Chalkhills Digest Volume 5, Issue 253
Date: Tuesday, 24 August 1999

         Chalkhills Digest, Volume 5, Number 253

                 Tuesday, 24 August 1999

Today's Topics:

                    What About Hitch?
                   Favorite ES moments
                      Ball and Chain
                    Re: I Am Iron Man
                        Re: Big Al
                  Re: Phishing For Clues
                  Re: Show Us Your Tits
                  Weird Al's XTC Parody
                  re: Give me the Money
         Talking about dancing about architecture
                          notes
                    Molly... and money
                  Wha'dy'like about ES?
                   Stupid boring posts
                   well ?...ok, then!!
                         Greenman
               Re: JEESUS CHRIIIST, Dunks!
                       XTC Content
                    Re: I'll be brief
             Belew's Best, Mummer, Green Man
                The Horse Takes The Prize
                          Faves
                          Geeky?

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Breathe 'em in until my head goes spinning around!

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

Message-ID: <37C0C942.C97FFFA1@tmbg.org>
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 00:08:33 -0400
From: Ben Gott/Loquacious Music <gott@tmbg.org>
Organization: http://listen.to/loquacious
Subject: What About Hitch?

Gang,

Now, it *is* possible that I completely slept through it, but I haven't
noticed any mention of Robyn Hitchcock's wonderful new album, "Jewels for
Sophia."  It seems to me that, although ol' R.H. is getting stranger by the
day, his album-making cronies are making his strangeness incredibly tasty.
Sure, we can argue about the extent of Jon Brion's production talents
(Aimee's "I'm With Stupid" sounds like a carbon copy of something with
Froom at the helm), but his collaboration with Robyn H. is pleasantly
playful and moving (s.c. "No, I Don't Remember Guilford" versus "The Cheese
Alarm").  Be sure to count me in the "Thank Goodness for Peter Buck"
fan-club; I'm also grateful for appearances by Kimberley Rew, Grant Lee
"Buffalo" Phillips, and extra production by Pat Collier).  Anyone else
psyched by this?

XTC content:  Goddamn, "Drums & Wires" is good!

-Ben

+----------------------------------------------------------------+
     Benjamin Gott . Loquacious Music . Salisbury, CT 06068
AOL: Plan4Nigel . Telephone (860) 435-9726 . Mobile (207) 798-1859
   There's a house in your head / And the lights, they are on...
+----------------------------------------------------------------+

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

From: Bob.Muller@fluordaniel.com
Message-ID: <852567D6.004B77B9.00@fdlnata10.fdnet.com>
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 09:58:59 -0400
Subject: Favorite ES moments

Maggie asked:

<<Since so many hillers site English Settlement as there fav I decided to
listen to it again, and again...after a solid week of ES
here's what I love:
Andy's "AaaaaAaaaAhhaaagree" on Melt the Guns.
Honking in It's Nearly Africa
The jigsaw/firework analogys in All of a Sudden, which are particulary
*profound* to me right now......
and the Energy.
What bits do you all like?>>

First off, welcome Maggie! I'm a newbie myself...

My favorite (few) of ES would include:

The pause between 1-2-3-4-5.........Senses working Overtime...
The acoustic guitar intro to Yacht Dance
The electric riff that kickstarts Respectable Street
The awful sloppy sax solo in Leisure

Least fave moment...the ending of Melt the Guns (love the rest of it
though, especially in these gun-crazy days)

Bob

NP: The Replacements "Left of the Dial"

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

Message-ID: <000b01beed7b$55a3a1a0$375bd2cc@maine.rr.com>
From: "J Bogner" <jbogner1@maine.rr.com>
Subject: Ball and Chain
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 11:22:32 -0400

I was just reading 'Song Stories' and since I'm in the Big Express mode-I
decided to read about the song 'Wake up'. Dave Gregory said about the
song," It was only three chords.  The coolest part of the song was the
chopping guitars but Colin should have written a better song around that
hook. It just went on forever doing nothing.  It sounds a good way to start
an album but it's not my idea of a musical experience".

Am I right interpreting that as a slam on the song ? This is coming from
someone who did not contribute a single song to XTC ? Could Mr. Gregory
have done better ?  I think not.  Yes, I agree he's a fantastic musician-
but . . let's face it, Dave just wasn't happy with XTC anymore. His
increasingly negative attitude was very apparent and annoying.  Maybe
Dave's parting was good for XTC- meaning Andy and Colin are probably
stronger and closer because of it. It should be interesting to hear AV2
without Dave's presence.

