Chalkhills Digest Volume 13, Issue 13
Date: Thursday, 22 March 2007
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 13, Number 13
Thursday, 22 March 2007
Topics:
thanks ...
CD club recruiting
"Monstrance" is a Monster
It ain't over till it's over
Flying Blue
Hurry! Get people to vote for XTC at www.bandmadness.net!
Toys
XTC map
Guardian newspaper XTC thread
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2007 18:11:18 -0400 From: "Danny Phipps" <phipps@schoollink.net> Subject: thanks ... Message-ID: <002d01c7674e$dc335490$dcaa0ad8@YOUR6FC9056E3D> just wanted to issue out a personal thanks to oz's own paul "insane" culnane for the warm welcome back to the xtc fold ad the re-establishment of contact. paul, you're a real peach! (so far) now, to catch up on all i've missed during my "hiatus" - so much to read, so little time!! :-/ /danny
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2007 11:59:09 -0500 From: Bill Sherlock <bdsherlock@sbcglobal.net> Subject: CD club recruiting Message-ID: <45FC1E5D.7090007@sbcglobal.net> Hi Chalkers, Several years ago inestimable 'Hillian Jamie Lowe started what became the CD of the Month Club right here on this very list. Inspired by a segment on NPR's Talk of the Nation about a tape trading club, Jamie thought he'd update it to the CD era. Charter members were recruited right here on the list (because where else would you find such a large group of people with such excellent taste in music?) and we've managed to survive for over 5 years. We've added and subtracted members over the years but the quality of the mix CDs has never suffered. Sound fun? 3 members are retiring this year and we need some new blood. Our new musical year starts in April and we'd love to have you in. What you'd have to do is simple: in your assigned month burn a CD comp and mail it out to the other members. Your other task is to sit back and await a monthly surprise for the rest of the year. Just drop me a note at bdsherlock@sbcglobal.net if you're interested. Thanks, Bill
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2007 21:44:58 -0400 From: Benjamin Gott <bgott@rectoryschool.org> Subject: "Monstrance" is a Monster Message-ID: <E718ECA0-C1DA-4B8C-B2BE-24FAC661472B@rectoryschool.org> Gang, This is my review of "Monstrance," written for kevchino.com. It speaks for itself. Be good and have fun, Ben *** Over the past few years, I have written 27 reviews for kevchino.com. In some cases, I have loved the album or DVD I have reviewed; in others, my opinion has been lukewarm. However, it has never been difficult -- even painful -- for me to review an album. Until now. A series of tracks improvised by Andy Partridge (the brains behind XTC), Barry Andrews (XTC's original keyboard player), and drummer Martyn Barker, Monstrance will be released on Partridge's vanity label, Ape House, on April 3rd. Many XTC fans the world over have been eagerly awaiting Monstrance because it reunites Partridge and Andrews, who have not played together since Andrews left XTC in 1978. Additionally, Partridge's previous instrumental collaboration, 1994's Through the Hill with Harold Budd, was quite lovely indeed. As a fan of XTC for many years now, I have stood steadfastly by Partridge's extracurricular projects. I thought the nine-volume collection of demos and song sketches, Fuzzy Warbles, was fabulous. I have enjoyed the work that he has done with and for other musicians. I think that, without question, he is one of the finest popular musical minds of the past 30 years. That having been said, I find Monstrance to be almost unlistenable. There is none of the sweetness that characterized Through the Hill -- or, indeed, any of Partridge's other instrumental compositions. The first track, "I Lovely Cosmonaut," contains almost nine-and-a-half minutes of guitar echoes and screeches. Lovely it is not. While the second track, "Winterwerk," is marginally better (in that it has a theme and a melody), it sounds as if Partridge is playing the guitar with metal fingernails. On the back of the first disc, Partridge writes, "There was no rehearsal or discussion about key, tempo or feel and no overdubbing. It just came out like this." Perhaps such a discussion would have lent these songs some focus. Perhaps overdubbing would have lent these songs some spine. I'm not asking for the sort of melodies and harmonies that came to define XTC; that wouldn't be the aim of such a project. I'm simply asking for something without the drone; without the sharp edges; without the laziness. While the playing is uniformly fine, Monstrance is no feast. It's more like a cold pancake. So what is the market for an album like Monstrance? Modern dance companies? German film majors? Serial killers? Danny Elfman? It certainly isn't fans of Andy Partridge, Barry Andrews, or Martyn Baker. It is simply too experimental -- too jagged -- to satisfy. This album would have been much easier to stomach if it had been, for example, a free download on the Ape House website or a giveaway CD for some alternative magazine. As much as it breaks my heart to say this, I don't know if I'll ever listen to Monstrance again. In a recent interview with The Onion, Partridge said this about Monstrance: "Some people will like it. I'm pretty pleased with it. I've always liked the idea of improvised music. Improvised anything. It's what conversation is." While that may be true, this was not a conversation that I relished being a part of. I hope -- dear God, I hope -- that Monstrance isn't Andy Partridge's last word. That would be a shame indeed.
