Chalkhills Digest Volume 1, Issue 326
Date: Wednesday, 9 February 1994
Chalkhills, Number 326
Wednesday, 9 February 1994
Today's Topics:
Re: Wealth of feeling
Supergroup
other band suggestion....by AP!
Re: Chalkhills #325
let's get political
The XTC/Suzanne Vega Connection
White Music + Go2 / Poozies
Re: Chalkhills #325 (Belew)
Re: Chalkhills #325
Re: Chalkhills #325
Other groups XTC fans might like
Own up time ...
xtchat
RE: Chalkhills #325
Introductions
cheap records found
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Date: Mon, 7 Feb 94 11:37:54 PST
From: "John Relph" <relph@presto.ig.com>
Subject: Re: Wealth of feeling
William Carroll <wcarroll@encore.com> writes:
>>
>> If wealth of feeling is a currency then I'm the man who grew the money tree.
> ^^^^^^
>
>Is this a version I've never heard? My CD has "depth". Or did John suffer
>from a brain fart?
Yes, the CD has "depth". However, the original demo had "wealth" and
I like the consistency of the imagery: wealth / currency / money.
-- John
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From: Tim Szeliga <tim@snow.nohrsc.nws.gov>
Subject: Supergroup
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 94 14:53:07 CST
If you like XTC, you'll LOVE ...
LOVE - in its various incarnations, all containing Arthur Lee
especially FOUR SAIL and FOREVER CHANGES.
Lee played guitar like Hendrix and wrote like Gershwin.
Great minor key songs. You may have heard the perennial
late-night-deejay-stepping-out-for-a-smoke-song
"You Set The Scene"
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Date: Mon, 7 Feb 94 17:42:52 EST
From: glickman@figaro.med.harvard.edu (Mark Glickman)
Subject: other band suggestion....by AP!
With all this discussion of other bands XTC fans enjoy listening
to, it occurred to me that perhaps 1.5 years ago I read an interview
(or perhaps a snippet of an interview posted here) that mentioned
Andy Partridge liking the group "The La's". A friend had previously
recommended them to me, and AP's recommendation was the kick in
the pants I needed to buy the La's CD. It's one of my favorite
CD's! Why haven't those guys come up with another album??
- Mark
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Mon, 7 Feb 1994 20:46:53 -0600 From: Kristen Ulrich <rude@camelot.bradley.edu> Subject: Re: Chalkhills #325 > >Subject: The Vega/XTC connection > >BLAIR@printing.uwex.edu wanted to know if Andy Partridge had anything to >do with Suzanne Vega's awesome album _99.9 F(degrees)_. > I have no idea. >I _do_ remember, however, that she specifically cited an XTC influence on >her previous effort _Days of Open Hand_, and especially the song "Book >of Dreams." She said that this was her attempt at an XTC song! Maybe >it's just the vast difference in voice qualities, but I have kind of a >hard time picturing that one. It's probably just me. I remember hearing of an interview with her in which she said that when she was having trouble writing for that album she would lock herself in a closet and listen to _Oranges & Lemons_ until she came up with an idea. Perhaps not literally true, but interesting nonetheless.... Kristen Ulrich (another female XTC fan:)
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Mon, 07 Feb 1994 21:57:29 -0500 (cdt) From: "my world is spinning..." <LEACH@ac.grin.edu> (Arlo B Leach) Subject: let's get political oh, jeez, someone said that xtc is at their worst when they try to be political, and should stay away from trying to say something "important". i just have to say that it was xtc's "important" songs that really got me hooked. some of the actually "political" songs, like "smartest monkeys," are great, and everybody seems to love "dear god," which i would consider political as well. furthermore, my favorite songs of all are the ones which follow andy's particular version of a "carpe diem" theme, like "world wrapped in gray," "scarecrow people," or "poor skeleton steps out." it seems to me that these songs are just the kind of pep talk the world needs -- they've certainly made me feel better about life. what could be more "important" than that? by the way i think it just shows the level of artistic integrity at work here when this same theme keeps recurring, from _white music_ all the way up to the latest stuff. well, maybe we just have different ideas of "political" and "important." -arlo
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Tue, 8 Feb 1994 02:59:16 -0800 (PST) From: Steve Johnson <steve-j@teleport.com> Subject: The XTC/Suzanne Vega Connection In Chalkhills #325, VOORHEES@nsula.edu said that he didn't see the connection between Suzanne Vega's "Book of Dreams" and XTC, citing the difference in the quality of their (Suzanne's & Andy's) voices. Here's a hint, John: Listen to THE MUSIC!!! <grin> Especially listen to the guitar during the chorus! When I first heard that song, I thought perhaps Andy WROTE the song for Ms. Vega. | Steve Johnson | "People will always be tempted to wipe | | Email: steve-j@genie.geis.com | their feet on anything with 'Welcome' | | or steve-j@teleport.com | written on it." -- Andy Partridge |
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From: hvsag01!adkoning@hvgtw.att.com
Date: Tue, 8 Feb 94 12:26:56 +0100
Subject: White Music + Go2 / Poozies
It seems that a lot of people don't give the first two albums a good
try. I'll try and give you some hints to program your CD-player around
the lesser parts. I started listening to XTC in 1979, I first bought
_White Music_ and soon after that _Go 2_. I had already read good
reviews but always had other albums to buy first. A few months later
_Drums and Wires_ came out, which I bought immediately...
