Chalkhills Digest Volume 3, Issue 4
Date: Friday, 27 September 1996
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 3, Number 4
Friday, 27 September 1996
Today's Topics:
the issue of demos
Re:Paul Myers......
rem playing on the same bill as xtc
In Praise of Brian Stevens
RE: Oranges & Lemons & Orwell
take the matter up with good Lord Jim
Demo Gloat
Alternate Tunings
Oranges And Lemons
news and weaknesses
Re: Non-XTC Crash Test Dummies
The closing to "Oh Dear, what can the matter be?"
XTC/FOOTBALL
FF Chart Positions in London
Re: Nursery Rhymes
That Ruben Blades is some dancer.
Fossil limited ranting
A Striking Beauty!
Jesus!; and Joshing
"None...none more black."
Sister Europe
Beautiful York
Reel life
The Sugarplastic
various British things unknown in the states
Small XTC Mention
Demos Again
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jrsnipp@interserv.com Date: Wed, 25 Sep 1996 08:02:45 -0700 Message-Id: <199609251502.IAA00553@m1.interserv.com> Subject: the issue of demos (This is a bit lengthy. Those not interested in this can "find/search" the word "costing" to take you to the end.) A few things about demos that are on my mind. Let me say first off, that aside from those released as various b-sides, I do not own any of the various demos collections. Further, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious about some of the demo tracks that generate a lot of dialog on this forum. Still, I am not going to spend a great deal of time collecting them for the following reasons: 1--the cost. Here in Omaha, NE I have seen CDs called "Demos 1", "Demos 2," etc. and they have gone for over thirty bucks a pop. And this for something that gives XTC nothing and with "marginal production values." (A phrase others here have said in the past.) 2--keeping new work new. When the new album comes out, I want to be surprised. I don't want my first thought to be "oh, they changed that chorus" or some such thing. I want my first experience with the stuff to be as they wanted it appreciated, properly polished and reworked. 3--respecting works in progress. This whole demos discussion reminds me of hoopla over the New Yorker's publication of a "lost" chapter to Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Basically that discussion there applies here. There is a lot of crap out there by all sorts of artists that never sees the light of day precisely because it is crap. Truth is, much of what a great musician or writer spits out never sees the light of day. The question is, then, do artists have control over how their work is appreciated or not? I for one respect an artist's ability to decide what is up to their standards and what is not. Now I know that many Chalkhillers say that certain songs are better than those released on album, but in the end, they were not selected by XTC to be recorded and released, even as demo b-sides. This must mean something about their attitude towards those songs. Having said that, it is difficult to read the contribution by Mitch Friedman. This is not a flame, but it is difficult to read what you say and not think it a bit hypocritical to denounce swapping the demos you own, or as Iggy Pop sang, "Bang bang, I got mine." I am sure that you did not mean this, but this is one way of interpreting your comments. As far as a potential demo/non-demo schism, I would define it slightly differently. I think there are XTC fans who feel excluded from some of the discussion in Chalkhills because they don't have the time, access or money required to buy the various XTC collectors items. I think there is a tacit (if unintended) slap in these Chalksters' faces because they don't have the Japanese first-press remixed import that contains an additional cymbal tap every fourth bar and an abrupt end rather than the fade present on the British release. Most of us can relate to some pretentious fans of _____ we have met who look down on you because you don't have their first independent release and though there were only fifty made, they have one, and its a good thing too cause its better than anything else they ever released. (In my youth it was the U2, Smiths and Bowie fans who were the worst at this.) Now, I am not saying anyone here is like that (in fact, people seem quite happy to dub around), but in the sterile web-zone, where noone can hear you smirk, you may be misinterpreted. In the end, I am not asking anyone to change their Chalkhills content or attitude. It's been said here before, if you are not interested in an entry, skip it. If you don't like it, respond. For the record, every contact I have had with a fellow Chalkhills subscriber has been wonderful. (we will see what happens now.....) Peace be with all of you, Joe Snipp PS Regarding my own offer of dubbing Hiroyasu Yaguchi's "Gastronomic" "for swap." I would be happy to dub a copy for anyone who wants one-- swap or not-- as long as you send me a blank tape or something just so it's not costing me to do it.
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 Sep 1996 11:09:17 -0600 (CST) From: AMANDA OWENS <ACOEA@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Subject: Re:Paul Myers...... Message-id: <01I9W6JVIGGY8ZW1XG@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Okay, I am now going to have to say that you are LUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!! I'd give my right and left arms to meet a member of CTD. Anyways, that's all for now. XTC quote of the day....... "How many people can you mind-fuck at once?"-Mr. Partridge.
