Chalkhills Digest Volume 3, Issue 51
Date: Sunday, 8 December 1996
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 3, Number 51
Sunday, 8 December 1996
Today's Topics:
nuances
Balloon is Omnibus
Fave XTC nuances....
On My Radio
Guitar Soleau
New - wances
Rein of Post
Re: Afterbirth
Guitar At First Sight
Who was the inspiration for "My Love Explodes"?
Chalky residue
My vision was impaired
Lead-in to T of L
nuances
Ann Arbor
Re: Haircut 100
Love+1, muzak versions of XTC contest
Re: Bush/OTC/Waffles
Getting to know all about you...
Other stuff...
Colin Doesn't Exist
SKYLACKING progress report
Why?
More little touches
Jasons And The Argonauts
That Damn Chord and Other Witty Banter
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 6 Dec 96 15:09:40 EST From: Jeff Rosedale <rosedale@columbia.edu> Subject: nuances Message-ID: <CMM.0.90.4.849902980.rosedale@labdien.cc.columbia.edu> It's the little things that count the bells (or piano, I forgot!) that lead into Snowman, and the sleigh bells at the end... the silly aeroplane effect at the beginning of you're my drug Takeaway/Lure of Salvage is chock full of 'em- the distorted guitar of work away tokyo day, the steam effects and further distorted guitar of steam fist futurist, and - my personal favorite - the mangled anti-chords at the conclusion of the rotary. What about the little noises interspersed into Cairo?! Maybe Andy needs to go into the studio and destroy/re-record Skylarking and O&L. --Jeff
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199612062021.VAA17036@utrecht.knoware.nl> From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl> Date: Fri, 6 Dec 1996 21:23:07 +0000 Subject: Balloon is Omnibus Dear Chalkies, Maybe some of you are familiar with the poetry/music tracks recorded by Peter Blegvad and Andy Partridge recorded in 90/91 (?). My tape has these 4 tracks: - Night Of The Comet - Balloon - The Beetle - Savannah Today I noticed that the music of Balloon is in fact the same as Omnibus from Nonsuch. You can even hear bits of the Omnibus lead melody. And the 'working title' for Nonsuch was...Balloon!!! Things are getting curiouser and curiouser... ta, Mark Strijbos at The Little Lighthouse http://utopia.knoware.nl/~mmello/ ===> Mark's Random XTC Quote <== She got to be obscene to be obheard
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 06 Dec 1996 14:42:11 -0600 (CST) From: AMANDA OWENS <ACOEA@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Subject: Fave XTC nuances.... Message-id: <01ICOYVX0Z028WYWDH@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> The doombahdoombah part from Humble Daisy The out of tune whistling from ALl You Pretty Girls Andy trying desperately hard to hold onto some instrument at the end of Me & the Wind, and making quite a nice effect with it. Andy's AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGHHHHHHH from Snowman. Colin's extra addes syllables on virtually every song he's done. Onto Joshua's question about my upbringing. The main reason I don't follow that kind of path is because I wasn't raised in it, pure and simple. And my own grandfather who was Cherokee ans I've never met (long messy story involving his being a bigamist. Well he's dead now so we won't get into that. My "step" grandfather is just fine with me) never followed much of his traditions either. Although I find the culture/music/artwork to be very beautiful things, I'm too much of a materialistic snotball to be content with such a simple life. Later, Amanda
