Chalkhills Digest Volume 5, Issue 168
Date: Saturday, 10 April 1999

         Chalkhills Digest, Volume 5, Number 168

                 Saturday, 10 April 1999

Today's Topics:

                     Guilty Pleasures
                     Colin's demos...
                   Attn Nashville Pt.2
                       Stop And Go
                 Re: A Bunch Of Stuff...
           RE: More stuff and guilty pleasures
                      Re: XTC videos
                     Ana one ana two
                 Re: Rec. if you like XTC
                         Re: dAVe
       Oooooooooh-Weeeeeeeeee-oooooooooooooooooooh!
                       XTC/Burgess,
                   Ehem No XTC Content
                      my dr. pepper
                   Re: Ridiculous Song
                 Re: Wouldn't It Be Nice
                         RE: MFSL
                        power pop
                   re: Ridiculous Song
                  beatles vs. beach boys
            Tales from Topic-graphical Oceans
                  Re: Which One Is Pink?
                    The Zither Project
           VH1 UK's A-Z and Embarrassing Songs

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

Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.19990409124703.00c42bc0@pophost.micron.net>
Date: Fri, 09 Apr 1999 12:47:03 -0600
From: Phil Corless <philco@micron.net>
Subject: Guilty Pleasures

Hey, the Partridge Family's Greatest Hits CD is a must-have!
And, I'm ashamed to admit it but, I do turn the radio UP when
those 3 or 4 Spice Girls singles are played......

- Phil

Phil Corless
philco@micron.net
http://netnow.micron.net/~philco/
MY EBAY AUCTIONS:
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/philkar/

"I do have a genuine and almost miserly interest in worthless objects."
   -- John Steinbeck

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

Message-ID: <370E74B6.177E@schoollink.net>
Date: Fri, 09 Apr 1999 14:44:22 -0700
From: Dan Phipps <phipps@schoollink.net>
Organization: CIC
Subject: Colin's demos...

Just wanted to take this opportunity to
sincerely thank my good mate Pancho for
the awesome CD-R recording of Colin's
demos!!  Great collection, this!!

You're THE BEST!!  :-)

Peace through XTC-music!!

--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
/Dan Phipps <phipps@schoollink.net>

"We are eagles of one nest;
 The nest is in our soul."
(Robert Plant / Jimmy Page)

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

Message-Id: <199904091849.OAA24874@mail.bna.bellsouth.net>
From: "RoadKill" <csberry@mail.bna.bellsouth.net>
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 13:49:21 +0000
Subject: Attn Nashville Pt.2

	Andy isn't going to be coming into Nashville for the interview on
Lightning 100.  It's probably a "radio day" for Andy (for
those not in the industry: Andy sits in a studio and does a couple
dozen interviews...so he may be interviewed by your local station
this Monday!).  Mary emailed me to say that it'll be over ISDN (it
will sound like he's in studio, but it's a phoner).  I will try to
get home soon enough to capture on DAT.  If it's a worthwhile
interview, I may dub some off for those who request.

Cory

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

Message-Id: <199904091909.VAA11384@mail.knoware.nl>
From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl>
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 21:22:30 +0200
Subject: Stop And Go

Dear Chalkers,

"KL" asked:

> Also I read somewhere in the archives that there are different versions of
> Traffic Light Rock and that one version isn't on cd.  If I didn't image
> this and I actually did read this, could someone clear this up for me?

The version on the Guilliotine sampler and the White Music cd are
one & the same. But there is also a slightly longer live version that
was released in 1977 on a freebie 7" single that came with British
music mag Record Mirror.

BTW: this and similar questions can easily be resolved if you
consult the XTC discography available on the Chalkhills site.
I regularly download the latest version and save it to my desktop so
i can always easily refer to it - it's indispensable if you are serious
about your XTC

BTW: i also use a heavily annotated printed version as pillow.

yours in xtc,

Mark Strijbos at The Little Lighthouse
 http://www.knoware.nl/users/mmello/
     or http://come.to/xtc

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

Message-id: <fc.000f4ca3002062373b9aca007343e6e7.20644e@cfrb.com>
Date: Fri, 09 Apr 1999 15:33:33 -0400
Subject: Re: A Bunch Of Stuff...
From: rgreenham@thebear.net (Rich Greenham)

It's been about a month since I last posted -- prepare for thrills and
chills, kids...

