Chalkhills Digest Volume 8, Issue 8
Date: Wednesday, 23 January 2002
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 8, Number 8
Wednesday, 23 January 2002
Topics:
One big winky-face post for a late Friday afternoon
stands for decibels...
The Man Who Butchered Love
Re: dB's, etc
Wasp Star faves
No, we can't drop the Phil Collins thread
Relief For Dunks
Re: Too Much Andy
Re: B-52's
Re: Best of 2001
Best of (with a touch of XTC)
i found half the db's
Goodly bylode, Stan.
Let's remain Active
XTC on TV
PC Bashing
XTC Songs for Tots
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2002 15:14:13 -0800 (PST) From: Todd Bernhardt <beat_town@yahoo.com> Subject: One big winky-face post for a late Friday afternoon Message-ID: <20020118231415.54379.qmail@web14603.mail.yahoo.com> Hi: >From Marie (*not* the one in Memphis, Tennessee): > Oh, and thank you Mr. Todd, you wrote > >>La belle Marie a dit:>> > So, you have seen me already? ; ) Mais oui! I've been stalking you for many months now ... turn around -- there! See that guy with the laptop? No, the other one, to the right. Yep. That's me, only different. AMANDA said: > *AHEM* And what about Mr. Dave Gregory, who shall hit the big 5-0 this > year? I certainly plan on lavishing him with something huge and > embarassing. (Hmmm, maybe my own person would take care of that > area.....) C'mon now, Amanda, I've seen your picture, and you're certainly not huge... Dunks asked: > ... can we please please PLEASE drop this endless and inane Phil Collins > thread FOREVER? Okay mate, fair enough ... will you PLEASE stop talking about Roger Waters? >From the Virgin press release, courtesy of Mark Fisher: > A fully illustrated 60 page booklet with a specially commissioned essay by > Harrison Sherwood (XTC aficionado and lifelong fan) rounds off what is their > most comprehensive career retrospective package. The perfect companion to > 'Fossil Fuels'. Harrison! Dude! You made the press release. Cool. > XTC hailed from Swindon to cultivate a legacy of highly original British pop > born from their early punk/new wave roots in the late 70s. Their angular yet > melodic songs, lead by distinctive jagged riffs boasted the catchiest of pop > sensibilities which was then injected with an edginess by the darker > overtones of astute and often political lyrics. Throughout their career, > from the jerky earlier sound to the lushly arranged meticulous pop of their > later albums, each new project marked a progression which spawned classic > hits such as 'Making Plans for Nigel', 'Senses Working Overtime', 'Generals > and Majors', and 'Mayor of Simpleton'. Um, you didn't write *that* though, did you? Ick. (Interesting, though, that they left "Dear God" out of their list o' "classic hits.") -Todd P.S. I'm with you all on Keneally's "Wooden Smoke." Fine album. Think I'll listen to it on the way home.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2002 19:57:25 -0500
From: Virginia Rosenberg <vmr423@earthlink.net>
Subject: stands for decibels...
Message-ID: <B86E2EA5.8F0%vmr423@earthlink.net>
Hi Sean-
Not to forget that Mitch Easter, Chris Stamey & Will Rigby were in a band
called the Sneakers before the dB's, Let's Active or REM...
And, yes, I've also heard pH referred to as the 5th REM guy.
I'm not sure which compilation you're referring to, but I like post-Stamey
dBs at least as well as I like the 1st two releases. I think Holsapple is a
really good songwriter. I didn't see them live until the previously
mentioned tour in the mid-80's when they were touring with Squeeze. One of
those instances when I liked the opening act better than the headliner
(nothing against Squeeze, but they're not the dB's, y'know?) I like what
I've heard of Stamey's solo stuff (very Big Star-ish), but Mavericks
definitely makes me wish for a CS/PH reunion...
Do you recall a NC band with a strong XTC influence called the X-Teens,
perchance? There was some good pop music going on in NC & GA back in the
day...
