Chalkhills Digest Volume 5, Issue 95
Date: Saturday, 20 February 1999
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 5, Number 95
Saturday, 20 February 1999
Today's Topics:
No Macs?
listen to Frivolous Tonight
DC Area XTC Listening Party?
A HELLUVA WEEK !
Re: Spoonman vs. Greenman
Another Inspired Headline - Boston Herald
"Apple Venus" countdown at cookingvinyl.com
Random remarks, again
AUGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!
XTC on the radio
Don't Diss Duran Duran
we're the kids in America, whoa-oa.
I feel like Frivilous Tonight, like Frivilous Tonight!
New Publicity Pix
apple venus vol 1
AV review
Remember when. . . ?
Andy in Buffalo/Toronto
Andy in Boston!?!?!
LA Times review
Questioningly...Philadelphia? Andy Live? Radio?
Colins voice
Wall of Sound, Feb. 18/98
Chicago 99
In my Shed
I Am Weeping As I Write This...
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Soon my darling, soon my darling.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message-Id: <36CB8FD8.F3CE0835@bowdoin.edu>
Date: Wed, 17 Feb 1999 22:58:21 -0500
From: Ben Gott/Loquacious Music <bgott@bowdoin.edu>
Organization: http://listen.to/loquacious
Subject: No Macs?
Hillers,
Not to be outdone by the imaginitive person who made a Windoze "English
Settlement" theme, I created a very exciting desktop picture for my
PowerBook. It involves the Go2 map of Swindon, a recent promo picture, the
feather from AV1, and a program called "MacTown," which provides cool
town-ish icons for folders. Have a look if you'd like:
http://www3.bowdoin.edu/~bgott/desktop.jpg
Only a few more days! I can hardly stand it!
-Ben
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
Benjamin Gott :: Bowdoin College :: Brunswick, Maine 04011
AOL Plan4Nigel :: Telephone (207) 721-5513 :: Mobile (207) 798-1859
Just like a mad dog / You're chasing your tail in a circle...
------------------------------ Message-ID: <19990218043100.10307.qmail@www0v.netaddress.usa.net> Date: 17 Feb 99 20:30:59 PST From: Brian Wysolmierski <bwysol@netscape.net> Subject: listen to Frivolous Tonight Listen to Frivolous Tonight in its entirity on SceneHeard(an online radio show) at: http://www.dallasobserver.com/sceneheard/radio/playlist/index.html Jump forward 21:45 into the radio program. You'll hear the DJs banter about XTC, saying lame things like, "XTC is as sexy as computer programming." Then they play 2 XTC songs (the other one being Respectable Street). After they play Frivolous Tonight, the talk about how lame XTC is and their "geeky XTC websites" Oh, yeah... they also do lame English accents. Boy, is that witty or what? They're fucking idiots. Re:Greenman vs Spoonman Man, you all had me cracking up with your responses. I think I may get fired from my job! Brian Wysol
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199902180453.WAA00359@smtp2.gte.net> Date: Wed, 17 Feb 1999 21:19:44 -0500 Subject: DC Area XTC Listening Party? From: "Steve Dockery" <sdockery@gte.net> Hi folks- I'm finally de-lurking after reading the digest for over a year. What's inspired me to come out of the shadows? Why, Apple Venus Vol. 1, of course! I've got mine on pre-order at Amazon.com, and can't wait. I somehow managed to resist the temptation to beg, borrow or steal any demos, so it'll all be fresh to me. Of course, I couldn't resist listening to "I'd Like That" off the TVT website. Darn song's been stuck in my head for DAYS. Ok, getting to the point now: Any chalkhillians in the Washington DC Area interested in having a listening party sometime during the weekend of Feb. 27-28? (Todd!) I hope my copy of AV-1 arrives by then! -Stevo
------------------------------ Message-ID: <000b01be5b28$68c65380$745791d2@johnboud> From: "John Boudreau" <aso1@mocha.ocn.ne.jp> Subject: A HELLUVA WEEK ! Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 19:20:06 +0900 To all , On Sunday , two vintage snare drums I purchased from the great Dave Mattacks arrived ... On Monday , my copy of " Song Stories " ( sent surface mail from England, hence the delay ) was sitting in my mailbox when I arrived home from work ... And this morning my APPLE VENUS 1 order arrived !!! A BLESSED week indeed ... LATER ... Outside it is twilight time ... the room is dark , the house quiet ... I insert AV1 into the mouth of my Onkyo player and then sit down on tatami mat floor with a glass of Japanese rice wine ... " River Of Orchids " reaches the first chorus and goosebumps pop out all over my body and I laugh out loud like a crazyman as tears of joy fall from my eyes ... John in Japan
