Chalkhills Digest Volume 2, Issue 101
Date: Monday, 15 April 1996
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 2, Number 101
Monday, 15 April 1996
Today's Topics:
hmmm. funky music.
Various frayed threads....
diverse favorites
Demo/bootleg guilt
Re: White Music only?
Viddie questions
Other Gardens of Earthly Delights
Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-100; Musicians and XTC
Various Musings
Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-100
Kiwi & Canada/Black & White/Lists & the Famous
1992 120 Minutes Andy interview
false accusations
Stuff
Levin, Gott, Yazbek, Syms
Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-100
Some folks have all the luck
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I'm standing in front of this girl / I'm under a flourescent light.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 13 Apr 1996 17:00:59 -0700 (PDT) From: alizarine <jemiah@teleport.com> Subject: hmmm. funky music. Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.92.960413165230.5928A-100000@zoe.teleport.com> My tastes personally range from the Britpop to the most eye-opening funk. I don't consider anything out of my range, actually. I like a little bit of everything (sometimes a VERY little bit). I was in the middle of a disco renaissance for the past two years, actually, rediscovering the music that was played around my house non-stop when I was knee high. I certainly enjoyed the awe of my friends who had never listened to Stevie Wonder's "Songs in the Key of Life" or early Cameo or Bar-Kays albums. They get the same pleasure out of telling me their parents had Tom Waits and Talking Heads albums lying around for their entire lives, and that's music I didn't discover until I got to college. My point is (and I do have one) that people discover sounds, and I would like to think that Chalkhillians, being such a civilized and groovy bunch in general, were opposed to so-called "black" music. I don't employ the distinction myself -- is it all "black" because I'm black and I listen to it, or is the music I listen to a different color or culture? Nope; it's mine. My parents give me funny looks when I crank up Bauhaus, but they're pretty far from understanding Sun Ra, too. Sorry if this incoherent; anyway I missed the poll and I might have forgotten to put down Prince and Miles Davis, too, just because I was in a certain mental frame. have a good 'un... Alizarine, Anointed Sister of the Unchristian Order of St. Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno jemiah@teleport.com http://www.teleport.com/~jemiah Oblique Strategy of the day: "look closely at the most embarassing details and amplify them"
------------------------------ From: Gene_Yoon@brown.edu Message-Id: <v02130501ad95f532b9e9@[128.148.184.54]> Date: Sat, 13 Apr 1996 20:17:42 -0500 Subject: Various frayed threads.... >From: ISKSA@aol.com >Subject: Enough of the rainbow > > 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 >..... >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 R&B, blues, jazz, soul, and yes, even rock, are music that was formed and popularized by black artists. So discussing them in terms of color is not incorrect or irrelevant. No one ever made the inane suggestion to base music choice on color, and as far as I can see the discussion has been usual Chalkhills affair: thoughtful and intelligent. Being or wanting to be Color Blind, I find, is a rather dumb concept, but that's another forum..... I tend to agree with another Chalkhillian who thought, like you, there are plenty of subscribers who listen to "black music" but felt no need to mention it in the context of a top ten list for a mailing list on an English new-wave band. And, Kay, I love you and it's great to see my little sister contributing to Chalkhills....:) (hey, you never introduced yourself to the list!) >From: Randy Posynick <posynick@netcom.com> >Subject: David Byrne - Enough! > >Who cares if David Byrne is or is not a jerk? It's not like you'll have >to deal with him personally! >.... >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! Rather discouraging to see the word "Enough" in the first two subject headings of #2-100. Let's keep talking about anything music-related, shall we? The jerkiness of David Byrne is relevant because Tina Weymouth, Chris Franz and Jerry Harrison all think he's a jerk, and Talking Heads would still be