My Sgt. Pepper is, was and always will be Sgt. Pepper...  Even though I
haven't listened to it in its entirety for some time -- it still reigns up
there in my Top 27 or so!  Like others have posted, ya gotta think back to
the recording technology at the time that Pepper was produced to really
appreciate the album -- even the most garage of all garage bands doesn't
record in 4-track anymore!  And listen to the songs -- from the chunky
guitars that open "Sgt. Pepper's..", through the orchestration of "She's
Leaving Home", the cacophony of "Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite",
tripping to India with Mr. Harrison's "Within You And Without You", the
beefy brass of "Good Morning, Good Morning" (and don't forget the chicken
turning into a guitar on the intro to Sgt. Pepper's reprise), to the
final, crashing piano chord of "Day In The Life"...  I always wish that I
could have been around when that album was first released (actually -- I
was, but only 8 months old) -- just so I could struck down by the sheer
audacity and originality of what The Beatles and George Martin had dared
to launch upon an unwitting record-buying public!  And I concede that
Revolver and Pet Sounds led the way for Pepper...

What's in my contemporary Pepper pot?  The The, "Soul Mining"...  U2
"Unforgettable Fire"...  Matthew Sweet, "Girlfriend"...  Sloan, "Twice
Removed"...  Ben Folds Five, "Whatever and Ever Amen"...  The Tragically
Hip, "Phantom Power"...  XTC content -- Everything save a wee bit of
"Mummer" (I'm still getting used to it 16 years later!)  And don't forget
the The Dukes!

How much more time do I have?  Oh, good...

"Cold as vichyssoise..."  -- as strange as it sounds, it's my favourite
line from AV1...  It evokes amazing imagery...  that really wet, damp,
bone-chilling cold...  anyone who has ever slurped down a bowl of that
soup ought to get it -- particularly if they've lived thru November or
March in central Canada... brrrrrrr...

Final thought -- the most "least-notable" song that I can't get out of my
head...  "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep" by Mac and Katie Kissoon (very bubble
gum)...  First heard it performed by an all-girl busker group in
Copenhagen in 1985...  Fast-forward to '92 -- my second year in radio,
first day as Creative Director at an all-oldies station -- what song do I
hear...  "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep"!  I stole the cart that it was
recorded on when I left that station and now it has a place of honour in
the third drawer down of my desk.  I listen to it at least once a month
when no-one's around... (c'mon -- I work at a rock station now!)  Anyone
else know this song?  I'd love to hear XTC cover it (bubble-gum project)!

Many apologies for the length -- never get me talking about music again!

Rich

xtc of the moment -- ten feet tall (d & w version)
non-xtc -- dave brubeck's "time out"...

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

Message-ID: <9D916278299FD111A7E100805FA7C2BA060C840D@cheetah.uits.iupui.edu>
From: "Bennett, Kristen L." <klbennet@iupui.edu>
Subject: RE: More stuff and guilty pleasures
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 14:31:55 -0500

Kristen Bennett wrote:
>>I do have a really sad story.  <G> I met a local guy who loved the
>>band, and who even made me a pre-Skylarking tape, mailed with a
>>love note, but I blew him off.  Man, I feel bad about that....please,
>>anyone, flame me for blowing off an XTC fan!  I didn't know what I was
>>doing. That's been 10 years ago, and the self-flagellation continues to
>>this day.

Phil Lawes wrote:
>While reading this I lost control of the English language and embedded
>myself firmly in the central reservation of the transatlantic linguistic
>highway.

Que? In American please? :) Did you lose control because of some sinister
Brit/Yank translation roadbump?  I know it was perhaps a little
conversational in tone but otherwise, I couldn't find anything too freaky
in what I said.  Perhaps it was the "blew off" thing--maybe that means
something in Brit that I'm unfortunately ignorant of but that I can
certainly imagine.  Please enlighten.

Oh, and on another note, guilty pleasure:  that would be "Hole Hearted" by
Extreme.  I could listen to that song forever...if I could get XTC out of my
CD player.

