Chalkhills, Number 47

                  Thursday, 27 July 1989
Today's Topics:
                   Re:  Chalkhills #46
                     XTC CONVENTION!

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Date: Tue, 25 Jul 89 09:17:35 mdt
From: Michael Schoonover      <michael@hpfcma.hp.com>
Subject: Re:  Chalkhills #46

Another perspective on the production reverb (or whatever you want to
call it) on the word "act" in _The Mayor of Simpleton_.  I think the
reason XTC allowed this was because it fit the lyrics.  That is, the
reverb is phony and the lyrics are talking about being phony:

	What you see is all real I can't put on an *!~act~!*...

At first I thought the reverb was stupid until I considered what word
they were using it on.  Then, it seemed appropriate and humorous.

One of the things I enjoy so much about XTC is the way their music
matches their (superb) lyrics.  When I listen to "Scarecrow People"
the music conjurs images of scarecrows dancing around.  I get a
similar reaction to "Poor Skeleton Steps Out."

The most masterful song in this respect, IMHO, is "Garden of Earthly
Delights."  This may have been analyzed before, but since I haven't read
this newsletter for long, I'll go ahead with why I like it so much.
Please forgive me if it sounds crazy.  The song is Andy giving his
philosophy of life to a newborn baby.  The crescendo at the start of the
song is the baby being born--from the womb to the outside world.  (You
can hear a heartbeat in this first part.)  The child is delivered into a
noisy, chaotic world.  Andy tells the child to "stay and snap your
[umbelical] cord off, talk and let your mind loose [like babies do when
they're born]" and procedes to dispense his philosophy of living your
own life the way you want to so long as you don't hurt anything or
anyone else ("unless of course they ask you").  About halfway through
the song, the music becomes chaotic again (bizarre guitar solo), and
Andy starts moaning in the background and then screams, "The lights!
The lights!  The lights!"  This is the baby screaming about the awful,
bright lights in a delivery room.  The end of the song, well, I'm not
sure (maybe the babe's first nap?).  But I love it.  This song just
blows my mind.

Mike Schoonover
michael@hpfcma.HP.COM
{...!}hplabs!hpfcla!michael

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Date: Thu, 27 Jul 1989 12:02:02 PDT
From: John M. Relph <relph@presto.ig.com>
Subject: XTC CONVENTION!

		XTC Music and Friends Convention 1989

		      Saturday 16 September 1989
			    12 noon - 6 pm

  Trafford Hall Hotel, Talbot Road, Old Trafford, Manchester 16 (1/2
		    mile from Lancs Cricket Club)

 Exclusive videos of XTC live and interviews, special guests, stalls,
	  competitions, music, friends and much, much more!

			     Followed by:

			   7:30 pm - 11 pm

The Moss Trooper, Moss Lane, Timperly (5 miles from above venue, maps
		      will be issued on the day)

			  Live, live music!

 Prepare yourself for the boys in the band at the hop as fans perform
   their own favourite XTC songs with plenty of dancing thrown in!

	  Admission to both by ticket only: #12 per person.

Send SASE for application form including details of local accomodation
		    and convention competition to

			       P. Wilde
			   47 Wycombe Close
			  Manchester M31 2WD

		-------------------------------------

		     Convention Video Competition

   Here's your chance to show the directors how it should be done!
 Select your favourite XTC/Dukes track and shoot your own promotional
video for it.  The video must be in VHS format.  Send the video to the
  address below.  The best (if not all!) will be shown and judged on
     convention day.  All videos will be returned.  Best of luck!

			       Send to:
			       P. Wilde
			   47 Wycombe Close
			  Manchester M31 2WD

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The views expressed in Chalkhills
are those of the individual authors only.

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28 July 1989 / Feedback