Chalkhills Digest Volume 5, Issue 143
Date: Saturday, 20 March 1999

         Chalkhills Digest, Volume 5, Number 143

                 Saturday, 20 March 1999

Today's Topics:

                      Nelson's view
       XTC Records & Beer (what more do you need!)
                 Another lurker unearthed
                        four eyes
                      One Live Song
Internal Combustion Power (Re: Push Your Car From The Road)
                         One song
                   Re: Season's Cycles
                      xtc new album
         re: I just feel like taking up bandwidth
                      breathing easy
                     vinyl siding...?
       A question sent for any to answer... please?
                Re: the opposite of beauty
                     XTC plays live!
                     Dear God indeed
                 What's New on Chalkhills
                  dom-diddle-dee-dum-dum
                          Yowza
                   New stuff at XTCware
                misheard lyric, my turn!!
               Lay your head, lay your head
                      Push your car
                         Frippery

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Fashion, their vampire / drapes itself across your back.

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

Message-ID: <41611D14C776D211AD590000F8412E3094A4E1@healonmes.hea.org.uk>
From: Cait Wright <Cait.Wright@hea.org.uk>
Subject: Nelson's view
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 08:31:48 -0000

RE: Lord Nelson in Trafalgar square

Yes, it's him up on that column with a pigeon on his head. I read somewhere
(and I always liked this, though some of my friends have poured scorn on it)
that the column was built high enough so that Nelson could see the sea from
the top.

If you KNOW that this is nonsense - please don't tell me. Leave me with that
pleasant thought.

by the way, a small 'nature note' which some of you might enjoy (the Brits
will probably be sick of it) Trafalgar square, the lions, the plinths etc
all very grandiose - but someone noticed recently (it's all been there for
ooooh...a long time) that one of the plinths didn't have anything on it. So
there's now a competition to fill the plinth with something for the
millenium. So far suggestions have been a Rachel Whiteread inverse copy of
the plinth in perspex and Damien Hurst (Baaaa) doing an enormous gazelle in
a glass tank peering nervously at the lions ...it's supposed to be a
paradigm of modern society, GM foods and fin de siecle angst (ok I made that
last bit up).

Cait 'I dont' know much about art, but I know what I like, and this is
delicious' Wright

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

Message-ID: <034301be71e3$3d3438a0$b5a725ca@speedking>
From: "Simon Curtiss" <mduffy@clear.net.nz>
Subject: XTC Records & Beer (what more do you need!)
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 21:33:53 +1300

Anybody who was interested in the old vinyl that I sold off (see about 6 or
so chalk's back) should consider looking in Record Saving in White Lion
Walk, Banbury, Oxon as that was the place I sold most of my stuff to.  It
was my favourite record shop in the Universe, it has a great second hand
section, cheap singles (#1.99 or #0.99for most of them) and the guy who runs
the shop is really nice - he's called Chris.  If anyone does go in for a
look, tell him Simon who used to live in Aynho says HI! from New Zealand.

>Pete Williams. Wrote:
>Sptifire by the Shepherd Neame brewery - bottle
>conditioned and a great taste Old Speckled Hen by the Morland brewery -
>named after an old MG Just about anything by the Marstons brewery (I live
>in Marstons country) e.g. Pedigree, Oyster Stout, Indian Pale Ale Old Hooky
>by the Hook Norton brewery - sharp taste with maximum effect

Oh don't.. as an Old Hooky, Spitfire & Speckled Hen lover -  it's not nice
to be reminded of how lovely they are, now  I've moved to a country that
only has 'Beer' - which is what we Brits call 'Lager'.  The closest thing I
can find out here is Speights Old Dark Malt Ale.  I find that  there are
three variations in taste in beer from the rest of the world and really miss
the real thing.. lovely tasty uncooled (not warm as people call it) bitter.
Oooo I can taste it.

Hops Hops my kingdom for some Hops!

