Chalkhills Digest Volume 5, Issue 343
Date: Sunday, 19 December 1999
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 5, Number 343
Sunday, 19 December 1999
Today's Topics:
okay, so I wasn't going to say anything...
dedicated to a happier post
countdown...
Drugs again
Drugs (being censored?)
YA XTC survey, this one pretty convoluted
XTC tickets now available
Yet another list post to end the year
Re: American Beauty
Bragging about Billy...
Just Blurrin' Along
The Moon In Hand
Birthday Blast
times square
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It would be like every Christmas there's been.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-ID: <19991217065334.22728.qmail@hotmail.com> From: "Megan Heller" <hellerm@hotmail.com> Subject: okay, so I wasn't going to say anything... Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1999 00:53:34 CST I actually ignored the controversial post by Tom at first, just because I thought it was more likely I'd prevent an aneurysm. But after Dom said most of what I think, I thought I'd break down and throw out a couple more comments. >>the moral fabric of this country >>in specific and the world in general has been on a steady decline >>since >>the 60's > >Hysterical rubbish, and furthermore hysterical rubbish perpetuated by >religious, right-wing idiots who object to notions of freedom, social >responsibility and compassion (and before you swallow your tongue, >I'm not >including your good self here, merely suggesting that your >views are >linked to that particular school of thought, albeit in a >vague manner). >Don't confuse oppression with order! yes, exactly, I agree. I'd like to comment on the idea that the 1960s (and particularly the US in the 1960s) *invented* sex and drugs. I know this isn't *really* what's meant, but come on. Yes, that's the extent of my argument on that-- I tried to type more but became angry and incoherent. >>No one cares about what anyone thinks, says, does, or wants to do >>anymore. No one cares, period. according to whom? I care. I care about protecting the freedom of others to do what they wish with their own bodies within their frame of knowledge. >>If people are given the "right" >>to act as they wish, the outcome will be detrimental to society as a >> >>whole. I'm sorry, but this particular line makes me uncomfortable in relation to this argument. In fact, the whole post made me uncomfortable, because it seemed so possible that it was talking about more than drugs. A lot of people who blame the 1960s for the decline in "morals" also cite sexuality... (I mean, since prior to the 1960s all sex was heterosexual, within the bonds of marriage, and solely in the missionary position... damn, there I go getting angry again, and having another argument entirely...) >>Laws serve two purposes, one is to protect the people from physical >> >>harm, the other is to uphold a sense of moral dignity. there's that uncomfortable feeling again. Whose morals? Judeo-Christian morals? Should we be dragging out Leviticus again? get ready to go five miles outside of the village with a shovel every time you want to... I don't know why I'm replying to this. moral dignity my ass. but, damn it, one more thing-- >>Why should I have to worry about my future children becoming drug >>users >>just because YOU want to be one right now? what a load of balls. My parents were hippies. They didn't do a lot of drugs, unlike their friends, but they smoked a little pot here and there when they were younger (they both fall into the category of not thinking it was all that great). They, like me, are for the decriminalization of marijuana (my father is actually for the decriminalization of all drugs, an argument he got from a police officer knew several years ago). They have taught me to be careful in whatever I do, but their only fear about me ever smoking pot (once I was a little older) was that I would get caught. My friends in junior high school and high school smoked pot and offered it to me (not pressuring), and my parents never told me to stop hanging out with these people. The result of all this free thinking? I never have smoked pot. I've never done any illegal drugs. Just my decision-- it doesn't fit my personality. I don't think any less of people who smoke pot at a level where they can function (which is the majority of pot smokers-- I've known the perpetually-stoned about as much as I've known the perpetually drunk, and neither very often). Somehow, in the midst of an atmosphere of trust, understanding, and education over morals, I'm just fine. On the other hand, I had a friend in college who was the daughter of a minister-- she slept around, smoked enormous amounts of pot, and got pregnant shortly before graduating. Regulations and morality don't always do the trick. okay, that's enough for me. megan (damn, do I need a drink).