Andy B.

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

From: CCooli9575@aol.com
Message-ID: <fe30607.24f2908d@aol.com>
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 07:54:53 EDT
Subject: Re: I Am Iron Man

>The Iron Giant is a terrific film. You don't even have
>to be an animation fan to enjoy it. It is not like any
>other animated movie before--it is more like a live
>action film that happens to be animated...(and
>animated well).

>Please go see it, and, then tell everyone you know how
>great it was! (and continue to do the same for XTC!)

>thanks,
>Kate (the BaltiTmore one)

  I've heard good things about it, and I'd be curious to see if they
handled the story as well as I thought Pete Townshend did ten years ago on
his Iron Man album, which was for me his only good solo album since Empty
Glass.(OK, White City wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great either, and
Psychoderelict can best be described as an interesting failure) I think
they should have approached him about using his album as a basis for the
score. It's still a great story though, and it's on my unusually long list
of current movies to see(a list usually short enough to count on one
finger), along with The Sixth Sense and a few others. And yes, not only do
I think Andy and Colin would approve, but they probably grew up on the
book like I grew up on Charlotte's Web.

Chris

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

From: CCooli9575@aol.com
Message-ID: <d019c44c.24f29092@aol.com>
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 07:54:58 EDT
Subject: Re: Big Al

>Molly E Fanton <mollyfa@juno.com>

>Okay, let's not talk about Nirvana and the other stuff anymore, I'm
>finding it boring and repetetive.  So why not start something that's XTC
>related.
>What if Weird Al did a parady of an XTC song?  What song would be good
>paradied (sp), would Andy or Colin give persmission for him to use it?
>Hmm, River of Oragamie (sp) (River of Orchids) or Treeman (Greenman).
>That would be funny.  :)

  As a sometime Weird Al fan( he's hilarious half the time, just plain
goofy and childish the other half, like Mad Magazine and TV), I can't see
him doing any outright XTC parodies, they're just too good for
that. Parodies work best on the cheesy top 40 stuff we already can't stand
that's just waiting for the piss to be taken out of. Big exception:
"Yoda," his sublime Star Wars take on Ray Davies, which was truly a labor
of love. A better idea would be for him to write an original song in the
XTC style. What he's often done in the past is written original songs that
are glaringly in the style of some of the bands he respects, such as his
Devo rip "Dare To Be Stupid," which sounds more like Devo than Devo. And
about which Mark Mothersbaugh has been quoted as saying something like "it
was a beautiful and touching piece of work...and I hated him for it,
really." Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I could most likely
hear him writing an original in the old energetic XTC style, something
like "Sgt Rock" or "Life Begins At The Hop." Wouldn't be surprised if he
is a fan, but he would have been more likely to do it in the mid-80's
rather than now. I do have a song myself, though, which is sort of an XTC
tribute, kind of the musical result of Andy moving to Vermont and writing
about Essex Junction residents who all work for the local IBM plant.  It's
rather rough and unfinished, about five or six years old, and doesn't even
have a clever XTC-ish title. If that magic ingredient shows up, though, I
might just record it myself, along with my "Dear Andy" song, God's belated
answer song to Andy.

Chris

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

From: CCooli9575@aol.com
Message-ID: <d8c6aa3f.24f29095@aol.com>
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 07:55:01 EDT
Subject: Re: Phishing For Clues

>I would pay good money to see Phish cover Knights In Shining Karma!

Even better, Phish has an annual tradition of covering an entire classic
rock album of their choice every Halloween wherever they are from start to
finish.  Previous year's choices have included The Who's Who's Next and
Talking Heads Remain In Light. Wouldn't be too much of a stretch for them
to pick English Settlement; I think they'd do a good job with it. In fact,
if anyone would like to start a petition going, e-mail it to me privately
and I'll print it out and run it to their head office, which is literally
across the street from my company's office. And back it up with e-mailing
and faxes to make sure they notice.

Chris

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

From: CCooli9575@aol.com
Message-ID: <b98c6d4c.24f290a1@aol.com>
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 07:55:13 EDT
Subject: Re: Show Us Your Tits

>Funny isn't it, how no-one seems to stop and think about where all those
>corporate arts endowments come from. It comes from their profits, which
>come from your pocket. They cream most of it off and hand out a few crumbs
>to the arts to make themselves look good. Why is government arts funding a
>good idea? Simple - you cut out the middle man.

