Chalkhills Digest Volume 2, Issue 6
Date: Monday, 2 October 1995
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 2, Number 6
Monday, 2 October 1995
Today's Topics:
Martin Newell
Re: The disappearing, discounted XTC catalog?
Additional information
Distributor for Testimonial Dinner?
BNL / Virgin
(none)
(none)
RE- XTC and Blur/Hot Albums
P. Hux on Testimonial Dinner
RE: Bee Gees
Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-4: covers???
Re: "Outside" (sorry)
Blurring the lines
Not New Yet Newall
Signed "Through The Hill" LP
Hello-songs!
Bits and pieces
Jules Vernes Sketchbook/ Bull With The Golden Guts
Administrivia:
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The views expressed herein are those of the individual authors.
Darling don't you ever stop to wonder?
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 29 Sep 95 13:07:14 EST From: ldsteve@MIT.EDU (Stephen Gilligan) Subject: Martin Newell Hallo, I've just purchased "The Greatest Living Englishman" and Newbury Comics at MIT after having looked at it for two months wondering if I should, (money being tight and all). I'd never heard it nor of Mr. Newell until seeing it appear at the store. What a joy!! English pop is by far my favorite music as long as it's not too smarmy if ya know what I mean. The more involved the better. Must be why XTC is my "fave" (how fab!). Can anyone give me some background on Martin? He appears to have been around for awhile (two books and all). Should I remember him from somewhere? Does he have any other recorded material. Some of it sounds a bit like Michael Penn first album (Christmas in Suburbia). Anyhoo, any thoughts or is this so old news that I'm boring everyone? Stephen P.S. It's almost October!! What a great time of year!!! So many COLORS!
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 29 Sep 1995 12:26:36 -500 (CDT) From: Lars Schubert <larss@scisoc.org> Subject: Re: The disappearing, discounted XTC catalog? In the last Chalkhills, hedblade@aol.com wrote concerning the possibility of Geffen dropping the XTC catalog: > Now, please understand that this is just a radio rep for Geffen and > probably doesn't know what is happening with the catalog, but the words > had a profound effect on me. To be safe, I suggest you grab those > titles you don't have ASAP. Now, I don't want to add to any panic, and I certainly don't want to cause a stampede, but if you've been putting off buying copies of those CD's you already have on vinyl (or you never got around to buying in the first place), I have seen the entire Geffen catalog reduced to $8.99 and $7.99 (you heard right-- on CD!) at Best Buy. Hopefully, this is useful to people outside of Minnesota. My guess is that you may see similar price cuts at warehouse/superstore type places, so keep your eyes peeled. Best Buy also had the 3 oft mentioned Kinks CD's for $7.99, along with similar discounts on Yello CD's. I'm not affiliated with Best Buy in any way, but I thought you might like to know. I don't know anything about the alleged discontinuation of the XTC catalog, but I was wondering why all those great CD's I already owned were just $7.99... actually, I got to flesh out my collection with "White Music"! Too bad there's just no way any of this money will find its way back to the band... Perhaps we could all chip in and send them a nice check? (: -Another former lurker
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 29 Sep 1995 12:45:20 -0500 From: kimw@rice.edu (Kim E. Williams) Subject: Additional Information From: relph (John Relph) > >jims@inlink.com (Jim S.) writes: >> >>I saw a 'new XTC album' planned (or is that rumoured?) to be released >>IN 1995 ON the Virgin label! 21 tracks! >No way. It's only a rumour. Maybe 1996. If we're lucky. On Virgin? I thought that they left Virgin in response to shabby treatment, a matter of principle, etc. Did they really have to waive their rights to the back catalogue if they were to leave? That's a pretty powerful "inducement" to stick around. Getting shafted by record companies seems to be the rule more than the exception which makes one wonder how our Swindon heroes have endured it this long!! Re:above---it's not Virgin who shafted them with the loss of the back catalog, it was EMI. They did ask to renegotiate their contracts with Virgin before all this and when those fell through, Virgin released them. Geffen was pretty easy to get out of their commitments with too. EMI, (I think that's Virgin's parent company), told them that if they wanted out, they would have to give up their back catalog. And all this started when Ian Reid shafted them the first time! Hope that explains a few things! "This is a place of friendship. Anyone, young or old may come and visit. If you are honest and of good heart, no matter what the season our door is open to you. Please feel free to visit anytime you pass this way." - Brian Jacques (Martin the Warrior)
