Chalkhills Digest Volume 6, Issue 101
Date: Saturday, 6 May 2000
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 6, Number 101
Saturday, 6 May 2000
Topics:
He's Not Heavy , He's My Metal
Mr Loud
UNCUT MAG / Cooking Vinyl UK news
Andy Partridge in Boston
Complications
HMV site
miscellaneous ramblings
Press Release - 05/05/00
The Spaceship We Call The Music Business. Can you spare a square?
Capital Punishment
Dan Castellaneta -- Two Lips
Yes, I know it's silly but I can't help myself
Re: Mummer a Bummer?
First impressions (spoiler) and siren voices
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Brakes too soft to burn, envisage this.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 5 May 2000 12:58:28 +0900 From: "John Boudreau" <aso1@mocha.ocn.ne.jp> Subject: He's Not Heavy , He's My Metal Message-ID: <000c01bfb66c$86a13be0$795791d2@johnboud> TK wrote : >? DON'T FORGET THE >TERM WAS COINED IN A STEPPENWOLF SONG. CHECK YOUR LOCAL >BIKER GROUP. Sorry - it was " coined " by William " Welcome To My Orgone Accumulator " Burroughs in his book Naked Lunch nine years earlier . Rock musicians were among the first to pick up on Burroughs , attracted by his outrageous imagery and drug references . One of the earliest proofs of Burroughs' prestige in rock circles is his presence on the sleeve of The Beatles' " Sgt. Peppers " album . Incidentally , William was chosen by Sir Paul . The band Soft Machine took their name from the title of Burroughs' third book . Donald Fagen and Walter Becker turned to Bill when searching for a name for their new band . Steely Dan was the name of a dildo in Naked Lunch . David Bowie used Burroughs' cut-up technique when writing lyrics for his Diamond Dogs album . In the late 70's the punks raided his books for names , Dead Fingers Talk and The Naked Lunch among them . Even the post-punks are attracted to him . Sonic Youth appear on WB's 1990 CD Dead City Radio . Other performers include John Cale , Donald Fagen and Chris Stein ( Blondie ) . His 1993 CD Spare Ass Annie was done with The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy . Bill certainly made his mark ... Sushiman Soft Machine ( title of Burroughs third book ) ; Sushiman
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 5 May 2000 11:06:38 +0100 From: "Chris" <bonyking@sniffout.com> Subject: Mr Loud Message-ID: <000a01bfb679$b259f080$29a0a8c0@sigta> Tom Kingston exploded thus: SNOBBERY? WATCH YOUR STEP, SONNY JIM. YOU AND I ARE BOTH MERE SUBJECTS AND NOT ROYALTY IN THIS FIEFDOM, BUT I HAVE PAID MY DUES FOR MY KNOWLEDGE. I HAVE AN OUNCE OF PAIN AND A POUND OF LOVE, OVER 30 YEARS OF MUSICAL LOVE, BEHIND EVERY WORD I POST HERE. SNOBBERY IS NOT AN OPTION. Is it just me or is there something wrong with the above statement ? 30 years of musical love and playing gives you the answer to the most arbitrary and subjective question - what is good music ? Makes your opinion more valid than someone who's never played a note ? I don't get it HOW ABOUT BLUE CHEER, YOUNGSTER? Not to be condescending, of course I HAVE ALREADY ASKED SEVERAL MUSICIANS TODAY (I WAS AT A MUSIC STORE OFFICE PARTY TONIGHT) WHETHER THEY THOUGHT KISS WAS METAL OR NOT. THEY ALL AGREED THEY WERE NOT METAL. Here we go again. Several musicians, eh? Well, they can't be wrong, then, because they play instruments OK EVERYONE - HUM A FEW BARS - C'MON! IRON MAIDEN? WHAT'S WITH YOU PEOPLE? ON THE COUNT OF THREE! But you didn't say which song ! Seriously though, (assuming I could play) if I picked out the opening bars to 'Rain Song' or 'When the Levee Breaks' I can guarantee nobody in my office would pick that one up. Your point is that one person in your office picked up on 'Senses...', thus making XTC more popular than, for example, Iron Maiden. Much as I wish this was true (I like Maiden up to a point but they come nowhere near XTC), I think you'd better check your stats again (this offer applies to the UK only) WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY WASTING THEIR TIME IN METAL FOR? For the same reason you've 'wasted' over 30 years yourself - they love it. This one sentence is the whole crux of your argument, isn't it ? Consult your local venue for details. SORRY - THEY ALL CLOSED ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO. I PLAYED AT SOME Any connection ? I'm sorry I've gone on a bit here. I don't post very often because somebody else usually says what I want to say better (as I'm sure they will this time) and quicker (curse only having a computer at work) but I had to reply at least partly to this. Mr Kingston displays the kind of rank elitism and arrogance which is one of the things I find least attractive in musical discussions and the world as a whole. Thank you. chris2 np: 'Eagle Fly Free' - Helloween - DYA HEAR ME, HELLOWEEN ;-)
