Chalkhills Digest Volume 2, Issue 58
Date: Friday, 12 January 1996
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 2, Number 58
Friday, 12 January 1996
Today's Topics:
English Settlement - a marketing decision
Aimee Mann + Top 10
Miscellany
Shriekback/Gang Of Four/Fave 3 XTC LPs
Bits of stuff
Eric Matthews
Try THIS!
Bungalow and favorites
Re: Band Names
re: where isn't andy partridge
Andy - The Greatest Living Englishman
Big Star
Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-57
Chalkhills Digest #2-57
Re: English Puzzlement
Hello from new Chalkhillian!
Spookey Ruben...Way Cool!
Rank the Albums!
Brian Stevens new CD
XTC appearance in Victoria, B.C.
Irrelevancies
XTC: The Dub Experiments 1978-80
ES on CD
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 11 Jan 1996 11:16:30 -0700 (MST) From: Rushton <rushton@primenet.com> Subject: English Settlement - a marketing decision Anthony Ciarochi <ciarochi@pe.net> wrote in 2-57 >Here's a question I've never had answered... > >My first experience with XTC was English Settlement, <snip> >It was obvious that this was a double album, and the one I owned >was a single. There was nothing to indicate any difference, except for >the list of songs on the back. (It wasn't just that I was missing a platter, >because the jackets were printed differently) > >Naturally, I bought it and kept it for myself, but I've always wondered >what the story was behind that? The US distributor for Virgin, which I believe was Virgin/Epic at the time, thought that the double album was not marketable/too expensive/blah blah blah - of course this was during the big depression in the music biz (which I'm firmly convinced [tongue-in-cheek] started with Fleetwood Mac's "Tusk" and ended with Michael Jackson's "Thriller") Basically, it was a marketing decision. ES broke the Billboard top 100 albums and sold a respectable amount of copies in the US - around 200,000 I believe. I owned the ugly chartreuse green/sonically inferior/US vinyl edition before I could find the $12 (hey that was a lot of money back then) British Import with beautiful picture sleeves and spacious grooves for your sonic awareness. Of course these days I have the CD - which features all the tracks proper, but has the warmth and romance of a snow shovel - no pictures, no lyrics, no beautiful paper, no textured cover - DAVID GEFFEN THANKS FOR THE CD BUT YOU'RE A CHEAP BASTARD. Cheers, Mark Rushton, author of the: Bill Nelson WWW site: http://www.primenet.com:80/~rushton/nelson.html
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Jan 1996 13:56:51 -0500 From: produce@magicnet.net (Arthur James Virgin) Subject: Aimee Mann + Top 10 (Someone@somewhere wrote:) >I noticed that Aimee Mann will be coming to NYC(Irving Plaza) on 2/1/96. >Does anyone know if Dave Gregory is still playing with her band? Tix are >$12.50 in advance; $15.00 at the door. I think Jon Brion (producer/guitar/vocal) will be on that tour, not Dave. You MUST, however, see this show...Dave or not! (see below) Well I feel obligated now to post my top 10 of 1995..(drumroll please.......) 1) Radiohead "The Bends": Is there any doubt? Frightingly great songs with production to match. There is no classification for this incredible five piece. A must have! (2) Ben Folds Five "Ben Folds Five": Intoxicating Beatle-esque debut. A shockingly good sing-along album! Great album from cover to cover. After this album where do you go next? (3) Aimee Mann "I'm With Stupid": Available only as an import until 1996, this gem was worth every penny. Excellent songwriter, excellent songs, excellent production. (4) Blur "The Great Escape": British powerpop is alive and well (despite Oasis). Sure it sounds like XTC...is that a bad thing??? (5) Finn "Finn": An album not available in the States by Neil and Tim Finn. All of the pop sensibility of Crowded House and half the fat! Gorgeous album, gorgeous songs. (6) American Music Club "San Francisco": Eclectic, beautiful and haunting...Scary good. (7) Nick Heyward "Tangled": Not available in the States until 1996 (surprise, surprise), this fabulous little album grew on me big time. Superb songwriting. (8) Bjork "Post": What can you say about this little Icelandic beauty...She knows how to write em'! (9) Sing Hollies in Reverse: A surprise album! A Hollies tribute album with great performances by the Posies, Loud Family, and the production God Jon Brion. (10) Tears For Fears "Rhaoul and the Kings of Spain": Another superb album from Roland. Not as ambitious as "Seeds of Love", but great none-the-less. Thats it for now....Have a great 1996! AJ :) The Quality Music Page ---> http://www.magicnet.net/~produce/ (ultra-enhanced...Netscape 2.0 or later ONLY) "Skylarking is like a summer's day baked into one cake" - Andy Partridge
------------------------------
From: Ben Gott <BENG@hotchkiss.pvt.k12.ct.us>
Subject: Miscellany
Date: Thu, 11 Jan 96 14:20:00 est
Hello, everyone:
I listened to "Nonsuch" last night, and was again impressed with some
great songs: "Omnibus," "My Bird Performs," and "Wrapped in Gray." I like
all of XTCs albums, and I think that (upon hearing the new demos) they're
gonna stay with those arrangements: didn't Andy say in an interview that
they wouldn't get a drummer for the next session?
