Chalkhills Digest Volume 4, Issue 36
Date: Monday, 1 December 1997
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 4, Number 36
Monday, 1 December 1997
Today's Topics:
D'oh!
chalkhill's CHILD
We all live in a mellow apathy.....
am i insane or am i fast?
Wow
Bohemian XTC and Other Stories
Rock vs. Orchestral
Disney - an ethically challenged institution
AP a vegetarian???
The Famous Person's Mural
the Phil Collins Syndrome/not the greatest Living Englishman
What's "The Loving" Got to do With
Overpowered by turkey
froggy reference
Q
O+L Production "bombastic"??
Quintessential XTC?
Too Much Too Young
Guy, an adult lowland gorilla
Roll away the wheel?
Wayne's XTC theme
Tasteless fun
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-ID: <347B57A5.6595@erols.com> Date: Tue, 25 Nov 1997 14:56:37 -0800 From: Todd Bernhardt <alansp@erols.com> Organization: sellingpower Subject: D'oh! It figures... Damn *your* eyes, Yazbek! I've publicly berated you in this forum for not playing the DeeCee area, and when you finally do decide to come down (Dec. 4), I'm going to be out of town!! Yet all is not lost -- I'll be back by the 6th, and given a dispensation by the wife for a night on the town whilst she stays at home with the issue of our love, I'll be at the IOTA club sporting full Chalkhills regalia (if a t-shirt qualifies as such). Who else wants to meet at the club, drink, talk XTC and raz the Yaz? E-mail me at the address below... ByeBye! --Todd toddjenn@erols.com PS: Peter, I can't resist -- just what exactly *is* yugging? :^)
------------------------------ From: Epidermis1@aol.com Date: Tue, 25 Nov 1997 19:52:33 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: <971125195233_-355647717@mrin42.mail.aol.com> Subject: chalkhill's CHILD hey everybody, my first post, although i have been reading everybody else's for some time. my name is libby, pleased to meet all you other xtc fans. i'm fifteen, i first heard about xtc from my (then) boyfriend mike. we would drive around in his '75 thunderbird, and since the stereo was broken, we would either listen to a computer speaker/walkman contraption, or a little tapeplayer. he had tapes of all sorts of things i hadn't heard; tom waits, tmbg, sonic youth, pavement, and XTC! i would forever be asking him what were listening to, the first XTC songs i remember are scarecrow people and that's really super supergirl. since then we've gotten around to hearing the earlier stuff and everything else we can get our hands on, which is limited since we live in southern illinois. he's become a huge xtc fan and so have i. unfortunately, he isnt my boyfriend anymore, but we're still bestfriends and fans of xtc. enough storytime for now- libby.
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Nov 1997 10:30:23 -0600 (CST) From: lady cornelius plum <ACOEA@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Subject: We all live in a mellow apathy..... Message-id: <01IQGN98E2UQ909BFT@jazz.ucc.uno.edu> Now that I've got your attention, I want you all to be on yur best behaviour. My manager might be checking in for a quick visit. (I told him I'd mentioned him several times on the list and he's just SO psyched. Goofily so, I must say. He can't wait for the next issue of LE to come out so he can see himself in print.) And now, onto rrrrrrrrrrrrresponses...... Louise-Agreed with you IMMENSELY about Eddie Vedder. I watched him in concert and he was preaching about "If you put Bill Clinton and Saddam Hussein at the same Rolling Stones concert, there would be world peace", or something like that. He used to be such a great singer, but as soon as he went on the whole I'm a huge star and I hate the media that got me where I am in the first place" trip, he just went to shit. Alright, let me clarify this....in putting Cole, Beck, & McLachlan into my post about staying power, I did not mean to knock them. To the contrary, I own "Fumbling Towards Ecstasy" and "This Fire", and I'm quite fond of Beck. (I still have to crank it up everytime I hear "Loser" and "New Pollution".) I just meant that even thought they're big now, you can't say they'll be remembered like the Stones or Zeppelin 10, 20 years from now. (Same goes for My Band, the Dummies. Although their last album didn't have the oomph that GSHF did, so I can't blame people for forgetting about then.) SLight non-XTC post real quick..... Has anyone watched MTV's Top Ten Video lists of