Chalkhills Digest Volume 2, Issue 48
Date: Friday, 8 December 1995
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 2, Number 48
Friday, 8 December 1995
Today's Topics:
Producers, Boots, Senses, etc.
Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-45
New Producer List
Loose ends
Pink Thing
One more for Colin
Spooky quotes
Blur Blah????
Blur/Gribouillage/Ladybird/La's/etc.
Kirsty McColl
The Laughing Man/Top CDs
xTc show on my university's radio station!
Friday musings
Past Posts
Millions and Maollions
I can't help myself
(none)
Making Plans For Nigel
Stuff
Bats, Chills, La's, Eno, V.Pipe...XTC?
More tuneless yabber...
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The views expressed herein are those of the individual authors.
Pour some oil on the water quick.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ewalther@eworld.com Date: Thu, 7 Dec 1995 10:49:10 -0800 Subject: Producers, Boots, Senses, etc. On the subject of (the ideal) producer IHS Elvis Costello himself. He managed to make McCartney sound interesting for a change and could perhaps encourage the 'jangle' that has been missing (for me) since TBE days. Too bad Brian Wilson fried himself - Pet Sounds meet Nonsuch??!! I live in a rather deprived place for exploring all of the fascinating Booltlegs that are discussed in this group. Although this Nation's capital, Ottawa seems berift of a true 'Alternative' sourse of sound. If anyone can give me leads to find this stuff, please post me direct. As an aside, I'm wondering if anyone else hears a certain homage to the classic Kinks (1965-70) in some of Andy's song structures and subject matter. I tend to hear more of a Ray davies influence in some of the social/political lyrics and songcraft than I do that Fab Four. I'm thinking of such tunes as Waterloo Sunset, Well Respected Man, etc. A little story...I purchased the EP for Senses Working Overtime when my daughter was three. She used to act out the 'actions' ie, stuff my face, kick in space, fall on black ice, but the kicker was proving that she could count 1,2,3,4 - 6!! After all these years the teenage girl will still act the song (if noone's looking). Finally, why no Black Sea or Mummer on ATD? Hope the meeting in NYC works!
------------------------------ From: M Wilson <mw25@unix.york.ac.uk> Date: Thu, 7 Dec 1995 19:02:26 +0000 Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-45 > From: Craig Snyder <csnyder@YorkU.CA> > > up the unions. The connection, I am told, and being on the American side > of the Atlantic have no idea whether it is true or not, is that British > steel workers are nicknamed Nigels. of course there is also the lyric in > the sone "He has a future in British Steel" The song could be > interpeted as being anti-union if you consider the person or persons > framing Nigel's life are not his parents (as any comments I have heard or > read claim it is) but the Union Bosses. > Can anyone out there enlighten me here? Where DO these things start? Not a word of this is true, I'm afraid Craig. Just another one of those long tall stories which seem to fall together of their own accord on the net. /\/\artin
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 7 Dec 95 15:32:55 -0500
From: "Kendrick, Tim" <tken@dictaphone.com>
Organization: Dictaphone Corporation
Subject: New Producer List
Hi !
I just got "on-line", but I've been into XTC for years
(I was at both North American XTC Conventions - in Barrie and
Princeton).
Looking through the last couple of weeks of CHALKHILLS, I've seen alot
of suggestions for the next XTC producer. I decided to compile a list
from what everyone has suggested (sorry if I missed any).
So far, the following have been suggested:
1.) Walter Becker 13.) Al Jourgensen
2.) Adrian Belew 14.) Jon Leckie
3.) Jon Brion 15.) Steve Lillywhite
4.) Ian Broudie 16.) George Martin
5.) T-Bone Burnett 17.) Uwe Nettlebeck
6.) Butcher Brothers 18.) Trent Reznor
7.) Ian Caple 19.) Jim Rondadelli
8.) Brian Eno 20.) Stephen Street
9.) Donald Fagen 21.) Mike Thorne
10.) John Flansburgh 22.) Van Dyke Parks
11.) Robert Fripp 23.) Don Was
12.) Mitchell Froom 24.) Dave Yazbek
Is there any kind of consensus on these ??? The two that people have been
commenting on the most are Mitchell Froom and T-Bone Burnett (who would be
my choice). How realistic are these two choices ?
Glad I'm now part of this.
Tim K.
"Bring water, eyes bring water ..."
