Chalkhills Digest Volume 1, Issue 222
Date: Thursday, 21 May 1992

                  Chalkhills, Number 222

                  Thursday, 21 May 1992
Today's Topics:
           Homo Safari? (and other stories...)
                     jpj,who ap likes
                   Re: Chalkhills #221
                     Re: drum sounds
                     Chalkhills #221
                         harumph!
                  Guitar Player Magazine
                  finely honed beefheart
                    DUTCH Album Chart
                         The Book
                KaTe on new charity album!
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From: Treefrog@cup.portal.com
Subject: Homo Safari?  (and other stories...)
Date: Mon, 18 May 92 18:51:20 PDT

I'm interested in the history of the Homo Safari series.  I have the Dear God
CD single containing the collection, but was surprised to discover two of the
tracks also on the CD release of Mummer (one of them, Frost Circus, I gather
was even on the original Mummer release).  My question is, were the Homo
Safari pieces all recorded during the same period (during Mummer or otherwise)
and why are they bound together as a single package, simply because they
represent the band's instrumental experimentation?  (Of course, Over Rusty
Waters doesn't appear :-)  Any answers would be greatly appreciated.

Also....I have the Chalkhills FAQ, but it didn't *quite* answer this question
for me:  Is there anything on the CD _The Compact XTC_ that I won't get if
I buy the US releases of all the album CDs?

peace
edward
************************************************************************
* "I would gladly risk feeling bad at times *  Edward Thomas Keller    *
*  if it also meant that I could taste my   *  Treefrog@cup.portal.com *
*  dessert."                                *                          *
*            - Lt. Cmdr. Data               *      The Whethermen      *
*              ST:TNG                       *                          *
************************************************************************

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From: Ticket to RIDE <ukevc@mcl.mcl.ucsb.edu>
Subject: jpj,who ap likes
Date: Mon, 18 May 92 23:06:09 PDT

Thanks for transcribing that interview and the first one, Emmanuel!

>we were going to call in John Paul Jones..

Not JPJ from Led Zeppelin?  I am very ignorant about them, maybe JPJ
is not even the LZ guy's name, or he could be the deceased one,
nevermind, forget i said it...

And it was really cool to hear what Andy had to say about other musicians,
the Cocteaus, the Las, JoeJackson and the Police and Elvis C. (its hilariously,
sadly true that EC is getting blobby.  Cait / wif = happy complacency.)
--wow, it's very interesting to place Andy in terms of other pop...

..and Billy Bragg likes the Las too!....

I am going to blaspheme for another month... due to the fact that i'm flunking
just about everything, i would rather grab the new XTC when i have time and
relaxation to really appreciate it, and then maybe by a self-fulfilling
prophecy it will mutate into another summery album.  my friend Joe is
pummeling me for my decision.
Kevin

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Date: 19 May 92 11:08:00 EDT
From: Jan Schiffman <SCHIFFMAN@wmgt-mail.wharton.upenn.edu>
Subject: Re: Chalkhills #221

To the Finley Honed Tablesaw,
            Last night I bought an old copy of Skylarking to check
your claim of poor fidelity (I checked it against The Big Express). My
apologies, it was way compressed and the fidelity suffered as a
result. I did find one little bonus in the record cover (it was a
radio promo copy), the original two-page Geffen press release for the
album with a paragraph of commentary on all of their preceeding
albums. Pretty Nifty.

                        -J. Schiffman

Jan Schiffman
Systems Specialist
The Wharton School
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pa.
(215)898-7722

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Date: Tue, 19 May 92 10:41:50 PDT
From: "John M. Relph" <relph@presto.ig.com>
Subject: Re: drum sounds

cutter@silver.lcs.mit.edu (she returns to sand) blathers:

>The only Linn drum songs on TBE are "All You Pretty Girls", "Seagulls
>Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her", and "This World Over".

Listen again!  How about the drum fills on "Train Running Low On Soul
Coal"?

	-- John

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Subject: Chalkhills #221
From: Desi The Three-Armed Wonder Comic <jondr@sco.com>
Date: Tue, 19 May 92 10:08:45 PDT

my "Bird Rendell H." <rhb@ucs.usl.edu> performs:

>John Drukman writes:

if you're going to insult me, spell my name right.  jerk.

>>i play the piano and i don't care that much for `rook.'  try again.
>
>OK.
>
>The requirements seem to be:
>a) A working knowledge of piano chord structure
>b) The ability to decipher cryptic lyrics
>c) The ability to appreciate a song that is not in 4/4 time
>d) An IQ above -25
>
>I am willing to wager that everyone on Chalkhills knows which one of
>these 'requirements' you do not meet.

yes, it is well known that i can only appreciate songs in 4/4 time
that are between 120 and 140 bpm.

