Chalkhills Digest Volume 6, Issue 222
Date: Thursday, 3 August 2000
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 6, Number 222
Thursday, 3 August 2000
Topics:
NO LANGUAGE IN YOUR LUNGS
like, different, man
Bobby Dylan
Flamers Learning To Read.
get thee to an optometrist!
canary
misheard lyrics
What A & C did for money during the strike....
What is that smell?
XTC in Montreal
}---:)
un-xtc
Colin Newman/ Across this Antheap
Artistic Roughage
Re: Misheard lyrics
RE: Online Andy alert
RE: Bad Records Poker
And don't cry, baby, don't cry.
Not very good songs
contemporary influences
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Well I stumbled and I fell / Like a wounded horse.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 2 Aug 2000 23:31:23 +0100 From: davebancroft@cwctv.net Subject: NO LANGUAGE IN YOUR LUNGS Message-ID: <099ab5227220280DTVMAIL11@smtp.cwctv.net> chalkhillers? WHY have most of you stopped talking about the worlds finest,XTC? I am sick of reading about shite,ie: nick cave,paul simon and musical idiot todd runtgren.where are thediehard fans? its becoming like rolling stone,THAT COMIC US PUBLICATION whose staff file their bloody nails instead of getting facts right.ie:dr feelgood...a2nd rate r n b band from GB.Did you know the singer loaned 400 quid of his own money to get stiff records going? the punk bands to be ,dambed and pistols saw them live and thought ....thats the attitude.no felgoods, no punk, no XTC ,no chance for this XTC list,now what do you likeabout XTC? TALK ABOUT THEM,we true fans dont want to know about subscribers with BAs in canadian diddly shit,we like to hear views of XTC,get to bed or give us something interesting. kind regards, DAVE
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Aug 2000 19:08:04 -0500 From: "Christopher R. Coolidge" <cauldron@together.net> Subject: like, different, man Message-ID: <l03130301b5ad30aecbc4@[208.13.202.41]> >With that in mind, I'll suggest a thread: What pop/rock artist, that you >like (almost?) as much as XTC, sounds the most different from XTC? > >MJC The Ramones. Gabba Gabba Hey! Christopher R. Coolidge "A Great law protects me from the government. The Bill of rights has 10 GREAT laws. A Good law protects me from you. Laws against murder, theft, assault and the like are good laws. A Poor law attempts to protect me from myself." - Unknown
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Aug 2000 19:46:42 EDT From: StucoHomes@aol.com Subject: Bobby Dylan Message-ID: <24.89ee675.26ba0ce2@aol.com> In a message dated 8/2/00 6:43:38 PM US Eastern Standard Time, <owner-chalkhills@chalkhills.org> writes: > Bob Dylan WAS overrated . There - I said it ! > OOOOOO.... I can feel those flame throwers burning my arse/ass now . Bob Dylan was a lyrical innovator - his work led to an insurgence of real poetry into rock lyrics, and songs that weren't just "Girl loves boy" or "Girl leaves boy" or "Girl dies, boy cries." THAT is why Bob Dylan was so great. Also, his rock music of the mid-60s influenced a whole range of people from the Band to Tom Petty . . . So there. - - - Reverend Jody L. Barnes http://members.aol.com/StucoHomes "May the baby Jesus shut your mouth and open your mind." - Don Vliet "He who hesitates is lost." - Andy Partridge
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Aug 2000 20:14:25 -0400 (EDT) From: Radios In Motion <radiosinmotion@iwon.com> Subject: Flamers Learning To Read. Message-ID: <383881377.965261668257.JavaMail.root@web184-iw> Some people on this list do not, or cannot read. They read one thing "Beatles were overrated" and start flaming away! I CLEARLY EXPLAINED THAT OVERRATED DID NOT MEAN THEY WERE NOT A DAMN GOOD GROUP, I CLEARLY EXPLAINED THAT OVERRATED DID NOT MEAN THEY WERE NOT A DAMN GOOD GROUP. CAN YOU READ THAT? IS THAT UNDERSTOOD? If so, good. What I am saying is, the bulk of fans, of any kind of music or artists, are only fans because they flock to what is popular. How many people have you known who hated a group, or never paid any mind when you listened to them, but later on, when they got popular, they were all over them like they were the biggest fans? Lets say XTC gets really popular and all of a sudden, everyone claims to be their biggest fans! I have seen it happen. Most people only listen to what they think others listen to, hense why we have music charts. Anyone who does disagree with this must be out of their mind because its true, or the Billboard charts would not mean anything. Can we have dialog or must this be a list full of flamers who can't reada post before casting the first flame?