------------------------------
From: Martin_Monkman@fincc04.fin.gov.bc.ca
Date: Thu, 07 Dec 1995 13:04:38 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Loose ends
A few current topics to offer comment on, listed by the non-XTC
artist that has prompted the discussion:
1) Elvis Costello -- my first offering for the "Testimonial Dessert"
suggestion box would be to have Costello sing "Punch and Judy"; it
fits with all those other indoor fireworks songs he loves to write
and sing.
2) The Posies -- Thanks to David Yazbek for the note about the
Posies and a contribution to "Testimonial Dinner". Did you have a
song specifically tagged for them? I'll reveal what I'd like to
hear them cover on the sure-to-happen sequel (nothing like burning
with optimism's flames!) "Testimonial Dessert" after hearing your
reply.
Unless there's something I've missed along the way, there are four
essential Posies albums; the three recorded under their own name
("Failure", "Dear 23", and "Frosting on the Beater"), and Big Star's
recent live album "Columbia".
3) Richard Thompson -- I think the best place to start with a RT
collection is with the last album he recorded with his now-ex-wife
Linda, "Shoot Out The Lights". My 2nd suggestion would be "Hand of
Kindness", although I also like the more recent (i.e. Froomian)
efforts. Note that all of these recent albums are the electric, a
poison heart and a twisted rock & roll Thompson. For something
completely different, but demonstrating the "other side" of who/what
he is, check out the live/solo/acoustic "Small Town Romance",
recorded in a couple of VERY small venues in NYC in 1982.
4) Adrian Belew -- when I first heard Mummer's "Great Fire", I
immediately thought of Belew. It's those elephant/other animal
noises made via electric guitar (Gregory?) at the "animals are
panicking" line (cf. King Crimson's "Elephant Talk").
Martin
------------------------------ From: Murray5000@aol.com Date: Thu, 7 Dec 1995 18:14:42 -0500 Subject: Pink Thing Hey, I too am new, so be nice. Settle a bet: Pink Thing, is it about a baby or masturbation? "When I stroke your head I feel a hundred heartbeats high", "I want to take you out and show you to the girls". I don't mean to be crass but does XTC? This may have been covered, but, again, I'm new. Any thoughts? [ This topic has been covered before. Frequently and violently. Please read the Chalkhills Answer to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list. URL: http://reality.sgi.com/employees/relph/chalkhills/FAQ -- John ]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 8 Dec 1995 10:18:00 +1000
From: pgm2@cornell.edu (Peter Mullin)
Subject: One more for Colin
While I refuse to declare that "Colin is better than Andy" or "Andy
is better than Colin" or "Dave is better than the other two, because he
doesn't write [fill in the blank]-ist songs", I will say that I like each
and every song Colin has written & recorded with XTC. Yes: I even sing
'Bungalow' to my son (sometimes with different words, depending on the
circumstances...). I think 'Dying' is a great song, capturing a very
different point of view from those usually expressed in "pop" music.
'Generals and Majors' is a classic, 'nuf said. Ditto 'Nigel'. 'Life
Begins at the Hop' is the song that first reached out and grabbed me all
those years ago, and so on and so on...
Flame away, all you Mouldingphobics, but it seems to me that, while
Colin's songs are fewer in number, they are nearly all more "finished" or
"polished-sounding" than (at least some of) Mr. Partridge's (this is all
IMHO, of course). And the man who wrote 'Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen'
and 'Vanishing Girl' can't be depressed and cynical all the time...
Peter
"When she's here it makes up for the times she's not, and it's all
forgotten"
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 07 Dec 95 20:21:55 EST From: Peter Ermey <ST002436@BROWNVM.brown.edu> Subject: Spooky quotes Hey Mr.Relph, what's with all the ominous winter-related XTC quotes in the header? I feel like each digest comes with Andy sitting on a picket fence singing a little refrain about our impending doom. On another note, thanks to all those involved in the recent tape tree. "Difficult Age" and "Children Crusade" are terrific. And of course, "Everybody" is beautiful. Word booty.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 7 Dec 1995 20:40:27 -0500
From: produce@magicnet.net (Arthur James Virgin)
Subject: Blur Blah????
Someone wrote:
>The main thrust of this letter was to express my deep disappointment in
>Blur's The Great Escape (great movie, though). My roommate actually bought
>it after I told him that it got many recommendations on Chalkhills. Upon
>putting it in the CD player, we were not able to listen to one song all the
>way through. I guess this puts me in the Oasis camp now...
