Chalkhills Digest Volume 1, Issue 224
Date: Friday, 5 June 1992
Chalkhills, Number 224
Friday, 5 June 1992
Today's Topics:
Re: Alice, Peter Pumpkinhead, etc.
Re: Homo Safari Series
Yet ANOTHER DIFFERENT Ballad of Peter Pumpkin UK CD single
Kronto Review: XTC - Nonesuch
Kronto Singles Review
radios in motion/ blegvad by weird route
The Compact XTC; Last Live Show
RE: Chalkhills #223
Bad Radio in DC
Obscure chord naming request
homely machine
Latest Rumor
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Mon, 1 Jun 92 12:12:34 PDT From: wisner@abulafia.ebay.sun.com (Bill Wisner) Subject: Re: Alice, Peter Pumpkinhead, etc. >(Also, does MTV show this video? Yes. >there's--ahem--a bit of skin showing. I can't see MTV showing this part. I can. w.
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Mon, 1 Jun 92 13:34:19 PDT From: "John M. Relph" <relph@presto.ig.com> Subject: Re: Homo Safari Series edward <Treefrog@cup.portal.com> writes: >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). Not true. The two Homo Safari tracks included on the _Mummer_ CD were both B-sides to the "Great Fire" 12" single. > 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? No and yes. The first Homo Safari track, "Homo Safari", was recorded as the B-side of "Life Begins At The Hop", before _Drums & Wires_ was recorded. The second Homo track was "Bushman President", released as the B-side to "Making Plans For Nigel", and it was given the subtitle "number two of six" as a joke. The third Safari number, "Egyptian Solution", was released as the B-side to "Senses Working Overtime" and was originally given the subtitle "Thebes in a Box", which unfortunately was inadvertantly left off all of the packaging for the singles. By this time Andy realised that they might as well finish the series. And so numbers five and six were released on the "Great Fire" 12" single, those tracks being "Frost Circus", number five, and "Procession Towards Learning Land", number six. And then an attentive fan pointed out that XTC had forgotten to release Homo Safari Number Four! So Andy and crew bashed out a live take of "Mantis on Parole" based on a fake jazz riff that Andy had been playing with (I think you can hear the riff in the "XTC At The Manor" video) and released it as one of the B-sides to the "Wake Up" single (along with the previously hard-to-find "Take This Town"). To this day Andy says that number four is his least favourite. -- John
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Subject: Yet ANOTHER DIFFERENT Ballad of Peter Pumpkin UK CD single
Date: Mon, 01 Jun 92 20:13:48 -0700
From: bmacdona@bonnie.ics.uci.edu
Well, supposedly there is ANOTHER UK single for "The Ballad..." which
I will pick up tomorrow from my local independent record (6/3/92)
Here's the FIRST one:
1.The Ballad of Peter Pumpkin
2.Wardance
3.Down a peg (demo) **PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED**
4.The Ballad of Peter Pumpkin (demo) **PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED**
Now here's the proposed SECOND one (listed in arbritrary order)
1.The Ballad of Peter Pumpkin
2. ??? (probably some Moulding song off the album)
3.My Bird Performs (demo) **PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED**
4.Always Winter, Never Xmas **PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED**
Someone can correct me on the title of #4 on the second single.
Could there be a THIRD? Is XTC REALLY that desperate for money?
Is Virgin UK a slut for funds? Who knows?
Hell, it's new XTC. I guess SOMETHING good comes out of it all.
