Chalkhills Digest Volume 9, Issue 22
Date: Sunday, 11 May 2003
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 9, Number 22
Sunday, 11 May 2003
Topics:
XTC Tribute by Loser's Lounge in New York City!
Re: Do I have to?
Phil CD-less
RE: Do I have to
Attention cynics!!!!!
chalkhill's relay team
A Foray to the Chalkhills (general area)
Re: The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T
The Da Vinci Code
Cheshire Cousin - L.A. based Xtc cover band debut!
Glass - Half-full or half-empty?
Mandy Moore again
Re: The Victor Wheel
Recent Purchases...(slight XTC content)
Guilty pleasures
old responses- long over due because...
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 8 May 2003 09:03:29 -0400 From: "Kehoe, Brendan" <BKehoe@craneco.com> Subject: XTC Tribute by Loser's Lounge in New York City! Message-ID: <99512104A954D311A167009027860D7404567185@mail2.craneco.com> I just found out that the Loser's Lounge band is going to do a tribute to XTC June 6, 7, 11, 13, 14 at Fez under the Time Cafe in New York City. For more information you can go to www.loserslounge.com It may not be XsTatiC (or however they spell it) but it's something for us Yanks... Brendan Kehoe
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 May 2003 10:06:53 -0400 (EDT) From: John Relph <relph@sgi.com> Subject: Re: Do I have to? Message-ID: <10305081006.ZM6636@mtv-vpn-hw-relph-1.corp.sgi.com> On Sun, 04 May 2003 12:26:47 -0600, Phil Corless <phil@pkmeco.com> wrote: > >Speaking of embarassing CDs..... Here's a question for you all: > >Supposed you are hosting a Chalkhills party. Everyone on this list will be >coming to your house. Even Harrison Sherwood. Now you know that the first >thing we all will do is head straight for your CD collection to "figure you >out".... We're going to pore over your discs like anthropologists studying >some lost pygmy tribe. Hey, I think that party is happening soon. June 7th to be exact. >The question is, which of your CDs are you going to remove from your >collection and hide under the couch simply because you are ashamed to let >fellow XTC fans know you own and enjoy these discs? Are you kidding? Those CDs that are "guilty pleasures" and "too stupid to be believed" are exactly the CDs I'd have on prominent display. (Then again, I wouldn't let a Celine Dion CD in the house in the first place.) I'm having a hard time even thinking of a CD which I wouldn't want anybody to know I like. I'd me more likely to pull those CDs out and force everybody to listen to them. Everybody just has to love "Dance Yourself Dizzy" by Liquid Gold! Or perhaps "Four-Sider" by Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66. What a great record! Or the three different versions of Paula Abdul's "Cold Hearted" single (I'm still looking for the perhaps-unauthorized remix I heard once on the radio which was edited to 7/4 time.) Perhaps Alex DeGrassi's "Southern Exposure"? Well, I wouldn't hide it, but I wouldn't force anybody to sit through it. I had a great love for Windham Hill's new age crapola in the mid-80s. And who couldn't love Killer Pussy's "Teenage Enema Nurses in Bondage"? Classic tongue-in-cheek (as it were) 80's new wave. Now if I merely wanted to drive people away, I'd probably pull out Big Black, Foetus, or perhaps Conlon Nancarrow. Hell, Frank Zappa makes some people run out of the room screaming (my wife, for one). And there are some things in my collection that I wouldn't want to torture anybody with. Things so bad they're not even funny anymore. But if you ask, I'll gladly let you judge for yourself. Your mileage may vary. -- John
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 May 2003 15:37:19 +0100 From: "Darryl W. Bullock" <drol@btinternet.com> Subject: Phil CD-less Message-ID: <001f01c3156f$5a19cfa0$86037ad5@ElBosco> Re Phil Corless' list of CD's that he would hide from XTC fans (or at least Chalkhillians) I would be happy for The Mole, Mr Relph, Wes or nay of my friends here to thumb through my collection. I'm not embarrased by owning almost every Shonen Knife album, everything by The Who (even if, now that Pete is on the Child Protection register we might have to avoid 'Im A Boy') or every warble that Yoko Ono has ever uttered. Vive la difference! I'm not ashamed by anything. Not my Carmen Miranda best of, William Shatner's The Transformed Man or even my prized Tiny Tim collection. I'd be slightly more embarrassed by the admission that I only own 8 copies of Oranges and Lemons. Now that's something to be embarrassed about! I'm sure that The Mole has at least 12!! Darryl
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 May 2003 12:04:34 -0400 From: "jdmack01@comcast.net" <jdmack01@comcast.net> Subject: RE: Do I have to Message-ID: <184670-2200354816434822@M2W064.mail2web.com> >>Date: Sun, 04 May 2003 12:26:47 -0600 From: Phil Corless <phil@pkmeco.com> Subject: Do I have to? Supposed you are hosting a Chalkhills party. Everyone on this list will be coming to your house. Even Harrison Sherwood. >> I know that was meant in friendly jest, but I've been to a few Chalkhills parties attended by Mr. Sherwood, and I have to say that he's no Jack Kennedy. Wait, I mean he's got great stories to tell, appreciates a good microbrew, and can dial up a fairly convincing DG tone on his guitar rig. Don't knock him till you've tried him - ummmm, that didn't come out right. Now, Todd Bernhardt on the other hand... Let's just say you don't want to bring any cans of soup to the party! J. D.