------------------------------ Message-Id: <2.2.16.19961206205506.37afa2c4@cic-mail.lanl.gov> Date: Fri, 06 Dec 1996 13:55:06 -0700 From: DeWitt Henderson <dewitth@lanl.gov> Subject: On My Radio Kris, your long comments about radio/etc. were good. I've definitely been one of the "radio sucks" people for a long time, but I also understand the commercial reasons for a lot of it. I still just don't like it sometimes. But good radio exists here and there. I started listening to XTC, Peter Gabriel, Talking Heads, Roxy Music, and a lot of other good stuff simply because I lived in or near Austin, TX for a long time, when KLBJ was actually a cutting-edge station. I might still be listening to top-40 otherwise. How many of you Chalkies actually got your first good XTC exposure(s) via radio also? Or did you only get exposed to them via a friend, relative, roommate, or whatever? JHB: your "little bit of nothing" was pretty cool. * ---------------------------------- | DeWitt Henderson | | Los Alamos National Laboratory | | CIC-13 MS P223 | | Los Alamos, NM 87544 | | 505/665-0720 | * ----------------------------------
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199612062209.RAA29662@rohan.btg.com> Date: 6 Dec 1996 17:03:38 U From: "Sherwood, Harrison" <hsherwood@btg.com> Subject: Guitar Soleau Stuart McDow wrote something along the lines of >> - the guitar solo from "Love at First Sight" (without a doubt _the_ >> best guitar solo in the history of rock and roll). CHANG....! CHANG....! CHANG....! CHANG....! CHANG...! CHANG..! CHANG.! CHANG! CHANG...CHANG..CHANGABLANGACHANGABLANGACHANGABLANGACHANGABLANGACHANGABLANGA CHANGABLANGACHANGABLANGACHANGABLANGACHANGABLANGACHANGABLANGACHANGGGGGGGGGG! God I miss Punk. Harrison "And it misses me too" Sherwood
------------------------------
From: jason.phelan@mcmail.vanderbilt.edu
Date: Fri, 06 Dec 96 16:29:52 CST
Message-Id: <9611068499.AA849918489@in2.mcmail.vanderbilt.edu>
Subject: New - wances
Dear Chalksters,
I just wanted to share my nuances with you all.
The whole damn song of "Are You Recieving Me?" is filled with so many
nuances that endear me to XTC, I invite everyone to listen along as
you read this...
how the two syllable words are held out and then slapped in your face
just rocks eg: Hiss--------sing, Kiss--------sing
You keep talking - Nyah, nyah, nyah, nyah...
The lead....
The video....silly, silly, nervous, spastic, bad haircutted, floozy
women havin' , things flyin' around, what more could you ask for in a
video?
The whole bridge... whacked out vocals and all
The energy in this song is wonderful so there you go.
On a non-related to "AYRM" note, does anyone on this list like the
Moody Blues. I have a sensitive part in my psyche for this band
because my parents loved them and I grew up listening to them
Just wanted to know.
Peace,
Jason Phelan
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 6 Dec 1996 18:45:14 -0400 (AST) Message-Id: <v01510100aece04b8d12c@[204.191.146.71]> From: enrico@fox.nstn.ca (Erich W.) Subject: Rein of Post Aren't we a chatty bunch - I love it! A few musings on an average dull Canadian afternoon.... Reign of Blows has been in my brain to the extent that I replayed it seventeen times in a row last night (get a life) to get the chords down and, without checking the Archive, I have to know: What the Hell is going on chordwise at "the swastika" bridge? a big No-Prize to the first five correct answers... There seems to be a lot of questions re who plays what, who sings what , etc. which gets me to thinking that most recording studios keep a record (wrong word) of who's in the studio, who's producing, and (if I'm not mistaken) how the board was set up ie, Andy's on the left playing 'x' then overdubbed on the right with 'y'. Anyone more experienced and/or with more time than me care to elaborate? What else? JHB - loved your Strange Tale! AMANDA (and some others) - spell check! It's the difference between E6th and E7th if you get my drift, butt hay, watt dew eye no ;-) Re Evil Canucks - Preston Manning, Anne Murray, Alan Eagleson, Myron Boloney, Mike Harris, Ernst Zundel... Be good and, to reiterate, ALL XTC MUST BE PLAYED LOUD!!!! (esp. all of TBE) Erich.
