Chalkhills Digest, Volume 2, Number 100 Saturday, 13 April 1996 Today's Topics: Enough of the rainbow David Byrne - Enough! Beyond "white music"; also: Ginger Re: BNL + Partridge Re: Helium Kidz lyrics That misheard lyric thing Urgh! An Andy Pineapple! XTC Muzak Redux Free Your Mind. UrgH! Next stage of voting for the TT black music white music James and the Giant Peach Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-98 Yazbek White Music Please help ID band Hey, I got da soul! Shrines, Dave, Freedy and Evil (none) Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-99 Administrivia: To UNSUBSCRIBE from the Chalkhills mailing list, send a message to <chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org> with the following command: unsubscribe chalkhills For all other administrative issues, send a message to: <chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org> Please remember to send your Chalkhills postings to: <chalkhills@chalkhills.org> World Wide Web: "http://chalkhills.org/" The views expressed herein are those of the individual authors. All you wanna do is kiss and kiss and kiss all night.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: ISKSA@aol.com Date: Thu, 11 Apr 1996 21:58:11 -0400 Message-ID: <960411215806_269858452@emout09.mail.aol.com> Subject: Enough of the rainbow Luc recently wrote: From: Luc Haasnoot <andpe@lix.intercom.es> Subject: White Music Dear All, Looking at the huge pile of top 10 lists recently submitted, I was surprised to only find 2 albums by black artists: Marvin Gaye and Albert Collins (excellent choices!). OK, maybe I overlooked one or two, but may I conclude that XTC fans only like "white music"? In terms other than black/white, are R&B, blues and soul genres that do not fit in with the taste of the regular XTC-fan? I am interested to hear what you all think about this. Best wishes, Lucas I did not contribute to this Top 10 List, but I think it's rather unfair of you to analyze the types of music according to color. Music preferences can change and shift very quickly, so the Top 10 List probably was not a timeless compilation. But anyway, I personally do like some R&B, though my knowledge of R&B artists is limited. I don't like to think of the race of the artist when deciding what kind of music to prefer; I, like many people, just pick and choose what I think sounds good, what moves me, what is original and entertaining. I'm sure that in the hoi-polloi of Chalkhillians you will find scores of music-lovers who enjoy R&B, blues, and soul, as well as classical music, opera, jazz, etc. But let's not take out our crayons and start coloring the music we listen to. From out of the woodwork, Kay
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Apr 1996 20:33:17 -0700 (PDT) From: Randy Posynick <posynick@netcom.com> Subject: David Byrne - Enough! Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9604111921.A13499-0100000@netcom21> Who cares if David Byrne is or is not a jerk? It's not like you'll have to deal with him personally! Further, the premise that he does (or did) drugs does not make him a jerk. Drugs and 'jerkness' (or 'jerknitude'!?) are two separate issues. Granted, doing drugs may have altered his personality and made him act like an asshole on occasion, but to say he's a jerk *just because* he has a history of drug use is silly. Drugs. In the liner notes of "Sand In The Vaseline" Byrne talks about how he tried all sorts of drugs, from marijuana to quaaludes to meth to coke to angel dust to heroin. He claims that coke was the only drug that ever did anything for him, but that after "too many late nights" and "spaced out days" he soon decided to stop. He goes on to make a few anti-drug, anti-establishment statements. Who knows (or cares) if he's still clean. Jerk. Well, having never met the guy, I can't say for certain, but - again - why should we care? The reason this thread started was because Andy Partridge apparently had some "very surprising stories about David Byrne," according to Mark Fisher, who thought repeating them might be libelous. Patty Haley mentioned a quote of Andy's that said he saw Byrne doing some cocaine, and then she said she's always thought that he's a jerk. And then off we went.... Andy's stories might be amusing to hear (Mark?), not to mention relevant to XTC and this digest, but enough of the "David Byrne's a jerk"/"the art and not the artist" stuff! CHALKHILLS QUIZ: 1. I think David Byrne is a. a jerk, b. not a jerk. Please choose the answer which most satisfies you, repeat it to yourself, keep it to yourself, and let this thread die.... Randy Posynick | "What if God was one of us?" posynick@netcom.com | He'd think your song sucked.