Simon

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

Message-ID: <001601be71ef$40075f60$2dd8868b@carlo>
From: "Carlo" <carlodim@bigpond.com.au>
Subject: Another lurker unearthed
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 20:59:57 +1100

Hi, I've been reading all your posts for some time but now I finally got my
copy of AV1 (not that easy it seems here in Australia), I just had to put my
2 cents in.
So here goes:
I have been an XTC fan since 1979 after hearing Go2 (at the age of 20)

I saw them play live twice in 1980 (they were a bit of a disappointment
really, their support band, Magazine, were a much better sounding live act)

Skylarking is one of my favourite albums of all time (certainly my
favourite XTC album followed closely by English Settlement )

After only a few listens to AV1 I'll just say this: Easter Theatre is
another Andy Partridge masterpiece (sounds like it could have fitted right
in on Skylarking) & I love - I Can't Own Her (unlike some of you!)

Lastly, you may be interested in this review from The Age Green Guide
(Melbourne, Australia) by Shaun Carney 19/3/99

	[ www.chalkhills.org/articles/AppleVenus.html#tagg990313 ]

Bye,
Carlo
www.users.bigpond.com/carlodim

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

Message-ID: <36F20F37.3621@wxs.nl>
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 09:47:51 +0100
From: strangeways <huggers2@wxs.nl>
Subject: four eyes

> Chauncy 14 and Strangeways... In "Your Dictionary", the
> person being played for a "four-eyed fool" is Andy! His
> wife left him for another man. Listen to the song!

Geez, I knew that, I am not stupid. Just never heard the expression
four-eyed fool before. Now, enough of this, it's starting to annoy me.

~Ruud~

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

Message-ID: <19990319134738.19773.rocketmail@send105.yahoomail.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 05:47:38 -0800 (PST)
From: Jon Rosenberger <wile1coyote@yahoo.com>
Subject: One Live Song

Cheryl asked in chalk 141

"If you could have XTC play one song live for you(yes,
that is the stipulation.  ONE Song) personally, what
would you pick?"

Without a doubt or reservation. It would be "The Affiliated" for me
although I would love to hear Pale and Precious right after it if I
could too please. I love the transition between these two and I find
one to be incomplete without the other.

But if I only get one that is it. I find the lyrics to be very
meaningful to my life personally and have done so ever since it came
out. I also love the easy-going uncomplicated tune and the way it
interweaves with the lyrics to form something very special (to my ears
anyway).

My second choice would be "Snowman"

Peace and Love from

The Mole
chillin at the Ministry hole.

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

Message-ID: <004d01be7210$c548d340$f06dcec0@t24806009694.DOA.STATE.LA.US>
From: "John Voorhees" <griffon@earthling.net>
Subject: Internal Combustion Power (Re: Push Your Car From The Road)
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 07:59:54 -0600

Another recent release that starts with an off-kilter diatribe against the
automobile:
The latest Cake album features  a song called "Satan Is My Motor", which
directly equates the gasoline powered engine with the Prince of Darkness,
even though the driver's "intentions are good and pure ones".
Is this the beginning of a groundswell toward electric and fuel-cell cars?
Naaaah.

>Elizabeth wrote:
>
>> Anyway, say you're listening to AV1 in your car over and over again. And
>> say every time you hear River of Orchids, all you can think is, "But I LIKE
>> my car!" Does that make you a bad person?
>
>Whoops, I'm afraid it does.  But don't worry, the world needs bad people,
>too.  (^_^)
>
>-- Francis Heaney, Manhattanite and public transport lover

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

Message-Id: <s6f214b5.071@chemonics.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 09:05:00 -0500
From: Todd Bernhardt <tbernhardt@chemonics.com>
Subject: One song

Hi:

Cheryl "Hire me? Get in line, pal" MacGregor asked:
>If you could have XTC play one song live for you (yes, that is the
stipulation. ONE Song) personally, what would you pick?<

Well, given that you're asking in the context of the new album -- if I
couldn't have the fab four rock my world with "Travels in Nihilon" or
"Funk Pop A Roll" (yes, I know Pete Phipps originally drummed on that
one, but I'd bring Terry back for that one) ... if it were Andy and
Colin in my living room ... I'd have to go with "I'd Like That."
That's the song I think would sound best with just the two of them.
Well, not _just_ the two of them -- I'd harmonize with them, of
course, and slap my thighs in time with the music ('til they told me
to shut the fuck up).