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2007 12:47:51 +0000 (GMT) From: Paul Culnane <paulculnane@yahoo.co.uk> Subject: It ain't over till it's over Message-ID: <20070320124751.97521.qmail@web86905.mail.ukl.yahoo.com> Sorry if you're offended by the Kravitz Kwote... Fellow Chalkers All this is very nice, and I hope this forum doesn't wind down, because I for one sincerely hope that just because we're getting evidence from various quarters, that the entity we know and treasure as XTC may now be "defunct", let's not be too sad. Hey, couldn't you see it coming? Haven't they given their all across a good many 30 years or so? At least twelve unimpeachable studio albums and so very much more besides. And here at Chalkhills, I've found solace, succour and pleasure by meeting some of the most splendid individuals ever. Sure, I've mucked things up from time to time. SORRY. But that doesn't impede on the simple fact that we all can continue to enjoy this singularly fantastic body of musical work. It continues to move me. I just scored off eBay a mint copy of "No Thugs" seven-inch, the one with the vaudeville cover & cut-outs. Yum, can't wait till it arrives! Currently playing (hey Relphie, did you cop out here, saying it was their least popular LP?) - "Mummer". Boy G whiz, this is a holy shrine of fabbo music. "Great Fire" is just that, and "Human Alchemy" is surreally strange. And of course, "Funk Pop A Roll" testifies to this band's command of the `power-pop' domain, only perhaps eclipsed by Andy's own "Sonic Boom". Let's keep talking, and rejoice in the XTC legacy. Yours forever PAUL "When you point a finger of blame, look at your hand - there are three fingers pointing back at you" - Fiona Horne (but variously attributed to others) Paul Culnane ICE Productions Australia
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2007 15:59:24 -0700 (PDT) From: Steve C <nihilon2000@yahoo.com.au> Subject: Flying Blue Message-ID: <398028.70060.qm@web62507.mail.re1.yahoo.com> Hi, I took a trip to the UK in January. Spent four weeks with family and friends, and even got a tour of Abbey Road - a highlight indeed. I flew from Malaysia to the UK on KLM, and was rather surprised to hear KLM using a cover of "Making Plans for Nigel" as the backing music for their Flying Blue (frequent flyers) program. Apparently this is also played when you call the KLM helpdesk. my minimal and sloppy research suggests this is by NOUVELLE VAGUE (feat. Camille) . Just haven't seen it mentioned here before... Steve in Australia
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2007 01:40:55 -0400 From: "Frey,Ned" <Ned.Frey@gartner.com> Subject: Hurry! Get people to vote for XTC at www.bandmadness.net! Message-ID: <3F1656F8BE95594FACDA8E6FB620FA0E01A275DB@FINCH.ent.gartner.com> Oh the shame of it. As I write this, XTC is losing to The Dead Kennedies by 16 votes to 26! (I mean, no offense to the Dead Kennedies, but they were a punk novelty act that lasted, what a year or two? How can they prevail over the musical legacy that is XTC?) Chalkillians must get over to www.bandmadness.net and vote for our heros now. XTC is in "Bracket D," and voting in that bracket has just begun. But voting will only stay open for a few days, so people need to act quickly. Thanks! Ned Frey Senior Writer Gartner
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2007 06:58:54 +0100 From: don device <dondevice@noos.fr> Subject: Toys Message-ID: <61DFAD12-79D7-4EBB-AEDE-DF9750364388@noos.fr> Cute, coulda been even better, but who's complaining? It reminds me a bit of the XTC song 'Toys' (IF toys are quarelling amlongst themselves, what hope is there left for the world...) I'm sure Golliwog's lowered his share of rents (sorry for the references, US friends)... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwWx6MR8oQU&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fandrewsullivan%2Etheatlantic%2Ecom%2F xo, dd
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2007 23:55:18 -0500 From: "Greg Tudor" <gregtudor@fuse.net> Subject: XTC map Message-ID: <000801c76c3e$4ca2ac50$6401a8c0@comey17398db9a> As an XTC fan and avid dice roll-board game enthusiast (as in Risk), I couldn't believe it when I found this: http://landgrab.net/landgrab/maps/XtcUK/map_image.jpg To completely appreciate the map, one would have to sign up for a game to be able to access the territory names. An incredible map - and I thought that chalkhills.org may want to know about it. GT
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 23 Mar 2007 01:56:02 +0100 (CET) From: Gary Nicholson <member@snurge.fsnet.co.uk> Subject: Guardian newspaper XTC thread Message-ID: <22140981.293011174611362732.JavaMail.www@wwinf3003> Hi people, There appear to be a few XTC fans among the Guardianistas. NB - you need to register if you want to comment. Oh, and on certain threads you may find yourself being gratuitously abused. But......Care? http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?7@941.6rRibNYJxrX.7@.775e7c28/7 Love Gary
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