Chalkhills Digest Volume 3, Issue 28
Date: Wednesday, 13 November 1996
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 3, Number 28
Wednesday, 13 November 1996
Today's Topics:
Mystifying dream sequences
Stormy Monday's Tuesday's Post
fast speed on demos?
Dear God where are the Texans?
It's snowing angels
Anybody heard of Spooky Ruben?
A partridge and a pair's three
A review and stuff
Re: Mea culpa
More Fossil Frustrations
countdown to cockpit dance mixture
pulsing anthologies
A bunch of small bits
Intro and various scattershot lurk-purging
In Praise of War Dance (again)
I don't give a toss!
XTC Envelope
Harmony and Intervals on a Farmboy's Wages
Virgin Elvis?
I think I'll take the postaholic award.
Re:Flimsy Fossils
stuff
And Now For Something Completely Different
It's Not His Frame
The Toss of Death
Most Goofy and/or Embarrasing Video
Crash Test Dummies
What will be...
dummies and rhymes
Long and Sour
Slam and Strike
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Yeah yeah...
---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: box@linux.nemesis.com.au Date: Wed, 13 Nov 1996 12:08:22 +1100 Subject: Mystifying dream sequences Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9611131214.A16822-0100000@linux.nemesis.com.au> #> From: kevinc@boardwalk.net (Kevin Collins) #> Last night I was dreaming that there was a new 4th member to xtc Last night I dreamed I was in some hut somewhere with one other person, and Colin just walked in and started talking [see, had to be a dream], and I was supposed to fetch other people to meet him or something. A while later we were standing on the verandah of a hall thing, and he was about to leave with some friends when Andy came out of the hall thing and started shaking hands with him and stuff. Kissed him on the cheek too. Next thing I was hooning down a highway. I have no idea why I dreamed this. #> From: Joshua Hall-Bachner <particle@servtech.com> #> What, exactly, *is* "auto-erotic asphyxiation"? Drowning in your own spunk? :) #> From: gondola@deltanet.com (E.B.) #> I still don't have the new Rutles disc yet, but I'll be getting #> it sometime this week.... Is it the one called 'Archaeology'? I'm having trouble finding details of it... Thanks to everyone for the 'Let's Be Natural'/'Dear Prudence' thing. It's been on the tip of my tongue for months. #> From: Michael Versaci <stormymonday@sprintmail.com> #> I gave up after "Flood". Their music made me feel like I was #> in a swarm of mosquitoes. #> But, no way, no how can I imagine ever thinking that they have #> anything in common with XTC or The Beatles. Get your hands on a copy of _John Henry_ [as you suggested] and listan to 'AKA Driver','Why Must I Be Sad', 'A Self Called Nowhere', 'Thermostat' and 'Out Of Jail'. You'll see an XTC parallel for sure. They're now very serious about their music, having greatly matured since their _Flood_ and _Apollo 18_ days. #> From: h.h.name@mail.utexas.edu (Spiritual Generation, etc.) #> I think the whole album is good, with #> the exception of "Your Own Worst Enemy" (one of the most #> half-baked songs they've ever done) and "S-e-x-x-y" which is just #> bad. Cool, I'm not the only one who thinks that!! I've had to tell people here that song they've been playing on the radio [viz: 'S-E-X-X-Y'] is the worst on the album, just to keep their interest. And at least 'YOWE' is short. 'Exquisite Dead Guy' is out too. Basically anything in which they try to resurrect their novelty side is out of place now. #> XTC are a crap band! This is punishable by death. #> From: Ira Lieman <aym@axe.intercall.com> #> I am SURE that everyone's within oh between about 6 and 8 #> degrees of XTC. Can't remember details but there's a web page out there somewhere which does that with the actor Kevin Bacon. You give the engine the name of any actor and it'll tell you how many degrees they are from Kevin Bacon. It's referred to as the 'Bacon factor'. Someone gave it the name of an obscure Indian actor and came up with a Bacon factor of five I think. Very cute stuff. #> From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James Dignan) #> Finally the Beatles were arguably the last band that #> everyone from Leonard Bernstein to schoolchildren embraced. XTC could well be the next. Honestly. #> From: "Adam J. Ostermann" <aosterma@students.wisc.edu> #> Is it true there's a foreign pressing of ^Skylarking^ that has #> the whole original in progression AND "Dear God" tacked at the #> end? Yup, Canadian. Check the discography. Finally, a future prediction: 1997. The new XTC album comes out. 37% of Chalkies dismiss it as terrible and Andy as 'losing it'. 28% love it unconditionally, then listen to it and love it even more. 31% like some songs, hate other songs, and complain about the cover. The remaining 4% acknowledge the fact that Colin wrote track 5, 10 and 14 and go ape over them. Three months later: 89% of the 37% who disliked it have since listened to it several thousand times to justify their purchase and decided they love it, except for tracks 5, 9 and 14; the remaining 11% stand their ground and refuse to listen to it on the grounds that it's a steaming pile of bollocks. Of the remaining 63% of Chalkies, 21% still love it unconditionally; 4% continue to praise Colin to death; 27% remain ambivalent about the album as a whole and still hate that cover; 4% claim the demos were better as an excuse to flaunt the fact that the smug bastards had a copy of them all along; and 7% go back to listening to _English Settlement_. No offence intended, Adam
------------------------------ Message-ID: <32895C02.957@sprintmail.com> Date: Tue, 12 Nov 1996 21:26:26 -0800 From: Michael Versaci <stormymonday@sprintmail.com> Subject: Stormy Monday's Tuesday's Post XTC Fans & Friends, Lots and lots of talk about "Dear God" I bought the 12" Grass single here in the states the second or third day it was in the stores. The B-Side was "Extrovert" & "Dear God", and I was immediately struck by all three songs. When Skylarking was released, I told anyone who would listen: "This is the best release since Abbey Road!". No small statement from someone who says that the Beatles are beyond reproach and Abbey Road is the greatest contribution to music in the 20th century. My Skylarking had "Mermaid Smiled" on it, and that is the way that I was accustomed to listening to it. I had "Dear God", and could listen to it when I cared to, so I was distressed when the record was changed to include "Dear God" instead of "Mermaid Smiled". I don't believe that the song belongs on "Skylarking", but I think that the song is as good as any other XTC track. I can't say what I would have thought if the original release had "Dear God" on it, and "Mermaid" was the B-side of "Grass". I am surprised at the anti "Dear God" sentiments that are expressed by many XTC fans in this newsletter. Doesn't anyone else think that it is hilarious that even The Almighty can't escape the acid tongue of Andy Partridge? I mean, c'mon, He's GOD. But Andy was angry with Him, and he let him have it! Couldn't you just see it? Dave: "Andy, do you really think that this is such a good idea? Him being the Supreme Being and all?" Andy: "Look at the state of affairs! Everything is all bollixed up! Somebody has to tell Him!" Colin: "Yeah, but why does it have to be us. We sell so few records as it is. Maybe he'll visit