Here's my advice on how to program your CD-player for White Music:
1: Radios in motion
3: This is pop
5: Statue of liberty
14: Into the the atom age
15: I'll set myself on fire
16: I'm bugged
17: New town animal in a furnished cage
18: Spinning top
About the left-overs: She's so square is funny because the lyrics are
great, knowing they would later 'be' The Dukes. Skip all the extra
tracks, they are a bit too b-sidy I think and I've deleted Neon Shuffle
only because I think the album has an improper ending.
Here's my advice on how to program your CD-player for Go 2:
1: Meccanic dancing (oh we go!)
2: Battery brides (Andy paints Brian)
4: Crowded room
5: The rhythm
6: Are you receiving me?
7: Red
12: Super-tuff
10: Jumping in Gomorrah
8: Beatown
I've meddled with the sequence: it looks like all the good songs are
packed on side 1 and side 2 becomes less and less interesting.
This can even be programmed on old CD players (like mine)! Perhaps that
'new' listeners can be persuaded this way? I hope someone is willing to
give this a try (and mail me their findings). Flame away, I like to get
mail!
Basically, what I'm trying to say is: they are not bad at all. Anybody
ever compare the Beatles' _Please Please Me_ with _Sgt. Pepper_??
And now, something more recent: I read a review of the album
_Chantoozies_ by The Poozies (from Scotland). They cover a song by XTC,
it doesn't say which one. Their style is described as 'the Runaways of
folk'. Don't know much more about it, but there it is. For those of us
who are interested.
,
Andre de Koning
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] From: "James E. Hartman" <jhartman@bga.com> Subject: Re: Chalkhills #325 (Belew) Date: Tue, 8 Feb 1994 07:17:16 -0600 (CST) Speaking heavily of Belew and the Bears... The last time I heard, the Bears were recording again (without Belew) under the name Psychodots. Since the band was pretty much the same gang, the Psychodots recordings are worthing checking out - if you can find them! I'd love to see Belew and Partridge on the same album, going wild with guitar sounds and studio production. Then again, I'd like to see Jeff Lynne produce and perform on an XTC album - lots of strings, overdubs, the "wall-o-sound..." Sorry, had to mop up; I was drooling on the keyboard. Another interesting combination might be Roger Hodgson (of Supertramp and solo fame - who's back in the studio with Supertramp for a new album) and XTC. Hodgson's songs can be bouncy, like XTC's. Enough ramblings. Over and out from Austin, Texas.
