Chalkhills Digest Volume 5, Issue 183
Date: Monday, 26 April 1999
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 5, Number 183
Monday, 26 April 1999
Today's Topics:
"No Thugs" lyric confusion
Band names I have loved
six string salutation
Re:Art Rock ( with a capital F )
"Andy Strange", The Lilac Time, and Cooking Vinyl
Frivolous in the Green Man!
Re : Iain, Iain, Iain
Easter Theatre single
My Picture
Faves & Raves
Town planning on drugs: Swindon
XTC in Ice (again!)
Stars I Never Want To Meet, etc.
AP on VH1
Easter Theatre lyric
Pleasantville Wrapping
This woman's work...
English Roundabout
This and that...
Mrs. Slocombe and her Pussy
Just two things
Re: Air Supply
Re: Best Stage Name
British TV
Cushion floor
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We will dance like tiny boats with cotton sails upon the tops of the seas.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message-Id: <199904220106.VAA06032@sgi.com>
From: "Tim Parsons" <tim.parsons@oblivion.force9.co.uk>
Organization: Oblivion
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 02:03:44 +0100
Subject: "No Thugs" lyric confusion
ChalkPeople:>
I'm new here. I expect I shall manage to irritate everybody over time
but, in mitigation, I should mention that I have almost everything
XTC have ever done, one way or another, including a quantity of
vinyl bought back when vinyl was all there was... like "Life Begins
At The Hop" on clear vinyl and suchlike...my only regret is that I
never saw them live in the days they still did that stuff. :-(
AV1 may not be my favourite XTC album ever (the jury's still out:
it's got stiff competition from "Drums & Wires" and "Oranges &
Lemons" (and I confess a deep infatuation with the Dukes of
Stratosphear stuff too) but it's getting played a heck of a lot right
now, particularly "Green Man" and "Your Dictionary" - which latter I
have to keep restraining myself from copying out the lyrics from
and passing them to my soon-to-be-ex-wife, whose current idea of
fun is to set her boyfriend on me :(
Anyway, I don't suppose I'll be the only person to write something
along the lines of the following, but hey, I needed /some/ reason to
say "Hi!"
> From: Brian <mattone@bhip.infi.net>
> Tschalkgerz!
Gesundheit!
> Michael Davies asked of me:
> >Where do you get *two* sons from?<
>
> Graham is asleep ("All the while, Graham slept on..."), and a boy in
> blue is "busy banging out a headache on the kitchen door". I take that as
> a younger brother.
Nope. "Boys in blue" is a reference to the police (as opposed to
The Police: they were boys in bleach). The policeman is referred to
explicitly shortly afterwards: "The young policeman who just can't
grow a moustache will open up his book/and spoil their breakfast
with reports of Asians who have been so badly kicked..."
> Is this THAT hard?
No comment... :-)
> >And what is a "cushion-floor"?<
>
> My guess is deep-pile carpet - or perhaps an analogy for the craziness
> around the household.
It's a brand-name. Cushionflor is a (usually) vinyl floor-covering with
some sort of cushioning so it's softer underfoot than ordinary
linoleum.
Bests
Tim
(who still remembers XTC when Barry Andrews was still a member!)