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01540b03aece4a0a6ed5@[199.171.191.45]> Date: Fri, 6 Dec 1996 15:18:06 -0700 From: gondola@deltanet.com (E.B.) Subject: Re: Afterbirth >From: AMANDA OWENS <ACOEA@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> > >Umm...Herne...I actually left that concert partly because I was dead tired, >and partly because I had final exams the next day. Besides, I don't think I >was even born when the Attractions came out. Uh-huh...yeah, it's a wonder that ANYBODY likes Beethoven anymore, right? ;) Born several albums into the Beatles' career, Eb
------------------------------ Message-ID: <32A9BF7B.257B@sprintmail.com> Date: Sat, 07 Dec 1996 11:03:23 -0800 From: Stormy Monday <stormymonday@sprintmail.com> Subject: Guitar At First Sight Folx, >- the guitar solo from "Love at First Sight" (without a doubt _the_ > best guitar solo in the history of rock and roll). Way cool. Any room for "Yer Blues" and "Life Begins at The Hop"? Also, the guitar recreation of the keyboard parts on "Battery Brides" by Dave is mint. Mike
------------------------------ Message-ID: <32A9B81B.7F3A@sprintmail.com> Date: Sat, 07 Dec 1996 10:31:55 -0800 From: Stormy Monday <stormymonday@sprintmail.com> Subject: Who was the inspiration for "My Love Explodes"? XTC Fans and Friends, >hmm. Nothing by The Who! "My Love Explodes!" sounds a little like early Who to me. "That is the most OBSCEEEEEEENE Abomination of as song that I I , that is trash, that is dirt, that is filth, what ever possessed you to write such a disgusting degenerate type song as THAT! And I'm complementing you by considering it a song..." The thing about the Dukes is, they were actually really good. Now that I've actually bought the original "Rutles" CD, I have to say, "No contest." The Dukes are hands down the better parody/tribute act of the two. Also, the true abomination is the TMBG remake of "25 o'clock". The Dukes' version rocks. The TMBG version sounds like a computer programmed by DEVO with a geriatric Axl Rose on lead vocals. I for one, would be severely disappointed if Andy and the boys ever collaborated with "The Johns", as some have suggested. I'd just as soon see them make TV commercials. I'll be wearing my asbestos. Mike
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199612070439.EAA157890@mule0.mindspring.com> Date: Fri, 06 Dec 1996 23:38:34 -0500 From: Jason NeSmith <jnesmith@atl.mindspring.com> Subject: Chalky residue Hey, JHB, that collage of song titles was pertty durn clever! from Mark Strijbos... >And last Digest Jeff Smelser made this comment [snip] >> It's not very usual for XTC to write about incideous drug use, is it? >Yes it is IMHO. They have always made it very clear they did not take >any drugs Well, Moulding's Map of Swindon in Go 2 lists the location of the 'place of hallucination'. Either Colin experienced a supernatual apperition, or he was tripping. I'd put my money on the latter. And wasn't Andy taking prescribed vallium (or something) for hyperactivity (or something?) (or something?) That's still pretty far from the level of abuse associated with Stone Temple Pumpkins of abuse, but they certainly ain't pure. I think the 'favo(u)rite little touches' thread is a hit! With a bullet...--==!!pow!!==-- lurve, Buffy (the lister formerly known as Jason) ________In Heavy rotation on WCAR (my tape deck):______ ---------------David 'Zeus' Henderson: Idiot and the Odyssey XtC: Nonsuch-----------Les Paul: Best of the Capitol Masters ------------The Cardigans: First Band on the Moon---------------- visit the Orange Hat Cyberhose Page, or you won't have any fun! www.mindspring.com/~jnesmith
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 6 Dec 1996 23:46:30 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <199612070446.XAA22801@cyber1.servtech.com> From: Joshua Hall-Bachner <particle@servtech.com> Subject: My vision was impaired >Those bands that, when you buy, say, a 12 tracks album, have about five >or more songs with a political message in them, I avoid. Hmmmm...Black Sea anyone? Lessee -- Respectable Street, a little debatable but I'd say yes; Generals and Majors, yup; Living Through Another Cuba, obviously; Smokeless Zone, certainly; Travels in Nihilon, yeeehah. Of course, it has 14 tracks and three of those are bonus tracks, but you get the point -- XTC are pretty damn politically centered. Hell, even Nonsvch has four political songs. >in the chat groups I'd meet a lot of US kids who claimed to be >fans of "alternative" music. This, on the whole, seemed to mean Oasis "Alternative" music in the US usually used to refer to all the Pearl Jam clones and similar stuff. And it is *not* used to refer to music which is outside of the mainstream, but just as a descriptor of a particular subset of mainstream. Believe you me, Oasis are just as popular here as over there. Josh Electricity still lingers /---------------------------Joshua Hall-Bachner---------------------------\ | particle@servtech.com http://www.servtech.com/public/particle/ | | "We all have our idiosyncracies -- maybe thinning hair, or gum disease."| \---- Kowanko, "Will You Come To?" ------ Thank You, And Goodnight. ------/
