Chalkhills Digest Volume 4, Issue 82
Date: Thursday, 14 May 1998

          Chalkhills Digest, Volume 4, Number 82

                  Thursday, 14 May 1998

Today's Topics:

                    Gone, daddy, gone.
                As the robots would say...
                BF5, Really Big Fish, CC98
                     New Address, etc
             Andy collaboration due out soon
                      XTC must tour
                       Album Title?
                   Enough of the rumors
           Secret Handshakes and Decoder Rings
                Re: Help I Need Somebody!
        Long-time listener, first time caller....
                     My $.02 on Dave
            Re: Dave is Available and Willing
                         Various
                Re: spacehog not stereolab
                          1999!
Dumbing down Semisonic / Greaing the gears of The Big Express
                  The Disappointed Fool
                    Re: XTC must tour
                       Excuse me...
                    XTC promo videos?
                        Sir Relph
                     video hesitation
                     Robbie Williams
                      Dave sighting

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No hard feelings and no hard glands.

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

From: Richard.PedrettiAllen@exchange.Octel.com
Message-ID: <72EDB966944AD1118DC90080D820748847C040@ex-campus2>
Subject: Gone, daddy, gone.
Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 16:34:25 -0700

How could this happen?!  After everyone leaves!  Now Hadyn is not
producing XTC.  This is absolutely 100% truth.  Colin told me.

Oh no!  What shall we do?!  Who is XTC anymore?  It's that "Jeff" guy,
isn't it?

Huh?  Oh.

Hadyn is currently working on another project and work with XTC will
resume in June.

Whew!

Go back to your lives citizens... Shows over.

Cheers, Richard

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

From: "Wesley Hanks" <whanks@earthlink.net>
Subject: As the robots would say...
Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 17:15:53 -0700
Message-ID: <000201bd7e04$4b7e9dc0$fb4b2599@default>

To the fart who posted the heart-stopper about Colin leaving,

Dickweed.

Wes
Las Vegas

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

From: Richard.PedrettiAllen@exchange.Octel.com
Message-ID: <72EDB966944AD1118DC90080D820748847C043@ex-campus2>
Subject: BF5, Really Big Fish, CC98
Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 17:46:04 -0700

You are not crazy.

Ben Folds Five has been mentioned here before so while I'm posting I
have to say that I saw them last Sunday at Shoreline Amphitheatre and
they probably played very well but the low end was SO HUGE that when Ben
went less than 25 on the 88 or the bass player played fretted below 100
Hz, people started to experience a liquification of their cartilage.  We
left after five songs.

Before them was "Really Big Fish"  ...four horns, guitar, bass, drums.
Sarcastic jumpin' ska!  These guys made EVERYONE move.  Skankin' Pickle
ain't got nuthin on this meat collection.  Great stuff, big fun.

"Black Lab" was before them.  Their "mad professor" lead guitarist was
cool ranging from wild, weird, volatile leads to subtle, understated
stuff like the Dave G lead in "Knuckle Down" (whew!  Got some XTC
content in there!), good stage presence from all but a bit heavy on the
"grunge" sound.  "Superdrag" was the opening act but we didn't see much
of them.

CC98 INFORMATION
I am only getting one hundred (100) CC98 tapes made because I don't want
to stock them forever (47 CC96 and 87 CC97 remain).  100 tapes
technically means that I will run out before satisfying all the orders,
thereby creating a sense of urgency and demand.  This will also raise
the cost by $.50.

Please don't email me about CD duplicators who will make copies for $3
each.  They require a minimum order of 300 and if I can't sell 200
tapes, I doubt I'll sell 300 CDs.  Maybe I'll do that for the Year
2000-Best Of Chalkhills release.

Cheers, Richard

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

Message-ID: <19980513012433.28069.rocketmail@send1e.yahoomail.com>
Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 18:24:33 -0700 (PDT)
From: K D <hentoe_xtc@yahoo.com>
Subject: New Address, etc

hi, everyone...

please note the new address/screen name...thanks.

NEAL, are you out there? please e-mail me--I have something for
you--and I want to know how you are doing in Reno!!!!

for XTC content--see new screen name!
oh, and they are still the best all time band! can't wait for the new
one...