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 05 May 2000 12:50:44 GMT From: "Tim Brooks" <bridgered@hotmail.com> Subject: UNCUT MAG / Cooking Vinyl UK news Message-ID: <20000505125044.99763.qmail@hotmail.com> One of my best moves of the year was to not re-new my subscription to Q but take out instead one for the infinitely superior Uncut magazine. Landed on my door this morning was said magazine (great Sex Pistols cover) with the usual monthly CD (which is always of an amazingly high quality) and splashed on the front of the disc was our mutual fave band. Stupidly Happy is the featured track and a quick flick through magazine found a stunningly good Wasp Star review (5/5******) and colour pic, with lots of mentions of "genius" etc etc. Not quite as good as last years 2 page album of the month review but can't have everything. Much better reading than Q's small review with an average *** star rating. Nice to see both mags featuring a quarter page colour WS advert too. Cooking vinyl advise me that ITMWML will be out as a single end June in the UK once the US promotional activities are out of the way. There will also be 100 signed copies available for members only as per last year - don't all charge you can't order one just yet, so keep peeled on their website. End of adverts for Uncut/Cooking Vinyl!!!!!! If anyone outside UK can't get the Uncut but have got good quality copies of the acoustic radio tour or similar on CD E-mail me and we'll sort something out!!! Over and out. TMB
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 5 May 2000 09:12:20 -0400 From: "Cheryl" <mcgregoc@mindspring.com> Subject: Andy Partridge in Boston Message-ID: <000301bfb693$8c8d9540$ca04f7a5@mcgregocmindspring.com> Hi, I just called WXRV (92.5) to find out more details about Mr.P coming to town and it turns out he won't be in Boston until Tuesday. I was told he would probably be on around 2 or 3 in the afternoon, which is a bummer for me. Anyway just thought I would alert fans to this. Oh! You can listen to 92.5 over the net at : www.wxrv.com if you would like to catch the interview. Take care, Cheryl
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 5 May 2000 17:48:53 +0200 From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl> Subject: Complications Message-ID: <20000505154436.8177EA6CFA@mail.knoware.nl> Dear Chalkers, > Is 'Complicated Game' metal? One could draw that conclusion. One could i suppose, but one would be mistaken! No, it's mental, not metal. not at all actually. I think you are confusing 'heavy' and 'metal'. Contemporary (1979) metal certainly wasn't as subtle nor as manic as this seminal XTC song that was once described by Andy as "a caged animal escaping". yours in xtc, Mark S. @ the Little Lighthouse www.come.to/xtc
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 5 May 2000 12:01:42 -0400 From: "Kate Burda" <burdakat@pilot.msu.edu> Subject: HMV site Message-ID: <004101bfb6ab$354f1020$22d6fea9@user.msu.edu> Just finished pre-ordering from HMV (www.hmv.com). They do a nice job of highlighting the boys with an interview (no earth-shattering news, just Andy's comments), HMV comments, and even include a detailed bio section. Worth checking out if you've got the time. Preordering WS + the bonus disc and having it shipped via USPS will run you $23.49 Canadian, which converts to about $16 USD. Not too shabby. Kate
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 5 May 2000 12:36:53 -0400 From: "Michael D. Myers" <mmyers@telcordia.com> Subject: miscellaneous ramblings Message-ID: <852568D6.005B47F0.00@notes949.cc.telcordia.com> Chalksters and Chalkettes; A few thoughts: - This morning, I was on a conference call with some folks from a large international company that we might form an alliance with (I am based in New Jersey). There were about 10 people from several different countries on the call, and suddenly 2 new people joined, saying, "Hello, this is (their names), calling in from Swindon." Needless to say, I was more than a bit suprised. Of course, this meant nothing to any