Chalkhills Digest Volume 3, Issue 18
Date: Sunday, 3 November 1996
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 3, Number 18
Sunday, 3 November 1996
Today's Topics:
Similarities
On Colin's voice & non-American politics......
US Attitude
Keep them answers coming!
Love Connection, etc.
man who sailed in 7/8
On Marilyn Manson.....
Pop? Lyrics, Politics and "do-de-do"
SUMMARY: of "if you like XTC..." bands
Re: Travels in Nihilon
A Non-sequitur Buffet
Re: Ray Davies
Sorry it's Bungalow again
Bungle Low
Lots of stuff about Colin
XTC overheard
XTC Awards
Video Tree
XTC and the women who love them
The c is silent
America is taking over the world!!!!
The deal with BIG DAY
converting people
Guillotine
Brits singing about America
Re: Bungalow and Song of the Week
XTC:Great to hear from you
INXS Vs. Adam Ant...
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-Id: <v01510101ae9f0f1b1877@[200.250.246.112]> Date: Fri, 1 Nov 1996 06:28:36 -0200 From: paulox@netway.com.br (Paulo Roberto Maciel Santos) Subject: Similarities Gene <isksa@ziplink.net> wrote: >I love Colin's songs, but these extra syllables always bothered me, like he >couldn't think of words to fit the rhythm or something. Especially >Wonderland (doesn't this song sound eerily like the band Japan?). Well, considering that "Mummer" was mostly produced by Steve Nye, who had previously worked with Japan in "Tin Drum," it's not *that* eerie. Paulo, from Brazil (and a newbie to this list who also happens to bea big Japan fan)
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 01 Nov 1996 08:07:37 -0600 (CST) From: AMANDA OWENS <ACOEA@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Subject: On Colin's voice & non-American politics...... Message-id: <01IBBOYFXOK690ASIT@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> I can't remember who posted either of these things last issue, but here goes. I do agree that Colin has a better singing voice than Andy. Andy can get a little too.....self-dubbed sometimes, like in Complicated Game. On the issue of us Americans not really caring about any politics other than our own, I care a lot more about what's happening in Canada and the UK than I do this place. Even with the travesty of an election we have going on right now, the only reason I read the paper is to see if anything's happening else- where on the planet, especially Canada. Later, Amanda "Aftershave For Men, possibly the most disgusting lager in the world" -Agony Andy
------------------------------ From: kraig olmstead <kraigo@netcommcorp.com> Subject: US Attitude Date: Fri, 01 Nov 96 10:26:00 PST Message-ID: <327A4161@msmail.netcommcorp.com> from: box@nemesis.com.au >> #> From: Herne <herne@earthlink.net> #> it just seems that so many British songwriters have this #> attitude about America. Deep down they want us to worship them I don't think that's right at all. Despite the fact that the majority of non-US western countries *don't* expect the US to worship them, the way the news media in these other countries bangs on so much about the US means they know a lot more about your country than you know about theirs. << Actually, I feel the same way about Los Angeles (and to a lesser extent New York). Since the hub of the world's entertainment (at least in terms of sheer volume) is around LA I feel like I get bludgeoned by LA all the time - it's so much easier for them to do things on location from LA and to write about things LA. I've been to LA a few times and haven't been all that impressed. San Francisco, on the other hand... Kraig
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 01 Nov 1996 10:57:13 -0600 (CST) From: AMANDA OWENS <ACOEA@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Subject: Keep them answers coming! Message-id: <01IBBUXC65J690DH95@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Great response has been brought on by the Testy survey. I'm seeing some very interesting answers. Seems people would like more British bands/artists covering XTC. I'll do this for about another week, so keep em coming!
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199611011703.MAA25007@answerman.mindspring.com> Date: Fri, 01 Nov 1996 12:52:11 -0600 From: xtc@mindspring.com (jes) Subject: Love Connection, etc. There seems to be a bit of a thread here about XTC and dating. This is pretty interesting to me because I too have found myself thrust back into the Dating Pool after nearly 15 years of church sanctioned monogamy. Anyway, this all made me think back on when I was courting my then-to-be wife, and her reaction to XTC. Her tastes run a little bit to the right of the dial. In college (late 70's) she listened to a lot of beach/shag music (she was in a sorority in a well-known southern university, majoring in bourbon, specializing in saying things like "I don't even touch MYSELF there!"). And it ran from bad to worse.... her CD collection features such avant-garde visionaries as Michael Bolton, Kenny Gee, and Yawni. (She would sometimes accidentally wander into my studio to bitch about something, where she would look at the spines of my CD's and sigh... Scraping Foetus Off The Wheel? Butt Trumpet? Nine Inch Nails?) But for a brief, shining moment, she was something of a fan of XTC. We were dating (if you wanna call it that) in 1979 when "Drums & Wires" was relatively new stuff, and she found their music danceable and fun. She enthusiastically accompanied me when I saw the band perform live at the Agora Ballroom in Atlanta in May of 1980. Her brother and his girlfriend (who were in their teens at the time) actually bought copies of "D&W" for themselves. But that was then, this is now. I have been "dating" (if you wanna call it that) and have yet to find anyone who knows that much about the band. I did have an excellent conversation with a professional belly dancer who was quite knowledgeable about