late, you know the top ten 80's videos, top ten cheesiest videos, etc., etc. Well yesterday they showed Top Ten Hair band videos, harkening back tothe days when Yours Truly thought any male with unkempt hair and a hairy chest was a god. So I was in an hour of ecstasy whilst watching Winger, Warrant, Skid Row, and Crue. "Memories...." On the thought of videos....I'd LOVE to see XTC make it onto Pop Up Vidoe. Does anyone have any info about XTC vids, maybe we can get VH-1 to do something about it!!!!! Song to wake up to-25 O' Clock, of course. Ben-Add me to the list of those who like Cynical Days. I think it has a real 40's-ish feel to it, with the horns and all. So...what would be XTC's Bohemian Rhapsody....Senses Working Overtime. No questions about it. Let me ask another quick question....(this is slightly XTC related...well, Dave related actually.) Is it true that there's something going through the house of commons in England right now that would forbid insulin dependent diabetics to drive? (If you know, write directly to me, I don't want the digest to get clogged or anything.) And on one final note, rest in peace Michael Hutchence. Ciao for now, LCP XTC song of the day-Didn't Hurt a Bit non XTC-Say What You Want-Texas
------------------------------ From: SLEDZNH@aol.com Date: Wed, 26 Nov 1997 07:28:56 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: <971126072855_289427944@mrin44.mail.aol.com> Subject: am i insane or am i fast? Fellow Chalk-ites, Everytime I get into a plane and look out the window, the song "Roads Girdle The Globe" comes streaming into my brain. Anyone else ever have this not-unpleasant affliction? ~James (the other one).
------------------------------ Message-ID: <347B8DDD.5449@erols.com> Date: Tue, 25 Nov 1997 21:47:57 -0500 From: Todd Bernhardt <toddjenn@erols.com> Subject: Wow Just a short note to say "All Hail" to Bob and Brian for the incredible virtual tour of Swindon they've set up. It's obvious from the quality of the site that it's truly a labor of love, and made me ache to go back. Everyone who hasn't already pointed their browser there and bookmarked it should definitely do so. ByeBye! --Todd
------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.32.19971126130537.00688298@pop.cancom.net> Date: Wed, 26 Nov 1997 13:05:47 -0800 From: The Village Green <green@vis.bc.ca> Subject: Bohemian XTC and Other Stories I read and digest the digests in batches and I am way behind. However I have enjoyed many topics of late. A few thoughts on things past: *Bohemian XTC Life Begins At The Hop. Incredible thumping snare creating a beat to bounce to, backing vocals to chime along with (ooo-wooo-ooo-wooo-ooo), call and response (tell me what do you say). I haven't seen the video since back when it came out but didn't they drive around in a mock convertible, bouncing here and there? *Barry Andrews thread. XTC didn't become interesting to me until after he left. I'm not a fan of quirky pop. *Guitar solos. XTC are blessed with intelligent, well constructed solos for the most part. The obligatory solo is a waste of time and energy, something I wouldn't accuse the boys of doing. Check Crocodile for a magnificently fun, off the wall solo. The ending to Books Are Burning is great. The guitar playing over the years and especially from Skylarking on has given so much more (very subtle) colour to the songs that one doesn't realize just how great these guys really are. It can give you goosebumps if you get right into it. The band I play in goes for substance with style and if the songs don't have solo spots so what. It works for me because I am uncomfortable being in a position of having to play solos in every song, I like watching what everyone can do and the overall result. *All music is good (or bad). Music is for the senses, something to crawl inside and become part of. For that reason we have to be subjective about music because to be objective takes the passion out of it. I don't care much for most of the stuff out there right now but obviously a lot of people do. In the end if it ain't got substance it won't stick to the wall very long (here today, gone tomorrow). XTC are still here because they (a) are still very creative and interesting or (b) can't get other jobs. I pick (a), of course. *Prairie Prince. I love the Tubes 'Remote Control' album. Fine drummer. I found parts of the 'drumming' on Skylarking very awkward. Example, see Earn