Chalkhills Digest Volume 4, Issue 35
Date: Wednesday, 26 November 1997
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 4, Number 35
Wednesday, 26 November 1997
Today's Topics:
Lennon reissue crap, and snogging in 1989 (wot?)
The brightest Firework is lighting up my sky...
Re: Jump
Wayne In Nihilon
happy birthday to me!
It was twenty years ago...
List of lyrics.
MUMmer, MUMmer, all right, EXcellent...
The demos...
"I can write a damn good song I know"
Ryan's Questions
The latest sign that society is jumping off a roof...
Andy's mug (digital)
staying power diatribe
Re: XTC's Bohemian Rhapsody!!!! (erk!)
Liking "The Loving"
This Is Live
I Say, Chaps, What About the Quiet One?
Songs you can clap your hands to
misc. random niggling thoughts
Post Before Bedtime
Saturday Night saw them retching...
They're Due For Replay 1998
Z
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 24 Nov 1997 11:45:11 +1300 (NZDT) Message-Id: <v01540b06b09f19618b58@[139.80.228.174]> From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James Dignan) Subject: Lennon reissue crap, and snogging in 1989 (wot?) >When was John Lennon ever "overproduced" and "overliterate"? Sure, Lennon >liked to play with words, but for the most part he was a basic rock and >roll guy. On songwriting he once said something like, "say what it is, >plain English, stick a backbeat behind it and there you are." As for that >fitting XTC's bill, you could do FAR worse in the "smart" department- >Robyn Hitchcock comes to mind here (I realize there are a bunch of Robyn >fans on this list and I have been known to crank "Balloon Man" and >"Driving Aloud" every now and then, but sometimes it's just like, what the >FUCK are you talking about, buddy?) ...whereas Lennon's compositions "I am the walrus" and "Happiness is a warm gun" are perfectly clear - plain English with a backbeat. Sure Hitchcock can get obscure at times, but often with purpose. Sure he sometimes goes over the top with it, in a way that Andy doesn't do, but I wouldn't call that necessarily 'overliterate'. And occasionally the vein he's mining is pretty similar to that which Andy mines: Serpent at the Gates of Wisdom could easily be the flip-side to Dear God! >Once I become rich and stupid, I'll pick up the copy of Alan Parsons >Project's "Tales of Mystery and Imagination" that's remastered, and then >track down a non-remastered one, and try to tell the difference... >Hmm..heh If you want to hear what remastering can do, hunt down the remastered Byrds albums now out on CD. The difference between them and the originals is not just surprising - it is staggering. >Nope! I love both of those... like I've said, they're crap, but they're >really really really good crap. People need to understand that crap isn't >always bad. one of the best, most quotable things said on this list for long time! Whoever said it, that one's a winner! >Okay, Anglo-Anglicans (as opposed Anglo-Americans, which would be me, as I >was raised Catholic and come from mainly German, Irish and Alsatian >stock), what is _SNOGGING_? like moshing. Mutually-agreeable osculation, often accompanied by the juxtaposition of manual extremities with parts of the co-osculators body. Erm... kissing with maybe just a little fumbling. >Let's not forget Michael Penn's "No Myth" in that list of "so pop, it's >alternative". All these are on my guitar list, making 1989 a solid year >for tunes that you can play at home (and if not win, at least draw). And a personal favourite, recently used in the great movie "Fever Pitch", the Las' song "There she goes". Oh, and I agree with James Isaacs: Bring back the Selecter! And the Specials! (not the donkey...) James D
------------------------------ Message-ID: <3478B4C6.42D8@tmbg.org> Date: Sun, 23 Nov 1997 14:57:10 -0800 From: Chaos Harlequin <harlequin@tmbg.org> Organization: Nil Subject: The brightest Firework is lighting up my sky... Lady Cornelius "I'll Set Myself on Fire" Plum: > do you think in 20 years people are going to remember who Beck, Paula > Cole <snip uncalled for comment>, and Sarah McLachlan are? Rather than rehash everyone else's comments here, I'll simply agree with the others who've said that Beck and Sarah don't belong on this list and that Amanda's comments on Nirvana were way off. Then I'll wonder whether anyone is going to defend Paula. Naaah. James Isaacs: >One more idea-why don't they take the unused demos, slap them on a >disk, and throw it in free with the new album. Thank you! Mitch or someone, I really think you should suggest this to the band. I know that Andy originally planned to do just this with Nonsuch (calling the demo disc _Somesuch,_ ha ha ha) and I think it would be perfect for this disc, considering the number of demos that'll be left over afterward and the amazing popularity of the ones we've gotten to hear... BTW, I *do* like the title "Firework." Not only is it taken from the last album, continuing the tradition, but it's one of those themes that XTC have been playing since they started, so it fits well with the band. I also think the cover concept is really neat. >"Homo Safari" - the original. Simple, but bouncy. Is it on CD anywhere? The "Dear God" EP. Matt Keeley: > And, if you remember who Myke is, Isn't Myke *on this list*? Or did he unsub? And, uh, Matt, one suggestion. Take it down a level. Eek. BTW: Thanks to Brookes for her convenient listing of the A- and B-list demos. It's very helpful... Again With Amanda: >TMBG is a fairly asi asi band. I have Factory Showroom and I >like it, but I have to agree with the Great Partrdige (hello >spelling!!!!!!) about it. "eh?" There's your problem *right there.* FS has a few good songs, but if you want TMBG's true strengths (i.e. far-too-clever- for-their-own-good lyrics and short, catchy-as-hell songs) go for one of their earlier albums. Lincoln would be my choice, though Apollo 18 would also make a good purchase. -- Joshua Hall-Bachner Chaos Harlequin harlequin@tmbg.org http://www.servtech.com/public/particle
------------------------------ From: CCooli9575@aol.com Date: Mon, 24 Nov 1997 07:20:17 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: <971124072017_562604579@mrin52.mail.aol.com> Subject: Re: Jump >Someone inquired about a rumor which maintained that Thomas Dolby had jumped >to his death off a roof. That was actually Dr Spock's grandson Peter (The roof of the Children's Museum in Boston, to be precise). It was at about the same time the rumor was going around too. Strange coincidence.
