Chalkhills Digest Volume 4, Issue 98
Date: Sunday, 28 June 1998
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 4, Number 98
Sunday, 28 June 1998
Today's Topics:
correction to my last post
Re: Knuckle Down
Nutella is for (XTC) lovers
OK why not?
92.5 FM Favorable to XTC
Jew know? I'll ask her.
Re: Jew know? I'll ask her.
XTC vs. Squeeze
Since Nonsvch came out....
The Commonest Manifesto
4CD Mummbling
Dear God
head-bangin' XTC
Jump
You're the hip you are I had
Patron
post
Shameless Plug (little XTC content)
Skylacking Band
oopsy-daisy
Translating XTC with the helpful Babelfish
Musical Tastes again.
Lack of new material
A secret XTC album
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-ID: <3589EB43.5BAD@sirius.com> Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 21:38:27 -0700 From: Eric Rosen <elr@sirius.com> Subject: correction to my last post Hi all, Before some of the more history-savvy chalxters nail me on this, I'll nail myself. ;) The one witness to JFK's murder not dead by '66 was a deaf mute NOT a blind, deaf mute. I must have had "Tommy" on the brain. XTC content: I mentioned this before but no one picked up on it and I think it's an interesting point of conversation. I remember the band (probably Andy) expressing some regret about the way the non-rock instruments sounded on Skylarking & O&L (non-rock meaning synthesized horns, strings, etc.). I'm sure the creative obsessive type like AP would never be satisfied that all ambitions were met (no matter what the budget or recording circumstances are). Given this, it seems natural that they would want to use a real orchestra at some point. Definitely that puts out Dear Dave. I don't think that was ever the intent but it sure seems like a nasty by-product. Anyone else with a similar (hopefully less vague) recollection?
------------------------------ From: sfrankli@ECHG.ORG.UK Message-ID: <80256628.0033F2FB.00@Inet.echg.org.uk> Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 10:46:47 +0100 Subject: Re: Knuckle Down From Steve Franklin, Bristol, UK. Further to my contribution in chalkhills 95, I have got the French connection completely wrong. I saw Noel last night and he told me that Gilles (not Jules) Corby lives in Fontainebleau and has produced a very good version of Knuckle down with Patrick Bourcier (lumiere ) Regarding XTC memories, I got married 9 years ago and whilst getting ready on the Saturday morning I put on my last two records as a bachelor. Firstly This world over ! and then Big day. I am glad to say that I'm still happily married despite the first choice. Do Colin or Dave ever play 'solo' gigs (perhaps low key unplugged or pub gigs) and if so how would we get to hear about them. Please let me know !!!!
------------------------------ Message-ID: <19980619131928.22243.qmail@hotmail.com> From: "k. siegel" <beatlebird@hotmail.com> Subject: Nutella is for (XTC) lovers Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 06:19:28 PDT Karl Witter writty: >Who knows Nutella? I've almost been shot for smuggling vast >quantities of from Canada back to the USA. Ah, Nutella kicks butt. Makes Peter Pan look like a sissy. Where do you live, Karl? We have stores here in Florida that stock the stuff daily; no need for suspicious cross-border activity... How' bout: Nutella: The Official Sponsor of the 1998 XTC World Tour... well, I can dream, can't I? Swindon on my mind, Kristi
------------------------------ Message-Id: <l03102800b1b04faf757e@[207.104.109.123]> Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 10:41:22 -0700 From: Dave Blackburn <dblack@access1.net> Subject: OK why not? OK OK why not? Might as well contribute to the (rather interesting) survey, Religion: secular humanist; I marvel at the transcendent wonders and abysmal horrors that humans have been capable of through history. Ultimately, however, we're worm food, and I'm OK with that. Politics: devout liberal. Default Democrat but voted for Ralph Nader last time around. Occupation: Record producer, engineer, composer. College music teacher sometimes. Drugs: THC and alcohol, though intake is declining year by year. Dreams: To restore my marriage after several months of separation and to make at least one album that *really* conveys what I mean. Globally, my dream is to see disarmament embraced as an achievable goal and for the little guy to still be heard over the din of the corporate yell. Age: 40 next birthday XTC content: Andy Partridge, you the man... P.S Still got that full transcription of This is Pop if anyone wants it faxed to them. Dave Blackburn Fallbrook, Ca dblack@access1.net
