Chalkhills Digest Volume 1, Issue 398
Date: Friday, 16 December 1994
Chalkhills Digest, Number 398
Friday, 16 December 1994
Today's Topics:
Re: Martin Newell
"maturing" of XTC/split personality
nothing new
Two bands in one!
Dave's E-mail interview
Dream producers
Re: Chalkhills Digest #397
yeah, what about that ENO?
Sky-larking and Shonen Knife
post-Skylarking recommendations??
Newbie takes foot out of mouth
To Produce or not
Produced by...
emergency disenbrowsal
"Englishness"
That's Really Super, Superm
Re: Another new guy...
XTCRNRG
2 bits of trivia for the non-British
Yodel to Boston Chalkhillians
Garden of earthly delights?
new to chalkhills
New Member
Favorite XTC Couplets
_Drums_and_Wireless_
Martin Newell List
Hello all XTC-ites!
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: J Ross MacKay <ross@drumz.grdl.noaa.gov> Subject: Re: Martin Newell Date: Thu, 8 Dec 94 9:45:31 EST M.J.Mooney@bradford.ac.uk (Mike Mooney) sez: > This is probably because I'm the sort of old fart who's come out of > the Beatles/progressive rock era, [...] > I'm fine with Martin Newell though, basically 'cos he's totally > 60s-influenced, much like *late* XTC. and PB3BOY@aol.com (Brian) sez: > I have to say it. After holding my breath for too long. [...] > I do not like it. there, whew!!! I said it. I believe Mike is on track here. It might help to be 40-something and to have grown up in a small town, moved to the city, and then retreated to the 'burbs to raise some kids and walk the dog. A lot of Newell's sound and sentiment rings very clear and strong for me. --
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 8 Dec 1994 12:57:18 -0500 (EST)
From: Valerie Jean Williams <vjw@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu>
Subject: "maturing" of XTC/split personality
Well, I see many people still chatting about this, i HAD to offer
my 2 cents: as far as the earlier (everyone seems to agree that this
means pre-Skylarking) XTC stuff being "rough", I would have to agree, but
only half-way....Go-2, Drums & Wires, and some of Big Express and English
Settlement (?) could be described as rough in some places, but in others
not. Can't you see "This World Over" or "Ten Feet Tall" on Mummer?
I'm certainly not arguing that there isn't an obvious difference between
the crazy-insane tracks on Go2 and the super-mellow "Grass" or
sometimes-irritatingly-commercial " The Loving", but I don't think there
is a stake that can mark their maturing. I mean, I just think that its
such a gradual change, and there's songs on all the albums that could
conceivably be elsewhere. PLease, everyone write and show how sadly
mistaken I am! ANyway, I can easily see Mummer and Black Sea being in
the same category with Oranges & Lemons and Skylarking. (These are my
favorite four...maybe I'm biased?)
One more word on this drummer controversy and how everyone seems to be so
in love with Nonsuch: This *no drummer for XTC* thing really makes me
think Andy has lost his mind. I forget who, but thanks to whoever pointed
out the brilliance of the heavy drums on Drums & Wires..say it aint so!!
And finally, I swear I'm going....Nonsuch was great, of course, like all
their stuff, but it cannot even approach the brilliance and pure genius
of Mummer, Skylarking, and Oranges and Lemons, the only album I own that
I always listen to EVERY SINGLE TRACK and love it!!!!
more later.....Valerie
ps-does is peeve anyone else to see XTC tapes on sale for horribly
disrespectful prices like 99 cents and $1.99 ? It bugs me, especially
when Mariah Carey costs like $14.99. I guess this means that its
expensive to have bad taste.....=) more later.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 08 Dec 94 14:00:33 CST
From: justin nix <JNIX1@UA1VM.UA.EDU>
Subject: nothing new
Greetings! i am yet another new arrival here to Chalkhills, so let me
introduce myself. My name is justin, and i am a telecommunications major at
the University of Alabama. i've been a XTC fan since O&L, and finding this
board was a godsend. While i don't have massive discographies like most of
you do, i'm still slowly working towards that goal.
A little story for you guys-- i was in Morrison's Cafeteria a couple of
months ago, and over the muzak piped into the restaurant i heard a renditon
of "King For A Day". Strange, but never-the-less enjoyable.
i've noticed that there are a good number of AOL users on this newsletter.
Is there by any chance an XTC folder on AOL? Just wondering.