them, but she had no interest in ME. At least, not the kind of interest I was hoping. Most of the women I date are, at best, vaguely familiar with the band. BUT! I have found that hardly anyone can resist "Drums & Wires" as an excellent introduction to the band. Perhaps it is the Lillywhite sound that is now so popular (with Dave Matthews and Phish soaking up the airwaves), or perhaps it is that "D&W" was a 90's kind of record, I can't say. But, for those of you who want to try to put together an XTC Seduction Tape, I can heartily recommend the following tunes, which I have pieced together on one tape: Frost Circus Summer's Cauldron/Grass Jump Ten Feet Tall (album version) Ladybird Down In The Cockpit Great Fire You're My Drug Rocket From A Bottle Mayor Of Simpleton Somnambulist I'm sure others will have better suggestions. And, allow me to also pitch a shameless plea for those XTC-loving single/divorced 30-ish women in the Atlanta area who might want to get together for much beer/laughter, please email me too! Who knows, folks. We could have the Chalkhills XTC Mailing List and Love Connection before too long? I somehow doubt it, but there's always hope. Simon Knight" <sknight@warchivegw.riv.csu.edu.au> asked "Didn't Andy once record a flexi disc for Viz? Could this be their thanks to him?" Actually, it was Andy, Dave and John Otway, recording a supremely tasteless and therefore imminently enjoyable 7" vinyl single (not a flexi) called "Bags Of Fun With Buster," under the moniker Johnny Japes And His Jesticles about the Viz Comics character who has testicles so large he has to carry them in a wheelbarrow. Funny and pointless, I love it. It was given away as a Viz single in a contest, if I remember correctly. It should also be pointed out that Viz comics produces (or at least to) a "top 10 singles of the week" list, the only criteria for making the list being the amount of money that is sent to the editors with a copy of the single. Whomever send the most cash gets the top rating. Nothing like honesty in reporting the statistics, eh? Simon mentions that his "XTC-retardent friend Barry says he just cannot stand Andy's voice" as a reason that the band is not more popular. It is interesting, because whenever I hear detractants bemoaning the band's existence, they usually cite Andy's voice as a reason why. I have one wonderful female friend who insists that it sounds "warped." (But she thinks that the Indigo Girls can sing, so bear that in mind.) Oh well. Amanda asked about the three songs that weren't on TD that shoulda been. I don't disagree with her votes, and would go so far as to suggest: "This World Over" covered by Nine Inch Nails "Mayor of Simpleton" covered by James Taylor (in the style he used on Mud Slide Slim) "The Mole From the Ministry" covered by Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison, and Jeff Lynne. That oughta start a few flamewars.... but I'm SERIOUS. JES
------------------------------
From: DaBigTrain@aol.com
Date: Fri, 1 Nov 1996 13:30:13 -0500
Message-ID: <961101133011_1780590011@emout04.mail.aol.com>
Subject: man who sailed in 7/8
Ira Lieman wrote:
>>Does anyone know that (The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul) is NOT in
>>4/4 time? ... the song is in 7/8! OK, granted, it's not the *EASIEST* beat
>>to play to, but IMHO that's what makes the song so different! Try it!
You'll
>>understand!
>>Ba - Ba - Ba - Ba Ba!- Ba - Ba - Ba Ba!- Ba - Ba - Ba Ba!- Ba - Ba - Ba Ba!
the "Ba - Ba - Ba - Ba Ba!- Ba - Ba - Ba Ba!- Ba - Ba - Ba Ba!- Ba - Ba -
Ba Ba!" part is in 7/8, but the signature shifts to 4/4 for the next
section ("and the jellyfish stings... [or sings, i've never really caught
that lyric cleanly]"). i think it modulates, too- the 7/8 section sounds
minor to me, and i think the 4/4 part is in the parallel major.
anyway, i quite agree the 7/8 section makes the song very interesting- my
wife says it makes her nervous, however. she says she feels like she's
about to stumble whenever she hears it.
barry hamill
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 01 Nov 1996 12:48:02 -0600 (CST) From: AMANDA OWENS <ACOEA@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Subject: On Marilyn Manson..... Message-id: <01IBBYMMOUIQ90D6C6@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Josh....I'm not too big of a fan of the freak either, I can just picture his voice at the beginning, with the warbling effects, then breaking into his reallyevil sounding deep voice and adding a few screams here and there, like he did when he butchered Sweet Dreams. Onto song chopping: I've never really been fond of Bungalow. I don't like the way Colin sounds on it. If I don't like the way a person sings, I won't like a song. (Although it took me having English Settlement for a good month before I listened to Leisure b/c I hated the beginning part. Now it's one of my faves by them. Same goes for Train Running Low on Soul Coal) Wonderland I think is a masterpiece on the other hand. Lyrics, music, singing. Hey, it was a song for me and a guy I went out with, how can I not like it? Onto women and XTC. I love the music and tha lads, but I stick to worshipping Gregsy. I think he doesn't get enough recognition b/c he doesn't write anything. That's all for now! Amanda "If you want to protest the cost of health care in general, take yourself and your nose down to the hospital gates.......and picket!"-Agony Andy.
------------------------------
Message-Id: <1.5.4.32.19961101185112.00696134@popmail.dircon.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 01 Nov 1996 18:51:12 +0000
From: Simon <nonsuch@dircon.co.uk>
Subject: Pop? Lyrics, Politics and "do-de-do"
>Interesting that five of the songs mentioned as being the most hated appear
>on Mummer. "Funk Pop A Roll" has always been one of my favorites, if not
>for the fact that it harkens my own sentiments.