------------------------------ From: wwilson@star.zko.dec.com Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 13:41:25 -0400 Message-Id: <98061913412572@star.zko.dec.com> Subject: 92.5 FM Favorable to XTC Boston-area folks: 92.5 FM is very XTC-friendly. AT lunchtime I heard "Senses Working Overtime," and this is not the first time I've heard XTC on that station. Religion: Nothing organized, but a belief that God runs through everything. Politics: Registered Independent Job: Wasn't this guy in the bible? ;-) Drugs: You're my drug Dream: To meet and marry a wife who likes XTC, The Byrds, jangle-pop in general. I may be the mayor of simplton but I know one thing and that's I'd love her. Favorite Scotch? Dewar's White Label, of course. ;-) Favorite jokes: Anything that has the phrase "walks into a bar" in it... if you know of any, send them along! Favorite anagram: "The Seahorses" for "He hates roses" Wes
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 15:22:29 -0400 From: Ira Lieman <Ira.Lieman@ogilvy.com> Subject: Jew know? I'll ask her. Message-Id: <"980619192904Z.WT26692. 3*/PN=Ira.Lieman/OU=NEWYORK/O=NOTES/PRMD=OGILVY/ADMD=IBMX400/C=US/"@MHS> John A Lane <jal@iastate.edu> wrote: >In Chalkhills Digest #4-96, Eric Rosen wrote, >>"Ira: You're the token East coast Jew. I'm the West coast token (although I >>used to live in Madhattan. :)" [snip] >Now for my question: I'm honestly wondering if this is something of an >'inside joke'. If we don't mind, I think I might venture two answers. The logical answer: there are somewhere around 260 million people in the United States. Of that, I think only 3-5% of us Americans are Jewish. That's one out of every twenty, at most! Granted, I live in the New York area, where probably 1/2 of all US Jews live, so it might not apply to ME as much, but then again it seems you're in Iowa, not necessarily a hotbed of Judaism in this country. The real answer: Ever see a Woody Allen movie? I think of all people in this world, Woody has given us Jews a sense of who we really are -- paranoid, insecure people who expect everyone to notice that we ARE Jewish. So we feel the need to point this out to everyone before they point it out to US, short of actually dropping our pants and proving it. [Uh, men only. If you need an explanation, oy vey.] So, if someone offers to you that they,re the token Jew and you still don,t get it, rent Annie Hall. Or, better yet, Deconstructing Harry. And Eric, glad to know you exist. :) -ira (like you couldn't tell from my name!) ira@myself.com
------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.3.32.19980619150132.006a6a04@pop-2.iastate.edu> Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 15:01:32 -0500 From: John A Lane <jal@iastate.edu> Subject: Re: Jew know? I'll ask her. Thanks for the speedy reply, Ira. I find your logical answer to be more substantive -- and that's not a criticism, mind you. But you see, I *too* am a HUGE Woody Allen fan, and though I'm not Jewish, I identify with his *persona* in his movies very strongly too. But remember, he pays the bills by playing "paranoid" and "insecure", YET he's actually a pretty tough cookie in reality. And *my* recommendation to *you*, my friend: Pick up any book by Eric Lax on him. You make interesting points in your 'real answer', but I can't tell if you're being facetious or not. I think you'd glean more about the Jewish race from reading such people like I.B. Singer or Grace Paley (two of my fave authors), as opposed to watching "Annie Hall" -- but then again, maybe I'm wrong. Iowa by the way is not a "hotbed" of anything in this country -- unless you can swallow the following oxymoron, "a hotbed of boredom". Ah well, John p.s. sorry about the lack o' XTC material here, folks.