  It's no better an idea than corporate sponsorship in my book. Big
government is just as dangerous as big business, and in the long term just
puts bands in a rather Faustian position of making themselves beholden to
the hand that feeds them. If I got back in the music business again, I'd
form my own label like Cheap Trick, The Artist and Ani DeFranco and market
my music directly to the people. Instead of asking big government OR big
business for a handout, if your music and/or message is worth its salt it
will stand or fall on its own merits. But then again I've always tended
towards erring on the side of DIY, which is not always the case in these
days of top-heavy big business and government. Still, I can dream. The
next best thing is what XTC's doing, going the smaller record company
route, big enough to reach enough people to make some money for everybody,
but small enough to give personal attention to its roster. That's how most
of the mega-conglomerate companies started out, as small specialty
labels. It all happens in cycles.

Chris

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

From: Bob.Muller@fluordaniel.com
Message-ID: <852567D6.0061982B.00@fdlnata10.fdnet.com>
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 14:00:41 -0400
Subject: Weird Al's XTC Parody

OK, so it's NOT technically Weird Al's parody, but mine...this might have
been, and it also would've made for a great video...

Sesame Street (to the tune of, well, you can guess...)

One of the longest running TV show-wo's
It's popularity just grows and grow-wo's
It's educational as everyone know-wo's
Although the rest of PBS' daily schedule just blows....

Heard my neighbor spell a word wrong,
Don't he realize that this is Sesame Street!
Now I'll have to sing a dumb song
'Cause that's what we do, here on Sesame Street

Now we're talking about numbers,
and our garden of cucumbers and how they grow (Ooo Ooo Ooo Ooo Ooo Ooo)
Have to say it all in Spanish,
For the children who are tan-ish
And who wouldn't speak English if you paid them to and...

There is Oscar in his trash can
He's a fixture here...here on Sesame Street
Now he's worth a lot of cash man,
Product spinoffs rule - here on Sesame Street

Now they're selling books and movies,
Thinking all the income's groovy and they're all rich (Ooo Ooo Ooo Ooo Ooo
Ooo)
It's "for-profit" education
On the television station
And our kids sit - and listen to the advertising

Bert and Ernie live together
There's no closets here - here on Sesame Street
Just like Big Birds of a feather
Wild Muppet sex - here on Sesame Street

Then there's Elmo with his "tickler"
We thought PBS  a stickler for the best shows (Ooo Ooo Ooo Ooo Ooo Ooo)
And it used to be much better
Learning numbers and the letters
Without all of the toys and games and action figures

Everybody always gets along
Life's a fantasy - there on Sesame Street
Something in THAT picture doesn't belong
Not reality - not on Sesame Street
No relevancy, on Sesame Street
You won't see me, there on SESAME STREET!!!

(Hopefully something to offend EVERYBODY in there somewhere...actually no
offense intended!) :~)

Bob

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

Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 11:58:58 -0700 (PDT)
From: Benjamin Lukoff <blukoff@alvord.com>
Subject: re: Give me the Money
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.96.990823115720.21584A-100000@locutus.alvord.com>

Molly wrote:
vee tube wrote:
<<So,why don't we all just pull up our socks,buy "homespun" and pass on
our AV1.'s to the unsuspecting masses.>>

>Give me the money to buy it then.  Not everybody on this list can afford
>everything XTC.  I get so sick of people bragging about all their stuff
>they have bought, and then tell other people to buy it.  I always tell
>people who say this type of thing, to give me the money and I'll buy it.
>This is one of my biggest pet peeves.

What are we allowed to recommend then?

BDL

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

Message-ID: <19990823191332.28104.rocketmail@web128.yahoomail.com>
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 12:13:32 -0700 (PDT)
From: Tyler Hewitt <tahewitt@yahoo.com>
Subject: Talking about dancing about architecture

As Elvis Costello sagely
observed:

   "Talking about music is like dancing about architecture"

Did Elvis say that? I'd heard that quote before, but didn't know who it
was attributed to.
I like that quote just fine, but must say that I have seen some dancing
about archetecture that was actually quite good. Really.

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

Message-ID: <900822C71730D2118D8C00805F65765C8DBB5A@EINSTEIN>
From: Jill Oleson <oleson@moneystar.com>
Subject: notes
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 14:26:30 -0500

NOTES:
*  Monet was rich because he won a French lottery.
*  It was Frank Zappa who is credited with saying,
   "Talking about music is like dancing about architecture,"
    not Elvis Costello.

