Chalkhills Digest Volume 2, Issue 99
Date: Thursday, 11 April 1996
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 2, Number 99
Thursday, 11 April 1996
Today's Topics:
I Wish You Wouldn't Say That
Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-98
Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-98
Voice Of The Beehive & Bob Mould (now there's an idea!)
A lovely XTC moment
Urgh!
Concern for Andy, concern for Ben
Andy URLs
Re: misheard lyrics continued...
re: cancon/Sugar/we love the jerk
O&L 3 3" CD thingy
Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-98
Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-98
(none)
Andy email / Tape Trading
Hit & Run
Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-98
Byrning with.... Optimism?
Great Canadian Art Pop
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: mtross@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu Date: Wed, 10 Apr 1996 13:32:41 -0500 Message-Id: <199604101832.NAA131896@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu> Subject: I Wish You Wouldn't Say That I think everyone can agree that we should separate the art from the artist when possible and that we would prefer our heroes to be as nice as possible. But I really wasn't aware that the idea was so common that David Byrne was a jerk. I have only heard from him on several occasions in the press but I've probably heard as many if not more nasty rumors about Andy Partridge. Like both of them tho'... ...anyone heard the new R. Thompson discs? :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:- I absorb trust like a love rhombus, I feel I must elucidate I ate the chump with guile, Quadrilateral i was Now I warp like a smile --M. Doughty
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 10 Apr 1996 12:03:37 -0700 (PDT) From: alizarine <jemiah@teleport.com> Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-98 Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.92.960410115417.4017B-100000@zoe.teleport.com> Hey, y'all, will you please stop talking about what goes up David Byrne's nose? I just spent a night reading the David Bowie bio finding out what went up HIS nose and I'm still listening to DB every single day; I'm not going to jump up and down on my copy of "Remain in Light" just because Byrne fried his nostrils recording it. I'm not trying to censor anybody -- I'm as interested in trashy gossip as anyone -- but could we at least trashily gossip about XTC?... On an unrelated but welcome note ... "Through the Hill" is very much an extension of the Homo Safari material, but beautifully refined through the influence of Harold Budd. If anyone is interested, Budd has worked with Eno a fair bit -- a good, mellow, sad instrumental album is "The Pearl", which is Budd on piano and Eno on Synths and treatments. Also check out "Ambient 2 - The Plateaux of Mirror" Alizarine, Anointed Sister of the Unchristian Order of St. Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno jemiah@teleport.com http://www.teleport.com/~jemiah Oblique Strategy of the day: "accretion"
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01530502ad91c2a32426@[199.171.191.68]> Date: Wed, 10 Apr 1996 13:46:40 -0700 From: gondola@deltanet.com (E.B.) Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-98 A few assorted points: ># Does anyone know more about the Voice of the Beehive? I'm assuming (by ># accent) that they're American, although the lyrics have British spellings. > >They are definitely English. Saw them live (they played at our uni) just >over 3 years ago - not bad, but I think they were just disappearing into >oblivion at the time. They had a big-ish hit over here some time in the >80s, the name of which escapes me. Can't tell you any more really, I'm >not a fan. This is definitely WRONG. They are not English. I quote from the group's actual current bio: "The [new] album is also significant as it marks the return of these two California natives -- and second generation recording artists -- to American soil following a decade in London, which was Voice Of The Beehive's base of operation for a decade." [Sort of redundant use of 'decade,' isn't it? Oh well....] "...Tracey and Melissa, of course, grew up in Southern California as part of a musical family. Their father, Bruce Belland, served as charter lead singer for 50's vocal group The Four Preps (who had a No. 1 hit with '26 Miles') and was later the voice of the vulture in Disney's 'Jungle Book.'" I think Beehive's biggest hit was "Walk The Earth." They have some talent, but I'm not a fan either. I don't plan to hang onto the new CD for too long. Still, "Blue In