Chalkhills Digest Volume 1, Issue 449
Date: Thursday, 22 June 1995
Chalkhills Digest, Number 449
Thursday, 22 June 1995
Today's Topics:
Look Now!
questions for you
On my way to seagulls screaming...
Susan Revolving
logical arguments
all things considered
Re: Chalkhills Digest #448
re: the Grateful you know who's
Various debris
Re: Best solo? / Time for intolerance
One for the discog...
Barry's Weapon
Next album will be named...
Jennifer Trynin
Re: Holly Up On Poppy
Mummer
PPH
As reported in ICE magazine...
Video Tree Update
The Little Express
Young Cleopatra Lyrics
More Wasted Bandwidth
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 17 Jun 1995 09:20:41 -0400 (EDT) From: glancaster@mecn.mass.edu Subject: Look Now! Awright, who finally bought the $75 copy of Look Now at HMV, Boston? Fess up! And greetings to Quincy.
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 17 Jun 1995 22:59:47 -0500 (CDT) From: "my world is spinning..." <LEACH@AC.GRIN.EDU> (Arlo B Leach) Subject: questions for you hey there- it was just a -coincidence- that i mentioned the beatles (in passing) in my pseudo-introductory post a few days ago. if i had known about their prevalence here lately -- yikes! -- i would have avoided them completely. meanwhile, to atone for my sin, i thought i'd ask a few questions and try to take your mind off...you know who. ONE: so, XTC announces a one-time-only concert appearance in your hometown, but the catch is, they will only play one song. and you get to choose the song. so what would it be? don't just say your favorite, because "wrapped in grey" might not bring the best out of our boys on the stage. i think i'd have to choose an earlier, more frenetic song -- "helicopter," or "extrovert." by the way, those of you who were lucky enough to have seen them in concert, i'd be interested to hear which songs you think came across well in a live setting. TWO: do you know what your favorite XTC album art is? i get a kick out of the whole train theme on -big express-, although the photos seem to have been done in a rush -- unconvincing, dorky facial expressions.... but perhaps you prefer the wittiness of -Go2-, the simplicity of -english settlement-, the elegance of -skylarking- ... the sadism of the -dear god- CDV? and i'm talking about the whole package, here, not just the cover. hmm, how about the retro -oranges and lemons- look, which fits the music so well -- both of them being, as andy describes it, "pretty damn fluorescent"? it's pretty beatlesque, too -- oh, i'm just teasing! anyway -- live songs, album art. i'd be interested to hear what you think. have a nice day, -arlo
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 18 Jun 95 14:47:17 EDT From: "Gene (sp00n) Yoon" <ST004422@BROWNVM.BROWN.EDU> Subject: On my way to seagulls screaming... Summer is here and I'll soon be at the beach, so to put me in the mood I listened to the first half of the Big Express. At the end of Wake Up, listening to the really cool drum part I couldn't help noticing a similarity to the percussion-heavy ending of Burning Down the House by Talking Heads--a kind of hard-hitting syncopated rhythm with atmospheric synth noises in the background. The TH song was '83, the Colin Moulding song '84; maybe an influence? I would think that the long-time association between the two bands (they toured together both in UK and America and have Lillywhite as a common producer) would lead to mutual respect and perhaps some "borrowing" of sounds. What do other Talkhing Headsophiles think? (Anything for a little varitey from all the Beatles postings.) Speaking of Talking Heads, I visited the family fun web site of David Franson (http://www.execpc.com/~dfranson/nonsvch.html), whose other fave group appears to be TH. I couldn't quite bring myself to down- load the Nonsuch images, since I prefer this sort of art project with crayons, as the playskool gods intended. Nice idea, though. What's this talk of "the end of Chalkhills imminent"?!!! While I could somewhat relate to Patty's list of things she hates about Chalkhills, I was in much stronger concurrence with her list of things she loves about us. So, please, John, don't even *suggest* there's an end imminent!!! Gene p.s. Holly Shea, try not to take every post on this list literally, as there seems to be a rampant plague of humor-by-sarcasm going around all over the Internet, with no cure in sight. But I must say that your humble sincerity is very refreshing in these Cynical Days.
------------------------------ From: ZITTEL@aol.com Date: Sun, 18 Jun 1995 19:33:50 -0400 Subject: Susan Revolving If anyone out there has the demo tape with the song Susan Revolving (a demo Andy did for the Dukes Of Stratospear), I was trying to make out the lyrics and was having trouble with the last line. If anyone can figure out what he is saying please let me know. I came up with: Susan revolving Down there by the ceiling Perculiar feeling High above the ground Susan revolving Up there every morning No four minute warning Prepares you for the sound And she's ever going round Ever turning round and round Always high below the ground Susan Revolving Up there without warning The whole world is fawning ??????????????????? I am also looking for a copy (a tape of will do) of the Hiroyasu Yaguchi CD Gastromic that Andy played on. Any help would be appreciated.
