Chalkhills Digest Volume 6, Issue 82
Date: Wednesday, 19 April 2000
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 6, Number 82
Wednesday, 19 April 2000
Topics:
Initial thoughts on Wasp Star
Suggestion: Demo blackout now for AV2
EPs
another de-lurker
elliott smith/wasp star
the Radio and the Maypole
i found this site that plays XTC stuff...
Metallica Rocks!
Radios In Motion
Dr. Dre Gives Napster Until Friday to Delist Songs
two things that kind of relate
A couple of things
WE'RE ALL LIGHT SPOILER
Softly Softly in the Night
You Missed a Spot!
Rosenberg, Rosenberger, Rosenbergest
Napster
"Man Who Murdered Love" on WorldCafe today
The Beatlezzzzzz..
Ownership
How can something be overrated when...
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>).
Everybody walkie talkie / Everybody learning how.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 17 Apr 2000 21:26:30 -0500 From: "Jim S." <jims@inlink.com> Subject: Initial thoughts on Wasp Star Message-ID: <LPBBLAFNFJCABDIOKPJFKEAECBAA.jims@inlink.com> ***Inevitable Spoilers*** OK, finally got to hear the new album, and I have some thoughts I'd like to share. I have had the demos for a while, so I may reference them here. Overall, the tone is pretty playful and light, which is welcome after the more serious AV1. I sure miss the days where XTC albums had more tracks; add I Don't Want To Be Here, Dame Fortune and Everything and you have an album on par with O&L, which is high praise coming from me. I know the boys have limited funds, so 12 tracks will have to do. Anyway, some random thoughts: Stupidly Happy is so much better than the demo. It really builds into something, rather than just relying on the guitar riff. I like it quite a bit, but it IS fluff... In Another Life is a nice little Colin song. Sounds like it could have fit just as easily on AV1. Colin's output on Wasp Star is his best since O&L, in my opinion. Then again, I am one of those people that just doesn't get "Bungalow." On Boarded Up, he gives his finest vocal performance in quite a while; very nuanced. While Colin still can't match his heyday, these tunes add more to Wasp Star than his AV1 tunes added to that disc. My Brown Guitar has changed a lot since the demo, as some have noted. I don't mind the tempo, but miss the "crunch" of the guitars in the demo. Similarly, I really miss the crazy, sloppy, wonderful guitar solo in Church Of Women. There are some touches that I could do without, such as the little "UFO sounds" at the end of the choruses in We're All Light (one of my favorite demos). I also don't like the electronic drum fills in We're All Light, the ones with absolutely no reverb. I'm The Man Who Murdered Love is the most radio friendly of the songs, a tremendous sing-a-long. But I still fell that XTC will simply never be a hit with the masses. While this may be a more commercial record than AV1 (and that wouldn't take much), I still can't see radio stations getting hopped up about any of these songs, wonderful as most of them are. I wouldn't hold your breath. I think the critical response will be mostly positive, though nothing approaching AV1. So overall I think the album is fun and playful. There are moments of sheer brilliance (The Wheel And The Maypole is classic XTC in every sense of the word. This is one of those songs that just makes you smile and sigh; "Ah, XTC."). Not everything is up to the usual XTC standards (Wounded Horse is minor Partridge, though I do like it just fine). Andy has gone on record as saying he hates the demos being compared to the final work, but I don't think he'll read this :-) So I will say I prefer the demo treatments of We're All Light and My Brown Guitar. And Church Of Women is a push. OK, enough stream of consciousness stuff. Buy the CD; it is very good XTC, which is better than almost anything else out there. Enjoy! Jim S. mailto:jims@inlink.com
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 11:01:25 EDT From: WillJ4comm@aol.com Subject: Suggestion: Demo blackout now for AV2 Message-ID: <54.2e4535d.262dd2c5@aol.com> From someone who's now heard Wasp Star about 7 times, here's my suggestion: stop listening to the demos now, it will minimize your "adjustment" to AV2 when you get it. That was the biggest barrier to it "breaking through" for me. Now, I'm lovin' it, really loving it, it's a fun, fun album, now that the demos are out of my head, along with my preconceptions of what the songs "should" sound like. I was listening to them up to the day I first heard the album, and the experience was a little jarring. By the way, before I get to description, here's a thought: I didn't pay for the version I'm listening to, but I plan to order multiple copies from Amazon prior to release date, I think this might be the best way to help the boys get exposure, as site visitors often see the best-selling music when they visit the site. WASP STAR SEMI-SPOILER TO FOLLOW: Even Wounded Horse sounds great, those it's markedly different from the demo, which I loved. The version on the CD works much better on the