of the other folks on the call, and it was not appropriate for me to ask XTC-related questions of those 2 people during the call. Perhaps I'll have a moment in the future to drop a question or two to see if they're fans of the boys. - A matter of perspective: just as I never would have expected the Beatles who wrote "I Want To Hold Your Hand" in the early sixties to mature into the writers who produced songs such as "Penny Lane", who would have thought (putting yourself back into 1977 or so) that the writer of songs such as "Science Friction" would be writing songs like "Harvest Festival" or "Easter Theatre" years later? Of course, I was amazed and delighted that both groups grew into the artists who could pull this off. - Tom Pitsis says he would love to see a Colin solo album, or at least more Moulding songs on future XTC albums. Tom old boy, I hate to be the one to break this to you, but I can't see how this would ever happen, and there is a very good reason: Colin just doesn't write that much anymore. Think about it; the group has been around for about 23 years, and he has put out one (!) solo *single* (The Colonel). He's been in a popular band for all this time, and has never had the inclination to stretch out and do his own thing. That's not a bad thing, it just doesn't seem important to him. As best as I can tell, and I welcome anyone who can show me that I'm wrong (and really, I love Colin's writing, so I hope that I'm wrong) when I say that all evidence points to the fact that our man has written only 3-5 songs in the last 8 years! He had 2 songs on AV1, and Andy in an interview let it slip that one of these was from a song fragment from years ago that Colin resurrected and completed. So that's either 1 or 2, depending how you count it. On the new album, he contributed 3 songs, and one of these was resurrected from the bubblegum concept album from the 1980's. So that means he wrote 2 new ones for this album. I hope he breaks his apparent writer's block soon because if there is to be new XTC product in the future, and I pray that there will be, he's going to have to write some songs. My personal belief that this is the biggest issue facing the group's future viability (now that they seem to have their finances in order), and I don't see much discussion about this issue. So all evidence points to the fact that a solo album, which I would snatch up in a second, is not forthcoming, and I think that a combination of Colin's low output and the proven, winning ratio of 8-9 Partridge compositions to 2-3 Moulding extravaganzas is what we will see for the remainder of the band's days. Better stay used to it. Besides, the brand name that is XTC leads the listener to believe that there will be a bunch of Andy songs and a sprinkling of Colin's material, which provide a pleasing, different perspective on life and musical approach, which I believe is critical to all of us fans. - Based on recent discussions of Mummer, I took it out and gave it a spin this week. While not one of their classics in my opinion, it's very solid. One interesting discovery: jeez, Colin's voice used to be in a high range! His voice has matured and deepened quite a bit over the years. Play his Mummer songs and then his AV1 contributions to see what I mean. - I'm playing a solo gig in June for a fund-raiser. While I've done group/duo work about once a week for the last couple of decades, I haven't done an actual solo performance of any note in over 20 years, so the fear factor is a bit high. I've decided to include "The Mayor of Simpleton" in my set, and doggone it, doesn't Andy just fly through some tongue-twisting verbage? I hope I can breathe by the end of the song. If any performers on the list would offer me some coaching, I am a willing pupil. Thanks, Mike
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 05 May 2000 11:12:27 -0400
From: Ben Gott/Loquacious Music <gott@tmbg.org>
Subject: Press Release - 05/05/00
Message-ID: <B5385D1A.2251%gott@tmbg.org>
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
At 10:57am, Maine resident Ben Gott announced that XTC's new album "Wasp
Star" had become his favourite XTC album to date.
"It's been a difficult decision," said Gott, speaking via telephone from his
apartment in Brunswick. "Albums like 'English Settlement' and 'Skylarking'
are fantastic, but there's something about 'Wasp Star' that's been missing
from XTC for years and years."
