Chalkhills Digest Volume 6, Issue 5
Date: Monday, 10 January 2000
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 6, Number 5
Monday, 10 January 2000
Today's Topics:
Re: Force Fed Cake
melt them!
I know! I know!
number 20
A literary matter (no XTC content)
Replies and recommendations
Meccanic Dancing and band chemistry
Re: Best of 1999
Re: German music question
Re: School Guide to XTC
O&L drums
Bill Nelson
Something Fishy Or A Red Herring?
Chalk-music for Chalk-people
paying attention
Homespun
Grand XTC Get-Together
Braggphine
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-ID: <20000107235332.3350.qmail@web209.mail.yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 7 Jan 2000 15:53:32 -0800 (PST) From: pancho artecona <partecona@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: Force Fed Cake OK, I'll bite Kevin Diamond says: "is it just me, or does it feel like the public has worse taste in music than in any other art medium? Somehow good movies always seem to get an audiance (although apparently Man On the Moon is doing horribly) and good authors like Kurt Vonnegut, Tom Robbins, Stephen King, etc... are liked by lots of people. But with music, there's so many people who just buy into mechanically created, formulated, pre meditated, uhhhhh... something-else-that-ends-in-ated music... why is that? Kevin Diamond Oh Kevin, your age finally shows. The folly of youth indeed. All I can say is that one man's pap is another man's feast. Some classical music lovers an highbrows probaly consider XTC crass and 'too popular'. And I can assure you that there are many who think of Tom Robbins and Stephen King as horrible 'pop' literature not worth the paper it is printed on, or at least quite subpar and sophomoric.....go sink your teeth into Joyce or Pynchon or Faulkner or whatever. And many others feel that most good films miss public adulation by a longshot (look at how 'Felicia's Line' is doing for example) And what exactly is 'the public'. Is it that 'great other' that I continually strive to detach from? Whatever, I really like your posts and my intent is only to throw a little wrench in the works. If you are young and like XTC you are OK by me! I personally am filled with paradoxes and dualisms and can appreciate the high and the low. Just last night I went from watching ER to reading Italo Calvino, so I am not trying to speak from an ivory tower or anything....plenty of assholes in academia mind you. As I have grown older I have realized that life is difficult and complicated and will never fit into easy boxes. My only absolute is that there are no absolutes, and even that I question. Take care and sorry for the rant. Pancho XPRXTCFAN
------------------------------ Message-ID: <38767F18.3B15@ksbe.edu> Date: Fri, 07 Jan 2000 14:05:46 -1000 From: "Jim Smart" <jismart@ksbe.edu> Organization: ksbe Subject: melt them! I just want to quote this here, because it's exactly what I was thinking! >Thank heavens George is alright. One thought that I had was that if it had >been in America, the nutter would have had a gun and George would not be >with us anymore. >In this country at least nut-cases can't get hold of a gun so easily!! Right on, David! Why can't I get people to see that point in my own country? Jim
------------------------------ Message-ID: <005e01bf5972$526a3860$ce89b3d1@oemcomputer> From: "Aaron Pastula" <apastula@earthlink.net> Subject: I know! I know! Date: Fri, 7 Jan 2000 16:50:08 -0800 >To all those list lovers out there, the corporate alternative radio >station in Seattle, 107.7 "The End", did a top 1077 list over the >weekend. >Like you can't guess what was #1 in Seattle... "These Dreams" by Heart!!! Right?!!
