Chalkhills Digest Volume 1, Issue 352
Date: Tuesday, 31 May 1994

                  Chalkhills, Number 352

                   Tuesday, 31 May 1994
Today's Topics:
                       Re: Bootlegs
           Re: How I met Andy Partridge in 1990
                Andy in NYC?/Drummers/etc.
                         1st time
            Drowning here in summer's hobby...
a very carefully used subject line (erm, jesticles and stuff)
                       XTC Bootlegs
                   Re: Chalkhills #351
                Sam Phillips on Late Night
               May I Introduce, etc., etc.
           The marketing/X Generation hype scam
                   Where is everybody?
        White Music--I love it and So Should You!
                     Chalkhills #351
         Re: John Relph's defense of bootlegging
              Andy ready to play live again
                          hello

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Date: Wed, 25 May 94 13:37:47 PDT
From: John Relph <relph@presto.ig.com>
Subject: Re: Bootlegs

John Pinto (John.J.Pinto@dartmouth.edu) and I were "arguing" about
bootlegs and bootleggers.  I thought I'd summarise (vaguely) just
because we were able to reach an understanding:

JP: Sounds as if we basicly agree but the the point, if there is in fact a
    point, remains obscured behind confusions between capitalism and piracy.
    Seems to me that The Grateful Dead addressed this problem years ago and
    came up with a workable solution and an unwritten ethic for all
    involved. You can't really believe that for example the absolute GLUT of
    Pearl Jam boots serves anyone but the profiteers. Caveat emptor.

JR: Agreed.  Caveat emptor.  But then again, your Pearl Jam example leaves
    me cold because I can't imagine why anyone would want to buy Pearl Jam
    official releases much less spend their hard earned cash on overpriced
    bootlegs.  And I totally agree that the Dead solution is by far the
    best.  Unfortunately, Virgin Records still has the control, not XTC.
    And since XTC don't play live, the situation is not going to change.
    However, there does seem to be a fair amount of trading for the Acoustic
    Radio Tour tapes, and only a few bootlegs produced.  And since any
    well-connected XTC fan can get tapes of those bootlegged shows (I did) I
    don't see why they need to spend money on bootlegs.

JP: Perhaps my opinions stem from the fact the I have have never been able
    to figure out why The Little Express releases, produced as you know with
    no motive other than devotion to the ideal, seem to be treated with
    nonchalance while mediocre bootlegs which do not serve XTC financially
    (Colin and Dave weren't parking cars because they thought it was fun!)
    or in any other way remain objects of fascination for many.

JR: Aye, there's the rub.  What IS it about "official" bootlegs as opposed
    to "unofficial" tapes?  Is it the glossy cover art?  Photos of Colin and
    Dave rubbing noses in Antarctica with misspelled song titles?  Arf Arf.
    Maybe it's the HOPE that a bootlegger will have an earlier generation
    tape.  I know that's not true, and so do you, but people always need
    something to believe in (and hope for).

    Of course there's the "illicit" aspect: some people want to do what's
    forbidden just because it is forbidden.  So buying a bootleg fulfills
    that need in people.  Perhaps we ought to do as Irwin Chusid has been
    doing for Martin Newell, and encourage people to send money to an XTC
    fund (with the hope that they will actually see the money) whenever they
    buy bootlegs or trade tapes.  The five percent rule?  I for one would be
    for it if I just knew where to send the money.  Perhaps The Little
    Express could establish an account for just such a thing?  Wild hairs
    (or is that hares?) I know, but it's worth considering.

JP: It remains to be seen if there is real depth to XTC fandom and the
    strength of the nets that have been spun (L.E., Chalkhills) as to the
    future of support for the band. The recent debate about the "ageing" of
    XTC may be the watershed. Time will tell.

I thought other Chalkhills readers might be interested.

        -- John

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From: Fshbwlhead@aol.com
Date: Thu, 26 May 94 02:23:35 EDT
Subject: Re: How I met Andy Partridge in 1990

Hello, everyone.  It's been a while since my first introductory posting, but
I've been busy relocating to Seattle.