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 08 May 2003 12:35:19 -0400 From: "James Campbell" <jquatz@hotmail.com> Subject: Attention cynics!!!!! Message-ID: <BAY2-F10Faatao8KK8Z0000635e@hotmail.com> Back off Mandy......its a fine gesture, the 30-second clip sounds nice, and no one can anticipate with certainity whether this song will even be released as a single, much less fade into obllivion....... At any rate, its sounds 10X better than the Spacehog cover, and I really like the different chord they use (7th?) at "between a lemon and lime". 8^D best, -- james
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 May 2003 13:44:10 -0700 (PDT) From: Laura Hamons <eggusmajorus@yahoo.com> Subject: chalkhill's relay team Message-ID: <20030508204410.35516.qmail@web20804.mail.yahoo.com> Hi all. Best wishes. De-lurking to see if any Baltimore area Chalkers may be interested in forming a relay team for the Baltimore Marathon in October. If we go all-girl we can be The Humble Daisys? Male and female and we can call our team The Fruit Nuts? These are just ideas, not etched in stone. E-mail me at the addy above if you're interested.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 8 May 2003 17:58:30 EDT
From: BessInMoonlight@aol.com
Subject: A Foray to the Chalkhills (general area)
Message-ID: <a.3002b638.2bec2d06@aol.com>
Hello,
I am very excited presently because this summer I will be taking my very
first trip to XTC's motherland. Staying at Oxford, I was wondering what
XTC-like landmarks I might visit whilst Shakespearing it up. Any spots of
particular interest? I want to make the most of my stay, and I believe that
that would entail some XTC Xcitment!
B.
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 May 2003 23:14:31 +0100 From: "Richard Hall" <rhall010861@btinternet.com> Subject: Re: The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T Message-ID: <003e01c315af$330e9680$0f3623d9@Den> >make up with Dave, rope in a few other buddies like Prairie Prince >(maybe even, god forbid, Terry and/or Barry for a couple of numbers?), >ensconce themselves in a suitably-equipped TV studio somewhere and sit >down and record some kind of live something ... perhaps in the vein of >Steely Dan's plush TV jazz-rock party in stereo, the "Two Against >Nature" special). Or Elvis Costello's Later thing, quick someone phone Jools Holland.... Richard
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 May 2003 16:10:15 -0700 (PDT) From: Jim Smart <jimsmart1@yahoo.com> Subject: The Da Vinci Code Message-ID: <20030508231015.15430.qmail@web13503.mail.yahoo.com> Come gather round the bonfire and let Uncle Jim tell you about a book he's been reading that you might enjoy: The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown For some reason this book made me think of XTC more than anything else. On the surface it's just a thriller mystery that touches on the Louvre, Leonardo Da Vinci, The holy Grail, and sir Isaac Newton as it makes its case against the folks who brought you the Catholic Church and the last 2000 years of male-based Christianity. It's a good novel for those of us who like to 'unravel riddles, problems, and puns'. The XTC bit is in the symbols and references to the pagan world that was mowed down by the Bible. It made me think about how so many of XTC's songs celebrate the lost virtues of paganism and feminism. Just taking album covers, English Settlement, Skylarking, and especially Apple Venus seem to fit right in with what this novel is getting at. There's a thread that runs through Maypole, Greenman, Sacrificial Bonfire and Harvest Festival (and many other songs, I'm sure), an exploration of the ancient traditions and symbols that is somehow right at home with this novel. It's a bit hard to put my finger on it exactly. that's why I need some of you to read it, so I can have an intelligent conversation about it. One warning: you will need to have a book with some of the works of Da Vinci handy while your read; many of the clues, puzzles, and mysteries make you want to take a close look at the Mona Lisa, The Madonna on the Rocks, and The Last Supper. It wouldn't surprise me at all to learn that Apple Venus is the author's favorite album (and certainly album cover), and Church of Women his favorite song. If he hasn't heard this stuff, I'll send him a CD myself. Storytime over, Jim
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 May 2003 23:24:12 -0700 From: Ian Dahlberg <idahlberg@socal.rr.com> Subject: Cheshire Cousin - L.A. based Xtc cover band debut! Message-ID: <D97DD600-81E6-11D7-A070-000393696C30@socal.rr.com> Hi ho chalkfolk! You are cordially invited to attend the debut performance of LA's only (?) XTC cover band Cheshire Cousin. We'll be playing about 45 minutes of tunes from Black Sea and English Settlement. Bring yerself and all yer friends. Hope to see you there! $5 cover Friday, May 30th, 10pm Highland Grounds 742 N. Highland Ave. (just north of Melrose) Los Angeles http://www.highlandgrounds.com/ Band website coming soon! Email me with any questions.