------------------------------ From: MFa2707621@aol.com Message-ID: <8abb1564.358ae541@aol.com> Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 18:25:04 EDT Subject: XTC vs. Squeeze Chalkers, Recently I started to post stuff on the Squeeze mailing list, and I noticed there's a decention in between some Squeeze and XTC fans. Can't we all get along? I think both groups are great. Last night, I saw Squeeze in concert here in Buffalo, and I thought it was great. Hopefully, XTC will someday do the same. Bye for now. Molly
------------------------------ From: LadyCPlum@aol.com Message-ID: <50bc67c.358ae6fe@aol.com> Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 18:32:29 EDT Subject: Since Nonsvch came out.... I....... Graduated 8th grade Graduated high school Got my license Got a job Lost my job, although I am considering a wrongful termination suit. Got myself a MAN Lost myself in Dave Gregory (DUH!) Started smoking. So...have I grown up? Nah. If anything, I've digressed. Tis all for now, Amanda XTC song of the day-Heatwave (the south is on heat advisory right now. There's global warming for ya!) non XTC song-Eric the Half a Bee-Monty Python
------------------------------
Message-ID: <358AEAC9.9CF97A89@intermetrics.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 18:48:41 -0400
From: Harrison Sherwood <sherwood@intermetrics.com>
Subject: The Commonest Manifesto
> From: Dominic Lawson <LAWSOND@parliament.uk>
> Subject: Re: My very last response...
Domster! Puddin' pie! Was it somepin I _said_?!?!?!?
> OK, so I deserved a little abuse,
You said as much when you saw fit to apologize to the group earlier this
week--thank you for doing that. I confess I'm a little bamboozled at the
contradiction between your acknowledgment that you had sewn the seed and
your lamentation that the fruit was bitter, but it takes all kinds to make
up a veil of tears, I guess. I'd like to point out for strictest historical
understanding that I posted my little Speak Bitterness Session _before_ you
had begun to show any visible recognition that you were conversing with
human beings and not cardboard cutouts. Given a greater span of time and
your more recent, less puerile postings I would have aimed my anger more
obliquely.
> but don't
> assume you know me or how I live from a couple of off-the-cuff remarks in a
> digest.
If you had had the mother wit to extend the same trivial common-sense
courtesy to the rest of us from the very beginning, I guarantee you, none of
this spate of nastiness would have happened.
As for the rest of it ("patronising, pompous,
paranoid...juvenile...meaningless pseudo-intellectual nonsense...terminally
self-satisfied...snobby graduates...."), I'll consider the source, and take
it all as a sort of backhanded compliment--although you've got some stones,
calling me juvenile.
To pour oil on the waters let me bring to mind the lyric from the venerable
Ad Hominem Concerto in D, Opus 34, by that grand Baroque composer, Walter
Offer Duechsbach: "So remember, my children, when the impulse comes/To raise
on high your middle finger/If you don't like what was in the song/It makes
most sense to shoot the singer."
Look: I'm willing to drop it if you are. If not, may I suggest we take this
to email? Nothing we can possibly say from this point on can be even
remotely on-topic.
-----
SPEAKING OF WHICH....
> Cheryl wrote:
> What is your most favourite memory attached to an XTC
> song?
...her hand into mine, her breath hot on my neck. "You magnificent beast,"
she purred into my ear, her rough Slavonic consonants warming my ears like a
double shot of rye. "You manly monster of Objectivist love! A consciousness
conscious of nothing but itself is a contradiction in terms: before it could
identify itself as consciousness, it had to be conscious of something. If
that which you claim to perceive does not exist, what you possess is not
consciousness. So POSSESS me till I'm UNconscious!"
I pulled back, torn between animal lust and the urge to plant one on her
kisser. "Ayn, dollface," I yammered, "You don't get rich in this racket.