I like "Oranges and Lemons", and I think that Paul Fox has done some
great production on Phish's "Hoist" and 10,000 Maniacs "Our Time in Eden."
An album left out of the Trevor Horn production list: Mike Oldfield's
"Tubular Bells II"! I can't believe anyone forgot my favorite album of all
time!
Hey, Gary: Name your band "Naked and Grin" or "Piggy in the Middle" or
"Morgasm." How are things at Arista?
If anyone likes XTC (of course ya would), Shawn Colvin, Suzanne Vega,
and Tori Amos, buy Eddi Reader's album "Eddi Reader." Woah. This is
incredible. E-mail me for a complete review - this is worth it!
Love you all. Happy wintering (Winter Storm Harry is about to hit in
Connecticut!)
Ben
XTC SONG OF THE DAY: "Battery Brides"
------------------------------ From: 7IHd <ee92pmh@brunel.ac.uk> Subject: Shriekback/Gang Of Four/Fave 3 XTC LPs Date: Thu, 11 Jan 1996 19:26:38 +0000 (GMT) # From: Ewalther@eworld.com # Subject: Explode Together # # I'm also impressed with Barry Andrews on this CD. I never thought he fit in # with Andy's style but he's great here; almost reminiscent of Terry Riley's # late 60's stuff. It's made me go back & listen to my older Shriekback # albums which were (literally) gathering dust in the basement. Might have # to go out & find more recent product. I recall that Shriekback was one of # the loudest bands I'd ever seen - BOOMING rythym section. On a related # note, someone here (sorry I forgot your name!) posted that the Gang of Four # was out and about - is it the original line-up? 'Twas I. Re: Shriekback, I've never really cared for 'Tench' (and Barry Andrews told me he doesn't rate it much either, so I can say that with a clear conscience), but the rest are great. Depending what you already have, I'd say the essential ones are 'Big Night Music' and 'Sacred City', after that work backwards through the albums, but ones to avoid are 'Go Bang!' (too short, and an attempt to be commercial pop when it's really not what they're good at. Has it's moments though), and 'The Dancing Years' (which again has it's moments but more often than not the re-workings of old songs aren't up to the originals). A new album is in the pipeline, i.e. they've written it but have yet to record it. Some great songs on the way, notably "Everything's On Fire" which I've only seen them play once, but it's a killer. Record deal still lacking though, I believe. Re: Gang Of Four: Andy Gill and Jon King still there as ever, joined live by Steve Monti on drums and (according to a newspaper cutting someone gave me) Lawrence O'Keefe on bass. On the album drums are from Monti (mostly) and Dave Axford (a couple of tracks), with bass from Dean Garcia (on the same couple of tracks) and Phil Butcher. I should add that I've never heard of most of these people. ;-) 'Shrinkwrapped' is a great album, 'Tattoo' the single rather lets it down IMHO. They played a couple of gigs back in the summer, but I don't think there was a proper tour; no doubt that's the last we hear of them for another 4 or 5 years, worst luck. As for the rest of original lineup, I haven't a clue about Hugo Burnham or Sara Lee, but Dave Allen has a couple of new releases coming up; one is the soundtrack to "The Harvest", under the name 'The Crash Baptists' (who are basically Dave Allen and Rick Boston, of Low Pop Suicide) - I have a promo tape of this and it comes highly recommended. The other is the second (and final) album under the name 'The Elastic Purejoy', which is to be called "The Clutter Of Pop". I haven't heard this yet, but if anyone's interested, the liner notes and a review are on my Shriekback/ related web pages, http://http2.brunel.ac.uk:8080/~ee92pmh/shrkindx.html (look under 'The Elastic Purejoy'). # From: fisher@easynet.co.uk (Mark Fisher) # Subject: Nonsuch wars, TDII, band name # # As it happens, I think Nonsuch is their best album, but this thread is # already degenerating into an endless "I like it/I don't" kind of squabble, # so might I suggest that what we're actually talking about is two camps of # XTC fans? The general impression I've been getting is that there are those # (like me) who are on a Black Sea-Big Express-Nonsuch axis, and then others # who are on an English Settlement-Skylarking-Oranges and Lemons kick. Yes, I # know we all like all of them really, but just for the sake of (more) # argument I'd be interested to hear not just what Chalkhillians' favourite # albums are, but what are their favourite chain of three (or four) to see if # my theory holds water. You may be right. OK let's think: Fave 4: The Big Express, Explode Together, Go2, Through The Hill. Least fave 3: Mummer, Drums & Wires, Drums & Wireless. And I bet someone picks their favourites from both of those lists... Anyway, it's all irrelevant really. We should be doing this: Fave 3: Colin, Andy, Dave. Much more conclusive. ttfn, _ |_)|_ *| | | )|| http://http2.brunel.ac.uk:8080/~ee92pmh/ ========
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Jan 1996 12:02:34 -0800 (PST) From: Laura Parent <laura@geosun1.sjsu.edu> Subject: Bits of stuff 1) I've been suprised to see so many references to Jellyfish on this list. I had thought they were only known to us Bay Area folks. It's nice to know others out there appreciated them too. Does anyone know what Andy Sturmer is up to these days? And can anyone fill me in on why they weren't a huge success? And why Bush IS a huge success? 2) I know the Tori Amos question was probably rhetorical, but her new CD is due out Jan 23rd. A tour is also planned...but I don't know any dates. 3) My favorite XTC cd's are Drums and Wires, Skylarking, Chips from the Chocolate Fireball and Nonsuch.
------------------------------ From: Neil Oliver <NOLIVER@central.gvrd.bc.ca> Subject: Eric Matthews Date: Thu, 11 Jan 96 12:26:00 PST >And since someone offered up their best of 95, I'll join the crowd in >providing my list.... >1) ERIC MATTHEWS, ^It's Heavy in Here^: If you like XTC, Beach Boys, Burt >Bacharach....you probably own this album already. Baroque rock full speed >ahead! I really like this album too. The album he made with Richard Davies, "Cardinal," is also good. Does anyone know anything more about why that duo split up and whether Eric will be playing live anywhere? My favourite CDs of 1995 (a poor year for pop culture in general): 1. Bjork, "Post" 2. Blur, "The Great Escape" 3. Elastica, "Elastica" 4. Portishead, "Dummy" (from 1994 maybe but I'm flexible) 5. Neil and Tim Finn, "Finn" (out in Europe only; watch for it in 96) 6. Matthew Sweet, "100% Fun" 7. Eric Matthews, "It's Heavy In Here" 8. PJ Harvey, "To Bring You My Love" 9. King Crimson, "THRAK" 10. The Jayhawks, "Tomorrow the Green Grass"
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Jan 96 12:28:04 PST From: rbleeker@sybase.com (Robert Bleeker) Subject: Try THIS! If you like XTC try these titles: . Mike Keneally - Hat (+++ XTC Fan) . Spookey Ruben - Modes of Transporation Vol 1. (+++XTC Fan) . Jellyfish - Spilt Milk, Bellybutton . BLUR - All titles . OASIS - (What's the Story) Morning Glory? . SPACEHOG - Resident Alien . Flaming Lips - Clouds Taste Metallic . Pavement - Wowee Zowee . Radiohead - Pablo Honey, The Bends . Blind Melon - Blind Melon, Soup . The Stone Roses - Second Comming . Everclear - Sparkle and Fade . Red Hot Chili Pepers - One Hot Minute . Frank Zappa - Check alt.fan.frak-zappa faq for starting points
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 11 Jan 1996 15:29:16 -0500
From: pgm2@cornell.edu (Peter Mullin)
Subject: Bungalow and favorites
To William Ham Bevan: Thanks! I was beginning to think I was the only
person out here who actually liked 'Bungalow'. It really is a fine
expression of the British middle-class work-retirement attitude, a la Ray
Davies.
