Chalkhills Digest Volume 5, Issue 282
Date: Tuesday, 12 October 1999
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 5, Number 282
Tuesday, 12 October 1999
Today's Topics:
Homespun Inspiration
Full of sound and fury, signifying...
homespun
Oh, the irony
old browsers and stuff
The Sids
domicile woven
Re: Charlie
mercy, mercy me (the ecology)
Odds'n'sods
Pertinent schmertinent
Return of the Prodigal Idiot
Mark, Mark, Mark (shakes head)
Homespun liner notes on the web
Racism...
blah blah responses
I find myself leaving.
my two cents on lack of XTC content on this list
Faux-beatles? Skylarking praise.....
Re: Homespun
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-ID: <001101bf139a$9eaa1060$725791d2@p13s574p> From: "John Boudreau" <aso1@mocha.ocn.ne.jp> Subject: Homespun Inspiration Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 12:41:28 +0900 Sitting around on a lazy Sunday afternoon ( ah , the Small Faces ... ) with a Double Diamond Ale ( miraculously procured at a provincial Japanese liquor shop ! ) listening to newly acquired " Homespun " when my daughter - an XTC fan of sorts at 11 but still prefers her Japanese " idol " singers - sits down and listens to the bonus CD of three tracks of " how ... came about " . She listens intently with an occasional question and after the final tracks ends promptly marches into her rabbit hutch bedroom , sits down at the piano ( takes up half the room space I kid you not ! ) , and begins to work on an original tune . Minutes pass and then ... piano stops . I walk to her room , open the door , and there she is lying down on the floor in front of her CD player studying APPLE VENUS 1 ! Can't tell you how much my heart was warmed and how overjoyed with pride I was at that moment . I nodded in paternal approval and said , " Keep up the good work ! " She smiled widely as I shut the door and strolled back to computer to write this . John in Japan
------------------------------ Message-ID: <3801BF30.2EF5C854@erols.com> Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 06:42:56 -0400 From: Todd and Jennifer Bernhardt <toddjenn@erols.com> Subject: Full of sound and fury, signifying... Hi: . . . . . Shaking my head in disbelief, Todd
------------------------------ Message-ID: <19991011153534.90418.qmail@hotmail.com> From: "garret harkawik" <funktaisia@hotmail.com> Subject: homespun Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 11:35:34 EDT Andisheh Nouraee wrote: >Yesterday four armed men wearing dark blue windbreakers with the >letters >"TVT" emblazoned on the back stormed into my house and forced me to >buy a >copy of XTC's Homespun. "But I already have some the demos on a >CD-R," I >pleaded. "You will buy Homespun and you will buy it NOW," said one >of the >gunmen as he reached into his wallet to give me change and a receipt. I had a similer experience in. I drempt that I was in a cd store when a lepricaun appereaded. He led me to homespun and used his lepricaun powers to make me buy a copy. When I awoke, I was holding in my hands a copy of homespun with a reciept, and change. When I checked my wallet, I was missing $13. Wierd. Garret Harkawik "Ya know, you go through life, risiting the urge to punch someone out, and in return, you get treated like dirt. Well i'm better then dirt! Well...Maybe not that store bought dirt. That stuffs loaded with nutrients. I can't compete with that."-Moe Syzlac (From The Simpsons)
------------------------------ Message-ID: <D9E6CEC7734AD111BCF70090273C5D674B66AB@user8.chemonics.net> From: Todd Bernhardt <TBernhardt@Chemonics.net> Subject: Oh, the irony Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 11:39:03 -0400 Hi: From David Oh: >btw, although i try to maintain a certain standard when i'm writing, sometimes i misspell words, sometimes i make typographical errors and sometimes my grammar is incorrect. so fucking what!< And now, his sig quote: >"if you celebrate mediocrity, you get mediocrity" - frank zappa< That is all. Todd