As promised several issues ago, I will now tell you how I met up with The
Andy in Swindon in August of 1990.  To heighten the drama and to make you all
"feel" as cool as I did, I'm going to play this out over a few issues.

Part 1:  Joe goes to England

I went on a work abroad program to live and work in London in May of 1990
through an organizaiton known as BUNAC (British Universities North American
Club).  For $100 you get a work permit, good for 6 months.  Besides being
able to live and work among the Britons in London (I lived in Earl's Court),
I planned to somehow get to Swindon and check out the town that inspired so
many of my favorite songs and perhaps run into Andy,Colin or Dave by mere
chance.

Finally, in August I bought a train ticket to Swindon at Paddington Station
 and waited for my work week to end.  In the middle of the week I went to a
Camden Town record store to find a copy of Go 2.  A friend of mine had a copy
that included a small Moulding's Map of Swindon with highlighted landmarks
>from XTC's youth.  The store had the vinyl, but would not let me copy the
map.  I didn't want to buy it, so I ended up at the train station with no
map, an overnight bag, a return train ticket and high hopes.

I stepped off the train and into Swindon at @8pm on a Friday night.  There
was a modest train station to walk through and then I was on a street.  I
couldn't believe it.  I was in Swindon!  The road went toward nothing in
particular on my right.  To my left a saw a pub called The White House.  I
went to the pub.

The pub was not too crowded.  I stepped up to the bar and ordered a half pint
of Guinness, drank most of it and immediately turned to the closest person to
me and asked "Do you know where Andy Partridge lives?"  The devil had me and
I couldn't resist.  Talk about temptation.  The man replied, "who?"  I
repeated the name and brought up the XTC affiliation.  "Oh, him," the man
said.  "He lives somewhere up in Old Town.  You know, I went to school with
his wife.  Sally is her name.  No.  It's Carol."  The man finally realized he
was talking about Colin's wife.  I asked him how to get to Old Town and told
me to find the road up the hill.  Old Town was at the top of the hill.  I
thanked the man, finished my Guinness and headed off in the twilight.  For
this New Town Animal, the night was just beginning.

***Stay tuned for Part 2 of my story, "Beehives and Blankets"***

- Joe

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Date: Thu, 26 May 1994 03:24:00 -0700 (PDT)
From: Steve Johnson <steve-j@teleport.com>
Subject: Andy in NYC?/Drummers/etc.

Tom Keekley asked a few questions and here are some answers:

Andy WAS in NYC for several weeks a number of months ago, but
he's been back in England for quite some time.

Stewart Copeland isn't on ENGLISH SETTLEMENT -- it's all Terry
Chambers (plus the occasional percussion instruments by Andy!).
On XTC's post-ENGLISH SETTLEMENT albums (all others are Terry
Chambers), their drummers have been:

 MUMMER           - Terry Chambers (tracks 1 & 2) & Pete Phipps
 THE BIG EXPRESS  - Pete Phipps
 SKYLARKING       - Prairie Prince (of The Tubes)
 ORANGES & LEMONS - Pat Mastelotto (of Mister Mister)
 NONSUCH          - Dave Mattacks (of Fairport Convention)

And Ian Gregory (Dave's brother) -- a.k.a. E.I.E.I.Owen -- for
the The Dukes of Stratosphear recordings.

Even better than a "passable bootleg," there's a live XTC CD
commercially available (it's called "BBC RADIO 1 LIVE IN
CONCERT - XTC" put out by Windsong Intl.) -- you may have to
go to an specialty music store (Tower Records is the only big
chain I can think of that stocks it), plus it's an import, so
it might be $20 or more.

And to someone else from AOL that asked about the song based
on a poem by someone else, the song is called "Rocket" and is
available on A PLACE OF GENERAL HAPPINESS - LYRICS BY ERNEST
NOYES BROOKINGS, or on Andy's BULL WITH THE GOLDEN GUTS
cassette (if you can find one of us selling a copy!).  It's
an interesting song, but nowhere near being anything
'commercial' -- a lot of people actually find it annoying!