I think I'm the one who suggested the Blur album here (or maybe one
of them) so I have just a few things to say....
A recommendation isnt an end-all! With that said...It takes more
than 1 listen to "The Great Escape" to procure a feeling about it. The
album (technically and songwriting wise) is BRILLIANT. A HUGE step forward
for pop music (escpecially Brit-Pop). Give it time!! As far as the
"Oasis camp" comment... I dont understand why everyone sees these two as
rivals..They are 2 different styles of music..I listen to XTC and tend to
prefer Blur...I would listen to Oasis if I was into the Smithereens!
Enough,
AJ
"Skylarking was like a summers day
baked into one cake" - Andy Partridge
Visit my Quality Music Page! http://www.magicnet.net/~produce/
------------------------------ From: 7IHd <ee92pmh@brunel.ac.uk> Subject: Blur/Gribouillage/Ladybird/La's/etc. Date: Fri, 8 Dec 1995 03:43:14 +0000 (GMT) # From: Margaret Quinn <maq1@midway.uchicago.edu> # Subject: Blur? Bleah! # # The main thrust of this letter was to express my deep disappointment in # Blur's The Great Escape (great movie, though). My roommate actually bought # it after I told him that it got many recommendations on Chalkhills. Upon # putting it in the CD player, we were not able to listen to one song all the # way through. I guess this puts me in the Oasis camp now... Hmm, well it all depends on whether you like your music innovative and new and different, or just a re-hash of what has gone before really. Anyway, good luck being an Oasis fan; since they've always said they'll split after their 3rd album (because they hate each other so much), you'd better make the most of it... Actually, having now seen Blur live, I have to say - they're better on record. By miles. That was one of the most boring gigs I've ever been to, and I was very disappointed as I'm a big Blur fan. Oh well, back to the more important topic... # From: "Bernhardt, Todd" <tbernhardt@aga.com> # Subject: The Spyz! and stuff # # Finally, I've heard of Window Box and Griboullage, but could someone # please clue me in on what they are, exactly? I've hear Window Box is a # demo tape -- Is Griboullage the spoken-word thing that was mentioned # several issues ago? Any chance of getting copies? Check the discography (the WWW address is at the top of every issue of Chalkhills, ya know!). 'Gribouillage' was a 5-track CD free with some french copies of 'Nonsuch'; the tracks are all demos of album tracks. It comes in a digipack case, similar in style to the UK CD singles off that album. I actually saw a copy the other day, and didn't buy it. stupidstupidstupidstupidstupid! 4 of the 5 tracks are available on other releases, from memory, which is why I hesitated at paying 20 pounds for it (~US$30). As for 'Window Box', back to the discography, because I've never seen one so I don't know offhand. Laura (address snipped by mistake) said: # Speaking of misheard lyrics...maybe someone can clue me in on the lyrics # to "Ladybird". There's a line that I think goes "all through the iron # season love was just a ............." and then something about parlor games. # Anyway, I'm tired of having to mumble when I sing this song to myself in # the car! What the heck is he saying? (I don't know where my lyric sheet # is for Mummer...or if it has one) The CD does, and it says this: "All through the iron season Love was hanged and treason became Something of a parlour game Now sun is back in power I'll ask your name Your name." # From: Jennifer Ralston <Jennifer_Ralston@chiat.com> # Subject: Whereabouts of the La's/Arm # # For those of you who have been asking, the La's are no more. I know nothing about the La's, but a friend of mine went to see Oasis (I think it was) at a special fan-club-only gig, advertised as 'with very special guests', and there they were not knowing who the support was, when the first band came on and was some fairly popular current band (I forget who), so they were wondering who on earth could follow that as the second support band and on came this band they vaguely recognised, didn't announce who they were, and launched into a load of La's songs. It was in fact them, playing apparently their first gig in 5 years (and presumably just a 1- off). Allegedly. :-) Finally, I wonder what I can spark off with this quote: "Our civilisation car is running wild Who did you give the wheel to? The fat man driving us over the nearest cliff-face Is he the same god that I've seen you kneel to?" (AP - It's Nearly Africa) Oh dear, what have I done? :-) _ |_)|_ *| | | )|| http://http2.brunel.ac.uk:8080/~ee92pmh/ ========