------------------------------ From: Alex.Stein@turner.com Date: Fri, 29 Sep 1995 11:26:13 -0400 Subject: Distributor for Testimonial Dinner? I know the tribute album is coming out on Thirsty Ear Records, but can anyone tell us what company distributes Thirsty Ear? Thanks. Alex [ Last I knew it was Chaos / Sony. -- John ]
------------------------------ From: 7IHd <ee92pmh@brunel.ac.uk> Subject: BNL / Virgin Date: Fri, 29 Sep 1995 20:11:27 +0100 (BST) # From: st004422@brownvm.brown.edu (Gene "Sp00n" Yoon) # Subject: Some other funk and pop to roll # # October 10 sees our overripe Canadian friends in BARENAKED LADIES with # "Born On A Pirate Ship". When they're not annoying, they're very talented. Last I heard this one has been put back until February. I don't recall their annoying song, and I have both albums and all 5 singles and I've seen them live twice. Have I missed something? Where is this annoying song and where can I get a copy? :-) Someone whose name I accidently deleted said: # On Virgin? I thought that they left Virgin in response to shabby # treatment, a matter of principle, etc. Did they really have to waive # their rights to the back catalogue if they were to leave? That's a # pretty powerful "inducement" to stick around. Getting shafted by # record companies seems to be the rule more than the exception which # makes one wonder how our Swindon heroes have endured it this long!! I get the impression Virgin are masters at screwing artists in this manner. In their early days, OMD suddenly realised that although they'd sold over a million albums, they were still in debt to the record company (Virgin). And look at them now. Still on Virgin. Sound familiar? And on a completely unrelated note, as to which XTC song(s) I'd do a cover of, a quick scan through my collection has produced the following list: Crowded Room, Super-Tuff, Human Alchemy, King For A Day, New Broom, Punch And Judy. I'd like to hear the song that New Broom started out as (does anyone have a demo of it?). And I'd change 'Punch And Judy' around a bit. And one day I might actually do this, you never know. :-) It's sort of hard trying to form a band when the other members are at opposite ends of the country and none of you have any time, money or transport... Upcoming London Shriekback (i.e. Barry Andrews & friends) gigs: 3rd October - Water Rats, Grays Inn Road (Kings Cross tube) 23rd November - Upstairs at The Garage (Highbury & Islington tube) And apparently featuring some brand new songs! ttfn, Phil _ |_)|_ *| | | )|| http://http2.brunel.ac.uk:8080/~ee92pmh/ ========
------------------------------ From: Ben Gott <BENG@hotchkiss.pvt.k12.ct.us> Date: Sat, 30 Sep 95 01:17:00 PDT Does anyone have any ideas of how I can turn members of my high school community on to XTC? Ben Gott The Hotchkiss School Lakeville, CT
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 29 Sep 1995 14:55 -0600 (MDT) From: "Daryn C. Tufts" <tuftsd@cougarnet.byu.edu> I am looking for two albums Andy has done called "Jules Vern Scetchbook" and "Bull with the Golden Guts" I have no idea where I can get these. Does ANYONE know how I can get my hands on these? Also is there any other XTC material in general that I can buy(besides, of course, the albums that are available in stores everywhere) Let me know. Maybe we can work something out. Daryn
------------------------------
Date: 29 Sep 1995 15:46:16 -0500
From: "Wesley Wilson" <Wesley_Wilson@iegate.mitre.org>
Subject: RE- XTC and Blur/Hot Albums
There was a real-life connection between XTC and Blur a few years back
when Andy did some work as producer on Modern Life is Rubbish, Blur's
second album, and a departure from the "Manchester" sound of their
first. Andy's work is not credited on the album notes. Sources say the
tracks he worked on were "Chemical World," "Sunday Sunday," and one other
nonalbum track. Stephen Street is credited as the "official" album
producer.
Andy didn't think the Blur songs were very good after all. Sour grapes?
Maybe not. Blur's best album, in my opinion, is Parklife. I recommend it
as a sampler (almost a catalogue) of various British music styles:
technopop in "Boys and Girls"; synth rock in Trouble in the Message
Centre; punk rock in "Bank Holiday" and "Parklife"; The Jam and XTC in
"Tracey Jacks"; Syd Barrett in "Far Out." I have Blur's latest and think
it's not up to par with Parklife, but that would have been a daunting task
indeed. I don't _regret_ owning it, however.