------------------------------ Message-ID: <19991217072541.15567.qmail@hotmail.com> From: "Megan Heller" <hellerm@hotmail.com> Subject: dedicated to a happier post Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1999 01:25:41 CST Jon Rosenberger said-- >The Wonderful Ms. Heller stated aw, thank you. well, i've decided to cave and do a favorites of 1999 post. in no particular order, my favorites among those I've bought or heard this year (I haven't gotten around to buying everything-- who'd have thought *all* my favorite bands would come out with new albums this year?)-- Beck - "Midnite Vultures" XTC - "Apple Venus Vol. 1" Momus - "Stars Forever" Pizzicato 5 - "Playboy & Playgirl" Cardiacs - "Guns" Belle & Sebastian - "Tigermilk" (re-issue) u-ziq - "Royal Astronomy" album I know would have been among my favorites were it not backordered to January-- Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs, Vols. 1-3 albums which might have been among my favorites, had I heard them-- David Bowie - "hours..." Julian Lennon - "Photograph Smile" Pet Shop Boys - "Nightlife" Stereolab - "Cobra & Phases Group Play Voltage in the Milky Night" quite a year. I can't do a best of the 90s list-- my music taste has changed so much in the last ten years-- ten years ago I was a twelve year old goth. However, I can say that XTC has been a part of my tastes for the full ten years. m.
------------------------------ Message-ID: <385A498E.5E89@schoollink.net> Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1999 06:32:46 -0800 From: dan phipps <phipps@schoollink.net> Organization: cic Subject: countdown... hey everyone, just wanted to wish you all a happy christmas and a merry new year!! hope you all get what you want this year and the next and the next and the next and the next and the...well, you get the picture. xtc is gonna ROCK in y2k!! -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ /Dan Phipps <phipps@schoollink.net> "Imagination like a muscle will increase with exercise." (Peter Blegvad) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
------------------------------ Message-Id: <l03130300b47cb7a36997@[208.13.202.221]> Date: Tue, 14 Dec 1999 22:39:53 -0500 From: "Christopher R. Coolidge" <cauldron@together.net> Subject: Drugs again >I say, if you want to do drugs, do them. But take the consequences as they >come, and don't expect me to feel sorry for you if you get thrown in jail >for it. If it were up to me, cigarettes and alcohol would be illegal too. >It's hypocritical for me to say that one drug is okay and another is not. I >don't use nor have i ever used drugs of any kind. I don't want to, I don't >care to. I've seen what idiots people turn into because of this stuff. So have I(I was one of them many years ago), but we have to remember that people have free will to be like animals or strive towards the divine. A good law trusts the individual to either do the right thing or take the consequences, whatever they may be. Drug addiction itself is enough of a consequence and a punishment in itself I wouldn't wish on anyone. We have two choices, make all non-nutritive substances that do us harm illegal(while we're at it, why not throw in caffeine and saturated fat if we really want to take the health police thing to the extreme), or eventually decriminalise all substances and let people decide for themselves. To me, criminalising a plant that grows out of the earth is unenforcable; you can eradicate every marijuana plant you can find and miss the sack of seeds someone's sitting on. Criminalising marijuana was one of the biggest mistakes that the United States government(and other world governments)ever made, along with Prohibition. Prohibition was unenforceable, the federal government recognised it, and repealed it, it mystifies me why they don't see that the war on drugs is unwinnable and a financial black hole. Until we do decriminalise marijuana(and other plants as well, we can leave the chemical derivatives for doctors to research and prescribe at their discretion), I'd recommend some creative ways of getting drug offenders out of our prisons so we can get the violent criminals in there who really need to be locked away. Offer them a tour of duty in the armed forces in exchange for the rest of their sentence, in place of the draft. While we're at it, why don't we criminalise the destroying angel mushroom, which kills human beings in half an hour, and there's no antidote(and it grows abundantly throughout the United States and Canada), and any other naturally occuring poison we can find that can either kill us, make us feel funny, or both? Where do we draw the line? Let's just stop the madness and use the law to protect us from other people, especially our government, rather than treat us like small children. You kill someone, unless it's self-defense against clear and present danger, I think it should be automatic life in prison, and if you're under the influence of mind-altering substances when you kill someone, automatic two life sentences. Christopher R. Coolidge Homepage at http://homepages.together.net/~cauldron/homepage.html