making music if he didn't turn into this pompous self-righteous over-intellectualized jerk, and that's relevant to me, sometimes a jerk, also a Talking Heads fan. Music, like any art, tends to be a very personal reflection of its creator--so, yes! I admit it! I'd like to know something of the personality of the artist! And if she's a jerk, or he's a bitch, I can still allow myself to enjoy the music. In fact, I think I'll go turn on "More Songs about Buildings and Food" right now! By the way, for a good time go see David Yazbek perform "Schmuck" on Tuesday at Fez, NYC. >From: Mike <koorism@gusun.acc.georgetown.edu> >Subject: Hey, I got da soul! > >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. Huh-huh. This is getting too amuzing, with a z. Can't say I've had the pleasure of curling up by a fire in Vermont (yes, that bastion of ski condominiums and African American culture) lately to the soulful sounds of Linda... Linda Rondstadt? I was waiting for the day Hootie and the Blowfish get mentioned here. I wonder if Rick Astley has got "da" soul as much as you.... I do sincerely love Vermont, it's my favorite state. I wish I were headed for the Green Mountains, Gene
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 13 Apr 1996 18:19:26 -0700 From: Miles or Gigi Coleman <coleman@cougarnet.byu.edu> Subject: diverse favorites Message-id: <3170529E.EFF@cougarnet.byu.edu> >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. One of the best jazz albums I have ever heard is the 1964 Best Album of the Year by Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto. Although most of the lyrics are in Portuguese, the music makes you feel as if you were there in a smoky club, relaxing during a latino siesta. Wanted to add a few to the fine list above: Juan Luis Guerra, Stanley Clarke, Dave Brubeck, The The, Strunz & Farah, Seal, Booker T & the MGs, Tears for Fears, The Police, Soda Stereo... This has been one the things that I like about this list. I have been exposed to so many different musical tastes through it and it is a great resource for "new" music. Miles Coleman
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 Apr 96 12:20:15 GMT Message-Id: <9604141220.AA003bb@apowell.demon.co.uk> Message-Id: <004b7d90317141dd18ashley@apowell0> From: Ashley Powell <ashley@apowell.demon.co.uk> Subject: Demo/bootleg guilt Benn Gott <BENG@hotchkiss.pvt.k12.ct.us> wrote: > 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...) How about if everyone who has copies of demos, bootlegs, etc. sends some money to those invloved, let's say half of what you would normally pay for a CD, cassette whatever. The only stumbling block as far as I can see is where to send them. Perhaps someone close to AP, DG, and CM can suggest this to them and set something up, i.e. an account to pay into and an address to send them to. After all, we're always complaining about how much the record companies and shops take from each sale compared to the actual artists responsible for the product, so why not help cut out that middle man? I possess 1 XTC bootleg for which I would happy to contribute to a fee to the band members
------------------------------
Message-ID: <31719471.55B4@knoware.nl>
Date: Sun, 14 Apr 1996 17:12:33 -0700
From: Mark Mello <mmello@knoware.nl>
Subject: Re: White Music only?
Dear Chalkies,
Here's another big XTC fan who's also _into_ all kinds of so called black
music. I love house and acid house and i used to like Prince before he
fell in love with a little girl. And i'm also quite fond of Marvin Gaye,
Sly & the Family Stone, Curtis Mayfield, Sam Cooke etc etc etc...
But the trouble with most _black music_ is that many people don't take
it as serious as rock. They think all this "dance music" must be inferior
to "really heavy" rockbands.
Over here in Europe you don't have _black_ or _white_ radio stations
so you tend to get exposed to all sorts of music as you grow up and i
kind of like it that way.
bye 4 now,
Mark
--
I would have liked to have made this instrumental
but the words got in the way <XTC>
------------------------------
Message-Id: <v01530501ad96d68c0b4b@[199.224.7.213]>
Date: Sun, 14 Apr 1996 12:44:21 -0400
From: aym@j51.com (Ira Lieman)
Subject: Viddie questions
Thanks in wheelbarrow loads to Paul Culnane for sending me a 2 hr video of
XTC videos...some of which I have seen but *ALL* of which I had not seen in
a number of years.