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Date: Thu, 26 May 94 06:11 EST
From: Jeffrey Langr <0005392548@mcimail.com>
Subject: 1st time

Hello!  This is Jeff (Langr) joining in...

I've been listening to XTC since 1980 when a friend played "Helicopter" for
me, and I've been hooked ever since, spending any and all extra cash on lp's,
7"s, 12"s, cd's, live tapes, t-shirts, buttons, magazines, etc. -- basically
anything XTC I could get my hands on.

I stopped being a fanatic, though, shortly after I got (quickly) tired of
Nonsuch, which seemed to me to be Oranges and Lemons re-hashed (which was in
turn too much in the vein of Skylarking).  What I used to like is the fact
that every XTC album was significantly different than the last, and stood up
to an infinite number of repeated listens.  I've played neither Nonsuch nor
O&L since Nonsuch came out, yet I've played everything else numerous times
since.

I'm willing to give them another chance, and maybe renew my subscription to
"Little Express", but I haven't even seen any rumblings lately as to any band
activity.  So hopefully I will be able to pick up on some information here!

Thanks for providing chalkhills!

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Date: Thu, 26 May 1994 10:34:31 -0400 (EDT)
From: Derek Miner <ind00163@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu>
Subject: Drowning here in summer's hobby...

        Greetings all...

        The insanely hyper guy who previously offered the XTC video and
the Nonsuch T-shirt is now embarking on a new quest: To collect what's
left of uncompiled XTC. I have some preliminary notes on what is to be
included in this collection, but I'd like to know what odds and ends
people out there can shed light on. As it is right now, these are the
guidelines for assembling this collection:
        All released compilation and single tracks that have not been
compiled will be included.
        The only live tracks I want to include are those that were
released on records.
        There will be some alternate takes, demos, and radio appearances
which do circulate among collectors. If you have some that don't appear
in the discography, drop a line please.
        Hopefully the audio won't be too shoddy when the tracks have been
passed down from the records once or twice. I'll let everyone know how
the collection is going, and I will start asessing how much time, effort
and money will be required to reproduce it for some people.
        Until then...

        Derek Miner
        ind00163@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu

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Date: Thu, 26 May 94 12:00:29 EDT
From: patty@gdb.org (Patty Haley)
Subject: a very carefully used subject line (erm, jesticles and stuff)

Chris sez:

> just a quick question for those chalkhillians who experience seasonal
> changes and are currently enjoying spring time--is anyone else finding
> Mummer completely irresistable lately? especially "lady bird"? just
> wondering.

I find _Mummer_ gets very strong rotation on my Walkwoman in the summer
months, along with _Skylarking_.  With songs like "Deliver Us From the
Elements," and "Summer's Cauldron," it's thematic music for East Coast
humid-as-a-bear weather.

The Relph sez:

> In fact, the version of "Wait Till Your Boat Goes Down" (longest song
> title comprised of all four-letter words)

You win the cookie for passing along such a charming piece of trivia;
I just wonder if you actually went LOOKING for this or if it just came
to you one night in a dream.  The cookie's an Oreo, by the way.

Steve of VIZ fandom relates:

> contain themselves. Actually, it reminds me somewhat of a
> slowed-down "Albert Brown"! Vocalist John Otway may be remembered
> for a few "hits" on early-80s alternative radio, for example
> "Who's The Lucky Birthday Boy".
>    If you haven't heard it yet, pester someone who has it to dub
> you a tape. The B-side "Scrotal Scratch Mix" continues the mirth
> of the A-side.

OK, we've got our man John Otway on vocals, but could someone refresh
my memory as to whether any members of a certain band with a three-
letter name beginning with "X" are on this?

Hey, should Steve considered himself pestered, since he's let it be
known he has this?

>    Pity there wasn't a whole album made by the Jesticles (and what
> the H is a "Jesticle", anyway?)

A laughing nut?  (Sorry.)

-Patty

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Date: Thu, 26 May 1994 12:57:48 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Jason C. Langley" <jlangley@nynexst.com>
Subject: XTC Bootlegs

KyleSk@aol.com writes:

> There's one thing you're not considering here. Theft. I'd expect that most
> non-anarchistic capitalists would respect anti-theft laws.

