Chalkhills Digest, Volume 5, Number 261 Tuesday, 31 August 1999 Today's Topics: More on Dancing about Architecture... I'd Like That single from Cooking Vinyl Sorry to prolong the thread still further ... and burnout Late (but timeless?) comments Where Do We Go From Here? No surprises? Oh, yeah?! Sometimes I dream of trains... phyyshh Didn't XTC write a song called "The Loving"? Sopranos Theme Song Phish I've been to Bali Too Eno & Keirhs (see, it's "shriek", back! Ha ha! Oh, never mind) "Green Man" garden fountain on Ebay SEC: UNCLASSIFIED:-Catering To The Vanity Of Morons Scarecrow People and Other Interesting Stuff Knights In Greg & Darma Spraying Molly's Bud/Butt Apocalypse now!!!!!! Administrivia: 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>). I'm animal and panicking.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-ID: <900822C71730D2118D8C00805F65765C8DBB75@EINSTEIN> From: Jill Oleson <oleson@moneystar.com> Subject: More on Dancing about Architecture... Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 10:39:26 -0500 Regarding "Dancing About Architecture": A local music critic here in Austin swears this quote belongs to [drumroll please...] none other than the comedian Martin Mull. Since he's one of the few on the list of contenders (which includes Charlie Mingus, Frank Zappa, and William S. Boroughs) who is still alive, perhaps some well connected Hollywood/Chalker type could just ask him. Hey, Chalker, you know who you are. Please settle this debate and just ask Martin Mull if it's his quote. We'll all be grateful. Jill Oleson Austin, Texas
------------------------------ Message-ID: <001901bef304$a46edbe0$0100a8c0@mallard> From: "Dean Skilton" <dean@welded-widgeon.com> Subject: I'd Like That single from Cooking Vinyl Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 17:28:06 +0100 Organization: Welded Widgeon For everyone's information, I've just received (on Saturday) a copy of 'I'd Like That' from Cooking Vinyl, who now have some more copies. As I had tried to order the disk when it had sold out, I was kindly telephoned by Joerg Haeske of CV to tell me there were more copies. P.S. When I was in Worcester (U.K.) this weekend I saw a pub called 'The Green Man'. The sign was wooden and featured a man's face in relief, surrounded by green foliage on a plain background. It would have made the ideal cover for the single, because the appearance was uncannily similar to the two other singles. Dean Skilton
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 11:46:27 -0500 (CDT) From: John Fulton <fulton@ssc.wisc.edu> Subject: Sorry to prolong the thread still further ... and burnout Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.95.990830110911.22056B-100000@guy.ssc.wisc.edu> About Concrete Blonde: I am amazed at how unknown this band was/is. Including by myself, though I have never heard a song by them I disliked. What's a good starter album besides the "Pump up the Volume" soundtrack (a movie I never heard of - I think I was asleep for several years straight back then. Or maybe its because I had no MTV.) On AV1: I too have burned out on it. Its "staying power" ranks for me down there with Mummer and Oranges and Lemons. What I mean by "staying power" is degree to which the album approaches a classic; degree to which I would recommend it to someone; desert island listening, etc. Here is my ranking, in groups, of XTC albums' staying power. There is no particular order within groups. Group one is my "can't live without." Groups two is "great records." Group three is "Not Up To Snuff for XTC; some misfires but still better than 99.9 percent of everything else." 1. English Settlement, Drums and Wires, Black Sea, Nonsuch 2. Go To, White Music, Skylarking 3. Mummer, Oranges and Lemons, Apple Venus, Big Express This is not to say that there are no absolutely vital songs in album groups 2 and 3. To my mind, some of them are: 2. Go To: Well, most of it really. Yes, even "My Weapon," though I loathe the lyrics. Maybe this is a group 1 album. White Music: Radios in Motion Skylarking: Dear God 3. Mummer: Funk Pop a Roll, Wonderland Big Express: This World Over (can you sing along without getting goosebumps and/or a lump in your throat? I can't.); Liarbird Apple Venus: Fruit Nut, Frivolous Tonight, The Last Balloon (the end of it, anyway). Oranges and Lemons: Poor Skeleton Steps Out, Pink Thing You probably noticed my least favorite albums are the "transitional" ones, made while/after various important members left the band. I guess I don't like change; also these albums sound sadder and more ambivalent to me than the rest. Bonus opinion: AV1 contains The Only Bad XTC Song (drumroll please): "I can't own her." I guess it had to happen sometime. What's bad about it: It sounds like a soundtrack reject. Who is this character Andy is playing? I don't like him. Yet he asks me to join him in despair at losing the girl. Perhaps he is purposely going "over the top," as in "1000 