Chalkhills Digest Volume 9, Issue 4
Date: Thursday, 16 January 2003
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 9, Number 4
Thursday, 16 January 2003
Topics:
XTC dinner themes!
re: the case of the missing package
Andy Partridge solo-album?
re: Barry Tour?
Barry Andrews on mini-tour
heard on LeShow
More Penis References
Mojo
Anthr AP ClkwOrnge rfrnce
Statue of Liberty 25
XTra curricular
Fuzzy Partridges / 2002 top CDs
Judee, Becky, Elvis & Andy? A Super-Group!
XTC Covers Band?
Administrivia:
If you have the issues of Mojo or Uncut mentioned below, I would kindly
ask if you could transcribe the XTC articles and send them in. Thank
you very much for services rendered Chalkhills.
To UNSUBSCRIBE from the Chalkhills mailing list, send a message to
<chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org> with the following command:
unsubscribe
For all other administrative issues, send a message to:
<chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org>
Please remember to send your Chalkhills postings to:
<chalkhills@chalkhills.org>
World Wide Web: <http://chalkhills.org/>
The views expressed herein are those of the individual authors.
Chalkhills is compiled with Digest 3.7d (John Relph <relph@tmbg.org>).
It's hardly love all and somebody might / wind up red or dead.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 14 Jan 2003 19:50:37 -0800
From: "Richard" <rjpa1@attbi.com>
Subject: XTC dinner themes!
Message-ID: <004001c2bc49$43f417a0$05081fac@verisity.com>
Atmosphere to Ocean (serve fowl and seafood!)
Senses Working Overtime (Sushi!! -or would that be "Sensei Working
Overtime"?)
...sorry, that last parenthetical comment is sure to decide my
direction out of purgatory
Frivolous Tonight (No kids allowed! It's time for the adults to behave like
children.)
Garden of Earthly Delights (Lush island paradise, pagan, hedonism... aw,
hell! LOIN CLOTHS AND BANANA LEAVE ATTIRE!!)
King For A Day (Hey! Tribute details _VERY_ soon!)
Hail Mother Motor, Hail Piston Rotor, Hail Wheel!!
Cheers,
Richard
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2003 00:36:36 -0800 From: "Victor Rocha" <victor@pechanga.net> Subject: re: the case of the missing package Message-ID: <012f01c2bc71$37e8b880$1b791e18@8i0vb> Friends & Sinners, Here's the latest news on the case of the missing package (contents: Fuzzy Warbles Vol. 1 and one XTC fleece pullover) After my plea was posted on the list i was emailed by several kind souls from the Chalkhills list with contact info. I emailed Steve from Idea and told him my plight. Steve contacted me the next day and said he would look into it. here's the second email: >hi victor >i have looked into this for you and you order was shipped in two parts > >pt1 9/12 vol 1 and fleece >pt2 11/12 vol 2 > >if you say you have not had vol 1 and fleece, we will send another one out, >but first could you check at your post office as the package is large and >may not fit in your mail box so they may have it their waiting for you. > >let me know > >site admin so . . . I asked my mailman about my missing package and it was like the scene from the movie 'The Big Lebowski' when The Dude goes to the impound yard to pick up his wrecked stolen car and he asks the policeman if they know who stole his car or if they have any leads. The policeman laughs in his face and sarcastically responds "Leads? Yeah, we got leads. They have us working in shifts!" I'll wait two more weeks then I'll ask for another order. on a different note. I noticed Harry Shearer played "Don't Let Us Bug U" from FW1 on his radio program http://www.harryshearer.com/leshow/playlist.html I guess my proselytizing paid off. how cool is that? Victor Rocha www.pechanga.net
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2003 10:49:45 +0100
From: "Stephane Delrue" <Stephane.Delrue@pandora.be>
Subject: Andy Partridge solo-album?
Message-ID: <001401c2bc7b$71414f20$8188e0d5@pandora.be>
Organization: Telenet Internet
Hello everybody,
At the risk of asking a silly question: is there a new solo-album out by
Andy Partridge?
I keep hearing songs ("Everything will be Allright") on the Belgian radio
with reference to Andy Partridge and not XTC.
