Chalkhills Digest, Volume 9, Number 12

                  Saturday, 8 March 2003

Topics:

                      Anton Barbeau
             Coming to a Continent Near You!
                   Worst concerts ever
             Andy Sample - Worst concert ever
                       Back to LP's
        BBC show "The Office" (minor XTC content)
      WTUL, playing XTC whether they like it or not
                       Mr Sherlock
                  X-sTatiC 2 weeks to go

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Broadcasting from his killing den.

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Date: Fri, 28 Feb 2003 19:16:31 -0800
From: Steven Reule <steven@obsessed-with-music.com>
Subject: Anton Barbeau
Message-ID: <4.1.20030228190332.00b76500@mail.obsessed-with-music.com>

Warren (and the list):

Glad to see a mention of "Chalkhills Recommended" Sacramento favorite and
huge XTC fan Anton Barbeau. I hail from Sacramento also and have seen Anton
a number of times and have never been disappointed. Pick up his "A Splendid
Tray" as a good starting point. Quirky pop/rock, and you *know* how cool
that is.

See him if you get a chance, with band or solo. He is a strange and
wonderful talent.

Other CD's by him are good too. "The Horses Mouth" is an early effort that
is accessible and catchy but still not completely normal. He has a number
of other albums too but I tend to play "Splendid Tray" most often.

Another Sacramento Chalker,

Steven
http://www.obsessed-with-music.com
(stop by our site and say hello)

As for Anton:
<A
HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/external-search?tag=obsessedwithm-20
&keyword=anton%20barbeau+a%20splendid%20tray&mode=music">A Splendid Tray</A>
<A
HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/external-search?tag=obsessedwithm-20
&keyword=anton%20barbeau&mode=music">Other Anton Barbeau</A>
Or visit his web site at: www.antonbarbeau.com

Thanks!!

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

Date: Fri, 28 Feb 2003 23:50:05 -0500
From: Neal Buck <nealhbuck@earthlink.net>
Subject: Coming to a Continent Near You!
Message-ID: <45745FEF-4BA1-11D7-9173-0003937FD128@earthlink.net>

Dear Chalk-Heliumz,

De-lurking just long enough to announce that I will be making a
pilgrimage to the XTC homeland soon (March 6-13) from these here United
States. Last time I was there (about 3 yrs ago), I met the lovely and
talented Belinda from our ranks. I would love to meet her again or
anyone else who's interested in exchanging cultural views or at least
some deep, meaningful chit-chat about the Kidz. I realize that this may
not be enough notice, but what the hell. The one thing I'm concerned
about is, being a "Yank" at this time of embarrassing world leadership,
do I need protection?

BTW, Annamarie, I would like to know more about the Todd R. concert.
What exactly was it that was so awful? I wanted to go, but it sold out
before I could get tickets. I've seen TR many times and have always
enjoyed his incarnations. I would have gladly gone in your place.

Neal

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

Date: Fri, 28 Feb 2003 21:19:44 -0800 (PST)
From: Tyler Hewitt <tahewitt@yahoo.com>
Subject: Worst concerts ever
Message-ID: <20030301051944.19545.qmail@web14203.mail.yahoo.com>

Annamarie asked:
Worst concerts ever, anyone?

For me it would be The Psychedelic Furs (I know, what
did I expect? Give me a break, it was the '80's!). I
made the mistake of seeing them once. They were really
bad, obviously uninterested in being there, and gave a
completely lacluster performance. They were SO bad, in
fact, that they were completely blown away by the
opening act, a dippy one-hit wonder called the Blow
Monkeys (who performed in red an white striped blazers
and straw boaters, looking like someone's nightmare of
a barbershop quartet).
Highlight of the evening was this drunk guy hitting on
my freind Gerri. He asked her name and she said it was
Gladys. Next thing out of his mouth was "Nice to meet
you Glabadis!", then he fell over as we walked away
rapidly. It was much more entertaining than the
concert.

I also saw Air Supply, but that doesn't really count
because we went for free, knowing that it would be a
pathetic laugh riot (we were not disappointed in that
respect).