------------------------------ From: motherwest@InfoHouse.com Date: Fri, 8 Dec 1995 02:20:09 -1000 Subject: Kirsty McColl Hello, >From: Margaret Quinn <maq1@midway.uchicago.edu> >BTW: What do people think of Ms. MacColl? I think Kirsty McColl's first album, Kite, is an inventive and timeless work filled with beautiful, meloncholy moments that make me catch my breath. Although her subsequent releases don't measure up to the same standard, I highly recommend Kite to all Chalkhillians. I reside in NYC and would be interested in a get-together with fellow Chalkhillians (as has been discussed previously). Good luck to Mr.Yazbek at Brownies. (Can't go, got my own band rehearsal). Michael motherwest@infohouse.com http://www.please.com
------------------------------ Date: 8 Dec 1995 08:28:26 -0500 From: "Wesley Wilson" <Wesley_Wilson@iegate.mitre.org> Subject: The Laughing Man/Top CDs I just got 'The Laughing Man' yesterday, months after special ordering it from Japan! Anyway, my initial reaction is that it's a clever pop album with (as I recall someone saying, lots of twisting-and-turning melodies). This weekend, when I have more time, I'll give it a more generous listen. Here are some great CDs I've enjoyed in 1995. I would recommend these highly. I will say that it's been a very good year for Britpop, indeed! I've discovered some new bands; unfortunately, I did not discover a new XTC album this year. Stephen Duffy - DUFFY. Stephen says that "pop songs are the greatest invention of the twentieth century," then proves it by writing some of the best I've heard in ages. Polyphemous - STONEHOUSE. The Small Faces meet Tom Petty in a savory psychedelic broth. Oh, wow, heavy, man. Oasis - (What's the Story) MORNING GLORY. Just when you think rock n' roll is all played out. This follow-up is better than their first album, IMO. Ride - CARNIVAL OF LIGHT. What a transition. Now they sound like The Byrds. The 6ths - WASPS' NESTS. What a weird, wonderful production! Sounds like outtakes from a Syd Barrett solo album performed by various artists. Foo Fighters - FOO FIGHTERS. I'm sure you've heard this somewhere. Doors - STRANGE DAYS. I've always liked 'Moonlight Drive.' Their remastered CDs sound great! Anyway, must go for now. Catch ya later! Wes
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 8 Dec 1995 09:00:52 -0500 (EST)
From: James Poulakos <engjcp@gsusgi2.Gsu.EDU>
Subject: xTc show on my university's radio station!
Hurrah! Not only have they awoken me during the past week several times
with a morning fix of the Dukes, they say they'll play a special XTC show
this Sunday evening. Yippih!
For those in the Atlanta area, I'm talking about WRAS 88.5 FM, a
non-commercial college radio station at Georgia State University that
consistently ranks among our nation's best college radio stations, from
what I've heard.
*-------------------------------------------------------------------
In vielen TV-Serien wuerden Konflikte nur
mit Gewalt statt in Gespraechen geloest.
My home page is now at http://www.gsu.edu/~engjcp/zero.html
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
James Poulakos
------------------------------ Date: 8 Dec 1995 10:02:07 -0500 From: "Ken Salaets" <ksalaets@itic.nw.dc.us> Subject: Friday musings From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James Dignan) >...I know we're not meant to mention the Liverpudlians here, but does >anyone else think that "Difficult age" sounds a bit like "Baby you're a >rich man"? From: Laura Parent <laura@geosun1.sjsu.edu> >Also speaking of XTC soundalikes...has anyone else noticed that the >Rembrandt's song "Johnny have you seen her?" bears more than a >passing resemblance to "Dear God"? Of course, it wouldn't be the first >(or last) time those guys ripped someone off. Just curious. Why is it when Andy lifts something from someone else he's merely reflecting his influences, but when someone else does it, it's a ripoff? Also, our favrite historian, Mr.Stone, reportedly suggests in his new movie, "Nixon," that the 18 minutes wiped off the Watergate tapes dealt with Nixon's role in the Kennedy assassination! EEEE-hah! Oliver Stone - history in the making!! KS
------------------------------ From: Christie Byun <cbyun@ocf.Berkeley.EDU> Subject: Past Posts Date: Fri, 8 Dec 1995 10:46:22 -0800 (PST) Re: Natalie Jacobs comments on my comments on her comments about how some XTC songs seem to be lyrically trite and simplistic: Geez! Okay, let me organize this a bit better. If you'll dust off your old digests and refer to my original post on this matter, you'll see that I never claimed to expect little from pop music. Rather, I made the assertion that pop music's primary goal is to get your toes tapping. In regards to pop music's avocations, I made no claims, thus leaving the field wide open for activity in electronic exploration, social and political commentary, and just plain lyrical goofiness. Another clarification: I never stated that only "high culture" (whatever that is) can be profound. I