------------------------------ From: CCooli9575@aol.com Date: Mon, 24 Nov 1997 07:20:21 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: <971124072020_361368611@mrin53.mail.aol.com> Subject: Wayne In Nihilon >If "Wayne's World" had been a movie about XTC fans, what tune would they >have used in the head-banging scene instead of "Bohemian Rhapsody"? Uh...How about "Travels In Nihilon?" They'd have to bang their head really slowly, though...:-)
------------------------------ From: "Lemoncurry" <dieling@hrz1.uni-oldenburg.de> Organization: University Of Oldenburg Comp.Center Date: Mon, 24 Nov 1997 15:23:57 MET-1METDST Subject: happy birthday to me! Message-ID: <BF6A743078@hrz1.uni-oldenburg.de> Hi Chalksters! Since it's my birthday today, and since I had begged for someone to contact me for sending me a copy from the demos, and since noone had answered my desolate cries, here we go once more: PLEASE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I NEED THOSE DEMOS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! XTC - birthday song: BIG DAY !!! Bye folks! Lemoncurry lemoncurry@geocities.com Lemons shall rule the world !
------------------------------ From: MARKROCKS@aol.com Date: Mon, 24 Nov 1997 13:14:44 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: <971124131443_-487922544@mrin47> Subject: It was twenty years ago... In #4-30, Lady Cornelius Plum (Amanda) wrote: << As much as these people are enjoying their success right now, do you << think in 20 years people are going to remember who Beck, Paula Cole(who has << such hairy armpits she looks like she has Buckwheat in a headlock), and << Sarah McLachlan are? Artists these days have ZERO staying power I'd beg to differ with you one at least one of the artists listed above, Amanda. I think that not only will Beck be remembered twenty years from now, there is a good chance to he will still be recording excellent and relevant music. And, I have a feeling, I'll still be listening to him... Of course, I'm sure Brad Roberts and CTD will be too. : ) Also, for the americanos on the list, Todd Rungren will be on Conan O'Brien on Wednesday, November 26. I assume that soon to be XTC drummer Prairie Prince will be with the band. Set your VCRs! In #4-31, james isaacs wrote: << I don't ever listen to radio since ska took over. Unfortunately, ska is now << crap. I reemember back in the good old days, when Ska was the Selector, the << Specials, and their ilk. Now, any dork with a trumpet and an ugly << girlfriend who can't sing thinks he is Jerry Bleeding Dammers. Maybe I am << looking at it through a severe dislike for new ska bands, capitalizing on << the hard work of their better ancestors-much like the all those grunge bands I happen to a HUGE fan of the Specials, The English Beat and all the other late 70's/early 80's brit-ska bands. But didn't they 'capitalize on the hard work of their better ancestors' - the original ska bands of the 1960s like Bob Marley? If imitation is the sincrest form of flattery, then our heros of the 80s should take the latest occurence of Ska as a compliment. That said, what irks me is when you throw a trumpet or a trombone into a song and label it Ska, when the overall sound of the song has nothing to do with the genre at all. (See: No Doubt.) Mark Brown XTC Song of the Day - Love on a Farmboy's Wages non-XTC Song of the Day - Odelay - Beck
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01510100b09f8029353e@[130.244.150.32]> Date: Mon, 24 Nov 1997 21:24:21 +0200 From: per@aron.pp.se (Per Aronsson) Subject: List of lyrics. I don't know, maybe this has been done before here at chalkhills, but I do it anyway. With this posting as a start I hope that you fantatics out there post your favorite XTC-lyrics. XTC is worth some extra credits for their lyrics. Specially Andy has a way with words that is fantastic. Every little text as something unique. Here is five of my favoritelines: "Even those we think we hate, need the loving Soldiers of the queen, all the hard men that we've seen need the loving, babies at the brest, those in power and those surpressed, need the loving" Song: The Loving. "We stole their babes and mothers, chiefs and braves Although we held the wip, you know we were the real slaves To alchemy, human alchemy" Song: Human Alchemy. "One thousand umbrellas upturned couldn't catch all the rain that drained out of my head when you said we were over and over I cried 'til I floated downstream to a town they call misery oh oh misery" Song: 1 000 umbrellas. "I smile so much my face would crack in two, then you could fix it with your kissingglue" Song: I'd Like That. "In the house of lords, all that fancy playtalk sticks in the throat like cocktailswords Their monkeys in humanskin suites climbing to the top of our institutes Monkeys in humanskin suites sitting in the families and eating all the best fruites" Song: Monkeys In Humanskin Suites. Thats all for this time. Per Aronsson.