Ironic and guilty pleasure note: Anyone else like to listen to ROO and
drive around, admiring all the lovely, blooming spring flowers?  Oh,
heavens, the irony-- having to use the car to view nature-- as I do it I am
torn between feeling the sense in Andy's words and the selfish desire for
personal, automotive transportation...

Kristen Bennett

"Now, by the world, it is a lusty wench; I love her ten times more than
e'er I did: O, how I long for a chat with her."  Shakespeare

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

Message-ID: <tth1vEAX$kD3IwCa@coopefamily.demon.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 20:07:03 +0100
From: KT <Katy@coopefamily.demon.co.uk>
Subject: Re: XTC videos

In article <s709cf5e.098@gwia.nwf.org>, TOM GRIFFIN <GRIFFIN@nwf.org>
writes
>OK - Just to interject something completely stupid (but fun) on this list.
>I'd like to ask everyone what their favorite and least-favorite XTC videos
>are.  I'll start...
*snip*
>Least-Favorite:  Now this is tough.  they've done so many stinkers.  Even
>though it's not a traditional promo video I'd have to go with "The Man Who
>Sailed Around His Soul".  I know it was from a TV program, and not an
>MTV-style video.  But, I think those dancers are putrid.  And, that quick
>shot of that cat?  What was that?  (Oh well, I've never seen the TV program
>- so I guess I have no context)
That weird, I really Liked that one. I love the costume design so much I
based the costume for one of my comic Chars on it, I really like the
stuff andy does with the umbrella. It was from the show 'The prisoner' I
think, though its before my time so I have no idea what the cat shot is
about.

My fave video...hmmm..It's gotta be either Dear God for that really evil
shot when he's in the tree picking his nails or the Mayor of simpleton.
I know it reallt doesn't count, but 'XTC - The road to oranges and
lemons' Is my favorite recording..

My least Fave? oooh..I'd say 'Human Alchemy'. I really can't stand that
song.
--
KT Coope     "I don't want to be a potato!"

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

Message-ID: <19990409201653.54259.qmail@hotmail.com>
From: "Joseph Revard" <nirvananow@hotmail.com>
Subject: Ana one ana two
Date: Fri, 09 Apr 1999 13:16:52 PDT

OK,
Since we're on the subject of embarassing songs, one of mine would
have to be 'Reminiscing' by- Little River Band? and the other Theme
from The Banana Splits... yeah remember them? One banana two banana
three banana four...that's the only part I can remember! Jon- I liked
Megatop Phoenix tons too, I loved the idea of haveing a member solely
for doing samples, and Mick Jones (B.A.D.)was ahead of his time for
that. Also where did you get those cd samplers of drum beats? Learned
'Books are burning' recently- what great guitar solos at the end! I
can't wait for AVII.  Joseph

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

Message-ID: <19990409202233.18142.rocketmail@web709.mail.yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 13:22:33 -0700 (PDT)
From: RFAB <rocketfromabottle@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Rec. if you like XTC

Don said:

>>>snip There is the uncanny whiff of genius in the
both of them [andy partridge and anthony burgess]
that's exhilarating and humbling at the same time.
They are two singular English artists who, in their
respective fields, command critical respect (though
not from the more zeitgeist-oriented critics - they're
wankers anyhow), yet are virtually unknown beyond the
communities of their acolytes.  They have at times
flirted unsuccessfully with mainstream popularity
(Burgess wrote a script treatment for the Bond film
"The Spy Who Loved Me", unused - Andy was on the verge
during the Black Sea tour, but we all know what
happened then), but have ultimately remained true to
their muses in a very stubborn fashion, commercial
considerations be damned.<<<

But those things could be said about a number of
artists!  That makes them similar?

Then he said:

>>>snip Even more, and here is the clincher - they are
both in love with language.  They manipulate it to
such a degree that oft times you are astonished that
something could be said (or sung) in such a way, and
why couldn't I think of that?<<<

Ditto my point above.  Many writer's love language,
that's why they write.  Many are truly creative --
that's how they come up with those astonishing
sentences or lyrics.

Don, I don't know Burgess, and do not intend to
denigrate him at all.  I'm just not with you're
argument, it's too general.  But I'm glad to see
writers getting some play on Chalkhills, thanks you
for that, and I vow to go take a peak at a Burgess
book soon.

