westbury horse, the only one to have been
given a protective concrete coating, dates back to
1778 and was carved into the hillside on the
orders of the then landowner, Lord Abingdon.

Wiltshire Tourism said the deterioration was part
of a wider problem for the county's chalk figure
horses, which had not been helped by the
appalling winter weather. "We would like to see
them all looking better because they are a
tremendous part of the county's landscape."

During the days when I was an art historian - I'm much better now
- Botticelli's Birth of Venus was know as the Watery Tart.

Robert Wood kindly pointed out
> Which just goes to show, Jayne, that waxing your legs while you read
> Chalkhills is simply not on; there are only so many things you can
> multitask...

Do you speak from experience?

worrying about more than one thing at once
Jayne the Worrier Queen
He Toi Whakairo He Mana Tangata: Where there is artistic
excellence there is human dignity - Maori saying
Salmagundie can be found at www.stas.net/myrone/shrine.html

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2001 12:22:03 -0800 (PST)
From: Heather <heather@sylvanfells.net>
Subject: My Best Of List
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.10.10101051215470.2347-100000@stoli.treacherous.net>

> From: "Ray Michno" <rmichno@my-deja.com>
> Subject: My Best Of List
>
> XTC - Wasp Star : Love it. It may be heresy, but I like it better
>  than Vol. 1, which has too many songs I skip over. This is also the
>  first XTC CD that my wife asked to borrow. She fell in love
>  with "We're All Light".

That's interesting, because the only song I generally skip over (on any
XTC album) is "Wounded Horse" on WS.  It's usually in the car (where it is
easier to skip around on a cd), maybe it's not a drive-able song.  I
usually listen to "I'm the Man Who Murdered Love" twice, do you think that
makes up for it?

heather
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
"If something is in me which can be called religious then it is the
unbounded admiration for the structure of the world so far as our science
can reveal it."
Albert Einstein, 1954, from "Albert Einstein: The Human Side", edited by
Helen Dukas and Banesh Hoffman, Princeton University Press

------------------------------

Date: 5 Jan 2001 13:23:16 -0800
From: unna@worldmailer.com
Subject: My First Post of the New Millenium!
Message-ID: <20010105212316.20823.cpmta@c008.sfo.cp.net>

Dearest Chalkopolitans,

I am typing this by candlelite in a cleanswept room with no decoration
whatsoever. My computer is one of those old foot-crank models as I am
without electricity. I am starting the new year bound securely by the
ropes of my new years resolutions: no coffee, no chocolate, no gossip, no
extravagant use of electricity or any other alleged "technology", no
sarcasm, no fantasy, and no make-believe resolutions. Ahhh, the sweet
release of total denial. I feel as fresh and pure as any Name of The Rose
period monk. Did I mention the no self-flagellation resolution? How about
the no floridated water resolution?

But seriously folks, I hope this year finds everyone well. Hey Annamarie,
can you believe how much xtc they are playing on WRNR? I've heard Big Day,
Greenman, ITMWML, Stupidly Happy, Generals and Majors, Grass, plus others!

However, currently in my 5 disc changer - NRBQ Tiddley Winks, NRBQ Kick Me
Hard, John Lennon Imagine, Phish Farmhouse, and Beck Mutations. Where is
the xtc? Lets just say we're eating the sorbet, getting ready for the next
course.

Oh yes, there's one more resolution: I will no longer post without signing
my name.

Sincerely,
Laura

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 7 Jan 2001 23:52:21 +1300
From: "Simon Curtiss" <s_curtiss@clear.net.nz>
Subject: Andy meets Bill
Message-ID: <004b01c07897$f4da0ea0$2964a8c0@speedking>

There is a lovely long interview with Bill Nelson at
http://www.billnelson.com/interview/010106wallinger.htm

Why should you be interested  - well you just should that's why, but if you
want to be specific there's this paragraph.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q. Was Harold's 'Through The Hill' intended to include you, John Foxx and
Andy Partridge? Are you in contact with John or Andy?