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 6 Dec 1996 21:54:48 -0800 (PST) Message-Id: <199612070554.VAA19269@mail.mcn.org> From: Jason Kirkman <jkirk@mcn.org> Subject: Lead-in to T of L Hi, everyone, Yet another Jason de-lurking for my very first post. I'm pretty doggone certain that they're saying "Take a hundred and three" just before they kick off Towers of London. This would be a barb from the control room, implying the musicians in the studio are having difficulty getting their act together. (No song should require 103 takes, and yes I do know about Not Guilty.) That would explain the sarcastic tone of the reply from the studio, from Andy, I think. Listen with headphones, see what you think. I would vote for people posting anything they choose about other bands they like, but no more politics and definitely never any more nasty flames. We all have something in common, and we should all try to be friends. If I had to name my two favorite XTC songs, they would be No Thugs In Our House and Then She Appeared, but I like something about virtually every last one of them. It's a pleasure corresponding with such a lively and intelligent group, Jason K.
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01510101aecf37eb7c1d@[204.188.73.148]> Date: Sat, 7 Dec 1996 05:28:30 -1000 From: jimsmart@hula.net (Jim Smart) Subject: nuances Nice digest you've got here. I've stepped over from the kinks digest to try my toe in the water for awhile. I haven't heard all XTC (I have a lot to learn), but I thought I'd add to a thread I like (In fact, maybe I should start a similar one over on the Kinks Digest) My favorite XTC nuances (without much thought): Supergirl: the transition from the solo back to singing Mayor of Simpleton: intro (must move body/increase volume immediately!) The quieter, less frenetic moments of Generals and Majors My Bird Performs: when Andy's voice comes in at the end which leads to: The way the drums come in on Dear Madam Barnum and intro to Earn Enough For Us: must turn up volume beyond ear splitting levels! Now I suppose I'll have to start filling in the many wholes in my XTC collection, if Chalkhills is going to be this good. FYI, other fave bands of mine are Beatles, Kinks, Oasis, and Blur and about 20 others.... Aloha, Jim Honolulu, HI jimsmart@hula.net ...................................... . . . "Ouch!" . . - The Rutles . ......................................
------------------------------ From: Keith Hanlon <ad180@seorf.ohiou.edu> Message-Id: <199612071532.KAA20239@big.seorf.ohiou.edu> Subject: Ann Arbor Date: Sat, 7 Dec 1996 10:32:23 -0500 (EST) Can someone contact me about the Michigan Chalkhills gathering? Thanks! Keith
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Dec 1996 20:21:38 -0600 (CST) From: Marshall Joseph Armintor <mojo@owlnet.rice.edu> Subject: Re: Haircut 100 Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.91.961207201318.18511A-100000@great-horned.owlnet.rice.edu> The album _Pelican West_ was originally released on Arista stateside in...1982, but I can't be sure. I unearthed a vinyl copy in June -- pure guilty pleasure if you like that kind of thing...the Trouser Press described it as "obnoxiously pleasant," which is an entirely fair characterization. If XTC were a multiracial new wave fashion band like Spandau Ballet who then decided to go for the 14-16 year old female fan base by played horn-laden white-boy funk, they'd be like Haircut 100. (The sax player even bears a passing resemblance to Andy Partridge, but it's mostly the glasses.) marshall ______________________________________________________________________ Marshall Armintor/mojo@rice.edu/Grad.English Dept. Rice University/Sometime Systems Consultant Blackadder on the Romantic poets:"There's nothing intellectual about wandering around Italy in a big shirt and trying to get laid."