------------------------------ Message-ID: <3479FB8C.1274@erols.com> Date: Mon, 24 Nov 1997 14:11:24 -0800 From: Todd Bernhardt <alansp@erols.com> Organization: sellingpower Subject: MUMmer, MUMmer, all right, EXcellent... Chalkholios! Simon said: >If "Wayne's World" had been a movie about XTC fans, what tune would they have used in the head-banging scene instead of "Bohemian Rhapsody"?< Well, Mr. S., you must remember that a lot of the brilliance of BR as a headbanging song is our Freddie's ricoco, over-the-top operatic intro (with boy-soprano/drummer Roger Taylor singing the high parts) that descends into a Brian May-driven '70s rockfest that was Mercury-made for arenas. It's the dynamics, man. Anyway, in that context, what immediately comes to my mind for "Andy's World" would be "Me and the Wind" followed by "Funk Pop A Roll." Can't you just see it? The drunken pals together in the car, rocking to the drinking-song rhythm of MatW and harmonizing in excrutiating falsettos to "Have I been such a fooool...", then awaiting with delicious anticipation through a moment of silence until a jangly guitar serves as notice for Pete Phipps' monster snare/kick intro. Then, they throw their heads back and howl at the moon with Andy -- Ah ooooooooh!! Anyway, it works for me. In other news, I agree with the Nirvana and Dave Grohl defenders, and lament the loss of Dame Fortune in the lineup of Firework. I also think Church of Women is a f*cking brilliant song, with a f*cking brilliant lead by he whose brilliance doth outshine the sun. Oh, and I can't wait for CC97. ByeBye! --Todd toddjenn@erols.com
------------------------------ From: Matt_Burnside@kaplan.com (Matt Burnside) Subject: The demos... Date: 24 Nov 1997 14:00:20 GMT Message-Id: <11263901.145274184@kaplan.com> Organization: Kaplan Educational Centers Okay folks, I give up. I had thought that I could do without these demos that everyone is talking about, until it became obvious that some of the songs held so highly will not make it. Of course, I've got to hear these songs. If anyone can make a copy for me, I would be most appreciative. If a trade is the thing, then I have about 600 LPs that I would consider trading, but I don't have much of the primo rare XTC stuff (aside from U.S. first pressings of Skylarking, etc.). So let me know what it will take! Matt matt_burnside@kaplan.com
------------------------------ Message-Id: <l03110700b09f8b08c1e6@[146.6.72.34]> Date: Mon, 24 Nov 1997 14:06:50 -0600 From: Jason Garcia <h.h.name@mail.utexas.edu> Subject: "I can write a damn good song I know" >>not a dud among them. (Well, maybe Cynical Days.) > >Are Andy, Colin and I the only people in the world who love this song? >Please, someone...it's getting more crap than Go2! NOT AT ALL!! I'll speak out here in my love for "Cynical Days". It's actually the reason I whip out O&L these days...the bombastic production on that album has fallen out of favor with me lately. Like I've said before, it always sounds like I'm listening to something that's trapped between two sheets of Plexiglas. There's no height or depth to the sound. But "Cynical Days" is awesome! It's got such brilliant chord changes...some of the most brilliant on the album, *I* think. Other responses: screw Paula Cole, McLachlan's ok, Beck's a pretty good songwriter (though I still don't have any of his albums; I'm not going to buy someone's album just because some critic says it's record of the year or the future of rock and roll, that's all so much media hype)... most radio is crap, MTV is abysmal, what else have we? Oh yeah, lots of other stuff that THEY won't play. Fight the Man, and the Woman. And XTC's going to have a new album out. Sorry about that. Back to you, guys and gals. Jason
------------------------------
From: Richard.PedrettiAllen@octel.com
Message-Id: <72EDB966944AD1118DC90080D8207488121CAF@ex-campus2>
Subject: Ryan's Questions
Date: Mon, 24 Nov 1997 12:31:29 -0800
Ryan,
Q. Why is it that there are no guitar transcriptions for old XTC songs?
A. Ahhh! The innocence of youth! Please be careful... The last person
who asked this caused a groundswell of chatter, speculation and
additional questions, which ultimately resulted in Chalkhills Children.
