Chalkhills Digest Volume 5, Issue 46
Date: Tuesday, 22 December 1998
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 5, Number 46
Tuesday, 22 December 1998
Today's Topics:
re: conversions
///AP Meets VDP\\\
Frankly profligate
Re: Apple Venus Spoilers
lennon/christ article
Various Discussed Items
My 1998 Top Records
John Lennon and the Son of Ozzy
Best of '98
Converting Wives
Best of '98
Astrophobia, odds, DD
Two Things
Erm... get a grip, will ya?
98
Re: A Striking Beauty
TB cases still broken
Richard Bramson's Last Balloon
TB $, top faves of 98, rebuttal to Hay (sic) Jude
Hey! I listen to the Drums
Rob?
A Very Special Christmas Message
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-ID: <33BFA22F013E0C00@c2smtp.onlc.com> Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1998 10:21:00 -0500 From: Eric Brittingham <Eric_Brittingham@onlc.com> Organization: Online Consulting, Inc Subject: re: conversions I can report a successful recent conversion to XTC. A friend at work was discussing his admiration for REM's Murmer, and really dissecting the songs, the rythmic patterns, the interplay of the vocals and intruments. Since it was my copy of Murmer we were listening to, I knew of which he spoke. Anyway, I told him if this is the level at which he appreciates music, I knew another band he might dig. So, I dropped O&L in his lap, with an advisory to listen to it in the background a few times to let it sink in. He agreed that after repeated listenings, he began to crave particular songs (One of the Milions in particular). He made a copy for himself. Next, I let him borrow Skylarking. Now, that one was an immediate hit. He sought me out to tell me so. Lastly, about a month ago I gave him Mummer. Based on some comments he made about liking Season Cycle a great deal, I thought he might like the lighter side of XTC. Well, he still hasn't returned it. This is so far his favorite, I believe. So, it can be done, although I think he would have become a fan on his own had he been exposed to them earlier. Speaking of hearing things earlier, matt recently wrote: >By the way, I finally JUST HEARD Jeff Buckley. Holy Shit, that man was >amazing. What a loss! Dave matthews, eat your heart out! I remember when I saw the little paragraph in the Sunday newspaper in the summer of 97 that "singer Jeff Buckley" was missing after a swim in the Mississippi River. I was annoyed and angry for weeks, not actively, but in a sort of background bummed way. I'm sorry we lost him. Check out the double-CD "Sketches for 'My Sweatheart the Drunk'" if you feel the need for more. It includes a set of tracks that should have been the follow-up to Grace but he wasn't satisfied with them, plus a set of demos. What a voice. e
------------------------------ Message-Id: <4.1.19981221093539.0094e860@pop-2.iastate.edu> Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1998 09:40:00 -0600 From: John A Lane <jal@iastate.edu> Subject: ///AP Meets VDP\\\ Random idea: The next producer for XTC's follow-up to "Apple Venus" should be Van Dyke Parks. I tend to wonder how/what the chemistry between Andy and Van would be... Thoughts? Comments? --John ///\\\ "Can't you see what I'm trying to tell you? I love you!" -- Groucho http://www.public.iastate.edu/~jal/doublebrian.html ///\\\
------------------------------ From: RichMilNix@aol.com Message-ID: <e112c52.367e85b2@aol.com> Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1998 12:30:26 EST Subject: Frankly profligate I don't mean to steer the list from chalkhills and children to pigs and ponies, but when Todd Steed wrote re: FZ that <<But the man put out 50 (count em) 50 freakin rekerds>>, I had to jump in and point out the the number is actually something like 66 or 68 (cdnow lists 77 albums, but there are a couple of compilations on there), not including the four or five new albums that we know to have been in the can in December 1993 (Dance Me This, The Rage & The Fury, Trance Fusion, Everything is Healing Nicely). As a rabid fan of XTC and of FZ, I've noticed the little groundquakes of approval that rumble up through the 'Hills whenever the Central Scrutinizer's name is invoked; it seems that even folks who haven't fully ingested the ouevre approve of what they know about him (when what they know is that he was a maniacally focussed worker who eschewed chemical stimulation and was fiercely devoted to his work and his family). I don't have much to say about any similarities between the Thing-Fish and the Lovemen, except that I find some smugness among listeners of both camps, along with disappointment that the rest of the world hasn't also tapped this rich vein. Given that I only post once every three hundred digests or so, I suppose I should try to stay closer to topic, but ... ... look over there! (sprints off into the distance) Ian.