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199612080237.UAA07027@mailhost.cyberramp.net> From: "Ed Miller" <edmiller@cyberramp.net> Subject: Love+1, muzak versions of XTC contest Date: Sat, 7 Dec 1996 20:34:40 -0600 A couple of things.... With regard to "Love Plus One".... >"Love Plus One": >Anyone know where to find the album that song is on? Let me know if any of you find it. It was Haircut 100, wasn't it? A friend made me a tape with that tune and "Senses.." back in the early 80's. (Long gone, unfortunately.) Re: the Muzak versions of the Beatles stuff.... I distinctly remember hearing a Muzak version of Lucy in the Sky way back when. I guess it's only a matter of time before Mayor of Simpleton gets a bouncy, horn/string section Muzak rearrangement. Any suggestions for...... *********************************************** ****Least Muzak adaptable XTC song**** *********************************************** Send nominations with your suggestion for an appropriate GRAND PRIZE for the winner. If anyone knows any passwords to Internet accessible databases at Muzak's headquarters, I think we could start there........ TNT.... Ed
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01540b03aecfd02f739d@[199.171.191.78]> Date: Sat, 7 Dec 1996 19:13:48 -0700 From: gondola@deltanet.com (E.B.) Subject: Re: Bush/OTC/Waffles Someone wrote: >>on [Kate Bush's] debut The Kick Inside, >>[David Gilmour] is given thanks as the guy "who rolled the ball first," >>or something >>like that (an allusion to a lyric on the album). > >Actually, based on the song which it is taken from, it would indicate to me >that he was the one who first nudged and encouraged her into music (the song >in question being about opening your mind to other ideas and philosophies, >and the lyric in question being "Rolling the ball...to me.") I'm not sure about the story behind the scenes, but I believe that Kate Bush's debut was originally on Harvest, which was also Pink Floyd's label, and that Gilmour played an instrumental part in Harvest signing her. If I'm wrong, someone correct me..... >From: Elf Power <elfpower@athens.net> > >Also, has anybody picked up the new Olivia Tremor Control record? >Its called 'Dusk at Cubist Castle' and if you like Beach Boys' Smile, >Dukes of Stratosphear, Sgt Pepper, etc you'll absolutely flip on this >record! Easily the best record of 1996. Oh yeah, its a double album >to boot. Sure, I got it. Neat stuff, although the extended "ambient" passages are really crippling to the pacing of the record. I'm not sure I'd compare it to Beach Boys/Dukes/Beatles first -- it's more akin to more lightweight groups like the Monkees and the Merry-Go-Round. But it is a really cool record. (There are many 1996 records I like better, however.) FYI, there's also a limited-edition ambient disc that accompanies some copies of Cubist Castle (which I don't have, unfortunately). Supposedly, if you listen to the two discs simultaneously on two CD players, it creates a whole new product. Golly!! Final note: Check out OTC's musical brethren, Neutral Milk Hotel. NMH are certainly my favorite new band of 1996. If you like NZ/Flying Nun stuff (particularly Chris Knox/Tall Dwarfs), you really oughta check this one out. The band is absolutely ADORABLE live too. ;) >From: fisher@easynet.co.uk (Mark Fisher) > >I know nothing about the Setanta record label (to be honest, I know nothing >about any record label), but if, as John Hedges says, its artists include >Edwin Collins and The Divine Comedy, then it's been enjoying quite a lot of >success in the UK recently. Edwin Collins (formerly of Orange Juice) had a >big hit last summer with *With a Girl Like You* (I think that's its title).... Regarding Edwin Collins: In the US, Bar/None doesn't really deserve the credit for making "With A Girl Like You" a hit. It was on the soundtrack to the film Empire Records (do I have the title right?), which was on the larger A&M label. A&M was really the company who pushed the song onto radio. Hence, don't count on the Setanta-Bar/None alliance paying off equally for XTC. >Oh, and for the Chalkie who reckons it's legit to waffle on about Fab Four >trivia, on the basis that most XTC fans like The Beatles, I'll soon be >posting recipes for making omelettes, on the basis that most XTC fans like >eggs. Hope that's OK. What a silly, silly argument. But I think you were mostly joking, so I'll ignore it. Also: Waffles, eggs? Do you have a bit of a breakfast fetish? ;) Eb