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Aug 2000 17:44:42 -0700 (PDT) From: Tyler Hewitt <tahewitt@yahoo.com> Subject: get thee to an optometrist! Message-ID: <20000803004442.16450.qmail@web2103.mail.yahoo.com> RE: David Hyde Pierce plays Niles, Frazier's brother, on a popular sitcom here. He looks a bit like AP. ------- ??????? David Hyde Pierce looks about as much like Andy as I do. And I asure you I look nothing like him. However, David Hyde Pierce is a known homosexual. As is the guy who plays Fraser's dad. I get this from a friend, an actor who lives in L.A. Beleive me, he would know!
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Aug 2000 17:52:46 -0700 (PDT) From: Tyler Hewitt <tahewitt@yahoo.com> Subject: canary Message-ID: <20000803005246.25059.qmail@web2106.mail.yahoo.com> RE: And I recall my niece once belting out the Police's immortal, "Canary in a Coma." Yeah. I remember that song. It was about a pregognitive canary that suffered the effects of listening to Sting's solo albums years before he made 'em!
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 Aug 2000 20:04:51 CDT From: "Megan Heller" <hellerm@hotmail.com> Subject: misheard lyrics Message-ID: <F212mcarcR4ZDgC81Tb00001a09@hotmail.com> okay, sorry, I wouldn't lend to a sort of inconsequential thread, but I remembered these two & it made me laugh-- 1) There was a dance club hit several years ago, that ran "I like to move it-move it, I like to move it-move it, I like to move it-move it, Let's go, move it!" A friend's younger sister (not very young, in her teens) though he was saying "I like Gumbo McBovick". No, it doesn't make sense, but it makes me hear the song that way. 2) There was that Dishwalla song from a few years back, "Tell me all your thoughts on God". At the end the vocal goes into a sort of rapturous (I guess, supposedly hearfelt), "Am I very far now?" over and over again. My best friend swore he was saying (because it was funnier that way), "Will I marry Bono?" It does sound like it-- I stopped switching that song off when it came on the radio just because it made me laugh. okay, return to regular programming, etc. m.
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Aug 2000 19:01:13 -0700 From: "Wes Hanks" <whanks1@earthlink.net> Subject: What A & C did for money during the strike.... Message-ID: <000701bffcee$bc24af40$2bc8fc9e@default> http://www.herald.com/content/tue/sports/wrestling/digdocs/036429.htm aaaaarrrrrgghhhh!!!! Wes "Pat McGroin" Hanks [Attachment omitted, unknown MIME type or encoding (application/octet-stream)]
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Aug 2000 19:26:49 -0700 (PDT) From: brown <mb2@deltanet.com> Subject: What is that smell? Message-ID: <200008030226.TAA03946@mail2.deltanet.com> Robert made this comment in response to my gushing little post- Debs said: >> Another highly entertaining post, Mr. Lawson.. like backing into a hot stove, stark naked.. painful AND humiliating.. and it sure leaves an impression! Thank you sir, may we have another? Debora Brown << Sure that's not Deborah Brown-Nose?! <BG> --- Well the subject line for Dom's post WAS 'Ass', wasn't it? That's what I get for trying to stay on topic.. hurrrumph! ----- I'm putting together some vacation tapes, and I'd like three of them to reflect the mood of a specific time of day(morning, afternoon, evening). Maybe you can help me. I'm choosing some XTC songs for these tapes, and if you have any suggestions I'd love to hear them! Feel free to e-mail me directly. These are the XTC albums I have: English Settlement Skylarking Oranges & Lemons Nonsuch WS AV1 Drums and Wires UD Assortment Thanks- DBNose (no h in Debora) --Jayne, we saved you the plumpest of the babies, when may we expect you?
