Chalkhills Digest, Volume 6, Number 50 Tuesday, 28 March 2000 Today's Topics: A Survey (Non XTC content) WIMP (What's In My Player) XTC in Mojo from Was a Yes to 1,000 umbrellas... Have some XTC discussions at my Forums! - for the newsletter Other Kinks Residents, XTC, Frith, Snakefinger, YMO, Martin Denny On rotation... re: xtc & space ghost Directing people to Hitchcock Gorky's, Venus, XTC, the Kinks, and other Ingrediants veetube The Orchid Show Residents/Andy Where's My L.E.?????? happy vernal equinox happy vernal equinox Peter Blegvad for y'all Re: What's On The Hills are alive.... Administrivia: 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 3.7b (John Relph <relph@tmbg.org>). The wisdom of the ancients in a box.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 25 Mar 2000 03:40:44 EST From: BrainiacsDaughtr@aol.com Subject: A Survey (Non XTC content) Message-ID: <17.361563c.260dd58c@aol.com> Hey fellow Chalkhillers, I need a favor. I'm doing a survey and I wanted to poll the opinions of people who have good taste in music. Naturally I came here! There's this local band here in L.A. that some friends of mine have gone ga-ga over and I just don't get it. So I've set up a webpage to get some impartial opinions of the music. If you don't mind giving a review, please go to http://www.ixpres.com/dailyscoop/bandreview.htm I really trust the musical tastes of everyone here and would really appreciate getting some feedback from ya. Thanks Laurie C
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Mar 2000 04:40:36 PST From: "Duncan Kimball" <dunks58@hotmail.com> Subject: WIMP (What's In My Player) Message-ID: <20000325124037.35403.qmail@hotmail.com> Good thread. (No this is NOT a list, Iain....) 1. Talk Talk - "Spirit Of Eden" (I have NO idea what this record is about, but it makes a good noise) 2. Abdullah Inbrahim (Dollar Brand) - "Voice Of Africa" 3. Various artists - "So You Wanna Be A Rock'n'Roll Star" (utterly essential 3-CD Aussie 60s/70s collection) 4. Beck - "Midnight Vultures" 5. Bonzo Dog Band - "Gorilla" 6. Supergrass - self titled 7. Cold Chisel - self-titled (just bought the boxed set) 8. Scritti Politti - "Anomie & Bonhomie" 9. Sherbet - 30th Anniversay Collection (Aussie pop gods of the 70s; one of those bands we thought were *so* uncool as a kid, but who I now realise were really rather good) 10. Mason Daring - "The Secret of Roan Inish" soundtrack (My St Pat's Day celebration. See the movie, get the soundtrack. Just plain beautiful.) Dunks
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Mar 2000 11:33:16 EST From: FOPP1@aol.com Subject: XTC in Mojo Message-ID: <62.1eeb050.260e444c@aol.com> Greetings From Germany! April's issue of Mojo has a XTC mention. In the 'What's Happening in Reissues' they write that Virgin has "plans for expansive box set retrospectives on Magazine...and XTC." Also there is a nice 2 page spread How To Buy...Power Pop. They list some 'essential buys' and good purchase sources (Not Lame). In their 'essential buys' section, I'd humbly substitute their Posies selection of 'Frosting on the Beater' with 'Dear 26.' Throwing another log on the fire...the contents of my CD player for the past few days: Lovin' Spoonful - Anthology Elvis Costello - Two's Company* Crosby/Nash - Wind on the Water Talking Heads - The Big Country* Taj Mahal - Giant Step/De Ole Folks at Home Octopus - From A to B T-Bone Walker - Low Down Blues Neil Young - Down By the River* Richard Thompson - Mock Tudor Richard Thompson - A Rare Thing* *live Cheers from the lurker section - Marty Fopp
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Mar 2000 11:42:33 -0800 From: "Diamond" <arnos@nantucket.net> Subject: from Was a Yes to 1,000 umbrellas... Message-ID: <200003251643.LAA02331@nantucket.net> Well, I thank XTC for helping them let me ask that girl out. Unfortunetly, Even thier great power couldn't help in the situation that developed... it seems that she really like my friend, and only said yes to me cause she wants to remain friends with me, and didn't want to scare me off by saying no. Sigh... but I have finally realized the ultimate power of 1,000 umbrellas... great song... well, I must now sulk, ... I really liked this girl, too. Kevin Diamond http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/79/the_french_electric_all-st.html http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/84/bass-cleff.html http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/85/starving_artists.html -- "The universe does not have laws, it has habits, and habits can be broken." -Tom Robbins
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Mar 2000 16:08:26 +1100 From: "Dracon" <cliff@mullum.com.au> Subject: Have some XTC discussions at my Forums! - for the newsletter Message-ID: <004101bf9618$279c4f00$290ffea9@dracon> http://www.strategicgaming.com/forums/cgi-bin/Ultimate.cgi - Go to the music section in my forums, and let's start some XTC discussions happening. Cheers, Clifford Smith Loyal XTC Fan
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Mar 2000 11:38:56 EST From: RiknBkr@aol.com Subject: Other Kinks Message-ID: <a4.21b6995.260e45a0@aol.com> >And there may be more, but I haven't ventured into any >others yet. If anyone has any other good kinks recommendations, let me >know, as the reviews and such get a little spotty after Muswell, and >their catalog is huge... Don't know who posted this above, but try out "Face to Face", the release before "Something Else". Phil C.
