Chalkhills Digest Volume 8, Issue 13
Date: Friday, 8 February 2002
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 8, Number 13
Friday, 8 February 2002
Topics:
Re: Older Budweiser
RE: Thinging Drummerths
Re: singing drummers
Re: Various & Sundries
XtC: Too Cool for ol' Blighty!
Big Express remaster
Residents & XTC
flotsa Flotsam
Sorry for not writing earlier...
Andy as Bilbo?
Expressway to Your Skull
They STILL can't get it right!
Divine Comedy / Daybirds / CD Swaps
Lyrics, singers and a drummer (not)
The English not liking XTC
I simply don't understand!
The breast that I can do on short notice
Maypole
Re:Neil Finn
Re: Joey Molland
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And can others see this splendid beam?
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 04:42:53 EST From: ROBMSTEEN@cs.com Subject: Re: Older Budweiser Message-ID: <f7.15e7ca9c.2991031d@cs.com> Van Morrison's voice getting better as he grows older?!? Shurely shome mishtake. The man's being teaching motions to go through motions for nearly 20 years now. Now Dylan - there's another matter. Van may be a personal preference as a songwriter, but the Zim almost sounds like a different singer these days, stronger, more growly, more open. Then there's Todd Rundgren - even more variety than ever - and Joni Mitchell - more flexible, more rounded. Best XTC song never released as a single off any album (joint): We're All Light and Then She Appeared. Bye-ee Dook
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 11:20:43 -0800 From: "Kerry Chicoine" <KChicoine@whitehat.com> Subject: RE: Thinging Drummerths Message-ID: <000601c1ae7a$34a116a0$501a75ce@mailorder.com> For discriminating fans of ornate, ultra-melodic pop in the Todd Rundgren/Nazz/Utopia vein, check out the sadly-defunct Gladhands (http://www.gladhands.com/). The Gladhand's singing drummer, Doug Edmonds, excels at both, leaving me tear-strewn with envy, kaleidoscopic orchids descending. O-> Some palsied freak barely managed to scrawl (in burnt umber crayola, no less): > Five good songs in 30 years is not really > much to hang your hat on- That's about how > many Emerson Lake and Palmer have had in the > same amount of time So saddened to hear about your recent, seemingly terminal bout with delusion and insanity. Everyone here, Andy included (contractual xTc content obligation fulfilled), knows that ELP had at least 7 or 8 really good songs over their 30-year career. [Maybe even 10 - ed.] Feeling a little less like laughing, kErrY kOMpOst http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/15/kompost.html http://www.receiveronline.com http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/217/receiver.html NP: Tony Williams Lifetime - Emergency!
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 11:54:13 -0800 From: Gil Lamont <glamont@api4animals.org> Subject: Re: singing drummers Message-ID: <5.1.0.14.2.20020205114617.0321aec0@mail.api4animals.org> Mike Kearns wrote: >And how about that Buddy Miles? (Not sure if >he went solo though.) What a powerhouse he was on that Band of Gypsies album! Buddy Miles is the Poster Child for why drummers shouldn't lead their own bands. In 1968 I went to see The Crazy World of Arthur Brown at the Anaheim Convention Center. A surprise opening act -- no doubt added in a futile attempt to boost ticket sales -- was The Buddy Miles Express. No one in the audience was more impressed at Buddy's showmanship than Buddy himself. One of the highlights was some long bluesy tune with Buddy sitting at the drums intoning: "I can't babe, you know I can't babe, I really can't babe" and other permutations for 5 or 10 minutes (okay, it felt like *weeks*) while his band waited for a cue, any cue, that it was time to jump back in and finish the song. At least the auditorium was big enough to hold his ego. Maybe. This was the final date on the Arthur Brown tour, since Brown fell on his keyboard, cut his mouth, and his management ended the tour. (There was already much nervousness about Arthur's flaming helmet.) Pretty much the end of Arthur's career in the USA. Buddy was pretty good on the first Electric Flag album. But I thought his excesses on the Santana/Miles collaboration were more typical of his solo career. So there Gil NP: Steve Reich, "New York Counterpoint"