And Stormy, you're a genius, but in the pantheon of greats you've
lined up at the end ... _Elton John_ on vocals?!? I'd list singers I
think are better, but I think I'll leave room for other posts in this
digest.

And what, no Jeff Lynne on guitar?

--Todd

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

From: Chauncy14@aol.com
Message-ID: <9a823d53.36f262af@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 09:43:59 EST
Subject: Re: Season's Cycles

Dan Duncan, you have compared 'nonsuch' to winter, 'skylarking' and
'mummer' to summer, and 'english settlement' to autumn.

What happened to spring?

I would take 'skylarking' as my spring, mainly because of the feelings
invoked by the 'sound' that album has to Spring.  Lots of rain, umbrellas,
moods swings, and the references, of course, to "who's pushing the pedals
on the season cycle.'  A classic line, I might add!

Spring, at least in Chicago, can have a tumultuous meteorological effect
with the changes in temperature.  Recently we had 21 inches of snow, and
the following week, it was 62 degrees.  To me, 'skylarking' fits the mood
for Spring.

'Mummer' is definitely summer for me.  'Dessert Island'......waves, warm
winds, and toasty budweisers!  I seem to recall Andy wrote this in his
shed, just after the whole stage -fright 'bout tour- ending scenario.  And,
I recall that was late Spring, 1983?  1985?

'English Settlement' is a good autumnal choice.  When the songs were
scored, or written, could be the key to how Andy and Colin were feeling.
The mixing is key too to the feel and sound.  So, engineering could also
play for the seasons.  This would be the poetic license artists take with
musing us.  ES also has the yachts and water references, possibly
indicating summer...so that is a tough one.

'Nonsuch' has summer, but yes mostly a Winter - mood to it too.  Circus
clown, Horseback riding, wedding, however, are strong Spring/Summer
activities??

Maybe, each album has all seasons and none?  This is a question worth
pondering.

AV1?  Easter = Spring?

Cheers!
John Gardner

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

Message-ID: <36F2E38F.48FA@rai.it>
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 15:53:51 -0800
From: Taccuino italiano <taccuino.italiano@rai.it>
Subject: xtc new album

Hello! This is from an old fan of xtc . New album is almost a
masterpiece ... but with Dave Gregory, i think,it would be
better.Anyway, in italy, " Apple venus " is now 33 in the top charts!

Chalkills is a wonderful site!

Goodbye!
           u.c.

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

Message-ID: <B9B4268C8F87D11195DC0000F840FABE083877EF@DUB-MSG-02>
From: Peter Fitzpatrick <peterfit@MICROSOFT.com>
Subject: re: I just feel like taking up bandwidth
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 11:17:23 -0800

>>1. Why is there so much hiss at the beginning of "River Of Orchids?"  The
>>rest of the album sounds so good!

it's that AbbeyRoad studio one sound . . . . you can probably hear the
rainclouds near the ceiling ...

>>8. Why am I numbering these?

because you can....

:-)

-Peter

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

Message-ID: <71118473695DD211967A0060B06805D4E929F6@MSGBOS629NTS.fmr.com>
From: "Sawyer, Keith" <Keith.Sawyer@fmr.com>
Subject: breathing easy
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 14:17:24 -0500

> One of the great AV 1 moments that no one mentioned before: Andy's
> breathing in at the beginning of Your Dictionary (...) Does anyone
> know other songs which are started this way?

AC/DC - "Night Prowler"

Other random thoughts ...

- Jason Falkner's latest is unfortunately a punchless bore.
Paint-by-numbers dull.

- Minders fans fond of female vocals should seek out Dressy Bessy.

