Chalkhills Digest Volume 4, Issue 42
Date: Friday, 2 January 1998
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 4, Number 42
Friday, 2 January 1998
Today's Topics:
You And The Clouds Will Still Be On The Album
Mayor Muzak
Nothing Imparticular
Countdown to Christmas Partytime
Bar, Hamburg!
Patience is a virtue. . .
Various
xtc, what else?
CC97 in 98
Oh.........my........GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Demos
Iva Davies, Christmas
Recommendations '97
Who says the press doesn't like XTC?
Tis the season to be folly.....
Near miss.....
Thanks for CC
Happy XMAX from Lumiere
Garden of Earthly Delights
Hippo Hallydois.
Wishing you well
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hyperion's XTC book blurb
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-Id: <l03110701b0bf380d340a@[128.83.101.24]> Date: Thu, 18 Dec 1997 14:44:26 -0600 From: Jason Garcia <h.h.name@mail.utexas.edu> Subject: You And The Clouds Will Still Be On The Album YES. (Andy from the beginning of the "This Is Pop" single) >You have GOT to be kidding! Oranges & Lemons is probably one of THE >best mixed albums I have EVER heard. >I can hear every single instrument and vocal placed perfectly in this >sublime aural universal presence when this little disc spins. >Effects are perfectly balanced and everything is EQ'd correctly and >panned left, right and center and placed in a clean way that I've never >heard before, headphones or no!! It's precisely for the above reasons that this album sounds lifeless. Too much, too perfect. (Last word) (I still like it though) >But a word of advice first-Anyone planning on seeing Scream 2, sleep with the >lights on at night. My advice: immediately go out and rent the first "Scream", then watch it every day for five days. Memorize it, put lines from it on your answering machine. But only do this AFTER you've seen "Scream 2". Happy Hollydays, Jason "Movies don't create psychos, movies make psychos more creative!!" -"Scream"
------------------------------ Message-Id: <9712182153.AA13239@axtx0060.scent.mccaw.com> From: steve mcallister <steve.mcallister-next@attws.com> Date: Thu, 18 Dec 97 15:53:39 -0600 Subject: Mayor Muzak . . . well this is a new one. I work for one of those really big telecommunication entities. I spend my days on the phone dealing with billing problems and other issues. Each day I call all over the country to deal with . . . well, to deal with the shit I deal with. Anyway, earlier today I was in contact with a wireless office in Florida and the rep had to put me on hold for a moment. And the hold music was (wait for it). . .a muzak-ish version of The Mayor of Simpleton!! Has anyone else heard this? I was stunned. Completely. I hope the lads are getting the appropriate mechanicals for the use. On another thread - a 'moonraker', I believe, is an idiot. 'Leucippotomy?' - I've no idea, although a 'leucotomy' (sometimes spelled with a 'k') is another word for lobotomy. What monstrosities would walk the streets if some men's faces were as unfinished as their minds. sm
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199712182328.JAB09728@dpi-gw.dpi.qld.gov.au> From: "McDonald, Roger" <McDonaRF@prose.dpi.qld.gov.au> Subject: Nothing Imparticular Date: Fri, 19 Dec 1997 09:24:00 +1000 People, people, people, Just a lame sort of Christmas post to say to all you people freezing your arses (or if you're American "your asses") off in the northern hemisphere - you lucky, lucky bastards!!!!! Here in Brisbane, Australia, it's been upwards of 30 degrees celsius for the last 2 weeks with no let up in sight until at least after Christmas. I think that's like the high 90's in fahrenheit... so people in Australia actually DO dream of white christmas's. Regarding David Letterman - we do actually get him over here but maybe his humour is culture-centric(?) (I know that's wrong but I couldn't be arsed thinking of the right word - it's too hot!). Most people I've discussed him with find him desparately unfunny. Mister Letterman? He wanker! To the lucky person who got to see Wiltshire - ahhhh, yes....joy..... Swindon, Bath, Glastonbury Tor, The Cotswolds.... You gotta go up to The Lakes District or Yorkshire to get that feeling again! BTW we finally got to see that drama series The Lakes down here - whoa! pretty heavy stuff!! I liked it!!! Anyway, as Abraham Lincoln once said, "Be excellent to one another - and party on dudes!" Merry Christmas! Not all Australians are dickheads like me. Look at that lovely fella Paul Culnane! Anyway, as George Bush used to say to his wife when he jumped in the sack, "Goodnight Barbara!" RogerFromOz (wondering if he should seek different sources for information on American history and popular culture...)