Pluck your magic twanger, froggy!
Q. You all seem to know about the new XTC album. Someone want to fill me
in ? Title, track listing, etc ? Thanks.
A. I'm terribly sorry to break the news to you but you've been duped by
a gaggle of bluffers. Nobody truly knows a thing (except Saint
Mitchell, of course). The last thing we really know is Andy is planning
on working with Prince, Dave has taken up trombone and Colin spends his
days in an ale-fog, muttering about being jilted by some cold-hearted
dolly named Amanda.
Welcome to the list! Trust no one.
>grin< ...sorry, just feeling a litte punchy today.
Richard ("Duck Thursday" approaches!) Pedretti-Allen
------------------------------ Message-ID: <c=US%a=_%p=AETNA%l=HFD-EXCH003-971124214625Z-52349@aetna.aetna.com> From: "Witter, Karl F" <WitterKF@aetna.com> Subject: The latest sign that society is jumping off a roof... Date: Mon, 24 Nov 1997 16:46:25 -0500 ...is Pop-Up Video. When I was a teen the new "MTV style" meant 40 dizzying cuts and camera angles every minute. In a hotel here and there, I caught a bit of Pop-Up Video. Now we're so pre-bored that we need more things crammed into a 3-minute song so our eyes don't wander. >Gene Yoon sez "Roll Away the Wheel" (Ugly Underneath) would be >a neat album title. If one isn't an XTC fan, taking the phrase away from its song context may lead to 2 words: Messiah complex. (Easter Theater indeed.) >>Brookes imagines "some unsuspecting Disney-watching soul" who "listens to the whole album" will enjoy all the listed tracks and get thrown for a loop by Andy singing "F-U-C-K" in "Your Dictionary", especially if lyrics aren't listed.<< Disney-owning souls have no beef with "Nothing Sacred" on the ABC network. Perhaps we should be more concerned about offending the Baptists behind the boycott ;-). >[Ben Gott] Hell, take the recent surge in popularity of >"YMCA" -- who would've thought? Not I. While the crowd at a hockey arena is flinging their arms around like hyperkinetic semaphores, I can't but think "Whoa, I must be about **SIX BEERS BEHIND EVERYONE**!!!" >[Steve Stearns] I just think that they'd be opening themselves >up for criticism..."Oh, XTC's career is on the downside, so >now they're just going to be these 1960's revivalists." To repeat myself, there's a career in being '60s revivalists. The Rolling Stones are doing it nicely now. (BTW, according to The New York Times, Rolling Stones tour jackets are $400, not $200 as I guessed earlier.) >>And thanx for the vocab lessons, for "snogging" which didn't make it across here. "Shagging" can be found in a bunch of places, not the least of which is Mike Myers' "Austin Powers". "Hosebeast" has yet to cross the Mississippi, Appalachians, and Hudson to make it to New England.<< >[Robert Wood] It's time for you American Chalksters to >introduce "snogging" across the pond. I may well do that. Currently I use bloody and bugger freely. I may be a damn Yankee, but I know y'all is plural, Karl
------------------------------ Message-ID: <n1331730383.29449@mac.aaos.org> Date: 24 Nov 1997 16:51:50 U From: "Wiencek, Dan" <wiencek@mac.aaos.org> Subject: Andy's mug (digital) Chalkhilliards: I have what might be a rather odd request. Here's the story: Having recently received a copy of the demos on CD (thanks Kevin, and I'm sorry for referring to you as "Matt" in another post; it was kind of a foggy day, brain-wise), I set about to make some inserts for the jewel case. I immediately went to pillage the photo libraries of some of the fine XTC sites run by my fellow Chalkhillians, but ran into some problems. Basically I couldn't find photos/images that met all of these criteria: 1) They had to be of Andy alone, or at least display him prominently. Nothing against the other guys, but I figured since it was all Andy's work he should be the only one on the cover. (Yes, I am *that* anal.) 2) They had to be relatively recent. I had set Oranges and Lemons as my arbitrary cut-off date, though the more recent, the better. (Maybe not *too* recent though--that crewcut he wears now gives me the shudders.) 3) They need to be big enough to fit a CD prayer book, which is about 29 picas square. 4) Most importantly, they had to be at least 144 dpi, with 300 dpi being optimal. I tried to print a few 72 dpi images on my laser printer and they came out like shite. So ... I'm asking all Chalkhillians with picture files of Andy that meet these criteria--please send them my way! Any format which opens in Photoshop is acceptable, which basically means *.tif, *.eps, *.psd, *.jpg, or *.gif. If you want to compress them, try to use StuffIt; I work on a Mac here and my Zip application gets uppity on me. Thanks in advance to anyone who can help me. It feels a bit strange, making a plea like this for so minor a project, but I only want to do this once and want to make sure it's right the first time. Send replies/questions to dwiencek@bigfoot.com. Thanks again, Dan/IL PS. Anyone wanting a copy of the finished product should feel free to ask. ;-)
