Chalkhills Digest Volume 1, Issue 405
Date: Thursday, 19 January 1995
Chalkhills Digest, Number 405
Thursday, 19 January 1995
Today's Topics:
the "old" XTC hit...
New Partridge Release on Hello Records
Re: Chalkhills Digest #404
RE: virgins no more
Van Dyke Parks
Hellooo Andy!
Drums&Wireless, etc.
Re: music recommendation (XTC-less, sorry!)
Producers
Virgin Records Flaming
Andy's Hello CD Out [SPOILERS]
The Dukes
Question about O&L radio tour and more
For Sale: Drums and Wireless CD (new)
Re: Chalkhills Digest #404
New member- Russell Shaddox
label thoughts
Van Dyke Parks, producer?
Re: Chalkhills Digest #404
Oh Joy
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: PEACEFROG@delphi.com
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 1995 00:33:59 -0500 (EST)
Subject: the "old" XTC hit...
To file in the "errors perpetuated by those who don't know the band" file:
Among the many varied references/intros/outros/radio promos I've
heard for the Crash Test Dummies' cover of "The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead,"
the song is referred to as the "old" hit by XTC. First off, as much as I love
the song, was it ever a "hit", or does calling it one when it's later covered
by a "hot" band make folks more inclined to enjoy it, despite the mediocrity
of the performance? Secondly, am I missing something, or is that song only a
couple years old? Don't tell me the American penchant for instanostalgia has
reached this manic a stage.
Just venting,
Brett
------------------------------ From: KyleSk@aol.com Date: Mon, 16 Jan 1995 06:16:46 -0500 Subject: New Partridge Release on Hello Records I just received Andy's latest on Hello records. It is absolutely wonderfully. It has the playfulness of "Explode Together" but is much more accessible. The drum programming is as oafish as on his collaboration with Martin Newell, but here it works. His singing has never been better. There's 5 tracks in all. Kyle
------------------------------ From: BAWolters@aol.com Date: Mon, 16 Jan 1995 10:36:10 -0500 Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #404 Anyword on the next XTC album? It has been a LONG while! Thanks!
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jan 1995 09:40:28 -0600 (CST) From: James Kosmicki <kosgcom@cccadm.cccneb.edu> Subject: RE: virgins no more If XTC is to leave Virgin, so be it. As has been indicated before, Virgin just isn't the same since Branson became an airline executive to the exclusion of all else. True, XTC's fan base isn't as large as the most popular bands, but that shouldn't stop them from finding a new home. Any label should be interested in a group with a substantial following, especially if coming in there aren't the expectations of huge mega-sales. Plus, if a label gets XTC, they get Andy, Colin and Dave as supplemental producers and musicians to work with their other groups. And, if the catalog comes with the band, there is the added bonus of regular sales without the costs of production or new release promotion. Rykodisk would be a wonderful choice: just look at their roster. Any label that can do as well by artists ranging from Bowie to NRBQ should be able to do wonders with a group like XTC. Shimmy Disc would be another good choice, as Kramer seems to be in awe of dense aural song construction and solid songwriting. My guess is that XTC will continue to record and be released as long as they want to/ can afford to. Without touring, these smaller label's smaller advances won't go quite as far.
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jan 1995 09:32:17 -0600 (CST) From: James Kosmicki <kosgcom@cccadm.cccneb.edu> Subject: Van Dyke Parks I am very intrigued by the posting in Digest #401 about Van Dyke Parks being the next producer for XTC. I realize that the source was an unnamed "somebody" on AOL, but the possibilities are mind boggling. For those not in the know, Parks was involved in writing and producing the lost _Smile_ album for the Beach Boys, you know Brian Wilson's masterpiece that was lost because of his nervous breakdown. However, everything that has survived from those session is simply overblown and not very well done, but since it was "unreleased," the mystique remains. Parks' solo works are all very interesting, critically acclaimed, extremely poor selling works. He was considered to be a peer of Randy Newman until "Short People" got people buying Randy Newman music for awhile. his albums are always popular with critics but not with the record buying public. His style can best be described as music hall, Broadway musical, tin pan alley type music. Heavy lyrics with a large band sound behind him. Trust me, he will have no problems going drumless, as his music isn't rock and roll, not really. It is pop music, but not rock. The two albums of his that I have are _Jump_, a song cycle based on Uncle Remus tales, and _Tokyo Rose_, a song cycle based on US-Japanese relationships since WWII. both are wonderful works, but very American in focus. Sorry for the long post, but I just wanted people to realize that if this AOL information is to be believed, Virgin, who is dropping XTC for not selling enough albums, has made the decision to take a critically respected but low selling band and rescue their commercial prospects by bringing in a critically respected but even worse selling, very American, artist who is best known for being involved in a project best known for having never been released. BTW, Parks has had outside producers on his albums, so he apparently is not overly aggressive about production. That or he understands the need for outside opinions about personal music.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 1995 11:43:36 -0500 (EST)
From: "Jason C. Langley" <jlangley@nynexst.com>
Subject: Hellooo Andy!