FWIW.

Now, can we all breathe in and blow away the smoke?
(read dog, thanks for not making it a haiku this time!)

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

Message-ID: <7BCB52A3252ED311973000A0C960343606CCDE@FS_1>
From: Sheridan Zabel <SZabel@rawnarch.com>
Subject: Molly... and money
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 16:12:30 -0400

To the people of Chalkhills.

I read Molly's post re: people telling other people to buy things, and I
have this to say: I'm sorry that it's a pet peeve of yours, but perhaps
you aren't looking at these as suggestions of what to buy when you have
the money.  I'm not the richest person in the world either, but I love
to hear what other people buy... that way when I do a get a bit of extra
cash, I know what to pick up.  I really hope that you all continue to
post what you purchase... it gives me something to strive for!

~Sheri Z

- I would like you on a long black lead
  You can bring me all the things I need
      ~Soft Cell

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

Message-ID: <37C1AD5E.FEEFF506@ci.conover.nc.us>
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 16:21:50 -0400
From: erik schlichting <eriks@ci.conover.nc.us>
Subject: Wha'dy'like about ES?

Chalkhillburghers,

NOTE:  This post is, in part, my own effort to curb the Nirvana thread.

Two (of many) favorite points from ES:

While my brother and I were rooming together about thirteen years ago, I
exposed him to XTC via ES, and we spent quite a while enjoying and
deciphering "Jason & the Argonauts." The animal sounds at the beginning,
then the ringing.... The ever-shifting pace of the lyrics still
fascinates me; from the staccato "all-exotic-fish-I-find" to the drawn
out "Jaaaason and the Aaaargonaaaauts." This is by far my favorite track
from ES. Aside from my brother, no one else in whom I ever tried to
nurture an ES-appreciation ever cared for this song. That in itself is
really not unusual, and brings me to my second ES-point: Melt the Guns.

"Back in the day," when I was young, foolish, walked uphill both to and
from work, and, er, was inclined to chemically adjust my state-of-mind
(when I run for office I'll deny it!), this song was a source of
virtually endless enjoyment. I played it for a few friends when they
were sharing that mind-state, to poor reviews. I found that the
intensity of the song, punctuated BY that INCESSANT beat THAT runs THE
entire SONG and FINISHES it OUT along WITH the swirling
"mmmeltMelt...MelttheMelttheGUNS...mmmeltTHEgunsMelt..." left me holding
my breath until the song (finally!) ended. Really, I was holding my
breath for I-don't-know how long! I think the effect on some of the
others was similar & found to be disconcerting. Just about everyone else
who ever heard it insisted that it was simply annoying. Oh well, there's
no accounting for taste....

I could go on about Leisure, English Roundabout, No Thugs..., but then
this post would become Duncan-long.... In fact, the only part of ES I
don't like is Fly on the Wall. Can't stand those over-processed vocals.

BTW, Mummer was my first album-scale exposure to XTC, under similar
circumstances and with similar consequences. My "chemical days" are long
past, but I still enjoy the album & memories of those discoveries. My
thanks to Alan Martin for his defense of Mummer. Someone had to say it.

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

From: "Damian Wise (Foulger)" <damian@imclaser.com>
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 16:25:55 -0500
Subject: Stupid boring posts
Message-Id: <19990823162957.a000258c.in@ceo.ceolasers.com>

> I have to say, I find it a little ironic that the multiple posts by
> people complaining that they've had to scan through "boring"
> non-XTC posts has meant I've had to scan through a whole
> bunch of boring posts! hm...

It's interesting that after sometime of 'Stupid boring posts' we
had a short period of 'Stupid boring posts about 'Stupib boring
posts' and how stupid and boring they were.'  By talking about
other posts these were of course meta posts.  Now we have a
post about the stupid boring posts about stupid boring posts, or
a meta meta post.  When will we get around to meta meta meta
posts?  Oh wow, I've just realised, this is one, but by virtue of the
fact that I have realised that this is a meta meta meta post, it
becomes a meta meta meta meta post and now I've lauched
myself into a recursive loop and could go one for ever.  But, a
post that goes on for ever would be a 'Stupid boring post' and we
wouldn't want to start that again would we?

;-) Winky man, tongue in cheek, joking - get it? ;-)

Dames tWd

'Real' is an adjective and 'Really' is an adverb.