------------------------------ Message-ID: <3479ECE3.823CEB57@MCI.com> Date: Mon, 24 Nov 1997 14:08:51 -0700 From: Jeffrey Langr <Jeffrey.Langr@MCI.com> Subject: staying power diatribe >Ed-As much as these people are enjoying their success right now, do you >think in 20 years people are going to remember who Beck, Paula Cole (who >>has such hairy armpits she looks like she has Buckwheat in a headlock), >>and Sarah McLachlan are? Artists these days have ZERO staying power, >>something that XTC is fortunate enough to have been blessed with Time shall only tell. It's just as it always was, though. You could say the same thing at any given point in time -- I mean, go back to the early 80s -- does anyone care about Wang Chung, Kajagoogoo, Men At Work, etc? Or the 70s, full of one-hit wonders as well. Or the 60s, full of so many obscure little psychedelic groups... Staying power? XTC is still alive, that certainly helps. Ultimately it is the staying power in your own mind that matters, isn't it? Ultimately, does it matter, if you're enjoying the songs now? Kurt Cobain and Nirvana will be remembered, like it or not -- without Nirvana there would have been no "alternative" radio scene. Groups like Chumbawamba (#7 on billboard hot 200) would never have had the chance to succeed. Those of us who grew up in the late 70s and early 80s remember that there was no such thing as XTC or true alternative on the radio. >i wonder if he'd have the nerve to nail Howard for being the jerk he >often is. Hard to be in talk radio and not be a jerk. Hard to imagine a world not tainted by Howard. Thank god for the National Enquirer, John Waters, Howard, and other trash icons that allow us to laugh at the inflated egos of pop culture icons. The world needs more trashy jerks to point out what jerks other people are. -J-
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Nov 1997 11:21:38 +1300 (NZDT) Message-Id: <v01540b02b0a065e1b8b8@[139.80.228.174]> From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James Dignan) Subject: Re: XTC's Bohemian Rhapsody!!!! (erk!) >hmmmmmm....it needn't be their BEST song--just a stupidly fun, catchy, >sing-a-long one..... The chorus of Are you receiving me? always gets me like that... James
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 24 Nov 1997 17:03:43 -0600
From: LAG2471@ACS.TAMU.EDU
Message-Id: <971124170343.205118bf@ACS.TAMU.EDU>
Subject: Liking "The Loving"
>Colin (not Moulding, goofballs!) wrote:
>>To tell you the truth, I find 'The loving' and 'The disappointed'
>>excruciating.
While I agree that "The Loving" isn't much of a song compared to some of
our boys' better stuff, I can't help laughing out loud each time its
lead-in stadium-concert-crowd-noises start playing. I figure that this is
a joking reference to Andy's stage fright and the near-impossibility of XTC
*ever* playing a concert in a large stadium. Not that we can't dream...
\\\o///o\\\o///o\\\o///o\\\o///o\\\o///o\\\o///o\\\o///o\\\o///o\\\o///
Lore Guilmartin Data's evil twin Lore@tamu.edu
This sig for decorative use only. Not for phonetic purposes.
///o\\\o///o\\\o///o\\\o///o\\\o///o\\\o///o\\\o///o\\\o///o\\\o///o\\\
------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.3.32.19971124205614.0069b02c@mail.clemson.edu> Date: Mon, 24 Nov 1997 20:56:14 -0500 From: Adam Tyner <ctyner@CLEMSON.EDU> Subject: This Is Live In my neverending quest for Dr. Spock's Backup Band by TMBG on CD, I came across "This Is Live" by XTC... It's available at http://www.tunnelrecords.com/ if anyone is willing to pay $21 for it. Personally, it doesn't sound much different than "Live In Concert", so I think I'll pass. ;) BTW, http://www.eclecticmusic.com/audio/audio_x.htm lists some XTC rarities...among them still, as I mentioned before, is a tape that looks suspiciously like the one John Relph put together of O&L acoustic radio appearances. -Adam
------------------------------ From: BobCrain@aol.com Date: Mon, 24 Nov 1997 23:44:11 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: <971124234410_-422889481@mrin41.mail.aol.com> Subject: I Say, Chaps, What About the Quiet One? Hello Chalksters, My vote for a Wayne-esqe car-shaking singalong: "This Is Pop"! (whoa whoa-o). Here are some quick (but not Kurt) rejoinders to previous posts: >Yazbek: Then we're doing the nearby IOTA >club in Arlington VA two days later on >the 6th <of December>. I'll be there, but I don't have an XTC shirt. I'll wear my Possum Dixon one instead! >Tim Kendrick: So, I think we should all be >prepared for one or two of the "definite" >songs being dropped at some point. Yes, but even more exciting... possibly we will hear NEW XTC SONGS WE'VE NEVER HEARD BEFORE!! Perhaps some more Colin songs, that's what I'm hoping for anyway. >Cheryl: So if you hop over to the states >and expect to..."pull" by saying, "Fancy a >shag?" That girl might just drag you out >to the dance floor and expect you to be >John Travolta. Except for, of course, the pernicious influence of "Austin Powers," which has brought the words "shag" and "shagging" to an incredible prominence in the world of American morning show DJs (like Howard Stern, for one). Yeah, baby, yeah!! Shagadelic! You get the picture... * --------------------Bob Crain--------------------------- Now playing..."Starshaped" by Blur... P.S. Has anyone heard the bossa-nova version of this song Andy produced for them? I would love to hear it...