Thanks,
Stephane Delrue
Spaanse Molenstraat 9
2040 Zandvliet
E-mail: stephane.delrue@pandora.be
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2003 05:40:06 -0800 (PST) From: Tracy Angelina <susperia5@yahoo.com> Subject: re: Barry Tour? Message-ID: <20030115134006.20978.qmail@web20502.mail.yahoo.com> Chris Rees wrote: "hello..my first post and out of 'lurk' mode. seems mr barry andrews is on tour in the u.s. right now. ive only seen 4 east coast dates so far. i have also confirmed that he's in cleveland on 9 april, which is part of a more complete tour than he is doing right now. can anyone provide more info? seems like a good time to break out the gold sharpie and get that extra autograph for your COMC box set." Yeah, BA is doing a mini right now. You can get the schedule here: http://www.barryandrews.net. When the full April schedule is ready, I'll be certain to post it here for anyone interested in seeing him play. Peace, Angelina Hope in reality is the worst of all evils, because it prolongs the torments of man. - Friedrich Nietzsche Shriekback Digital Conspiracy My Live Journal
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2003 07:46:02 -0800 (PST) From: Todd Bernhardt <beat_town@yahoo.com> Subject: Barry Andrews on mini-tour Message-ID: <20030115154602.69884.qmail@web41115.mail.yahoo.com> Hi: Lurker Chris Rees emerged from the shadows and asked: > hello..my first post and out of 'lurk' mode. seems mr barry andrews is on > tour in the u.s. right now. ive only seen 4 east coast dates so far. i > have also confirmed that he's in cleveland on 9 april, which is part of a > more complete tour than he is doing right now. can anyone provide more > info? seems like a good time to break out the gold sharpie and get that > extra autograph for your COMC box set. Well, funny you should ask ... some Washington, DC-area Chalkers (including yours truly, playboy millionaire Bob Crain, cheesefries aficionado Todd Osborn, Harrison "Ow! My shoulder!!" Sherwood, antibozo Jeff Ogata, fine fine artist Pia Calderon, uberfan JD Mack, and Ladies and Gentlemen Mr. John Relph) got together last night to see one Mr. Barry Andrews at The Black Cat, and a great time was had by all ... even, it seems, Barry, despite a bad case of jet lag. After enduring a comically bad opening band -- actually, "enduring" is probably not the right word ... they were so bad that after a while they entered "Plan 9 from Outer Space" territory and actually became brilliantly amusing -- Barry set up his Yahama keyboard and digital workstation, and starting playing and singing tunes from his new album, "Haunted Box of Switches" (available at http://www.shriekback.com/hauntedbox.htm). It was wonderful. The songs -- made up of a mix of new and older tunes -- were light and airy, dark and cynical, with nimble piano work from Baz, who delivered his menancing, funny, and thoughtful lyrics in a deep-throated voice that made us realize even more how bad the opening band sucked. This guy has the goods. He even suprised us all by playing "Rossmore Road" as an encore. Highly recommended. According to http://www.shriekback.com/site.htm, upcoming shows include: Jan. 16th - Philadelphia - the Tin Angel Jan. 17th - Manhattan - the Knitting Factory Jan. 19th - Brooklyn - the Luxx If memory serves, he mentioned some other, newly added shows as well (the Cleveland show Chris mentions above? He did say something, as we were saying goodbye, about seeing us again in April), but 4.5 hours' sleep is just not enough for me to retrieve this information from RAM at the moment. Sorry. Maybe others can help. I've got to say, Barry's looking great, sounding great, and is a very friendly guy, despite operating under the burden of two hours' sleep and a cheeseburger that seemed like a good idea at the time. He *is* a bit slick though ... fucker tried to sell me a CD for $12, but he didn't fool me. I told him I'd pay $13, and not a penny less. Damn keyboard players ... always trying to put one over on us drummers. Anyway, if you can, check out one of his upcoming shows. Tell him Mr. $13 sent you. -Todd