-kate

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

Message-Id: <3.0.1.32.19980512212744.0069d530@mail.clemson.edu>
Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 21:27:44 -0400
From: Adam Tyner <ctyner@clemson.edu>
Subject: Andy collaboration due out soon

I don't know if this is common knowledge or not, but "Blow You Away", a
song that came from the collaboration of Andy & Brian Vander Ark from the
Verve Pipe, will be on the Avengers soundtrack on Atlantic Records, which
is due to be released on July 7th.

-Adam
/----=========================================================----\
             http://www.awod.com/gallery/rwav/ctyner/
The home of He-Man, "Weird Al", Yoo-hoo, Killer Tomatoes, and more!
   Demented music list admin           O-         MiSTie #67,326

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

Message-ID: <35590E82.5180@bu.edu>
Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 22:07:50 -0500
From: Ryan Walsh <factory@bu.edu>
Organization: Boston University
Subject: XTC must tour

"XTC does owe their fans diddly."

Paging Dr.Freud I have your slip here... I assume you meant doesn't.
Ryan

"XTC does owe their fans diddly.They make records.  Andy Partridge has
said numerous times that he is not a rock star.  He's a songwriter,
musician, and private person.  Record labels expect a lot of things,
does that make record labels right?  No.  Record labels also expect to
screw musicians for every last penny if the possibly can.  Which XTC
knows all too well."

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

From: STakesh <STakesh@aol.com>
Message-ID: <23d1346a.35591c9c@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 00:07:54 EDT
Subject: Album Title?

Hey, Chalkers -

So, the new album won't be coming out until January (or so) and they aren't
sold on "Firework" for the title?  Well, you know what that means - it's
time for a rerun of the Name That Album contest!  If they follow their mini-
tradition of finding a name in the lyrics on the previous LP, then the
following could all be contenders:

Vintage
Getaway
King of Broken Hearts
Laughing Gas
Senses Bubbled
Tricolour
Planets Parading
Cheap Sensation
Phoenix

But if they choose to break with tradition, that's fine with me, 'cause then
the sky's the limit.  How about "Recordus Interruptus"?  B>

Sorry `bout that.

Stephanie Takeshita

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

From: MFa2707621 <MFa2707621@aol.com>
Message-ID: <bc9ab9d3.35591f7f@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 00:20:14 EDT
Subject: Enough of the rumors

Chalkers,

I noticed something that's been going on lately with Chalkhills.  That some
of you guys are so gullible to believe the thing about Colin.  I admit at
first I believed it, but after thinking about it, I knew it wasn't true.
The thing that got it for me was the announcement wasn't made by the people
who know the band.

In the last issue, a couple of people said that Andy left.  I know that's
just a joke.  We shouldn't joke about things like that.  The people that
joke about that are very mean spirited.  How could anybody laugh about the
departure of a member of XTC?  I think you should think before you put a
posting on Chalkhills.

Bye for now.

Molly

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

Message-Id: <v04003a00b17ed0333c32@[12.64.118.82]>
Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 21:49:14 -0700
From: David Haakenson <dhaakenson@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Secret Handshakes and Decoder Rings

>Rhoblidnen@aol.com said:
>Then, someone rushes in, bumping into the previous person in their haste
>and shouts, "Hey!  Did you hear Dave left??  Jesus, isn't that awful?"
>Cries of "Shut up!" and "Get over it!" start emanating from various
>corners of the room.
>D'ya get me, though?

--
Yeah. And I feel the same way every time someone says "Wow, just bought
(insert name of XTC album here) and it's just wonderful, lovely stuff." The
problem with turning the digest into a tiny little clickish cul de sac is
that it excludes people who weren't there when the punchline was spoken. I
purchased White Music in 1978, so I really don't want to hear comments from
anyone who only purchased it in the 1990s.

That was a joke (gotta spell that out in this group; I understood the
"Colin quits" note to be a joke. I actually do like hearing the excitement
in new fans as they discover any album from this great band). The point is,
this is a digest of fan comments, good and bad, about good and bad stuff.
Tired of comments you don't like? Not tired of other comments? Here's a
thought: Spend less time trying to shepherd people toward posting what you
want to see, and simply start posting what you want to see. Lead by
example, rather than chastisement. And if people post something you're
tired of, just scroll past it.