------------------------------ Message-ID: <349A367C.B94@ibm.net> Date: Fri, 19 Dec 1997 08:55:27 +0000 From: Carrie Brand Ross <cross56@ibm.net> Organization: Blackbird Recording Company Subject: Countdown to Christmas Partytime I haven't posted for a while, and since it's Christmas time... I haven't heard "Countdown to Christmas Parytime" mentioned yet (maybe I need to read more closely). Now that's just a happy little mindless XTC ditty (although I do LOVE "Thanks for Christmas"). Speaking of Christmas, and since you all seem to like Yazbek, has anyone heard Deanna Kirk yet? (she's reviewed in People magazine this week - Dec. 22 issue) She sings a Yazbek song "I Want It" - and it's great! (he sings on her CD too) She also does a great jazzy version of "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch". If you want to check her out, pull up the Blackbird website at: www.blackbirdusa.com Have a wonderful holiday season!!!
------------------------------ Message-Id: <2.2.32.19971219162653.0069bbd8@popmail.dircon.co.uk> Date: Fri, 19 Dec 1997 16:26:53 +0000 From: Simon Sleightholm <nonsuch@dircon.co.uk> Subject: Bar, Hamburg! From: dqd4@psu.edu >Subject: A Scrooge Among Us? That'll be me you're referring to and no, I happen to enjoy Christmas very much. >someone doled out some criticism for 'Thanks for Christmas,' calling it, >among other things, 'cynical.' If you check back you'll discover there was no critisism of the track whatsoever, it's a great song and I was _overjoyed_ to hear it in a public place. And I think "cynical" was the _only_ thing I (rather mistakenly) called it. Your invocation of the name "Scrooge" as a description of me, as someone you (mistakenly) thought was hostile to Christmas, is a pretty neat example of what the song seems, IMHO, to be gently railing against; the whole notion that there should be a _season_ of goodwill, a fixed time to be nice to people, and that anyone who doesn't walk around with a fixed and manic grin in the days surrounding the 25th is in some way not entering into the spirit of things and is therefore somehow lacking in the requisite human virtues. Some people are quite capable of being (or at least trying to be - my own success rate is highly debatable) pleasant and considerate ALL YEAR, not just on the few days it's officially sanctioned. And that's without even starting on issues of different faiths and their own view of these days. >nothing more than three minutes and some seconds of sheer fun and good >sentiment. Let's not ruin that by looking for a hidden meaning! What _hidden_ meaning? It's a classic set-up and punchline. "Here's all the _good_ stuff that happens at Christmas, it's a jolly time, we exchange gifts, there's loads of 'Winter-friendliness'..." and then we hit the middle-eight (or whatever we eventually decided to call it) and the rug is pulled away, "Now that we've agreed how nice it is to be caring at Christmas, why don't we do it _all_ the_time_?" It's not hidden at all, it's explicit in the lyric; Christmas is great, but we could make _every_ day as wonderful as Christmas if we _chose_ to. Just look at the lyric; "It's such a shame it's only one day in the year....you've been saving your love up, let it out, Christmas is here..." which I read as a suggestion to spread the good feeling out all year, instead of compressing it all artificially into this one day and then locking it away again until next year. This set-up and follow-through is, for me, one of the great joys of the song - along with genre-perfect trumpets and other frills. There's an echo of this laudable sentiment in "Let's Make A Den" too; "...pent up all our fears and give presents each Christmas like there was nothing ever wrong..." It's certainly not "ceaselessy cynical" though, I admit a linguistic error there. Still, there's no avoiding the fact that the song is not simply a happy little song about Christmas; there's a meaning, and it's certainly not _hidden_. Even the title and its use in the song seems to underline this meaning, to me it's saying "thanks for there being at least _one_ day in the year where not _everyone_ feels obliged to be a selfish asshole." It's a fine example of what Andy said about the use of middle-eights for contrast or to finally reveal the true thrust of a song. No Scrooge then, it just makes me giggle when these barbed songs find their way onto compilations without the lyric or sentiment seming to have been absorbed or understood by the compiler. An honorable mention, in addition to my recent mention of "A Little Time", must also go to The Stranglers' "Golden Brown" a serious drug song which turns up in the strangest places. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, Simon -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~nonsuch/bungalow.htm (http://come.to/bungalow) -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- An XTC resource - "Saving it all up for you..."