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2003 09:30:55 -0500 From: William D Sherlock <bdsherlock@juno.com> Subject: heard on LeShow Message-ID: <20030415.103220.-175755.1.bdsherlock@juno.com> I was listening to Harry Shearer's unbelievably funny public radio program, Le Show, last Sunday night when what do I hear but "Don't Let Us Bug Ya" by our favorite Swindonians. I recalled a post from our friend Victor (?) telling of his encounter with Harry at a record store and talking him into buying some XTC. The song's placement in the show was priceless, coming just after a bit where Bush 41 and Bush 43 speak on the phone to gripe about affairs of state. It can be heard via the execrable RealAudio at http://www.kcrw.com/show/ls. Just click on the show of Jan. 12. On a side note, if you download the latest Realplayer it comes with a truly crappy CD burning program (almost guaranteed a buffer underrun), with one excellent feature-it recognizes .rm files. I've managed to download several audio streams this way to save for myself. As always the plugs are not paid! (I wish!) Bill Sherlock
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2003 07:48:20 +1100 From: "Andrew Gowans" <ratwhacker@hotmail.com> Subject: More Penis References Message-ID: <BAY2-F4vekLEUUiYzr70001ec30@hotmail.com> Greetings Folks, Just reading the list and I noticed the quip from Apaul29@aol.com on Ample Penis Vol1. Considering Andy's penchant for references to penises in some of his music he might just go for it. Also the title would be using his initials! I'm currently reading Patricia Cornwell's 'Portrait of a Killer', in which she spins her case for the artist Walter Sickert being Jack the Ripper. It's a compelling story she tells, and it is not outside the bounds of possibility. However, so much time has passed and so little evidence remains that I think it must be relegated to conjecture. Good read though. Anyway, in one section she is analysing some remarks scribbled into a Cornwall hotel guest book of the period, that she believes were the work of Sickert/Jack the Ripper, and makes reference to donkey being a slang term for penis. 'Shake your Donkey Up' was my first thought. Could it be? Is it possible? Can anyone enlighten? Perhaps just coincidence. If you get too fixated on a subject you can start seeing patterns in clouds, navel fluff and tea leaves. I'm off on a camping holiday with my family from tomorrow, you lot mightn't care but I need a break. I just hope those large, penis-shaped clouds that have been following me about don't decide to rain on my parade. Ciao Andrew Gowans
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2003 17:06:05 -0800 (PST) From: Jim Smart <jimsmart1@yahoo.com> Subject: Mojo Message-ID: <20030116010605.17833.qmail@web13509.mail.yahoo.com> I spotted our three favorite letters on the cover of the February Mojo Magazine. Didn't get to look inside yet. Jim
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2003 20:12:49 -0500 (EST)
From: RSMko@webtv.net (Marston Moor)
Subject: Anthr AP ClkwOrnge rfrnce
Message-ID: <19861-3E260711-316@storefull-2233.public.lawson.webtv.net>
Dear Class,
Warbling fuzzily within the fine songnotes from Coati Cubberds boxset
book; why, looka what's found here:
------
8. This Is Pop (single version)
AP: Produced by the man who had no idea that he was going to end up as
Mr Shania Twain, 'Mutt' Lange did a brilliant job. Virgin smelled a
single in the languid album version on 'White Music', but suggested we
re-record it, toughen it up, armour it for the arena. It was a shock
working with Mutt. Our only two previous forays into the world of the
professional studio had been shepherded gently by the easy going, no,
saintly John Leckie, Mutt was a different man. Whereas John stepped back
and in an invisible, uninvasive way, took aural photographs of what you
did with your song, Mutt focused in on every sound, every curl, and
cooked the groove out of us. We must have played this song well over
fifty times, over and over and over. Until the cursing under our breath
became louder than our guitars and drums. But he boiled a great take out
of us. A zen process, when we stopped thinking about it, out it came,
the perfect version.
This was recorded at Utopia Studios, Primrose Hill, London.
A subterranean womb of a studio we would return to for 'Wait Till Your
Boat Goes Down' and the U.S. single version of 'Ten Feet Tall'. Vocals
were all added later at Wessex Studios, London. A converted church, and
haunt of The Clash.
As a quick footnote, I always imagined this as a piece of
music playing in a moloko (milk) bar in 'A Clockwork Orange.'
