Chalkhills, Number 162

                   Monday, 27 May 1991
Today's Topics:
                   Relph's bottom line.
                  That penis/baby thing
                   Re: Chalkhills #161
                      Boomtown Rats
                     Re: Introduction
                           Why?

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From: Ross MacKay <ross@ray.grdl.noaa.gov>
Subject: Relph's bottom line.
Date: Tue, 21 May 91 6:38:22 EDT

Here it is, the 'bottom line' collection.  Almost as desirable as a
copy of the cassette sitting in Colin's 4-track this morning.
--
xtc.131:individual contributors only.  So there.
xtc.132:individual contributors only.  And don't you forget it.
xtc.135:individual contributors only.  So look out.
xtc.142:individual contributors only.  Except when shared.
xtc.143:individual contributors only.  And their co-conspirators.
xtc.145:individual contributors only.  Thank you and goodnight.
xtc.147:individual contributors only.  So back off!
xtc.149:individual contributors only, as far as I can tell.
xtc.152:individual contributors only.  Thank you and goodnight.
xtc.154:individual contributors only.  Yes, I did it on purpose.
xtc.155:individual contributors only.  Ignorants all.
xtc.156:contributors only.  Don't chainsaw your mother up.
xtc.159:individual contributors only.  Unless it's a direct quote.
xtc.161:individual contributors only.  Penis! Baby! Penis! Baby!

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Date: Tue, 21 May 91 09:06:38 EDT
From: Elizabeth=Bonesteel%Eng%Banyan@thing.banyan.com
Subject: That penis/baby thing

Me, I agree with the guy who said it's both.  One thing that became clear from
the couple of interviews I heard on the "O&L" circuit is that Andy's got a bit
of the devil in him.  I suspect he had a grand old time coming up with a tune
that could be taken either way.

As to which came first: well, I also noticed that Andy couldn't let more than
ten minutes go by without making some explicit phallic reference, usually a
personal one.  But maybe after a guy becomes a father it all gets tied
together.

Liz (who finally, thanks to a truly amazing human being, got a tape of the
WBCN interview)

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Date: 21 May 91 19:39:17 EDT
From: Jones Rutledge <76516.430@compuserve.com>
Subject: Re: Chalkhills #161

I got your bald headed baby right here.

 If one insists on saying that the pink thing is exclusively a baby, a phallus,
an apricot poodle with an eye patch or whatever, one is missing a great deal of
pleasure that would be derived if one were to accept it for the obvious double
entendre that it is. Its BOTH!  Multiple interpretations can add to the
enjoyment of a song.

jones
76516.430@@compuserve,com

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Date: Wed, 22 May 91 13:18:45 EDT
From: lsgsa Robert R Reall <rrrst7@icarus.lis.pitt.edu>
Subject: Boomtown Rats

I have a question that has been bugging me for a while.  About two
or three months ago I bought a copy of The Boomtown Rats Greates
Hits CD.  It's the only thing I have by them, and I bought it
because I had heard and liked several of the songs, particularly:
I Don't Like Mondays, and Up All Night.  Anyway, there is this song
on there called She's So Modern.  When I heard it I immediately
thought of XTC.  It's not exactly like an XTC song from the same
era (White Music) but there are enough bits here and there that just
scream XTC.  And then there is the title which seems to be a direct
reply to She's So Square.  Is it just me?  Does anyone else who
knows the song get the feeling that it was written in reply to
She's So Square?  Help me before it drives me crazy.

thanks,
     Ron Reall

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Date: Wed, 22 May 91 19:07:02 PDT
From: John M. Relph <relph@presto.ig.com>
Subject: Re: Introduction

Xian <caleman@rpi.edu>, neophyte XTC fan writes:

> I've been listening to
>XTC (and Dukes of Stratosphere) for about three years now. I've only found
>that I like Skylarking (since I really like Rundgren), Black Sea, and English
>Settlement (I've just heard that). I find that I like Dukes' collected
>"Chips from the Chocolate Fireball". I didn't really like Big Express,
>though, sorry :)

You are forgiven, even though _The Big Express_ is their best album.

>What are some other good CDs?

Well, _Oranges and Lemons_ is good.  _Mummer_ is really nice, except
for "Funk Pop A Roll", which is awesome dance music.  Also, the bonus
tracks on that CD are great, especially "Desert Island" and "Toys".
_Drums and Wires_ has got a number of great tunes on it, especially
"Millions" and "Helicopter" (well, OK, so all the rest are good, too).
_White Music_ and _Go 2_ are fun to listen to if you just want to
party and be crazy -- the emphasis was on making some noise, that is,
the music came first, the lyrics later.  And of course there's _Rag &
Bone Buffet_, the collection of rare tracks and B-sides, quite a good
collection.  And in fact, all XTC is good.

> And dontcha wish you didn't have to wait for
>the imports. Christ, sigh.

Since March all XTC CDs except for _Rag & Bone Buffet_, _Explode
Together_, and _The Compact XTC_ have been available from Geffen in
the US.  _R&BB_ is due to be released in the US soon.

	-- John

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From: schrey@prc.unisys.com
Subject: Why?
Date: Thu, 23 May 91 10:25:21 EDT

  A question for the more well-read XTCphiles:

  Has XTC ever stated their opinion on mass popularity?  I am
  constantly amazed that a band like XTC can be around so long
  and have so many albums with great cuts and not be a huge hit.
  Sometimes I wonder whether they're doing this on purpose.
  Their choice (is it really?) of singles seems bizarre most often.
  I thought the trick was to release singles that you know the mass
  audience will love, then they buy the album and fall in love with
  all the tracks and are fans for life.  (Is it that XTC are really
  popular elsewhere, but have just not made the blitz on the US
  market?)

  Another question:

  _I Bought Myself a Liarbird_ is obviously about band managers and
  how you'd better be careful ("He turned into a cuckoo and expanded
  filling up with all I gave").  Is this a portion of XTC history?
  Or is this based on talking with fellow musicians with problems?
  (Is this at all related to the first question?)

  To the person who wanted to know why he had to keep turning up
  _This World Over_:

  I don't think it has as much to do with "build" in the song, but is
  more so you'll have the correct volume level for the Smalltown
  overture:-).

       TIM

  P.S. Is it obvious that it was Big Express on the way to work today?
--
 Timothy M. Schreyer                         schrey@prc.unisys.com
 Center for Advanced Information Technology  (215) 648-2475
 Unisys, PO Box 517, Paoli, PA 19301         FAX: (215) 648-2288
 "He who hesitates is lost" -- (guess who)

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