a plague upon us or something." Andy: "Don't be such a bleeding wanker! We're doing it!" Actually, John Lennon listed all of the things that he didn't believe in in his song, "God". But that song seemed to be directed to the listener. Andy bypasses the listener, and goes straight to the source. "And all the people that you made in YOUR image See them fighting in the street Cause they can't make opinions meet About God" "And if you're up there, you'd perceive That my heart's here upon my sleeve If there's one thing I don't believe in, It's you" He's not telling us not to believe in God, he's telling God that he's lost his faith in him. Really, I believe that the song is much more an indictment of mankind than it is of God. "Your name is on a lot of quotes in this book, Us CRAZY humans wrote it, you should take a look!" *** Now that I've offended The Kinks fans and TMBG fans REM Rules? I think not. If you like REM, listen to "If I Needed Someone", "And Your Bird Can Sing" and "She Said She Said" by The Beatles. REM is an above average rock band, influenced by the Birds, The Beatles and Dylan. But they don't rule. They serve. If you really understand XTC, it is extremely difficult to completely respect other bands. They transcend their genre. I like the Kinks, REM, Nirvana, Joe Jackson, Elvis Costello, Pearl Jam, Elton John, Pink Floyd, Yes, The Talking Heads, Bush, Joni Mitchell, Annie Lennox, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix and countless other bands that have been lauded, reviled and even ignored in this newsletter, but XTC is truly unique. Their music is like one of those computer generated pictures that become three dimensional after staring at them for sometime. It is like an MC Escher painting, contradicting itself and yet making sense in its own paradigm, according to its own rules. There are so many musical and lyrical puns, odd melodies appearing and reappearing in unexpected parts of the songs on different instruments. "Don't Go Back to Rockville"? "What's the Frequency Kenneth?"? "Radio Free Europe"? "Losing My Religion"? These are cool songs by a cool band. But when I compare them to "Jason and The Argonauts", "Dear Madame Barnum", "One of the Millions", "Scarecrow People", "Respectable Street", "Senses Working Overtime" and virtually any other post Barry Andrews XTC song, they seem infantile and amateurish to my XTC aware musical palate. "Of course this is just my opinion. I could be wrong". Dennis Miller "The fur is genuine, but the orGASM's faked!" Stormy Monday
------------------------------ From: HifiToastr@aol.com Date: Tue, 12 Nov 1996 22:31:25 -0500 Message-ID: <961112223124_1551311139@emout17.mail.aol.com> Subject: fast speed on demos? I'm only a few weeks into the world of Chalkhills and I am elated to find a group of people with the same enthusiasm for XTC that I have (and some that make me feel like I've been slacking all these years). I've picked up a few tapes of XTC demos at record conventions (from 2 different vendors) and they all sound like they were dubbed at the wrong speed (sort of like a higher pitched version of Andy's vocal on "Cairo"). Is this a standard trait of the demo cassettes or did both guys I bought them from get them from the same bad dub? It's great to hear the songs, but if there's a better version I'd love to hear them. On the same subject, I just picked up the first XTC demo CD I've ever seen (Be Brought Up In The Lap Of Luxury 1977-89). There's an 8 after the word demos, is this part of a series? Does anyone know how many there are and where I can find them? In almost 15 years of looking for unreleased stuff I've only seen 2 live shows and this CD - am I missing some great network of unreleased music? oh we go dale <hifitoastr@aol.com>
------------------------------
Message-Id: <v01540b02aeaef2867961@[207.15.170.113]>
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 1996 21:59:09 -0600
From: kmarkman@netwestonline.com (Miss Piggy)
Subject: Dear God where are the Texans?
Howdy from West Texas!
>>(1) R.E.M. rules and anybody who thinks otherwise has only heard
>>"Green", "Out of Time" or "Monster";
I agree, although I also happen to like the aforementioned albums.
Actually, I like *all* of R.E.M.'s work. What strikes me as odd about
music fans sometimes is that artists will get criticized for "changing"
("It doesn't sound like their old stuff" or "Their old stuff was crap,"
etc.), yet I always thought that was the point. Aren't you supposed to
change and grow and explore new territories during the span of a career?
To me an artist who puts out albums where every song on the record sounds
the same and all the record sound the same (Spin Doctors) is BORING! But
hey, that's just me. I have a tendency to appreciate a group's body of
work as a whole for all of my favorites, including R.E.M., TMBG, and of
course, XTC.
And "Dear God" most unequivocaly DOES NOT SUCK! So there! :P
>Very good, yes. Actually I think the whole album is good, with
>the exception of "Your Own Worst Enemy" (one of the most half-baked
>songs they've ever done) and "S-e-x-x-y" which is just bad.
I didn't like "S" at first either, though it has begun to grow on me...and
while I'm on the subject of this album, I need help. I have tried now on
3, yes,3 different CDplayers to play the hidden track off Factory Showroom
with no success. It has just baffled my machinery. My main stereo is so
confused that I can only play track 1 by searching back from track 2, and
if I try to go back to the hidden track, the CD player just sits and spins.
Has anyone else encountered difficulty, or can anyone offere a suggestion?
I feel somehow cheated that I can't get this song to play!
****And finally - one more plea for any Texans left lurking in the shadows
of the Chalkhills - we want to meet you. Looks like the TeXTCas party will
happen after the Xmas holidays, possibly in Austin, but we still need a
host. If you have yet to step forward, now is the time, fun will be had by
all! Drop me a line if you're game: kmarkman@netwestonline.com
-Kris
PS After working in a mall for 2 years, during Xmas seasons (which in the
US starts about July 5) "Countdown to Christmas..." and "Thanks for
Christmas" are the *ONLY* Xmas song that don't make me retch
uncontrollably. Nothing like a mall to kill your Xmas spirit...
*********************************************************************
"I resent the implication that I'm a one-dimensional, bread-obsessed
electrical appliance."--Talkie Toaster
*********************************************************************
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199611130546.QAA08264@warchives.riv.csu.edu.au.> From: "Simon Knight" <sknight@warchivegw.riv.csu.edu.au> Date: Wed, 13 Nov 1996 15:56:10 +0000 Subject: It's snowing angels Someone asked: >also, Is "It's snowing angel" XTC or Dukes of Stratosphere? It's definitely the Dukes, but i think it dates from around the time of Nonsuch, doesn't it? Does one of the demo experts know, when / why it was recorded? (And are the Dukes *really* dead? The great "Some Lovely" also makes me wonder otherwise.) I might be wrong, but i think Angels is a Loving Spoonful pastiche. Compare "It's snowing angels" to The Loving Spoonful's "Daydream" and you'll see what i mean. It's a great song too, one of my favourite demos. I hope it shows up somewhere officially.