Legally yes, but ethically a grey area IMHO.  If the recording is not
available elsewhere, I don't feel buying a bootleg is unethical.  The
issue lies with the record companies.  In XTC's case, Andy Partridge would
like to make a new album twice a year, and he authorizes live concerts,
demos, John Peel sessions, etc. seeing the light of day.  Their record
company and most record companies in general don't see sufficient profit
in this.  Let's face it how many artists today are allowed to make two
records a year, let alone one a year.  We're living in the age of the
mega-song, mega-video, and mega-album.  Recording is expensive and
companies are not interested in artists who don't appear to have the
potential to sell a million albums.

If Virgin/Geffen doesn't want to release something, and XTC does, they
should be able to license the material to an independent label who would
love to put the material out.  This would ensure XTC would receive some
financial benefit, and that material is not shoddy.  I believe in
intellectual property but it should belong to the *artist* not the record
label.  In buisness intellectual property is sold because it is
*profitable*, not because it is a good idea or is good art.

Bootlegs are expensive and there is risk involved in the quality.  That's
why we should share information on quality boots, and trade.  C'mon let's
face it, anyone who buys an XTC bootleg probably has everything they can
get their hands on by the band, so it's not as if XTC isn't being
supported.  The idea that I would buy a _Black Sea_ tour bootleg but not
_Black Sea_ is ludicrous!

Jason

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Date: 26 May 1994 11:18:37 -0800
From: "Steve Krause" <Steve_Krause@qm.sri.com>
Subject: Re: Chalkhills #351

In Chalkhills # 351, DFerg@aol.com requested:

> How about more "I-met-XTC-band-member-and-here-is-what-he-said"
> stories!

A friend on mine was in Bath, England, while XTC was recording The
Big Express. She was eating lunch at an outdoor cafe when she noticed
the boys were sitting at the next table. Andy noted her I-don't-believe-
this stare and started making jokes. As a big fan, she was able
to impress them with entertaining questions about various XTC minutia,
so much so that they invited her back to the studio for the afternoon's
session.

They were recording "Train Running Low on Soul Coal." Andy spent the
entire afternoon trying to get the solo right. Meanwhile Colin was
watching videos in the next room while Dave went out to the record
store and bought Van Halen's latest disc. He was reportedly looking
pretty sheepish as he toted that disc into the studio, but he felt
obliged to keep up on what Eddie was doing guitar-wise.

Andy conferred with Dave several times over the afternoon in terms
of getting the sound and feel of the solo right. He eventually got
it to the point of satisfaction late in the day, by which time the
band and producer were ready to do a few rough mixes and then break
for dinner. Thus, another exciting day in the studio with XTC.

--Steve

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Date: Thu, 26 May 94 12:00:34 EST
From: stacy@trc.com (Robert Stacy)
Subject: Sam Phillips on Late Night

   Anybody else catch Ms. P. on Conan's little soiree last night (early
Thursday morning, 26 May)?  I came in to work today with the intent of
describing her rather odd delivery . . . and found Chalkhills #351
waiting with reviews of two live performances that pretty much sum it
up.  She did "I Need Love," and did it well, but I can see how her
ramrod posture could be disquieting.  Surprised me a little, though,
when she pulled out a harp in the closing bars.  Seemed almost in
danger of loosening up.
   No Colin, as has already been reported.  And, to those who would
know, was that T-Bone on the Telecaster with the worn-looking
fretboard?  (That's the trouble with those maple jobs: they look sharp
when they're new, but. . . .)

--RSt

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Date: Fri, 27 May 1994 14:49:32 +0300
From: dadaco1@freenet.hut.fi (T. P. Uschanov)
Subject: May I Introduce, etc., etc.

