Chalkhills Digest Volume 4, Issue 53
Date: Monday, 9 February 1998
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 4, Number 53
Monday, 9 February 1998
Today's Topics:
Demos
First post
On second (and third through one thousandth) thought . . .
Helping out the band
Damn ingrates...
A Plea for "Chalkhills Originals" info
= 43 Fahrenheit
I'll take you up on that!
Boy, miss a few digests...
Just another manic Andy
Under 21?
Bootsy, James, XTC
Jump into the Fire(work)
Re: mens teeth and scary worm steak
Pissed off, Suffolk
Re: more blasphemy
Preference and the ageing process!
CD-Rs
Money to the band - again!
Re: Untied Kingdom
Mark and Spencer
Re:These Boots Are Killing Me
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Everybody walkie talkie.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-ID: <19980208174935.5117.rocketmail@web1.rocketmail.com> Date: Sun, 8 Feb 1998 09:49:35 -0800 (PST) From: Brian Danks <bdanks@rocketmail.com> Subject: Demos Hello all - I would be extremely interested in a copy of the much mentioned demos. Please respond on or off line. Thanx
------------------------------ Message-ID: <000101bd34c4$e0fdb680$668fa8c1@ipencz> From: "ingolf.pencz" <ingolf.pencz@metronet.de> Subject: First post Date: Sun, 8 Feb 1998 20:07:17 +0100 Hi everyone at chalkhills, I'm Ingolf, living in Germany, which means XTC fan exile and first of all I'd like to say how glad I am to have found this list of enthusiastic XTC people from all over the world. Here in Germany, people who are intersted in XTC are very rare though I know a lot of XTC-o-phile ones, mainly in the circle of pro-musicians. Very rare is also news about the band, so you can't imagine how thrilled I was to read all the exciting news about the fouthcoming album, the demos (which I ordered immediately, I don't think they're over-prized at all) etc. I've been a great fan since the time of drums and wires way back then. To me there're 3 XTC phases up to now: 1. Barry Andrews/- Non Gregory phase which include White music and Go 2. (I consider W.M. the better album). 2. Getting in Dave Gregory until the tour stop in 82. XTC becomes a solid rock quartet with increasing songwriting abilities (both A.P. and C.M., but especially C.M.'s development is amazing). BLACK SEA is still the outstanding album of that phase to me, not that ENGLISH SETTLEMENT is that weak but maybe yet hinting to another phase, not as stringent as B.S. 3. The non-touring phase, beginning vague with MUMMER, rising up with BIG EXPRESS, getting a new tone with SKYLARKING. Where these 3 albums sound different according to the respective producers, to me XTC have (concerning production) consolidated with ORANGES & LEMONS and even more with NONSUCH. So unlike other people I think that NONSUCH tops any other (phase 3-) XTC album in performance, production and of course, complexity of songwriting and arrangement (e.g. use of orchestration). So keep on, A.P., going your way. Think that should be all for now, (before I'm tempted to go into detail). Next time maybe my first imressions about the demos (oh no, not again), which I own for 6 weeks now. Bye. The quiet one. [Attachment omitted, unknown MIME type or encoding (text/html)]
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 8 Feb 1998 16:47:13 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <v03007800b10269570a8f@[207.69.153.29]> From: Mitch Friedman <mitchf@mindspring.com> Subject: On second (and third through one thousandth) thought . . . I don't think this collection of money that the band will be forced to accept as a gift is such a great idea afterall. Though most people have reacted in a positive way to the concept and in theory it would be a nice gesture, there are just too many chances for ill-will to develop. Firstly some of those that contribute may feel they are owed something by the band which is not only unfair to XTC but completely opposite to the notion of giving a gift to begin with. Then there is the question of taxes, and the question of whether or not XTC will be subtley insulted by the insinuation that their fans have to give them extra money to run their own careers no matter how nice the thought is. I will not dismiss the idea completely but instead let's put it off for a while in which time I will ask the band what they think of the whole scheme. Imagine the hassle of sending/converting and sending/collecting/converting to pounds sterling/ sending/being turned down/being embarrassed/having the band feel uncomfortable/ me having to reimburse everyone scenario and you can see why I'm hesitant to proceed. A more appropriate and helpful use of everyone's money might be to buy multiple