A. I've no idea what Harold's intention was with that, I think it was
something that Andy and Harold hatched together. I do know John Foxx, I
spoke to him on the phone two or three years ago, my album 'Chimera' was
recorded in the studio that he owned at that time.

Andy Partridge, I've been out for a meal with, I've been to a couple of his
gigs and once spoke quite often with him over the phone. One time he
suggested to me that he and I do something together, and I never got round
to following it up. Andy is a tremendously talented musician.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Night y'all, sweet dreams.

Simon

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 7 Jan 2001 10:06:57 -0800
From: "John Keel" <jbkxtc@ev1.net>
Subject: "Gilmore Girls" mystery solved
Message-ID: <001c01c078d4$a0c15ac0$06525d3f@xtc>

Hi kids,

Over in the Audities newsgroup, a guy by the name of Neil recently delurked
to post a message regarding the source of XTC's music on the WB series,
"Gilmore Girls".

Apparently, the husband of the show's creator is a rabid XTC fan and looks
for places in each script to put their music in, or to reference any number
of other, mostly local (L.A. area) pop bands - like The Sugarplastic.  Plus,
this same guy - who's name is Dan Palladino - is Executive Producer of an
animated series on Fox called "Family Guy", and he actually had Andy record
voice-over for a character while he & Colin were in L.A. promoting "Wasp
Star".  Neil, the guy who posted in Audities, assures me he will let us know
when the episode will air.  Neil also got to meet both Andy & Colin when
they came in , and apparently Andy gave Dan some demos that no one else has
heard, although I'm sure someone - probably on this list - has heard 'em.

So amazingly excited about the upcoming XTC re-mastered re-issues and all
the box sets. What a dream come true.

My best to all on the list for the new year and the new millennium.  My New
Year's Resolution - okay, one of a multitude - is to FINALLY get the Los
Angeles area Chalkhillians - and you know who you are - together for a
rousing bacchanal.  Anyone who wants to assist in this seeming impossible
endeavor, please let me know.

John

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 7 Jan 2001 13:03:08 -0600 (CST)
From: Brown <i.sundog@verizon.net>
Subject: Hey! Hey! We're The Monkees!
Message-ID: <200101071903.NAA90387998@smtppop3pub.verizon.net>

Q:  Where could you have possibly seen Frank Zappa and Annette Fullofjello
together?

A:  In Bob Rafelson's 'plotless?..who cares!' flick, Head.  Head will air on
American Movie Classics, Jan. 13 @ 7p.m./PT and     Jan. 14 @ 1a.m./PT.

I may be persuaded to tape this film for any Monkee paw/maw who simply has
to have it.  Let me know.

Mickey? or Davey?  I was more of a Peter/Mike girl myself.

Debora Brown

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 7 Jan 2001 14:53:05 EST
From: AMartin777@aol.com
Subject: 2001 XTC Survey!
Message-ID: <74.6a52305.278a2321@aol.com>

Hi all you Chalkhillers.  Time once again to put in your choices for the 2001
XTC Survey.  I have expanded the survey this year in some ways and cut back
in others.  I would like to have as many people participate as possible so I
won't be announcing the deadline date for the results just yet.  The survey
asks some statistical questions at the beginning (age, marriage status, etc.)
but none of the areas on the survey are required so, if any of the questions
seem personally intrusive, just skip those questions.  There are no limits on
the answers you can give, please feel free to include demos, imports, Dukes
stuff etc on any part of the survey.  I hope everyone will participate and
look forward to compiling the results.  E-mail me if you have any questions.
Here is the link: http://hometown.aol.com/amartin777/     You'll find a pic
of Andy there as a link to the survey.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2001 23:18:02 -0800
From: "Long's" <wlong2@carolina.rr.com>
Subject: Manson, yes...Manson
Message-ID: <000701c07a0c$4d90b7e0$0f9f5818@q6s2h0.carolina.rr.com>

Hiya Kidz,

Although I've never been a fan I gotta admit that I got off on seeing
Marilyn Manson on the American Music Awards just now.
(yes..i am ashamed that i watched the american music awards)

I'm sorry man..but that was fuckin' AWESOME.  To see a freak-ass scary dude
get up there and rock and thrust out a crunchier than Captain Crunch tune in
the same show that's handing out award after award to no talent teenybopper
glamour puss kids....too damn cool.

