Chalkhills Digest, Volume 2, Number 139 Tuesday, 23 July 1996 Today's Topics: jazzzzzzz xtc w/ basil and garlic Re: Frooom Re: Sugarplastic Re: Fossil Fools Virgin ES CD better than Geffen ES CD? bludgeon? superelasticbubbleplastic! Totally Awesome! site of the day for July 20, 1996 What's all this then? Autumn for Holland and France Correcting myself... Off White Album; The Mirrors XTCLIA Odds, sods, and dear gods Uffingham Chalk horse. XTC LIVE! John Leckie Giles Smith's Book Re: XTC-ANONYMOUS Yazbek for trade! Trib Tape "Response" The lost songs pink things More producer/drummer suggestions Remastered O&L from MoFi Another controversial note Threadwaxing.... 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. This world, a hell of trees and grass.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: myke <jerk@earth.execpc.com> Message-Id: <199607200147.UAA26452@earth.execpc.com> Subject: jazzzzzzz Date: Fri, 19 Jul 1996 20:47:47 -0500 (CDT) > From: relph (John Relph) > > What?! You think I listen to jazz? Jeez. I'm going to take that as a joke, but just in case, maybe you should take a double shot of Impulse!-era Coltrane cut with some mid-period Mingus as an antidote for that ...
------------------------------ Message-ID: <v01540b01ae1624c255d7@[198.69.34.172]> Date: Sat, 20 Jul 1996 00:58:55 -0500 From: duke@charm.net (kirkwood duke) Subject: xtc w/ basil and garlic i don't think i've sent this announcement yet, but i honestly can't remember, so i apologize if this is repeatitive. please drop by the xtc-esque bands at beatown. (http://www.charm.net/~duke/xtc/beatown2.html) you will be AMAZED at the offerings of franco turra, a young italian songwriter who truly has skylarking-ish xtc down. it is downright creepy at times. and, to top it all off, all the lyrics are in italian. see for yourself, kirk, mayor of beatown
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01540b04ae1625ec595a@[199.171.191.14]> Date: Fri, 19 Jul 1996 23:18:19 -0700 From: gondola@deltanet.com (E.B.) Subject: Re: Frooom >From: dgershmn <dgershmn@ametsoc.org> > In Chalkhills #137, "GB" begged: >>And please...no Mitchell Froom! Blecch. Let him ruin more >>Suzanne Vega albums, but just keep him away from Andy! >Well, I personally love Suzanne's "99.9 F" album...I think it's her best. >And have you heard what he and Tchad Blake have done on the last couple of >Los Lobos albums ("Kiko" and "Colossal Head")? I would tend to give Los >Lobos a lot of the credit for the excellent songs, but both albums just >SOUND wonderful...so many cool, experimental sounds. It's definite "ear >candy," as they say (though I don't want that to make it sound like they're >"bubblegum" music, obviously). Well, you're entitled to your opinion of course, but it's my own LEAST favorite Vega album. It also wasn't very well-reviewed, generally. (For instance, SPIN gave it a "red light" rating, meaning "Stop -- don't buy it!") I don't know any sales figures, but I also wouldn't be surprised if it didn't sell all that well, relative to her other three discs. To me, 99.9 F is just extremely confused and ill-focused compared with her other albums. And the production is one of the chief problems. And of course, she'll continue to work with Froom no doubt, darn it. (In case someone doesn't know, Froom/Vega were married a year or two ago.) Froom has also done icky things to other groups I like, such as Richard Thompson, American Mercury Club and.... (Shoot, who am I forgetting here?) It all comes down to that gimmicky "cardboard box" percussion sound which he persists in polluting nearly all his projects with. Now, it did work well recently with the Cibo Matto debut, a record appropriately based in rhythm and percussion, unlike Thompson, AMC, Vega, etc. Oh, I've never warmed up to Los Lobos. Their lyrical style just doesn't move me, and I'm admittedly not that much of a "roots" guy. I don't dispute anyone else's admiration for them, however. GB
