Chalkhills Digest Volume 2, Issue 126
Date: Wednesday, 26 June 1996

         Chalkhills Digest, Volume 2, Number 126

                 Wednesday, 26 June 1996

Today's Topics:

                        Look Look
                       Length of TD
                           misc
                    Commercial Success
                 drumming on Terry's head
New Album, Bungalow, English Settlement, Nonsvch, and Cheap
                 Yazbek, Divine Comedy...
                     Pinocchio's Nose
                    leave 'em Laughing
                     A blast indeed!
                    Smartest Monkeys?
                     XTC Connections
             tickets for the front row seats
               So much for the Megastore...
                    Some odds and ends
                  Re: the next producer
               Drummers we'd like to see...
                    RE: Theater Majors

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Well you have to admit...

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

Message-Id: <v02110104adf5ab0695f3@[134.32.48.176]>
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 1996 16:09:52 +0100
From: varga@ferndown.ate.slb.com (Stephen Varga)
Subject: Look Look

Now that XTC's contract with Virgin-EMI has been terminated, it's about
time a new compilation of videos was released.

The original Look Look video compilation is rubbish.

The sound quality is poor because it lacks a Hi-Fi soundtrack and the
picture quality isnt up to standard because it was recorded on a video
using 1982 technology. We've come a long way since then.

The presentation and editing in my opinion is very tacky.

This is what we need. Anyone who disagrees, please say so:

1.      All the video singles ( + the Mummer videos shown on Play At Home)
	in chronological order including all the Look Look videos

2.      A video still showing song title, year and picture before the start
	of each and every song.

3.      No cutting the end of the video prematurely such as the Making Plans
        For Nigel one. Let each video fade out naturally at the end.

4.      Put any snippets of the band members talking either at the
	beginning or at the end of the tape or not at all. The way it was
	done on Look Look was utterly amateurish.

5.      Finally let's have a Dolby Surround soundtrack on the tape to do the
        music real justice.

When are Virgin going to release this video? Next Week? Next Month? Next
Year? Next Century? When for goodness sake? When?

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

From: "Dave White" <DWHITE@king.kingsedge.windsor.ns.ca>
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 1996 14:42:45 AST/ADT
Subject: Length of TD
Message-ID: <B8F05C203E@king.kingsedge.windsor.ns.ca>

>From: RLDK23A@prodigy.com ( ROBERT J O'CONNELL)
>
>What ever happened to those rejected Testimonial Dinner tracks David
>Yazbek was telling us about in The Little Express 39? In the article
>he mentioned a version of "The Troubles" by The Cheiftains as well as
>a "fairground" version of "Making Plans for Nigel" by Al Kooper as
>well as another 'Nigel' by the Dave Matthews Band. Have they surfaced
>on any of those artists' recent singles? Anyone?
>
>           -Dave (York,Pa)

From one Dave to another, I share your curiosity.  But moreso I
wonder why these songs were not included on the TD album.  It has a
running time of only 45 minutes - short by today's standards.
Yazbek says that there was not enough room for all the recorded
songs, but this seems clearly untrue.  I sent him an e-mail shortly
after TD came out asking why it was not longer, but I never received
a reply.  So Dave (Yazbek, that is), as a fellow Dave and a fellow
XTC fan, could you clear up the mystery here once and for all?

David White

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

Message-Id: <199606251911.NAA07122@mailhost.lanl.gov>
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 1996 13:13:28 -0600
From: DeWitt Henderson <dewitth@lanl.gov>
Subject: misc

'ello, Chalkonauts!  Or should I say - hello to the Squeeze - McCartney
- Colin's bass playing - Jane Siberry (?) - Elvis Costello - etc.
- discussion group??? Just kidding, but it does seem that since our boys
haven't been able to put out a new record lately, that our topics have
gotten more and more far-reaching.

Speaking of those topics: one more comment on the issue of Difford &
Tilbrook's latest - I disagree completely with those who think they haven't
done anything good since "the early 80's" or "since 'East Side Story'".
Yeah, East Side Story is great, but I think most of their material is.  The
latest is a goodie.  No, it doesn't have Jools Holland or Paul Carrack,
which would've made it better, but it's still really good.