- Duncan Kimball is single-handedly making Molly's posts much more
palatable ... comparatively.

enough,
keith

"The music machine is a whore you can have a million times"
-Cardinal, 'Silver Machines'

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

Message-ID: <19990319194149.76809.qmail@hotmail.com>
From: "Jason Garcia" <hhname@hotmail.com>
Subject: vinyl siding...?
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 11:41:48 PST

>I originally thought Andy was singing " And its vinyl siding now" in
>"I Cant Own Her". I think that one wins.

X-actly.  Or "vinyl siding down" (?)  That's what I thought.

Jason

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

Message-ID: <19990319220553.13403.rocketmail@attach1.rocketmail.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 14:05:53 -0800 (PST)
From: nross <phoenixyellowrose@rocketmail.com>
Subject: A question sent for any to answer... please?

Hi ... I've been curious... can anyone tell me why
Colin does not do very many interviews?

Is it simply because he is "shy"... or is that a myth?

Thanks, Nicole

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

Message-Id: <199903192255.RAA22218@hammurabi.nh.ultra.net>
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 17:54:45 -0500
Subject: Re: the opposite of beauty
From: "Duncan Watt" <kanuba@nh.ultranet.com>

Lovelacking Pancho from PR wrote:

>And while it may be so that people prefer UGLY from an aesthetic or
>artistic sense, I can avow that the same does not hold for personal
>beauty. I am ugly and I can assure you that there have been very few
>that have been willing to even consider embracing me! I am not
>bemoaning my fate just stating the facts. I like to think I am an
>acquired taste (rationalizations are the best part of my game;)) but
>most do not seek me out.

Radiant Jill Oleson From The Money Star wrote:

>If an artist chooses not to explore
>an idea because it is too different from an established body of
>work, then the artist has self-limited creativity out of fear of what
>others might think.  An example of this is when an artist decides
>not to explore making something beautiful out of fear that it will
>not be considered cool.

'Cool' IS a rationale. The opposite of beauty is 'cool'. Pancho is
beautiful.

Duncan Watt

ps picture Watt at the keyboard, pondering whether or not to hit 'Send':
"will I come off as Not Cool? maybe if I type in the Third Person...." ...
he reaches for the mouse....

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

Message-ID: <19990319231037.15146.rocketmail@send204.yahoomail.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 15:10:37 -0800 (PST)
From: pancho artecona <partecona@yahoo.com>
Subject: XTC plays live!

>If you could have XTC play one song live for you(yes,
>that is the stipulation.  ONE Song) personally, what
>would you pick?

Love on a Farmboys Wages (Acoustic)

Pancho PRXTCFAN

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

Message-ID: <002001be725f$39660740$a508b3d1@oemcomputer>
From: "Aaron Pastula" <apastula@earthlink.net>
Subject: Dear God indeed
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 15:21:27 -0800

>Anyone interested in checking out Linda, the violinist Dave did the session
>with, can check out www.lindabrava.com to find out more about her - in
>fact, you can find out a *lot* about her, courtesy of her Playboy shots.

Um, this should forever bury the debate about the validity of Andy's
diatribe to a certain deity.  After seeing this I'm gessing Andy might be
wrong.

AP

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

Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 15:57:14 -0800 (PST)
Message-Id: <199903192357.PAA09560@mando.engr.sgi.com>
From: John Relph <relph@engr.sgi.com>
Subject: What's New on Chalkhills

There is no language in my lungs.

Just spun "Black Sea".  Not bad, eh!  :-)

What's new on Chalkhills this week? you might ask...

Well, we've got photographs from the various XTC in-store appearances
contributed by Stephanie Takeshita, Tom X Chao, Phillip Cusimano and
Jerry Kaelin.  We've got a transcription of the Q & A session with
Andy Partridge from the Toronto in-store, thanks to David Oh.  We've
got an interview with Andy Partridge from the L.A. Weekly, thanks to
Barry Greenberg.  And we've got two of the three video segments from
Launch 25, thanks to Bob Estus.

