Chalkhills Digest Volume 1, Issue 420
Date: Thursday, 16 March 1995
Chalkhills Digest, Number 420
Thursday, 16 March 1995
Today's Topics:
Re:who are the tubes?
chalkhills #418
"My Bird Performs"
Steer me, Anna
Re:Varia
All sorts of odds and ends
Re: Chalkhills Digest #419
A message from Finn-land
Cathy McGowan
De-lurking/Youth
Re: Demos CD/Videos/Favorites
Your Chalkhills Entrance Exam (compulsory)
Re: #1(2) Chalkhills Digest #418
Re: #1(2) Chalkhills Digest #418
XTC sales figures over the years
Re: Vertical Colour of Sound
Kathy McGowan
GO2 cover
Kath McGowan
Multi-coloUred tea-cosy.
hello/Kath McGowan
Fingerprintz and on
Birds, birds, birds
Helium Kidz Demos CD?
RE: Chalkhills Digest #419
Kathy McGowan
My Bird Performs/Rook
RE: My Bird Performs
Cathy McGowan
Re: Go2 Cover/"My Bird Performs"
The Tubes
Re: Chalkhills Digest #419
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While all the police cars harmonize with power drills.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: DYLee@aol.com Date: Wed, 15 Mar 1995 18:39:08 -0500 Subject: Re:who are the tubes? nrhoads@haverford.edu (Nick Rhoads) said in digest #418: >One unrelated question, on Skylarking, the liner notes says thanks >to the Tubes for loaning us their amplifiers and the Dukes of >Stratosphear for their guitars. I know who the Dukes are (obviously) >but who are the Tubes? Well, the Tubes are a 70s/80s band from San Francisco who had hits in the early 80's like She's a Beauty and Talk to Ya Later.... (remember those gems? ....probably not....) anyway, Todd Rundgren produced two of their albums and helped built their own recording studio in the SF area back in '85. For the Skylarking album Rundgren used Tubes drummer Prairie Prince and subsequently recorded the drum parts and other overdubs in the Tubes' new studio. Apparently, XTC used some of the Tubes' equipment in the studio hence the thank you. I think XTC recorded the bulk of the tracks in Rundgren's studio in NY and the did the overdubs in SF. According to Prairie Prince, Earn Enough For Us was recorded live in the studio with him on drums because the feel of the song was better recorded with a real drummer. I believe PP also stated that there were 6 or 7 songs that were recorded but were left off the record. Which ones were they? I can only think of a few..... As you can tell, Skylarking is my fav XTC album and consider it a masterpiece. Truly can't stop listening to it. But....... XTC & Rundgren should have gotten someone else to mix the album. Rundgren's mix sounds too compressed. needs more dynamics!!! daniel (DYLee@aol.com)
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Mar 1995 19:25:56 -0500 (EST) From: Valerie Jean Williams <vjw@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu> Subject: chalkhills #418 Hi everyone! I has to write because I felt I was neglecting you all. First, I need to thank whoever was responsible for publishing the possible songs for the next album....and saying it might be alot like Skylarking! What could make me more happy?! Speaking of Skylarking, someone was asking about the different versions available, and the amswer is every one imaginable. I have the cassette with Dear God, the LP with Mermaid Smiled, (both US) and I know for a fact that there is a Canadian version with both songs at the end, and there is a US-Virgin version on CD with Mermaid Smiled and another with Dear God. *My* goal is to find the single (Grass, I think) with Dear God on the B side. Next Issue: I REALLY dont think that "My Bird Performs" is about Colin's penis. I think the girlfriend thing is alot more accurate. Anyway, I think that alot of people think that too many songs refer to one of their penises. I was very amused reading about what bands XTC fans like....I like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lenny Kravitz, U2, Peter Gabriel, Nine Inch Nails, A Tribe Called Quest, Beastie Boys, Tori Amos, Violent Femmes, and much much more.... As for the cover of Go2, yes, it is an intentional screwup on the back, I have the CD and it's the same. more later Valerie =)
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Mar 95 17:05:48 PST From: "Ekrem Soylemez" <ESOYLEME@us.oracle.com> Subject: "My Bird Performs" Hello everyone, In the last episode of Chalkhills (#418) Russell Shaddox wrote: >One more thing: While I don't agree that "All You Pretty Girls" is sexist >(although it is clearly sexual), I do think that "My Bird Performs" is sexist >(or "sexually asymmetric," as academic feminists say). Regardless of whether >or not he leaves the cage door open, Colin is more or less equating his >girlfriend to a pet bird, is he not? I can definitely see your interpretation, but I personally prefer to interpret the lyrics more literally. That is, I think the song is saying that it's OK if your thing isn't Shakespeare or symphonies, and that one form of beauty can be just as inspiring as another. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." Ekrem Soylemez "Your heart is the big box of paints and others, the canvas we're dealt."
