Chalkhills Digest Volume 4, Issue 51
Date: Friday, 6 February 1998

          Chalkhills Digest, Volume 4, Number 51

                 Friday, 6 February 1998

Today's Topics:

              Erik one, perhaps last, time!
                       Mitch's post
               Six Degrees of Tracey Ullman
                6 Degrees and Other Things
              Re: Top 20 British Guitarists
                   Public Radio Silence
                   One for the X-files
                         Whew...
               It seems every time I post..
                 Gus Gus, he's one of us?
              we can all sleep well tonight
                     Re: Nick Heyward
       Let's ask the guys if they'd like us to help
       Another sort of discussion point altogether
                          Celine
             Re: Arf Arf (Six degrees of XTC)
                          Accent
                    More magic moments
                 Re:FOOLS and THEIR MONEY
                       Lennon Demos
                  Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh uh
              The return of the nasty thread
                   Re: more blasphemy?
                        Geography
                          Demos
                           Tax
                      Demo cd price
                     XTC Subsidy Fund
               Demo bootlegger / brainburn
                   spoiling "Firework"

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The views expressed herein are those of the individual authors.

Chalkhills is digested with Digest 3.5b (John Relph <relph@sgi.com>).

Hello and down comes the rain.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: sharedon@mbcc.mass.edu
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 1998 13:58:44 -0500
Message-Id: <98020513584439@mbcc.mass.edu>
Subject: Erik one, perhaps last, time!

Will the folks writing to me about the XTC video & Erik A. please
contact me again, off the list?

Changing the subject: just saw the advance listing for Yazbek's
new CD at CDNow, where it can be pre-ordered.

Don

------------------------------

Message-Id: <3.0.32.19980205135238.0068f798@acton.com>
Date: Thu, 05 Feb 1998 13:52:40 -0600
From: Dave Ledbetter <dbetter@acton.com>
Subject: Mitch's post

 Mitch Friedman poses the Q?
>what does everyone think of the idea of me collecting however
>much money anyone thinks is appropriate to send (along with a list of who
>contributed) and then when it reaches a nice tidy sum, sending it as a gift
>to XTC to help them pay for whatever they need it for?

Mitch, perhaps you can tell us exactly what you have in mind.  I mean, is
$10 or $20 going to make it worth while, or are you thinking more?  Please
elaborate.

I was also wondering if something happened recently to prompt reviving this
relatively "old" idea.  Conversation with Andy?

I think it's a great Idea!  Count me in.

What the hell; it's only money.

dave

------------------------------

From: AMS5@aol.com
Message-ID: <b8ba5cbd.34da21a5@aol.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 1998 15:31:31 EST
Subject: Six Degrees of Tracey Ullman

Couldn't resist giving this a try:

  *TRACEY ULLMAN's first album featured backing vocals by
  *THE FABULOUS WEALTHY TARTS, who also sang on the first solo album by
  *JOOLS HOLLAND who used to be in SQUEEZE, which featured
  *CHRIS DIFFORD, who owns the home studio where
  *XTC attempted to record

Alex

------------------------------

Message-ID: <19980205231959.17727.qmail@hotmail.com>
From: "Steve Stearns" <xteve@hotmail.com>
Subject: 6 Degrees and Other Things
Date: Thu, 05 Feb 1998 15:19:58 PST

Howdy all.

First, in reply to Mitch's generous offer re making a gift to the Fab
Three, I think that this is a fantastic idea. . .

Second, re the 6 degrees of XTC, I'll try to do Queen:

1) Many (if not all) of Queen's albums were produced by Roy Thomas
Baker.

2) Until the hiring of the estimable Mr. Haydn Bendall, R.T.B. was in
the running to produce the upcoming album.

3) I won't even TRY to link XTC with Celine Dion.

PS (Off-Topic) I think it's cool that Daniel Ash got mentioned in the
top Brit guitarists, I always thought he was underpraised.  Obviously
living in LA still doesn't disqualify him.

Later,

Steve

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 05 Feb 1998 13:12:04 -0500
From: David_Hughes@NETV.pbs.org (David Hughes)
Subject: Re: Top 20 British Guitarists
Message-id: <3276206046.827263@pbs.org>
Organization: PBS - Public Broadcasting Service

How could this magazine not only forget Dave Gregory in their list, but how
could they forget Eric Clapton and especially Richard Thompson (Dave Mattacks
is Thompson's favorite drummer, btw, as they go way back)!
Thompson excels on both acoustic and electric guitar, and if you have never
seen him live on either instrument, you should!