------------------------------ Message-ID: <36CC2552.7F02345A@biocomp.unl.edu> Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 08:36:02 -0600 From: Peter Mullin <pmullin@biocomp.unl.edu> Subject: Re: Spoonman vs. Greenman Brian wrote: > Who do you think would win in a fight: Soundgarden's "Spoonman" or XTC's > "Greenman"? TMBG's Triangle Man, of course (he always wins). Peter Mullin Department of Plant Pathology University of Nebraska-Lincoln
------------------------------ Message-Id: <B195726DB50AD2118E880008C7FAA6FC430E0F@newman.partech.com> From: Janis VanCourt <Janis_VanCourt@partech.com> Subject: Another Inspired Headline - Boston Herald Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 09:55:49 -0500 At http://www.bostonherald.com/bostonherald/entr/xtc02181999.htm , there's an article called "From agony to XTC". Those clever BH journalists <yawn>. No news here, really, but there are a few delicious Andy quotes, including further justification for refusing to play live: "I feel no more attraction to standing onstage and having people see my flab. I'd much rather have a slice of my soul to put on their record player." -Janis (envying all of you going to view the flab next week)
------------------------------
Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.19990218151105.0098bce0@pop-server.ucl.ac.uk>
Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 15:11:05 +0000
From: Daniel Spaniel <webmaster@cookingvinyl.com>
Subject: "Apple Venus" countdown at cookingvinyl.com
Hi all,
As you are probably aware, the Cooking Vinyl website
(http://www.cookingvinyl.com/xtc) is offering clips from each track
on "Apple Venus" every day from Feb 12 through to release day.
Something which you might be amused to hear is that we also offer the
facility for interested parties to mail each other "Apple Venus" digital
postcards, from the page: http://www.cookingvinyl.com/postcard/index01.html
And finally, any constructive commentary which you might have to offer
about the still-evolving CV site, and its XTC coverage (there's a lot of
fine XTC stuff out there on the Web, which we would like to compliment, not
supplant), will be welcome. There's an applevenus message board at
http://www.cookingvinyl.com/xtcboard/applevenus.mv
There's an associated
e-mail discussion which can be joined as follows:
Send an e-mail with "subscribe" in the subject
field DIRECTLY to:
applevenus-request@cookingvinyl.com
DS of CV
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 19:21:36 +0100 (MET) From: Martin van Rappard <rappard@dds.nl> Subject: Random remarks, again Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.90.990218190910.13335D-100000@fatima.dds.nl> Hi all, I don't think I made one single coherent worthwhile contribution to the list yet, but that never stopped me! Besides, we wouldn't want Mark to feel alone, now would we? Perhaps he gets all warm and fuzzy knowing that there is another Dutchmen on this list...:) Enough rambling. Andrea Lynn Rossillon <rossillo@students.uiuc.edu> wrote: >> Disqualifying "yonic" because it has a suffix from a different language isn't valid; there are lots of words in English that combine words from more than one language to create a new English word; unfortunately, I can't think of one right now, which might seem to invalidate my defense, but believe me, they do exist! << To quote Churchill (I think): "Television - the word is half Greek, half Latin, so nothing good can come of it." Andrea also wrote: >> But just to make me a true hypocrite, I really, really hate "impact" as a verb. It's "affect", dammit! << To quote Calvin (from Calvin & Hobbes): "Verbing weirds language." Which neatly brings me to another point: strange band names. A friend's band was once called Weirdos From Another Planet! (the title of one of the Calvin & Hobbes comic books) - reading it as I type it, it's probably been the name of a Thomas Dolby song already. The abbreviation WFAP! is lovely onomatopeeic (spelling?), though. And finally thanks to Mitch Friedman for the info on Fuzzy Warbles and kudos to Derek for his lovely ES desktop theme. Back to lurking, Martin
------------------------------ Message-ID: <19990218182320.27136.qmail@hotmail.com> From: "Amanda Owens" <daveizgod@hotmail.com> Subject: AUGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!! Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 12:23:20 CST New Orleans? Did you say New Orleans?!?!?!?!?!? Be still my heart! That's it, I'm calling in sick to work and I am scouring the town! Tis all for now, 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-Dear Madum Barnum non-XTC song-New York Minute-Don Henley