Gott cites the album's jovial nature, grinding guitars, programmed
percussion, and suave backing vocals as some of the major reasons for this
groundbreaking decision. "They just sound like they're having a fucking lot
of fun," he exclaimed. "The recording sessions of their other albums have
been marred with so much 'stuff,' but it's easy to tell that 'Wasp Star'
suffers from none of that."
He hastens to add that the critically lauded British band's other work still
has a special place in his heart ("and in my car stereo"), but that "Wasp
Star" has, simply, broken through his brain.
"I guess I can understand those folk who don't like the album," he admits,
"although I don't agree with them. Perhaps they should leave their
dungeons, get in a car with a sunroof, and go for a drive up the coastline,
blasting 'You and the Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful,' tapping on the
steering wheel, and singing joyfully. Maybe people will look at them funny,
but that's alright."
Gott estimates that more of his friends like "Wasp Star" than any other XTC
album. "It's really catchy," claims his roommate Laurie Nelson, and
roommate Curtis Jirsa agrees: "This is poppy," said Jirsa, in a written
statement. "The general consensus is that Andy and Colin have both penned a
stellar set of songs," Gott concludes, "and that 'Boarded Up' is absolutely
the eeriest song that Colin has ever written."
Gott can be reached for comment at (207) 721-5366, or via e-mail, at
gott@tmbg.org.
END OF PRESS RELEASE
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 05 May 2000 09:54:47 -0400 From: "Duncan Watt" <dwatt@fastestmanintheworld.com> Subject: The Spaceship We Call The Music Business. Can you spare a square? Message-ID: <200005051357.JAA06403@gilgamesh.nh.ultra.net> KL aka Herne<herne@xxxxxxxxx.xxx> Submitted, For Our Approval: >Perhaps I'll leave the final words on the subject to Rapper Chuck D who >recently said in Billboard Magazine that Napster is "a catlayst to >bringing the era of lazy artists to an end. In the future an artist is >going to have to look at the whole picture of the music business and >pursue other avenues of making money from their music. Whether it be >things like touring, selling merchandise... and not just hoping that the >labels and publishing companies will take care of them.(sic)The >domination they(the labels) have over artists is over." What Mr. D is characterizing as a 'lazy artist' can be translated into 'a musician'. While I'm not trying to take anything away from Chuck D. in particular, he's one of many artists who sell a package of images and music and merchandise and public appearances, even in some artist's cases taking parts in movies and television to promote the package. If, as he claims, this is the new model of the succesful artist, where does this leave the *music* listener? An artist who has dedicated his life to *music* should be characterized as lazy? Big-production music like Mariah Carey and DMX, No Doubt and Shania Twain, Limp Bizkit and Backstreet Boys have an obvious appeal and tremendous following. On a much, much smaller level, so do many other types of music. Take jazz for example. Am I supposed to believe Joshua Redman and Wynton Marsalis need to do more videos in order to be less "lazy"? If they won't be able to make money on record sales and publishing, their income is greatly, greatly diminished. Why eliminate one type of artist for the other? It sounds like Chuck D. is making the opposite of his point, at least as far as music is concerned. While the hard-working promoters will be the succesful ones, the hard-working musicians wil suffer, and so will the music listener. KL attempted a follow-up with an anonymous Interscope rep's piggishness: >"Napster is no big deal. It's a minor nuisance. We all laugh at the >artists who jump out of their Cadillacs with their gold chains whining >about being robbed by Napster. It's a joke. It's not hurting us. >CD unit costs are like 67 cents each so we make tons on the mark-up." Did anyone notice who the "us" in the fifth sentence was? The RECORD LABELS, duh! The ARTIST is making, on na average record deal, about $1.50(or way, way less if it's a first-time signing) per unit. And if the labels aren't worried, it's because they'll