----justin
jnix1@ua1vm.ua.edu
"i'm writing this to say
in a gentle way
thank you, but no.
for i will live my life
as i will undoubtedly die--
alone." ---Morrissey
------------------------------
From: IAMPR@WVNVAXA.WVNET.EDU
Date: Thu, 08 Dec 1994 20:43:38 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Two bands in one!
Organization: West Virginia Network
I have to say that i agree with the thing about XTC having gone
through changes so dramatic that they could almost be considered to not
the band they once were. (Sorry about the over-wordyness, i'm seeking
professional help about that.) I find it interesting that people like
to consider "skylarking" the departure point, though. Wouldn't the ob-
vious choice be right after "English Settlement"? They stopped tour-
ing, they lost their drummer, and "Mummer" is DEFINATELY a different
album than anything they'd done before that. Hey, in my opinion, Sky-
larking is just a better written and produced Mummer.
Actually, I'd even go so far to say that XTC is 3 bands. "drums &
wires" is a departure from "Go 2" and "White Music".
Oh yeah, by the way, i LOVE "Big Express"! How could anyone not like
"You're the wish...." and "All you pretty girls"?!!! Those are two great
examples of the essence of XTC!
Neil McGowan
------------------------------ Subject: Dave's E-mail interview From: jd.mack@neteast.com (JD MACK) Date: Thu, 08 Dec 94 23:03:00 -0500 Organization: Online Technologies, Inc. - 301-738-0001 I have a question for Dave Gregory. When are the live b-sides not already on "Rag & Bone Buffet" going to be released on CD?
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 Dec 1994 22:50:19 -0800 (PST) From: Chris Zinn <czinn@reed.edu> Subject: Dream producers Fellow listers-- Wanted to say how much I enjoyed the initial posting by Bob Sherwood. Welcome. Someone also wrote wondering whether the band wouldn't be more successful if Andy would allow himself, and the band, to actually _be_ produced. My own choice would be for Mitchell Froom to produce the band. Like Andy he makes songs into aural artifacts, he's sensitive to and imaginative about complex mixes, and has a strong artistic vision which would be a match for Andy's own. His work for Richard Thompson, Los Lobos and others is without peer and has helped those artists define their work. Maybe Colin could get T-Bone to do it--that would be interesting too. I hope some good match can be found. Chris Zinn
------------------------------ From: john%elsouth@ncren.net Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #397 Date: Fri, 9 Dec 94 2:13:39 EST > For those out their wondering why it's not mentioned more often....so am I. > A wonderful song, indeed. Just had to say so. Thank you for the thought. I have to agree heartily. - John White CIS Manager Electrical South Inc. john%elsouth@concert.net "What I want to know, man, is why she treats me like a snowman."
------------------------------ From: Kevin Carhart <ukevc@mcl.mcl.ucsb.edu> Subject: yeah, what about that ENO? Date: Fri, 9 Dec 1994 01:37:19 -0800 (PST) >I humbly submit names like Eno Yeah.. this really rings true with me. Especially after hearing James, _Wah Wah_ I'm convinced that Eno does no wrong and enlightens everything he touches. What a rare, strange genius, and he has that talent for being a facilitating genius. If Andy listened to Eno wholeheartedly, like it or not, if the band used the oblique strategy cards.. if they soaked in that Eno weirdness.. what do you think would result? I bet it would be quite wonderful. Kevin ukevc@mcl.ucsb.edu
------------------------------
From: Dames The Wonder Dog <SPXDLF@CARDIFF.AC.UK>
Date: Fri, 9 Dec 1994 11:32:00 GMT
Subject: Sky-larking and Shonen Knife
Hello all you XTC-philes out there,
I got Shonen Knife out of the library yesterday on a whim and
strangely enough I quite like it. It's not very much like XTC
though the making plans for bison song is a very peculiar tribute to
the boys (sorry, men). I wouldn't recommend anyone go out and buy
it, but do listen to it if you can get hold of a copy.
I was reading The Plumed Serpent by D.H.Lawrence a while back and
although the book was so boring, bigotted and full of horrible
racist generalis(z)ations (perhaps all mexicans are all a bunch of
wasters who can only spend there lives serving white-man until they
try to over-throw him!) that I _had_ stop reading it at page 144, I
did notice this :
'Sometimes, darting among the trees, bare-legged boys went sky-
larking in and out of the shadows, in and out of the quiet
people.'