--------an interview:
>"Jesus, it's tough at the bottom," Partridge says with a laugh.  "It's like
>one by one I have to kill off these people inside me.  I finally got rid of
>Lennon and McCartney, and then Burt Bacharach is in there grimacing.  Then
>I discovered Thelonious Monk and the wonderful triangular symmetry of
>Charlie Parker.  It's endless.  Eventually I'll exorcise them all, until
>only Danny Kaye is left."

i mentioned it before, but if you haven't tracked down your very own
copy of Danny Kaye's "Mommy Gimme A Drinka Water" yet, then you are
missing out on one of andy's seminal songwriting influences.
Actually, Danny Kaye didn't write the tracks on that album, but it's
safe to say that it wouldn't be the same if he wasn't singing...

Jon Drukman (finely honed machine)              uunet!sco!jondr   jondr@sco.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What I need is the drill, the hedge clippers and some ordinary household bleach

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Date: Tue, 19 May 92 14:57:56 -0400
From: cutter@silver.lcs.mit.edu (i'll set myself on fire)
Subject: harumph!

The loudspeaker (Drukdude, in this instance) spoke up and said:

>joe turnip says:
>>But listen to the "live room" sound on TBE - "You're the Wish You Are
>>I Had", for example, or "Wake Up!", or "The Everyday Story of
>>Smalltown".
>
>you obviously have a different definition of "live room" than i do.
>that's the last i will say on this topic.

No, please, I insist.  What do you define as "live room"?  Listen to
the drums on any of the songs I mentioned.  Does it or does it not
feel like you are in this big rehearsal room and you are right in
front of the kit and you can hear all the reflections and the space
that you're in?  Plus the fact that the drum sound is definately a
real wood-and-metal trap kit?  No drum machines there.

Lyle writes, curiously:

>P.S.  I agree that "Colin has blown his musical wad."   I only wish I
>could have seen it happen.

Ooooh, I've been quoted.   But do you mean that you wish you had been
a fan long enough to see his demise???  Or that you'd actually want
to, erm, you know, see him, uh.....   well I'll assume it's the first,
but why would you want to see him decline?  I know that at least one
other person (Mitch Dickerman, who reads the archives so he'll see
this in about 3 months; hi Mitch!) has said "They should just throw
Colin out; he sucks" (or words to that effect), so ...

I dunno; I sometimes get the feeling that people seem to view XTC as
Andy's baby simply because he writes a majority of the songs and seems
to enjoy doing the interviews more.  During those interviews, though,
it seems that they ALL take an equal part in the songs after the
inital "ok guys, what do you think?" sessions.  The bass lines and
harmonies on the songs just wouldn't be the same without Colin.

Which brings up a second point -- why aren't there any Gregory-written
songs?

Emmanuel types in Colin saying: (and thank you AGAIN Emmanuel, your
fingers must ache!!!)

>CM:The ideal thing would be to be able to play only the concerts we would
>like to do, after having choosed how many people could enter and after having
>felt the atmosphere, but you just can't do it ! But, we nevertheless have
>contacts with our fans, especially in the USA, when we meet them in the
>dedication sessions in the music stores. But it's true it's not the same thing

WHAT is he talking about?   WHAT autograph sessions in American
stores???  WHEN?!?!?!?!?!?!?

>AP: What we have done. That in a century, these pretentious bands like
>U2, Simple Minds or Cure will be forgotten, and that XTC will be reminded,
>surely more simple and not pretentious at all.

OUCH!  Harsh words!!!  Very uncharacteristic of Mr Partridge.
Normally he seems to be very self-deprecating about the band and his
music.  I'm very surprised.

Toby Howard is amused that:
>In the outro, you can hear the little bell (ding!) on the cymbal, which you
>press on these buses to tell the driver to stop, and the brakes' sssssss...
>on Omnibusssss... I love it!

I assumed the "Omnibuuuuuuussss" at the end was the sound of the bus
passing by you... Doppler shift and all that.

Rendell quotes the Finely Honed Machine saying:
>>i play the piano and i don't care that much for `rook.'  try again.
>
>OK.
>
>The requirements seem to be:
>a) A working knowledge of piano chord structure
>b) The ability to decipher cryptic lyrics
>c) The ability to appreciate a song that is not in 4/4 time
>d) An IQ above -25
>
>I am willing to wager that everyone on Chalkhills knows which one of
>these 'requirements' you do not meet.

As there were no smilies present:  that was rude and uncalled for.

By the way, "Rook" IS in 4/4; it's also in 6/8; it's also in 3/4.
Depends on how you look at it.

Some reasonably cool reporter says:

>Partridge and Moulding
>are prolific songwriters and Gregory is the group's ace arranger -- he kills
>time by creating elaborate replicas of classic rock songs such as "21st
>Century Schizoid Man" in his home studio.

I gotta know what else he's done.  I just gotta know.  I gotta hear it
too.  I would pay exhorbitant amounts of money to hear these.

