Chalkhills Digest, Volume 6, Number 301 Friday, 8 December 2000 Topics: karaoke XTC I pity the fool..... Q magazine, Y? more like! Top Ten List 2000 Groovy, baby! Top 10 Albums for 2000 Odd goings on in Swindon... Track list for the "Bubblegum" album? Spin Soldier Stories Paul Wilde Trash Cans XTC covers Jonesing for broken glass Reconfigure This! Ride 'M In, Pide "m Out XTC featured in R&R Live365 Internet Radio run to his arms at the door It was 20 years ago today... Administrivia: Please note the changed email addresses for Chalkhills! To UNSUBSCRIBE from the Chalkhills mailing list, send a message to <chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org> with the following command: unsubscribe For all other administrative issues, send a message to: <chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org> Please remember to send your Chalkhills postings to: <chalkhills@chalkhills.org> World Wide Web: <http://chalkhills.org/> The views expressed herein are those of the individual authors. Chalkhills is compiled with Digest 3.7c (John Relph <relph@tmbg.org>). Generals and Majors \ Like never before are tired of being actionless.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2000 21:07:38 EST From: Jdmack01@aol.com Subject: karaoke XTC Message-ID: <a9.e53cec2.2759b36a@aol.com> In a message dated 12/1/00 8:59:42 PM Eastern Standard Time, <owner-chalkhills@chalkhills.org> writes: > > << Anyone sung any XTC on Karaoke? >> I don't know if there are any Karaoke tapes of XTC available at your local bar Karaoke set up, but I have played "Mayor Of Simpleton," "Another Satellite," and "The Disappointed" at open mike nights with just me and my guitar. J. D.
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2000 23:18:49 -0800 (PST) From: Tyler Hewitt <tahewitt@yahoo.com> Subject: I pity the fool..... Message-ID: <20001202071849.7344.qmail@web2106.mail.yahoo.com> ok that website that translates web pages into Mr. T-ese is just too damn stupid-funny! Thanks! I did a lecture in the 2D design class I'm teaching on record cover design, how it helps to create an image and can provide visual connections to the music contained on the disc (I'm having the class design cd covers as a project). I finished the lecture by showing a slide of the cover of Go2, presenting it as an example of a postmodern aesthetic in record packaging. Don't think anyone in the class was familiar with Go2, but they all seemed to appreciate the cover. In case anyone's interested, here's the list of covers I showed slides of: Meet the Beatles Bartok-Six String Quartets-Emerson String Quartet Kronos Quartet-Morton Feldman String Quartet Gershwin-Rapshody in Blue-Chicago Symphony Orch. Miles Davis at Fillmore Os Mutantes-Everything is Possible Jimi Hendrix-Axis: Bold as Love Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols The Residents Commercial Album XTC-Go 2
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Dec 2000 09:56:24 -0800 (PST) From: andrew sneddon <andrew_sneddon@yahoo.com> Subject: Q magazine, Y? more like! Message-ID: <20001202175624.26063.qmail@web617.mail.yahoo.com> Hello Chalkers Unless my eyes fail me Q has missed out XTC on the 50 best albums of the year this month. It's to be expected I guess, sigh, moan etc etc. Spose I could just stop buying it now... Non-XTC content. Any "League of Gentlemen" fans out there? Time for a curry Andrew
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Dec 2000 16:37:39 EST From: BrainiacsDaughtr@aol.com Subject: Top Ten List 2000 Message-ID: <12.57ff072.275ac5a3@aol.com> My list is kind of pathetic, not because of the quality of the music (it was great) but because I probably didn't buy 10 CDs this year. Damn Napster! Wasp Star (of course) The Trouble With Being Nice - Household Names (still spinning this one, Jason) Breakfast With Girls - Self Bachelor No. 2/Magnolia - Aimee Mann Owsley ...and the best music discovery for me this year were some tracks some musical aquaintances of mine did under the name The Byl Gates Trio. Unfortunately these songs never really made it off my VS-880, and the "trio" has for the time being disbanded. But I have to say these songs along with Household Names are the ones of listened to the most this year. So thats my all too short list. LC