I wonder whether this is the first use of the term 'SKY-LARKING'.
Contrary to what Andy Partridge believes I think that this book
should be burnt - so much for me trying to expand my literacy by
reading so 'culture'.
Dames TWD
P.s. If anyone missed it last time - I can get hold of a selection of
7" singles (by XTC of course) so mail me if you want a list.
------------------------------ From: Leiderman@aol.com Date: Fri, 9 Dec 1994 08:46:56 -0500 Subject: post-Skylarking recommendations?? OK, so I'm in the "post-Skylarking" camp. Can you recommend other groups I might like (more Beatle-like harmonies, rich production, etc)? Thanks, BJ
------------------------------
From: GilLamont@aol.com
Date: Fri, 9 Dec 1994 14:02:44 -0500
Subject: Newbie takes foot out of mouth
So just how quickly did my question -- "What are the sources of the tracks on
_Explode_Together_? -- betray me as a newbie?
Thanks to everyone who took the time to answer this question, I have the
answer. So, for once and for all -- and John, shouldn't this go in the FAQ
file? --
[ Done. -- John ]
The sources for _Explode_Together_ are:
Go+:
Dance with Me, Germany -- Meccanic Dancing
Beat the Bible -- Jumping in Gomorrah
A Dictionary of Modern Marriage -- Battery Brides
Clap Clap Clap -- I Am the Audience
We Kill the Beast -- The Rhythm
Take Away/The Lure of Salvage:
Commerciality -- Refrigeration Blues (_White Music_ outtake)
The Day They Pulled the North Pole Down -- Heatwave
The Forgotten Language of Light -- Dance Band; percussion track from Millions
Steam -- Real by Reel
Shore Leave Ornithology (Another 1950) -- Pulsing Pulsing
Cairo -- Homo Safari
The Rotary -- Helicopter
Madhattan -- That Is the Way
I Sit in the Snow -- bridge from Roads Girdle the Globe
Work Away Tokyo Day -- Day In Day Out; saxophone tracks from Red
New Broom -- Making Plans for Nigel
********************
You Chalkers have had a lot of fun over the past 5-1/2 years of Digests!
Flame wars - Andy as Lennon and Colin as McCartney (give it a rest) - oh boy,
flame wars - boycott the lads until they tour again (uh-huh, that'll *really*
work :-P) - run out grooves on lps (why did no
one mention "Track Records" at the end of _The_Who_Sell_Out_?) - by golly,
more flame wars - rare interviews - home-made tribute tapes - cover versions
by *real* bands :-) - those fab flame wars - where are those Acoustic Tour
tapes? - WHERE'S THE NEXT ALBUM!!!???
********************
FWIW, the correct last line of "Cockpit Dance Mixture" is
(And this is Guy, an adult lowland gorilla, chuckling in the London
Zoo.)
The lowland gorillas are the ones like Ivan, born in Zaire and recently moved
after 27 years of isolation in a Tacoma, Washington shopping mall to Zoo
Atlanta, where he is expected to be a social animal for the first time with
about 20 other gorillas. The highland gorillas are the ones Dian Fossey
studied in _Gorillas_in_the_Mist_ and which suffered almost as much as any
other Rwandans in the the recent civil war.
********************
John Relph <relph@presto.ig.com> asked:
>That wouldn't be Steven Reule of Obsessed With Music, would it?
>(Could there possibly be *another* XTC fan in Sacramento?)
And before I could reply -- you guys trade these messages back and forth like
you're *phoning* every night or something ;-) -- s.reule@genie.geis.com
writes in confessing all:
>Also, thanks and hi to Gil Lamont for alluding to the store and
>myself too ("the only other XTC fan in Sacramento" - even though
>I think there may be a few more).
Thanks, Steve! BTW, I found the "Mayor of Simpleton" CD3 with the
note-for-note/grunt-for-grunt cover of "Ella Guru" so next time I'm in the
store we'll go through the Discography line-for-line to find out what I
*really* want.
Unsolicited, I'd like to say Steve's store, Obsessed with Music, is
everything he claims and better. And the fairest prices in town (even his new
stuff undercuts Tower).
********************
Finally (will he *ever* shut up?), when I'm at the computer at home, I always
listen with in-the-ear phones. XTC is awesome, and _The_Big_Express is
exceptional, especially "Wake Up" with its 2-against-3 L/R opening. Check it
out.