album, maintains the continuity. There isn't a single track I don't like. Andy's guitarwork is great, especially, for me, on the fabulous "Church of Women." Great guitar solo. Standouts? Too many to mention, but I will say, as one who wasn't the least bit impressed with "I'm the Man Who Murdered Love" (listened to the demo all of maybe 2 1/2 times), the final version is catchy as all get out -- what a treat. Fits in nicely on this disc of crazily catchy music. Same goes for Stupidly Happy, which I really never got into on the demos -- now it's works beautifully. I am just now really getting into the disc, and I'm lovin' every minute. For those of us who originally questioned the title (myself included), let me say now that Wasp Star is about as perfectly descriptive a title as you could give this disc -- it describes the sound and feel perfectly: pointy and prickly, buzzing and circling, bouncing and dipping, shiny and outerspacey, totally out of this world. I could go on and on, maybe I will in a bit... Best, Will
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Apr 2000 23:12:28 -0700 (PDT) From: Thomas Long <thlong@interchange.ubc.ca> Subject: EPs Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.4.21.0004172300160.10441-100000@inch.interchange.ubc.ca> Fellow pink things, I'm fleshing out my collection & can't seem to find "Demo Tracks" (the Japanese/Virgin release from Nonsuch) or "Dear God/Homo Safari" on CD anywhere on the Net. Even Ebay came up dry. Anyone have any suggestions? In non-XTC news, Mark Lewishon's Complete Beatles Chronicle is being rereleased with a foreward by Mr. Martin himself, for those interested in such things. Thomas
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 03:10:20 -0700 (PDT) From: arnold alamon <babynoldsky@yahoo.com> Subject: another de-lurker Message-ID: <20000418101020.9279.qmail@web6006.mail.yahoo.com> I have just decided to come out and join the fun. I recently purchased Black Sea and the Big Express and I couldn't keep to myself anymore the joy I've had. Eversince I've heard the first chords of the song "Everday Story of Smalltown," I couldn't get it out of my head. When the catchy chorus of "You're the Wish you are I had" finally sunk in, there were now two songs in my head making delirously happy. Its a matter of time before my friends bring me to the asylum because I have been acting strange lately smiling from ear to ear for no apparent reason. It is so difficult to explain to them the kind of high one experiences through these songs. But its alright. I am almost sure that my experience is shared by most of you here. Thank god for e-mail groups like this. I have this funny feeling that 70 million of my countrymen on the 7100 islands that comprise our archipelago are all listening to everything else except XTC. I envy you guys who have friends whom you can meet and discuss the band's work over bottles of beer. The desperation has been so intense that I think I would marry the first girl I meet who is as crazy as I am about this music. It is indeed strange being an Asian, a Filipino(not all of us are dogeaters by the way), and yet being able to relate to the overly English flavor of their music. I guess great music is great music wherever it came from. It took me almost a year before I got my hands on Apple Venus I since its release. Wasp Star? Probably by 2001 or earlier if my friends in the US send me a copy. In the meantime, mp3s of the new album might sustain the XTC high I've been having for months since I started collecting their albums. Somebody help me. from the third world, Orgy Porgy
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 16:41:52 EDT From: Robeach11@aol.com Subject: elliott smith/wasp star Message-ID: <ba.4491a05.262e2290@aol.com> Hi everyone..... Got an advance copy of "Wasp Star". Have only listened to it twice. I must say that I rarely "get" XTC until after a few listens, so it is too early for me to form a decision. Maybe that's the highest compliment... their music tends to be complex (in some ways) and things don't register until multiple listenings. I will say that the four tracks that I enjoyed right away are "Playground", "Stupidly Happy", "In Another Life and "I'm the Man Who Murdered Love". I'll report back later when I figure it all out. While your waiting with baited breath for that..... Go NOW to a store and buy the new Elliott Smith "Figure 8" CD. Oh my. It comes out today. I'm halfway thru it and I've already heard a few jaw-dropping tunes. I loved his "Either/Or" and sort of liked "XO" and I may end up liking this one the most. It's what George Harrison might sound like if he were a (sorry!) gen-xer. Rob Carson, Ca
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 17:04:31 EDT
From: "Mike Wood" <stupidlyhappy@hotmail.com>
Subject: the Radio and the Maypole
Message-ID: <20000418210431.11186.qmail@hotmail.com>
Ben Gott asked:
>
>Does anyone know when the "add date" for "The Man Who Murdered Love" is? I
>want to play it on my radio show, but I don't want to be too early.