Enough For Us. What could have been an incredible song was turned into something less with the sound of the drums. Todd botched my favourite Utopia album 'Oblivion' with crappy drums. The songs were great and it's too bad the drum sound was what it was. *English Settlement. We were saddled with the single version of the album for a long time. I don't know if I was happy to actually have the double version after listening to it. On the whole a great album and I don't understand how anyone can not like English Roundabout. With this album the band started to change and for me this is when the albums became more listenable as a whole. *Colin Songs / Andy Songs. Both write great songs, both write some not so great songs. Sometimes I wish I could hear more Colin songs given the ratio betweeen the guys. I wish Dave would have a song in there or sing lead vocals or something. Musically he makes these guys what they are. *Demos on disc. Please, whoever can provide a cd copy of the demos let me know privately. Send details for price and mailing etc. Many thanks. I'm on a real XTC kick right now so my Kinks cds are getting somewhat of a break. The older I get the less I vary what I listen to. I just enjoy the things I listen to more and more all the time. Winter is coming but spring will find us in XTC once again. All the best, Bill Music is spiritual. The music business is not. - Van Morrison
------------------------------ Message-ID: <E936F9674805D111BCED0000F87889800BD578@svr02.bclc.com> From: Neil Oliver <NOLIVER@bclc.com> Subject: Rock vs. Orchestral Date: Wed, 26 Nov 1997 16:57:58 -0800 We've heard a lot of talk about this 2-CD concept, where one CD is upbeat and the other acoustic/orchestral. So... what songs are going to be on this electric disc? I've heard 10 of the 15 Andy songs mentioned as definites, and only "Some Lovely" and "Church of Women" (plus "You and the Clouds" if it makes it) seem like they could go on an electric disc. I know "Playground" is reported to be a rocker, but what about the other unreleased Andy songs (to say nothing of Colin's)? Or has this concept been abandoned?
------------------------------ Message-ID: <347D09C6.75F8@ix.netcom.com> Date: Wed, 26 Nov 1997 21:48:54 -0800 From: Eric Rosen <rimshot3@ix.netcom.com> Subject: Disney - an ethically challenged institution >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 >>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 ;-). <rant> Funny how those Baptists never bothered to mention how heinous Disney's sweatshop operations in Haiti are and how, on humanitarian grounds alone, their operation is worth boycotting. <Obligatory XTC bit> Let's not forget how they tried to "force" one Andy Partridge into near charity work </Obligatory XTC bit> Finally, let us not forget that Disney has always been a reactionary force of the most Fascist ilk. Just as Disney's animation studio hit its stride in the late 30's, early 40's, their overworked and underpaid animators decided to unionize. Shortly after WWII, with the House Hearings on Un-American Activities focusing on alleged Communist influence in Hollywood (should read as "well encrypted Anti-semitism") as a pretext for screwing working folks, good ole Walt himself gleefully testified to the House claiming that Communists were busting up his shop. Walt fired a lot of his staff and the quality of Disney's animation went down the toilet. Some really great animators were blacklisted and never able to do the kind of work they had made their names with especially Titla who had done major portions of the original Snow White (the first full length animated feature). </rant>
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 27 Nov 1997 01:13:44 -0600
Message-Id: <v02110100b0a2792b9fc9@[144.92.210.85]>
From: jhackney@facstaff.wisc.edu (John M. Hackney)
Subject: AP a vegetarian???
Chalkhillians,
I know that I should pay better attention to postings on this list
that probably have discussed the topic to death ages ago-------but, I can't
remember having seen it being chewed over. So, here's my question: Is Mr.
Partridge a vegetarian? If so, does anyone know how long he has been?
What stage of vegetarianism does he identify with, i.e., no red meat?, no
meat?, no animal products whatsoever?, that type of thing. This is
probably covered in the book, "Chalkhills and Children", but I haven't read
it yet. What about the other guys in the band? Anyone?