And yet another comment on this whole thing of why more people don't listen to
XTC, Squeeze, E.C., etc., and whether they're "too British, too literate, and
too old", and why don't they get more airplay.  Well...
1)  Here in New Mexico, and in Austin, where I used to live, they all got
    decent airplay.  That's how I came to love 'em.  BUT - I realize that
    most big city "rock" stations are far too heavily programmed for our guys.
2)  I think that lots of people who DID listen to these people when they
    started are A) now listening to "oldies" B) now listening to country (?!@?)
    C) quit buying CD's, as someone suggested D) don't even know these artists
    are still producing (seriously!).  I've seen examples of all of these!!!
3)  And here's the biggest reason...  most people are not very adventurous,
    and their movies/music/clothing/books/you-name-it are dictated by "the
    most popular", "the latest", "the coolest", whatever.  Think For Yourself
    seems to have become an outdated concept.  Look at what the most popular
    TV shows are!?  Why do you think the term is called the LOWEST common
    denominator???

Thanks for listening to today's rants.
DeWitt Henderson

"Don't bury me 'cause I'm not dead yet"
  - Elvis Costello

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

From: BObannon@aol.com
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 1996 17:42:03 -0400
Message-ID: <960625174201_224887797@emout17.mail.aol.com>
Subject: Commercial Success

I've always found fascinating the way in which commercial success as eluded
such great artists as XTC and Elvis Costello. One of the big hindrances I
think is the sheer complexity of XTC's and Elvis' songwriting -- radio
programmers simply don't have the time to wait for angular and unpredictable
melodies to sink in the brain of the average listener. This explains why U2
and REM, both of whom were at one time commercial equals to Andy and Elvis,
have been able to find the success that has ignored our heroes: both U2 and
REM are unchallenging, predictable, and frankly, BORING bands that haven't
grown artistically one smidgen over the years. So while REM and U2 rake in
the bucks, let it be noted that their CDs are currently gathering dust in my
collection, while XTC and Elvis still bring consistent enjoyment. I know that
doesn't put food on their tables now, but maybe someday it will.

"If you do not believe I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in
your sins." -- Jesus Christ.

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

Date: Tue, 25 Jun 1996 19:27:17 -0600
From: heggej@ipcsun3.den.mmc.com (Jonathan Hegge)
Message-Id: <9606260127.AA04687@arls030.den.mmc.com>
Subject: drumming on Terry's head

>I'd also love to hear a Terry/XTC reunion, but I fear Terry doesn't have
>the subtlety or technique to play with XTC's most recent stylings, which
>cover a lot of ground musically. Did I mention that Pete Thomas would be
>perfect?

I don't understand the attitude toward Terry Chambers.  I have not been
around to catch the reason that Terry even left the band in the first
place.  I have heard many times about Barry Andrews and his further
adventures but never about where Terry went or why.  I simply started
listening to these favorites of mine after Balck Sea / Live & More.  The
four of them were the band I knew and admired as such.  I am not a musician
but I thought I heard great work on Settlement.  It's Nearly Africa, Yacht
Dance, and my personal favorite, Runaways come to mind.  I guess for me
that is great without any more or less required.  Times change and people
reach to different to levels of ability, but did he really show limits?  I
am interested to hear if others feel he was falling behind Andy, Colin and
Dave.  I was quite worried when I saw only three in the LP sleeve of
Mummer.  I thought it was the end of all my sonic pleasures and a drum
machine was the new 'player'.  Two listens to the album and I was
blissfully wrong.  Anyway, no matter who follows along I still wouldn't
take anything away from Terry since Settlement is an album that will never
find an equal in my ears and he was an 'instrumental' part of it.  Sorry,
it was an unintended pun.

Johnathan Hegge

"Life's like a firework,
 you're only lit once
 and you must stand and radiate correctly"
   -- Andy Partridge

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

Date: Tue, 25 Jun 1996 22:44:04 -0400 (EDT)
Message-Id: <199606260244.WAA24873@cyber1.servtech.com>
From: Joshua Hall-Bachner <particle@servtech.com>
Subject: New Album, Bungalow, English Settlement, Nonsvch, and Cheap

>"tricolor and phrygian cap"*

>* from Then She Appeared, definetely my choice as next new album title...