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 03 Aug 2000 03:35:51 GMT From: "Gary White" <garwhite@hotmail.com> Subject: XTC in Montreal Message-ID: <F221gZe0J64TBU25JJz00003989@hotmail.com> Ok kids...everyone to their respective corners for just a moment. It's been a long time since I listened to CHOM, Montreal's only english FM commercial rock radio station, but I happened to have it on while washing dishes this evening. They have a show called "The Top 8 at 8" every evening, where they play the most requested songs of the day. Low and behold - our very own XTC slide in tonight at # 3 with ITMWML. I almost fainted. And so I'm sending out a plea to any other Montreal Chalkers (I'd be surprised if I WASN'T the only one on this list) to call up CHOM @ 937-2466 to ad YOUR request. With a little push maybe we can bump it up to # 1! And another thing. I recently stumbled upon "All I Dream Of Is a Friend" while scouring Napster in a last minute effort to beat the deadline. To my ears this is possibly the most beautiful song the world will NEVER hear. I kind of hear it as Andy's "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and I say that with the appropriate amount of reverance and respect. Hearing it only reinforces my belief that Andy Partridge would have no trouble writing a brilliant broadway musical, given the chance. Ok...back to your bickering. Gary in Montreal
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 02 Aug 2000 23:04:29 CDT
From: "vee tube" <veetube@hotmail.com>
Subject: }---:)
Message-ID: <F263tSgcOrBLSAQV6uP00000325@hotmail.com>
Sorry I haven't been on about it lately,
I've been off a bit. Now that I'm back on about
it. I hope I get off soon.
XTC Content:
Bull/James/Colin MP3s should be up by Saturday.
!---:)
P.S. Traders you can trust: WTDK and the inimitable
WesLoooooooooonG. There are others and I will
try to remember their names next time.
"I wish life could be,
Finnish Magazines!"
Iggy Trout '72
Tar Tar for now!
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 3 Aug 2000 14:22:11 +0100 From: Warren Butson <Warren.Butson@getty-images.com> Subject: un-xtc Message-ID: <917A9E311021D411ABDF00508B605A470F1D81@lonexchg01.tonystone.com> An artist I love who has no connection to xtc is Curtis Mayfield. I think he's extremely under-listened to, not under-rated as he's always being praised by journalists, but very few people seem to know him beyond the songs superfly and move on up. Between 70-74 he made fantastic soul albums with very intelligent lyrics and wonderful arrangements of brass and strings. This month is the release of a remastered "Curtis" (his first album) which is well worth checking out for the 8 minute version of move on up! Does anyone else dig this genius? Mis heard lyrics: Bee Gees: HOW DEE IS YOUR LOVE : "...and you come to me on a submarine..." Full marks to Duncan Kimball for pointing out Ivor Cutler's "Life in a Scotch sitting room" a fabulous comedy/prose record with delicious descriptions of a tough Scottish childhood, very recommended. Finally can everyone stop all this shitney Dallas, string, etc business it's a little pathetic, and very immature, if you find them so irrelevant then stop mentioning them. p.s I hope this chastising doesn't come across a little pathetic and immature!
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 3 Aug 2000 12:48:45 +0100 From: "Stephen Jackson" <smj@zen.co.uk> Subject: Colin Newman/ Across this Antheap Message-ID: <00a101bffd40$fdc8e900$601017d4@smj> Firstly, people shouldn't use subject headers like... >Give me Colin Newman any day when there's no reference to the guy! When I saw the header my heart leapt at the possibility of discussing my two favourite bands at the same time (XTC and Wire. Had there been a mention of Magazine, I'd have exploded) More seriously, someone was asking about the meaning of Across this Antheap. I've always felt it was about the pointlessness of it all. How we trudge on in our small lives, thinking ourselves significant whilst attaching importance to everyday trivialities whilst ignoring the really important stuff. The last verse often gets the tears rolling...the bit about us walking past the widows who weep and the lovers who leap, which, of course, are everyday occurrences, which we probably give little thought to until we are affected directly by them.... It's a great lyric. As is One of The Millions, a song so personal and honest that only the truly thick-skinned would not be able to empathise with it.... Steve. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ They use the head and not the fist.