Dave Hughes
Nebraska Public Radio

P.S.  Even thought I haven't met or talked to anyone in XTC, I have met and
talked to both Dave Mattacks (this kinda counts) and Richard Thompson.

------------------------------

From: "Wesley Hanks" <whanks@earthlink.net>
Subject: Public Radio Silence
Date: Wed, 4 Feb 1998 18:22:44 -0800
Message-ID: <01bd31dc$f15fde80$534b2599@default>

Hi Friends o' th' Chalk,
I lived in Detroit until 1990. The public radio station there (WDET?) had a
lot of great music programs. Dave Dixon referred to himself as a "record
host", never a DJ. The music director every year would put on a Jimi Hendrix
special. There was also an XTC special they put on once a year as well (if
memory serves). Do any of the Michigan subscribers remember the XTC specials
(circa 1989) and what was the name of the person who produced/presented
these. And did anybody think to tape these specials? My memory is sitting at
my desk at work with dorky 1988 vintage walkman headphones listening to
hours of XTC during the special.

Looking for Footprints,
Wes

------------------------------

From: Kelly Nickel <nickel@SEDSystems.ca>
Subject: One for the X-files
Message-Id: <SIMEON.9802052002.A@me-10.sedsystems.ca>
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 1998 20:44:02 -0600 (Canada Central Standard Time)

Hill-eroos:

 Mitch just say the word - and I would gladly send a
contribution. Tell us what currency you would like and
where to send it. Oh, and tell Andy I sleep with NONSUCH
under my pillow - it rules.

For those of you with the patience, I have an unusual, but
true XTC siting: I was at a lumber yard last week... a day
like any other. (insert spooky music here). I was talking
to the guy, telling him what I wanted, asking about
prices,etc - when suddenly a little voice in my head told
me something wasn't right about the whole scene... As I was
looking at the Jim Nabor-ish fellow who was prattling on
about sale-price this, oak-that, blah-blah; my mind kind of
sucked me right out of the scene and it occured to me what
was wrong: I was hearing XTC. Right there in a lumber yard,
blaring over a loudspeaker. King for a Day crackling out
over that awful, tinny megaphone! I am sure my mouth
dropped right then and there... I looked around - expecting
everyone to drop what they were doing and start singing
along (my first reaction naturally). Of course, no-one took
notice and I began to wonder if maybe it was just in my
head... Hmmm, a sign from God? No, I think not. Hmmm, a sign
from Andy? Maybe. A calling! Maybe it was the boy's version
of the bat-signal, calling to us all in every corner of the
globe!
 I smiled to myself at this little fantasy, and
unfortunately snapped back into reality. The fellow wasn't
talking anymore, and was obviously expecting some type of
response... Hmmm. With no easy way to explain
myself - and obviously appearing as though I had come
directly from the village idiot convention - it was best to
just grab what I needed and retreat!
 The really ironic thing about it is that I have never,
ever heard an XTC song on the radio here. NEVER. I live in
north-central Canada, where _yes_ I actually do hear the
coyotes howl at night. I had to go to an out of the way
Co-op lumberyard that we politely call the "Ukrainian
friendship center" to hear my favorite band (not to mention
one of my favorite songs) over a crappy retail store
soundsystem normally reserved for a polka-king or Slim
Whitman.

Go-figure.

----------------------
Kelly Nickel
nickel@sedsystems.ca

------------------------------

From: LadyCPlum@aol.com
Message-ID: <beb508d2.34da831d@aol.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 1998 22:27:17 EST
Subject: Whew...

An AMANDA free digest? Horrors! I'll have to rectify that one right away!!!

You can pass the collection plate towards me whenever you need money for XTC.
Anything for Dave, of course. ;)

Stop listening to the demos? Heavens, no! Six years of waiting around (four,
in my case, actually) will drive the hungry mind insane!!!!

Tis all for now,
Amanda
XTC song of the day-Work
non XTC song-Silver Springs-Fleetwood Mac

WAIT!!!!!!
TO whoever wrote me asking me for that tape of Crash Test Dummies songs (sorry
to mention the forbidden name) I LOST YOUR ADDRESS, YOU MUST EMAIL ME
AGAIN!!!!!