simply stay with who *sells*, dropping those who don't. Who wants to try and compete with the 'hard-working artist' now? HARDER WORKING ARTISTS, right? Where does this leave the music listener? What about all those musicians that are jumping out of their Ford Escorts? Can THEY complain? Why do we have to forget them? BECAUSE THE RECORD LABELS HAVE NO USE FOR THEM. Has it occurred to NO ONE that Chuck D. is calling XT-FUCKING-C the LAZIEST MOTHERFUCKERS IN THE WORLD? Feh! Spending all their time on MUSIC! According to Chuck D.'s model, they should be SHAT OUT OF THE BACK OF THE SPACESHIP HE CALLS THE MUSIC BUSINESS! Is that what you want? As ever, Your Pal Duncan Watt. -- email me: dwatt@fastestmanintheworld.com surf me: http://www.fastestmanintheworld.com
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 5 May 2000 14:32:45 +0100 From: Lawson Dominic <LawsonD@parliament.uk> Subject: Capital Punishment Message-ID: <4782AD6ADDBDD2119B570008C75DD5C1BD4CF7@mgmtm02.parliament.uk> King Tomston says... >>YOU COULD MAKE NUMEROUS CASES ON EARLIER ARTISTS. HOW ABOUT BLUE CHEER, YOUNGSTER? Yeah, true enough. "Vincebus Eruptum" and all that business...pretty damn close to what Sabbath were doing, but nowhere near successful or well known enough to deserve the same accolades (as you seem to concede). Americans always mention Blue Cheer, just like they always mention Elvis when we all know that Cliff is the true King! Oh yeah, and "youngster"? Nice try, but making yourself sound like a prize git isn't going to make me angry. >>BUT I HEAR THAT "METAL'' SOUND STARTING WITH B. S. AND I HEARD EVERYTHING BEFORE, AS IT HAPPENED. CAPICE? Yes, you're a lot older than me. Well done. It doesn't prove anything at all, but thanks for sharing. >>DON'T FORGET THE TERM WAS COINED IN A STEPPENWOLF SONG. CHECK YOUR LOCAL BIKER GROUP. I think you'll find it was William Burroughs, but bless your heart for trying. >> NICE TRY, BUT NO CIGAR. THE KINKS MEARLY PUT A POP FACE ON NASCENT HARD ROCK, THE ANCESTOR OF METAL. Quite. Hey, it's a let's-be-pedantic session! You obviously acknowledge my point and I'm sure you realise that that was what I meant anyway....or not. I'll try not to lose sleep over it. >>CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT, BUT YOU'RE WRONG. THEN AGAIN, WE COULD TRACE THIS WHOLE MESS TO MISSISSIPPI DELTA BLUES Well, obviously. Can't disagree with you there, monsieur. Right down to the Satanic overtones.... >> ABSOLUTELY. METAL, UP TO THE PRESENT, IS LIMITED BY NARROW MUSICAL CONSTRAINTS AND TASTES. Rubbish. That's where your argument falls over, goes a bit pale and vomits copiously into the gutter...from your perspective, sure, metal is limited and narrow. It isn't really like that, but certainly the stuff that most people get to hear fits your description...point (not really) taken. If you won't trust someone who actually listens to the stuff and writes about it professionally then you might as well pronounce yourself Lord of All Truth & Knowledge and have the rest of us killed. I'm not saying my opinions are gospel but something about your arguments (not least the fact that you have to write it in SUCH A LOUD VOICE) smacks of condascension...classic teacher behaviour, in fact. >>ALSO, REMEMBER THAT ALL MY COMMENTS ARE SEATED IN EXPERIENCIAL HISTORY. Er....yeeeeessss. The Old Man of the 'Hills speaks! Obviously I respect your experience and wisdom on the subject, but I think we can safely say that metal means far more to me than it does to you, and I've clearly heard a great deal more of it than you have. We could say "ooh, I know best, thank you very much" over and over again if you wish, but really it's just two blokes spouting opinions. Remembering the old days doesn't make your opinions any more valid than mine I'm afraid. >>CHEAP SHOT - MEANS NOTHING. MUSICALLY OVERALL THEY WERE MUCH BETTER THAN METAL GROUPS. That's another opinion, not a statement of fact. I really don't agree, principally because you don't seem to know how broad and eclectic metal has become. Ever heard Trey Azagthoth play the guitar? Been to any Candiria shows? No, thought not. >>ALSO, YOU MAKE THE MISTAKE OF TAKING ZEP OUT OF CONTEXT OF THEIR TIME. Not a mistake. That was perfectly deliberate. When Zep were around, metal was