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 3 Aug 2000 12:07:11 +0100 From: Adrian Ransome <Adrian.Ransome@tsi-ltd.co.uk> Subject: Artistic Roughage Message-ID: <497FEA72C392D3118AE700508B7311773E3181@NT4SERVER03> I originally thought Ladybird was an ode to constipation with the line: "Time seemed longer than a good strain" Helpful Hint from A. Limey to J. Easter : I know who David Hyde Pierce is, I just don't know what you're going on about... and is Arnie _really_ a known homosexual? And if so, so what? Adrian
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 Aug 2000 22:11:55 -0700 From: "Russ Reynolds" <rcreation@earthlink.net> Subject: Re: Misheard lyrics Message-ID: <200008030510.WAA20087@avocet.prod.itd.earthlink.net> > And I recall my niece once belting out the Police's > immortal, "Canary in a Coma." Funny, but nothing comes close to my 7-year old daughter looking at the jacket of an old "West Side Story" LP and saying "The Jet Song! I know that one!" and then, proceding to sing the Beverly Hillbillies theme ( "come listen to a story 'bout a man named Jet...") -russ
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 3 Aug 2000 14:06:07 +0100 From: "Smith, David" <David.Smith@tfeurope.com> Subject: RE: Online Andy alert Message-ID: <4BBE67B71C1DD411A23600508B65F71E6860D1@tfsecmsg04.tfseur.co.uk> Hi all Don't know if this has been posted yet, but if you go to the Music365 website, in fact follow this link: http://www.music365.co.uk/shownews.php3?SID=35477 . . there's a short review piece about the AV/WS period of XTC featuring a few small video clips of an AP interview. They don't really tell us much more than we already know, but they're worth it just to see "Him" in speaking action. I would draw you to the "Releasing Two Albums in 15 months" clip - where he is slightly (ahem) acerbic about Dave's objection to the AV prject's original working title of "History of the Middle Ages" and also mentions us - as in obsessive fans - regarding the "previous lyric for next album title" theory. Hint - there's a link to a "welcome" in the text, and a link to "Where the titles come from" below. They're the same link, so don't bother with them both. If anyone can actually download them - and not just view them online - which is all I can do and I keep getting my buffer clogged up (ooohhh errrr) - please let me know how. Enjoy. Smudge "Does that enrol me into the inner sanctum?" boy E-Mail: david.smith@tfeurope.com
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 3 Aug 2000 10:54:19 +0100 From: "Smith, David" <David.Smith@tfeurope.com> Subject: RE: Bad Records Poker Message-ID: <4BBE67B71C1DD411A23600508B65F71E6860D0@tfsecmsg04.tfseur.co.uk> Wotcha Hillers Back on the thread of bad records, mi compadre Rory said "I raise you...Lady In Red - Chris De Burgh" Right then, I'll jump (uninvited) into this poker game . . and I'll see your Lady In Red and raise you "Having My Baby" by Paul Anka.. Ha! By the way, I don't know whether it's OK to post URLs of websites that make me laugh, but I'm gonna do it anyway (I have no personal connection with this site, It just made me giggle): http://mirrorimage.com/air/ Smudge "Chocolate Candy Hearts" Boy E-Mail: david.smith@tfeurope.com
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 3 Aug 2000 02:03:06 EDT From: KINGSTUNES@aol.com Subject: And don't cry, baby, don't cry. Message-ID: <92.838ba95.26ba651a@aol.com> >Almost as bad but w/o the negative physiological >effect is that horrid fusion shit they play during the >local forcast on the Weather Channel. Sends me running >for the mute button every time! I hate to disappoint some of you folks, but a lot it is Pat Metheny. Actually, because of that, I think it's improved a lot from a couple of years ago when it was overloaded with EZ listening fusion. ************************ >C'mon, think back, man... SCENE: Family yelling, >stomping feet ascending stairs... CUE Little Tom: "You CAN'T tell me what to >do! I HATE you!" (slams bedroom door, rushes to sadly anemic Emerson stereo >system, stabs at 'On' button while grabbing 'Volume' and *invoking* the >sweet blast to the only correct setting: *all the fucking way up*... -Duncan Watt Got your back. I