copies of the new album and/or book when they come out and give them to new recruits or to help spread the word about the album or book by writing articles or requesting songs on the radio then by sending them cash which will only go to decrease a debt instead of alerting the rest of the world to how great their music is. I believe a far more meaningful expression of the devotion we all have to XTC is those wonderful Chalkhills' Children tapes. Maybe we should all think about coming up with another project in which we pay tribute to the boys rather than take the easy way out and just send cash. They've gotten this far without their fans having to support them in any way other than being loyal. It's probably best for all concerned if we let Idea Records fend for itself and become successful on its own terms. I know I brought up the idea to begin with but not all ideas are good ones so for now save your money for September. Mitch
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199802082215.QAA28311@onyx.southwind.net> From: dbrhoten@sjcf.com (David B. Rhoten) Date: Sun, 8 Feb 1998 15:19:07 -0600 Subject: Helping out the band Organization: Schaefer Johnson Cox Frey & Associates, PA - (316)684-0171 Hi. Just a couple thoughts: 1) If _anyone_ has a brother/sister, aunt/uncle, in-law, etc who is a lawyer type or accountant, why not ask if they can think of any reason that making a gift to the band/label, etc would cause said band/label any problems. Granted, the issue is a bit sticky in that the origin of the gift would be multi-national to British citizens... 1a) Based on the mention of the Marillion fan-sponsered tour, someone (I don't remember who posted it) could ask on the Marillion list if there were any legal/tax issues they had to work around. 2) Is there something we could purchase for XTC that would benefit them now and in the future, but that would not constitute a cash gift? A gift certificate for studio time? 3) Apart from the gift issue, what about all we Chalkhillians helping Idea with the new album's promotion? We could each send them a listing of the appropriate radio stations in our area for targeting w/ press kits, or by just providing us with advance promo-info electronically, we could each do mailings/faxes to our local stations on behalf of the band/label, and that would save them some dough, etc. Anyone on the list with access to desktop publishing packages could create a nice-looking set of pages that could be compiled in a .PDF file that could be printed from the Chalkhills site and faxed/mailed (I, for one, have access to such things). Dave Rhoten David Rhoten dbrhoten@sjcf.com Schaefer Johnson Cox Frey & Associates PA 220 S. Hillside Wichita, Kansas 67211-2197 voice (316) 684-0171 fax (316) 684-8835 http://www.sjcf.com
------------------------------ Message-ID: <34DE3992.176E91CE@pobox.com> Date: Sun, 08 Feb 1998 18:02:42 -0500 From: Dave Gershman <dagersh@pobox.com> Subject: Damn ingrates... Boy oh boy... The extremely pointy-headed John J. Pinto said: > 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. Well, hey, John, say what you want about Andy's business sense and decide whether you want to give money or not for whatever reasons your little (and I do mean little) heart desires. But when it comes to your very obviously jealous diatribe about Mitch, all I can think to blurt out, despite my natural inclination to want to engage in a more rational debate, is this: "F**k You!" Who do you think you are to say "we" in your sentence, to include the rest of us in such a small-minded spit of a remark? I'm fairly certain that I speak for most of the people on this list when I say that I am very thankful to have people such as Mitch contributing who can give us the latest on XTC goings-on and feedback from them on various issues. Don't know about you, but I feel a whole lot closer to the band because of it...I feel that I am actually *part* of that "small circle of friends" that you're so bitter about. So, I don't know, get a life or something. Geez... Dave Gershman
------------------------------ Message-ID: <34DE3D3C.5AD3D82F@pobox.com> Date: Sun, 08 Feb 1998 18:18:20 -0500 From: Dave Gershman <dagersh@pobox.com> Subject: A Plea for "Chalkhills Originals" info This is an open letter to Fritz Stolzenbach, originator of the idea for the "Chalkhills Originals" compilation tape: Fritz, I know you were busy for a while, and said you were having trouble finding time to work on completion of the "Chalkhills Originals" tape, but that was a year ago. Those of us who contributed to it and those who might be interested in buying copies of it are really, really wondering what has happened to it. *Please*...let us know what's going on! Have you given up? Can we still expect to see it in our respective lifetimes? To paraphrase Todd Rundgren: Something?/*Anything*? Just a hint, at least, of what might be happening with the tape. I've noticed occasional, somewhat embittered comments about it in the digest the past few months ... it seems like I'm not the only one wondering. You'd be making a lot of us happy if you would be more communicative about it -- just imagine how overjoyed we'd be to actually know that the tape might see the light of day! Looking forward to hearing from you, Dave Gershman