Now to steal your thread, if I may be so bold, I'd
claim that Henry Miller and AP have some similarities
(I won't go so far as to say that if you like XTC you
will like HM, which is apples to oranges).  But
underlying their work is a love of love, of life, of
beauty, of honesty, of strong emotion and expression
of it, of simple folk and simple living, of children,
of treading one's own path come what may (HM suffered
years of rejection, especially in his own country, AP
had to go on strike for seven years), of being true to
their muse (publishers/critics/record company execs.
might say "possessing an oversized ego"), of being
stubbornly dedicated to their muse
(publishers/critics/other bandmates/biographers might
say "being a pain in the ass").  Both disdain
hypocrisy and the cult of personality, both are
critical of certain aspects of modern society
(anti-car, anti-war, anti-work, perhaps
anti-progress?), both want to get their work to the
public without intermediaries, both are generous with
fans.  (Note that although I write this in the present
tense, HM has been dead twenty years).  AP songs that
confirm this to me are GardenofDelights, Respectable
Street, Wrapped in Grey/Ugly Underneath, Senses,
Farmboys Wages, Leisure, Harvest Festival, Chalkhills
and Children, 1000 Umbrellas, and many many more.  As
for HM, you can pick up just about any of his books
and be knocked over by the force of the words and the
sense of the arguments -- my current favorite is Stand
Still Like the Hummingbird, a series of wonderful
essays.

RFAB

PS to Colin: I love you too.  You haven't given me as
much to work with, but a hearty shout out for
DayInDayOut, BallandChain, Frivolous, Grass, Bungalow,
and others.

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

Message-Id: <s70e0496.027@tcwgroup.com>
Date: Fri, 09 Apr 1999 13:45:32 -0700
From: "Dane Pereslete" <peresd@tcwgroup.com>
Subject: Re: dAVe

Jason Garcia illuminated:

>>This question goes out to those who know and to those who think that
>>they know.  What did Dave play on AV1?
>
>Well, according to the "liner notes", he plays quite a bit.  I would
>imagine he plays piano on "Frivolous", "I Can't Own Her", "Harvest
>Festival", and perhaps "Your Dictionary".

>From the photgraphic evidence in "Song Stories", it's safe to say that he
also plays harpsichord on "The Last Balloon".

Does anybody else out there just love the harp in "I Can't Own Her"?
What an incredibly beautiful touch...can't imagine the song without it.

Swooning,

Dane

*-------------------------------------------------------
Logging in from beautiful Glendale, CA  USA
daneperes@aol.com  -or-  bramage64@aol.com
*-------------------------------------------------------

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

From: "Michael Versaci" <stormymonday@sprintmail.com>
Subject: Oooooooooh-Weeeeeeeeee-oooooooooooooooooooh!
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 16:56:18 -0400
Message-ID: <000301be82cb$6abdfb00$6a6b0a26@laptop-mversaci.mtwconsulting.com>

Folxtc,

"Dunks" says:

>The Beatles were *great* singers, but, frankly, the Beach Boys were better.

HA!

Michael Versaci

"The Beach Boys are a psychedelic barbershop quartet."

Jimi Hendrix

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

Message-ID: <19990409210039.28861.rocketmail@web130.yahoomail.com>
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 14:00:39 -0700 (PDT)
From: Tyler Hewitt <tahewitt@yahoo.com>
Subject: XTC/Burgess,

If you like XTC, you might like the novelist Anthony Burgess.

I don't know about the connection between Burgess and XTC (tenuous at
best),  but I can vouch for Anthony Burgess being an extrordinary
writer. The End of the World News is absolutely brilliant, and
Clockwork Orange is also wonderful (much, much better than the plodding
and tedious Kubrick film).' The Doctor is Sick' and 'One Hand Clapping'
are also very good. ANother possible XTC/Burgess connection: I've seen
the mention of a milkbar in "This is Pop" described as a reference to
the milkbars in Clockwork Orange (in the book, teenagers too young to
drink hang out in milkbars drinking drugged milk).