And to Mark Fisher: I don't know what this will do to your theory, but my
most-played (=favorite) XTC discs are: 'Chips from the Chocolate Fireball'
[Dukes]; 'Black Sea'; 'Drums and Wires'; and 'Oranges and Lemons', in
roughly that order of frequency.
Cheers to all,
Peter.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm still proud, but the belt's already tight; I'll
get another job at night"
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 11 Jan 96 16:26:08 -0500
From: "Kendrick, Tim" <tken@dictaphone.com>
Organization: Dictaphone Corporation
Subject: Re: Band Names
>>> From: gimhoff@bmgmusic.com
>>>
>>> Trying to come up with a band name that includes some
>>> reference to XTC but is not a blatant lift i.e. full song title, etc.
Here are my suggestions:
- Soldiers of the Queen
- Force Fed Cake
- Stand Up Naked and Grin
- Screaming Sky
- Chunk of Wood
- F***ing Seaweed
- Love and Swimming Pools
- Blister Mister Firemen
- Scissor Men
- Pull Me Whistle
- Drinking Oxo
- Not Nature Made
- Too Brainy To See
- The Homo Saps
- Exit Doris
- The Never Poison People
********************************************
"If Toys are quarreling amongst themselves,
what hope is there now for the world ?"
("TOY STORY" inspiration ???)
********************************************
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Jan 1996 17:10:49 -0500 From: vanvalnc@is2.nyu.edu (Chris Van Valen) Subject: re: where isn't andy partridge Where Andy isn't Three-and-a-Half Tenors featuring Andrew Partridge Andy sings with his kids--The Partridge Family! Guest soloist on the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" His duet with Julio Iglesias on "Science Friction" b/w "Take This Town" Scoring the Broadway musical version of "Jurassic Park" Asking,"Do you want fries with that?" Where Andy might be There's an Indian place on East 6th Street in Manhattan where the sitarist is a dead ringer for Mister P. right down to the glasses and the 'do. Cheers CV
------------------------------ From: Walt Michulka <WMICHU01@EDS.nhic.slg.eds.com> Subject: Andy - The Greatest Living Englishman Date: Thu, 11 Jan 96 16:40:00 CST Does anyone here know of any other albums that Andy collaborated on with Martin Newell besides 'The Greatest Living Englishman' (1993)? Or how about any with just Martin Newell? Unfortunately, my copy of 'TGLE' was knicked & all I have are memories. To any of you who aren't familiar with this 12 string tinged, harmony drenched collaboration, it is along the lines of Lennon/McCartney circa Rubber Soul/Revolver with some Kinks & Barret Pink Floyd thrown in. I understand Dave Gregory was involved on some tracks as well. A definite must have for any Dukes/Beatles/XTC fan. I'd welcome any other comments on this album. I'm sure I'm not the first to point this out, but ya ever notice the title >from 'Os& Ls' was lifted from the preceding album? And 'Nonesuch' was lifted >from a track on 'Os & Ls'? I wonder what line they'll rip from 'Nonesuch' for their next disc (if ever). Earn enough for beer, W. Michulka
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Jan 1996 15:11:54 -0800 From: jmarsh@ix.netcom.com (Joel G. Marsh ) Subject: Big Star Hey, kids: Any Big Star fans out there?
