Chalkhills Digest Volume 8, Issue 55
Date: Saturday, 5 October 2002

          Chalkhills Digest, Volume 8, Number 55

                 Saturday, 5 October 2002

Topics:

                    Re: Gilbert & Crow
                      Enough Already
                 Spiraling's Transmitter
                  one last clarification
            Becki Digregorio & Mitch Friedman
            Re: Cage's Silence & Money Noises
                Attention all Dukes fans!
               Music Worth Purchasing 2001
         "Another Dose of Unfashionable Reality"
                  Re: A Minute's Silence
                        XTC plates
                     Mis-heard lyrics

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

Date: Sat, 28 Sep 2002 21:24:09 EDT
From: BBenoit@aol.com
Subject: Re: Gilbert & Crow
Message-ID: <43.126376e6.2ac7b039@aol.com>

Lee Owens aka Leenashville@yahoo.com writes:

5: Kevin Gilbert was a genius and Sheryl Crow used him to get
what she wanted and then split.

Well, well. Kevin certainly was a "musical" genius but he wasn't
a "life" genius. The statement that "Sheryl Crow used him to get
what she want and then split" says to me that you think Kevin didn't
have a choice. He had a choice but basically his ego got in the way.
(Kevin had been a "released" recording artist for 9 years at that point).
He knew what was going on but wasn't able to back off from his
perfectionist view. All that said, Kevin Gilbert's music changed my
life (as did XTC).

Geez, this was my first post after being on here a number of years,

BB

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

Date: Sat, 28 Sep 2002 22:06:46 -0400
From: "Molly, the New Wave Queen" <mollyfa0000@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Enough Already
Message-ID: <000f01c2675c$de01b060$1d04590c@vogmudet>
Organization: AT&T Worldnet

Can we stop talking about the record companies/Mp3 stuff already?  I've had
to scroll through all the digests and most of the posts have been about "how
one person likes record companies" or "how one person thinks the record
companies screw people".  I'm going to continue buying CDs and nobody can
stop me.  If I see an album I like, I'm going to buy it.  I don't want my
computer full of Mp3s.  Maybe when I get an CD-RW I will burn CDs, but I
don't have that much space nor time to download Mp3s.
Can we talk about something else besides what has been talked about here
lately?  I know, why don't we talk about when or if any XTC videos will come
out on DVD?  Or is there already a whole DVD compilation out there now?

Molly, just voicing her opinion

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

Date: Sat, 28 Sep 2002 20:42:59 -0600
From: "Miranda Phifer" <mightbeSpy@ecoisp.com>
Subject: Spiraling's Transmitter
Message-ID: <200209282042.AA691208296@ecoisp.com>

hey all...

just thought you might want to check out this band called
Spiraling (formerly known as You Were Spiraling)...if you haven't
already, that is.
to get to the point, they rock, and are super-inspired by XTC, and
have opened for some kickin bands [such as TMBG and the Violent
Femmes], AND just put out a new cd!!!!
so drop on by  www.mp3.com/spiraling  and listen to some tunes
when you get a chance...then visit their site  www.spiraling.net
to order their newest masterpiece, Transmitter.
i promise you, it's worth your time!!

happy listening!  =)
miranda

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

Date: Sun, 29 Sep 2002 06:12:10 -0700 (PDT)
From: "jude hayden" <luckyj@elvis.com>
Subject: one last clarification
Message-ID: <20020929061211.21430.h021.c007.wm@mail.elvis.com.criticalpath.net>

Hey kids-

radiosinmotion said regarding wholesale cd's (edited):

<<<<I doubt any record stores are buying their discs
for more money than what Best buy sells the discs when
they're released.

CD's cost about $5-8 wholesale, depending on the
distributer, how many you are buying, and what the CD
is. So yes, Best Buy does get them cheaper, but I doubt
the record stores are paying $12-$15 per disc,
otherwise they have no business sense.>>>>

To just clarify one point, then I'm letting the whole
thing drop, I was specifically referring to those discs
that Best Buy sells for $6.99 to $10.99 that first week
of release. And to be fair, I wasn't getting some
salesman's pitch/bitch about their cost. Like I said,
these guys are friends of mine.

OK, enough of that- bring on the Fuzzy Warbles!!!

Jude

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

Date: Mon, 30 Sep 2002 07:41:45 -0700 (PDT)
From: Wes Long <optimismsflames@yahoo.com>
Subject: Becki Digregorio & Mitch Friedman
Message-ID: <20020930144145.39089.qmail@web14902.mail.yahoo.com>

I've come to sing the praises of two of our own...