------------------------------ Message-ID: <19991010190403.28654.rocketmail@web2102.mail.yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 10 Oct 1999 12:04:03 -0700 (PDT) From: Tyler Hewitt <tahewitt@yahoo.com> Subject: old browsers and stuff RE: Even if you're a poor slob or starving artist, you can get the latest browsers from Microsoft or Netscape on the net for FREE! Secondly, it's not silly and pointless to design a site for newer generation browsers. Do you still listen to 8 tracks? -------- As I've written to the several people who e-mailed me off list on this topic, in my case the money issue is not with the software but with hardware. Our computer is fairly old, and dosent have much memory. We've resisted upgrading to Netscape 4.0 because it is a much larger package then the 3.04 we're currently using. It could fill our hard drive, and then some! I'm sure there others with a similar predicament as well. I'd love a new computer, and am saving for one, but for now this is all I have. Oh, and we have a microsoft-free computer, so IE is out of the question. No microsoft product will ever be installed on a computer we own. It's some of the worst software I have ever used! When I learned web design (and I consider myself an ameteur-check out my site: http://www.mindspring.com/~t.hewitt/) I was taught that one should design pages so that they can be read by anyone-no matter what hardware/software combinations they are using. For personal pages, it's not really an issue. What is silly and pointless to me is designing a commercial site that many potential customers can't access. Sort of like trying to go shopping on a Friday afternoon and finding that the store is only open on Sunday evening between 8pm and midnight! Why bother? If your goal is to get as many customers as possible onto your site, why make it difficult for them to do so? I personally will not waste my time on sites I can't access. Do I still listen to 8-tracks? No, although I do regret selling my copy of Iggy Pop's The Idiot on 8-track. It was just too damn funny too look at! Do you still listen to vinyl? To many, that is a relavent question. I know a lot of you love vinyl, yet others see it as obsolete. Do you vinyl lovers see yourselves as luddites? Just because something is old dosen't automatically mean it is obsolete. Just because something is new dosen't automatically mean it is better. Our computer works fine, and does most of what we want it to. It's a perfectly fine piece of equiptment, just has a smallish hard drive. Enough on that. XTC content: Where the hell is my copy of Homespun? I advance ordered it from CD now, and have been paitently waiting by my mailbox, but it has yet to show. Has anyone else had problems with advance ordering from them (maybe I'm being impatient, but this is XTC we're talking about! Even if it's demos, their second release after 7 long years has me excited!)
------------------------------ Message-ID: <011101bf1411$2aa63b40$2373fbd1@JH3.alternatech.net> From: "JH3" <jh3@netins.net> Subject: The Sids Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 12:50:54 -0500 From Gary Hooper <hooperg@bigpond.com>: >Way back in Digest #276 I posted a question about >Wendy & Sarah Partridge - I didn't get one reply! Well, >thanks for nothin'! I'm leaving. You bastards! I'm afraid this is because you phrased the question incorrectly, Gary! You asked "Who are Wendy and Sarah Partridge," when of course the correct question should have been "WHAT are Wendy and Sarah Partridge"? The (admittedly little-known) truth is that "Wendy" and "Sarah" are actually incredibly life-like android "dynabots," assembled in the Far East as the first stage of an experimental test to determine if Western music fans will accept robots as pop stars! The company behind the experiment, Sheisho International Dynabotics, Inc., was largely financed by record-company money in an effort to reduce the threat of Internet-based free music distribution by eliminating the human element from the production process altogether. (Hey, no more messy contracts!) Some would say that the failure of Stage I was unfortunate, since it did involve Shriekback's demise as a recording group, but of course we all know about the recent massive success of the Stage II dynabot, "Ricky Martin." I realize the above info still doesn't answer the question of whether or not Wendy & Sarah (aka "the Sids", an acronym for the company that produced them) are related to Andy Partridge, but I think I can safely answer "no" to that one! Thank you for your support, John H. Hedges XTCWare: http://www.alternatech.net/jh3/xtc