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Mar 2000 07:54:42 -0800 From: awa <errora@earthlink.net> Subject: Residents, XTC, Frith, Snakefinger, YMO, Martin Denny Message-ID: <38DCE142.1A7C@earthlink.net> Thank you Colonel for bringing up The Residents and XTC's connectedness!! It's a very good point. I was actually a Residents fan before I was an XTC fan and got hooked into XTC because of the "Drums and Wires" and the "Go2" record covers giving me a Residents vibe at the local record store. I started to notice how these XTC albums fit in pretty well some other Ralph Records albums I had by those Brit ex-pats Snakefinger and Fred Frith. The Residents/XTC connection seems to be the most evident around the early '80s. It's around this time that Andy and Colin demonstrated that they were fans because there are a few pictures of them in Residents T-shirts. I would also have to add that the Andy (Mr. Partridge) solo LP from 1980 "Take Away"/"The Lure of Salvage" is EXTREMELY Residents sounding (give a close listen to the track "I Sit in the Snow." It could be right off of "Commercial Album.") Actually, the so-called dub album that Andy did with John Leckie is the strongest evidence that there's some appreciation for The Residents coming from Andy. The cover's also pretty Ralph-ish. What about the whole "Exotica" connection between XTC and The Residents? Somehow Tiki culture made to both camps, albeit via fluorescent pigments. Not unlike Tiki in the '50s in America, the scene that gave birth to "The Flintstones". That story of an acoustic XTC showcase that featured Terry on buckets instead of drums, where they were dressed up in day-glo Hawaiin shirts and called themselves The Psychedelic Hawaiians makes me think of things Residential. Along with everything else, it's the Martin Denny factor that they share. Here are some more points of connection:- Both are stubbornly loyal to their home towns! Both operations wear their Beatle fandom proudly and irreverantly. Both are kind of Bonzo Dog Band at times. Hey, didn't Partridge and Neil Innes appear on that Kevin Coyne comp? What about Slapp Happy? Partridge and Blegvad, Dagmar and Anthony Moore and The Residents. All fans of XTC and The Residents owe it to their ears to invest in all Slapp Happy releases. Both have some connection to the Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO) side of the pop music landscape: Andy has worked with Riuichi Sakamoto; Yukihiro Takahashi and Haruomi Hosono have worked on projects released on Ralph Records. YMO acknowledges some Beatle influence, some smirkingly Dennyesque aesthetic and a Pythonish appreciation for the obscure and arcane. Speaking of this Beatle stuff, I once had a dream quite a while ago where I was looking at a Residents vinyl and an XTC vinyl and noticed that they were both Apple Records products, complete with the Apple label but the XTC apple was pale green and the Residents' apple was dark red. Love, Alec
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Mar 2000 15:35:46 -0600 From: "Bob O'Bannon" <batchain@earthlink.net> Subject: On rotation... Message-ID: <200003252135.NAA08541@hawk.prod.itd.earthlink.net> I can't resist comment when people start talking about their latest listening habits, so here's what I've been listening to: Sparklehorse -- "Good Morning Spider." Rocks blisteringly hard, then gets real sad and quiet in a hurry. Hard to categorize. East River Pipe -- "The Gasoline Age." Amazing what one guy can do with a 4-track. Nick Drake -- "Pink Moon" (the album): Amazing what one guy can do with an acoustic guitar. Sleater-Kinney -- "The Hot Rock." Combine Sonic Youth with the Go-Gos and this is what you get. Sometimes great, sometimes annoying. Magnetic Fields -- "69 Songs." This was on about everybody's "Best of 99" list, and deservedly so, except he could have done as much with 2 CDs instead of 3. Classic songwriting. Very High on the To-Get List: the new Yo La Tengo Cotton Mather's "Contiki" Wasp Star (of course) Charitable contributions to my CD collection are gladly accepted. Bob O'Bannon