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01540b02ae16237dc6e6@[199.171.191.14]> Date: Fri, 19 Jul 1996 23:28:19 -0700 From: gondola@deltanet.com (E.B.) Subject: Re: Sugarplastic >From: myke <jerk@earth.execpc.com> > >> Now that I've gotten that off my chest: I was in a record store the other >> night trying to find the new Sugarplastic. > > Speaking of which, has anyone heard their first album? It > was reviewed in the BIG TAKEOVER issue w/ Catherine Wheel > on the cover (recent!), but I've never seen it. Self-released? Yeah, I own the first album. It's called Radio Jejune, and it's on a Los Angeles-based indie, Sugar Fix Records. This is NOT the group's own label, but Sugar Fix has very few releases, mostly singles I believe. The first album isn't as good in my opinion, but it's worthwhile. The arrangements and production are much more simple/low-budget, and somewhat dated-sounding. There's seemingly much less XTC influence, and a much HEAVIER Kinks influence (circa Village Green). So there you go. If someone wants it and can't find it, perhaps you could e-mail Sugar Fix Records. The label's address is Sugar Fix@aol.com. Good luck. :) GB
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199607200915.LAA27965@utrecht.knoware.nl> From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl> Date: Sat, 20 Jul 1996 11:13:44 +0000 Subject: Re: Fossil Fools Dear Chalks, Last Chalkhills Myke wrote : > the best car mix-disc anyone's ever made. Every song is smashing > good... except "Wait Til Your Boat" that is. Do you really rate Statue Of Liberty or Science Friction higher than the fabulous Wait Till Your Boat? I know lots of people don't really like this song but they are wrong. IMHO this is one of Andy's best "singalong songs". OK, so the world at large did not agree and it sank without a trace ( pun intended ) but I just love it. bye, m@rk ===> Mark's useless XTC quote for today <== For a ehart without love is a song with no words
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 Jul 1996 03:14:47 -0800 From: "M. Travis" <JSMDT@acad1.alaska.edu> Subject: Virgin ES CD better than Geffen ES CD? Message-id: <01I7A4IKE5FQAMNMDF@ua.acad1.alaska.edu> "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl> wrote: > I would be the happiest man on earth if Mofi would remaster ES. > The UK CD is ok but not as clear and vivid as the vinyl version. This has been on my wish list for a long time. My mid-80s Geffen (CD) release is horrible. I've been curious though -- is the Virgin UK CD any better? (I'm sure _someone_ on this list has compared them "side-by-side".) - m
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199607201617.RAA07386@aoife.indigo.ie> From: "Daniel Prendiville" <modjp@indigo.ie> Date: Sat, 20 Jul 1996 16:08:19 +0000 Subject: bludgeon? I'd be grateful if anybody out there could spare the time to let me know what's wrong with Mr. Dudgeon's production of NONSUCH? It seems to be coming in for a lot of criticism of late, and having listened to it only last night in a prone position (necessary when you're having a colonic irrigation, BTW) , I feel that much of this criticism is undeserved. Mr. Dudgeon has quite an auspicious production career, having been involved with Elton John in the old days; the zenith of his career *possibly* being his fine production job on BAGATELLE's Polydor UK debut in 1981/82... Any comments, please? Daniel Prendiville P.S. Butch Fig? Mitch Vroom?
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 Jul 1996 14:02:59 -0400 From: WES HANKS <W_HANKS@wow.com> Subject: superelasticbubbleplastic! Message-ID: <199607201403_MC1-73D-C0F6@compuserve.com> Hi Chalkies, I found a copy of the Sugarplastic cd "Radio Jejune" on Sugar Fix Recordings, (001). I like it and its on my reccomend list. Why so hard on these fellows? They come across as having had an enjoyable time making the cd. A recent post was apologetic about going to the used record store, as if its an embarrasing skin condition, I have aquired 85% of my collection through used record stores. I guess it has to do with that "thrill of the hunt thing". Being the Cheapest Living Englishman, I don't feel as bad spending money on a cd that reveals itself as a dud. A friend gently reminded me that after I had mentioned that "Fossil Fuels" was unnecessary; that "not everyone has every XTC cd", and that it would serve as a nice collection for a new round of fans. Humbly, Wes ...turning Japanese, I really think so...