I finally received the Andy Partridge CD-EP on the Hello CD of the month
club. I never thought I'd say this but it was worth the wait. It has four
songs: Prince of Orange, It's Snowing Angels, Candymine, and Some Lovely
(My Brown Guitar). All four are good, although I believe "It's Snowing
Angels" was already on _Windowbox_. The flyer that came with the cd says
"An excellent effort from one of the biggest talents around, XTC's
unstoppable songsmith goes Hello with four brand new selections
including 2 great songs from the unreleased 'Bubble Gum Album'".
"Candymine" is the most obvious bubble gum song, has that chunky guitar
like on "Cherry in Your Tree", and of course the double entendre in the
lyrics. I'm guessing that "Some Lovely" is the other bubble gum song,
although it could easily be a Dukes song. The chorus is kind of clunky,
but otherwise a fine song. "Prince of Orange" is very good also. I'd
love to hear these songs get a full treatment with Dave and Colin. I'm
not sure what the appeal of a bubble gum album would be ("Cherry in your
Tree" got little to no airplay) but I'd really like to see the bubble gum
album be made. I'd like to see how Colin does writing int the bubble
gum format
All in all, a really decent effort. I was afraid that the tracks would
be ambient out-takes, or noodly-type stuff. Don't get me wrong, I like
noodly, but four fully realized songs are much better.
Jason
Here's hoping for a new record in '95, and more goodies from either the
Little Express or hopefully Andy will sign up to do more on Hello.
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jan 1995 16:59:47 -0500 (EST) From: Valerie Jean Williams <vjw@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu> Subject: Drums&Wireless, etc. Well, I got my copy of Drums & Wireless in Little 5 Points in Atlanta. It's a very cool place in general, and it has EXCELLENT music and book stores. It's kinda like Georgetown in DC or the Village in NYC. Anyway, I love it, because it manages to have all my faves on it, and really good versions, too. I can't find it anywhere here in the DC area, so...but Atlanta seems to be blessed with enlightened music stores. I personally would love it if CDs were released with as many extra tracks as possible, I can never get enough! Question: Has anyone else noticed the Pink Floyd-ness of Skylarking? I mean it seems like it's just one long life story, no? Although I'm not sure how the Dear God vs Mermaid Smiled thing works out....ah well. more later =)
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jan 1995 11:04:29 +1200 From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James Dignan) Subject: Re: music recommendation (XTC-less, sorry!) >From: IERANO_J@DD.PALMER.EDU >I agree with the recent recommendations for The Church's latest: Sometime, >>Anywhere Heh. That was me... Lotta good (non-XTC) albums suggested, then >There was also a superb mini EP called "Constant in opal" see if you can find >>it. Actually, it was called Persia, and is available with the Remote Luxury EP as one CD (also called Remote Luxury). Contains the great track "No Explanation", if I remember rightly (or is that on Seance?) For anyone interested in the Church BTW, there is a good (non-digest, sadly) Church mailing list run by Morten Skjefte. Tap in: seance-info@thechurch.EBay.Sun.COM for more info. Anyone liking XTC and the Church is also almost guaranteed to like Calenture, by the Triffids, and the self-titled album by The Muttonbirds. Sorry for the lack of XTC content... James James Dignan, Department of Psychology, University of Otago. Ya zhivu v' 50 Norfolk St., St. Clair, Dunedin, New Zealand pixelphone james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz / steam megaphone NZ 03-455-7807 * You talk to me as if from a distance * and I reply with impressions chosen from another time, time, time, * from another time (Brian Eno)
------------------------------ From: AngryYngMn@aol.com Date: Mon, 16 Jan 1995 19:31:26 -0500 Subject: Producers How about Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley, who produced parts of They Might Be Giants' "Flood?" (Birdhouse in your soul, your racist friend, istanbul) And what does everyone mean by "overproduced," said in the context of Paul Fox/O&L? I'm new to this list too...so i get to do this: Favorite album: Skylarking (But I haven't seen "English Settlement" at Tower Records recently, otherwise i would have bought that) Favorite songs: "Garden of Earthly Delights," "Earn Enough For Us," "Merely A Man," "Across this Antheap," "Mayor of Simpleton," others... Other favorite groups: Billy Joel (hence AYM), TMBG, Squeeze, Police, REM, Crowded House. Later! -aym "Ziggity zag zag just look at 'em"
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 1995 20:17:58 -0700 (MST)
From: "Big E.S." <mersh@tibalt.supernet.ab.ca>
Subject: Virgin Records Flaming
OK, I've been reading some very polite things being said about Virgin,
despite the fact that they've dropped XTC.