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Dec 2000 17:46:14 -0600 From: "Larry Stevens" <lstevens@fgi.net> Subject: Groovy, baby! Message-ID: <00f301c05cbb$2cbe90a0$78c6d4cc@oldbessie> Hey All: I'll sell you my Jules Verne Sketchbook for -- (best Dr. Evil imitation) -- one mil-lion dollars! Cheers! Larry Anglophile Stevens
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 04 Dec 2000 13:46:13 +1100 From: "Iain Murray" <halfmanhalflager@hotmail.com> Subject: Top 10 Albums for 2000 Message-ID: <F42ZS08i7M4BAyxJMXe00006e5d@hotmail.com> FWIW: 10. "Silver And Gold" - Neil Young 9. "Kid A" - Radiohead 8. "Renegades" - Rage Against The Machine 7. "Thousand Yard Stare" - The Fauves 6. "How It Works" - Bodyjar 5. "Wasp Star" - XTC 4. "Two Against Nature" - Steely Dan 3. "Abandoned Shopping Trolley Hotline" - Gomez 2. "All That You Can't Leave Behind" - U2 1. "The Friends Of Rachel Worth" - The Go-Betweens Iain "I stand by all the misstatements that I've made." - Dan Quayle
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 4 Dec 2000 08:55:44 -0500 (EST) From: Joe Hartley <jh@brainiac.com> Subject: Odd goings on in Swindon... Message-ID: <200012041355.IAA21990@eno.brainiac.com> Shamelessly purloined, et cetera . . . SWINDON, England, Dec 3 (AFP) - The Reverend Carol Stone returned to her parishioners on Sunday for the first time in three months, having last seen them as a man, the Reverend Peter Stone. The 46 year-old Anglican vicar of Swindon's St Philip's church and father of an 18 year-old daughter underwent a sex-change operation in September. Some 100 parishioners greeted the vicar warmly on her return Sunday with a standing ovation before Sunday worship began. The only discordant note was provided by one elderly lady who let her disapproval of sex-change operations be known in no uncertain terms before being escorted discreetly to the church porch by her fellow worshippers. The vicar told her flock: "This sermon hasn't been just three months in the making. If the truth be told, I've been waiting to write it for the best part of 46 years - never dreaming one day I might. "After almost 23 years of preaching I felt like a young curate again preparing for one's first sermon," the divorced vicar said, thanking the faithful for their support. After the service, parishioners spoke of their feelings towards the vicar. Michael Ennis, 71, said: "She has shown a great deal of courage. I remember how she was in the last few months before, and you could see the strain on her face. "I don't think the people here will ever let her go. A person doesn't change - their abilities don't change. I thought the service went very well." Greta Davies, 56, added: "It was a lovely service. Peter was an exceptional priest and Carol will be too. The clergyman first announced in June he was going to have a sex-change operation He obtained the support of Bishop Barry Rogerson of Bristol to continue as vicar of his parish. The Bishop let it be known in June that all the parishioners supported their vicar and that there was no prohibition, legal or ecclesiastical, to prevent the vicar continuing her pastoral duties. ====================================================================== Joe Hartley - UNIX/network Consultant - jh@brainiac.com Without deviation from the norm, "progress" is not possible. - FZappa
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 4 Dec 2000 10:18:25 -0500 From: Steve Maser <maser@engin.umich.edu> Subject: Track list for the "Bubblegum" album? Message-ID: <p0501040db651635ab4c0@[141.212.136.123]> I searched the archives and never found this in a "completed" form: Was there a projected tracklist for the "bubblegum" album and did the demos for the full album ever make it "out there"? - Steve -- Steve Maser (maser@umich.edu) | Thinking is man's only basic virtue, Systems Project Coordinator | from which all the others proceed. Dept. of Mechanical Engineering | -- Ayn Rand
