Chalkhills Digest Volume 1, Issue 233
Date: Tuesday, 4 August 1992
Chalkhills, Number 233
Tuesday, 4 August 1992
Today's Topics:
Nonsuch Demo CD
Book and Ballet
edited CD for tape
XTC GIFs are available
Kings for a Day CD
"Chalkhills & Children"
GO 2 CD Blooper
XTC Biography
argh, mayor b-sides, VOX doom warning..
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: 28 Jul 92 18:06:22 EDT From: Steve Levenstein <70750.1117@compuserve.com> Subject: Nonsuch Demo CD Here's some news on the Japan-only Nonsuch Demo track CD. My wife showed me the official ad on the inside front cover of her Japanese "Crossbeat" magazine, July issue. The CD (Virgin Japan catalog number VJCP-14044) cost 1400 Yen, contains 5 demos including "Peter Pumpkinhead", and it's release date was July 17. The June issue of "Crossbeat" had a 10-page feature on XTC which included critiques of all the XTC albums by Andy himself. ---> Steve
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: 28 Jul 92 18:14:06 EDT From: Steve Levenstein <70750.1117@compuserve.com> Subject: Book and Ballet The newest "Little Express" gave addresses where the new XTC biography "Chalkhills and Children" could be ordered/obtained. The Canadian location of the book's distributor is just a stone's throw from my house, so I went there today! They only had one sample copy, but I ordered one and I'll have it next week! Unfortunately I was too excited to note the price... Here's a first: last Saturday it rained here (yet again!), but an unknown lady brightened the day by requesting that CFNY-fm play "Ballet For A Rainy Day", and they did! I was hoping they would let it run into (the also appropriate) One Thousand Umbrellas, but they cut it off suddenly. Can't complain, tho', the previous day I heard "Earn Enough For Us". Nice that the radio people haven't forgotten the older XTC tunes! ---> Steve
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From: snow@netcom.com (Tim Szeliga)
Subject: edited CD for tape
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 92 15:28:05 PDT
Am I the only one on this list who does not consider everything ever
released by XTC to be sacred writ? AP's biggest problem, IMHO,
is his inability to select the best of his own work and withhold
the dross. When I get a 60 minute CD, I listen to it a dozen times
and delete 15 minutes worth so that I can fit it on a 45 min cassette
side. This works amazingly well with XTC. People complain about
O&L, hell, I just include the beginning, up to President Kill, then
pick up again at Pink Thing, keeping the Colin tunes, and hey I've got a
~great~ tape. Had to do the same with Nonsvch.
AP, like Pete Townshend and Elvis Costello, seems to think there is
interest in everything he writes. This compulsive need to record and
publish, during your productive career, every hum, tune and working
idea you have only entertains the completist collector, and detracts
>from the overall work, like a beautifully cut gem in an ugly setting.
Didn't we learn from Hendrix that no one but graduate students and unthinking
fanboys appreciate this completist attitude?
Moulding publishes only a quarter of the tunes that Partridge, yet has
only a tenth of the clunkers (Bungalow). Creativity and a critical sense
are not always found together. Look at Lennon and McCartney. Neither
acheived separately what they accomplished together.
I think Partridge is not the best judge of his own work (not that I am
either) just that I think that he has a blind spot, and recognizes it
and thats why he is still looking for the perfect producer.
--
I'm rambling and have probably infuriated many readers, but I've been listening
since D&W and have had to delete tunes on all their work. The resulting tapes
are among the favorites in my collection.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Tim Szeliga Org:National Weather Service / Hydrologic Remote Sensing
Voice: (612) 725-3259 NOHRSC BBS: (612) 725-3230 (8N1)
UUCP: apple!netcomsv!frost!tim Internet: tim@snow.nohrsc.nws.gov
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"He needs, without knowing, those old Renaissance formulas equating C-sharp
minor with longing, sudden modulation to E major with a glimpse of heaven.
How dare an obnoxious greaser four years younger than he turn the Civil War
tune "Aura Lee" into the Hit Parade standard "Love Me Tender," without a
wiggle of concern for the underpinning chordal message? Either this language
~has no content~, or tonal tastes have festered, fixed for 100 years or more.
Both options terrify him."