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Feb 1998 13:04:03 +1300 (NZDT) Message-Id: <v01540b08b104b04fd77d@[139.80.53.151]> From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James Dignan) Subject: = 43 Fahrenheit >But can you link: Prince, Celine Dion, Lindsey Buckingham, or Queen? Queen recorded "Under Pressure" with Bowie->Eno->Harold Budd->Andy P. >But I'd like to know if it's possible to link XTC with Brian Wilson or Ray >Davies. Any takers? Wilson->Van Dyke Parks->Martin Phillipps->Dave Gregory Ray Davies... depends whether you'd count recording cover versions. If so, "Days" was covered by both Elvis ostello and Kirsty McColl, so it's not too hard. how about some more oddities: Cher->Pete Sinfield->Robert Fripp->Eno... Billy Connolly->Gerry Rafferty->Luther Grosvenor->Bowie->Eno... Olivia Newton-John->Jeff Lynne->George Harrison... Peter Sellers->Maddy Prior->Ashley Hutchings->Dave Mattacks... Dr Magnus Pike->Thomas Dolby... Sid Vicious->Simon Jeffes->Brian Eno... Jimi Hendrix->Steve Winwood->Eric Clapton->Phil Collins->Eno... Chaka Khan->Steve Winwood... (ditto Nile Rogers) scary, isn't it? Hmmm. Scary Spice->...? James
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 8 Feb 1998 22:43:29 -0500 (EST)
Message-Id: <1.5.4.16.19980208224639.4a1f1634@en.com>
From: Michael Kearns <mikearns@en.com>
Subject: I'll take you up on that!
Ed Miller writes:
>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. <snip> Hum
your >favourite chorus in church.
OK - me and some friends will be performing Mayor of Simpleton in church in
a few weeks! Honest to god! :D
The first time I knowingly heard XTC was when some high school kids put on a
worship service and played "Dear God" real loud with the lyrics projected on
a screen. This remembrance just came back to me recently. I used to think
the first time I knowingly heard XTC was when my friend Bill gave me O&L..
whereupon hearing "The Loving" I realized that this one song I had always
liked, but never knew who did it ("Thanks For Christmas"), must be by the
same group! (Compare: "Let's face it you just can't hide.. your first taste
will send you reeling" with "It's nearer, yule log fires burn clearer now"
-- the chord progression and voice were the giveaway)
MIKE
------------------------------ From: Blushift@aol.com Message-ID: <6482f252.34de822e@aol.com> Date: Sun, 8 Feb 1998 23:12:28 EST Subject: Boy, miss a few digests... ...just when I thought things were slowing a bit in the 'hills! Everyone sure surprised me. Guess it's time for a little response catch-up. First off, my thanks to Richard, Peter, Harrison and all the contributors to CC97 (and 96, which I ordered also). A wonderful effort by all, indeed! Looking forward to seeing more info about how the songs were recorded. And also to Richard, my prayers are with your father, you and family. My father had passed away several years ago and I can understand what a family can go through when illness strikes. Six Degrees Of XTC -- what can I say? The mass of knowledge in this group is astounding, to say the least. Is there no limit?! (...please?) Chris defends in v4#47: >Secondly, I can't vouch for P. Hux's version myself, but his originals are >very good, judging from a 1989 album I have by one Parthenon Huxley, his >given name. I agree. Huxley's 'Chance to be Loved' and 'Double Our Numbers' have been favorites of mine since I purchased his LP. Congratulations to Andy for making the Top 20 list! He continues to innovate while others copy. As for his relayed comments of the demos and our takes on Nonsuch, An Open Note For Andy: Just keep doing what you're doing, that's why we buy your music. That's why we write these emails. That's why we talk trivia. That's why we trade for unreleased XTC gems. That's why we talk of supporting the band with meager contributions. Anything less would drown you in the mainstream. I for one am joyous to have been able to have listened to the demos, and am anxious to hear the entire band's rendition. To Mitch: Thanks for all the news you have been