And, of course, there are many new reviews of "Apple Venus Volume 1",
thanks to Dan Wiencek, John Greaves, Wes Hanks, Micheal Stone, Harold
Freshour, Benjamin Lukoff, Carlo Di Martino, Jan Bletz, Domenic
Staffieri, and myself (local lame critic Gina Arnold in Silicon
Valley's Metro free paper).

Enjoy!

	-- John

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

Message-Id: <3.0.2.32.19990319220307.006d5a8c@mail.interlog.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 22:03:07 -0500
From: David Oh <davidoh@interlog.com>
Subject: dom-diddle-dee-dum-dum

[insert "dragnet" theme here]

dom-dom-dom-dom!

dom-dom-dom-dom... dum!

well, dom, this is what it's come to...

i have 2 questions & a couple of comments for you. read 'em if you will...

q1: did you go to the "don rickles school of humour & insults"?
q2: have you ever heard of the wonder drug called prozak?

& now for the comments:

c1: maybe you should try reading the book "how to win friends & influence
people"

c2: From Understanding Comes Knowledge, Or Forget Friendship!

have a nice day...

 peace & xtc,

 davidoh

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

Message-ID: <19990320045356.18146.qmail@hotmail.com>
From: "Amanda Owens" <daveizgod@hotmail.com>
Subject: Yowza
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 22:53:55 CST

Saw the pics of that violinist Dave worked with....God was certainly
nicer to her than he was to me in the physical dept. :( But enough of
that.....and God almighty that post in the last digest showed up late! I
forgot I sent it!

Duncan did sayeth:

>Nag #1 - Amanda: what makes me think that your well-known partiality for
>all things Gregorian is colouring your reactions? I don't really care -

Then why are you posting anything about it, medear? <g>

>Tell
>me something I don't know.

Gregsy likes Teletubbies. Betcha didn't know that!

>How the hell would he have survived the last
>23 years without one?

I dunno, I think I've done pretty good for 21 years without one. (Or a
large one at least.)

Stephanie did sayeth:

And Dave, for his part, would have to stop calling
>Amanda, swapping recipies, and sending her neat stuff, like his home-cooked
>CDs.

Oh yeah, can't forget the cd's. They taste pretty good with Tabasco
sauce on them. ;)

>Phil, Amanda's no stalker.  She's just a loyal friend of Dave's, and
>one of a small and dwindling number on this list.

Well said. Not that the number was too big to begin with. Dave was
always the unsung member of the band.

Tis all for now,
Amanda C. Owens
"Tis better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open
it and remove all doubt"-Unknown
XTC song of the day-Wonder Annual
non-XTC song-Next Voice You Hear-Jackson Browne

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

Message-ID: <009c01be7293$3d59b200$f94778c7@JH3.alternatech.net>
From: "JH3" <jh3@netins.net>
Subject: New stuff at XTCware
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 23:33:50 -0600

If for some strange reason you haven't visited the XTCware site recently
(URL: http://www.alternatech.net/jh3/xtc ), there are several new things
there for you to check out.

APPLE VENUS LYRIC INSERT PDF:
As promised, this is an Adobe Acrobat PDF file that you can print out,
crop, fold, and put in your Apple Venus CD jewel box. I can't say these
lyrics are totally accurate, and there might even be revisions yet to come,
but they're as accurate as I think I can make them. I ended up going with
"rain", "applaud", "keg", "and unknowing", and of course "winos." Thanks to
everyone who made suggestions! (And sorry in advance to anyone who has
problems with duplex printing.)

ORANGES & LEMONS VECTOR ART:
This is the thing I'm most proud of - Dave Bregande, Greg Singer and I have
built what we think is an almost totally dead-on scalable vector graphic
rendition of the cover of "Oranges & Lemons." Unlike an ordinary scanned
bitmap, you can manipulate each figure, *each individual element of the
drawing* individually, assuming you have a compatible vector graphic
editing package. It's currently available only in CorelDraw 7 and Adobe
Illustrator 7 formats, but if you need a different format and don't mind
maybe a few translation errors, e-mail me and I'll try to accomodate.