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 12 Apr 1996 03:38:32 -0400 (EDT) From: BEAULAC MARIO <m246274@er.uqam.ca> Subject: Beyond "white music"; also: Ginger Message-Id: <Pine.HPP.3.91.960412022537.11081A-100000@nobel.si.uqam.ca> Hiyall Chalkhillians, In issue #2-99, John Wedemeyer gave this answer to Lucas, who submitted a (pertinent) question to us all in ish #2-98: < Dear Lucas; < I am here to shoot a MAJOR hole in your theory regarding XTC fans' <preference for "white music". I happen to be a professional guitarist who <plays mainly blues, R&B, and funk (among many others). < I subscribe to the oft-heard theory that there are only two kinds <of music....GOOD AND BAD!! I get off just as much on Howlin' Wolf or James <Brown as I do on the latest Andy Partridge home demos. They hit me in <different ways, but with equal impact. < Obviously, I can't speak for ALL XTC fans, but I suspect that most <would agree with me. I guess we here at Chalkhills deal mainly in pop music <when we converse, but that doesn't mean we don't appreciate jazz, or funk <,or R&B, or classical or anything else.....but we DO know a great pop song <when we hear it!! I also subscribe to that oft-quoted "theory" of good/bad music, as long as it means --as I understand John is saying-- that adhering to a genre to the exclusion of all else is sorta self-defeating, and keeps one's ears away from whole different (and exciting) soundscapes. So, in that spirit, I thought I'd join in by also singing the praises of Mr. Dynamite, James Brown, but also those of "The-artist-formerly-known-as-Prince", Charles Mingus, Duke Ellington, Max Roach, Sly Stone, Louis Armstrong, Louis Jordan, Esquerita... (I could go on...) That would account (partly) for the pop/jazz axis; on the classical/contemporary front (which might amount to "whiter music" but has its own, though sometimes austere, "groove"), I would personally list a few faves: Debussy, Satie, Penderecki, Lutoslawski, Eisler, Weill, Crumb (George, not R., to be perfectly clear, tho' I also "dig that dude"), Schnittke, Stravinsky... Before I bore the hell out of everyone on the list... I hope Lucas is (happily) taking note that other Chalkhillians don't mind --in fact, enjoy enormously-- the varied offerings from the global musical smorgasbord, be they of any shade. On another tack entirely, I'd also like to comment on this here thread, from the almost anonymous MV, re:Great Canadian Art Pop: <Ginger <Also out of Vancouver, this band had members from Grapes of Wrath. <Ginger is on Nettwerk and is softer, more melodic pop. There is nothing <spectacular about this band's arrangements but they usually come up with <a few catchy songs on every album. Alas, I haven't heard Ginger's stuff, though I've thoroughly enjoyed The Grapes of Wrath, their former (at least for some members) incarnation. And lest Chalkhillians' memories are a bit rusty (and I suspect other posts will contradict this last assertion), let's not forget that the Dukes of Stratosphear were gracious guests on a track >from their "These Days" album (1991, Capitol, produced by none other than John Leckie; the track being "A Fishing Tale"). If you haven't heard this, or for that matter the artists listed above, enjoy! The Scissor Man P.S.: I was also quite surprised at MV's mention of Harmonium; nice that the stuff's enjoyed outside Quebec, where their first album almost has national anthem status...