John
------------------------------ Message-ID: <840C6065282CD111A6B400805FEA5AC51690FF@BENEXCHG> From: Gary Minns <Gary.Minns@benfield.co.uk> Subject: The Famous Person's Mural Date: Thu, 27 Nov 1997 10:07:32 -0000 >From Bob Estus: >...I would like to announce the grand opening >of a NEW XTC WEBSITE, "the Roundabout". >http://www.znet.com/~bobestus/index.htm... Thanks for that Bob, some interesting thoughts about Swindon influences on XTC songs and some good pics as well. One question: when you were researching in Swindon, did you ever find out about "The Famous Person's Mural". I have seen this thing on TV (possibly on the "Play at Home" programme) but when I was in Swindon a few years back I couldn't find the damn thing. The background is that Swindon is reasonably well known for these huge paintings that adorn the sides of some houses (apolitical versions of the Loyalist/Nationalist paintings that you might have seen from footage of Northern Ireland). A lot of them are effectively advertisements for local brewers but there was one, allegedly in Union Street, that showed all the people from Swindon who'd become vaguely famous. Needless to say, XTC were on it. What the hell happened to it? Gary
------------------------------
Message-Id: <l03020903b0a2dfe9079d@[206.252.158.22]>
Date: Thu, 27 Nov 1997 05:23:20 -0400
From: aka Louise <rmckenzi@dti.net>
Subject: the Phil Collins Syndrome/not the greatest Living Englishman
children of the chalk -
[Kate <HENTOE@aol.com> wrote:]
>The gist was: I Can't Own Her & Your Dictionary are both valid songs
>>about relationships gone bad. At least ONE "breakup" song is typical on
>>any album following a divorce (not necessarily "NECESSARY"--but more or
>>less expected). And, I think, as far as THOSE types of songs go--these
"No Break-up Song Required", you might say? heh. well, i suppose i agree
with you. i personally would rather have had "Dame Fortune" than "I Can't
Own Her", though. it's funny, because Andy has specifically said that he
didn't want to exhibit the "Phil Collins Syndrome" (e.g. the entire album
consists of nothing except bitter post-breakup songs), but with "Your
Dictionary" on there that attempt is pretty much blown to hell. oh, well -
maybe no one will notice, since after all Andy has been writing
post-breakup songs for years - these ones are just more explicit and less
cloaked in metaphor for a change.
and sorry - i have no insider info indicating that "The Man Who Murdered
Love" is going to be on the album, i was just wishing in a
plausible-sounding way. i apologize for any excessive excitement this may
have caused you. and whoever brought up "Everything" - on the one hand i
would die to hear it on cd, but on the other, i'm almost afraid of ruining
it by rerecording it - the lifeless lunar seas might get too crowded. i
wish they would just put it on the Bootleg Album as it is - it's perfect
and haunting and in fact almost cannot be improved upon. same thing goes
for "Living in a Haunted Heart".
[i had written:]
>>this is certainly shaping up to be a strange album. [snip]
>>i'm excited to see what they do with this two-headed monster - i
>>hope it'll be nothing like _The Greatest Living Englishman_.
[then Steve Schiavo <schiavo@airmail.net> wrote:]
>Brookes, this is an interesting comment! Why do you think it might sound
>like TGLE, and why would you rather it did not?
well, there's a certain Ye Olde England feel about some of the new demos,
and that's what strikes me the most about _TGLE_ - it sounds like an album
made by someone who hasn't heard any music after 1965, and sometimes it
gets a little bit cloying. i like the Cleaners from Venus stuff from Martin
much better, because at least then it was the first time for Martin to be
doing it, whereas by now that's all he's capable of. but i doubt the new
XTC album is going to be anywhere near as mediocre as _The Greatest Living
Englishman_ - i trust that if they could make "Dear Madam Barnum" sound
current, then they can certainly do the same for "Some Lovely (My Brown
Guitar)".