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Jun 95 09:02 EST From: Jeffrey Langr <0005392548@mcimail.com> Subject: logical arguments from "Amanion": A>Get with it, Jeffrey, these guys are gifted songwriters and A>musicians, not just lyricists. That's one of the reasons so many A>musicians dig 'em. Thanks for helping me "get with it", but you still misunderstood my point; it's not the music, it's not the cutesy lyrics, it's how you put 'em together and make something worth listening to. Just like intellectual lyrics do not a good song make, nor does good musicianship. Who cares if "musicians dig 'em"? Also I noted your list of songs only included one from O&L and none from nonesensesuch. I think all the songs you listed are great, excellent songs... from Holly: H>I hope you're not saying that the Offspring are better than XTC, because if H>you are, you need help, as there is something VERY wrong inside your head. H>the offspring suck.. (my opinion) .. they could never do better than XTC. You have made a very logical argument! "the offspring suck"! Wow, I'm overwhelmed by the intelligence of that statement. In fact, I'll probably never listen to the Offspring again, since I now feel so bad about listening to them. Regards, Jeff L. PS - I'm not saying the Offspring are better than XTC, but I'd listen to Smash anyday over Nonesensesuch. At least the Offspring has put out something worth listening to in the past 5 years, and at least they're singing about something that's relevant to today's youth. It's rock & roll, folks! Anyway, my point as to how some XTC fanatics are a bit elitist (reminds me of the current U.S. administration) was pretty much proven out by the responses I got. Thanks for the bile!
------------------------------ Date: 19 Jun 1995 10:51:18 -0500 From: "Ken Salaets" <ksalaets@itic.nw.dc.us> Subject: all things considered Maybe just everso maybe we all would limit our lightbeams on the boys from swindle [sic] if they would ever put out something new to chaw on. In the interim, we are left to tread water and grasp at whatever floats this way, whether it be the Beatles, Fripp, the Crateful Dread or whathaveyou. Forums such as this are known for smoking rehash and the like when there's nothing new to plug the pipe. As for me, I don't mind getting to climb the Hill twice a week, regardless of the foci. I can use the exercise to keep my mind off the dreadful day livings that this job like mine proffers, and you sure can't beat the price...
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 19 Jun 1995 11:18:57 -0400 (EDT)
From: John Lorch <lorch@umbc.edu>
Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #448
On Fri, 16 Jun 1995 <owner-chalkhills@chalkhills.org> wrote:
> From: Todd Bernhardt <73364.1601@compuserve.com>
> I feel compelled to defend Fripp ... but just a bit. He
> *would* be wrong for the band, because he's as much of a control freak as
> Terrible Todd (and would thus clash with our other beloved control freak,
> Mr. P), but he has produced some good-sounding albums -- The Roches and
> Daryl Hall come immediately to mind. Peter Gabriel never should have picked
> Fripp as producer for PGII, because Fripp has his own, rather sparse sound,
> and judging by later PG forays, that sound is inappropriate for PG.
Actually, I'm not sure that Fripp is as much of a control freak
as he's made out to be, and the production techniques he used with the
Roches and Daryl Hall, I think, would be pretty interesting when used
with XTC. I read an interview with Trey Gunn, former student of Fripp's
and his collaborator on a number of projects, in which he stated that
Fripp is more of a "live in the studio" type of person. He described the
album that Fripp and David Sylvian did together (First Day), and how
Sylvian was the control freak, agonizing over every single detail, while
Fripp much preferred to come in, play it and be done with it.
I think Fripp's "audio verite" production style, which he used to
great effect on the first Roche's album, would be very interesting with
XTC (listen to "the Hammond Song" from that album - great production, plus
one of the best guitar solos of all time. I can hear it even when they
sing live and the guitar isn't there, it's just such a natural part of the
song). Nice, clear sound, very little clutter or excess. His philosophy
is to have the production interfere as little as possible with the music,
quite unlike a lot of other producers, such as Todd. I like PGII as well,
and don't really think of it as inappropriate for Gabriel at all. Just
because he went to a different style is not necessarily an indictment of
that album.