Face it. We all love XTC, or why in the world would we subscribe to this
digest and fill our e-mail accounts with stuff to delete, and then actually
post stuff to the digest? Give each of us a little space to express that
adoration differently, and then revel in our differences...

david

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

Date: 13 May 98 01:00:57 +0000
Subject: Re: Help I Need Somebody!
From: "David vanWert" <mcknife@xsite.net>
Message-Id: <B17EA153-11EF34@206.126.236.67>

On Wed, May 13, 1998 12:43 AM, Ralph DeMarco <r.demarco@elsevier.com>
wrote:
>Every Chalker says ES is XTC's best album and don't like Mummer compared with

Not every Chalker. Mummer is my favorite XTC album.

>To the chap who thinks it musical inspiration to not tour like
>most other bands - let me say this: yes you don't need to
>perform live to have a successful music career...but you
>better churn out some hits!

"Successful" you are defining in monetary terms, I take it?

I am sorry the members of XTC aren't rich, but on the other hand (because
I'm selfish like Ralph, but in a different way) I wouldn't change a thing
that led to the creation of Mummer and all that followed it. Without rain,
there ain't no rainbows. I care only whether XTC is "artistically"
successful. I think they have been and I hope I continue to feel that way.

David vanWert        http://www.xsite.net/~mcknife

"I don't know about the rest of you guys, but these tight, colonial pants
are killing me. I gotta change before I pass out."  Patrick Henry, 1776
(later condensed to "Give me liberty, or give me death.")

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

Message-ID: <30365FC91303D111B3A400A0244EF691403EEF@PPTNT>
From: Phil Silcox <Phil@Access.PPTNet.com>
Subject: Long-time listener, first time caller....
Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 02:38:47 -0400

Chalkhills was my first listserv years ago, and one of the few that is
still around.  I have listened to more than 3 years of anticipation of
something, anything new from our favorite group.  The worst postings in
my opinion (and opinions are liked asses - everybody seems to have one.
This is my chance to show mine...) were the ones recommending similar
artists to quell the longing.  If I wanted that I would have gone to
Firefly...

Now, to the crux of the matter....

There is a finite body of work.  We really want as much as we can get of
that body of work. Now the chance of that something after a 6+ year
hiatus is lessened by the fact that it might be the LAST. fini.  finito.
That just out and out sucks.  Oh well.  Life is like that.

I say - I want the (possibly) last album and I want it NOW. Then I
really want XTC to give the Dukes their instruments back and this
becomes the "25 O'CLOCK" listverv. They haven't put out an album MUCH
longer than XTC was absent.

Signed,
Phil "I lost my Dukes CD in a car crash and mourned for the music"
Silcox
ps PROPS to my man in Seattle, Kurt

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

From: sunhouse@best.com
Message-Id: <l03020901b17f13a64c2c@[206.86.6.87]>
Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 02:59:02 -0700
Subject: My $.02 on Dave

   I am admittedly *way* behind in my Chalkhills reading (I've gone from
getting a digest once a week to getting one EVERY DAY!), so I apologize if
I am beating an already sufficiently dead horse with my post...
   Obviously I am *completely* bummed that Dave has left XTC. However I
spoke with him last week and, based on what he told me, I can certainly
understand his frustration. The making of this upcoming album sounds like
it has been a total nightmare. He says that he thinks they will keep his
contributions, although he added that there wasn't all that much to keep.
   The thing, though, that REALLY struck me (and my main reason for
posting) is that he is looking for work. He says "I am just hoping my phone
will ring". Isn't *that* a concept?!?! DAVE GREGORY IS AVAILABLE!! <insert
Amanda's innuendos here>. Therefore, I would suggest to all you music-types
out there in the 'Hills that if you hear of anything (sessions, bands,
etc.) where Dave's services could be utilized, you contact someone who has
access to Dave (me, Simon, Mitch, etc.) so that they can pass word on to
him. I shudder at the thought that Dave may hang up the guitar and get a
"proper job" as he hinted at in our chat!
   Sometimes I get so hung up on the sheer brilliance of his contributions
to some of my all-time favorite recordings that I forget that he is just a
guy trying to make a living playing the guitar, just like me!! (Upon
hearing the news, I immediately told Becki that I would *happily*
relinquish the role of lead guitarist in her band to Dave...I even offered
to be his guitar roadie!!).
   Anyway, keep your ears peeled. I'd love to see Dave land on his feet and
get a great gig where he could get out and play some shows again (although
he did indicate that he's not really keen on doing *too much* road work).
The guy is WAY too talented to be delivering parcels for a living, in my
opinion. And *despite* all of the problems, I am still REALLY looking
forward to the new album! Anything that has Andy's songs on it I will snap
up. (Hell, I always thought that "Church Of Women" could be released AS
IS!!). I'm sure it will be well worth the wait....
                           Best Wishes;
                              John Wedemeyer (sunhouse@best.com)