Umbrellas?" =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- - John A. Fulton fulton@ssc.wisc.edu - =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.19990830193126.007c7310@popmail.iol.it> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 19:31:26 -0700 From: Giovanni Giusti <giovanni@delizia.com> Subject: Late (but timeless?) comments Back from a long overdue vacation: About humming: megan wrote in #5-247: >I'm sorry, but I can't believe that Oasis are better than Nirvana just >because they're hummable. I've gotten "Copacabana" stuck in my head >before; this doesn't mean I like Barry Manilow better than something like >Kraftwerk or Underworld. Why, you can't hum Kraftwerk? "We are the robots... da, da-da-da..." The funniest part is humming it trying to imitate their original "robot" voices: try it in a crowded elevator for maximum effect. -- Michael Davies wrote in #5-249: >On the other hand, our bands don't have "feuds" all the time. >That must be silly to read about. The closest our bands come to that is >the singer of Third Eye Blind saying that the singer from Matchbox 20 >might want to lay off the cupcakes, and the singer from Matchbox 20 >responding with something like "Well, that guy's got enough problems >himself, you know." I guess the difference in style is mainly due to the different habits of the rock press. In Italy, if you only read the press, all rock bands appear to be always complimenting each other and complaining about the narrow-mindedness of the industry. However, knowing some of them personally, I know that they also hate each other's guts. It's just that it doesn't make the covers of the magazines. Every time we comment on something we know only indirectly (and this includes Europe vs. USA) we should remember that our vision is always distorted by what journalists think might make their articles sell... the overindulgence in mutual insults which appears to be a characteristic of British bands actually says a lot more about the British *public*, and what their press thinks interests them, than the bands themselves. Personally, after the third headline going "Andy Partridge: I Hate Sting's Guts" or "Colin Flushes Nevermind Down the Loo" I would just stop buying a magazine. (This is no flame on Brits though: I couldn't ever flame the nation that gave us the Boys!) -- Re the "Greenman" video... apart from maybe "The Disappointed" (or was it "The Loving"?), which I managed to see only once, I can't really remember *any* of XTC's videos being in any way memorable, especially not if compared to the music. Being an owner of "Look Look", I remember the complete awfulness of "Generals & Majors", the OK "All of a Sudden" and the mere adequateness (for the time's standards) of "Nigel". Let's face it, XTC won't be remembered for their videos, not in the way other, musically less interesting artists will. ... oh, and then I remember "You're a Good Man Albert Brown". Absolutely hideous. On the other hand, I never even *saw* four of the five videos mentioned by Molly (in #5-255) as her favourites: <<XTC Video(s): Grass, Dear God, Mayor of Simpleton, Making Plans for Nigel, and King For a Day>> Where oh where can they be found? -- Re: AV2 A lot of people here seem to know already what the song titles for AV2 are (some even seem to know the songs). Did I page-down too quick? Where is that info? --
------------------------------ From: Bob.Muller@fluordaniel.com Message-ID: <852567DD.00655E06.00@fdlnata10.fdnet.com> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 14:41:57 -0400 Subject: Where Do We Go From Here? Nicole asked: <<Actually... been wondering what I should buy next? I have nonsuch, Transistor Blast, Drums and Wires, Rag and Bone, Upsy Daisy, AV1, and a misc. collection. What are your suggestions and why? (I gather ES is a good one).>> Well, the good news is you can't go wrong...all of XTC's works are worthwhile, of course, you'll like some more than others. My typical response to this question is to suggest that you start from the beginning and pick up the records in the order that they came out. It's more enjoyable for me personally to see an artist's growth in the order that it happened. Of course, you already have the newest stuff, so you know what the end of the rainbow looks like before you ride it. Still... Also, if you don't have the Songs & Stories Book, it might be enjoyable to pick it up and read along with your purchases. It would be interesting to see what was going on internally and externally with the band and how the music reflected it. I did this with The Doors when I read "No One Here Gets Out Alive" and found it a pretty cool multi-media event! Bob, who made the mistake of saying that Resp. St. was on ES; I know it's not, I made a mistake, thanks to all who resisted the urge to point this out to me! :~) PPS: I don't think AV2 is gonna rock like Black Sea; the lads don't have it in 'em to rock that hard anymore...course, I WOULD love to be proven wrong!
