Chalkhills, Number 251

                 Friday, 4 December 1992
Today's Topics:
        Eng. Settlement (13 Tracks)/The Lilac Time
                      new live album
                   60 Minutes Interview
              Other hidden stuff on Chips..
                      rook and book
              XTC running low on soul coal?
             Earthrise: The Rainforest Album

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

Date: Tue, 24 Nov 92 09:58:38 PST
From: Wes Wilson @PKO3 - 223-3413  24-Nov-1992 1250 <wilson@pharos.enet.dec.com>
Subject: Eng. Settlement (13 Tracks)/The Lilac Time

I was just notified by mail that the 13-track version of ENGLISH
SETTLEMENT, out of Japan, has been deleted and replaced by the
full (15 track) version. I've decided to order the full 15-track
version from Japan, so I'll report on whether it includes the
cool artwork and photo. It should at a minimum include the
lyrics for all of the songs (which I have already courtesy
of Chalkhills Request!).

I thought about exercising my credit option for the new Lilac
Time CD, ASTRONAUTS. Chalkhillians will recall that Andy P.
produced the (IMHO) best tracks on The Lilac Time's CD
And Love for All

ND LOVE FOR ALL.

Anyone hear anything about ASTRONAUTS? I do know from reading the
liner notes that Stephen Duffy produced the tracks. I'm hoping that
with the wide readership of Chalkhills, that someone's heard
or read some reviews. I have another Lilac Time CD (self-titled0,
and I like it, although they sometimes have a tendency to
go from pretty to dull depending on the song.

--Wes

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

Date: Tue, 24 Nov 92 15:55:35 GMT
From: Toby Howard <toby@computer-science.manchester.ac.uk>
Subject: new live album

I just can't believe how good the band sound on the new "Live in 1980"
album.  Now I REALLY understand just why everyone was so sad when Andy
stopped touring.

It terribly ironic and sad that Andy was getting so spooked -- they sound
like they're really enjoying themselves on the album.

Toby

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

Date: Mon, 30 Nov 92 05:59:24 PST
From: Wes Wilson @PKO3 - 223-3413  30-Nov-1992 0852 <wilson@pharos.enet.dec.com>
Subject: 60 Minutes Interview

Did anyone catch the "60 Minutes" interview with Richard Bransen (Branson?),
the founder of Virgin Records (and now Virgin Airlines)?

At one point in the interview, I could have SWORN I saw a poster of
XTC while they were filming at The Manor in Oxfordshire; thought I saw
Barry Andrews in the poster. I could have been wrong - I probably
was wrong. Maybe I was hoping for too much. Criminy, they didn't
even mention XTC as one of the big bads signed by Virgin. They
did mention Genesis, Peter Gabriel, and The Stones, and of course
Mike Oldfield.

Anyway, Virgin Records was sold to Thorn/EMI for $1 billion. i wonder
if the new management at Virgin is the root behind XTC's problems
gettingt their demos approved/ the old, "Ya can't dance to it" bullsh*t
all over again.

Wes

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

Date: Sat, 28 Nov 92 02:32:37 CST
From: alk@pnet51.orb.mn.org (Al Kolman)
Subject: Other hidden stuff on Chips..

Also, if you slow down the high-pitched "fairy noises" before Albert Brown,
you will hear "Jackie-kins", from what I can tell.  Weird.

BLx
Al Kolman
Determinism is a proper subset of Free Will

Internet: alk@pnet51.orb.mn.org

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

From: Ray Sherrod <rsherrod@ecst.csuchico.edu>
Subject: rook and book
Date: Tue, 1 Dec 92 14:54:47 PST

                                 ROOK

Andy sings, "If I die and I find I have a soul inside
             Promise me you'll take it up on it's final ride"

  I would conjecture that these are fairly soft words for a devout athiest.

                                 BOOK

  I am selling my copy of "Chalkhills and Children" by Chris Twomey, the
xtc bio which is once-read, for eight bucks ppd., if anyone is interested.

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

Date: 01 Dec 92 19:54:57 EST
From: Steve Levenstein <70750.1117@compuserve.com>
Subject: XTC running low on soul coal?

Well, Jan Schiffman, I'm sending no flames your way. In fact, I have to
agree with you about the "band has only about 10 good years in it" thing.
I do indeed still like XTC, but to me they seem to have lost a certain
"spark" since 1987 or so. Enjoyable as "Oranges and Lemons" was/is, it
just can't compare with "The Big Express" or "English Settlement".
Hold on, I don't want to start that imbroglio (love that word!) about
not moving forward, being musically marooned in 1979, etc.! But I don't
see "Os & Ls" as being, in Andy's words, a "chrome-plated dragster" of
an album. Pardon the pun, but in many places it DRAGS. I blamed it on
Paul Fox for a while, but "Nonsuch" shares that feeling of lusterlessness.
I can put on "Black Sea" or even "5 Senses" and feel the energy and
"right now-ness" of these old works, but I don't think I'll feel that way
about XTC's last two efforts after a like number of years have passed.
My wife says that XTC have grown old, and it shows in their music. I want
to disagree, but then again...
So, maybe Jan has a point about even great and favourite bands having a
certain lifespan, or at least a period of peak creativity. Deadheads, of
course, will disagree, and so will many other Chalkhillians!
XTC is still my favourite band, but I worry about them and their next
album (whenever that will be).
Here it is December, now where is that "long awaited" Little Express???

"...imagination gone packing, can't find the wound from where I'm bleeding"
---> Steve

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

Date: Fri, 4 Dec 92 05:47:49 PST
From: Wes Wilson @PKO3 - 223-3413  04-Dec-1992 0843 <wilson@pharos.enet.dec.com>
Subject: Earthrise: The Rainforest Album

I received a CD catalog a few days ago, and under the British CD
section I spotted "Earthrise" (Polygram).

Members of XTC are supposedly on this CD; it appears to be officially
available...anyone have any info?

Wes

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

For all administrative issues, such as change of address,
withdrawal from the list, fan club addresses, discography
requests (last update 2 December), 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.  You say it's just a passing phase...

---

Go back to Volume 1.

4 December 1992 / Feedback