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Mar 1995 19:27:19 -0600 (CST) From: "Dolph Chaney, vox/gtr, PORT RADIUM" <ST56T@Jetson.UH.EDU> Subject: Steer me, Anna "Steer me, Anna"? I'll have to take a closer look at my lyric sheet! Before I had the CD, I always assumed that the line was: "steering, and I'm steering, and I'm steering, and I'm steering, and I'm..." This made lots of sense to me. Long drives cause some people (myself included) to hum tunes in the car's rhythm, and what could be a more natural lyric than this? But, if it's really "Steer me, Anna", then I'll have to go and have a lie-down! Oh, well... Take care, all! Dolph Chaney st56t@jetson.uh.edu
------------------------------ From: BBenoit@aol.com Date: Wed, 15 Mar 1995 20:40:58 -0500 Subject: Re:Varia I just subscribed to this and it's great. There is a CD with "Mermaid Smiled" on it.The Canadian version has the original Skylarking track order on it with "Dear God" at the end as a bonus track. Has anyone noticed that the last couple of albums have the next album's title in the lyrics? Skylarking's "Ballet for a Rainy Day" starts with "Orange and Lemon raincoats...".and Orange and Lemon's "Chalkhills and Children" says "..some Nonesuch net holds me aloft". Coincidence? What are these demo CDs and where can I buy them? Help!!! "and I'm told there's no more coal for the older engines"
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Mar 1995 15:15:39 +1200 From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James) Subject: All sorts of odds and ends >Subject: are they still records? I get the point, but I think "albums" covers it better. >What's the Sally Army that wakes everyone up in their Sunday >marchround in Smalltown? The salvation army >What's a "multi-colored tea-cosy"? I'm Dying to know. In the UK, tea is made not in the cup but in teapots. To keep a teapot from going cold, a fabric cover (tea-cosy) is placed over it. Very much dated now, and therefore associated with old people. >Who or what are Kath McGowan and Lord Sutch (it!) in She's So >Square? This is probably more of a generational ignorance than a >cross-Atlantic one. Screaming Lord Sutch was a peculiar pop star of the 60s, who later formed his own loony-fringe political party (The Monster Raving Loony Party, I think) >From: "Russell Shaddox" <Russell_Shaddox@quickmail.cis.yale.edu> >(2) For some reason, I always associate Andy's "steer me, Anna" with Brian >Eno's "Anna with her feelers moving round, round, round, is sharpening her >needles on the wheel" in "Kurt's Rejoinder." Don't ask me why I make this >association. At any rate, an investigation of "Anna" as it relates to Kurt >Schwitters or Dadaism in general might shed more light on the figure/symbol of >Anna. Or maybe it's just the name of Kurt's girlfriend or pet insect or >something. This I can probably look up. With a sig like mine, are you surprised? Actually, combining Russell's reference to the grandmother of Christ and Patty's comments about it sounding like a prayer to a patron saint make for interesting reading... > And I particularly like the line "I think about your warm white > sheets unfolding". It's a double entendre on "sheets". In the first Yes this is a goody. Reminds me of the similar (but much older) double entendre in Statue of Liberty (from memory "In my dreams I climb your skirt"). Considering that visitors to the tower do just that... --- A thought for today. The sudden turn of XTCs lyrics to things English came with Black Sea. Considering the lyrics of Living Through Another Cuba, could the various cold war crises of that time have triggered thoughts in Andy of longing for the times when being English meant something? 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: Louis Barfe <plc005@cent1.lancs.ac.uk> Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #419 Date: Thu, 16 Mar 1995 02:14:50 +0000 (GMT) Cathy MacGowan was the presenter of the 1960s British pop programme 'Ready Steady Go!'. At 21, I've only ever seen reruns, but its impact was supposedly great. Hence, it's a bit of a legend on this side of the ditch.