------------------------------ From: Bob.Muller@fluordaniel.com Message-ID: <852567DD.006A07F1.00@fdlnata10.fdnet.com> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 15:32:54 -0400 Subject: No surprises? Cathy commented: <<I like Runaways, but I cannot listen to Ball and Chain or Senses anymore. I do occasionally, but I really don't hear them. Just noise in the background. Now I am not dissing these songs. They are great songs, but I have heard them too many times. There are no more surprises there for me. I have been listening to them since I was 14. I am five months away from turning 30. >> Cathy, you may be surprised by the surprises yet to come! Now that I'm over that 40 hill, I find myself re-discovering many songs that I also thought had no surprises for me. The beauty of a good lyricist is that a song can open itself to new understandings, and life experiences also make you appreciate songs that you've taken for granted in a new light. You're 30, so I assume you don't have any teenage children. Suppose you did, and suppose that he/she became a runaway? Would that song cease to be background music and take on new significance for you? I'd be willing to bet that it would. (not that I'm *wishing* this on you or anybody). But as life's transitions happen, it's nice to know that our music is there for us to keep us pointed to true north. And when you need them, XTC's songs with all their new revelations will be there for you. Bob, also with many more of life's surprises to come I'm sure! NP: Rickie Lee Jones, "Second Time Around"
------------------------------ Message-Id: <s7caaa06.046@OAG.STATE.TX.US> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 15:57:46 -0600 From: "Steve Oleson" <Steve.Oleson@OAG.STATE.TX.US> Subject: Oh, yeah?! Can you imagine what XTC would have been like if Kurt Cobain had been born to Andy's Mum, and been friends with Colin? Just kidding hahahahahaha hahahaha hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha;fdiH; REG'Q4OTQ!!!!!
------------------------------ Message-Id: <s7cab15d.046@OAG.STATE.TX.US> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 16:28:51 -0600 From: "Steve Oleson" <Steve.Oleson@OAG.STATE.TX.US> Subject: Sometimes I dream of trains... In C-hills 5-257, Dan W extolls the virtues of The Big Express, bless him! I've always answered the question "Which XTC recording do you like best?", by saying "I love them all" However, I do have a special fondness for TBE. It was their last recording that could be called intense. Everytime I hear it I experience such a broad range of emotions. Amazing that plucked strings and a drum machine can do that to a person! It is brilliant! Intense, silly, sad, exuberant. Gotta listen to it again tonight! Train Running low" is one of my all time favorite songs. Inspires me every time I hear it. I hope that it inspires my neighbors too, because it is one of those that has to be cranked to11! Actually, now that I mention it, the entire recording needs to be played LOUD, except for Reign of Blows, which makes my ears bleed quite pleasantly. Andy and Colin dont seem to like it as much as Dave does, though. I suspect that they dont like as much because it sounds less like the live XTC of the past, and more "produced", a quality that Dave seems to value more than they. Gotta go, Steve "on topic" Oleson Awe-stun, Texas
------------------------------ Message-ID: <37CAB029.7932@realtime.com> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 17:24:09 +0100 From: chris vreeland <vreecave@realtime.com> Organization: Vreeland Graphics Subject: phyyshh Tyler Hewitt rights: >Oh, their name sucks, too. I would have named them Ghoti. Really! Aren't there enouGH wOmen in this naTIon without you resorting to that kind lambastery? Comport yourself, sir. chris "Dam Fonetics" vreeland
------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.3.32.19990830160753.007b8d60@pacbell.net> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 16:07:53 -0700 From: "Zack 'Vegetable & Mineral' Rock" <e-sheep@pacbell.net> Subject: Didn't XTC write a song called "The Loving"? Molly wrote: "Zack, why don't you just go away, it looks like you don't like XTC." Ralph wrote: "Would that raise them in your eyes a bit, or lower the obviously inflated view you have of yourself?" Molly also wrote: "I know I'll be bitched about this, but can we stop attacking some of the songs." Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, says I. Yes, let's stop attacking the songs. Let's stick with attacking the people that don't like them. Good plan. I'll spend as little time as possible defending myself right now, for boredom will set in rather quickly for the readers if I basically fill this letter up with a bunch of "Am not!"s. I really like XTC. A lot. They're one of my favorite bands, right up there with They Might Be Giants and Phish (yes Phish, more later). And when I said I didn't want the "retarded masses" to get a hold of AV1 (which they would most definatly do if it was played on the radio, due to the "radio plays it, it must be cool, I will be cool if I buy it" mentality), my fear was this: They buy the album thinking it's the next cool thing (Dude, these guys, like, totally play with, like, classical music an' shit. It's just like when Limp Biskit mixed rock and rap. Hella, dude. Hella. Hella) and then totally neglect it once the next next cool thing come along (Dude, you gotta hear these guys, their, like, playing their insturments with their toes an' shit. Hella). What I'm saying is I DON'T WANT THIS ALBUM TO BE NEGLECTED. It's too good for that. Okay, onward to the rest of the letter. Phish. "2. Phish. If these guys sucked any more, I would pay them to move to Texas..." Ouch. "70% of the Phish I've heard has been lame replicas of other bands, especially the Beatles White Album (um, why not just listen to the White Album?) and their original music is just plain annoying. It smacks of "we're really talented because we went to SCHOOL for it, so let's do really wacky things that only really talented people do, and our fans will love it 'cause they're all stoned!"" Hey, how many of you have bought that album where They Might Be Giants and Sarah McLachlan etc. cover XTC songs? Why not just listen to the XTC versions, eh? Am I right? Am I?! No, I'm not. Covers are good, don't knock covers. "Oh, their name sucks, too." Yeah, and "XTC" is reaaaaaaaally clever. Anywhoo, I'm a big Phish fan, and I've never been stoned in my life (though I would shoot up herion and do 18 lines of cocaine for a ticket and a ride to a Phish concert). The previeling theroy is that Phish is stoner music, and though it might be true that many a stoner listens to Phish (most stoners I've talked to could care less about Phish, but, still), Phish make good music. I'm not sure what them going to school for it has to do with anything. If they're talented, then they're talented, school's got nothing to do with it but show that music is actually their lives and they're willing to spend lots of time and money getting to know their choosen craft. And while they can sometimes fly into 20 minute improvs that get kinda tedious after a while, 90% of their stuff is fun, UPBEAT, music. Happy music. C'mon people, get happy. I think some of you guys are hitting the repeat button after "Here comes President kill again" a little too often and it's getting you kinda down. Smile, go outside and say "Hullo!" to person walking down the street. Kiss some babies. Hug some Aunts. Talk to pretty girls (or guys). Be freakin' happy. Zack Rock
------------------------------ Message-ID: <002801bef33a$4755a340$0573fbd1@JH3.alternatech.net> From: "JH3" <jh3@alternatech.net> Subject: Sopranos Theme Song Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 17:52:04 -0500 On the off chance that nobody else has posted this yet, the opening theme from "The Sopranos" isn't Shriekback; it's a band called Alabama 3, and the song is called "Woke Up This Morning." John Hedges XTCWare: http://www.alternatech.net/jh3/xtc
------------------------------ Message-ID: <37caee5b.d79bb418@frontiercorp.com> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 16:49:32 -0400 From: "SHAWN BERKELEY" <shawn_berkeley@frontiercorp.com> Subject: Phish >>From: unna@worldmailer.com >>Whew! I'm scorched! Jason, why so hostile! And wrought with generalizations about the people who might enjoy the music! Maybe Phish does seem annoying at first, alot like Frank Zappa can seem annoying. But whats so wrong with school taught musicians loving to play complex and technical songs? It sounds like you haven't really given Phish a chance, but who says you have to? But you know, alot of bands that are really great seem to require 3rd or even 4th listenings before you pick up their ideas. Or maybe there are other factors contributing to your intense dislike, who knows? Oh well, far be it from me to try to take away your personal hatred for a band and their fans, and may your sweeping generalizations serve you well in judging people by their musical tastes.<< Whoa! Jason was veeeery specific in his hatred of Phish and accurately and in detail correctly described the vast majority of their fans. There is, of course, nothing inherently wrong with "school taught musicians loving to play complex and technical songs". However, in the case of Phish the result is self indulgent, stoner, post-Dead, jam-based rock (and that should be read as a criticism). I for one appreciate and applaud Jason's dislike of Phish and their fans; if more people were open about their dislike of Phish perhaps the band would take note and, well... disband. If nothing else, Phish's relevance to the song-based nature (not to mention the lack of live shows) of xtc is minimal. Like many others enjoying The Flaming Lips new cd, -Shamus