------------------------------ From: William Blakely <rtriptow@skyhouse.org> Subject: Re: Apple Venus Spoilers Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1998 11:45:16 -0800 Message-ID: <000101be2d1a$7106e730$16eeb5cf@daedalus> >From: Jdmack01@aol.com > >O.K., this means that there are advance copies of the album officially >floating around out there now (most likely CD's). So my first request to >everyone on Chalkhills - if you come across one of these babies before the >official release, KEEP IT TO YOURSELF! Please don't taunt everyone else on >the list by submitting your song by song review of the album before the rest >of us get to hear it. But I WANT to read everyone's song-by-song reviews of the album. It's not like giving away the ending of a movie -- it's people's impressions of long-awaited music that I will enjoy for its own sake when I finally hear it myself. It's easy enough to skip over other people's comments and reviews. Don't you do that anyway?
------------------------------ Message-ID: <367EA30E.758E@bu.edu> Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1998 14:35:49 -0500 From: Ryan Walsh <factory@bu.edu> Organization: Boston University Subject: lennon/christ article "Don't get me wrong, I LOVE John Lennon's music, mostly as it manifests itself through the Beatles. I have no desire to slander him or deify him. Again, the things I said are commonly known facts, at least among 3rd-rate Beatles- heads. He was a MAN, a HUMAN BEING, who had the 'failings' and 'shortcomings' common to every human being; that's not to say his particular things were common to everyone, of course. I just don't associate Christ-like figures with having anything remotely negative about their being. Maybe I'll outgrow that concept, who knows." Thanks for the constructive criticism on My LENON/CHRIST article Matt. I agree that I withheld certain info in order to strengthen my argument. He was flawed and he wasn't Christ but, ....well, I said everything I wanted to in the article. Cool beans, Ryan ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Yesterday I took a chance and wore my dancin' shoes Today I will go out on a limb" Marah EMAIL : factory@bu.edu AOL Internet instant message address (AIM) : Fact0ryTim (Don't send email to this address it will not work -- Note the zero in factory, it's not an 'o')
------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.1.16.19981221151151.31f74988@pop.mindspring.com> Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1998 15:11:51 From: marystephens <markdrake@mindspring.com> Subject: Various Discussed Items Howdy Chalktalkers from the Bible Belly! This is my first post so please be gentle. As far as the issue of "drummers" is concerned, I think that the drumming that was put forth for the music that was being written fit just right. I've often daydreamed of backing these guys myself, then I crash back to reality while listening to the different talents that XTC tapped into then I ask myself, "Self - would I have came up that lick/line to match what else was going on in the tune?". And obviously the answer is a resounding "probably not". Then again maybe it boils down to this - If AP likes it, everybody will like it. As far as John Lennon is concerned - in the words of the immortal Rodney King , "Can't we all just get along?" Now regarding the spousal differences in music tastes. I too have a spouse that doesn't fully appreciate the works of our favorite three stooges. But she does have an affinity for O&L for some reason. And I don't just mean Mayor - she likes all of the tunes! That's all for now - My boss is looming.......................
------------------------------ Message-ID: <19981221203054.16649.rocketmail@send101.yahoomail.com> Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1998 12:30:54 -0800 (PST) From: Veronica Kyle Robertson <veronicakr@yahoo.com> Subject: My 1998 Top Records It's been fun seeing all the top 10 lists from everyone. I'll be sure to check out some of those recommendations. Like I mentioned a few digest ago, I'll be ordering music for the public library starting in February, and I'm sure I'll be purchasing some of those albums listed. Although some of my favorites for '98 match those of others, I'll try to throw in some that no one has mentioned so far. (In no particular order) Quasi- Featuring "Birds" (divorce-inspired songs that rank above even Buckingham/Nicks and Abba). Elliott Smith- XO Woggles- Wailin' with the Woggles: Finally an album that almost captures the excitment of seeing them live). Gearhead/Lookout Records comp- All Punk Rods: All the songs are about cars, except one by the Peechees about coveting Tater Tots) Rufus Wainwright- S/T Marshall Crenshaw- 9 Volt Years Smart Went Crazy- Con Art: Too bad they broke up this year. Scott Walker- Scott Walker Sings Jacques Brel: OK, that's not a new one, but it was new to me. And it's so brilliant, I just had to mention it. Stuff I wish I had enough $$ for: the new ones by Lucinda Wms., Gillian Welch, Vic Chesnutt, Candye Kane, Randy Newman, Squeeze. And I really wish I could get the box sets for Transistor Blast and Miles' "Bitches Brew" sessions. Veronica P.S. Several years ago I had an upstairs neighbor who constantly played the soundtrack to "Annie", so I have terrible flashbacks whenever I hear Jay-Z's "Hard Knock Life". Does anyone else on the list get the urge to throw something when they hear this "song"?