CFNY (Edge102) here in Toronto premiered the single on april 11th, so I
assume it'd be safe for anyone to play by now. Hopefully with enough
radio/video promotion, ITMWMM could at least be another Pumpkinhead-sized
hit for them. (I've also gotta give CFNY credit for playing Shriekback three
times in the past week amidst all the usual angsty "new rock" we're usually
subjected to.)
Although, in my modest opinion, "We're All Light" has got to be *the*
catchiest thing on the album. Public Enemy? Cypress Hill? nah, the perky
acoustic guitar and frantic drumming remind me much more of Ani DiFranco...
the thing's got catchy lyrics ("don't you know, jack and jillion years
ago..."), memorable hooks, huge crossover-potential, and I really hope
either the band or TVT push for it as the second single.
The Wheel And The Maypole:
WOW. An absolutely stunning production. I almost wanted to cry the first
time I heard it; it's that perfect. Thematically it almost sounds like a
sequel to Harvest Festival (my favourite track from AV1), a coming-of-age
for the narrator as the blissful innocence of youth gives in to a
realization of adult naivete. There's just something so wonderfully creepy
(or creepily wonderful?) about lyrics like "planets fall apart just to feed
the stars and stuff their larders" in what is, on the surface, seemingly one
of the happiest-sounding songs on the album (at least musically).
~~ Mike Wood ~
-------------
"We make a living by what we get.
We make a life by what we give."
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 14:15:36 -0700 (PDT) From: Thomas Marchi <thmarchi@excite.com> Subject: i found this site that plays XTC stuff... Message-ID: <2869982.956092536201.JavaMail.imail@pugsly.excite.com> here i am, in the middle of portland, oregon, sitting in my gray cubicle in some very large corporate complex listening to an internet site that plays all kinds of music...and take a guess at what they play ALL THE TIME once you find it and click on it? yep our friends XTC.... here's the site address: http://www.live365.com/cgi-bin/mini.cgi?stream=123175&genre=alternative%2Cpop%2Crock&browser=IE If that doesn't get you right to all the XTC music you can stand then just plug in www.live365.com and do a search for xtc and you'll find what i'm talking about eventually. Tom
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 17:13:01 -0700 (PDT) From: Bill Douglas <ccosmos_64@yahoo.com> Subject: Metallica Rocks! Message-ID: <20000419001301.3462.qmail@web3801.mail.yahoo.com> It's about time somebody important enough in the recording industry made a stand against Napster. Interesting that it takes a bad-a$$ rock band like Metallica to do this, rather than a combined record label assault. Way to go, guys! The only reason Napster exists is because radio is not serving any real function promoting new music, and the record labels are not doing enough to get the radio stations to play new music.