------------------------------ Message-Id: <C1D2BBBA6310D2118B5500805FA7AF3F01DFDCD9@xch-mes-04.msc.az.boeing.com> From: "Johnson, Tom" <tom.johnson@boeing.com> Subject: Drugs (being censored?) Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1999 06:11:10 -0700 My last comments on the topic follow, as I agree it is getting out of hand and some of the more immature people on the list are resorting to childish retorts and insults. Why is that these are the only people who feel the need to respond? >From our fearless leader: >Administrivia: > >Please save me from the drug discussion. >This is an XTC list, not an XTC list While I agree with this, I don't think it's particularly fair given that recent equally "thrilling" topics such as Satanas, turkeys/religion, etc, were allowed pretty much free-reign on the list for a LONG time. Like I said, I'm sorry to have to post off-topic, but some things needed clearing up. Things which have since been twisted out of context - I am not against the sick (cancer patients, terminally ill, chemotherapy patients, etc.) getting what they need to feel better. PLEASE follow the links below and read the truth about medical research on the medicinal properties of marijuana, since it seems my response that included these has been killed off prematurely. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/UK/Health/PApot161199.shtml http://www.salon.com/health/log/1999/10/15/cannabis/index.html?YAH&DN=110 Thanks to the numerous people who emailed me privately in support of my thoughts. It makes me feel better to know that there are others out there who, for the most part, agree. It's a shame I couldn't have had some backing on the list, but I understand your lack of desire to put your feet in the fire. Tom Electronic Work Instructions Web-owner, Manufacturing Engineering Homepage <http://nt-mes-08.msc.az.boeing.com/engineer/me/home.html>
------------------------------
Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.19991217154207.007d8bf0@192.168.1.1>
Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1999 15:42:07 +0100
From: Giovanni Giusti <giovanni@delizia.com>
Subject: YA XTC survey, this one pretty convoluted
Chalkhilleans,
back in my teen years in Italy, we favoured the following game: one in a
group would have to leave the room, and the others agreed on a known person
or historical figure. Then the player would return, and try to guess who
the mystery person was by asking questions like:
"If (s)he were a tree, what tree would (s)he be?"
"If (s)he were a musical scale, what musical scale would (s)he be?"
... and so on with what body part, what colour, etc etc
This game was obviously impossible to solve since those questions relied on
interpretations much too personal to make them reliable. What musical scale
would Napoleon be? Or my friend's little brother? However, for the same
reason, it was very entertaining to discuss these interpretations after the
fact:
"Blue? Julius Caesar, blue? How on Earth could you think such a thing!"
Also, each person's interpretations were really telling about his/her
character. It was a way of analysing ourselves and each other. Brainy
chaps, huh?
Once I was the subject of the enquiry (I had been selected as the mystery
person), and someone, being asked "what chord" the mystery person was, said
"G minor". Wow, I was a G minor. How thrilling.
All this introduction to say that we might try a slightly different game,
with the subject already known:
What plant would you say XTC is?
What animal?
What colour?
What historical (pre-1900's) celebrity?
What modern celebrity?
What Hollywood actor/actress?
What city?
I will gladly collect the results, digest them (if possible, with all I'll
have to eat for Christmas! Jeeez!) and spew them back onto the list.
Please email your answers, or any comments to <giovanni@delizia.com>.