John Lorch lorch@umbc.edu
International Student Advisor phone 410-455-2624
International Education Services, University of Maryland Baltimore County
------------------------------ From: J Ross MacKay <ross@drumz.grdl.noaa.gov> Subject: re: the Grateful you know who's Date: Mon, 19 Jun 95 13:25:30 EDT Wow, where did all this hostility come from? > From: Mike <hotspur@mcs.com> > I was also pissed off by a friend that made this comparison: > "XTC does to studio music what the Grateful Dead do to live music" > because I can't stand the Dead. I see what he was trying to > get at, but the comparison made me shiver. Are there any Dead > Heads on this list? Just curious.... =) > -------------- > From: Todd Bernhardt <73364.1601@compuserve.com> > Regarding the "XTC does to studio music what the Grateful Dead do to live > music" thang -- I'm glad you understood what your friend was getting at, > because I'm completely baffled by it (Hey, do you know what one Deadhead > said to the other when they ran out of pot? "Whoa! This band SUCKS!!") > -------------- > From: AMANION@rex.mnsmc.edu > OK. I put up with it when we started ranting about the Beatles ad > nausium...but the GRATEFUL DEAD!!! The Grateful Dead do for live > music what glue factories do for horses. I enjoy dialogue on XTC's > roots as much as anyone but I think we've been strolling down sixties > lane just a bit too long. Yes Mike, there IS a Dead Head on this list. The comment made by your friend word for word expresses my feeling of passion for both bands. I've been a fan of the Dead since first seeing them in concert in 1970, and "discovered" XTC when I heard _Melt The Guns_ on a midnight radio show in 1980. It is a bit frustrating to me that I have NEVER been able to convince a Dead Head of XTC's pop genious, or successfully open the ears of a Chalkhillian to the wonderful improvisational spirit of the Grateful Dead. I do not understand why, but there seem to be very strong "you either love 'em or hate 'em" sentiments in both camps. I must say that the Dead Heads I have exposed to XTC have never responded with the hostility shown above, and it disappoints me that these fans of XTC are not more open minded. After all, there are no absolutes in music appreciation, and our personal tastes are largely driven by cultural forces. My only guess is that the Dead are an easy target due to the current popular stereotype that they are a hapless relic of the 60's. A misconception unfortunately supported by the ridiculous circus of Hippie Wannabes which show up in large numbers at their concerts. I have no intention of fueling a flame war with this response - to each his own. Both XTC and the Dead have given me musical pleasures beyond measure, and I will continue to listen and enjoy...
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Jun 95 15:15:54 EDT From: Matt Hiner <R2MCH1@VM1.CC.UAKRON.EDU> Subject: Various debris First, a serious question. Has "Drums and Wireless" been released on a large scale? No record store in the Akron vacinity seems to have this album. Also, has it been released on vinyl, or just CD and cass.? Any info would be appreciated. Second, I have solved a problem. The next XTC album (may the gods grant its quick arrival) will be produced by George Martin and Richard Starkey will become the new permanent drummer for the band. p.s. Thanks to Todd for agreeing with my assesment that "Nonsvch" was the best post-Terry LP. You appear to be the only one.
------------------------------ From: 7IHd <ee92pmh@brunel.ac.uk> Subject: Re: Best solo? / Time for intolerance Date: Mon, 19 Jun 1995 22:54:05 +0100 (BST) Two things... # From: john%elsouth@ncren.net # Subject: Best solo? # # So what's the best solo project that the XTC members have been involved # in? I've seen the most positive press about AP and Harold Budd (Melman). Is # this an astute grasp of the sketchy data I'm presented with, or what? My personal vote goes to the first two Barry Andrews solo singles, i.e. "Town and Country" (if you like "Super-Tuff" you'll like it) and "Rossmore Road" the first time around, with the completely zany "Win A Night Out With A Well Known Paranoiac" on the flip side. Undoubtedly one of the funniest songs ever made... (IMHO of course). # From: Ayanna Gaines <AYANNA@BROWNVM.BROWN.EDU> # Subject: time for intolerance # # to echo the sentiments of those who cry out, "hey, this is an xtc list, and # i'm tired of reading about x,y,z": ya know, i agree. i joined this list to # hear about xtc, and all i get is band- width wasted on the kinks, the beach # boys, some fripp character (who should per chance get his own list, eh?), <snip> Yes, BUT: XTC started out with Barry Andrews on Keyboards, who then left and worked with Robert Fripp for a bit, who has often worked with Brian Eno, who regularly produced Talking Heads, who included Jerry Harrison, who produced Crash Test Dummies, who covered XTC. So there! # -- ayanna, who thinks sarcasm is lost on most people -- Phil, who has just realised that sarcasm is almost an anagram of mascara. _ |_)|_ *| | | )|| http://http2.brunel.ac.uk:8080/~ee92pmh/ ========