------------------------------ From: FOPP1@aol.com Date: Wed, 25 Sep 1996 13:14:22 -0400 Message-ID: <960925131421_529315682@emout01.mail.aol.com> Subject: rem playing on the same bill as xtc greetings it is my first time on the post and wanted to comment on the rem/xtc concert topic that was touched on a few issues back. according to 'remnants - the rem collectors handbook and price guide' by gary nabors both bands played the B&L Warehouse in Athens, Ga. on April 24, 1981. ( i have a tape of the xtc portion of the bill) i would assume that rem opened for xtc (rem did not even have a record out at that point...it would be another 2 months until the 7" 'radio free europe' on hibtone would be released!) and it apprears that the rem/xtc bill was a one time shot (this book lists all known rem shows and support/headliners acts appearing with them) that's it! martin fopp fopp1@aol.com
------------------------------ From: Combray2@aol.com Date: Wed, 25 Sep 1996 13:52:50 -0400 Message-ID: <960925135250_529340646@emout20.mail.aol.com> Subject: In Praise of Brian Stevens A thumbnail review: I must say that Brian Stevens' new album, "Prettier Than You", is every bit as good as other Chalkhillians have said. It took a little time for me to warm to it because while the pop songs on it are thoroughly memorable and intelligent, they are more interesting rhythmically than melodically. (I tend to hear melody first, rhythm second.) Here guitars, keyboards, percussion, and bass (Dave Gregory) are constantly creating interesting counterrhythms. So Dave's bass playing is of a different nature than it is, say, on Martin Newell's Off-White Album, where he launches many of the songs through his wonderfully melodic basslines, for example on "Call Me Michael Moonlight". As for the tunes, they are quite good. Stevens' voice is not one of bell-ringing clarity, but it meshes with the instrumentation quite well. In fact, the sound in general is a little reminiscent of George Harrison's, which in turn is interesting because many of the songs treat one of Mr. Harrison's early concerns: the unsubstantiality of fame, and our lives in general. Bye for now, John B.
------------------------------
Message-Id: <199609251941.MAA06516@sgi.sgi.com>
Date: Wed, 25 Sep 1996 12:42:01 -0700
From: hbmus047@email.csun.edu (Ian Dahlberg)
Subject: RE: Oranges & Lemons & Orwell
Sara Lloyd quotes:
>"Oranges and lemons, say the bells of St. Clement's
>You owe me three farthings, say the bells of St. Martin's
>When will you pay me? say the bells of Old Bailey
>When I grow rich, say the bells of Shoreditch.
>Here comes a candle to light you to bed,
>Here comes a chopper to chop off your head!"
There's a slightly less violent version printed in a 1988 Little Express:
Oranges and lemons,
Say the bells of St. Clement's
Halfpence and farthings,
Say the bells of St. Martin's.
When will you pay me?
Say the bells of Old Bailey.
When I grow rich,
Say the bells of Shoreditch.
When will that be?
Say the bells of Stepney.
I'm sure I don't know,
Says the great Bell of Bow
Andy makes no mention of getting from Orwell's "1984" in that
particular issue but who knows?
Ian
------------------------------ Message-Id: <2.2.32.19960926000403.00677608@mail.sonyinteractive.com> Date: Wed, 25 Sep 1996 17:04:03 -0700 From: Bob Estus <bestus@sonyinteractive.com> Subject: take the matter up with good Lord Jim Sara Lloyd <sol3804@tam2000.tamu.edu> conspiraled: >Given the Big Brother-esque paranoia of songs such as "Real by Reel" and >"Mole From the Ministry," what do you think of the possibilty that the >title for "Oranges and Lemons" came from _1984_? Maybe... but as you may know the title "Oranges and Lemons" was (also?) lifted from Andy's divine fruit painting "Ballet for a Rainy Day". Which seems to have no hidden message, nothing political at least. On the other hand "Oranges and Lemons" the album seems to be dripping wet with political cynicism through out. "President Kill" has your predetermined Orwellian-style politics and the ringing bells from your found poem. And the lyric,"I won't rock no boats" fits the 1984 theme perfectly. Speaking of boats, I've always thought the books of Joseph Conrad were *bound* to have been read by our swindonians. I have no proof of this but I cannot hear "Man Who Sailed Around His Soul" without thinking of Conrad's shorts "Heart of Darkness" or "The Secret Sharer". The latter especially because of the narrators disturbing self analysis set to the scene of turn-of-the-century sea imagery. I must have read these for an English class at one time but on hearing MWSAHS I ran out and bought a collection of Conrad's tales and was not disappointed, plenty of psychological themes and watery settings. rocking in a similar motion, -Bob
------------------------------ From: jms@netins.net Date: Wed, 25 Sep 1996 22:42:18 -0500 (CDT) Message-Id: <199609260342.WAA26261@worf.netins.net> Subject: Demo Gloat i really love the new demos!! i feel sorry for anyone who doesnt have them yet! (are you listening Mr. Cuevas?????) Muhahahahahahah!!! The preceeding thoughts and statements are the sole opinion of the man who wrote them and do not reflect Chalkhills digest or anybody who already have the demos.