------------------------------ Message-ID: <367EB928.30ACD083@tmn.com> Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1998 16:10:01 -0500 From: John Schoneboom <schone@tmn.com> Subject: John Lennon and the Son of Ozzy Erm, with apologies to Dom for appropriating his joke. I believe I warned in a previous message some weeks ago that I would be stealing it, and now it's come true. Matt wrote: > I just don't > associate Christ-like figures with having anything remotely negative about > their being. Maybe I'll outgrow that concept, who knows. Well, you may not expect to outgrow it, but then no-one expects the Spanish Inquisition. Their weapon is surprise. Surprise and fear. Fear and surprise. Surprise, fear, and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope. Three weapons. Personally, I have heaps of negative associations with all "christ-like" figures, mostly having to do with things like the Spanish Inquisition and more broadly the sad human phenomenon of rabid followers who can't tell a nice little myth from a sack of potatoes and won't leave other people in peace. OK, so he's not the messiah, he's just a very naughty boy (to continue stealing my jokes from reputable sources). Everybody's shit smells, it's been proven, I read it in a magazine (thus it is unwise to get all sanctimonious about marital infidelities and [gasp!] the enjoyment of drugs...or anything else for that matter). Suffice it to say I don't think we need to deify John Lennon (or mr. jesus) in order to think it's a damned shame somebody offed him. While I'm in a contrary mood, I'd also like to offer a counter-plea to anyone who gets an early copy of Apple Venus for them to go on ahead and share the excitement right here as much as you want. It's really not like knowing the ending of a movie. "Oh, this album's ruined, I already read some email about it..." Eh? I'm not done yet. There are four albums I got this year that I have listened to and enjoyed particularly well and I'm dead set on revealing them to you all at this time. One is the Spice Girls second album, yes that's right, the Spice Girls, and before you say anything let me warn you I am prepared to hurl chairs across the room and duck out a side door before you can catch me. Number two: Faye Wong. That's a person's name. She's a pop star from Hong Kong, and I can't tell you the name of the album because it's in Chinese writing, but she's done collaborations with the Cocteau Twins and is perhaps best compared to them but in a more Chinese and poppy way. That's poppy as in pop music like, not as in opium, so let the young anti-drug coalition be at peace here as I continue. You may have seen her in Chung King Express and heard her rendition of a Cranberries song whose name I can never remember (her version is vastly preferable to the original if you ask me). If you have seen Chung King Express, you are most probably already entranced. Third: MC Solaar. I forget the album's name but that's OK because you don't care anyway. If you do care, it's a black and white album cover and his face is in shadow because he's wearing a big hood. Odd thing, me liking MC Solaar, because normally I like neither rap nor the French, particularly, but you put the two together and...magic! (Actually, I do like rap and I've come to accept the French but I couldn't resist making that joke, the only original one in the whole message.) Fourth: Reunion, the Black Sabbath live set. It cooks. With regard to the question of how best to change somebody's mind who doesn't like XTC: Why the compulsion to proselytize? Live and let live! The harder you try, the more the other person will think XTC is weird and their fans are part of a suspicious cult. OK, so both things are true, but we don't have to go around proving it all the time or somebody might alert the authorities. your pal, John
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1998 15:57:32 -0500 (EST) From: Funk Genie <keathvj9@salem.edu> Subject: Best of '98 Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.96.981221154255.1307A-100000@sisters.salem.edu> Seasons greetings to my fellow chalkhillians! Here are my best of '98 Liz Phair- Whitechocolatespaceegg Pulp-This is Hardcore Beastie Boys-Hello Nasty Cracker- Gentleman's Blues Goodwill Hunting Soundtrack Lucinda Williams- Car Wheels on a Gravel Road Ecohead-Ecohead Man the pickings are slim this year. I can't even think of enough to make a list of ten. So does anybody know how the band feels about their relationship with TVT so far. I really haven't heard too many great reviews about the label. KMFDM was one of the earliest bands from Wax Trax/TVT and they left this year because of differences with the label, as did Sister Machine Gun. Apparently TVT doesn't do the greatest job of promoting their bands etc.ANy info would be apreciated. Hopefully, TVT realizes that a band as influential as XTC deserves the best. Man it's hard to belive that I was merely a freshman in high school when the last XTC album came out. It will be great to end my senior year of College with new XTC.