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 12:02:32 -0800 From: Gil Lamont <glamont@api4animals.org> Subject: Re: Various & Sundries Message-ID: <5.1.0.14.2.20020205115920.0321d660@mail.api4animals.org> Dunks (Bob.Muller@fluor.com) wrote: >I am reminded of the famous anecdote attributed to long-serving (40s-60s) >Aussie PM Robert Menzies. Out on the hustings one day, Bob was heckled by a >voter, who yelled: > >"Bob Menzies, I wouldn't vote for you if you were God!" > >Without missing a beat, Menzies replied: > >"Madam, if I were God, you wouldn't be in my electorate." Which reminds me of one of my favorite Churchill anecdotes: The woman who said to him: "If you were my husband, sir, I'd poison you!" To which Churchill replied: "If I were your husband, Madam, I'd drink it!" Gil
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 14:11:07 -0600 From: "Steve Oleson" <Steve.Oleson@oag.state.tx.us> Subject: XtC: Too Cool for ol' Blighty! Message-ID: <sc5fe803.098@oag_mail.oag.state.tx.us> In C-hills #8-12, Miller wondered why: "...Great Britain in general never embraced XTC or their music" I did hear a rumour that Maggie Thatcher did have a "thing" for Andy in particular, but whether they actually embraced... Actually, I have a theory about this concept that differs from my theory about dinosaurs (thin at one end, much, much thicker in the middle...) I believe that Britain was prejudiced against them because they were from the hinterlands, not Londinium. They just couldnt be cool! While we in the US listened to them with unbiased ears and appreciated their wit, inventiveness, silliness, and passion. (OK, we probably thought that they MUST be cool... they're from England, home of the Beatles, Stones, and Hermit's Hermits!) ;-) Also, I dont think that it was their focus to be COOL. Perhaps they preferred to be HOT, if you see the difference. They were ECSTATIC XTC, not world weary, cynical XtC. Too direct and passionate to be Cool. Therefore, I think they were perfect for US. Still are! God Love 'em! Steve "Ann Elk" Oleson
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 15:36:08 EST From: Jdmack01@aol.com Subject: Big Express remaster Message-ID: <158.868b631.29919c38@aol.com> In a message dated 2/5/2002 2:42:38 PM Eastern Standard Time, our ace frontline reporter writes: > Finally got around to The Big Express remaster and, wow, my impression of > this album actually diminished greatly as I had never heard it without "Red > Brick Dream", "Washaway" and "Blue Overall" tucked in the middle When I first bought CD's, I would always tape them to listen to in my car. If one recorded "TBE" on one side of a 90 minute tape, there was just enough room at the end for "Red Brick Dream." And to me, that's how the album should end. The big crash of "Train Running..." followed by the peaceful conclusion of "Red Brick Dream." It just always felt right to me. J. D.
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 12:49:12 -0800 (PST) From: Tyler Hewitt <tahewitt@yahoo.com> Subject: Residents & XTC Message-ID: <20020205204912.59123.qmail@web14204.mail.yahoo.com> I love the Residents too, have for about as long as I've loved XTC (22 years or so). They are definately not for everyone, but I tend to like the wierd/experimental side of music. I saw their Wormwood show and was highly disappointed. The whole production, from the songwriting to the staging seemed really lackluster.They seemed to have hit their peak from about '76-'82, but have done some very interesting work more recently as well (check out the Bad Day on the Midway cd-rom). There is an XTC connection: Andy sings on the Residents Commercial Album. If you read the credits, you'll see a credit for Extra Secret Guest Appearences, followed by a blank space. I know of three of them: Andy sings on the track "Margaret Freeman" Lene Lovich sings on "Picnic Boy" Debbie Harry sings on one track (I think it's "Amber" but I'm not sure). Andy has also spoken fondly of the Residents in many interviews I've read over the years. At one time he was quite a fan. RE: Anyone here into The Residents? I have liked them for years, can't say love, but I find them interesting. I remember hearing they were XTC fans years ago, can anyone substantiate this? I know they are an extremely hard listen for any ear, but they are neat. Wormwood was one of their most dulcet records, in my opinion. But I remember hearing an XTC connection years ago.