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2000 09:42:41 -0500 (EST) From: DJSterling@webtv.net (Sterling) Subject: re: xtc & space ghost Message-ID: <20439-38DE21E1-4209@storefull-238.iap.bryant.webtv.net> if my memory serves me correctly this episode has already aired. from what i remember it wasnt all that. i beleive that only andy appeared and not much worthwhile discussion was to be had. nevertheless, it was very humorous if you dig space ghost. sorry i cant provide more concrete details. jim ps-this is my first post to this list. im very happy to be a part of it. ive been subbed for 4 months or so. and ive only been listening to xtc for about 5 years or so(im only 22 years young). so i guess im a newbie compared to the majority of you. but xtc/the dukes is by far my favorite band. i especially love the love songs. andy is such a brilliant writer. it just amazes me how similar some of his song lyrics are to things that ive experienced in my own life. sigh.... Sterling - afrofunk/hardjazz/funky drumnbass - life 9 For booking info, contact: Jim Reed / dj_sterling@yahoo.com / www.angelfire.com/oh/tonology
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2000 12:12:16 -0500 From: fheaney@erols.com Subject: Directing people to Hitchcock Message-ID: <003801bf9746$71665520$58e27ad1@default> A fellow Chalkhiller wrote me for information on finding the new Robyn Hitchcock outtake CD, which I'd neglected to provide, and I realized how cruel it was of me, to tantalize people with the promise of a new Robyn Hitchcock, and not tell them how to buy it. I forgot, it's only being sold online and at concerts. So if anyone else is interested, here's where to get it: http://www.robynhitchcock.com/giftshop.htm They deliver quite promptly, too. I learned about it from my favorite Robyn Hitchcock fan site, http://fegmania.org/ -- frequently updated. -- Francis "Sometimes a bomb is not enough to express the way I feel." -- Robyn Hitchcock
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2000 14:54:17 EST From: "Seth Frisby" <vagueyear@hotmail.com> Subject: Gorky's, Venus, XTC, the Kinks, and other Ingrediants Message-ID: <20000326195417.63611.qmail@hotmail.com> Hello, Wow since this is my second post within a week or so I guess I can't say i'm delurking anymore...i'm a *gulp* regular? Seems like a good time of year for birthdays mine was on the 23rd or last thursday if you don't go by numbers. Someone was recommending Kinks albums and failed to recommend Face to Face as one of the best; the others he mentioned are godly too but Face to Face is one of Ray's most cohesive (Check out the song Fancy..pure heaven..drooool) To add to the mythologizing on the hill about Venus, i'll mention that the greeks equated that particular star with the God Hermes; and they thought Venus' erratic dropping below the horizon line was Hermes delivering Souls to the Underworld. (Hermes pretty much did all the hard work) and no more talking about that upcoming title, its not going to change the album's content is it? At least its better that the title of an album my brother tried to order once... he of course liking obscene amounts of death metal (and isn't any amount obscene?) tried to order a cd entitled "This is Death Metal..F*ck You" after which the man working behind the counter at the Cd store promptly retorted "well, up yours!"..it took some more explaining before my brother got the cd he was looking for! Well Gotta Go thanks for letting me Climb the Hill'... or whatever... Seth "the Wild man of Borneo" Frisby p.s. I know there are a few Boston area Chalkers, are any of you heading over to the Middle East on Wednesday to see Gorky's Zygotic Mynci (I don't even know if Xtc fans like them but I know that I do..) I think everyone should see them..they're lovely...