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 25 Nov 1997 00:34:49 -0500
Message-Id: <199711250534.AAA22529@csu-e.csuohio.edu>
From: Michael York <m.york@csu-e.csuohio.edu>
Subject: Songs you can clap your hands to
What can I say about XTC except why can't they just put out a new
album now or even in the past 3 years. I've run through Warsaw Poland with
travels in Nihilon on the headset. I've walked over the tower bridge in
london while lsitening to "towers of london". WHen ever I see this one guy
I know I always mock him because he doesn't think pink thing is about XTC's
collective penises. Or is it Peni.
I started with oranges and lemons after a year I completely dug it
enough to steal change from my pop's dresser and buy skylarking. I wasn't
mature enough for skylarking yet but english settlement got me and sucked me
in. I would call myself a real fan. Real fans...
1. think mermaid smiled was the best song theve ever heard at one time or
another.
2.Listen to travels in Nihilon before they dislocate their own fingers for
the sheer enjoyment of pain after such an intense and dark tune.
3.Feel like a pirate, giddy and carefree, swabbing the poopdeck and
battining down the hatches, after listening to yaught dance.
4.really want to hear the demos
The best part about them is that every time you here something new
you rediscover the rest of your XTC library. I'm sick of rediscovery I need
some help a demo fix. Please E-mail me Id love to get it on CD Ill pay and
even barter an actual copy of Martin Newell featuring the new and improved
Andy Partridge. m.york@popmail.csuohio.edu
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 25 Nov 1997 01:35:53 -0600 (CST)
Message-Id: <199711250735.BAA20854@thor.inlink.com>
From: jims@inlink.com (Jim S)
Subject: misc. random niggling thoughts
>>>not a dud among them. (Well, maybe Cynical Days.)
>
>Are Andy, Colin and I the only people in the world who love this song?
I like it fine.
> The jury's out on Beck and Paula Cole, but Sarah McLachlan put out her
>first album in '88, so she's already earned staying power. These days if you
>can stay in the business for ten years, that's staying power. As far as her
>songs are concerned, the song she wrote about a guy who was stalking her a
>few years ago is sheer genius and rather scary when you realise what it's
>about, but the rest of her stuff I've heard I'm duly impressed by as the work
>of a very intelligent and talented woman, but it doesn't set me on fire.
I am a fan of Sarah McLachlan. She has put out consitently strong, finely
crafted music. It may be a bit too polished for a lot of people, which I
understand. But my musical taste runs all over the place and happily I can
find room for Sarah along with XTC, Liz Phair, Lindsy Buckingham, Shawn
Colvin and even NIN.
As to how I found XTC, well, it was really a bit of luck, perhaps the one
lark I am most grateful that I followed up on. I read a review of Skylarking
in a CD magazine. CD's were pretty new then, so I subscribed to this silly
magazine to stay up to date on stuff. Anyway, it gave Skylarking a great
review (9 of 10 I believe) and mentioned it was rather Beatle-y. Being a
huge Beatles fan, I was interested. When I saw Todd Rundgren had produced
it, I had to have it (Something/Anything was among my favorite albums at the
time). I picked it up, and enjoyed it very much. So I went to my local CD
store that handled imports and payed $24.99 for Mummer. Got it home, put it
in the CD player and thought "What the HELL is this?" It sounded nothing
like the friendly pop of Skylarking and was a bit bizarre compared to what I
was used to at the time. I think "Procession Towards Learning Land" scarred
me for a number of years : ) So I cast aside Mummer and enjoyed Skylarking
for awhile longer. One day as I was heading home from college I stopped in a
record store and skimmed a copy of Rolling Stone. It had a review of Oranges
and Lemons. It gave it 4 of 5 stars and hooked me by saying "If Skylarking
was XTC's 'Sgt. Pepper', Oranges and Lemons is their 'White Album'." I
bought it on the spot, praying it was more like Skylarking than
Mummer. Interestingly, the cashier tried to get me to buy the CD single of
Mayor of Simpleton at the same time. "I thought all you XTC fans were
collectors." I STILL kick myself for not taking his advice. I LOVED Oranges
and Lemons. It remains my absolute #1 favorite album of all time. I am
convinced it is THE modern music masterpiece of the 80's and 90's. Anyway, I
decided I was an XTC fan. So I bought some more stuff; English Settlement
(blew me away) Black Sea (fantastic) and eventually completed the
collection. Happily, I also stumbled upon the loveable Dukes. I nearly died
of anxiety attacks wating for Nonsuch to come out (I knew about it about 6
months before it's release). I was getting very depressed about the lack of
a new album and thinking maybe they would just sort of fade away when the
news reached Chalkhills about the new record deal. I got a CD copy of the
demos, love most all of them, and now am patiently waiting for the new
album. XTC remains my favorite band for many, many reasons. Most of all
because they are so unique. A friend told me "Every time I look up XTC in a
music book, they use the word 'quirky'." I couldn't agree more, though I'd
also add brilliant and joyous. BTW, Mummer is now one of my favorite
albums. It is SO XTC-ish!!!