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 11:08:53 -0700 (PDT) Message-Id: <199910111808.LAA05624@mail2.deltanet.com> From: Brown <mb2@deltanet.com> Subject: domicile woven Hey chalk dudes and dudettes! I just want to tell y'all that I purchased Homespun...and I'm glad I did. I am not well connected to the inside... (way more than six, bloody degrees of separation, mind you!), and I have never heard any of the demos. With the liner notes and all, Homespun is a treat for me!! I am hesitant to give this subject any more attention than it already has received, BUT: I was disturbed by the Charlie Buck racism allegation, and I sent him a personal message conveying my distress/apologies. Then I read the ever-sage Mr. Bernhardt's musings on the subject, here it is- "I hope everybody recognizes this as the flamebait it is. I had just thought Charlie Buck was not the sharpest knife in the shop, but now it's obvious to me that he's just been yanking our chain (the hotmail address is a clue). Adios, "Charlie." Interesting approach, but one that shows you don't really know us very well. Wonder who you'll try to come back as?"-- Thank you, Todd. I wonder who Satanas Diablo is....hmmmmmmm. Stir the embers until they glow, Debora Brown looking forward to AV2 ...AND-no more digest disruptors**
------------------------------ Message-ID: <19991011220902.61611.qmail@hotmail.com> From: "Kjetil Sorenssen" <kjetilks@hotmail.com> Subject: Re: Charlie Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 15:09:01 PDT What's happening to this list? I urge whoever called Charlie na n-word to leave this list right now. These racists should understand (and I'm pretty sure that the rest of the list agrees with me on this) that PEOPLE WITH THOSE KIND OF OPINIONS ARE NOT WELCOME IN THIS SITE! We can quarell about anything else (well not everything) that we want to discuss, but if I hear of any more racially discriminating remarks I will leave this list. Now over to my favorite topic that you decided to discuss while I was on vacation: David Bowie. While XTC are my favourite group, Bowie is my favourite solo artist. Favourite album:Scary Monsters. The new album is very good but compared to my other favurites release this year it is a little bleak. Chalk Chalk - "Spirit of Children"!
------------------------------ Message-ID: <01BF141F.9F512460.wes@iolvegas.com> From: Wes Hanks <wes@iolvegas.com> Subject: mercy, mercy me (the ecology) Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 19:33:47 -0700 Dear Ones, Did Andy's appearance on Space Ghost Coast to Coast come and go with nary a word? I have been checking the Cartoon Network's site and it appears they are running re-runs. I have yet to see his episode listed. Wasn't Andy's episode scheduled to run sometime during this past summer? Or did I totally muff the punt return? Next question counselor... why, once heard, is it nearly impossible to get T. Rex's "Jeepster" out of me head? And finally...am I the only person who can't get enough of watching "Iron Chef"? Life currently on back order, Wes Hanks Las Vegas http://clubs.yahoo.com/xtcenglandsglory
------------------------------ Message-ID: <19991012023202.25527.qmail@hotmail.com> From: "Duncan Kimball" <dunks58@hotmail.com> Subject: Odds'n'sods Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 19:32:01 PDT Welcome newbies. To the one (aoplogies for forgettin' your name) who opined: >I usually wait until I have something actually pertinent to add >about the band, and this time is no exception (imagine what this >digest >would be like if EVERYONE did that). ... I can only reiterate: I imagine it would be a really REALLY f***ing boring list which I would not contribute to. It's pretty much Anorak City already, but Jesus wept, if we had to ONLY talk about XTC??? I am already on other lists where that policy is rigidly enforced, and man but they are a dull read! I routinely delete all the mail from one list in question (see me after class) unless a particular title catches my eye. It's just SO anal, so tedious ... FEE FI FO FUM Is Charlie a troll? Hmmm ... I find myself wondering why people are so quick to doubt Charlie's word. All the indications are that he/she is for real, and I'm a more than a little concerned by the disquieting tendency to assume "Oh no, no-one here could possibly do such a thing ... it's a joke/trick etc" Wanna bet? Prejudice must be resisted at all levels and all times, and I still advocate "outing" the culprits and banning them. Homespun: hmmmmm... Bought it on the weekend. Not bad value, not great value, although finally hearing Andy's demos leaves me wondering why he bothered re-recording them. Of course there are certain bits that you can see he intended to 'tart up', but I also see what Dave was driving at: they certainly don't leave much room for development or improvisation, especially compared to Colin's, which are much "sketchier". (Does anyone else think he and Dave might do some stuff together in the future?) That being said - a feeling of rip-off lingers. I thought this was going to be "the ones that got away?" Pretty