I wonder if I should qualify my original comments about this track? I *love*
the music - and the Play At Home vignette is grin-inducing (if you want to
see Andy in nothing but his y-fronts this may be your only chance) - but
some of the lyrics really jar. I mean, "beats up my soul". It's not up to
Andy's usual standard is it? There are some good lyrics in the song, too,
but the point I was trying to make is that very rarely do I get turned off a
song by the music. XTC's music is almost always interesting - musically
Smartest Monkeys is fine - but if I compiled a list of my least favourite
XTC songs they would uniformly be those tracks that had a little "easter
egg" of a lyric hidden in them, the anticipation of which kills the rest of
the song for me. It's a bit like watching two small children "helping" in
the kitchen - you watch the plates pass from hand to hand waiting for
inevitable crash.
Oh, and Human Alchemy is a whoopee-ing good track. It kicks back to XTC's
ska-reggae roots, and the percussion and Andy's scatting just round out a
throughly groovy few minutes. It should be much-much longer with more of the
free form vocals.
> You don't see many American songwriters going on about what
> Parliament's doing now do ya?
Very true. But then the UK government doesn't have the power to destroy,
bankrupt or intimidate every other country in the world does it? I bet
there's a whole host of American folk songs about the then more "powerful"
UK during the lead up to the War Of Independence.
I sit here drinking US cola, working on a US machine and using US software.
A good proportion of our TV and music is imported US output. You can't have
it both ways - you can't be a superpower with an ever expanding export
market and sphere of influence, and not expect people who find this irksome
or threatening (culturally or territorially) not to comment.
When the UK had its Empire I'm sure there were hundreds of songs, poems and
books written by the new "subjects" as well as concerned observers,
detailing exactly what they found troubling about the Imperial expansion.
Now we have no influence in the world - no matter what the UK government
thinks of itself - so no one bothers to condemn us. If we did, by some
unexpected twist of fate, come into control of some resource that made us a
major player again, and if by that means we began to exert some cultural
influence on the US, I'm sure we'd see a whole raft of commentary, be it
song, film or literature.
I'm not bashing the US, I'm just saying that US politics often have a global
impact, UK politics sometimes don't seem to even interest the government.
> I find it odd that none of the
> instrumentals have been able to invlove me emotionally in any
> way.
I think they're all great, esp. Frost Circus, Procession Towards Learning
Land and Egyptian Solution.
From: Gene <isksa@ziplink.net>
>But does anyone else think Blame the Weather is just a fabulously
>constructed song, good lyrics and good melody melded together?
I concur. With vehemence. The "Senses" 7-inch is my Desert Island disk - I
adore all three tracks. "Tissue Tigers" is a great favourite of mine, which
like perhaps "Always Winter, Never Christmas" is a song which condenses the
whole of the band's career in one track - shouty bits with Andy going all
walrus on us, spiky little guitar runs, interesting percussion, sing-along
chorus and neat backing vocals ("Aiiiiiiiiieeeeee")
"Blame The Weather" is easily it's equal. I love the bit after "The pool of
tears you left to dry up," when the accompanying vocals carry the rhyme
scheme on with "ay-up-ay-up-ayudud-up", and I like the way Colin does a neat
bit of (possible) Andy-mimicry with his bizarre handling of the line "all up
in flames". These four words become, by dint of Colin's strange
vocalisation, which leaves the last word virtually inaudible, part of the
instrumentation.
Both songs include the trademark XTC "doo-be-doos" - "Dodo-do-dooddle-oo-do"
in the case of "Tigers", "Do-do-de-do-do-do-do-doodle-oo-do" in the case of
"Weather." While not exactly earth-moving, these sounds do show a marked
increase in sophistication when compared to the "Do-do-do-do" of
"Limelight", and the "ooh, oh-ho, oh-ho" of "Chain Of Command". The form
reached a high point, I think, with my own personal favourite, the
(immortal) - "Bo-bo-bo-boah, oo-oh-oo-oh, bo-bo-bo-boah, oo-oh-oo-oh," from
"Take This Town"
Mind my bike,
Simon
+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--
http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~nonsuch/bungalow.htm
+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--
XTC - This Is Pop?
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 1 Nov 1996 11:42:35 -0800 (PST) From: bmilner <bmilner@netcom.com> Subject: SUMMARY: of "if you like XTC..." bands Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.95.961101113803.10589G-100000@netcom17> Dear List, I know this thread comes up periodically but... How about if people submit their 5 all time, "if you like XTC, you'll love..." bands. Hopefully with an emphasis on more recent things (anyone heard that Jason Faulkner disk?) I have seen a smattering of postings here and there like that but it would be good to see it summarized. Something like 1) Jellyfish - blah blah blah and why etc. 2) fertile crescent - blah etc. and so forth. It would also be amazing if someone could make snippets of some of these things available on their web site! Brandon Milner bmilner@netcom.com
------------------------------ Message-ID: <327A634C.E60@sirus.com> Date: Fri, 01 Nov 1996 15:53:36 -0500 From: Peter Dresslar <pdresslar@sirus.com> Subject: Re: Travels in Nihilon From: JStoffs@aol.com > I'd still take it over, say, Travels In Nihilon, which for me is just barely > more enjoyable than a kick in the side with a steel-toed boot, or having my > teeth filed down to the nub with a wood-rasp. Or, for instance, having my > entire body slowly burned away. Really? I love Travels in Nihilon. Of course, I love all that other stuff too. The tooth thing, for instance, oh, yes...