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 12 Nov 1996 23:11:32 -0800 (PST) From: bmilner <bmilner@netcom.com> Subject: Anybody heard of Spooky Ruben? Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.95.961112230626.10221C-100000@netcom10> Anybody heard this band? I found an old sampler of mine "Fresh Meat, 16 mouth watering cold cuts" and there is a track by SPOOKY RUBEN called "These days are old" that sounds SO much like XTC that is is ridiculous. I mean, right down to the little quirky melodic turns at the ends of lines, the jazzy solo, the cheesiness (at times). And you'd swear he was practicing his Andy P accent. If you like XTC, you'll really like at least this cut. Actually sounds SO XTC-like that I would call them painfully derivative. Anybody heard their whole album? It's on TVT/Waxtrax records. Brandon Milner bmilner@netcom.com
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 1996 18:25 +0930
From: "VanAbbe, Dominic" <dominic.vanabbe@faulding.com.au>
Subject: A partridge and a pair's three
Message-id: <01IBT1450SC200ADMH@faulding.com.au>
For Chrissakes Hillsians,
Is this the official *XtC* mailing list or not???? I'm beginning to
wonder. For the record- I *LIKE* The Kinks, The Beatles, The Rutles, They
might be giants. But I am not on this mailing to discuss them outright. If
they come up in discussion of ver Swindonians then fair enuff!!
However, to fill your entire mail with discussion of another
band/matter and then throw in your "Obligatory XtC reference" at the end is
an exercise in cynicism to say the least. Sir John Relph esq. has already
asked us to keep it to the point and "keep it XtC", with "call-and-repsonse"
stuff to be kept for private mails. Little wonder the poor bugger's had to
prepare so many issues recently.
And from Dewitt Henderson (3-27):
>-f**k - haven't we killed this f**king issue? Thank you
Absa-bloody-lutely spot on!!! Enuff already!!! Same applies for
"Bungalow" and "The Smartest Monkeys" threads puh-lease!!.... I've only
been on the list for six months and I've seen em all before. God knows how
many times longer serving Hillsians must've seen 'em...
Cheers, Dom
P.S. Glad to see I ain't the only sucker who finds AP and CM difficult to
tell apart on ver Dukes stuff...
P.P.S. Mitch F. where are ya?? What's the g.o. with "The Bootleg LP"??
------------------------------ Message-ID: <328A90D6.1BEC@sinesurf.co.nz> Date: Wed, 13 Nov 1996 19:24:06 -0800 From: Danielle Moreau <inadibor@sinesurf.co.nz> Organization: University of Auckland Subject: A review and stuff Hail and well met. In our local music rag, 'Rip It Up', a review of Fossil Fuel: "A typical piece of humorous self-depreciation for the title from Andy Partridge, and Fossil Fuel is a double CD re-visit to the quintessentially English and eccentric pop created by these four punks from Swindon. (I think he means punk in the Clint Eastwood sense rather than the Johnny Rotten sense. ;)- Danielle) The 31 songs on display are not only singles, they're also a representative overview of the best songs penned by Partridge and his trusty songwriting sidekick, Colin Moulding. Always the reliable melodic McCartney to Partridge's unpredictable edgy Lennon, Moulding wrote some lovely stuff, and 'Ten Feet Tall', 'Generals and Majors', and the very Neil Finn-ish 'Wonderland', certainly haven't been dimmed by the passage of time. The victim of several nervous breakdowns, Partridge's songs were often strung out between depressions like 'Wait Till Your Boat Goes Down', and strident social reflections such as 'Respectable Street' and 'Great Fire'. And yet he could come up with fine uplifting love songs like 'The Mayor of Simpleton', and on his early classic 'This Is Pop', he asks the perennial older generation question, 'What do you call that noise that you put on?' Just great pop son." So, there you go. On an irrelevant note: Amanda, I would just like to have the *opportunity* to see Elvis Costello, let alone walk out on him! He was last in NZ five years ago, before my conversion. Down here we have to take what we can get! (Michael Jackson anyone? ;)) Irrelevant note number two: Hooray for the Muttonbirds! And the Chills! And just to join in the NZ congratulatory stuff, Shihad's new album is fantabulous in every way. I saw them last week and they have the most *incredibly* powerful rhythm section. Irrelevant note number three: I saw Tim and Neil Finn the night before Shihad and they were sublime. Highlights: OH JOY! OH RAPTURE! 'Time For a Change'! and a completely instrumentless version of 'I See Red'! (He didn't need instruments. It's a prerequisite to living in New Zealand that you know all the words to that song.) Before my irrelevance turns into babble, goodbye. Danielle 'Beat me in the kitchen and I'll beat you in the hall/There's nothing I like better than a free-for-all...' - Elvis C 'You act as though you were a blind man who's crying/Crying about all the virgins that are dying...' - Phil Judd
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01540b06aeaf1d3e6b12@[199.171.191.113]> Date: Tue, 12 Nov 1996 23:43:29 -0700 From: gondola@deltanet.com (E.B.) Subject: Re: Mea culpa From: dgershmn <dgershmn@ametsoc.org> > >GB also said: >>Damn, first the Chryssie Hynde/Nureyev comment about Dave, now this! That >>Andy certainly has a way with imagery! :) > >Actually, the Chryssie/Nureyev comment was about Colin. Ooops...slip of the tongue/fingers/brain. Sorry! :( GB
------------------------------ Date: 13 Nov 96 09:18:00 GMT From: david.mcguinness@bbc.co.uk (David McGuinness) Subject: More Fossil Frustrations Message-Id: <"<D8D6893281821573>D8D6893281821573@GW.BBC"@-SMF-> Hi folks - Not only did the lugs break on my copy of Fossil Fuel, but both hinges snapped as well, the first one before I'd even got either of the CDs out. Hey, shoddy merchandise, crap design, no sleevenotes, and some questionable editing decisions at the mastering stage. Great. At least it's got the single version of This is Pop on it (worth the 'prehistoric price' on its own). Can anyone help me with my Chalkhills problem? I only ever get about two-thirds of every digest as it won't fit into my memory. I'm sure there must be a simple fix for this in MS Mail but I don't know what it is. I hope whoever replies to this gets their message in the top half of the digest or I won't see it ... That's enough moaning for one day. Burning with optimism's flames, David McGuinness
------------------------------
Message-ID: <32899E91.9F9@smith.smith.edu>
Date: Wed, 13 Nov 1996 06:10:25 -0400
From: "R. Brookes McKenzie" <rmckenzi@smith.smith.edu>
Organization: Your Mother, Inc.
Subject: countdown to cockpit dance mixture
[requisite comments about how the chalkhills have been whizzing by
like snowballs and therefore i'll-try-to-keep-it-snappy left out to
save space]
severally -
- ironically enough, to whoever it was who was lamenting the
lack of a cool alt.alt christmas album, guess what i just found at
Best Buy (which IMHO is more like Big Ripoff, but i digress)? the
Geffen christmas sampler, entitled _Just Say Noel_, featuring the
likes of Beck, Sonic Youth, the Posies, Aimee Mann and Michael Penn,
and XTC! of course they put "thanks for christmas" on there, and
the mix sounds strangely awful to me (like worse than the one on
_rag & bone_) but i could be hallucinating. the rest of the album
isn't bad - Beck does a hysterical version of "the little drummer
boy" called "the little drum machine boy", the Posies track is
fab-o, and even Sonic Youth are tolerable (pretty funny actually -
their song's called "even santa doesn't cop out on dope", and the
only really bad track is the one by Wendy & Lisa (!! - of Prince
back-up band fame), which i had to skip after three bars, and the
liner notes are actually amusing instead of annoying. i kind
of wish that they had put "countdown to x-mas party time" on
instead of "thanks", though, especially with all the other funny
tracks on there. (for the disco-graphy, john r., the cd is
GEFD-25107).