Sometimes you get beaten up, or shot at, or tossed in the jailhouse. Once in
a while you get dead. Now the way I look at it, a proper government is only
a policeman, acting as an agent of man's self-defense, and, as such, may
resort to force only against those who start the use of force--" "Yes,
_yes_, exactly!" she interrupted. Her breathing was ragged, her eyes
glazed. This frail was unstoppable. "But I want you to _govern_ me, govern
me like I've never been governed before--COERCE me, my master of the
universe, my Atlas!" I shrugged, unholstered my roscoe. Three pretty little
red holes appeared in her forehead. "A free mind and a free market are
corollaries, Ayn," I gritted as she died, "and now your mind is truly
free. Word on the Street, though, is your surplus value just hit rock
bottom. Farewell, my lovely market fetishist."
I turned and headed for the door, pausing in the foyer to listen to the song
coming faintly over the tinny radio. Some overwrought geezer was crooning:
I'm a king, yes, I'm a head of state
But I'm the kitchen boy who'll wash your dirty plate
I had no message and the message was
We're all Jesus, Buddha, and the Wizard of Oz"
I laughed wildly, emptied the rest of my clip into the radio, and ankled it
for the train station. The goddamned 7:52 Taggart Comet was on time for
once. Don't that just beat all.
Harrison "Vol II: Atlas Looked Blank and Scratched Himself Absent-Mindedly"
Sherwood
Pee Es: The definitive performance of that Duechsbach concerto is the one
recorded in 1987 by the Academy of St. Moldwarp-in-the-Fields, Alois
Kusterdingen-Wankstein conducting, Carl Filip Emanuel Goetzit, heldentenor,
and Bettine Dozent, soprano, on Exegesis Records, order info at
http://www.sjsu.edu/depts/itl/graphics/adhom/adhom.html. Baby, it's the
palimpsest!
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 19:06:23 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <v03007800b1b0604ff8ac@[209.86.128.132]> From: Mitch Friedman <mitchf@mindspring.com> Subject: 4CD Mummbling Just some thoughts this time . . . Remember a few months back when someone with cotton candy in their head suggested collecting money and sending it to XTC? How about spending the money instead on the 4 CD set that will be coming out soon? The money will go directly to Idea i.e. XTC and they will be able to finish both new albums and we will have more music. No I don't know the track listings for the 4 CD thing but you can be sure there will be nicely recorded live/studio versions of songs from every album up until Nonsuch. Isn't that worth it? About Mummer . . . I was the music director of my college radio station in '83 when it came out and it was the album that completely coverted me to an XTC fanatic. I would call up other dj's and disguise my voice while requesting songs from the album until eventually everyone loved it and starting playing it without any artificial encouragement. It was the #1 album at our station for 4 months. So I used this handy bit of statistical info in conjunction with the fact that I wanted to speak with Andy more than anything in the world and asked Virgin if I could do a phone interview with him. They said yes, gave me his home number, told me when to call, etc. etc. You know how it turned out. So yeah, I am fond of Mummer. Mitch
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 16:20:19 -0700 (PDT) From: Misty Shock <mccrtny@u.washington.edu> Subject: Dear God Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.96b.980619160502.4770H-100000@saul9.u.washington.edu> Well, I've been reading various Chalkers talk about their religious and political beliefs, their occupations and use of drugs, and I have a question for the religious minded of you all: What is your personal reaction toward the apparent blasphemies of "Dear God"? I was recently sent an installment of Squeezefan, the Squeeze mailing list, and someone said that he liked XTC's music until, being a fairly religious person, he was turned off by "Dear God." He said something like "God is great; how could Andy suggest otherwise," etc., etc. Sorry if this is a recycled thread. By the way, could anybody suggest a good Shriekback album to act as a bit of an introduction? I'm kinda curious. Misty Shock mccrtny@u.washington.edu "No round of drinks can extinguish this feeling of love and engulfing bliss." --Andy Partridge