Waxing nostalgic,
Virginia
>This is not quite so. Jefferson Holt was actually
>REM's manager for many years (right up 'til his
>unceremonious dismissal following sexual harrassment-
>possibly date rape, don't recall- charges). The
>"fifth REM-er" and former dB you're referring to is
>Peter Holsapple. One of the first shows I ever
>attended was actually the dB's (with Stamey) and Let's
>Active (a wonderful band- "Cypress" is a classic, AND
>Mitch Easter, Let's Active's leader- along with Don
>Dixon- Chapel Hill, NC- co-produced REM's first three
>releases) in my high school auditorium in Winston
>Salem, NC- from whence both bands hailed. A wonderful
>show. Two years later I saw REM play in that same
>auditorium (with the Minutemen!)('85?).
>
>Regardless, the complilation to which you refer is
>pretty much everything you need by the dB's.
>
>-Sean
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2002 12:44:15 +1100 From: "Paul Haines" <phaines@bigpond.net.au> Subject: The Man Who Butchered Love Message-ID: <001d01c1a08a$cd841140$e08bfea9@home> Hey All, A bit more grist here with 'The Man Who Murdered Love'. The alternative versions are a hell of a lot better than the Wasp Star release. I hate to say it, but the chorus really bugs me. It has that (forgive me all, no offence is intended, I realise where most of you Chalkhillians are living) American sound to it (I'm saying the big fat 'yeah' sounding like commercial rock and ruining the song). What's worse is, the verses are great and the lyrics true Partridge. Why the chorus? Oh why? Dispossessed Kiwi in Oz, Paul Haines
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2002 21:31:43 -0500
From: lisa linn <spacegrrl@earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: dB's, etc
Message-ID: <B86E44BE.18863%spacegrrl@earthlink.net>
on 1/16/2002 1:18 PM, Sean Winkel at seanwinkel@yahoo.com wrote:
> One of the first shows I ever
> attended was actually the dB's (with Stamey) and Let's
> Active (a wonderful band- "Cypress" is a classic, AND
> Mitch Easter, Let's Active's leader- along with Don
> Dixon- Chapel Hill, NC- co-produced REM's first three
> releases) in my high school auditorium in Winston
> Salem, NC- from whence both bands hailed. A wonderful
> show. Two years later I saw REM play in that same
> auditorium (with the Minutemen!)('85?).
>
> Hi. I'm new here.
me too, and i'm amazed to find the XTC list discussing bands from my own
backyard and teenagerhood. I was going to mention Let's Active and the
X-teens (another Mitch Easter project, filed always next to the XTC records
in college radio stations, and well worth a listen for fans of power pop).
I saw that Minutemen/REM show next door in Raleigh, my first big rock show.
D Boone's last show before he died, i think.
-lisa linn, jumping right in
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2002 09:15:45 -0800
From: "Sughosh Varadarajan" <aqualung@hotpop.com>
Subject: Wasp Star faves
Message-ID: <000001c1a10d$89ede2c0$392bc5cb@SughoshVaradarajan>
Hi all!
Chances are most of you have forgotten that we ever thought about taking a
vote for the list's favourite song from Wasp Star. In any case, as the
responses show, most people can't make up their minds at all. I received a
grand total of six votes (plus my own).
For the record, the winner (and my personal choice), by the huge margin of
one vote, is 'The wheel and the maypole'.
Otherwise, the list is making me feel a bit silly these days. I'd voted
Suzanne Vega's 'Songs in red and gray' as one of the best albums of last
year, and it seems everyone else thinks it's the greatest disappointment! I
rather thought it was pretty good, so much better than all that murky
alternative stuff she's been doing lately. About 'Amnesiac' - I do not agree
at all. A fine album, proof that Thom has some idea of what he's doing with
all the electronics and stuff (but then, I liked Kid A as well, so I guess I
might be in a minority here).
Anyways,
Cheerio!!
Sughosh.
--
"Some might say they don't believe in Heaven
Go and tell it to the man who lives in Hell."