THe novelist that I think XTC fans would enjoy is William Kotzwinkle.
Best known for his novelization of the movie ET, he is an excellant
writer who isn't as welll known as he should be. His most infamous
novel is Dr. Rat, which has been widely read by anti-vivisectionists
and PETA-activists. Its a brutal and funny account of a sort of
'harmonic convergance' of the animals of the world. The mose'evolved'
animal (man) misses the point entirely, and...

Even better is The Fan Man. Describing this short novel about an acid
casualty is near impossible. It will have you laughing aloud and
scratching your head in bewilderment. The Exile, while not my favorite
of his books, is still good, with a plot involving swapping identities
across time, the black market during Nazi Germany, and Jungian
psychology. Night Book is basically pornography brought to the level of
fine literature. His short stories are quite good, too.

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

From: mollyfa@juno.com
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 15:45:07 -0400
Subject: Ehem No XTC Content
Message-ID: <19990409.155028.3510.0.MollyFa@juno.com>

David mentioned:
<<Musician you'd like to kick hard:
Andrew Lloyd Weber>>

Ehem, I like Andrew Lloyd Weber.  What is so wrong with him?  Am I the
only one who likes his stuff, because I notice a lot of people here don't
like his stuff.  <sarcasm alert> Well, I'll just get rid of all my stuff
of ALW's.</sarcasm alert>
Also, I like Meatloaf too.  I really think he's amazing.

Molly

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

From: Saints3Den@aol.com
Message-ID: <1f1c4fe2.243fd0a0@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 17:52:32 EDT
Subject: my dr. pepper

 Howdy!

     My Dr. Pepper- Hires Root Beer
     My Pepper - Tarragon
     My Waldo Pepper- Silver Streak
     My Pepperoni- Smoked Kielbasa
     My Pepperdine University- Colgate
     My Sgt. Pepper- Mummer

      Last week, I wrote a pretty good posting to chalkhills. When I tried
to send it , the spell checker kicked in. While it was spell checking, AOL
locked up and the whole posting was lost!  In the posting, I tried tackling
a slew of recent threads. Among them- stalking (Erica/ Andy as well as
Amanda /Dave).censorship . swearing. Historical (I'd like that)-couples .

      The best part was something I had been thinking about: is Erica
Wexler black?
  I don't know , but there is certainly a lot of "lyrical evidence". Let's
see what all of you can come up with!
                                                            eddie st. martin

 ps  here are those historical couples

                 I'd be your Gomez if you'd be my Morticia - ha ha
                 We'd laugh because each joke would make me
                  blow my train up high ,really high
                   like a really high thing say...Lerch

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

Message-Id: <199904092227.SAA07180@smtp2.erols.com>
Date: Fri, 09 Apr 1999 18:20:12 -0400
Subject: Re: Ridiculous Song
From: "Eddie O'Hare" <EddieO@PrivatePilot.com>

Precious and Few, by Climaxx. Ouch, it's so embarassing, it hurts to admit
it. Good idea.
----------

>>My question to you all is... What is the MOST RIDICULOUS song
>>you LOVE? My submission, obviously, is Mandy.  Come on... embarrass
>>yourselves!

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

From: DinsdaleP@aol.com
Message-ID: <281829a6.243fd7f9@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 18:23:53 EDT
Subject: Re: Wouldn't It Be Nice

Dunks raised some excellent points about the futility of comparing Beatles
and Beach Boys, but I'd like to point out a couple of things:

>>And let's not forget, while we are talking influences, that Paul
visited America just before they started work on Pepper, while Brian
was in the middle of working on Smile. Indeed he is rumoured to have
appeared on a version of the Smile track "Vega-tables". Did Macca come
away empty handed? I think not. Is it any coincidence that he had the
idea for the concept of Sgt Peppers on the plane home from America? I
doubt it.<<

You've got the chronology wrong here (it doesn't help that Paul tells this
story backwards in "Anthology" and his autobiography). Paul's idea for the
"Pepper" concept probably came during his flight to London from his Kenyan
safari in November 1966, just before "Pepper" sessions began.