- which brings me to my other point - i like "countdown"!
it's funny, goddamnit - the high Michael-Jacksonesque vocals,
the booming Vincent Price voice that does the countdown - i think
it's excellent. i've always liked it better than "thanks" because
it doesn't take itself seriously, where as the latter seems to be
a little too appropriate for being piped in at Bloomingdales, for
christmas' sake! but then, i've also been known to defend the
"cockpit dance mixture", and for much the same reasons. although
i do think the mixture goes on a little too long, and doesn't live
up to the regular version. as far as "most embarrassing xtc song"
is concerned, i would have to say that "the world is full of angry
young men", "the smartest monkeys" and "wardance" all embarrass me
somewhat, but (not to be accused of being colinist [ha!]) so does
much of "white music" - "traffic light rock" & "neon shuffle" spring
to mind. songs about dance crazes seem so cheesy and fifties to me.
although i like "radios in motion" and "life begins at the hop"
for that matter.
- re: Canadian bands - they're not *all* cloying, just some
of them. i don't particularly like the Dummies, but BNL (especially
their later stuff like the recent _Born on a Pirate Ship_) are great
songwriters and musicians - they kick major ass in concert, too -
and some lesser-known Canucks like the inbreds and the Waltons are
really cool, interesting bands that are out of the usual alt-pop
loop in a good way.
- brookes (& no, i'm not a point!)
"i'm drinking tea
if it's good enough for me then it's good enough for you"
- Brendan Benson (who is growing on me slowly but surely -
he's like Ben Folds Five with guitars - which is not as much of an
oxymoron as it sounds)
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 Nov 1996 06:44:57 -0500 (EST) From: Brookes McKenzie <RMCKENZI@smith.smith.edu> Subject: pulsing anthologies Message-id: <01IBSD3I1E0IC01UBQ@SMITH> sorry, sorry! for the double post, and i know the glut of chalkhills is not going to be abated by people like me, but i forgot two things: 1) i like "pulsing pulsing", but i like "shore leave ornithology" 800 times better. 2) i hate whoever is responsible for the beatles _anthology_ series. (jeff lynne? but the only person mentioned in the cd itself is george martin, & i thought he did do the first one.) they are complete idiots - assuming that the one thing we _won't_ want to hear is the actual, unadulterated *beatles track*, when that's exactly what we do want! no one expects these songs to be polished and ready to be released as singles, for fuck's sake, so why did they do shit like use part of take 2 but then mix it with the ending of take 8 because take 2 "meandered to an indefinite end"?! i have faith that the beatles were a brilliant band, so i want to hear the meandering as it is, i want to hear john mouthing off in context (they even chopped off his dialogue from one session and appended it onto another!!), not studio manipulation for the hell of it, which is basically what the producers are doing here. since when did they become the arbiters of taste for beatles material? why couldn't apple have gotten someone with a brain in his/her head, like whoever the genius was who did the bob dylan _biograph_ series, which is not only a collection of a lot of his best songs but also a lot of excellent rarities and a really good set of _albums_ to boot. and i have no doubt that there are a _lot_ of better songs that they (the beatles producers again) left off on purpose, just to string out this series as long as possible and make as much money off of it as they could. the only thing _anthology 3_ did for me was make me want to listen to the _white album_ again, b/c most of the versions simply weren't as good as the regular ones. (sorry for the extended rant - i don't think i quite realized how mad i was about this until now! :)) - brookes
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 Nov 1996 13:52:38 +0100 (CET) From: James Isaacs <jisaacs1@aixterm1.urz.uni-heidelberg.de> Subject: A bunch of small bits Message-Id: <Pine.A32.3.91.961113134922.75726F-100000@aixterm1.urz.uni-heidelberg.de> First, there is an article about XTC in the 11-11-96 issue of Time magazine, If enough moans and begs come down, I can transcribe it. Second, I was the one asking about "To the Bone". I have since seen it, and am only waiting to buy it when I have enough money. Third, although the production on Viullge Green is dodgy in spots, it is still the closest to perfection in music I have seen. And fourth, Paul's best album is Ram. I also have a strange, soft spot for McCartney II. Anyone for a round of "Temporary Secretary"? James
------------------------------ Message-ID: <c=US%a=_%p=IPC_Technologies%l=RIPLEY-961113134127Z-235@ripley.ipctech.com> From: "Leopold, Dale" <dleopold@ipctech.com> Subject: Intro and various scattershot lurk-purging Date: Wed, 13 Nov 1996 08:41:27 -0500 Hi there Chalkaholics (sorry--can't be bothered to come up with something truly original...), Dale Leopold here; I've been lurking since May, and the number of subjects about which I actually have something to say has reached critical mass, so I must de-lurk and purge. Apologies in advance for what may be a lengthy post; I'll try to break it up into bite-sized paragraphs with appropriate headings... OBLIGATORY BIO/INTRO TO LIST: I'm 38, a software developer/writer/muso in Richmond, Va (after many years in the DC area). I was alerted to this list's existence by a fellow Richard Thompson lister (bless you kind soul, can't remember who it was...), where I contribute in fitful bursts of activity (much like the rest of my life, it seems), which leads naturally enough into: IF YOU LIKE XTC....: I'll second whoever recommended Mr. Thompson to Chalkies; I must confess he's my absolute favorite artist--songwriting that is by turns clever and deeply moving, guitar playing that combines the tastefulness of Robbie Robertson with the wild abandon of Hendrix-after-an-extended-Scottish-holiday (at least live), and (this'll get you) guaranteed to draw blank looks from most people when you mention his name. Still not convinced? OK the clincher: a while back an interviewer asked RT about his songwriting vis a vis Andy Partridge's; his reply: "Proud to be mentioned in the same sentence!" I wrote an article about RT in this summer's Crawdaddy! magazine (yes, it's back in business...utterly uncorrupted musical criticism...Paul Williams at the helm...I'll post subscription info if anyone's interested). OBLIGATORY INTRO TO XTC: A friend sent me a cassette in 1981 when I was living in the cultural wasteland that is Florida with "Black Sea" on it. Good stuff indeed, I thought. The punchline: on the other side of the tape was "King of the Wild Frontier" by (Dave Mattacks drum roll)......................Adam Ant!! XTC FANDOM AS A MEANS TO BABE MAGNETISM: Back in '89 I started dating a girl some nine years younger than me. When I compared our respective CD collections, there was only *one* disc in common: O&L. So I did what any reasonable guy would do--I married her. RANDY NEWMAN: Sorry, he's really one of the very best. "12 Songs" "Sail Away" and "Good Old Boys" were among the best LP's of the 70's; and he's far from washed up--he's really a latter-day Brecht/Weill, and his mordant satire is absolutely top-notch and often missed by casual listeners as well as dunderheads of every ilk (NB: I'm including the original poster of the RN comments in the *former* group). I Love LA is *not* sappy--Randy takes a drive around LA and sees the good and the bad, calling out perfectly ordinary street names as if they were incredibly exciting (have you ever *seen* Century Blvd? Not exactly something to inspire the muse) and pointing out things like "look at that bum man he's down on his knees"--real sappy hometown boosterism, right? And of course those narcissistic El Lay pinheads missed the joke completely and even adopted it as the theme song of the '84 LA Olympics (I'm sure Randy had a good laugh at that one...). Oh my, it's 25 O'Clock and I'm late for my SQL Server class...more eventually on subjects such as the Fabs, the Rutles, the Bonzos (run out and buy 'em all), as well as musings about things like remembering when Jeff Lynne actually made good music with the Move (before he underwent that unfortunate talent removal operation in the 70's)... Later, Dale dleopold@ipctech.com "Never underestimate the power of attorney"-- John Lennon
------------------------------
Message-Id: <s28991d7.031@DICTAPHONE.COM>
Date: Wed, 13 Nov 1996 09:15:27 -0500
From: Tim Kendrick <TKEN@DICTAPHONE.COM>
Subject: In Praise of War Dance (again)
Once again, I must praise one of my favorite Colin songs:
"WAR DANCE"
Why do so many of you not like this gem ???
