Chalkhills Digest, Volume 5, Number 332

                Wednesday, 8 December 1999

Today's Topics:

                   The return of Terry
                     Re: Ringo Reilly
                         Wake Up!
                   top 10 of the 9 teas
                 XTC Country? No Way Man!
          Drugs and Alcohol (little XTC content)
                   Mr. B Natural sketch
                          XTCMAS
                    End of the season
                          }---:)
             various threads/thoughts, part 3
     my post is but a sad grain of sand in the Sahara
                          Drumbo
          13 Progressive Rockers play Amy Grant!
                     Another sighting
                  Fat Bassman est revenu

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Did you think I'm high and dry?

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

Message-ID: <005101bf40dc$d68cd5c0$38670a23@user.msu.edu>
From: "Kate Burda" <burdakat@pilot.msu.edu>
Subject: The return of Terry
Date: Tue, 7 Dec 1999 12:59:41 -0500

>Nevertheless, if I were Andy or Colin, I would seriously consider giving
>Terry a shot at one of the next few albums.  It sure would be interesting
>to hear what he could do with some of this new music.  (And -- why not? --
>since Dave is [very unfortunately] gone for good, maybe they could
>convince Barry to play some keys on AV2.  Could be interesting...).

I'd LOVE to see Terry back at the drums, and even asked Andy when I met
him in Chicago this past year if they'd ever consider bringing him back
for AV2.  I don't remember specifically what he said (that's what I get
for not taking notes!) but Andy laughed and basically said no.

Has there been any word as to who the AV2 drummer will be?  (Sorry if I've
missed this one.)  I asked Andy back then about the possibilities, and he
only said, "We've got someone in mind."

Kate

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

Message-Id: <199912071825.NAA12646@metheny.brainiac.com>
Subject: Re: Ringo Reilly
Date: Tue, 7 Dec 1999 13:25:35 -0500 (EST)
From: "Joe Hartley" <jh@brainiac.com>

> From: "Stephen Jackson" <smj@zen.co.uk>
>
> As I drummer, I was interested  in reading another poster's comments about
> Ringo and Terry. That solo on side 2 of "Abbey Road" may be spot on time,
> but it's still bloody embarrasing...

Back when I was doing a lot of audio production with analog tools
(read a razor blade and splicing tape!), I once spliced the drum solo
from Baba O'Reily into where Ringo's lame solo is.  It surprised a lot
of people :)

--
======================================================================
       Joe Hartley - UNIX/network Consultant - jh@brainiac.com
Without deviation from the norm, "progress" is not possible. - FZappa

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

Message-ID: <D9E6CEC7734AD111BCF70090273C5D674B6AA3@user8.chemonics.net>
From: Todd Bernhardt <TBernhardt@Chemonics.net>
Subject: Wake Up!
Date: Tue, 7 Dec 1999 16:01:31 -0500

Hi:

After listening to The Big Express this morning, I just have this to say
to all who complain about its use of the Linn drum: Get over it. TBE is a
creaking, jangly, dissonant, cranky machine of an album, the perfect
industrial foil to its pastoral predecessor. It's what they wanted to say
at the time, and they say it well.

--Todd "plus, it fucking rocks" Bernhardt

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

Message-ID: <384D8926.7697@ksbe.edu>
Date: Tue, 07 Dec 1999 12:26:15 -1000
From: "Jim Smart" <jismart@ksbe.edu>
Organization: ksbe
Subject: top 10 of the 9 teas

> Iain from Australia beat you to that one-he compiled
> everyone's lists for a Chalkhills best of the 90's. If
> you ask really nicely I'm sure he'd send you a copy.

Er, sorry about that proposed post then.....all that worry over leaving
of Radiohead's OK Computer for nothing! Anyway, Iain, if you're
listening.....ya got that data?

Jim

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

Message-ID: <19991208003512.9250.qmail@web1101.mail.yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 7 Dec 1999 16:35:12 -0800 (PST)
From: travis schulz <xtcisadarngoodband@yahoo.com>
Subject: XTC Country? No Way Man!