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Jan 1996 18:08:28 -0600 (CST) From: "Jeffrey with 2 f's Jeffrey" <jenor@csd.uwm.edu> Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-57 In the year 2525, if man is still alive, if woman can survive, they may find that on Thu, 11 Jan 1996, aosterma@students.wisc.edu (Adam J. Ostermann) wrote: > >Trying to come up with a band name that includes some reference to XTC > >but is not a blatant lift i.e. full song title, etc. A clever > >(preferably lesser known) Andyism would be good. Thought I'd throw > >this one out and see if anyone had any suggestions > > I always wanted to call a band "The Lower Gentry" (from Moulding's > "Wonderland") <snip>..."Steer Me Anna" I like both of those--and I've always thought the mos memorable of the "aliases" used on the Dukes projects was The Red Curtain--so there's another. BTW, what is "Steer Me Anna" supposed to mean? For some reason, I've thought it might be an anagram--or a topically Brit reference that us pig-ignorant Americans don't get that'd be ox-stunningly obvious to Britishers.... --Jeff Jeffrey Norman "I play the guitar. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Sometimes I play the fool." Dept. of English & Comp. Lit. e-mail: jenor@csd.uwm.edu --John Lennon, _Beatles Live at the BBC_ now playing: _Mummer_!
------------------------------ From: tawanda@THEDEN.COM Date: 11 Jan 1996 22:17:38 EDT Subject: Chalkhills Digest #2-57 hey i'll be heading to Washington DC in a few weeks.. i was wondering if anyone knows of any good record stores up there?? Email me if so. =) Tanks! Holly
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Jan 1996 22:36:56 -0500 From: acurtis@capecod.net (Al Curtis) Subject: Re: English Puzzlement In Chalkhills #2-57 Anthony Ciarochi wrote: >Anyway, about a year later I was browsing through the record racks, >trying to decide which XTC album to buy for my brother's birthday. I was >holding a copy of English Settlement, scanning the song titles, when it >suddenly occurred to me that I had NEVER HEARD OF half the songs on the >album! Fly on the wall? Yacht Dance? What the hell is that? I guess it was about April of '82. A local station at the time had one night a week when they would play a new album in its entirety. English Settlement had just been released in the US the day before so I had not heard it. The ES that WKKL played that night had 10 songs. I was blown away. I was already a big fan and *had* to get the album. I rushed to my local record store the next day and plunked down my $7.00 for the Epic/ Virgin LP. I took it home and plkayed the grooves off it for the next 2 months. Imagine my chagrin when not long afterward I was browsing in the import section of a different store and came across the "correct" Virgin version of ES. I decided the extra songs weren't worth the extra $12.00 and didn't buy it. Many years later I did buy the Geffen CD and got to hear the songs I had missed. To this day, even without the "extra" songs, ES remains my favorite XTC album. I also should have learned a lesson but didn't. I bought Skylarking the day it came out, and was shocked a month later to hear DG on the radio described as being on "the new XTC album". What? Another new album so soon? I rushed to the store. Where's the new album? I was handed Skylarking. When I read the song list I expected to see Rod Serling emerge from behind the rack. Of course I later learned of the great switcheroo which had occured. (I bought the 12" 45 rpm of DG to cover my loss- I lOVE Mermaid Smiled, btw.) Lesson not learned. Paid $26.00 for import Rag & Bone CD. One month later released in US $12.00. Paid $22.00 for import BBC Live CD- catching on yet? I will not buy $25.00 Drums & Wireless because it will be sure to be half that price a day later. With XTC, nothing is ever what it seems. "You're only lit once..."