don't identify with that kind of snobbery and if something has an interesting or important statement, I'll listen to it, wehther it be Ravel or Roxette. I used the cases of Mill aand Russell merely to provide a contrast to pop, in that the former tend to write "heavily embroidered" discourses on social/economic/political problems. Quite a different case from "Statue of Liberty" or "Reign of Blows". And after I made my outrageous claims about pop music, I stated that in no way did this mean that I thought XTC's songs (or any other pop music groups) were trite or shallow. In fact, the rest of my post was dedicated to explaining the contrary case (with "This World Over" as an example). To reiterate: I think XTC's songs (and a lot of pop music) have a lot to offer both musically and socially. But XTC use straightforward themes and lyrics to get their point across. I suppose this is open to the interpretation that their lyrics are "shallow". But this doesn't necessarily mean they're stupid or naive (insert your own appropriate "Mayor of Simpleton quote here). God, after all this I'm gonna go home and listen to something appallingly naff. And on an unrelated note, in regards to all the refs to King Crimson--Yes! I only have their Compact CD, but it's been occupying a semi-permanent position in my disc changer. It took me a while to get into, but I now give it multiple groovys. Thank you for your attention. Christie
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 08 Dec 95 14:19:09 EST
From: "John Christensen" <christej@vrinet.com>
Subject: Millions and Maollions
Natalie wrote about "Millions":
<< The reason I find this song racist is because it buys into a lot of
stereotypes about Asians and Asian culture: e.g. the lines "millions all
moving forward / Millions all babbling crossword" - seeming to indicate
that Asians are an unindividuated mass all speaking some "babbling"
language. As for the final lines, it seems to me that the Japanese did
just fine in perpetrating atrocities without the "poison" of Western
thinking, while the Chinese took their "poison" fifty years ago (Marxism,
etc.) >>
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for posting your reasoning. I have
been waiting to find out what you considered racist about this song,
and hey, you might be right. Andy lyrics may indeed be an insensitive
patronizing view of Asians, but I interpret this song very
differently, so I don't agree at all. My advance apologies on the
length of this -- limber up those scrolling muscles!
To me, this song is about the Chinese Cultural Revolution, Chairman
Mao, and the beginning of the post-Mao era in China. While I fully
admit that I might be reading too much into the lyrics, there are some
strong arguments to support my theory.
The song was released in 1979, so was probably written within two
years of the death of Mao Tse-tung (1976) and the end of the Chinese
Cultural Revolution (a month later with the arrest of the "Gang of
Four"). The Revolution was an attempt by Mao to regain power; remove
his enemies (technocrats, intellectuals); eliminate foreign influence
from China; and unite all 600-million chinese behind his agenda.
What he got instead was a country of renegade youth ("toys") punishing
their teachers and parents (the "pencils" that were often sent to work
in the fields or factories to make things like toys and pencils),
fighting for territory in gangs (they carried "flags" and "banners"
like colors), executing people who didn't seem enthusiastic enough,
looting temples (Buddhism is foreign to China), and basically making a
mess of things. But all the while, the Mao's propaganda machine
painted a happy face on a suffering chinese nation.
"Millions, all moving forward." The very first line of Mao's Red book
(which all chinese had to carry and be able to recite verbatum) reads:
"The force at the core which leads our cause FORWARD is the Chinese
Communist Party". "Forward" was a buzz word of the Revolution.
"Millions, all babbling crossword." There are a few ways to interpret
this. All chinese during the cultural revolution played the political
correctness game. Unfortunately for them, the rules of the game
changed daily. It was like a puzzle for the chinese to figure out;
what party line must I babble today to stay out of jail? Yesterdays
answer might get you killed. Also, the chinese language can be
written vertically and horizontally -- like a crossword. Finally,
chinese learn to write on paper pads that resemble crossword puzzles
with columns and rows of squares -- one square per character.
"Millions, all flow as water." Anyone who refused to flow, got
flushed.
"Millions, all bright with laughter." Mao's liked his revolutionaries
to put on a happy face! The characters in his revolution plays wore
clown-like, make-up smiles.