understand, totally. But the loud music, as in your face as it is, doesn't bother me. I'm extending my adolescence to my grave, grid willing! I'm just worried that songwriting will get lost. BTW, I have a better story. A true one. Flash back to 1971, Ft. Ord CA. I just turned fifteen and for my birthday got a Fender deluxe blackfront amp. Pre CBS. My hair was "just getting good in the back". I was cranking it up one afternoon after school, and was making a fumbling attempt at the Star Spangled Banner ala Jimi. In walks my Dad, a career Army lifer in his 28th year, veteran of D-Day, Korea and Nam. Imagine THAT scene....... ********************** >As a longtime fan of the Byrds I have to agree although I do think that >when Graham Parsons joined the band they recaptured some of that fire that >disappeared later. Untitled (which, by the way, has just been reissued with >an additional disc of material) is another fine album. Clarence White was >an underrated guitarist. It's sad that he was taken away from us so soon... Very sad. The Byrds were seminal in bringing together country with rock. And Graham Parson, what can you say? Such a sad, longing voice. The key album here is of course Sweetheart of the Rodeo. I saw the Byrds as having two peaks, really. the one I described earlier was what I think of as the classic 12-string folk rock sound. That to me is what I think of as essential "Byrd-sound", if you will. The second peak was with Parsons and the later Untitled album. BTW, I understand that the complete concert that the live side of Untitled has been released, and it supposedly rocks! Clarence at his best! Has anyone heard it? ****************** >Because Peter Gabriel's music has integrity. Are you >comparing anything off of "Graceland" to songs like >"Red Rain" and "In Your Eyes?" Be serious. Yes. Many of the songs on Graceland delve quite deeply into the journey of the soul as it moves through life. Much of it has themes dealing with the arrival of mid-life, grappling with mortality, and finding redemption and strength to carry on. Boy in the Bubble deals with the advances of modern life amidst the problems left unsolved. The metaphors and poetic insights are often stunning! You have chosen not to listen, I feel. Or you just hear something else. >Gabriel understood the music that he was celebrating, >and adjusted his style accordingly. Simon just >continued doing the same old thing he had been doing >for years, but switched back-up bands. So he's better at this than Simon because he sang directly about apartheid? Besides, Simon adjusted his style accordingly as well. He also researched his music thoroughly, spending a great deal of time in Africa. The melodies and chord progressions were most certainly adjusted to fit the feel of the music. If you're up on your Simonology, then you know that the albums preceeding this were Hearts and Bones and, before that, One Trick Pony. Both of those albums, especially OTP, were overburdened with that Richard Tee jazz / funk combo sound. The melodies and chords were almost too complex, and very far removed from his leaner approach on Graceland. OTP was so indulgent this way that it was generally received as his poorest album. It needed Late In The Evening to garner any respectable sales. It's the only PS album no longer print. So he was NOT doing the same old thing. Graceland was a refreshing departure. >I didn't say he wasn't qualified to play >African music based on anything except that he did it >so poorly. He did not *play* African music. He used the African music as the basis for his songs and songwriting; as his canvass, if you will. He tried to do nothing he shouldn't have tried to do, and stayed within his bounds. The musicians, on the other hand, KICKED BUTT! They were a revelation! He let *them* play, gave them plenty of room to be featured, and it worked just fine, thank you. I don't see here how Gabriel was any more qualified, for that matter. (BTW, I love Gabriel!). And what about the Talking Heads? They "played" it better? Or was it their backup musicians? >As if I'm somehow less qualified than >*you* to judge good music? Don't be silly. I did not say or even suggest that. That's an inappropriate response. We are all