Tyler

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

Date: Sat, 1 Mar 2003 20:33:59 EST
From: RMuRocks@aol.com
Subject: Andy Sample - Worst concert ever
Message-ID: <165.1c226fb1.2b92b987@aol.com>

I don't THINK anyone has mentioned this, sorry if it's a repeat. They Might
Be Giants put an mp3 on their website for about 48 hours, a re-mix of
S-E-X-X-Y that features several very cool samples, The Beatles guitar intro
to "Sgt. Pepper's" among them. Also tossed in is Andy's intro line to
"History of Rock & Roll":

"So, let's briefly summarize what we know, shall we?"

I downloaded it and am happy to send it to whoever is interested.

Worst concert: America, way past their 'sell by' date.

Bob

NP: XTC, "Extrovert"

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

Date: Sun, 2 Mar 2003 09:34:12 EST
From: DoctorPilpy@aol.com
Subject: Back to LP's
Message-ID: <124.1f1e9a59.2b937064@aol.com>

Hello Chalkhillers!

Bill Sherlock writes:

>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.<

Old folks like myself remember that when the industry switched to CD's, they
were no more copyable than LP's.  In fact, they were less so.  Affordable CD
burners were not available to consumers and the sound degradation when you
went from CD to cassette tape was profoundly noticeable.  I think the
difficulty in making good copies was actually one of the incentives for
making the switch.

But as the guys in the horse and buggy industry will attest, trying to stave
off emerging technology as a business strategy is a doomed approach.   The
most successful businesses are the ones who ride the technology wave, not
those who try to shovel shit against it.

>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.<

The whole idea that digital copying is the source of the music industry's
woes is really their fictional party line.  Don't buy into it.  The problem
is not with technology, the problem is with product.   Here's a basic
business rule that the industry seems to be missing:  If you insist on
selling a crappy product at a really high price, you're not going to do all
that well in the long term.

>The solution:  return to pressing records!  First and foremost they sound
>better

I respect your opinion on this, but I'm not one of those people who think
this is true.  I for one don't miss clicks, pops and hiss.  I don't miss
scratches, skips and warps.  I don't miss worn styluses and off-speed motor
drives.  And as far as the notion that all of the above aside, the LP as a
better overall *sound* - I've never been able to ascertain that.  The first
time I heard side 2 of Abbey Road on CD, I nearly swooned.

>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.<<<<

I'm with ya there, my friend!  It's not the death of the album that I mourn,
it's the death of the album COVER!!!

>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.<<<<

Well, you can still copy them onto CD or MP3, which is good enough for most
people.

Looks like if the majors want to get back to where they were in their heyday,
they're going to have to actually figure out how to provide the world with
some good music.  I don't think they have it in them.

Doctor Pilpy

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

Date: Sun, 2 Mar 2003 12:00:35 -0800
From: "Jonny Pop" <jbkxtc@ev1.net>
Subject: BBC show "The Office" (minor XTC content)
Message-ID: <007c01c2e0f6$640b3d30$7b525d3f@johnjulie>

Hi all,

I don't know how many of you outside the UK have had a chance to see the
brilliant comedy show, "The Office" - it's on BBC America in the States -
but it's incredibly funny.  The reason I bring it up here is that in the
show, which is set in the office of a paper company outside of London, they
mention that the main branch of the company is in Swindon.  So, there's your
minor XTC connection.  I just thought it was worth bringing up, only if to
get more people to watch the show for your own enjoyment.

That's it ... for now!

John

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

Date: Mon, 03 Mar 2003 16:06:08 -0500
From: Ericpto@aol.com
Subject: WTUL, playing XTC whether they like it or not
Message-ID: <298A1DCE.52452EA0.0017215A@aol.com>

Hi there fellow Chalkhillians!