------------------------------ Message-ID: <000001bf598e$3d726b00$31b59fce@default> From: "Wes Hanks" <wes@iolvegas.com> Subject: number 20 Date: Fri, 7 Jan 2000 20:09:26 -0800 Oh, by the by... The January 2000 issue of Uncut lists AV1 at #20 of their top 70 albums of 1999. "Seven years on, free from Virgin, exit Dave Gregory, enter strings. A magnificent realization of of the orch-pop tendencies hinted at on 1992's Nonsuch and a gratifying indication that Andy Partridge's peculiar genius remained undiminished by business, marital and health difficulties. Volume 2, the noisy guitar album, is due in spring 2000." As a public service and debate fodder, here's their list... 1 Flaming Lips - Soft Bulletin 2 Shack - HMS Fable 3 Death in Vegas - The Contino Sessions 4 Beck - Midnight Vultures 5 Richard Thompson - Mock Tudor 6 Wilco - Summerteeth 7 Shelby Lynne - I Am Shelby Lynne 8 Basement Jaxx - Remedy 9 Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - I See A Darkness 10 Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Rock Art and the X-ray Style 11 The Chemical Brothers - Surrender 12 Macy Gray - Oh How Life Is 13 Mark Mulcahy - Fathering 14 TLC - Fanmail 15 Smog - Knock Knock 16 The All Seeing I - Pickeled Eggs and Sherbert 17 New Radicals - Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too 18 Underworld - Beaucoup Fish 19 The Wondermints - Bali 20 XTC - AV1 21 Tom Waits - Mule Variations 22 Kate Rusby - Sleepless 23 Wheat - Hope and Adams 24 Super Furry Animals - Guerrilla 25 Matthew Sweet - In Reverse 26 Orbital - Middle of Nowhere 27 The Willard Grant Conspiracy - Mojave 28 Jim O'Rourke - Eureka 29 The High Llamas - Smowbug 30 Counting Crows - This Desert Life 31 Pavement - Terror Twilight 32 ODB - ***** Please 33 Freakwater - End Time 34 Beth Orton - Central Reservation 35 Leftfield - Rhythm and Stealth 36 Stereolab - Cobra and Phases Group Play Voltage In The Milky Night 37 The Beta Band - The Beta Band 38 Missy Elliott - Da Real World 39 Dwight Twilley - Tulsa 40 Iggy Pop - Avenue B 41 Ben Folds Five - The Biography of Reinhold Messner 42 Atari Teenage Riot - 60 Second Wipeout 43 Fountains of Wayne - Utopia Parkway 44 Mouse on Mars - Niun Niggung 45 David Bowie - Hours 46 To Tocco Rot - The Amateur View 47 Dot Allison - Afterglow 48 Plone - For Beginner Piano 49 Olivia Tremor Control - Black Foliage 50 Paul Westerberg - Suicaine Gratification 51 Kevin Rowland - My Beauty 52 Nightmares In Wax - Carboot Soul 53 Luna - The Days of Our Nights 54 Add N to X - Avant Hard 55 Lilac Time - Looking For A Day In The Night 56 Haig/MacKenzie - Memory Palace 57 Owsley - Owsley 58 East River Pipe - The Gasoline Age 59 Ben Christophers - My Beautiful Demon 60 Trashmonk - Trashmonk 61 Bows - Blush 62 Royal Trux - Veterans of Disorder 63 Alex Gopher - You, My Baby & I 64 The Make-Up - Save Yourself 65 Cousteau -Cousteau 66 Position Normal - Stop Your Nonsense 67 Scritti-Politti - Anomie & Bonhomie 68 Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - Spanish Dance Troup 69 Dave Alvin - Blackjack David 70 Mu-Ziq - Royal Astronomy Wes Hanks PS, R.I.P. Don Martin, poit!
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 8 Jan 2000 13:49:08 +0100 (MET) From: rappard <rappard@dds.nl> Subject: A literary matter (no XTC content) Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.90.1000108134317.25968E-100000@fatima.dds.nl> Kevin (arnos@nantucket.net) wrote: > good authors like Kurt Vonnegut, Tom Robbins, Stephen King, etc... are > liked by lots of people. But with music, there's so many people who just > buy into mechanically created, formulated, pre meditated, uhhhhh... > something-else-that-ends-in-ated music... why is that? What's Stephen King doing in this list? He writes absolute trex, junk, crap, garbage, trash, bilge, drivel, twaddle - "mechanically created" comes pretty close, actually. As Truman Capote said of Jack Kerouac: "That's not writing, that's typing." Martin
------------------------------ Message-ID: <3877383F.32214320@erols.com> Date: Sat, 08 Jan 2000 08:14:39 -0500 From: Todd and Jennifer Bernhardt <toddjenn@erols.com> Subject: Replies and recommendations Hi: Kristi said > I believe it is pronounced none-such. In "Chalkhills and Children", it's > Andy who sings "some none-such (sp) net holds me aloft", and he pronounces > it just like that. Andy pronounces it "non," not "none." That settles it, non? Congrats to Rob, who revealed and asked: > I'm getting married on the 22nd.... any ideas on XTC "marriage songs"? I've > got a few clues, but would like some input. And yes, I exposed my fiancee to > XTC and she really digs 'em. Well, you've obviously got impeccable taste in bands and women, so here's my recommendation: Wrapped in Grey. When I got married, it was our first dance -- wonderful to waltz to, and the lyrics are beautifully appropriate and hopeful. I also printed the lyrics on the back cover of our program (with proper credit to the writer, natch). Carrie said: > besides, if a bunch of teenyboppers decided xtc rocks in that way, i'd > shudder my way to an early grave