Chalkhills Digest Volume 6, Issue 98
Date: Wednesday, 3 May 2000
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 6, Number 98
Wednesday, 3 May 2000
Topics:
promo trip overload and the pleasures of Andy
No Rush
Dutch Wasp Star Launch Party
Sugarplastic CD and Tampa Bay record stores
Re: airplay
Things
WS: You're wrong, and you're a grotesquely ugly freak!
Re: Am I Crazy?
With Tail Between Legs......
things.....
Napster and what's behind door #1
No Gem
Q magazine
Woodstock or Bust !
Nonsuch Nonsense
Peed Spunk
XTC Go Country
XTC fans in the Boston area...
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Chalkhills is compiled with Digest 3.7b (John Relph <relph@tmbg.org>).
I see the stars and I'm filled with fright.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 2 May 2000 12:57:15 -0700 (PDT) From: brown <mb2@deltanet.com> Subject: promo trip overload and the pleasures of Andy Message-ID: <200005021957.MAA06242@mail2.deltanet.com> Hey mind-benders and music fans! (sound of a jaw crashing down on a hardwood floor)...get a load of that promo trip list...sheesh! It's a veritable Whitman's sampler of XTC yummies... Don't think I can take it...my eyes are rolling back in my head...my skull cap is bulging upwards... WOO-WHOOO! (wet, splashy sounds) ...grey and white matter all over the walls... who's gonna clean this up?... I'M not going to clean this up... What else? Oh, on the subject of Andy's grrrrr-animal attraction factor- I'm with Miz Jane on that one... For one thing there is the rock band effect...you know, someone straps on a guitar, begins to play...and suddenly they become much more interesting... Boys/girls in rock bands have always had that appeal, in varying degrees. Take a guy like Mick Jagger, who could pass for Don Knott's younger brother (take out your 8 by 10 glossy of Barney Fife and put it next to a pic of Mick...eegads! It's true!)... so instead of a guitar, he picks up a microphone and starts strutting his stuff across a stage... he becomes famous (along with those other scary looking corpses that make up the Stones)..and soon thereafter he has all the beautiful women he wants...go figure... ....The rock band effect is greatly heightened when it is attached to a brilliant artist, like Andy...but the rock effect is only a miniscule portion of Andy's appeal. He seems to have all the right stuff.... wit, intelligence, talent (boat loads of talent), warmth, charm, etc... O.k., I'll admit to a physical attraction... I find his voluptuous lips very appealing. They look like they'd be chewy.. and there's those mischievous eyes of his...and the Cheshire cat-like quality to his face, like there is a sly joke about to burst forth at any moment...Andy is no matinee idol, but he's a right sexy bastard, in my book! I've gone on quite long enough... Gushing like a silly school girl, Debora 'yes dear, you're a right sexy bastard too' Brown --The next issue of Tiger Beat will feature a full color spread on the totally boss Colin Moulding! (swoon)--
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 May 2000 00:53:33 +0200 From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl> Subject: No Rush Message-ID: <20000502224920.C41A3A6CE4@mail.knoware.nl> Dear Chalkers, A wise man once said to me: > I think that you're okay on this one, because really it was a gig that > Rush happened to play at and not a 'Rush gig'. So count yourself up a > few points. Thank God! > If you're still worried, say that you spent the whole time in the > toilet being sick. Actually i think i was heavily snogging my childhood sweetheart throughout their set, in between tokes of our party bong of course... Ahh, those heady days! yours in xtc, Mark "No Rum" S.