XTSCREEN BUG FIXES:
Some Windows 98 and NT users who installed my XTC-meets-Jackson Pollack
screen-saver discovered that it didn't work so well on those platforms. (A
couple of Win95 users even had problems.) The most serious bug involved the
random font display feature, and after I managed to reproduce the problem
and spent quite some time trying to fix it, I decided there was nothing to
be done except eliminate the feature entirely and replace it with
additional XTC-logo bitmaps (including the "Apple Venus" logo, and the
peacock feather too). The new version works a LOT better and does less
reading of your hard disk drive.

As always, XTCware is not an information site, there's no advertising
(there wouldn't be any even if I wanted some), and there are NO MP3's!

Toodle-oo,

John H. Hedges
Chief Diabolical Mastermind @ XTCware
http://www.alternatech.net/jh3/xtc

PS. If anyone out there has Fontographer 4.x or higher for the
Macintosh with the Windows *.FOG conversion utility installed, knows
how to use it, and has about 15 minutes to spare, please e-mail me at
jh3@alternatech.net. Thanks!

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

Message-ID: <36F356B1.746B8B04@pacbell.net>
Date: Sat, 20 Mar 1999 00:05:05 -0800
From: Ken Sanders <moparson@pacbell.net>
Organization: Pacific Bell Internet Services
Subject: misheard lyric, my turn!!

    Howdy Chalkies,

I swear that the first chorus of RoO said "I heard the dandelions
roarin' PICK THE DELI, SUCKASS!!"  Obviously, I'm relieved my ears were
mistaken, and the actual line is "..roar in Picadilly Circus!"

*terribly embarrassed to admit that revelation*
Ken

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

Date: Sat, 20 Mar 1999 03:23:51 -0500 (EST)
From: BEAULAC MARIO <d246274@er.uqam.ca>
Subject: Lay your head, lay your head
Message-ID: <Pine.HPP.3.95.990320010512.4227B-100000@nobel.si.uqam.ca>

Hello, Chalkhillians of all creeds
(to the tune of "Omnibus"?),

first off, an acknowledgement of J.R.'s administrivia as regards:

>Let's chill on the "Defending Dave" and "Defending Andy" front, alright?

Check.

And now on to the matter of injecting -- hopefully -- still more sense in
the whole hectic debate, as many have tried to do in the last few posts
(and I'm not alluding to the banal and blanket commonsense of Mr.
Friedman's "They're only human after all", which would have us dismiss
the whole AP/DG thing, as it is labelled, because of the universality of
human frailty; isn't that just why the matter keeps bobing up, that we're
all interested in the human feats and foibles of a particular group of
musicians-cum-artists?).

As one of the "culprits" in fanning the flames (!) of the current debate
(a few posts ago -- seems like ages -- I raised the issue of Partridge's
egotistical outbursts and lack of courtesy toward you-know-who *in a
particular instance*, while also trying to keep a level head about it), I
strongly object to certain (mis)readings of the back and forth that
ensued, mostly in the wake of Amanda's rambunctious endorsement of part of
my views (thanks again, Amandave ;-)) and her own appraisal of A.P.'s
actions.