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 19 Jul 1996 22:03:12 -0700 From: awesome@80s.com Subject: Totally Awesome! site of the day for July 20, 1996 Message-ID: <9607200000.aa23145@metroweb.metrobbs.com> Regarding your web page, CHALKHILLS - the XTC Home Page... Greetings and saluations! We here at The 80s Server would like you to know that we've chosen your site as our Totally Awesome! site of the day. It will be displayed all day at http://www.80s.com/Entertainment/Awesome Congrats and thank you for your time! ---The 80s Gang http://www.80s.com
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 Jul 1996 14:13:04 -0700 (PDT) From: Stephen Mahoney <stephenm@nethost.multnomah.lib.or.us> Subject: What's all this then? Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.91.960720134806.14709B-100000@nethost.multnomah.lib.or.us> Hello fellow Chalkies, No producers. No drummers. No red. No monkeys. But instead, this: Anyone willing to duplicate for me any of those demos I keep reading and sighing about? Or, if they are still available in the first generation, how do i obtain them? And, does anybody know about any other live recordings of the gentlemen from Swindon besides Live at the BBC Radio One, which is vibrant; one of the best live albums I've heard in years. "Liiife is Goood in the Greenhouse, ha, ha,ha,ha....rather be a plant than be your mickey mouse, ha,ha,ha,ha,ha" Stephen(port,or.)
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 Jul 1996 19:34:11 -0500 (CDT) From: "Jeffrey with 2 f's Jeffrey" <jenor@csd.uwm.edu> Subject: Autumn for Holland and France Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.91.960720193009.10458A-100000@alpha1.csd.uwm.edu> Someone (whose name I've forgotten) suggested Steve Albini as producer for XTC: please god no. I heard a track from the most recent Auteurs album, produced by Albini. While the guitars sounded good, the bass sounded as if someone had thrown a blanket over the amp, the kick drum as if it was that same blanket loosely draped over clothesline then beaten with a broom, the snares as if someone dropped a paper bag full of rice onto the floor. Plus, Albini's well known for hating vocals - can you imagine what he'd do to Andy & Colin's harmonies? Sorry - about the worst suggestion for producer I've heard here. --Jeff Jeffrey J. Norman <jenor@csd.uwm.edu> <http://www.uwm.edu/~jenor/> Dept. of English & Comp. Lit. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee ::the sea is the night asleep in the daytime::::::::::::::::Robert Desnos::
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 Jul 1996 21:21:38 -0500 (CDT) Message-Id: <199607210221.VAA01793@mail1.inlink.com> From: jims@inlink.com (Jim S) Subject: Correcting myself... >>That would be Sam Phillip's, "Martinis and Bikinis" > >Which, by the way, is an EXCELLENT album. I urge ALL Chalkhillians to >check out Sam Phillips. She has 3 albums to her credit (with a 3rd, "Omnipop" ^^^ Oops. Obviously, I meant her 4th album. She already has 3 out. Jim S. <jims@inlink.com> "I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous." - Crow T. Robot
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Jul 1996 10:57:31 -0400 Message-Id: <199607211457.KAA01093@eri.erinet.com> From: Nick Mitchell <musnick@erinet.com> Subject: Off White Album; The Mirrors Hello all Chalkhillians. Can someone tell me if Martin's "Off White Album" is available in the U.S. or off the net, or is it a bootleg? I love "Englishman". Also, a very XTC/Beatles influenced band from Dayton, Ohio, The Mirrors, has just released their second album, "Record Record" (that's re'cord record, the verb then the noun). This CD is full of different styles ala Nonsuch, The White Album, etc. And, the group is on a label that is selling copies of the CD for only $5! It's worth it. Check out Skeptical Cat Recordings at www.erinet.com/musnick/cat.html or email musnick@erinet.com to inquire. I'll ask again...when the hell are the boys going to start recording?????????????? I don't care WHO the producer is.