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 04 Dec 2000 14:56:02 -0700 From: Angie Kelson Packer/Shaun Packer <nick@aros.net> Subject: Spin Soldier Stories Message-ID: <3A2C12F2.66E72CA2@aros.net> Kiddies off to school, Christmas decorations kinda up, and I'm hiding from female ecclesiastic leaders meeting next door, hoping they don't come knocking on my door. This has turned out to be a l-o-n-g post, so feel free to scroll to more concise, wittier, and likely more informative posts. Thanks much for the posting of Andy's Top 5 for `Spin.' I used the Brittney Spears "Tits, Tits, My Christian Tits" line on a friend at lunch the other day, and made hot sauce come out her nose, which wouldn't be unusual in a kid, but this is a 40-something professional woman. She seems to vaguely remember XTC, so for Christmas I'm proselyting by giving her "Upsy Daisy Assortment." Now, thanks to Andrew Boyle for his new "bare bones" page and the article/photo of the other Andy with his toy soldiers. My younger brother was over for dinner the other night, and the DDH ( the Shaun of the header) and I were waxing poetic about XTC and forcing my brother to listen to "Upsy Daisy" which I had just purchased. After putting up with our gushing for approximately 15 minutes, my brother says "I saw Him (okay, my capitalization <G>) on `120 Minutes' (an old MTV show profiling, I guess, artists who didn't quite fit the American framework of Pop. I remember episodes with Lloyd Cole, Aztec Camera, Psychedelic Furs and Big Country. Hello, can anyone say 1980's? Now, back to my sacrilegious brother) "I saw Him on `120 Minutes.' He's a freaky fat fucker." My brother went on to narrate, complete with bad British accent, this television interview wherein Andy showed off his toy soldier collection. I was unaware of this eccentricity in our Dear, Beloved Andy (would this make him the DBA?) And was glad to see verification of my brother's story, just so I could understand what was going on. And my brother likes XTC, he's just not, um, as dedicated as Chalkheads, and he likes to play the Devil's Advocate, so please don't beat him to a virtual bloody pulp for taking the DBA's name in vain. Thanks also to Andrew Boyle for the ordering info. on "Song Stories." I'm contemplating it as a Christmas present for the DDH (is that okay, sweetie?) and now I know where to get it. And what's with this blurb: The book shows "how XTC's history of bad record deals, emotional breakdowns, death threats, obsessive fans who become lovers and constantly looming financial ruin is inextricably woven into their music?" I'm aware of most of the above *normal* life events (hey, come on, haven't we all had emotional breakdowns, looming financial ruin and bad music deals. Ah, I remember my sour experience with Island Records back in the late `80's <G>). But, what's this about death threats (wait, I read an interview where the DBA received a threat from someone in New Mexico over "Knuckle Down") but what's this bit about "obsessive fans who become lovers?!" I guess I do have to buy the book after all! Question...how many husband/wife, or other partnership, Chalkheads are out there? Seems like a few. And what is it about sensitive, artsy, poetic (Colin and Andy) guys that makes gals, even those who should be over the girlish crush stage, swoon? I have my own theories, to which I won't subject anyone today. And believe it or not, I have another comment comparing XTC and novelist Henry Green, but I won't subject anyone to that today either. Well, at least not on-line. Maybe I'll try it on the DDH at tonight and see what kind of look I get. Certainly not a `longing look,' I can tell you that now! Thanks for putting up with my rambling, again. Angie "Help! I'm talking and I can't shut up!"