First of all, let's realize that most record labels, including indies,
are run by scum-sucking maggots. The number of interviews I've read and
the number of musicians I've talked to who have complained about how
they've been screwed by their respective companies, from Warner Brothers
(Husker Du) to IRS (Concrete Blonde) to Rounder (NRBQ) is shocking.
Although I can't say I've ever been talented enough to have ever been
approached by a label (and trust me, be extremely thankful :-), a local
band was jerked around by Island Records about two years ago for $2000Cdn
in legal fees for an option the label the label never exercised.
As for Virgin themselves, I point to a hearty little escapade that happed
in the late seventies with Capatin Beefheart.
Basically, there story goes a little like this: the good Capt. recorded
an album, Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller), and gave it to his label,
Virgin, to release. The label rejected it, claiming it wasn't
commercially viable. (Not that that's an invalid argument...but, hey,
they must have known that when they signed him) So, the good Capt. signs
a one-off deal with Warner's to release it. Then (following quote, Creem
mag., March 81):
"They sued me for TWO MILLION DOLLARS. Warner Bros. dropped me. I
mean TWO MILLION DOLLARS - in a way I don't blame them. And then they did
nothing."
Now considering that Capt. probably hasn't sold $2Mil worth of lp's in
the last thirty years, that's just plain babyish. His next album, Doc at
The Radar Station, was released right when Virgin ended their
distribution with Atlantic, thus, only 18,000 copies of the album were
distributed in the states. (We lucky Canadians got it on PolyGram, who've
always showed a slight modicum of class in their capitalistic ways)
"They are doing anything now," he said. "And they forgot to pick
up their option. Bye," and he waved his hand.
I've changed my mind: I think the boys should just start thier own label,
press their own CD's and the like. That's probably their best chance at
this point.
And if your still in doubt, I'll remind you all of one last example:
Walter Yetnikoff (sic) to Leonard Cohen, on why he wasn't going to
release Various Positions in the States:
"Mr. Cohen, we deal in TONNAGE...."
Thanks for letting me spout off. Now if only this wasn't costing me
anything.....
Later...