When I first heard it I thought "YES ! Colin's back in form again".
(I was never crazy about his O&L songs, although they
have since grown on me.)
I thought War Dance would be a great single. The music
is wonderful, the lyrics meaningful (I LIKE preachy songs !).
This is one song that I never get sick of listening to.
Oh well, I guess I'm in a minority on this.
I think I posted this several months ago, but my favorite
Colin songs all begin with the letter "W".
"War Dance", "Wake Up", "Washaway", and "Where Did The
Ordinary People Go". (I've been hung up on letters lately
- don't ask !).
So, to get away from the "War Dance" bashing, what do you
all think about "Washaway" ???
Tim K.
"In comes Mr. Softie, dressed up like an ice cream cone ..."
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Nov 1996 13:59:06 -0500 (EST)
From: Allan Hislop <Allan_Hislop_at_UKCDEE01@ccmail.bms.com>
Subject: I don't give a toss!
Message-id: <9610138479.AA847909625@ccgate0.bms.com>
Dear Chalk & Cheesehillians,
6th chords? Dissonance? 4/4? 7/8? Harmonics?
Ok, I'm no musician, but sod all that muso crap. I like a tune cos
it's ..er.. tuneful! (To me).
And on that "to me" bit - "This band's better than that band, etc."
that crops up very, VERY, regularly. Who gives a toss? Each to
their own and all that; The world would be a boring place, blah,
blah, blah. Let's keep the discussions to all that is fair & good
about XTC; remember them?. Don't get me wrong, I've got a fairly
broad taste in music, but if I wanted to discuss other bands in such
breadth & depth, I wouldn't have subscribed to an XTC mailing list.
Ah, XTC at last.
I'm not about to brag, in fact far from it, so bear with me, but I
take great pleasure in owning nearly everything that the greatest
band ever ("to me") has recorded. Or I should say "all that I WANT
to own".
I do NOT want to listen to Testimonial Dinner. "Why?", I hear some
of you cry.
Cos it's not by XTC! (Yeah, yeah, I know the one track that is).
If you like that other band's (the one that is mentioned more than XTC
in recent postings) original version of "Yesterday", do you go & buy
all the other versions of it? (I may be wrong, but I believe that
track is the most covered song ever). [Bugger - I couldn't send a
posting without having to mention another band - And THAT band off all
things - I'm really setting myself up for some stick here]
I'm not burying my head in the sand here. I like XTC, yes because
they write some great songs, but more importantly because I love the
way THEY sound. I don't want to hear COVER versions - they're never
as good as the old comfy originals that we all get used to - And if
that doesn't appear to be extremely applicable to "Honest, they'll
grow on you" XTC, then I don't know what does.
Which brings me neatly onto the subject of demos.
You can keep them!
I have all the demos that are legitimately provided on official
releases, but I do NOT want to hear the new unreleased ones that some
"Ooh look what I've got & you haven't, and aren't I clever in
mentioning tracks that you've never heard of" people have in their
possession.
Why not?
And it's NOT jealousy or sour grapes.
And never mind the subject of royalties, bootlegging, etc..
Why do XTC spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on producers? Might
as well not bother, eh?
If they did ever tour again, why is it (as has been mentioned in these
hallowed postings) that Mr P wants his live stuff to sound as close as
possible to his released compositions? ("Drums & Wireless, anyone?).
I like, and always prefer, the FINISHED article. Where would most of
XTC's songs be without the little nuances that come from the production
(eg The many mentioned Big Day guitar "out of time" sound).
(And where would I be without my brackets, CAPITALS and "apostrophes" - not
to mention my dashes and exclamation & question marks!?).
I am even willing to bet that not many of us XTC fans use a graphic
equaliser to ruin/change the sound of their songs for normal listening
purposes. Hmmmn.
Again, don't get me wrong, I like to be informed that there are other
gems just waiting to be recorded properly, but I am willing to wait
for their official release. It will be worth it.
Videos.
I've only got Look Look, cos it's the only official available one. I'm
hoping for a nicely packaged Fossil Fuels- The Video Collection, but,
again, I can wait. Who can be arsed with xth generation copies, with fuzzy
pictures and sound. Give me the QUALITY article, I say. And all on one
video cos I'm a lazy bastard.
I'm a great fan of the band, but I don't want to be a sad anorak.
I also don't want to dis those people contributing their own versions of
XTC songs to Richard. Good on ya I say. I'd probably do my own cover
if I was a musician myself, but I wouldn't want to listen to a full album
of others, as I said before.
I don't expect everyone to agree, and before I get people jumping on
their high horse, just read the sentence at the top of this mailing -
the one between the World Wide Web address and the XTC quote.
If you like XTC...you'll like...Christ! Almost anything.
Allan
"He's a lot like you, and an awful lot like me."