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Mar 1995 15:48:27 +1200 From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James) Subject: A message from Finn-land Chalkhillers wanting to experiment with listening to Split Enz (as has recently been suggested, should probably first try "True Colours" - their most accessible, or either "Time and Tide", with its very XTCish themes (anyone remember the single "Six Months in a Leaky Boat"?) or the album known in some countries as "Waiata" and in others as "Corroboree" (these being respectively the Maori and (gumatj?) Aborigine words for "song and dance celebration". Waiata is pronounced why-ART-er). "Dizrythmia" and "Frenzy" are also good, but quirkier. As for Crowded House, yes, Together Alone is a real beauty. 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)
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 15 Mar 95 21:16:19 CST
From: Margaret Quinn <maq1@midway.uchicago.edu>
Subject: Cathy McGowan
For all still stumped by the reference to Cath McGowan in the song
"She's So Square", Ms. McGowan was the (at the time) ultra-hip host of
a pop music program in the UK called Ready, Steady, Go! It was
apparently trendier than Top of the Pops was during its run from 1963
to 1967 (approx.). The girl that Andy describes in the song could have
been McGowan herself. Certainly someone who was as much in love with
60's pop music as Andy was probably a devoted fan of the show.
Marg.
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Mar 1995 23:32:33 -0500 (EST) From: SPORTO <wood0910@mach1.wlu.ca> Subject: De-lurking/Youth Cheers fellow Chalkhillians, I've been lurking for too long here so I decided to pipe up and reveal the identity of another XTC addict. The name's Gord Wood (Sporto in the address), and I go to school at Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario, Canada. Unlike most of you, I didn't discover XTC until seeing "Mayor of Simpleton" in '89 on Muchmusic. Like most of you, I soon bought every XTC album I could get my hands on. Its so good to see so many kindred admirers discussing the greatest band in existence. I swear, in six years of loyal devotion, I can count on one hand the number of people I have personally met who are aware of our boys. To answer, I hope, sp00n's question, _Youth_, the producer of Crowded House's "Together Alone" (I agree, great album), is a member of the Irish (95% sure) hardcore/alternative band Therapy?. Keep up with the great dialogue folks, Sporto # Sporto "All this discussion, though politically # # 3rd yr Biznob & Chooch correct, # # Wilfrid Laurier U. Is dead beyond destruction - though it # # Waterloo, Ontario leaves me quite erect." # # wood0910@mach1.wlu.ca 'White, Discussion' - LIVE #
------------------------------ From: WeltonB@aol.com Date: Thu, 16 Mar 1995 00:33:13 -0500 Subject: Re: Demos CD/Videos/Favorites I have also been teased and intrigued by references to these Demo CDs. Are they like Jules Verne's Sketchbook and the Bull with the Golden Guts? Anyone know if they are available in the states? Preferably Massachusetts! Also, for anyone interested in obtaining so-so copies of videos, I got some copies a few years ago from some "Little Express' people in the Midwest. There are copies of broadcast TV appearances, some fabulous concert footage, a documentary, and many other tidbits. Unfortunately, the transfers to American format do not always work so swell, but it is certainly of historic interest. And some of the live stuff is incredible! They were a dynamite live act! The best place to check for this stuff that I have found is in the Little Express classifieds. (Are they still around? Come to think of it, I haven't received my copy in some time!) Favorite bands/Least Favorite bands: I love all kinds of music, and dislike little that can truly be called music (although that caveat is entirely subjective, I admit). I love the Clash; Crowded House; Split Enz; Rage Against the Machine; Level 42; Earth, Wind & Fire; Ministry; Nine Inch Nails; Squeeze; Oingo Boingo; Eno's vocal stuff (i.e., Before and After, Tiger Mountain); etc. etc. Not a lot of similarities here. I also love Beethoven, Brahms, Liszt, Chopin, Ives, Ligeti, etc. etc. And has anyone out there heard Eggstone? They do a couple of XTC-reminiscent songs. They have a sound that is a conglomerate of a lot of sounds--all of which are sounds I like! Worth a listen... I do hate the Bay City Rollers. And the Archies. WeltonB@aol.com