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jan 1995 21:43:04 -0800 From: dfranson@execpc.com (Dave Franson) Subject: Andy's Hello CD Out [SPOILERS] Hi all, A little treat arrived in my snail-mail last Friday: Hello CD of the Month Club November 1994 Andy Partridge Prince of Orange/It's Snowing Angels/Candymine/Some Lovely (My Brown Guitar) "All instruments played by Andy Partridge and recorded in his garden shed." For the discography: *------------------------------------------------------------------- @ALBUM: Andy Partridge, a Hello Selection, November 1994 "All instruments played by Andy Partridge and recorded in his garden shed." @SONG: Prince of Orange Look at these hands Spokes of the Sun God delay you, Spray you Prince of Orange, climb the ladder Prince of Orange will die. Brass robinettes Trumpet and drums for the taking, baking Prince of Orange, climb the ladder Prince of Orange will die. All the food he steals is all right Far the tall and gentle poplar Causing fanfare to those listening Now Drape 'round your head Mischief and secrets in green kelt, all hell Prince of Orange, climb the ladder Prince of Orange will die. Look at these lands (--- --- ---) You'll get no books for your dinner Sinner Prince of Orange, climb the ladder Prince of Orange will die. @SONG: It's Snowing Angels It's snowing angels, on my front porch Take a broom and sweep one in I'm such a lucky guy, such a lucky guy Even though my shoes have broken I can't deny my toes The right to fresh air And the joy of poking through It's snowing angels Hope I'll catch me one It's snowing angels By my window Take a net and fish one in I'm such a lucky guy, such a lucky guy Even though I got no money This bear won't be hibernating Or I'd miss the sight of all the honey strolling by It's snowing angels Hope I'll catch me one I'm such a lucky guy, such a lucky guy Even though my shoes have broken I can't deny my toes The right to fresh air And the joy of poking through It's snowing angels Hope I'll catch me Hope I'll catch me Hope I'll catch me one SONG: Candymine Dig, dig down... Dig, dig down... (Chorus) Candymine, candymine, tunnelling to honey for a girl so fine Candymine, candymine, tunnelling to honey for a girl so fine Wake up every morning when the clock strikes six Pick up my girlfriend and we pick up sticks Digging for her sweet love and I can't waste time Working down that candymine (Chorus) Finish every evening when the clock strikes five Home to my queen bee and our private hive Digging for her sweet love and I can't waste time Working down that candymine (Chorus) Dig, dig, down... (Spoken) We've got to get the candy out of the candy mine! Let's get working! (Chorus x 4) SONG: Some Lovely (My Brown Guitar) In my heart, in my heart You want some lovely, I got some lovely I've got some lovely in my head, in my head Where the lions, wear the right eye, where the jems (?) roar, there be lovely You want some lovely, I got some lovely In my bed, in my bed Where the ocean wears the shore down Where's the on switch? There be lovely laying waiting naked for you (Chorus) We can play every day We can play at being lovers We can play every day We can play on my brown guitar (Repeat Chorus) You want some lovely, I got some lovely In my yard, in my yard There be inchworm, there be footlong There be yardstick stir some lovely Laying waiting naked for you You want some lovely, I got some lovely In my field, in my field There be green grass, there be big sky There be blue birds come and nest there (Chorus X 2) You want some lovely, I got some lovely In my heart, in my heart for you *------------------------------------------------------------------------ So how is it? Great! Prince of Orange (2'55"): Strong guitar lead in, interspersed with keyboards. Reminds me musically and thematically of "Jason and the Argonauts." Minimalist electronic piano solo over the bridge. Ends in striking sobs from Andy. If someone could elaborate on the Prince of Orange reference, that would be interesting. It's Snowing Angels (3'20"): "Guest appearance by The Dukes of Stratosphear"-- from the "Windowbox" liner notes. An utterly charming bit of Dukes' silliness. Calliope keyboards, goofy whistling, a lazy day song. Candymine (2'29"): A bit of lacivious innuendo from Mr. Partridge. From the Hello letter accompanying the EP: "An excellent effort from one of the biggest talents around, XTC's unstoppable songsmith goes "Hello" with four brand new selections including 2 great songs from the unreleased 'Bubble Gum Album.'" I'd have to imagine that they're counting "It's Snowing Angels" as the other "bubble gum" entry. Some Lovely (My Brown Guitar) (3'58"): A beautiful ballad, full of rich harmonizing. Dave