I'll go back to lurking now. You people are a riot!
Gil Lamont
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 Dec 1994 13:55:09 -0600 (CST) From: James Kosmicki <kosgcom@cccadm.cccneb.edu> Subject: To Produce or not Bravo to BarryR7704 in Chalkhills 397! Andy really needs to realize that he NEEDS outside perspective to fully realize his music. As an English teacher, I have this fight with my students every semester, just not concerning music. They need to realize, as does Andy, that the creator is oftentimes the least effective arbitrer of quality. If Andy wants to produce music for just himself, he can have it sound however he wants. However, if he wants others to hear it, he needs to have others telling him what they are really hearing. Andy knows what he wants the music to sound like, so that is what he will hear, regardless of what is actually recorded. Skylarking and English Settlement are their absolutely best albums, and both have rather strong outside producers. This should be a clue. And, to stop this argument before it begins, NO, a musician is not necessarily the best choice as producer. I am a fair at best writer, but I have the skills and ability to help any other writer improve because I can edit very well. I oftentimes work with writers whose sheer talent and abilities far outstrip mine, but they have no focus or have lost the ability to see the entire work instead of specific little details. the fact that Andy fights with outside producers is a good thing. this means that he is having to defend what he is doing and is constantly rethinking and testing what he is producing.
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 10 Dec 94 02:42:40 EST From: "Gene (Sp00n) Yoon" <Gene_Yoon@brown.edu> Subject: Produced by... I just came upon a revelation about a great next producer for XTC, and coincidentally enough the topic of producers was brought up (again) in the last Chalkhills. I think the next person to reshape XTC's sound and energy should be none other than Mike Glossop. I was surprised to discover that I have three very different sounding CD's that had songs produced by him. One was Van Morrison, so it seems Glossop can offer XTC the appropriate influence of sixties and seventies rock music. Another was a *beautifully* arranged Sinead O'Connor song on her Emporer's New Clothes CD single called "What Do You Want?"--a peaceful, melodically pleasing little number with harp and woodwind arrangements, all sung by Sinead in Gaelic in one of her few unpolitically-charged, unpretentious moments, delivered like a traditional Irish folk song. Similarly, a major identity for XTC ever since English Settlement has been its pastoral, quintessentially English sound, and Glossop could hone that nicely. The third, of course, was The Colonel's "Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen" and "I Need Protection" by Colin Moulding, which captures XTC's earlier, more abrasive sounds, but best of all, Mick Glossop already knows XTC and their music! Yes!! Mike Glossop is the answer!! Okay, I'll shut up now. Gene
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 8 Dec 94 12:51:11 EST
From: Chip Davies <davies@bme.ri.ccf.org>
Subject: emergency disenbrowsal
Hey Chalkers,
Sorry, I haven't participated lately (I lurketh, yet I liveth). Anyway,
I saw something here recently about a "Drums and Wireless" release. Checking
the meticulously maintained discography on Mosiac (John's a swell guy, ain't
he?), I found it, but I noticed it's only on import. Next I called around
here (the soup thickens) and there is something that will come in tomorrow
called (roughly) "XTC live on the BBC". This will be on a label called
Griffin. Are these two the same thing i.e. not only songs but packaging? I
don't want to get some shoddy thing a la "English Settlement" on cd (Geffen
pisses me off). I would greatly depreciate any info.
