Chalkhills Digest Volume 1, Issue 381
Date: Monday, 26 September 1994
Chalkhills Digest, Number 381
Monday, 26 September 1994
Today's Topics:
Barenaked Ladies
rebooted
Inherent Racism?
RE: Chalkhills #380
fave/least fave/ recommended rebuttle
Subtlety irony morony repli
Homo Safari
my 2 cents
Re: Chalkhills #378
introduction
The Poll / 60s gems
Shting.
Hi!
Hi all!
Yet another new one
Re: Acoustic XTC??
Mr Partridge-"Take Away"
Re: Chalkhills #380
_Skylarking_ Reissue
More _Urgh!_ and Fave & Lemon
Re: xtc collectables
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Won't bite the hand that bleeds me.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: SDAyres@aol.com Date: Fri, 23 Sep 94 13:33:49 EDT Subject: Barenaked Ladies I just got the Barenaked Ladies' new album "Maybe You Should Drive." Noticed that Stephen Duffy co-wrote several of the songs. Does anyone know if this is the same Mr. Duffy from Lilac Time, a band that the good Mr. Partridge produced?
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 23 Sep 94 13:59:57 EDT
From: Jeff Rosedale <rosedale@columbia.edu>
Subject: rebooted
So like I was saying, about favorite songs (no you can't stop me
now!)...
The flowery side of XTC can be profoundly effective- In Loving Memory
of a Name, Blame the Weather, I Remember the Sun... And let's just get
blatantly illegal about this and include the Dukes! Vanishing Girl is
a tightly wrapped treasure.
What I'd recommend to someone might depend heavily on what they listen
to. I got a deadhead into "Toys", a nondescript student grooving to
Ten Feet Tall, and I used The Rotary as a weapon (no, not "My Weapon")
to atomize someone who was playing Linda Rhondstat's Blue Bayou too
loudly one evening. The many uses of music...
How could I have forgotten Statue of Liberty? Yacht Dance?
Stay away with that circular saw! (bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz)
That was a close one. All along the watchtower JAMS especeially in the
live version with Grandmaster Dave Gregory on keyboards.
Andy is an idealist, sting is a pin-up doll. Sorry, I had to say that,
even though I like the Police- but mostly because of Stewart Copeland's
sharp attack on his Tama drum kit, and the carribean flavor of the time
(better expressed by the English Beat)...
--Jeff
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 23 Sep 1994 11:30:28 -0700 From: jjm@wwtc.timeplex.com (Jim McGowan) Subject: Inherent Racism? In Chalkills #380, James Dignan writes: > I always find the inherent racism of Millions embarrassing, even if it was > done as a pointed attack on racists. Eh? I always interpreted that song as a lament for the westernization of Chinese culture: "I hear you asking for Western thinking, I say it's poison that you'll be drinking." Where's the "inherent" racism? Gotta go have a listen to that one again... ------------------------------------------------------------- | James McGowan | jjm@wwtc.timeplex.com | | Ascom Timeplex Inc. | Phone: 310-443-4013 | | Los Angeles, California | Fax: 310-443-7978 | -------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 23 Sep 1994 15:33 EST
From: SIMPSONK@opsusa.sms.siemens.com (Simpson, Kevin----Siemens Calgary Canada)
Subject: RE: Chalkhills #380
In response to my favorite XTC song:
...I know it sounds weird......
.......And She Appeared...
To all of the people enjoying themselves Sting bashing...all I can say (ala
Homer Simpson...Doa!!!) If someone can show me a better writen song, with all
it's technical merits intact, and superb musicianship then Sevn Days (off his
last CD) then go ahead. Sting maybe one of the biggest jerks personally in the
music business, but then again I don't judge music on how nice the performer
is, although after a few more months reading some of the crap on this list I
probably could be persuaded to!
In other matters, is anyone out there a World Party fan? I think Karl
Wallinger is one of the great minds in music right now. His last album crosses
everywhere from old Jeff Lynn, to Stevie Wonder...I sometimes am left thinking
if Lennon was here today, this would be right out of his closet.