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 12 Apr 1996 08:45:41 GMT Message-Id: <199604120845.IAA26134@samos.statusiq.co.uk> From: "D.Lawrence" <darren@statusiq.co.uk> Subject: Re: BNL + Partridge >Mind ya, I *hate* the Barenaked Ladies, so there! :) Their audience is >young here (12-16 - for a comparison, Crowded House at their prime were >in the same age categories) and annoying. Last summer, I had to endure >watching all these juniors going ballastic at the Edmonton Folk Fest >because the Ladies were on whilst yours truly was saving his energy to be >blown away by the next act - Elvis Costello, who went past their heads >completely. I guess that would be similar to a sort of Canadian Take That! In the UK BNladies fans are about the same age as me (25) and I get the impression that it's a totally different feeling at UK gigs to Canadian ones - I've seen live Canadian BNL footage and the screams are deafening. I find it really strange that BNL would atract that sort of audience, it's not as if thier music is THAT teeny:-)! Andy on Chalkhills - If it's possible why not see if once a month AndyP will just converse with someone from the list and answer a few, maybe 10-15, brief questions that we post to the list. That way he doesn't need to be ON the list, or READ the list, but he'd be contributing and we'd be happy that we had a channel to him. Just a thought. LateR:-) DL
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 12 Apr 1996 14:28:21 +0200 From: sellheim@zfn.uni-bremen.de (Erich Sellheim) Message-Id: <9604121228.AA37945@alf.zfn.uni-bremen.de> Subject: Re: Helium Kidz lyrics Hello everyone, just in case anyone is still interested, I'm posting the now nearly exact lyrics of "Star Park" (I also listened to an early version of the song, which made understanding the lyrics easier): Star Park ========= There are no secrets in Star Park (We'll) rendezvous to a peacock's call I said I'd meet you after dark For a night we'll trip, but never fall So bring your old umbrella And some hair-conditioner, too, yeah So bring your old umbrella Swell time will be had by me and you, yeah, yeah, yeah In Star Park, maybe after darkness There are no secrets in the trees They tell them out so constantly I only sing and dance to please A foreigner from no country There are no secrets in Star Park I said I'd be by you after night So take your ginger(?), catch a spark We won't get left, if it runs not right I'm not quite sure about the word "ginger", but according to the earlier version of the song, it's definitely not "jet now". I've also listened intensely to "Saturn Boy", so here are the rather complete lyrics: Saturn Boy ========== Red as a pin with a tortoise skin, and I'm only a Saturn Boy I can't explain to your minute brain that I'm only a Saturn Boy All you wanna do is kiss and kiss and kiss all night (Saturn) Get down on the floor, I'll show you how to do it right (Saturn) All my folks home in Ganza One(?) (Saturn) Sure know how to have, sure know how to have themselves some fun And we can stare from an old grand chair, and I'm only a Saturn Boy Well, baby, dig me, would you dare bring(?) dig me, I'm only a Saturn Boy All you wanna do... Janet, Janet, come home to my planet, I'm only a Saturn Boy Ah, you believe anything, so here, have a ring, and I'm only a Saturn Boy All you wanna do... "Ganza One" is probably not what Andy is singing, but I think it should be the name of some planet. Corrections or suggestions, as usual, are very welcome (BTW, I'd love to hear from someone who can understand but a single line from "Adrenaline" or "Shark in the Pool", as this seems impossible to me). All the best, Erich
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 12 Apr 1996 07:25 -0600 (MDT) From: Miles or Gigi Coleman <coleman@cougarnet.byu.edu> Subject: That misheard lyric thing Message-id: <0DPR3XTV3000FU@ACS2.BYU.EDU> It took finally obtaining the vinyl _English Settlement_ with the lyrics to realize that "They thought it was just a boy's club badge he wore" was not "They thought it was just a grown-up banshee war." And I still sing it that way! Miles and Gigi Coleman Provo, Utah http://www.byu.edu/~coleman Family Home Page http://www.mission.net Index for Alumni of LDS Missions
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199604121419.KAA20471@rohan.btg.com> Date: 12 Apr 1996 10:17:06 U From: "Sherwood, Harrison" <hsherwood@btg.com> Subject: Urgh! An Andy Pineapple! mf@well.com (Mitch Friedman) jogged the graybeards' memory: >> If so (or not) who remembers the closing sequence that featured The >> Police performing "So Lonely" while Sting called out all of the bands >> that had participated in the concert that night? If my memory serves >> me correctly, when he called for XTC (one of the first bands he >> mentioned, partly because he and Andy were friends at the time), >> Andy ran up to the microphone and joined Sting for the rest of the >> song, exchanging "so lo lo lo . . . I feel lo lo lo" etc. Oh, absolutely! One of my