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

Message-ID: <19990823213602.58200.qmail@hotmail.com>
From: "Will Lewis" <will356@hotmail.com>
Subject: well ?...ok, then!!
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 21:36:01 GMT

Dunks said <<>>

"My view? You know it. The reason Chalkhills is of value and interest to me
is because there is none of the petty, facistic control over individual
expression that exists on other lists. Posts don't HAVE to be about
XTC. And why should they be? I *like* hearing about other topics. Culture
is a conversation. "

As the author of the "rat's ass" post, I have to say that...well...
(swallow hard) ..maybe I was being a little extreme. Dunks is right.  I
love so many good and pure artists and I can go and go about them
expecially when I have just finished listening to one. And discussing one
naturally leads to others like mixing tubes of paint together and seeing
the streaks of each one (until you mix too much and you get that vomit
color).

So, I'm sorry. My BiPolar was on a down swing that day.

On to some opinion of my own.  On the question of what song Weird Al should
do a parody of. I think that they, instead, did one of him called "The
Mayor of Simpleton". The problem is XTC doesn't take themselves seriously
enough for Al to be as effective as when he hits someone like Michael
Jackson. So when he does consult with me (as he does on a regular basis) I
will tell him to seek matial elsewhere.

Will ("Nirvana and XTC totally ROCK, dude!...") Lewis
Humble, pants'ed and sweltering in TX

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

Message-ID: <19990823222244.53941.qmail@hotmail.com>
From: "rob allen" <prefab11@hotmail.com>
Subject: Greenman
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 15:22:44 PDT

Somehow, someway the inexplicable has occured. That's right, "Greenman" is
getting airplay in Southern California on Y107. Wow. Cool.

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

From: Iain.Murray.70428176@army.defence.gov.au
Message-Id: <4A2567D6.00796304.00@stagemaster.army.defence.gov.au>
Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1999 08:08:07 +1000
Subject: Re: JEESUS CHRIIIST, Dunks!

This is the easiest money I'll ever make.....

>>From: OMBEAN1@aol.com

>>Hillbillies,
>>  JEESUS CHRIIIST Dunks, what do you do for a living that you have the
>>time to think that long & hard for one post?  I would bet my yearly
>>salary that NOBODY read the whole thing.

I hereby claim your yearly salary.

Iain

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

Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 18:48:18 -0400
Subject: XTC Content
Message-ID: <19990823.184821.-497501.4.MollyFa@juno.com>
From: Molly E Fanton <mollyfa@juno.com>

Eh, Dennis, this IS a list about XTC, and the content SHOULD BE about XTC
or related stuff.  Let's hear what John Relph has to say, but that's why
I'M HERE TO TALK XTC, but it seems nobody's interested.  I started a
thread about if Weird Al did a parady of an XTC song, but nobody has
added to it.  This IS the LAST I'm going to SAY about this SUBJECT.

Molly

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

Message-ID: <37C1DD58.98B463AB@ne.com.au>
Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1999 09:46:32 +1000
From: chrisc <chrisc@ne.com.au>
Subject: Re: I'll be brief

> Francis Heaney wrote:
>
> I would rather read ten messages about Nirvana than ten messages griping
> about lack of XTC content.  If you want a discussion about XTC, start one
> yourself; don't complain that no one else is doing it for you.

Not meant to be a flame, 'cos I dont mind some Nirvana stuff, but if I
wanted to read about Nirvana, I would go to a Nirvana site.

Chris Chapman

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

Message-ID: <19990824010140.60271.qmail@hotmail.com>
From: "Ralph Simpson DeMarco" <sawpit@hotmail.com>
Subject: Belew's Best, Mummer, Green Man
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 18:01:40 PDT

Dear Affiliated Members:

Jeeeze if some of you people want to write novel-length posts, just
remember some of us can't concentrate that long...

OK: short and sweet. Adrian Belew came out with an album in '92 ('93?)
called "Inner Revolution". I don't think it sold well, nor do I recall
anyone mentioning it here. I must tell you that it contains the best Adrian
Belew song writing EVER! Lyrically it is masterful, musically...it's pure
pop with clever and crazy twists (any XTC fan should be pleased). I so like
his stranger stuff, but my heart's with this one. Please check it out!

AND to Alan J. Martin...God bless you and your post on the wonders of my
favorite (still) XTC album Mummer. If you don't get it, I don't know what
to say. However, Alan, you failed to mention Colin's fantastic song
Wonderland.  Afraid of the flame-throwers out there in Chalkhills land
hmmm? I just don't get some of you folks who hate that song. Also, I've
heard some people say a few things about I Can't Own Her that are not very
nice. I think the best songs on AV1 are: Easter Theater, River of Orchids
and Greenman. Oh, by the way, I saw a book in the Barnes and Ignoble
Mythology section called "Green Man". It's all about our fine, covered in
clover, pagan icon. I traces the roots of his legend through the ages. I
forgot the author though...perhaps next post.