Giovanni
P.S.: Drugs should be legalised. I know a lot of people that take them just
because they're "cool" (i.e. they denote courage 'cause you're doing
something illegal). If their parents smoked joints, teenagers wouldn't.
P.P.S.: Besides, Americans should also abolish legal drinking age. Same
thing, it just makes it more interesting to get bashed.
P.P.P.S.: While you're there, abolish that silly 18-yo age of consent.
Teenagers are going to do it anyway. And it's ridiculous you're allowed to
fire guns before you're allowed to have sex.
------------------------------ From: Dave.Wilson@bhint.com Message-ID: <8025684A.005B57B7.00@noteshub1.bhint.com> Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1999 16:34:16 +0000 Subject: XTC tickets now available You wish! I have to get this off my chest. . . Musicians like their music to be heard. They like to play it to people and get response. I used to think that it was necessary for artists to play live to nurture their creativity. Well, Partridge has proven me wrong there. But, you know, I may be expressing the unconscious desire deep in the soul of every Charkhillian, Lillian, here. . . XTC will play live again. Believe it. And I will be there. Ha! The Ginger Magish
------------------------------ From: JEFFREY.THOMAS.JT@bayer-ag.de Subject: Yet another list post to end the year Message-Id: <0006800018287516000002L062*@MHS> Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1999 17:31:19 +0100 Hi "Kreideberger", As a last post from here for this year, decade, century etc. (was there something else I missed?), I thought I can express my gratitude to Chalkhills by including yet another "best purchases of 1999" list. I actually enjoy reading others' lists, so I don't feel too bad sending a "copycat post". The records I bought this year that I really enjoy (not really in any particular order): XTC: AV1, Rag & Bone*, Homespun Joni Mitchell: Hejira* Richard Thompson: Mock Tudor* David Yazbek: Laughing Man* Duncan Sheik: Humming* Mitch Friedman: Importance of Sauce* The Negro Problem: Post Minstrel Syndrome* The La's: The La's Adrian Belew: Here* Meg Hentges: Brompton's Cocktail Bjork: Debut Sheryl Crow: Globe Sessions Ringo Starr: Storytellers Beatles: Yellow Sub Songtrack Radiohead: The Bends Beach Boys: Smile* The jury is still out: Beck: Odelay Flaming Lips: Soft Bulletin* Residents: Commercial Album* TLT: Looking for a Day in the Night* Wilco: Summerteeth Fountains of Wayne: Utopia Pkwy.* Not (quite) as good as I'd hoped or expected: J. Falkner: Can You Still Feel* Owsley: Owsley* GBV: Do the Collapse* Chris Cornell: Euphoria Morning* Sugar: Copper Blue* Still haven't had time to listen: Sloan: One Chord to Another* Feelies: Crazy Rhythms* R. Hitchcock: Uncorrected Personality Traits* The asterisked entries were bought as a direct result of reading comments and critiques here in Chalkhills. And that's why I feel I should express my gratitude with this post! Which ones would I save from Phil Corless' proverbial house fire? AV1, Hejira, Yazbek, and a couple of others, too. I'd also like to say thanks to the people here who made the 'Hills really great for me this year, among them Yoshiko, Mitch, John B., Erich S., Dave R., and Steph; Sherison, the Dom, and Todd for their hilarious posts; and of course John Relph for making this all happen, officially or not. And all the rest of you who wrote off-list to comment or to answer my questions -- you know who you are. Now I'll be off to the sunny (well, in comparison to here, anyway) climes of New Jersey/USA for the holidays. I wish all of Chalkhills the best for this season (and may you not suffer from post-Millennium depression when you discover the hype was a bit much for a regular old New Year's Eve), see you -- and AV2 -- in 2000! - Jeff - - - PS - To be honest, it sure is weird to actually be here at the verge of the year 2000. When I was a kid, that date seemed SOOOO far away, and I really didn't consider it to be a reality. Now it's here, now I'm there! And I'm 40 and I NEVER thought I'd reach that age. Oh well, 40 isn't the end of the world (but you can see it from there). Remember 1984? Remember "Space 1999" and "2001: A Space Odyssey"? Man, were they off the mark!