First and foremost among the gross misinterpretations that have been
bandied about is the silly notion about this being a battle of the
"pro-Andy"s versus the "pro-Dave"s. Puh-lease, gimme a break!!! Isn't this
a bit on the underbrained side as an explanation of what's been going on?
We're not out to elect one of these guys as "most important -- or
popular, or friendly, or whatever -- XTC member" either (the sheer
pointlessness of such an endeavor should be self-evident, one hopes).
The whole process feels rather more like a weighting in of available
evidence about all the parties involved (and if it sometimes seems like a
weighting in of all that Partridge involves, it just goes a long way
towards proving how totally central he is to the whole shebang), as a way
of assessing the people behind the music, as one is wont to do in the case
of such intensely crafted sounds and wordplay. Since most of us are not
privy to the *real* goings-on between these former bandmates
that would purportedly throw light on the issue ("Oh, so Andy isn't such a
cad, after all", "My, Dave can be a pain now can't he?"), we have to rely
on the evidence that is at hand and that is, most likely and like it or
not, media-chewed morsels such as the infamous RayGun interview of the
"nasty Andy" quotable quips. These can be somewhat balanced by the
thankfully less calibrated and more spontaneous accounts one can read
right here in Chalkhills, which makes it all come out in the somewhat
consensually shaped narrative of: Andy is an approchable and funny guy
that can also be mean-spirited but admirably willed in the pursuit of his
craft, while Dave is the consummate guitar maven who is somewhat moody and
guarded yet sturdy -- up 'til recently -- in his collaborative role with
his bandmate more favored by the muse. Recognize that little playlet? For
all I know, it might be a lithany of cliches or half-truths about both men
that we've all bought into at one time or another, or that strikes us as a
credible and fair assessment of their particular dynamic. Whatever the
case, this is all an arm's lenght view from an outsider's perspective
filtered through an assortment of lenses, as well it might be; for their
own sanity, XTC members past and present should thankfully be spared fans'
more or less intense scrutiny into the minutiae of their lives (a signing
is more of a refereed event, with a framed timetable and a given logistics
that enables them to quickly recover some measure of privacy).

What I'm longwindedly getting at is that, has many have stated, life goes
on, we hope that the music keeps coming, and Partridge and Gregory OF
COURSE, HAH-HAH goes Nelson from The Simpsons, are "only human" and may in
fact be slightly different fellas from day-to-day, minute-to-minute on
stressful days. They also are media creatures, as much as Partridge coyly
denies/acknowledges this as suits his (formerly substance-influenced)
moods (the parenthesis added, of course, to be a bit sarcastic about his
mocking of Gregory's diabetes -- remember the valiums, Andy?).

So, the slate being set and not having to deal with any kind of foolish
scorecard (Andy 0, Dave 1 or such nonsense), I will briefly outlay my
second gripe regarding the so-called pro-Andy/pro-Dave/Profumo scandal for
all I care: why should we be done with discussing how a member of XTC has
*very* publicly dissed another? "Boring" though it may be to some, more
intent on inane dissertation of every syllable, twist of the vocal cords
or "cinematic" sound effect of any and all given songs (how
can a particular sound be more "cinematic" than another? because it
sounds like what a Bernard Herrmann-wannabe sticks into every other
score, no matter what a scene calls for?), maybe, it does seem strange to
me that raising some hackles about some unsavory behavior on the part of
any XTC member toward any other, or any other notorious individual in
their "universe" (a la Todd), would suddenly appear uncalled for. I
certainly understand the need to curb the grounds when ditches are being
dug for permanent and senseless trench warfare, as happens every now and
then with the ghost of the "D**r G*d" crusades. I wouldn't go so far as
saying that the "AP/DG" slugfest has any sting or steam left to it anyway;
all I'm saying is let it die out of its own volition, as it may
inadvertently lead us to yellower brick roads, instead of trying to put a
silver stake through its bloodthirsty little heart (pounding now ever so
feebly, har).

So, let bygones be bygones, humans be humans, or whatever civil cliches
will do to set the stage for the cantankerous discussions that must
inevitably come still, and let's be ridiculous tonight if the mood suits
us, shall we?

(Sorry for the overextended blabbing, folks, but in three to four years I
haven't indulged much in writing herein -- am I high on the Apple Venus
brew?)