I've been listening to Becki's latest CD - God's Empty
Chair - nonstop this week.  Man, what a great album.
Her work reminds me a great deal of Workbook-era Bob
Mould... and for fans of *that* album, you know what a
compliment that is. Becki's voice is incredible and
the guitars are RAWKIN! - Dave Gregory (XTC) and Lyle
Workman (Frank Black, Todd Rundgren, Beck). Andy
Partridge's Dukes-penned Susan Revolving gets the full
psychedelic treatment here... and it's wonderful. I
highly recommend both this album, and her prior one -
Seven Worthies Of The Bamboo Grove.  Why she's not
signed to a major label is beyond me... check her out,
you won't be dissapointed: http://beckidigregorio.com/

What does Mitch Friedman have in common with Becki?
He too has a new CD - Fred - which features the many
talents of Dave Gregory, & R. Stevie Moore. His work
is... well, odd - goofy - QUIRKY - and quite good.  My
six-year-old daughter likes it as much as I do... and
there are only a handful of artists I can say that
about, XTC included. If you haven't heard it... or his
prior work - The Importance Of Sauce - you should
check 'em out:  http://www.mitchfriedman.com/

wesLONG

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

Date: Mon, 30 Sep 2002 13:18:43 -0400
From: beaulac.mario@uqam.ca
Subject: Re: Cage's Silence & Money Noises
Message-ID: <1033406323.3d988773e5a95@courriel.sitel.uqam.ca>

Re: Phil Corless' post (Chalkhills #8-54) about Cage's "4'33"" being
"plundered by Mike Batt, producer of classical kitsch:

Another article on the matter appeared in The New Yorker's September
30th issue, in the "Talk of the Town" section. The funniest part of
the whole deal, which went unmentioned in the article Phil sent, is
that Batt has retaliated against Cage's publisher's grab for the
royalties by registering, apparently, hundreds of silent compositions.
The New Yorker's writer then notes, in that publication's well known
"tongue-firmly-in-cheek" tone, that Batt is proudest of two of his
copyrights: those for 4 minutes 32 seconds, and 4 minutes 34
seconds. As Batt exults, sarcastically, if ever a Cage "4' 33""
performance ever goes one second late or early, "then it's mine."

Just thought Chalkhillians would get a laugh, or a least a smirk, out
of that!

Mario Beaulac

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

Date: Mon, 30 Sep 2002 14:32:18 -0700 (PDT)
From: Todd Bernhardt <beat_town@yahoo.com>
Subject: Attention all Dukes fans!
Message-ID: <20020930213218.58055.qmail@web14610.mail.yahoo.com>

Hi:

Here's a great article on the fall and rise of The Electric Prunes:
http://www.calendarlive.com/music/cl-ca-baker29sep29.story

-Todd

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

Date: Tue, 01 Oct 2002 02:42:29 +0000
From: "*Hobbes *" <hazchem25@hotmail.com>
Subject: Music Worth Purchasing 2001
Message-ID: <F2379DudNhpKtJnRGMQ00009d83@hotmail.com>

In the last digest "Pawnee Q Ribber" dismissed the current state of music as
such:

>Well, bert, you keep supporting the recording industry...  (how many
>decent LPs worth purchasing came out last year?  hmmmmm)

I can't resist - Albums released in 2001 that I consider falling into in the
CLASSIC to GREAT to GOOD categories:

Bigger Lovers - How I Learnt To Stop Worrying
Bjork - Vespertine
Chamber Strings - Month Of Sundays
Cotton Mather - The Big Picture
Death Cab For Cutie - The Photo Album
Divine Comedy - Regeneration
Eels - Souljacker
Neil Finn - One Nil
Ben Folds - Rockin' In The Suburbs
Luke Haines - The Oliver Twist Manifesto
Honeydogs - Here's Luck
James - Pleased To Meet You
Jeff Kelly - Indiscretion
Ladybug Transistor - Argyle Heir
Linus of Hollywood - Let Yourself Be Happy
Alex Lloyd - Watching Angels Mend
Lucksmiths - Why That Doesn't Surprise Me
Natalie Merchant - Motherland
Minus 5 - Let The War Against Music Begin
Mockers - Living In The Holland Tunnel
Of Montreal - Coquelicot Asleep In The Poppies
Orgone Box - The Orgone Box
Pernice Brothers - The World Won't End
Grant Lee Phillips - Mobilization
Pulp - We Love Life
REM - Reveal
Ron Sexsmith - Blue Boy
Splitsville - The Complete Pet Soul
Stereophonics - Just Enough Education To Perform
Super Furry Animals - Rings Around The World
The Tories - Upside of Down
Suzanne Vega - Songs In Red And Grey
Rufus Wainwright - Poses
You Am I - Dress You Slowly
Pete Yorn - Musicforthemorningafter

This isn't even counting releases from last year I have yet to hear!