------------------------------ Message-ID: <19971219191605.6234.qmail@hotmail.com> From: "Steve Stearns" <xteve@hotmail.com> Subject: Patience is a virtue. . . Date: Fri, 19 Dec 1997 11:16:04 PST First and foremost, props and thanks to those who kindly provided me with copies of the demos. You all have made my holiday season. . .now onto the rest of the posting: In the last digest, "Steve Kerley" wrote: >Look, I hate to admit it, but You and the Clouds is one of only a handful of >the new demos that I really (gulp!) like. (to paraphrase) Y'know, at first I sort of felt this way too. There were few songs that immediately reached out and grabbed me. BUT!!!!!!!!!! If I've learned anything from listening to XTC's work over the years, it's that under repeated listening their stuff holds up better than any other band I can think of. Now, after more spins, I've found that songs that didn't grab me at first are awesome! (Namely: Some Lovely (My Brown Guitar), River of Orchids, and in fact just about all the new stuff). This also has held true for Nonsvch, O&L, and the rest of the catalog. So my advice is, listen to them again. I bet that after you posted that last message within hours you found yourself humming some snippet from "Easter Theatre". . . Thinking of going south for the winter, Steve
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 19 Dec 1997 12:48 -0700 (MST) From: Dewitt Henderson <Dewitt.Henderson@mci.com> Subject: Various Message-Id: <19971219194420.OVBD6587@[166.37.7.10]> Yo amigos - * I'm still looking for that limited-edition 47.5 rpm Egyptian pressing of "Living Through Another Tuba" on lime-green vinyl in the special textured papyrus sleeve in the shape of a pair of Andy's underwear. :^) (Sorry, just gotta kid you rabid collectors. Mark? :^) * If any of you are interested (yeah, I know, I shoulda put it in the classifieds) in "The Compact XTC", which pre-dated the 'Upsy-Daisy Assortment', and was an English compilation anyway, mine's for sale. It's got 17-18 trax, all XTC singles, from everything up to their last 3 releases. * O&L sound - whoever went on and on defending it, YES. God, I love that album and its sound. I'd still love to hear the MoFi version, though. * OK Computer - the analogy about mixing up all those bands/sounds ... hmmmm, I'm somewhat of a painter, and you know what happens when you mix a bunch of different colors? It all turns to a variation of brown, black, or grey... called 'mud' by painters. That was just my feeling about the album, anyway... DeWitt Henderson Lost in MCI
------------------------------ From: Epidermis1 <Epidermis1@aol.com> Message-ID: <10cc54db.349af26b@aol.com> Date: Fri, 19 Dec 1997 17:17:13 EST Subject: xtc, what else? Organization: AOL (http://www.aol.com) hey everybody. two things really, number one, i'm near st. louis, if you dont mind teenagers at the xtc party, id love to come, i'd bring along all the other xtc kids of course. and i am so happy about christmas, i almost can't wait. we got the tree up and my relatives are coming and i'm going shopping. i love giving presents, and i love getting presents, especially ones from people who actually put some thought into it. i got a couple of my presents already from far off relatives. chicken soup for the teenage soul? plech! i guess that just shows how little they know me and how infrequently we see one another. oh well. yours, liz.