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01540b00aea00fe52734@[146.6.72.44]> Date: Fri, 1 Nov 1996 15:15:12 -0600 From: h.h.name@mail.utexas.edu (Spiritual Generation, Etc.) Subject: A Non-sequitur Buffet Hola Chalkhilligans. Jeff Stoffs wrote: >I own a very old house which is officially regarded as an "original >Chicago-style bungalow", so I have some affinity for the song. That aside, >I'd still take it over, say, Travels In Nihilon, which for me is just barely >more enjoyable than a kick in the side with a steel-toed boot, or having my >teeth filed down to the nub with a wood-rasp. Or, for instance, having my >entire body slowly burned away. Wow. That's pretty rough. True, TIN doesn't quite have the singalong bounciness of some of the other cuts off "Black Sea", like say, "Generals And Majors", but I think Colin's bass line saves the song for me. Bungalow as tongue-in-cheek? (my interpretation) And, re The Beatles Anthology, "GB" wrote: >but the two tracks that really set my hair on end were the >alternate version of "Ob La Di, Ob La Da" and the swell demo of >"Something." Rock on! I consider that version of "Ob La Di" (the first version they recorded) to be the "definitive pop version". That's the version I personally would have released, had the rest of the White Album not been the way it was. The White Album version (the second remake) fits better and has more character, but the Anthology track appeals much more to my "pop sensibility" (whatever the hell that is). Women and XTC: ah, the eternal problem. Oil and water? Not always. Recently, I was entertaining two female friends at my apartment. I had an acoustic guitar in my hands and was attempting to re-learn the bridge part of "Holly Up On Poppy" (okay, so I was really just entertaining myself). Eventually I decided it might be a good idea to actually pay attention to my companions and so put the "Nonsuch" CD on as background. After a few songs, one of the girls said, "I *really* like this! Can I borrow it?" "Sure," I said, thinking to myself, "Chalk up another one!" (pun so intended it hurts). P.S. - Hey Italian Boy! I'm 21! Do I count? "I think that was rather grand. I'd take one home with me..." - John Lennon Lost in your magical wuh-un-derland Jason
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01540b04aea010e27e5f@[204.254.68.28]> Date: Fri, 1 Nov 1996 13:48:10 -0700 From: gondola@deltanet.com (E.B.) Subject: Re: Ray Davies From: Fritz Stolzenbach/HNS <Fritz_Stolzenbach@notesgw.hns.com> >Needless to say, I planned around an extended lunch hour, headed down to >said record emporium, and patiently waited in line to get my copy of his >"unauthorized biography" "X-Ray" signed. As I approached the autograph >table, my mind raced with things to say: "Your material from the sixties is >so uniformly amazing; why does every thing you write now suck so bad?" Oooh, I kinda WISH you had asked that one! ;) GB
------------------------------
Message-Id: <199611012206.WAA08907@linux.nildram.co.uk>
From: "Keith Beck" <ericb@vip.solis.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 1 Nov 1996 22:08:12 +0000
Subject: Sorry it's Bungalow again
I know some of you may be getting tired of this now, so I'll keep it
short,
I once heard an interview around the time of Nonsuch and
Andy said "This is one of the best songs Colin has ever written".
He went on to say that the song was about an old couple who had sold
up to live in a bungalow by the sea when they retired, this is quite
a common occurrence in the UK, my better half and I would quite like
to retire and live in Scarborough (Nice seaside town in Yorkshire).
You either like the song or you don't as with all music, so let's put this
to bed before it gets like the F word thing.
Cheers Medears, Keith.
P.S. I can honestly say I don't dislike or skip any XTC song,
Am I alone.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 01 Nov 96 14:16:22 PST
From: "MARK HEGGEN" <mark_heggen@studio.disney.com>
Message-Id: <9610018468.AA846886850@ccmsmtp2.wds.disney.com>
Subject: Bungle Low
Fellow Chalkies:
Like many other Colin tunes, "Bungalow" sounds sweet on the surface, then
betrays some ugly underneath. It's all about working yourself to death to
pay for that weekend getaway, isn't it? An old suburban theme, to be sure,
but still a true one. (Hell, in LA, I do the same thing just for my
regular digs...)
When I picture "Bungalow", I somehow return again and again to the little
cabin near the end of the film "Brazil", in which Our Hero envisions
himself a little domicile amid a pastoral, parklike setting (apart from the
giant industrial crane)--before his dream is shattered by Michael
Palin's...dental work. (Hope I didn't ruin anything for anybody.)
"Nonsvch" is rather a sadly-toned album; even most of the happy songs
("Holly Up on Poppy") have a mournful tinge to them. Nevertheless, it's to
be loved.