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Dec 1996 23:31:12 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <v03007806aecfa8206cb5@[207.77.27.59]> From: Ira Lieman <aym@axe.intercall.com> Subject: Getting to know all about you... Well, well. What can I say? I just got back from Tim's house in Connecticut. The weather was real shitty, why couldn't it be sunny. Oh well, always Winter never Christmas in the Northeast US. Well I already knew Gene and John pretty well and I met Tim once before, but Karl, Robert, and Olaf were also cool and we each had our own special insight on different XTC-related topics. Tim's condo is HUGE and I bet we could have had a whole gang there, but of course not everyone could make it. But I'd say seven people is quite a nice little group. HOPEFULLY we'll do it again sometime soon, maybe possibly meeting in NYC (although it would be a little of a trek for Olaf). If any of YOU on the list want to get together please let me know -- I'm sure I might be able to drag a fellow Chalkhillian with me. -ira "And we got lots in common with you..."
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Dec 1996 23:31:15 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <v03007807aecfab7033ac@[207.77.27.59]> From: Ira Lieman <aym@axe.intercall.com> Subject: Other stuff... "Love Plus One" is still a great song, and I thank the legions of people who have directed me on where to get the album. What's damn funny is that I've had it all along. My roommate (of questionable musical taste) actually has that "Just Can't Get Enough" Vol. 5 CD with "Love Plus One" on it. And of course it's got the classic "Mickey" by Toni Basil. But I will *STILL* look for the album it's on. I'll be in Vancouver in 2 weeks so I'll have to pop into a Canadian music store. Richard of potential "Chalkhills Children" fame, could you please e-mail me privately? I don't have your (correct) e-mail address and I have a question or three for you... The Billy Joel references on this list are hysterical. Really. I'm laughing my ears off. What it boils down to is this: Andy is much better of a "subversive" songwriter than Billy is, but I think Billy gets his point across as well as Andy does on the songs that need getting across. For instance, "Allentown." It could have twisted around and around and whatever and not been obvious, but Billy got it done. Just as Andy does, possibly more cleverly, with, uh, "Great Fire" or "Respectable Street". Just thought it needed mention. And Billy's a better keyboardist than Andy, but he can't play guitar worth shit. It seems I like to talk on the phone on my company's dime. Right, Kris? -ira "Maybe he should have used a Bazooka and made 'em listen to the whole album" (Andy Partridge, on the Binghamton (NY) High School Student who brandished a knife so he could play "Dear God" over the PA system)
------------------------------ From: richard.pedrettiallen@octel.com Date: Fri, 6 Dec 1996 18:15:18 -0800 Message-Id: <2AA678D0.@corp.octel.com> Subject: Colin Doesn't Exist Found a person search application on the WWW (http://www.switchboard.com/) No Colin Moulding found in the United States. Two Andrew Partridges listed (both in Massachusetts). Over 40 Dave Gregory listings. Over 40 Terry Chambers listings. Over 40 Barry Andrews listings. ...and yes, I have better things to do. Cheers, Richard
------------------------------ Message-ID: <32AAF9A6.E95@netwalk.com> Date: Sun, 08 Dec 1996 09:23:50 -0800 From: Ian C Stewart <stewart@netwalk.com> Subject: SKYLACKING progress report Hi everybody Just wanted to give a quick hello to everyone who has bought SKYLACKING or the ATMOSPHEAR TO OCEAN collection and to let the rest of you know that there are still a few copies of each left. They're in a limited edition of 50, lovingly hand-packaged by yours truly. As of right this second, about 35 of each have been sent out, so if you've been thinking about getting with either of these luxurious items,you'd better get your rump in motion. PRONTO. Because, as much as I love these tapes, as much as I love XTC and think that someone should always tributize them properly, the madness ends at 50. After that it's someone else's job. Ian C Stewart "Never pay for sex, stereo equipment or office supplies." -Henry Rollins