fave Andy moments. One suspects he might have been "relaxing" backstage after the XTC set with a Red Barrel or three, 'cos he was even more than usually, uh, ebullient. And off key. He hipchecks Sting-a-ling away from the microphone and hollers this totally inappropriate, overbearing, but utterly 1979 Andy "ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-BA!" (like the jabbering ending of "Helicopter"). Sting looks....bemused. Then, as the song goes into the Big Finish and everybody's waving at the audience like it's the end of the Last Waltz or something, there's Andy, grabbing pineapples off a tray, punting them into the crowd, and admiring the explosions. I believe he even hit Sting with one, who was beyond bemused and well on his way to pissed off. Hilarious. Mighty, mighty difficult to believe this character succumbed to stage fright. Harrison "Fruit--not hand grenades. New Wave was fun, but not _that_ fun." Sherwood
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 12 Apr 1996 09:37:21 -0500 (CDT) Message-Id: <199604121437.JAA11462@sky.net> From: Scott Taylor <staylor@sky.net> Subject: XTC Muzak Redux >From: LAG2471@ACS.TAMU.EDU >Subject: A lovely XTC moment >to treat myself to some cloth to make a bright spring dress. As I entered >the fabric store, glum from reflecting on the passage of years, I suddendly >noticed an odd familiarity about the muzak coming from the store's sound >system... YES! It was "Mayor of Simpleton"! Wending its way past the I've read these accounts of XTC Muzak exposure in Chalkhills for a long time, never thinking that it would happen to me. Lo and behold, just last week I was in a grocery store, looking with my girlfriend for a chew toy for the dog, when I heard a familiar lilting musical intro overhead. After a couple seconds of disbelief, I finally nudged her and said, "Hey, do you hear that? It's 'King for a Day'!" She wasn't nearly as impressed as I was. I just wish the Muzak corporation would branch out a little bit and do something daring. "King for a Day" and "Mayor of Simpleton" are, like it or not, rather Muzak-ready tracks straight out of the box. Why not a Muzakized "Station of Liberty" or "Meccanik Dancing"? That I'd like to hear. ST staylor@sky.net
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 12 Apr 1996 10:26:40 -0400 Message-ID: <16e71f80@cinsycfs.rcc.org> From: David.Criddle@cinsycfs.rcc.org (David Criddle) Subject: Free Your Mind. Jellyfish suck! The Beatles are boring! Martin Newell is useless! Bob Mould sucks! Amie Mann writes juvenile pap. O.K., now that I have got your attention, I want to say that all of my prior statements are false in my opinion. I just wanted to make a point. Everyone's musical taste is their own and music can be enjoyed on many different levels. About six years ago I had a revelation. No music sucks. I would be willing to bet that for every band/songwriter out there, there are at least ten people who think that bands music is the best thing since sliced cheese. That is all that is necessary. I don't see the point in ever saying any music sucks. The more proper statement is that "I don't enjoy that band, at this time." There have been many, many, many occasions I have done a 180 in my opinion of a band. At this time, I can't stand contemporary country music. I have never said that Clint Black sucks however, because I know that there are thousands of people who would disagree with me. Heck, I may even like it some day. As Parliament was known to say, "Free your mind, and your ass will follow!" For the last six or so years, I have been willing to give any music a chance. I am amazed at the added level of enjoyment I have gained from music by opening my mind. Jao Gilberto, Beach Boys, George Michaels, Stan Getz, Los Lobos, Bee Gees, Johnny Cash, Elvis, Joe Pass, They Might Be Giants, L.L. Cool J, The Carpenters, Stevie Wonder, Shonen Knife, Charlie Mingus ... I love it all. This tirade was brought on by some of the recent band bashing going on in the posts. Just enjoy the music. Tonight, I am going to see the Barnaked Ladies. Their albums are silly and fun. I laughed out loud when I first heard Be My Yoko Ono, Grade 9, and If I Had A Million Dollars. I put them on when I want to be in a good mood and don't want to think too much. They are one of the best live bands I have ever seen. Their drummer and bass player are two of the best in the business. Very tight and extremely spontaneous. Funny thing is, Elvis Costello is another of my favorites live but for different strengths. I don't know if I would be able to appreciate them both together, as someone previously posted. It is the most fun to see the Barenaked Ladies when the whole crowd is singing along. (I had no idea that 3000 people in Cincinnati knew the lyrics to Jane. Not just the chorus either. It was kind of eerie actually.) The bass player plays an upright most of the time and had a bow and a wah wah going for Fight the Power by P.E. Crazy. So, in summary, JUST LOVE MUSIC! XTC included! Dave.