-Mark
------------------------------ From: box@nemesis.com.au Date: Sat, 2 Nov 1996 10:12:18 -0500 Message-ID: <TCPSMTP.16.11.2.10.12.18.2156250573.1768781547@nemesis.com.au> Subject: Lots of stuff about Colin This is awesome! Five digests in the space of a week! Nothing better than reading Chalkhills when you're knocked out with mono/glandular fever. The main problem with being sick is that three [!!] of my friends have Fossil Fuel and I can't even get out of bed to go out and buy a copy. This destroys me. #> From: Floopyglop@aol.com #> They won the Billboard Best Video Award for "Dear God" in 1988. Did they actually put the video together? Or did this credit go to the producers of the video? Or should it have? #> From: Daniel Ray Phipps <"phipps@3rddoor.com"@3rddoor.com> #> Are there ANY XTC #> tracks (legitimate or otherwise) that contain any backwards #> masking?? 'Mole From The Ministry', about ten seconds after the second part of the song fades out. It's on both the _25 O'Clock_ LP and the _Chips..._ CD. Check the FAQ for more details. #> From: DaveKGold <70673.317@CompuServe.COM> #> What's homo safari about? It's a series of instrumental things Andy did that made B sides, and they're scattered all about the place. The ones I have are on the flip sides of the 'Making Plans...' and 'Great Fire' singles. #> I did digest Explode Together. Hmmmmm....makes interesting #> working-at-the-PC music. Has anyone tried using that album as a wake-up alarm? Trust me, if it doesn't wake you up it will give you the most bizarre, surreal dreams, especially 'Work Away Tokyo Day' and 'New Broom'. Give it a go, the result is mindblowing. #> From: "Jeff Smelser" <jsmelser@access.tucson.org> #> If the,"new label," had #> to decide if it was going to sign only Andy or Colin; which do #> you think they'd choose? Oooh, brilliant question. Depending on the record company of course, I wouldn't be surprised if Colin won. He wrote their breakthrough singles to begin with, so he's got what some see as commercial appeal. #> Without checking, my guess is that Colin had more singles #> than Andy. Nup, Andy definitely wins that one. I think Colin's singles were more successful though, overall... #> From: "Witter, Karl F" <witterkf@aetna.com> #> It ranks right up there with "being in a rock band on the road" #> as The Subject On Which Every Bad Song We Need (And More) Has #> Already Been Written. Have XTC ever written a song about touring? I wonder if there's a lyric which acts as a metaphor for touring or the breakdown. Forgive my ignorance if this is common knowledge. #> only #> from Colin's muse are we "working every hour that God made". #> That's what I call the scenic route, lyrically speaking. When I go away next month I'll be playing 'Bungalow' a lot I think. Just to enforce the atmosphere and the idea that I'm away >from everything. More 'Bungalow' follows... #> From: Bob Estus <bestus@sonyinteractive.com> #> A dream that should be ended with wailing and tears. Very very #> dark, very sad. But then again I'm a real downer. :) Colin hasn't been the happiest person on earth, especially around the time of O&L and Nonsuch. So yeah, it's not surprising that he'd write another depressive song. I'd never thought of it that way before. :) [Me] #> >[India has five hundred million citizens [JHB] #> I thought it was about 940-something million. Sorry, my mistake. Not that it matters, it just adds substance to my original point. :) #> From: Fritz Stolzenbach/HNS <Fritz_Stolzenbach@notesgw.hns.com> #> "War Dance." I really like Colin's stuff as a #> general rule, but this one just blows Nod. It might have been a bit better had it not been sequenced directly after such a brilliant song as 'Then She Appeared'. #> my XTC pusher speculated ['Wonderland'] was a dig at George #> Harrison; you know, references to "dark horse," fast cars, being #> lost in a spritual wonderland, etc. The lines 'gentlemen/you think you've sewn up', 'some day you will want me for your own', and 'can't you see/love and affection/when it's put/in your direction' sort of make me think otherwise. :) Still on this song, the line 'you will bring near the hour' reminds me of another of their songs. Anyone know what it might be? Adam On the music box: ES [again]
------------------------------ Message-Id: <327A8805.64BF@mci.com> Date: Fri, 01 Nov 1996 16:30:13 -0700 From: Jeff Langr <jeffrey.langr@mci.com> Organization: MCI Subject: XTC overheard Flipping channels late last night (Friday am, November 1), came across an ESPN 2 (I think) interview of Dennis Rodman's father... Music being played prominently in the background was "Hold Me My Daddy" (!). Was a nice surprise for a change. Jeff L
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199611020154.UAA09553@cliff.cris.com> Subject: XTC Awards Date: Fri, 1 Nov 96 21:00:35 -0500 From: chuck n joe <cjmacs@cris.com> Hi Chalkies! Continuing with the XTC awards thread: >>Has Andy ever been nominated for that English songwriters award, >>what's it called, something like the Ivor Novello award? (I mean if >>Damon and Noel can win it....) Actually, have the XTC guys ever won >>*any* awards? > >Yes. They won the Billboard Best Video Award for "Dear God" in 1988. >In addition, they recieved some plaques at the XTC Music and Friends >Convention, (displayed on the Testimonial Dinner sleeve) which I suppose >counts as well. And, let's not forget the various gold and platinum awards >given to them by the various record industry associations. Perhaps someone will remember the anecdote about the guys winning some award in Canada and being told that to get the award they had to perform live on tv??? I know I'm not making this up but the exact details escape me... I believe Andy told them to shove the award and he headed back to England... Anyone care to elucidate? Chuck The Danbury Modern Folk Music Festival http:www.cris.com/~cjmacs/Folkfest1.html coming 7.20.97 "You bring the weenies, I'll bring the soft drinks." -FZ
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Message-Id: <v03007806aea05d7286b4@[207.77.26.68]>
Date: Fri, 1 Nov 1996 21:13:24 -0500
From: Ira Lieman <aym@axe.intercall.com>
Subject: Video Tree
Howdy Chalkfolk...