------------------------------ Message-ID: <0143041F00B7D011B7C500A0C9005151206F30@IMA_NT1> From: "BOB O'BANNON" <BOBANNON@IMAweb.com> Subject: Converting Wives Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1998 12:24:19 -0500 Richard wrote: >>>A great fun moment for me was a few weeks back when I noticed my wife singing along with Oranges And Lemons. Calling her attention to it backfired. <<< I've had the same experience. I have been trying to convert my wife to XTC for the last four years, and her reaction has been less than enthusiastic. I have, however, caught her humming "Pumpkinhead" before, but judging from the fact that I haven't heard her hum it again since, I think it was a bad idea for me to so loudly claim victory as I did. So don't force anyone to admit a growing affection for our heroes. >>>Perhaps you could make her a tape.<<<< I did this too. Let's see, I included Pumpkinhead, Take This Town, Punch and Judy, Then She Appeared, Seasons Cycle, Don't Lose Your Temper, 1000 Umbrellas, Desert Island, Humble Daisy, Brainiac's Daughter. On the flip side I made a mix of Elvis Costello songs, and when asked who she liked best, she quickly and emphatically sided with Elvis. What didn't she like about XTC? "All their songs sound the same," she said. Arrggghh! My first defense was to point out that to an extent, every artist "sounds the same," in that a lead vocalist will retain the timbre of his/her voice enough to sound generally "the same" for many years. That's unavoidable and is therefore not a fair criticism. Then I proceeded to have a short listening lesson on the fact that XTC has managed a variety in its sound that far exceeds what most bands have been able to accomplish. I contrasted "New Town Animal in Furnished Cage" with "Love on a Farmboy's Wages," then went quickly to "Train Running Low on Soul Coal," backed up with "1000 Umbrellas," then over to "It's Nearly Africa," forward to "Man Who Sailed Around His Soul," and finally ended up with "Rook." "Now do you still say XTC all sounds the same?" I asked. She humbly stood corrected. Unfortunately, I'm still not sure she likes XTC any more than she did to begin with. I'm hoping the new album will help in my campaign. Bob
------------------------------ Message-ID: <367F007D.D695FDE5@vyo.org> Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1998 21:14:21 -0500 From: Troy Peters <troy@vyo.org> Subject: Best of '98 Okay, since you asked... my ten best of '98 (in alphabetical order -- I tried, but couldn't put it any other order) John Adams: Gnarly Buttons Shawn Colvin: Holiday Songs and Lullabies Elvis Costello with Burt Bacharach: Painted from Memory Sheryl Crow: The Globe Sessions Neil Finn: Try Whistling This Lauryn Hill: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill Lyle Lovett: Step Inside This House Nick Lowe: Dig My Mood Arvo Part: Kanon Pokajanen XTC: Transistor Blast Two months to Apple Venus? They'll fly by! Troy Peters
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01540b03b2a4b552417b@[192.168.0.72]> Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1998 15:33:14 +1300 From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James Dignan) Subject: Astrophobia, odds, DD >The astrophobia revelation might also shed light on the emotion he invests >in the line "And the stars are laughing at us" from "Across this Antheap." >Can anybody think of any others? "Miniature sun", maybe - the last couple of verses where everything goes bad? >Another Canadian band I highly recommend is Odds. agreed! got myself a copy of Bedbugs by Odds earlier this year, and I DO think I like it a lot! >ElizaS33@aol.com >Stuff that might well have made the 1998 list except I haven't heard it >yet: Squeeze, Dave Dobbyn. ohmigawd! someone from overseas has heard of Dave Dobbyn! Those of you who don't know him - some of his early work was a little patchy, it must be said, but his recent albums have been right on the mark. If you like Ron Sexsmith but wish that he was a little less twee, with a bit of a darker edge occasionally, and rocked more, then DD may just be the bloke for you. His latest album is called "The Islander", and is bloody good - also try "Lament for the numb". James (always willing to promote yet more Kiwi music...)