until later...kevin
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 23 Sep 1994 13:14:49 -0400 From: Shawn Boike <ncoast!tdi3!shawn@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> Subject: fave/least fave/ recommended rebuttle In Chalkhills #379 Evan Kindley said Complicated game was his favorite tune. His tune would change if he was woken from a very drunken stupor in the middle of a trailer park on the Lake Erie shoreline from the pounding of echoing voices saying "COMPLA.....COMPLA...CA...CA..CATED......" etc. in your head. In the same issue Frank McDonnell does not like "Big Day". I agree with him on the merit the lyrics are bad and the music is a bit irritating, but more because my copy of the CD has a terrible scratch in it exactly on the lyric "In Your Wedding Suititititititititititititititititititititititititit" (the bells, the bells, I can't stand the bells!!)! When all songs are weighed though I cannot chose a favorite or a worst or one which uniquely defines the band. It all depends on the mood for that day. shawn boike
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 23 Sep 1994 18:56:40 -0400
From: "Paul Myers" <pmyers@cmrra.ca>
Subject: Subtlety irony morony repli
Reply to: Subtlety irony morony replies to #379
I just jotted down some stuff in reply to the last chalkhills digest.
A song that really must have affected Andy is "King Midas In Reverse" by the
Hollies. I've read time and again that the Hollies were a big infl. on
Swindon's finest. (Vanishing Girl being the ultimate tribute) Check out King
Midas... the chorus even features a singing style astoundingly similar to Andy.
Re: The Police
Has anyone noticed structural similarities in the Verses of "De Doo Doo Doo
etc to Making Plans For Nigel. A simple repeating guitar figure that stays
the same (or pedals in music terms) as the bass moves to change the
definition of the chords. (a very popular "New Wave" device actually see: "I
Ran" Flock Of Seagulls")
As I recall De Doo Doo was on the album that came out right after an exhaustive
tour that the two bands did together, and I have read magazine articles where
Sting has admitted to studying the structures of XTC while they opened for the
Police. Did you all just go listen to both songs....Do we have a court case
here?
With regard to subtlety and irony in America, I believe that Short People by
Randy Newman was mentioned. Well, I've mentioned the Odds here before and
their little tune "Heterosexual Man" was the subject of Feminist attacks and
some Gay people took it as a backlash rallying cry for homophobes. Simply not
the case, but another fine example of the danger of irony in the mass media.
By the way, how come no one wants to play the "who-should-do-the-XTC covers
game" C'mon it's fun.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 23 Sep 1994 15:11:23 -0700 (PDT)
From: Francis Owen McDonnell <fmcdonne@reed.edu>
Subject: Homo Safari
Someone was asking about the number of Homo Safari tracks that
exist, and the number is six. In fact, the exists a "Dear God" CD EP
which contain all six in order. It is the prize of my collection!
In the short time that I have been reading "Chalkhills" I have
been amazed at the amount of people who are bashing the entirety of _The
Big Express_. Does anyone who feels this way desire to make a case for
obliterating this disk from their catalogue? (I happen to love it.)
Frank McDonnell
------------------------------ From: Catnips@aol.com Date: Fri, 23 Sep 94 18:49:17 EDT Subject: my 2 cents well it's my first time posting and would like to say my favorite xtc song was the first one..at the hop...heard it first on MIT's MBR many moons ago. it's also the first song i passed on to a number of friends to introduce them to these lads from swindon...i've also had the great opportunity to photo xtc everytime they played boston and must say they put on the best shows i've seen...any one else out there see them too? just curious.
------------------------------ From: "John Strawberry Fields" <field014@gold.tc.umn.edu> Subject: Re: Chalkhills #378 Date: Fri, 23 Sep 94 18:33:44 -0500 Chalkboardians- TRIVIAL NOTE: I have a Utopia/Todd Rundgren poster from 1981 (adventures in utopia album) with 4 portrait photos of the band members. Todd prouly displays an XTC pin in the photo. I just think its funny that 5 years previous to his working with the group, he was a fan (and still is). Also, remember to get 2(both) sides of any story or you can never balance the truth. -StrawB
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 23 Sep 94 16:58:53 PDT From: mong@sdcc3.UCSD.EDU (Thranduil) Subject: introduction Hi everyone! I've been lurking for a while now, but when this fave/lemon thing came up, I just had to come out of the closet. I didn't really get into XTC until my college years at UC Irvine - I started with O&L and Skylarking, fell in love with both albums (which at the time were still very new) and worked my way back through the catalog. I knew about chalkhills from others who might have posted here a few years ago, if K!z!K and the Screaming Daemon are still reading this, hi. Anyway, without further ado, here's my feelings on the aforementioned topic. desert island song - this is hard. A few years ago, some of my friends and I came up with our desert island disc, which was hard for me then, but I chose Skylarking. My favorite song varies with my mood, but All of a Sudden has always been one of my favorites, and having listened to it last night, I'd go with this. introducing XTC to an new person - for the pst year, I've been trying to convince my roommate that xtc is really a great band. I've tried really hard, but he's still stubborn. However, he did admit to liking "Mayor of Simpleton" and that's the song I'd start with. Senses would be a close second. lemons - leisure. I don't have much other complaints with the boys Well, that's my take on things. Thanks everyone for the lively input. I always look forward to my next installment of Chalkhills. mIKE