-----
Class dismished,
malcolm in the middle
www.rsteviemoore.com/news.html
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2003 23:52:33 -0500 From: "R. Stevie Moore" <rsmko@earthlink.net> Subject: Statue of Liberty 25 Message-ID: <BA4BA4C1.38C2%rsmko@earthlink.net> 6 January 1978 "Statue of Liberty" single released. Half a lifetime ago. http://chalkhills.org/images/cover/Statue_O.jpg Sailed beneath your skirt. Sigh..... www.rsteviemoore.com
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2003 08:21:18 -0600 From: "James Lowe" <jamielowe@msn.com> Subject: XTra curricular Message-ID: <OE216KZmcK8r6beUzmR00020ea8@hotmail.com> Chalkholders: Uncut magazine has a glowing and informative four star review of Fuzzy Warbles 1 and 2 in their February edition. It includes a photo of Andy and devotes over half a page to the review and a Q & A with him that covers Bootlegs, Kylie, Musical dandruff and the future of XTC. Uncut: Got the jump on bootleggers? AP: That is really the needle in the ass that made me do this. Tenth generation cassettes all the wrong speed, horrible. Someone told us they took a tape off an A&R man's desk , did a copy and returned it before lunch. I decided I was going to bootleg myself perfectly. It's like a junk sculpture. Uncut: How aware have you been of the demo build up? AP: It's like musical dandruff, it falls from your head and lays there on your shoulders and it's only when you get into the ultraviolet light you think, "Jesus Christ, look at it, it's like ski-slopes." Uncut: Writing with Cathy Dennis again? AP: Yes, Writing for Pop Idol type people. The man who put the KY in Kylie! She said she wanted to work with Britain's best, which was very flattering: Ray Davies and myself. Uncut: Colin Moulding pulled out of Fuzzy Warbles. Is it terminal? AP: He's a bit embarrassed at all the old junk that I'm proud of. I think he thinks it too damn much. And I don't. I guess I've had a mid-life XTC crisis. I don't think it's terminal. Maybe it's just a cough. End Quotes. The magazine also includes a complimentary 18 track CD sampler which features Born Out of Your Mouth for your listening pleasure. I also have a few XTC bumper stickers for anyone who is interested please contact me directly. You can have a look at them here http://dfbs.marhost.com/xtcbumpersticker/ Thanks to all of you that have posted their best and worst of the year, my CD wish list has doubled! Cheers, Jamie (off to the record shop) Lowe
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2003 07:33:18 -0800 (PST) From: The Colonel <captainextraneous@yahoo.com> Subject: Fuzzy Partridges / 2002 top CDs Message-ID: <20030116153318.66126.qmail@web41215.mail.yahoo.com> Well, I finally got my copies of 'Warbles' 1 & 2, and I have to admit that I'm impressed! Not nearly as fuzzy or warbling as I expected. I got to thinking that many of these tracks would have made really dandy XTC or solo AP tracks, and decided to make my own little solo AP mix CD so I didn't have to skip over the old XTC demos and oddities. I can't wait to hear more of these gems! Here's my obsessive heart's little track listing... 1. Ship Trapped In the Ice 2. Young Marrieds 3. I Don't Want To Be Here 4. Born Out Of Your Mouth 5. Dame Fortune 6. Don't Let Us Bug Ya 7. Everything'll Be Alright 8. Ocean's Daughter 9. Goosey Goosey 10. Summer Hot As This 11. It's Snowing Angels 12. Wonder Annual 13. Space Wray 14. Rocket Oh, and as for the 2002 top ten lists, I couldn't narrow it down enough, so here be my top 15! Beck - Mutations Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Clem Snide - The Ghost Of Fashion (from 2001, I know) Simon & Milo - Ready Ready Set Go The Hives - Veni Vidi Vicious Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot Weezer - Maladroit They Might Be Giants - No! Apples In Stereo - Velocity Of Sound Destination: Earth! - Burned On Reentry White Stripes - White Blood Cells Residents - Demons Dance Alone Fifty Ft. Combo - Caffiene Frank Black - Devil's Workshop Luna - Romantica Anybody that likes "Space Wray" off of FW #1 is encouraged to check out Destination: Earth! http://destinationearth.htmlplanet.com This list eclectic enough for ya? -The Colonel
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2003 12:49:13 -0500 From: KEVIN.WOLLENWEBER@jpmorgan.com Subject: Judee, Becky, Elvis & Andy? A Super-Group! Message-ID: <OF102C03F5.D7D43491-ON85256CB0.00585414@chase.com> Hiya, Folks: I'm being facetious with my subject line, but I'm sure that any one of us could come up with supposed super groups if we think of people in the music business who have been influenced by other people who have been influenced by other people and on and on and on--kind of like that Kevin Bacon game I'd been hearing about. It is amazing how styles are handed down through the years, even with those who claim over and over again to have honed their own style of presenting their music and performing it. Some critics who review the younger players and go out of their way to point out that there were plenty of musicians before them who sounded the same way, are often irritated at the lack of acknowledgment of the talent who truly were the innovators, but I bring this up not to chastize the industry or young artists. Yeah, sure, it bothers me that some musicians sound like those who have gone before them while claiming never to have known of the older musicians' existence. I think that we are at a point, now, however, where there is so much music, thanks in part to the compact disk and the industry's efforts (yeah, okay, as much as *I* chastize the industry, I'll give credit here where credit is due) to get some of the rarest lights back