------------------------------ From: WillJ4comm@aol.com Message-ID: <0.39b06e13.258bcb35@aol.com> Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1999 12:21:57 EST Subject: Re: American Beauty Somebody (can't get to the message right now, sorry), wrote: <<I don't really see what the big fuss is about "American Beauty". It had some very powerful moments, but overall I found it rather manipulative and ultimately slightly shallow.>> Hear f***ing hear! This was the most grueling movie experience I've had in I don't know how long. Genius? I'd never considered the possibility of ingenious dog crap, but yes, upon further reflection, that describes this movie perfectly. I should have guessed when I read the movie promo poster outside the theater saying that Steven Spielberg said this was the best movie he'd seen in years. (Butthead voice) Hoh, boy... This movie showed me absolutely NOTHING. A bunch of unadmirable characters that went nowhere but downhill from the start. Good performances from everybody, and some interesting cinematography, but really, who cares? Does technical expertise and great acting make for great film? If that's the case, then Rush is the greatest band of all time, and an expertly made snuff film qualifies for consideration as great art. I told a friend the other day that American Beauty was for me the cinematic equivalent of Chris Gaines: Presenting itself as something really insightful, really meaningful, but in reality, it's just rehashed, cliched, non-daring, unbold, look-how-dark-commentary I can be (well, maybe Chris doesn't have the dark commentary, just a brooding clown of a central character, so I guess Chris Gaines wins by a nose). Movies like this and Natural Born Killers try to say something, but they just end up perpetuating and strengthening what they say they despise. Total waste of time! Opposing opinions tossed off without consideration ;) Rent Life is Beautiful, now there's a movie for ya with with a few hundred valuable things to say. Have a great weekend, Will
------------------------------
Message-ID: <199912171912080840.000BAC39@mail.tin.it>
Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1999 19:12:08 +0100
From: "HowTired" <nopat@tin.it>
Subject: Bragging about Billy...
"Diamond" <arnos@nantucket.net> asked :
>Now, I want all you folks to tell me everything you know about Billy Bragg.
>I've heard his name around, and he sounds interesting. Tell me now!
>Kevin "Gosh, I'm demanding" Diamond
Yessiree.
Well, to me Billy is like a long time friend (not that I've ever met him, I
just happened to grow up listening to his songs) and I could ramble about
him for hours, but I'll try to keep this short...
I think this line explains his attitude perfectly :
"Mixing pop and politics, he asks me what the use is,
I offer him embarassment and my usual excuses"
He started singing songs about unemployment, monarchy and the poor, just him
and his electric guitar, then he began mixing politics and affections, and
by the time he sang "I'm not looking for a new England, I'm just looking for
another girl" you couldn't help but love him, expecially if you shared the
same feelings about politics and sex. But then, as he later explained :
"communism is (or rather should be) a matter of people loving other people,
so if you can't love, you can't be a good communist".
Did I forgot to mention he is a communist ? Probably living in the north of
England during Thatcher's government might have helped him being so bitterly
angry.
And when he broke up with his girlfriend he shared his emotions with his
fans, I guess that's why we all got so involved with him... that's when I
kinda started looking at him like he was a bigger brother.
Just because listening to his albums was like reading his diary, sharing his
feelings, and then he wasn't complaining all the time like that other
Morrissey guy... Not so much, at least :)
IMHO his best work to date is still "Talking with the taxman about poetry",
with one of the hippiest love songs I've heard ("Greetings to the new
brunette"). Still a masterpiece to me, although "Don't try this at home" is
probably more complete and well-crafted, with Michael Stipe and Johnny Marr
guesting and a delicious cover of Tim Buckley's "Dolphins". But I still
think that "taxman" is more emotionally involving.