------------------------------ Message-ID: <32ABAAB8.4C0A@sprintmail.com> Date: Sun, 08 Dec 1996 21:59:20 -0800 From: Stormy Monday <stormymonday@sprintmail.com> Subject: Why? XTC Fans And Friends, >>And I'd bet XTC, especially Dave, at least have respect for [Rush], >>although I have no proof. >Good thing you don't, otherwise I might have to seriously reevaluate >the universe (and not like what I find). So, you've evaluated the universe, and you don't want to go through *that* again? No matter what you find, you'll be OK. I mean, I had to accept that George, Paul and Ringo respect Jeff Lynne. >>A rock critic once pointed out how many of his peers loved to bash Rush >>while lauding the virtues of bands like Living Color and King's X, even >>though those bands and many others often mention them as key influences. >On a point completely unrelated to Rush, I see absolutely no problem with >lauding a band while bashing their influences. There are some artists whom I >really like but who, IMHO, have pretty horrible tastes in music. The only >thing you should judge them on is how good *their* music is, not how good >the music of their influences is. Yeah, that is true. I just hate most critics. If someone listens to a particular piece of music, and judges it against their own criteria, no matter what their conclusions might be, I still respect them. What irritates me is the "official opinion" about certain groups. Most critics agree that Rush are bad, and The Ramones are good. I think that I judge music against a completely different set of criteria than most critica. To me, the Ramones sound like a bad garage band. Yeah, some of there lyrics are fun, but as a whole, I wouldn't pay a dime for their entire body of work if I actually had to listen to it. On the other hand, I can listen to a Rush record and think, "Well, the lyrics are pretty awful, and the song is a bit complicated, but the melodies are catchy, and these guys can really play". Music is in the ear of the listener, and who knows why we like what we like. When we find something that we like, we strive to explain it in words, but, they remain inadequate. Many XTC fans love TMBG and CTD, and will claim that they love them for the same reasons that they love XTC. For my ears, CTD is at best, second rate, and calling the sounds that TMBG make "music" is a gross overstatement. I know many people were surprised when they learned that Elvis Costello liked the music of Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead. I like the music of both Tony Bennett and The Clash. Who knows why? Mike
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 8 Dec 1996 11:14:46 -0500 (EST)
From: Natalie Jane Jacobs <gnat@umich.edu>
Subject: More little touches
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.95.961208110356.7050C-100000@galaga.rs.itd.umich.edu>
I like this thread; it's like a test to show how closely we've been
listening to our XTC albums. This *will* be part of your final grade. :)
Just for the hell of it I'm restricting myself to Andy's vocals - yes,
another one of my love letters to the Partridge larynx...
-In "Great Fire," the way he sings the line "eyes bring water" with
increasing force each time he repeats it, until by the third repetition
he's bellowing "WAAATERR!" like a man stuck in a desert for a month
-the little turn on the word "well" in "Season Cycle" ("We-e-ell, darling
don't you ever stop to wonder...")
-the octave leap and trill in "You're the Wish You Are I Had"
-"Eh-eh-eh!" ("Meccanik Dancing") - sounds like he's coughing up a
hairball
-"Shilling for the fellow who milks the herrrrd..." (He sings the whole
song beautifully, but I like that bit the best)
-And the best bit of all... "They never thought he'd cause folks any
haaaAAAAARRRRRAAAAAHHH!!!!"
And that's just for starters.
Natalie Jacobs
Visit the Land of Do-As-You-Please!