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 5 Feb 1998 23:05:00 -0500 (EST)
Message-Id: <1.5.4.16.19980205230802.27d7014e@en.com>
From: Michael Kearns <mikearns@en.com>
Subject: It seems every time I post..

Colin replied:

>AP DEMOS
>In response to anger that we should be discussing AP's demos (Chalkhills
>4-49, "Driving me loco." Sorry to have caused offence.

Well, I guess you didn't exactly cause offense (or mean to). Rather I took
offense. As Ed Miller said, my problem, not everyone else's (and,
admittedly, most certainly not Andy's..) - It's just one of those things I
get so tired of, as it seems so petty. It's not so much the mere
"discussing".. rather I perceive comments such as "I hope such-and-such
doesn't make the album" as ugly and nasty.. (as if my angry response was
anything better..)  I truly hope the songs that are so bad they should be
left off the album turn out to be acknowledged masterpieces on the actual
release. But hey, you're right, one can speak one's mind too.

>5.	THIS IS POP!
>Why talk about this like it's a "sacred" matter? I would have thought
>that taste and opinion is pretty hard to be so absolute (religious)
>about.

Yeah, but you gotta admit my signing off a vitriolic flame with an MLK quote
was pretty danged nutty. :)

MIKE

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 5 Feb 1998 20:39:34 -0800
Message-Id: <l03110700b10044144864@[146.6.72.34]>
From: Jason Garcia <h.h.name@mail.utexas.edu>
Subject: Gus Gus, he's one of us?

Mark Strijbos claims:

>Both Macca and Harrison played in band called the Beatles and several
>of their albums were engineered by Gus Dudgeon

When did this happen?!  I've read and re-read The Beatles Recording
Sessions by Mark Lewishon about 72 times and nowhere is Dudgeon's
name mentioned, not even as a tape op.  I'm curious to know how
you know this, or if anyone can back this up.

Jason

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 5 Feb 1998 20:42:40 -0800
Message-Id: <l03110702b100451f8700@[146.6.72.25]>
From: Jason Garcia <h.h.name@mail.utexas.edu>
Subject: we can all sleep well tonight

from Jason "Buffy" Nesmith-

> My cover did actually get as far as Gus Dudgeon & Larry 'Legs'
>Smith's ears, so I consider it a success as it stands.

Well now at least we can connect Jason "Buffy" Nesmith to XTC
in one simple step.

J

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 5 Feb 1998 23:02:39 -0800 (PST)
Message-Id: <199802060702.XAA59370@mando.engr.sgi.com>
From: John Relph <relph>
Subject: Re: Nick Heyward

Wesley H. Wilson <wwilson@mail07.mitre.org> asks:
>
>Has anyone (probably in the UK) seen Nick Heyward's second single on
>Creation, "My Heavy Head"? Has Nick been dropped by his label, too?

The first single, I suppose, being "Today"?  (See Chalkhills #3-143.)
The second single is "The Man I Used to Be", one of the best songs
Mr. Heyward has recorded in recent years.  If being catchy, crunchy,
and very very singable -- not to mention perhaps a bit of a slag to
the music industry -- a good song makes.  And I ask, has Nick been
dropped by his label, too?  Or will "Apple Bed" see the light of day
sometime soon?  (Action Records has a promo listed.)

Speaking of Mr. Heyward, there's a new article in the Chalkhills
Archives: "Nick Heyward on _White Music_ by XTC", from 1995 in the
Independant.  Check it out on the Miscellaneous Short Reviews page in
the Articles section.

	-- John

------------------------------

Message-ID: <211D4A0926D2D011859E0060972D884829A800@azmail.rjconsult.com>
From: "Miller, Ed" <emiller@rjconsult.com>
Subject: Let's ask the guys if they'd like us to help
Date: Fri, 6 Feb 1998 01:43:20 -0700

Hi, everyone....

I really like what's happening on Chalkhills these days.  The band is
busy in the studio, we're enjoying Chalkhills' Children '97 and the XTC
family is involved in earnest from Swindon to Dublin to Sydney to
California.  We're happy campers.

There has been some discussion of late about sending money to the band.
While I'd be the first guy to send my 20 bucks to the cause, I'm not
sure this is appropriate.