On the thread of XTC ever having a country music side
to them, I always thought the beginning part of
Outside World from Drums and Wires had a hoe-down
vibe. Outside World + large breasted gals + a haystack
= XTC on Hee Haw!!!!      On another topic, someone
here recently stated that XTC are no longer poor with
AV1 sales around 250,000?  Would anyone know how this
compares with ALL their other albums?  I'm real
curious on the numbers for every XTC album.  XTC
RULES!

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

Message-Id: <199912072342.SAA11422@nantucket.net>
Date: Tue, 07 Dec 1999 17:49:03 -0800
Subject: Drugs and Alcohol (little XTC content)
From: "Diamond" <arnos@nantucket.net>

Nathan, I find the way you got into XTC interesting... because it's EXACTLY
how I got into them. I was an AVID Weird Al fan (Howed you like Running With
Scissors, by the way?) And then a friend of mine showed me Flood, which is
probably thier funniest album, although not their best. (Their best being
Lincoln, followed by Factoy Showroom... that's not my opinion, it's a fact.
Actually, it's both.) I heard about XTC through XTC vs Adam Ant (I love that
song. What don't you like about it?) and eventually, on an impulse, while
walking through recordtown, I bought o&l because I liked the Album cover.
Good reason, huh? Since then, I've been a complete XTC fan. (XTC are my
favorite, followed CLOSELY by TMBG)

On another note, Ben commented to me:

>A couple of questions:
>Why do you especially feel this way with drugs?  What makes a drunk more
>acceptable than a pothead?

RE: my comment about "Especially drugs." Actually.. that was me chickening
out about my post for a moment. I know a lot of people hear drink alcahol
(Espicially all you brits... oh, now I've done it.) I was about to not post
that whole thing at all, but decided instead to censor myself so that if
someone said "Hey, I drink, you got a problem with that?!?!?" I could go
back to that sentance and point it out to them. Sorry, I probably shouldn't
have added that. But I'm really a generally shy person, and I've got so many
friends here, I didn't want to ruin any of it.

>Also, fine, I agree with you...if you *need* drugs or alcohol to be happy
>you have a problem.  But you're ignoring the vast majority of people who
>are recreational users of both, who can get along perfectly fine without a
>toke or a drink but enjoy one occasionally.  What about them?

Well, that's certaintly a hard one... I guesse I can only say that it's
really up to the specific person in that case. I know I'M never gonna do
either (Or I'm pretty sure I'm not.) It's really someone's perogative with
both of those things. Very simply, I guesse I feel that no one should do
anyhting that impares their judgement in any way. I feel that that's
something that can really harm people, having their judgement impared in any
way. But, do what you want to do. Who am I to say? (I mean this in all
honesty. I'm probably just making a... hold on, let me get it right...
"Arse" is it?... out of myself. [wow, now I'm british! I'm just like andy
and colin!])

>Again, not everyone taking drugs is doing it to "expand their
>consciousness"!  It's not all hippies and addicts, you know.

In a way, that's almost worse. The people who aren't trying to "Expand their
consciousness" don't even make an excuse for it.

I think the thing I hate most is when I see other kids in my class who have
thrown their entire lives down the drain by becoming junkies and drunks, and
the like. I'm sure you people know who I'm talking about. the people who
just fry thier brains out and destroy their entire lives away. And most of
this kids would have had a great future in front of them.

My seveth english teacher (and current director of the play Noises Off that
I'm in. Anyone heard of this play? It's funny as hell. anyway...) told me a
very sad and depressing story like this recently, and I'll bring it out
here.

There was this kid in his class who had the most wonderful gift for writting
that my english teacher (Mr. White) had ever seen. He could stand up in
front of the class and write a perfect sentance that would tell everything
it was supposed to say and make the entire class crack up laighing.
According to Mr. White, There's never been another kid in my school like
him. A remarkable talent who was definetly gonna go somewhere.
    Or he would have. Unfortunetly, when he reached high school, he started
getting heavy into drugs and alcahol. Extremely heavy. By the time he
graduated High School, he no longer wanted to do anythign with his life
anymore. He fried his brain out just for a little instant gratification on
saturday night. Mr. White was heartbroken that this kid had thrown all of
this out the window.
    Then, about a month ago, this former student came up to Mr White and
told him that he had a Inoperatable tumor in his brain, and that he had six
months to a year to live. He litterally broke down infront of Mr. White. He
begged Mr White to let him come into Mr. Whites class and talk to the
students about wha happaned to him, and to not let it happen to them as
well. He realized what he had done, unfortunetly, it was to late.