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

From: CCooli9575 <CCooli9575@aol.com>
Message-ID: <32f3a462.35597f6b@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 07:09:30 EDT
Subject: Re: Dave is Available and Willing

Now that Dave's available for other projects, I'd like to see him hook up with
Jules Shear; they have a certain peroxide blonde in common, so they could
compare ex-notes.(Hint: "J For Jules" on the last Til Tuesday album)I think
they'd also work well together musically; the list of people Jules has played
or written with in the past reads like a tour through my record collection.
  As for XTC's two remaining members, as I also mentioned to the Richard
Thompson list, I'd like to see them hook up with Richard Thompson on guitar
and John French(ex Captain Beefheart)on drums. This would be an electric
project obviously, and might be the kick in the butt that Andy needs to get
him on tour, Thompson being one of the most hardworking and easygoing people
in the business. I mean, if RT can get along with David Thomas of Pere Ubu, I
figure he can put up with Andy. My only concern is that Colin wouldn't be into
the new musical direction, but hopefully he could be talked into it.

Chris

"She told me, "I'm seeing another man," so I said, "Well, try rubbing your
eyes or something...""

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

Message-ID: <355989A1.68E0FD6A@erols.com>
Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 07:53:06 -0400
From: Todd and Jennifer Bernhardt <toddjenn@erols.com>
Subject: Various

Greetings:

Our esteemed patron and sometime editor John Relph said:

> Considering that XTC have been putting out albums at a Kate Bush rate
> for some time now, which is to say they haven't, I would be hard-pressed
> to believe that Andy could really make more albums happen as a solo
> artiste.  (The artist formerly known as Andy Partridge.)

Well, hasn't Andy said in the past that if it were not for record
company problems,
XTC would (or could) have put out an album every six months?

> From: "Rader, John M" <John.Rader@PSS.Boeing.com>
> XTC owe us nothing musically except to remain true to themselves, but to
> remain silent for five weeks and then read about someone other than Dave
> doing the orchestral arrangements seems a little shortsighted when your
> rabid fans are about the only ones still keeping the faith.  I mean
> people were willing to send them money, for crying out loud.  I think
> some respect would not be out of line.
> Of course being shortsighted in the business sense is an XTC trademark.
> Perhaps it is a deliberate attempt to have a scapegoat, as some others

> have suggested.

Perhaps they were hoping for/working on a rapprochement? Perhaps Dave
himself wanted to keep quiet while he figured things out? Perhaps they
wanted to talk about it but didn't know the right way to say it? Perhaps
there were legal implications?  The point is, I'm sure they had their
reasons and it's none of our business why they did what they did. We might
try to _make_ it our business -- that is, we might try to place them under
some imagined obligation to us for "keeping the faith" -- but in reality you
had it right when you said, "XTC owes us nothing." As for using the time lag
as a way of creating a scapegoat, I don't see your logic there.

> From: Ralph DeMarco <r.demarco@elsevier.com>
> Regarding the idea that XTC might have played live
> somewhere if Dave was still in the band:  Yes, Andy
> mentioned in some interview last year, that the band might
> do an electric gig using a flatbed truck as a stage.  Andy
> said he did not one to do an unplugged thing because
> "everyone is doing it now".  Great reason Andy!  How about
> your loyal fans?  Do THEY care if everyone is doing it?  NO,
> they want XTC - period!

