Chalkhills Digest Volume 9, Issue 11
Date: Friday, 28 February 2003
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 9, Number 11
Friday, 28 February 2003
Topics:
Polyphonic Spree
Soothing Sounds for Bo-Bo
Sort of OT: Todd Rundgren
...and it's a girl, we can name her Slymenstra!
Colin Moulding faves
Stew/TNP
Bumper to bumper
No Song Here Available
financial salvation for the record industry
Little or no XTC content... "Freaks and Geeks"
Re:XTC, baby!
Yes, thats my phone ringing!
The Negro Problem
The great X-sTatiC song debate
The Audience is Listening
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Since you've been listening to that linguaphone . . .
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2003 20:01:24 -0000 From: "Will" <skellington@clara.co.uk> Subject: Polyphonic Spree Message-ID: <002501c2d9e4$042e28a0$58919ed9@oemcomputer> | For those of you unaware about the band... in addition | to running 23 - 27 folks large, they all garb | themselves in flower-power cultish white robes. I | believe it's this schtik that initially turned Andy | off. Best description I heard of them was a"cross between 'Good Morning Starshine' and 'The Partridge Family" (this was specifically about Hanging Around the Day, but fits for the band as a whole) .......good job I like both, really..... | Also of note - there is a chance that Ben Folds and | Andy will write together. Ooh....that could be interesting......
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2003 15:15:38 -0500 From: hbsherwood@aol.com Subject: Soothing Sounds for Bo-Bo Message-ID: <4CA6F53F.49486FBD.0B51F625@aol.com> > From: Dom Lawson <britishsteel666@yahoo.co.uk> > Subject: XTC, baby! > Just a quickie...matron...on the subject of what I > should be planning to warp the impressionable mind of > my forthcoming Mini-Me (or our forthcoming Mini-We, if > I'm being inclusive) with. ...And that's a proposition you can end *any* sentence with! My own Mini-Me's have, alas, grown past the age when psychological experimentation won't result in immediate incarceration. However, whenever I've recommended to friends Raymond Scott's groundbreaking three-volume set, "Soothing Sounds for Baby," I have had excellent results reported back to me. The Original Musical Mad Scientist in the Muffin Utility Research Kitchen, Scott essentially invented electronic music in the 1950s (Robert Moog sat at his feet as Scott created the first synthesizers), and "Soothing Sounds for Baby" (originally released in the early '60s) is one of his crowning acheivements. From the Raymond Scott web site: Released on three long-playing records in conjunction with the Gesell Institute of Child Development, Inc., Soothing Sounds... was intended to serve as an "aural toy" during the "feeding, teething, play, sleep and fretful periods" of infants in three distinct age groups. The original album notes stressed that a young child's sense of hearing is better developed than many people realize. Besides soothing infants, these recordings were intended to be "pleasantly stimulating." But "pleasantly stimulating" doesn't have to mean "musical strained peas"; and this is what makes Soothing Sounds so wonderful: Unlike, say, Eno's "Music for Airports," which makes me want to run screaming for the Carbona bottle, it's not wallpaper; there's, you know, melodies-n-stuff. Somebody on the Amazon recommendations page characterized it as "a Pong game gone surreally melodic," and I think that captures it nicely. Wonderfully individual and eccentric, just like Scott himself. If you don't know about Raymond Scott, you should: http://raymondscott.com/ Six Degrees of Partridge time: Andy is name-checked and quoted at the Raymond Scott site. What's more, the site's "advisor and text editor" (and producer of Scott retrospective "Reckless Nights and Turkish Twilights") is WFMU deejay Irwin Chusid, who also produced the most excellent album "The Future Is Worse Than the Past," by none other than our own most excellent R. Stevie Moore. (Step up and say hi, R.S!) So it's *gotta* be deck, right kids? Harrison "The present-day refuser composes to die!" Sherwood
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2003 15:57:27 EST From: IMSUNBAKE@aol.com Subject: Sort of OT: Todd Rundgren Message-ID: <1c4.5654f5b.2b87ecb7@aol.com> Hi, Hillians -- I saw Todd Rundgren at the Ram's Head Tavern in Annapolis, Md., a few weeks ago. I'm still sorting out the performance, if you can call it that. I was stunned at how completely awful it was. In about 35 years of concert-going, it was the worst I'd ever been to, hands down. He seemed like a nice guy, though, and he is quite funny. But I didn't pay $55 for funny. After two songs I looked at my friend and said, "Are my ears still stuffy from this cold, or does he sound that bad?" She replied, "He sounds that bad." Another round of brew, please. It was all over for me when he simply destroyed I Saw the Light, Bang on the Drum, and Hello It's Me (a fan brought an auto license plate that said LOITSME, which was the highlight of the evening). Old time fans seemed enamored, though, and I will say I behaved properly and did not throw scones at the stage. I did run out the door before the encores, however. Worst concerts ever, anyone? Annamarie, Up to her arse in snow and on her way to Trinidad and Tobago for Carnival 2/21/03
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2003 17:46:33 -0500 From: "Duncan Watt" <dwatt@fastestmanintheworld.com> Subject: ...and it's a girl, we can name her Slymenstra! Message-ID: <200302212246.h1LMkYYF649591@els.sgi.com> Dom Lawson <britishsteel666@yahoo.co.uk> beseeched: > I was wondering if you > could enlighten me as to whether there is any truth in > the rumour that loud, aggressive music is likely to > scare the merry arse out of the average newborn. Better off spending your time looking up the true definition of "meconium". Not just a record label. Your Pal Duncan ps you are in so fucking deep shit my friend... congrats!