Sorry for that story, I'm sure It hasn't made anyone's day any happyer, but
I thought I should bring it in here.

I'm done. Goodbye.

Kevin Diamond
____________________________________________________________________________
"To emphasize the afterlife is to deny life. To concentrate on heaven is to
create hell."
          -Tom Robbins

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

Message-ID: <000501bf4129$73278e60$24b59fce@default>
From: "Wes Hanks" <wes@iolvegas.com>
Subject: Mr. B Natural sketch
Date: Tue, 7 Dec 1999 19:07:34 -0800

Howdy all,
My son had to bring in a cd from home to share with his drum lesson class,
as an example of "drumming you enjoy". The lad rifled through my cds and
pulled out English Settlement. Needless to say he made pappa proud and
impressed his instructor with his demonstration of fine musical taste far
beyond his years.

Now, on to this whole "country" thread and the horrible pain I am currently
experiencing due to "country" music. Right now I am chest deep in non-stop,
can't escape it if you wanted to, invasion of rodeo fans. The National
Finals Rodeo - "The Superbowl of Rodeo" - inflicts itself annually on Las
Vegas. You have no idea what its like to have your city invaded by a bunch
of partying rodeo "fans". Hmmm...how do you become a rodeo fan - follow the
career of the animals, right? Now don't get me wrong,  I, as are others on
this list, a closet bluegrass fan. I simply have low tolerence for the whole
big-hair, Star Search finalist vocal styling, of what passes for "new
country". And its THAT type of country music which flocks to Las Vegas
during rodeo time.

Will I be going out on New Years Eve to the Strip with the 750,000 drunk and
disorderlies? I have to think about that one. God NO!

Wes "Just a pinch between yer cheek and gums" Hanks

"Oscar Wilde only wished he was this gay."
Joel Robinson - MST3k

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

Date: 8 Dec 99 11:54:39 ASD
From: Paul.Culnane@dcita.gov.au
Subject: XTCMAS
Message-ID: <0000phlpftpb.0000omikwoig@dcita.gov.au>

[     ]   Ho Ho Ho
[     ]   Bah, humbug!

(Tick relevant box)

Wow what a year!  Nice to see John in Sushiland and Dan Wiencek mentioning
my interview with Terry (newcomers like Alec might want to check out The
Little Lighthouse at http://come.to/xtc).  I was on the phone to Terry the
other night.  He's doing fine and sends his regards to all you people.

Dom Lawson's post in Chalkhills #330 was the funniest thing I've read in
these pages for some time.  This bloke is a card (and should be dealt
with).  I would love to have been a fly on the wall when he visited Todd
and Harrison a while back.

Over the years since I've been subscribing to Chalkhills it has changed my
life.  I've made some great friends.  You know who you are and how I feel
about you.  I feel very privileged which ain't bad for the contemptible
pr@t that I assuredly am.  Many thanks to John Relph for creating and
maintaining this forum.

I don't wanna bore you with my lists of things, but I've found other
people's listening habits as listed here in 'Hills quite interesting.
With me, suffice it to say "Apple Venus Volume 1" (and accessories like
"Homespun", "Transistor Blast" and those cute singles) have remained
staples in my CD deck.

And speaking of lists, let me second Iain's recommendation that you vote
for XtC in the Triple-J Hottest 100.  Anybody can cast a vote (and you can
listen to the station while you're doing it).  Instructions can be found
at: http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/triplej.htm

I'm looking forward to my annual holidays - I'm burnt out and in desperate
need of some R&R.  Wanna see what's caused my battle fatigue?  It's my
contributions to a fabulous website created by fellow Chalker and
racontuer, Duncan Kimball.  Go to:
http://milesago.gq.nu/

Merry XTCmas and happy new year to all my Chalkfriends.  Be nice to each
other.