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jan 95 22:55:30 EST From: Melissa Reaves <MREAVES@KENTVM.KENT.EDU> Subject: The Dukes Hey Chalkhillians!! Glad to see everyone back from break or vacation or whatever. I just love finding Chalkhills in my mailbox. Anyway, I was just listening to the Dukes tonight & a coupla thoughts crossed my brain. First a question: How did all of y'all first discover that the Dukes = XTC? The game was spoiled for me because the record store at the mall put an XTC sticker on 25 O'Clock right off. When I called the radio station (WOXY--they still cool?) to request one of the songs, they said"how did you know it was them?" So tell me, how long did it take you to figure it out or was it obvious from the start? Unfortunately I only have Psonic Psunspot b/c the Chips combo isn't available on cassette & I never bought any of it at the time. (silly girl) I wouldn't have guessed from the first couple on there. I no longer have any memory of 25 O'Clock. Anyway, they're among my favorite XTC. In particular the bubble bit in the middle of Braniac's Daughter never fails to raise a chuckle & sometimes gets a LOL from me. And I love Pale & Precious. Especially after I read the Biography, as I never caught on my own that it was supposed to be a Beach Boys take-off. Well Duuuuuhhh! Dave said in the book that P & P was too good to be wasted on the Dukes. Andy apparently agreed to some extent because he recycled at least 1 line in Holly up on Poppy (which song makes no sense until you know who Holly is). She takes the stars out of the sky and lights the sun with her bright eyes (or something like that). Another highlight: The Affiliated. So have a Stratosphearic day, everyone! He saw the light before he finished his pint. --Melissa
------------------------------ From: Andisheh Nouraee <scotsman@wam.umd.edu> Date: Tue, 17 Jan 1995 00:49:49 -0500 Subject: Question about O&L radio tour and more Dear Chalkhillians, Would somebody please rate the following compact discs for performance AND sound quality. I would like to know which of the three I should buy: -Acoustic Tales 87-89-, -K Rocking in Pasadena-, and -Kings For A Day-. In Chalkhills 404, Jason M. Phelan wrote: >>I wish someone would tell me or could tell me what the quickest way >>to get -Drums and Wireless- would be. Compact Disc Connection (telnet cdconnection.com) and CD Now (telnet cdnow.com) both offer it. I bought it from Compact Disc Connection for about $15 plus shipping. It arrived in two weeks. You can get it quicker by paying $7 extra for UPS blue label shipping. If you do not have telnet access, just e-mail me and I can get you more info. I have never bought anything from CD Now, but they offer all CDs that are in stock within a week. Does anyone know where I can get some XTC videos on VHS or Beta? (Yes, I still have a Beta!) Please e-mail me privately.
------------------------------ From: Mark Colan <Mark_Colan.LOTUS@crd.lotus.com> Date: 17 Jan 95 11:22:32 ES Subject: For Sale: Drums and Wireless CD (new) I ordered two copies of the new import "Drums and Wireless" CD via mail order, one for myself and one as a gift for a friend. Later I decided on a different gift, so I have one copy available for sale. (Of course, I'm keeping MY copy: it's great). Though not shrink-wrapped (it came that way), it has never been played. I paid $17.95. I'll sell it for $20 postpaid (the $2 is for postage). Sorry, USA only. Mark Colan mcolan@crd.lotus.com
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jan 95 11:13 EST From: Jeffrey Langr <0005392548@mcimail.com> Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #404 From: Fred_M_Hamilton@cup.portal.com: FMH>>That's what *I* think. XTC should sign with Dischord and I'll be FMH>>dammed if they don't turn a healthy profit selling CDs at $7.99 FMH>>postage paid. If XTC signs with Dischord then I hope they also bring back Marginal Man... From: Aaron Pastula <apastula@pepperdine.edu> AP>>Finally, as to their future popularity...most popular modern music sucks AP>>because the people who write it have no imagination (can you say, Green AP>>Day?), and the people who buy it have no attention span. XTC is AP>>complicated stuff, and it takes more than half a brain to enjoy and AP>>appreciate it. It's useless to try and win them over on the masses, AP>>because in order to do that they would have to sacrifice their amazing AP>>ability as musicians--NO producer is going to make them stars, AP>>who it is. Mainstream popularity will only happen for XTC when the AP>>public is ready for them, not when they are ready to meet the public. AP>>If the kids don't want to hear it, fuck 'em. I think that's Andy's idea; AP>>as an artist he sticks to what he feels and what he believes, and I respect AP>>him for that. Yeah, it sucks that they have to starve, but maybe a new AP>>label will increase the cash flow...who knows, getting dropped may be AP>>the best thing that's happened to them. I don't