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 16:26:35 -0500 From: mstone <nedrise@sympatico.ca> Subject: flotsa Flotsam Message-ID: <3C604E0B.9E66A5E3@sympatico.ca> Someone asked about the connection between The Residents and XTC. I don't know the whys and the wherefores behind it, but I do know that Andy sang one of the songs on the Residents' Commercial album(1980). I think it's the one entitled "Margaret Freeman" It's about 1 minute long, just like the other 39 songs on the album. Thanks and a rousing "La Peri" Fanfare to David "Smudge Boy" Smith for his fine rebuttal regarding "Mary" <humdrum2@libero.it> and her comments about "great" singing voices vs "distinctive" singing voices: > made me recall a comment that Dylan made in the documentary > "Don't Look Back", "I don't sing like Caruso, I'm a > BETTER singer". In my humble opinion, he was right. That rather irked me as well. I happen to be a 'trained musician' myself -trombone player mostly, and most of my work is in the 'legit' world of orchestras, brass quintets, and various other strange ensembles. As David said, to imply that musical training automatically precludes emotion, well that just don't jibe. A few recordings from 2001 I thought were great: Action Figure Party -a hip, jazzy, funky groovin' album masterminded by Greg Kurstin. A cross between Steely Dan and The Crusaders for the new millenium. Neil Finn -One Nil -This guy hasn't released a bad song since sometime back in the eighties. O Brother, Where Art Though? Soundtrack -Great old country and folk music, either newly recorded or the original recordings. At least 2 reasons why you must hear this record: the brilliant lyrics to Big Rock Candy Mountain and the magnificent, haunting voice of Ralph Stanley. You must hear this man sing. You must. Sam Phillips -Fan Dance -Another stunning record from one of the finest singer-songwriters around today. This one is stripped down and dark, almost melancholy. She is almost uncomfortably straight forward in her delivery. Gorgeous and terrible. On the subject of singers improving with age: I went to see Earth Wind & Fire at the Fox Theatre in Detroit back in September. The opening band was Rufus w/ Chaka Khan. She was magnificent. 20 years ago she was one of the great singers in popular music. Now she's only better. And then EW&F came on and Phillip Bailey refused to be upstaged by Ms. Khan. He was also amazing. I never thought a man in his 50's(?) could sing that high. Maria Carrey should be looking over her shoulder. And finally, to XTC. The thread regarding unreleased singles: I was so completely sure that Then She Appeared was bound for glory. When I first heard it, I thought "This is it. They've finally got a #1 on their hands!" One of the most perfect pop songs yet written, and they didn't even release it. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr..... Andy as Bilbo? Ok then, how about Colin as Aragorn? Mike
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 14:01:10 -0800 From: ed.kedzierski@chromaticsoftware.com Subject: Sorry for not writing earlier... Message-ID: <7FEEB5919953D511B52A00508B2CAA2701B4F64E@mail.altvs.com> ... but things have been just crazy. Great to see that things are livening up & that the digests are regainging frequency (no thanks to me, I know it's been a long time). First of all, ragging on Phil Collins may be unfair, mean-spirited, and take things too far in terms of equating the making of garbagey pop songs with torture and genocide, but I have no major problem with it. The more outrageously excessive things get (and the more it's protested, as though defending him was important in some way) the more fun the whole thing gets. Sure, maybe it's not the most productive use of time and energy, but if anything's a bigger waste, it's lifting a finger to defend him. Maybe it's just an emotional gut reaction thing, but if you can watch him sing (on TV, whatever), and that face & the expression he gets when he gets "expressive" without wanting to just slap him (really, really hard), we may in fact be from separate planets. Not that that means that we can't get along. Don't like so-called "great voices" much at all; character over octave calisthenics every time. Don't like big tough voices either; most of the voices I really like have always been on the thin side, with a dollop of the Q word. A bit of scratch, a touch of hoarseness, add kind of a "matte finish" to voices; overly perfect trained voices have almost an "oiliness" that actually repels me. A