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Jul 1996 17:43:44 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <199607212143.RAA03566@cyber1.servtech.com> From: Joshua Hall-Bachner <particle@servtech.com> Subject: XTCLIA >J. Hall volunteered to set up a lyric interpretation centre. Perhaps dear >Mister Relph might inform him of what kind of volume he'd be in for ;-) I'm a glutton for punishment. :) So far, though, no thousands of e-mails pouring my way. Heck, no e-mail pouring my way, period. What's with you people? :) /----------------------------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)"------/
------------------------------ Message-ID: <31F33B95.6464@gis.net> Date: Mon, 22 Jul 1996 01:28:05 -0700 From: David Gershman <dagersh@gis.net> Subject: Odds, sods, and dear gods First off, in Chalkhills #138, Jim S proclaimed, about Sam Phillip's "Martinis and Bikinis": >[It] is an EXCELLENT album. I urge ALL Chalkhillians to >check out Sam Phillips. She has 3 albums to her credit (with a 3rd, >"Omnipop" due in August) and they are all three wonderful. She is one of >the finest songwriters out there. Absolutely! She is truly excellent, and her albums provide another example of why her husband and producer, T-Bone Burnett, should produce XTC's next album. She also has a handful of other albums out under the name "Leslie Phillips," when she was a Christian singer (albeit a cool one, I'm sure)...I've never heard them, but at least one of them is produced by T-Bone as well. Jim S also said: >I don't think I could make it a week without hearing "Ladybird"... Among the most beautiful songs in the XTC songbook, definitely. I've been known to go more than a week between listenings, but it's always a favorite when I hear it. Regarding the "FF (fast forward)" thread, in which folks have been listing the songs they skip over, I have to honestly say that I NEVER skip over an XTC song. Once I put on the album/CD, that's it; I listen all the way through. Sure, there are a few songs that don't give me quite as much pleasure as others, but I prefer to give them a chance to impress me for some reason I hadn't noticed before, rather than skip over them and miss out on that possibility. I find that every one of their songs ends up having something going for it. Mark Strijbos said: >I agree that a rerelease of Nigel or even better, Senses on >single coninciding with the Fossil Fuel release could get our boys a >surprise hit and some hard-earned cash. They are slowly getting more >and more respect. And many people are surprised they still exist. >I think the time is riper than ever for a comeback. Well, I do hope that the time is ripe for some success, but I have trouble believing a rerelease of either "Nigel" or "Senses" is going to do much more on the charts these days than they did when they were released. As great as those songs are, they sound dated enough to probably not meet with much success. I would be somewhat more inclined to think that "Earn Enough for Us," which I always thought should have been a hit, could do something. But really, I'd rather have them get some play out of some new songs, once the new album hits the racks! Chris Coolidge stretched out this Rush thing even farther: > I'm not particularly a Rush fan, but anyone familiar with their more >recent material would see the connection isn't that farfetched. Both >bands resolutely do things their own way and aren't afraid to experiment >with their sound. Well, one major difference is that XTC has a sense of humor. But in any case, I'd just like to apologize to all of you for being the one to trigger this