cheesy only having the AV1 demos, *especially* when several have already been released on the singles - and you can't tell me this is going appeal to anyone outside the cult of rabid completists which inhabits this list (mea culpa, mea Nancy Culpa). And are we to be treated to Homespun II (The Wrath of Conned Fans) with only the AV2 demos on board, in the near future? Value for money: 4/10 Compelling need to own it: 2/10 But hell, I still bought it. What a schmuck. Duncan Watt: handsome is as handsome does. I'm not saying anything about you other than rapping your knuckles for using The Word Girl. It's inherently sexist and demeaning, and I took it as being a put-down in the context as I read it. Maybe I was wrong? I'll have to re-read the whole thing now. Dammit. Dunks
------------------------------ From: StarlingV@aol.com Message-ID: <0.8e6b9b5f.2533f905@aol.com> Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 22:37:57 EDT Subject: Pertinent schmertinent adamette@augustine.gci.net wrote: << I usually wait until I have something actually pertinent to add about the band, and this time is no exception (imagine what this digest would be like if EVERYONE did that).>> Um... woefully brief and infrequent? -Janis
------------------------------ Message-ID: <19991012025402.28502.rocketmail@web306.mail.yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1999 12:54:02 +1000 (EST) From: Iain Murray <twentiethcenturyfrog@yahoo.com.au> Subject: Return of the Prodigal Idiot I'm back from overseas - did I miss anything? ===== Iain ============================================================ "Information is not knowledge, knowledge is not wisdom, wisdom is not truth, truth is not beauty, beauty is not love, love is not music. Music is the best." - Frank Zappa ============================================================
------------------------------ Message-ID: <19991012030138.17268.rocketmail@web1306.mail.yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 20:01:38 -0700 (PDT) From: Molly Fanton <mfanton99@yahoo.com> Subject: Mark, Mark, Mark (shakes head) Mark, I know what trolls sound like, and I'm not convinced that he is a troll. He e-mailed me a nice response, and he was very apologetic for getting so bent out of shape. Oh and btw, are you saying that all people who use Hotmail are trolls? Hmm, I know a few a lot of people who use Hotmail and who aren't trolls. Why don't you say that AOL users are losers? Or people who use Yahoo are stupid and don't know anything. That's so uncool. With this talk about racism and XTC I just remembered one time I was doing an AOL listening party for White Music and a bunch of racists came in. They thought White Music was something different. It made me totally uncomfortable, and when I ever do a listening party for this album again, I'm going to make sure I make it clear that this is a name of an album. Molly ===== http://www.angelfire.com/mn/mollyfa99/index.html
------------------------------ From: StarlingV@aol.com Message-ID: <0.6acb9b69.2533fe4d@aol.com> Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 23:00:29 EDT Subject: Homespun liner notes on the web WTDK Wayne said (among a lot of other good stuff): <<Homespun strikes be as having the same place in XTC's catalog as the Beatles Anthology albums. It's almost like hearing an alternate version of the same album and, while very interesting, isn't essential for all fans. I happen to like it. There's a charm to a number of the tracks particularly Harvest Festival and Fruit Nut. Clearly the fact that it's a limited edition demonstrates that is for the fans. The packaging is terrific, particularly the comments by Andy and Colin. My only complaint is that it would have been nice to have How Greenman came to be as a bonus track or additional disc. Andy's monologues are quite charming and intimate. It's almost like having him in your living room entertaining.>> I could not have expressed this better, Wayne... splunge, on all points. I am *treasuring* my Homespun copy already, especially for Andy's (and Colin's) written comments on each demo. For those of you who have to miss out or who can't wait to read the liner notes, I've typed them out at my humble homepage. I'm sorry, I simply can't suffer any XTC fan to miss these great insights on the AV1 songs as they developed. Read the text of the liner notes at http://members.aol.com/starlingv/homespun.txt Blessed be, Janis http://members.aol.com/starlingv/starling.htm My favorite Andy quote from the Homespun notes (on Greenman): "It takes two to tango, monotheists!"