and turn in my guitar at the national center > for disillusioned musicians. While I, on the other hand, would cheer the band's prosperity, knowing that they'd use the money and success to fund future efforts. I trust them to be true to their art. Garret asked: > I was listening to O+L last night and I was wondering is the drums on the > album were done by a drum machine or a person. Anyone know? A person -- Pat Mastellotto, to be exact. That's not to say that they didn't use a lot of technology, but that's Pat doing the banging/triggering/etc. He's now part of the new King Crimson "double duo." (In Fripp logic, is XTC a "double single"? Or a "single double"?) Finally, Harrison Sherwood recently did me the favor of pointing me in the direction of a couple of our own Duncan Watt's toones, and so I'm pointing the list there. Check out: http://www.ubl.com/links.asp?mode=downloads&artistid=28202&p_id=Is+Not+AMG Good stuff. Todd
------------------------------ Message-ID: <3877563E.196@earthlink.net> Date: Sat, 08 Jan 2000 07:22:38 -0800 From: awa <errora@earthlink.net> Subject: Meccanic Dancing and band chemistry Steve Oleson wrote on Sunday, 2 January 2000: > I think that Andy saved his life, and XTC, by getting out of the tour bus, > and returning to Swindon. By doing so, he avoided much of the mind-bending, > soul-destroying, influences that suck the life out of artists: the > adulation/contempt rollercoaster of the press, the milieu of deceit and > distrust that comes when people become famous, not to mention the lack of > good food and rest that is essential to "feed the machine". > > How many times have we seen artists lose their focus, and become parodies of > themselves? Thank Andy for having the wisdom to avoid the trap, and thank > his fans for having the patience and understanding to stick with him through > it all. This is so true, especially in this age when very recently Black Sabbath, The Who, Kiss and Sex Pistols have toured. It's just that the first era, White Music-Black Sea, is XTC as a band in so many ways. Maybe it's because that when Andy was thinking in terms of XTC as an actual band which plays the songs live, there was more actual BAND chemistry in the performances of the songs. When I listen to Meccanic Dancing now, it just sounds so exotic. There is no band that sounds that at ease with themselves that I can think of. That song always reminds me of the earliest extreme pleasure emotions-- like being a little kid high on Hawaiin Punch causing trouble with my friends, first time drunk and/or high, first kiss/sexual experience. That's why Colin's map of Swindon in Go2's colorful insert is so important to those songs: That whole second album is very 'firsts' oriented. They may not have been seasoned or wise but I thought of XTC as the best band in the world at that point. Now, I consider XTC to be among the best song writers and recording artists in the (Western) World. --Alec
------------------------------ Message-Id: <1.5.4.32.20000108164537.0068be60@pop.mindspring.com> Date: Sat, 08 Jan 2000 11:45:37 -0500 From: Pete <pete_srd@mindspring.com> Subject: Re: Best of 1999 Know what I think is the best album (that I've heard ayways) of 1999 is? KORN's "Issues". Really! Pete
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 8 Jan 2000 08:52:24 -0800 (PST) From: relph (John Relph) Message-Id: <10001080852.ZM38820@mando.engr.sgi.com> Subject: Re: German music question james isaacs <jmisaa00@pop.uky.edu> asked: > >I read in "Song STories" that some member of XTC worked with the >German music superstar, Herbert Groenermeyer, between Nonsuch and AV1. >Does anyone know who it was, what they did, and if it was released? Andy Partridge worked on an English translation of Herbert Groenemeyer's album "Chaos". That version of the album was released in the UK in 1996. Visit http://www.groenemeyer.de/ for more information. -- John
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 8 Jan 2000 08:55:27 -0800 (PST) From: relph (John Relph) Message-Id: <10001080855.ZM38921@mando.engr.sgi.com> Subject: Re: School Guide to XTC "Simmons, Jonathan S." <jonathan_simmons@merck.com> asked: > >A few digests ago someone made reference to an impending book/CD release >called "A School Guide to XTC." > >Can anyone out there confirm, deny, or offer further (relevant) speculation >about this? This does exist. There is currently a copy up for auction on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=232897513 I don't have many details, but it is listed as a "sonic book", which I think means it's a book which is actually a CD-ROM. Text in English and Italian, so maybe it's an Italian "official bootleg". The tracks are pre-XTC (Starpark, Helium Kidz). -- John