At least Manson is a peg that the music business has a bit of trouble
hammering into one of its holes.

I bet those boy bands are gonna have nightmares for weeks.

wesLONG

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 09 Jan 2001 12:09:13 -0700
From: Angie Kelson-Packer/Shaun Packer <nick@aros.net>
Subject: Sundance
Message-ID: <3A5B61D9.B424F27@aros.net>

On the off-off chance any Chalksibling are going to the Sundance Film
Festival in Park City this year (Jan 18-something) let me know off
list and we can meet up to discuss film and XTC. Not necessarily in
that order :) Hey, this is an eclectic group, can't hurt to ask...I
think.

Angie

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 09 Jan 2001 22:04:46 -0600
From: "vee tube" <veetube@hotmail.com>
Subject: I Just Swam Back From Fintasia...
Message-ID: <F137TbdkSmLAztxc1o800014291@hotmail.com>

             ...and,boy, are my...

         Lets get the ugly out of the way.

             Biggest bummers of why2k?

  1.World Party: Dumbing Up.

    The stench of this brings tears to my eyes!

  2. Michael Penn: MP4.

    Whoever found the Skank Ass producer for track 1,
    should be tortured to death! The album gets a little
    better after this abomination, but just slightly.

  3. King Krimson: KonstruKtion Of Krap!

    I'd rather get an ugly tie from my dead Grandmother!
    Kollect the Konsice Krimso, put it in a blender, the
    kream floats to the top. This is the krap at the bottom.

        OUCH! Enough of this! Time to inject some
      positivity into the spice of life 2K wrap up.

      Best stuff you can buy at a store or on line.

  1. XTC: Wasp.

  2. Eels: Oh, What A Beautiful Morning.

    Limited edition 'Orchestra 2000 Tour' Live stuff from
    the incredible 'Orchestra Tour'. I think it's out of
    stock. But you might try this,

             http://www.eelsdirect.com

  3. Sugarplastic: Resin.

    Plastic children all 'groe'd upt'. I think I hear some
    old Kinks stuff in hear. Less XTC, more Plastic. I love it!
    Get it at,

             http://www.cdbaby.com

  4. Jill Sobule: Pink Pearl.

    Her record company put this sticker on the front of the CD.
    "...a feisty post-punk feminist whose work brings to mind a
    cross between Liz Phair and Gertrude Stein"

               Record companies SUCK!

    There's some damn fine songs and music on this album. And,
    yes, some of her lyrics rub this mostly male (Remember, we
    finoids are Semi-Pan-Sexual) finoid, 'Up-scale'. Still, a
    damn fine piece of music.

  5. Eels: 'Galaxy'

          Re-issues: Sometimes, being old is ok.

  1. The Pretty Things: Parachute.

    If Wasp Star had come out in 1970, this album still might
    have been #1. "Pick Up On It"!

               INTERMISSION

     "A thick cloud caught
      A Piper cub's tail.
      A match struck blue,
      On a railroad rail.

      The old puff horse
      Was just pullin' through,
      And a man wore a peg leg,
      Forever."

              C.Beefheart.

           Going Underground.

  1. Kinks: 'The Great Lost Kinks Album'.

    Those whacky kids in Austin,TX. turned me on to this.
    Before XTC, there were Kinks. Never released? Out of
    print? Thank you Jill, Chris, and Joe.

      All XTC fans should own, 'Something Else' 'Village
    Green' and, 'Arthur' by the Kinks. When you have these,
    it's time to start looking for 'The Great Lost Kinks
    Album'.

             Thanx again, Austin,TX.