Love-on-ya
~~p@ul
Canberra, Australia

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

Message-ID: <19991208044619.60237.qmail@hotmail.com>
From: "Duncan Kimball" <dunks58@hotmail.com>
Subject: End of the season
Date: Tue, 07 Dec 1999 20:46:18 PST

What ho, Chalksters!

After musing on a couple of threads that are going around at present,
here's my 2 bob's worth:

FAVE RECORDS OF '99 (off the top of my head)

Prince: Crystal Ball
- this here is one funky, big-assed mutha (thanks Seb!)

Squeeze: Domino
- when only the best will do ... and isn't that all the time?

Ben Folds Five: The Unauthorised (etc)
- "it's getting better all the time ..."

Supergrass: Supergrass
- ditto. It's worth remembering that Gaz Coombes is still only 24. LOTS to
lok forward to

Tim Gaze & The Blues Doctors: Blues Remedy
- Australia's best-kept guitar secret. This guy can play and sing the arse
off just about anyone. Add Jim Conway on harp and you're in blues heaven.

Scritti Politti: Anomie & Bonhomie
- and you thought Kate Bush took a long time beetween albums? Worth the
wait though.

XTC: Apple Venus I/Homespun
- not sure that these guys have much of a future, but it sort of grows on
you ...

* * *

Some FAVE XTC MOMENTS:

- the gorgeously speaker-blowing moment at the start of "Snowman": first
the tinkly Xmas gear, then the guitars fade in, followed by Andy's snarly
vocal spiralling upward, and then Terry gives it one almighty THUMP! and
we're in.  Ditto for the end of the song.

- almost any of Andy's choruses or middle-eights - no-one quite does them
the way he does. cf. the romper-stomper delight of the 'No Thugs' chorus;
the way the msuic grins at you in the middle-8 of 'Burning With Optimism's
Flame' ....

- the little instrumental bit following the middle-eight on "Love On A
Farmboys Wages", just after Andy sings "...and it's breaking my back"

- the snarling, prowling electric guitar riff in the verses of "No Thugs".
Sort of tricky to keep in the pocket, but damn good fun to play.

- the pitch of emotion in Andy's voice in the last section of "This World
Over" when he almost screams "so we can stand right up and say we did it
in his name"

Oh well...that's this post over

Dunks

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

Message-ID: <19991208045028.27449.qmail@www0t.netaddress.usa.net>
Date: 7 Dec 99 20:50:28 PST
From: vee tube <veetube@netscape.net>
Subject: }---:)

   I just thought I would take this opportunity
 to reassure you 'Smartest' Monkeyoids that We,the
 Finoids, had nothing to do with the loss of your
              Mars Polar lander.

  It was the last place we (Finoids) stopped
afore we found Earth. If you really want to know,
it was a lot like Arizona. But,without trees or
                 oxygen.

         Oh yeah! And water!!!!

 This is why we came HERE! Why you want to go
           THERE! Is beyond us.

                  }---:)

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

Message-Id: <3.0.2.32.19991208005353.00707e40@mail.interlog.com>
Date: Wed, 08 Dec 1999 00:53:53 -0500
From: David Oh <davidoh@interlog.com>
Subject: various threads/thoughts, part 3

ad continuum (nauseum... whatever...)
----------
films:

someone recommended babe: pig in the city, and i highly recommend it, too.
however, one should see the first babe film, as babe:2 sort of continues on
from the first story, so you might want a little background information.