------------------------------ From: Richard.PedrettiAllen@octel.com Message-Id: <72EDB966944AD1118DC90080D82074881C156F@ex-campus2> Subject: CC97 in 98 Date: Fri, 19 Dec 1997 14:49:05 -0800 It is with heavy heart that I must deliver the news that the Chalkhills' Children '97 tapes will not be delivered by Christmas. We have run out of time. I'm truly sorry for those who planned to use the tapes as stocking stuffers. I will get them out as soon as I can. Believe me, I WANT TO SEND THESE! The packages are prepared and ready to fly AS SOON AS I HAVE THE TAPES. All I have to do is drop the proper amount of tapes in, seal the package and send. In case you're wondering what went wrong... I actually BELIEVED what the dubbers told me. sucker. They told me that they could make the dubs and have them delivered by the 18th. I even allowed them a one day grace period, then called when the tapes didn't arrive. That is when they told the tapes would run and ship on the 22nd with absolutely no @*#&^*$ hope of delivery in time for new years moshing. I realize that many wouldn't arrive by the 25th but some would and the big shipment would be done and out of my way before the festivities commence. RATS! ...and the joy that I could have spread to all the boys and girls receiving their last minute Christmas cards and (!) THE TAAAAAAAPE! Off goes Nat King Cole and here comes Harrison! Oooooooh! The imagery! Forget about it for now! Go have a happy, happy, joy, joy and relax. Have a Coke and a smile. Have yourself a merry little Christmas. January will see a flurry of ChalkTalk when the tapes arrive and all will be well. Amen. Cheers, Richard
------------------------------ From: LadyCPlum <LadyCPlum@aol.com> Message-ID: <f4eb48ef.349b4f12@aol.com> Date: Fri, 19 Dec 1997 23:52:31 EST Subject: Oh.........my........GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!! Organization: AOL (http://www.aol.com) Ladies and gents, boys and girls, gather round for a wonderful tale I have to spin for you...... So goeth-I was at work, nothing special other than that it was my MANager's last day at work before Christmas holidays, so I was bogged with presents for him. So my mother walked in with a package in her hand. "Amanda, this is from England, no return address on it." I was like "I don't remember trading with anyone from England recently." So I opened it and found a cd "Dave Gregory- Remoulds". I got very excited. "Wow! Someone sent me a Gregsy cd. But who?" Along with the cd was a Christmas card with a picture of the Three Wise Men on the outside. I opened it up and was confronted with this handwritten greeting:::::::: "In the meantime, kindly accept my debut cd of cheesy covers, recorded here at home in Swindon...Even a busy Messiah gets down-time...look after it, there are only about 30 in existence. Now go check out the originals! Love from "Dave G. is Dog" (Hope the dyslexia clears up soon...)-new XTC album coming along nicely, but may not be out until September-keep the faith, my child... Thanks for being a friend, have a great Christmas-love Dave Gregory" I grabbed my mom's sleeve. "OH MY GOD! MOM, THIS IS FROM DAVE GREGORY!!!!!!" I jumped up and down a few times as my co-workers turned to look at me. I started to cry and had to compose myself in the bathroom. But the sheer joy and rapture was telling. You guys, this is the best day of my life. I am the happiest woman in the world right now. (Not only did I get the cd, but I got two great big hugs from my MANager.) Well, that's all for now. Love and peace, Amanda I'm now off to listen to this prized gem......