------------------------------ Date: 26 Mar 2000 22:07:14 -0000 From: "Murgatroyd Llewellyn" <murgatroyd.llewellyn@scotland.com> Subject: veetube Message-ID: <20000326220714.32219.qmail@whitfield.chek.com> An Open Letter To VeeTube: Sir, I do not owe you 2 grand. whoever that is, Murgatroyd
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2000 18:11:54 EST From: "JANE SPENCER-DAVIS" <janesunfish@hotmail.com> Subject: The Orchid Show Message-ID: <20000326231154.60712.qmail@hotmail.com> Hey Chalkies! Any 'hillers planning on attending the Orchid Show? I'd love to go and hook up with any 'hillers before or after for a chat/nosh/drink. Haven't called the contact number yet- with my luck the performances are all sold out! Re: the current CD rotators: Hmm, last week got my new player installed in my motorized roller skate, and I grin (hopefully not naked) when I drive now, gesticulating inside the car whilst I sing off-key. In it: Modern Life is Rubbish, Blur (trying it out from Chalkie's recommendations) We Live Here, Pat Metheny Remain in Light, Talking Heads Two Against Nature, Steely Dan Aja, Steely Dan Seal, Seal Soundtrack to Austin Powers Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego, mostly Rockapella and of course, Chips..., Skylarking(it was a glorious sunny day today) and AV1. enthusiastically erecting the estrogen edifice, Jane
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2000 18:47:11 -0500 From: "Christopher R. Coolidge" <cauldron@together.net> Subject: Residents/Andy Message-ID: <l03130300b5044ebc4f42@[208.13.202.123]> >8. Partridge & the Residents each contributed projects >for John Flansburgh's Hello CD of the Month club. A >similarity of interests & styles could account for >this, but who knows? > >Well, I could ramble on a lot longer about what is >probably a silly topic to begin with, but I won't. I >realize that the above could all be amazing >coincidences, or a case of one band influencing the >other, but please do give me your thoughts. > >The Colonel As a fan of both bands, I can say it's an interesting theory, but a bit far-fetched. What I do know about The Residents is that there's two founding members who've been making homemade tapes for their own amusement since the late 60's in their native Louisiana(the Cryptic Corporation won't say where in Louisiana), and sending occasional tapes to record companies, often without leaving a forwarding address. On one occasion a tape they'd sent to a record company who'd already rejected them at least once came back to them anyway despite no return address addressed to RESIDENT. Thereafter they called themselves The Residents figuring they could work the anonymity in their favor. If you visit Ralph Records in San Francisco, chances are one of the middle aged guys who run the office is one of The Residents. As for their names, they're still cagey about that, but I'd say that rules out Andy being a founding member of the Residents, unless he lived a double life in Louisiana and Swindon simultaneously and was somehow able to leave Swindon unaccompanied at the age of fourteen. Somehow a bit far-fetched. However, It's somehow more likely that Andy has been involved in the recording of some of their later work, post-early 80's based on your theory; I'm not as familiar with their later material. My Residents collection stops at the Commercial Album. Considering Andy hasn't been touring and has more time on his hands it's more likely he's been helping The Residents out on a semi-regular basis; others such as Snakefinger and Fred Frith have been frequent session musicians with them over the years, with Snakefinger especially often accomanying them on tour until his untimely demise some time in the 80's. So that's the story as I see it. Christopher R. Coolidge Homepage at http://homepages.together.net/~cauldron/homepage.html "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: Sun, 26 Mar 2000 15:46:13 -0800 (PST) From: travis schulz <xtcisadarngoodband@yahoo.com> Subject: Where's My L.E.?????? Message-ID: <20000326234613.28235.qmail@web1103.mail.yahoo.com> Has everyone recieved their final copy of LE? I'm still waiting for mine....