------------------------------ Message-ID: <01c601bef345$8f78bc60$4f3161cb@speedking> From: "Simon Curtiss" <mduffy@clear.net.nz> Subject: I've been to Bali Too Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1999 12:12:47 +1200 Dunks wrote > Does Australian music count? Prolly not, or I would suggest Redgum's "I > Was Only Nineteen", which deals quite explicitly with the experiences of > Vietnam veterans. Why shouldn't it count? Aussies & Kiwi's were there too, can't let Americans have all the angst can we :-) Redgum - did they do the song _I've Been To Bali Too_ ? If yes, can you get this on CD? My little brother would kill for a copy as his vinyl got nicked couple of months back in a burglary, and this sorta thing doesn't make it to the UK very often if at all. cheers Simon
------------------------------ From: fheaney@erols.com Message-ID: <002101bef34b$42c11740$76dca4d8@default> Subject: Eno & Keirhs (see, it's "shriek", back! Ha ha! Oh, never mind) Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 20:53:31 -0400 Kevin Diamond wrote: > Also, someone mentioned that Brian Eno's lyrics were profound. That's > interesting, because he has said numerous times he doesn't care about the > lyrics, he just picks lyrics that sound good with the music and that > rhyme well. That was me, and I didn't say they were profound, I said they were better than Guided By Voices' lyrics (attempting to stay within the genre of nonsense lyrics). In fact I do think Brian Eno's lyrics are great, but they're certainly not profound. And I think they're good *because* his main concern is with the sound and not the meaning. I don't think GBV lyrics sound interesting but "It will shine and it will shudder as I guide it with my rudder on its metal way" is just a pleasure to say or hear. (In fact, in some cases [or maybe even in most case, I don't know], Eno would just sing nonsense syllables and then come up with English words that fit the sound of the nonsense words he'd been singing. Many Eno techniques remind me of techniques the surrealists used to come up with some similarly skewed texts...I recommend "The Immaculate Conception" by Andre Breton as a good starting point for exploration of surrealist writing.) Michael Davies wrote: > I've heard one Shriekback song, "Nemesis". ("Big black nemesis! > Parthenogenesis!") Is that a novelty song or a good example of their > work? It's both! -- Francis Heaney "What once was a riot is now a slogan." -- Bis
------------------------------ From: STakesh@aol.com Message-ID: <c1e30428.24fc85d6@aol.com> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 21:11:50 EDT Subject: "Green Man" garden fountain on Ebay Hi, 'Hillians, "Just to end the list, everything that could exist,..." http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=154511378 This is not quite as awful as it sounds, but it wouldn't suit just any garden, (or gardener) either! Apparently there is a market niche for everything under the sun. Sale ends in about eight hours. Too bad... Stephanie
------------------------------ From: Iain.Murray.70428176@army.defence.gov.au Message-Id: <4A2567DE.00014CDB.00@stagemaster.army.defence.gov.au> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1999 10:55:20 +1000 Subject: SEC: UNCLASSIFIED:-Catering To The Vanity Of Morons >>From: "Duncan Kimball" <dunks58@hotmail.com> >>Subject: Streams of Unconsiousness >>At this point, I'd like to say (with all due respect to the imminently >>non-bacheloric Iain Murray) that ... LISTS SUCK!!! <snip> >>barely a month seems to go by without another moronic "100 Greatest >>Something-or-others of All Time". Needless to say, this silly phenomenon >>flourishes because it pleases our vanity with its easy appeal to our >>belief in the superiority of our own good taste, and our compulsive need >>to rank and categorise. Hmmm....."all due respect", "moronic", "silly", "vanity", "compulsive"......which of these things is not like the others? Let's go through that