Paradise" is definitely worth hearing from a XTC perspective. The chorus has a VERY Partridge-like melody. The bio doesn't say anything notable about Partridge's participation, by the way. >>> Is it worth it for me to buy "Through the Hill"? > >To me the work might be seen as a much more realized extension of AP's Homo >Safari experiments, with a greater pallette of colors, and some >underlying/overall intention that is really not spelled out anywhere. The >booklet comes out as a great mystery, with oblique diagrams illustrating >every piece, and lots of white space. You know, the album reminds me of >Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino (a beautiful book, BTW). I love this album also. It might be my favorite album on Gyroscope, and I'm a huge Brian Eno fan. Interestingly enough, I also thought of Invisible Cities when I first heard it. Re Bob Mould: Zen Arcade is an awesome achievement, but I actually like the Huskers' New Day Rising and Flip Your Wig better myself. Zen Arcade just isn't tuneful or well-produced enough for me, sorry. I also think that Sugar's Copper Blue is one of Mould's finest works, and shouldn't be overlooked. It might even be the best "first album" for potential Mould fans. Also, FYI: Mould's new solo album comes out April 30th on Rykodisc. I have a four-song single already, and it sounds a lot like Sugar. Mould's stuff is always very good, but he doesn't seem to be evolving much anymore. Same lyric style, same high-volume attack. Shrug. I'd like to see him try another Workbook-style record, myself. Re David Byrne's The Forest: I was puzzled to hear someone say that this is essentially Byrne's masterwork. To me, it's terribly stiff and dull, reeks of minimalist dilettantism and is for Byrne completists only. When it comes to Byrne's "highbrow" releases, I think The Catherine Wheel and Music For The Knee Plays are much, much better. Not to mention My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts, which was years ahead of its time. I also think that 1994's self-titled Byrne album was easily his best "pop" solo album ever, and astoundingly underrated. Just my opinion.... EB
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 10 Apr 1996 21:45:51 +0100 Message-Id: <199604102045.AA18430@felix.dircon.co.uk> From: nonsuch@dircon.co.uk (Simon Sleightholm) Subject: Voice Of The Beehive & Bob Mould (now there's an idea!) They used to (maybe still do) have Woody, Madness' old drummer on their drum stool. The two front women, Melissa and Tracy Bryn are American (Tracy has listed Skylarking as one of her top 10 albums). One of the sisters used to (maybe still does) go out with Steve Mack of the occasionally brillant That Petrol Emotion. They had a few hits a few years ago, "Don't Call Me Baby", "I Walk The Earth", "I Say Nothing" and a cover of David Cassidy's "I Think I Love You"- all of which were pretty groovy. More importantly my wife likes them - which is why I have been forced to pass on this information. I bet you're all just rivetted, aren't you? In reply to the person who didn't know about Bob Mould... Seek out "Workbook", his first solo album and be amazed. Then try Sugar's "Copper Blue". His work with Husker Du is pretty exciting too, and the CD's are out on mid price. "Warehouse: Songs And Stories" is a good starting place. To understand the man's greatness you must hear "A Good Idea" from "Copper Blue" - if you were a fan of the late '80s early '90s US alternative scene your first thought would be "Pixies. He's ripping of the Pixies." Uh-uh. He's just playing what he invented several years before Joey first found out that guitars make that noise when you hit them. Perhaps not the jolliest of men, but capable of introspection as deep and dark as any, and equally good at tearing your lungs out with a pop gem the size of planet - "These Important Years", "Changes", "Favourite Thing", etc. He made a valuable contribution to "Dio" on Throwing Muses "Red Shoes" an otherwise (rare for them) lacklustre album. Harrison Sherwood wrote:- >(I spent an inordinate amount of time back in my teenage years trying to >get free of Virgin myself; I know how difficult it can be.) ..and I may very well steal that particular gag off him. It gave me my first, much needed, smile in the aftermath of overwhelming misery - "Bugger this game, I know what's to blame and it's WORK!" Thank you Harrison. Simon. * --------------------------------------------------- http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~nonsuch/bungalow.htm * --------------------------------------------------- It's just a little place, but it's all XTC...