faves of all time (in no order):

the wizard of oz
casablanca
the usual suspects
american beauty
the sting
a hard day's night
help
forrest gump
arsenic and old lace
the rutles: all you need is cash
lock, stock and two smoking barrels
citizen kane
harvey
the princess bride
say anything...
to kill a mockingbird

that's all i can remember off of the top of me 'ead. i know there are
plenty more, from the 60s, 70s and 80s (only a few)
----------
fave albums of the 90s (in no order):

xtc - nonsuch
xtc - bbc radio 1 live in concert
xtc - fossil fuel: the xtc singles 1977-92
xtc - apple venus vol. 1
red hot chili peppers - bloodsugarsexmagik
eric johnson - venus isle
thomas dolby - astronauts & heretics
jimi hendrix - live at the fillmore east
radiohead - the bends
u2 - achtung baby
the who - live at leeds (1995 expanded version)
zappa's universe - tribute concert 1993
pete townshend - best of: coolwalkingsmoothtalkingstraightsmokingfirestoking
----------
fave concerts of the 90s (in no order):

peter gabriel - secret world live, 93/06/26
yes - yesshows '91(union tour ), 91/04/24
joe cocker & stevie ray vaughan, 90/07/10 (just weeks before srv died)
bryan ferry - mamouna tour, 94/11/19
red hot chili peppers - bloodsugarsexmagik tour, 91/10/30 (rhcp and pearl
jam rocked, but the smashing bumpkins really sucked! they were so bad!)
lollapalooza '92, 92/08/05 (rhcp, pearl jam, soundgarden, etc)
the sex pistols - filthy lucre tour, 96/08/13
radiohead - ok computer tour, 98/04/12

i also saw the following bands in the 90s:

rolling stones (twice - 94 & 98)
pink floyd (94)
yes (thrice - 91, 97 & 99)
keef riffhard (93)
paul mccartney (93)
bryan ferry (twice - 94 & 99)
king crimson (thrak tour - 95)
red hot chili peppers (4 times - 91, 92, 96 & 99)
kiss (it was on a dare, honest! - 97)
u2 (popmart - 97)
the tragically hip (99)

oh yeah, and i met andy partridge, too (99)
----------
fave television of the 90s (in no order):

frasier (niles: well, i'm off to the gym to pump iron! frasier: oh niles,
you don't even pump your own gas!)
oz
the west wing
sex and the city
the simpsons (i know, it started in the 80s, but it's still good)
picket fences
hamish macbeth (brit)
crocodile shoes (brit)
cracker (brit)
spender (brit)
phoenix (aussie)
chef (brit)
taking over the asylum (brit)
revenge of the nerds (pbs)
nerds 2.01 (pbs)
who wants to be a millionaire? (no, i'm kidding. just seeing if you're
still awake)
----------
i think that's enough with the lists, at least from me...

 peace & xtc,

 davidoh

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

Message-ID: <19991208081136.36203.qmail@hotmail.com>
From: "Megan Heller" <hellerm@hotmail.com>
Subject: my post is but a sad grain of sand in the Sahara
Date: Wed, 08 Dec 1999 02:11:36 CST

a lot of de-lurking going on now that drama seems to have quieted... that
won't last...

in the meantime, I'm worried about the self-esteem in fair Chalkhills!  in
one digest I saw both of the following:
>Subject: Some Worthless Comments
>Subject: A bunch of stuff nobody but me cares about, but here it is >anyway

kids!  have we forgotten our assertiveness training manuals?  proclaim your
message, and remember, no matter how boring you think your post is, there
are always mine (like this one).

falling prey to the millenial bug (har har)...
>I'm curious to know
>what you Chalkies are going to be doing that night.

I'll be visiting my best friend in Savannah, Georgia, and probably drinking
heavily.  Funny how I had no trouble getting tickets to that booming
metropolis for the new year... still, a fun and drunken time should be had
by all (hopefully, as long as I don't trip on that ballroom skirt, and then
there's that whole end of the world thing...)

*someone* said, and I don't know who or I'd credit it, but it was quoted in
Todd Bernhardt's post--
>From "Chauncy" Gardner:

brilliant reference!  I tip my invisible hat.

fellow 22-year-old American Nathan Mulac DeHoff endears--
>>I've liked the Chalkhills lists I've been getting!  It's great to >>see a
>>list that's so dedicated to actual opinions about the actual >>band and
>>their actual music.
>
>So you don't like discussion of the Dukes, since they're not an >actual
>band?

pedantic?  sarcastic?  two of my favorite traits!  you'll fit right in.

hell, XTC content-- all the mention of "White Music" lately has made me want
to listen to it.  So I shall.

megan (I really hope I get another temp assignment soon).