And we'll stamp our little feet if we don't get what we want!   :^)

> To the chap who thinks it musical inspiration to not tour like
> most other bands - let me say this: yes you don't need to
> perform live to have a successful music career...but you
> better churn out some hits!

Um ... no. You can make quite a respectable living as a professional
musician without writing any "hits."

> The problem is that XTC changed so much after they stopped
> touring.  Compare the sound of ES to Mummer.  Every
> Chalker says ES is XTC's best album and don't like Mummer
> compared with the albums that proceeded it.  To some, this
> change was welcome.  Nevertheless, they changed - which
> is good, but...

Actually, if I were forced at gunpoint to choose, Mummer would be my
favorite album. Of course they changed after they stopped touring -- they
began to use the studio to their advantage, just like another fab pop group
that will remain unnamed, and their songwriting/arrangement/instrumentation
options expanded exponentially.

On a more positive note: Thanks for the report, Simon ... you bastard. I
must say I'm not _too_ disappointed that Dave missed out on the Blondie
reunion tour -- it would have pained me to put up with them in order to see
him.

And now for something completely different: A man with a tape recorder up
his nose.

No, no, that's not it. Oh -- I was listening to Nonsuch the other day while
working out, and my 2-year-old boy, having just woken up (not because of the
volume, thank you!) came into the room to give me a good-morning hug. After
we talked for a little while, he started smiling and shaking his little
booty and said, "Me like this song, Daddy." I laughed and said, "This is a
song about a little girl and her rocking horse."

Well, he seemed to really go for that, and when we got to the next song, I
said (with the appropriate timing at the intro and a bit of a tickle as I
said it), "...and this song is about a CROC-O-DIIILE!" He laughed and began
to really listen to the music and words, and it struck me that many of XTC's
songs -- for all of their lyrical complexity -- can be boiled down to such
simple concepts, and this is part of their charm for me. Andy has the gift
of taking a single, sometimes childish, image and weaving a complex lyrical
(and often musical) conceit around it without losing the purity of the
original image, and this helps make his songs appealing on a variety of
levels.

Has anyone else noticed this? Anyone care to add fuel to this particular
fire?

--Todd

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

Message-Id: <l03110700b17f23b4e777@[209.112.136.12]>
Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 04:28:02 -0800
From: Michael Travis <mdt@pobox.alaska.net>
Subject: Re: spacehog not stereolab

Peter Dresslar <pdresslar@worldnet.att.net> wrote:

> It's surprising to see Stereolab discussed at length in an XTC list.
> Although I do have quite a bit of their stuff, I can't think of a band less
> like XTC.

Errr . . . Stereolab may not be influenced by XTC, but I think most
musicians are further away from XTC than Stereolab is. Kenny G, New Kids On
The Block, Night Ranger, etc. to name just a few.

I responded to the Stereolab thread because several people were interested;
particularly our good Mr. Relph, who has turned me on to a lot of good
music over the years through his posts here. I was returning the favor
since he is on the verge of buying another Stereolab disc.

I have come to value the recommendations of folks here more than any other
source (online or otherwise). Most of the interesting music I've bought in
the last few years I've seen mentioned here at least in passing. A lot of
us seem to have similar tastes even when it comes to music that isn't
directly related to XTC.

I've had a good time lately listening to bands that _influenced_ Andy.
My most recent purchase is the British re-release (with bonus tracks)
of _Something Else_ by the Kinks. (I've had _Village Green_ for several
years.) The lyric to "Lazy Old Sun" is VERY Andy-ish.

> Spacehog is more like XTC. You most likely heard 'em on the tribute disc
> (Senses...Overtime). [snip]

Yep. Have the tribute. I've read good reviews of their new album but forgot
they did that cover.

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

Message-ID: <19980513140428.6212.qmail@hotmail.com>
From: "Jason Phelan" <phelander@hotmail.com>
Subject: 1999!
Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 07:04:28 PDT

Hey there, Chalk-heads!

Well, for a moment there I was mad.

Dave's gone--- the (2) new albums won't be here till 1999?

1999?