I dunno; if you mean Tricolor and Phrygian Cap, it's a bit too long (and too
similar to Oranges & Lemons). Just "Phrygian Cap" could work, tho. Anyway,
here are my choices for the next album name:

Vintage Wine                    (from My Bird Performs)
Nature's Sunken Wreck           (from Humble Daisy)
Whispering Chimneys             (from Rook)
Countless Cathedrals            (from That Wave)
Cloud Eleven                    (from That Wave)
Pale Atlantis                   (from Then She Appeared)
The Big Box Of Paints           (from Wrapped In Grey)

Any other suggestions? Maybe we should set up a betting pool. :) Anyway,
"Pale Atlantis", "Cloud Eleven", and "Nature's Sunken Wreck" are my
favorites, and the ones I think have the best chance of being picked.

Also. I love Bungalow. I used to hate it, but on one listen I realized what
an awesome song it is. Anyway, there's one thing: I remember someone
posting that they thought it was Colin's ode to, ummm, using the back
door. I can see one reference (think: Beavis and Butthead, and the name of
the song) but I don't get the rest. I must not be sick enough. :)

Also. I just (about a week ago) got English Settlement, on the urging of
Mark Strijbos. (Thanks Mark!) I must say, it is awesome! I love almost the
whole thing (I don't especially care for It's Nearly Africa, and I can only
laugh at Down In The Cockpit). I'd say that the standout from the album is
probably Jason And The Argonauts. First off, the music is great, and Andy
sings it really well. From the "Ohhh, my head is spinning..." it has me
enchanted. Secondly, the lyrics are really amazing. It's yet another XTC
song about how horrible people are, but it's really insightful and
well-written. The wordplay in the bridge (buying shoes, buying sweets, and
buying knives; buying time, buying ends to other people's lives...) is
really clever, and some of the other attacks in the song (like the bit
about the make-up veils) are right on target. I also like Colin's bass
part, especially the bit he plays right after Andy sings the slow "Human
Riches I'll Release" bit...it's simple but effective.

And then there's Nonsvch. This is my second-favorite of the four XTC albums
I have (ES, O&L, SL, and Nonsvch). When I bought it, I knew and really
liked about 1/2 of the songs on it. Listened to it, couldn't stand the
others. In the time that I listened to it, though, these other songs
started to grow on me, and now I love the album! (There's still two songs I
don't like: like INA on ES, I can take or leave Rook, and I absolutely
*detest* The Smartest Monkeys; IMHO it's got horrible music, absolutely
unoriginal, hackneyed, construed, and silly lyrics, and a dumb premise. The
vignette is nice, though. :) Two things in particular strike me about the
album. First, especially compared to O&L, an energetic, "let's-have-fun"
record, much of Nonsvch is much more, well, "adult" and darker. Even the
poppy songs are darker. Second, I see a lot of great descriptive stuff from
both Andy and Colin, and a lot of metaphorical stuff. For Colin, look at My
Bird Performs ("A different kind of tinsel decorates my tree" or "1000
Cheshire cats grin inside of me") or Bungalow. Unfortunately, his other two
songs are somewhat lacking in this department. For Andy, check out That
Wave ("Through the greeny-grey pebbles and countless cathedrals arriving"),
Humble Daisy ("Ragged Rug unbound, tangle trip the lovers, Royal barge
aground") or Then She Appeared ("Apple venus on a half-open shell",
"brittle shooting star that dropped in my lap"). I really like the way both
their lyrics have matured on this album, and hope to see this trend
continue on the next album...whatever they call it. :)

Oh yeah, and to the guy who found O&L for $5.99: they're not leftovers or
anything; they're on the Geffen "Goldline". It means, basically, that
they're cheap. Everything from TBE forward (including R&BB) is on this line
now. If anyone can't find them nearby, there's a website
(http://www.musicblvd.com) which has them at this price. Happy hunting. :)
/----------------------------Joshua Hall-Bachner----------------------------\
|      particle@servtech.com    http://www.servtech.com/public/particle/    |
| "Life is like a jigsaw. You get the straight bits, but there's something  |
\------missing in the middle."--XTC, "All Of A Sudden (It's Too Late)"------/