I think our job as fans is just that.  Talk to your friends.  Buy the
discounted CD's and give them to your little sister.  When the new album
is released, call your local radio station and rave about it.  Send
nasty emails to Peter Fitzpatrick until he gets Microsoft to sponsor a
multimedia release. (Just kidding... sorry Peter).  Hum your favourite
chorus in church.

Sending cash to the band seems silly when there's so much more we can
do.

Sincerely,

Ed Miller

------------------------------

Message-ID: <34DACF41.CA75AB90@earthlink.net>
Date: Fri, 06 Feb 1998 00:52:17 -0800
From: Steven Graff <sgclutter@earthlink.net>
Subject: Another sort of discussion point altogether

     It's Steve Graff here, presumably the only avid XTC fan in Los
Angeles county. I try to get my friends hooked, but they're so into
their "rock" image that XTC are always dismissed as lightweight
pop...even stuff like "Travels in Nihilon!"
     Meeting two people in 1993, and listening to/buying the entire
catalogue of/ learning most of the songs of/buying the books about XTC
led me to pursue my own little marketing career. I wrote tons of songs,
and fell in love with the likes of XTC/Brian Eno because they sound like
me!
     My point of note is, did any of you prefer a more manic Andy
Partridge? I keep hearing comments about the demos, Nonsuch and the CC97
tape, but most of the songs included in the discussion are the less
energetic, more sing-songy ones (with the exception of Real by Reel and
Life Is Good In the Greenhouse). I'm trying to get my mates to cover
"Jason & the Argonauts" "Beatown" or "Complicated Game". My favorite
songs on the new demo was "Bumpercars" (manic) and "Easter Theatre"
(cause it's just so freaking beautiful). I have a hidden wish that
"Bumpercars" makes it to record done on guitars (a la Drums and Wires).
    As for the new album...if any collection or pool starts, make sure
you post the details so i can add my two cents (or more).
    Also, if anyione wants to discuss XTC  with me, feel free to e-mail
me direct. I'd love the attention.
    Thanks for the eartime. Bye!
     Steven Graff
     Clutter singer/songwriter/guitarist
     Torrance CA

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 6 Feb 1998 01:02:07 -0800 (PST)
From: "J. Brown" <ringostr@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Celine
Message-ID: <Pine.A41.3.96a.980206005616.60534A-100000@dante29.u.washington.edu>

Kimberly wrote:
> celine dion is from canada, canada was settled by
> the british, the british are from england, and so is...xtc!

Sorry but my Canadian studies back ground his raising its pedantic head
here:  Celine Dionne is from Quebec, Quebec was conqueored by Great
Britian,  and XTC are british.  Also the british aren't from england.  The
English, Scotish, and Welsh are from Britain.

Pedantically yours,
 Jason Wilson Brown
 History & Canadian Studies Major
 President- GEEK The Secret Society of the College Bowl
 ringostr@u.washington.edu  (206) 632-4905
 P.O. Box 45822
 Seattle, WA 98145-0882
"I can't believe I'll never believe in anything again"
                                -Elvis Costello

------------------------------

Message-Id: <v03007804b1009596d324@[209.86.101.193]>
Date: Fri, 6 Feb 1998 05:32:45 -0500
From: Curtiss Hammock <curtiss@macbeth.com>
Subject: Re: Arf Arf (Six degrees of XTC)

Mark Strijbos wrote:

> But I'd like to know if it's possible to link XTC with Brian Wilson
> or Ray Davies. Any takers?

Ray Davies wrote "I Need You," which was covered by the Cavedogs on their
"Six Tender Moments" CD single. Brian Stevens, of said Cavedogs, released a
solo album, "Prettier Than You," on which played our own Dave Gregory.

Cavedogs website: http://www.macbeth.com/cavedogs

Curtiss

---------------------
Curtiss R.Hammock II
MacBeth Design
Atlanta, GA, USA
curtiss@macbeth.com
www.macbeth.com

------------------------------

Message-Id: <199802061315.NAA09572@pip.maires.co.uk>
From: "Stephen Clarke" <S.Clarke@nopres.co.uk>
Organization: NOP Research
Date: Fri, 6 Feb 1998 13:14:22 +0000
Subject: Accent

> The _real_ Steve Clarke is hereby put on notice that his
> dead-solid-perfect take of "Toys" still--weeks later--enjoys
> heavy-rotation status in my fevered brain, and I love his vocal delivery
> and I wish I could do that accent. And he's got friends who play real
> horns!