Now he's grown up, he's married and has a baby girl, and he's been heard in
live concert singing "I'm not looking for new england, I'm just looking for
another girl... who is available to babysit for my baby"... eh, time passes
for everyone... :)
(by the way, wouldn't be embarrassing if you were a pop singer, and your
wife could hear all these songs you'd witten about your former girlfriends ?
I mean, I may have written some letters, but that will probably remain
between me and the person involved, but... songs everyone will hear ?)
His "William Bloke" CD, published in 1997 after many years of silence
(reminds you of XTC ?), shows him in the bathroom playing with his child...
and you just listen and say "hey, so that's where you've been all this time,
huh ?". Like an old friend you' ve lost contact with.
Haven't heard his last works, but I know he published an album singing all
those old Woody Guthrie songs.
Sorry, I guess I ended up rambling. :)
------------------------------ From: WillJ4comm@aol.com Message-ID: <0.b98f0782.258c256f@aol.com> Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1999 18:46:55 EST Subject: Just Blurrin' Along Kevin wrote: <<First, have you ever tried to re-string a bass AND read a Chalkhills at the same time? It's T-U-F-F tough. Don't try it. I just purchased my first Blur album, The Great Escape. I had heard that Blur were good, but I forgot which albums people had said were good, so I just bought the one that I thought had the best album design, and that one turned out to be The Great Escape. I think the Album Design definetly does the album justice. I love the album, it's great. So, which one should I buy next? I heard Parklife is good. Kevin "Inquisitive" Diamond>> I've recently gotten into Blur as well, Kevin, and I now have what I understand are the four essential releases (Parklife to the present). Here's my take: I bought "Blur" and "13" first, dismissed them both, then came back to "13" about 2 months later, now I probably consider it my favorite Blur album. It came out this year, and is probably my #2 album of the year behind AV1. Produced by William Orbit, it's truly an original sounding album, like a more internalized OK Computer, but not so bleak or heavy -- more contemplative, thoughtful, experimental. Blur, by the way, got the 99 Q Award for Best Act in the world today, and Orbit won for the production on 13 -- Tender was up for best single but didn't get it, which I think is a crime. I'm very interested to see where they go next. "Blur" (known mainly for Song 2, the "Woo Hoo" song is also excellent, and marks the start of the experimental phase of the band following the polish and shine of The Great Escape. It's a cool blend of experimental, edgier stuff with the Great Escapish Catchiness coming through. A little more heartfelt than great escape too, which makes it a little better in my book. Next I bought The Great Escape, and I too love it. Country House, Best Days and Charmless Man may be just one of the catchiest triple whammies on any album this decade (is there a catchier song this decade than Charmless Man? I know of some as catchy, but not more I don't think. Country House qualifies for one of my singles of the decade methinks). Could Be You is also great, as is Dan Abnormal, even Yuko & Hiro. Albarn is an excellent arranger, and it really shows on TGE, and on the newer albums too. I just got Parklife two weekends ago, and it's still trying to grow on me, but I think at this point it's my least favorite of the four, but it does have some very good tracks. It's kind of a rawer, less developed Great Escape, but because Parklife came first, and because it was seen by many as markedly better than Blur's first two outings, it was considered a major step forward. Q Magazine just noted it as the best album of '94 in their best of the 90s issue. Still, the first four tracks start things off on a very strong note, and Damon Albarn has said that he wrote the second track, Tracy Jacks, while listening to Black Sea (you can definitely hear the influence). In order, my favorites are: 1. "13" (contains "Tender" and "Coffee and TV" two of my votes for best singles of the year, standing proudly alongside "I'd Like That" and "Easter Theatre") 2. "Blur" 3. "The Great Escape" 4. "Parklife" Hope this helps, Blur is indeed one of the ones to watch, they're having a great run right now, I'm only wondering why it took me til last month to find out about them... Best, Will