------------------------------ From: silva@pc110.ccrc.uga.edu Message-Id: <9604121617.AA5280@pc110.ccrc.uga.edu> Date: Fri, 12 Apr 96 11:59:16 Subject: UrgH! I too have seen the UrgH film. Back in the early 80's, during the heydey of IRS Records, is was sort of required viewing for all those is the new wave/modern rock set. It's funny actually to see the XTC bit and watch Andy roust up the audience. Stage Fright? We've witnessed different Sir Partridge.... --------------------- JoE Silva Senior Contributor Consumable Online 220 Riverbend Rd Athens, GA (706) 542 - 4452 4412 (FAX)
------------------------------ From: DAMIAN FOULGER <SPXDLF@cardiff.ac.uk> Date: Fri, 12 Apr 1996 17:08:37 GMT Subject: Next stage of voting for the TT Message-ID: <3982406418A@nrd2s.cf.ac.uk> Hello all. I got hundreds (well almost) of votes in the first stage of the voting. Here are the top four titles. Nopw just vote for one of them and I will announce the results after next friday. 1 Chalkhills' Children 2 I Need Production 3 Is This Pop? 4 Living Through Another Tribute There they are, happy voting. I've got my counting glove on (the one with six hundred fingers!!!!) so I'm ready for the onslaught. Dames TWD (Life is good in the greenhouse:XTC) (You told me you saw Jesus, but I could only see a tree: Amber) (If people lived in Heaven, God would break their windows: Damian)
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 12 Apr 1996 18:25:36 +0100 Message-Id: <199604121725.SAA19230@lix.intercom.es> From: Luc Haasnoot <andpe@lix.intercom.es> Subject: black music white music Hi all! Since two XTC-fans assured me they like a variety of music genres, including artists such as Billie Holiday, James Brown and Son House, I herewith present some new theories based on the observation that black music was under-represented in the top 10 lists. (It is Friday evening, so why not.) 1 People thought that a list that would include XTC and Costello as well as e.g. Otis Redding and Buddy Guy would be inconsistent. 2 Maybe it is because many blues and soul artists focused on singles rather than albums. (And including a "Best of..." album in your list does not look too sophisticated.) 3 People who like "black music" are modest and do not want to bother others with a list of their music-heroes? This is all I can think of for now, but does it make more sense than my original assumption? <sort of a rhetorical question, I admit> Best wishes, Lucas CD-tip (may I?): Brown Sugar by D'Angelo.
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 12 Apr 1996 12:14:50 -0500 (CDT) Message-Id: <199604121714.MAA00392@is.rice.edu> From: kimw@rice.edu (Kim E. Williams) Subject: James and the Giant Peach Hi, folks! I just read in my local newspaper a review of James and the Giant Peach. At the end of it was his review of the music Randy Newman did for it. I thought I'd post it here. It says: "The film's musical score offers several uninspired Randy Newman songs that may seem better with repeated hearings." Tough s***, Disney! You blew it big time!!! If only they'd let Andy complete his version, we would've had some real classics! Kim "Life is a state of mind." - Wolfgang Press - Mother Valentine
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 12 Apr 1996 16:19:19 -0400 (EDT) From: "Christopher R. Coolidge" <ccoolidg@moose.uvm.edu> Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-98 Message-ID: <Pine.A32.3.91.960412160855.113994C-100000@moose.uvm.edu> The only lists I've been on that their subjects subscribe to have been Marillion(keyboardist Mark Kelly checks in once in a while)and, notably, The Posies; all of their members except guitarist Jon Auer have e-mail and contribute regularly, especially bassist Ken Stringfellow who regularly posts tour diaries from wherever they're touring. They're really interesting reading. Other musician friends and acquaintances of the band have posted on occasion, including Ken's wife Kim of The Fastbacks, members of The Young Fresh Fellows, and many up and coming Seattle bands I'm not familiar with. Even Sid Griffin of The Long Ryders was a subscriber for a while. It's a very noisy list, though. Other than that, sometime Modern Lovers bassist Curly Keranen has posted to the Jojo(Jonathan Richman)list from time to time and patiently answered questions, and Crowded House's manager has posted to the Crowded House list on occasion. In other cases, the list has at least one person who makes contact with its subject and lets him/her/them know what's going on.