last paragraph again (emphasis added) : >>barely a month seems to go by without another moronic "100 Greatest >>Something-or-others of All Time". Needless to say, this silly phenomenon >>flourishes because it pleases *OUR* vanity with its easy appeal to *OUR* >>belief in the superiority of *OUR* own good taste, and *OUR* compulsive >>need to rank and categorise. Our, our, our, our - wouldn't that include you as well, O Dunklier-than-thou? Actually, I *was* wondering why I didn't get a vote from you, knowing how compulsive you are when it comes to ranking (did I say 'ranking'?) and categorising, so I took the liberty of doing one for you - if anyone wants to know who gave Dean Friedman's new album the full 5 points, there's a clue in this paragraph. >>It is in effect the print equivalent of talkback radio - i.e. exploiting >>the audience while giving the appearance of inclusion - but in fact it >>saying (and meaning) nothing. Gee, Dunks - why don't you tell us what you *really* think? Anyway, it's not like I've ever pretended that my posts have anything worth reading (as a matter of fact, why are you reading *this*?). Audience exploitation doesn't enter into it, and I'm sure it's the furthest thing from the minds of anyone who's ever suggested a list of any sort on this forum (heads up, David Seddon - you're probably next). Now that that unpleasantness is behind us, here's the result of the Album of the Decade poll that I conducted recently (remember that?). Thanks to all the vain and compulsive morons who responded ; I would have left it until later in the week to post this, but I figured that everyone who was going to cast a vote had already done so. #1 : "OK Computer" - Radiohead #2 : "Apple Venus, Volume 1" - XTC #3 : "Bone Machine" - Tom Waits #4 : "Grace" - Jeff Buckley #5 : "Maybe You Should Drive" - Barenaked Ladies ; "Mule Variations" - Tom Waits (equal) I'll be away for about six weeks as of tomorrow (Wednesday 1st Sept), but if anyone's interested in receiving a full listing of all the albums voted for, e-mail me privately and I'll send you an Excel attachment when I get back....and then I'll forward your name and e-mail address to Dunks so he can personally tell you what a no-life loser you are. Iain Oh, by the way - Irony (n) : taunting remark stating the opposite of the meaning intended. Sarcasm (n) : bitter and wounding remark, often ironical. I just thought I'd throw that in before anyone felt the need to reply....
------------------------------ Message-ID: <37CB4AC8.B3E6151C@airmail.net> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 22:23:52 -0500 From: Danielle Gaither <redips76@airmail.net> Subject: Scarecrow People and Other Interesting Stuff > From: Paul.Culnane@dcita.gov.au > Subject: if you don't start living well... > > There's been a fair bit of debate lately about genetically modified foods > and similar scary things. Yup, to the point where I've seriously considered going vegetarian. > He's a snippet of lyrics from "Scarecrow People" (O&L, 1989): > > "Hope you enjoyed your meal it's only gas and chemicals, we thought > that you'd prefer something not nature made" Scary, innit? > As usual, the prescient and perspicacious Partridge prevails! You forgot prophetic. ;) "Scarecrow People" is one of my favorite songs on O&L, btw. Even people I know who don't normally like XTC like that song. Go figure. > ~p@ul Humorous note: I inadvertently started a huge thread on another mailing list I'm on when other listers started trying to explicate the quote in my sig. :) Other Interesting Stuff: I recently purchased the XTC tribute album, A Testimonial Dinner. Any opinions out there from other listers? Personally, I was *severely* disappointed by Sarah McLachlan's version of "Dear God" and pleasantly surprised by The Rembrandts' version of "Making Plans For Nigel." I'd enjoy hearing your opinions on assorted highlights and lowlilghts of the album. BTW, I also enjoyed They Might Be Giants' version of "25 O'Clock", but I expected that. ;) Happily smashing watches, Danielle -- We're all Jesus, Buddha, and the Wizard of Oz. --XTC