------------------------------ From: LAG2471@ACS.TAMU.EDU Date: Wed, 10 Apr 1996 15:55:45 -0500 (CDT) Message-Id: <960410155545.2047e109@ACS.TAMU.EDU> Subject: A lovely XTC moment As noone else I know would appreciate this anecdote, I'll share it with the Chalkhillians... Monday was my birthday, and ironically enough, also the day of my annual dental checkup. As I left the dentists office, gums a-throbbing, I decided to treat myself to some cloth to make a bright spring dress. As I entered the fabric store, glum from reflecting on the passage of years, I suddendly noticed an odd familiarity about the muzak coming from the store's sound system... YES! It was "Mayor of Simpleton"! Wending its way past the quilting cottons, the bridal section, the easter fabrics now 75% off, and through the ears of the middle aged, good-ol'-gal patrons of the Bryan, Texas "Cloth World". It was the perfect surreal-XTC-moment, and the perfect birthday gift from the gods of Muzak. ____________________________________ Lore Guilmartin Data's evil twin, Resident Director of an Insanely Large Dormitory at Texas A&M University Lore@tamu.edu
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01510100ad91e022c3f4@[206.15.64.109]> Date: Wed, 10 Apr 1996 14:24:58 -0800 From: mf@well.com (Mitch Friedman) Subject: Urgh! Hey, I'm glad everyone took my Andy-not-wanting-to-be-lurking post so well. We really are the most civilized and intelligent thing like this on the internet. Someone brought up a good point that I failed to include but is actually true; another reason why Andy didn't want to be included is because he felt that he would spend an enormous amount of time reacting and commenting and correcting and clarifying bits of information about his music and personal affairs, and he has no interest in argueing with his fans, in front of who knows how many other lurkers. He compared his experience reading the postings that he did slog through to overhearing all of his supposed friends talking about him behind his back. Not the most comfortable and enjoyable way to spend one's time. Now onto Urgh! . . . So there's been a bunch of talk about the CD/album, but has anyone besides me ever seen the film that came out at the same time? If so (or not) who remembers the closing sequence that featured The Police performing "So Lonely" while Sting called out all of the bands that had participated in the concert that night? If my memory serves me correctly, when he called for XTC (one of the first bands he mentioned, partly because he and Andy were friends at the time), Andy ran up to the microphone and joined Sting for the rest of the song, exchanging "so lo lo lo . . . I feel lo lo lo" etc. Pretty entertaining and obscure footage. I know this bit isn't on the album and the video of the film is kinda hard to locate but is well worth it just to see this part. On a related note, it is because of the concert that spawned Urgh! that I first heard XTC. A college friend of mine had a huge poster in his dorm room which was completely in french with the exception of the names of the bands that were to perform as support groups to The Police as part of a one or two week music festival in France in 1980/81 (?). I was musically naive at the time and had no idea who UB40 or English Beat or XTC or Skafish were, so I asked my friend if he thought I would like any of these bands. I was most curious about XTC because of the peculiar name and so he played me a selection from the Live and More EP, "Don't Lose Your Temper". I lost my mind! The rest is history . . .
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 96 16:38:20 CDT
From: "Bernhardt, Todd" <tbernhardt@aga.com>
Message-Id: <9603108291.AA829180068@cc.perftech.com>
Subject: Concern for Andy, concern for Ben
Hi everyone:
My two cents about the Andy/internet connection -- I don't think he'd
mind the criticism of his songs so much ... I think the telling phrase
in Mitch's post is that "people who were his fans (all of whom he
loves, just for that reason) suddenly thought they were authorities on
him as a person..."
The funny thing is, we're usually pretty good about not making
assumptions about the nature of each others' personalities from our
posts, but we tend to forget this when we're trying to figure out the
nature/personality/motives of our favorite brilliant songwriter. Maybe
we should make a point in the future of replacing "this is what Andy
means by these lyrics" to something along the lines of "this what I
think these lyrics mean"...
And in #96, my friend Ben Gott wrote:
>I built an XTC shrine in my room last night...
Ben: You're one of our best ambassadors, and I know it's been a long
winter, but you've GOT to get out more, man! :^)
ByeBye!
------------------------------ Message-ID: <n1382967004.11193@students.mcad.edu> Date: 10 Apr 1996 15:03:50 U From: "Cecile Bellamy" <cecile_bellamy@students.mcad.edu> Subject: Andy URLs I've been reading some interesting posts about getting Mr. Partridge online. People have made some good points on the fact that it wouldn't allow Andy much privacy and, in many cases, it would be very time consuming for him to answer questions 24-7 365 days a year. What didsound like an even better idea is to have an online interview. In a way, it had already taken place here where a kind e-comrade had interviewed Mr. Gregory last year, sending the results back to chalkhills subscribers. But a more interative questioning with the band sounds like a great idea. I would think it would be feasable whenever they were available they could use it as an opportunity during an upcoming record promotion. Just throwing in a few coppers, Cecile
------------------------------
Message-ID: <316CC090.2823@knoware.nl>
Date: Thu, 11 Apr 1996 01:19:28 -0700
From: Mark Mello <mmello@knoware.nl>
Subject: Re: misheard lyrics continued...