Then, the more I thought about it, 1999 is shaping up to be quite a
year.

1. 2 new XTC albums
2. The new Star Wars movie
3. I am getting Married.

(Not necessarily in order of Importance - but subconsciously pretty darn
close)

Seriously though, having suffered through putting out a cd with my band,
I know how painfully long it can take...sometimes to the point that you
could give a rat's ass about songs you wrote three years prior.

I think I might stop toturing myself by checking Chalkhills every day.
Every little scrap I get makes me hungrier for the real thing.

Come to think of it, that goes for all 3 items on the list.

Cheers
Phelan

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

Message-ID: <B82F8C4D16A0D1119FDC0001FA6A4BC9AA15E9@HFD-EXCH003>
From: "Witter, Karl F" <WitterKF@aetna.com>
Subject: Dumbing down Semisonic / Greaing the gears of The Big Express
Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 10:29:11 -0400

It's neat to hear Semisonic on the radio, but if you like them,
don't worry about the single "Closing Time". It's strictly mid-pack
on the CD, and the band's brain is alive and well. (However, is
this some sort of "stoop to conquer" strategy which XTC could
think about?)

The rest of "Feeling Strangely Fine" is chock-full of not-uncommon
words arranged uncommonly, powerful (yet non-bludgeoning) drums,
bass and guitar, touches from our pop candymine, and real
honest-to-God adult ballads which don't embarass.

All worked out,
Karl

PS "The lyrics to "Crocodile" mention something else that
debuted at the very same World's Fair - what is it?"

I have no idea. I thought it was common knowledge that the
hamburger was invented at Louis Lunch in New Haven, CT, not
the Columbian Exposition. But then, I'm no historian.

PPS (How to put this delicately...) If anyone is interested
in XTC lotion please e-mail me directly. I can point you
toward a source for this souvenir.

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

Message-Id: <s55986ea.023@elsevier.com>
Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 11:41:16 -0400
From: Ralph DeMarco <r.demarco@elsevier.com>
Subject: The Disappointed Fool

Dear One Armed Bandits and Affiliated Members:

The wise John Relph responded to my crazed post:
>XTC does owe their fans diddly.  They make records.  Andy
>Partridge has said numerous times that he is not a rock
>star.  He's a songwriter, musician, and private person.
>Record labels expect a lot of things, does that make record
>labels right?  No.  Record labels also expect to screw
>musicians for every last penny if the possibly can.  Which
>XTC knows all too well.

I am the first to admit, well usually the first to admit I am
wrong.  Many artists have never perfomed live and it didn't
bother me much.  When Brian Wilson stopped being a rock
star, he wrote the best music of his career.

You are right also in that most record companies screw the
artists over.  But, you must admit, it helps to do something
to promote your songs - anything!

Forgive my frustrations but, it's all a bit personal for me.  My
musical desires seem to always slip away from me. For any
who cares:

1. Just when John Lennon was going to go on the road and
tour...well you know what happened.
2. Bob Marley dies.
3. Saw the Who - without Moon in '82.
4. Missed the Kinks tour of the US in the early '80s.
5. Missed Frank Zappa's last tour.
6. XTC release one of their best albums in 1992 and I have
been waiting ever since!
7. Harry Nillson dies without much press, even though he
was the greatest American singer/songwriter to come out of
the late 60s.
8. The Three Beatles record two new songs and Jeff Lynn is
the producer!
9. Randy California drowns while on vacation in Hawaii.  His
classic band Spirit were about to embark on a major reunion
tour.
10. The Spice Girls are millionaires and XTC are broke.

I am a foolish old man of 32 who loves music.

OK, I'll be positive:

1. Bob Dylan alive and smiling in 1988.
2. Bootsy Collins/Bernie Worrell still jammin' the funk!
3. Richard Thompson's band with Dave Mattocks on drums.
4. Doc Watson didn't retire yet (he's 74 and is still amazing)
5. Combustable Edison - great band!
6. Ray Davies' Storyteller show.  (Missed Dave but will have
a chance to make good soon).
7. Dylan still had a great album left in him - and he's still
alive.
8. Look for The Hollowbodies second album "Viva La Dregs"
due out this August.  (I know y'never heard of them, but, trust
me...they are truly great.  Visit the Polydor web site for more
info.)
9. New XTC coming soon!