Thanks,
Fliggus
------------------------------ From: CVreeken@aol.com Date: Sun, 11 Dec 1994 17:16:53 -0500 Subject: "Englishness" In Chalkhills #396, Robert Telford wrote: >>I hope all you Americans out there don't get too offended, but what turns me on about XTC is their sheer Englishness, something they share with artists like Robyn Hitchcock, The Smiths and The Kinks. This is not to say I don't like American music - I've actually got more CDs by Frank Zappa (though that is as much to do with his prodigious output as anything else). Blur, it seems to me, are following in this great tradition.<< Robert, no offense taken. That is one of the reasons I like XTC too. Here in the U.S. we are suffering from a glut of American groups like Pearl Jam, who are entirely too serious and morose. English groups have a certain "whimsey" that many of us here can't find in US groups. Mass American tastes, however, do seem to have a hard time with groups perceived as "too British." The Jam being the example that comes to mind. They were a great group that never caught on here like they should've. But those of us who were raised on the Beatles, The Kinks, and the Dave Clark Five have a soft spot in our hearts for this sound, and XTC seem to strike a definite chord there. I also like the Martin Newell CD for its Englishness. Blur, however, I have yet to develop a liking for. Maybe someday. Glad to hear you like Zappa. He never caught on in the U.S. either, but that's American tastes for you. The number one album on the charts right now is some schlokfest from Kenny G. And people think I'm weird for liking XTC and Zappa. I think its the majority whose musical tastes are weird. Thanks for listening. Craig Vreeken Sacramento, CA
------------------------------ Date: 12 Dec 1994 09:24:20 U From: "Wesley Wilson" <Wesley_Wilson@iegate.mitre.org> Subject: That's Really Super, Superman Item! Does anyone collect Superman comics? If so, can you check out issue #85 and see if there's a panel in it showing an old man (andy Partridge? :-)) in a baby crib playing with blocks...that cryptically spell out X-T-C! Item! Seems that stores are charging big bux for the MF Gold Skylaring CD. Silver Moon Digital in Oklahoma City, OK (USA) has it for $22.95, plus $1.75 for postage/handling. I've ordered from them before and they ship things very well, charge a fair price, and seem to be big fans of XTC. They also have Drums and Wireless, The Greatest Living Englishman, and Golden Cleaners...plus some Japanese XTC imports. Sorry, I don't have their number handy right now. Write to me if you're interested and I'll forward it to you when I get a chance. Item! I listened to "Through the Hill" this weekend. Only the second time straight through. I admit, I do like some parts of this. It's great to listen through headphones in the dark in bed, which is how I heard it. I also listened to "The Dub Experiments" and I have to wonder if the other band members were miffed at Andy for doing this to their musical input? Or if they thought it was a noble experiment? Excelsior! Stan (er, I mean Wes)
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 12 Dec 94 9:15:29 PST
From: John Relph <relph@presto.ig.com>
Subject: Re: Another new guy...
David Scales a/k/a Captain Oblivion <reamann@unm.edu> asks:
>
> One initial question: Does anyone know if there were any more
>albums released in the JULES VERNE'S SKETCHBOOK series?
There is a second volume, entitled _The Bull With The Golden Guts_.
Also released by _The Little Express_ but now out of print. All demos
by Andy.
-- John
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 12 Dec 1994 13:41:21 -0600 (CST) From: PHELAN <m_c_0015@frank.mtsu.edu> Subject: XTCRNRG BLESS YOU, BLESS YOU ALL OF YOU PRETTY GIRLS (and guys who enjoy XTC as much as me) Some happy holidays news I have just recieved from a record and cd store in glorious, Chatanooga TN: The owner of this establishment has informed me that he has ordered 5, yes five New XTC cds. Demos I-V. If anyone knows about these before I race there and spend all my hard earned dough, please let me know. Also, if anyone wants the telephone or address of the place, E-me..:) I am currently awaiting delivery of 'Drums and Wireless' and "Acoustic Tales" to my home. I can't wait. XTC are my all time favorite band. If I could sit and talk to them about how they make such great music, that would be a dream come true. I am still formulating my question to Dave Gregory because I don't want to ask the same ques. as everyone else, also I want to be sure he sees it first hand. One more note, if anyone could trade me a copy of the disc Andy Partridge did for the Hello recording club(TMBG) or at least tell me what it was, I would apprec. it. Also, I am still waiting to see if anyone has video of them that I don't have, I would also like to trade. What are the advantages of joining the Little Express that this mailer doesn't cover? "Love on a Farmboy's Wages" will be played live at my wedding. "I'll sing about you if nobody else will!" Cheers, Phelan.
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 13 Dec 1994 12:32:40 -0500 (EST) From: Tobin Leo Munsat <tobin@phoenix.Princeton.EDU> Subject: 2 bits of trivia for the non-British Hello all, I thought I'd pass on a couple of trivia morsels that I learned this past summer while visiting England. A friend of mine in Oxford drove me out to the Uffington Horse, and I was telling him about our heroes, where they are from, etc. His response to the mention of Swindon was "Well, the thing that I remember most about Swindon is the huge, confusing roundabout". Also, while checking out the map for directions, I noticed that not far from Swindon is a little town called Goosey. Ok, one third trivia that's sort of unrelated to XTC: Swindon is home to the Intel factory in England-- so REAL XTC fans drive PC's, not Mac's ;) (I am assuming, of course, that REAL XTC fans don't do much floating point division.) -Tobin.