Hi,
For years I used to hear Colin sing "and Nigel is a nice bloke"
instead of "and Nigel isn't outspoken"...
And if I sing or hum it now I _still_ tend to use the "nice bloke" bit.
Sometimes, you make yourself wonder :)
bye,
Mark
--
I would have liked to have made this instrumental
but the words got in the way <XTC>
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 10 Apr 1996 17:47:54 -0600 (MDT) From: Big Earl Sellar <splitred@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca> Subject: re: cancon/Sugar/we love the jerk Message-Id: <Pine.A32.3.91.960410170740.59279B-100000@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca> Howdy! "k.a. hehir" <angelo@mustang.uwo.ca> requested: > in response to an earlier post about canadian music. > > yes we do have a lot of power pop. > maybe big earl can help me out here, but didn't drums and wires go gold > here before it did in the states? God-damn, god-damn, god-damn, god-damn I ain't *that* old! :) Shit, I think I was still listening to Kiss at that time. Though I know I had EC's first and LIVE AT LEEDS, so I was on the rocky road o' musical eclecticism. MAKING PLANS FOR NIGEL was really high on the charts here, like top 10 or something. I remember hearing it on the radio, but had no idea who it was. (I didn't get into XTC until BLACK SEA) XTC has always been one of those bands that you could always find in record stores in Canada - I was stuck in a northern Prairie city for a decade, where you'd have problems finding Prince but you could find XTC. I remember that DEAR GOD was top 40 or so, and that the boys mimed it on the Juno awards (Canada's Grammies), even though there was a backlash against it about it's contents. (*That* was started by the same BC radio station that started banning MISGUIDED ANGEL by the Cowboy Junkies) Always a popular band here. You see, and from what I understand our Kiwi friends would agree, the Beatles were an overwhelming success in Canada, and therefore the public has always had a sweet tooth for power-pop, albiet some obscure stuff. I remember the Jam had a radio hit for a bit (title escapes me though) and every non-radio young adult during the 80's were deeply into the Buzzcocks. Mind ya, I *hate* the Barenaked Ladies, so there! :) Their audience is young here (12-16 - for a comparison, Crowded House at their prime were in the same age categories) and annoying. Last summer, I had to endure watching all these juniors going ballastic at the Edmonton Folk Fest because the Ladies were on whilst yours truly was saving his energy to be blown away by the next act - Elvis Costello, who went past their heads completely. Secondly, bc263@scn.org (Byron Keathe Wright), espoused: > If you truly love music, Ben, then you owe it to yourself at least to > listen to Mould and his "old" band Husker Du, ... blah, blah, blah. One problem with this list is that people do have a tendency to drone on and on about bands they like that are not named XTC. > The little Alternative-By-Numbers soundalike bands trying so desperately to ^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^^ HA! I *LIKE* that! Byron sorted slagged Sugar though. I've always said that everyone's musical taste is 100% correct, except for whichever band I hate the most at the time (currently it's back to the fucking Beatles - e-mail for my Unfab-Four bitch o' the day). But I think Sugar would definately appeal more to XTC fans than the Du, although I will agree that the Huskers were better. I'd actually suggest the BESIDES compilation, which is sorta a greatest hits/unreleased stuff/live tracks compilation, which includes extra cool tracks by David Barbe, which are amazing tracks. Bob's new one is supposedly out later this month. Continuing on, David Byrne is a jerk. Sit through TRUE STORIES for cryin'-out-loud! What an egotistical waste of celloluid! Him and Eno screwed the rest of the Heads over credits on REMAIN IN LIGHT, and he opted to allow Jerry to play his songs (nowhere as good as the stuff he did with Jojo) during their last tour, but largely excluded Chris & Tina's Tom Tom Club stuff (STOP MAKING SENSE being an reversal of that rule, under threats I've heard). (Interruption - the CBC is currently playing the Barenaked Ladies SHOEBOX OF LIFE song, and I just gotta mention, doesn't it sound *exactly* like a track offa their last lp?) Byrne's a jerk. He's a brilliant jerk, but a jerk for sure. But then again, this HEADS album sounds like a cheap cash-in too. So in this post, I've mentioned or referred to the following artists: John Hiatt, McLean & McLean, Kiss, Elvis Costello, The Who, XTC, the Jam, the Buzzcocks, the Barefuckingnaked Ladies, Prince, the Cowboy Junkies, Crowded House, the Beafuckingtles, Husker Du, Bob Mould, Sugar, David Barbe, David Byrne, the Talking Heads, the Tom Tom Club, Jerry Harrison, Jonathon Richman and the mighty mighty Bob Snider. Does that set a record for a posting to Chalkhills? :) Finally, John, for us non-programmer types, what the hell does your sig mean?!?!?! Later... EEEEEEE Big Earl Sellar - splitred@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca EE "If all that ash EEEE Used to be hash EE What the heck time EEEEEE Is it now?" Current Temperature: -7C - ASH HASH - Bob Snider