Regarding Molly's post:
>It just gets tiresome.  I'm not saying that people should
>stop talking about it, but there should be more to talk
>about. How about the new album?

Yes...how about it?

Sorry for my ranting and raving.  Andy, Colin and Dave have
given us so much listening pleasure, I should be ashamed of
myself.

Also, the idea that Adrian Belew should play with XTC, I think
it's an interesting idea.  Also consider Mark Knopfler.  With
Dave gone, does this mean that every new album will have a
different guest guitarist as well?  I'm sure we will find out
soon.

Proposed XTC new album title:  "The Butterfly Dance"

Love,
Ralphie

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

Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 08:53:38 -0700 (PDT)
From: relph (John Relph)
Message-Id: <9805130853.ZM148457@mando.engr.sgi.com>
Subject: Re: XTC must tour

On May 12, 22:07, Ryan Walsh wrote:
>"XTC does owe their fans diddly."
>
>Paging Dr.Freud I have your slip here... I assume you meant doesn't.
>Ryan

Assume away!  But I'll say it again, in the British style this time:

XTC owe their fans diddly.  Diddly is nothing.  They owe their fans
nothing.  Not "they don't owe their fans nothing".  I'm not writing
double negatives.  They definitely DO owe their fans nothing.  We're
just a bunch of hangers-on, sycophantic parasites.  Ticks.  We got
what we were owed: in exchange for our hard-earned pay we get a
record.  CD.  Or two.  End of story.  Except for maybe a bit of
pleasure which is a bargain at any price.

	-- John

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

From: "Lemoncurry" <dieling@hrz1.uni-oldenburg.de>
Organization: University Of Oldenburg Comp.Center
Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 17:53:46 MET-1METDST
Subject: Excuse me...
Message-ID: <CAABE74657@hrz1.uni-oldenburg.de>

This is to Mitch and John in particular:
Sorry, I didn't mean what I said. This whole Dave thing had upset me
and I realise now that it's first of all me who has to cool down.
Hope you're not too angry at me.
Lemoncurry residing in The Lemon Lounge
at www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/9259
lemoncurry@geocities.com
Yummy !!!

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

Message-Id: <QQepfd20836.199805131618@relay7.UU.NET>
Date: 13 May 98 12:22:08 +0000
From: Jeff Partyka <jeff.partyka@onlineinc.com>
Subject: XTC promo videos?

Hello fellow Chalkhills folks ...

Although I've been a fan for a dozen years, I've just started getting
interested in XTC collecting. I was wondering if anyone out there had good
video copies of some of XTC's promo clips out there that they'd be willing
to dub. I've only ever seen a handful of their videos ("Senses Working
Overtime," "Dear God," "Mayor of Simpleton," "King for a Day," "Peter
Pumpkinhead"), and I only have two of those on tape. I was hoping to build a
more comprehensive collection. (I'm talking about promo videos for
individual songs, not live performances ... just a note.)

I really don't have any XTC stuff to trade, apart from a Geffen U.S. promo
LP for "Skylarking" featuring Andy (and, in one case, Todd Rundgren)
commenting on the various tracks and the making of the album in between song
clips. I can transfer this to tape or recordable CD ... or I can send a
blank video (I'm in the U.S., mind you, so I'll be playing it on a U.S. VCR)
... or I can send a list of interesting stuff (mostly audio) I do have by
The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Oasis, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, etc.

I'd appreciate any help, or at least pointers as to where I might get copies
of some XTC videos. Also, if anyone's interested, I'll be adding two XTC
pages to my Web site very soon. One will be a general essay decrying the
lack of respect the music business has shown XTC, and the other will focus
strictly on "Skylarking." (My Web address is below.)

Thanks, folks.
Jeff Partyka
http://members.tripod.com/~partyka/myhome.html

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

Message-Id: <199805131640.JAA14199@access.tucson.org>
From: "J. D. SMX" <jsmelser@access.tucson.org>
Organization: Access Tucson
Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 09:47:09 -0700
Subject: Sir Relph

Hello Chalk-O-Blockos'

In the lst issue of Chalkhills, Molly spake:

> It's me again.  I usually don't do this, but I have an idea.  Why
> don't we give an award to the web master, John Relph for reading all
> of our moaning and complaining about Dave Gregory?  I would go crazy
> if I had his job.  He deserves something.