------------------------------ Message-Id: <1.5.4.32.19980619233210.0066d5a8@pop.mindspring.com> Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 19:32:10 -0400 From: Pete <pete_srd@mindspring.com> Subject: head-bangin' XTC hey folks! De-lurking for a moment. I listen to a lot of so-called 'headbangin' music - grew up on the Zep, really liked Iron Maiden (I'm a bassist), and I really dig Korn these days. But I'm a 'massive' XTC fan too. I'm the kind of guy who can listen to 'Workin with the Miles Davis Quintet' and then put on Ministry's 'Psalm 69'. Dom's faves for starters are for sure, but I didn't see anyone mention 'White Music' or (dare I say it?) 'Go 2'. How about 'Radios in Motion', 'Spinning Top', 'Neon Shuffle', 'Mechanik Dancing' (I know I didnt spell that right), 'Do What You Do', you get the idea?? Pete
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 17:25:33 -0700 (PDT) From: Misty Shock <mccrtny@u.washington.edu> Subject: Jump Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.96b.980619171659.14602A-100000@saul4.u.washington.edu> I love Mummer. That and English Settlement are the albums that I really have been returning to lately. Best bonus tracks on an XTC album, I would argue. Anybody else wonder why "Jump" wasn't on the album? I think that it fits in perfectly with the feel of "Love On A Farmboy's Wages." I think that the "Feelin' Groovy" reference there at end, being the reformed Simon & Garfunkel fan that I am. Sorry 'bout even mentioning "Dear God" and the theological messiness of it all. What was I thinking? Misty Shock "No round of drinks can extinguish this feeling of love and engulfing bliss." --Andy Partridge
------------------------------ From: Blushift@aol.com Message-ID: <77a04b7.358b0ab8@aol.com> Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 21:04:55 EDT Subject: You're the hip you are I had All this talk of 'hipness'... For those of you who feel you've lost your trendiness,... your coolness,... your feeling of being 'In'... I am now offering 'Hip' replacement! This service is guaranteed to bring you up to date in the latest in how to wear your retro bell-bottom Levi's, remake the Partridge Families' 'I think I love you' to a 90's beat, and style your hair like Liam Gallagher. For all this and more, please send $16 U.S. to me (the price of one recordable cd) and I will forward to you my 5 and 3/4 page brochure faster than you can say 'Firework'! *Disclaimer* This service is by no means endorsed by Chalkhills or the lower Swindon Tourism Board. Responses---- Dom ranted: Harrison tub-thumped: Dom retaliated: Harrison responded: Dom apologized: Dom subverted: My response? None needed. Welcome To Chalkhills! I enjoyed the banter! Differing opinions are refreshing as long as they don't degrade to name calling. Have Fun! Honest XTC question:: Can anyone enlighten me to the background vox line in 'Everyday Story of Smalltown' in the last chorus after the line 'Smalltown, Crouching in the Valley'? This one is killing me! I can't link it any other lines from the song. Help! And, I de-lurked for this? Religion: Ordained minister 'Universal Life Church'. Otherwise, just normally decent person. Don't need religion for that. Politics: Why? Isn't there enough pain in the world. Profession: Database Marketing representative (yes, junk mail) Drugs: Jack & Coke and a pack o' smokes Dreams: Writing music to promote universal peace and harmony (nod to Bill & Ted) Finally: In the last digest Brian wrote: > Oh, uhh... XTC! Whew! I thought Molly would have to pull out the Virtual Non-XTC content email slam. Nice Save! David (sometimes goes by Spanky)
------------------------------
Message-ID: <358B367B.DED6633A@usa.net>
Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 23:11:58 -0500
From: Ben Gott <loquacious@usa.net>
Organization: Loquacious Music - http://www.bowdoin.edu/~bgott
Subject: Patron
Chalkies,
For all those whose degrees are left out "flapping in the wind," so to
speak...I'm an undergraduate, working (or "working") on a double major. Read
no further into that statement, thank you very much.
I've always enjoyed turning "alternative" listening folk onto XTC...The
easiest songs, I've found, tend to be the "crunchiest" -- "Don't Lose Your
Temper," "Meccanic Dancing," and "She's So Square" come to mind. Stay away
from things like "Bungalow" (keep listening! It'll grow on you!) and "Big
Day." You know how cheezy those slow Andy Partridge songs can sound! (Joke!