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 4 Dec 2000 17:09:42 -0800 From: "Long's" <wlong2@carolina.rr.com> Subject: Paul Wilde Message-ID: <000b01c05e58$0c5c9160$0f9f5818@q6s2h0.carolina.rr.com> I'm looking for a chap by the name of Paul Wilde...thought he may be on the list. If anyone knows him, or how I can reach him...please email me offlist. Thanks and sorry to be a bother, wesLONG
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 4 Dec 2000 23:34:59 +0000 From: Mark Fisher <fisher@easynet.co.uk> Subject: Trash Cans XTC covers Message-ID: <a05001900b651da665be1@[194.128.83.69]> Just got these details of a Trash Can Sinatras CD with versions of a couple of XTC tracks: Now for the "On a B Road" double CD of b-sides and cover songs. The CDs and artwork are completed and at the manufacturer. This will be similar to the "Chewing a Brick" CD, it's a full color 4 panel insert and traycard, silkscreened CDs, shrinkwrapped in a slimline jewelcase. Unfortunately, I found out a couple of days ago that there was a problem with one of the CDs, so that master is being re-burned before the CDs can be pressed. I was originally supposed to have the CDs around December 8th, but now I probably will not have them until around December 15th. I know a lot of you were hoping to have your CD in time for the holidays, but I can't make any promises, other than as soon as the CDs are available, I'll start sending them out. To hopefully clear this up, this double CD is not an official release, and is basically a combination of the last "On a B Road...Again" CD (last available in the summer/fall of 1998) and the "Aberrations" CD from the summer of 1997. Most of the changes are from the "Aberrations" CD, many of those tracks have been replaced with better versions of the same songs, or new songs entirely, as the new compilation includes versions of the latest TCS releases (such as "Duty Free", and live versions of all of the songs from the "Snow" EP). Following is the track listing for the CDs: CD 1 1. Who's He 2. Drunken Chorus 3. Tomorrow Never Knows (radio session, Aug 1990) 4. Useless 5. Tonight You Belong To Me 6. Spanish Stroll (New York, Feb 1991) 7. Tales From the Riverbank (New York, Feb 1991) 8. Circling the Circumference (single mix) 9. My Mistake 10. White Horses 11. Love On a Farmboy's Wages (Minneapolis, Feb 1991) 12. Senses Working Overtime 13. For the Meantime 14. Dolphins (radio session, 1991) 15. Say 16. Kangaroo Court 17. Skindiving 18. When I Kissed the Teacher (London, Apr 1992) 19. I'm the One Who Fainted 20. Houseproud 21. Ask Davy 22. Little Things That Keep Us Together (London, Apr 1992) 23. The Lady Is a Tramp (radio session, Jun 1993) 24. No Gasoline CD2 1. Mr. Grisly 2. A Boy and a Girl 3. Aberration 4. Stainless Stephen 5. Charlie's Atlas 6. Jane's Estranged 7. Something Stupid (Minneapolis, Jul 1993) 8. Save Me 9. A Worm with a Head 10. Little Things That Keep Us Together 11. Ghosts of American Astronauts (radio session, Oct 1995) 12. Claw 13. You Only Live Twice 14. Born Free 15. Free As a Bird (Tokyo, Sep 1996) 16. I Know It's Over 17. Alfie (radio session, Sep 1996) 18. Stainless Stephen (alternate version) 19. Duty Free 20. Snow (Dublin, Mar 1999) 21. Leave Me Alone (radio session, Mar 1999) 22. Co-Stars (Dublin, Mar 1999) Each CD is around 76+ minutes. Every TCS b-side or other one-off release is included as far as I know. The live tracks/sessions vary in quality, but they're all very good except the two from London 1992, which aren't that great, but were included as there are not