(yeah Tim I guess I *DO* write a different collective noun each time)
Mark Hopper wrote:
>Has anyone else paid for this XTC video and never received it?
>I've been waiting for almost a year now and nothing. Has Erik gone into
>hiding? I've e-mailed him, but to no avail. Please share your horror
>stories.
Well, suffice it to say that I've received mine. No, I haven't really
gotten a chance to WATCH it yet but I've gotten it. Being a psychology
major I'm going to go out on a limb and say he's sick and tired of people
e-mailing him for their video -- because I sent him a check last November
and I received this video about 11 months later. And about 5 e-mails later.
I don't think Erik knew what he was getting himself into, but I respect the
fact that he is trying to get them all out. (Of course, I know someone who
got their tape in June...)
And anyone from the NY Metro area who's interested in getting together
we're still interested in hearing from you! E-mail me for further details.
And Bungalow is a great song. Nyaah.
"So we can fly away..."
-ira
< - - - - - Ira Lieman ** http://www.intercall.com/~aym - - - - - >
"I hate reading Victor Hugo," said Les miserably.
------------------------------ Date: 2 Nov 1996 03:33:45 -0000 Message-ID: <19961102033345.26670.qmail@hotmail.com> From: "G.M. Quinn" <lovechunks@hotmail.com> Subject: XTC and the women who love them Chalky Hilly Kidz, I know that subject has gone on a while, but I am quite frankly appalled at the presumptions going on within It seems that a few gentlemen on the list have been burned and decided to vent their frustrations on the XTC-fancying members of womankind. Just how many of my sex are on this list? I must stress that all but one of the few people I have found who adore the Swindonian Triumvirate have been decidedly female. I have struggled with my male friends for what seems like an age to get them to appreciate XTC, but only my three brothers seem to take my side (no, I don't count them as any great success - they are expected to take my side in a musical blood-feud). The other issue which shocked me was the half-baked theory that Andy's voice in unpalatable to the feminine ear. What utter bollocks. That has always been the strongest link for myself and my XTC woman- friends. I've been singing for seven years and he has one of the single most remarkable and accomplished voices I have heard. Like the Paddington King, Elvis Costello, it's a distinctive voice over which he has unerring control. As the Split Enz song goes, it never ceases to amaze me. PLEASE don't judge this enormous slice of humanity by a few concentrated examples. We must all go down together, singing merrily and strong. But we'll never sound like Andy Pandy. Love from the land of Ragdolls, GM Quinn * --------------------------------------------------------- Get Your *Web-Based* Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com * ---------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------ Message-ID: <327C0455.3E80@sinesurf.co.nz> Date: Sat, 02 Nov 1996 18:32:53 -0800 From: Robin Lott <inadibor@sinesurf.co.nz> Organization: University of Auckland Subject: The c is silent Hi. OK, yes, the joke is very funny, haha, but as far as I'm concerned you're all being a little harsh. Neneh Cherry's first album, LL Cool J's 'Mama Said Knock You Out' and everything the Beastie Boys ever did have given me enough pleasure to justify the entire genre. So there. :) Danielle (who doesn't mean to say that any of the sexist and/or MC Hammer shite that's out there is at all acceptable)
------------------------------ Message-ID: <327C174F.864@sinesurf.co.nz> Date: Sat, 02 Nov 1996 19:53:51 -0800 From: Robin Lott <inadibor@sinesurf.co.nz> Organization: University of Auckland Subject: America is taking over the world!!!! Adam wrote: >In turn, you could bet that just about anyone in New Zealand could name >Australia's prime minister, and I'm sure they feel the same way about >Australia as England feels about the US. But I'm babbling. :) Yeah, we could. But I think that - all respect to Home and Away and Dannii Minogue, as well as the genius that is Paul Kelly! - American cultural imperialism (ooooohhhh, wanky intellectual phrase :)) affects us here in our tiny country just as much. Australia, though bigger and better at cricket (:(), is more of a big comrade than a big dictator. In fact, our not-so-serious rivalry with Australia tends to be totally eclipsed when we meet overseas. When I'm in the US I'm so happy to talk to someone who knows that NZ actually *exists* - and isn't anywhere near Holland - that all possible snottiness disappears! ;) The fact that American popular culture has pretty well taken over the planet is both good and bad. But I can see how many songwriters who aren't from the US would want to take digs at its imposing cultural monolith. By questioning and/or rejecting America, they're attempting to redeem their own national identity, which tends to be lost in all the (some of it good) Clinton/OJ/Friends/Mariah Carey/Seinfeld/Nirvana/Letterman etc etc stuff. Of course, I would speculate that a lot of Americans question their own cultural supremacy as well, and actively seek out subversive and/or obscure things. Why do you all like XTC, after all? Just babbling like Adam, Danielle (redeeming my national identity by listening to Shihad at the moment and going to a Neil and Tim Finn live show on Thursday night. All you overseas Crowded House fans go green with envy please! ;))
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 02 Nov 1996 05:50:16 -0700 (MST) From: short1@aztec.asu.edu (LINDSAY DIANE WARREN) Subject: The deal with BIG DAY Message-id: <9611021250.AA04909@aztec.asu.edu> I noticed that before, I just never put too much thought to it. I just took it as it was.