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 May 2003 11:18:37 -0000 From: Clockwork <clockwork@macunlimited.net> Subject: Glass - Half-full or half-empty? Message-ID: <E19E4xZ-0001pj-00@avalon.netcom.net.uk> Hi Chalkies De-lurking for a few minutes to relate a story and ask advice.... Last weekend whilst doing our usual Saturday trawl for second-hand books and records in the charity shops and junk shops of Wigan (between Manchester and Liverpool, UK, newly promoted to Division One of the football league - are you all located now? Too much detail?) we decided to visit a junk shop we hadn't visited properly before. After suffering through racks of long-forgotten 80s CDs, three familiar letters jumped in my face. Not only was it the boys, it was a bootleg! "Fab Foursome live in Philly" with all its packaging, proper printed CD label..... inconspicuously motioning to the wife (who, as usual, had that all-too-familiar "I'm pleased for you" nonplussed expression) and trying not to seem too enthusiastic in case he quickly hiked the price, I asked the shopkeeper how much. "Two pounds" say he. TWO POUNDS. TWO. POUNDS. I paid him sharpish and exited the shop. "Try not to jump up & down until we get round the corner" said the wife. Later that day.. take disc out of case to play it and... OH NO.. there's a big chunk out of the edge of the disc. In my excitement in the shop I hadn't checked the disc, although I would have still bought it just to own it, obviously. The upshot is, the disc plays fine up to track 14 (Nigel) "Here's a bit of jungle music for you folks..." then skips for the last 3 tracks. Bummer. So what I wondered was.. I've seen disc-repair kits and compounds available on the web for reasonable money and would certainly invest in one that would fix the disc. Has anybody on the list used them and can recommend a particular type? I would be very grateful for advice on this, the damage extends about 5mm from the outer edge of the CD and is star-shaped, I don't know if it's just the plastic carrier that's affected, or the substrate/layers/whatever they're called! Any ideas? and did I do good? And is the disc's previous owner on the list? ;-) Looking forward to FW3&4......... Take care all Pete Cunliffe
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 May 2003 16:35:41 +0100 From: "Jeremy Warmsley" <jw352@cam.ac.uk> Subject: Mandy Moore again Message-ID: <016701c31640$a6428080$eaca6f83@chu.cam.ac.uk> Anyone know whether or not she does the spoken word bit in the bridge - you know, 'England's glory' - 'a striking beauty!' ? I somehow find it unlikely... Jeremy www.soundclick.com/jeremywarmsley
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 May 2003 11:49:17 -0700 (PDT) From: pancho artecona <partecona@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: The Victor Wheel Message-ID: <20030509184917.17551.qmail@web10409.mail.yahoo.com> I'm sure this is only a bit of it but the row between Bruce Thomas and Elvis Costello (Dianna Krall's fiancee!!??) started after Bruce wrote a book called 'The Big Wheel' which was a very thinly veiled work of fiction about touring with EC and The Attractions. (It's out of print but I found it via abebooks.com) EC is portrayed as paranoid, megalomaniacal and controlling.....Pete was the drunken drummer and Steve sort of a schizoid eccentric. EC was reportedly less than pleased. His feelings on the matter can be found in his scathing song 'How to be Dumb' from the 'Mighty Like a Rose' album. During his acceptance speech at the R&R Hall of Fame, Costello mentioned their past difficulties and stated something to the effect that this was not the time for old wounds. Bruce just said thanks for the memories. Bruce, however, did not play with the band that night although he did play with the band for their reunion in a couple of albums (Brutal Youth and All This Useless Beauty, I believe) a few years ago. I am still wiping away the tears of laughter from reading Harrison's transcript. Pancho PRXTCFAN
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 10 May 2003 12:37:49 +0530 From: "Sughosh Varadarajan" <aqualung@hotpop.com> Subject: Recent Purchases...(slight XTC content) Message-ID: <000b01c316c2$e19af040$1a00a8c0@internal.directi.com> Hiya all! Recently bagged a pretty good haul of brand-new CDs at the unbeatable price of abt $2.50 per disc, so kinda felt like telling the world about it! (:-) Picked up David Bowie's Lodger (my personal fave from the Berlin era), Crowded House's Temple of low men (what a masterpiece!), The Verve's Urban Hymns, Van Morrison's Back on top and Blur's Leisure..but these are two most interesting picks: Madness - The Business: Definitive 3-CD set containing all the A's and B's was simply too good to resist at this price. Comes with a fantastic 52-page booklet. Haven't found time to listen to it yet, but I'm pretty sure I'll love it! Heartbeat: The Best of Original Mirrors : Anyone know more about this band? I picked up this CD purely because of an XTC mention in the booklet (says the keyboardist used to be with XTC before they got a record deal)...skimmed through the disc once...seems like fairly decent 80s new-wave stuff..but man they have an impressive list of connections, from XTC to Siouxsie & The Banshees and Frankie Goes to Hollywood! As the booklet put it "Here's a band who had connections with practically every other British band of their time". Couldn't find much info about the disc online either...is it out of print or something? Anyways Cheers all Sughosh