------------------------------ Message-ID: <36CC2CE1.4F2B@bhip.infi.net> Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 15:08:40 +0000 From: Brian <mattone@bhip.infi.net> Subject: XTC on the radio Tschalkgerz! >From the number of posts lately about Tschalkgfolkgs hearing new XTC on various radio stations around the country, you'd think (considering that it's XTC) that something interesting is bubbling below the surface and is getting ready to boil over... is it possible that the story of the saga of XTC over the last seven years has gotten around and has been noticed and reacted to (positively) by the radio powers-that-be? I'm gonna have to get on my local 'alternative' station's case and find out if they have any plans to play XTC. -- BRIAN THOMAS MATTHEWS * Digital & traditional illustration/animation * Caricaturist-for-hire * RENDERMAN ~ One-Man Band Ordinaire SAPRINGER CENTRAL ~ http://www.angelfire.com/fl/sapringer mailto:mattone@bhip.infi.net
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 12:02:28 -0800 (PST)
From: Recreational Evil <jemiah@q7.com>
Subject: Don't Diss Duran Duran
Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.96.990218115353.21045H-100000@q7.q7.com>
On Thu, 18 Feb 1999 Nicole wrote:
> >An excellent idea, inserting that Duran Duran get-out clause. Covered
> yourself nicely there...<
>
> To reitterate what Molly said a while back:
> Some of us like Duran Duran. Okay... so they are not that talented
> or cerebral... for me, its more nostalgia. That is was played when I
> was young... It doesn't mean I hold the belief that you are not aloud
> to think they totally suck shit. I just thought I'd play antagonist
> to you.
Er, may I play the devil's advocate and put forth the notion that Duran
actually ARE talented? I don't just like them because of nostalgia -- I
like them because they write interesting songs and play them expertly.
Kind of the same way I feel about XTC, actually.
> Ah... well. Let's be Mollyfied and please not generalize.
> Metal is about as bad as your beloved hip-hop.
Ouch! You wound me! Not that I'm not used to supposedly open-minded,
erudite music fans dismissing one of the most varied and fantastic genres
around today. that's like saying "all music with a guitar solo in it
sucks". Yes, a lot of it does -- but almost all music available in your
average store does. Don't diss it, don't dismiss it. If you don't like
it, OK -- but try some first, and see how it feels on your palate. I used
to hate all rap/hip-hop, then I found some that I like. See? It's easy!
GW wanted to know:
> Anyone know where I can obtain a copy of this Harold Budd/Andy Partridge
> collaboration released in 1994 on Gyroscope Records? Kindly reply directly
> to me.
Try Gyroscope's web page? BTW that album is excellent and every
Chalkhiller should own it -- unless you think that all music that contains
piano and spoken-word poetry is no good. Trust me, it's at least as good
as heavy metal.
I only post to Chalkhills about three times a year, I've been on this list
for seven years (eight years...? John?...) and I seem to write the same
post every time. One of these days I'll stop getting my knickers in a
bunch when people put down Duran Duran and/or hip-hop (usually in the same
post). OK, so I'm weird. But close-mindedness has never really helped
anyone, as far as I can tell.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Alizarine jemiah@q7.com jemiah@netnoir.net ICQ:24726572
I am human and I need to be loved just like everybody else does
------------------------------
Message-ID: <19990218202413.25063.qmail@hotmail.com>
From: "David Pardue" <davidpardue@hotmail.com>
Subject: we're the kids in America, whoa-oa.
Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 15:24:12 EST
>From Richard Pedretti-Allen (spelt as you please):
>p.s. Lame-ass Lyric of the Moment: "Just a small town boy, born and
>raised in South Detroit..." (THERE IS NO "SOUTH" DETROIT!!
I'm reminded of mine own favorite lame-ass geographical reference, from
Kim Wilde ("Kids in America"): "From New York to East California..."
Kim is clearly pinpointing a major youth uprising eminating from the
sprawling urbanity of Death Valley and the Mohave desert.
Yours, relaxing in the undertow of Boston's East End,
David, glub, glub.