notable exception is the variety of rasp typified by Henley and Bryan Adams, which as pleasurable as getting a root canal. Someone mentioned Henley. Never liked him, his voice, his style, his songwriting, just a matter of personal taste, I guess. I'm not a big obsessive slagger of his, but put anything of his on and it's like someone's sticking needles in my fingertips. Can't really explain it, it just is. Agree with a lot of the Kinks thread so far - especially about how essential "Something Else" and "Arthur" are after the ones the first poster mentioned, and the recent defence of "Muswell Hillbillies" and "Schoolboys". (I actually thought that "UK Jive" showed definite signs of a return to form in some places, but didn't seem to go anywhere). In fact, no Kinks album is _totally_ worthless - flashes of the Ray of old tend to pop up at least a couple of times per album. Just avoid "Rock n' Roll Cities" like the plague. I see there's been mention here lately of my favourite old pet-peeve hobbyhorse, that good old so-called greatest album candidate, Exile on Main Street. Well I gave it another try lately (got into a big argument with someone after I trotted out my old "most overrated album of all time" line), and... I liked it even less than before. Really have no use for anything after "Rocks Off" and I actively hate "Tumbling Dice". Actually, "Happy" I quite like, but that's really it. Any enjoyment I might once have felt hearing "Rip This Joint" has been worn to a smudge by classic rock radio (not the song's fault, true, but the un-ruined-by-radio songs I didn't even like in the first place). I don't see how people can keep going back to the old "the White Album needs cutting down to one album" trough so many times when there's this much more worthy candidate stinking up people's "all time best" lists. Stones albums I'd rather listen to than "Exile" include: Between the Buttons, Aftermath, Satanic Majesties, Let it Bleed, Beggar's Banquet, England's newest hitmakers or whatever that one's called, Some Girls, and even Emotional Fucking Rescue fer chrissake. Sorry to offend, but as I said I got into this argument again recently in "real life", and it's one of those things that the more you argue with me the more entrenched I become. Also, its unavoidable (I wish) influence has just sucked in so many ways (as many unfortunate examples as good ones, if not more), and its mythic place in the pantheon is one of those automatic assumptions that's like an inescapable stench in my nostrils. Radiohead: really liked "National Anthem" off Kid A, the rest of the album loses my interest about halfway through. Tried OK Computer, but it just doesn't get it's hooks into me after repeated tries, somehow. Best of last year... hm. Not up to a list or anything (yay!), but I really liked Super Furry Animals' "Rings Around the World" an awful lot (but did "Receptacle for the Respectable" remind anyone else of ELO? A bit? In a good way?). I thought I'd put Spiritualized's "Let it Come Down" here, then I realized that I've mainly been putting it on, playing "Do It All Over Again" a couple of times then putting it away again, not exactly a major "great album" endorsement, but I do love that song... Oh, and my hippy friends took me to see Oysterhead, which I ended up enjoying enough to buy the album the next day, which in turn got a lot of play, so unless you have some snitty, silly-ass quibble (heh-heh) with Les Claypool's voice, I'd recommend that one too. Somehow, my number one, ultimate internet pet peeve when it comes to posting situations (newsgroups, mailing lists) has become people who use "then" when they should use "than". As in "your idea is better then the one they actually used". Just makes me see red, more than any other comparable error, though your/you're and to/too confusion also both cause me pain. I've also seen (not here, I'm ranting not scolding) far too many uses of "should of" from people who apparently aren't even retarded or some similar excuse. Q: Blah, blah blah, why can't you just do small one-topic posts instead of disgorging these clusterfuck amalgamated messes, Ed? A: I honestly don't know... I've actually held back from de-lurking on other groups because I don't feel comfortable with the idea of adjusting to the separate e-mails & definded threads format; sure, most lists have a digest option, but not as the rule like it is here on the hill. I'd always be too far behind the on-topic focused types... Again, I'll try not to be so long de-lurking again this time (rough... well, year, really), hope everybody's doing well: Mole, thanks for the card (anytime there's anything really up here that I can get for you), Todd, I hope the new job's treating you well, Harrison I can't wait to read your booklet for Coat, everyone... Glad to be back, hope the increased frequency of the digests is a sign... Ed K