------------------------------ From: "Lynne Duncan" <lynnies@email.msn.com> Subject: Demos Date: Fri, 19 Dec 1997 21:32:01 -0800 Message-ID: <0a8b445290514c7UPIMSSMTPUSR03@email.msn.com> Hi Chalkhillians! I was going to wait, but..............I need a CD copy of the demos. Does anyone know where I can get one? Any clues would be appreciated, Lynne
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 Dec 1997 13:48:06 +1300 (NZDT) Message-Id: <v01540b03b0c420bb582d@[139.80.228.151]> From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James Dignan) Subject: Iva Davies, Christmas The esteemed John Relph, listmaster to the stars, asks: >I found a CD single containing Iva Davies & Icehouse's version of >"Complicated Game" (from their album _The Berlin Tapes_). I quite like >Iva's version. Good strings, discordant piano, stripped down to the basics >yet retaining much of the power of the original. Iva's voice is strong >enough to carry the tune. The single also includes a cover of Bowie's >"Loving the Alien", which is itself a nice cover. How is the rest of the >album? A pretty reasonable collection, with some bad, some good, some exellent and none really shocking. Gains an extra point for covering lots of songs I like, and yet another point for doing something I thought impossible - a cover of "All tomorrow's parties" that's damn near as good as the VU original. >Sminkipinki ethethetheth ethetheth, boutrous, boutrous ghali I couldn't have said it better myself Re: The Wannadies, their music is pleasant enough, but hardly XTC-like. >...when we walk down lover's lane we sometimes hit the gate... "...in all your hurry, you accidentally hit the gate", to be more precise :) (hands up everyone whose brain then supplied the ya-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-dummm guitar line!) Re: Christmas songs that bring us the real meaning of Christmas instead of dressing it all up in tinsel, try Jethro Tull's "Another Christmas song" >Ever since it came out, Mummer has been my favorite "winter" album, and >here's why: for what it's worth, I think it may be intended as a winter album. Mummer plays were often performed at Christmas ( I myself played the part of St George in a mummer play on one occasion - the first lines I had to say were: Good morrow good morrow tis glorious time May your days be as merry as wedding chime May you know no sadness or grief's sad tear In this season of mirth and happy new year Of course, that would make it summer in this part of the world - which reminds me: >Anyway, <grimace> ...pleasant Winter Solstice everyone.... Why, thanks Gene... and a happy June 22nd to you as well! James James Dignan___________________________________ You talk to me Deptmt of Psychology, Otago University As if from a distance ya zhivu v' 50 Norfolk Street And I reply. . . . . . . . . . Dunedin, New Zealand with impressions chosen from another time steam megaphone (03) 455-7807 (Brian Eno - "By this River")
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199712221419.JAA26615@gate3.fmr.com> From: "Sawyer, Keith" <Keith.Sawyer@fmr.com> Subject: Recommendations '97 Date: Mon, 22 Dec 1997 09:16:00 -0500 Since nobody asked (actually, one person *did* ask) and I've got plenty of opinions to 'share' here's my biased Top 10 albums of 1997. No XTC content, but then again they didn't release an album this year, did they? Verbena - _Souls for Sale_ They kept their skewed non-sequitor lyrics but updated the sound to pure 70's Rolling Stones raunch rock. Immediately and bombastically addictive. Who says they can't make good music in Alabama? Belle & Sebastian - _If You're Feeling Sinister_ Wan British teenage vocals and meandering tales of alienation and misdirected desire in a matter-of-fact rambling pattern. Brit pop with both folk and loungey touches. They've even gotten me back into the disgusting practice of buying import ep's. Toulouse - _The