sending! I myself would love to help the album along with a contribution. I thought I had also seen a post some issues back about difficulties in doing this (taxes or such). To Kimberly at gainesville: 'tis nice to see a mention of the West-Kennett Long-Barrow (did you like the nice long walk up the hill?) as I visited there back in March 97 (avebury too among many places). Took tons of pictures. Finally, my 2 cents for Chris W's comment about the $16 cd. Have you tried offering a trade? I think most of the folks of 'hillsville would prefer that to just charging for it. IMNSHO, I wouldn't charge that for a CD-R that cost me 99 cents each in 10-packs (after rebate). Sorry for the length, Cheers! Spanky (sometimes goes by David)
------------------------------ Message-Id: <l03110700b10438151a11@[146.6.72.51]> Date: Sun, 8 Feb 1998 23:54:08 -0500 From: Jason Garcia <h.h.name@mail.utexas.edu> Subject: Just another manic Andy Steven Graff mentioned a more manic Andy. I, at 23, do actually quite enjoy the manic Andy songs, some of my favorites from that period being "Respectable Street" and the "vocal stylings" in something like "Helicopter", "Melt The Guns" or "Snowman", just because I can kind of identify with that energy. One of my favorite video clips of the band is they're onstage somewhere, possibly in Australia, in an outdoor theatre, RIPPING through "Real by Reel". They're doing it at 5 times the speed of the recorded version, yet Gregsy pulls off the solo without a note amiss (eat your heart out, Sherwood!) But Andy's older now, and he's confessed to not really having the desire to strut around onstage like a televangelist trying to convert. When it comes down to it, I like 'em both. That's the great thing about the XTC catalogue. For some reason, one of my favorite comparisons is listening to "My Bird Performs" and then thinking, "this is the same Colin who wrote 'Crosswires'. WEEEEIIRD!!" Someone mentioned that Marshall Armintor's version of "Traffic Light Rock" on CC'97 was better than the original. I think I'd like to second that. >Stormy Monday (I think it was) wrote the following: > >>I think that "Nonsuch" remains as one of the best albums of the >>nineties! Yep, that would have been him, all right. But, um, I guess you're alone in your opinion of "SM" and "WD", except that I like the SOUND of "WD", and the chord changes that underly the funky bass riff in "SM". So there are some parts of those songs I like! Time to party. Oh, and JasonBuffyNesmith- you know that tape you have of mine? Let's just say I'm embarrassed you are still listening to it, because with my new 4-TRACK MINIDISC RECORDER, I can CONQUER THE WORLD!!!!!! Jason
------------------------------ Message-Id: <34DE8F57.FA859320@iname.com> Date: Mon, 09 Feb 1998 00:09:00 -0500 From: Loquacious <loquacious@iname.com> Organization: Loquacious Music - http://www.wp.com/58596 Subject: Under 21? She blinded me with Chalk! Rhoblindnen@aol.com, a Chalkhills youngster, wrote: >Obviously, I've somehow annoyed you, the veteran, by being proud to >be the only sane person 'round my area and of my age group to >appreciate some truly decent music (singles charts and all >_certainly_ withstanding). I joined Chalkhills when I was 16. I'm now 18. This topic intrigues me. So -- any Chalkhillians who are under 21: drop me an e-mail. Tell me what interested you about XTC, why you became hooked, and why you stay hooked. For God's sake -- don't post to the list. Mr. Relph is already pissed enough that I started the "Six Degrees" thread again. Then I'll do something with your e-mails. Collect them on my page, or something. You know. I remember when I was the only youngster on Chalkhills. Then Amanda came, then Josh (or was it the other way 'round?) The world opened up. I felt camaraderie. I still do, if we all can last 'til this damned new record comes out. Love from Maine, -Ben P.S. Rho, don't get steamed at Harrison. He just missed his Lithium. Monica Lewinsky was supposed to fill the prescription after typing those documents, but she got sidetracked. * -------------------------------------- * B e n G o t t :: Bowdoin College (207) 721-5142 :: Brunswick, ME 04011 Own Yazbek's new album! http://www.war.com * -------------------------------------- *
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 9 Feb 1998 00:07:41 -0600 (CST)
From: Marshall Joseph Armintor <mojo@owlnet.rice.edu>
Subject: Bootsy, James, XTC
Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.95q.980208234551.12452A-100000@long-eared.owlnet.rice.edu>
In last digest, Dave Blackburn pondered the connection of XTC to these
folks:
<< Bootsy Collins or James Brown connection to XtC.