Ha ha!)
-Ben
Name the song quoted in my .sig line, and you'll get some keen pocket lint!
+------------------------------------------------------------+
Ben Gott :: Loquacious Music :: Salisbury, CT 06068
http://www.bowdoin.edu/~bgott :: (860) 435-9726
Six or eight thousand years ago, they laid down the law!
+------------------------------------------------------------+
------------------------------ Message-ID: <004401bd9c61$ae0eacc0$39965ed1@nate> From: "Gineen" <natalia@javanet.com> Subject: post Date: Sat, 20 Jun 1998 11:39:56 -0400 Subject: I'm not the same now, I'm not that plain little boy... I'm all aflame now, I radiate like a miniatUre sun...... http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Arena/9501/ Hello friends, Doing ok.....Had a great time playing pool the other night with a friend who I just happen to fancy. one small problem, he just so happens to have a girlfriend. Kinda gets in the way, doesn't it? ah well.......... Ok, fine, friends is good too. :-( only cause I have no choice. :-) wahhhhh!!!!! I have been getting alot of emails since I joined Chalkhills, I think it's great. I have met so many new folks. We need to get together guys! I want everyone to know that I have been thinking, If a group of us wanted to have an XTC get together..... I think we could do it. I mean, why not just meet up in Boston at a bar or club or anywhere and get a few tables and chat and drink some beers.......Then, come time for bed, If no one has a place we can all crash, we will just get a hotel room and do some more partying when we get there :-) I just think it would be easier then we think. Maybe we need to see how many people are interested first. Email me if you have any ideas. "Your only here once so you got to get it right, no time to fuss and fight..........'Cause life don't mean much if measured out by someone else's plight.... In time you'll see the light."
------------------------------ From: Rhoblidnen@aol.com Message-ID: <5535e15a.358c4009@aol.com> Date: Sat, 20 Jun 1998 19:04:40 EDT Subject: Shameless Plug (little XTC content) Chalkers, I would just like to say, "Please visit this site." http://listen.to/pathogen It is the site pertaining to my band, who are influenced by many people. There are (outdated) pictures of all of us and up to date RealAudio files, so it's pretty serious stuff. Hopefully, we are going to work out "Scissorman" to perform... if we can (solely my idea, of course). I'd love to hear your comments about it (privately, so as not to jam the list further). Thanks, Rob
------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.19980620214456.007cfb30@frognet.net> Date: Sat, 20 Jun 1998 21:44:56 -0400 From: Keith Hanlon <khanlon@frognet.net> Subject: Skylacking Band <Self promotion> Orchestraville, who appears on the Skylacking tribute, will be on tour this next week. You can catch us: June 22, Chapel Hill, NC - Local 206 June 23, Arlington, VA - Iota June 25, NYC - the Continental (at 8:30 - with Babe the Blue Ox) June 27, Rochester - the Bug Jar Please come out to see us! </self promotion> Later! Keith * ----------------------------------------------------- the Orchestraville Website http://www.frognet.net/~khanlon/orchestraville
------------------------------
From: Joel Reamer <reamerj@stu.beloit.edu>
Message-Id: <199806220016.TAA19430@stu.beloit.edu>
Subject: oopsy-daisy
Date: Sun, 21 Jun 1998 19:16:34 -0500 (CDT)
Chalkers and such.
I just wanted to acknowledge my boo-boo. I didn't even notice I had
misnamed A Testimonial Dinner til I read my posting. Consider me embarassed
and apologetic.