------------------------------ Message-ID: <33895AAE.DEF@airmail.net> Date: Wed, 13 Nov 1996 08:50:46 -2451 From: Jim Henderson <wcr1@airmail.net> Organization: Western Commercial Reprographics Inc. Subject: XTC Envelope From B. Milner: >The point is this, Andy and Co. use dissonace for color. Too true. I would like to see what the boys could do by pressing the tonal envelope. Stravinsky certainly extended the limits of what we were willing to listen to in "classical" music, thus paving the way for twelve tone works and the brazen atonality of later composers. I'm SURE that Andy and Colin have had some completely atonal jam sessions, but it's difficult to sell atonality to buyers of pop music, much less the companies that promote the albums. Now, I'm no opponent of well-crafted tunes grounded in "norms" of tonality, I just would love to hear an XTC venture into the void. I feel they could write something that is atonal, yet structured and accessible. Too bad we can't dictate the direction for the band, even for just one song! Jim H. P.S. As always, many collective thanks directed to Mr. Relph...
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 Nov 1996 07:34:35 -0800 Message-Id: <199611131534.HAA24939@dfw-ix4.ix.netcom.com> From: tpeters6@ix.netcom.com (Troy Clark Peters) Subject: Harmony and Intervals on a Farmboy's Wages post now. I promise you'll thank me if you do. In Chalkhills 3-27, Brandon Milner wrote: >The point is that One/Four/Five progressions are not inherently better >or more resolved. We are just schooled to hear them that way. While this is probably true, the fact remains that "Farmboy's Wages" ends on I. E6 is just the song's tonic triad with an added sixth suspended. As Eric Day has already pointed out, check out Cole Porter for abundant use of this cadence. BTW, Brandon, I know you weren't really talking about just "Farmboy" any more, I just wanted to run with this example. >Stravinsky wrote the "Rite of Spring" and though it sounds cleverly >dissonant to us today (and properly resolved at times), it incited a >riot at its debut performance. A riot! I'm not talking critics >scratching their goatees and finding it "improper use of tonality"... >I'm talking people beating on each others heads! It offended their >ears that much. Nowadays, that piece is comparatively tame. XTC >regularly does even weirder things harmonically. Okay, I'll bite. Where in XTC is there anything "weirder" than the Rite? Understand, I don't really think the Rite is weird, but if we take "weird" to denote harmonically non-traditional, I'd love to see an example of XTC being weirder. I just conducted the Rite in Philadelphia last year and I know XTC pretty well; I can't think of any examples. Hyperbole? I thought Brandon's post was great, and I am not really trying to argue with him. In the same digest, Jim Henderson wrote: >A sixth chord, in terms of music theory, is neither equivalent to the >relevant minor [...] Bingo. Exactly. E6 functions quite differently from C#min7 (actually if there's an E in the bass, it's C#min65, but popular music tends to avoid discussions of inversion). E6 is tonic harmony. C#min7 is VI, most commonly used to move to V (B or B7) or to II (F#min). It could do lots of other things too, of course. >[snip] A major sixth; i.e., C to A or E to C#, is a major interval. By >definition, a major interval is inherently consonant (as opposed to >"dissonant"). Umm, close. Traditionally, a sixth or third (whether major OR minor) is considered consonant. A second or seventh (whether major OR minor) is considered dissonant. A major seventh (C to B or F to E) is certainly a major interval - it is not, however, consonant because of it. >This chord [E6] is often times thought to be dissonant by the >listener because of its tertian nature. That is, chords built by >extended thirds (6th chords, 9th chords, 13th chords) can sometimes be >considered dissonant if the tones in them are dissonant. 9ths and 13ths (and 7ths and 11ths) are indeed built by extended thirds and almost always function as dissonances. *The 6th chord, though, is not built by extended thirds.* The whole point is to take a triad and add a sixth on top. In E6, the added note (C#) does not form a third with any of the tones of the triad. The closest you get is a sixth (the inversion of a third) between the bass (E) and the added note (C#). This is exactly why JHB can hear this chord so differently from some of the rest of us. If it were an E13 (tough, but not impossible, to use in guitar based music, BTW), most (but probably not all) of us would hear it as unresolved. E6, though, because it is *not* built by extended thirds, is more ambiguous. A tonic triad with some extra spice. >For example, a 13th chord has a perfect second in it at the ascending >octave, thus making it sound slightly "off" to the Western ear. Okay, now I am officially nitpicking, but there are no "perfect" seconds. Seconds are either major or minor (or aug or dim). Only unisons, fourths, fifths and octaves can be perfect (and their octave extensions - 11ths, 12ths, 15ths, ect.). The interval you refer to in, for instance, a C13, is a major 2nd (or a major 9th, but that's a different discussion). I am not trying to pick on Jim. I spend most of my time conducting symphony orchestras and I spent nine years in conservatory and grad school studying theory, so unfortunately, I get a little wacky when theory comes up. Lots of traumatic youthful experiences. Of course, none of this matters all that much. That last chord in "Love on a Farmboy's Wages" is incredibly tasty to my ears. I, too, will add my voice to the chorus of hurrahs for John Relph and the whole Chalkhills gang. Thanks for bringing so much interesting discussion to my little mailbox. In the background right now: "Ladybird" Troy Peters tpeters6@ix.netcom.com I appear to have JHBed on a JHB inspired thread. This boy's influence is really getting out of hand ;-}
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 Nov 96 10:40:19 EST From: "John Christensen" <christej@vrinet.com> Message-Id: <9610138479.AA847910727@PO2.VRINET.COM> Subject: Virgin Elvis? When Elvis Costello was running around to record labels in '77, trying to get a contract, he was offered a deal by Virgin. Elvis said of the encounter: "Even with my limited knowledge of record deals, I could see what a miserable deal the Virgin contract was. Really pathetic." Elvis seems to be getting a lot of play on Chalkhills lately ... Great! He's brilliant! I just wish XTC had spoken to Elvis before they signed their pathetic Virgin contract. Maybe the 4-year strike could have been avoided! And I'm still waiting for the Elvis/Andy collaboration that Elvis himself agreed to! I have witnesses! Jasper Ann Arbor, Michigan
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 Nov 1996 09:49:28 -0600 (CST) From: AMANDA OWENS <ACOEA@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Subject: I think I'll take the postaholic award. Message-id: <01IBSJVP2P3090DC1H@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Anyone care to challenge? Alright, no more Dummies, Just drop them altogether. On Dear God: I also think it doesn't belong on Skylarking. Mermaid Smiled was more in keeping with the concept of the album. On TMFTM-I also think it sounds like Colin singing the chorus. His voice is... shall we say...a little more naturally nasally than Andy's. PS-For anyone who's interested, there's another book of misheard lyrics out called He's Got the Whole World In His Pants, from the author of 'Scuse Me While I Kiss This Guy, in which the Dear God chunky stew reference can be found.There's no XTC content in this one (even though I sent in my two XTC songs, King For a Day and Don't Lose Your Temper.), but it is still hilarious. Here's a sample.... Flea Spray! Freeze Frame Midnight after you're wasted Midnight At the Oasis Loving an Alligator Love In an Elevator and my personal favorite.... King Tut says Can't Touch This. I suggest anyone who has an XTC misheard, we all send them in so that he can't possibly not print them, seeing as that there's so many of them. (I'll put up the address next time out. I forgot the book at home.) Later gators, Amanda
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 14 Nov 1996 01:11:17 +0900 Message-Id: <199611131611.BAA34378@skyhawk.asahi-net.or.jp> From: Tetsuya Shimizu <uk9t-smz@asahi-net.or.jp> Subject: Re:Flimsy Fossils >I want to know if there are any other Chalkies out there who have also >experienced this problem because if the goods aren't of merchantable >quality, we should be entitled to a replacement. Yes, I also experienced one of lugs was broken. Fortunately I found it before I came home and could exchange for new. I feel its material differs from usual one. Maybe it was changed for emboss process of flap. The flimsiness is unavoidable to a certain extent, IMHO. It's better to go back to shop.