"Pepper" was recorded from Nov 1966-April 1967, at which time Paul flew to
the US to visit Jane Asher and it was THEN, after Pepper was totally in the
can, that he visited the "Smile" session for "Vega-tables". On the flight
back from America, he dreamed up the concept for "Magical Mystery Tour" -
one of the next songs The Beatles recorded back in London was the title
track. So if anything, we can say the creativity of the "Smile" sessions
influenced the self-indulgence of the "Magical Mystery Tour" film/EP.

>>The Fabs were a tight, unified group, close friends, with a common
background and years of gigging behind them. They had three strong
writers, one of the best producers in the business, the best
engineers, unlimited use of one of the world's best studios,
unqualified support from their record company. Full colour gatefold
sleeve with inserts? No problem. Symphony orchestra? Sure, here you
go.<<

This is not entirely accurate either. They had to fight with EMI and its
chairman Sir Joseph Lockwood to get permission for the Pepper sleeve
concept.  In fact, they were forced to remove Hitler and Gandhi (who I
believe was airbrushed out) from the front cover. Even their manager wasn't
wholly supportive, as he wanted Pepper to be packaged in a brown paper
wrapper.

- John

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

Message-Id: <199904092231.SAA08614@smtp2.erols.com>
Date: Fri, 09 Apr 1999 18:24:28 -0400
Subject: RE: MFSL
From: "Eddie O'Hare" <EddieO@PrivatePilot.com>

>> Of course, I ran out to the car and gave my therapist my old
>> non-MFSL copy
>
> sorry - what's MFSL?
>
> JG

Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs--the Gold Ultradiscs. I wouldn't give that disc
to my mother if she begged for it. I'm one of those who believe there really
is a difference in the sound quality.

I even bought an extra copy, in case something ever happens to the first.
All of their releases are one-time only, limited editions. I still can't
find a copy of their pressing of Aja, and have been looking for three years.

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

From: jsteich@mindspring.com
Message-ID: <001401be82e9$45b911a0$85cdf7a5@funtosplamisham>
Subject: power pop
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 20:29:58 -0400

someone asked what power pop was.

think big star.
mmmm.
if you havent listened to any big star stuff, go out and buy #1 record/radio
city and third/sister lovers.  both are incredible.  xtc has a kind of power
pop sound to them on d&w.  almost.  in a way.
then there are lesser acts like the raspberries and a few others.  but big
star was the best one.
laters.
jesse

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

From: jsteich@mindspring.com
Message-ID: <001e01be82ea$635dc380$85cdf7a5@funtosplamisham>
Subject: re: Ridiculous Song
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 20:38:00 -0400

i actually like ub40's version of "cant help falling in love."  while it is
not a bad song in itself, one should worry if one likes ub40's 90's stuff.
they just lost it somewhere (around 1983).
jesse

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

From: jsteich@mindspring.com
Message-ID: <002601be82ec$91a5af80$85cdf7a5@funtosplamisham>
Subject: beatles vs. beach boys
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 20:53:36 -0400

someone wrote:
In response to that, Paul
wrote the excellent "Back In The USSR" and recorded it  (with John and
George only, as Ringo had walked out of the sessions for a few days in a fit
of frustration) proving (to my ears at least) that The Beatles could - on a
whim - recreate a textbook "Beach Boys" song.   The fact that Paul's tongue
was planted firmly in his cheek and also that they rocked out in a way that
the Beach Boys never could, (not even if you stuck them
smack-dab-in-the-middle of The Who in 1969!),  demonstrates the difference
between one of the better pop bands of the 60's and The Beatles. (end quote)

so the beatles could make a "textbook" mid-60's beach boys song.  by 1968,
the beach boys had moved far beyond their mid-60's style.  of course, by
1968, they had fallen apart and were starting to smell fairly bad.  yet,
between 65 and 67, they created music to rival the beatles in every way.
Today and Summer Days rivaled Rubber Soul (as some of the first "real
albums" of the rock era).  Pet Sounds was as good (or better in my opinion)
than Revolver.  "good vibrations" and the unfinished Smile tracks were more
than ample responses to Sgt. Pepper (actually "gv" was late 66, but it is
more comparable to Pepper than to Revolver.)  Both the beatles and the beach
boys were incredible bands during this era, and even though the beatles had
a little better taste and product throughout their career, the beach boys
were at least their equals in short bursts.  as a career, id vote for the
beatles, but if you were to make a hour long best of tape, the beach boys
would come out on top in my book.  i got into both bands around the same
time (about 3 short years ago) but it has consistently been the beach boys
who have proved the more impressive to me.  and frank zappa had his moments
to beat the both of them as well.  and on another note, that the beatles
could recreate the beach boys early sound means nothing.  so many bands
stole the beatles early sound.  none of them are better than the beatles.
and if "back in the ussr" were a beach boys song, it wouldn't be one of
their best, only a really good one (meaning better than 75% of the beach
boys work, but far below the best.)  i believe this to be my longest post.
i am sorry.  but not too much.  later.
jesse