Couple of questions and comments:
In the Peter Pumpkinhead video, WHO plays drums?!?!?!? Methinks it's Ian
Gregory (Dave's brother) -- it's NOT Dave Mattacks -- but you don't see his
face for too long...
If anyone has bothered to watch the PP video, it's quite obvious Andy wrote
the song with JFK in mind. (That is, unless the premise of the video is the
imagination of someone other than Agony Andy)
One of the ODDEST and most enjoyable clips I have seen is the "Making of
Oranges and Lemons" -- a hilarious PUPPET SHOW put on by (mostly) Andy with
help from Colin and Dave that chronicled the history of the band from
inception thru O&L. Memorable line: "I wanted to stop touring because I was
sick of being a vegetable! I didn't want to be a potato!"
The Respectable Street video features the bandmembers in tuxes...I had to
watch it twice because I didn't see Dave in it -- he *WAS* in it, but he's
got a beard! I couldn't picture that as him...but it was...he looked quite
odd.
Anyone notice that everyone seems to be having fun in the videos except for
Terry? He's a great drummer but it seemed to me he had the
personality/sense of humor of a shriveled pickle.
-ira
< - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - >
_/_/ _/ _/ _/_/_/_/ Ira Lieman | Visualize
_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ Angry Young Man | Whirled
_/_/_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ aym@j51.com | Peas.
_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ http://www.j51.com/~aym | Stop the Violins!
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199604141848.NAA06235@kenlaw> Date: Sun, 14 Apr 96 13:47:35 CDT From: joel@kenlaw.com (Joel Flaxman) Subject: Other Gardens of Earthly Delights I know we were talking about it a while ago, but I dug up the United States Of America's self titled Record from, well I can't find the year on it. The second to last song on side one is titled: The Garden of Earthly Delights. Here are the Lyrics: The Garden Of Earthly Delights Music by Joseph Byrd Words by Dorothy Moskowitz and Joseph Bard Poisonous gardens, lethal and sweet, Venomous blossoms Choleric fruit, deadly to eat. Violet nightshades, innocent bloom, Omnivorous orchids, Cautiously wait, hungrily loom. You will find them in her eyes In her eyes, In her eyes Petrified willows, twisted and brown Carrion swallows, Wait in the wet darkening ground. Withering shadows, quietly grow, Potently breeding Into a spectacular glow You will find them in her eyes In her eyes, In her eyes Lemonous petals, dissident play, Tasting of ergot, Dancing by night, dying by day. Blackening mushrooms drink in the rain Sinister nightblooms Wilt with the dawn's welcoming pain. You will find them in her eyes In her eyes, In her eyes --Joel ################################################ "Success is being a quote." - Andy Partridge
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199604142016.QAA06133@alpha.netaccess.on.ca> Date: Sun, 14 Apr 96 01:51:13 EDT From: bcurran@freenet.hamilton.on.ca (Bill Curran) Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-100; Musicians and XTC Every concert that I attended in the mid to late seventies - bands from Tull to Lou Reed to Todd Rundgren to Genesis - almost all had XTC and Bob Marley tapes playing before the bands came on. Someone - be it the road manager, the musicians or whoever - really had a craving for these artists. I grew up in Hamilton, Ontario - south of Toronto - so most of these concerts would have been in Toronto at the gardoons or the old Massey Hall on Shuter St. I have always believed that people "in the business" were big XTC fans. Bill Curran http://www.freenet.hamilton.on.ca/~aa131/Profile.html bcurran@stelco.e-mail.com (work) bcurran@netaccess.on.ca (work) bcurran@freenet.hamilton.on.ca (play) currbil2@nascom.com (pro interest)
------------------------------
Message-Id: <199604140555.WAA25008@dewey.csun.edu>
Date: Sat, 13 Apr 1996 22:56:24 -0700
From: hbmus047@dewey.csun.edu (Ian Dahlberg)
Subject: Various Musings
I just got the freebie Yazbek tape and man, I can't wait for the CD
to be released here in So. Cal. The two tunes on the tape really grabbed
my ear; very tuneful. You can tell Yazbeck has absorbed the XTC influence
and has put it forth in his own work.