------------------------------
From: mallende@Phoenix.kent.edu (The Lord)
Message-Id: <9604110003.AA175751@Phoenix.kent.edu>
Subject: O&L 3 3" CD thingy
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 1996 20:03:44 -0400 (EDT)
hey there!
I am looking for a copy of the Oranges and Lemons 3 3" CD set. If
anyone has one to spare, i'm into buying it.
e me prively
thanx
--
-makotu
mallende@Phoenix.kent.edu
uh...
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Apr 1996 09:31:47 +0900 (JST) Message-Id: <199604110031.JAA16835@gol1.gol.com> From: mwicks@gol.com (Michael Wicks) Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-98 Dear Chalkhillians: I, too, was very troubled with Andy's reaction to Chalkhills. However, I think his reaction was natural (for him) for he is a very insecure person. Is it me, or are most gifted artists that way? I say this because I have a very talented friend (an illustrator/painter) who, when given compliments, he becomes very modest and denies that his work is so good...but when he is ripped (critiqued or judged poorly) about some of his pieces of work, he gets quite depressed and starts feeling that," yeah, maybe I can't paint anymore, geez, esp if all these people say this is a piece of trash....[sigh]". Most people would get defensive, but Andy does have that complex that, once you start attacking the person, that person does get affected. Yet, in a way, he must understand that criticism about his work is perfectly viable and might be good for him in the long run (look at Skylarking, Nonsuch). But attack him personally--attack anyone too personally--, and that's what's gonna happen; you're naturally gonna want to stay away from that which troubles you. Nevertheless, this is a forum for all things XTC, and should stay just the way it is. In fact, as of late, I think Andy would compliment us, for the postings in the last year have been way more complimentary and polite than most other internet/e-mail/newsgroup forums. Thank you, and good-nite... Michael (mwicks@gol.com)
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 10 Apr 1996 22:34:39 -0500 (EST) From: ALLAN <ARG1@delphi.com> Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-98 Message-id: <01I3E5KDM85E96WD0R@delphi.com> Mr. Berjerac... > - Land of Earthquakes. Yeah, but I'll take the occasional quake as opposed to the frigid CONSTANT, NEVERENDING snow! > - Racial strife. What's wrong with a little venting once in a while? > - Brown sky Hey, who can trust air that you can't see? > - Ponytail wearing, pierced ear, tatood, espresso sippin' >wanna be Hollywood movie stars carrying a recycled bottle of Evian (OK, ya got me on that one - except you didn't mention "bald on top" Ponytail wearing...) > - Jammed freeways ...that's why God made guns... > - O.J. Simpson Who? > - English as an alternative language. I don't worry about that - the cops just beat 'em a couple of times over the head until they speak English. (See the latest Illegal Mexican beating incident) > - 250K for an excuse for a home Maybe, but it beats staying in some drafty 200 year old farm house that probably has more varmints crawling in it than can fit in Hodge's butt... > - Fake boobs (I guess that belongs on the good things list) (As Al Michaels - YYYYESSSSS!!!) > - Overcrowded Not where I live - unless you count cows and sheep. > - Illegal aliens (See above) > - Long lines The only long lines are the ones at the welfare office... See - You haven't convinced me why I should move out of SUNNY (72 Degrees today) So. Cal! Later... - Allan
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 10 Apr 1996 23:21:32 -0400 Message-Id: <199604110321.XAA04000@dcez.dcez.com> From: "J. D. Mack" <jdmack@nicom.com> T. Lewis <tlewis@televar.com> sez: >...check out my strip "Over the Hedge" appearing in a newspaper >near you. I've been wondering about ways to include some >obscure XTC references This may be a bit too obvious, but what the heck . . . Why not have a character who is a partridge named Andy?