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 14:13:54 -0800 (PST) From: Jim Smart <jimsmart1@yahoo.com> Subject: Andy as Bilbo? Message-ID: <20020205221354.11241.qmail@web13504.mail.yahoo.com> Dear Winston Chalkhill, Andy as Bilbo? I think not. But Dave Gregory might make a nice legolas, and Colin seems rather hobbitish. In fact his songs on the last few albums radiate Hobbitish concerns (ie daily life, gardening, chatting at the pub). But there's no character like Andy in Tolkien's work, or that of any other author. There aren't many people like Andy in the world or in literature or movies, are there? My favorite singing drummer is that guy from Jellyfish. He kicks all those other singing drummers into the gutter where they are sprayed by carriage mud. But I can't seem to keep his name in my brain. In fact, though I love Jellyfish (especially Spilt Milk), their saga confuses me, or is too convoluted for my attention span. Let's see if I have this right: Jason Faulkner was in the band, but left to do solo things. Jon Brion was in the band (not when JF was, though), but formed the Grays with Jason Faulkner, but they don't really get along or respect each other's work, so he became a session god/producer/low key solo artist. Yet neither of these fine songwriters were the main Jellies at all. And one main jelly went to play a rather low key part in Beck's band, despite being half of one of the great songwriting teams on the nineties. What gives with that? And who knows what has become of the drummer? That guy was (is?) GREAT, unlike some of the more famous singing drummers mentioned here on the hill. Well, there's no use getting confused over spilt milk, so I just play the CDs. All of them. Oh, and put me down as another one who has gone completely off Radiohead. And to think they used to matter. Jim Maybe Andy as Bombadil? Nah...
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2002 01:52:13 -0000 From: "Jon Holden-Dye" <jon@jhd-designs.demon.co.uk> Subject: Expressway to Your Skull Message-ID: <001c01c1aeb1$05490340$050aa8c0@jhd5> Organization: JHD Designs <Delurk> Michael Kearns, on the subject of 'singing drummers', spake, in a paradiddly fashion, thus: >> ...to name two of the greats. And how about that Buddy Miles? (Not >> sure if he went solo though.) What a powerhouse he was on that Band >> of Gypsies album! Solo most certainly - "Expressway to Your Skull", The Buddy Miles Express. A veritable golden-oldie - up there with Soft Machine 'Volume Two', Bob Dylan 'Freewheelin'', and quite a few others, actually (Fairport Convention 'Unhalfbricking', Parliament 'Mothership Connection', Jellyfish 'Bellybutton', Lemonjelly 'Lemonjelly.ky', etc., etc.). I guess it's all down to the circumstances, when you first digest these inexplicably cherished albums - you know - the ones you play to your best friends, and within 47 secs. of the opening masterpiece (you're mouthing the words / playing air guitar), they're *already* bloody talking. Why ? Can't they HEAR ? Jeez, are they losing their critical faculties ? Should you still count them amongst your buddies ? Ahem. Anybody mentioned (in random order, BTW): - Richie Hayward (Little Feat) - Ginger Baker (Cream, etc. - 'Pressed Rat & Warthog and, er.... that's about it for Ginger) - Levon Helm (The Band - right member ?) - 'Legs' Larry Smith (Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band) - Sheila E - (Prince, etc.) - Jim Capaldi (Traffic, etc.) No ? Can't blame you, really. XTC content: I drove past Swindon, on the M4, the other day. It was raining very hard. Cheers, Jon H-D </Delurk>