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01540b00aeaf98448034@[144.58.3.44]> Date: Wed, 13 Nov 1996 08:31:19 -0700 From: kevinc@boardwalk.net (Kevin Collins) Subject: stuff This from Martin_Monkman@fincc04.fin.gov.bc.ca slipping in an xtc mention amidst some Rutles comments: > Obligatory XTC mention -- ARCHAEOLOGY is a Virgin release > (2438-42200-2) -- the same label that recorded that other great > homage band, The Dukes Of The Stratosphear Yes, and also the same label who ran our heroes ragged in pocket and spirit, thus keeping us from new music that we crave. A pox on them. Let's hope for a speedy and lucrative recording deal for the Minstrels of Swindon.
------------------------------ From: gbbglgim@ibmmail.com Date: Wed, 13 Nov 1996 12:19:20 -0500 Message-Id: <199611131719.MAA18565@dub-mail-svc-1.compuserve.com> Subject: And Now For Something Completely Different Anyone else catch the three XTC vids played on European VH1 last Monday? Sorry I didn't stick a post in letting everyone know but I only spotted the programme by accident. For the record: they played Generals, Nigel and Disappointed. No info or interviews, just a brief intro and the three videos. The high point was the Generals tape being introduced as the only music video where a record company executive [Virgin supremo Richard Branson] drops his strides! See ya Gary "Show me a man that doesn't change his mind and I'll show you a man that doesn't think" - Matthew Harding
------------------------------
Message-ID: <3289BABA.2DFF@ou.edu>
Date: Wed, 13 Nov 1996 12:10:34 +0000
From: Heather Tinkler <bluecanary@ou.edu>
Organization: The University of Oklahoma
Subject: It's Not His Frame
hello peoples,
I have been lurking for a while now, but this is the first issue
I've read entirely. You see, I'm also very much a TMBG fan (on the
list) and a college student = no time.. but ever since I picked up
Skylarking while on the hunt for the S-E-X-X-Y single and an Abba cd
for my roomates birthday.. I've been pretty much hooked. I had
previously heard "Dear God" and "Grass" both of which I adore. I
would really like other XTC albums.. mainly to understand more of what
everyone is talking about. but at this point I have a whopping total
of $8 untill thanksgiving..so is the woe of an art major.
Anyways.. I also was very happy to see an EC thread since I own a
whopping 2 of his albums (My Aim is True and The Best..) and I really
like it. I envy all of you , though.. I seriously doubt he will ever
come within MILES of Oklahoma.. much like all good artists..
I noticed that someone didn't understand why all the gals liked
Linnel?? I must admit, while other girls in my class were lusting
after Brad Pitt.. I dreamed of Linnel. It's not his frame.. I like his
hair and expressions (if they must be physical reasons) but I really
like his mannerisms (no McCartney jokes here, please) and what little
of his personality I can gather from just being a fan.. he seems
rather reclusive. Maybe just because he's the more mysterious one.. I
seem to "go" for the strange guys, though.. someone once told me that
only an "intelligent girl" would go out with the guy I have called my
boyfriend (as well as many other things..) for over a year now.
Anyways.. thats all I can think of.. but I'm SURE there's something
else! (wink wink)
twitterpated as always..
the lurker,
Heather O;)
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 Nov 1996 09:50:31 -0400 (EDT) From: "John E. Daley" <John_E.._Daley.ZIFF-DAVIS@mail2.zd.com> Subject: The Toss of Death Message-id: <9611132121.AA6995@mail2.zd.com> DaveFranson sez: >The problem >occurs when a) you misjudge the distance to the floor and thus hang >yourself, or b) you earned one too many merit badges for knot tying and the >noose you've constructed fails to release when planned. All in all, it's a >shockingly stupid way to get your jollies. Not to mention that you look REALLY REALLY stupid when they find you... I believe an MP in the UK passed on a while ago due to this, n'est-pas? JonnyX http://www.geocities.com/Area51/5797/
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 Nov 1996 14:48:01 -0500 (EST) From: Christie <cbyun@cep.yale.edu> Subject: Most Goofy and/or Embarrasing Video Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.91.961113144257.28135D-100000@www.cep.yale.edu> Hi everyone, Thanks to Amanda for compiling the Should Have Been list. And since you mentioned it, my vote for Most Embarrassing Video is cast for Life Begins at the Hop. Yeargh, I swear... talk about low budget. Christie
------------------------------ From: Ira.Lieman@ogilvy.com Date: Wed, 13 Nov 1996 10:54:42 -0500 Subject: Crash Test Dummies Message-Id: <"MSMAIL PC */PRMD=OGILVY/ADMD=IBMX400/C=US/"@MHS> AMANDA OWENS wrote: >I subscribe to a Dummy mailing list too (as well as I was the grand prize >winnerof a custom-made CTD tour jacket a few months back), and I notice Hey, congratulations. I could think of many bad jokes here but I won't. >that there are several duel CTD/XTC fans like myself. Why is it that we can >respect XTC but it'is sacrilege for an XTC fan to like CTD (I'm speaking >this as most of us were into CTD before XTC.) I just don't get it. I agree This is where I draw the line though. How do you come up with such a blatantly wrong statement? Everyone who was into CTD first, please raise your hands. The first I heard of XTC was probably around 1986, and the first I heard of CTD was the "Mmm" song in what? 1993? And I still turn the station. I'm not saying people shouldn't like the band CTD, but get real. Most people on this list have been XTC fans for at least the amount of time CTD has been around (save anyone here who was still in diapers in 1990) and even if they weren't, XTC has had slightly more of an effect of us than CTD anyway. -ira (from work) "Are you receiving me?"