------------------------------ Message-Id: <s6cc39ba.062@dineout.org> Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 16:02:56 -0500 From: "Jason Hauser" <JHAUSER@dineout.org> Subject: I feel like Frivilous Tonight, like Frivilous Tonight! Richard Penske-Andretti Allen said: p.s. Lame-ass Lyric of the Moment: "Just a small town boy, born and raised in South Detroit..." (THERE IS NO "SOUTH" DETROIT!! SOUTH OF DETROIT IS WINDSOR, ONTARIO, CANADA!!) -who else would ejaculate such drivel but Journey - "Don't Stop Believing" (or some such hooey) This is the same song that had the classic lyric, simply wailed, "Streetlight Peopullll ull ull ULLLLLLLL" Dan Wiencek said: "Day of release" ... God, I hope that isn't some punning Freudian slip ... That's just funny, and deserves repeating. Funny with a ph. Francis Heaney about "Greenman": Maybe it will be the "Kashmir" of the '90s. You, sir, are simply irrisistible. But I'd settle for "I'd Like That" being the "Mayor of Simpleton" of the 90's. And Harrison mentioned gorse surrounding the Horse at Uffington. Can't be bad! I love my gorse down pillows. The sound of the trickling stream of blood is ever so idyllic. As for the survey, I put my vote in for the updated song book. Maybe an illustrated one, like the one I used to have of all the Beatles songs. Alan something or other had different artists do their portrayal of what the song means to them. That would be excellent. And finally, Greenman, purveyor of all things clover colored, has the power of money, forestation, pea soup, Kermit the Frog, and Michael Stipe's mascara at his disposal. The coke addled, 50 state collectible, child beating (wooden), and post coital bliss symbol Spoonman stands no chance.
------------------------------
Message-Id: <199902182119.WAA10806@mail.knoware.nl>
From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl>
Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 22:30:40 +0000
Subject: New Publicity Pix
Dear Chalkers,
Just a short message to let you all know that i've put a set of
three large, full-colour and beautiful new AV1 publicity shots in the
Picture Gallery on my site (see below for the URL )
yours in xtc,
Mark Strijbos at The Little Lighthouse
http://www.knoware.nl/users/mmello/
or http://come.to/xtc
------------------------------ Message-ID: <i+UG7BAAxHz2Iw3g@coopefamily.demon.co.uk> Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 20:46:56 +0000 From: KT <Katy@coopefamily.demon.co.uk> Subject: apple venus vol 1 Just like to grin insanely and say.. "I got a copy of it! BWAHAHAHAH!!!" A very VERY good mate got a copy off a reviewer freind, so mine is not such great recoding quality. I've only listened to it once, but I will again VERY soon, because I like all of it (except 'river of orchids') and it's sure to really grow on me.. I'm very happy now, just need a CD copy.... -- Katy Coope YAY!!!!!
------------------------------ Message-Id: <l03110704b2f2366f91ad@[206.173.241.126]> Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 13:52:37 -0800 From: Eb <gondola@deltanet.com> Subject: AV review There's an Apple Venus review at the AllStar/Music Boulevard site at http://www5.rocktropolis.com/main/allstar/reviews.asp?artid=5627. The reviewer gives it a 6/10...perhaps a bit stingy. (I'd give it a 7 or 8, myself.) Eb PS BNL: possibly THE most repulsive band on gawd's green earth. As ever, I love to quote the brilliantly pithy BNL description in the new Trouser Press Guide: "as cute as a baby, and as appealing as a loaded diaper." Perfect.
------------------------------ From: Jdmack01@aol.com Message-ID: <49c4e65e.36cc8e7a@aol.com> Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 17:04:42 EST Subject: Remember when. . . ? Remember when a lot of people on this list got excited about the idea of directly sending the lads some money to help them through their difficult times? For those of you who were in favor of this, now is your chance!! Simply buy multiple copies of "AV1" when it comes out next week. You will definitely help fatten their thin wallets, and you will also be helping to insure that "AV1" has as high a chart position as possible. As I've said before, I'm fairly certain that if we all buy it the first week it comes out, we can push this album into the upper reaches of the charts, which will attract attention, and probably lead to more sales than they would have had otherwise. CHARGE!!!! J. D.
------------------------------
Message-Id: <s6cc4daf.027@gwia.nwf.org>
Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 17:01:08 -0500
From: "TOM GRIFFIN" <GRIFFIN@nwf.org>
Subject: Andy in Buffalo/Toronto
This message is to the person who was bemoaning the fact that AP will be in
Toronto, but not Buffalo: I remember reading somewhere here that Andy will
be in Buffalo on the 27th (the same date that you say he is to be in
Toronto). In fact, I wrote it on my calendar. Perhaps he will be in one
city in the afternoon and the other in the evening. They're not that far
away from eachother.