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 23 Sep 1994 18:19:40 -0600 From: mad@interaccess.com (Michael De Bernardi) Subject: The Poll / 60s gems I will simply answer the questions, without moaning or making excuses. Favorite Song: "Jason and the Argonauts" To Play for a Friend: "Then She Appeared" XTC Lemon: "President Kill Again" Didn't someone do a demographics poll a few months ago? Were the results ever collected? If, so, might they be posted? Jon Flynn (Jon.flynn@twister.apana.org.au) queried: >Anyone have any other recommendations for 60's gems worth chasing up by an >XTC/Dukes of Stratosphear fan? Where to start? XTC was one of my original adolescent bands, and no matter where else my musical explorations have taken me over the past fifteen years, they have remained a constant. Thus, I would boldly conclude that some or all of these groups might be of interest to other XTC fans: Love, the Beach Boys, the Beatles (an obscure group from England), the Nazz, Syd Barrett/Pink Floyd, the Kinks, The Byrds, The Zombies (especially Colin Blunstone's early solo stuff if you can find it!!), the Incredible String Band, 13th Floor Elevators, the Creation, the Misunderstood, and the always interesting West Coast Pop Art Experimental Group. Almost invariably, the best stuff from all of these bands was made between 1966 and 1968. At least I think so.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 24 Sep 94 00:36:17 -0500
From: jdt@negativland.concorde.com (i was wide awake in a dream)
Subject: Shting.
I pretty much adore the first 4.5 Police albums (peaking with Zenyatta and
more so Ghost, liking about half of Synchronicity). But, I have to say...
>His solo stuff has been even more ludicrous, combining a more-literate-
>than-thou sensibility (Chaucer and Shakespeare in your album titles?
>Yeah, you are "nothing like the sun," Sting...) with lyrics that cross
>the line between introspective and self-indulgent, trite sentiments
>("If You Love Somebody Set Them Free"--wasn't that a t-shirt?--and
>"the Russians love their children too" in particular), and, of course,
>his continued singing in what Elvis Costello long ago dubbed "That phony
>Jamaican accent." If he really WAS baring his soul, maybe we'd hear
>the real Gordon Sumner.
>...
>jazzbo pretensions (cf. Sting)
YES!!!! YES!!!! YES!!!! YES!!!! YES!!!! YES!!!! YES!!!! YES!!!!
=== === === === === === === ===
Thank you for putting an exact name to the numbing dread I have felt
in the pit of my gut for lo, these many years.
My brother bought "Dream of the Blue Turtles" on CD right when it came
out (which was just before CD players became more or less affordable
and so he was one of the first), so I would force myself to listen to
it innumerable times since I liked the novelty of the CD listening
experience quite a bit. That album was so insufferable.
*How* could the same man who wrote "Rehumanize Yourself" write "If
Ever I Lose My Faith in You"??
That having been said, I don't like much of Andy Summers' post-Police
work, either... On the other hand, I'm a HUGE Stewart Copeland fan.
XTC content: None, sadly. I've joined the ranks of those who think
the future is not bright, and listen to The Big Express with wistful
looks on their faces.
Good christ, I just noticed/realized that the Spacemen 3 CD I'm
listening to was mastered from VINYL...!
-|-|-|-|-|-|-/\-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
Joe Turner < > The Concorde Group, Ltd. Cambridge MA 617/491-0400
\/ System Administrator not officially speaking for CGL
"Y'know... it sounds like... it sounds like... *ecstasy*..." - s3
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 24 Sep 1994 07:32:59 -0400 (EDT) From: "William Q. Johnson" <wqjohnso@cap.gwu.edu> Subject: Hi! John: Thanks for your speedy reply. I'm a 38-year-old Editor/Producer at NBC/Mutual Radio in Washington, DC. My first exposure to XTC was as music director of my college radio station in the mid/late 70s, and the album "Drums and Wires." Didn't like most of it, but found "At the Hop" to be a quirky gem, which I later found on the juke box at Eastwicks, a dark, smoky blues bar in Nyack, NY, not too far from a radio station where I worked. Didn't become truly ingrossed in the band until about five years ago, when music director at K-104 in Poughkeepsie, NY gave me a promo copy of "Oranges and Lemons" (I was news director at the time, using my meager influence to get "Mayor of Simpleton" into the hit rotation for a few weeks. It's as good as anything the Beatles ever did, as most fans I'm sure will attest. Later discovered "English Settlement" and "Skylarking," and am actively searching for any more of their music that fits into that mold, as opposed to the trashier, punked-out stuff on "White Music," "Drums and Wires," etc. Found your board in "The Internet Directory." Thanx.