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v03102800b3443667a2a3@[165.227.110.102]> Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 19:19:10 -0700 From: Richard Pedretti-Allen <richard@tactics.com> Subject: Band names I have loved Actually, we were just good friends. Bands recently playing in SF are "Retardo Montalban" and (my personal favorite self-deprecating title) "Shitty Shitty Band Band"!! There used to be a SF Bay Area band called "Jane His Wife" but I haven't seen them around for a long while. Other than that, check out the previously posted web list. Cheers, Richard
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 22:37:18 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <v03007803b34402b6d752@[165.247.9.121]> From: Mitch Friedman <mitchf@mindspring.com> Subject: six string salutation Hi lo, Not to get anyone too excited or anything but I suggested "Gangway" as a possible AV2 track to Andy recently and he replied with "Hmmm, interesting. I'll take it under advisment." Believe me, that's far better than the "no" or "nope" I got when mentioning "Ship Trapped In the Ice" and "I Don't Want To Be Here". One other thing . . . leave Adrian Belew alone. He's a brilliant musician, great songwriter, very nice person and he's improved way more songs than the one David Bowie song you feel he ruined. Just my opinion. Oh, and he's a big XTC fan too. Mitch
------------------------------ Message-ID: <001101be8ccd$6514d140$64722299@default> From: "Joe Funk" <jomama68@email.msn.com> Subject: Re: Re:Art Rock ( with a capital F ) Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 09:35:37 -0500 >UTTERLY CRAP BAND I'M PROUD TO SAY I NEVER LIKED: >any bombastic art-rock band. except king crimson (who only sometimes ranks >as "bombastic art-rock" and who i only sometimes like). >jesse King Crimson? Elementary my Dear Jesse ( something you should know about )!! And Chris: >There's(in general)two kinds of art-rock, the kind I like and the >kind I don't. The kind I don't tends toward major-key chord changes >and dungeons and dragons or romantic lyrics(Yes, ELP, and the like), >and the kind I do tends toward more >minor-key/discordant/unidentifiable chord changes(King Crimson, Van >Der Graaf Generator, Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come)and dark, creepy >and/or abstract lyrics. ...... Pete Sinfield wrote most of the lyrics for early King Crimson and also some for ELP!!! also: >A classic example of this is Genesis, whose first >couple of albums lay on the Dungeons and Dragons/pseudo-medieval >schtick on quite thick(check 1970's Trespass, for example), but on >their last couple of albums with Peter Gabriel(especially The Lamb >Lies Down On Broadway), man, do they get into some creepy lyrics. "The >Carpet Crawlers" alone would make a great basis for a truly scary >horror movie. Back in the Eighties, movie-maker William Friedkin ( who brought us Exorcist! ), was working with screen writers on an adaptation of "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway". Peter Gabriel was to star in it, and Genesis ( with Steve Hackett included ) were to reunite to do the soundtrack! Well, rumors have it the studios would not put up the cash required to make such a surreal, offbeat epic!!! Just imagine the special effects required to do any justice to that storyline!! Who knows, one of these days someone with some "Cohones!" will bring this jem to the big screen! By the way, how about the way Colin bombatisted us with " The Smartest Monkeys"!? From Song Stories: "It was an excuse for a bit of pomp rock....I had Genesis at the back of my mind" I kinda like the song myself....... Jomama Lost as child...till...Mermaid.......Smiled!!
------------------------------ From: WWi8064839@aol.com Message-ID: <d6cb289b.244fece1@aol.com> Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 23:09:21 EDT Subject: "Andy Strange", The Lilac Time, and Cooking Vinyl Chalkhillians, I think a lot of you would enjoy this. In 1990, our pal Andy produced about half of The Lilac Time's record, "And Love for All." After The Lilac Time's 1991 release, "Astronauts," Stephen Duffy went out on his own, and The Lilac Time disbanded. Andy produced two tracks from Stephen's _I Love My Friends_ album last year. The good news is Duffy's reformed the group (with a new female singer), and they have a new album slated for UK release on April 26. What's interesting about this new The Lilac Time record is the credit, "Produced by Stephen Duffy and Andy Strange." Is "Andy Strange" none other than our Andy? While pondering this question, I'm going over to the Cooking Vinyl site (www.cookingvinyl.com) to check out the song of the day from TLT's upcoming "Looking for a Day in the Night" album. As with _Apple Venus, V1_, Cooking is previewing a track per day until the album's release on April 26. I've been listening for several days now and gosh these songs are...lovely. Gentle, beautiful harmonies, wonderfully melodic. Wes Wilson