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v0401170ab2a37c4b067f@[192.168.0.72]> Subject: Two Things Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1998 15:40:45 +1300 From: James Dignan <james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz> A twofold message... 1) condiments of the seasons to you, whether you be suffering the strain of Christmas, Hanukkah, 'Id al fitr, Midsummer (or Midwinter) solstice, Hogmanay, Twelfth night, Cuban liberation day, Kwanzaa, or World trivia day (Jan 4th). All the best for it and many more of them. 2) due to a glitch on the disk I carry my email around on, I have lost a lot of mail that has been sent to me in the last couple of months. If you're waiting for a reply from me to mail sent between late October and last Friday, and your name is not Bibi, Bayard, Cheri, Edward, James, Jude, Lynelle, Rhys or Will, can you please tell me who and what I should be replying to? James
------------------------------ Message-ID: <01BE2DB0.C10CFB20@h161.s253.ts32.hinet.net> From: Don Rogalski <tonikuo@ms10.hinet.net> Subject: Erm... get a grip, will ya? Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1998 13:41:14 +0800 A lost individual wrote: >From: GFROBE@aol.com >Subject: Lennon >To John B, who wrote that John Lennon was >"just a songwriter"... I'm not really sure how >someone could so painfully miss how much >more Lennon was and will continue to be to >generations of people. I could sit here and write >for two days trying to explain it to you but it's >pretty clear that you just wouldn't get it... I'm not really sure how someone could so painfully miss how over-rated and ultimately uninteresting John Lennon's legacy is to a lot of people. After all, he was just a songwriter. Might a more in-depth discussion of this annoying former Beatle be more appropriate on the Beatles list? Or, at the very least, might the innocuously truculent tone that his apologists so often adopt be dropped? Loving XTC does not necessarily entail loving the Beatles, regardless of the musical debt owed. " If-it-weren't-for" arguments are academic - when it comes to loving one kind of music or another they are moot, and don't matter a whit. I'm a terrific fan of Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane, but I can't stand to listen to Charlie Parker for more than a minute or two. This used to get me in hot water with a former room-mate, who was an encyclopedic collector and appreciator of jazz. "How can you not see the connection?" he would badger me, and I would reply, every time, that I could, it is self-evident. "Then why don't you dig Charlie Parker? Man, he started it all." "Thanks for starting it all, Charlie," I'd acquiesce, and then go back to digging out Monk's live solo recordings from the 5-Spot in San Francisco. I guess it's pretty clear that I just don't get it. Cheers, Don Rogalski [Attachment omitted, unknown MIME type or encoding (application/ms-tnef)]
------------------------------
Message-ID: <000901be2d8b$45b2c380$52da3ac3@mad19>
From: "Chris Clarke" <cclarke@sigta.co.uk>
Subject: 98
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1998 09:12:18 -0000
Hi all
Best of '98... Well IMHO '98 has been the worst year for music since,
um..let me see.. about 1989 but I did manage to buy two whole new CD's:
1) This is Hardcore - Pulp
2) Fin de Siecle - Divine Comedy
Fortunately, both the above are (again, IMHO) among the best records of the
decade, especially the Divine Comedy one. Good to see someone who made a
commercial breakthrough with their last album not produce an album with five
guaranteed hit singles with the next.