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2003 18:47:09 -0600 From: Dale - HifiToaster <differentkitchen@attglobal.net> Subject: Colin Moulding faves Message-ID: <3E56C88D.6070004@attglobal.net> I just recently made a two disc Colin Moulding retrospective and, although I've always liked the song, it made realize that "Ten Feet Tall" is one of my favorite Colin songs along with Runaways and Grass. If you're interested in seeing my track listing or the Fuzzy Warbles stealing covers check them out at: http://www.artofthemix.org/FindAMix/GetContents.asp?strMixID=43751 http://www.artofthemix.org/findamix/getcontents.asp?strmixid=43767 Sleap Cheep Dale np: Adventures of Jet
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2003 21:06:16 EST
From: Telehead@aol.com
Subject: Stew/TNP
Message-ID: <4f.2b8762f8.2b883518@aol.com>
Hi Everybody!
For those of you who are fans or just curious and live in Northern
California, The Negro Problem's main guy, Stew, will be performing at my home
away from home, the True Love Coffeehouse on March 7 in Sacramento.
Also on the bill is local songwriter Anton Barbeau, who will be releasing
a new CD he recorded in Britain with members of The Beavis Frond (that CD is
already out over there ... it's called "The King of Missouri" and I'm not
sure what label it's on). I think most of you would really enjoy Ant's stuff,
a kind of daffy pop that falls somewhere in a junction between XTC, The
Beatles, and The Kinks. You can find out more by going to antonbarbeau.com .
I will be doing sound that night, so any of you who might come to the show,
please stop me as I make my rounds and introduce yourself. If you need more
info, do write me off list and I'll be happy to help you any way I can.
Warren
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 23 Feb 2003 03:01:37 +0000 From: "Paul Culnane" <paulculnane@hotmail.com> Subject: Bumper to bumper Message-ID: <F5965NDLTQA6QTIgbH5000099cc@hotmail.com> Hello Way back in 'hills # 9-9, Mike expressed a desire for an official release of the song "Bumper Cars". It's already happened Mike. It's a bonus track on the Japanese version of "Homegrown" (Idea / Pony Canyon PCCY-01494). Also included as a bonus is a different version of "Didn't Hurt A Bit" to the one that appears on CoMC. Also in that same bulletin my mate Seb lists his fave albums of 2002. I salute your taste sir! Seems to be increasingly de riguer for posters here to name what is NP (now playing). Oh what the heck, I'll play your little game: MILLIONAIRE: "Outside The Simian Flock" (thanks Dom VA!) - from the same people who brought you Soulwax and dEUS, and in a vaguely similar vein. Something we don't know about in those brussels sprouts??? Cheerio p@ul-of-oz
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 23:42:30 -0600 From: "eriC draveS" <zoom98@mindspring.com> Subject: No Song Here Available Message-ID: <003e01c2dafe$5c0bc9e0$197156d1@XLZOOM> James Lowe said: Here are a couple of ideas I have: Wake Up, Bought Myself a Liarbird, Senses Working Overtime, Wait till Your Boat goes Down, She's a Little Light House, Then She appeared. However, if you all have any ideas of your own that might make a really good XTC ring-tone your contribution is welcome. eriC replies: I enjoy the idea. Much though I despise cell phones (nothing beats a physical presence!), I cannot help but put forth a few titles whose opening riffs would sound great on them. For a fast ring, you can't beat the opening to "Neon Shuffle". I would also like to see "Crossed Wires", if only to see how they screw it up! But with today's advancing technology, I understand even these sorts of tunes could be cranked out. "Washaway" is also good enough to make my cut (killer piano!). For slower ones, "Chalkhills and Children" for the interesting chords, "Bungalow" to see how they handle the organ noise, and "Rook" which may be a little too slow but has exemplary noticeable tones for this sort of thing. More? "Jason and the Argonauts", which has a nice lead-up to the main melody; "Runaways", which is what people do at the mouth on these things but has a nice syncopation; and "Dame Fortune" of course, which is an excellent catchy sort of tune. But the best one I can think of, bar none, is "Scissormen"! The opening guitar could easily be programmed since it fits very neatly into the meter (I wonder if Andy wrote the song with teaching beginning guitarists in mind?). Until next use of "Send" button. eriC "You didn't notice that your number had been called."