Way the City Stretches_ Bright, shimmering, massive keyboard/guitar combinations with nasal male vocals. Like an upbeat Echo and the Bunnymen meeting a version of the Psychedelic Furs that wasn't trying to be so damned popular. Ween - _The Mollusk_ Ween skewers 70's prog-rock in their own cheesy synth-laden idiom. This is not only delicious parody, but also a lovingly updated homage complete with lyrics like "white milk from the maiden's breast/that babe ere never know." Their best major label release. Mark Eitzel - _West_ Even if the songs were a bit too hastily written, Eitzel would have to team with Andy Taylor to get booted off one of my top 10 lists. Diverse character sketches ranging from despondency to need on a bit more musically diverse canvas. Tobin Sprout - _Moonflower Plastic_ GBV lost its merry schizophrenic pop spirit when Sprout left. His 2nd solo release contains this year's most urgently enjoyable and superbly structured pop. He kicks it in with a flourish. Panasonic - _Kulma_ Scratchy staticky subtle noise wafting from earlobe to earlobe - a must on headphones. Music made from your old Atari 2600 - think of Haunted House melded with Dragster and Space Invaders in an inadequate early 80's TV speaker. Northern Picture Library - _Her Handwriting_ Ever been forced to eavesdrop in on the obsessive pain of a fractured relationship? Ever had to convince a friend (or yourself) to let go of a significant other who was obviously incompatable? While most of the songs here are steeped in naive yearning and hopeless dreams of reconciliation, it still elicits a knowing smile. Blur - _Blur_ Another string of working class blues and rock star overindulgence, peppered with Bowie homages and throwaway wit. The 'continuous play' button beckons... Beatnik Filmstars - _In Hospitalable_ For those who miss the Guided By Voices of old, I direct you to the sloppy style changes of Beatnik Filmstars. Plenty of throwaway noises and left-field lurches wrapped around witty lyrics with a smattering of ballsy indie-rock style. ...and extra kudos go out to The Apples in Stereo's _Tone Soul Evolution_, American Analog Set's _From Our Living Room to Yours_, The Divine Comedy's _Casanova_, the Tindersticks' _Curtains_, and Yo La Tengo's _I Can Hear..._. And the finest '96 album I bought in '97 was The Auteurs' _After Murder Park_. How did I miss this deliciously nasty piece of moody Darwin defenses and casually violent pop?! keith
------------------------------ Message-ID: <c=US%a=_%p=AETNA%l=HFD-EXCH003-971222200516Z-27965@aetna.aetna.com> From: "Witter, Karl F" <WitterKF@aetna.com> Subject: Who says the press doesn't like XTC? Date: Mon, 22 Dec 1997 15:05:16 -0500 >From the Times of London: "Oranges and lemons cost little. They also save lives." High praise indeed from the Times' Opinion piece. Check out the whole thing at http://www.sunday-times.co.uk/news/pages/tim/97/12/22/timopnedt01003.htm l?2119939. Note: The article made no mention of the salubrious effects of Skylarking, Mummer or English Settlement. "On Christmas Day, you can't be sore. Your fellow man you must adore. You can hate him all the more the other three hundred and sixty fooouuurrrr", Karl
------------------------------ From: LadyCPlum <LadyCPlum@aol.com> Message-ID: <40aee3a9.349f1f49@aol.com> Date: Mon, 22 Dec 1997 21:17:43 EST Subject: Tis the season to be folly..... Organization: AOL (http://www.aol.com) Oh tis the season to turn cartwheels and rejoice in the joy of it all. (See previous post as to why.) But before I get into that, one teeny wheeny response...... Catherine-Well, ahem ahem........bearing YouKnowWho's love child would be plausible in my twisted mind....... So in my twelve days of Christmas I got 12 AngryYoung Men, 11 Instant Tunes, 10 Little Lighthouses, 9 Bungalows, 8 Radios In Motion, 7 Cynical Days, 6 Plans For Nigel, FIVE GRETSCH GUITARS!!!!!!!!!! 4 Fender Strats, 3 Ricky twelve-strings, 2 Flying V's, AND A CHRISTMAS CARD FROM DAVID GREGORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So in return I bought him a book of guitars. Hope he likes it. Ciao for now, mon amores..... LCP aka Amanda XTC song of the day-All Along the Watchtower non XTC song-The Hannukah Song-Adam Sandler