------------------------------ Message-ID: <316C8EA2.12F1@airmail.net> Date: Wed, 10 Apr 1996 23:46:26 -0500 From: Della & Steve Schiavo <schiavo@airmail.net> Subject: Andy email / Tape Trading Hello all - I agree with those who think that Andy on the list would be a tough go. What's there to say to him after "I have all your albums and I'm a big fan." The next step is to not say anything else about his art and relate to him only as another person. Why? Because who on this list considers him/herself to be on a par with Andy when it comes to the art of writing a pop song? Maybe Mr. Yazbek, but certainly not me. And that's why statements to the effect that Andy is a "once great talent" are so foolish. On the subject of naughty Mr. Gott: I guess Andy will have to make people he gives tapes to take a blood oath not to pass them on. Even then they will probably get out - if only from the recording sessions. I don't feel bad about trading the demos because I (and to my knowledge, anybody I've traded with) do not do it for any reason other than love of the music. The bootleg CDs are another matter. I may be crazy to offer (with 1100 people on this list) but anyone who wants my trade list can email me at home. - Steve
------------------------------ From: Stewart Evans <stewart@bigmon.boulder.co.us> Subject: Hit & Run Date: Thu, 11 Apr 1996 1:59:29 -0600 (MDT) Message-ID: <9604110201.aa03539@bigmon.boulder.co.us> Time for my bi-weekly dash through the accumulated digests... Yeah, as I told Becki off-line, Nov. 1987 sounds right for the XTC special I did on KFJC (89.7 FM, Los Altos Hills, CA). I did a drive-time show for a couple of years under the pseudonym of Luther Paisley (bonus points to anyone who can identify -- off-list only -- the source of that). John Mavroudis (who, incidentally, has had some of his art published in The Little Express -- his "Meet XTC" fake album cover is the only one that springs to mind) hadn't yet taken over Michele Gear's Friday morning timeslot at the time. Both M. Gear and I used to play a fair bit of XTC. Ah, render unto Caesar his salad days. About David Byrne: so far the only basis I've seen for calling him a jerk, aside from some comments that are too 'libelous' to be posted and therefore no basis to judge by for the rest of us, is snorting coke. While this may be illegal and bad for you, so is leaving your car double-parked while you go get some Haagen-Dazs. I dunno, I generally reserve titles like 'jerk' for folks who actually do something bad to other people, especially to me. About Andy's reaction to Chalkhills: similar discussion going around another mailing list (the bluegrass list, bgrass-l) about the impact of commentary on the subjects...I think it's increasingly important to remember that you never know who's gonna end up reading the stuff you send out into cyberspace. (I was rather pleasantly suprised to get some email a while back from a woman in Prague -- somewhere she'd found an archive that included a review I'd written of a Chumbawamba album, years before). E-mail lends itself to very conversational, off-the-cuff remarks, but your voice can carry a lot further out here. -- Stewart
------------------------------
Message-Id: <v01530501ad92192bb8a0@[206.86.6.87]>
Date: Thu, 11 Apr 1996 03:33:07 +0100
From: sunhouse@best.com (John Wedemeyer)
Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-98
Dear Lucas;
I am here to shoot a MAJOR hole in your theory regarding XTC fans'
preference for "white music". I happen to be a professional guitarist who
plays mainly blues, R&B, and funk (among many others).
I subscribe to the oft-heard theory that there are only two kinds
of music....GOOD AND BAD!! I get off just as much on Howlin' Wolf or James
Brown as I do on the latest Andy Partridge home demos. They hit me in
different ways, but with equal impact.