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

Message-ID: <000601bf4156$8d06f6e0$625791d2@p13s574p>
From: "John  Boudreau" <aso1@mocha.ocn.ne.jp>
Subject: Drumbo
Date: Wed, 8 Dec 1999 17:30:12 +0900

Dan Wiencek lamented :

>I was let down when I
>heard Mattacks wasn't drumming on AV2 ... is there a reason why that is?

I can tell you that DM is an extremely busy man on both sides of the
Atlantic in 1999 touring with Mary Chapin Carpenter and Steeleye Span
; doing various jazz stints throughout England PLUS his studio work in
the US and England , so it is possible he had to much on his plate to
fit it in . I know he had to turn down the Richard Thompson tour on
account of a conflicting schedule . He did tell me that " AP mentioned
something about it ( AV2 ) , but not holding breath " .

Steve Jackson opined :

>That solo on side 2 of "Abbey Road" may be spot on time,
>but it's still bloody embarrasing...

Like I said , Ringo HATED solos . " Bloody embarrassing " ? Methinks thou
dost protest too much ...

>What's more, if Ringo had such a
>metronomic sense of timing, as the poster suggested, why the hell didn't
>he employ it in "Drive my Car" (Cue yer cd up folks, and listen to that
>drummer drift from 1 min 19 secs to 1 min 23 secs)...metronome, indeed

It is well documented that the Beatles sometimes recorded a song 50-60
times and then edited together different parts of numerous takes of
the same song in order to get the best possible version . In order to
do this they had to depend on Ringo to keep the tempo as consistent as
possible throughout ... Yes , I noticed that drift in " Drive My Car "
ages ago , and wondered WHY they didn't re-record ?  I mean , The
Beatles and George Martin must have noticed it if WE did , right ? I
think he tried a new off-beat fill and flubbed it , but for some
mysterious reason the flub made the final cut . What can I say ? The
guy is 00 human . The vast majority of Beatles tunes are spot on . Cut
the guy some slack will ya ! D.J. Fontana ( Elvis' drummer ) : " We
were jamming in the studio one night , and Ringo said , ' Do you mind
if I play ? ' I said , ' Are you kidding ? Play ! ' I was playing the
maracas or something behind him , just listening to him . I swear he
never varied the tempo . He played that backbeat and NEVER got off it
! Man , you couldn't have moved him with a crane . It was amazing . He
played a hell of a backbeat man , and THAT's where it's at " .

Percussively yours in ecstacy ,

John The Sushiman

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

Message-ID: <19991208083234.3278.qmail@hotmail.com>
From: "Megan Heller" <hellerm@hotmail.com>
Subject: 13 Progressive Rockers play Amy Grant!
Date: Wed, 08 Dec 1999 02:32:33 CST

I truly hope this doesn't end up in the same digest as my last post.  That
just seems so... dull.

Diamond objects--
>I believe a baker's dozen has ten.

nein, thirteen.  think about it-- the baker makes a dozen and one to
spare, just in case.  I learned about a baker's dozen in a board game my
parents bought me when I was six or seven, called "Trivia Adventure".
They chose this particular one because each card had a question at a child
level and a question at an adult level (this was before Trivial Pursuit
had anything but the Genus Edition).  We realized that the game was not
American when the question "What are the three major political parties of
Canada?" appeared at the child level.

Jeremy Cargill (or Cindy) claims--
>I am more into Amy Grant

well, now you've blown your cover.  No one actually listens to Amy Grant--
her career is subsidized by an underground government conspiracy to put us
to sleep.

Ken (Herne?) shared a pleasant ramble, and concluded--
>who walked the by the oft mentioned Green Man Pub while in London but
>didn't have time to go in, and who is frightened to find himself
>starting to get into Progressive Rock.
>More on that next time.

I have heard more about Prog Rock in the past few years than I ever have
since hitting double-digits age-wise.  actually, if you're interested,
there is a write-up on the Momus (who else?) website about the strange
allure of once-detested Prog Rock, and something about the book "The
Music's All That Matters: A History of Progressive Rock" by Paul Stump.
You can find the column at http://www.demon.co.uk/momus/thought110899.html

no, no XTC.

m.