in its formative stages so obviously a bunch of super talented session musicians like Page & pals were more creatively impressive than the few metal bands in existence back then. Genres need a while to develop. >>DON'T SUPPOSE. KNOW YOUR FACTS. ZEP APPEARD YEARS BEFORE THE EMERGENCE OF METAL. Come on, that's just being silly. I know my facts - Sabbath formed in 1967 and Led Zep formed in 1968, so you're just plain wrong on that one. Also, Sabbath's style was a heavy form of blues when they started and little had changed by the time the first album came out. Maybe the phrase "heavy metal" wasn't used before Zep appeared, but once Tony Iommi started playing those powerchords the ball was rolling...he hit that Bflat in "Black Sabbath" and the genre was born. >> I HAVE ALREADY ASKED SEVERAL MUSICIANS TODAY (I WAS AT A MUSIC STORE OFFICE PARTY TONIGHT) WHETHER THEY THOUGHT KISS WAS METAL OR NOT. THEY ALL AGREED THEY WERE NOT METAL. ONE GUY WAS ADAMANT. HE WAS WEARING A SLAYER T-SHIRT. Oh well, he must be right then. Honestly, do you really think that constitutes conclusive proof? A lot of metal fans (and Slayer fans are a classic example) would not accept AC/DC or Kiss as metal bands, for purely aesthetic reasons. They're seen as being too sissy or not heavy enough, but go to any Kiss or AC/DC concert and the audience is composed almost entirely of easily identifiable metal fans. Musically they're coming from exactly the same original influences and virtually all the major metal bands of the last twenty years (Metallica & Anthrax being two key examples) quote both those bands as major influences. Yeah, we can be picky and call it "hard rock", but my point about heavy metal as a cultural phenomenon still stands...it's all connected, whether your Slayer-t-shirt-wearing pal agrees or not. Also, would you describe Def Leppard as metal? They're certainly lighter musically than ACDC or Kiss (have you actually heard "God Of Thunder"...how more metal can you get???) and yet they were one of the main bands involved in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal back in the late 70s/early 80s....come on, it's all just wanky, journalistic preening and playing with words. The difference is that I know what I mean (even if I don't express it terribly well) and yet you're just wheeling out the usual, picky, hair-splitting nonsense to score cheap points...something, incidentally, which you accuse me of doing. Wrongly, of course. And what was Adam Ant doing at the party? Is he making a comeback? >>HERE, THEN IS THE REAL QUESTION! WHAT IS HEAVY METAL? WHAT DEFINES IT? You might as well say "what's jazz?"...I know that from your perspective it's a valid question, but from my perspective it's a rather pointless and unanswerable one. Metal is lots of different things (maybe all with distorted guitars involved, but then not everything with distorted guitars is metal....and so on) and not the narrow, shallow genre you seem to think. >> FROM EXPOSURE TO IT I HAVE NOTICED THAT IT IS MORE NARROWLY DEFINED, SONICALLY, THAT MOST GENRES, AND DOES NOT LEND ITSELF TO EXPLORATIVE VARIETY (AKA, ECLETCICISM), AT LEAST NOWHERE NEAR THE LEVEL EMPLOYED BY OTHER GENRES. That's your opinion, but in my experience that simply isn't true. I think the problem is that I could give you a long list of bands that I consider to be innovative or progressive, but somehow I suspect you'd either say "that's not metal" or you wouldn't agree with my analysis anyway. This "exposure" you mention obviously hasn't been very complete. All I can say is that the days when metal could be summed up with the words "van" and "halen" are long gone, although I must admit I love the cliched stuff as well. Rock'n'roll is supposed to be fun (at least it was the last time I checked) and the danger with your attitude is that you're trying to impose some kind of intellectual theory onto something which transcends that kind of ponderous posturing. And try using a spell checker. Ecletcicism indeed..... >>I'M SORRY, BUT KISS AND ACDC DON'T REALLY FIT THE BILL. THEY ARE HARD ROCK, BUT NOT TRUE METAL. WHAT TO YOU IS TRUE METAL? Two things. One, I said they were metal, not "true" metal. Secondly, "True Metal" as a sub-genre means MANOWAR!!!!! Otherwise the phrase is meaningless. What's