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 18:05:12 -0700 From: "Radiosinmotion" <radiosinmotion@earthlink.net> Subject: Radios In Motion Message-ID: <008c01bfa99b$5219a2a0$0200a8c0@digitalpc> Has everyone been requesting XTC on the radio? From experience, I know it works. I have started calling KROQ and requesting XTC constantly, even though I don't listen to the radio. I just want to increase the chances of XTC having a hit again. XTC use to be one of the top 10 groups of all time on KROQ. That is of course before all the grunge came! This is my new email address for those of you I have been corresponding with. I am using this address to remind everyone to promote XTC on the radio. Does anyone know if they are working on a new album yet or have they? Hate to be an ungrateful bastard, but I want more! Digitalmaster
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 20:06:51 -0700 From: "Radiosinmotion" <radiosinmotion@earthlink.net> Subject: Dr. Dre Gives Napster Until Friday to Delist Songs Message-ID: <001a01bfa9ac$4fb9a9e0$0200a8c0@digitalpc> "Rapper Dr. Dre became the latest artist to lash out at Napster Inc." So, as you see, this is the "Hard working artist vs. mean MP3 people" This is why I think its important to contact Napster or the labels and have them settle this by simply removing the files. As soon as a bunch of labels start suing and legislation passes, it makes everything illegal and next thing we know everything is encoded so we cant trade MP3's anymore!
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 20:12:17 -0700 (PDT) From: Tyler Hewitt <tahewitt@yahoo.com> Subject: two things that kind of relate Message-ID: <20000419031217.20357.qmail@web2103.mail.yahoo.com> RE: I found listening to Elton John's Caribou as a kid after having experienced GBYBR profound disappointment ---\ I was a huge Elton John fan as a kid, I felt the same way listening to Rock of the Westies after Captain Fantastic. Can we think of other examples? Who put out a masterpiece, 0nly to follow it up with a piece of rancid tripe? Didn't Lou Reed follow Berlin with Rock N Roll Animal? McCartney follow Band on the Run with Venus & Mars? RE: The most over-rated XTC album for me is Nonsuch. It was a big comedown after the psychedelic powerpop of O&L, but even listening to it today with the hindsight granted by AV1 doesn't help. -----/ Coulden't agree more. Another example of puting out a masterpiece, 0nly to follow it up with a piece of rancid tripe, except that Nonsuch isnt really rancid tripe, just dull. Nonsuch is the ONLY Xtc record that I dont play regularly. I try from time to time, but always remove it after a couple of songs. Even tried it on shuffle with AV1, It only annoyed me-I had to remove Nonsuch. I blame the production-I heard the Nonsuch demos for the first time a few months ago, and LOVED them! Much better than the official release, and it's a disc I return to.
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 20:50:15 -0700 (PDT) From: Molly Fanton <mfanton99@yahoo.com> Subject: A couple of things Message-ID: <20000419035015.17397.qmail@web1306.mail.yahoo.com> I'm SO jealous of the people who got advanced copies of Wasp Star. I wish there was a way for me to get one, but I haven't slept with anybody or bribed anyone to get one, so I'll just have to wait. Oh well. *sniff* *in a whiny voice* I want one, NOW (okay that was my Veroca Salt immitation) Another thing, I don't know if this will get through on time, but tomorrow at 10 pm EST there will be a listening party for Oranges & Lemons. Just check: http://www.angelfire.com/mn/mollyfa/xtclisteningparty.html. While you're there go VOTE for which album we should play after Apple Venus Vol. 1. The winner will be the album that shall be played on Wednesday, May 17th. The deadline for the poll is Friday, May 12. So GO VOTE!!! I already did. Molly ===== Molly's Pages http://www.angelfire.com/mn/mollyfa99/index.html
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 10:05:38 -0400 From: "Kate Burda" <burdakat@pilot.msu.edu> Subject: WE'RE ALL LIGHT SPOILER Message-ID: <00c301bfaa08$572d2560$78250a23@user.msu.edu> I LOVE the song (top 10 XTC song of all time!), but couldn't help thinking that We're All Light sounds a lot more like a Savage Garden-esque dance tune than XTC. Kate
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 04:44:10 -0700 (PDT) From: Al LaCarte <allacarte@yahoo.com> Subject: Softly Softly in the Night Message-ID: <20000419114410.10952.qmail@web1604.mail.yahoo.com> All: Edward Sizzorhends snipped: >With "STANDING IN FOR JOE" people now have something >to fight about when they say "WAR DANCE" is Colin's >worst song. Are *YOU* Joe? Al