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

From: myke <jerk@execpc.com>
Message-Id: <199606260330.WAA03416@earth.execpc.com>
Subject: Yazbek, Divine Comedy...
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 1996 22:30:33 -0500 (CDT)

> From: "Simon Knight" <sknight@warchivegw.riv.csu.edu.au>
> Subject: Elemental lyricists

> Oh, since i'm from Oz, can can someone fill me in on who on earth
> David Yazbek is and what's with all the hero worship?  With all the
> constant references you'd think he was Andy's twin brother or
> something.  Maybe someone should start up a mailing list for him!  :-)

	He's a very good American singer-songwriter who had a track
	on his LAUGHING MAN album (What Are Records? 1996) produced
	by Andy Partridge.

> From: Combray2@aol.com
> Subject: Album of the Year

> It's by kindred soul Neil Hannon, a.k.a. The Divine Comedy.  It's called
> "Casanova", and it's intelligent, urbane, witty, grooving, melodic,
> symphonic, harmonic, and spellbinding.
>
> And it's not available in this country, due to American laws against concept
> albums.

	Wrong. Setanta says it will be issued in the US in August.
	I got a promo in the mail today. There'll be a Divine Comedy
	interview in my online zine in Aug as well, http://execpc.com/
	~jerk/...

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

From: smcdow@arlut.utexas.edu (Stuart McDow)
Message-Id: <199606260406.XAA10273@mamba.arlut.utexas.edu>
Subject: Pinocchio's Nose
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 1996 23:05:59 -0500 (CDT)

>From fisher@easynet.co.uk (Mark Fisher)

> ...does anyone hate Yazbek's *Pinocchio's Nose* as much as I do?

No, I quite like it in fact. The tone of the song goes with the
lyrics. It's pissed off music for a pissed off song. And it stands out
rather nicely between _Surface Tension_ (my fave of the album) and
_The Wind_.

Whoops - "pissed off" means "angry" in America, as opposed to
drunk. The lyrics to _PN_ are wonderful. Having worked in coporate
America, "I see a fat little brat in executive clothes" is now one of
my all-time favorite lyrics. I bet it's wonderful live. I really like
the bit where the quiet eletric piano states the theme followed by the
loud, crunchy guitars. I dunno, the song really works for me.

I don't want to go on and on about Yazbek's album on the XTC list, but
it is one of the best things I've heard in a long, long time. The
guy's a genius.

--
Stuart McDow, MS Year 0                                 The University of Texas
smcdow@arlut.utexas.edu                   Southwestern Medical School at Dallas

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

From: kinterkn@winternet.com
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 1996 23:19:59 -0500 (CDT)
Message-Id: <199606260419.XAA23487@parka>
Subject: leave 'em Laughing

Hi there fellow Chalkhillians!  I've been a lurker for far too long, time to
come out from hiding.  I've never written before - my free time never seems
to coincide with a new Digest issue.  My responses would be lagging far
behind...  But I just had to answer Melissa Reaves' question regarding "The
Laughing Man":

          <Anyone have a negative opinion they're trying to keep quiet?>

Let me preface my comments by saying that I've really, really enjoyed
Yazbek's album.  I don't find it quite as engrossing as XTC, but then, what
is?  The songs are all very listenable, and they get better the more you
hear them.  Instant hit.  So anyway, 'round about my third or fourth time
through, I noticed something naggingly familiar, perhaps annoyingly so,
about "Tomorrow."  I tried to just listen to the song, ignore whatever was
bugging me about it, but I just couldn't.  I obsessed about it for a while,
and then it finally dawned on me.  You know the repeating phrase that starts
the song off, that "da-da-da-da-da-da, da-da?"  Doesn't that remind you of
the theme song from "Green Acres?"  You know, fun and hilarity on the farm
with Eddie Fisher and Eva Gabor?  What was the pig's name?  Anyone remember?
Wasn't it Ferdinand, or something similar?  I don't know how negative a
negative opinion you find that, but there it is.