I think white artists are easy enough through producer connections
but this one has me stumped.>>
Bootsy Collins:
1. Played with Bernie Worrell (keyboards) in P-Funk who
2. Played in the "extended" version of Talking Heads (on the "Stop
Making Sense" Tour) and
3. Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth, and Chris Frantz (the Talking Heads
minus David Byrne) collaborated with Andy Partridge on "Papersnow", on
the recent "Heads" album.
For James Brown, it's just one removed of course, since Bootsy
spearheaded the JBs rhythm section (1971, right?) for a while...until he
got too big & "had to" leave (when you're James, you kinda have to have
the spotlight to yourself).
marshall
------------------------------
From: keone@ix.netcom.com
Message-ID: <34DEA5E6.B359FDC@ix.netcom.com>
Date: Sun, 08 Feb 1998 23:44:54 -0700
Subject: Jump into the Fire(work)
Following the demo thread...
> [The Lennon demos] by themselves [are] virtually worthless crap, but
> watching the song take form and texture.... is humbling.
> {Lennon's} "He Said/She Said" demos are lucid and mercurial and they're
> totally different from the final structure of the released version.
I've not heard many of the XTC demos and might be talking through my
hat, but here's my contribution to the opinionated mayhem known as
Chalkhills...
Listening to demos from the "Jules Verne's Sketchbook" and "The Bull
with the Golden Guts" that made it to final release status (e.g., Happy
Families, Little Lighthouse, Rocket, Blue Beret) I am struck by how
faithful the final cuts remain to the demo versions. The joy of
discovering a musical evolution that is found in the Beatle demos is
only to be found in the fine print of production when it comes to XTC.
I've not heard any of the "Skylarking" demos, but I would suspect that
the famous tug-of-war between Andy and Mr. Rundgren lead to a final mix
that was substantially different than the original demos. It's too bad
that Andy's ego doesn't allow for stronger involvement by a producer.
Without that creative struggle, I suspect that most XTC producers become
glorified engineers, relegated to polishing, tweaking, and finessing,
rather than actively contributing their ideas and influencing the
creative synthesis.
Granted, the final product is uniformly glorious (thanks to Andy's
unique genius and craftsmanship), but I can't help but feel that
"Firework" will deliver yet another comfortable "XTC sounding" album in
the vein of every XTC album since "The Big Express" instead of a
creative departure. I can't help but wonder what might evolve if Andy
would trust the creative process and willfully subject his musical
children to the collaborative blender, especially one that is infused by
a producer in tune with the cutting-edge contemporary musical pulse.
(Even Colin and Dave have echoed this sentiment in some of their
interviews.) The reliability of beautiful songs from XTC is great, but
I would like to hear them stretch their musical creativity, not just
whip up another batch of the same musical pudding they are so very good
at.
Indeed, this business of the Chalkhill's crew fretting over the choice
of producer has always baffled me since it seems to be a given that Andy
is the producer and the choice of "producer" is merely a choice of who
will make the cleanest recording for the boys. When it comes to XTC
demos, the real musical archeology would be in listening to versions 1
through "x" before Andy gives them the final demo polish and ships them
off to the record execs for consideration.