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 12 Apr 1996 21:25 -0600 (MDT) From: Miles or Gigi Coleman <coleman@cougarnet.byu.edu> Subject: Yazbek Message-id: <0DPS6UNJ6000FU@ACS2.BYU.EDU> Dear Chalkhillian, I just received my free copy of _The Laughing Man_ from Chalkhills & W.A.R for answering the trivia question and all I can say is WOW! My mouth is gaping in complete and utter amazement after listening to it! Yazbek is an absolute talent! Musically, the songs hook you within seconds and no wonder Andy said, "Damn his eyes, I wish I'd written all of his songs!" lyrics rivaled only by AP himself. It has been a long time since I have come across an album I completely enjoyed the first time I listened to it. David, if you are "listening," fantastic work! Miles Coleman Miles and Gigi Coleman Provo, Utah http://www.byu.edu/~coleman Family Home Page http://www.mission.net Index for Alumni of LDS Missions
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 12 Apr 1996 21:02:04 -0700 Message-Id: <199604130402.VAA09654@dfw-ix5.ix.netcom.com> From: huduguru@ix.netcom.com (huduguru) Subject: White Music Lucas wrote: >Looking at the huge pile of top 10 lists recently submitted, >I was surprised to only find 2 albums by black artists: Marvin (passage of lines) >PS: Just a little test, does the name STAX ring a bell? Why yes, Stax DOES ring a bell. That was the home of Alex Chilton's band, Big Star. They were a fabulous pop band and a big influence on REM and a lot of the mid-80's "Paisley Underground" bands like The Rain Parade, The Three O'Clock, and The Dream Syndicate. BTW, that wasn't a slam against "Black" music...but since musical preferences are not, as yet, regulated or funded by the Government, there are no race or sex-based quotas! Song O' the Day: Little Lighthouse Steve
------------------------------ From: jgo@bullhead.adp.unc.edu Date: Sat, 13 Apr 1996 00:22:18 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Please help ID band Message-Id: <Pine.A32.3.91.960413001737.11846B-100000@bullhead.adp.unc.edu> Someone gave me a tape with some XTC radio show stuff on it, and at the end, there are two songs by an unidentified neo-psychedelic band. They sound English. The first song is along the lines of The Electric Prunes and Pink Floyd with Syd. Lyrics go something like "Strange game, dream 'til tomorrow." Music is very chromatic, some farfisa (I think). The other song has lines like "rocking chair in your brain... wait until the evening sees you there." Is this ringing a bell with anyone? The snippets I heard didn't sound too bad.... Thanks. Greg jgo@bullhead.adp.unc.edu
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 13 Apr 1996 05:35:07 -0400 (EDT) From: Mike <koorism@gusun.acc.georgetown.edu> Subject: Hey, I got da soul! Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.960413052727.23422A-100000@gusun> I, being a young, white, college-aged male am very disturbed by (whoever)'s accusations that XTC fans don't like black musicians. I am sure that I am not the only one on this who has curled up by a warm Vermont fire to the sounds of Aaron Neville and Linda Ronstadt, not to mention groovin' on those tintilating soulful southern sounds of Hootie and the Blowfish. And Rick Astley has a lot of soul, even if he is white. No, but really, I agree with (that other guy)'s comment that XTC fans might also be prone to liking all sorts of jams, and while they might not be the reason that BoysIIMen top the charts in record sales, many surely have some James Brown, Parliament, Chic, and/or Earth Wind and Fire in their hearts (and record collections). And if you are one of those out there that do...blow that dust off of "Good Times" and boogay!! And I don't even get paid for this, Mike(as if you've always known me) Kooris