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Tue, 08 Feb 94 08:43:15 EST From: Karen <AP201155@brownvm.brown.edu> Subject: Re: Chalkhills #325 I just read an interview with the leader of The Crash Test Dummies in which he cited Andy Partridge as his biggest musical influence. I haven't heard the band yet so I don't know how obvious the influence is in their music but I thought you'd all be interested. As for the question about the average age of XTC fans, I just turned 32. I've also been surprised at how many entries mention "Oranges and Lemons" as the first album they heard by the band. Really does make me feel old! Karen
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Tue, 8 Feb 94 10:19:53 EST From: jh@ri.cadre.com (Joe Hartley) Subject: Re: Chalkhills #325 I've been a lurker on this list up to now, but I had to respond to a few items in CH #325. First, though, the obligatory intro: I first heard XTC in '80 or so, when they released Black Sea. The first cuts I heard were "Living Through Another Cuba/Love at First Sight". I've been hooked ever since. English Settlement remains my favorite album, with almost all the others running a close second! Now, on with the response.... >From: d.zemel@genie.geis.com >Date: Sat, 5 Feb 94 04:56:00 BST >Subject: More Random Thoughts... > >Regarding other artists that XTC fans may like, I'd throw Adrian Belew into >this pot. ..... >He then said that there were a few bands that were out there that >also obviously were similarly influenced because they were making music that >was so reminiscent of those great days, such as XTC, which he singled out as >a real favorite of his. I sent him a copy of Greatest Living Englishman but >never heard from him. Anyway, I'm real nuts about his several albums, both >as a solo artist, with The Bears and King Crimson (who are recording again, >with Adrian)! I am very happy to hear that Adrian is recording with KC again! Elsewhere in CH 325 someone mentioned that they'd like to see Andy play with Robert Fripp. I think that would be a bizarre but worthwhile combo, although I doubt if Fripp could relax enough to make it work :-) Back around the Twang Bar King album, I was fortunate enought to interview Adrian for one of the college radio stations I worked for. (I'm on #4 now! - WRIU, Kingston RI) That remains *the* best interview I've ever done. =============================================================================== Joe Hartley | jh@cadre.com - Whenever you find that you are on the Cadre Technologies | side of the majority, it is time to reform. - M. Twain 222 Richmond St. | -------------------------------------------------------- Providence, RI 02903 | Overman 1st Class - the Kilgore Trout Memorial Clench (401) 351-5950 x266 | of the Church of the SubGenius
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Date: Tue, 08 Feb 1994 10:30:24 -0400 (EDT)
From: SPB0377@ocvaxa.cc.oberlin.edu
Subject: Other groups XTC fans might like
Up to now, most of the discussion of groups XTC fans might like has
gone in an "alternative" direction. Just for a change of pace, I'd like
to mention one progressive group I've recommend (and I believe they've
been mentioned here at least once before) : Gentle Giant. If you like
XTC's more complex tracks, you should check Giant out : very intricate
and lively music. Also, they have a certain degree of "early music"
influence, the same genre that Andy Partidge mentioned as the only one he
listens to now (although it doesn't really show in his music, IMO). I
recommend the albums Octopus and Free Hand.
Also, in response to James McGowan's query about age : I am 19. I
first heard XTC shortly after O & L came out, though I vaguely remember
hearing "Senses Working Overtime" in the early 80's back when my family got
MTV. (At least, it sounded familiar when I heard it again.) I believe that
I was stimulated to hear XTC when I heard that Andy Partridge had sung
anonymously on the Residents's "Commercial Album" (a record I liked a lot
around the early years of high school).
Pat Buzby
Oberlin, OH
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] From: dss@minster.york.ac.uk Date: Tue, 8 Feb 94 17:48:14 Subject: Own up time ... > I wonder what the average age of the Chalkhills readership might be. Count me in the Thirtysomething group. Ok, 34 if you want me to be precise :-) Dave
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Tue, 08 Feb 1994 14:15:20 -0500 (EST) From: 6705115@sunybroome.edu Subject: xtchat Organization: Broome Community College, Binghamton, NY, USA Hello, this is Jeff. I heard of XTC via MTV news. A kid in my highschool held a knife to an administrater, forcing her to play Dear God over the P.A. I immediately bought Skylrkng and every other Xtc Lp.
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] From: mjg5@cornell.edu Date: Tue, 8 Feb 94 19:00:22 EDT Subject: RE: Chalkhills #325 > Is it just me or are a lot of XTC fans also TMBG fans? I see >quite a crossover. I think that being a fan of XTC or TMBG (or both) is >more common to internet people than the general public. Just an observation. OK, but when I also mention my other two favorite bands....Rush and Erasure, people fail to make any connection. Especially with Erasure. I don't know why, I just think they have great music, even though I've never been a fan of the synthesizer.