K!z!K
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] From: leo@ph.tn.tudelft.nl (Leo Breebaart) Subject: Kronto Review: XTC - Nonesuch Date: 27 May 92 09:04:37 GMT Organization: Delft University of Technology [ This review originally posted in rec.music.reviews -- John ] XTC - Nonesuch (1992) Virgin CDV 2699 63:26 min, 17 tracks Produced by: Gus Dudgeon As many real fans turned away (some even in disgust) from XTC when they came out with the poppy, psychedelic retro album "Oranges & Lemons", they very quickly became one of my favourite bands. (This happens to me all the time. Sometimes I get the feeling that as soon as I start to like any band, no matter how respected they may be, than *that* will be the moment that long-time fans start to turn away muttering stuff about 'commercial' and 'sell-out' under their breath. And when I actually begin buying CD's you can be assured that the band is truly history as far as the critics are concerned. But I digress.) "Oranges and Lemons" still is one of my favourite heavy-rotation CD's, and inquiries on the net quickly led me to XTC's alter egos, the Dukes of Stratosphear (thanks, people!), in the same style, and very good as well. I also tried some of the older XTC stuff (Lord knows there is enough of that around) but I have yet to find anything I like even remotely as much. Anyway, my expectations for the new XTC album were sky high, and luckily I have not been disappointed. "Nonesuch" contains over sixty minutes of beautifully crafted pop songs that delight the ear with their sound and entertain the mind with their funny, sharp lyrics. Producer Gus Dudgeon (David Bowie, Elton John) has brought his characteristically clean production to the album and I think the cooperation has been a fruitful one. The album is both a continuation of the direction XTC went in with "Oranges and Lemons", and a departure. On the one hand there are still many sixties' influences in the music, and the general idea of writing melodic popsongs has been successfully extended. On the the other hand the psychedelica is completely gone, and with it the slightly frantic, over-the-top wall-of-sound approach. This album is much more subtle, some might even say a bit more sterile -- you can clearly hear that this is a *studio* album. The main artists that I am reminded of are the Beach Boys, Burt Bacharach, and XTC themselves. Beach Boys because of the harmonies, the bells and the tambourines. Burt Bacharach because of the piano's, the strings and their arrangements (very chamber-music like, i.e. viola's and cello's, not entire symphonic orchestra's). XTC because of the songwriting, the lyrics, and the vocals. All three influences come beautifully together in the best song of the album: the majestic 'Wrapped In Grey'. Perhaps a bit too bombastic for some, but my absolute favourite. A truly touching song. Other highlights of the album are the first single 'The Disappointed', the *extremely* Steely Dan reminiscent 'The Smartest Monkeys', the simplistic 'Rook' and the poppy 'Dear Madam Barnum'. Most other songs are almost equally good, with the possible exception of 'War Dance' and 'The Ugly Underneath' the only two weaker brothers I can find after many repeated listenings. Lyrically, XTC have once again done an excellent job. 'The Smartest Monkeys' makes essentially the same point as Phil Collins does in one of his recent hits. But compare the simple sarcasm and wordplay of Well man created the cardboard box to sleep in it And man converted the newspaper to a blanket Well you have to agree he's come a long way Since swinging about in the trees We're the smartest monkeys to the blindingly serious, dull, heavy-handedness in the lyrics of Phil's 'Another Day in Paradise'... XTC is known for being a bit of an 'arty' group, but they are never so arty that they lose their sense of humour. 'Omnibus' is the funniest 'sexist' song since Peter Gabriel's 'Sledgehammer'; it tells all about the joys of womanhood as seen from the man's point of view (shades of California Girls here, i.e. again the Beach Boys; but can somebody explain me the title?) as follows: Ain't nothing in the world like a white skinned girl Make your Union Jack and make your flag unfurl The second and third verses similarly extol the virtues of black and gold skinned girls, and than at the end they neatly take their song to the inescapable climax: Ain't nothing in the world like a green skinned girl But that don't mean to say you can't look... I really love this kind of word play, and only wish more bands would take the trouble to construct their songs so carefully. But apart >from the fun and games there is of course a more serious side to XTC as well. 