hope this helps -
- brookes
----------------------rmckenzi@dti.net-------------------------------
R. Brookes McKenzie aka Louise B. Minetti
Open your heart / Let the snake in | And if lust equals knowledge
Don't fall apart / Before he tries | Then I side with the snake
- Will Oldham - AP
------------------http://www.dti.net/rmckenzi------------------------
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 27 Nov 1997 07:26:17 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <v03007800b0a263429376@[209.86.63.7]> From: Mitch Friedman <mitchf@mindspring.com> Subject: What's "The Loving" Got to do With Fellow Ecstatics, All this talk about "The Loving" both recently and in the past (dare I bring up the "what are they saying at the end of the song?" thread again -- no I do not!) got me to thinking that I may have some explanation for it's origin as a song. Directly quoted from the piece of paper that came with a tape of Oranges and Lemons demos in the mail from Andy in '88 was a description of "The Loving": -- Trying to summon up the ghost of Mott the Hoople. Stack heeled shoes in a chalk circle. Inverted cross shaped guitars, etc. -- What I think we can all assume this to mean is that the song is not entirely serious and may be another one that came from the "is this for the Dukes or for XTC" bunch. It seemed to me at the time that XTC and the Dukes had somewhat spilled over into each other's territory; for example "The Affiliated" could've been a real good XTC song, "Little Lighthouse" started out as an XTC demo, etc. And let's not ever forget that in '77 when the band was trying to decide on a name The Dukes of Stratosphere and XTC were both leading candidates. Mitch
------------------------------ From: "Wesley Hanks" <whanks@earthlink.net> Subject: Overpowered by turkey Date: Thu, 27 Nov 1997 11:28:26 -0800 Message-ID: <01bcfb6a$a2671120$4a4b2599@default> Greetings Chalks, Strange day; basting my Thanksgiving turkey, its 70 degrees outside and "It's Snowing Angels" in currently playing on the deck. Gotta go snog my egg nog. Wes XTC song o' the day -- "Snowman" non-XTC song o' the day -- "Starshaped" by Blur [Unknown MIME type or encoding (multipart/related), contents not processed]
------------------------------ From: David Ferguson <David.Ferguson@www.macgroup.org> Date: Thu, 27 Nov 1997 11:10:10 -0500 Subject: froggy reference Message-ID: <v03110700b0a34a95dab9@[208.205.89.60]> Richard.PedrettiAllen wrote: >Pluck your magic twanger, froggy! Never thought I would read on an XTC digest a reference to (from) the Ghoul. get out the firecrackers. Anyone else (especially those in the Detroit area) recognize it? Did he originate that saying? ++++++++++++++++++ Boil that dust speck!
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199711270633.WAA05736@mail.eskimo.com> From: "Matt Keeley" <mrme@eskimo.com> Date: Wed, 26 Nov 1997 22:31:37 +0000 Subject: Q Hmm.... > From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James Dignan) > >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. Hmm... it might be interesting... I'm not all that interested in the Byrds, but I was impressed with the remastering job on "Oh No, It's DEVO" in comparison with the vinyl... it was just as good, if not even slightly better. Maybe Virgin should have had Infinite Zero remaster them... of course, that wouldn't have worked for many reasons, including, a) different companies b)different countries c)various legal troubles probably and d) actually giving a crap about XTC. In other words, not even a chance. > >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! Actually, that was me... but it's true, don't you think? > From: Chaos Harlequin <harlequin@tmbg.org> > 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. Wow... I didn't know Myke was subscribed... Well, he is the man, anyway. Anyway, EVERYONE tells me to take it down a level... ah well... it's one of "this things I believe" (as Homer would have said)... > From: Richard.PedrettiAllen@octel.com > > 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. Q: Are we not men? A: We are DEVO! (Sorry, couldn't resist...) > From: jims@inlink.com (Jim S) > >>>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. Eh, it's a pretty good song, but the bit at the end of some choruses (chorii?) gets to me... "Cynical Day-yay-yay-yays"... Ah well.. just me. 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.
------------------------------
From: D.L.Wilson@business.salford.ac.uk
Message-ID: <19971127085540.12661.qmail@amalthea.salford.ac.uk>
Organization: University of Salford
Date: Thu, 27 Nov 1997 08:55:31 +0000
Subject: O+L Production "bombastic"??
re: Mr Garcia's comments on Oranges and Lemons
"Bombastic production" - "no height or depth to the sound" -
"like . . . listening to something that's trapped between two sheets
of Plexiglas"
Funny that. I find tracks like 'One of the Millions','Scarecrow People',
'Hold Me Daddy' have a warm, human feel.