whole Rush topic to begin with. It was I who first mentioned them a few issues ago, in my argument against Andrew Bissaro's comparison of the Indigo Girls to Lennon and McCartney, of all things! I didn't even bring them up in reference to XTC, only to point out that a band can be good musicians (hence, the reference to Rush) without necessarily being great songwriters! So PLEASE please PLEASE, I implore you, let's not mention them anymore. It was an accident...if I had known what I was starting, I would've chosen some other way to make my point. And TikiMasala killed off his monkey: >The moral of the story: > >Don't bore us with (self) righteous indignation. Dazzle us with wit, a >whimper, or perhaps a little whine. So which were you doing, Tiki? I was bored by your monkey tale, you sounded self-righteous, and I certainly wasn't dazzled in any way. If you think that spelling it "stoopud" and bringing up your Kiss poster is wit, I'll show you a million monkeys with typewriters who could write a funnier posting than that, and they could make it funny without intentional, stupid misspellings. Yours in XTC fandom, Dave Gershman
------------------------------ From: Damian Foulger <spxdlf@cardiff.ac.uk> Date: Mon, 22 Jul 1996 10:48:38 GMT Subject: Uffingham Chalk horse. Message-ID: <48AEED2CC1@nrd2s.cf.ac.uk> I've been travelling from London to Cardiff for three years now and I didn't notice it until last Friday. It is easy to see the chalk horse at Uffingham (the one on English Settlement) from the train. For those of you who want to see it, it can be seen between Swindon (yea!) and Reading, about twently minutes from both. Look south at the far hills and you will see it. What a sight! Dames tWd P.s. Nick Drake is dead but his music is the greatest. Check out Pink Moon or Five Leaves Left on Rykodisc. He is loved by The Lilac Time (in fact they were named after lyrics in on of ND's song.) It's great.
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 Jul 1996 23:10:45 +0800 (SST) Message-Id: <199607221510.XAA31310@mailh1a.cyberway.com.sg> From: Kevin M Mathews <mathews@cyberway.com.sg> Subject: XTC LIVE! Here's an amusing anecdote told to me by my bandmate Tim Nolan from a XTC gig he witnessed in 77 or 78. It seems that ' Statue of Liberty ' would usually be a signal for the audience to point their index fingers into the sky and shout " Woohoo!! " at the crucial juncture ( you know where ) - BUT at this gig, some bloke got too close to Andy and poked him right in the groin !! Which probably made his vocals a lot more flighty !! HA HA HA !! Don't you wish you had been there !! Cheers, Kevin.
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 Jul 1996 13:26:29 -0400 Message-ID: <1f3c2e40@cinsycfs.rcc.org> From: David.Criddle@cinsycfs.rcc.org (David Criddle) Subject: John Leckie I might have missed this somewhere. Did John Leckie produce Go2? His name is spelled Lackie on my copy if he did indeed produce it. Also, in the All Music Guide, Leckie is slated with producing White Music but not Go2. What is the story here? Is this an unfortunate misspelling or is there a John Lackie running around producing albums? Dave Criddle
------------------------------ From: Combray2@aol.com Date: Mon, 22 Jul 1996 18:28:35 -0400 Message-ID: <960722182834_439565709@emout13.mail.aol.com> Subject: Giles Smith's Book The encomiums for Giles Smith's "Lost in Music" seem to be rolling in from exclusively European addresses. Does any Chalkhillian know if this book is available in America? It would seem to be an important matter, as it is said to deal intimately with both our Heroes and Martin Newell....