Thought I'd delurk and talk a little about WTUL, the radio station at
Tulane (the university I happen to be attending).  Last night I had
the opportunity of getting on air with a couple of my friends (in the
lovely 4-6 a.m. slot).  Not only did I have a blast, but I also got to
plug our favorite boys from Swindon.  I was rummaging around the
station and found English Settlement on cd, so played Senses Working
Overtime.  A little later, I had just happened to bring my copies of
Fuzzy Warbles with me (what a coincedence!), so I gave Mr. Partridge a
little airtime with I Don't Want To Be Here.  The DJ's whose time I
was taking over commented that it sounded a lot like Ben Folds, with
guitars instead of piano.  (At which point I chimed in that Andy is
possibly collaborating with the same Ben Folds).  In any event, both
songs went over extremely well with my friends, at least.  Who knows?
Maybe someone else in the Greater New Orleans area was listening.  The
only sad part of the evening came when I was rummaging through the
stations enormous amount of vinyl.  They had all of the Virgin albums,
minus Nonsuch, and also the Grass/Dear God single.  I was going to
have them play Dear God, when I pulled it out to find that Dear God
was very destroyed.  Enormous gashes across only that song on the
record.  It made me want to cry.  So, just to spite them (whoever may
have done it over 10 years ago), I'll have to make it a point of
bringing my copy with me next time my friends let me back on the air.
And back to lurking I go...

Josh Phelan
---------------
I never seem to do anything

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

Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 09:49:57 -0800 (PST)
From: Jon Rosenberger <wile1coyote@yahoo.com>
Subject: Mr Sherlock
Message-ID: <20030305174957.47591.qmail@web13409.mail.yahoo.com>

I enjoyed your post regarding the ease of copying CDs and I totally
agree with you that they made a big blunder.

However you do realize that the CD was introduced back in 1983
and the consumer CD burner was not introduced commercially until 1991
and did not reach widespread public acceptance until 1997 or 1998. So
for the first 15 or so years they had it really really good. Portable,
durable, cheap to manufacture and cheap to distribute. They had
significantly lowered there manufacturing and distributing costs while
continuing to sell music for the same amount (if not more) and they
paid the artists the same SO the question is Why didn't they see the
backlash coming? You are right that they are cheap. I can copy a CD for
about a $1 assuming full printed jewel case inserts the cdr and the
case itself. The Record indutry can do it for less than that I know but
lets jsut agree on a buck for arguments sake. Why then does a CD at the
local Wal-Mart still cost $15? It is robbery I tell you. I understand
that the artist needs some dosh and there is marketing and distribution
and a few fat cat a&R types and but any other costs are attributed to
the artist, not the record company so Studio time/Production fees/art
design stuff hey all that the artist pays for not the record company.
So do CDS really need a 1500% mark up? Come on somebody is getting fat
on my wallet and that ticks me off. Basically they are reaping what
they sowed. And the widespread use of duplicating technologies is the
result of that, which is a pity really since it is the artist that ends
up getting screwed in the long run. (Not that it should suprise
anyone).
Heres to hoping that a new distribution model emerges for the music
industry where the middle man gets edged out onto the curb and the
consumer and the artist both profit from his departure. (I think Idea
Records has a good start on this by the way)

Cheers all

Mole

PS: Did Ben Franklin really say that? Too cool! And he was right then
and still is today.

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

Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2003 08:37:30 -0000
From: "Edward Percival" <e.percival@virgin.net>
Subject: X-sTatiC 2 weeks to go
Message-ID: <LPBBJPOPBKIHDGICJPLEMELMCCAA.e.percival@virgin.net>

Greetings Pop Pickers

Remarkable progress as the deadline approaches.

In a burst of concentrated activity, no less than 9 songs were added to the
set! And of those two thirds are from the 'studio years'. We could have
carried on, but the rehearsal studio threw us out at half-past midnight!

That means that those who make the journey to RIFF's BAR, Swindon on Friday
21st March will be treated to a frankly epic 26 song set.  They will also be
the first to find out just which are the new treats on offer.

BUT as always we have an issue, and once again we seek your guidance.

Our next question is where do chalkhillers stand on the thorny issue of....

DRESSING UP- Yes or No????

If yes- what would your favourite XTC look be??

Excitedly yours..

Ed-X-sTatiC

PS. Sad news. During the course of writing this I have had to bury our
family hamster. For those who didn't know him, 'Pebbles' was a fine
upstanding hamster who lived to the ripe old age of 3, which for a hamster
is very old. In view of this I would like to formally propose that Friday
21st March is now billed as the "Pebbles the Hamster Tribute Concert". I
will contact the BBC to see if we can arrange a live webcast. Anybody got
Paul McCartney's phone number? Brian May?? Elton John???

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

End of Chalkhills Digest #9-12
******************************

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