- Noel Gallagher
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2002 01:22:54 -0800 (PST) From: Ryan Anthony <hamsterranch@yahoo.com> Subject: No, we can't drop the Phil Collins thread Message-ID: <20020119092254.53531.qmail@web10105.mail.yahoo.com> Duncan Kimball asks: "Can we please please PLEASE drop this endless and inane Phil Collins thread FOREVER?" No, we can't, because I haven't weighed in yet. Besides, no thread truly dies on Challhills until Mr. Relph, hands resting on the hilts of his square brackets with fingers drumming, asks the most egregious perpetrators to kindly take their discussion off-list. Phil Collins should have died in 1980. One, he and his mates had just released the it's-no-*Selling-England*-but-it's-pretty-darn-okay *Duke*; two, I had just seen them in Cincinnati in the concert that reopened Riverfront Coliseum for rock and roll after four fans had been trampled in the "Who riot" of 1979; three and most important, he had not yet figured out that ... Thumpa thumpa wah wah ooh ooh baby Thumpa thumpa wah wah drive me crazy outsells ... Undinal songs Urge the sailors on Till lured by the sirens' cry However, because of the splendor of what he accomplished in the '70s, I forgive him for living 21 (and counting) years too long. I own some, many, most, or all solo recordings by the Messrs. Banks, Gabriel, Gilbert (he shoulda been ...), Hackett, Phillips, Rutherford, and Thompson, but I have not touched the Collins oeuvre. If I want to hear "In the Air Tonight" or (shudder) "Another Day In Paradise" ever again, I'll go stand in an elevator -- or tune in *That '80s Show* on Fox. Ryan Anthony An independent Internet content provider
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2002 08:19:11 -0500 From: "Michael Versaci" <mwversaci@att.net> Subject: Relief For Dunks Message-ID: <000201c1a0eb$e2bf4870$7700a8c0@atl430nb> Folxtc, Thanks to all of you who have provided the Kinks recommendations. I shall be getting "Something Else," "Arthur..." and "Lola..." is short order. Dunks pleaded: >... can we please please PLEASE drop this endless and inane Phil Collins thread FOREVER?< I agree. Let us change the subject. Let us discuss the music of XTC. That "Dear God" is one helluva song, isn't it? Michael Versaci
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2002 10:11:30 EST From: DanAbnrml9@aol.com Subject: Re: Too Much Andy Message-ID: <6e.165f3176.297ae6a2@aol.com> In a message dated 1/18/02 3:10:06 PM Eastern Standard Time, someone writes: > You're damn right! What a nightmare!! And Big Luciano > singing '' I'd like that '' with the complete orchestra of La Scala > di Milano... Imagine the lyrics with the'' toasting fork '' passage... > All that meat roasting? Arrrgh... > But I think Andy Partridge is a great singer anyway. Actually, it took me months to get into almost any XTC after first hearing the Upsy Daisy because I found Andy (and even Colin's) voice to be difficult to listen to. But once I got used to it I of course grew very attached. I find others have the same problem--my roommate, for example, loves every XTC song I give him on a mix. But when I try playing an entire XTC album, it doesn't grab, and I think that's because of too much Andy. --Jason
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2002 10:26:51 -0500 From: "Christopher R. Coolidge" <cauldron@together.net> Subject: Re: B-52's Message-ID: <B86EE42A.20AC%cauldron@together.net> on 1/18/02 2:46 PM, Ben wrote: > Ricky Wilson was a really interesting guitarist -- kind of in that > jangle-pop mode, but not really. I especially like his playing on "There's > a Moon in the Sky (Called the Moon)," which has a punk-like energy while > also being really clean and crisp. Anyone else a fan? Yes, my wife. I enjoy them in small doses, but I just can't stand Fred Schneider's voice, he sounds more like a carnival barker than a singer. The two women almost make up for it though, especially when they harmonise, which isn't often enough.