------------------------------ Message-ID: <001b01bf1460$bfd22720$2a89b3d1@oemcomputer> From: "Aaron Pastula" <apastula@earthlink.net> Subject: Racism... Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 20:19:38 -0700 >For the >guy who lives in California, you can come meet me and Malcolm (aka Charlie) >any day and see if he is "real." As for mentioning playing the race card? >Come on man, if you live in the US then it is quite obvious that racism is >still a major part of this country. If you don't believe that, then my >friend, you are the ignorant one. If you go back and read my original message carefully, you'll see that I *never* implied that racism didn't exist - in fact, part of the reason I was so worked up about the whole thing is because I know what a problem it is. Even my "huckleberry little whitebread chickenshit conservative republican mind" acknowledges that there's a lot of bigotry in this country, but I simply don't buy the fact that Charlie's (or Malcom's?) original question about something as trivial as a the title of a stupid record album snowballed into a case of racial hatred. It just doesn't make sense, and I hate to say it, but I've been in a position where I've seen people say things that are simply unfounded in order to get their point across or get special treatment. Just as you have witnessed firsthand the absurdity of being pulled over with your black friends for their being black (I had a friend in college who used to have this happen to him, so I know how ridiculous this is), so too have I had firsthand experience with people who are simply unjustified in their claims of racism - it's not "total and complete bullshit" at all, it happens. The guy stated in a post that his message had been "censored" from the list, which *is* bullshit (how - and why - would the moderator of the list censor his message because he was black?!) because his message was there. Why, then, should I believe his other claims, especially since he originally got so worked up over **nothing?** If there's information that I'm not aware of, please let me know, but from where I'm standing it looks like this: Charlie asked a question that didn't make sense, people asked him to clarify it, he didn't, a few people offered suggestions anyway, the next thing we knew he was bitter because "no one wants to help other fans," and within a matter of a few days he was leaving the list because he'd been called a nigger. I mean, come on...does this really make sense? Tell me if I'm missing a step, because I just don't see it. I know racism exists, and for me to claim otherwise would of *course* make me ignorant. But I would also be ignorant if I didn't acknowledge that there are people out there who will spin a simple misunderstanding into a major issue if it serves them in some way (even if it's somehow just to make them feel better) and this infuriates me because, like I said in my original post, it takes away from the people who really *do* have genuine concerns. Charlie's messages put up serious red flags for me and reminded me right away of the situations I used to see, and no doubt will see again, and that's why I responded the way I did. I hate to think that anyone would actually have to endure the abuse he claims to have, especially if it comes from a group of which I happen to be a member - and of course, if he indeed did, then the people responsible are obvious scum. I'll say it again - I'm sorry if Charlie feels he was offended, and I'm certainly sorry if he actually was. But I just have a hard time believing that this is the case. Aaron.