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Mar 1995 00:41:17 -0500 (EST) From: Thomas Chao <tqc8542@is.NYU.EDU> Subject: Your Chalkhills Entrance Exam (compulsory) Here is the new Chalkhills Entrance Examination (compulsory): 1. I first heard the music of XTC: a) when "Dear God" was on the radio b) back when they first started with Barry Andrews c) inside my mother's womb d) who? 2. Which version of "English Settlement" do you own? a) the CORRECT one b) one of the other ones 3. The lyrics of the song "Pink Thing" refer to: a) a baby b) Andy Partridge's penis c) David Gilmour's penis d) a thing which is colored pink 4. The lyrics of the song "Grass" refer to: a) any of various plants that have jointed stems and bladelike leaves and are cultivated for lawns, used for pasture, or cut for hay b) marijuana c) Andy Partridge's penis d) whatever "Pink Thing" isn't about 5. When Andy Partridge uses an "extended metaphor" in the lyrics of a song, I feel: a) astonished, for I do not understand metaphor b) shock, for how can an uneducated person like myself enjoy "college" music? c) shame, for Andy's greatness blots out the sun d) disgust, for I am a literalist and I prefer songs which require no interpretation, like "All I Wanna Do" by Sheryl Crow 6. When Andy Partridge uses esoteric "Anglo-isms" in the lyrics of a song, I feel: a) my interest being piqued b) my national pride burning at a fever pitch and then I get my Cheap Trick records out c) confusion and regret at being so ill-informed about the great wide world d) nothing, since I am from Swindon, actually 7. I will make my pilgrimage to Swindon: a) tomorrow b) next week c) I have already made my pilgrimage and have the photos to prove it d) I'm making my pilgrimage to Manchester, the boyhood home of Morrisey 8. Since I am a fan of XTC, you may assume automatically that I also enjoy: a) the music of the Beatles b) the humor of Monty Python c) the country of England d) the act of breathing 9. I hope that XTC will tour (and play their music live): a) very much b) a lot c) to the point where I cannot think about anything else d) you mean they stopped touring? 10. I would characterize my respect and admiration for Chalkhills administrator John Relph as: a) poor b) fair c) good d) excellent! (Split Enz--yay! Crowded House--boo! Tubes, Tubes, Tubes! Go2 inner sleeve--intense!) Tom X. Chao [ Do NOT send your answers to Chalkhills! -- John ]
------------------------------ From: Kry26@aol.com Date: Thu, 16 Mar 1995 01:39:28 -0500 Subject: Re: #1(2) Chalkhills Digest #418 Regarding XTC on Vinyl: You bet it was! In fact, Imyself much prefer the original issue of the album which has "Mermaid Smiled" instead of "Dear God", although you can get mermaid smiled on the compilation "Rag and Bone Buffet". I personally think Mermaid Smiled is a much better song than Dear God, anyone out there agree? Oh, by the way, can anyone tell me what the name of the chalkhill is on the cover of English Settlement and where it is located? Thanx! Steven Stealbeard kry26@aol.com
------------------------------ From: Kry26@aol.com Date: Thu, 16 Mar 1995 01:47:56 -0500 Subject: Re: #1(2) Chalkhills Digest #418 In regards to Jim Slade's list of bands XTC fans do not like, I'm afraid lumping Rush and Gabriel-era Genesis with Michael Bolton and Snoop Doggy Dog is comparable to comparing XTC to Frank Sinatra. I happen to quite like Rush, play in a Gabriel-era Genesis band and yet still absolutely love XTC! sincerely, Steven Stealbeard kry26@aol.com
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Mar 1995 00:20:14 -0700 From: rushton@primenet.com (Mark Rushton) Subject: XTC sales figures over the years Dave Gregory made an interesting comment in his posted interview in Chalkhills # 418. He said that the band is shopping around labels because Virgin doesn't seem to want to pay XTC what the band believes their proper worth should be. Which made me think......does anybody have sales figures for each of the albums? I've looked back in the archives and haven't been able to find anything about this. I'd prefer worldwide sales numbers rather than US, if possible, although anything would be nice. The Chris Twomey book "Chalkhills and Children" provides some clues, but none are definite: O&L.....nearly 500,000 copies within 6 months of release (p. 166) Psonic Psunsopt.....managed to equal the sales of 25 O'Clock (p.159) Skylarking.....about 250,000 (p.154) 25 O'Clock EP.....UK initial sales of around 50,000 (p.143) The Big Express....."sold as poorly as Mummer" (p.139) UK edition of Mummer.....20,000 (p.135) ES.....sold over 60,000 copies in UK within first 2 months of release (p.125) Drums and Wires.....around 100,000 in the States (p.117) So if anybody has some real figures (and sources), by all means, contribute them. rushton@primenet.com (Mark Rushton) URL: http://www.primenet.com/~rushton "always looking forward to tomorrow"