While I'm here, allow me a moment to be sycophantic.  It's been just great
finding out that I'm not the only living, breathing XTC fan on the planet.
I can't think of anyone I know, outside of this group, who is any better
than ambivalent about them.  My husband loates them.  I take that back.
Rather, he says they're much too innocuous to actually hate, which I find to
be a rather harsh insult indeed.  But then, I've been mad about Andy P.
since the first time I saw the video for "Senses Working Overtime" way back
when, in the days when MTV used to be commercial free and cool.  Mad about
Andy, mad about the music, mad mad mad.  I'm also glad that Jane Siberry has
been mentioned here.  She's another sadly neglected artist who doesn't get
near the attention or credit she deserves.

I guess that would be all for now.  Oh yeah, just one more thing....I'd have
to agree that "Nonsuch" is an absolutely fantastic, beautiful piece of work.
Can't wait until the next release.....

--Priscilla in the sunny City of Lakes

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

Message-ID: <31D0F495.6BF5@interpath.com>
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 1996 01:28:05 -0700
From: "Charles Lee Lovingood, Jr." <lognsdad@interpath.com>
Subject: A blast indeed!

Brian....
	I am glad to hear that my little sermon on the values of English
Settlement on WVVV's (Rock 105) top 300 countdown in the early nineties
did not fall on deaf ears. Although my script was read by John Peterson,
who apparently thought Andy Partridge was a member of the Partridge
family the way he chuckled, at least the message got across. Yes, I am
the same Lee Lovingood who, along with my dear friend Chris Cummings
hosted the morning show on WVVV. Outrageous! I really miss those days.
Remember the bi-daily adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle? The live
breakfast broadcasts from a listeners house? The seven o' clock wake up
calls? Sadly, the station is now satellite driven hot hits. Chris and I
still stay in touch. He is the Godfather of my son. I am glad to hear
that it wasn't all in vain; my attempt to educate people as to what good
music was. As Ren and Stimpy would say..."Memories...."
All of a sudden we find the cupboard bare......
Lee lovingood, purveyor of fine music world (or at least country) wide!

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

Message-ID: <31D0AFB6.5C80@earthlink.net>
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 1996 03:34:14 +0000
From: Thomas White <oedipus@earthlink.net>
Subject: Smartest Monkeys?

>>contains some wonderful songs - "The Smartest Monkeys" is my particular
fave<<

Come on Sean, give me a break!  I'll give you the bassline -- it's definitely
one of his best.  But "wonderfully sarcastic lyrics"?  Sarcastic maybe.
There is certainly no "wonderfully" to be found.  This song is so hokey,
sometimes I just have to skip over it completely (even though I like the
music).  Also, how can you use the word "fave" with a straight face?  Maybe
it was all curvy at the time, I don't know.

--Tom

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

Date: Wed, 26 Jun 1996 10:22:08 +0100
Message-Id: <199606260922.AA27647@felix.dircon.co.uk>
From: nonsuch@dircon.co.uk (Simon Sleightholm)
Subject: XTC Connections

From: "J. D. Mack" <jdmack@nicom.com>

>Actually, there is a link between Celine Dion and XTC.  One of the
>orchestral arrangements on Celine's latest album was done by Andrew Pryce
>Jackman, who did the orchestral arrangements on "Fish Out Of Water" by Chris
>Squire, which had Bill Bruford on drums, who now drums in King Crimson along
>side Pat Mastelotto, who drummed on "Oranges and Lemons."  So don't be so
>quick to dis Celine!

How the hell did you work all that through? I am impressed. I still find no
merit whatsoever in the "art" of Ms Dion, though. There's also a Mike & The
Mechanics link I never thought about until I read your posting - according
to Limelight, Pete Phipps drummed on a Mike Rutherford track for the B-side
of a Phil Collins single. It just goes to prove that a complete collection
of XTC related material would contain 90% rubbish. An obscene procession
indeed. That is, of course, IMHO, but Mark Fisher has raised much the same
point just recently.

How about a new thread; the most depressing XTC connection? Maybe someone
out there can provide a link from XTC to Rod, Jane and Freddy (one for the
UK Chalkies there), or XTC and The Goombay Dance Band. Any takers?