All I know is that if he is in those places I plan to be there. Looks
like I'll be seeing him in Chicago on the 25th and (if it is true) in
Toronto & Buffalo on the 27th.
So who doesn't think XTC fans are like Deadheads. If I didn't have a
job I'd follow the who signing tour. I'll probably the the next twisted fan
that Andy fears (Another Satellite 2 perhaps?). Just kidding.
Recently herd Blue Beret for the first time & can't get it out of my
head! Only 4 days! -Tom
------------------------------ From: SLEDZNH@aol.com Message-ID: <4e43d956.36ccdeb1@aol.com> Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 22:46:57 EST Subject: Andy in Boston!?!?! Fellow Chalkhilians, I just saw that Andy will be at Tower Records in Boston on 2/24! This is awesome news, I expect to be clearing my schedule and traveling down from NH then and hope other New England-area friends from this list will too. Good opportunity to wear my Chalkhills t-shirt (thanks, Phil C). I haven't posted in a while but just want to say a quick note of thanks to some very cool people out there on this list. Reading all the posts lately leading up to AV1's release date is pretty exciting. See ya, ~Jim
------------------------------ Message-ID: <36CCE5FA.4B44@heraldonline.com> Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 23:18:02 -0500 From: BPeschel@heraldonline.com (Bill Peschel) Organization: The Herald Subject: LA Times review Greetings Chalkers; The L.A. Times weighed in on your favorite album of the year. Their Record Rack review is short, so here it is in its entirety: XTC ``Apple Venus Volume 1'' (TVT) 3 1/2 stars. After a seven-year hiatus, English pop eccentrics Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding return with an acoustic-orchestral collection (due Tuesday) that recalls XTC's many pastoral moments. Lush, complex melodies color moods ranging from giddy (``I'd Like That'') to pensive (``I Can't Own Her''), but Partridge's wicked wordplay fails him on the sour ``Your Dictionary.'' Coming from the author of such double-edged pop gems as ``Dear God,'' this pointed rebuke of an unfaithful wife is surprisingly flat-footed. Natalie Nichols Sincerely, -- Bill Peschel Book page editor, Rock Hill (S.C.) Herald
------------------------------
Message-Id: <199902190426.UAA07445@f25.hotmail.com>
From: "Bob Crain" <bobcrain@hotmail.com>
Subject: Questioningly...Philadelphia? Andy Live? Radio?
Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 20:26:15 PST
Greenwomen and Greenmen,
Man, the dedication of those on the list to XTC has got me in tears!
<img src="watersquirtingoutofmyeyesinajetlikethatofawaterpik.gif">
Question 1: Please answer quickly, where and what time
in Philadelphia on Monday, February 22??
Question 2: If everyone stops asking Andy if he will play live,
might he eventually feel like doing it on his own?
Question 3: Do I now feel, after having listened to it more than
a few times, that "I'd Like That" has a chance on
US radio?
The only question I have an answer for is #3, and the answer is
"very much yes".
