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? Administrivia: Did you notice that Chalkhills was MacroMusic's Noteworthy Site of the Day on August 23rd? I did. To UNSUBSCRIBE from the Chalkhills mailing list, send a message to <chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org> with the following command: unsubscribe For all other administrative issues, send a message to: <chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org> Please remember to send your Chalkhills postings to: <chalkhills@chalkhills.org> World Wide Web: <http://chalkhills.org/> The views expressed herein are those of the individual authors. Chalkhills is compiled with Digest 3.7 (John Relph <relph@sgi.com>). 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...."
------------------------------ 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
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #5-253 *******************************
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