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 Nov 1996 12:47:09 -0700 (MST) From: Miles or Gigi Coleman <coleman@cougarnet.byu.edu> Subject: What will be... Message-id: <0E0TQYJDI00EFP@ACS2.BYU.EDU> >>Kay Sara, Sara. > >I had a bit of trouble extracting "Que Cera, Cera" from that. :-/ And to be even more correct: "Que Sera, Sera." Miles and Gigi Coleman Provo, Utah http://www.byu.edu/~coleman Family Home Page http://www.byu.edu/~coleman/guatenor Guatemala City North Mission Alumni Page http://www.mission.net Index for Alumni of LDS Missions
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199611132039.MAA00387@mailsun2.us.oracle.com> Date: 13 Nov 96 11:53:25 -0800 From: "Ekrem Soylemez" <ESOYLEME@us.oracle.com> Subject: dummies and rhymes Hello fellow Chalkies, Just a brief delurk, I promise. In Chalkhills #3-27 Amanda Owens said: > Why is it that we can respect XTC but it'is sacrilege for an XTC > fan to like CTD (I'm speaking this as most of us were into CTD > before XTC.) Well, there is at least one XTC fan that subsequently got into the dummies. Any band that alludes to T.S. Eliot's "Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" (one of my favorite poems) can't be all bad. :-) But seriously, I think this whole trend of people bashing other people's other favorite bands or songs is rather silly, as is the urge to defend these songs. As it increasingly fills up recent Chalkhills it becomes progressively more annoying. PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT TASTES! So there. ---------- Also in the aforementioned Chalkhills Karl wrote: >>(From Jason) Pepper your posts with perfunctory profanity. >Perfunctory? "Routine, superficial, lacking in enthusiasm?" Damn straight. Nice fucking alliteration, too. ---------- And now for one of my own minor pet peeves. I think Andy occasionally really forces his rhymes. It seems like he goes way out of his way just to make things rhyme. Some examples from Skylarking (currently in the CD player...) From Supergirl, "Inside your Fortress of Solitude Don't mean to be rude ... To sweep me like dirt underneath your cape Well I might be an ape" The second line in each couplet adds no meaning to the song. It seems like these lines are there just to rhyme with solitude or cape. (As a side note, isn't mentioning the Fortress of Solitude great?) I guess that's a bit of an exaggeration, the lines add a little to the song, but only a very little. Or the way he pronounces "umbilical" in season cycle. (Is this the standard pronunciation in England?) I guess it's OK to pronounce it any way he likes, but it ends up seeming forced. Actually, both of these cases don't bother me so much, because it seems like he wanted to get an interesting concept in, at the expense of have a useless or forced line. However, the most egregious example of rhymes seeming forced is "Heaven is Paved with Broken Glass." This song starts out beautifully, and what a fabulous concept. "Heaven is paved with broken glass Since your hammer struck my heart This world, a hell of trees and grass" The first two lines are awesome! But after that the next line seems really forced. I like the sentiment, but the "trees and glass" part seems to be solely there to rhyme. "All is wrong like north gone south There's a bad taste in my mouth" Arrrgggh! This last line kills me. It totally trivializes the feelings behind the song. Even though I really like the rest of the song a lot, this line almost ruins the whole thing. I try not to think about this line while listening to the song. :-) On the bright side, I think Andy's rhyming has improved much since Skylarking. :-) The only song on Nonsuch where whis seems bothersome is in Books are Burning, and even there it's not too bad. Anyway, I was just curious if anyone else felt the same way about that. -Ekrem
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Message-Id: <v01540b00aeaff33a9e9d@[146.6.72.37]>
Date: Wed, 13 Nov 1996 16:43:08 -0600
From: h.h.name@mail.utexas.edu (Spiritual Generation, etc.)
Subject: Long and Sour
Hi AMANDA (I mean, *Chalkhillites*),
>Yeah, maybe when I'm 28 or so I'll look back and say "God I wish I would've
>stayed for Elvis."
>
>But probably not.
>
>Cheerio,
>Me.
Well, I'm 21 and I loved it, so...what are you implying?
>>(From Jason) Pepper your posts with perfunctory profanity.
>
>Perfunctory? "Routine, superficial, lacking in enthusiasm?"
>Hey, "If something is worth doing, it's worth doing fuckin' right".
>(From the bestseller, "All I Ever Needed to Know I Learned In Utero.:-))
That's the last time I trust my Word Thesaurus.
>I'm talking
>Locrian modes played over Tritone substitutions via a stacked fourth
>Arrpeggios
Oh Lord. "You're taking the fun out of everything" - Blur
> Doesn't mean it's
>wrong in an absolute sense.
That's what I was saying.
RE: >"Heather," (the PM composition)
Basically it's Paul fucking around bluesily on an acoustic guitar [similar
to the short bit right before "Revolution 9"] with Donovan (?!!?) in the
background adding moans [Paul would later return the favor on Donnie's
"Mellow Yellow"]. The lyrics? "Heather, heather, heather...heather,
heather, heather...[incoherent mumbling] what've you got? you've got
heather, heather, heather." A masterpiece.
>"Child Of
>Nature" (John Lennon)
This one is "Jealous Guy" with crap lyrics ("On the road to Rishikesh/I was
dreaming more or less/and the dream I had was true/yes the dream I had was
true/I'm just a child of nature/I don't need much to set me free/I'm just a
child of nature/I'm one of nature's children"). Thank God he changed it.
>Maybe it's his figure. JF's a bit... well, puffy, for want of a
>better word. Also, JL's got a charismatic face and no glasses.
JF's got the cooler voice, though.
And now, the XTC content...
"Thanks For Christmas": oh, it's great. From the horn at the beginning and
the gentle sleighbell beat through Dave's twelve-string work to all three
of the guys singing along in the chorus (I can at least hear Colin's voice
distinctly), it's the perfect feel-good Christmas song. And what's wrong
with feeling good at Christmas? * The problem occurs when bands and their
fans take themselves too
seriously. Andy's certainly not taking himself seriously...
"Countdown To Christmas Party Time": Not as good as "TFC", but hey, it's
a B-side. (see * above)
>Golly -- what's wrong with "Season Cycle"??
YEAH!! You don' like "Season Cycle"? YOU WANNA TAKE DIS OUTSIDE?!?! :)
And I wasn't going to say anything, but:
>For males, autoerotic asphyxiation typically occurs when, in the search for
>the ultimate sexual climax, they attempt to simultaneously reach orgasm and
>restrict the flow of oxygen to the brain.
And you thought "Bungalow" was a dumb idea.
"onnn the road to Rishikehhhhhhsh..."
dammit, I'm going to have to go home and listen to "Jealous Guy" now.
Jason ("How can I sing like a girl and not be objectified as if I were a
girl?") the eternal query
------------------------------ Message-Id: <2.2.16.19961114001117.087fd77e@cic-mail.lanl.gov> Date: Wed, 13 Nov 1996 17:11:17 -0700 From: DeWitt Henderson <dewitth@lanl.gov> Subject: Slam and Strike Just wanted to clarify a couple of things - in my analogy about leaving the CTD concert and not seeing Elvis Costello, I didn't mean it to sound like I was slamming CTD. Nothing against them... And my slam against Kate Bush? Um, OK, I like the duet w/Peter Gabriel, but other than that... Obligatory XTC ref: let's go on a hunger strike, and um, we won't stop until there's a new double CD from our heroes. OK? Volunteers to go first? * ---------------------------------- | DeWitt Henderson | | Los Alamos National Laboratory | | CIC-13 MS P223 | | Los Alamos, NM 87544 | | 505/665-0720 | * ----------------------------------
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #3-28 ******************************
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