any other known recordings of those cover songs. Everything else is audience DAT, soundboard or radio broadcast. If you're interested in getting the double CD set, the cost per set is as follows: US$25, including postage, in the US and Canada US$27, including postage, to South America and Europe US$28, including postage, to Asia and Australia You can pay by cash, check or money order. For those of you outside of the US, a bank check or international money order in US$ (or US$ cash) is the easiest way to pay. You can send to me at the following address: Joe DiMaria 47 Hillview Road Westwood, MA 02090 USA As I said, I will do my best to get the CDs sent out ASAP. There are more people on the mailing list than there will be CDs, but I would guess there will be enough CDs for everyone interested (but can't make any promises). -- Mark Fisher Scottish Theatre Links: http://www.scottishtheatre.co.uk/ Home email: fisher@ScottishTheatre.co.uk Work email: editor@list.co.uk
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 4 Dec 2000 22:48:23 -0800 (PST) From: Ryan Anthony <hamsterranch@yahoo.com> Subject: Jonesing for broken glass Message-ID: <20001205064823.9879.qmail@web112.yahoomail.com> Have you ever jonesed for one particular song so badly that you had to play it over and over, dozens of times, before your need was satisfied? This year it happened to me three times. The songs were "Closer" by Nine Inch Nails, "It's the End of the World As We Know It (and I Feel Fine)" by R.E.M., and "Heaven is Paved With Broken Glass" by Colin, Andy, Dave, and Terry. I had given *The Downward Spiral* away to the very cool NIN-jonesing teen daughter of a very cool very good female friend of mine at the time, so I had to buy myself another copy. (The "very cool" part is important, because, if you're familiar with the lyrics to "Closer," you know that, in some jurisdictions, I'm flirting with a contributing-to-the-delinquency-of-a-minor rap if I give that song to a kid.) What album is "Heaven" on? Wasn't it *English Settlement*-era? Yes, but it's not on the album. Hmmm ... oh, there it is, it's on the B-side of the "Ball and Chain" single, which I have on vinyl. Alas, I don't have a working turntable. An alternate version is on the *Rag & Bone Buffet* compilation, so I've been playing that, but it's not as good as the original. XTC fans will understand that when you want to hear the original "ah-ooh-ee-ooh-ee-ooh-ee-waaaaaa," you want to hear the original "ah-ooh-ee-ooh-ee-ooh-ee-waaaaaa," and no other variety of "ah-ooh-ee-ooh-ee-ooh-ee-waaaaaa" will do. I understand that the original "Heaven is Paved With Broken Glass" is available on CD on a compilation album called *B's Wax*. I'll keep my eye out. All that is moot for the time being, because it's December, and here at the Hamster Ranch, December means wall-to-wall Mannheim Steamroller, interspersed with Christmas offerings from Vince Guaraldi, Michael Martin Murphey, the Chieftains, Riders In the Sky, and James "Santa's Got a Brand New Bag" Brown. Happy Kringle to all! Ryan Anthony An independent Internet content provider P.S.: Thanks to Michael Versaci for Tony Levin's delightful Gospel According to the Bassman ... http://www.papabear.com/bassbook.html P.P.S.: Brian Matthews wrote: > Being a good Otaku I usually only do songs in Japanese for Karaoke ... Brian, what does *otaku* mean? If *gaijin* means "foreigner" or "barbarian" (there being, evidently, little distinction between the two in the Japanese mind), is *otaku* perhaps a *gaijin* who has begun to learn manners?