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 Jul 1996 17:16:51 -0700 From: relph (John Relph) Message-Id: <199607230016.RAA18779@mando.engr.sgi.com> Subject: Re: XTC-ANONYMOUS William Ham Bevan <whambeva@jesus.ox.ac.uk> writes: > >IMPORTANT MESSAGE ON XTC-ANONYMOUS DIRECTORY!!! > >Thanks to everyone who has mailed me to have their pages included in the >XTC directory. Unfortunately, I am no longer able to maintain this page - I have taken the liberty of moving the XTC-Anonymous directory to the Chalkhills Site: http://chalkhills.org/ If you wish to have your URL added to the new Chalkhills Anonymous page (see "What's New" or "Chalkhills Archives"), send a message to: <owner-chalkhills@chalkhills.org> Many thanks due to William for all his efforts. -- John
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 Jul 1996 20:15:12 -0500 Message-Id: <199607230115.UAA30289@tremont.dpc.net> From: Scott Anderson <scandcar@dpc.net> Subject: Yazbek for trade! Hi all! I have an extra copy of the fine Yazbek cd that is oft talked about on this list. If any non-US list member is having trouble finding it and would like to work a trade for a cd that I want from your country please drop me a line! Thanks, Scott. scandcar@dpc.net
------------------------------ From: richard.pedrettiallen@octel.com Date: Mon, 22 Jul 1996 18:48:45 -0700 Message-Id: <1F430EB0.1240@corp.octel.com> Subject: Trib Tape "Response" There have been many others who wanted on the tape but we ran out of space! At this point I have heard from several people to say their tapes are on the way and I have already received seven tapes. SEVEN?! Yes, seven. In 19 mail days I have received 7 tapes. Should I expect more than 20 in the next 9 mailing days? You'd better damn well hope so or I'll do a 30 minute a capella 16 RPM drone interpretation of Deliver Us From The Elements and I'm just getting over a bacterial throat infection that could justify suicide and I sound like a steel dog barking bricks! ahem... Here is the list ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: AWAITING TAPE OR EMAIL: Robin Myrick (The Comfortable Chair) ? Phillip McEachern ? Peter Fitzpatrick Making Plans for Nigel OR Grass OR The Disappointed Sean Altman Ten Feet Tall Curtis Settino (Canoofle) Scissor Man Steve Lutz Season Cycle Dolph Chaney Respectable Street John Hedges Disque Bleu Randy C Sacrificial Bonfire Ned Robie Rocket From A Bottle OR Roads Girdle The Globe John Neil I'm Bugged OR Ballet For A Rainy Day Gene Yoon Everything Erich Walther Travels In Nihilon Christopher Burgess This World Over OR All Of A Sudden Christopher Coolidge Wrapped in Gray ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: RECEIVED: Ben Gott Battery Brides Chris Spillios Dear God Harrison Sherwood Living In A Haunted Heart John Christensen 1000 Umbrellas Mitch Friedman "XTSea" Medley Naoyuking Iso Goosey, Goosey Steve Perley My Love Explodes ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: HEARD FROM (since May): Eric Day It's Nearly Africa Tim Kendrick ? Nick Mitchell (Mirrors) (out on tour!) Toys OR Ladybird Carnine/Posynick Day In, Day Out Tom Slack Meeting Place Walt Michulka Gens & Majs OR Bike Ride To... OR Gold Dress Paul Brantley When We Get To England ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Ship your tape today!! Fedex is free, when you mail from work! Richard
------------------------------ From: richard.pedrettiallen@octel.com Date: Mon, 22 Jul 1996 19:08:18 -0700 Message-Id: <1F435210.1240@corp.octel.com> Subject: The lost songs Thanks to all who responded as to the origin of a few song titles I didn't recognize. I'm sorry for my oversight on I'm Bugged and Your Gold Dress, I should have known better... but the others I honestly didn't know their source. Thanks again, Richard
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 09:11:20 +0100 Message-Id: <v01510101ae18ff0c2568@[194.128.83.69]> From: fisher@easynet.co.uk (Mark Fisher) Subject: pink things >Re the producer thread (ho hum), it came to mind that perhaps what we >should be discussing is the ENGINEER. Ultimately the song's will come >through in all their brilliance but I'm more concerned about the over-all >sound. Any ideas? Uuuurgh! The producer thread it driving me to distraction already (did I really read someone saying they'd just been listening to the *production* of the Martin Newell LP? Is this really what people do?). But now engineers? I say we should discuss the tea-boy. After all, without a fresh cuppa on hand whenever they want it, XTC could start sending off quite the wrong vibes. And should it be PG Tips or Co-Op's Own Variety? Brown sugar or white? And is powdered milk an adequate substitute for the real thing? On the subject of producers, no one ever replied to my request about whether it was worth buying a Mission record just to hear an AP-produced track. Does this mean that none of us has been able to fork out cash for such a terrible band? And while I'm rambling, how did XTC get away with such a blatant sexual metaphor in *Cherry in Your Tree* on an album for children? And could someone tell me what exactly Carmen Sandiego is and how it comes to have such a groovy soundtrack? Mark Fisher (fisher@easynet.co,uk)