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 13 Dec 94 14:49:37 EST From: patty@gdb.org (Patty Haley) Subject: Yodel to Boston Chalkhillians I'm in Boston from the 6-8th of January, or so my plane tickets tell me. Anyone interested in meeting up and swapping Andy/Colin/Dave luvstories holler back. -Patty Catherine Wheel World Wide Web Home Page: http://gdbdoc.gdb.org/~patty/CW/CW_home_page.html
------------------------------ From: s.reule@genie.geis.com Date: Tue, 13 Dec 94 20:46:00 UTC Subject: Garden of earthly delights? According to the new issue of ICE: There's a new series of XTC bootlegs. Seven (7!) CD's titled Demos Vol 1-7 which contain demos for the various albums. For instance, Vol 2 is for Nonsuch, Vol 3 is for Oranges And Lemons, Vol 5 is for Big Express... It didn't say what the rest are. Has anyone seen and/or heaard thesse yet? Doubleplusgood!!! Yow!!!!!! Steve
------------------------------ From: JC214@aol.com Date: Tue, 13 Dec 1994 20:16:59 -0500 Subject: new to chalkhills hi! my name is chuck stipak and i'm new to chalkhills. it's great to see so many xtc fanatics in one place. i live in danbury ct. about an hour north of nyc and have fortunately seen the band once and i've met andy 3 times, colin twice, and dave, prairie prince, and barry andrews once each. i've been a fan since the release of go 2. when i saw that cover in the import bin of a small record shop in manhattan i knew i would love the music within. little did i know how much the band's music would influence me from then on. i can't say that i love any period of xtc music more than any other; to me there have been great songs on each album. my overall faves include: this is pop, i remember the sun, collideascope, nihilon, my bird performs, thanks for christmas, wrapped in grey, all of a sudden and on and on and on....... i should tell you my favorite xtc story: i was fortunate enough to be invited to a pre-release listening party for oranges n lemons held at s.i.r. studios in nyc. (met joey ramone in the hallway, but that's another story!) when we got there the album was blasting in this huge room that could have held hundreds but only had 25-30 people in it. all of these people were indusrty folks there mainly for the food and beer. when andy and colin showed up everyone gathered round for autographs, handshakes,etc and then left! not me! my friend don and i ended up spending nearly 2 hours with andy and colin (yes just the four of us!) drinking eating and talking on every xtc subject we could think of. they were down to earth, nice, intelligent, funny guys who would honestly answer anything we wanted to know about the band. for me to recap all that was said would take forever but if anyone is interested please e-mail me. anyway i haven't seen more than 3 issues of chalkhills and was wondering if anyone has mentioned the two songs andy wrote for terry hall (fun boy three, specials). if you haven't heard them (i drew a lemon, moon on your dress) they're fantastic! the name of the album is "home" and is only available on import. also did anyone see the interview with andy in jazziz magazine? also quite interesting (re: harold budd) well that's all for now! ...but it's taking forever for this moment to end....
------------------------------
Subject: New Member
Date: Wed, 14 Dec 1994 12:24:39 -0500 (EST)
From: "Rajeev Vijan" <vijan@student.msu.edu>
Greetings to all the members of Chalkhills!
My name is Rajeev Vijan and I am new and pleased to be a part of this group. I
currently live in Troy, MI.(in case any of you are from this area). I first
was turned on to XTC when my brother first brought home English Settlement. Of
course, I was instantly attracted to it, being that I am a huge Beatles fan and
am a musician myself. However, I am mostly a drummer and am very dissappointed
that XTC seems to dislike drummers. Also, like many other members, I am
greatly dissappointed by XTC's recent works. Namely Nonsuch and Oranges and
Lemons. In fact, there is basically only one track on O & L that I can
truthfully say that I really like and that is "The Garden of Earthly Delights".
But anywyas I fluctuate all the time on my favorite XTC album, but the top
three for me are The Big express, English Settlement, and Skylarking. Many of
you seem to really dislike Skylarking. Anyways, since I basically only have
e-mail for now, I don't have access to the Internet yet(I;m looking for a cheap
and local provider in this area code(810); anyone with information please
e-mail me!), so I will ask these two questions: 1. Who was the drummer on
Skylarking and 2. Who was the fourth member of the Dukes of Stratosphere?