------------------------------ From: Ben Gott <BENG@hotchkiss.pvt.k12.ct.us> Subject: Shrines, Dave, Freedy and Evil Date: Sat, 13 Apr 96 12:53:00 edt Message-ID: <316FDBEB@pentium3.hotchkiss.pvt.k12.ct.us> >Ben: You're one of our best ambassadors, and I know it's been a long >winter, but you've GOT to get out more, man! :^) Todd is, of course, referring to my XTC shrine I built last week before I came down with a miserable illness. Let me just say: if you lived where I do (where many folks - myself *not* included - tip cows for fun), you'd be finding a lot stranger ways to spend your time... I just received "The Laughing Man," and would urge all of you who don't have it to go out and get it immediately. It's one of the best, weirdest and coolest albums I've ever heard. Coincidentally, I found out that Mr. Yazbek also wrote the theme song to the new show on Fox (yay, Rupert!) called "The Show." I'll hopefully be reviewing the album for my high school (emphasis on "high") newspaper. If you don't already have Freedy Johnston's "This Perfect World," I'd urge you to go out and buy that, too. The man writes beautiful songs. On a more serious note: recall a commment Mitch Friedman made a few Chalkhills ago- >[Andy's] already a bit freaked out about the fact that so many people >have copies of half of the new demos because he's been incredibly careful >and stingy about sending out copies to anyone. (Ben Gott -- naughty >naughty!!) I received the demos from another Chalkhillian, who received them from who knows where, etc. I sincerely apologize to both Andy and anyone else who I have "wronged," but the reason I made copies of the tapes for those who wanted them was because I believe that the new material is the best material that Andy has ever made (and I'm sure that many people I've traded with will back me up on this.) And, besides: I shouldn't like to be naughty without a reason! (See Harrison Sherwood's comment a while back...) Best to all, Ben XTC SONG OF THE DAY: Science Friction
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 13 Apr 1996 15:27:51 -0700 (PDT) From: Laura Parent <laura@geosun1.sjsu.edu> Message-Id: <Pine.SUN.3.92.960413145053.23386A-100000@geosun1.sjsu.edu> > I happen to be a professional guitarist who > plays mainly blues, R&B, and funk (among many others). > John Wedemeyer Wow! For those of you who don't know, John is an incredible guitarist, and very well known on the local scene here in San Jose. And I don't even like guitarists as a rule, finding them a little too "wankish" for my tastes (though I do think Eric Johnson is awfully cute). It seems a lot of people on this list are musicians. I wonder, does it take a certain amount of musical "know-how" before one can appreciate XTC? Back when I hung out with musicians (against the should-have-been-heeded advice of my mother, best friend, hairdresser etc.) it seemed many of them liked XTC. My non-musician friends either don't like or don't know XTC. Is this because XTC doesn't get much exposure, or because they have the Camper Van Beethoven syndrome-that is, they are too complicated for the general public? -laura
------------------------------ From: David Yazbek <yazbek@pipeline.com> Date: Sat, 13 Apr 1996 09:56:48 -0400 Message-Id: <199604131356.JAA15775@pipe2.nyc.pipeline.com> Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-99 It's been fun watching Chalkhillians meet each other at my East Coast gigs lately. At every show, there are at least a couple of people wearing XTC t-shirts who end up talking to each other. We're playing in NYC at "Fez" this tue. the 16th at 9:30. Make yourself known! Also-if you want to be on the mailing list, I'm told to tell you to email yazbek-request@world.std.com. Put info subscribe in the text of your mail. Thanks for the positive comments about "The Laughing Man". And one other thing-- Yes, I know there were a couple of minor (and one pretty major) errors in the booklet for "Testimonial Dinner". These were not my fault and there's nothing I can do about them now. So please-- no more letter bombs. Thanks, Yazbek
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #2-100 *******************************
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