IMHO,
John
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------------------------------ Date: 9 Feb 98 01:51:30 +0000 Subject: Re: mens teeth and scary worm steak From: "David vanWert" <mcknife@xsite.net> Message-Id: <B10411AA-5CFEF@206.126.236.105> On Mon, Feb 9, 1998 3:41 AM, Phil Hetherington wrote: > Personally, there is only one song on Nonsuch which I really > don't like, and I know for a fact that several people think it's > excellent, so I'll just keep quiet about it. (But if you're > curious, it starts in 'Omni' and ends in 'bus'.) SWINE!!! Actually, Phil, I know exactly what you mean, though. There's only one song on "Big Express" that I don't like, but it happens to be a favorite of many, many people. I daren't speak it's name aloud for fear that some jerk will call me a rude name. David vanWert mcknife@xsite.net http://www.xsite.net/~mcknife "I hate quotations." Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1849
------------------------------ Date: 9 Feb 98 02:06:50 +0000 Subject: Pissed off, Suffolk From: "David vanWert" <mcknife@xsite.net> Message-Id: <B1041544-6A8AB@206.126.236.105> On Mon, Feb 9, 1998 3:41 AM, Pissed off, Suffolk wrote: > Yes, I am staying in school and no, I don't smoke > "reefer" "ganjer" or any other drug, save aspirin. I don't even smoke aspirin anymore. David vanWert mcknife@xsite.net http://www.xsite.net/~mcknife "I hate quotations." Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1849
------------------------------ Message-ID: <83DECDB0.DA7E4EB8@corp.home.net> Date: Mon, 04 Jan 1904 09:47:31 +0000 From: dfriel@corp.home.net (David Friel) Organization: @Home Network Subject: Re: more blasphemy $16 + s&h for the Andy demo tape is more than exorbitant - it's an outright racket! Any pathetic soul attempting to make money off something in a virtual community like this should be investigated, tried, convicted and hanged by the Chalkhills secret police! I can say this with a minute amount of self righeousness since I sent out five copies of the Andy demo tape and paid for the tapes, the padded envelopes and the postage myself! Aren't I a little angel! I'm glad you didn't fork over the money. - Dave in San Francisco
------------------------------ Message-ID: <31790FAD9CB8D011BD6A0000F877207D351FFF@tu-server2.micromass.co.uk> From: Wood Robert MMUk <robert.wood@micromass.co.uk> Subject: Preference and the ageing process! Date: Mon, 9 Feb 1998 09:11:54 -0000 In Chalkhills 4-51, Steven Graff asked: >> 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). << I wonder whether people's points of view differ if they have "grown up" with XTC. (Although I'd liked "Nigel" and "Sgt Rock" I didn't actually buy anything 'til English Settlement, so I have to fair extent grown up with them!) Since ES, I've bought each album as it came out and enjoyed the different stages and maturing of XTC. I've loved every different style of each album (obviously to varying degrees!) and the different sound scapes that they offer; now each album reminds me of a specific period of my life. As Andy, Colin and Dave have changed, their music has changed with them, it's almost inevitable I would have thought that it's going to mellow out. That's surely human nature? I very much like to leave the choices up to the band, because *they* are providing *me* with the entertainment. *They* are the ones who over the past twenty years of my life have been making fantastic music that touches me like no other band does. Twenty years ago Andy was probably a much more manic person, so his music probably reflected that at the time. Maybe as I've grown up with the music, my tastes have changed in the same direction as the band's. Dunno. So if you've only just got into XTC, even if it's been a few years now, maybe it's more understandable that you might prefer a certain manic style (esp if *you* are younger! <g>) If you discover a band after they've split up or when they've got a big back catalogue, it's easy to pick out a period of their career that suits you best, rather than growing up with them. And through that back catalogue there are bound to be songs that some people dislike, but to other people it's one of their favourite XTC songs. You have to take the rough with the smooth I'm afraid! I think the paragraph obove touches on a few points that have been made since the list has gone mad with activity over the last few days! To Andy I'd say, bollocks to worrying whether people will be disappointed with the album after hearing the demos. That's their fault for listening to them, no-one forced them to do it. And anyway, the 1200 odd strong Chalkhills gang are a tiny percentage of the people who will hear and buy the album. You've been making fantastic music for twenty years in your own way, that we all love; don't be concerned about what we think now, or whether you should have released the demos. It's done now anyway, just don't let the demos for the *next* album out if you think it was a mistake! Lecture over! <G>