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 04:34:43 -0700 (PDT) From: Al LaCarte <allacarte@yahoo.com> Subject: You Missed a Spot! Message-ID: <20000419113443.10005.qmail@web1601.mail.yahoo.com> All: Wayne continued: >The truth hurts. Paul's made his share of mistakes. >The "White Album" has some great stuff on it but I >happen to agree with George Martin's assessment of it->-it should have been pared down one album. There's >nothing bad on it (well with the exception of No. 9). >Just a lot of good stuff bumping heads with great >stuff. Hey Vinny. Great picture, but too many stars. Al
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 12:11:12 +0200 From: jeffrey.thomas.jt@bayer-ag.de Subject: Rosenberg, Rosenberger, Rosenbergest Message-ID: <0006800023316368000002L082*@MHS> Hi "Kreideberger", The "other" Jonathan Rosenberg wrote about hearing "WS" in the Princeton Record Exchange and then concluded his post with: >Okay, there it is. Hopefully I'll spark some sort of a >discussion, even if it's a "man, he's an idiot" thread. I enjoyed the post immensely, but I have to admit that my first thought after reading it was: "If hearing about Wasp Star being played at the Princeton Record Exchange sparks *anything*, I'd guess it'd be that Stephanie Takeshita will get in her car, drive to Princeton, and be listening to Wasp Star tomorrow!" What about it, Steph? - Jeff
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 10:06:05 -0400 From: "Kate Burda" <burdakat@pilot.msu.edu> Subject: Napster Message-ID: <00c701bfaa08$670c8fc0$78250a23@user.msu.edu> Thank you, Tyrone.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 04:11:32 -0800
From: "Ray Michno" <rmichno@my-deja.com>
Subject: "Man Who Murdered Love" on WorldCafe today
Message-ID: <AGPNPDDLFFGEFAAA@my-deja.com>
Organization: My Deja Email (http://www.my-deja.com:80)
Just in case anybody is interested, "The Man
Who Murdered Love" will be played on the
World Cafe radio program today. This program
can be heard as streaming audio through their
website (www.worldcafe.org).
p.s. They'll also be playing some songs from
the new Steve Earle CD ("Transcendental Blues").
-Ray-
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 11:34:52 +0100 From: Adrian Ransome <Adrian.Ransome@tsi-ltd.co.uk> Subject: The Beatlezzzzzz.. Message-ID: <497FEA72C392D3118AE700508B731177070525@NT4SERVER03> Jake Bryson wrote: "...most noticeably "Some Lovely" which is probably the only song other than REM's "What's the frequency Kenneth?" that seems to get slower and slower the further along it goes..." How's about "You Won't See Me" by The Beatles? It seems to drift into a musical coma about halfway through. Whenever I hear this song I imagine Ringo slowly dozing off behind his kit...... Adrian "shoe wire, sir?" Ransome
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 17:18:27 +0100 From: "Davies, Huw (TPE)" <Huw.Davies3@Wales.GSI.Gov.UK> Subject: Ownership Message-ID: <508B42AA354AD21194F80001FA7EBE39063527A3@WOMAIL2> > Richard asked: > > > Who else do we know that owns their own master tapes and music > publishing? This question made me wonder what the situation is with regards to XTC's ownership of their recordings at the moment. According to the label information on AV1 (in the UK) the copyright is owned by Idea Records under exclusive licence to Cooking Vinyl. Is Idea Records basically XTC themselves so would they own the copyright to their own records now? Billy Bragg is another artist who owns the copyright to his own records. Interestingly, he is also on Cooking Vinyl. ----------------- Huw Davies
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 09:30:00 -0700 From: Ed Kedzierski <ed.kedzierski@blvdmedia.com> Subject: How can something be overrated when... Message-ID: <08B5DDC2BABCD311BFC6005004A884B013B5D9@mgcservices.com> In 6-81, Adrian Ransome said: "In my opinion Nonsuch is the most over-rated album here on Chalkhills. Flame away....." Well, I'm not going to flame, but I have to say that I find it odd that you're calling it overrated when by far the majority of posts in praise of this album (that I've seen, anyway) are ones defending it against people slagging it. Generally, this album gets more than its share of criticism around here from what I can see. In order to be overrated, something has to be consistently over-praised, with dissenters in the minority. Not, of course, that I'm in any way willing to fish through the digests gathering statistics... Ed K.
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #6-82 ******************************
Go back to Volume 6.
19 April 2000 / Feedback