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Dec 2000 17:05:26 +0100 From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl> Subject: Reconfigure This! Message-ID: <20001205155722.1585039039@mail.knoware.nl> Dear Chalkers, Thanks to the wonderful folk at Micro$oft (Peter F. & other list members excluded! ) i've had to re-format my C: drive and lost all my current and archived email, including the address books and other contact information. So anybody who's expecting an answer from me should not hold their breath. Same applies to anyone who emailed our mutual friend Dave G. through the Guitargonauts website during November. All messages have been well & truly lost forever Anyway, if you have a burning question pending please send it again! While i ponder the unbearable shiteness of Windows i remain, as ever, yours in xtc, Mark Strijbos at The Little Lighthouse http://www.knoware.nl/users/mmello/ or http://come.to/xtc
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Dec 2000 17:05:26 +0100 From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl> Subject: Ride 'M In, Pide "m Out Message-ID: <20001205155725.4128B39039@mail.knoware.nl> Dear Chakers, > If XTC wrote a C&W song, I wonder what would the subject be Easy...the answer is : rejected love, like 99% of all the C&W songs i'm aware of. An the funny thing is, XTC agreed and have given us the wonderful song 'Wounded Horse' just to prove my point. Yeehaw! Some folk on this forum have painted this horse in blues but i say neigh! nothing but good ol' country and western; from the instrumentation down to the lyrics with the deliberately corny and 'horsey' metaphors Next? Our friend the Worrier Queen asked: > >Is a frog an exotic Patagonian nose flute or instrument of > >another kind? To which the ever-friendly John R. replied > The frog is a kind of percussion instrument, shaped like a frog, > with a ridge on the back. A stick is rubbed along the ridge and > the frog croaks. And here's a neat tip for all budding and starving musicians: A real frog will croak just as well provided you use a slightly bigger stick yours in xtc, Mark Strijbos at The Little Lighthouse http://www.knoware.nl/users/mmello/ or http://come.to/xtc
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Dec 2000 19:43:51 -0800 (PST) From: travis schulz <xtcisadarngoodband@yahoo.com> Subject: XTC featured in R&R Message-ID: <20001206034351.1564.qmail@web1103.mail.yahoo.com> Hey there XTC fanatics! Haven't been here in a while; guess I got sick of the net for a while. But I thought I'd inform those who might be interested that XTC was covered in a two part series in Radio And Records Magazine (the radio industry's #1 newspaper!!!!). The overall theme is that XTC have thrived for a long long time and XTC in their present form are totally the shit on the Adult Alternative station and charts. And according to the article XTC seems destined to have quite a successful future. I've honestly never read a more positive article on XTC. "XTC's Stateside Success" is it's title so it does mention a decline in interest from the Brits. Later.
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 6 Dec 2000 13:12:11 -0600 From: "Paul Vicory" <vicory@hotmail.com> Subject: Live365 Internet Radio Message-ID: <OE9wTkRP5AHg5HCQiJZ00001954@hotmail.com> I just created an internet radio station, and I'm playing as much XTC on it as is legal! Please check it out at: http://www.live365.com/cgi-bin/directory.cgi?autostart=salmacis Enjoy! Sincerely, Paul Vicory P.S. I don't receive any financial benefit from your listenership, this is just FYI.<br clear=all><hr>Get more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download : <a href="http://explorer.msn.com">http://explorer.msn.com</a><br></p>
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 7 Dec 2000 19:55:51 -0000 From: "Adrian Ransome" <adrian.ransome@instinct.freeuk.com> Subject: run to his arms at the door Message-ID: <001701c06087$b4a5f380$34997ed4@atidy> Just a little note for anyone that's interested, I have become a father for the second time yesterday. Please to dance round for the one called Stephen Peter David Ransome born on the 6th of December. Mother and baby are fine and firstborn son is bemused. If it weren't for the fact I'm utterly knackered from trips to the hospital and arranging care for our firstborn, I'd be leaping around the front room to the sound of Stupidly Happy. (If our boys had written a tune called Wearily Elated then that'd be my current themesong). Now back to your scheduled programming.... Adrian (at home)
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Dec 2000 06:45:03 -0500 From: "Todd and Jennifer Bernhardt" <toddjenn@erols.com> Subject: It was 20 years ago today... Message-ID: <NABBKDAOLCDJBNEFDNLLGEJACFAA.toddjenn@erols.com> That our friend John Lennon passed away... Hard to believe, ain't it? We miss you, Johnny. On a lighter note, according to the most recent newsletter from Musician's Friend -- yep, the same folks who got Colin's name wrong when reporting *his* birthday -- Andy Partridge was born on Dec. 11, 1953. Happy birthday (again), Andy! -Todd
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #6-301 *******************************
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