------------------------------ Message-ID: <19991012034126.37966.qmail@hotmail.com> From: "Megan Heller" <hellerm@hotmail.com> Subject: blah blah responses Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 20:41:25 PDT I have to find a job... my responses are getting too long and sarcastic... hm, first on the whole 'older v. newer fans' thing-- I can't remember who started it-- it made me think of how my favorite XTC album has changed over the past few years. For years my favorite was "Oranges & Lemons"-- a later album, I guess-- primarily, I think, for sentimental reasons-- that was the album I started listening to XTC with. In the past couple years, though, I think I have to say my favorite has shifted to Black Sea-- there's something so incredibly tight, yet so incredibly dynamic about that album-- I can honestly put it in my top five. as for Americans not listening to XTC-- no, not much (although I've known some Brits who didn't know XTC, either). I think both the US and UK have their ups and downs on the charts, although the UK charts really do seem to show a bit more creativity and (god forgive me) intelligence (I'm thinking of the fact that Underworld and UNKLE have shown up on top of the charts, and the KLF back in the late eighties). Still, the UK has Boyzone, just to keep it from getting too cocky about quality music. let's see... Patrick (adamette@augustine.gci.net) ponders-- >I usually wait until I have something actually pertinent to add >about the band, and this time is no exception (imagine what this >digest >would be like if EVERYONE did that). infrequent and boring. (I've been on the list six months, and I think I've seen this argument, what, sixty times?) pancho artecona <partecona@yahoo.com> suggests-- >And if anyone is interested in seeing Obie's Wan >Kanobi in greater detail, I highly recommend Peter >Greenaway's film "The Pillow Box" where our hero uses >his light sabre against male and female foes (Japanese >no less). ahem. I agree, very good movie (it's "The Pillow Book", btw)-- unusual, although a bit devestating near the end-- make sure you're in the mood for heavy if you see it. "Andrea Rossillon" <rossillon@hotmail.com> instructs-- >The long pause between "wire" and "toasting" is just >for rhythm's sake, and is called (in poetry) a _caesura_. argh! no! I never want to see that word on this list again! (very tired of studying for the Graduate Record Exam in Literature...) pancho artecona <partecona@yahoo.com> returns-- >They know who Ricky Martin is though......(he's sooooo cute!) hey, have you heard that song, something about la vida loca? I think it's going to be a big hit! "garret harkawik" <funktaisia@hotmail.com> (who seems to have *excellent* taste in music) questions-- >On a rather strange note-A few online music stores that i've been to > >lately have totally screwed up the release dates of xtc's albums. For > >example according to one store, almost half their albums were >released >in 1991. I think I can answer that one. That's when a whole bunch of XTC albums were re-released on cd in this country by Geffen. I remember because I was almost 14 (so limited money) and had just bought most of those very albums on Virgin as imports at a cd store in Atlanta. hm, I think it was everything before "English Settlement". No, wait, "Mummer" was one, too. The releases have bonus tracks on them, I think (although the Virgin ones I got have bonus tracks, too). m out.
------------------------------ Message-ID: <387217450.939701668125.JavaMail.root@web05.pub01> Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1999 00:14:28 -0400 (EDT) From: Satanas Diablo <thedevil@minister.com> Subject: I find myself leaving. I cant believe all you ignorant fucks! I mean, as I said in the last post, you are here trying to prove shit and put down someone and you have no basis but the fact that you want to believe there is no such thing as racists or blacks into XTC?! Come to Southern California any day and meet us. I will disclose who one of the fucks were! When he first forwarded me a letter, it was from someone named Perry Sadval or something like that. I deleted it. I never thought I should have "kept it for evidence." Second of all, this argument about Malcolm not telling he was black is so ignorent! He already explained that he told he was black to the person who emailed him, not on the list! He recieved some e-mails that kept saying how ignorent he was and the person made some racial comparison or something. He then said that he was black and took that statement by offence. Then, the person started saying stuff like "I'm sure you can educate yourself at some community college for free, or maybe welfare will cover it." As the argument worsened, it started on with race. Then, he got another message which seamed to be from a friend of this person or something and they started with the race stuff. I can't believe how ignorant and immature many of you have turned out to be! This is stupid! I am not going to spend the next few months trying to defend someone who recieved racist remarks from this list! Fuck it then. I guess it is just a bunch of biggots here! If you want a picture, I will send you one, and any day any of you want to talk your racist trash to us, say it in person, and not behind a bunch of Laser printer "drums and wires!" I cant believe all this, really. You were not the one called nigger and you all are taking more offence to Malcolm talking about his treatment then you are the fact that some of you are bigots! Well, count me out. I like Boingo better anyway!