------------------------------ From: WESnLES@aol.com Message-ID: <1240d9ee.24fca3e0@aol.com> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 23:20:00 EDT Subject: Knights In Greg & Darma > What is the best XTC single that never was?... Desert Island (which brings me to say that if you don't like Mummer, fools, you have to admit that it has the best bonus tracks of any of the "import"(US boy with old cd copies)cd's .....but they should not be in the middle of the damn album.) > Which is the best XTC song to be more or less a hidden gem (ie: it doesn't > receive the plaudits of other songs around it on an album etc)?... That Wave (perfect Partridge....or is it Partridge perfect?) > What is the best lyric on AV1?... I heard the dandelions roar in Piccadilly Circus (when I talked to Andy earlier this year we talked at length about this line....Andy calls it a "massive contradiction", I call it Partridgian wit) (All the lyrics to Easter Theatre are pretty damn great too) > The worst lyric on AV1?... All your corn I'll reap (think this wagon is about full) > When you first heard the album, what did you think should have been the > first single?... Easter Theatre....but I still prefer the demo (amazing) > Which song on The Transistor Belt Sessions do you most prefer to the > original?... > > Which song on Transistor Belt Live in Concert does it the most for you?... This question is asking a bit much of me, I'm suddenly feeling soft and delicate like the fragile petals of a sunflower, will somebody please hold me? > What non-XTC subject would you most want to chat to Andy, Colin, Dave > about?... Why Andy is so frightened by the internet.....sorry Andy, but this is pretty damn silly....he told me that he thinks the internet is "useless". wrong. Is this the same man that wrote Books Are Burning? > What XTC subject Would You most like to discuss? Colin's new studio > Which unreleased XTC song do you like best?... Rocket > What are your 5 favourite XTC Songs (in no order)? Are you fuckin' kiddin'? (impossible) wesLONG
------------------------------ Message-ID: <19990831033139.2932.qmail@www0x.netaddress.usa.net> Date: 30 Aug 99 20:31:39 PDT From: vee tube <veetube@netscape.net> Subject: Spraying Molly's Bud/Butt Well...Ahem..Uh!?..Cough..Cough. The Imagery may be less varied than AV.1. Butt more graphic than I would have expected. (maybe you've listened to Pink Thing just one too many times?) (Just kidding) Melissa asked: "And how did the masses respond when your POS bar band played Crowded house?" TWINR (to which I now respond) Well...typically they would vacate the dance floor as if some genetically altered laxative had exploded in their faces. TWWWRW (to which we would respond with) What else? ANOTHER HIT! like Bad Co. or Aerosmythe! Don't get me wrong, I had a great time doing this. PEACE!,OUT! }---:)
------------------------------ Message-ID: <19990831054744.32086.qmail@hotmail.com> From: "Amanda Owens" <daveizgod@hotmail.com> Subject: Apocalypse now!!!!!! Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1999 00:47:43 CDT I heard "I'd Like That" over the radio at work yesterday....the world is truly coming to an end. (Or at least my managers thought so when they saw me dancing around while preparing cole slaw!) And I gotta jump into the poll as well..... >What is the best XTC single that never was?... Season Cycle-This was the first song that really stuck in my head after my initial listen to Skylarking >Which is the best XTC song to be more or less a hidden gem (ie: it >doesn't >receive the plaudits of other songs around it on an album etc)?... I Remember the Sun-Might contain some of the best piano work I've heard on an XTC album >What is the best lyric on AV1?... "Gold sun rolls around/chocolate nipple brown/tumble from your arms/like the ground your breasts swell" >The worst lyric on AV1?... "Want to walk into London on my hands one day" >When you first heard the album, what did you think should have been the >first single?... Harvest Festival (Oh so fantastique!) >What non-XTC subject would you most want to chat to Andy, Colin, Dave >about?... Politics. Once I get started I can't stop. >What XTC subject Would You most like to discuss? Would they have been so quick to sign that paper for a record deal if they knew what they were getting into???? >Which unreleased XTC song do you like best?... Rocket >What are your 5 favourite XTC Songs (in no order)? Only five???? Damn. This World Over Easter Theater Harvest Festival Train Running Low on Soul Coal Living Through Another Cuba And confidential to Ben-Dan and Mitch were Kung-Fu fighting! (da-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na!!!!!) Tis all for now, Amanda C. Owens "It seems the thinkers you call greatest are the sort who often fall ill young or pine away. how can they help but drag the species down?"-Brad Roberts XTC song of the day-Greenman non XTC song-Cucarachas Enojedas-Tito and Tarantuala
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #5-261 *******************************
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