------------------------------ From: RockinR209@aol.com Date: Sat, 24 Sep 94 14:18:04 EDT Subject: Hi all! Hi fellow XTC fans around the world. My name is Rich and got into XTC when a friend of mine boldly proclaimed Skylarking to be one of the best albums ever made. I think from there I discovered Mummer and so on...I met the guys in XTC at an autography signing at a Tower Records in Philadelphia, I guess when Oranges and Lemons was out. They seemed very nice--they waited until 10:00 or 11:00 at night to see everybody in line. I found out about the mailing list through some books I have about the internet. My wife Donna is also an XTC fan. Between the two of us, we like most different kinds of music. Talk to you all soon, Rich
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 24 Sep 1994 14:38:52 -0400 (EDT) From: Chris J Shellito <cjsst9+@pitt.edu> Subject: Yet another new one Hi. Considering that I am as old as the band, I am indeed a relatively new fan. I will also admit that I am a Police and Sting fan (tho his latter solo albums are disappointing). Question: How is XTC pronounced? (I thought it might be a faq but it appears that I am alone in my ignorance. I've no one w/a clue to discuss the band w/ here.) Thanks!
------------------------------ From: hotspur@mcs.com (Michael Faulkner) Subject: Re: Acoustic XTC?? Date: Sat, 24 Sep 1994 18:22:30 -0500 (CDT) Okay, maybe if I wasn't so lazy I could check the discography at the ftp site, but... I recently attended the "Oktoberfest" Micro-brewery beer festival here in downtown Chicago. The first band playing were "The Bad Examples", who played some fairly good power pop, very reminiscent to me of the early Squeeze. Fun, anyway. Then there was a break before Soul/Blues man Junior Wells was to come on, and I heard the sound of our soulful Swindon three coming over the sound system. The strain was "Senses Working Over Time", but something was missing...production! It sounded like Andy and an acoustic guitar - nothing else...but then, to my surprise, it segued into "Grass", and yes, that was sung by Colin, not Andy...and various other songs were thrown into this piece that could now qualify as an acoustic medley of XTC symphonets! Where is this from? Who has it? Where can I get it? I was sent into fantasy land at that point, imagining how beneficial to my soul it would be if XTC decided to play, like so many others before them (and worse than them), an "Unplugged" MTV special. Ho Hum. I suppose it is not to be... I'll just have to wait for the new album. Mike Faulkner hotspur@mcs.com
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Sep 1994 15:04:44 -0400 (EDT) From: Jerry Kranitz <jkranitz@infinet.com> Subject: Mr Partridge-"Take Away" Hello Chalkhillians! I was looking through my old lp's the other day and stumbled across an album I'd almost forgotten about. It called "Take Away" by Mr Partridge. Its from '80 and the notes on the back say, "This used to be some XTC records. It is now a collection of tracks that have been electonically processed/shattered and layered with other sounds or lyrical pieces". Are most of you familiar with this record? The music is pretty wild. A lot of it is very experimental. Some of the tunes, I would say, are clearly influenced by Andy's experience with the Residents. BTW, I've been enjoying this list for some time now and this is my first post. Its a great read, and I've gotten some very helpful information >from it. I've been an XTC fan since Black Sea (got all the earlier releases of course) and have NEVER been disappointed by Andy and the boys. Take Care! Jerry Kranitz (jkranitz@infinet.com)
------------------------------ From: Mark Colan <Mark_Colan.LOTUS@crd.lotus.com> Date: 23 Sep 94 16:05:19 ES Subject: Re: Chalkhills #380 > From: poole1@husc.harvard.edu > A couple of interesting tidbits in the latest ICE. They confirm > the new CD of radio performances, but they also indicate that a > reissue of _Skylarking_ is coming in November. Anybody know > what this is about? Look a little more closely. ICE indicates that the reissue of _Skylarking_ is a Mobile Fidelity Ultradisc. These are more expensive versions of the same album, usually printed on a gold-colored disk, intended as a new solution to the altogether uncommon problem of having too much disposable income, and is considered less damaging to the nose than the old one. Seriously, I don't know whether the ultradiscs sound noticeably different. Their vinyl counterparts (years before the CD) definitely did: they were mixed with a bit more punch, and generally were pressed on stunningly superior vinyl. SOMEBODY must think ultradiscs are worth the extra money: they seem to be continuing to release many albums that cross some threshhold of sales in this format. (You beat me to the post on this one!) ==mtc==