The Goldbug Variations
Richard Powers
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Wed, 29 Jul 92 10:38:06 EST From: graeme@duane.research.canon.oz.au (Graeme Wong See) Subject: XTC GIFs are available Yo XTCers, I've have made up some XTC gifs for those who are interested. John has kindly archived them on his machine. John, could you give details on how best to access them? Thanks. Anyway the list so far is ... GIF file Source ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- disapp.gif - The Disappointed, CD single loving.gif - The Loving, CD single (8cm) nsap.gif - Nonsuch LP, Andy Partridge picture nscm.gif - Nonsuch LP, Colin Moulding picture nsdg.gif - Nonsuch LP, Dave Gregory picture ppumpkin.gif - Peter Pumpkinhead, CD single senses.gif - Senses Working Overtime, CD single (8cm) bwaxf.gif - Beeswax CD, front cover bwaxb.gif - Beeswax CD, back cover appeared.gif - Nonsuch LP, Then She Appeared icon barnum.gif - Nonsuch LP, Dear Madam Barnum icon bburning.gif - Nonsuch LP, Books Are Burning icon bird.gif - Nonsuch LP, My Bird Performs icon bungalow.gif - Nonsuch LP, Bungalow icon crocodile.gif - Nonsuch LP, Crocodile icon daisy.gif - Nonsuch LP, humble Daisy icon grey.gif - Nonsuch LP, Wrapped In Grey icon monkeys.gif - Nonsuch LP, The Smartest Monkeys icon nonsuch.gif - Nonsuch LP, Nonsuch icon omnibus.gif - Nonsuch LP, Omnibus icon poppy.gif - Nonsuch LP, Holly Up On Poppy icon rook.gif - Nonsuch LP, Rook icon ugly.gif - Nonsuch LP, The Ugly Underneath icon wave.gif - Nonsuch LP, That Wave icon wdance.gif - Nonsuch LP, War Dance icon bigexp1.gif - The Big Express, inner sleave picture mayorf.gif - Mayor Of Simpleton 12" single, front cover mayorb.gif - Mayor Of Simpleton 12" single, back cover king4day.gif - King For A Day 12" single, front cover blackseaf.gif - Black Sea LP, front cover stratof.gif - Dukes Of The Stratosphear LP, front cover The sizes are ... 235 appeared.gif 213 crocodile.gif 299 monkeys.gif 420 senses.gif 203 barnum.gif 256 daisy.gif 219 nonsuch.gif 226 bburning.gif 467 disapp.gif 253 nsap.gif 576 stratof.gif 605 bigexp1.gif 208 grey.gif 244 nscm.gif 224 ugly.gif 215 bird.gif 652 king4day.gif 259 nsdg.gif 230 wave.gif 486 blackseaf.gif 223 omnibus.gif 292 wdance.gif 234 bungalow.gif 223 loving.gif 223 poppy.gif 239 bwaxb.gif 429 mayorb.gif 432 ppumpkin.gif 191 bwaxf.gif 412 mayorf.gif 207 rook.gif A number of points ... 1) The colour and brightness of the pictures will vary from monitor to monitor. I found that displaying them on a SUN the colour loose a lot brightness. On a NeXT they look great. On a PC it'll depend on your monitor colour gamut etc etc. Anyway the upshot is that if your GIF displayer can colour correct you may need to use it to get the best picture, but the data is all there. Here I use "xv" to display on a SUN and it has colour correction facilities. On the NeXT no colour correction was needed. 2) The dimensions of the pictures range from about 400x600 for the nonsuch "icon" pictures to about 900x900 for a LP cover. Sorry about that if you want to display that on a VGA screen. You can use xv again to resize to your dimensions and then save. I think they make a great backdrop or wallpaper for your screen!! 3) I'll be making more gifs "as time goes by" from the XTC material that I have. If you have any suggestions feel free to make them, I can only ignore them :-). If I have the XTC material to scan from I'll make it time permitting. 4) A lot of my material is not in pristine condition so some of the scans will not be in perfect working condition (reminds me of the scottish joke!!) but I do the best I can. 5) You'll find that I can't scan in a complete edge to edge of an LP cover because A3 scanning covers 297 mm. An LP cover is greater than that but I have tried to encapsulate all the interesting bits as best I can. 6) Is my work in vain? Has anyone out there ever made or got any XTC gifs? If so are they archived anywhere? 7) I won't be able to mail direct to people as we only have a 9600 baud modem and massive amounts of mailing won't endear me to root. Anyway, Share and Enjoy ... Graeme [ Note: the names of many of the image files have been changed in the Chalkhills Archives. Also, due to space constraints image files will only be available on a per-request basis. Read the file in the images directory in the archives for more information. -- John ]