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 15 Mar 95 23:22:59 PST
From: John Relph <relph@presto.ig.com>
Subject: Re: Vertical Colour of Sound
Joe Turner <jdt@concorde.com> writes:
>
>Grab a copy of "Brian Eno and the Vertical Color of Sound"; Eno makes
If you're at all interested in an artist who can communicate (unlike,
say, Evan Dando in the Lemonheads in Australia video), then by all
means, read this book.
>the case quite emphatically that his lyrics are there as an
>afterthought, and that while they might sound coherent, what you get
>out of them is what YOU get out of them, because he really didn't care.
Whilst XTC's lyrics are clearly not an afterthought, perhaps this
sentiment can apply equally well nonetheless. Eno has written some
lyrics more recently with more purpose, less afterthought (tastes
great, less filling).
-- John
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Mar 95 09:54:49 GMT From: John Nicholls <nicholls@case.co.uk> Subject: Kathy McGowan Kathy McGowan was the presenter of early 60s pop programme _Ready Steady Go_ on the BBC Picture-Radio. A forerunner of today's _Top of the Pops_, having bands of the day performing in front of a studio audience who were smartly dressed and polite, any of whom could have been my parents. Absolutely brilliant, a perfect pop time-capsule. For any punk completists out there, Kathy McGowan also gets a mention in Generation X's second single, _Ready Steady Go_. (Goes off mumbling about the good old days, shaking his head, etc etc) As for Andy's use of obscure English idioms, when I first heard XTC I thought their lyrics were so specifically SWINDONIAN that I was surprised that other English listeners could relate to them. Even _Science Friction_; from the way Andy intones _fin-gerrrrs_ he seemed to revel in his (and my) West Country pronunciation. Ditto _Outside World_. Non-English listeners must be baffled in every song. ################################## nicholls@cray-communications.co.uk ####################################### Tel: (UK daytime) 0793-546383
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Mar 95 11:08 GMT From: joeo@cix.compulink.co.uk (Psion plc Joe Odukoya) Subject: GO2 cover As someone who has all the XTC albums on vinyl (yes they were all once available) I can answer that: GO2 originally came with an inner sleeve booklet and a 12" freebie called GO+. The booklet had the rest of the type, missing from the back cover, on it. You had to hold the two together in order to read the whole thing. When the albums were re-done no-one bothered to put the missing bits back onto the CD or vinyl. Hope this makes sense. By the way - with all the talk of Demo's etc. I wondered if anyone can let me know how where I can write off for an extensive list. Here in the UK it is really difficult to obtain Bootlegs and Demos - the only time I saw some XTC ones were at a record fair and I was too poor to but it! :-( Lastly, I find it really strange the amount of discussion that goes on about XTC's lyrics. I guess being English I find that all the references are fairly obvious and therefore the meanings are usually clear to me. It's a pity I don't have the time to participate on Chalkhills as much as I would like to. Bye for now.. - Joeo - ||| [Ov0] -
------------------------------
From: nrsll@westminster.ac.uk
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 1995 11:59:06 +0100
Subject: Kath McGowan
PPPiece of dull information: Kath Mc Gowan was the presenter of
"Ready, Steady Go", THE music programme of the 60s in the UK. Its
slogan was "The Weekend starts here." Every 60's band of note was on
it, repeatedly. Hence she is mentioned on "She's So Square" along
with other 60's icons like Screaming Lord Sutch and Jeff Beck.