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 12 Jan 1996 00:36:35 -0600 From: pete_srd@mindspring.com (Spawn Ranch Disciples) Subject: Hello from new Chalkhillian! Hello fellow XTC fans! New Chalkhillian here...glad to see some die hard XTC fans out there! (Most people I know are like, 'who?') I have been a very big fan since I first heard Black Sea (I almost missed the boat) back in '83 or '84. I thought it was just fantastic, then I got Drums and Wires, and am now hooked... I have a few comments to the last posting, again, I'm new to this, so please don't flame me too bad if I'm making a major faux pas somewhere. To Brandon about O&L and producers: Take it easy on O&L! I think it's one of their better efforts. I remember reading an interview w/Andy that said they were very happy with the sound. I think there's some great tracks on that record - I like 'Poor Skeleton' and 'Scarecrow'. Yes, the production is a bit much at times, but I like it better than Skylarking...how do you feel about Nonsuch? on Trevor Horn producing... That would be a very interesting combination - the guy that played on Yes' Drama record, right? (ex-Buggle) Imagine how glitzy it might be, though... To Anthony, English Puzzlement... There are at least three versions of Engllish Settlement - I have owned 3 different ones. From what I understand you first got a hold of the 'American' release - I can imagine your joy when you found the new stuff! (I started out with the 'full' version, there's also a version that has everything but 'Fly on the Wall' and 'Down in the Cockpit'). I might suspect that the re-release on CD craze in the 80's had something to do with this as well... to Ewalther re:Explode Together I'm really not as hard-core as many of you out there, what is Explode Together? To Mark Fisher on 'album chains' If I had to name my four favorites, they would be (in order): Black Sea, Drums and Wires, English Settlement, and Oranges and Lemons. Sorry. I think Black Sea and D&W are pretty close, huh? (compare Complicated Game w/ Travels in Nihilon (sp?) and Ten Feet Tall to Generals and Majors (albiet loosely)). As are O&L and Nonsuch, although Nonsuch is way more pop. Enjoying XTC, Pete (pete_srd@mindspring.com)
------------------------------ Subject: Spookey Ruben...Way Cool! From: wwilson@mail07.mitre.org (Wesley H. Wilson) Date: Fri, 12 Jan 96 08:22:02 -0500 Am I the only one who thinks this band is *very* XTC-like? Their CD, "Modes of Transportation, Vol. 1" has been in my player for a week now. I hear Beach Boys, Jellyfish, and Brian Eno influences, too. By the way, is that Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gargarin on the cover?
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 12 Jan 96 13:08:14 EST From: "John M. Chamberlain" <JC7704A@american.edu> Organization: The American University Subject: Rank the Albums! Inspired by snowbound boredom and by Mark Fisher's recent observation of XTC album preference "axes" (e.g., fans of The Big Express, Nonesuch, and Black Sea on one axis, Os & Ls, Skylarking, and Mummer on another, etc.), I thought I'd do some hard-core statistics on this notion and see what axes emerge. I need your help: send me your rankings, #1 through #10, of the XTC studio albums, #1 being your favorite, #10 being your least favorite. (I know it's hard; ties are acceptable if clearly indicated). I'll assign points to the ratings, do a factor analysis, and announce how the preferences cluster up after I've gotten enough responses (50 would be nice!) The only rules: I need you to rank ALL TEN albums; if you're not familiar with them all, I can't use your rankings. No Dukes; they're clearly on an axis of their own. No live albums, demos, bootlegs, etc....hmmm, let's spell this out explicitly: RANK FROM 1 TO 10: WHITE MUSIC---GO 2---DRUMS AND WIRES---BLACK SEA ---ENGLISH SETTLEMENT---MUMMER---THE BIG EXPRESS---SKYLARKING--- ORANGES & LEMONS---NONSUCH. Send your rankings to JC7704A@AMERICAN.EDU Thanks in advance for your rankings, and know that you're contributing to rock'n'roll science! All rankings will be kept confidential. Void where prohibited. -- John Chamberlain
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 12 Jan 96 10:26:06 From: ldsteve@MIT.EDU (Stephen Gilligan) Subject: Brian Stevens new CD Hello Chalkies, Just got (yesterday) the new Brian Stevens CD "prettier than You". DG contributed guitar parts with AP recording them at "The Shed" in Swindon. I've had the disc on 3 or 4 times and it's quite enjoyable. Kinda like Gerry Rafferty meets John Lennon. Folks on the Jangly list will really like it. It's on the QDIVISION label out of Boston. "Fall Together" is my favorite so far. Aimee Mann's name shows up in the thank yous. She is floating in Chalk circles quite a bit lately, don't you think? Still looking for a band name? How about The Navvies or The Monarchs of Misery, (now that's an uplifting name). Wow, mad urge to hear the Kinks... quick disc change....when was the last time you recorded in mono. I had mono once but that another story. Hey, are there any Boston area folks out there who'd like to get together and play original (and very selected covers) music. I play bass, guitar, some piano and write profusely. I've been at it for 20 years now and find myself needing to hear some new ideas. Me mates are alright but they are starting to know what to expect next and that can get a bit predictable. So if you're out there e-mail me and let's try to shake off this winter ice. "He's a dedicated follower of fashion".
