Chalkhills, Number 124

                 Monday, 21 January 1991
Today's Topics:
                        XTC in ICE
                         XTC drug
               The Second Chalkhills Survey
                    Various XTC Issues

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Date: Mon, 7 Jan 1991 21:47:24 PST
From: John M. Relph <relph@presto.ig.com>
Subject: XTC in ICE

The latest issue of _ICE_ magazine, the International CD Exchange,
claims that there is a new XTC bootleg CD, called _Last Live Show_,
which is a live performance recorded from an FM broadcast during XTC's
1982 tour.  The sound quality is supposed to be good.  They also mention
the _Making Plans for Andy_ CD, which is taken from the _BBC College
Concert_ LP (or perhaps the _BBC Rock Hour_ LP).

	-- John

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Date: Sun, 13 Jan 91 15:15:20 PST
From: 6600kevc%ucsbuxa@hub.ucsb.edu (Kevin Carhart)
Subject: XTC drug

Is anyone familiar with XTC's origins in relation to the drug?  People
who i am talking to about XTC will occasionally snicker, "ah yes, Ecstasy."

Kevin Carhart 6600kevc@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu

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Date: Mon, 14 Jan 1991 17:28:34 PST
From: John M. Relph <chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org>
Subject: The Second Chalkhills Survey

                              Results of
                 The Second Chalkhills Reader Survey

Yes, it's true, the results of the Second Annual Chalkhills Reader
Survey are in.  I suppose it comes as no surprise that XTC is the
favourite group of Chalkhills readers.  There were a total of 23
responses (out of a total subscriber base of over 200 e-mail
addresses).  I would call that a poor showing.  So it goes.

The rules were changed slightly from last year's survey in that a
"none" answer was scored as zero points.

In some later issue I'll try to compile some of the more interesting
responses and the lyrical phrases chosen.

1.  Favourite song
    "Senses Working Overtime" was the clear winner.
        A. Senses Working Overtime
        B. Dear God
        C. Generals And Majors
        D. Mayor Of Simpleton \
           Towers Of London
        E. No Language In Our Lungs \
           Scissor Man \
           Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her, Kiss Her

2.  Favourite song title
        A. Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her, Kiss Her
        B. You're the Wish You Are I Had
        C. Senses Working Overtime
        D. Train Running Low On Soul Coal
        E. Burning With Optimism's Flames

3.  Favourite song released as a single (A-side)
        A. Dear God
        B. Senses Working Overtime
        C. Mayor of Simpleton
        D. Wake Up
        E. Life Begins at the Hop

4.  Favourite 7", 12", or CD single sleeve/artwork
    Votes were cast for the "King for a Day" and "Dear God" vinyl
    singles and U.S. and U.K. CD-singles.
        A. King for a Day
        B. Dear God
        C. This World Over
        D. No Thugs in Our House
        E. The Loving

5.  Favourite single (the entire package: songs, artwork, etc.)
        A. Senses Working Overtime
        B. King for a Day
        C. Dear God
        D. Mayor of Simpleton \
           No Thugs in Our House
        E. Generals and Majors \
           Life Begins at the Hop

6.  Favourite Partridge song
    After "Senses" the votes were very close.  Honorable mentions go
    to "Ballet for a Rainy Day" and "Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her, Kiss
    Her."
        A. Senses Working Overtime
        B. When You're Near Me I Have Difficulty
        C. 1000 Umbrellas
        D. Dear God
        E. The Mayor of Simpleton

7.  Favourite Moulding song
    The votes were very close here, too.
        A. Ten Feet Tall
        B. Wake Up
        C. Making Plans For Nigel
        D. Deliver Us From the Elements
        E. Life Begins at the Hop

9.  Favourite album (including compilations)
    The top five differed by less than four points total.
        A. Black Sea
        B. The Big Express
        C. Drums and Wires
        D. Skylarking
        E. English Settlement

10. Favourite album title
    "Drums and Wires" is the clear winner here and in the next
    category as well.
        A. Drums And Wires
        B. Rag & Bone Buffet
        C. Skylarking
        D. The Big Express
        E. Psonic Psunspot

11. Favourite album cover/artwork
        A. Drums and Wires
        B. Go 2
        C. Skylarking
        D. Black Sea \
           English Settlement
        E. Mummer

12. Favourite solo
    After the top three, 13 solos tied for fourth place.
        A. Real by Reel (guitar)
        B. Brainiac's Daughter (ocharina)
        C. Life Begins at the Hop (guitar)

13. Favourite B-side not originally on an album (not counting later
    appearances on compilations)
        A. Extrovert \
           Heaven Is Paved With Broken Glass
        B. Blame The Weather
        C. Desert Island
        D. Tissue Tigers
        E. Jump \
           Punch and Judy