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2002 14:32:27 +1100 From: "Culnane, Paul" <Paul.Culnane@dcita.gov.au> Subject: They STILL can't get it right! Message-ID: <EEAD847E742DD51196550000E896881D40E3C9@g5dccbr0ms01.dcita.gov.au> Hi folks In 'Hills # 12, Wayne offered: "Don't know if I mentioned this before but there Andy is credited as having written Big Day on the Skylarking UK reissues. So much for accuracy." You'd think that Virgin (or whoever is responsible for this stupid gaffe) could have taken a little more time and trouble to ensure accuracy, but, er, seems not. What really gets *my* goat is that on the shoddily-repackaged "Chips From The Chocolate Fireball", the composers of the songs were either Andy Partridge or Colin Moulding!!! Call me old fashioned if you like, but I've always listened to the Dukes' songs smugly safe in the knowledge that they were written by either Sir John Johns or The Red Curtain. Deduct many brownie points for the cheap and cynical packaging on the UK reissues, even though the remastering is uniformly stupendous! The Japanese miniature-sleeve reissues are to be recommended if you can still find 'em (I notice some of these are selling via the Idea Records site). ~~p@ul
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2002 08:09:27 From: "* Hobbes *" <hazchem25@hotmail.com> Subject: Divine Comedy / Daybirds / CD Swaps Message-ID: <F194sVXdUgEEWcqLJbJ00014f21@hotmail.com> In 8-12 Sughosh mentioned: >Also picked up "A secret history : The best of the Divine Comedy" out of >sheer surprise, 'cos I never expected that to show up in local record >stores. I notice no one speaks much of them out here. Delightfully quirky >British pop, rather like XTC, though perhaps a little more theatrical and >'propah'. Anyone else into them? I was absolutely hooked the first time I >heard "Gin soaked boy". <<< Raising hand. Guilty as charged. I only discovered them through "A secret history" about 2 years ago. They seem to be one of the few chamber-pop bands who seem to know how to use classical instruments as a rhythmic force, much like XTC did with "Easter Theatre", "River of orchids" and "Greenman". (Check out 1994's Promenade - another `passing day' song cycle much like Skylarking with a more classical bent - frequently echoing Michael Nyman's 80's work for the films of Peter Greenaway). I was very disappointed to see how underrated 2001's "Regeneration" album seems to have been - it's a well crafted sonic experience (thanks to Nigel Godrich) that sucks you into a different world for 50 mins, well worth digging out the headphones for. While it might lack the more obvious hooks of the previous work, it is well worth the rewards that repeated listenings will draw out of the songs. Fellow Australian band the Whitlams covered "Your daddy's car" as a B-side to their "Melbourne" single. You might also want to check out English band Belle and Sebastian who use classical instruments with more of a John Barry / Nancy Sinatra vibe, while upping the feyness and earnestness. Very enjoyable. Moving on, I'm surprised to never have seen The Daybirds mentioned on this list. While only having heard three songs from their 1999 eponymous album, each one of them sounds like they could easily fit on Jellyfish's Spilt Milk. Their song "Turn me in" is the best imitation of Jellyfish imitating Klaatu imitating the Beatles I've ever heard. Well, it's the only one, but you'll understand what I mean if you hear it. Anyone know anything more about them? I love discovering new music through this lists. Since I never listen to the radio and have a CD burner I wonder if any other Aussies might be interested in trading homemade CD compilations for fun so I can keep discovering new XTCish bands? Cheers, Hobbes --------- "Some have said that I cannot sing, but no-one will say that i didn't sing" - Florence Foster Jenkins (1868-1944) http://profiles.yahoo.com/hazchem25a
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2002 08:55:37 -0000 From: Edward Collier <edward.collier@techop.co.uk> Subject: Lyrics, singers and a drummer (not) Message-ID: <4359BE5CC01DD311886500A0C9D4406922C52D@SERVER1> >>It's not about lyrical brilliance, it's about musical texture, at least for >>me anyway. I love all their stuff but would only offer a >shrug if asked >>what Thom is singing about. We have Elvis & Joni & XTC (and many others) >>for lyrical brilliance. Listen to Radiohead at that level, and see if it >>helps. >Well, isn't that Muzak? Oh no I forgot, it's "Ambience". Seriously - if >you're writing a song, what's the point of having lyrics people can't even >understand? As you said, we have Elvis Joni and co. -- so why should I waste >my time on Thom? He's shite IMO. And apart from anything else they're so >f***ing DEPRESSING. What I don't get is how anyone can resist Radiohead/Thom Yorke? And what's more, why his vocal delivery causes anyone any problems? The history of people listening with pleasure to lyrics they cannot understand is long and honourable, and goes under the heading "Opera". Apart from the fact that the lyrics are