------------------------------ Message-ID: <006601bf48fe$8dbb0400$795791d2@p13s574p> From: "John Boudreau" <aso1@mocha.ocn.ne.jp> Subject: The Moon In Hand Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 08:57:04 +0900 All , Speaking of the moon ( uh , you mean we WEREN'T ? Sorry ... ) This year will be the first full moon to occur on the winter solstice, December 22, commonly called the First Day of Winter, in 133 years. Since the full moon on the winter solstice will occur in conjunction with a lunar perigee, the point in the moon's orbit that is closest to Earth, the moon will appear about 14 per cent larger than it does at apogee, the point in its elliptical orbit that is farthest from the Earth. The Earth is also several million miles closer to the sun than in the summer, and sunlight striking the moon will be about seven percent [picture of moon] stronger, making it brighter. Also, this will be the closest perigee of the Moon of the year, since the moon's orbit is constantly deforming. In layman's terms, it will be a super bright full moon, much more than the usual and it hasn't happened this way for 133 years. If the weather is clear and there isn't a snow cover where you live, it is believed that even car headlights will be superfluous. Our ancestors 133 years ago sawthis. Our descendants will not see this again for 100 or so years. CHECK IT OUT while listening to Brian Eno's " APOLLO : Atmospheres and Landscapes " . My band has a local ( smalltown in the mountains of Kumamoto prefecture in northern Kyushu located 20 minutes from an active volcano called Mt. Aso which was home to the Japanese monster Gidra ! ) gig tomorrow evening and I will be bringing along AV1 and " Transistor Blast " to play during intermissions . Perhaps I can make a convert or two ... Volcanically yours , John The Sushiman
------------------------------
From: Writetolife@aol.com
Message-ID: <0.ab6d99c0.258c6020@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1999 22:57:20 EST
Subject: Birthday Blast
Friday December 17th was my 32nd birthday and the best gift I got was
from my wife Tracy; XTC - Transistor Blast. If by chance you are like me and
did not get to see XTC live before the end of the touring days and have also
never heard any live recordings, do yourself a favor and plop down the bucks
to get this one. Discs 3 & 4 are live, with crowd, and phenominal. I had been
told that Andy, Collin & the crew were a great live band and to my surprise
they were better than I'd heard described. What I want now is MORE. My
understanding is that there are no other live recordings (non-bootleg) in
print anymore. Can this this true?
Also, for my birthday I subscribed to Chalkhills. I hope this turns out
to be a good thing. The December 17th Digest #5-341 didn't have much in it
concerning XTC. I suppose the longer I read the more I will discover that
this off-subject banter is not commonplace. (Even though I do agree
completely with Davidoh.)
On the subject of bad moves - In 1983 I found XTC and instantly became a
fan on the new release of Mummer and had collected all the original U.S.
releases on vinyl up through Oranges & Lemons. I was used to the track order.
Here now in the Atom Age of CD players, I have been buying the albums again
on disc. Virgin Records must have really had a bone up their bum over XTC to
toss all the extra, not previously released tracks smack dab in the middle of
the things. Am I the only one who thinks it wrecks the flow of the original
albums? Most notably Mummer? I love the songs, especially Desert Island, but
the songs that were not originally on the album should have been reserved for
the end of the album. But, what's done is done, right?
Go Buy Transistor Blast!
Anxiously await AV-2!
Jeff Azara
------------------------------ Message-ID: <002501bf48e4$92681020$da4256d8@chrisree> From: "Chris Rees" <boilerman@provide.net> Subject: times square Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1999 18:15:11 -0500 just a minor footnote for xtc fans, but the film 'times square' has been broadcast over the past few weeks on the Independant Film Network here in the U.S. i personally couldnt sit through 10 minutes of it to hear take this town.... cr [Attachment omitted, unknown MIME type or encoding (text/html)]
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #5-343 *******************************
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