------------------------------ From: 7IHd <ee92pmh@brunel.ac.uk> Subject: One for the discog... Date: Mon, 19 Jun 1995 22:59:48 +0100 (BST) Apologies if this one is already there, but I can't see it... I spotted the following record in a second hand shop in London a couple of days ago, didn't buy it (due to price and already having all of the tracks) but here's the details: XTC - 5 SENSES (12" EP) Virgin VEP 308 (1981) (Polygram distribution - Canada) Smokeless Zone / Officer Blue / Wait Till Your Boat Goes Down / Don't Lose Your Temper / Strange Tales, Strange Tails. It's in the Music & Video Exchange near Goldhawk Road tube station, 8 UKP if anyone's in London and interested. _ |_)|_ *| | | )|| http://http2.brunel.ac.uk:8080/~ee92pmh/ ========
------------------------------ From: 7IHd <ee92pmh@brunel.ac.uk> Subject: Barry's Weapon Date: Mon, 19 Jun 1995 23:13:11 +0100 (BST) Hi, Well I finally somehow persuaded Barry Andrews (he himself) to check through my Shriekback discography with me, so we spent half an hour in this cafe in London before he had to rush off to play keyboards for some dodgy little unknown band (paid work because he needs the cash, I gather). Anyway, we didn't really finish going through the Shriekback discog, so I haven't revamped the Web page yet (will do so eventually, I promise), but a fair sprinkling of the queries were cleared up. Anyway, we chatted about this and that and talk came to XTC. There's loads more I'd like to have asked him, but about his two songs on Go2, he said that the music press at the time loved the album but really hated "My Weapon", comments like "what's this sexist cr*p" and the like, about which Barry was pretty upset because apparently they completely misunderstood the song, which was meant to be a pro-feminist anti-macho song. Does this make sense to anyone? Or have you all done this one long before I joined the list? OK I admit it I'm just name dropping, sorry. :-) But for anyone who cares to see what Shriekback (Barry's band, to the uninitiated) is doing now, which has very little to do with anything they've done previously (or anything which anyone anywhere ever has done previously, for that matter, it's a pretty original sound, all weird acoustic percussion instruments and accordians and fretless 5-string basses and digeridoos and the like) then their next gig is at the Orange (London) on 8 July. Be there... _ |_)|_ *| | | )|| http://http2.brunel.ac.uk:8080/~ee92pmh/ ========
------------------------------ From: AngryYngMn@aol.com Date: Mon, 19 Jun 1995 21:29:36 -0400 Subject: Next album will be named... Hi. I think I've been lurking for a little too long so I'd inject my $.02... I had been thinking about that thread that XTC's last couple of albums had their names mentioned in a song in the previous album. Digging slightly deeper, I found that Skylarking's last song, "Sacraficial Bonfire" opened with the words "Orange and lemon..." Yes, even though the fruits were not mentioned in plural I will accept that to be the title of the next album. OK, then on "O&L," the last song (again), "Chalkhills and Children" talks about a "nonesuch net hold[ing] me aloft..." and the next album, sure enuf, was "Nonsuch." (or Nonsv<h for those people who love Roman spelling.) So, you may ask (and so you did), what would the next album be named? Based upon my research, the name will be a word or phrase from the last song of the previous album. The last song on "Nonsuch" was...uh, is... "Books are Burning." Here are my four ideas...and maybe a reason for each one. In order within the song, 1) "I believe the printed word should be forgiven." FORGIVEN - for the bitter dispute with the record company... 2) "Wisdom hotline from the dead..." WISDOM - just because XtC is XtC. 3) "...soul fly free and naked..." NAKED - well, you know, XtC and Talking Heads got along quite famously in the late '70s...naah, scratch that one. 4) "A phoenix up from the flames." PHOENIX - maybe my favorite one - because of all the problems XtC has gone thru between the record companies, not touring, unstable percussion situations, spats within the group...XtC is able to always rise above their problems. Thus, the next album should be called Phoenix. Thanks for yr indulgence.
------------------------------ From: ZITTEL@aol.com Date: Mon, 19 Jun 1995 22:58:42 -0400 Subject: Jennifer Trynin To follow up on who ever posted the info on Dave Gregory's involvement with Jennifer Trynin: CD Jennifer Trynin- Cockamamie (Squint Records 45931-2) Dave has a short guitar solo on one song titled Everything Is Different Now. Dave does not appear on any other tracks. This CD has just been released.