/joe

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Date: Tue, 19 May 92 16:36:04 edt
From: Gary_Hanley@dgc.ceo.dg.com
Subject: Guitar Player Magazine

     For you gee-tah players out there, (and probably of interest to
those of you who aren't, but maybe play one on TV), Andy and Dave are
interviewed in the June issue of Guitar player magazine, which is on
the newsstands now. It mostly concerns their songwriting and studio
habits, which actually, should be interesting to everyone. Well,
everone who still enjoys listening to XTC, that is!
                                        -- Gary

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From: "dear Madam Barnum, I resign as clown" <stewarte@sco.com>
Subject: finely honed beefheart
Date: Tue, 19 May 1992 17:47:39 -0700 (PDT)

    From: wilson@psylo.enet.dec.com
    Date: Wed, 13 May 92 09:46:26 PDT
    Subject: "Ella Guru" on CD

    I finally decided to pick up a CD called 'Out of Time'. [...]

    "Ella Guru" doesn't sound at all like XTC! Is that Andy growling
    out the lead vocals? The guitar solo is good, and it reminds me
    of the way the band sounded doing those "Homo Safari" songs.

XTC's version of "Ella Guru" is an astonishingly faithful imitation
of Captain Beefheart's original.

    "Ella Guru" is one of those songs that sounds so dissonant and
    untogether on first listen; actually, it grows on me each
    time I hear it. This song is originally from Captain Beefheart's
    'Trout Mask Replica' LP.

Buy it.  Love it.  Live it.
"Trout Mask Replica" is one of those albums that either you hate, or
it changes your life.  What's a few bucks for a potentially
life-transforming experience?

    Does anyone know if the Captain Beefheart Tribute II is available
    yet, with XTC doing "Humanoid Boogie"?

That would be the Bonzo Dog Band tribute album, I guess ("Humanoid
Boogie" is definitely a Bonzos song).  Much-promised but yet to
appear here in the real world.

    Date: Mon, 18 May 1992 13:30:12 -0500
    From: "Bird Rendell H." <rhb@ucs.usl.edu>
    Subject: finely chopped machine

    John Drukman writes:

    >i play the piano and i don't care that much for `rook.'  try again.

    OK.

    The requirements seem to be:
    a) A working knowledge of piano chord structure
    b) The ability to decipher cryptic lyrics
    c) The ability to appreciate a song that is not in 4/4 time
    d) An IQ above -25

    I am willing to wager that everyone on Chalkhills knows which one of
    these 'requirements' you do not meet.

Naw, I know for a fact that Jon can appreciate songs not in 4/4 time.
But don't feel bad, you will receive the home version of our game...

-- Stewart
******************************************************************************
"baseball's not *really* a sport--more like Zen ritual infotainment..."
                                       -- Tim Ruckle (timr@sco.COM)

DNS: stewarte@sco.COM  UUCP: ...!uunet!sco!stewarte

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Date: Tue, 19 May 92 21:27:43 PDT
From: Chalkhills Administration <chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org>
Subject: DUTCH Album Chart
Organisation: Chalkhills Anonymous

XTC's album "Nonsuch" moved up from number 95 to number 79 in the Dutch
album chart as of May 16, 1992.

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From: dss@minster.york.ac.uk
Date: Wed, 20 May 92 09:58:25
Subject: The Book

margaret ann quinn <maq1@midway.uchicago.edu> writes:

> Anyway, this is my question.... This biography!!! I must have it!!! I read
> about it a couple of digests back. I can't believe no one has made further
> mention of it! It was supposed to be out in England last month. Any news,
> prices? I hope they found an American distributor.

Here in the UK, I made enquiries at a local book shop two weeks ago,
and this was the information that was in their database at that time:

Title:	   XTC
Author:	   Chris Twomey
Publisher: Omnibus Press
Price:	   8.95 pounds sterling
Status:	   forthcoming
Other:	   208 pages, paperback, illustrated

I have a copy on order, and will mail any changes to the above information
when "forthcoming" turns into a solid date, and I have a copy in my hands.

I wonder if "Omnibus" Press is just a coincidence?  Perhaps the mechanical
rhythm of the song could be a reference to the printing presses???

On a different subject, I've just realized what "Bungalow" reminds me of...
Anyone else remember the Peter Skellern song "You're a Lady" from about
1972?  It's the vocal style and the swelling chorus that do it.

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From: s.telford@ed.ac.uk (Scott Telford)
Subject: KaTe on new charity album!
Date: 19 May 92 12:02:22 GMT
Organization: Edinburgh University Home for Deranged Kate Bush Fans.

A new album called "Earthrise - the Rainforest Album" is to be
released in the UK on June 1. It includes tracks by REM, U2 and
others, and also *speciallly recorded* tracks by a group comprising
Brian May, Donna Summer, Kim Wilde, some of XTC, and *KATE*!

This is from today's (May 19) ITV Oracle teletext service rock & pop
news page.

Yikes!

--
Scott Telford, Dept of Computer Science, / "What the world doesn't need is
University of Edinburgh, Mayfield Rd,    / more 'casual Kate Bush fans'. What
Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK.                  / the world needs more of is
electric mail: s.telford@ed.ac.uk        / FUCKING KATE BUSH MANIACS"-IED,1989

	[ Crossposted from rec.music.gaffa.  -- John ]

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