Must be me.
------------------------------ Message-ID: <347F1498.381E@umich.edu> Date: Fri, 28 Nov 1997 13:59:36 -0500 From: Rob Hill <rhill@umich.edu> Subject: Quintessential XTC? First off, to the recent outbreak of vinyllaphiles, I understand why vinyl would sound preferrable to CDs, since digital is awfully sterile--but what's the sonic difference between vinyl and analog cassette? After all, the albums (except Nonsuch I believe) were originally recorded on analog, then transferred to vinyl. Secondhand, someone inquired at the latest Rifff barbeque what Andy thought was XTC's representative work--a question Andy promptly evaded. So what do the swimmers in this pool pull out when some inquisitive soul asks "what does this oddball band XTC sound like"? And keep it clean. Rob
------------------------------ From: CCooli9575@aol.com Date: Fri, 28 Nov 1997 15:03:51 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: <971128150351_1106383655@mrin51.mail.aol.com> Subject: Too Much Too Young >Oh, and I agree with James Isaacs: Bring back the Selecter! And the >Specials! (not the donkey...) The Specials are back; they're playing in my town, Burlington, VT, of all places this week. I'm thinking of going out of curiousity if it's not too expensive, I have no idea how much of the original band is on board. If Jerry Dammers is involved it should be halfway interesting at least, if he isn't I'd approach with caution like the so-called Box Tops I saw last summer, with Alex Chilton nowhere to be found and some guy named Lenny who supposedly was a member of the original lineup on vocals and everybody else except maybe the guitarist entirely new. One of the worst shows i ever saw.
------------------------------ From: J_ARTECONA@RCMACA.UPR.CLU.EDU Date: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 15:40:13 -0500 Message-Id: <971130154013.20606ca1@RCMACA.UPR.CLU.EDU> Subject: Guy, an adult lowland gorilla Hey there, I certainly do not want to begin flaming poor Amanda, but......what's wrong with hairy armpits? IMO they are delicious, especially sans deodorant (too chalky). I think shaven pits is more of an american thing, I know lots of women in europe don't shave. Latin women tend to shave as well (haven't had a good pit in quite awhile mind you) so I will have to wait until I run into a more progressive lass with a hairy underneath. Oh, I agree Everything is one of the better unreleased Partridge tunes. I also really love When I Get To England and the unfinished sounding Difficult Age among otheres. PS- Garyfreelance, I have been trying to return your letter without success. Please contact me again to see what we can do. Pancho PRXTCFAN
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 11:38:49 +1300 (NZDT) Message-Id: <v01540b07b0a8532866da@[139.80.228.174]> From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James Dignan) Subject: Roll away the wheel? >>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.) Hmmm. "Roll away the stone" might mean that, but "Roll away the wheel"... maybe not. And it all depends what you do with the title, how it links in with the cover. Imagine "Roll away the wheel" with a cover simply showing a stylised globe spinning through space. The only problem would be with someone going into a shop to buy it kowing the title but not the cover art, and accidentally buying The Big Express by accident. Not that that would necessarily be a bad thing... James
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199711301945.MAA07174@access.tucson.org> From: "J. D. SMX" <jsmelser@access.tucson.org> Organization: Access Tucson Date: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 13:03:21 -0700 Subject: Wayne's XTC theme Yo Chalk-Ice, I think the Wayne's World guys would've used Helecopter as their anthem and warcry. I can just see them all boo-boo-booing together at the opening while Wayne careens into the first verse. L8r, SMX J. D. SMX Engineering Services Manager Access Tucson jsmelser@access.tucson.org
------------------------------
From: R.Crawford@mgn.co.uk
Message-ID: <80256560.003F0E64.00@mgnmail3.mgn.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 11:29:13 +0000
Subject: Tasteless fun
Well back from holidays and already the train spotter in me is calling
out (yeah I ate him).