------------------------------ From: bozmn@intercom.net Message-Id: <1.5.4.32.20000108195820.00682df0@shore.intercom.net> Date: Sat, 08 Jan 2000 14:58:20 -0500 Subject: O&L drums >I was listening to O+L last night and I was wondering is the drums on the >album were done by a drum machine or a person. Anyone know? Pat Mastelotto (of Mister Mister fame, now with King Crimson) played the drums on O&L; he used a mix of a traditional drum kit, samples, and electronic drums. I think that Pat plays nearly all electronic percussion (a "Roland v-drums" kit) nowadays in Crimson. I prefer acoustic percussion, myself, but the occasional electronic stuff isn't bad (particularly on "Poor Skeleton Steps Out"). Cole
------------------------------ Message-ID: <20000108201841.51543.qmail@hotmail.com> From: "Brian Young" <raggedglory57@hotmail.com> Subject: Bill Nelson Date: Sat, 08 Jan 2000 15:18:41 EST Hello fellow Chalkies, I recently had the good fortune to acquire a live Bill Nelson show from a place called Keystone in Palo Alto, California in '80 or '81. Evidently it was broadcast on the radio. I've seen Bill N. mentioned on this list before, so I thought someone might know something more about this show. The songs were: Sleep Cycle Boom year ahead Don't touch me, I'm electric Brand New World Rooms with brittle views A kind of loving Furniture Music Do you dream in colour? Eros arriving Youth of nation on fire Out of touch Decline and fall Stay young Opium Anyone who knows about this show, please email me off list. Sorry for the waste of bandwidth. This tape reminded me of how much Bill Nelson's group Red Noise sounded like early XTC. Was he really influenced by our boys? Even though at that point he was several albums into a career? Thanks, Brian http://members.tripod.com/raggedglory57/tapelist.html
------------------------------ From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl> Date: Sat, 8 Jan 2000 22:29:42 +0100 Subject: Something Fishy Or A Red Herring? Message-Id: <20000108212716.3C258A6CE7@mail.knoware.nl> Dear Chalkers, > As for Hogarth, XTC fans might be aware of Dave Gregory's fretwork on > his solo album a few years back. Haven't heard the album yet, perhaps you should, certainly if you like Marillion. it's quite enjoyable and a bit experimental, not your usual run-of-the-mill has- been rock schlock. And, needless to say, DG's guitar parts are excellent and well worth buying the cd for. Artist: h. (aka Steve Hogarth) Album: Ice Cream Genius More info can be found in the "Others" section of the Dave Gregory discography at http://www.guitargonauts.com Perhaps this is also a good time to remind you all that a new Pick of the Month - Miss January 2000 - can be seen on the Guitargonauts site since January 1st. And there's more to come "real soon"... Mark Strijbos webmaster@guitargonauts.com
------------------------------ From: WESnLES@aol.com Message-ID: <91.91d0ca9b.25a91fe7@aol.com> Date: Sat, 8 Jan 2000 18:19:03 EST Subject: Chalk-music for Chalk-people Hiya Kids: All the talk about the Sugarplastic a few months ago prompted me to dig out my copy of Bang The Earth Is Round, what a wonderfully goofy album. If anyone doubts their fascination with XTC....search around for thier website, it has a blurb on the main page regarding an April fools joke they ran which stated their new drummer to be Terry Chambers. Anybody got copies of the earlier Sugarplastic release? I'd love to hear it. Noticed a few folks posting their fave films of '99.......am I the only person left cold by The Insider? C'mon....the acting was great, but the film moved SO slowly. I found myself constantly anticipating the great scene to come, but it never did. Hmmmm, trying to recall the last time I enjoyed a movie with Al Pacino in it. Anyone get into the Sopranos last year? If you're looking for rare XTC, I've probably got it: http://members.tripod.com/~The_Last_Balloon/index.html wesLONG
------------------------------ Message-Id: <200001090023.QAA20554@intergate.sonyinteractive.com> Date: Sat, 08 Jan 2000 16:19:21 -0800 From: Bob Estus <bestus@intergate.sonyinteractive.com> Subject: paying attention Pumpkinheads, Can anyone else here confess of an XTC induced absent mindedness? I seem to have a reoccurring problem. When ever I'm adrift in my car, mostly when I'm not on my well worn rut between the office and home, I sail past my exits. This can cause U-turn nightmares that can add 5 nautical miles onto a journey or lateness on top of retardiness. In an extreme case I flew all the way to work before I received a nagging kick in the butt from a little boy, in the kiddie-car-seat behind me, who was supposed to be dropped off at his Grandma's house. Embarrassing to say the least! When ever I suffer one of these collapsed attention spans I poll myself as to what I could have been so distracted by (News: Holly Victoria Partridge to supply additional vocals for "Playground" on Apple Venus Volume 2). Usually, 9 out of 10 times, it's something Xtc related. Either I'm lost in the music pouring out the speakers and grill of my automobile or dreaming about future releases. It's especially distracting to be trapped between Two Venuses like this, wouldn't you say? While I'm off rebuilding my bridge I caution lack minded people not to pilot a vessel while similarly intoXiCaTed. must focus, -Bob Excuse me please... Would you tell me how to get to the Soviet Embassee.ee.ee.ee.ee.ee...