true jazz? What's true pop? I haven't got long enough to live to discuss those issues, and neither would I wish to. I talk enough crap on this list as it is (and don't rush to agree with me, fellow Porkers)...besides, there's a big grey area between "hard rock" (whatever that means) and Heavy Metal (always with capital letters, naturally!) as I'm sure you realise. Actually, maybe you don't. Whatever. >>OK MOTORHEAD. BUT WHO HAS SOLD MORE ALBUMS AND HELPED DEFINE THE GENRE IN THE OVERALL MUSICAL LANDSCAPE? To people who don't care about the genre, Metallica have done more defining, if you will. To well-informed metal fans? Motorhead. Black Sabbath. Judas Priest. Thin Lizzy. Iron Maiden. All more important in the grand scheme of things. Sales-wise you're totally right, but I couldn't give a fuck about record sales. Puff Daddy sells lots of albums, but his only contribution to Hip Hop is to water it down and sell it to people who wouldn't like, or understand, the real shit. Likewise recent (i.e. the "black" album onwards) Metallica. Besides, Metallica have sucked for the last ten years. >>I WAS NOT BEING SNOBBISH. You seemed to be, but evidently not on purpose. Limitations of the e-mail format and all that... >>I HAVE AN OUNCE OF PAIN AND A POUND OF LOVE, OVER 30 YEARS OF MUSICAL LOVE, BEHIND EVERY WORD I POST HERE. SNOBBERY IS NOT AN OPTION. Ooh, nice escape route. I don't dispute your passion, just your ability to view metal in the same way as I, a genuine metal fan, can do. Oh, and snobbery is definitely an option, but I seem to have touched a nerve there so moving quickly on... >>THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THERE AREN'T EXCELLENT SONGWRITERS WHOSE FIRST STYLISTIC GENRE IS METAL. BUT ANY HOPE OF A GREATER AUDIENCE ACCEPTANCE IS VERY LIMITED. In the US and the UK, yes. Virtually everywhere else, bollocks! Go to Germany or Greece and then tell me that metal songwriting doesn't reach out to a wider, more populist audience. You'd be fibbing like a stinker! >>OK EVERYONE - HUM A FEW BARS - C'MON! IRON MAIDEN? WHAT'S WITH YOU PEOPLE? ON THE COUNT OF THREE! (SORRY FOR BEING A SMARTASS). That's alright, you weren't being that smart. >>ARE YOU PAST 40 YET? DON'T WORRY. YOU WILL BE SOMEDAY. GOD WILLING. Ozzy willing. Get it right! And no, of course I'm not past 40. The very thought! Outrageous... >> IF YOU DOWNLOAD AND NOT PAY, YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO CALL YOURSELF AN XTC FAN. ALL OF YOU!!!!! I will assume that you realise I was joking. If not, Ozzy help us all. >>TOM 'THANK GOD I HAVE LIVED THIS LONG' KINGSTON Oh please! Thank Ozzy I haven't...I'd hate to get to the stage where I start using my age as a debating tool. None more lame! >>DEATH TO FALSE MUSIC!!!! Hear hear. XTC? Black Sabbath? Atari Teenage Riot? Company Flow? It's all the same to me, pal. Good music makes life worth living, and I've got more cool stuff to listen to than I know what to do with at the moment. Life is good. Dom. \m/
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 05 May 2000 17:44:26 GMT From: "Dominique Leone" <d_leone@hotmail.com> Subject: Dan Castellaneta -- Two Lips Message-ID: <20000505174426.25634.qmail@hotmail.com> Perhaps some of you know that Dan Castellaneta, most famous as the voice of Homer Simpson, has released a solo album, "Two Lips". What you may not know is that it's probably the best 60s psychedelic-homage since the Dukes. I'm not kidding. And no, he doesn't sound like Homer Simpson when he sings. It's almost a cross between the Monkees and "Magical Mystery Tour". Fun. Dominique ------------------------------------ 1-0: MUSIC, FILM & LINKS http://www.geocities.com/1-0/ 2-0: YOUR LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR http://www.geocities.com/second_none
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 5 May 2000 13:42:16 -0400 From: "Cheryl" <mcgregoc@mindspring.com> Subject: Yes, I know it's silly but I can't help myself Message-ID: <000101bfb6b9$42377940$e406f7a5@mcgregocmindspring.com> Hey! Anyone else see the adverts for the more-than-likey-over-the-top-cheesy tv movie "Jason and the Argonauts"? Anyone else overcome with the urge to sing at the top of their lungs: "JAAAAAAAAAASON ANDTHE ARRRRRRGOOOOOOOOOONAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUTS!" I did this uncontrolably last night and my roommate thought I had lost my mind. I probably have... Take care, Cheryl