Slight digression but for tasteless XTC references
I know I will get flamed for this for tastelessness, but due to the
accidental nature of it (at the time), and due to 3 of my workmates
almost laughing themselves sick I thought I should repeat the story
(at least it is funnier than most of the XTC dream meetings).
While playing the game Worms (on a playstation) I named my team
XTC with the 4 members being the obvious names (including Terry who
always seems to be the one who either single handedly kicked the
living shit out of the opposition, or passed on within seconds of the
game starting).
Anyway it was about 3 days after Diana was raised to Sainthood and XTC
where being set against against the Royals (Elizabeth, Phillip, Charles,
Diana).
Anyway to cut a long story short, Andy shot a landmine (yeah this gets
worse), which hit Diana, exploded, catapulting Diana into the air and
into another landmine, despatching her in one shot (effectively)
Anyway I suggest getting the game (it's out on budget release) and
setting XTC loose against various bands it's quite amusing (usually in
multiplayer mode with a few beers at hand).
>From: Colin <cseditas@yha.attnet.or.jp>
>Subject: Young un?
>WHEN DID YOU SEE THE LIGHT?
>Does anyone remember Sgt Rock performed 'live' in the Top of the Pops
>studio around 12/13 years ago. Or was it more? Anyhow, being a young
>Beatles fanatic, I pricked up my ears as soon as John Peel introduced
>the band as "the lovable mop tops from Swindon" (a bit strange now I
>think about it) and I was hooked after that song. I went straight to the
I hate to say this but it was Senses Working Overtime, Mr Peel said that
about (I should know as I refused to listen to Sgt Rock when it was
played (anywhere))
>library to get what ever I could and came back with a battered up
>BEESWAX. I love that record, but I can't find it anywhere on CD.
Hmm strabnge thats the third time I heard that mentioned but when I
bought Waxworks Beeswax they where sold as a double package.
>From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James Dignan)
>Subject: Lennon reissue crap, and snogging in 1989 (wot?)
>...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!
Well apart from Robyn going out of his way to be wierd (his fetish about
crustacean eggs for example) I personally can almost hear Mr Partridge
sniggering in the background of "How do you work this thing"
>From: MARKROCKS@aol.com
>Subject: It was twenty years ago...
And I almost wish it was longer !
>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.
Jesus I had to live through 78->82 in the UK and apart from The Beat (I
really dislike transatlantic name changes), none of them where worth
anything (though Terry Hall was the exception to that).
I remember buying Black Sea and Wa'happen (The Beat) the week I left
school then about 6 weeks later XTC at the Manor was shown and Mr P was
bouncing around wearing a Wa'happen T Shirt (trivial but then I was
never known for my sartorial elegance)
>From: Richard.PedrettiAllen@octel.com
>Subject: Ryan's Questions
>Welcome to the list! Trust no one.
All that can be said for that is learn the Law of Five and recoginse the
significance of 23.
>Richard ("Duck Thursday" approaches!) Pedretti-Allen
>From: "Matt Keeley" <mrme@eskimo.com>
>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...
That was my inital thought then I thought of Reel by Reel or Outside
World
>> "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...
It's no problem the MTV generation can't spell so unless Dragon Dictate
is running in the same room everything is safe
>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...
Hmmm, depends on the radio & TV execs being sprinkled with enough fairy
dust to play the track in the first place, after all most of the time
they just play more of the same (hmmm, female singer with a guitar (well
I can't remember the name of the Madonna contractee), well heres another
(Merideth Brookes), and another (Paula Cole).
Personally I prefer Paula's brothers stuff to Meridths brothers stuff
(yeah I know it's a crap comment but it's the first day back from
holiday and my assistant manager has went to a new job and my remaining
member of staff is off ill)
>"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..."
Heheheh I havn't heard him referes to Nasty for so long it has really
improved my day (along with receiving The Bull with the Golden Guts &
Jules Vernes Sketchbook this weekend).
All I need now are my review copies of Tomb Rader 2 to turn up today and
I may even be happy for a while.
>Matt
Love 'n Hisses
Rob...
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #4-36 ******************************
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