Peter Pumpkinhead/Dwight Strut. Anyone ever seem them both in a room at the
same time? Thought not.

Simon

* ---------------------------------------------------
http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~nonsuch/bungalow.htm
* ---------------------------------------------------
No Thugs In Our House, only XTC.

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

From: fisher@easynet.co.uk
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 1996 10:27:13 +0100
Message-Id: <v01510100adf76532732c@DialupEudora>
Subject: tickets for the front row seats

I have no evidence that an interest in theatre and an interest in XTC
naturally go together, but if anyone feels like conducting a poll, count me
in as a professional theatre critic. You could also add a friend of mine
who does a lot of theatre music (sometimes with deliberate, not to say
obscure, XTC references) and also the literary manager of the Manchester
Royal Exchange Theatre. So that's three of us . . .

Mark Fisher (fisher@easynet.co,uk)

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

Message-ID: <31D1581C.171A@intercall.com>
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 1996 08:32:44 -0700
From: Ira Lieman <aym@intercall.com>
Organization: Not in this lifetime...
Subject: So much for the Megastore...

Hi folks.

Someone mentioned the Carmen Sandiego LP and XTC's "Cherry In Your Tree"
... well, I searched and I searched and I searched some more and I can't
find the blasted thing ANYWHERE!!!!!!!!!  I work in Midtown Manhattan and
I'm considered fortunate that the best music stores in the free world are
located within 10 blocks of me. Monday night I finally went to visit the
"Virgin Megastore" on 45th street with one album in mind -- the Carmen
Sandiego soundtrack album. Alas, it was nowhere to be found and the dorky
cashier didn't even know what I was talking about. (Then after that I
wandered over to the "Virgin Cafe" -- insert "Pink Thing" reference
here.)
Yesterday, I spent the better part of an hour surfing all the cyber-CD
stores trying to find it; to no avail. I'm getting a little upset! Is
this record out of print? Will I ever have a cherry in my tree? Someone
please help! Do any of you guys know where I can find this album? I know,
I know, most of you probably have it and might want to initiate an
exchange, but I actually want to purchase this!

TO the Fellow Chalkholio that doesn't like Yazbek's "Pinocchio's Nose" --
obviously you haven't seen it played live. He and the band do a great job
on it live, something you might not glean from the recording. When they
did it at HMV in NYC in April, they had to turn the energy level down as
to not disturb the non-cool customers who weren't watching the show. I'm
anxiously awaiting Yazbek's latest project...(producing XTC? Aah, I wish.
Although Ric Ocasek sounds like quite an interesting choice...)

One last thing. Everyone's putting their two cents in -- someone must be
getting quite rich off of this list. Senor Relph? ;)

-ira

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

Message-ID: <D5EBD62F01291300@ametsoc.org>
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 96 09:07:00 -0500
From: dgershmn <dgershmn@ametsoc.org>
Organization: AMS
Subject: Some odds and ends

To my comment about McCartney's wondrous bass line on "Rain," Stuart McDow
countered:
>take a closer listen to Colin's bass on "What in the World?". Again
>bass creates second melody, and Colin's line is much more interesting.
>Not only that but it's got a real _groove_. IT ROCKS!!

Don't forget that Colin had an extra 20 years to absorb the lessons of
McCartney when coming up with the bass line for "What in the World?" Not to
discredit Colin's playing in any way, of course, but picture McCartney's
bass playing (in the song "Rain," in this case, to continue the example) in
1966, compare it to most other bass playing of the time, and then tell me
it's not utterly impressive.

Here's an XTC-producer suggestion to mull over: Tom Waits. Can you imagine?
I can't say I know offhand if he's done much production other than his own
stuff, but when I hear the great musical sounds he comes up with for his own
music, I just drool (pardon me) at the thought of how good he could make an
XTC album sound.

And a drummer suggestion, to boot: I know Charles Lee Lovingood mentioned
him as an interesting choice for producer, but it seems very clear that
Stewart Copeland would be an excellent choice to handle any beat Andy and
Colin could throw at him.