BTW, is Mark D still out there?  I'm finished with the move but lost your
email.  Drop me a note mate!

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

Date: Tue, 1 Oct 2002 17:32:37 EDT
From: Hbsherwood@aol.com
Subject: "Another Dose of Unfashionable Reality"
Message-ID: <180.ec17cbd.2acb6e75@aol.com>

   Music Firms Settle Lawsuit
   Refund Pact Ends CD Price-Fixing Case

   By a Washington Post Staff Writer
   Tuesday, October 1, 2002; Page E01

   Five of the nation's largest music companies and three of the
   biggest music retailers agreed to refund $67.4 million to
   consumers some time next year to settle a multi-state price-
   fixing lawsuit involving the sale of music on compact discs.

   The lawsuit, filed in August 2000, alleges that for five years
   the music companies and the retailers had an illegal marketing
   agreement that stifled competition and inflated prices for CDs
   sold at Tower Records, Musicland Stores and Trans World
   Entertainment.

Full article at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24910-2002Sep30.html

That nutty free market...!

-----

In other news, the September 30 New Yorker's writeup of L'Affaire Mike Batt
offers a few amusing details on the story I haven't seen elsewhere:

   In a decision that would have delighted Cage, the two parties
   agreed to meet and play their respective silences in front of
   an audience. This summer, in a rented London recital hall, Batt
   conducted the Planets in a performance of "A One Minute Silence."
   Then Riddle [managing director of the company that handles Cage's
   catalog] introduced a version of "4"'33"" played by a young
   clarinettist. "The Cage piece was first performed on a piano --
   the piano lid was raised and lowered to signify movements -- but
   the clarinettist did a fine job, playing with a kind of theatrical
   gravity," Batt said.

   ...Batt, who is releasing "A One Minute Silence" as a British
   single this week, has tweaked the Cage people further by
   registering hundreds of other silent compositions, ranging in
   length from one second to ten minutes. "I couldn't get four
   minutes and thirty-three seconds, obviously, but I got everything
   else," he said. He is proudest of two of his registered copyrights:
   four minutes and thirty-two seconds and four minutes and thirty-four
   seconds. "If there's ever a Cage performance where they come in a
   second shorter or longer, then it's mine," he said.

Finally, after all these years, a reason to sign it,

Harrison "  " Sherwood

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

Date: Wed, 2 Oct 2002 07:45:41 -0500
From: "Dr. Charles W. Crane, Esq., O.B.E." <reddogmg@attbi.com>
Subject: Re: A Minute's Silence
Message-ID: <000801c26a11$9ea4bd60$9865fea9@CRANE>

As you may have seen in Thursday's Daily Telegaph Mike Batt is being
sued for plagiarism on the grounds that his composition "One Minute
Silence" - a minute of silence - is allegedly identical in key
respects to the late John Cage's composition 4.33 - four minutes and
seconds of silence.

The suit was no news to me, of course. Two weeks ago, I was in my
chambers when a fellow from Cage's publishers stuck his head round the
door. "You are Mark Steyn, QC?" he said.

"Quiet Copyright," I confirmed. "My field of expertise. I'm the silent
partner."

"Excellent." He introduced himself as Nicholas Riddle, managing
director of Peters Edition, the music publishers, and suggested we hop
a cab over to Mike Batt's pad. We peeped over the garden wall.

"It's quiet out there," I said. "Too quiet." We kicked the door down,
and sure enough, there was the shameless Batt rehearsing "One Minute
Silence." The sound of silence rent the air, until it was rudely
broken by Nick. "You stole that from John Cage!" he said. "You owe us
thousands of pounds in royalties!"

The commotion attracted a passing policeman. "Arrest that man!" I
cried. "For breach of my client's peace!"

The constable seized Batt and clapped him in handcuffs. "You have the
right to remain silent, but if you do you may be liable to
considerable damages."

Well, you can imagine the hubbub at the Old Bailey as the scoundrel
Batt was led into the dock. "Silence in court!" ordered the judge, and
an eerie stillness descended. "That'll be #17.95 plus VAT, your
honour," I said.