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2000 18:24:01 -0700 From: "May O'Mahoney" <may5272@gte.net> Subject: happy vernal equinox Message-ID: <38DEB832.6AD0@gte.net> ....that's what the first day of Spring is technically called, right? Wow......it seems like years since I've visited....I don't really know what to say other than, "hello, again". I'm feeling a bit shy, frankly, it's been so long. But you look as handsome as ever...... Ok, what was that question? What's in my player.....oh, I love these kind of questions because I love finding out what other people listen to.....(not that my list is going to get any huge ooohs and aahhhs but what the hell).... Blur - The Great Escape Blur - 13 XTC - Mummer Cocteau Twins - Victorialand Esquivel - Music For A Sparkling Planet Bob Marley - The Complete Upsetter Recordings (I think that's what it's called.) I hope everyone is well. I'm currently buzzed. - May
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2000 18:24:01 -0700 From: "May O'Mahoney" <may5272@gte.net> Subject: happy vernal equinox Message-ID: <38DEB832.6AD0@gte.net> ....that's what the first day of Spring is technically called, right? Wow......it seems like years since I've visited....I don't really know what to say other than, "hello, again". I'm feeling a bit shy, frankly, it's been so long. But you look as handsome as ever...... Ok, what was that question? What's in my player.....oh, I love these kind of questions because I love finding out what other people listen to.....(not that my list is going to get any huge ooohs and aahhhs but what the hell).... Blur - The Great Escape Blur - 13 XTC - Mummer Cocteau Twins - Victorialand Esquivel - Music For A Sparkling Planet Bob Marley - The Complete Upsetter Recordings (I think that's what it's called.) I hope everyone is well. I'm currently buzzed. - May
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2000 01:16:07 -0500 From: David Gershman <dagersh@pobox.com> Subject: Peter Blegvad for y'all Message-ID: <4.2.0.58.20000326011211.0096f260@chelmsford.com> Howdy all, It's been months since I've posted, and wouldn't you know it, I'm posting now only to promote an Ebay auction. Terrible, isn't it? But then again, some of you may find this of interest, since I know there are quite a few Peter Blegvad fans among you (and if you're not one, you should check him out). I've got Peter Blegvad's "Knights Like This" LP (yes, that's as in "vinyl"!) up for bid, in near-mint condition. Check it out! http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=292985005 Over and out, Dave Gershman
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Mar 2000 18:40:32 +0100 From: "Smith, David" <David.Smith@tfeurope.com> Subject: Re: What's On Message-ID: <802EE5D7277AD21188D10008C728D44803255CE9@TFSECMSG02> Hot wax, currently playing, what's on the turntables, whatever you want to call it, it seems to have started a wagon full of bands (rock'n') rolling down a hill (oh, how p(f)unny, there goes another rib!). Actually, in all seriousness can we stop this now, 'cos going on the premise that people who like what I like probably means that I'll like what they like (?) has the inevitable result of me wanting to find out whether all these bands I'd either never heard of or never investigated are actually any good. Hence me wandering into my friend's second hand record and CD shop next week with a long list and emerging with a load of CDs and minus me life's bloody savings! So could I feebly (and ever so 'umbly) attempt to start a new thread, which goes thus: "Macy Gray - emperor's new clothes or what?" Smudgeboy E-Mail: david.smith@tfeurope.com Obligatory plug-type PS (feel free to remove oh grand PooBah): My mate's second-hand record/CD shop - "Wanted Music", Clockhouse Road, Beckenham, Kent, UK. It's the biz - ask for Adriaan, an' tell 'im Smudger sent ya!
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Mar 2000 10:10:54 -0800 (PST) From: Nick Howorth <nik_h_1999@yahoo.com> Subject: The Hills are alive.... Message-ID: <20000327181054.4996.qmail@web3206.mail.yahoo.com> On the subject of recent postings concerning non-XTC musicks I heartily concur with the Elvis Costello/Radiohead and especially TRAVIS inclusions - Yanks beware coming your way very soon the legendary TRAVSTERS and their massive soul-shattering 'The Man Who...' album - check it and them out immediately. Just another thought however, I read, on Mark Strijbos' website I think (check past Chalkhills for details!)that Andy's favourite singer circa Black Sea was Malcolm Mooney (the Looney) of early 'Can' fame. (Mooney was an American citizen deprted from Germany when diagnosed as 'bonkers') Fans of Andy's more experimental leanings (Go+/Take away the Lure of Salvage etc.)could do worse than check out the albums 'Monster Movie', 'Delay' and the compilations 'Canniblaism' 1 & 2 and 'Unlimited Edition' for Mr. Mooney's mad ravings (best Mooney tracks are 'Soul Desert', 'Father Cannot Yell' and the 20-odd minute mad epic 'Yoo Doo Right') with the German musical geniuses who basically invented every post 1970 musical genre ten years before anyone else thought of it including House, Trance, Indie-rock, Electro and Dark Side of the Moon era-Floyd. 'Dance With Me...Germany.' Nick.
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #6-50 ******************************
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