------------------------------ Message-ID: <200001091430070170.00685651@mail.tin.it> Date: Sun, 09 Jan 2000 14:30:07 +0100 From: "HowTired" <nopat@tin.it> Subject: Homespun With some surprise I realize that nobody has pointed out yet the utter inutility of the "homespun" CD. I bought it with some expectations, having liked so much AV1, but it ended up as a big disappointment. The songs are mostly identical to the finished versions (excluding Colin's songs and some very small bits here and there), and the most interesting part of the album are by far Andy and Colin's notes on their songs on the accompanying booklet. There was no need at all to publish an album for that. Well, I don't see any artistic intent in "homespun". Although the songs are still beautiful, I think there was no need for an album like this: I'd still rather listen to them on AV1. And you don't *hear* the work that has been performed on each song: you just *read* it on the booklet. I can very well see the economical motivations, though. They must know XTC fans are very loyal and willing to buy almost anything after so many years of absence. As someone has already noted, costs for this CD are almost zero, and although the CD was released at a budget price, it remains a mere commercial operation. And please, don't even try to compare this to the Beatles' Anthology: those songs were long expected, and time put a fascination on them by the time of their publication. Imagine if the Beatles had published the sessions of "Sgt Pepper's" in 1967. Sounds absurd, huh ? Eveybody could have said that they had turned into shit 5 years before their time. :( toto.
------------------------------ Message-ID: <004601bf5ac6$4d25a380$2690bc3e@debraedm> From: "Debra Edmonds" <Debra.Edmonds@dial.pipex.com> Subject: Grand XTC Get-Together Date: Sun, 9 Jan 2000 17:22:51 -0000 Hi Chalkies A few digests back, Mark Strijbos mentioned having a grand get-together here in Swindon sometime in the Summer months to celebrate 25 years of XTC. Well, I think that would be a really great idea, and I am certainly willing to help him organise it. I am quite happy to do the tour of Swindon for you all. If any of you are interested, please let Mark know at mmello@knoware.nl Also, I promised to check-out Andy's Christmas decorations for you all, didn't I. Well, he had a Christmas wreath hanging on the left hand side of his front room wall, a Christmas tree in the back centre of the same room, and hung around the ceiling were big green bushy garlands, which looked really nice. (Mind you, I only drove past a couple of times in the daylight, so couldn't see in properly, so I wasn't able to get exact details - like what colour the tree lights were, etc - sorry!!) If you have a few minutes to spare, go to www.guitargonauts.com and check-out Dave's latest interview that appeared in yesterdays Swindon Evening Advertiser (Saturday 8th January) - Mark and I get a mention!! Maybe I'll see you at the party then?? Bye for now. Debie debie@guitargonauts.com
------------------------------
Message-ID: <38794722.CE1E7F12@tmbg.org>
Date: Sun, 09 Jan 2000 21:42:42 -0500
From: Ben Gott/Loquacious Music <gott@tmbg.org>
Organization: http://listen.to/loquacious
Subject: Braggphine
Chalkhillers,
Isn't "We're All Light" a great song? I think so. Lately I've been
listening to a lot of Dukes, too, and I'm more and more amazed with
Andy's ability to vocally mimick just about anyone (take "Pale and
Precious," for example). Does anyone know, by the way, if Ian Gregory
was ever asked to join the band? His drumming with The Dukes is pretty
good (at least in the opinion of a non-drummer!)
I bought Billy Bragg's "Don't Try This At Home" today, and I'm poppily
impressed. Johnny Marr, Michael Stipe, *and* Peter Buck all making
appearances?!? It's almost too good to be true!
I've got an advance copy of Morphine's new album, "The Night." It's
pretty good, if you like Morphine...
"Magnolia" is a pretty good movie, if you like movies. Actually, it's
spectacular. Go. See. Enjoy. Aimee Mann does the songs. Also, Fox's
new sit-com "Malcom in the Middle" is quite funny -- and They Might Be
Giants does all the music...
-Ben
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
Benjamin Gott . Loquacious Music . Brunswick, ME 04011
AIM: Plan4Nigel . Telephone (207) 721-5366 . Mobile (207) 798-1859
http://listen.to/loquacious . http://www.mp3.com/BenGott
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #6-5 *****************************
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