Also recently, I caught "James and the Giant Peach" opening night.
I have to admit it kind of left me flat although the animation was
brilliant. Somebody noted that Randy Newman had run out of ideas (or maybe
he just had one to begin with) and keeps writing the same song over and
over. Kind of like the comment on Vivaldi; that he wrote one concerto 500
times. It really got me curious how Andy's songs might have spruced up the
movie. I'd love to get a hold of a copy of the tunes although I'd feel bad
about violating Andy's right to keep distribution at a minimum. Sigh, what
to do... Ahhh I gotta hear 'em! Must...get...tape...must...revive...jones
for...<cough>... pop!
Ian
"I'm the chef of the treble clef"
- Cherry In Your Tree
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 Apr 1996 21:04:31 -0500 Message-Id: <1.5.4b13.16.19960414212055.2c872886@dave-world.net> From: Eric Adcock <eadcock@dave-world.net> Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-100 > From: Luc Haasnoot <andpe@lix.intercom.es> > may I conclude that XTC fans only like "white music"? I have CDs by Janet Jackson and Tasmin Archer, and many CDs by bands of mixed race. My three favorite rock groups (XTC, Pink Floyd, Cure) are all old white male bands, but I don't think I'm a racist, sexist or ageist. They just happen to make the music that I like the most. > From: Randy Posynick <posynick@netcom.com> > "What if God was one of us?" > He'd think your song sucked. He he...I like the song, but I still wince every time I hear the "just a *slob* like one of us" line. And it doesn't even rhyme properly with "God" :) > From: "Sherwood, Harrison" <hsherwood@btg.com> > Hilarious. Mighty, mighty difficult to believe this character succumbed to > stage fright. It seems like AP likes to perform, whether or not he truly has stage fright. Maybe XTC could do a filmed no-audience concert like "Pink Floyd At Pompeii." > From: "Christopher R. Coolidge" <ccoolidg@moose.uvm.edu> > The only lists I've been on that their subjects subscribe to [...] The Cure's keyboardist Roger O'Donnell posts semi-regularly to the Cure list "Babble." Add my name to the list of people who would like to see an update from XTC every month or so. Any chance that the Dave Gregory interviews could be extracted from the archives and given their own page at Chalkhills? If this has already been done, pls ignore me :) "Take care" Eric Adcock Mr. What Bloomington, IL, USA mailto:eadcock@dave-world.net http://www.dave-world.net/~eadcock/
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01530501ad97c229ba4c@[139.80.228.114]> Date: Mon, 15 Apr 1996 16:15:40 +0700 From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James Dignan) Subject: Kiwi & Canada/Black & White/Lists & the Famous Big Earl Sellar said: >You see, and from what I understand our Kiwi friends would agree, the >Beatles were an overwhelming success in Canada, and therefore the public >has always had a sweet tooth for power-pop, albiet some obscure stuff. I >remember the Jam had a radio hit for a bit (title escapes me though) and >every non-radio young adult during the 80's were deeply into the >Buzzcocks. agreed. Dunedin in particular has been called "The Liverpool of the South" by some music critics (although a more accurate description would probably be NZ's answer to Athens, GA). We grew up with the Beatles and Byrds parboiled through the aggression of punk, and came up with people like The Clean, Chills, Bats, Verlaines and Straitjacket Fits. To me, what I hear of Canadian music took its lead a bit more from the E.Costello-P.Shelley line than messrs Strummer and Lydon, and there's a bit more of a country/folk feel (although I could just be influenced by hearing too much k d lang and Captain Tractor lately...). But yes, power pop was big in the 80s in NZ, and is still popular to some extent today. I would be tempted to call one of NZ's 4-5 biggest current bands (The Muttonbirds) power-pop, and its influence can still be seen in a muted form in the work of our top musical export, Neil Finn (Crowded House/Split Enz/Finn). >Byron sorted slagged Sugar though. I've always said that