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

Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 20:14:42 -0500 (CDT)
From: John Fulton <fulton@ssc.wisc.edu>
Subject: Tales from Topic-graphical Oceans
Message-Id: <Pine.OSF.3.95.990409200315.6121A-100000@guy.ssc.wisc.edu>

Recently, I began to hear something familiar in the "do-do-do, do-do"
chorus at the end of Easter Theatre.  Something about the soprano and the
harmonies, not quite Beach-Boys-like...

Then the thread about ROO's resemblance to Yes began.  Aha!  and Alas.

To quote Jimmy Durante (I think): "What a revoltin' development this
is."

Yes was the main kind of music I was trying to get away from when I
got into XTC back in nineteen hummity huh.  Does anybody use the phrase
"dinosaur rock" anymore?

But the sound is unmistakably there - Andy Partridge may be dangerously
close to the edge here. And there are other parallels.

This is unnerving, though admittedly on AV, the music dance and sing,
they make the children really ring.  XTC has in fact been
on a rather long distance runaround, and I have spent a long time
waiting to feel the sound.  If I met the lads, I would say
"I'll spend the day your way" because "yours is no disgrace."

Somebody stop me, please.  Or send an instant karma to me (another creepy
parallel).

By the way, for a hilarious article on Yes ("YES LYRICS TO BE ADDED TO NEW
TESTAMENT"), check out the Onion
(http://www.theonion.com/onion3106/yeslyrics.html).

Cheers, John.

"Some say they were called men."

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

Message-ID: <001101be8304$afd60820$bff594d1@compaq>
From: "Drude" <drude@sprint.ca>
Subject: Re: Which One Is Pink?
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 20:46:14 -0700

You're right, Pink Floyd (and probably others) have done this
vocals-turning-into-an-instrument "thing". The Floyd song was "Sheep" from
the Animals album.

XTC content: ummmm.....

Do who you will but harm none.

Drude

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

Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 20:46:39 -0700 (PDT)
Message-Id: <199904100346.UAA83205@mando.engr.sgi.com>
From: John Relph <relph@engr.sgi.com>
Subject: The Zither Project

Folks,

I found an interesting tidbit in "Wonderland", a long article and
interview from "Les Inrockuptibles".  Since Babelfish made a mess of
it, here's a quick translation of the salient points:

    Partridge submitted a unique concept to Virgin, which would be titled
    "The Zither Project".  Virgin would pretend to have acquired the
    rights to the catalog of Zither Records, a bubblegum pop label of the
    late 60s and early 70s, and they would release a sampler album.  The
    album would have twelve bubblegum pop songs with ribald lyrics, all
    written and performed by XTC under twelve different identities,
    including The Ten Commandos, Soap With Caramels and The Twelve
    Flavours Of Hercules.  Virgin dismissed the idea out of hand.

Perhaps "Soap With Caramels" would have performed "My Red Aeroplane".

	-- John

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

From: mollyfa@juno.com
Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999 00:54:35 -0400
Subject: VH1 UK's A-Z and Embarrassing Songs
Message-ID: <19990410.005436.3542.0.MollyFa@juno.com>

Wow, you people in the UK are lucky to get the A-Z thing.  We in America
have to handle VH1's Divas Live stuff.  Can we switch stations?
I have to admit most of the stuff I listen too are embarrassing.  I mean
I like Olivia Newton-John, Cliff Richard, ABBA (including Super Trooper),
Kylie Minogue and others.  I'm not going to not admit it though, I don't
care what you people think about my musical tastes.

Molly

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

End of Chalkhills Digest #5-168
*******************************

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10 April 1999 / Feedback