Obviously, I can't speak for ALL XTC fans, but I suspect that most
would agree with me. I guess we here at Chalkhills deal mainly in pop music
when we converse, but that doesn't mean we don't appreciate jazz, or funk
,or R&B, or classical or anything else.....but we DO know a great pop song
when we hear it!!
Believe me, if I was on a Little Walter mailing list, I SERIOUSLY
doubt I would be bringing up "English Settlement" or Martin Newell or
"James And The Giant Peach"....but maybe that is just me.....!
Oh, and by the way, Lucas....if you STILL don't believe me, take a
look at my e-mail address.....does the name Son House ring a bell????
Kind Regards,
John Wedemeyer(sunhouse@best.com)
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Apr 1996 11:25:49 -0700 Message-Id: <199604111825.LAA24793@InterGate.sonyinteractive.com> From: Bob Estus <bestus@sonyinteractive.com> Subject: Byrning with.... Optimism? After skimming the Byrne bashing in the last issue I turned on my radio just in time to hear that talky head David belt out, "We wanna make him stay up all night!" I laughed myself silly. But then the song repeated the lyrics, "All night long", with such a repetitive redundancy, I began to wonder.Then during the middle of the song Dave starts with the funny snorting noises. I know it's just a song about a little pink guy, but what next? Things we did on snow? -Bob p.s. still a Byrne fan (forgive me David)
------------------------------ From: vancha@microcity.com Message-Id: <199604112356.QAA17971@sgi.sgi.com> Date: 11 Apr 1996 17:57:30 CST Subject: Great Canadian Art Pop I've seen some talk about Canadian music lately. The most recent band I saw mentioned was Lowest of the Low. The are actually a sort of blue collar alternative band and not at all like XTC. Here now is a little list of art pop Canadian bands that are worth checking out. 1) Spirit of the West These guys have put out a number of good albums. Their most popular so far seems to be Faithlift. This band has nice melodies, interesting chord progessions, fine arrangements with a lot of musical figures and great lyrics. They are out of Vancouver, British Columbia. Check this band out. The are consistently good and probably the best Canadian "art" pop band right now. 2) Sarah McLachlan Sarah has made a couple of good records on Nettwerk Records, out of Vancouver. The music is not quite as melodic as, say, Spirit of the West but it is moody and there are some interesting arrangements and good players supporting her studio work. Each album has gotten better. Her most recent album is Fumbling Towards Ecstasy. 3) Ginger Also out of Vancouver, this band had members from Grapes of Wrath. Ginger is on Nettwerk and is softer, more melodic pop. There is nothing spectacular about this band's arrangements but they usually come up with a few catchy songs on every album. 4) Rhymes with Orange This band is more of a straight forward pop band but they have interesting arrangements, melodies, rhythms and lyrics. They are worth checking out. Rhymes with Orange are also out of Vancouver. 5) Crash Test Dummies Out of Winnipeg, Manitoba, this band is a unique pop band. They have interesting melodies, arrangements, and rhythms. Lyrics are very important to this band and some of their subject matter is unique. Their albums are getting better each time out and they have some nice production and mixing. As well as those few for you, here is a little list of Canadian art pop groups of the past worth listening to. 1) Klaatu. People thought these guys were the Beatles reunited! They are very melodic and artful. Their best albums are their first four or five. They are from Ontario, I believe around the Toronto area. 2) Joni Mitchell. Raised in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, her music is very familiar to mainstream audiences. Some of her music is very artful, with good melodies and some classic and carefully crafted lyrics. 3) Max Webster. From Ontario, these guys were considered progressive or art rock. A lot of their music is melodic and is well arranged. Kim Mitchell was the guitar player. 4) Harmonium. From Quebec, this band sings in French but is very soft and melodic and reminds me a bit of Supertramp. 5) Guess Who. Out of Winnipeg, Manitoba, this band is well known but was really an art pop band. Between Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings, they came up with some nice melodies and good arrangements. Anyway, I hope this litle list enlightens some to some of the good Canadian art pop music that has been made in the last 20 years. MV p.s sorry about the typos cause by loading text. Damn technology!
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #2-99 ******************************
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12 April 1996 / Feedback