Recent CD album purchases I can wholeheartedly recommend: Duffy by Stephen
Duffy (ace!); Going Blank Again by Ride ("Making Judy Smile" alone is
worth the price of admission!); Floored Genius by Julian Cope; Some
Friendly by The Charlatans (UK); Anthology by The Vapors...these should
keep you all broke for a while...but happy.
Wes
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 29 Sep 1995 17:37:09 -0400 From: Tobin Munsat <tmunsat@pppl.gov> Subject: P. Hux on Testimonial Dinner >Does anyone know anything about P. Hux, Verve Pipe, or Space Hog? My guess is that P. Hux is Parthenon Huxley, formerly known as Rick Rock (formerly known as something else, I'm sure). His name has showed up on the last couple of XTC albums. Years ago he used to play (Rick Rock, that is) around in N.C. and the southeast US, and had a 'hit' (in a real stretch of the word 'hit') with a fun song called, I think, Boodah Boodah. -Tobin
------------------------------ From: seanbe@microsoft.com Date: Fri, 29 Sep 95 14:39:21 PDT Subject: RE: Bee Gees re: ChrisMezzo@aol.com Subject: Re: Chocolate Fireball stuff >>no flame here! the Bee Gees 1st is a great album (i have it on lovely black scratchy vinyl) even if their later ones slid inexorably into commercial blather. "Red Chair Fade Away" is indeed terrific. "In My Own Time" was nicely covered by the Three O'Clock (as well as my own hopelessly obscure band Walk Don't Walk) in the '80s. I haven't heard their even earlier (Australian-released) material but it could provide more of the same...
------------------------------ From: motero@digital.net Date: Fri, 29 Sep 1995 21:37:53 -0400 Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-4: covers??? Hello, all. I'd be torn between 1-Peter Pumpkinhead (I love the sound, I'd even plug in my Strat with the amp on for that buzz at the start...& my daughter & I have sung it many times...); 2-Mayor Of Simpleton (just love it... but hell, I love almost ALL of 'em...) or 3- No Thugs In Our House (awesome message song, GREAT yell...) Anyone have guitar chords for English Settlement stuff? Or know who, if anyone, publishes XTC sheet music? ANYone gonna cover Pink Thing??? Take care, and peace. Mike Melbourne, Florida, USA
------------------------------ From: BugRoom@aol.com Date: Sat, 30 Sep 1995 01:30:42 -0400 Subject: Re: "Outside" (sorry) Bowie's new single is my favorite song right now. I can't WAIT for the time when I have enough money to buy his new CD. Sorry to holler that here... but the subject did come up. I have not the time to read Bowie digest, nor the memory to withold it. I also CAN'T WAIT FOR XTC'S NEXT!!!!!! Oh lord... when will it come? Mommy? Someone please help me... I hear about it... I hear about demos... but I haven't HEARD new XTC. Please XTC release your thing SOMEHOW!!! NOW!! (relax, John...) (okay). For the time being... I'm pleased as Judy's punch to play what I have now... over... and over... and.... John Neil ps - Everybody buy "Beasts I've Seen" from Bizarre Depiction!! (plug-plug). XTC fan tribute cassette. Contact Ian C. Stewart c/o Bizarre Depiction, PO Box 151378, Columbus, OH 43215. Other OBSCENE tapes available... including an upcoming tribute to "Skylarking" in which I'm working on "Summer's Cauldron" and "Grass" for possible entry. Wish mee luck. Musical ARTISTS Worldwide: get in on it. Send your interpretation of ANY Skylarking song to above address. Cheers.