readily available (certainly on OK Computer, Amnesiac, though I can't remember if they come with The Bends), I find them more or less easy to understand (and those I don't give rise to some interestingly various Mondegreens), but in any case it is the power and pain behind them that is so compelling. And, of course, they (the lyrics) are, in fact, very good indeed, though they would probably have to be classified under "Downbeat". Whoever cited Elvis C as a singer needs their ears de-tinning. The man can't sing. Well, he used to be able to, more or less, up until around the time of "The Juliet Letters" or so, until the time he began to take himself just a teeny weeny bit seriously as a "composer" (what used sneeringly to be referred to as a "muso"), at which point, I collect, he started having singing lessons, and learned the classical technique of vibrato (what Sophie von Otter calls a "schooled" voice), which has ruined his singing. It works, Elvis, if you have a voice worth schooling in the first place. You don't. Revert to a less ostentatious delivery, please. Listen to "My Aim is True" if you can't remember how. >John Entwhistle of The Who is, of course, a bass player and not a drummer. Doh! Edward
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2002 15:37:15 +0100 From: "Mary" <humdrum2@libero.it> Subject: The English not liking XTC Message-ID: <001501c1af1c$c1981840$389b1b97@mary> Responding to Miller's Query about why the English never liked XTC. "I" don't have a theory, and I don't want to abuse other people's quotes like I did with poor Mr. Zimmerman, and found myself feeling awfully sorry for myself and for good old Enrico (never said he didn't have the chops or the emotions, only said, Dylan claimed to be a better singer, and that I agreed - de gustibus)... In an Italian interview published in Mucchio Selvaggio, written by Christophe Conti, and available in at least Italian, maybe even in English, I don't know, on www.10ft.it , AP says that the English never liked them for a character flaw of the English themselves, that they were cranky, prone to bickering and that they had no interest in much other than getting drunk and fighting. This was his theory about the lack of interest in things that were not handed to them on a plate. I'll have to read it again to get a little more specific, but this was *his* own theory about it. Had nothing to do with airplay or sales or exposure. More to do with just being disinterested in other English people. And I totally agree with the person who defends the Wheel-Maypole. The demos are nice, but that song is ONE song, and is too perfect. Glad that AP realised it! Last thing, Mozart was a natural talent, but very musically trained.
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2002 11:52:40 -0600 From: "Richard" <rjpa1@attbi.com> Subject: I simply don't understand! Message-ID: <044f01c1af37$12968140$03081fac@verisity.com> Duncan: "Seriously - if you're writing a song, what's the point of having lyrics people can't even understand?" Andy: (regarding "Rook") "I don't understand the lyrics, which is rather exciting.'' Andy: (regarding "My Brown Guitar") "It's basically just nonsense. I just liked the sounds of the words." I bet instrumental songs REALLY get you flummoxed!! John: "I am the eggman. Goo goo ga joob." Paul: "I want to lie you on the ben, get you ready for my polygon." ...and that Dylan Thomas guy! What is HE going on about?! Sly: "And so on and so on and scooby-dooby-dooby." Michael: "What the frequency,Kenneth?" Outlaw double entendres! Bob: "He just smoked my eyelids and punched my cigarette." Smart money says that there is no foreign language CDs in DK's collection. Cheers, Richard "I smile like Chicago" Pedretti-Allen
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2002 15:16:23 -0800 (PST) From: Todd Bernhardt <beat_town@yahoo.com> Subject: The breast that I can do on short notice Message-ID: <20020206231623.31341.qmail@web14610.mail.yahoo.com> Hi: Angie asked: > Sudden thought: Since Mr. Bernhardt and Mr. Sherwood are both beloved and > comprise The Deuterium Kidz, does that mean us girlz get to throw underwear > at them in sobbing, bosom-heaving fits during their sold-out concert? Tell you what ... hang on to the dreadful knitwear* and just heave the bosoms instead, okay? Ducking Double-D's, Todd *oblique XTC reference (refer to BBC Radio 1 Live In Concert); I'm sure Angie's knitwear is perfectly delightful and tastefully embroidered with inspirational reminders such as "WWJD?"