know of any band who ever made it big that didn't tour (B**tles made it before they stopped)... If XTC is not going to tour normally then they need to at least keep doing the radio tours with each album. Unfortunately, they would also need to expend the effort to make watchable videos. And, it's not a question of complicated or not, there are plenty of acts doing quite well who are not necessarily as simple as Green Day. For example, REM, who personally I hate, but I know some people think they're geniuses. Tori Amos and Liz Phair do quite well in the too smart tortured girlfriend singer role. XTC currently has an image of an arty type band with little flash that appeals to the smart ass college crowd -- "XTC is too smart for their own good" goes the quote in many many articles I've read on them. It doesn't help for XTC listeners to have a superior attitude (kind of like OS/2 vs. Windoze bigots). The public is not as stupid as you think. Jeff
------------------------------ Date: 17 Jan 1995 12:53:57 -0500 From: "Russell Shaddox" <Russell_Shaddox@quickmail.cis.yale.edu> Subject: New member- Russell Shaddox My name is Russell Shaddox, and I am a new Chalkhills subscriber. I am an editor and graphic designer at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut USA. First contact with XTC: 1980, when I heard "Towers of London" on the radio. Instant fandom. Favorite album: Black Sea. Favorite Andy songs: "Roads Girdle the Globe," "Season Cycle." Favorite Colin songs: "King for a Day," "Grass." Other favorite bands: dB's, Mould/Sugar/Husker Du, old Genesis and other old theatro-art rock that everyone else hates now. Also Horslips. If you have Horslips info, etc., please contact me. Nice to meet you all. Russell
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Jan 1995 16:02:06 +0700 From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James Dignan) Subject: label thoughts So the next question is, what label would we like to see XTC go to? Personally, I think if you're looking for a label that lets their arists make intelligent, interesting "alternative-pop" (to create an ugly new category), without necessarily expecting a hit single and a new album for the christmas market, then you're probably looking at the likes of either Ryko or Go!Discs. Failing that - a long shot, I know, but - both Joe Jackson and Robyn Hitchcock fall into this "no-hit alternative-pop" (yecch, what a handle...) category, and they're both on A&M... James Dignan, Department of Psychology, University of Otago. Ya zhivu v' 50 Norfolk St., St. Clair, Dunedin, New Zealand pixelphone james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz / steam megaphone NZ 03-455-7807 * You talk to me as if from a distance * and I reply with impressions chosen from another time, time, time, * from another time (Brian Eno)
------------------------------
From: SPE9237@ACFcluster.NYU.EDU
Date: Wed, 18 Jan 1995 19:30:39 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Van Dyke Parks, producer?
Dear Dukeheads-
Someone posted a rumor that Van Dyke Parks might produce the next
XTC album. VERY interesting. It makes sense, but I wonder if it would
bring out the best or the worst in the band.
Perhaps that's because I can't decide what I think of Van Dyke Parks.
He was best known in the sixties (even then he was an underground guy) for
contributing a bunch of pretentious lyrics to some very "arty" Baech Boys
songs (Heroes & Villains & Surf's up, especially). He also had a hand in some
of the most baroque, avant-garde record production of the day, often with
Larry Waronker, who is now something like the president or Warner Bros Records
unless he went ahead on his threat to quit. Now Larry Waronker--HE's the
guy who should produce the next XTC album. VDP & LW produced the Mojo Men's
"Sit Down I Think I Love You", which is on Lenny Kaye's "Nuggets" album.
That song and everything else I've heard by them as a production team
has lots of wild arrangements of mandolins, bass harmonicas, accordians,
and marching bands coming in at weird intervals. It's all very "Post-Pet
Sounds". Some other places to look for this stuff are Van Dyke Parks'
pretentious-but-so-weird-it-may-be-interesting "Song Cycle" album, the Everly
Bros' "Roots" album (Really Great! Check out "You Done Me Wrong"), any
late 60's Warner Bros' sampler, early Randy Newman, Biff Rose's song "Ain't
No Great Day" (w/ Van Dyke Parks on Moog). This is all stuff from around 1968.
None of it rocks out much; it's more like chamber psychedelia. So
while this fits in w/ Andy's description of the band's direction, I fear
they'll sound even less like a band than they have on the past 2 or 3 albums.
I also fear that the sound will be even more murked up than usual. On the
other hand, it might be more interesting murk than recently (IMHO).
So, I guess we'll have to see.....