"He make you glowing." Mao = he. Mao made all chinese sing songs that
called him the GLOWING and radiant sun in the red east. He wanted all
chinese to glow like him.
"He bake you golden like the Yangtse mud." The Yangtse and Hwang
Rivers are seen as arteries of the chinese nation. They are life. To
be Yangtse mud is death. The mud does not flow along with the
nation/river, but sinks to the bottom.
I see the last two lines of the chorus as "Mao gives you life, or
brings you death".
Following Mao's death, Deng Shao-ping struggled to reopen bridges
(both intellectual and economic) to the West, but warned about the
"spiritual pollution" that would leak into chinese culture. The
chinese certainly know about the "poison that they'll be drinking"
with too much western contact. It is something that have been trying
to fight for the last 300 years.
"Stay as East, as far as dreams will let you be." Andy's plea for the
chinese to stay chinese. Doesn't sound rascist or condescending to me.
Every time I hear the lines about Yangtse mud and bridges standing
still, I think of the Yangtse River Bridge at Nanking. Russian
engineers were helping the Chinese to build this enormous structure,
until Mao told the Russians to leave his country (before it was
finished). Mao would not let his engineers finish the "Russian"
bridge over the Yangtse, he saw it as insulting that they needed
western help, so the chinese built their own bridge right next to the
partially completed "Russian" one. The remains of the "western" bridge
still stand in the Yangtse mud.
Jasper
(who bows apologetically from his Ann Arbor igloo and begs for your
forgiveness on the length of this . . . But figures he earned some
bandwidth credit for not joining the "Dear God" debate, though he was
sorely tempted!)
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 08 Dec 95 14:18:11 CST From: "Bernhardt, Todd" <tbernhardt@aga.com> Subject: I can't help myself <Gene_Yoon@brown.edu> recently passed this along: >Andy Carvin, now an education technology guru, started a Chicago >rag four years ago called Art + Performance while at >Northwestern as a grad student. Big music enthusiast. He did a >rare Colin-only interview for an article "right before Nonsuch >was released a coupla years ago." His "Worst Interview Ever". > >>Basically, he was the most depressing, cynical, and terse >>person I've ever interviewed. Well someone's got to say it, I guess ... Why didn't Andy Carvin help Colin get through his cynical daze? Sorry ...
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Dec 1995 17:18:25 -0500 From: aym@j51.com (Angry Young Man) >A parting shot: does anyone else get as pissed off as I do at the shoddy >synth playing on 'Earn Enough for Us'? I can only assume that it is >Rundgren who is responsible. When the hook line comes back in about two >thirds of the way through the song, it sounds as if a chimp has been >drafted in to play it, hitting bum notes along with the proper ones. >Unfortunate for a band that is usually so tight. In "Chalkhills and Children" (the book) it says Andy said to Todd during the Skylarking sessions ... wait...I want a direct quote... "I remember watching him do the overdubs," says Dave. "He had one hand on the tape machine and the other hand on the synthesizer. I could see two keys going down, when he was only meant to be playing one. It was really sloppy. After he'd run through it once, Andy said, 'That could sound really good!' Todd said 'What do you mean _could_ sound really good. That was it.' Andy said 'Well, could you play it again a bit tighter?' 'Ah, what d'ya mean tighter? That was good enough!'" (page 148)
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 8 Dec 1995 17:32:36 -0500
From: aym@j51.com (Angry Young Man)
Subject: Making Plans For Nigel
Well if Glenn could post the chords to Books Are Burning, I could post 'em
for Nigel. I came up with this in the middle of the summer when I stayed
inside for fear of spontaneous combustion if I left my air conditioned
house.