------------------------------ Message-ID: <19991012065436.4906.rocketmail@web2106.mail.yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 23:54:36 -0700 (PDT) From: Tyler Hewitt <tahewitt@yahoo.com> Subject: my two cents on lack of XTC content on this list RE: I usually wait until I have something actually pertinent to add about the band, and this time is no exception (imagine what this digest would be like if EVERYONE did that). It would be PRETTY FUCKING BORING, IMHO. I'm on three other lists (Chalkhills was my first). Thinking that they were all this much fun, I joined lists for the Residents, John Oswald (Plunderphonics) and Los Lobos, in that order. Let me tell you, they are all pretty damn boring! The Residents list I find really annoying, like a bunch of Jr.High kids sharing a private joke. The Los LObos list is endless posts about trading tapes and how cool Los Lobos t-shirts would be if they were available. The oswald list posts so irregularly that I'm surprised when a message actually shows up. Yeah, endless posts about Nirvana, Bowie, Phil Collins, racism, my old computer, how many bowel movements Ringo had in August 1966, etc. can get tedious at times, but have you ever seen as active and varied e-mail group as this one? Since joining this list last January I've traded tapes with several people, met Andy Partridge (an event I may have missed had I not saw it on this list), read countless rapturous reviews of AV1, learned of the existence of Song Stories, and butted heads and/or comiserated with lots of strangers that I know like XTC enough to put up with all of this. And, for all the posts I read about keeping to the topic at hand, etc. I know most of you secretly dig this list, or you woulden't be wasting your time with it!
------------------------------ Message-ID: <3802D5D1.2E7DCA1C@mail.gci.net> Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 22:31:46 -0800 From: adamette@augustine.gci.net Subject: Faux-beatles? Skylarking praise..... In Chalkhills #281 Luna writes: the most common criticism of XTC was that they were a "faux Beatles" band, and I think that's crap. I wanted to say bravo to this comment! Having been a long time Beatles fan (I was the only 14 year old that I knew of that all of their LPs...and I was born after they broke up) my ear was ready for what XTC had to offer, but to call them a faux-Beatles band IS crap. In my mind, there are hundreds (thousands?) of bands whose songs are blatant attenpts to be Beatlesque (I think we can all think of a few). The thing was, they more or less copied what they thought made the Beatle's sound (and you can tell that it is what they did). XTC on the other hand simply took cues from the Beatle's work and explored ideas further, giving us the luxurious Skylarking and the complete success of exploring Beatlesque motifs that is the Dukes of Strasphear catalog. I found that they apparoached their music for a great respect for what came before them, and in doing so were able to expand on the groundwork. I recognize that the groundwork was not exclsuively laid by one band (The Beatles) but that it is clear that XTC were heavily influenced by them. I read in the Little Express some 15 years ago (was it that long ago?) that Andy's favorite song is "Hello Goodbye" from The Magical Mystery Tour. This and that XTC had posed in at least one picture to look exactly like the Beatles (this picture was also included in the Little Express). A note about Skylarking: I recently rediscovered it (I love doing that about every two years) and have once again determined it to be a masterpiece. That makes about 6 times now in various stages of my life that I have thought of it in that regard. From the natural images in Summer's Cauldron to the reckless abandon of Grass, from the multiple images in "ballet" to the double meanings in "another satellite," from the sadness of "Dying" to the anger of "Sacrificial Bonfire" it just doesn't quit and is one of the main reasons I pursued a passion for XTC. Thank you Andy, Colin and Dave (if any of you read this) for giving us that recording. It has been a profound joy to listen to over the years. Patrick Juenau, Alaska
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1999 10:09:45 +0100 (BST) From: Chris Clee <cmc@sanger.ac.uk> Subject: Re: Homespun Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.4.10.9910120942050.2236-100000@piranha> Yo chaps, well reckon i like this one. To be honest i found AV1 somewhat overproduced (and not because i'd heard the demo to death, thanks to john m, for letting me have a copy though). the homespun album is a must for anyone who likes to hear the musician playing their own composition. A much better buy than av1 in my opinion, have fun chris :) TGCCATCGGATCTCCTGCCTAGAGGAG
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #5-282 *******************************
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