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199712232100.OAA11120@access.tucson.org> From: "J. D. SMX" <jsmelser@access.tucson.org> Organization: Access Tucson Date: Tue, 23 Dec 1997 14:08:55 -0700 Subject: Near miss..... Hello Future Swindonians: It was a chilly Tuesday morning, today. I defrosted my car windows, hopped in, twisted the key, and she fired right up. The radio was playing a crappy commercial, complete with bad John Wayne impressionist. I proceded to back out the driveway just as the commercial ended. Then what to my wandering ears should appear?......the jangley acoustic guitar opening to DEAR GOD. Wow, I thought, this is gonna be a great day and a cheerful drive into work. The boy begins to sing, "Dear God, hope you got the letter and, I pray you can make it better down here...." then nothing. I quickly thought,"They edited out the line about BEER!" Then I realized, the CD had skipped backward to the jangly guitars and then it did it again. The mornig DJ caught this and rapidly switched to what was probably gonna be the next song. Damn. It was my holiday XTC near miss. I'll file this next to the time I was recording Devo's Whip It video and the MTV, 2" machine ate the tape on the air and switched to the Technical Difficulties slide. Doh! Merry Xmas everyone, SMX J. D. SMX Engineering Services Manager Access Tucson jsmelser@access.tucson.org
------------------------------ Message-ID: <711E5B56586DCF11BAF100805F38C43903382008@DUB-03-MSG> From: Peter Fitzpatrick <peterfit@MICROSOFT.com> Subject: Thanks for CC Date: Tue, 23 Dec 1997 15:16:25 -0800 seasons greetings from Dublin to the rest of the world. if you're waiting on Chalkhills Children '97 then please don't give Richard a hard time - it's probably my fault. All the delays were at my end. IF YOU HAVEN'T ORDERED YOUR COPY YET - DO IT NOW !!!!! Peter Mrs Doyle: Won't you have some cake, Father? It's got cocaine in it. Oh no, hang on, it's not cocaine, is it. What do I mean now? - the little things... Raisins!
------------------------------
From: Patrick_BOURCIER@paribas.com
Message-Id: <C1256577.003BDE53.00@PARIBAS.COM>
Date: Wed, 24 Dec 1997 11:28:54 +0200
Subject: Happy XMAX from Lumiere
Happy Christmas from Lumiere for everyone here !
The Number 2 of Lumiere : 'Le bulletin d'informations' will issue
very soon with some beautiful cartoons from Jerome Couzin.
I know that some of you wait from the previous issues. I've got some
difficulties to transcode my document from the PC Word format to the
BinHex format. You can e-mail me privatly at : pbourcier@hol.fr
I'll send it by mail plane if you give me your personal address.
Happy Xmax and best wishes for the new year !
------------------------------ From: Cottard <Cottard@aol.com> Message-ID: <2ff3ad91.34a65bc1@aol.com> Date: Sun, 28 Dec 1997 09:01:35 EST Subject: Garden of Earthly Delights Organization: AOL (http://www.aol.com) I disagree with Dave Gregory's opinion that GoED is a poor album opener. On an album full of songs about childhood and fairy tales it is, on a thematic level, the best choice for album opener. It welcomes a child into the world and compares life to a series of tales from the Arabian Nights! On a purely musical level, however, I can see Dave's point. GoED just sounds flat-out weird to the uninitiated. My Mom said so. So this is another example of a time when XTC came to a fork in the road and chose the path of art over that of commerce. What else is new? The Second XTC will start their Oranges & Lemons album with "Mayor of Simpleton 1998". And they will CORRECTLY leave off "President Kill"!