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

Message-ID: <F12EB47BC314D21194FE00A0C9CF9EC9C9B665@seer.bluews.com>
From: Pete Williams <PWilliams@bluews.com>
Subject: Another sighting
Date: Wed, 8 Dec 1999 11:56:00 -0000

Date: Saturday 4th December 1999 C.E.
Time: 10:45 PM
Media: Central (U.K. T.V. station)
Programme: After they were famous
Description: 10 seconds of Senses Working Overtime (a mimed studio
performance) with the comment "In the early 80s Andy Partridge wrote clever
songs for XTC, today he's a dealer in..........toy soldiers". The programme
was made by Yorkshire Television.

I caught this 'gem' from UK TV as I'd recorded TV from 10:00 to capture the
programme after it. They also made a big thing of Jean-Jacques Burnel of The
Stranglers now being a martial arts specialist - I always thought he was
before The Stranglers started.

Steve Jackson: If it was intentional a big thank you - the last line of your
last post gave me one of those spine chilling moments, I've had the opening
bars of Rhythm Of Cruelty running through my head all morning.

Pete Williams

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

From: fsolans@carat.fr
Message-ID: <80256841.005271FE.00@lns019.carat.fr>
Date: Wed, 8 Dec 1999 15:00:31 +0000
Subject: Fat Bassman est revenu

Tous aux abris, il a ressorti la serpe !!
Yes, chalkeux et chalkettes, french Fat Bassman delurks one more time,
forget all you believe to know about English Language and be brave,
Shakespeare is killed around here (...and it?s an enough long agony).
I check Chalkhills with great attention and pleasure for more than one year
now, it?s a funny place, full of life in all senses of the word, included
its trash aspects (Satanas et Diabolo are two US cartoon?s character,
complete idiots, here in my country. ah! ah! ah!). I can?t understand why
guys don?t use their real name in a site like Chalkhills. Even if I don?t
catch everything, I?m heavily supsecting most of the offensive darts for
coming from this sort of person. But, in fact, who cares ?
Before my boughts of 99, a little comunication try with two points, one XTC
conected, second more or less : in the ` do you prefer XTC words or music ?
' threat, as a non-anglophone person, it?s obvious that I love XTC first
because they are wonderful musicians. I consider Andy as a genius because
his melodies, because his voice, because his guitar-playing...but not at
all because the meaning of his words. Et pareil pour Colin. Yes, I know,
most of you anglo-saxon will think that I loose half of the things (and
certainly others will say that I?m a real cunt for this reason)....and you
are right... but what can I do ? We are millions in this case, and yes,
mass-success (like underground success) for english-spoken artists in
non-english-spoken countries is made without a parcel of comprehension of
the meaning. Silly world. Personaly, with ages, my understanding is far
better than in my teen years and I know for long time that Andy and Colin
are very respected for their lyrics too. But I?m an atavistic fan firs
t because THEIR MUSIC.
My second point : what kind of images provides me the same strong feelings
that XTC?s music do ? Strangely enough, no real movies. I have experimented
very very good vibrations with directors like Terry Gilliam, or Emir
Kusturica, or Wim Wenders and few others (Tarantino, Kitano...) but it?s
not exactly the same thing. For me, images providing these feelings are
coming from ...animated movies. I?m a very huge fan of Simpsons, South Park
or Daria, but I?m speaking here about STRONG feelings and not only about
pure fun. Even if most of you consider Disney as the devil, I?m their first
client for Mulan, or Tarzan, and I will be again for Fantasia 2000 or
Dinosaurs next year. One step more, about their collaboration with Pixar, I
can?t get tired with the unbelievable Toy Story (1 and 2) or Bug?s Life.
And a big welcome when Dreamworks came with Antz (or Prince of Egypt).
Another step and we are arriving in perfection area, japanese animation.
Not classic manga or cartoon series, but  long movies coming from Gibbl
i studios, more particulary the Hayao Miyazaky?s. Totoro, Porco Rosso,
Mononoke...WAAOUW !! Here we are speaking about FEELINGS. Concerning
Mononoke, maybe John in sushiland can agree with this: there isn?t in this
film a wonderful charaterization of something like the Greenman ? Am I
totally wrong ?. The other guy from Gibbli (don?t remenber his name), with
Le Tombeau des Lucioles (don?t know the translation) gave me more tears
than any other movie in my life. In Paris, the Iron Giant is released this
week, and with what I?ve seen in this list, I will be in cinema theater
this week-end (and for the re-issue of master-piece Totoro too...what a
week-end !). Pour finir, one man culminate over all this, the only
authentic genius who is appeared the 10 last years in cinema area : Nick
Park, happy father of Wallace & Gromit. I have no words to express what I
have felt when I saw Creatures Comfort for the first time. And yet less
when I saw A Long Day Out. The Wrong Trousers and A Close Shave have just
confirmed :
here it is pure genius. I?m awaiting his Chicken Run (his first long movie
made in collaboration Aardman/Dreamworks) almost hardly than Apple Venus 2.
I can argue that 2000 will be good. (if you are as fan as myself, take a
look on Kirikou la Sorciere, a french production based on african legend.
Splendid, to sumarize).
Well. Now, my 99 purchases. Last year I made a selection, not this year.
I?m not particulary rich, but I need music like I need food and drinks. I
spend in consequence.