in print and in the minds of those seeking out a voice or two they have never heard. Having said that, I "participated" in Becky's audio paper by suggesting, as others of you have also done, some great songs that fit the subject of dreams and their effect on our daily lives. In return for my behind-the-scenes contribution, Becky wanted to introduce me to the talents of one Judee Sill, a name that sounded vaguely familiar to me. She was passionate about Miss Sill so how could I refuse? Well, as it turns out, I was very conscious of Judee Sill's music and probably heard it played nightly on New York progressive radio by anyone from Alisson Steele to Vin Scelsa. The moment I put the disk on, I was delightfully taken back to the great old days when you'd be intrigued by any lengthy playlist on FM radio, and Judee Sill turned out to be one of those bright lights during those late nights. So why did I never find and buy her albums? Well, I had never seen a copy at the local malls. This is why I'm thankful that I work in Manhattan, now, and can search out just about any kind of music at the large or small record shops here...but I digress. Judee Sill's songs have a wonderful glow about them, even at their saddest. I totally recognized songs like "The Lamb Ran Away with the Crown", "Range Rider" and, especially, the Graham Nash-produced single, "Jesus Was a Cross-Maker", for what must have been her debut, eponimously titled album. And, folks, it was good to have her back...on CD at least. There is a darkness to all this wonderful and gentle music, as noted on the ALLMUSIC.COM version of her story. She had come from "Old Hollywood money", whatever that means. It seemed to me, reading this bio, that the money bags were not filled with prestige and freedoms but buckets of ice water! Her father died when she was very young and her brother was killed in a car crash shortly after that. She lived for a while with her mother and a stepfather whom she grew to despise. She left home and decided that the world was her living space, living as a drifter and slowly drifting, as it were, toward those living on the edge, experimenting with drugs and all that goes with it. She was found to have musical talent, but she never took it seriously until her release from a short jail term for possession of heroin in the late '60's. David Geffen had heard one of her performances and signed her as the first of his roster on then fledgling Asylum Records. Critics hailed both her albums, JUDEE SILL and HEART FOOD as musical fascinations, but apparently the public never took to her, even with the amount of airplay. I can't explain the unfortunate ignorance, here. Her music is perhaps the most appealing stuff I'd heard during those years of my life. Even her spirituality was rather winning, and I'm not a spiritual person and certainly wasn't during my younger years. The ALLMUSIC.COM version of her story categorizes her as part of what became known as the "Laurel Canyon sound", but she is so much more. Hearing this unique, almost uneffected voice today, I find that it sounds fresh and sweet, not at all a voice that would come from someone who lived such a hard and inwardly tortured life. She only recorded two albums before vanishing from the scene altogether and eventually dying of a drug overdose, it is assumed, in 1978 or 1979. Since then, her music has been passed around among some noteworthy musicians, Becky DeGreggorio being one of them. Andy Partridge has listed her among his vocal influences, and you know, I can hear some of Andy's vocal inflections very clearly in the songs I'd listed above and in one number called "The Kiss"...just beautiful, and it is sad when we lose voices so early. I'll bet that Costello or T-Bone Burnett would have loved to co-produce albums by this songbird. Yow, I could even imagine Andy Partridge doing a duet album with her if she had lived that long and had come to terms with herself on this turbulant planet. Perhaps, Andy Partridge picked up on her music quite by accident during his darker periods once admitted to during a rather long and revealing interview on Vin Scelsa's "IDIOT'S DELIGHT" program, promoting APPLE VENUS, VOL. I. In fact, I would guess that Andy was channeling Judee Sill on some songs that I often thought had that Brian Wilson feel, like "The Last Balloon". Judee's music is not depressing, but they are dreamy and gentle on scarred minds that need that cool place to dwell. It is so sad to hear that such a clear, sweet voice came from someone who seemed to want to just get out of her own skin! It is my hope, however, that somewhere, there is a completist collection of her music being compiled as I speak. I have sent E-mails to both Collector's Choice and to Rhino Handmade about her music and why I think we should see it back on our CD shelves and played on the more inventive radio stations around the country. Here's hoping that the industry decides to pay back the spirit of someone as worthy as Judee Sill. If Andy Partridge read this, I'm sure he might even pipe in and agree with me. ....Or Maybe Becky will! Kevin
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2003 11:29:02 -0800 From: Steven Reule <steven@obsessed-with-music.com> Subject: XTC Covers Band? Message-ID: <4.1.20030116112713.0103f7a0@mail.obsessed-with-music.com> Warren: If you play an XTC covers show in Sacramento, please let us know when and where. I live in Sac and would be interested in seeing that. Thanks, Steven steven@obsessed-with-music.com www.obsessed-with-music.com
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #9-4 *****************************
Go back to Volume 9.
17 January 2003 / Feedback