------------------------------ Message-ID: <34A7D51A.15D5D43D@myself.com> Date: Mon, 29 Dec 1997 11:51:38 -0500 From: Ira Lieman <ira@myself.com> Organization: Ogilvy & Mather Subject: Hippo Hallydois. Hey all Chalkawumba. I'm hoping your holidays have been both pleasurable and profitable. (my girlfriend and I, being good non-Christians, went to Atlantic City NJ on Christmas Day and came out $60 ahead.) Anyhoo, my wonderful girlfriend decided to get me a brand-spanking-new bass guitar for the holiday. With a Sans-Amp that I'm supposed to plug into my stereo in lieu of a big Marshall stack. Yeah, I know I was supposed to have gotten one earlier in the year (it was my 1997 New Year's Resolution to learn how to play) but Julie beat me to it -- it was a thrill to receive and I can't wait to learn how to play like Colin and start the next great American band. (Or something) Now, anyone with a bass background have any good suggestions on how I can start teaching myself the finer points (or, the basic "Good Things")? I have a presumably good intro book, and I have 18 years of keyboards as a background. Any suggestions from the peanut gallery? Any info would be helpful. Thanks muchly. My best for a happy '98! -ira
------------------------------ From: Blushift <Blushift@aol.com> Message-ID: <36d531f0.34a8590b@aol.com> Date: Mon, 29 Dec 1997 21:14:33 EST Subject: Wishing you well Organization: AOL (http://www.aol.com) Just wanted to drop well wishes to everyone on the Chalkhills threads, to thank Mr. Relph for the wonderful forum and a happy, safe New Year to all. Cheers!!! Spanky (sometimes goes by David)
------------------------------ From: LadyCPlum <LadyCPlum@aol.com> Message-ID: <26f3c982.34ab3870@aol.com> Date: Thu, 1 Jan 1998 01:32:14 EST Subject: HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!! Organization: AOL (http://www.aol.com) It is....12:30 Central Standard Time, the fireworks are still going, the Asti Spumante is still flowing, the guns are still blowing and 1998 is just showing. So to everyone a great big sticky wet messy chocolate covered (yet sugar free for Dave) HHHHHHAAAAAPPPPPPPYYYYYY NNNNNNEEEEEEWWWWWWW YYYYEEEEEAAAAAARRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Goodnight all, Lady Cornelius Plum XTC song of the day-Rocket From a Bottle (Because that's all we did tonite- shoot rockets from a Coke bottle.) non XTC song of the day-Silver Spring-Fleetwood Mac
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Message-Id: <m0xnndN-000GCVE@mail.airmail.net>
Subject: Hyperion's XTC book blurb
Date: Thu, 1 Jan 98 10:41:04 -0600
From: Della & Steve Schiavo <schiavo@airmail.net>
Here's the page on the XTC book from Hyperion's catalog:
XTC
The Exclusive Authorized Story behind the Music
XTC and Neville Farmer
Co-written by one of the most popular--and usually reclusive--cult bands
of all times, XTC. Timed to coincide with the release of their new album.
"Much of what this book will reveal has been unsaid or hidden. But now
journalist, magazine editor, and friend, Neville Farmer, intends to
weedle it out. Knowing how he can write and we can talk, people are in
for an Ancient Babylonian feast of a book."
XTC's Andy Partridge, Colin Moulding, and Dave Gregory have remained
willfully out of the limelight--until now. XTC: The Exclusive Authorized
Story behind the Music provides all the information fans have waited
decades for! The book follows the musical and personal evolution of XTC
album by album, beginning with the band's founding back in the early
seventies in Swindon, an English industrial town that is still the band's
home. Each chapter is a breakdown of all XTC's songs, what the lyrics
mean, how the melodies were created, and what happened in the studio.
Throw in dozens of photographs and memorabilia from the the band's own
archives, add the release of a
long-awaited new album simultaneously with the book's publication, and
what you get is an electric best seller.
XTC's last three albums sold over 1.5 million copies. A few of
their many classic singles include "Dear God," "Peter Pumpkinhead,"
Wrapped in Grey," and "Making Plans for Nigel."
Neville Farmer has been the managing editor of several UK music
magazines and a consultant for movies like The Commitments and Back Beat.
*Radio giveaways
*Radio telephone interviews
*Cross-promote with release of new album
*Co-op avaliable
0-7868-8338-3 (13.45) $13.95 Music June
51/2 x 81/2 304pp. Over 35 black-and-white
photos throughout ($18.95 in Canada)
U.S., Canada, Philippines, Open Market
Publishing History: Hyperion Original
Of course, June was the original target date. The book won't come out
until the album does.
I wonder if it's going to cover the new album? And is there any news on
a distribution deal for North America?
- Steve
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #4-42 ******************************
Go back to Volume 4.
2 January 1998 / Feedback