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 00:52:19 -0500 (CDT) Message-Id: <199609260552.AAA00841@insosf1.netins.net> From: JH3 <jh3@netins.net> Subject: Alternate Tunings Non-musician-types will probably want to skip this one, I'm afraid. Also, since guitarists can be pretty fussy about this sort of thing, I know there'll be lots of disagreements about this stuff, but I don't care, I'll just ignore it all as usual... Anyway, I've learned (or tried to learn) numerous XTC songs, and while I wouldn't say they use alternate tunings all *that* often, there are definitely a few cases. They didn't do it much before Mummer; I assume they didn't want to have to re-tune while they were playing live. A good Mummer example is the softer of the two acoustic parts on "Love on a Farmboy's Wages" -- I've tried it tuned to an open E and an open E-minor, and while parts of it are much easier with just the E, it's very tricky to play the C chord unless you have at least the G string tuned normally. More obvious: "Find the Fox," on which the guitar is tuned down a full step, so that you end up playing variations on a low D as if it were E. And more recently, there's "Then She Appeared," which becomes a lot easier to play (though maybe harder to figure out) when you de-tune just the high E string, down a full step to D. If you include the use of capo's, there's "King for a Day" and "The Meeting Place" (capo on first fret, unless you just want to tune it a half-step up). And on "Yacht Dance" I'm reasonably certain that one guitar, probably Andy's, is capo'd on the second fret so it starts out with D played as if it were C. If you don't play it that way, the "won't they be jealous of both of us" part (B played as A, then F#/F#7 as E/E7) becomes substantially more difficult -- even if you're using your thumb. The other guitar, the one playing the intricate lead part in the middle, isn't capo'd at all. (This will probably cause an argument or two...) Finally, howzabout this: I found that "Meccanik Dancing" goes a lot easier with the B string removed entirely. My (admittedly questionable) theory is that Andy wrote the song one day after the string broke and he couldn't find a spare. (Try XXX3-^5 XXX3-5 XXX0-3 xxx0-0.) --John H. Hedges III, Inc. PS: No, James, you're not imagining it -- the saxophone part on the original version of the P. Furs' "Sister Europe" is almost exactly what the lead guitar is playing in the middle bit of "Ball and Chain," but in a different key: in "Ball & Chain" it's D-C-D-D#-D-C-G#-C (repeat)... and in "Sister Europe" it's G-F-G-G#-G-F-C#-F (those are notes, not chords). If the sax were replaced with a guitar, the similarity would be more noticeable, so maybe Icehouse is using a guitar there?
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 13:44:48 +0100 Message-Id: <199609261244.AA16992@felix.dircon.co.uk> From: nonsuch@dircon.co.uk (Simon Sleightholm) Subject: Oranges And Lemons According to an interview Andy did with Radio 1 at the time of Oranges and Lemons, the title of the album did come from the nursery rhyme. Andy was musing how certain pop songs take on a life of their own, away from the recording, and perhaps with different lyrics, become a part of "folklore". He pointed to "Yellow Submarine" as a prime example - the way it might be used in a modern kids TV show as part of "a fun thing about the colour yellow" - for the wee kids who sit singing along, it isn't a Beatles song, it's nursery rhyme. Andy was thinking how nice it would be if one or two XTC songs fell into that category, the lyrics might mutate or be dropped altogther, but somehow something of their work would have become folklore; kids playing a dancing game to "Senses Working Overtime", or skipping a rope to "Holly Up On Poppy". I suppose, to an extent, "Making Plans For Nigel" - if we consider how many lame newspaper headlines have grown from that root - is the closest they have got yet. A nursery rhyme/storytelling side to Andy's work at least, has always been pretty apparent -"Let's begin!" from "Peter Pumpkihead" draws, for me, an immediate comparison to an old UK radio storytelling show for kids which kicked off with "Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin." Then there's "Gather round" from "Punch And Judy", the world-weary traveller of "Jason And The Argonauts". I'm not sure if he'll ever realise his ambition on a very grand scale now, but I know there are people out there singing these songs to their kids - what a child who has been brought up on "Candymine", "Easter Theatre" and "Cherry In Your Tree" is going to make of the world intrigues me immensely - so maybe in a small way Andy will get his wish. Perhaps if he'd agreed to the Disney terms for "James And The Giant Peach", some of those songs might have had a fighting chance. As for other "Nursery Rhyme" references, "Soliders, workers, slaves and farmers, etc." from "Antheap" might draw from "Tinker, tailor, soldier sailor," and, of course, there's those little between-track "Alice"-style snippets on "Psonic Psunspot". Watch out when buying CD's mail-order; a guy called Horace Andy has just released an album called "Skylarking". It's a roots reggae "best of". Many of the tracks, one called "Skylarking", are culled from early '70s sessions - considering the reggae/ska tinge of the early XTC albums I wonder if XTC ever heard these tracks, and whether the naming of their own album had any roots here. My train is coming, Simon * --------------------------------------------------- http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~nonsuch/bungalow.htm * --------------------------------------------------- An English Settlement...