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 02 Nov 1996 06:40:12 -0700 (MST) From: short1@aztec.asu.edu (LINDSAY DIANE WARREN) Subject: converting people Message-id: <9611021340.AA09646@aztec.asu.edu> what I've found to work, is to just play a cd, and listen to it around them, and sing along with it. my sister wasn't too keen on XTC, and I hear her singing their songs along with my CD's all the time. she denies liking them, but it sure is something hearing someone who doesn't like XTC singing their songs. :)
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199611021644.QAA13033@linux.nildram.co.uk> From: ericb@vip.solis.co.uk Date: Sat, 2 Nov 1996 16:45:33 +0000 Subject: Guillotine I was given a very nice copy of Guillotine the other day, the only drawback is that it has no outer cover, so can anyone out there who has a complete copy scan me the cover so I can make myself a DIY cover. Please E-mail me direct and not the list. Cheers Medears, Keith.
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199611021924.LAA22376@gryphon.com> From: "William Wisner" <wisner@gryphon.com> Subject: Brits singing about America Date: Sat, 2 Nov 1996 11:19:30 -0800 >it just seems that so many British songwriters have this >attitude about America. Deep down they want us to worship them but at >the same time there's this level of disdain. (Not so much XTC but many >of their ilk) I mean nobody here looks at Britain with disdain. You >don't see many American songwriters going on about what Parliament's >doing now do ya? Nobody here looks at Britain with disdain because nobody here looks at Britain at all. America has more of a bearing on the average Briton's life than Britain has on the average American's. The goings-on in American government are news everywhere. When's the last time you saw a story about Britain on America's nightly news? w.
------------------------------ From: Keith Hanlon <ad180@seorf.ohiou.edu> Message-Id: <199611021949.OAA01363@big.seorf.ohiou.edu> Subject: Re: Bungalow and Song of the Week Date: Sat, 2 Nov 1996 14:49:37 -0500 (EST) Some responses to various comments of Bungalow: > All good songs for me should have a definite mood, > taking me to different place, so to speak. Bungalow does. A song comes in many forms - this seems to fit the mold of "say as little as possible, evoke a mood, and infer some feelings." And it works wonderfully. I love it! > It's a middle class man working for a vision, to fly > away from his daily grind to an idyllic place that's only in his mind. It's a lot like the Kink's "Shangri-La" or Blur's "Country House" in many ways (although not as cynical). > Haven't you ever saved for a romantic vacation with >someone you love? Those kinda trips with my soon-to-be-ex wife are some of >my fondest memories. If you haven't been with someone you love that way, >well then, I guess it's easy to understand why you wouldn't like the song. And we work so hard to get there... >Any fool could write about "putting in sixty hours a week", but only >from Colin's muse are we "working every hour that God made". That's >what I call the scenic route, lyrically speaking. I see an >elegant hyperbole which speaks volumes in a few words. That's a great example of what this song has to offer. Please, if you don't like this song, try it again, please! ON ANOTHER TOPIC: I have seen great responses to my suggestion that we discuss an XTC song each week. True, Bungalow has been dealt with a million times, and we're also taking FPAR out for a spin lately. I haven't heard what Mr. Relph thinks of all this, but for now I'll just post a song title each week. You can send suggestions directly to me. How about "Runaways" this week? Lastly, thank you to all you Kink-heads for the information on "Fancy." I've been checking everywhere for "Face to Face" with no luck (tried CD Now and Newbury Comics too). If anyone out there has an extra copy (on CD or LP), let me know - I'll buy it! See ya, Keith
------------------------------ Message-ID: <327CBD8E.2013@earthlink.net> Date: Sun, 03 Nov 1996 07:43:10 -0800 From: Herne <herne@earthlink.net> Subject: XTC:Great to hear from you Thanks to everybody who e-mailed me regarding demos to trade. Once I recompile a list of what I have, I shall talk to some of you. I can't believe I lost that file...although I suppose it was odd I made it in the first place. I wasn't talking to anyone about the band at the time I don't think. I guess it was some random act of solitary fandom sort of like... "Hey me, I like XTC too!" "Really? So do I...here's what I have!" But It's gone. All gone and I have to do it again. Well It should be fun. I can figure out once and for all how many copies of Drums and Wires I have and why. I can find all of those articles I saved for years...I have almost ten years of THE LITTLE EXPRESS floating around here somewhere. Also cool to get e-mails from around the globe! Talk to you soon, Herne
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 3 Nov 1996 00:59:21 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <199611030559.AAA00378@cyber1.servtech.com> From: Joshua Hall-Bachner <particle@servtech.com> Subject: INXS Vs. Adam Ant... #> a teacher offered the following suggestion: why not, when you #> feel the need to say "fuck," instead say "making whoopee." It #> conveys the same idea, but in a less "offensive" way. >Maybe you should tell that teacher to 'making whoopee' off. :) :) Well, actually, I think you could say "Whoop off" and it would work in a fairly similar manner. As for the "meaningless modifier adjective" version of the f-word, you could say "give me the whoopee salt" instead of "give me the fucking salt." >Apparently your taking offence. I *never* meant to offend. My sincere >apologies. Oh, I'm not offended. Sorry if I came off that way. I just feel that, when you have a song as cut-and-dried as Funk Pop A Roll, a lot of people go "But that can't be it! It must have some sort