Sorry for the long post; I hope one or two of you out there will read it so
I did not do all this typing for nothing...
Jim S. <jims@inlink.com>
Serious fan of:
*St. Louis Rams *Michigan Wolverines *"JAWS"
*St. Louis Cardinals *XTC *MST3K
Owner/GM of the Amity White Sharks, 1998 Polanski Division Champions
Weaver League International internet baseball league
http://www.silicus.com/weaver/
------------------------------ Message-ID: <347A82BC.2554@earthlink.net> Date: Mon, 24 Nov 1997 23:48:12 -0800 From: Kenneth Leicht <herne@earthlink.net> Subject: Post Before Bedtime I had written several notes to myself for threads to comment on from the last week of posts but I can't seem to decipher most of them. Well here goes... 1.)"Firework"? Not one of their better titles. Maybe it's just a working one. I suppose if I can get past Oranges and Lemons I can get past anything album title-wise. 2.)Re:Worst XTC songs. It seems easier to think of the ones that I may have a problem with than the ones I don't. While reading others' comments I tried to conjure up a list of my "Best of..." but found the task daunting. Because of the ever flowing state of what XTC stuff is currently in favor with me it's a chore. Maybe someday I'll tackle the subject...or not. 3.)How I got into XTC. the first time I became aware of them was at Strawberries records in Providence, which in a long forgotten time segregated the NEW WAVE and PUNK into a separate section. I was there looking for Elvis Costello, the Clash, Devo and the Dead Kennedys and such but I do remember picking up DRUMS and WIRES and thinking the artwork was really cool. I believe the first song I ever heard was Life Begins at the Hop but I didn't know it was them. The song that really did it was Generals and Majors which I heard on Boston's WBCN which in those days (early 80's) the coolest rock station in all the land. I went out and bought the single on RSO (!) records. Later I bought the Black Sea album (also on RSO) but I didn't like it much at first. The songs seemed a little too long to me. Time passed (a year or so) however and I slowly got into it. Just as my Black Sea enthusiasm reached a peak, along came English Settlement. Senses Working Overtime was all over the radio and I loved it. I rushed out to the local store and payed the then catastrophic price of $16.99 for the import version of the album. I vividly remember a friend asking me why I would spend so much on an album to which my friend Mark replied, "Cause he f**king wanted it you d**k!" Anyway from then on I went after everything. I found an import of Go 2 and bought the White Music and Drums And Wires re-issues on Epic. After that I was there for every album single or ep or bootleg and pretty much have been ever since. 4.)Re:Plum on today's music---there are lots of one hit wonders out there these days but Beck will most likely contine to be somewhat vital and Nirvana, before we all got tired of hearing about them, was a great punk band. 5.)thanks for the post of the Rag&Bone chronological order. Although I do prefer things in order I do agree that History of rock and Roll makes for a better closing bit. 6.)Re: being tired of XTC---One Listee who's name eludes me spoke of losing interest in our boys and even becoming annoyed with Andy's voice. In recent years I did go through a period where I wasn't really listening to the band or even thinking about them much. this happens with me occasionally, usually during a long stretch between records or following an album which didn't do much for me (like Nonsuch..although I eventually warmed up to it.)I refer to these periods as a dormancy. It does go away. This list and others on the net have definitely fanned the flames. Well the Nyquil's kicking in so it's time for bed. Till the next one, KL p.s. thanks Matt K. for the well wishes!