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v03102801b3443a33876d@[165.227.110.102]> Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 19:53:46 -0700 From: Richard Pedretti-Allen <richard@tactics.com> Subject: Frivolous in the Green Man! In London, there is a pub called Green Man on Slough Lane in the Kingsbury area and one in the Putney Heath area of London. There are probably more in London and there are certainly more in England. For popular pub names, it probably ranks shortly behind White Hart, Prince Of Whales, Red Lion, Rose & Crown and Royal Oak. In London there is also a Green Dragon, Dog & Dumplings, Moon Under Water, Spread Eagle, Flower Pot, Perseverance, Case Is Altered, Seven Balls, Bitter Experience, Charcoal Burner, Old Shades, Surprise, Pied Bull, Newt & Ferret, Bun Shop and Monkey Puzzle... and hopefully that exhausts any "Whacky Pub Name" thread but certainly could inspire for band names (imagine the groupies pondering research with the four-man band "Seven Balls"!) Why was "Green Man" chosen? Try singing "Please to bend down for the one they call the Bun Shop!" Lastly, a pub called Green Man exists on High Street in Swindon (...Bank's Bitter on the hand pump ...live music on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday ...lunch and evening meals ...pub games ...car park) Cheers, Richard "My kingdom for a Pedigree from the pump!" Pedretti-Allen
------------------------------ From: Iain.Murray.70428176@army.defence.gov.au Message-Id: <4A25675B.001332EE.00@stagemaster.army.defence.gov.au> Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 13:36:12 +1000 Subject: Re : Iain, Iain, Iain >>If it is not a personal attack, it should be sent to Molly privately. .....which is what *soooo* many others have done *soooo* many times in the past. Is there now some rule against having a tongue-in-cheek dig at somebody else on this list? I guess I must have missed that meeting..... Iain
------------------------------
Message-ID: <01BE8C48.4AE66660.monkman@coastnet.com>
From: Martin & Jamie Monkman <monkman@coastnet.com>
Subject: Easter Theatre single
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 22:42:34 -0700
I just got the single, and it's fabulous. Whoever said that Andy's
explanation of the song's origin was "audio Song Stories" was close, but it
goes far, far deeper, divulging . The track reminded me of Leonard
Bernstein's audio lectures about classical music, pointing out little
things about the song that might otherwise go unnoticed. It's wonderful; I
eagerly await the other installments.
The audio quality is infinitely better than the Nth generation tape I got.
Whew. Bring on the complete Fuzzy Warbles of AV1, I say.
Comparing the demo to the final version is remarkably revealing. For those
who thought the demos were suffice, here's tangible evidence that they pale
in comparison to the final version. The audio quality is better, and
there's a great improvement to the sonic field. There's also a significant
improvement in having real strings and wind instruments play the parts that
were originally recorded using the sampler. If you want an analogy, think
of piece of fine furniture, say a bed of oak and pine, made by a master
craftsman. Before it's finished (i.e. in demo form) it's got both the
structure and the filigree that make it look in every way like a bed.
However it lacks the final sanding and polishing that make it a finished
work of art. Such is the case with "Easter Theatre" (and no doubt the other
songs on AV1)--in the sanding and polishing in the studio, it changes from
a good song into an exquisite performance.
Andy's comments about the sounds made by woodwind instruments got me
thinking about Stravinsky's "Sacre du printemps" ("The Rite of Spring" --
read this http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/1807/stravinsky.html#ZZ), which
also employs those earthy basoons to represent the re-awakening of the
earth.
Martin
Our homepage: http://www.coastnet.com/~monkman
------------------------------ From: mollyfa@juno.com Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 03:43:59 -0400 Subject: My Picture Message-ID: <19990422.041445.3734.0.MollyFa@juno.com> Todd said: <<And Molly, the picture of you on your Web site bears a remarkable resemblance to Kate Bush. Funny, all this time I thought you were Andy Partridge...>> Oh I don't have my picture yet up on my web site. One of my friends is scanning one for me since I don't have a scanner yet. I put the picture of Kate Bush up, because she's one of my fave singers. I'll let people know when I get my picture up on my web page. =o) I was just looking at eBay and someone is selling Apple Venus Vol. 1. Why would a person do that? Unlsess they have an extra copy, then they should give it to a friend and make them listen to it. Then we can get more converts. Okay, now I'm going to bed. Molly
------------------------------ Message-ID: <002001be8c99$83fc7d80$09558218@we.mediaone.net> From: "Victor Rocha" <wstsidela@mediaone.net> Subject: Faves & Raves Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 01:24:17 -0700 Hello Chalk-a- holics, Fave XTC Song: Easter Theater ( Andy's best work ) Worst Band Name: Tie- (The Butt Trumpets) and ( The Very Idea Of Fu**ing Hitler) true names Worst Concert: Ted Nugent swinging from a rope in a loin cloth back in the 70's ( yuck!) Best Concert: U.S. Festival in the early 80's. great show. great line up: Ramones, English Beat, Oingo Boingo, B-52's Talking Heads, and The Police If I had one wish: Dave Gregory rejoins XTC ( when Andy was a mere mortal, Dave's guitar saved his ass many times) IMHO Insect headed worker wife means she has the brain of a bug Victor Rocha (opinions girdle the globe) www.pechanga.net P.S. I just bought Transistor Blast.......CD#4 rules