Two albums which may hold some interest. Firstly:
Joan of Arc-How Memory Works. Joan of Arc is a pretty quirky emo-rock
outfit from Chicago. This may take some listening, but it's quite
rewarding. Joan of Arc splintered off of the band Cap'n Jazz, which was also
brilliant. Also, check out the Promise Ring, an other Cap'n Jazz splinter
that plays beutiful emo-pop. Secondly:
Various Artists (Magic Marker Records)- We Can Still Be Friends. Sooper
pop compilation that runs the range from sugary sweet three-chord stuff, to
melancholic pop to nore heavily produced tracks. Really good stuff from The
Minders and Tullycraft here.
Thanks again for allowing me to waste some time.
Joel.
------------------------------ From: STakesh@aol.com Message-ID: <e045dce6.358da897@aol.com> Date: Sun, 21 Jun 1998 20:43:01 EDT Subject: Translating XTC with the helpful Babelfish Dear XTCspeakers, Well, after reading about the free, instantaneous-translation service Babelfish (named after a fictive bit from Douglas Adams), which is located at: http://babelfish.altavista.digital.com/cgi-bin/translate?, I decided to give it a try. But it's clear that command of grammar is easy when compared to the nuances of vocabulary, let alone idioms. So lest you rely on its guidance in business, research, or pick-up lines, observe what happens when you feed some XTC lyrics to the Babelfish, and then translate them back from French, Italian, Spanish, or Portugese into English, to wit[lessness]: What do you call that noise, that you put on? This is pop! [Fr.] What do you call this noise, that which you put in function? It is noise! *********** The first time I saw you standing in the water You must have been all of a thousand feet tall Nearly naked - unashamed like Herod's daughter Your love was so big It made New York look small You've been the subject of so many dreams Since I climbed your torso [Sp.] The first time that I saw being him unemployed in the water that you must all be almost discovered of thousand feet of stop - unashamed like the daughter of Herod was its lover so great it made the glance of New York small You have been the subject of so many dreams since I raised its Oh torso! *********** We're only making plans for Nigel He has a future in a British steel... Nigel's whole future is as good as sealed [It.] We are only making the programs for Nigel who has a future in a British steel... The entire future of Nigel good sealed how much *********** [Loads of additional translations omitted because, hey, you can just go to the Babelfish site yourself and enter XTC lyrics. -- John ] ************************************ I like the ironic question mark at the end of the babelfish address. Methinks Andy & Colin give Babelfish severe indigestion! But seriously - it can't be easy for XTC's international fans to understand their lyrics. Even Americans find some of their lyrics hard to hear clearly, or to understand... So three cheers for the international fans of XTC! Stephanie Takeshita
------------------------------ Message-ID: <8191BF798BAFD111817B0001FA0E3A572F7E60@ZSCED004> From: "ARCHER-MAY,Mark" <Mark.ARCHER-MAY@deetya.gov.au> Subject: Musical Tastes again. Date: Mon, 22 Jun 1998 12:53:54 +1000 To all living in the fine Village of Chalkhills For some reason the ongoing "Dom" case brought to this aged memory certain memories of emotions long past. As I raised in one of my last messages I came out of the closet admitting to a like for a particular seventies art rock group who will remain nameless, Yes nameless. The point I'm raising by mentioning this is that I find it interesting to watch this Hip discussion going on and I must admit it brings a tear to these old blurred eyes as I sit in front of my gas driven computer while the cat chews on my left leg, I'd stop him except I think he thinks I'm dead and maybe I am, reading all the to and fro-ing. This nameless group was my life blood musically from the late seventies through to the middle eighties I would argue until the cows came home that they were the best thing that musically walked the earth (the XTC flower was growing slowly in this weedpatch of music). I couldn't understand how they could have a top five single in England in 78 or 79 and get no air play here in Australia, I couldn't understand why people wouldn't listen (Yes I know there are people who could tell me why quite easily and many have). But what fascinates me now is how hot blooded I would become but now how much I don't give a tinkers cus anymore, age has softened my edges and hey I'm not old yet. If I find someone with a common interest in this area I'll have a friendly discussion, if I find (as is more common) someone of the opposite view I merely shrug my shoulders and walk the other direction or make a few friendly comments and go on listening to whatever I want to listen to. So to get to my point, it is good to see that the youth of today can still get a chip on the shoulder over things like this and obviously other things like Degrees not being appreciated for what the people who have them think they are worth. Always remember the world owes us a living and anyone who is not listening to our taste in music is the ultimate in idiots, but then in a hundred years who's going to notice the difference, after 38 years I haven't. By the way all time favourite XTC album Nonsuch, previously to that Orange and Lemons previously to that Skylarking. But the difference in my liking for all their albums has not been scientifically measured. Yours with an extremely badly swerving narrative. Mark
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Message-Id: <199806220722.SAA20356@hydra.au.oracle.com>
Date: 22 Jun 98 16:21:47 +1000
From: "Adam Davies" <AJDAVIES@au.oracle.com>
Subject: Lack of new material
This is not a reply to what Peter Fitzpatrick <peterfit@microsoft.com>
said in #4-94 [viz. the Microsoft reference is not personal!], but it
makes a handy springboard for my argument:
> I would much prefer that we get a truly brilliant album in 1999
> that puts XTC where they belong in the great-pecking-order-that-
> is-the-music-bizness than a nearly-brilliant album in 1998.