Since our respectable list nurturer specifically requested
an introduction of myself, and I have lots more things to
do here before my time's up for today (in an hour), I think
I'll go for the stream-of-consciousness burst. I have for "long"
been quite a fan of XTC, was first introduced to them browsing
in a record store (which still sold records then, it was '87 or
'88) when I came across Drums & Wires, was bent by the cover
design, and bought it, sound unheard. (Sounds like an Alcoholics
Anonymous introduction or what.) I liked it, bought more, liked it,
and so on. Favourite Album: Black Sea. Favourite Singles: Life Begins
at the Hop, Respectable Street. Least Favourite Single: Senses Working
Overtime. Favourite Interview: the one with Andy and Dave in an early
Ptolemaic Terrascope.

But how does one describe and justify liking XTC to people who already
know what it's like to dig XTC? And why? I guess most of you reading
this will get to know me better when they hear what else I dig big on:
Velvet Underground, Galaxie 500, Buddy Holly & sixties southern soul.
The Popular Culture Person I identify most with is Lester Bangs, though
I don't have him as a direct role model, for obvious reasons. Ah, and
last night I had what counts as my most unusual Personal XTC Experience:
I had a dream in which I viewed a vintage edition of Ready Steady Go,
circa '66, and there they were, lip-synching Mayor of Simpleton for masses
of go-go youths. Really!

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From: KyleSk@aol.com
Date: Fri, 27 May 94 14:16:03 EDT
Subject: The marketing/X Generation hype scam

Jon writes:

J-> there are only 3 XTC albums which are ever remotely boring (White music,
J-> English Settlement, Mummer)

Ouch, so close! As everyone must know by now, I agree; that WM and Mummer are
lackluster. However, ES! Well.... Excuse me while I spin up my CD and bask
in its profundity, splendor and majesty! Ahhh..., that's better.

Keeks inquires:

K-> does stewart copeland play any drums on 'settlement'? hugh padgham
K-> produced police at that time and some of the tunes seem to have stewarts
K-> signature sound

I first heard HP's drum production being assigned to (gasp!) Phil Colins in
the early 80's. To wit, I was in Marty's, in NYC--a fairly well-known music
store--where a drum machine with a particularly gated drum effect was being
played. The salesman said something like, "Its got that classic Phil Colins
sound." I cringed.

My understanding of this goes as follows: this sound grew out of the Drums &
Wires sessions, and Andy's insistence on a "big drum sound." Specifically,
it was the first time that reverb and noise gating were used so
dramatically, and pleasantly. If you listen to Black Sea, the drum sound is
even more refined. Finally, on Peter Gabriel's third album--one of my
favorites, and has D. Gregory on it, thank you--this drum sound, accompanied
by a complete lack of symbols, really shines. Of course, everyone has now
used that sound, even karoke bars.

Tangentally, I recall an interview when XTC and the Police had done
a show together, and Sting had heaped praise on XTC's music. Andy held
Sting's remarks in complete contempt.

At this point, if someone stated factually, and corraboratively, that yes,
Copeland played on ES, it would surprise me.

However, as I sit here, unemployed, "Leisure" rings a little too true, except
that it's MY JOB to put those damn microchips into use!

Kyle Skrinak

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Date: 27 May 1994 13:28:08 -0800 (PST)
From: XDAJOHNSON@ccvax.fullerton.edu
Subject: Where is everybody?

Would anyone happen have a copy of a radio broadcast of XTCs accoustic OL
tour?  I would prefer a copy from S. Cal radio, but really would take any.
Thanks for any help.

Daniel Johnson

xdajohnson@ccvax.fullerton.edu
xtc@titan.fullerton.edu

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Date: Fri, 27 May 1994 23:30:08 -0500 (CDT)
From: Felix Culpa <mccluske@comp.uark.edu>
Subject: White Music--I love it and So Should You!