------------------------------ Message-ID: <347A8361.7103@earthlink.net> Date: Mon, 24 Nov 1997 23:50:57 -0800 From: Kenneth Leicht <herne@earthlink.net> Subject: Saturday Night saw them retching... I can't really remember why I wanted to know this but I'm going to ask anyway...Other than Respectable Street, are there any other XTC songs that refer to or mention puking? Anyone? KL
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199711250009.BAA16609@utrecht.knoware.nl> From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl> Organization: The Little Lighthouse Date: Tue, 25 Nov 1997 01:18:11 +0000 Subject: They're Due For Replay 1998 Dear Chalkers, > If "Wayne's World" had been a movie about XTC fans, what tune would > they have used in the head-banging scene instead of "Bohemian Rhapsody"? In one of my former lives I used to "roadie" for Dutch band The Tapes who were big XTC fans. They played some support gigs for our heroes BTW... Anyway, these guys used to sing a lot when we were "on the road" and one of their faves besides the Batman theme was Living Through Another Cuba. Imagine six people cramped in a small van going "duh-duh-duh-duh-du da-da-da-da-da-da living through another cu-uuuu-BA!" The Tapes released a couple of albums on the American (!) label Passport in the early 80's . Their second album Party is excellent (a lot of XTC & Heads influences) while their third On A Clear Day was produced by.... John Leckie ! It's a small world after all :) yours in ecstasy, Mark Strijbos at The Little Lighthouse the XTC website @ http://come.to/xtc and http://www.knoware.nl/users/mmello
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199711250108.RAA17072@mail.eskimo.com> From: "Matt Keeley" <mrme@eskimo.com> Date: Mon, 24 Nov 1997 17:06:48 +0000 Subject: Z Ah, that's actually a movie... Hmm.. anyway, as for the whole Bohemian Rhapsody thread... I'd vote for "Are You Receiving Me?" but.. well... > Who cares? You might be dead. Is it just me, or is this a great opening quote line thingy... sort of parodies the whole mailing list thing...8) > From: BobCrain@aol.com > Matt condemns: > >I put a pox on thee, Johns! You have > >forsaken your DEVOid roots! You are > >mocking Bob1 by your flagrant dis-use > >of the drum machine<...> > Not completely. I was fortunate enough > to catch the John-boys at Fletcher's in > Baltimore, MD last summer, and they > opened their show with a set from, as > they put it, "They Might Be Giants '89." > Prerecorded backing tracks (might have > been midi, for all I know) and just the > two humble bums on stage. Wiped the > later full band set on the floor, in my > estimation. Yeah.. I wish I could see the TMBG nostalgia shows... whenever they come to Seattle, the "full-band" shows are the all ages ones and the Nostalgia ones are the 21+... dammit, those are the best songs! Ah well... > From: HENTOE@aol.com > On my second trip to the record store I got "Psonic Psunspot" & > "Skylarking" & a few months later, "Go 2"--strangely, I realized they were > my favorite band the day I bought this one.....maybe because it is so > different from the other three--I like musically diverse bands. I bought > the (all time favorite) "Big Express" next..... Hmm... so, did it have the colour booklet? 8) > "NECESSARY"--but more or less expected). And, I think, as far as THOSE > types of songs go--these will do fine.....very well, even! I also agree > with whoever said Your Dictionary may soon enjoy a Dear God sort of > popularity--I can really see that happening, actually: "huh huh, he > spelled fuck..." Actually, I'm positive this will happen... especially if there's a video for it... I mean, remember that Tom Petty song where he sung "let's get to the point/let's roll another joint"... there was a whole big thing about MTV reversing the tape on that one... I can see another sort of uproar kinda thing going on... > PS--matt keeley (sp?)--you are funny--you are the man! (& Spaceghost > e-mails me every day!!!) Thanks! Hmm... ever notice how we never seem to have appreciatory slang that is for women? I mean, no one ever says, "Kate, you are the woman!"... I mean, more often than not, Kate will be the man, even though she's not a man... so... But then again, "the person" just sounds dippy... Hmm... ah well... language! Bah! > From: Adam Tyner <ctyner@CLEMSON.EDU> > <<And on one TMBG note-With the exception of a few songs (Particle Man, > Birdhouse in Your Soul, Istanbul Not Constantinople), TMBG is a fairly asi > asi band. I have Factory Showroom and I like it, but I have to agree with > the Great Partrdige (hello spelling!!!!!!) about it. "eh?">> > I really shouldn't go here, being an obsessive TMBG fan. :) I'd recommend > listening to more of their material, especially Lincoln, before coming to a > conclusion about the band. Actually, I'm beginning to think there are two TMBGs... the early one, (Pink through A18, maybe even JH) and the late one... The early one is extremely wonderful, but the later one borders from pretty good to crap... Hmm.. where have I heard this before...8) > From: pjmuck@idt.net (Peter McCulloch) > Well, I for one am dissappointed to see Prince of Orange and Wonder Annual > gone, although I understand the reasoning. Here's another good reason to > hate Virgin, folks. Had XTC been able to release albums over the past 6 > years, these songs would have never been let go. I do hope Andy revamps > those lyrics on Your Dictionary before it gets recorded, though. "S-H-I-T", > "F-U-C-K", sheesh! Actually, yeah, had Virgin been decent (read "had Virgin been indie"), we'd all be bitching because we haven't had a new XTC album in a year or two. As for Dictionary, I hope he keeps it reasonably the same... nothing like a little controversy to stir up record sales... "After Nasty's 'Bigger than God' comment, people started to burn their records. In fact, they were buying them just to burn them. Record sales skyrocketed..." Ah well, that's this world over... Matt Living Through | (ICQ UIN: 1455267, Name: MrMe) Another | http://www.eskimo.com/~mrme Cuba -- XTC | I used to be temporarily insane! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Now I'm just stupid! -- Brak Yeah.
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #4-35 ******************************
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