------------------------------ From: JEFFREY.THOMAS.JT@bayer-ag.de Subject: Town planning on drugs: Swindon Message-Id: <0006800010559300000002L002*@MHS> Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 11:22:19 +0200 Hi "Kreideberger", John P. wrote: >In a car negotiating the infamous Hemel Hempstead roundabout >the other day though, which surpasses it's (sic) reputation. Quite, >quite insane, town planning on drugs. Hey, I may not be familiar with the names of the infamous roundabouts in Britain, but that thing in *Swindon* -- about 6 "painted" roundabouts within one "structural" one -- has got to be one of the weirdest experiences I ever had in my driving life. I looked, pondered, and then just *drove straight across that sucker*! Talk about planning on drugs, and right in our collective "home town". Having to drive past that wonderful piece of roadway architecture every day at rush hour might explain why Dave Gregory was in such a bad mood at some of the sessions. I'm sure it gets to you after awhile! And as for Huw, Katy and Martin's (and all the others') comments on "boys in blue", I am quite certain this term is also used in North America, at least in the eastern states. In and around NYC you will hear that phrase. And although Brian's line of thought is interesting, I always understood the "boy in blue" to be a policeman. Auf Wiedersehen, - Jeff
------------------------------ Message-ID: <371F18D7.73E2@schoollink.net> Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 05:40:55 -0700 From: Dan Phipps <phipps@schoollink.net> Organization: CIC Subject: XTC in Ice (again!) Hey Chalkaholics!! -- Just discovered this mini write-up in the latest issue of Ice Magazine...Thought you might find it interesting. I surely did!!! It was listed under the heading "Collector's Corner" for "UK Singles" on Page 19 of the 'zine, BTW. Here 'tis -- * ________________________________ XTC returns to the art of making singles with "Easter Theatre," which includes the album ver- sion, a home demo verison (running about 12 minutes) and a short interview track describing the genesis of the song. "Easter Theatre" is the first of three planned singles from XTC's new album, all of which will follow the same course. * ________________________________ Okay people, it's time to stock up on these!!!! BTWm Ice Magazine is a damned COOL thing to have around if you're interested in being kept updated on CD releases and all...I'm not affiliated with them in any way, but just think they're worth subscribing to, that's all. Check 'em out at: http://www.icemagazine.com I think you'll like 'em as much as I do!! Who knows? Peace through Music -- -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ /Dan Phipps <phipps@schoollink.net> "I would have made this instrumental, but the words got in the way." (Andy Partridge)
------------------------------ From: CCooli9575@aol.com Message-ID: <78000aa3.2450650e@aol.com> Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 07:42:06 EDT Subject: Stars I Never Want To Meet, etc. >After seeing that film I felt that Keef should have been given the Nobel >Peace Prize. How he managed not to give Berry a good thumping still amazes >me. Berry is another high entry on my STARS I NEVER WANT TO MEET list >Dunks I hear he's a pretty scary individual. Others I never want to meet(though in most cases I admire them on a musical level): Van Morrison Arthur Lee John Cale(I actually met him once, and I wish to God I hadn't) Alex Chilton There are countless others I could take or leave; I'm not real big on collecting rock star meetings. If they happen, they happen; they have their private lives too and I want to be sensitive to that. Having been in bands myself I've had a taste of having my personal space invaded, and I wouldn't want to do that to anybody. On the other hand, if one of my favorite songwriters were sitting alone in my favorite diner in my town, I'd want the opportunity to take a few moments if he didn't mind the company. I went backstage after Jules Shear's show around here last year to talk to him because I wanted to tell him personally how much his music meant to me over the years and that I quoted from one of his songs in my high school yearbook.(Naturally he wanted to know which one) We had a couple of minutes of pleasant conversation, I said thanks for a good show, and took off. Like anybody else in any other profession, some musicians are just such nice and interesting people that when I start talking to them and actually like them as a person, I want to volunteer as a roadie just so I can keep talking with them. But they have their lives too. Nicest person I've ever met in the music business: Christine Lavin. She's such a sweet lady it's nearly gotten her into trouble on occasion. She's one of those rare performers who actually goes out of her way to meet with people after the show. Runner-up: Jonathan Richman, though he can be a bit contrary if you say the wrong thing, like "how come you don't perform "Road Runner" anymore?" Chris
------------------------------ From: Bi1144@aol.com Message-ID: <36b831f1.245067c2@aol.com> Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 07:53:38 EDT Subject: AP on VH1 This is my first post though I've been enjoying everything on Chalkhills for a few months now. Thought I'd start with something helpful. Andy will be included on VH1's "Where Are They Now? #5 British Invasion" on Saturday, Apr. 24. It's showing at 3:00 pm Eastern time. I found this information at <A HREF="http://www.rockontv.com/sat.html">www.rockontv.com</A>, a site that lists any and all music related content to be shown on tv for the coming week. This might have aired previously but many of you, like me, might have missed it. Bill L.