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~gnat
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199612081722.SAA16138@utrecht.knoware.nl> From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl> Date: Sun, 8 Dec 1996 18:24:07 +0000 Subject: Jasons And The Argonauts Dear Chalkies, Seems to me every Chalker is called Jason unless he's called Keith, Dave, Mark and/or AMANDA if he's a girl. Yesterday I received the first Christmas present: the original cassette version of The Hope And Anchor Front Row Festival - with two XTC live tracks of course. Many thanks to Santa Daniel ! "Eb" wrote: >> Any XTC fan who isn't a Beatles fan t'ain't a XTC fan at all, if >> you ask me Well, nobody did AFAIK...and besides, who are you to pass judgment ? I'm one of the biggest XTC fans on this planet and I've got the tattoo to prove it! If this were true, I would also have to be a Hendrix fan, a Kinks fan, a Pink Floyd/Syd Barrett fan, a Beach Boys fan etc etc etc And last issue Mark Fisher said: > Oh, and for the Chalkie who reckons it's legit to waffle on about Fab > Four trivia, on the basis that most XTC fans like The Beatles, Incredible cheek... Take note "Chalkie" : REAL XTC fans only want to hear about XTC and things that are relevant to Their music on the OFFICIAL XTC mailing list. Mark Fisher added: > I'll soon be posting recipes for making omlettes, on the basis that most > XTC fans like eggs. Hope that's OK. Please don't, Mark - I really HATE eggs and omlettes. And before you know it somebody will mention Scrambled Eggs ;) bye 4 now, Mark Strijbos at The Little Lighthouse http://utopia.knoware.nl/~mmello/ ===> Mark's Random XTC Quote <== There's no youth culture only masks they let you rent
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01550101aed0b5805dac@[146.6.72.28]> Date: Sun, 8 Dec 1996 12:58:49 -0600 From: h.h.name@mail.utexas.edu (Insane Boy) Subject: That Damn Chord and Other Witty Banter Hello, bay-beh! > To whoever was asking about finding a copy of "Love Plus One," one > place to find it is the soundtrack to "Seven". ??!!?! >Are you sure? I think both of you are wrong. I'm pretty sure it's called >"Friday I'm in Heaven" --==rub-rub-nyuk nyuk nyuk==-- Ah! Maybe I should start doing THAT to emphasize humor! > psychedelic intro to Then She Appeared You know, I guess I've just never understood what "psychedelic" actually means. To me it's nonsensical, drug-associated, "trippy" music and lyrics that are so ridiculous they're funny (like most of the stuff with the Dukes). On this level I've never considered anything the Beatles have ever done as "psychedelic", much less the intro to "Then She Appeared" (!) Please explain. > I've been holding out on this comment, but I haven't seen one person >speak up in [Jeff Lynne's] favor. "Sweet Talkin' Woman", "Livin' Thing", "Telephone Line", "Turn To Stone", um..."Evil Woman", and I guess "Mr. Blue Sky". All of those songs I loved as a very young child. I still love them now. > [A couple of >years ago, the BBC made its own radio version of Prince's 'Sexy MF' - it's >very easy to do with digital editing tools] I quote again, Blur: "You're taking the fun out of everything"! > Rather bizarrey he claims the best fight he >ever had in a pub was with a bunch of drunk football fans and the music was >XTC's Love on a Farmboys Wages. Y'know, I bet it was that damn chord!! :) > I hear the music before I hear the lyrics. So do I. If the music doesn't grab me, I'm going to have a hard time liking the song. Generally, if the music's good (unless it has really stupid lyrics) I'll like it. Stupid music and lyrics tend to go together (Green Day) so there's usually no confusion there. And on politics in music: I liked XTC enough by the time I got to their more political stuff that I didn't mind it, but artists that are overly political or "pointed" just bug me. For me, music is a joyous thing, and while I'm not saying we should all be listening to Herman's Hermits, I really wish popular music could be infused with more of a "love of life" attitude. I feel that the way XTC combined this attitude with a hefty dose of politics on "English Settlement" and again on "Oranges and Lemons" was absolutely brilliant. I tend to like the former more for its "stripped away" feel, but both are incredible. >We all cry at the drop of a hat. > >Sorry for the non-XTC content. It was almost XTC-- you could have said "I give emotion at the drop of a hat" from "I Remember the Sun". I'd have bought that. >Andy's Marv Albert-esque "Yes!" at the beginning of "This Is Pop" The first chord from "A Hard Day's Night" immediately after that... I ZIP away, Jason
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #3-51 ******************************
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