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 26 Sep 96 9:44:00 EDT
From: Jeff Rosedale <rosedale@columbia.edu>
Subject: news and weaknesses
Message-ID: <CMM.0.90.4.843745440.rosedale@ciao.cc.columbia.edu>
The current issue of the Village Voice recommends the current lineup of
They Might Be Giants songs- one of their favorites is entitled "XTC vs.
Adam Ant"... I hope XTC wins out!
Unrelatedly, the Heads are scheduled to play NYC- Tramps, I believe,
onbn November 15. This really makes me mad because Robyn Hitchcock and
Billy Bragg are playing the Beacon on the same night. Now ordinarily I
wouldn't compare the two shows, but on the one chance that some wild
Swindonian sneaks on stage to belt out Paper Snow.... let's just say
it would be sublime. Any of you lurkenproletariat know of Andy's
scheduled whereabouts in mid-November?!
Really really unrelatedly, my resolve not to have the new demos before
an album comes out is weakening. All this talk, the titles and lyrics
flashing by every day, is driving me nuts. So (toggle on *indiscreet*
mode) email me privately if you can supply these. I may have some
relics that you haven't yet heard. I will listen to them 40 million
times and pledge to never seek commercial gain by their glory (reset to
*discreet*).
--Jeff
rosedale@columbia.edu
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 08:54:57 -0600 (CST) From: AMANDA OWENS <ACOEA@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Subject: Re: Non-XTC Crash Test Dummies Message-id: <01I9XG5ZKA7C8ZYY5Q@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Anyone notice that CTD's version of All You Pretty Girls was also engineered by Ed Thacker.... Quote of the day........ If Bill Clinton is the answer then it must have been a stupid question. Amanda
------------------------------ Message-Id: <s24a58be.060@CHEMETALS.COM> Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 10:17:29 -0400 From: Patrick McCoach <pmccoach@CHEMETALS.COM> Subject: The closing to "Oh Dear, what can the matter be?" To complete the lyrics so Simon Knight can sleep at night..... "Oh dear, what can the matter be?" "Oh dear, what can the matter be?" "Oh dear, what can the matter be?" "Johnny's too long at the fair" "He promised to buy me a box of blue ribbons" "He promised to buy me a box of blue ribbons" "He promised to buy me a box of blue ribbons" "To tie up my bonnie brown hair!"
------------------------------
From: parrish.wilkinson@firewall.ipctechinc.com
Date: Thu, 26 Sep 96 09:24:41 CST
Message-Id: <9608268437.AA843755081@ccmail.ipctechinc.com>
Subject: XTC/FOOTBALL
This is my first posting to chalkhills, although I've been an XTC
fanatic since 1980. Anyway, last Sat.afternoon while clicking around
the different college football games, during a fade out to commercial
(on ABC or NBC, not sure which) the fade out music was "My Bird
Performs". WOW! that got my adrenaline flowing more than any game
could!
I've been to several of the larger CD stores in Austin and haven't
seen FF yet.
Went to see The Refreshments last week, the opening band was
Semisonic, they are great, and you can really hear a strong influence
of XTC/Squeeze/Todd R.,etc... Get their new CD!!! It's so great to
find a really good new pop band! Havent found the SugarPlastic CD
either, but they are playing at the Electric Lounge on the 30th, so I
guess I'll see them first.
By the way, I saw XTC backing up the Police at a show in Austin in the
Fall of 80/spring of 81 (not sure of the exact date, but a dim, hazy,
smokey recollection tells me it was during my freshmen year of
college).