our own best judges. My point was that I had spent countless hours enjoying that album. I think it's thrilling and wonderful, and I find it confounding that anyone would not enjoy it, let alone hate it so much. But, hey, that's your perogative, and I'm sorry you were offended. Just remember this; your declaring the album *crap* is nothing more than *your opinion*. It's not going to change the way those of us who love it feel. It makes me smile, and it always will. :-)!!!!! *********** Someone else said, >Oh so it wasnt Economic Sanctions, an impeding widespread civil war, de >Clerk's forethought that endded apartheid? Give me a fucking break! I did not say Paul Simon ended apartheid. Give me a break! My point is that even if he violated sanctions, he brought worldwide attention to the culture of these oppressed people, which added fuel to the fire. I am forever thankful he did. I had no idea that that sort of music was going on there. It made me all the more anxious to see that sorry situation end. I actually joined Amnesty International as a result of Graceland! Not even Sting could do that to me. For me, personally, Simon's going there and exposing that musical culture was much more motivational than a bunch of self-important rock stars singing and complaining about it. That's all. and Tom Kingston stated: > I'm probably the biggest S & G / Simon fan on this list, so I'm biased < >Oh, come off it Tom, that's playground (playground, careful what you say >ground) level stuff. I'm a bigger fan than you are?? Jeeeeze! Lighten up! You'll spurt! Look, I realize I'm prone to snobbery attacks, but this was jest a way of sayin' that I'm a major S & G fan! Please, folks, if I say stuff, like this, take it easy, OK? It's just hyperbole, that's all. Look, I love them, I've been listening to them a loooong time, still do, and I know a lot about them. Is that better? Sorrrry! ObXTC - Are our boys any more / less pretentious for their attempt, It's Nearly Africa? Tawk amongst yourselves.... Peace, Love & Rock & Roll, Tom "Oh, you people are so superstitious!" K "There is nothing more difficult than talking about music." - Camille Saint-Saens
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 3 Aug 2000 09:50:39 +0100 From: R.Crawford@mgn.co.uk Subject: Not very good songs Message-ID: <OF303BFB04.520ADC25-ON80256930.002FE0FF@mgn.co.uk> From: Rory Wilsher <rory_wilsher@yahoo.co.uk> Subject: How Could We Have Missed It? On the subject of, >Lady In Red - Chris De Burgh I second the motion that this song is absolute crap, and propose I just called to say I love you - Stevie Wonder This song (and I use the term loosely), is lady in reds partner in crime The DJ at my wedding reception, the only stipulation regarding music played was that neither of the above where played. To back this up the DJ was told that if they where played he wouldn't be paid. He played them, it took 3 hours for my wife to talk me into paying the so called DJ after the reception. Personally I would rather have spent some extra money and paid John Otway to appear :) Rob...
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 Aug 2000 22:01:47 -0700 From: "Russ Reynolds" <rcreation@earthlink.net> Subject: contemporary influences Message-ID: <200008030459.VAA27119@avocet.prod.itd.earthlink.net> >> Listed as being influenced by XTC: [...] The Buzzcocks, Wire < > > Hmmm, I'm not normally up on those sort of things, but I would have thought > that both were contempories and therefore unlikely to have XTC as serious > influences. Bob Dylan seriously influenced many of his contemporaries. As did the Beatles, Beach Boys, and Byrds to name but a few. One of the things that made the music of the sixties so great was that they were all feeding off each other. I think we saw a lot of that in the late 70's punk/new wave scene as well: bands listening to and trying to outdo each other (rather than to merely trying to copy each other, as we saw with the grunge scene). I can certainly see where both the Buzzcocks and Wire would have kept their eyes on XTC, and vice versa. -russ
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #6-222 *******************************
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