The accent is easy harrison  - change your name to something
more british like 'harry' and repeat after me in your best dick van
dyke chimney sweep voice  'gor blimey guvnor strike a light you're a
real toff and no mistake, bless yer'

I'd like to see six degrees of seperation for

des o' connor
ted turner of wishbone ash

Steve Clarke

* ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Quote of the week "I hardly think that how far bill clinton and tony
blair are up each others arses qualifies as news"
- my wife kathy
* ---------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 6 Feb 1998 06:08:32 -0800
Message-Id: <v01510100b0ff3f305c7f@[194.128.83.69]>
From: fisher@easynet.co.uk (Mark Fisher)
Subject: More magic moments

>Anyone else noticed the uncanny similarity between the opening guitar riff
>of "Little Lighthouse" (the trebly distorted tremelo bit) and the melody
>line of "This Magic Moment" by Perry Como?

>....thought not.   Okay, I'll shut up now.
>p@ul

On a similar note, am I the only one who thinks I''m going to hear a slice
of prime-time vintage XTC (circa White Music or before) every time I hear
the intro to *Tonight* by the very wonderful Supergrass? If I didn't know
better I'd say that was Andy Partridge holding that guitar.

------------------------------

Message-id: <15375456@mailbox1.Hitchcock.ORG>
Date: 06 Feb 98 09:47:19 EST
From: John.J.Pinto@Hitchcock.ORG (John J. Pinto)
Subject: Re:FOOLS and THEIR MONEY

It would seem to me that the idea of sending money to XTC to help with the
current project is a noble idea but foolish. Andy has had hundreds of
opportunities to generate large amounts of money by supplying PRODUCT to the
thousands of people like myself who would and will buy just about anything
by XTC. Sure, we all would like to express our support during a very
frustrating time for XTC but in reality the ONLY way to generate revenue is
to have something to sell. I spent close to $500.00 collecting Nonsuch
related items.  Next to NOTHING of that amount actually went to to Andy or
the band. How many people sent $45.00 to TMBG to get the Andy disc? How many
people crawled ove broken glass to drop $25.00 or more on the very mediocre
Bootleg discs that now number 8 titles? Andy has never really connected with
the fact that there is a very lucrative income stream here that has not been
tapped. It is very difficult to be sympathetic.

So what do we get... Mitch Friedman telling us about his special
relationship with the "source" and all the fabulous music that he and his
small circle of friends get to hear and tell us about and remind us that we
the little people of the Chalkhills world will sadly never ever get to hear.

J.

------------------------------

From: Matt_Kaden/CAM/Lotus@lotus.com
Message-ID: <852565A3.004F6C54.00@mta2.lotus.com>
Date: Fri, 6 Feb 1998 09:46:40 -0500
Subject: Lennon Demos

As Sherwood Anderson recently suggested:
"demos are interesting only _after_ you've absorbed the official songs?
Would John Lennon's famous series of false starts and blind alleys be
even remotely compelling if you didn't know he was working toward
"Strawberry Fields"? Or consider Lennon's often-bootlegged, extremely
tentative jottings for the song that would eventually become "She Said
She Said": By themselves they're virtually worthless crap, but watching
the song take form and texture--and most importantly, *knowing where
he's going to end up*, is a humbling, damned nearly numinous experience"

I hereby challenge this statement, though I see where you're going. I like
listening to Lennon's demos because I like John Lennon. I like his voice,
his vision, his personality and it's simply intriguing to overhear him
trying out different styles. The "He Said/She Said" demos are lucid and
mercurial and they're totally different from the final structure of the
released version. I'm sorry but they just sound good and I would enjoy them
just as much as if I had never heard the 'official' version. If I hadn't
heard the song before - even better. You know "I'm In Love"? The Beatles
never recorded that one, and the demo is still pleasant to the ears. Wonder
how that happened. (Slowed-down laugh track)

[He clears his throat, takes two steps to the right, brandishes a two-liter
inflatable telephone and proceeds to climb the ladder which descends just
in time]

------------------------------

From: gravity@loop.com
Message-Id: <3.0.32.19980206002149.007a4e50@pop.loop.com>
Date: Fri, 06 Feb 1998 00:21:50 -0800
Subject: Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh uh