[ The chords to "Making Plans For Nigel" were previously posted
by Ira in July, in Chalkhills Digest #456. You can download
then from the Chalkhills Web page. -- John ]
< - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > "He's been stabbed in the back
_/_/ _/ _/ _/_/_/_/ Ira Lieman He's been misunderstood
_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ Angry Young Man It's a comfort to know
_/_/_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ aym@j51.com His intentions are good"
_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ http://www.j51.com/~aym - Billy Joel
------------------------------ From: Ben Gott <BENG@hotchkiss.pvt.k12.ct.us> Subject: Stuff Date: Sat, 09 Dec 95 10:11:00 est >"all through the iron season love was just a ............." As far as I know, it's: "all through the iron season/love was hanged and treason became/something of a parlour game..." I've also misheard "some f*cking", and prefer it that way... My last post on the list for a while; I'm unsubscribing until I come back to school in January...Don't rage any more serious debates yet! Merry Christmas & Happy New Year, everyone. See you in 1996! Cheers, Ben http://www.lookup.com/Homepages/58596/home.html XTC SONG OF THE DAY: "Life Begins at the Hop"
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 7 Dec 1995 12:32:25 -600 (CST) From: Lars Schubert <larss@scisoc.org> Subject: Bats, Chills, La's, Eno, V.Pipe...XTC? Okay. This may be a little inappropriate for the XTC mailing list, but here goes: I'm interested in knowing a little more about the Bats and the Eno/Wobble release. What about Spooky Ruben? Anyone out there who's in the know? Please E-mail me privately, and I can share with the list, if not inappropriate (there's that word again). I'd like to put in my votes for the outstanding qualities of the Chills and La's. I saw the La's play at a small club in Minneapolis, and they were quite entertaining. I guess I never realized just how lucky I was to catch them, now that I've learned that they've disbanded... gee, I wish the Go Betweens were still around (together, that is). Their CD's are awfully hard to find. Oh, yeah. XTC. Well, the Verve Pipe cover of "Wake Up" makes me look forward to their upcoming release. Besides, they seem like such nice guys. And Mr Yazbek: Please play in Minneapolis! Any info on these and related bands is appreciated. I guess it's all just a placebo for XTC, but it will have to do until I can refill my prescription.
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Dec 1995 02:46:54 -0500 From: aosterma@students.wisc.edu (Adam J. Ostermann) Subject: More tuneless yabber... >From: Margaret Quinn <maq1@midway.uchicago.edu> >Subject: Blur? Bleah! > >The main thrust of this letter was to express my deep disappointment in >Blur's The Great Escape (great movie, though). My roommate actually bought >it after I told him that it got many recommendations on Chalkhills. Upon >putting it in the CD player, we were not able to listen to one song all the >way through. I guess this puts me in the Oasis camp now... Wha, Blur made a movie out of it? ;-) I personally prefer ^Parklife^, meself, but...(noticing other Chalkhills posters growing impatient)...onto other things.... >BTW: What do people think of Ms. MacColl? I have always found Good stuff, I sez. > Come to think of it, she's a great singer and has >lended her voice as a backup on many good songs by other >artists. (esp. "Interesting Drug" by Morrissey and the gorgeous "Lorelei" >by The Pogues. Yes, I listen to Morrissey. Please no comments. :-) ) Hey, Margaret, don't tell anyone, but *whisper* so do I. (Notices impatient readers drumming their mouses) OK, Ok, I am getting somewhere here... >From: "Bernhardt, Todd" <tbernhardt@aga.com> >Subject: The Spyz! and stuff > To DougMash@aol.com: C'mon, you've piqued our interest with the rubber > shark story ... don't just leave us dead in the water, Sunny Jim. What > did Andy DO with those rubber sharks (great meeting story, BTW). Er, if I recall correctly, didn't the "shark issue" come up in Jack Rabid's mag "The Big Takeover" as well? I know I read it somewhere....really makes you look at Andy in a whole new light... And since the producer topic has come up again...whoever suggested Ian Caple is dead on, but I don't know how well he'd work towards less moody stuff. (BTW if you like music of a darker vein pick up the second ^Tindersticks^ LP pronto, it is wonderful.) If Andy is indeed doing more somber, ^Mummer^esque stuff on his next LP, I suggest Victor Van Vugh, who has a long and storied CV. I don't remember his entire works, but as I recall he did work on the Beach Boys' epic ^Pet Sounds^, but I could be wrong. He's also worked more recently with Luna, Billy Bragg, former Swell Map drummer Epic Soundtracks, Fatima Mansions... a lot of stuff, really.... has a nice spare sound to his stuff. Otherwise, hey, I can always go for John Leckie again..... BTW: Aren't they releasing the Finn brothers project stateside? Dohh....first Squeeze and now this.... Adam O. (who won't bore you with a sig this time) **************************************************************** Adam J. Ostermann UW-Madison Journalism major Walgreen's peon Future Entertainment Co-Editor of ^The Badger Herald^ Resume procrastinator Available for parties or bar mitzvahs ****************************************************************
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