Mario Beaulac

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

Date: Sat, 20 Mar 1999 06:53:06 -0500
From: Lincoln Fong <LincolnFong@compuserve.com>
Subject: Push your car
Message-ID: <199903200654_MC2-6EBF-3B73@compuserve.com>

>Elizabeth wrote:
>
>> Anyway, say you're listening to AV1 in your car over and over again. And
>> say every time you hear River of Orchids, all you can think is, "But I LIKE
>> my car!" Does that make you a bad person?
>
>To which Francis replied:
>
>Whoops, I'm afraid it does.  But don't worry, the world needs bad people,
>too.  (^_^)
>
>-- Francis Heaney, Manhattanite and public transport lover

Does calling Elizabeth a bad person make you and Andy good people, Francis?
Andy is perfectly entitled to say his piece but if his platform is
eco-friendliness why doesnt he attack all consumerism including the wastage
of materials in the music business or say the big city? He never learned to
drive and I presume (correct me if I'm wrong someone) its partly this that
makes it OK for him to be anti-car. Hmm...
Do we really live in a world where bad people drive and good people go by
bus? Andy's lyrics may refuse to recognise a world wrapped in grey but his
real life, as we know, does not reflect this.
However if his intention is to cause debate then I wholeheartedly concurr.

Lincoln

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

Message-ID: <36F3985C.111FFAE7@erols.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Mar 1999 07:45:16 -0500
From: Todd and Jennifer Bernhardt <toddjenn@erols.com>
Subject: Frippery

Hi:

Phil Lawes said:

> Aharghh... you have a drummers legs...

Why, thank you.

> I believe that the Article predates the Difford affair, so am I right in
> thinking that the tapes seized by Mr. Difford contain some of the
> Prairie Prince drum tracks for AV2?

Nope. The article was post-Difford, and as far as I know none of their work
there involved a drummer.  From what Mitch says, it seems that the boys
might bring Dave Mattacks in for some songs on AV2 that they didn't cut
w/Prairie. At that point, they might decide to have DM play on the songs
that PP already did, just for the sake of continuity. I love both of them
as players, and wouldn't mind contributions from both on the same album,
but -- hard as it is for me to accept -- something tells me my opinion
about the matter don't make a rat's-ass worth of difference to Andy and
Colin.

> BTW the same article says that
> it's the Prince's legs that are being slapped on 'I'd Like That' rather
> than the amateur legs of Andy (perhaps to preserve the feel of the demos
> Prairie could have slapped Andy's legs?)

Interesting idea ... perhaps Dave G. would be interested in doing something
like this for the industrial remix of the song -- "Here Andy, let me do
it. We need a harder sound, though ... mind if I try these hammers?"

Christie said:

> I'm happy to have met Andy and Colin at the LA signing.  I suppose it's
> silly of me to say so, since it's difficult for them to remember anyone
> out of the many people they see every day, but it was great to finally see
> in person the people responsible for all the music I love so much.  I
> guess it's a frippy thing where my attitudes and expectations have more to
> do with me than anything to do with them.  But what the hey, I liked it!

I _knew_ you'd find a way to work Fripp into this digest!  ;^) Even though
you've given in to the dark side and embraced the vampiric relationship
between performer and audient, I'm glad you had fun...

The inimitable Dunks said he is

> a little confused by Andy's imagery in ROO:
>
>     "I heard the dandelions roar in Piccadilly Circus"
>
> Apart from evoking yet more images of things revolving around a big pole
> (phwooarh!) I sort of assumed that Andy may be referring to those big
> lion statues, but ... my understanding is that they are at the base of
> Nelson's Column (wah-hey!) in Trafalgar Square, not in Picadilly. And
> what is the statue on the column there - Mercury? Am I totally off-beam
> here? Can anyone enlighten my colonial ignorance?

I'm just an ignorant Yankee, but seems to me he's just going for the
image/pun of a lion in the circus.  Piccadilly Circus is filled with
vehicles most hours of the day, and (just ask any suburbanite) dandelions
sprouting up all over the place are a sure sign that nature is having its
way with an area it's trying to reclaim. And yeah, those lions laid at the
base of Nelson's pole are in Trafalgar Square.

Would anyone like to help me and my family move this week? Thought not.

--Todd

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

End of Chalkhills Digest #5-143
*******************************

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