Recently several disparaging remarks about White Music have caught my eye
in Chalkhills, so I thought I'd write a few too many lines in defense of
one of my favorite albums.  First of all, this album more than any other by
XTC is about rock and roll music.  The first three cuts, "Radios in Motion,"
"Cross Wires," and "This is Pop," announce the album's topic: the sheer
power of pop music and its importance to (youth) culture.  Yes, this _is_
pop, and it's XTC's own frenetic version of bubble gum. (Those praising the
lads' recent homages to bubble gum should reconsider their 1977
bubble-gum-on-speed-and-lager reinterpretation of the genre.)  The album
continues with "Do What You Do," a song that metaphorically evokes the power
of pop to help teenagers (whatever their age) transcend the humdrum of
everyday life ("please don't take me home....").  "Statue of Liberty," one of
Andy's earliest extended-metaphor songs (compare it to "Another Satellite" or
"Wait Till Your Boat Goes Down," is a damn fine song.  Following this gem is,
to my knowledge, the band's only recorded cover version, a  reverent
dismantling of Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower"; Here the lads seduce and
then abandon a pop classic, a one-night stand in the finest rock tradition.
(If for no other reason, I love this song because it used to make my parents
uneasy when I played it on the car stereo.)  Also, I'll take this version over
U2's what-the-hell-let's-show-our-appreciation-of-the-classics-err-what-
are-the-chords-again rendition (see "Rattle and Hum for the ugly
underneath of their version).  The album proper (not the Geffen CD) continues
with "Into the Atom Age," which pretty much sums up the band's aesthetic:
deconstruct pop and drag it kicking and screaming into the future (which in
1977 London didn't seem like much of a future; in any case, the band didn't
want anyone thinking "this is 1967!").  Following this declaration is
Colin's odd "I'll Set Myself on Fire," which further develops the idea of
doing something, of stepping into the future ablaze (perhaps with Optimism's
flames).  Mr. Partridge reveals his stage fright early on with "I'm Bugged," a
science fiction ditty that uses late-show imagery to chronicle the paradoxical
problem of success: Andy must have been bugged when he have noticed of the
band's audience "that where there was a dozen there's now a hundred more!"
"New Town Animal" introduces a favorite theme of Andy's, his contempt for
compartmentalized, sanitized suburban life, and the song contains arguably the
best lyric of the album: "I watch TV with an actor's rage."  "Spinning Top"
and "Neon Shuffle" again return to the let's-take-pop-into-the-future-theme.
The former song, with its references to "heard your song" and "just like a
needle that's sticking in the same old groove," captures the feelings pop
music can conjure in us all, while the latter song offers a 1977-meets-2001
dance fad, the neon shuffle, a dance for the human race.  That's the album
proper, but the CD adds several tracks that fit into this theme: "She's so
Square," "Dance Band," "Traffic Light Rock," and "Instant Tunes."  Let's face
it, on no other album does XTC (not the Dukes, but XTC) embrace pop music and
glory in its power.  Sure, there's "Life Begins at the Hop,"  "Funk-Pop-a-
Roll,"  and so on, but these songs are the exceptions.  Well, I've gone
on way too long (blame the ale inside my head) and John will probably
edit this down to one sentence (namely, "Well, I like White music, so there.")
I'd love to know what y'all think about this defense of an album recorded back
when everyone thought KISS was a pretty good idea.

Cheers, Pete (not Felix)

P.S.  To those who inquired about "11 Different Animals,"
I haven't forgotten about you; you should hear from me in the next week or so.
(I've been busy listening to White Music and giddily recalling my college
years.)

****************** PETE MCCLUSKEY (mccluske@comp.uark.edu) ******************
*                                                                           *
*    "To vice industrious, but to nobler deeds timorous and slothful."      *
*                                                        --John Milton      *
************************ SOYLENT GREEN IS PEOPLE! ***************************

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From: Mike.Gervasi@f1.n3658.z1.fidonet.org (Mike Gervasi)
Date: 27 May 94 14:48:50 -0500
Subject: Chalkhills #351
Organization: FidoNet Nameserver/Gateway

ch>Heard on the radio yesterday that Jellyfish broke up.  Can't remember w
ch>though.

  That's news to me. I love Jellyfish, I've been into them since
"Bellybutton". When the band "Split" the first time the guitarist went to
coform the band "The Grays", which I Found out about through the wonderful
people of Chalkhills (Thanks Guys!!). If you don't have it yet, GO BUY IT!