------------------------------ From: Jdmack01@aol.com Message-ID: <9a064b4f.24506eca@aol.com> Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 08:23:38 EDT Subject: Easter Theatre lyric I've been away in business a lot recently, so this may have been covered already. I received the "Easter Theatre" CD single, which not only has the official words to the song, but also Andy's original handwritten lyrics. Why does Andy sing "...prompters fingers through her...," instead of "...prompter fingers through her...?" He sings it this way on both the demo and the album version, and the official lyrics match what is sing, but the handwritten lyrics show "...prompter fingers..." J. D.
------------------------------ From: RiknBkr@aol.com Message-ID: <6194ebd2.24507b93@aol.com> Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 09:18:11 EDT Subject: Pleasantville Wrapping Roger wrote: >DONT listen to Jefferson Ogata!! Fiona Apples version of "Across the >Universe " is vile dreck. Her vocals are all over the place. A >complete destruction of one of the Beatles best. Ear candy? Ear >crack!! You have been warned. Roger I'm gonna modify this thread a little bit because you just reminded me of wanting to post about the wrong song to use for a pretty good movie. More specifically, why was Fiona Apples version of "Across the Universe " used in "Pleasantville"? I just saw the movie this past weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it, until the closing credits and Fiona's dreck. If it hasn't been discussed already, wouldn't "Wrapped in Grey" be the perfect song? Jeez....It's almost the theme/moral of the movie wrapped up in a two minute song. Fer chrissakes what are these directors thinking about.
------------------------------ Message-ID: <19990422132454.16462.rocketmail@web4.rocketmail.com> Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 06:24:54 -0700 (PDT) From: nross <phoenixyellowrose@rocketmail.com> Subject: This woman's work... The most violent element in society is ignorance. -- Emma Goldman ... I am glad, for once in my life, I agree with this statement. (not in reference to anything on the list... I was just philosophizing (word?) on the way to work... while reading a multitude of religious bumperstickers...) >From Rich: >>However, I think we all have the Beatles to thank that they didn't go on long enough to record songs like "Miss You" and "Shattered."<< Wow! I LOVE the song "Shattered"... in fact I would say it comes in 2nd to "Ruby Tuesday". I actually can't fathom a reason not to like those songs... Anyway... if you like Rolling Stone (the magazine)... then I think I can safely say the pairing of Stones vs. Beatles is not so odd... The magazine has a set of their own wars... we can all vote... yeah... but one of which is the Stones against the Beatles... I believe the Beatles are wooping Jagger's bum... something like 75% to 25%. If you don't respect the magazine... I win anyway, because you wouldn't respect the readers enough to accept their votes! Shadooby, Nicole Damn... no XTC content again! As far as Metallica... I still think Dom MUST have been joking.