Glad to be a Chalkhillian,
Parrish
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 18:34:48 +0100 Message-Id: <199609261734.SAA28144@deepsea.sys.web-uk.net> From: almarsu@mail.bogo.co.uk (Ian Sutton) Subject: FF Chart Positions in London Dear Chalkies Someone recently enquired about chart placings of Fossil Fuel in various countries. This afternoon in Oxford Street, London the following placings were advertised. Virgin Megastore - Number 26 HMV - Number 33 (shown as dropping from Number 21 ???) Incidentally, all albums except Nonsuch appear to be available in one of the two stores. The Live at the BBC album is included as part of the 3 for 20 pounds promotion at Virgin. Virgin had a copy of the Yazbek CD (but hasn't any longer) and one of them had Through The Hill. I will be listening to the AP interview on GLR (London radio station) tonight. Ian (ex of Swindon, now in London)
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199609261734.KAA01414@access.tucson.org> From: "Jeff Smelser" <jsmelser@access.tucson.org> Organization: Access Tucson Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 10:42:38 -0700 Subject: Re: Nursery Rhymes > "Oh dear, what can the matter be?" > "Johnny's too long at the fair" > "He promised to buy me a box of blue ribbons" > (I've forgotten the last line - can anyone remember how it goes? > It's been bugging me for ages!) Check the B-side,(Goosebumps),of The Residents-Discomo 12" This is one of the many nursery rhymes on there. > Some people have claimed the album was named "Oranges and Lemons" due > to the differing styles of the songs on the album. The phrase to > describe that in England and Australia is actually "Apples and Oranges". I always thought it was a reference to the first words of Ballet for a Rainy Day. I've seen lots of intellegent bands pull this stunt. L8r Jeff Jeff Smelser Video Engineer Access Tucson jsmelser@access.tucson.org
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 12:49:36 -0500 (CDT) Message-Id: <199609261749.MAA28761@sky.net> From: Scott Taylor <staylor@sky.net> Subject: That Ruben Blades is some dancer. >>P.S. In the last verse of the Blades version, he says something in >>Spanish about XTC. Does anyone know what he's saying? > >I'm pretty sure he says: "De Ruben Blades y Son del Solar para ti, un >abrazo a la gente de XTC!" > >In other words: "A hug to the guys from XTC from Ruben Blades and the Son >del Solar!" (that's his band) Wow, this revelation brings me to my all-time favorite misheard lyric. Until now I was sure he was saying: "That Ruben Blades is some dancer [something having to do with arms en espanol] and I hate that XTC". Go have a listen, it's as close as you'll get if you're expecting to hear English. Re: Ben Gott's tale... >So here's the deal. This summer, I was at a Bacon Brothers >concert. In case you don't know who these fine gentlemen >are, one is Kevin Bacon, and the other is his brother, ... >I went back to Kevin and asked, "Your bassist is an XTC >fan. Have you ever heard them?" Unfortunately, both Kevin >and Michael's answer was: "No." "Ask him to play 'English >Settlement' for you," I said. Once again, XTC is bound up in the "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" phenomenon. "She's Having a Baby" and now this. Incredible. Also, regarding Colin's stuttering "c-c-c-cola" in "Life Begins at the Hop" -- I recall hearing a story about the Kinks' "Lola" which highlighted the exorbitant cost of re-recording the one phrase "Coca-Cola" to the less brand-specific "cherry cola". Seems that the BBC refused to play this single in its original form on the argument that it constituted a commercial endorsement or some such nonsense. The great cost was incurred because the Kinks were touring the US at the time of the debacle and Ray Davies had to fly back to Britain, set up in a studio, sing two words, then rejoin his mates on tour. Isn't Colin's "stuttering" possibly just a more clever way around this same obstacle? It still _sounds_ like "Coca-cola" (if you ignore one 'c'), yet skirts the requirements of non-specificity just as well as Ray's version. I've always assumed that Colin was aware of that same story and just worked that line in to torment the censors. Now, as an aside... I know there are a lot of Kinks fans here. Can somebody verify that story and tell me why they didn't just record Ray Davies' bit in the US and send the tape back home? +-----------------------------+ | Scott M. Taylor | | staylor@sky.net | | http://www.sky.net/~staylor | +-----------------------------+
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 10:52:36 -0700 (PDT) Message-Id: <199609261752.KAA04991@mail.calweb.com> From: Steven Reule <steven@obsessed-with-music.com> Subject: Fossil limited ranting Hi, fellow fanatics... Maybe I'm just confused (it's happened before) but I don't understand the negative reaction to the packaging and song selection on the current hits compilation. I think the limited packaging for the singles collection is really nice. The black is sleek and elegant and the raised cover is something I can't recall seeing used before anywhere else. The pictures of the singles' sleeves are cool, though I saw a couple in there I still need to get. As for the song selection, well, it's a singles collection and they are all excellent songs. The sound quality is great, the early songs sound better than on the original CDs. My only regret on that count is that the Dukes singles aren't on there, but I can live with that. Since it's been many years since Nonsvch and will likely be a while until the next album, I think this 2CD set is very welcome. I love having all those great songs together and, as I said before, I really like the package. Am I the only one that feels this way? Talking of The Dukes: even though they may have been killed in a bizarre kitchen accident, a group which was no doubt a major influence on them, The Rutles, have a CD of previously unreleased material coming out in late October. A legend that will last a lunchtime (at least I didn't mention the Beatles)... Steven Reule Obsessed With Music http://www.obsessed-with-music.com
------------------------------ Subject: A Striking Beauty! From: wwilson@mail07.mitre.org (Wesley H. Wilson) Message-Id: <960926145556.16833@mail07.mitre.org.0> Date: Thu, 26 Sep 96 14:55:57 -0400 The match image in FF could be a pun on the fact that that the release is a "matching" set (i.e., two CDs). That's the very first thing I thought of. Pink Floyd (or, EMI, in collaboration with Hipgnosis) punned with "A Nice Pair" back in the mid-1970s, a double-LP set. They also punned with Ummagumma, another two-LP set released in 1969. That's the one with the infinite regression album cover, and "Gigi," another pun on doubleness.