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 23 Feb 2003 09:31:35 -0600
From: William D Sherlock <bdsherlock@juno.com>
Subject: financial salvation for the record industry
Message-ID: <20030223.093909.-16595777.1.bdsherlock@juno.com>
Hello peaceful Chalkers,
I ran across this article about the financial woes of the record
industry:
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/23/business/yourmoney/23MUSI.html
and had a thought. (I'm allowed one per day.)
It seems to me that the industry shot itself in the foot by switching to
CD's as their primary format. By selling music on such a readily copiable
medium it is almost as if they are daring the consumer not to copy. When
one can buy a decent CD-RW device for about $50 and obtain hundreds of
blank CD's for next to nothing (I paid $5 for the last 200 I bought, and
every week the office supply stores are practically giving them away)
there is no disincentive, save a guilty conscience, to copying.
Being of a certain age, I remember the "Home taping is killing music"
campaign, complete with skull and crossbones on the inner liners of
record sleeves. I'll bet the music recording industry would sell their
souls (if they are still available for sale!) to go back to the level of
piracy that existed then.
The solution: return to pressing records! First and foremost they sound
better, and who doesn't miss the artwork that was produced on a full
sized record album. That 5"x5" CD cover just doesn't do anything for me.
Secondly, and probably more financially interesting to the businessmen,
while copying is still possible via taping, it would be much more
difficult to create mass quantities of copies, unlike the situation now.
I'm sure the law of unintended consequences holds here just as it does
with every other idea, but I really, really miss going out to buy a
record and checking out the cover as I spun it for the first time.
Bring back those LP's!
Bill (the Luddite) Sherlock
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
Ben
Franklin
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2003 00:33:44 -0500 From: PSikoski@aol.com Subject: Little or no XTC content... "Freaks and Geeks" Message-ID: <76420B9A.5C4AB67C.007972E1@aol.com> I've only posted once or twice, but I've been lurking like Robin Williams in "One Hour Photo". Just found this info. As some may well know, "Freaks and Geeks" featured XTC tunes and was a great show. "There is currently a campaign by Judd Apatow and Paul Feig(the series' creators) to get the series released to DVD. They currently need a little push and you guys can help out. If you were a fan of the series, please head over to www.freaksandgeeks.com and "sign" the petition." And pardon the plug, but as a huge XTC fan, I'd love to know what you all think of my music. I just set up my own page at IUMA. A great site that features gobs of undiscovered talent. Here's my link... http://artists.iuma.com/IUMA/Bands/Cranick/ And check out some of the other artists. Hours (at least!) of fun!