As for the "Bootleg" issue, I trade copies of XTC audio/video regularly. I
do not charge money for copying them, only cost for tape and S+H. Does this
take money out of the bands pockets? No, I don't think so. Geffen is not
willing to release their "Somesuch" demo collection or any other for that
matter. SO why not get the music to the masses who love them so much? THe
guys want it to be heard regardless.

------------------------------------------------ Mike
 * Wave Rider 1.20 # 367 *
... BEWARE - Tagline Thief in this echo
--- Blue Wave/Maximus

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Date: Tue, 31 May 1994 09:12:51 -0500 (CDT)
From: Doug Finney <SINSFDWF@admin.uh.edu>
Subject: Re: John Relph's defense of bootlegging

KyleSk@aol.com writes:

>Re: John Relph's defense of bootlegging

>JR-> But the discussion of the pros and cons of bootlegging should not
>JR-> continue in this forum, unless of course it is directly XTC-related.

>For us fans of XTC, the issue of bootlegging is related, as there is so much
>of their material released in this way, and XTC's own art and finances are
>directly effected by it. As long as buying bootlegging is defended, so shall
>the cries against it.

Art perhaps, finances no. The existence of XTC boots does not in any way
affect the band's income. I agree it _should_ though, i.e. they should
receive royalties for every release of their music, legitimate or not.

>I shall not ever buy bootlegged material. It's criminal; it's bad art; it's
>unethical.

That's fine and dandy but many people's desire (mine included) to hear
vintage XTC concerts and other impossible-to-find-elsewhere material is
stronger than yours. I was 14 when XTC stopped touring. I discovered them
five years later. So the recording quality sucks. I still get to hear the
energy, the different arrangements, the excitement of a live performance.

>And official releases have the artist's blessings, which bootleggers can't
>brag about having. I'll take a bad Partridge production to a
>scumbag-bootleggers' quality production any day. I don't see discussing the
>quality of a bootleg production as fit for this board, as XTC didn't oversee
>the quality of the recording. It is not XTC's work.

The obvious solution is to do as Frank Zappa did and bootleg the bootleggers.
Slap some warning labels on the outside saying the contained recording is a
bootleg recording probably of interest only to serious collectors. If the
scumbag-bootleggers' production was good give it your stamp of approval. It's
not like the bootlegger is going to make any money off it.

Biggest hurdle is convincing the record company to go along with it.

Related pet peeve: American record companies that whine incessantly about
                   imports while not releasing the material domestically,
                   and when they finally do put out a lower quality disk
                   with no liner notes or bonus tracks can't understand
                   why there's still demand for the import.

Doug

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Date: Tue, 31 May 94 12:56:32 EDT
From: patty@gdb.org (Patty Haley)
Subject: Andy ready to play live again

Hi all:

I was up in Boston this weekend record shopping and spending
lots of dosh (very happily, I might add), when I espied the
new copy of _Mojo_ magazine, an expensive British monthly.

I leafed through it only to find an article penned by none
other than one Andrew Partridge, addressing the subject of
stage fright.  Anyway, I was too busy hyperventilating to
remember all the details, but I do remember very clearly that
what started the hyperventilating in the first place was his
message that he feels that he's ready to play live again.
The article also addressed his problems with it in the past,
its ramifications on his music, etc.

An interesting article, but the magazine just doesn't warrant
spend that kind of money on it, even though good news like that
is priceless.

Come on Andy!!  Put your body where your pen is and start touring!

-Patty

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From: ncoast!tdi3!shawn@usenet.ins.cwru.edu
Date: Tue, 31 May 94 09:13 EDT
Subject: hello

Greetings to all who hear what they will never see,

My name is Shawn Boike, I live in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. My good friend
Martin (fab drummer for the cool new group Planet Log) has been my source
for music inspiration for many years and it was he who lit me to Oranges
and Lemons. Five months later I own all but a few CD's and have read
"Chalkhills and Children" three times. And today I have learned how to
communicate with Email (ain't life grand) so Martin said' "Get your butt
on the XTC mailing list.".As an amateur musician I get a lot of
inspiration form their work, but I hate the fact I will never see them
live.

Enough sorrow.

Enough about me.

That's all from Nihilon.

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31 May 1994 / Feedback