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 Jul 1996 20:40 +0930 From: "VanAbbe, Dominic" <dominic.vanabbe@faulding.com.au> Subject: More producer/drummer suggestions Message-id: <01I7FBG3323M00AG0I@faulding.com.au> Greetings Chalkhillians, I must say I'm new to these things, but am delighted to be able to read all thoughts XTC-ish from fellow fans worldwide. I've only recently subscribed and have read the last four digests with relish. For a first contribution I thought I'd add my (Aussie) two cents worth to the producer debate. Firstly, to those who suggested Mitch Easter- excellent idea. He is equally adept at capturing live, crunchy sounds (Stephen Duffy's last LP, our own now defunct Hummingbirds) as he is at capturing more delicate sounds (early REM). Besides I'd hate to see the crunchier side of our boys disappear. Also filed under this banner could be Tony Berg. Have a listen to the beautifully produced sounds of "Play" by Squeeze, and then to the rougher, almost demo-ish in parts, "Free for all" by Michael Penn and you'll realise he too runs the whole gamut in sounds. Bruce Lampcov, who has produced The The and Stephen Duffy elicits nice sounds too. Even Australian-based Nick Launay would be interesting, although he has turned to more grungy sounds of late. Funnily enough I have a gut feeling, a hunch if you like, that Stephen Hague would be interesting. I know he's more renowned for electronic bands but his (limited) input on Blur's "Parklife" showed me a sign.... The question of a drummer is a tad trickier. Tim Palmer who contributed to 2 or 3 of The The's LPs is a big-sounding drummer, but also capable of more delicate work, as the mellow parts of "Mind Bomb" demonstrated. Paul Hester, ex of Crowded House, is an excellent feel player and also capable of more straight-ahead stuff too. I'm not sure if he's considered being a gun-for-hire, however. If the pricetag ain't too hefty what about Stewart Copeland? After all, I believe The Police and XTC played Madison Square Gardens around the same time, and got along quite well. Ego problems could get in the way p'raps? All this speculation is very well....let's just hope this new product arrives... and soon. By the way, any more news on a video accompanying "Fossil Fuel"? Ciao for now
------------------------------ Message-Id: <31F4FC95.6504@kgv1.bems.boeing.com> Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 09:23:49 -0700 From: John M Rader <jmr0244@kgv1.bems.boeing.com> Subject: Remastered O&L from MoFi For Those Of You Requiring Veracity: The info on the release of O&L came from personnel at MoFi. Also, although it has been mentioned before, Elvis Costello's All This Useless Beauty is superb. It may supplant Armed Forces as my all time fave. It that vein, considering how good E C's latest sounds, let's add Geoff Emerick to the producer possibility list. John
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 15:03:25 -0400 Message-ID: <1F523B00.@messaging.tfn.com> From: barkerw@messaging.tfn.com (Welton Barker) Subject: Another controversial note Anyone ever like or hear of Spot? They sound sort of like a cross between Nirvana and XTC. Interesting to listen to while waiting (seemingly forever) for the next drop of previously-unheard XTC... Welton
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 15:49:18 -0400 (EDT) From: Karthik Swaminathan <kqs7816@is4.NYU.EDU> Subject: Threadwaxing.... Message-Id: <Pine.OSF.3.93.960723153932.27869A-100000@is4.NYU.EDU> We are all sitting in the back seat of a large Ford station wagon. Andy Partridge is at the wheels. Colin is next to him with a triple A map. David is repairing the speedometer. Destination: the next XTC Album To fend off the boredom we devise games and make inane discusions. Who will be our next mechanic, what will be the name of our next gasstation, How many licence plates have the word *monkey* in it. The hours pass on to days, the days pass on to months, the months pass on to years, the years.... K.
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #2-139 *******************************
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