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2003 09:42:12 +0000 From: "James McRae" <ijcmcrae@hotmail.com> Subject: Re:XTC, baby! Message-ID: <F1120hXCRQcqmSvux4J0000050b@hotmail.com> >I was wondering if you >could enlighten me Yak Yak! >as to whether there is any truth in >the rumour that loud, aggressive music is likely to >scare the merry arse out of the average newborn. Oh... >I have a friend who claims to be introducing his week-old son to the >delights of Iron Maiden and Slayer, and obviously I would like to >follow suit, but common sense tells me that blasting Possessed's >'Seven Churches' at a newborn is likely to result in much shrieking >and shitting of pants. And not just from me. Whether bringing one's new born Daughter to the Slaughter (or one's son for that matter) is advisable or appropriate, I will leave to you to find out, but I noticed that all three of our sprogs were fine with XTC at any volume, while anything remotely ecclesiastical got them screaming - probably something to do with throbbing bass pipes. My advice to you is to keep them away from organ music. This is unlikely to be of any assistance to you whatsoever, judging by most of your musical taste :-P James
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2003 13:56:42 +0100 From: Johan Ekdahl <johan.ekdahl@programbyran.se> Subject: Yes, thats my phone ringing! Message-ID: <A155C972F805D611895E0050DA747D1118372B@sofia.programbyran.se> Yes David! For several Years my cell phone rings with the tune of the intro to Mayor Of Simpleton. In case one of You 'hillers have an Ericsson T28, T29, T39 or the like here it is: c +c b e f g f e d c +c b +c g b +c b +c b e f g f e d c +c b +c g b +c b It runs a little in a somewhat too high tempo, and my friends says it sounds like something of Bach. --Johan
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2003 21:01:00 -0800
From: Benjamin Gott <bgott@rectoryschool.org>
Subject: The Negro Problem
Message-ID: <21E64A76-487E-11D7-94A4-0003931489DA@rectoryschool.org>
Gang,
Based upon Bob's recommendation, and after a year and a half of not
doing so, I picked up two albums by The Negro Problem ("Joys and
Concerns" and "Welcome Black") at my local Newbury Comics. You must go
buy both of these albums immediately. You are not a good person if you
don't. I've not ever heard any pop like this, ever. The contrast
between Stew's voice and Heidi's voice; the jangly guitars; the
Beatles-esque horns; the weird-ass lyrics. It's all amazing. I don't
know about you, Bob, but my favorites so far are the first eight tracks
on "Welcome Black" and "Mahnsanto," "Peter Jennings," and "Goode Tyme"
(off of "Joys and Concerns").
-Ben
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Feb 2003 22:42:10 -0000 From: "Edward Percival" <e.percival@virgin.net> Subject: The great X-sTatiC song debate Message-ID: <LPBBJPOPBKIHDGICJPLEEEFACCAA.e.percival@virgin.net> Just 4 weeks to go until we rock Swindon and in darkest North London the ersatz 4 are in heated debate, as usual. 4 people and at least 5 different opinions. We've had no less than 58 songs suggested by visitors to our site. Thanks. Last time round it worked out that only 3 of the songs we covered were from the post-touring days. Why? Well because they seem to work for a band of mortal, sweating, straining blokes who don't have their hands on great production tools. I think we spent about 40% of our rehersal time on Mayor of Simpleton alone, which works out a several hundred quids worth of studio time. This time round, we will deliver more songs, but time (and cash) is tight. Our dilemma is this. We set out to do the stuff which hadn't been played live before, yet it seems that to deliver the latest songs- even the deceptively simple things like Playground- requires that we do some major rearranging. So dear chalkhillbillies, what do you think? Vote A if you prefer to hear rearranged material post English Settlement or Vote B if you demand as much authenticity as we can manage- so more pre English Settlement. Those of you who are going to attend, and remember it's free, your votes count double. So make your minds up and save us the agony. See you on the 21st. Ed
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 28 Feb 2003 02:54:17 -0000 From: "victor hobbs" <family3.hobbs@btopenworld.com> Subject: The Audience is Listening Message-ID: <002501c2ded4$b005d340$12c18351@oemcomputer> Just to let you now that on week commencing Sunday 2nd March XTC will be the featured artist on the Janice Long Show on BBC Radio Two. She will play a track from the band Every morning until Friday 7th March 2003. So that will be Sunday night / Monday early Morning. Right through the week untill Thursday Night / Friday Early Morning. The band will not be attending but she will give information about the band before she plays a track. The Radio Two program goes out at midnight, That's 00.00hours until 03;00 am U.K. time and you can listen on line at www.bbc.co.uk/radio Two. The featued artist slot comes on about 00:15 / 00:25am time. I will be listening, will you ? Thanks Victor Hobbs. Reading, Berkshire U.K.
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #9-11 ******************************
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