------------------------------
Message-Id: <199609262101.OAA11433@dfw-ix3.ix.netcom.com>
From: "Mark G. Cuevas" <litserv@ix.netcom.com>
Subject: Jesus!; and Joshing
Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 13:55:29 -0700
From: RMCKENZI@smith.smith.edu (Brookes McKenzie)
> . . . hey, settle down there, tough guy - that would be "jerky" as in
> the "Jerky Boys" - i.e., MC was kidding.
Thank you Brookes for figuring out the reference and for understanding that
it was meant as an ever-so-light barb. Jesus!
I suppose I could have written it thus:
{New Jersey Accent}: Au contraire, there uh joiky.
Even still, to have ruffled feathers over the word *jerky*? Please . . .
From: Joshua at particle@servtech.com
> Please accept my apologies for the outburst in Chalkhills, Vol. 2, No. 159.
> Well, I accept . . . Just don't let it happen again, y'hear?
Watch yourself there little mister. On the other hand, perhaps you're
Joshing. ;-)
------------------------------
Message-Id: <199609262122.RAA01975@ngw2.hns.com>
From: Fritz Stolzenbach/HNS <Fritz_Stolzenbach@notesgw.hns.com>
Date: 26 Sep 96 17:17:26 EDT
Subject: "None...none more black."
Hey, all!
Please don't misunderstand; I'm not trying to make fun here. It's just that
when I read the following:
"Coal is fuel.
Coal is black.
The whole package resembles a lump of coal.
Fossils are bones.
Bones are white.
The white lyrics look like fossils/bones stuck in coal.
Coal burns.
Matches light coal.
The match symbolizes the end of XTC's life with Virgin ("Burn up the old,
Ring in the new." -- Sacrificial Bonfire)."
...all I could think of was that scene in Spinal Tap when Ian (the road
manager) arrives at the soundstage with the first crate of "Smell The
Glove" albums, and the band stands around rationalizing the dreadful cover
treatment. After endless arguing about how "classic" the all-black cover
treatment was (or was not), the discussion finally comes to a close with
the following exchange:
David St. Hubbins: (after much whining) Well, I think it looks like death.
Ian: Exactly! David, every movie, every TV show, every book these days...
they're all about death. Death SELLS!
Just a thought. And in the meantime -- and I realize the topic of demos is
quickly becoming verboten -- I wish someone would answer my earlier
question about the demos I received from my brother in Japan. I've figured
out on my own that one CD contains demos from the Big Express period, and
the other features material from something called "Jules Verne's
Sketchbook" (which one chalkie post suggested Andy WANTS us to hear). But
could someone clue me in on what the story is with JVSB and -- what's the
other one? Oh, yes, "The Bull With the Golden Guts." Could Andy just not
get this stuff released? When was it recorded? Was Andy just pissed off
with Virgin and released this stuff to tweak their nose? Is it for fan
club members only? (And if so, how do I join this fan club?) What's the
deal?
Enquiring mind wants to know,
-- FS
------------------------------ Message-Id: <1.5.4.32.19960926213412.0066b948@mindspring.com> Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 17:34:12 -0400 From: JES <xtc@mindspring.com> Subject: Sister Europe James Dignan asked about the Psychedelic Furs song "Sister Europe" and it's resemblance to the bridge of "Ball & Chain." The song in question appears on the eponymous debut P-Furs album, of which some songs were produced by Steve Lillywhite (still the best producer XTC ever used). As is the rest of the album, the song is dark, brooding, and steeped in cynicicm. There is no way one can draw the comparison between the Furs of this period and XTC of ANY time. (Case in point.... it's great fun to listen to how many times Richard Butler utters the word "stupid" througout the opening track "India.") Anyway, not having heard the Icehouse version, I can not imagine how they have butchered it.