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 30 Sep 1995 01:38:37 -0500 From: Gene_Yoon@brown.edu (Gene Yoon) Subject: Blurring the lines >From: ee92pmh@brunel.ac.uk > >So I don't know if 'The Great Escape' is out in the USA yet, but for >those of you in the UK or wherever or who have got it, answer me this: It's everywhere! On Virgin Records for the states. >Is Blur turning into XTC? Not really; they sound less like XTC on the new album than they did on Parklife. Maybe a result of their parting of ways with Andy Partridge and their failed collaboration attempt. The Great Escape, though, seems to have an XTC-like coherent theme throughout, mostly songs that are societal commentaries about suburbia, overachievers, yuppies, the rat race, in the same vein as Respectable Street, Happy Families, and Leisure. Their sound is closest to the Drums and Wires era--somewhat edgy and disjointed, but melodic at the same time (with the Beach Boys howling and falsettos). They sound even more English than XTC, with a pronounced accent. The best tracks, IMO, are the single 'Country House' and 'It Could Be You', which sound like XTC, and 'Stereotypes', 'Entertain Me', and 'Best Days', which don't. The comedic 'Dan Abnormal' and 'Ernold Same' sort of remind of the Dukes, but with 90's instrumentation. But Blur don't deserve to be pidgeon-holed; they're a good band in their own right with their own sound. They show some XTC influences in spots, but they also seem to have some David Bowie, and a bit of OMD, Blondie (!) and Japan in their bloodlines. Recommended! Gene
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 30 Sep 1995 14:54:50 -0800
From: mf@well.com (Mitch Friedman)
Subject: Not New Yet Newall
'Ello Folks,
While sleeping the other night I remembered a whole Martin Newall album that
he hasn't written or recorded yet. For you big fans, here it is:
Martin Newall At Whit's End
The Man Who Nearly Bloomed
Rucksack and Lace
Eventually Genevieve
Bouquet of Nettles
Empire for Sale (Ray Davies/Newall)
Often I Saunter
Hail the Tinsel Maiden
Do as Trevor Says
She Lives in Sepia
Creeping Fog of Ipswich
The Porcupine Wears Twill
Jessica Dreams
Exeter (instrumental)
A Pint of Summer Caterpillars
She Sleeps in Trolleys
The Shopboy's Boots
Geraldine by the Fountain
Bicycles on High Street
The Counselor Caught Betwixt
Sweet Loretta Modern
Mandolin Ducks
released Boxing Day, 2006
Cheeriolio!
Mitch
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 30 Sep 1995 20:36:32 -0700 (PDT) From: A Sattler <ahs@nevada.edu> Subject: Signed "Through The Hill" LP Earlier this year (late spring-ish), the All Saints Bugle (publication of All Saints Records) offered, by mail, a limited edition vinyl pressing of "Through The Hill." As it says in the Chalkhills discographies, the tracks are the same as those on the Japanese issue of the CD and the label on the plain white cover says there were 1500 copies pressed. According to the ad, both Mssrs. Partridge and Budd were to have signed the sleeves. My copy (no. 1254) is, alas, unsigned. Does anyone out there have a signed copy (what number is it?), or know if any part of the run was actually signed? thanks to all, Annie S.
------------------------------ From: Pelle Jansson <Pelle.Jansson@abc.se> Subject: Hello-songs! Date: Sun, 1 Oct 1995 11:53:21 +-100 I keep reading about these four Hello-songs.... Is it possible to get hold of this record? Could anyone tape them for me? I can swap with Acoustic Tales or World War Three. Greetings from Pelle in Sweden (Holly, I=B4m listening a lot, thanks!)
------------------------------ From: ZITTEL@aol.com Date: Sun, 1 Oct 1995 08:41:23 -0400 Subject: Bits and pieces The latest I have heard is that we are going to be in for a long wait before a new XTC album is released. They are still trying to finalize their release from their Virgin/EMI contract. One of the big concerns right now is that Virgin/EMI is trying to claim ownership of the new demo songs Andy has written. They are claiming that since they were written while under contract to Virgin/EMI that they own the songs. This, of course, has Andy kind of freaked. It could be a year or two before we see new material come out. On a different note, it is amazing that a number of old XTC concerts continue to surface on audio tape. Their show from Los Angeles at the Whiskey A Go-Go on 2/23/80 has circulated for years. It turns out that they also played the same venue on 2/21/80 and 2/22/80 and that tapes of both shows exist. It is hard to imagine how many shows and bootlegs would exist if XTC had been touring for the past 13 years!
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 02 Oct 1995 10:27 -0600 (MDT) From: "Daryn C. Tufts" <tuftsd@cougarnet.byu.edu> Subject: Jules Vernes Sketchbook/ Bull With The Golden Guts I have tried everything to get a copy of "Jules Vernes' Sketchbook" and "The Bull With The Golden Guts," but have had NO success. Is there ANYONE who would be willing to dub me a copy of either of these albums? I would really, REALLY appreciate it and would send you a little bit for your troubles. Let me know! Thanks! Daryn "I've been this explosive since you lit me."
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #2-6 *****************************
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