The first day went pretty well, until Nick and I returned to my
chambers and found some vulgar American in a loud check suit and
revolving bow tie waiting for us.

"You know what this is?" he said, and pressed the button on his
cassette player. After the first few seconds of nothing, Nick lunged
at him.

"That's the unmistakeable sound of John Cage's 4.33, you lousy
chiseller!" he roared.

"Wrong, pal," said the American, neatly sidestepping Nick. "That is
NBC radio March 28, 1948, four years before the premier of your crummy
rip-off." He handed us his card. "I represent the estate of the late
and famously tight-fisted comedian Jack Benny.

"In his most celebrated radio joke an armed robber holds him up and
says, 'Your money or your life.' There is a long, long silence.
'Didn't you hear me?' says the robber. 'I said your money or your
life.' Mr. Benny says, 'I'm thinking it over.' The joke is in the
silence. No silence, no joke. Your guy simply shaved the dialogue off
and plagiarised the most lucrative portion of our gag. We're seeking
$40 million."

"Would you consider a quiet out-of-court settlement?"

"Hush money," he laughed, "you can't buy my silence that easily."

A nondescript English solicitor appeared. "Three guesses as to what
this is." he said. He put on a scratchy 78 on his old Victrola and,
for 15 seconds, an eerie nothingness boomed out across the room.

"That's the lyrical middle section of 4.33, you thieving punk!" yelled
Nick.

"Wrong, old boy," said the solicitor. "I an the Unknown Lawyer and I
represent my client, the Unknown Soldier. Our two-minute silence was
first performed at the Cenotaph over four decades before your pathetic
knock-off."

Who should arrive next but our old friend Sulayman abu Ghaith,
official spokesman for Osama bin laden. "hey Sully, baby!" I said.
"Good to see you! How's that new Osama video you promised coming
along?"

"That's why I am here," he said, producing a piece of paper from his
suicide-bomber belt. "What's the meaning of this?"

"So you got my letter?" sneered Nick. "Did you bring along the cheque
for #30 million?"

I was stunned. "What possible connection can al-Qa'eda have with John
Cage's 4.33?"

"I charge," said Nick, "that Osama bin Laden is the most fragrant John
Cage plagiarist in the world. He's been completely silent for eight
months now. Do you realise how many continuous performances of 4.33
that represents?"

"That's preposterous!" snorted Sulayman.

"OK, have him break the silence," said Nick. "Get him out there doing
'Remember you're a Womble. But right now all I'm hearing is one big
eight-month-4.33 Cage-athon."

"Yeah, well, I'm counter-suing," said Sulayman. "That '1812 Overture'
is a big steal of our suicide bomber' signature closing explosion."

Nick and I were relieved to get down to my country place that weekend.
It's beautifully unspoilt and, as we sat on the patio in the peaceful
July night, I noticed that Nick had his stop-watch out. "Come on you
damned crickets, chirp," I found myself thinking, clenching my glass
ever more tightly. But fortunately the pub emptied and seconds later
came the sound of baying yobbos vomiting in my front garden and
hurling a bench through the window of the OAP centre. Phew.

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

Date: Wed, 2 Oct 2002 16:06:08 +0100
From: Jason Witcher <JasonW@teletext.co.uk>
Subject: XTC plates
Message-ID: <32D4AD886C11D511955C00508BAD1C10060B8974@exchback.teletext.dom>

I know this thread is ancient history, but I took these a few weeks ago and
only just got round to uploading them:
http://www.etceterate.com/images/scooter.jpg
http://www.etceterate.com/images/scooter2.jpg (close-up)
These plates are Italian, but only this morning I saw a UK-registered car
which had 'XTC' as the last three letters (although I couldn't get to the
camera in time, and anyway it would probably take me another couple of
months to upload them...
Jason

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

Date: Wed, 2 Oct 2002 23:52:31 -0600
From: "Pallius" <mcgjohn@prodigy.net>
Subject: Mis-heard lyrics
Message-ID: <000801c26aa1$11328e40$c305f5d1@john>

Greetings XTC fans. I thought some of you may get a laugh from a recent
discovery, as I did. It turns out, after repeated exposure to the song Yacht
Dance in our car, my 12 year old daughter was sure they were singing "In all
ya pants".  Now, go check it out. I think you'll agree that it is possible
to make this error. We are still laughing about it three days later. (My 8 &
12 year old daughters LOVE XTC.)

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

End of Chalkhills Digest #8-55
******************************

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