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 03 May 2000 23:25:52 -0400 From: Groove Disques <info@groovedisques.com> Subject: Re: Mummer a Bummer? Message-ID: <4.1.20000503230609.0099ad60@mail.digiweb.com> Poor Mummer gets a bad rap. Following the impeccable English Settlement and the powerful Black Sea, it's my third favorite XTC album. I think it's their weirdest, most human album. This was the early 80s, a time of heavy compression, digital reverbs, and other musical equivalents of synthetic day-glo fabrics, and XTC puts out a mostly "small" sounding album rooted in odd acoustic instrumentation. The lyrics are great throughout. It's the last time they produced an album before their lyrical content was codified and reworked over subsequent albums. Clearly, the band had a little clue as ever about market tastes (and more power to them during those days)! It was a special album for me upon its release, and it still hits me when I listen to it today. I'm going to sound like a guy who took a lot of mushrooms during the first weeks of this album's release, but of the many "Beatle-esque" albums that have come out over the years, Mummer captures the "organic" qualities of more ragged works like Revolver and Let It Be. Beginning with Skylarking - a very good album, no doubt - the rough edges were sanded out of the band, save for the first Dukes album. Jim www.groovedisques.com
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 5 May 2000 20:09:12 +0100 From: "David Seddon" <D.Seddon@btinternet.com> Subject: First impressions (spoiler) and siren voices Message-ID: <002501bfb6c6$d161f160$709e01d5@default> Spoiler alert! Tonight, I got hold of a tape of Wasp Star and I've just had time to hear it once (in-between baby-feeding and changing etc). First impressions are: It's very upbeat It's very catchy It has immediate appeal (much more than Vol 1) Colin's efforts are much stronger (I thought he reached a low on Vol 1) There are several radio friendly songs that could be singles The lyrics are strong (as usual) I liked every track on first listen (I have heard the demos twice, mind you), but found You and the Clouds the least likeable of the twelve. Of course, this may change. I'm the Man is a good choice for a single, but I think that Stupidly Happy is so immediately catchy that it is sure to follow. Like someone else said, there's the riff that Keith missed on it. We're all Light and Playground are other obvious singles. On Vol 1, I thought that Green Man was the one obvious single (still think it's crazy that ET was a single ahead of it). This time, I can hear four. That's good for sales potential, I think. Church of Women seems to be the sort of song that will grow on you the more you hear it. It seems to have a lot of depth, and for me this was thru' the sound of a crying baby. Standing in for Joe seemed to have a very early 70's feel to it (it was the rhythmic quality and the percussion mainly). I liked that. Can't understand why some people have criticised Wounded Horse. It's a deliberately simple song with strong sexual overtones and feel. It has a lot of passion and is sung well. There is a touch of Neil Young at his rawest in there (just a touch mind you). The Wheel and the Maypole is the sort of song we're all going to get a lot of fun talking about. It's a very happy song and full of the joys of life. It continues Andy's pagan/earth loving theme. I don't know how we'll all judge WS in 6 months time and I don't know if it will join the pantheon of classic albums; for nearly all of us ES and BS; for some of us Nonsuch; and for others Skylarking etc. What I do know however is that those on the list who have said that this is a poor album are way off the mark. You siren voices out there have definately got it wrong this is not a weak XTC album. It's definately a good one. How good we'll talk about over time! My own guess is that it will sell better than Vol 1 and pick up more airplay. People who like catchy pop (Blur fans, maybe?) will like this and thus there maybe some new fans because of it.
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