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2002 16:20:13 -0700 From: Kirk.Gill@equifax.com Subject: Maypole Message-ID: <OFD0877BC9.B7964FCC-ON87256B58.00731CCC@fin.equifax.com> On the Maypole debate, I have to repeat a little story about my first and only visit to Swindon. My wife and I stayed at a little B&B on the outskirts of town, and it's run by a former grammar school classmate of Andy's. I mentioned my XTC fanatacism to the fellow who runs the place, and he produced a school picture which included Andy holding the maypole. I can't hear the tune without seeing his pasty little face. He didn't look pleased. The B&B owner also had a class picture, and thinking of it makes me think of the song Playground, and how all those little kids participated in the genesis of that tune......... But I must admit to being in the group who prefers the first section of that song over the second half. That rollicking "maypole, maypole" section just doesn't move me............ And on the favorite Wasp Star tune debate, while my vote is for "We're All Light," a good friend of mine included "Standing in for Joe" on his disc of fave tunes for 2000, and my niece still loves "Stupidly Happy" despite the fact that my sister has now forbidden her to play it on her little tape machine any more. My sister doesn't like XTC, and prefers Yanni. And we grew up in the same household ! Alas............... And one question. Where can I find video of XTC playing live? I've checked out all the clips on Chalkhills, but I know that there's lots of good stuff out there, like the "At The Manor" material, and the MTV "unplugged" stuff, the appearance on Letterman, etc. Can anyone let me know off-list where I might be able to find such tidbits? Thanks ! k? "I'm Bugged"
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2002 01:02:02 EST From: RiknBkr@aol.com Subject: Re:Neil Finn Message-ID: <3f.62cc5dc.2993725a@aol.com> SughoshVaradarajan wrote: > With so many people naming Neil Finn among the best of last year, I just > had to go out and by 'Try whistling this' - it's been lying there in the > record store for ages, almost as if it had my name written on it! Lovely > album, every bit as essential as the four Crowded House LPs (Although > Woodface might win by a small margin, I really can't pick a fave). I > found this album a lot like "Temple of low men".. rather ponderous and > moody. Be sure to pick up "One Nil". I think its the best Neil solo work that he has done so far.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 07 Feb 2002 08:17:44 -0500
From: "Christopher R. Coolidge" <cauldron@together.net>
Subject: Re: Joey Molland
Message-ID: <B887E8A8.24FD%cauldron@together.net>
on 2/5/02 12:16 PM, someone calling himself "Bob" wrote:
> Thanks for that info Derek! I really don't like long non-XTC threads, but
> anything with Pete Ham on vocals is worth looking into, including his 2 CDs
> of demos released in the late 90s. That is the last book I have read in its
> entirety also--what a waste. My dislike for Joey Molland--his songs, his
> manipulations of the music with his wife, his retaining the rights to the
> band name when he tours--peaked when I saw him holding a gold record for
> Mariah Carey's remake of "Without You", not only not written by Molland, but
> written by Ham and Evans before Molland was even with the band! Argh! And
> Ham's songs were often so uplifting, including the eerie "Constitution" ("so
> listen to my song of life"), a real gem. If Ham's vocals are on it, I also
> recommend this CD without even hearing it myself.
I thought Molland wrote "Constitution." He sings it on the live album Day
After Day, anyway, which is great introduction to the band for anyone only
vaguely familiar from their top 40 hits. It's plain that Molland doctored
the mix a bit, the snare sound on the drums is a bit too in your face at
times, but it's solid proof that Badfinger was a really rocking band at
their peak, I'd solidly recommend the album to Nirvana fans.
Boy, you really must hate Molland though. What do you want him to do, just
quit the music business? Change his name? As for recording under a different
name, he tried that, he and Evans put together a band in the early 80's
called The Dodgers. Their album sank without a trace. The guy's got a right
to make a living, and drummer Mike Gibbins as well as the keyboardist who
was with the band in their later days has been on board for at least some of
his tours under the Badfinger name. Granted, Molland only joined the band
for their second album, Straight Up(yes, he was with the band when they
recorded "Without You"), but he's written his share of good songs for the
band, I'd give anything to write anything as solid as "I Don't Mind" or
"Give It Up" myself.
I suppose he could have invited original bassist Ron Griffith aboard, but
maybe he did and Griffith wasn't interested. Besides, I have no great
nostalgia for Griffith's attempts at songwriting, "Dear Angie" from the
first album was a minor piece of work at best.
"He who joyfully marches in rank and file has already earned my contempt.
He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord
would suffice." - Albert Einstein
Chris Coolidge
mp3's of my band available at http://www.mp3.com/Welcome_Home
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