Finally, Mark Fisher wrote:
>Subject: rhymes with egg bad
>Damn! I've just read a review that says that Peter Blegvad played live last
>night in Glasgow, Scotland (about an hour from where I live) supporting Tom
>Robinson. That's the first time I remember hearing of Blegvad playing live.

Sorry you missed the show, Mark...I can attest to the fact that he actually
does play live, because I saw him this past winter right here in Somerville,
MA, at a great local club called Johnny D's. It was just him and his
acoustic, and all I can say was that he was absolutely great and thoroughly
entertaining. I dragged a few friends with me who had never even heard of
him before, and they all left with a Blegvad CD in their hands. He's one
heckuva songwriter, a fine guitarist, a very funny and intelligent man, and
boy is he tall [what is it...6'7"? (according to "Peter Who?")]...he nearly
scraped the low ceiling above the stage. I don't hold out much hope that
I'll be lucky enough to see him so conveniently again, but if he plays
anywhere within reach again, I'm there. I hope you get to see him eventually
(and anyone else who has a chance to do so, do not miss out!).

Over and out,

Dave Gershman               "She says she's found a way to make her own
light"

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

Message-Id: <199606261328.GAA22412@sgi.sgi.com>
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 1996 09:23:00 -0500
From: Dik LeDoux <dik@ICON-INC.NET>
Subject: Re: the next producer

How do chalkholios!
>From #2-125 Sean Robison mentions:

My suggestion for the next producer: How about Rick Rubin? So far, he's
managed to produce ... the best albums in both Mick Jagger's and Tom
Petty's careers...

YES, YES - that's it.  Only he forgot to mention the Chili Peppers' best
album ever as well.  Rubin has the knack to make the band sound as if
they're playing live-n-relaxed, which may help to alleviate all of our
XTC-Live! joneses.  It'd also be nice to hear the newer music with less
over production. - IMHO sometimes the production is a bit over the top as
evidenced in skylarking (which is nonetheless a killer disc).

Come to think of it - maybe Rick Rubin could produce Todd Rundgren's next
work and teach him to lay off the overblown effects.  Rundgren's a great
songwriter, but his production/arrangements are just TOO.

"and if you listen quietly you can hear them shooting from grave to
grave"

Adios

Dik \:)

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Date: Wed, 26 Jun 1996 09:17:33 -0400
Message-ID: <1D13B870.@messaging.tfn.com>
From: barkerw@messaging.tfn.com (Welton Barker)
Subject: Drummers we'd like to see...

     How about Dave Weckl?

     --Welton

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Message-Id: <s1d1026e.053@DICTAPHONE.COM>
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 1996 09:23:52 -0400
From: Tim Kendrick <TKEN@DICTAPHONE.COM>
Subject: RE: Theater Majors

>> Anyway, in the course of the conversation, the guy
>> told me that when he was in college, all the XTC fans
>> he knew were theater majors and didn't I find that
>> to be the case as well.  Well, I don't find that
>> to be the case, so I want to ask you all whether a
>> preponderance of Chalkaholics are theater majors
>> (not that I think you are) or if you know theater majors who
>> are XTC fans, 'cause I imagine them to be among the least
>> likely group of people to be computer jocks.

  Well, actually, in college I majored in Computer Science
  and minored in Theatre Arts.  And I currently have 2 jobs
  - one as a computer programmer and the other as an
   actor/director with the Siochain Theatre Co. in New Haven, CT.

  So it just shows you that there's no sense in generalizing
  about groups of people - there's always someone who
  doesn't fit the mold !

    Some of my theater friends love XTC, some don't.
    And some of my computer friends love XTC, and some
    don't.  I don't think your career/occupation really makes
    a difference.

    **************************************************************
  OPEN NOTE TO THOSE IN CONTACT WITH ANDY:
    Do you think that Andy would be interested in our
    opinions of his demo's ?  I know he was "freaked out"
    about so many people owning them, but now that he
    knows many of us have them, is he interested in
    knowing what we think of them, which one's we love,
    which we don't care for, etc. etc.
    Or would he rather not know ???

         Later !

               Tim K.

XTC SONG OF THE DAY:  "The Green Man"

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End of Chalkhills Digest #2-126
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Go back to Volume 2.

26 June 1996 / Feedback