everyone's >musical taste is 100% correct, except for whichever band I hate the most >at the time (currently it's back to the fucking Beatles - e-mail for my >Unfab-Four bitch o' the day). But I think Sugar would definately appeal >more to XTC fans than the Du, although I will agree that the Huskers were >better. I'd actually suggest the BESIDES compilation, which is sorta a >greatest hits/unreleased stuff/live tracks compilation, which includes >extra cool tracks by David Barbe, which are amazing tracks. Bob's new one >is supposedly out later this month. XTC fans should also probably check out ex-Husker Grant Hart's solo album "Intolerance". Pretty damn good. --- >< 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. "Black music" and "White music" are just two more meaningless labels. Remember the time when Eric Clapton's music wasn't being played on "white" radio because it was too "black", but wasn't layed on "black" stations because, well, *he's* not? The good thing about a lot of music - especially recent music (and I'm thinking here in part at least of "Fourth World" music) - is that it defies these boundaries, and any others. Take "Through the Hill" for instance. Classical? maybe, maybe not. Rock? certainly not! Much of the music I listen to, you simply can't classify this way. Eno's work, for instance. Much of it is simply unclassifiable as anything except "Eno". Sure you can invent genres: perhaps much of Nerve Net is "trance-dance ambient chill-out with a touch of dub"... FWIW, I listen to a huge range of styles (not everyone has a CD collection which, alphabetically, has Harry Nillson next to Nirvana), including quite a bit of "Black music", but not all by artists originally of African (or Polynesian) descent. And I listen to artists who ARE of that ancestry which are distinctly not "Black music". And then there's groups like UB40, who... I guess the point I'm trying to make is... um... er... what is the point I'm trying to make? Oh, I give up! (on now: The Neville Brothers; on soon: Ayub Ogada, then... hmmm... Crash Test Dummies) --- >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. The excellent King Crimson list "Elephant Talk" once got a complaint from someone at a KC concert that "the guy behind me was too noisy all night - every time a song started he'd start making a godawful racket". The correspondent was Tony Levin, bass & Chapman stick player - the "guy behind him" was drummer Bill Bruford.... Robert Fripp has also made occasional (but rare) appearances on the list. The NZPOP list, for fans of bands like those I mentioned above re Canada & NZ, is graced on a regular basis by several musicians, notably Paul Kean >from the Bats, and also by regular bulletins from the management of top NZ indie company Flying Nun. Hell, this is long enough! James
------------------------------ From: JEFFAE@CEDAR.GOSHEN.EDU Date: Sun, 14 Apr 1996 23:27:27 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <960414232727.20204c84@CEDAR.GOSHEN.EDU> Subject: 1992 120 Minutes Andy interview A while ago I asked if anyone had a transcript of the 1992 MTV 120 Minutes interview with Andy P. When no one seemed to I kinda gave up, then the "Ten years of 120 minutes" quotes started popping up and I got antsy again. Well now I'm proud to say I've found a transcript (or most of one) of the interview buried deep in the Chalkhills archives, for anyone else who would be interested it's in Chalkhills no. 227, carefully trnscribed by Greg O'Rear. My Favorite (near) quote: "We killed [The Dukes] off in a bizarre kitchen accident having to do with a rusty whisk"
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 15 Apr 1996 10:30:49 +0100
Message-Id: <199604150930.KAA19503@lix.intercom.es>
From: Luc Haasnoot <andpe@lix.intercom.es>
Subject: false accusations
Hi All,
I need to get back one more time with respect to the black/white
music thing. (After this I will keep quiet.)
People have called my original claim unfair, thought it was an
accusation of not liking music by black artists, and felt that
I am taking race as a starting point when deciding to listen to
whatever sort of music.