Bye,
Phil
------------------------------ From: DAMIAN The Wonder Dog FOULGER <SPXDLF@CARDIFF.AC.UK> Date: Thu, 16 Mar 1995 12:40:43 GMT Subject: Multi-coloUred tea-cosy. I am sorry to mail about the tea-cosy but as I think that tea is the most important thing in the world I felt that I should write more than the one lines that others wrote. I like the song Dying because of the line about the multi-couloured tea-cosy. It reminds me of the times when I was young spent in my grans house. She had a multi-coloured tea-cosy knitted out of different wools. Tea-cosys are used to keep the teapot warm right up to the sixth cup you get out of it, so it's very important! Sorry - I just LOVE tea. Dames TWD P.s. Thanks for all the replies to my GO2 question. (Life is good in the greenhouse:XTC)
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 95 04:57:18
From: Russ Reynolds <RREYNOLD@ksjo.com>
Subject: hello/Kath McGowan
Time to get off my cybercouch and join the party. My introduction to
XTC was Drums & Wires, which I found somewhat interesting, but I
became more of a fan when Black Sea was released. To this day Black
Sea remains one of my all time favourite discs ("Nihilon" DOES sound
better when the furniture is dancing). Saw them in San Francisco on
the Black Sea tour. Almost met them once, but I'll save that for
another day.
Kath McGowan... Some of you older punks will remember Generation X
(The band with Billy Idol, not the media creation). They had a tune
called "Ready Steady Go"...I don't remember all the lyrics, but it was
something like "I'm not in love with (somebody-or-other)/Because I'm
in love with Kathy McGowan, when she says 'Ready Steady Go'" If I'm
not mistaken, "Ready Steady Go" was a TV dance party type show in
England back in the 60's, and I always assumed--based on the
Generation X tune--that Kathy McGowan was the host of this program.
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Mar 95 07:00:26 EST From: stacy@trc.com (Robert Stacy) Subject: Fingerprintz and on Patty Haley, after telling about the cool poster her friend spotted, effused: > Fingerprintz! Wow!!!! What a double feature. Their album > _Distinguishing Marks_ has some *great* power pop on it. Agreed! And BEAT NOIR holds a place of honor in my collection, as well. Makes a fun drivin' tape, too. --- Glad to hear you've repented, James. Go for the porridge. In the long run, it'll be easier to clean out of your ears than Whitney. And Iiiiii-ee-iiiiii-ee-iiiiii am not fooling. --- For me, the appeal of "Grass" _relies_ on that intentional double entendre. Without the leavening, tongue-in-cheek contriteness of the drug joke, the sentimentality would come dangerously close to slopping over into mawkishness. As it stands, the song maintains a nice balance with its heartfelt smartness.