'Books are burning' is a moving anthem against censorship: I believe the printed word should be forgiven Doesn't matter what it said Wisdom hotline from the dead back to the living Key to the larder for your heart and your head [...] The church of matches Anoints in ignorance with gasoline And my favourite lyric of them all is the one to 'The Disappointed', a tragi-comic song of *extreme* self-pity, which uses images that I find completely irresistible: The Disappointed All shuffle round in circles Their placards look the same With a picture and a name Of the ones who broke their hearts The Disappointed All congregate at my house Their voices sob with grief That they want me to be chief Of the tribe with broken hearts. I'll stop quoting now, though there is lots more material worth repeating here. But I don't know if it comes across without the music, and this review is long enough already. In any case: I unreservedly recommend this album to everyone who likes clever pop, with the proviso that if you only enjoyed the 'old' XTC then this album will probably not be much to your liking either. As a final note let me clear up something that may have been confusing folks not familiar with how the album *looks*. You may have seen it called "Nonesvch", or seen the first single of it referred to as 'The Difappointed'. This is caused by XTC's decision to give the album a medieval look. The cover picture is a detail >from a 1611 map of Surrey, and on the back each song is represented by a piece of that period's typical clip art. And since all the text is supposed to look like Early Modern English as well, the 'u's become 'v's, and an 's' within a word turns into that interesting 'f'-like thingy. But since I don't think it is XTC's intention that we should suddenly all start calling the producer "Gvs Dvdgeon" (as it is spelled on the album), I think it is safe to say that the album's title is simply: "Nonesuch". -- Leo Breebaart (leo @ ph.tn.tudelft.nl)
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From: leo@ph.tn.tudelft.nl (Leo Breebaart)
Subject: Kronto Singles Review
Summary: 1 Apr - 30 Apr
Date: 27 May 92 09:49:22 GMT
Organization: Delft University of Technology
[ This review originally posted in rec.music.reviews -- John ]
All opinions expressed are humbly mine. The rating system is simple:
**** = "Excellent", by the time you read this I will already have begged,
stolen or borrowed the album this song is on.
*** = "Above Average", if this song comes on the radio, I turn the volume
up, and I will certainly try to get a hold of the album.
** = "Ok", this song is quite literally 'average', in the positive sense
of the word.
* = "Below Average", if this song comes on the radio, I turn the volume
down, and pray for it to finish quickly.
(0) = "Worthless", songs that I can't understand *anyone* would like.
XTC - Peter Pumpkinhead (**)
A strange choice for a single since there are many other songs on XTC's
new album that have imho far more commercial appeal. This song is also
one of those tunes that sounds much better within the context of the
album than on its own as a single.
-----
All remarks, agreements, disagreements, additions, or factual error
corrections welcome.
--
Leo Breebaart (leo @ ph.tn.tudelft.nl)
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] From: number nine ran high <ukevc@mcl.mcl.ucsb.edu> Subject: radios in motion/ blegvad by weird route Date: Wed, 3 Jun 92 1:36:07 PDT I played Peter Pumpkinhead from the Radios in Motion CD... those Virgin people, they sure are subtle, huh? The implications being that the DJs get reminded of all XTC's other hits and view PP in the same light? And that they get reminded of how XTC puts radios in motion with the chart action of their hits? Suuubtle.. ---- Michael Newman saw Billy Bragg's first American show reminds me of the fact that I saw the Pale Saints' first American show last week in San Luis Obispo, reminds me of the song Blue Flower that they cover, recently sung by Mazzy Star, but originally by Anthony Moore and Peter Blegvad and didn't Peter collaborate with Andy on something? :) Kevin
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] From: wilson@psylo.enet.dec.com Date: Thu, 4 Jun 92 05:06:12 PDT Subject: The Compact XTC; Last Live Show There's been some talk about "The Compact XTC" of late in Chalkhills. My understanding is that this CD, while not available (yet) in the U.S., is available in Canada, the UK, Germany, and Japan. My advice would be to get the one from Japan. Better sound, and it even includes lyrics (but they're, unfortunately, off the mark sometimes). Speaking of Japan, I just recently swapped for the Japanese bootleg CD, "Last Live Show." This is basically the 22 December 1980, BBC, Black Sea '81 Tour concert at the Hammersmith Odeum. While I'm mystified as to why this CD leaves off "Life Begins at the Hop" and "Burning with Optimism's Flames," I'm (pleasantly) surprised that it includes "Making Plans for Nigel" and "Are You Receiving Me?", which apparently are left off the other versions of this boot! And the CD sounds great - ADD. This CD cost me a big pile of money and is sure to upset the balance of trade for months - but, man, it's worth it. Great live show! --Wes
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Thu, 4 Jun 92 14:15 BST From: BAILEYE@vax.lse.ac.uk Subject: RE: Chalkhills #223 I apologise that part of wot I wrote in last week's edition got cut off by Janet (the network here in Old Blighty) and therefore made EVEN less sense than it would otherwise have done. Ahem. -Liz
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From: J Ross MacKay <ross@ray.grdl.noaa.gov>
Subject: Bad Radio in DC
Date: Thu, 4 Jun 92 14:38:51 EDT
WHFS, of the DC/Baltimore area, bungled its way through an Andy interview.