------------------------------ From: Chauncy14@aol.com Message-ID: <f9ee6b6b.24507e16@aol.com> Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 09:28:54 EDT Subject: English Roundabout Hey fans, <Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 02:46:54 -0700 From: KenL <herne@earthlink.net> Subject: Random threads> Wrote in Vol #5-182: <The MASS Pike---the only good thing about the Mass Pike is that it passes by Fenway Park and it's somewhat less hellacious than the Southeast Expressway aka rt.93. the Southeast Expressway is hands down the most f**ked freeway in the USA. You haven't known traffic until you've been in traffic there. If Colin ever writes "American Roundabout," it would be about driving on the 93. Or driving in Boston in general. Or in the entire state of Massachusetts for that matter. Runner-up, the 405 in L.A. "the Devil's Freeway".> I can't help but wonder if the song, *English Roundabout* was written about a specific roundabout in Birmingham, England. When I was in England touring the countryside in 1996, I came to Birmingham, and there is this roundabout which has I think 19 exits to it. They called it the *spaghetti* roundabout. I got lost, in typical fashion, and if I recall correctly, was weaving in and out of that particular roundabout searching for my correct exit shoot, as it were, for about an hour. I was real frustrated, even though I loved driving *over there.* So for me, no amount of american roundabouts, which there are quite a few, and many in the suburbs of Chicago, believe it or not, can frustrate me, CUZ I SURVIVED THE SPAGHETTI ROUNDABOUT! So come over to America Colin and try our rush hour traffic for lyrical inspiration... I am thinking _ Road rage girgles the globe! _ John Gardner Chicago
------------------------------ From: "Barry Koch" <barry@together.net> Subject: This and that... Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 09:35:17 -0400 Message-ID: <000101be8cc4$f5c54f20$2d7b61cc@together.net> Hi all 1 - Does anyone have a video tape of the BBC 2 documentary made about XTC around about the time of the making of Black Sea? I remember watching it when broadcast and have distinct memories of seeing Andy and Colin hitting pieces of metal together outdoors to get that clinking sound in Towers of London. At the time I was not much of a fan but I'd really like to see that again now. 2 - At http://www.eonline.com/Gossip/Star/Dick/ Andy Dick from the TV show NewsRadio and frequent Howard Stern guest names XTC as one of his favorite bands. Oh boy. 3 - CCooli9575@aol.com wrote: >It's a local thing, the only other place in this country where they're >called that is in Vermont where I live, and Vermont has only one I know >of, on Shelburne Rd in the south end of Burlington, and I think it was >built and named by a homesick Bostonian and the name stuck. Jeezum, guess >they didn't know what to call dat 'dere thing. There's one at the north end of main street in Montpelier too. Barry
------------------------------ From: Chauncy14@aol.com Message-ID: <5b67299a.2450802d@aol.com> Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 09:37:49 EDT Subject: Mrs. Slocombe and her Pussy <From: Huw Davies <DaviesHPT@cardiff.ac.uk> Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 10:39:55 GMT0BST Subject: Boy in blue> Speculated: <BTW Why do Americans like Are You Being Served so much? To me it represents all that is bad about British TV.> Americans, including myself, like this sitcom because it is humorous! Mrs. Slocombe and her Pussy are hysterical! What's not to like about this show...very entertaining... In Chicago, at least, we get all the British Television shows like 2 - 3 years after they've stopped running in Britain. Even the Morse series was way delayed. I think Mrs. Bucket and her husband Richard are the best lately. Mr. Bean went over quite well too, very clever writing. Sorry about the lack of XTC content folks! JOhn
------------------------------ Message-ID: <20CB37F80A92D211B95E00805F65915B127AF2@hqesx1-pdc.wrdphq> From: Todd McCullough <tmccullough@wrdp.com> Subject: Just two things Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 10:20:49 -0400 I am usually content to sit back and watch the fun, but two items in Chalkhills #5-182 caused me to reply. Rich Frers mentioned a Brian Jones Moroccan recording - that would most likely be "Brian Jones Presents The Pipes of Pan at Jajouka," which he captured in Morocco in 1967. Mick, Keith, et al., were laid up in Marrakech (or wherever the hookah happened to lead them), but Brian was mingling with goatherders [sic] and recording their dances and flutistry. For more info.: http://africanmusic.org/artists/jajouka.html. Incidentally, I've not seen a copy of this for sale in over 10 years; if anyone sees a copy for sale, please let me know - it's not something I'd listen to continuously, but there are times when it might be just the thing. Really, this is just as outre as "Smile" (and roughly contemporary, not to mention actually *released*). For band names even better than those provided by Thomas Pynchon (cf. Sick Dick and the Volkwagens), check out the _Illuminatus!_ book by Robert Anton Wilson - at one point, describing the flood of attendees to Woodstock Europa, he lists at least two-and-a-half pages of band names, ranging from the hilarious to the creepy to the merely inane. Unfortunately (or not, depending on how much time you have), it's late in the book, and you will have to skim through to find the list (since I'm at work, and far too shiftless to be troubled with finding the cite, although it is "near the end"). Wilson's site: http://www.rawilson.com. Not for juveniles or others who substitute opinions for facts. XTC content: I've finally gotten past "The Last Balloon" - it's not bad, after all. Todd McCullough seen on a bumper sticker: "If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention."