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 12 Jan 96 10:27 PST From: timsarah@islandnet.com (Tim Chan) Subject: XTC appearance in Victoria, B.C. In Chalkhills 2-57, stimpy@matrix.infomatch.com said: >I'm in shock! A friend came for a late xmas visit this year, and >brought me a signed photo of xtc from about 1979-1980. Apparently, >a woman he knows was in Victoria, BC (that's canada in case you're >wondering) at a bar to see them back then. There wasn't much of a >turnout (sheesh!), so she ended up chatting with the band, and they >gave her a signed photo. She had it stuck in her attic all this >time! Anyway, my friend saw it, and she let him have it, and now >I've got it sitting on my desk! Whee! Stimpy, you're one lucky cat! The show you mentioned was in 1979 and not in a bar but at the University [of Victoria] Centre Auditorium. I forever kick myself for not going to that show-- however, I was in junior high at the time and had never been to a rock concert... and I had no one to go with since I was the only one I knew who liked XTC at the time. Since then I've met people who were there and they tell me it was awesome. Damn! Tim usually at uu023@freenet.victoria.bc.ca
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 12 Jan 1996 19:23:43 +0000 (GMT) From: Kevin Donnelly <kevin.donnelly@st-hughs.oxford.ac.uk> Subject: Irrelevancies Right. I've just come back from holiday(I don't have email at home) to read some back issues of Chalkhills, some of which contain disparaging comments about Blur. Blur are easily the most inventive, amusing, melodic and charismatic pop group around. I say "pop" because they are not indie, or rock, so the eternal comparisons with Oasis are misplaced. As it happenes I don't like Oasis (but of course I'm not the dupe of the admen) because they're dull and because Liam Gallagher has said some truly awful things about Damon. As for the XTC comparison, well, maybe, but I prefer to think of them as like the Jam. For example: Ernold Same/Mr Clean ; Clover over Dover/English Rose ; The Great Escape (album)/Setting Sons ; The Universal/Town Called Malice. What I'm pointing out is this: the approaches of the two bands are different but the messages are the same and the debt that Blur owe to the Jam musically is evident. Blur/XTC. Well, it's the eccentricity I suppose and maybe the style. Even Blur/Joy Division, for anyone who has seen Damon's performances on stage on Starshaped! Come to think of it Jarvis Cocker of Pulp and Ian Curtis look and move in similar ways too. But I digress. Happy New Year to all Chalkhillians though I doubt if it will see a new XTC album, despite the rumours. Where have they been? Where have they been? Where have they been? Where have they been? Kevin "make this boy shout, make this boy scream" Donnelly
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 12 Jan 1996 12:16:27 -0800 From: jms@netins.net Subject: XTC: The Dub Experiments 1978-80 Well first of all I have nothing against selling my XTC albums for money, but I just wouldnt feel right makeing money of XTCs music. But I am very interested in trading XTC: The Dub Experiments 78-80 on C.D. for any XTC concerts or demo tapes if any one is interested send list to jms@netins.net thanks Jared
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 12 Jan 1996 16:12:34 -0500 From: Ted Harms <tmharms@library.uwaterloo.ca> Subject: ES on CD I'm looking to replace my battered tape of English Settlement. I've seen the CD and was pleased to see that they pressed the double LP version instead of the North American release. (It's also priced as a regular CD!) I'm just wondering if any (pseudo)audiophiles who have the CD (or any other XTC recording that's made it onto CD) could comment on its sound quality. It doesn't say that the Eng. Sett. CD has been re-mastered and I'm wondering if the sound is fairly good or leans towards the 'muddy' side as some CD's can if the recording wasn't remastered? Ted Harms Library, Univ. of Waterloo tmharms@library.uwaterloo.ca 519.888.4567 x3761 "I guess what I'm really looking for is a desert island. But one with room service." G. Gould
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #2-58 ******************************
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