The morning show DJ assisted by a very poor impersonator of Floyd the Barber
(from the Andy of Mayberry show) tried their darndest to be cute & funny,
and failed miserably. It was a terrible disappointment.
Andy patiently let them run their empty interview and got off the phone as
quick as he could. No news from this one, there wasn't a chance.
Following the shameful affair "Dear Madam Barnum" was played, after which The
DJ mentioned that Andy had written the tune for an Australian movie that
never surfaced. Any verification on this one?
--
Internet: ross@ray.grdl.noaa.gov
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Thu, 4 Jun 92 18:12:41 -0700 From: will kreth <kreth@well.sf.ca.us> Subject: Obscure chord naming request I was impressed with the Chalkhillians who have the gutsy ability to recognize by ear the guitar chords of "Nonsvch." MY request: Two songs off of "Jule's Verne's Sketchbook" (Jules _not_ Jule's) intrigue me and I would like to learn to play them. Alas, my ear is not as keen as some. Those songs are: "Broomstick Rhythm" & "Shaking Skin House" "..Skinhouse" later became "Merely A Man" on "o&L" - as you may or may not recall. Odd when you think that "Bleu (ahem) Beret" _supposedly_ became "THAT wavE" - indeed. Makes for interesting inferential listening. I may not be actually to play those songs, even when provided with the chords, but it would be fun to try. Ta- Kreth-man
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1992 12:58:16 -0500 From: "Bird Rendell H." <rhb@ucs.usl.edu> Subject: homely machine Jon Drukman pontificates: >and in other news, big fluffy thanks to stewarte and joe turner for >defending me to that scurrilous Rendell dude. I want everyone to witness! He stooped to name-calling first! Neener, neener, NEENer! Nanny nanny boo boo! (*I am reasonably certain I can stoop to his level with more-than-a-little effort on my part. I could probably call him a Poo-Poo Head, or some other equally eruditious appellation. *) On the MTV front: I have been faithfully taping MTV _Unplugged_ for the past month or so. I have not been able to catch neither hide nor hair of our boys from Swindon. It *looks* like Unplugged is winding down for the season. There is no listing for it in next week's TV Guide. Still, I will keep hoping and taping.... Rendell
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Fri, 5 Jun 92 13:11:11 PDT From: "John M. Relph" <relph@presto.ig.com> Subject: Latest Rumor The latest issue of the ICE (International CD Exchange) newsletter claims that Geffen USA will be releasing _Waxworks_ on CD on July 21st. No news of bonus tracks a la _The Compact XTC_. One can only hope. Anyone seen a copy of _This Is Not The New Album_ ? -- John
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] For all administrative issues, such as change of address, withdrawal from the list, fan club addresses, discography requests (last update 2 June), back issues, FAQ list, etc., send a message to the following address: <chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org> The Chalkhills archives are available at "http://chalkhills.org/". All views expressed in Chalkhills are those of the individual contributors only. The world's your oyster come out to play.
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