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 20 Jun 1995 03:10:22 -0700 (PDT) From: Steve Johnson <steve-j@teleport.com> Subject: Re: Holly Up On Poppy According to Andy Partridge, the song is about spending time with and enjoying the presence of (your) children (specifically, HIM enjoying watching his daughter, Holly, riding her rocking horse, Poppy). I haven't read too much of this thread, but whatever's been said, it's not about taking drugs or any sexual desires.
------------------------------ From: RCroz75755@aol.com Date: Tue, 20 Jun 1995 16:36:05 -0400 Subject: Mummer I finally got hold of Mummer through my local record shop and I have a question to pose. There are quite a few tunes with a horn section and the liner notes do not have a name to credit with the arrangements. Should I assume that Dave Gregory may have contributed being that he did the string arrangements on Skylarking? Any takers? Rob Crozier
------------------------------ From: DAMIAN The Wonder Dog FOULGER <SPXDLF@cardiff.ac.uk> Date: Wed, 21 Jun 1995 10:06:07 GMT Subject: PPH Don't worry, this is not another PPH is 'X' posting. Jane Siberry is soon to release her latest album and one of the tracks is called 'Goodbye Sweet Pumpkin Head'. I wonder if this is a coincidental happenstance or if Jane S likes XTC. Does anyone know, for that matter does anyone care? Everyone keep up the good work, and please be nice to each other. :-> Dames TWD (Life is good in the greenhouse:XTC) (You told me you saw Jesus, but I could only see a tree: Amber)
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 21 Jun 1995 08:49:14 -0800 From: Michael Giammatteo <mgiammatteo@Getty.Edu> Subject: As reported in ICE magazine... ICE magazine reports: Thirsty Ear, which has split from former partner Beggars Banquet, is planning an XTC tribute for October, for which the band itself is expected to contribute a track.
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 21 Jun 1995 11:43:53 -0600 From: Erik Anderson <aa393@broadway.sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca> Subject: Video Tree Update Yes, I'm still alive. To date I have had three individuals send tapes and I estimate that I have around 2 1/2 hours of material. A good start, but I think we can do better. So I ask once again: does anyone out there have any cool xTc Videos? I mean anything: promo vids, live concerts, interviews, etc. Please respond personally if you feel you can help us all out. I'll keep everyone post as new material comes in. The release date of the XTC VIDEO COMPILATION is tentatively set for September 1, 1995. Cheers, Erik Anderson
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 21 Jun 1995 14:46:32 -0600 From: Erik Anderson <aa393@broadway.sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca> Subject: The Little Express Has anyone received a copy of TLE lately? It seems like it's been forever. Or, maybe my subscription just ran out. Who knew?
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 21 Jun 1995 16:19:25 -0500
From: Kristen Ulrich <rude@camelot.bradley.edu>
Subject: Young Cleopatra Lyrics
>From: DFerg@aol.com
>
>> Hi everyone, when I recently had a look at the FTP archive,I noticed
>> the lyrics of Young Cleopatra,one of my favourite songs,being quite
>> incomplete and partially wrong. After having listened to both the
>> Jules Verne and the outtake version for quite some time,I managed to
>> get nearly all of the words:
>
>Well, nearly-- but we are getting there! I have some changes that I feel are
>more accurate. Maybe they are, maybe not. You tell me, friends of Chalk:
And here are some more contributions, done from memory so please
excuse any gross errors:)
>> My oh my,...............,young Cleopatra-a-a-a My oh my,what a wonderful
what a sight for sore eyes
>Your school uniform looks grey on others and super on you Your yellow wooden
Hmm...I thought that it was "grey on others and silver on you"...and the
gold reference in the next line makes me lean even more towards
"silver."
>> rule,a golden sceptre to prove it's true
My experience with this song comes only from listening to Jules Verne,
but hopefully these few lines clear up the lyrics for you all as much
as the original two posts cleared them up for me....
Kristen Ulrich
rude@camelot.bradley.edu
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 22 Jun 1995 01:52:05 -0400 (EDT)
From: Derek Miner <ind00163@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu>
Subject: More Wasted Bandwidth
Just dropping a line to announce the most useless and loosely
associated XTC link I can come up with. My home page now features a
wallpaper drawn by me to (hopefully) simulate the feathery white and blue
background on the original Skylarking cover. Check it out and let me know
if it works for you, the XTC Xperts...
=Derek Miner=
http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~ind00163/
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #449 *****************************
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