E-mail adress: vijan@student.msu.edu
"Dreaming of a world where we can do just what we want to do"
Thanks,
Rajeev Vijan
------------------------------
From: Andisheh Nouraee <scotsman@wam.umd.edu>
Date: Thu, 15 Dec 1994 00:05:29 -0500
Subject: Favorite XTC Couplets
Dear Chalkhillians,
As a newish subscriber, I feel that it is my duty to stoke the fires of
discussion at least once. So here goes . . . . .
-----------Favorite XTC Couplets------------
Laying on the grass my heart it flares like fire
The way you slap my face just fills me with desire
-Grass
The dough is rising but no bread will be baked
The fur is genuine but the orgasm-s faked
-Across This Antheap
I-ve grown immune to your claws pussy......
cats, I know
Tissue Tigers (The Arguers)
If the last one is not a couplet, forgive me. Whatever it is, it certainly
ranks near the top.
Goodbye....
Andy
------------------------------ From: "James E. Hartman" <jhartman@bga.com> Subject: _Drums_and_Wireless_ Date: Thu, 15 Dec 1994 20:40:51 -0600 (CST) Got my copy of _Drums_and_Wireless_ today - jeez, between this and the Beatles, someone at the Beeb must be making some dough - and had some quick impressions. I had honestly expected "Another Satellite" to be on here, and was surprised (and pleased, actually, since that meant something else instead) when it wasn't. There are more things here than I would have guessed from reading the bio book, and I can see myself making car tapes (no CD player in the car) and substituting these version in on the albums. I was especially pleased with "You're the Wish" and "Seagulls Screaming" (guess my predisposition for _Big_Express_ is showing through). The opening track is a hoot, especially for folks who have heard Peel and know what he sounds like! It isn't the same as an album of new material, but it'll help the time pass.
------------------------------
From: m.mccormick2@genie.geis.com
Date: Fri, 16 Dec 94 06:01:00 UTC
Subject: Martin Newell List
A new mailing list for fans of Martin Newell was just added to the Musical
List of Lists (MLOL). Here is the entry:
NEWELL, MARTIN (Jangly)
jangly-request@pavilion.co.uk
The mailing list for Martin Newell and other jangling bands.
Rumor has it fellow Chalkhillians John Relph and Dean Zemel have already
subscribed, but so far (except for them probably!) the list is pretty quiet.
// Mike McCormick
// m.mccormick2@genie.geis.com
p.s. A nice guy named Phil (I forget his last name) and big-time XTC fan in
England, who is not able to subscribe to Chalkhills, is compiling a discography
/ biography / mini-FAQ about Barry Andrews' band Shriekback. Anyone with
information to contribute please contact him at ee92pmh@brunel.ac.uk.
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Dec 1994 12:28:38 -0600 From: aosterma@students.wisc.edu (Adam J. Ostermann) Subject: Hello all XTC-ites! Hello! This is my first posting to "Chalkhills, although I have been an XTC fanatic for about three years. I got to know the band through buying "O&L" on the cutout bin ($5.99 well spent, I'd say) and now have every domestic release save "The Big Express" and the "Dear God" version of "Skylarking", which I might get the Mobile Fidelity 24K gold disc of. I don't have "Drums'n'Wireless" yet, because I'm just getting over ANOTHER grand British band releasing a smattering of their BBC sessions (three guesses, now.) The reason I'm on-lining is someone'sd comment on who should produce the next XTC work. The assortment thus far has been interesting, and entertaining. I think they should try for...Stephen Street. Street, who's worked with the Smiths/Morrissey, the Cranberries, Blur, The Darling Buds, Bradford and others, would seem to fit in perfectly in XTC's equation. He managed to give Blur's "Parklife" a real XTC feel (listen to those "ooh-oohs" in "Tracey Jacks" and Alex James' "Colin" song "Far Out," for starters!) Street can do both manic uptempo stuff and the more laidback stuff Andy and company seem to do nowadays, and Street seems to know how to make an album flow, something I thought "Nonsuch" really lacked. Or, you know, XTC could go back to their punk roots and "record" an album with Steve Albini. Just kidding...although it would sound interesting.... Anyhow, I'm off, and I hope you all enjoy the holiday season! Adam Ostermann UW-Madison plebian
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #398 *****************************
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16 December 1994 / Feedback