Huge disappointments of 98:
1) This is My Truth etc - Manic Street Preachers
(I really hoped Everything must go was just a blip)
2) Mezzanine - Massive Attack
(Is it just me, or is this just a little dull)
Um XTC content...oh yes
The only XTC album my wife will even consider letting me put anywhere near
the CD player while she's in the house is Skylarking, especially
'Sacrificial Bonfire'. Still, that's my favourite as well so I guess I get
something out of marriage ;-)
See you all after the festivities and hey....have a happy one
God bless John Relph
* ---------------------------------------
chris 2
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1998 04:35:13 -0500 From: Cooking Vinyl <Cooking_Vinyl@compuserve.com> Subject: Re: A Striking Beauty Message-ID: <199812220435_MC2-646A-A57A@compuserve.com> Message text written by someone on Chalkhills: >At the store where I purchased my copy of Transistor Blast the owner told how lucky I was to get one of his only two copies since the plant where they are being produced has been shut down due to a strike. So, if this is true I'm sure you can hang in there for labor. I know no details but am passing on what the distributor told the owner of my local CD store "Rock-a-Billy's".< It's not true!
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v04011701b2a53a181497@[209.86.73.129]> Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1998 07:03:59 -0500 From: Curtiss Hammock <curtiss@desertisle.com> Subject: TB cases still broken Someone wrote of the Transistor Blast set: > >> :) The flimsy neon cd-cases are very cheezy though. One would expect > >> slightly sturdier construction for $40+, but I'm glad I have it And Cooking Vinyl <Cooking_Vinyl@compuserve.com> responded: > they cost a fortune to make!!! We thought they were very special(: I thought they were nice to look at, but not very practical, since, as I mentioned earlier, mine arrived busted all to hell, all four of them. It's been more than a week and I've yet to hear from TVT customer service, and because they are special cases, I can't replace them on my own. This sucks. Curtiss Curtiss R. Hammock II Atlanta, GA, USA Online Portfolio http://www.desertisle.com/curtiss/ The Cavedogs http://www.desertisle.com/cavedogs/ Funk Pop A Roll http://www.desertisle.com/funkpoparoll/
------------------------------
Message-ID: <618F91505D89D21185330001FA6A495408226F@HFD-EXCH008>
From: "Witter, Karl F" <WitterKF@aetna.com>
Subject: Richard Bramson's Last Balloon
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1998 09:16:19 -0500
Richard Bramson was a Jeopardy clue again this week. Final Jeopardy
this time!! When will their fixation on his hot-air activities end?
And I'm still waiting for the Swindonites to get in edgewise even via
the when-did-you-stop-beating-your-wife manner. ("X for four hundred."
"This 20-year old English pop band has no connection with the
three-letter drug of the same name. They swear it. None. Really.")
No top-whatever list here. The only thing I bought anywhere near new
this year is Semisonic's "Feeling Strangely Fine".
Oh boy! some useless old utensil,
Karl
------------------------------ From: JudeHayden@aol.com Message-ID: <77d67389.367fc979@aol.com> Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1998 11:31:53 EST Subject: TB $, top faves of 98, rebuttal to Hay (sic) Jude Howdy Chalkids- I got TB at Media Play for $35.99 last week... not bragging, just helping comparative shoppers... My randomly listed faves of 98- Rialto (s/t), Komeda (What Makes it Go?), Pizzicato Five (The International Playboy & Playgirl Record), Pulp (This is Hardcore), Costello/Bacharach (Painted from Memory), Neil Finn (Try Whistling This), Saint Etienne (Good Humour/Fairfax High), Posies (Success), Duffy (I Love My Friends), Beautiful South (Quench), Sean Lennon (Into the Sun), Chris Isaak (Speak of the Devil), and the whole Talkin' Verve/Verve By Request reissue series... And I wish I could remember who it was that "dissed" me (good-naturedly, sure) about Terry Chambers' drumming skills. Okay, Mr. Smarty-Pants- how do new headphones help you hear the "time" of music better? ;-) See ya, Jude