I don't want to cause a stir, but if XTC were good enough to achieve
commercial success they wouldn't *need* to perfect an album so much.
We all know they're capable of creating brilliant music without
throwing years of effort into one release, and we all know their music
is painfully better than most of the guff that's floating up the charts.
XTC are not a commercially successful band, and that's the way I like
it. Commercial success changes the quality of many bands' music, and
in the case of XTC I think this would be a bad thing. This may not be
what's right for the individual members of the band but their personal
lives are none of my business.
Sorry I'm sounding so defeatist but I think I've given up on the band.
In 1994 I was excited about a new release. In 1995 I was elated, in
1996 I was hopeful, in 1997 I was anxious. This year I'm nonchalant.
It's like expecting Microsoft to stick to their self-imposed release
dates for the next Windows [not that anyone who cares about these dates
is of sound mind], and I've not got the stamina to remain excited about
XTC's future anymore. Five years is a bloody long time.
I will be excited only when I have the new XTC release in my hands, not
before. Until then I will remain convinced it won't see the light of
day.
Flame at will...
Adam
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The statements and opinions expressed here are my own and do
not necessarily represent those of Oracle Corporation.
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------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 Jun 1998 02:15:42 -0700 (PDT) Message-Id: <v01510101b1b3db2a496b@[194.128.83.69]> From: fisher@easynet.co.uk (Mark Fisher) Subject: A secret XTC album While we've been moaning about the long wait since Nonsuch, a whole Andy Partridge album has slipped by without us noticing. Here's the track listing: I Drew a Lemon Moon on your Dress Blue in Paradise Paper Snow Cherry in your Tree In Hell's Despite Am I the Kinda Girl? You are Here Paperchase New York Inside My Head If you're making up your own tape copy, perhaps you could put Through the Hill on side two. So what do we think of this virtual album? I don't say this is the perfect running order. Should Paper Snow and Paperchase go back to back, for example? And there's maybe not the sense of progression you'd expect from an XTC album, but it strikes me that even though (or perhaps because) other people are singing most of these songs, this is Andy's most personal, initmate, and confessional collection to date. Have I missed any tracks? Someone asked recently what people thought of the two Nicky Holland songs, and he got no reply. There was a similar lack of response to a comment I made about You Are Here. Is this because most Chalksters just haven't heard them? I like the Nikki Holland tracks a lot. As with a few of these examples, the AP tracks are the best on the album. I don't find Paperchase and New York Inside My Head that memorable (in the sense that I don't go round singing them afterwards), but they're very seductive in the moment. Anyone care to guess about the degree to which these songs are genuine collaborations? It sounds to me like most of them are Andy's songs, with someone else trying to claim the credit. The exceptions are Peter Blegvad's In Hell's Despite, and David Yazbek's You are Here, where there sounds to have been at least an equal contribution.
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #4-98 ******************************
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