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 10 May 2003 19:02:19 -0500 From: "Christopher R. Coolidge" <cauldron@together.net> Subject: Guilty pleasures Message-ID: <BAE2FD3B.8BE9%cauldron@together.net> on 5/8/03 7:45 AM, our fear-less interviewer asked: > The question is, which of your CDs are you going to remove from your > collection and hide under the couch simply because you are ashamed to let > fellow XTC fans know you own and enjoy these discs? In my case I would have to take great pains to point out that the CDs in the rack to the left of the stereo are my wife's(the one with the Air Supply, Carly Simon, and Duran Duran CDs) and the ones to the right(the black IKEA towers) are mine. Other than that I have little to apologise for that I can think of, aside from maybe the five or so Queen CDs that are actually fairly recent acquisitions, I decided to finally give up feeling guilty about being a fan of theirs since I was thirteen, though I had given up on them for most of the 80's. I found a couple of their 80's albums in a bargain bin, though, and found that they weren't as bad as I thought. So that's my main guilty pleasure, there are others but I mostly hide them in my wife's collection.(not Air Supply, though- I have learned to merely tolerate them- barely)
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 11 May 2003 08:58:13 -0700 From: "Thomas Vest" <tvtwo@hotmail.com> Subject: old responses- long over due because... Message-ID: <Law10-F48RhP2djy7S400011a73@hotmail.com> i am lazy! hello fellow chalkheads just popped my head out of the shell to comment on some previous posts. here goes: Simon Deane/Gina Chong said in 9.13: ...2. I've been wondering for a while how XTC fans "came" to the group i.e. musical antecedents before being converted, if that's the right expression... I was introduced to the lads in 1987 or 1988. there was this girl named sherrie that i had liked for a long time at school. after high school, our parents-in weirdly independent movements- both moved their families 900 miles south to the same area in florida. we reconnected for a little while. she worked in a record store in daytona beach. i went in to see her- buck up some courage to ask her out and meanwhile she is just ignoring all of that heartpounding stuff to do her job. so, i walk out without a date but lighter in the wallet. she sold me Ministry's "Land of Rape and Honey" and XTC's :Skylarking". She told me i should like both of them a lot.... well, i did not like either of them at all! i was in to classic rock and hair metal (see more of the post towards the end for more on this). about a year later, i was working in a record store myself and "Oranges and Lemons" had come out. We played it inbetween other crap that i will not name here. I liked what i was hearing and remembered the long forgotten tape that i thought i got duped into buying. my conversion started the moment i played that tape again. Sherrie, we did not go out, but thanks for getting rid of me by selling me tapes i did not like! oh, i am a ministry fan as well. Some asked earlier in a post about the worst concert you ever attended: I have two. A Split Second in Daytona Beach (around 1990 or so) and Book of Love in Orlando (1990-91). A Split Second had a Milli Vanilli incident where the song kept skipping in the same place. Book of Love stopped the show in the middle and switched disks on stage for more "pre-recorded" fluff (we did not smell roses at that show- but what could you expect from a synth-pop band at the time?) Steve Sims in 9.19 Subject: kids say the darndest things Wow!!!!! and finally, Phil Corless in 9.21 asked about embarassing CDs: ...The question is, which of your CDs are you going to remove from your collection and hide under the couch simply because you are ashamed to let fellow XTC fans know you own and enjoy these discs?... well, as you might have read in the upper part of this post, i liked hair metal and classic rock in the late 80's. probably that White Lion (Pride?) disc that has the song "when the children cry" was the most embarassing. i have ditched all of thos cd's pdq in the 90's and i can freely admit that of the 2000+ cd's i have lined down the hallway, i am not embarassed about any of them anymore. But i still throw on Def Leppard's Pyromania on occasion- that still rocks! Thanks for reading. Playing in this morning as a labored through this post: front 242... Back Catalogue Tom Waits... Mule Variations Espn Sportscenter Happy Mothers day. Tv
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #9-22 ******************************
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