------------------------------ Message-ID: <31790FAD9CB8D011BD6A0000F877207D352000@tu-server2.micromass.co.uk> From: Wood Robert MMUk <robert.wood@micromass.co.uk> Subject: CD-Rs Date: Mon, 9 Feb 1998 09:16:42 -0000 >> 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. << In England a CD-R is now well under a quid. As the cost of these things in the States is usually a lot cheaper (usually pound for dollar compatible), I'd say you were being ripped off. Find an alternative supplier. I'd wager that one dollar is an achievable price... I tell you what *I'll* sell you some CD-Rs for five dollars each plus P&P! <g>
------------------------------ Message-ID: <31790FAD9CB8D011BD6A0000F877207D352001@tu-server2.micromass.co.uk> From: Wood Robert MMUk <robert.wood@micromass.co.uk> Subject: Money to the band - again! Date: Mon, 9 Feb 1998 09:39:51 -0000 >> Re money to the band: I say give if you want, or buy three or four copies of the new release to give to friends, like I did with Nonsuch << If people do want to get extra money to the band I would postulate this is *not* the best way because most of the money from the sale of the album goes to the record company. You're just lining the pockets of some already rich fat cat! Maybe, *maybe* a better way would be to take the demos that don't make it onto Firework and put them onto a CD? It would cost about a thousand pounds to have a thousand run off. Charge fifteen quid each and give *all* the profits *straight* to the band. I bet there would be people on the list who could rustle up some artwork. If you could get the original demo masters from Andy then you could get a pretty high quality CD. The thousand CDs would cost in the region of a pound each, so assuming you sold a thousand (a fairly easy task I would have thought?), 1000 x 13 (take another quid off for P&P etc.) that's 13,000 pounds - VAT and tax. Not bad?! We set up our own label for a self financed single a couple of years ago, so that part's easy! I bet you could flog more than a thousand too, there must be *many* people around who don't know of Chalkhills and many more who don't even know what the Internet is, let alone Chalkhills, who would buy one! Dunno, maybe there aren't enough demo songs that won't make it on to the album to charge that much? Maybe I'm missing something else, but it's better than just wedging up the record companies a bit more and rather than just *giving* money to the band, you're getting something in return...
------------------------------ Message-ID: <B9B4268C8F87D11195DC0000F840FABE114B6C@DUB-MSG-02> From: Peter Fitzpatrick <peterfit@MICROSOFT.com> Subject: Re: Untied Kingdom Date: Mon, 9 Feb 1998 01:39:28 -0800 as we say here "sweet mary and joseph"... I'm not getting involved !!! Kinda related : Andy asked me about that whole "Irish-Question" and both myself and DanP. are finding books for him to read. Then when he's read them perhaps he can explain it to us... ;-) Peter
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Feb 1998 02:21:35 -0800 Message-Id: <v01510100b104959cabf4@[194.128.83.69]> From: fisher@easynet.co.uk (Mark Fisher) Subject: Mark and Spencer From The Observer (8/2/98), Neil Spencer reviewing The Apple Bed by Nick Heyward: "The problem isn't Heyward's writing ... but his vocal limitations and his compulsive Beatles mimicry. Surely he can't have meant to end up sounding like XTC imitating the Fabs." Make of that what you will.
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v03007800b10482791f35@[209.86.87.167]> Date: Mon, 9 Feb 1998 05:01:22 -0500 From: Curtiss Hammock <curtiss@macbeth.com> Subject: Re:These Boots Are Killing Me This exchange about the AP demos ran in our last exciting issue: > > [...] 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 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? > > No, you are not. IMHO this is clearly a rip-off > Stick around, get in touch with other people on the list, ask around > a bit... Lots of people, including me, are more than willing to dub > tapes once you get to "know" them a bit. > > In the past Andy P. has stated he & the band do not object to some > friendly bartering of bootlegs amongst fans as long as no large sums > of money are involved. > > But selling lots of CD's filled with n-th grade copies of noisy > cassette tapes for 25 bucks (9 dollar s&h!!!) a piece is not > spreading the gospel according to St Andy but sheer piracy. I bought a copy of the demos on CD for somewhere around $16. It was in no way "filled with n-th grade copies of noisy cassette tapes." It sounded to me very nearly as good as a commercially bought CD. And shipping was not $9--it was $2 or 3, the actual cost of the postage. While I'm sure some profit was made in this, and I would be happier if a portion of that had gone to XTC, it was still worth it for me. I don't listen to cassettes in my daily activities, so a tape (of whatever quality) would have done me little good. An n-th grade copy of a cassette would have done even less good. Instead, I got a professional sounding CD that I can play in my home or vehicle. From my end, on a strictly cost/value basis, I was very happy with my purchase. Curtiss --------------------- Curtiss R.Hammock II MacBeth Design Atlanta, GA, USA curtiss@macbeth.com www.macbeth.com
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