------------------------------ Message-ID: <19981222183827.26212.rocketmail@web4.rocketmail.com> Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1998 10:38:27 -0800 (PST) From: nross <phoenixyellowrose@rocketmail.com> Subject: Hey! I listen to the Drums I think it was Molly and another person... I can't remember and I am not going to go back and search through the digest, but... Yuns had the view of the great drum debate as being I suppose somewhat silly, with a "who really pays attention to the drums anyway" sort of attitude! I can really understand this point, because a lot of the music on the radio really is lame as far as the drums are concerned. If you had grown up listening to music that has obviously been arranged by people who care about the drums... allowing the instrument to attain its own personality within the song, you'd probably see the debate as more worthwhile! Drums are so integral to making a song really really interesting. I know absolutely no music-vocabulary, so this will be a hinderance in trying to get my point across... but here goes: just by choosing the correct cymbal or drum to accompany a particular word or moment, the musician (or producer) can make a song commercially more successful, as well as more fun to listen to. I remember asking my brother-in-law (who had been in a band... and is really into music, especially SUPERCHUNK) why a producer is so important to a record... he pulled out a Foo Fighters album and played a particular point in a song... and said "hear that cymbal? That was a smart change by a really amazing producer... without that particular sound at that point... the song would be lacking..." Really, even if you dislike Metallica, just listen to the drums in one of their songs (not the covers they do). You'll hear drums with real personality. Like with any instrument, I'm sure, the drums should not be overlooked. Okay... Third Eye Blind does a good job with the drums too. If only I could explain in more technical terms the importance of drums would be more clear! Hey DRUMERS out there... ones who are more eloquent than I, please write a clearer message explaining the importance of drums to those who think they are merely background to keep time... uh... sorry about going postal. I just like drums, damned it. ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGH! Okay, so I've demonstrated that I am insane.
------------------------------ From: "Bob Dunn" <rjd55@mail2.nai.net> Subject: Rob? Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1998 14:29:43 -0500 Message-ID: <000201be2de1$6da25800$0100005a@zanthus> Rob, I had to reinstall windows and lost your message about Andy Partridge and your address. If you could please resend it I'd appreciate it. Happy Holidays! Bob
------------------------------
Message-ID: <19981222204847.3566.qmail@hotmail.com>
From: "Amanda Owens" <daveizgod@hotmail.com>
Subject: A Very Special Christmas Message
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1998 12:48:46 PST
"Hello, this is Andy Partridge of XTC. Don't drink and drive, don't
sacrifice goats if you plan to operate heavy machinery, and don't boil
your best friends alive in vats of their own phlegm if you intend to go
hang-gliding much more often."
-Sir John Johns
As I have received several emails requesting "Oh, what did you and Dave
talk about?" I shall share a smidgen, although Dave did remind me to be
tactful. (Tact? What's that?) So I shall try to sum things up:
Dave did a fantastic impression of Eric Cartman screaming for Cheesy
Poofs, we talked about him leaving the band, I share a birthday with one
of his nephews, Song Stories has quite a few non-truths in it (for
example, Dave never owned identical Stratocasters), he talked about his
parents' and my own smoking habits, the Beatles, disco (which he likes,
shame on him), Monty Python, politics, Crash Test Dummies (for the
record, Dave likes their music and has met Benjamin Darvill, Andy thinks
Brad Roberts is a nice guy but talks about himself too much), religion,
Bill Clinton, Omnibus being about his need to get himself a gal,
answering machine messages, the comedy of errors that preceded the phone
call, guitars, the presents we've given each other, Mitch, he thinks I
sound a lot older than I am, and he thinks I'm a very complex and lovely
person, and he thinks the tape I gave him is the sweetest thing he's
ever gotten. (Grin grin, blush blush) And at the end of our
conversation, we played everyone's favorite game of "Who's Going To Hang
Up First?" It was about two minutes worth of "You hang up." "No, you
hang up." "No, YOU hang up!" So we finally both counted to three, said
"Bye", found that STILL, neither of us had hung up, then finally ended
the conversation.
I proceeded to spend the rest of the night in incredible bliss.
BTW-I haven't gotten my TB yet, although it's sitting in my mother's
closet awaiting X-mas day, a real puzzler has been presented. I'm not
sure what disc it's on, but it's been pointed out by both Dave and Mitch
that "This World Over" sounds almost like it's nothing more than the
version from the Big Express. Questions? Comments?
Tis all for now, Merry Christmas to all,
Amanda C. Owens
"People will always be tempted to wipe their feet on anything with
welcome written on it."-Andy Partridge
XTC song of the day-Thanks For Christmas
non XTC song-The Mummer's Dance-Loreena McKennitt
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #5-46 ******************************
Go back to Volume 5.
22 December 1998 / Feedback