of hidden meaning!" and try to read something else into it. I just don't understand it. >Bollocks! The word 'fuck' is hardly ever used to refer to sex >anymore, compared with the thousand other definitions the word now >has. Maybe you should tell that teacher to 'making whoopee' off. :) :) BTW, I'm curious -- how are the words "bugger" and the equivalent of "whoopee" viewed in Britain? Here in the US, using "bugger" will just get you funny looks and people pointing and going "ha ha!" Is "bugger" considered a "curse word" in the UK? How about the other one? >I'd still take it over, say, Travels In Nihilon, which for me is just barely >more enjoyable than a kick in the side with a steel-toed boot, or having my >teeth filed down to the nub with a wood-rasp. Or, for instance, having my >entire body slowly burned away. Okay. Once again I jump in to defend something. I, personally, quite like Nihilon. For one thing, the drumming is *great.* Every single person I have ever played it for has remarked on the "awesome drumbeat" or somesuch. The rhythm works really, really well. And second, I think it beats NiN and co. hands down at their own game, ten years earlier. Instead of adding a lot of white noise and non-musicality to the song and using a lot of "fuck you," it pokes a huge hole in popular culture -- if you can understand what Andy's saying, that is. Quite a progressive song for XTC at that stage in their career, too; especially on such a "pop" album as Black Sea. If Black Sea is XTC's *Revolver*, "Travels In Nihilon" = "Tomorrow Never Knows." >And, let's not forget the various gold and platinum awards >given to them by the various record industry associations. This brings up an interesting point -- do XTC actually have any gold or platinum albums? Remember, gold means 500,000 copies sold in a single country; platinum is 1 million. I, for one, would be quite surprised if XTC had a gold record, not to mention record*s*. Especially in light of the interview of Andy where he sits and pokes fun at all the bands listed on the gold awards. >Well, now I'm 18 and I would like to know if there are other guys that have >my same age or if the chalkies are all "adults" !!!!!! I'm only 15, thus making me probably the youngest XTC fan in existence. It is up to you to determine if that is my physical age, or merely the length of time my writers have been sacking in Brooklyn. :) >Are there ANY XTC >tracks (legitimate or otherwise) that contain any backwards masking?? Following the Dukes track "Mole From The Ministry," there is a snippet, backwards and at double speed, of a folk song called "Go Make Whoopee To Yourself With Your Atom Bomb." (Well, almost.) The guy who sounds suspiciously like Woody Allen at the end of "My Love Explodes" is responding to that song. >What's homo safari about? I've heard that mentioned several times and >don't know what it is. Something about instrumentals ala "Procession..."? Not merely "a la 'Procession.'" "Homo Safari" is the first in a series of the same name, made up of six instrumentals. They are: "Homo Safari," "Bushman President," "Egyptian Solution (Thebes In A Box)," "Mantis On Parole," "Frost Circus," and "Procession Towards Learning Land." The style of the earlier ones is really nothing like the style of the later ones, though...each has a completely different "feel." As far as I can tell, these six and "Over Rusty Water" are the only instrumentals XTC have officially released. However, there is a set of ambient Andy instrumentals by the name of "Ocean's Daughter" which has been circulating -- supposedly it's from a movie. Anybody have more info on where these songs originate? >(PS. When Mummer is added to my collection, I may have >something to say about "Love on a Farmboy's Wages".) Or, on the other hand, you may not. Especially since it's not really a very impressive song, and that dissonant chord at the end just pisses me off. >JHB's take on Bungalow: I don't know if I should be flattered or not that the people of Chalkhills now know me merely by my initials. Hmmm... >Thanks for sharing your interpretation. It sounds like a lovely place. I'm >getting warm fuzzies just thinking about it. Why thank you. Now all I have to do is (a) find it, and (b) get enough money to buy it. :) >This digest's [3-16] was a demo. That rules out about half of us. Aaaaah, but it was an *officially released* demo, on a Nonsvch single. That widens the audience considerably from a bootleg demo. It's no more "rare" to own a copy of Living in a Haunted Heart than any other B-side. And, to leave you off, here's a little bit of humor posted on the TMBG newsgroup, re: the song "XTC Vs. Adam Ant," written by <mulva@aol.com>. The band known as XTC served the band known as They Might Be Giants with a Cease and Desist order with regard to the song "XTC vs. Adam Ant." According to Nigel Putnell, the lawyer for XTC, "The boys didn't find any humor in it. Everybody knows Adam Ant is a gimmick band. My clients found it insulting to be mentioned in the same song." Ironically, the attorney made no mention of Bow Wow Wow. Rather than fight what They Might Be Giants' lawyer (and former bassist) Tony Maimone refers to as "litigative lunacy" the band has re-recorded the offending lyrics and changed the title of the song to "AKA vs. Adam Ant." "They had considered 'INXS vs. Adam Ant' but I told them I didn't want any more shit." :) I think you need to know TMBG to get part of it, but...he he. "Gimmick Band." Heh. Josh, there must be some kind of way out of here /---------------------------Joshua Hall-Bachner---------------------------\ | particle@servtech.com http://www.servtech.com/public/particle/ | | "I won't die until I'm dead." -- They Might Be Giants | \-------------------------- Eschew Obfuscation ---------------------------/
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #3-18 ******************************
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