------------------------------ From: jtl@mcs.com (Joe Lynn) Subject: _Skylarking_ Reissue Date: Mon, 26 Sep 1994 09:17:05 -0500 (CDT) From: poole1@husc.harvard.edu > .. > A couple of interesting tidbits in the latest ICE. They confirm the > new CD of radio performances, but they also indicate that a reissue > of _Skylarking_ is coming in November. Anybody know what this is > about? When you read the "Upcoming Releases" sections of _ICE_, you have to look carefully at the record company named after they give the title of the CDs. It takes a little getting used to, and can easily lead to confusion. The reissue of _Skylarking_ will come in the form of a Mobile Fidelity Ultradisc. jtl
------------------------------ From: jtl@mcs.com (Joe Lynn) Subject: More _Urgh!_ and Fave & Lemon Date: Mon, 26 Sep 1994 09:54:38 -0500 (CDT) John A Lane <jal@iastate.edu> writes: > What I See in That "URG!" film: > Everytime I've seen that scene where Sting & Andy are on stage with each > other, it's fairly obvious what's going on: Andy is drunker than hell, and > he's obviously pretty insecure about sharing the spotlight. And to further > irritate the situation, Andy has to stand next to Public Egotist Numer One, > Sting, who decides to drag everyone into a rendition of a Police song. Talk > about EGO! I feel really bad for Andy everytime I see that. It's difficult > to fight arrogance. Jeeez, John, exactly what did Sting do to *you*? :-) I disagree that Andy was insecure about sharing the spotlight: they are singing a Police song-- with The Police-- and at the time, The Police were the biggest band on the bill, and they opened and closed the concert/movie. If anything, I think Andy was trying to upstage Sting on his own territory, and you can't blame him for trying. As for Sting: yeah, he's arrogant, pretentious, egotistical, etc. etc., and yes, I'll agree that he's annoying more often than not. That's why I love that scene in _Urgh!_ so much: Andy's the perfect antidote to the obnoxious the former schoolteacher. On the topic of favorites/hatefuls: when John Relph does his annual Chalkhills survey, it takes me a few days to come up with my picks and pans, mainly because the songs pick depend on the mood I'm in. This being a Monday morning, the XTC song I'd most like to hear right now is "Wake Up." The reasons: John summed in up perfectly in the last digest, so I won't add a thing except for saying that I love the left/right guitar interplay: loud and wonderful. I'm going to close my office door as soon as I'm done writing this, and nobody better bother me for about four minutes. :-) I have to admit that lately I've been enjoying Andy's "family" tunes, too-- "Chalkhills and Children" and "Holly Up On Poppy" have struck chords with me recently that no other song-- by any band-- have been able to. Probably has something to do with being a dad of a two-and-a-half year-old. Lemon: There are a few songs I'd say are "substandard," but the only song I pass up with any regularity is "Buuuuuunnnngalooooowwwww." What I'd recommend to someone looking to get into XTC: it all depends on what they're into. If they're into the more "punky" stuff, for example, I'd head back to _White Music_ and _Go 2_. I just finished putting a compilation tape together for a net-friend who's heavily into the Moody Blues, so I leaned heavily on the acoustic stuff from _English Settlement_ and the more psychedelic stuff like "Beating of Hearts" and "Summer's Cauldron/Grass." It must have worked, 'cause she loved the tape. Well, back to working/lurking. jtl
------------------------------ From: Humblemus@aol.com Date: Mon, 26 Sep 94 14:32:52 EDT Subject: Re: xtc collectables Dear XTCers Does anybody have an idea of what the collectable noted below would go for on the open market? its a mini-CD package of Oranges and Lemons (3 disks in one neato package). Each disk has been signed by one of the greats and the outside package has been signed by all three. I'm holding it for a friend who may want to sell it. Any thoughts on what its worth? Also, I'm looking for a Dave Gregory type guitarist/keyboardist that lives in the Pacific Northwest (Spokane WA area) to record and play out with some dates up coming in the UK (early next year) if any one knows anyone have em E-mail me. Thanks By the way - I really liked TGLE by Newell and haven't stopped playing it - especially since the lads haven't given us anything to go on since Spring of 92! regards Humblemus
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #381 **************************************
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