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Tue, 08 Feb 1994 20:49:22 Subject: Introductions From: bryan@thewizard.win.net (Edward Bryan Milosky) Hello everyone on Chalkhills! (Should that be "in" Chalkhills?) I'm new on this list and a long time XTC fan. Being new on the Internet, I was delighted to find something like Chalkhills. I live in Raleigh, NC - not a town known for an Alternative music scene, and almost devoid of any good radio stations. But I used to live in Chapel Hill, NC, which has always had a thriving and fascinating music scene. (I say that, but I do have to wonder just what exactly is a "music scene" supposed to be?) Chapel Hill also has a great radio station, where I discovered XTC (for myself, that is). I first heard Black Sea (after the fact, I think), but then worked myself forward and back until I thought I had heard everything. The beauty is, I still haven't and every so often I come across stuff I haven't heard. But you probably know how that goes. One thing in the recent posting caught my attention. Age groups. I'm 32, and I think someone said they were 35, and so on. Does age have anything to do with how much one enjoys XTC? Maybe. I kind of hope not, but I think that over the years, their lyrics have gotten more and more complex and...dare I say it? mature? Mature? What kind of concept is that? I might not want to know. I'm not ready to be told that I'm settling down....
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] From: "Smith, Daniel R." <DRS@dc4.hhlaw.com> Subject: cheap records found Date: Tue, 08 Feb 94 13:43:00 est hay all: been away from the chalkhills fire for awhile...but i picked up the _all_for_love_ (check my wording if you like, probably wrong) disc by the lilac time, as advertised countless times (you can probably count them, i am too lazy) by john relph. it is good, sort of a mix between the dukes and skylarking. very mellow and tastes like a yellow sponge cake on a sunny day. it's the one andy partridge and john leckie produced. good good. i am too musically inept to tell you what is good about it, but it is. but then again i am the dork who really *likes* _white_music_ and _go2._ i picked this one up at a record store about 30 miles south of DC in a shopping mall. the store's name is Kemp Mill and they are clearing out vast tracts of audio media. i've picked up three _O&L_ cassettes for $.99 each! good, nice, huh? they didn't have a great selection of XTC, but it was all $9.99-11.99 in price (CD). i was trying to find a comparison chart to make with the lilac times one and martin newell disc. here's what i found: _all_for_love_ _greatest_living_englishman_ 12 songs 12 songs 1st song is called "fields" 1st song has the word "fields" in it. you now know these two are meant to be together. if you buy one your instinct should be to grab the other. do not try to resist. your attempts will be futile. they were also clearing out a junky todd rundgren disc that looked like he spilled grease from his hair all over the photo before they sent it to the printers to make the CD cover. it was called _human..._ something or another. it was $3.99. i almost got it for a cheap frisbee, but then remembered that i did not play frisbee... this kemp mill place still had about 20 _O&L_ cassettes left for $.99. they are also ordering _Psonic_Psunspot_ for me on CD. it was my understanding that _Chips_ was on CD, the separate ones on cassette. their catalogue had _Psonic_ listed as CD. does anyone know the truth (before i find out next week for myself?) or before i get off my lazy buttwegge and check the discography i have on disc with me? wes wilson told me lots of cool stories about the comic book andy was in. i dunno if this was reported in here or not, but i guess his name in the comic is "andy peartree" and he meets this dude called "grave degory. neat, huh? he told me another million things i promised him i would put in chalkhills, but have failed to even remember what they were... sorry this is so long. feel free to delete items at random and flush shameless flush them. --dans ps: i forgot this: i have an address of some owen dude in london who finds discs. he located _explode_together_ for me for 12(pounds) i dunno how to make that funky symbol in microsoft mail... he also has a uk release of _drums_ for the same price. it hasn't got the lyric sheet for _white_music_ and _go2_ so i cried. my gurlfriend already got me _explode_together_ last week . good marvelous! i'll post his address next later, but it's in _Little_Express_
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] For all administrative issues, such as change of address, withdrawal from the list, fan club addresses, discography requests (last update 7 February), 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/". The views expressed herein are those of the individual authors. A bed is creaking as the new messiah comes.
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