Frank & Walters ? Beauty becomes more than life (98)
Neil Finn ? Try whistling this (98)
Jason Falkner ? Can you still feel ? (98)
David Yaazbek ? Tok (98)
Urban Dance Squad ? Atlantica (98)
Beck ? Midnite Vulture
Stan Rigdway ? Anatomy
Supergrass ? Supergrass
Tekameli ? Ida y vuelta
Cocteau Twins ? BBC session
Salako ? Musicality
Mano Solo ? Live au Tourtour
Red Hot Chili Pepper ? Californication
Chemical Brothers ? Surrender
Owsley ? Owsley
Gorky?s Zygotic Mynci ? Spanish dance troupe
XTC ? Apple Venus Volume 1 (5 ex) / Homespun / E.T and IDLT singles
Tricky ? Juxtapose
Franck Black & catholics ? Pistolero
Ron Sexmith ? Whereabouts
Smog ? Knock knock
Eliades Ochoa ? Sublime ilusion
Cinerama (David Gedge, ex-Wedding Present) ? Va va voom
Ibrahim Ferrer ? Ibrahim Ferrer
The Beta Band ? The beta band
Fountain of Wayne ? Utopia park
Archive ? Take my head
Olivia Tremor Control ? Black foliage
Les Negresses Vertes ? Trabendo
Etienne Charry ? 36 erreurs
Electronic ? Twisted tenderness
Princess Erika ? Tant qu?il y aura
Ekova ? Soft breeze & tsunami breaks (remixes, included first official
Gekko?s appearance)
Sttellla ? Il faut tourner l?Apache

No preference order and not a gem (except AV1, obviously) in this list,
even if each provides me more or less what I was expecting. Coz I?m working
in media area, I also received a lot of CD-subscriber, a good look over
techno, rap, world or metal scene?but IMHO, no lights this year from these
fields. Maybe the brazilian Lenine ? and a wonderful Brian Ferry?s ` where
or when ' from his cover CD. I saw diverse shows, and two great
performances : Flaming Lips and Stomp (Supergrass and Frank & Walters were
good enough).
Well, I stop here, le supplice est termine.
Enjoy all your end of century, happiness all over the hill

Fredo Fat Bassman
?qui meme s?il le voulait ne deviendra jamais vegetarien. Ayant goute tres
jeune au Cuisseau de Chevreuil Sauce Venaison de ma chere maman, la cause
animale est definitivement perdue pour moi, et depuis belle lurette.

I was forgetting my eternal demand : where is Kim Fahy (aka The Mabuses) ?
and when Geggy Tah third CD will be release ?

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End of Chalkhills Digest #5-332
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8 December 1999 / Feedback