------------------------------ Date: 16 Mar 1995 09:17:04 U From: "Russell Shaddox" <Russell_Shaddox@quickmail.cis.yale.edu> Subject: Birds, birds, birds Hello all -- Regarding sexism and "My Bird Performs" (or not, depending on your view), I apologize for covering a topic that, apparently, was done to death before I came aboard. Believe me, if I could have subscribed to Chalkhills any earlier, I would have! :-) Although I still hold to the minority opinion here (I hadn't even thought about the "bird" = "woman" thing) as well as *agreeing* that it can be read easily as a happy-with-my-lot song, I am quite heartened by the responses that seem to assume that Colin's longstanding marriage indicates the lack of a girlfriend. It's a refreshing change from the usual cynic's response that, hey, they're all aging rock'n'rollers with king-size libidos. As a (married) idealist, I thank you! Russell Shaddox Cherubim cheered, then she appeared ...
------------------------------ Date: 16 Mar 1995 09:34:01 -0500 From: "Wesley Wilson" <Wesley_Wilson@iegate.mitre.org> Subject: Helium Kidz Demos CD? Okay, I want one. One of those Helium Kidz demo CD bootleg things. It's pulsating, orange, throbbing, neon... I understand I can order one on-line. What's the address? Are people including their credit card no. and expiration date with their e-net request? Please send info. Thanks. TERRY HALL "HOME" CD - I have a spare one for sale. it has two songs co-written by Andy, "I Drew a Lemon" and "Moon on Your Dress." Produced by Ian Broudie; includes Les Pattison, former bass player of Echo & the Bunnymen, as part of Terry Hall's band. I'll sell for $25.00 (what it cost me; it's new, it's a German pressing, and the whole family will love it. From last couple of issues - oxo., "Bovril"...? Sounds like something cows take for headaches. My favorite Tubes' song is "What Do You Want Out of Life?" (A rubber baby doll's head, of course...) Wes
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Mar 95 13:43:01 -0500 From: "David Harris" <harris~d@glaxo.com> Subject: RE: Chalkhills Digest #419 Youth was and is once again a member of Killing Joke. He has also worked with the Shamen, the Orb, System 7. These are the only groups I can remember.
------------------------------ From: "Jim Slade" <JIMS@phl.cursci.com> Organization: The Current Science Group Date: Thu, 16 Mar 1995 11:00:20 EST5EDT Subject: Kathy McGowan I'm shocked that Chalkhills wasn't flooded with responses to the mystery of Kathy McGowan, which makes me reluctant to offer an answer that I was so sure of just minutes ago. I think she was the host of Top of the Pops or some lip-synching show in England during the swinging `60s (or was it the punk era). She's mentioned in a song from the first Generation X album, and she may be in a Buzzcocks songs too. Some "old geezer" from the UK should be able to verify this. I've always imagined her to be like the woman on the poster in the ad agency that George Harrison stumbles into in "A Hard Day's Night" - a supposed trend-setter who was actually better appreciated for camp value. I think that the Crowded House producer Youth is the bassist for Killing Joke (yuk!). He was described on EuroMTV as a "neo-hippie"? He looks like a member of Gong or The Incredible String Band - long hair, dashiki (sp?), love beads. Crowded House made reference to his unusual "vibe" in the studio - they made him out to have an Eno-esque ability to get something extra out of their performances. He also made a Rave record (??) with Paul McCartney. I forget the lame pseudonym that McCartney released the thing under.