Hey Chalkobites,
A new record.
The last new XTC music I heard(before the demos) was Nonsuch.
That, in case you need reminding,was 1992 if my fading memory serves.
In fact I bought it the day of the LA riots!
I had just moved to Hollywood from New Hampshire.
Sirens,smoke,looting and XTC!
So Andy,thinks it might have been a good idea to hold the demos from us?
Some of you think your listening pleasure will be somehow cheapened by
having heard these demos.
I for one (you need more useless opinions right?)was happy to have the
buggers.
I will be just as glad to hear the new versions,and I'm sure if you all
give it some thought (what happens before you speak or write in a perfect
world) you'll be happy too!
How many of us paid for those Japanese imports ($40.00 u.s.)just to hear
the demos of Oranges and Lemons or Nonsuch,et al.
Now it will be a new experience,we get to do it in reverse.
King Partridge in Reverse.
We've complained that we didn't have any new music from XTC so we were
given demos.
We gobbled demos,radio and tv shows,ect ect. as fast as we make our little
fingers could e-mail each other in search of these gems.
Now we want to worry that we might not like the new versions?
Wow,I hope Andy is actually plugging his ears and singing "lalalala I can't
hear you" instead of worrying what we think because obviously we don't do
any actual thinking!
Here, find the 6 degrees of Rodney King/XTC that should keep you busy!
Now I'm going to listen to my Syd Barrett box set.
Let me know when the new record comes out,I'll buy ten!
Tea and toasted buttered currant buns,can't compensate for lack of
sun....yes yes yes.... Flog Mcbeefhard

------------------------------

Message-ID: <34DB2C44.404C@to.sem.it>
Date: Fri, 06 Feb 1998 16:29:08 +0100
From: Alessandro Galli <galli@to.sem.it>
Subject: The return of the nasty thread

> I'd like to know if it's possible to link XTC with Brian Wilson
> or Ray Davies. Any takers?

Brian Wilson

- Brian Wilson worked with Van Dyke Parks
- Van Dyke Parks arranged the strings on a song of the "Chills"
  "Soft Bomb" album
- Dave Gregory Played bass on "Martin Phillips and the Chills"
  "Sunburnt" album.

Ray Davies

- Ray Davies co-wrote one of the songs on "Cathy Dennis" last album
  as Andy Partridge did.

------------------------------

Message-Id: <l03010d00b100eb96a0af@[140.233.174.2]>
Date: Fri, 6 Feb 1998 11:42:33 -0500
From: murkie <murkie@panther.middlebury.edu>
Subject: Re: more blasphemy?

>i have an issue i would like to raise which i fear i will get a lot of flak
>for,but here goes: some months ago i had asked if anyone knew where i could
>get a copy of the demos that everyone was talking about/discussing/reviewing,
>etc. I was given an e-mail address to write to. When i did,i was promptly told
>that the cd would cost me $16.00 plus s&h!  Am I the only one who thinks that
>is a bit exhorbitant to charge for work that is not your own? I know for a
>fact that the actual cost of materials is only 1-2 dollars! Is Andy Partridge
>seeing any of this money?  Many thanks go out to Bob from Cleveland who was
>nice enough to send me a free tape of the demos,and also to Amanda,who sent
>Bob his tape. I don't mind paying a little,but I just think this was a little
>outrageous? Does anyone agree with me,or am I just being petty and cheap?

please don't interpret this as "flak", but as a simple explanation....

to burn one cd at a time (which i'm sure whomever you contacted is doing)
would actually cost about that much.  one blank cd-r can cost upto $15,
plus there's the cost of insert card copying and labels, not to mention the
trouble of taking the time to do it.  $16 is actually quite reasonable.  i
think your understanding of the actual cost of materials comes from the
fact that major labels and manufaturers can produce a cd for $1-$2 but they
have to make several thousand at a time.

just my 2c.

m

"I really think it is possible that our grandchildren will look at us in
wonder and say: 'you mean you used to listen to exactly the same thing over
and over again?'"
 - Brian Eno

------------------------------

Message-ID: <15D75A0ADB97D111A36900805FEA5AC512666A@BENEXCHANGE>
From: Gary Minns <Gary.Minns@BenfieldGreig.com>
Subject: Geography
Date: Fri, 6 Feb 1998 16:38:46 -0000

>the british are from england<

Ouch!  Don't say that very loudly in the company of Scots, Welsh or
(Northern) Irish people.  As all politcally correct Brits are aware, the
above phrase should read "the English are from Britain".