14. Best album track that wasn't issued as a single (and should have been)
    "Earn Enough For Us" was issued as a single in Canada only, and
    has proved nearly impossible to find in the rest of the world.
        A. Earn Enough For Us
        B. Funk Pop A Roll
        C. Helicopter \
           Merely A Man
        D. Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her, Kiss Her
        E. Fly On The Wall \
           Rocket from a Bottle

15. Best B-side that wasn't on an album (and should have been)
    There was some confusion between this question and number 13.
    (Maybe I should have left number 13 out.)  I feel there are some
    songs which appeared on B-sides of singles which are great songs
    but wouldn't have fit with the concept of the album that the
    A-sides of the singles appeared on.  This category was meant for
    those B-sides which should have appeared on the appropriate
    albums.  Five songs tied for fourth place.
        A. Desert Island \
           Toys
        B. Blame The Weather
        C. Punch and Judy

16. Favourite demo track
        A. Living In A Haunted Heart
        B. The Good Things
        C. Young Cleopatra
        D. Find the Fox
        E. Blue Beret

17. Favourite video (including The Dukes)
        A. Mayor Of Simpleton
        B. Dear God
        C. Grass
        D. Human Alchemy
        E. King for a Day \
           Life Begins At The Hop

18. Fave Dukes of Stratosphear song
        A. Vanishing Girl
        B. What in the World?
        C. The Mole From The Ministry
        D. Brainiac's Daughter
        E. 25 O'Clock

19. Your most valued recording
        A. Drums & Wires \
           Skylarking
        B. English Settlement
        C. The Big Express
        D. Dear God CD-EP
        E. Beeswax

20. Favourite solo effort by a member of XTC
        A. Andy Partridge: The History of Rock 'n' Roll
        B. Mr. Partridge: Take Away / The Lure Of Salvage
        C. The Colonel (Colin Moulding): Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen
        D. David Dreams (Dave Gregory): Third Stone From the Sun

21. Favourite guest appearance by a member of XTC (on some other
    artist's recording)
        A. Andy Partridge on Thomas Dolby's Golden Age of Wireless
        B. Dave Gregory on Peter Gabriel's 3rd album

22. Best radio station and/or program for hearing XTC
        A. WFNX, 101.7 Boston
        B. KFJC, 89.7 Los Altos Hills
        C. CJSR (Alberta?) \
           KCMU, 90.3 Seattle \
           KUNR, The Bottom 40 \
           WMUA, 91.1 Amherst - Non Sequitur Theatre (Peter Lee's show) \
           WPST, Trenton, NJ
        D. KITS, 105.3 San Francisco \
           WXRT, Chicago
        E. WBCN 104.5 Boston

23. When you first heard XTC
        A. 1979
        B. 1980 \ 1982
        C. 1985 \ 1989
        D. 1981 \ 1983 \ 1987 \ 1988

24. When you first became a fan
        A. 1979 \ 1986 \ 1989
        B. 1980 \ 1982 \ 1987 \ 1988
        C. 1984 \ 1985

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Date: Mon, 21 Jan 91 06:25:15 PST
From: wilson@psylo.enet.dec.com
Subject: Various XTC Issues

Hello Fellow XTC Fanatics!

1991 will surely be a good year for us. After all, XTC will surely
release a new LP before year's end.

I have a few questions and comments for all of you:

1. Any idea what songs will be on the new LP? I heard "Blue Beret"
   merely one time. Sadly, they did not play it in Boston during
   their acoustic radio tour, but I did hear it on the radio later
   that day when they were making an appearance at another Boston-area
   radio station.

   My guess is that "Blue Beret" will appear on the next LP.

2. Gradually, I am getting all of the XTC CDs, including the 3-inch
   ones which are becoming all the scarcer since the 3-inch format
   has gone away. I have the "Homo Safari" series with "Dear God",
   the "King for a Day" 5-inch CD with the three mixes, and the
   "King for a Day" crown-shaped box CD. I also have various UK
   imports of their LPs.

   Does anyone have "Making Plans for Andy"? My guess is that this
   is the rarest CD. Maybe someday I'll own it.

3. Any idea who will be the drummer for the new LP?

4. Oh, yes, the Dukes/Skylarking connection. I have read in
   more than one place that listeners feel that Skylarking
   was a continuation of the Dukes of Stratospheare's "feel",
   but personally I don't see it at that much. Am I in a
   minority? The Dukes stuff is more overtly psychedelic,
   in my opinion. Skylarking to me represents "thinking man's
   (or woman's) pop music" more so than a tribute to the 60's
   psych bands.

   Sure, there are Beatles-esque influences on Skylarking,
   but I just don't see the Dukes' style on it...

5. The "She's Having a Baby" soundtrack. Does anyone know if there
   are any good songs on this besides XTC's "Happy Families"?
   Is HF the same mix as appears on "Rag n' Bone Buffet"?

Well, I guess that's it for now.

Wes

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21 January 1991 / Feedback