------------------------------ From: Atkinsom@aol.com Date: Thu, 16 Mar 1995 11:16:17 -0500 Subject: My Bird Performs/Rook >One more thing: While I don't agree that "All You Pretty Girls" is >sexist (although it is clearly sexual), I do think that "My Bird >Performs" is sexist My feeling has always been that the bird in this song is a certain bird named Partridge. Yes, I know the song is addressed to a woman, but so was The Beatles "Sexy Sadie" and that was about the Maharishi. "The cage is open/but she's no desire to fly/ Cause my bird performs" In my interpretation, the cage would be a recording studio. "She's no desire to fly" refers to not wanting to leave the confines of the studio and go on tour but still wanting to make music and perform. Maybe this is a complete misinterpretation, but it certainly isn't sexist. Secondly, while pondering "Rook" recently, I was reminded of the song "The Black Crow Knows" by Robyn Hitchcock (_Element of Light_CD 1986). This song contains the line "If you want to know what the future holds/The black crow knows" giving it a similar theme to "Rook". I was wondering if there was some folklore behind crows knowing the future. Should we give up the Psychic Hotline for the Black Crow Hotline?:-) Mitch Atkinson
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Mar 95 9:05:26 PST From: "Patricia A McFadden" <pamcfadden@EFANW.NAVFAC.NAVY.MIL> Subject: RE: My Bird Performs Regarding My Bird Performs and it's sexist nature of having a caged woman...I believe it is a play on the old analogy for love that says if you love someone set them free and if they return...is this familiar now. It was originally a bird that was set free and if it returned it was yours (i.e. homing pigeons). If this is the case, it's the title that should be more offensive. But please, let's not get caught up in symantics.
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Mar 95 09:36:50 CDT From: Andrew McDonald <ALDVAM0@NUACVM.ACNS.NWU.EDU> Subject: Cathy McGowan The Cathy McGowan name-checked in "She's So Square" was the host of the British Television show "Ready, Steady, Go!" in the mid-60's--sort of that generation's Martha Quinn or Kennedy, I suppose. She's also is named in Generation X's song "Ready, Steady, Go", something like "I'm in love with Cathy McGowan..."; so I gather she must have made quite a sensation on teeange boys of the era. Andrew McDonald a-mc@nwu.edu
------------------------------ From: JMons@aol.com Date: Thu, 16 Mar 1995 13:07:49 -0500 Subject: Re: Go2 Cover/"My Bird Performs" Thanks to DAMES TWD, James, David and everyone else for setting me straight on the "oxo" matter. Regarding the back cover design of the Go2 LP: the album's inner sleeve (in early pressings) contains the words that would fit in the black wordless area, as if the sleeve were left haphazardly lying (laying? I never can keep those straight) on top of the cover during printing. Subsequent pressings of the LP use a plain white sleeve, making it impossible to figure out what happened to the back cover. As for Colin's "My Bird Performs," I always interpreted the song to be autobiographical, a statement of how Colin sees himself as different >From the masses, and how he prefers it that way. In this context "but my world shakes for me/my bird sings sweetly" would be similar to saying "hey, it works for me!" "My Bird Performs" and "The Ugly Underneath," I think, are the most powerful songs on Nonsuch. I am not at ALL fond of "The Ballad of Peter Pumkinhead." Is it me or is the first song on almost EVERY album the weakest? Jon
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 1995 12:03:53 -0600
From: mheibel@lps.esu18.k12.ne.us (Micah Heibel)
Subject: The Tubes
In response to:
The Tubes were the band that sang 'Talk to Ya Later' and 'She's a
Beauty' as well as some other fine tunes. They had/have quite a cult
following and were famous for outrageous and creative stage shows. I
can imagine Andy liking their stuff . . .
And now, for the counterpoint. I own one of their albums, called
"The Pleasure Principle" , and wouldn't listen to it now if you paid
me...but of course that's just MHO.
Micah Heibel
"My father always said laughter was the best medicine. Maybe that's
why several of us died of tuberculosis." --- Jack Handey
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Mar 1995 12:09:38 -0600 From: mheibel@lps.esu18.k12.ne.us (Micah Heibel) Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #419 > I've been meaning to put this one to the collective XTC fan-mind for > ages. I have a vinyl copy of GO2, the one with the print trying to > disuade you from buying the album and get a life. On the back is > similar print in white though some of it is missing. It's as though > someone has stuck a piece of black paper over it at a peculiar angle. > Is this normal or do I have a subnormal cover? Sorry for the second posting. My LP has the missing words on the inner sleeve, but it's a regular sleeve, not a four way unfolding thing. I don't think it's a mistake. Micah Heibel "My father always said laughter was the best medicine. Maybe that's why several of us died of tuberculosis." --- Jack Handey
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #420 *****************************
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