I'm sure he knew the job was dangerous when he took it.   JD SMX

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

Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 10:26:14 -0700
From: loughman@jed.atmo.arizona.edu (Rob Loughman)
Message-Id: <9805131726.AA03668@jed.atmo.arizona.edu>
Subject: video hesitation

I don't want this to come out the wrong way but ... does anyone know /
want to attest to the honesty of this Ian C Stewart fellow?  His website
offers a treasure trove of XTC footage that only a fan would assemble,
but I'm hesitant to send money ... to a post office box ... for homemade
tapes ... advertised over the web.  I'm not saying it's a "take the
money and run" scam, but it's certainly set up like one.  It's probably
just the fruits of a lot of labor by a dedicated fan just like the rest
of us, but I've seen people get burned by "money for XTC tapes" in the
past, so caution is warranted.  Many apologies if my suspicions are
baseless, but I hate to see the same hard lessons learned over & over.

Also, how much of this stuff is going to be officially released
(someday!) by Cooking Vinyl et al.?

Rob Loughman

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

From: Rhoblidnen <Rhoblidnen@aol.com>
Message-ID: <957b283e.3559f0b4@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 15:12:51 EDT
Subject: Robbie Williams

CHillers,

If this has been mentioned before, I apologise, but please check out the B
sides on Robbie Williams' "Old Before I Die" single.  MP4N is covered.  I
haven't heard it yet, but I will soon.

Robin

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

Message-ID: <355A0D07.1947@prtc.net>
Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 16:16:01 -0500
From: pancho1@prtc.net (pancho1)
Organization: prtc.net
Subject: Dave sighting

Hey chalkhillers,

First, despite the seemingly endless remarks about Dave's departure, I
think it is just part of a heatlhy grieving process which, for a list of
this magnitude, takes quite a few digests. I have personally scrolled
through most of the latter ones but the point is that we should all be
allowed to grieve in whichever way we want and I would like to thank Sir
John for allowing it, we can add group therapy leader to his list of
assets.
Second, while flipping through a Columbia Records CD catalogue (the ones
where you get like 10 cd's for a buck) I saw a picture ad for Upsy Daisy
with a mean ass looking Dave with a handle bar moustache (I think that's
what its called, sort of a goatee without the chin), quite a different
look for the usual mild-mannered Dave.....perhaps a presage of his
brewing ire......nah.
Third, is there any truth to the rumor about Colin?, it smells to me
like someone is trying to slip a whopper on chalkhills, I ain't buying
it just yet.

Self-help XTC.......12 steps?

1-We admitted we were powerless over Andy, that he made our lives
unmanageable.
2-Came to believe that without Andy we would be insane and musicless.
3-Made a decision to accept whatever Andy did as long as we could listen
to his music, some of us decided to make Andy our Higher Power.
4-Also believed in Colin but as a lesser god than Andy (sort of like the
virgin mary)
5-Admitted to ourselves and to other members of chalkhills the exact
nature of our love of things XTC.
6-Humbly asked Andy to forgive our shortcomings and our anger at Dave's
departure (Andy is always right)
7- Admitted we would always love Dave and secretly wished for his
return.
8-Made a list of all persons we had flamed in chalkhills as well as
those who had flamed us.
9-Made amends to all flamers.
10-Continued to take personal inventory and whenever we disagreed with
Andy we promptly thought otherwise.
11-Sought to listen to XTC more and more in order to improve our contact
with Andy. Even praised through imitation (CC).
12- Having had an XTC awakening we tried to turn as many people to XTC
as we could, ever hoping to bankroll out beloved Swindonian to an
everlasting life of music making.

Well, that's really pushing it but that's a lot of steps...make your own
steps if you like.

My name is Pancho and I am an XTC addict and Andyholic.

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

End of Chalkhills Digest #4-82
******************************

Go back to Volume 4.

14 May 1998 / Feedback