--Steve Espinola SPE9237@acfcluster.nyu.edu
------------------------------ From: John C Steffes <steffes@csd4.csd.uwm.edu> Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #404 Date: Wed, 18 Jan 1995 20:25:50 -0600 (CST) Heyho All! A couple of items I'd like to sink my two bits into: 1) Bash 'n Pop doing "Another Satellite." Unless I'm mistaken, what you heard about was their song called "Satellite," which was written by Tommy Stinson, their leader and also former member of the Replacements. Tommy did this song with the Replacements, it being released on a E.P. promo-only C.D. called, "Don't Buy or Sell, It's Crap." Sadly, it's not the same song as we're all familiar with, although it's an okay song for the Replacements vein of tunes. I suppose, though, that it's always possible that Bash 'n Pop does XTC's "Another Satellite" live, but I'd expect one of my friends into that band to have hung that gloating tidbit over my head long ago. 2) While we're all waiting with trepidation to see whether the band is able to put out another album, why aren't we all networking to see them picked up by another label? My vote here is for Rykodisc, specifically for the case of Bob Mould. As some of you may know, he put out two albums on some big major label (Warner Brothers perhaps?) before he was given the boot. He then goes on to create the band Sugar and they're enjoying enormous success on Rykodisc with their two albums and e.p. I'm sure Mr. Mould is laughing at his ex-label (whoever they were) now. And both Richard Thompson and Elvis Costello (to name the only two I can think of) got a wonderful kick- start to their careers when their catalogs were beautifully reissued by Rykodisc. Finally, the label got an excellent write-up in "Musician" magazine some time last year. This label seems to give a damn about the musicians they represent, and the albums turned out by some of its new artist are the best they've ever made. Okay, so who out there happens to be good friends with the president of Rykodisc? 3) Whatever album XTC puts out, I'm sure it will be a good one. Drummer or no drummer, XTC writes great songs and is always pushing the envelope of what is acceptable to their listeners. That's the trademark of a good band. Peace. John in Milwaukee
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Jan 95 14:00 EST From: Gustavo Machado <MACHADO+aMSLATLANTA%DMB&B@mcimail.com> Subject: Oh Joy Got my first "Chalkhills." What a delight! You see, being an XTC fan is like belonging to a secret order; so, whenever you find other "members," there's great relief and tranquility. You're no longer an outcast, listening to a group that will matter over all these alterna-boobs of today. Notes at random: 1) Listened to "Golden Cleaners" and found it very good (although not as wonderful as "The Greatest Living..."). Particularly delightful is "Song for Syd Barrett," with its rinky-dinky construction and great riff. Also, Newell's liner notes are very funny. 2) Does anybody from the Atlanta area know where to get "Drumsticks and Wires?" Got kind of disappointed recently by purchasing Vol. 1 of the O&L demos, thinking that it was that other CD. Is is worthy of our hard-earned bucks? I'm looking for a good-sounding '89 radio show. 3) How does "The Little Express" keep on going? Who funds it? Until now, it's been THE source of great XTC stuff... 4) So strange to hear The Crash Test Dummies doing "Pumpkinhead." Why not the men themselves? Contractual trouble, I suppose... Anyway, better that than nothing. 5) Isn't it depressing to find so many copies of O&L and Nonsuch in the used CD racks? Well, there's also gobs of R.E.M.'s great records, like Out Of Time and even Automatic For The People, a true masterpiece (on the Skylarking level). Sometimes I'd like to buy them all and give (or sell, you put the word) them to my friends. 6) Colin Moulding is the best McCartney-style bass player ever. Agree 97% with Bob Sherwood on his choices for best Colin bass work and songs, though I'd include his bass and production for Sam Phillips's "Baby I Can't Please You" there too. Brilliant. The 3% of disagreement comes from his thrashing of "Bungalow." C'mon Bob! Its general cheesyness is alsolutely intended! Even after that, the production is haunting, serene, filled with nice hooks... Flame at will!! ;-) 7) Maybe a new XTC album will make the news this time. The record company change, the resurgence of a pop sensibility, and the hidden yearning many journalists out there have for the group might bring actual benefits this time... then again, I thought the same thing three years ago (Gosh, it's been three already!). OK folks... keep the red brick dream alive... --Gustavo gmachado@netcom.com
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #405 *****************************
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19 January 1995 / Feedback