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Wed, 29 Jul 92 05:51:42 PDT From: Wes Wilson @PKO3 - 223-3413 <wilson@psylo.enet.dec.com> Subject: Kings for a Day CD Thanks to Dougie from Scotland I've gotten a copy of the bootleg CD, Kings for a Day, out of Holland. This CD contains two shows: one from WBCN (the first stop of the Acoustic Tour '89); the other done later in the same day at station WFNX (NOT WFXX as the Cd insert states!). I had the WBCN show, but not the WFNX show, on tape. It's just short of being 70 minutes long and contains not only the songs but some dialogue as well with the DJs. "Blue Beret" is included (thankfully!). It's weird to have the WFNX material because I *heard* it while driving in my car and I said, "Well, I'll never hear 'Blue Beret' again...I should be at home TAPING THIS!" :-) The sound quality could be better overall, but it is even throughout and if you just set your bass a little lower, or your treble higher, you can compensate. I *think* there are 16 songs altogether (some repeats). The front insert is a weird photo of two young people wearing weird glasses; the back of the CD has a photo of AP reading "Tales from the Dark Continent." Looks like the photo is from 1982 or so. On the back of the front insert is a short paragraph about how in 1989 XTC went to America and performed with just their acoustic guitars, etc. The CD back has a track listing, but I don't think it's quite accurate (doesn't list "Pink Thing"). --Wes
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Date: Thu, 30 Jul 92 15:57:29 PDT
From: Chalkhills Administration <chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org>
Subject: "Chalkhills & Children"
Organisation: Chalkhills Anonymous
We have just received this "Important Notice" from The Little Express
concerning the Chris Twomey book:
"Chalkhills & Children"
UK & rest of World:
Omnibus Press
8/9 Frith Street
London W1V 5TZ
England
CANADA:
Monarch Books of Canada
5000 Dufferin Street
Unit K
Downsview
Ontario
Canada M3H 5T5
Australia & New Zealand:
Music Sales Pty Ltd
4th Floor
72 Bathurst Street
Sydney, Australia
AMERICAN FANS: Disregard the Park Ave, NY address printed
in the newsletter and please direct all enquiries to:
MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
P.O. Box 572, 5 Bellvale Road,
Chester, NY 10918
or call toll free: 1-800-438-6874
(Our very latest information is that Faber & Faber may
become distributors in the States.)
ORDERS: We have not yet been informed of the retail
price, so for those who decide to order a copy through us
we will reply to your request with the exact details.
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] From: jtl@sbcoc.com (Joe Lynn) Subject: GO 2 CD Blooper Date: Fri, 31 Jul 92 14:20:43 CDT Has anyone else noticed that on the Geffen (US) CD of _Go 2_ the song "Battery Brides" is called "Battery Bridges" on the back cover/liner notes booklet? Are the non-US CDs like this? (The title of the song is correct on the CD itself.) jtl@sbcoc.com, obviously with too much time on his hands
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Fri, 31 Jul 92 18:10:20 -0700 From: rice@enterprise.berkeley.edu (Daniel S. Rice) Subject: XTC Biography So, has the new XTC bio been spotted on these shores? (The U.S.A., that is.) I have not seen any sign of it here in Berkeley. I am quite anxious to read it, but ordering from England doesn't seem realistic. Canada, perhaps? Dan
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Subject: argh, mayor b-sides, VOX doom warning.. From: ine@west.darkside.com (Re Ine) Date: Sun, 02 Aug 92 11:41:13 PDT Organization: The Dark Side of the Moon +1 408 245 SPAM Argh, I am really irked at myself for not finding out sooner that there was a chalkhills party in the bay area. Unnnnn..... -------- The b-sides on the mayor of simpleton single are excellent, good, and a cover. Living in a Haunted Heart is a wonderful song, Good Things is a good song, and Ella Guru is a Captain Beefheart song, Ingrid. Thats IMO.... ----- I sincerely hope this is a false alarm, but here is an item about Virgin records in VOX magazine.. don't know to what extent this is new news... Virgin has shed almost half of its 160 straong band roster.... after merging with Circa. The move came as part of a major restructuring operation by Thorn-EMI, new owners of Virgin, ...though 84 acts have been retained, 14 of these can be expected to be given their marching orders over the next few months. Long- standing artists such as XTC must be wondering about their future after mediocre sales of their recent albums. They go on to talk to Richard Branson, that *%#$#@!!.
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] For all administrative issues, such as change of address, withdrawal from the list, fan club addresses, discography requests (last update 17 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/". Please try and make your signature as long as you can. It's much more important than your article, of course, so try to have more lines of signature than actual text. All views expressed in Chalkhills are those of the individual contributors only. Whips and semen, adult'rous confessions...
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