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199609262142.OAA20165@dfw-ix2.ix.netcom.com> From: "Mark G. Cuevas" <litserv@ix.netcom.com> Subject: Beautiful York Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 14:36:47 -0700 From: nonsuch@dircon.co.uk (Simon Sleightholm) > While on a recent adventure to the fair old English city of York to meet > up with a fellow Chalkie . . . I was just in York last May (on holiday). I lived there for a year as a child, and in fact my sis was born there -- in the home of course, per custom. What a beautiful spot, York. Nothing better than the English countryside (IMHO). In fact, I'm going again in June '97 (and this time I'll get over to Swindon). Where is Whitby "beach?" Is it on the banks of the Ouse? Judging from your (laugh out loud) description, it would seem that introducing Beach Volleyball, So. Calif. style would not be a goodish sort of idea.
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 23:16:52 +0100 (BST) Message-Id: <v01510102ae70a944df36@[194.128.83.69]> From: fisher@easynet.co.uk (Mark Fisher) Subject: Reel life Sara Lloyd's comments about George Orwell and XTC appear to miss the more likely explanation. Perhaps it's not the same in the USA, but certainly no British child could grow up without knowing the "Oranges and Lemons" nursery rhyme off by heart. (Many, by contrast, grow up without reading George Orwell, but that's another story.) All the same, it's not beyond the realms of possibility that there's an Orwellian influence on Reel by Real. *** There was a Fossil Fuel review in The Guardian newspaper last Friday. It's short enough to copy in full: "Swindon's XTC were Britpop 15 years too early. Main writer Andy Partridge had a positive genius for small, self-contained tunesmithery, evinced through the first ten songs through to Sgt Rock. The problem is the other 21. The hooklines were no longer very hooky by the mid-eighties, by which time Crowded House had taken up the clever-pop mantle. No sleeve notes, either." It's written by Caroline Sullivan, the paper's main music writer, who gives the album three-stars out of a possible five. Then in London listings magazine Time Out, there was an Andy Partridge interview written by Peter Paphides, an obvious fan (how many journalists could cite the video for All You Pretty Girls in passing?). He goes into Andy's kitchen whereupon he is offered elderflower cordial by Andy who is hooked on the stuff. Then out come the latest toy soldiers. Into the livingroom, and apparently Andy has framed his TV "by a sort of Pollock's Toy Theatre facade". Then we get the statutory bit about not touring, before the journalist gets half an hour in the Partridge shed listening to new demos. He singles out Easter Theatre and Knights in Shining Karma, and describes them as "moments of You May As Well All Give Up Now pop magnificance". Mark Fisher (fisher@easynet.co,uk)
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199609262316.QAA06967@dfw-ix11.ix.netcom.com> From: "Mark G. Cuevas" <litserv@ix.netcom.com> Subject: The Sugarplastic Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 16:10:30 -0700 From: d-deangelis@ski.mskcc.org (Dino DeAngelis) > Monday night (9/23) I was treated to a fine, tight performance by the > Sugarplastic at Brownies in NYC . . . Thanks for the excellent breakdown of The Sugarplastic's strengths. I agree with you completely. This is the best new stuff I've heard since 1992. ;-) It occured to me that the difference in this music from what is normally played on today's radio is as striking as what happened in the late 70's. At that time bands like Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, and Van Halen were selling out sites. At the *same time,* bands like XTC, Talking Heads, and Elvis Costello were beginning to turn heads. The music of this "New Wave" was a striking and refreshing contrast. The same seems to be true today. I think people are getting tired of grunge, post-grunge, and all the rest. Are we about to come full circle -- again? God, I hope so. I will be at The Sugarplastic concert on 10/3 in Silverlake (CA) and I intend to make every effort to talk to them about their future plans. If anyone has anything they'd like me to ask them, just let me know. ===================================== The nominal description doesn't work in W sub. =====================================
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 27 Sep 1996 11:29:17 +1200 (NZST) Message-Id: <v01540b00ae716c26667c@[139.80.100.143]> From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James Dignan) Subject: various British things unknown in the states >>My dictionary lists "scouse," short for "lobscouse," as a baked dish or >>stew made ususally with meat and hardtack. So, obviously, I am missing >>the appropriate connotation. Care to enlighten? >A 'Scouser' is someone from the north of England. Scouse is an adjective >denoting 'from the North of England'. bit more precise than that - a scouser is from Liverpool. The north of England is another world. Never assume that it's one place. It may be 500 years since the Wars of the Roses, but yer average Lancastrian, be (s)he scouser, Mancunian or other, would not take kindly to being lumped in with those weird Yorkshire folk, and vice versa. A bit