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2002 11:46:32 EST From: RiknBkr@aol.com Subject: Re: Best of 2001 Message-ID: <d5.11c9dd75.297afce8@aol.com> As a lurker and sometime poster, here's my meager list: 1) Neil Finn - One Nil 2) George Harrison - All Things must Pass reissue 3) REM - Reveal 4) Wings - Wingspan 5) Paul Weller - Days of Speed 6) Secret Affair - Glory Boys 7) The Chords - At the BBC 8) Simon & Garfunker - Bookends reissue 9 on down----XTC reissues, of course
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Jan 2002 15:56:29 +1100 From: "Peter Brown" <peter@outputdsj.com.au> Subject: Best of (with a touch of XTC) Message-ID: <008b01c1a16e$d40b2820$57f538cb@pc1> It appears that not many people on the XTC list are overly into Electronic/Dance/Turntablist music, or whatever you may want to call it. There are certainly many albums that I could pick in such a broad category. I would probably pick a late 2001 relase, Paul Van Dyk's monumental Trancey/Housey/Techno double CD "The Politics of Dancing". There were also great and considerably popular releases by the Avalanches, Daft Punk, Baement Jaxx, etc. Popularity and great music, you'd have to go back to the 60s to have such a combination eh? I have been almost won over by the rootsy bare-boned rock of bands such as the White Stripes from rock city Detroit (who interestingly enough I am seeing this week), The Strokes (who I saw support Sydney's great You Am I), and Sweden's The Hives (who I am also seeing this week); all bands influenced by MC5s, Velvet Undergrounds, punk etc. There are many bands cruising that interface between rock and dance, being patriotic I would pick Australian bands such as Regurgitator and now even Spiderbait, but I'm sure any country could pick their own. As far as reissues hard to go past the Beach Boys twofers and the Hawthorne double CD. The ones I have listened to have been good value and sound great. But the XTC remasters have been a reveleation for me. I now realise the main reason I didn't listen to the XTC as much as I did was the poorish sound quality of most of the XTC albums, which is astonishing considering they were only released in the 80s/90s mainly.
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Jan 2002 04:55:50 -0800 (PST) From: pancho artecona <partecona@yahoo.com> Subject: i found half the db's Message-ID: <20020120125550.28046.qmail@web10407.mail.yahoo.com> In case anyone is interested, I'm currently living in New Orleans and so does Peter Holsapple, half of the songrwers that wrote all the db's songs. He works at one of the local Borders. He is in a band called Continental Drifters that is currently undergoing personnel changes (Peter's wife, <ex?> Susan Cowsill is leaving the band) More enjoyable still, he often plays solo gigs all over town -him and an acoustic- and plays lots of covers and originals. The guy has one of the best left handed thumbs in the business. BTW, isf I could use the thinktank that is Chalkhills again. Can anyone answer the question 'what you might miss if you are not there by 4:30 pm' Much obliged Pancho XPRXTCFAN currently listening to Sparklehorse's 'it's a wonderful life'....very good.
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2002 01:49:55 From: "Duncan Kimball" <dunks58@hotmail.com> Subject: Goodly bylode, Stan. Message-ID: <F71Ja4XMbIMTeUETgn60000feb4@hotmail.com> I was very, very saddened to learn this morning of the passing of the great "Professor" Stanley Unwin, who died on Jan. 12, aged 90. Stan is best remembered for his immortal contribution to the classic 1968 Small Faces' album "Ogden's Nut Gone Flake", for which he recited the narration in his invented language, "Unwinese". He also appeared in several major films, including Press for Time (with Norman Wisdom) Carry On Regardless and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, had his own series called Unwin Time, and provided the voice of Father Unwin in the Gerry Anderson series, Secret Service. The part was specially created for him by Anderson, who was a major Stan fan, as were Spike Milligan, Peter Cook and the Monty Python team. Once asked if there was to be a suitable epitaph for him, he replied simply: "Professor Unlow recitely kindly. Delivering joyfull roundness on all gathering (sitting quietly-softly), hanging roundlow. Deep Joy. Goodly byelode." Fare thee well, Stan, We love you. Dunks