Carry on then...

Ralphie

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

Message-ID: <37C1F9AE.6EFF@gte.net>
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 18:47:26 -0700
From: "May O'Mahoney" <may5272@gte.net>
Subject: The Horse Takes The Prize

RE:  Maggie's English Settlement Question

Oooh, one of my favorite topics:  English Settlement!

It's interesting how an album will take on a landscape that differs from
listener to listener.  For me, ES will always embody early summer by the
seaside.  Now, I know that doesn't directly answer Maggie's question
about what 'bit' I like - so I will attempt to pick from this shimmering
assortment of nautically-inspired music:

Jason And The Argonauts
Yacht Dance
English Roundabout

I'm always expecting to smell coconut oil and shake sand out from
between my toes after I hear these songs.  Yeah, real intellectual, but
then again, isn't music really just about sheer enjoyment?  Does it
always have to be 'brussel sprouts'?

Oh, and did I mention that the ES cover is my favorite as well?

Yours Truly,
May

PS:  I've always wondered where the nautical inspiration found in early
XTC music has sprung from.  Any ideas?  Any insight into AP's sea salt
songs?

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

Message-Id: <v04003a00b3e7b6e6a40f@[144.92.180.177]>
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 22:12:00 -0500
From: maggie jungwirth <mmjungwi@facstaff.wisc.edu>
Subject: Faves

Thanks to those of you who responded to my first post :-)

Mark asked:
<anyone care to share some of their XTC faves?>

yah, i ask myself that all the time, what's my fave today then?  it changes
every few days, but most consistantly it's something off Skylarking or
Oranges and Lemons.
Pink Thing- just about the happiest song I know
Summer's Cauldren/Grass - I wanna be a bug in brandy....and do it on grass...
Seasons Cycle - look up clever in the dictionary and there are these
lyrics.  Besides summing up my feelings about religion, it put words to my
feelings about nature/life, etc.  My perspective is *exactly* the same as
Andy's (at least the same as the lyrics he wrote)
I read Todd Rungren's praise of AV1 was that it wasn't "in your face
clever" like their past stuff.  Wow... I thought how could anyone be *too*
clever?  Elvis Costello said XTC was a perfect example of English
cleverness, didn't he?  I for one highly prize it, it makes me think how
intellegent the lyrics are, I love those analogys and double entendras,
like "your glance a match on the tinderwood" or "make your Union jack and
your flag unfurl."  I can be listening to a song I've listened to for ten
years and sometimes find a different meaning, which always makes me smile...

Maggie
"under mats of flower lava...."

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Message-ID: <006201beeddd$a9424340$bc01000a@LocalHost>
From: "Toni Adler" <t.adler@chass.usyd.edu.au>
Subject: Geeky?
Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1999 13:05:46 +1000

>From our fellow geek, Dunks. "I've got to know some of the Australian
Chalkers personally (g'day Paul, Iain, Seb,
Toni et al) I can assure you they are just as groovy in person. (Well OK
we're all a *little* bit geeky but hey - that's part of the charm!)"

Geeky, eh. Good job you included yourself, skivvy boy. ;-)

Apart from the geeky comment, I would have to concur with your point of
view. It doesn't bother me in the least if the conversation drifts from
XTC.  I can always scroll down if it doesn't appeal to me personally. All
forms of stimulating discussion should be encouraged. This should be a
place for freely exchanging opinions and ideas. Good music (like that of
XTC) draws on lots of different experiences and ideas, that's why so many
of us find different things in the same song. Why therefore should we
restrict ourselves to discussing music in the narrowest possible sense? I
personally enjoy any form of discussion which focuses on the emotional
reactions human beings have to music. I like to talk about how music makes
me feel and I enjoy hearing other people's experiences. For me, the
feelings come before the ideas. That does not, however, mean that the ideas
are any less important. I enjoy many of the varied analyses of different
songs and/or artists, XTC and non-XTC alike. Some of the discussion, which
may be perceived as "off topic", often provides useful background
information. It facilitates greater understanding so I am prepared to give
it a fair hearing. I might actually learn something!

Cheers, toni

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End of Chalkhills Digest #5-253
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