------------------------------ From: CCooli9575@aol.com Message-ID: <dec0cc23.24506508@aol.com> Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 07:42:00 EDT Subject: Re: Air Supply >I can recommend a good divorce lawyer, Chris - it's never too late you >know. Anwyay moving to Libya probably wouldn't have done you any good - >according to friends, who have travelled in North Africa and the Middle >East, Air Supply are hugely popular over there, as they also are in >Asia. Something to do with that cultural thing of them preferring singers >with high voices ... Ooo. Scary. It's OK, I rule the roost when it comes to the stereo in our house. AHRR AHRR AHRR! My wife's always welcome to put anything on whenever she wants, but I move faster than she does. Faster than a speeding milktruck! Able to enter small buildings in a single bound! Is sometimes seen talking to small animals! Besides, we agree on some bands, and I've learned to save Motorhead and The Ramones for when I'm in the car alone. I put on The B-52's or Talking Heads and we're both happy. XTC she doesn't mind, but she doesn't quite get them, though she recognised Senses and Dear God from MTV in the 80's. She doesn't hate my music, she just gets a little frustrated because there's so much of it, there's nothing for her to focus on. I'll get on a kick where it's mostly a certain band or genre for a couple of days, then I move on. This past weekend it was alternative country like Gram Parsons, Whiskeytown, and Steve Earle, which surprised my C&W fan mother-in-law no end. I won't need that divorce lawyer, she has her music, I have mine, and in a few cases we have "our" music. It works out, in a weird way. Chris
------------------------------ From: CCooli9575@aol.com Message-ID: <6d4230a3.24506502@aol.com> Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 07:41:54 EDT Subject: Re: Best Stage Name >BEST STAGE NAME >- Zigaboo Modaliste (The Meters) I can beat that. The lead singer in my band called himself Blizz Neurolick. Practically nobody got his stage name right when they first met him. "...Blick Neurolizz? ...Buzz Neurotic?" Only those who'd known him before his music career started knew the name he was born with. Honorable mention: Chuck Roast Rudi Protrudi Chuckie Suicide Poly Styrene Mr Methane Captain Beefheart The Mascara Snake (hell, every band member the good Captain ever gave a stage name to) Chris
------------------------------ Message-ID: <618F91505D89D21185330001FA6A4954464795@HFD-EXCH008> From: "Witter, Karl F" <WitterKF@aetna.com> Subject: British TV Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 13:41:19 -0400 (No XTC content) >Huw Davies: BTW Why do Americans like Are You Being Served so >much? To me it represents all that is bad about British TV. I like it more than ANBCBS's latest flurry of Friends and Seinfeld wannabees. I'll try most anything British on PBS once. Red Dwarf you can keep, but Dawn French is something of a goddess around my house. For the British TV that gets to the USA, there are three things I pick up on: Absolute belief in what's afoot. Characters like Basil Fawlty, Gareth Blackstock and Hyacinth Bucket couldn't come out of American TV in a million years. Children, either the precocious or adorable type, seem to show up less than in American comedies, and more's the better. Fewer Pointless Wisecracks, fewer "I hope you've learned something" Shit Moments to justify the Fambly Hour. And finally, the pretense of a "live audience", which is warmed up and whipped on by electric signs, and sweetened with canned laughter anyway, is mostly done away with. The seeming attitude is "Figure it out yourself--the more explaining we do the less funny it gets." (See SCTV, Simpsons, King of the Hill...) So, tell a Yank, what's a good British TV comedy and what's the difference, and what's the best thing that isn't being exported? Going across the Andes by frog, Karl
------------------------------ Message-ID: <009001be8cf0$c5449b40$e31017d4@smj> From: "Stephen Jackson" <smj@zen.co.uk> Subject: Cushion floor Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 19:38:56 +0100 Cushion floor is not a deep pile carpet, rather it is a spongy kind of lino. Kitchen doors are often found at the rear of British houses, but sometimes at the sides of semi-detached. Often they are near washing lines so, as somebody mentioned, the insect-headed worker wife would have probably seen the boy in blue as he banged out a headache on the kitchen door, unless the line was at the front or the door at the side. Can we all get lives now? Steve. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Two steps forward, six steps back.
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #5-183 *******************************
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