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2002 10:51:03 -0500 From: Bob.Muller@fluor.com Subject: Let's remain Active Message-ID: <OFDDF0FB30.40516FBF-ON85256B48.005556E3@fdnet.com> A couple of comeback comments to a great digest! (Wish we could have a list as opposed to a digest, it's so much more user-friendly!) Anyway: Sean says: <<Let's Active (a wonderful band- "Cypress" is a classic, AND Mitch Easter, Let's Active's leader- along with Don Dixon- Chapel Hill, NC- co-produced REM's first three releases)>> Welcome, Sean...I really liked Let's Active. Stupid name, great band. Never caught them live, but had all the records, Big Plans For Everybody being my fave. Wonderful stuff from beginning to end. Quirky, melodic pop just like our Swindon boys. I did see REM at The Pier in Raleigh though, only about 30 of us in the crowd. They called themselves "Rapid Eye Movement" then. Nathan asks: <<That's true for me, too. How do you other people find so much new music? And how do you AFFORD it, for that matter?>> I read these lists, and depend on a lot of what people say to guide me. Thanks to this group I stumbled on to Kevin Gilbert, who is simply magnificent! How to afford it? When I buy a new CD, I burn a copy, keep the burnt copy (totally within the legal copyright laws) and sell the original CD on E-bay. Typically with new stuff you can get 8 to 12 bucks back, so a new CD costs me net only a couple of dollars. Of course, the liner notes/lyrics etc. are gone, but that's the price I pay for getting lots of new stuff. And if I can buy a CD used or on sale, sometimes I can break even! And while I'm speaking of new music, my faves for 2001: Ryan Adams - Gold (homage to 70's rock without being a parody) Red House Painters - Old Ramon (criminally overlooked by everyone, it seems) Jonatha Brooke - Steady Pull (great songs, great performances, solid production) India.Arie - Acoustic Soul (I sung the praises of this one early on, so I was glad to see it recognized later on) Ben Folds - Rockin' The Suburbs John Mayer - Room For Squares (this guy can really write fabulous hooks, and his playing is fluid and melodic. And he's just getting started. Lots more good stuff, but these were the shiniest gems in the treasure chest. And Ben, count me in as a B-52's fan. They never got as good as their debut, but they came close a couple times and always had a couple excellent tracks on every record. Can't wait for "Cupboards"! Bob NP: Bob Dylan, "Sara"
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2002 08:26:23 +1030 From: "Van Abbe, Dominic" <dominic.vanabbe@au.faulding.com> Subject: XTC on TV Message-ID: <5530EE3B220DD511BC0F0002A52C44801D2DB2@e-mulgrave1.faulding.com.au> So anyway....there I was lazing around enjoying my Chrissie holidays, thumbing through Q Magazine while the missus watched some crap Amercian series on the telly. Suddenly a familiar tune emerged and my attention was diverted. "Is that who I think it is?" stated the missus (a devout NON XtC fan) "Yep" I replied as it finally dawned on me where I knew that song from.... "We're All Light"!!! The show was called "Gilmore Girls" (or somesuch) and our favourite Swindonians were playing in the background as one of the (apparently) central characters entered her prom dance. It was a good minute or so grab of the tune too. Odd choice for a prom theme, no??? To put the icing on the cake, the following night the missus was watching the same show, and right at the end, as one of the central characters strolled through the snow-laden streets, what do you imagine was playing in the background??? A quick grab of "Thanks For Christmas" again by Andy & co. Methinks the musical director of this show is wearing his influences on his sleeve, and good-on-him for doing so. The show is still crap though.... Dom
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2002 13:44:11 -0000 From: Warren.Butson@getty-images.com Subject: PC Bashing Message-ID: <2BDAE71C765ED511A4B200508B5DC8133F5448@lonexchg00.getty-images.com> Can we stop the Phil Collins bashing and defending. I'm all for debate about artists and thier merits outside of XTC but this particular debate happens every 6 months why oh why OH WHY!!!!! One debate I've always wondered is Smile by the Beach Boys - overrated Myth or lost pop genius. And does anyone know if the versions that ended up on subsequent beach boys albums were re-recorded or the actual originals? XTC content: Knuckle Down was always a track that I'd wished they'd released at the time of English Settlement as I thought it would have made a great single. What do you think is the greatest single they never released? Warren - London
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2002 13:38:33 -0800 (PST)
From: Ira Lieman <ilieman@yahoo.com>
Subject: XTC Songs for Tots
Message-ID: <20020122213833.93581.qmail@web11207.mail.yahoo.com>
Yo Chalkpeople...
It's been established that toddlers go for "Stupidly Happy" -- what other
songs have people gotten thumbs up from the diaper set?
My son (3 years old today) likes "Playground" (Holly's singing, especially)
and "1000 Umbrellas" -- he likes orchestration. I don't think he's heard much
of AV1, but I think he'll like that. He points out the instruments he hears,
sometimes he's even right! ("ooh, I hear clarinets!") Maybe I'll just make
"Ryan's XTC Mix" for the car based on your opinions. That might be the best
way to do things.
Then again, I played him "Voodoo Lady" by Ween (thru a mix-cd i made) and he
really liked the "boogie oogie oogie" parts. And he loves the entire "Yellow
Submarine" album, especially George Harrison's wacky contributions, believe
it or not.
-ira, obscene to be ob-heard.
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #8-8 *****************************
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