<img src="grinninglikeadroolingsockmonkeyoncrack.gif">
-Bob Crain
------------------------------ From: OMBEAN1@aol.com Message-ID: <feeed7c8.36ccedbc@aol.com> Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 23:51:08 EST Subject: Colins voice Greetings Chalkheads, Colins gruffy voice is a highlight on AV1. It makes "Frivolous" so much better. It definitely is one of the better songs.Although I am kind of offended by the hairy back comment. I am a human being! Anyone have more info on the Philly appearance? There last appearance had a line two blocks long. Down in the cockpit, Roger
------------------------------ From: "Neil Oliver" <lizneil@netcom.ca> Subject: Wall of Sound, Feb. 18/98 Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 22:29:52 -0800 Message-ID: <000001be5bd1$4322d000$6949b5cf@default> XTC Singer Discusses Public Appearances As its long-frustrated fans well know, the British group XTC doesn't tour - at least not in the conventional sense. But to support Apple Venus Volume 1, its first album of new material in seven years, the group's Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding are coming across the pond for two weeks of promotion and personal appearances. Don't, however, expect to actually hear them play any songs. "It's not going to be anything performance-wise," says Partridge, who expects to do several in-store autograph sessions, and perhaps read some passages from the book XTC: The Exclusive Authorized Story Behind the Music. "There's not going to be any acoustic guitars in evidence or anything like that. It's just a visitation; we're gonna be descending from Olympus to cure the odd leper. But, really, it's just us talking to radio stations and that type of thing." It'll be a pretty full slate, though. The duo arrives Thursday (Feb. 18) in Atlanta, where the next day it will film an episode of the cable TV show Space Ghost Coast to Coast. The only public appearance set so far is an in-store at Tower Records in New York City on Feb. 23, the day the album is released. The visit also has the group hitting New Orleans, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Toronto, Buffalo, Denver, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. In other XTC news, Partridge has given permission to rapper Willie D, formerly of the Geto Boys, to reinterpret the first verse (the part the little girl sings) of XTC's 1987 hit "Dear God" on his upcoming solo album. - Gary Graff XTC promotional appearances February Feb. 18 - Atlanta, Ga. Feb. 21 - New Orleans, La. Feb. 22 - Philadelphia, Pa. Feb. 23 - New York, N.Y. Feb. 24 - Boston, Mass. Feb. 25 - Chicago, Ill. Feb. 26 - Toronoto, Canada Feb. 27 - Buffalo, N.Y. Feb. 28 - Denver, Colo. March March 2 - San Francisco, Calif. March 3 - Los Angeles, Calif. March 4 - Los Angeles, Calif. March 5 - Los Angeles, Calif.
------------------------------ Message-ID: <36CD327F.43B8938F@theramp.net> Date: Fri, 19 Feb 1999 03:44:31 -0600 From: Jeff Day <sebdoh@theramp.net> Organization: Wyanet, IL. 61379 Subject: Chicago 99 Hi everyone! I hate to admit it but I haven't been the devoted XTC that I once was the last few years. Since the new album is coming out I am back to spending hours at the computer trying to find out all I can about the boys. I was really sad to see Dave leaving the group but should have known it was only a matter of time. Anyhow to get on to the reason Why I am writing this. Myself and a couple of friends of mind (Jim and Virginia Lovejoy) hosted the 1993 XTC Music and Friends Convention. We will be coming to Chicago to see Andy and would like to do as a few people have already said, meet up somewhere after the Event! I would love to see some of the 93 attendees. I can't think of anywhere good to go so I am hoping someone from Chicago could suggest a pub local to the Event location that we could all meet. The only place I can think of at the moment is a place called Pippin's. It is a couple of blocks off of Michigan and has nothing to do with Scotty. (du Bulls) I did good there so far. I got to meet Joe Jackson and talk to him there. It would be a great place but if there are any Chicago people on the list that can suggest some place better I am open to suggestions. Hope to see you in Chicago!! Jeff Day
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199902190953.JAA18525@mailhost.dircon.co.uk> Subject: In my Shed Date: Fri, 19 Feb 99 09:56:49 +0000 From: John Morrish <morrish@dircon.co.uk> Re: the Taj Mahal/Shed controversy >>> In other words, why The Taj Mahal first, and the garden shed later? >>Exactly! I've wondered about this myself and i think it just might >>have something to do with the age and content of the material. >>Most of the AV1 material is quite old by now and it was written >>during difficult times. my guess is that Andy wanted to get this >>lot out of the way and off his chest first. Mark Strijbos' supposition is exactly right. Andy told me just the other week that the new record represents material written and conceived in 1992-94. The next one will be made up of songs written between 1994-96. We all tend to see Partridge as a wildly fizzing Catherine wheel of inspiration, but he is actually quite careful about using as much of his material as he can and in a coherent fashion. He also said that the current albums has several songs pertaining to his divorce. The next one is supposed to go beyond that to represent the subsequent "Stupidly Happy" phase in his life (and love-life). It would be wrong to run away with the idea that the orchestral style of the thing was vastly expensive. Although he would have liked more time, Andy only got one day