Gary

P.S.: Happy drunken Friday afternoon everyone!

------------------------------

Message-ID: <15D75A0ADB97D111A36900805FEA5AC5126666@BENEXCHANGE>
From: Gary Minns <Gary.Minns@BenfieldGreig.com>
Subject: Demos
Date: Fri, 6 Feb 1998 16:23:31 -0000

>These are DEMOS. It's like an appetizer<

Most people like to wait for their appetisers to be cooked before they
eat them...

Gary

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Message-ID: <15D75A0ADB97D111A36900805FEA5AC5126669@BENEXCHANGE>
From: Gary Minns <Gary.Minns@BenfieldGreig.com>
Subject: Tax
Date: Fri, 6 Feb 1998 16:33:15 -0000

>I remember the last time passing the hat for the band was discussed,
someone said that a gift like that would be a tax nightmare for the guys<

As long as the tax isn't 100% or over then surely they must end up
better off than before, albeit not to the tune of the full sums given...

Gary

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From: Cgeorge971@aol.com
Message-ID: <474f7ba6.34db7954@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 6 Feb 1998 15:57:53 EST
Subject: Demo cd price

Hello my fellow fanatics,

Era1970 recently posted to protest the $16 plus s&h that the recent XTC demo
cd is going for.  He also asked if he was being "petty and cheap".  Now, far
be it from me to call someone I don't know derogatory adjectives around a
value judgement, but I must say that I don't think that the price was either
excessive or inappropriate.  I myself gladly paid the price for these demos
on cd, and I am eternally grateful to the individual who went out of his way
to not only produce this disc, but get it to me.  In fact, I would have
gladly paid more.  Most bootleg cd's that I've bought were $25 or more, so
comparitively, this was a great deal to me.

BTW, the XTC demo cd ranked # 3 on my "Best of 1997" list, FWIW.

Cheers,

George

------------------------------

From: Cgeorge971@aol.com
Message-ID: <2e7c517b.34db797a@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 6 Feb 1998 15:58:32 EST
Subject: XTC Subsidy Fund

Hi Chalkfolk,

Just wanted to go on record that I would gladly support any XTC Subsidy Fund
to send the boys some $$$.  But is this just a pie-in-the-sky idea, or has
anyone offered to administer such an undertaking?  And how much in the fund
would constitute a non-insulting gift to the boys?  And while I'm at it, what
do you suppose their annual incomes are for all the audio magic they have
bestowed upon the world?

Ah well...

George

------------------------------

Message-Id: <72EDB966944AD1118DC90080D82074882BC3BD@ex-campus2>
From: "Pedretti-Allen, Richard" <Richard.PedrettiAllen@octel.com>
Subject: Demo bootlegger / brainburn
Date: Fri, 6 Feb 1998 14:08:48 -0800

> i had asked if anyone knew where i could get
> a copy of the demos that everyone was talking
> about/discussing/reviewing, etc. I was given an
> e-mail address to write to. When i did,i was
> promptly told that the cd would cost me $16.00

er... What address were you given?  This is enough incentive to develop
the technology to send 110AC via the internet to a specific IP address!

> richard, you are brain eno in disguise aren't you - go on admit it.

What is brain eno?  Is that some kind of LSD neutralizer that you get
from Boots?

Steve, all I can say is, Thanks!  You're WAAAAY too kind.

There are plenty of CC96 left so...

Cheers, Richard

------------------------------

Message-ID: <34DB89AA.294C@virgin.net>
Date: Fri, 06 Feb 1998 22:07:38 +0000
From: "." <john.bartlett1@virgin.net>
Subject: spoiling "Firework"

Hello all,
	firstly,I apologise for any spelling/grammar mistakes,but as
there's nothing much else to do here in East  Anglia,I'm slowly getting
mangled on cheap lager as I write this.
Just a small point;until recently,I was unaware that anybody else had
even heard of XTC,let alone any of you good people existed,so it was
with great joy and pleasure that I discovered "Jules Verne" and "The
Bull",XTC/Partridge songs that would have been lost to me forever had
not tapes of these demos been available(thanks Amanda).
	So to all those who refuse to get the new demos:some of these
tracks may not appear on the new album.By all means don't listen to the
demos when you get them;but get them.Don't miss out as I have for a
long,long time.
	Cheers,
		John

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End of Chalkhills Digest #4-51
******************************

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