I observed that there were not many R&B, blues and soul records
in the top 10 lists, which is not unfair (the observation I mean)
and I suggested, as a possible explanation, that Chalkhillians do
not enjoy, listen to or even know that kind of music (which is not
an accusation).
My suggestion may be incorrect, but then tell me why, rather than
accusing me of discriminating when it comes to musical preferences.
Colour does not matter. I hope one day our heroes from Swindon will
do a Dukes-like project recording steaming 60's R&B under the name
Otis Bell & the Don-keys (featuring the "Swindon Horns").
!Adios!
Lucas
____________________________________________________________________
A N D AND Publicaciones Electronicas, S.L.
Caspe, 127-135, Esc. B, 4o-4a
Lucas Haasnoot 08013 Barcelona
ESPANA
t +34 3 265 77 03
andpe@lix.intercom.es f +34 3 265 81 26
____________________________________________________________________
------------------------------
From: Richard Aaron Manfredi <manfredi@scf.usc.edu>
Message-Id: <199604150814.BAA01038@aludra.usc.edu>
Subject: Stuff
Date: Mon, 15 Apr 1996 01:14:49 -0700 (PDT)
Just a few quick (random) takes:
1) Misheard lyrics: "Runaways": 'In the morning, we will find you, papers
strewn in red'. I always took it to be a song ending in a suicide.
2) Andy on the 'Net: It's probably best that he stay away, for all of the
reasons told and one more: There is an obvious resentment that many of us
will never get to see XTC play live; in fact, we treat their decision like
a person killing themselves ("God, what a selfish thing to do"), as if
it's done directly to hurt us. Therefore, there always seems to be a lot
of subliminal wishes for the band to tour again, and a lot of scheming to
that effect. I can't imagine Andy reading this without feeling a bit hurt.
3) All of us on the 'Net: With all the chat rooms (IRC, etc.) floating around,
how hard would it be for all (or at least some) of us to get together in an
XTC chat-room one a week? I think that would be interesting, to be able to
chat with other Chalkhillians in real-time.
4) Blatant self-promotion: I have a radio on 104.7 fM in Los Angeles from
6-8 pm every Thursday night, on KSCR, USC's college station, so if anyone's
in the downtown area, you should check it out.
5) I was kind of curious as to what everyone thinks is the best ever XTC
video, I know the band (especially Andy) has some mixed feelings about the
video form, but they have done some interesting stuff. I know that "Dear
God" was the one that was nominated for all sorts of awards, but I watched
it the other day and it seemed really dated. My vote goes to "Mayor of
Simpleton", for the Avengers reference alone.
6) Just curious, but is anyone else here a John Zorn fan? Seems like Andy
might have copped a few riffs off of him (i.e Leisure). Seriously, Zorn is
a wonderfully strange sax player, who's along the lines of Ornette Coleman.
Still, he's a bit unconventional with his songs, and most XTC should at
least check him out. Not everyone will like him, but I think that XTC fans
have a greater chance of appreciating him than your average Joe Blow.