in Abbey Road with his orchestra. But he had spent many months before that arranging it (and commissioning and discarding arrangements) and would spend many more months afterwards rejigging it all in Haydn Bendall's Mac. I gather the day in question cost #12,500, which only represents about a fortnight in the studio fiddling with ProTools. And in terms of tone colour, it was definitely worth it, even though the orchestra were unable to replicate the original sequencer riff in River of Orchid or Greenman: for those parts, it ends up being used as a very expensive sample. Ted Harms said: >>>Thanks to a kind soul for tipping us to Andy's in-store appearances. It's >>>too bad Colin isn't coming along - love to ask him knob-dweeb questions >>>about strings and amps... Sadly, I don't think you'd get much joy out of Colin about all that. In the early days he was notorious for his lack of interest in equipment. Really, Dave's your man for that stuff (sigh...) Anyway, he is currently putting together a website which will cater quite nicely for those of us who like that kind of thing. It will also have the definitive Francis Heaney said: >>>it's particularly unfortunate they >>didn't do the electric album first, because there would've been more for >>Dave to do and he might not have quit the band. This is very astute. Partridge seems to be in denial about it all now, but they used to have a great deal of fun making their records, even as late as Nonsuch. Indeed, humour was probably the most important thing with them, with music a close second. Despite the "stage fright", Andy is the kind of person who puts on a show when the fridge door opens, and their earlier records gained immeasurably from him performing with Dave and Colin as the appreciative, if sceptical, audience. >> But you never know -- >>maybe Colin will talk some sense into those two irascible fellows. If >>Bruce Thomas would work with Elvis Costello again after Elvis wrote the >>scathing "How to Be Dumb" about him, anything is possible. Also, Bruce Thomas wrote a rude little *roman a cle* about their life on the road, in which Costello is caricatured as The Singer. So a lot of the simmering resentment was brought out into the open. But I wouldn't be holding my breath about Andy and Dave, if I were you. There are a lot of contractual loose ends not tied yet, for a start. And Andy is doing a month of interviews in the States, each of which will give him another chance to explain precisely why he now thinks Dave was negative, uncreative and "a panic buy with no guarantee". This last comes from an exhaustive piece in the current Mojo. Well worth a read, if only to discover a little bit more about the notorious Swindon managerial Liarbird... John Morrish
------------------------------ Message-Id: <s6cd479a.080@parliament.uk> Date: Fri, 19 Feb 1999 11:13:40 +0000 From: Dominic Lawson <LAWSOND@parliament.uk> Subject: I Am Weeping As I Write This... >>You are making a mistake that I'm surprised someone of your obvious worldliness and intelligence should. You charmer! Go on then, I can take it.... >>You seem to be judging the band based on one song! Nope, just judging one song, but carry on.... >>Barenaked Ladies have an extensive catalog of music... four studio albums, a fantastic live CD, a couple of EP's and some singles, most of which, IMHO are exceptional in quality. Sigh. OK, I was just saying that I can't see what's so good about that song which they've got out at the moment. I've heard other BNL stuff before, and although it struck me as a bit inane for my tastes (IMHO, yeah, whatever) I can totally understand their appeal. The relentless chirpiness is a bit sickening, and not a little contrived, but the world needs more bands who smile occasionally so no harm done there. The specific song I referred to, on the other hand, is desperately unoriginal and far less infectious than they obviously think it is. And it's on the radio CONSTANTLY.....I don't want to diss one of your favourite bands, but they just don't caress my plums in the required manner. >>Additionally, they are a funny bunch of gents and some of their stories and interviews remind me a little of our own Mr. Partridge. Hmmmm. I heard them being interviewed on Radio 1 and they were "mildly amusing" at best, but I'll take your word for it. >>It doesn't mean I hold the belief that you are not aloud to think they (Duran Duran) totally suck shit Which they do. By the way, did that mean that I'm allowed to think, aloud to think, or allowed to think aloud? Mummy! >>Metal is about as bad as your beloved hip-hop. Right, who wants a fight? Come on!! COME ON!!!!!!! (Yes, I think you may have missed the point there.) I don't know, it's like discussing irony with that Morrissette bloke. Only harder. On a more interesting note, BLOODY FANTASTIC OR WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks to the dazzling gorgeousness of our very own Jill Oleson, I had my first listen to AV1 last night. That's the end of those underpants then. Seriously, anyone who finds themselves disappointed with AV1 should do the decent thing and take a Haliborange overdose, because despite only having heard the complete thing twice, I can predict with some confidence that this is the best XTC album since "Skylarking" and easily the best pop album I've heard for years. In the words of our Lord, FUCK YEAH!!!!! More later, when I've played it a hundred times and irritated the lovely Deborah to the point of madness..... Salut! Dom.
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #5-95 ******************************
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