  2. XTC: Live in Amsterdam. Get it FREE at...

   http://www.orangetwin.com/drunken/march81982.html

     XTC! Live! Kickin'Ass! What are you waiting for?

     While you're there, check out the link to the
    'drunken jams'. Then check out the home page.

                (Thank You, S.D.B.)

  4. Eels: Black Session. Live in Paris, French.
     This is a  Radio (FREE QUEBEC?) Broadcast of
     an uncut 'Orchestra 2000 Tour' gig. Raw, naked,
     Eels! (Yum!)

     Ignore the drop outs, tape hiss, etc. Just enjoy!
     Get it FREE at...

         http://www.idrive.com/eels3

  5. Pavarotti/Vaughan: Pavarotti Sings The Blues.

     Stevie climbs out of the grave to rip Jimi off, one
     last time! Pavarotti says, F*k PBS! *And* those two
     other tenors! I be gettin' down on da delta wid a
     dead white boy!"

     Get it FREE at...

     http://www.idrive.com/dead-fat/deltawhiteboys.html

   Well, that's my list. I hope you find something different.

                    OTTER!HERE!

                      }---:)

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2001 16:12:22 +0900
From: "John Boudreau" <aso1@mocha.ocn.ne.jp>
Subject: Under-rated greats
Message-ID: <007f01c07adc$b2523660$735791d2@johnboud>

Hey Chalkers ,

Merry 2001 - it's odd and spacey !

The DCI ( Drum Center Of Indianapolis ) Drum Forum " poll " asks us to vote
for who we think is the most " Under-rated " drummer . So far 49 people have
cast , and Dave Mattacks leads with 7 votes , followed closely by ... yep ,
Prairie Prince ( and Pete Thomas ) ! Even Terry Chambers is mentioned ( in
connection with DM and PP ) . I quote : " Terry Chambers is totally
under-rated . He was inventive and really drove those early XTC songs ( see
Black Sea and English Settlement ) . "
Here is the link if you want to check it out .

http://forum.drumcenter.com/viewmessages.cfm?Forum=7&Topic=3808

Sushiman

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Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2001 13:33:13 -0800 (PST)
From: John Relph <relph@engr.sgi.com>
Subject: Re: The Yachts
Message-ID: <200101102133.NAA08017@mando.engr.sgi.com>

Wes Wilson wrote:

>Fans of XTC's early material (White Music) should, if possible,
>check out this recommendation from me: the name of the band is
>The Yachts and they made two albums (S.O.S. and Without Radar).
>I don't think these are available except on vinyl. Their first,
>S.O.S., is EXCELLENT. Came out in 1979 and has 12 songs, all
>quite catchy and full of that party organ sound. They play it
>straighter than XTC by a mile, but still VERY good stuff. Henry
>Priestman is the keyboardist. Lots of funny little turns in the
>music.

As it turns out, XTC toured with The Yachts (and The Dazzlers) in
September of 1979 in the UK.  I don't know whether this was before or
after the release of "S.O.S." but it might have been after, since this
tour was probably attempting to promote sales of both "Drums & Wires"
and "S.O.S.".

	-- John

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Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2001 14:44:14 -0600 (CST)
From: Brown <i.sundog@verizon.net>
Subject: Come and Dance with me, Hillians!
Message-ID: <200101112044.OAA75685945@smtppop2pub.verizon.net>

It's raining kits and pups, and I'm listening to English Settlement..
..slate gray sky hanging low.. just like my spirits at this moment.. then on
comes Yacht Dance..

..Maybe it's the seafaring theme, it always liberates.. or maybe it's the
way the melody pitches like a ship, fore and aft, but pleasantly so..no need
for Dramamine on this trip, Captain!.. Oh, Yes! and the lovely, light as a
feather acoustic guitar work, courtesy of Mr. Gregory..doesn't it just
Sparkle and Shine?.. Doesn't it make you Smile? (Christ! I miss you,
Dave!).. Music made on an acoustic guitar works like a tractor beam on me..
it pulls me up and away..