Sorry if I went on too long, I haven't posted in a while, and the drugs
haven't kicked in yet (that's a joke, by the way),
Richard Manfredi
manfredi@usc.edu
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 15 Apr 96 08:03:22 CDT From: "Bernhardt, Todd" <tbernhardt@aga.com> Message-Id: <9603158295.AA829581396@cc.perftech.com> Subject: Levin, Gott, Yazbek, Syms Howdee, all: Christopher Coolidge wrote: > 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. > 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. Tony Levin bass/stick player extraordinaire, occasionally weighs in on Elephant Talk, the King Crimson newsletter; several months ago he dealt a crushing sarcastic blow to a stupid thread made up of fans bitching about the noise made by other fans at KC shows (oh, if only we had that problem, Chalkholios!). Anyway, his post was a tirade -- written in the same tone as most of the other posts in the thread -- about this very rude fellow behind him who kept making all this racket, despite all the dirty looks, etc., Tony cast at him. The punch line was that this fellow was wearing a very loud yellow jacket, and anyone who had seen any of the shows knew he was talking about drummer extraordinaire Bill Bruford, Tony's mate in the band for the last 16 years. It _would_ be nice to see Andy on the list every once in a while, even if it's second-hand, as some of the other recent posts were. >From Ben Gott: >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 can relate, my friend. I did a year of purgatory at one of Connecticut's prep schools (Kent -- although, in my time, we were looking for other things in the cow fields :^) and grew up in the Nutmeg state. That's why I live in Northern Virginia now! Say, did you sacrifice any Virgin execs at your altar? >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. I've got to second -- and third, and fourth -- all the good stuff said about The Laughing Man. Find it, buy it, read the book, go to the movie, see the Saturday morning cartoon ... you won't be disappointed. Also, check out The Verve Pipe's new CD (I forget the name). Good, hard-edged pop with just enuf grunge that you've got to turn it up LOUD to really appreciate it. >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.) I back him up on this ... Dictionary is one of the best break-up songs I've ever heard. >From Laura Parent: >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? You know the Sym's clothing-store commercial, where good ol' Sy Syms says, "An educated consumer is our best customer"? I think that's why XTC attracts musicians, who probably tend to be more picky than most people about what type of music they listen to. XTC is SMART music; it's got depth, durability and it delivers what it promises. It's the kind of music that people who ACTIVELY listen to music (as opposed to using it as background noise or filler) prefer. ByeBye!
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Apr 1996 07:57:50 +0900 (JST) Message-Id: <199604152257.HAA24508@gol1.gol.com> From: mwicks@gol.com (Michael Wicks) Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-100 To Fellow Chalkhillians and (in particular) Mr. John Relph: I've noticed that in the past few editions of the Digest, topics of conversation have ranged from David Byrne being a "jerk" or not a "jerk", "White Music" (and, no, I don't mean Our Fab Three's debut album), mistaken lyric interpretations (from groups/artists other than XTC), barenaked ladies, and some sugar to top things off. Uhhh, let me see if I've got this right...this IS Chalkhills, right? : - ) "If it's not about XTC, then ya just gotta Let It Be" (whoops! sorry!!) Cheers, Michael [ I thought this was the Yazbek list! -- John ]
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Message-Id: <199604160015.RAA09480@sgi.sgi.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Apr 96 19:58:34 EDT
From: Melissa <MREAVES@KENTVM.KENT.EDU>
Subject: Some folks have all the luck
I'm tired of hearing how wonderful this so-called Yazbek CD is. I ask
for it around here (northeast Ohio) and the clerks at even the best
CD stores look at me slack-jawed. My favorite shop has been "looking"
for weeks. And here two Chalkhillians are using the word "receive" in
connection with it. Where's mine?
Anyway, on to other matters.
How about a Muzak tribute tape for our next collective project? I
hereby volunteer my cheesy vocals for the "Oh we go!" chorus of Mecchanik
Dancing.
As to the stars contributing to their own on-line groups, it's all right
for some, but I wouldn't recommend it here. Tony Levin is an infrequent
contributor to the King Crimson group Elephant Talk. During the band's
most recent tour, he posted a very amusing post about this guy in a loud
yellow jacket sitting behind him making an ungodly racket whilst he was
trying to enjoy the show, a reference to drummer Bill Bruford in a very
funny take-off on boring concert-review postings. My husband's the
Elephant Talker in the family, but I get to read the good stuff.
As to the black/white music thread, don't let's be so touchy. I will be
the first to admit that my record collection is largely segregated.
I think it's an interesting sociological phenomenon. I like soul and
R&B but I never listen to it. I was brought up very white bread.
Anyone else care to make the same admission?
--Melissa
"Just because I don't put on a red nose and sing 'The Sun Has Got His
Hat On' doesn't mean to say I'm in a grumpy mood!"
--Lionel Hardcastle
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #2-101 *******************************
Go back to Volume 2.
16 April 1996 / Feedback