like saying that everyone in the states is a "Yankee" (try that in Atlanta or Richmond! Did someone mention Fort Sumter?). And heading further north, you travel past the Geordies on Tyneside before you get anywhere near Scotland. --- >Thanks, your corrections look right. However, Mr. John Relph has asked us >all *not* to post lyrics to the list anymore. The proper procedure now is: > >1) Person transcribes lyrics, sends them to John. He puts them on page. 2) >E-mail Chalkhills saying that the lyrics are on the page. 3) Those who >want to correct them, e-mail the person who transcribed them. 4) The group >hashes 'em out until they've agreed on a final version, then e-mails that >to John. 5) E-mail Chalkhills again saying that the "corrected" lyrics >are up. yeah. sadly this means I (a previous frequent lyric correcter and reader) can no longer see any of the lyrics, due to the university's policy on web access :( Aren't web restrictions wonderful things? :(((( --- >"Oranges and lemons, say the bells of St. Clement's You owe me three >farthings, say the bells of St. Martin's When will you pay me? say the >bells of Old Bailey When I grow rich, say the bells of Shoreditch. Here >comes a candle to light you to bed, Here comes a chopper to chop off your >head!" >Given the Big Brother-esque paranoia of songs such as "Real by Reel" and >"Mole From the Ministry," what do you think of the possibilty that the >title for "Oranges and Lemons" came from _1984_? this is still a very common nursery rhyme in Britain - probably the single most common one. I didn't realise it was unknown in the states. Oranges and Lemons almost certainly got its title from the nursery rhyme directly, not from 1984. Consider thaty other XTC songs take ideas from nursery rhymes - Toys, and Love on a farmboy's wages, for instance... I'd take bets on Senses Working Overtime and Outside World starting in that way, too. The nursery rhyme "Bells of St Clement's", which originally took its tune from the chimes of the different (London) church bells mentioned, was also used as the basis of the Pete Seeger song "The Bells of Rhymney", later popularised by the Byrds. James
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199609270013.KAA02177@warchives.riv.csu.edu.au.> From: "Simon Knight" <sknight@warchivegw.riv.csu.edu.au> Date: Fri, 27 Sep 1996 09:22:57 +0000 Subject: Small XTC Mention Found on "Lipgloss", the Pulp mailing list: Album Recommendation of the Week: XTC - Fossil Fuel - 31 brilliant A-sides from the kings of 80's BritPop I hope some of the younger fans might be intrigued enough to check XTC out. We need more of them out there!
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 20:02:17 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <199609270002.UAA03954@cyber1.servtech.com> From: Joshua Hall-Bachner <particle@servtech.com> Subject: Demos Again Hi, y'all. About the whole Demos debate: Yeah, sure, I stoked the fire. Yeah, I am a major reason that we're having the debate right now. And you know what? That's a *good* thing. Why? Because otherwise, everybody "in the know" would happily trade away, everybody else would be wondering what the hell was going on, and the ethical issues wouldn't even be addressed. Better to bring it out in the open and give it a good thrashing. Now, I personally see no problem in the trading and distribution of these demos for free -- charging money for them would be incredibly bad -- but some of you do. We *need* to have this debate some time; if not now, then some time down the line. We *need* to come to at least some sort of group consensus on this. And if the group consensus is that no-one mentions the demos in their posts at all, or that no-one offer to dub the demos, or *whatever*, I'll abide by it. But we can't have this where people don't know what's "allowed" and what's frowned upon. >I gotta agree with Mitch's post from the last issue, particularly the point >about $$ and unscrupulous people taking the demos and putting them on CDs. >Trading boots and demos is one thing -- no, I don't agree with Robt. Fripp >about the "sanctity" of the performance relationship between performer and >audience -- but allowing the demos to fall into the hands of those trying to >profit from them (without passing along a portion to the boys) is another. >Be discreet, y'all. I'm just curious how exactly we're supposed to determine who's a mole for Extatic and who's not. I mean, if someone asks me for a dub of something, I am not going to give them some kind of test to see if they work for a bootlegger. I *will* tell them not to use the demos to press a CD, but what good will that do? If they're out there, and the bootleggers want to get their hands on them, they'll get them, no matter what. I'm sure that someone at Extatic knows about the existance of these demos; however, I wouldn't be surprised if they're sitting on them until the album comes out. Anyway. /---------------------------Joshua Hall-Bachner---------------------------\ | particle@servtech.com http://www.servtech.com/public/particle/ | | "And I see nations playfully hurl snowballs packed with stone and clay."| \--------------XTC, "You And The Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful"----------/
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