And lest I forget, The Wordsmith Himself brings it all together (sing along
with me!)..

W w w e, we will dance like tiny boats with cotton sails upon the tops of the
S e e e a s,  that would pull us down to the depths and crush us flat if
given half a chance.
no need to look back to pictures of lost, when all was rust...
W w w e, we will skim across the surface of the mud as if we're spinning
pebbles ..
woh, woh, woh..  oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, in our yacht dance..

W w w e, we will dance like tiny boats with cotton sails upon the tops of the
S e e e a s, made of people stained with scorn who never see the light of
real love.
no need to look back through diaries of lost now turned to dust.
W w w e, we will skate across the surface of the storm as if we're wheeling
sea birds.
woh, woh, woh.. oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, in our yacht dance..

.. and how they'll be jealous of both of us, in our yacht dance!

I'm not feeling quite so maudlin anymore..   :'p

HAR! Maties!.. We set sail for Jamaica, come the 'morrow!

Debora 'the one with the crimson eye patch, and a pineapple on her shoulder'
Brown

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2001 17:09:50 EST
From: Hbsherwood@aol.com
Subject: Clouds of Gas Surrounding Uranus
Message-ID: <8e.fb18571.2790daae@aol.com>

>From: Jxnsmom@aol.com
>Subject: Venus on the Halfshell
>
>Angie asked:
>
><<Does anyone have a take on the line: "Then she appeared,  Apple Venus
>on a half-open shell?" I'm afraid my own thoughts are way off base.>>
>
>I always envisioned Boticelli's "The Birth of Venus," or, as my art history
>professor used to call it, "Venus on the Halfshell."

Right on the money, Amy.

>From "Bulfinch's Mythology" (indispensible reference work for detective work
of this sort--online version at http://www.bulfinch.org/fables/welcome.html):

>Others say that Venus (Aphrodite) sprang from the foam
>of the sea. The zephyr wafted her along the waves to the Isle of Cyprus,
>where she was received and attired by the Seasons, and then led to the
>assembly of the gods. All were charmed with her beauty, and each one demanded
>her for his wife. Jupiter gave her to Vulcan, in gratitude for the service
>he had rendered in forging thunderbolts. So the most beautiful of the
goddesses
>became the wife of the most ill-favoured of gods.

Botticelli's painting shows it quite clearly, Zephyr and Chloris (Leachman)
at stage right, "wafting" the lovely creature along over the waves. Stage
left, we see the Seasons (or at least one of them) standing by: "You get some
clothes on *this minute*, young lady!"

A web page at http://www.oir.ucf.edu/wm/paint/auth/botticelli/venus/ has some
interesting commentary on the painting, including this rather icky detail:

>Venus was conceived when the Titan Cronus castrated his father, the god
>Uranus--the severed genitals falling into the sea and fertilizing it.
>Here what we see is actually not Venus' birth out of the waves, but the
>moment when, having been conveyed by the shell, she lands at Paphos in
Cyprus.

The "Apple" portion of the name comes from the Iliad, wherein Venus kicks off
the Trojan War by trying to win the apple offered up by Eris, the goddess of
Discord. She promises Helen, the most beautiful mortal woman in the world, to
Paris, if he will name Venus the fairest of the goddesses. (See htt
p://www.webcom.com/shownet/bulfinch/fables/bull27.html.)

It's a fascinating thing, rubbing the themes surrounding the Greek mythology
of Venus together with the themes on *our* Apple Venus. Think about "Easter
Theater," "I Can't Own Her," "Church of Women," "The Wheel and the Maypole,"
in light of these myths. Is it, just to snatch at an obvious example, just a
lucky artistic coincidence that Venus was married to Vulcan, the ugliest and
most troll-like of the gods?

What a rich, juicy, possibility-laden name for a record!

Harrison "Odin mounts the tree/Bleeds for you and me/Daddy's severed
genitals/Fall into the sea" Sherwood

------------------------------

End of Chalkhills Digest #7-2
*****************************

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13 January 2001 / Feedback