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 May 2000 00:53:33 +0200 From: "Mark Strijbos" <mmello@knoware.nl> Subject: Dutch Wasp Star Launch Party Message-ID: <20000502224918.E6F6FA6CE4@mail.knoware.nl> ! SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT ! Wasp Star Launch Party Date: Saturday May 27th 2000 Place: my home, Nieuwegein, Holland Yes, that's right: i'm throwing a little party to celebrate the release of Wasp Star and you are invited. I wil supply coffee, beer and soda but if you want anything stronger you should bring your own bottle :) Please RSVP by writing to me at xtc@knoware.nl and i'll send you all the necessary details My friend and fellow Chalkhillian Andre de Koning has promised to bake a special Apple (!) cake and i'll be playing the new album and assorted rarities. Visitors can also take part in a guided tour of my XTC Shrine, the Vinyl Vaults (please leave all your bags at the door) and the Lighthouse. Books, posters, pictures, buttons and other memorabilia will be on display and there's a non-stop video show featuring some rare and even some very exclusive footage. So if you're Dutch or just happen to be in Holland on the 27th of May: be there or be square ! yours in xtc, Mark S. @ the Little Lighthouse www.come.to/xtc
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 02 May 2000 18:25:01 -0700 From: Herne <herne@earthlink.net> Subject: Sugarplastic CD and Tampa Bay record stores Message-ID: <390F7FED.3480B9F0@earthlink.net> The latest news on RESIN, the new CD from the Sugarplatic is that it's available at Aron's in L.A. but not anywhere else yet. Sugarplastic.com should be up soon. Hopefully more news is forthcoming. To be more up to date, join the Spastic-Laughter mailing list. Some people on the list appear to be in contact with the band. And thanks to all those who offered Tampa Bay Record Store advice. Cheers, KL aka Herne
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 May 2000 21:51:04 EDT From: CapnEndo@aol.com Subject: Re: airplay Message-ID: <e3.3dfac64.2640e008@aol.com> In a message dated 05/02/2000 12:49:10 AM Eastern Daylight Time, <owner-chalkhills@chalkhills.org> writes: > Remember how I told you that I played XTC nine times on my radio show? I heard "wounded horse" on Conn. College radio WCNI at exactly 8:15 this morning. I've also just finished typing off a email pointing out my appreciation. Think I'll call in a request tomorrow. Tom
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 May 2000 21:31:47 EDT From: OMBEAN1@aol.com Subject: Things Message-ID: <a1.4c3893d.2640db83@aol.com> Hey Yall, Paul said: I heard the new XTC single on the radio here last night. "I'm the man who killed love". Not only did he kill it , He "MURDERED " it. I've said it three times, I'll say it again-- If you like alt/country,you will LOVE Jason & The Scorchers. They had a semi-hit back in the mid 80's with "White Lies". I recommend Ablazing Grace or Still Standing. They do THE best version of " Take Me Home ,Country Roads". It flat out rocks ( in a country sort of way). Molly, when you broke your ankle ,did they put you in a full body cast? I'm no doctor but arent you allowed to move with a broken ankle? Crutches? walking cast? Wheel chair? If they come to Toronto, go see them. What would be better than Andy & Colin signing your cast? Back to my semi-boring life, Roger
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 02 May 2000 19:02:09 -0700
From: Dan Pinder <pindy@pacbell.net>
Subject: WS: You're wrong, and you're a grotesquely ugly freak!
Message-ID: <0FTY007U6OATGF@mta5.snfc21.pbi.net>
(...with apologies to Chris Morris.)
Pre-release copy now warming up all available CD players in my posession, I
can safely say that this record is brilliant and has got balls, something
I've worried about, having read the various negative posts recently. You
can't trust what you read!
I can only offer my sympathies and condolences to those that hate it; Too
much record company merger product may have done your heads in. Or perhaps
it's too much "demo damage". I remember when AV1 came out there was so much
complaining about how the demo was better yeah, yeah, yeah. I remain happy
that I wasn't cursed by any of these demos before I heard what was meant to
be released to us, the loving fandom. After the fact, I hope for a WS
version of Homespun, as any completist naturally would. I loved the "How
'xxxxxxxx' Came To Be" series from the singles.
I have to admit the only track I usually skip is "I'm The Man Who...". Good
as it might be for a less-talented rocker, it's not as strong. I'd rather
hear We're All Light or Stupidly Happy as the single. I'm amazed with each
listening the breadth of attitude and depth. Despite the naysayers, Colin
sounds great and "Standing In For Joe" gets my vote for his top tune on WS.
The last three songs are an amazing suite in my humble opinion.
Dan Pinder
<pindy@pacbell.net>
_________________________________________
"I feel nothing but pride. An empty, an empty pride.
A hopeless vanity. A dreadful arrogance. A *stupifyingly*
futile conceit. But at least it's something to hang onto."
- Sir Arthur Streeb-Greebling
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 May 2000 22:12:30 -0500 From: "Jim S." <jims@inlink.com> Subject: Re: Am I Crazy? Message-ID: <LPBBLAFNFJCABDIOKPJFCEJECBAA.jims@inlink.com> > I'm gonna put on the asbestos suit, and address myself to > Chalkers who have > already heard WASP STAR (with apologies to those still waiting): > > - I think "Church Of Women" should have been the closing track. > > Am I crazy? > > Dunks I think so. You're crazy, that is. Not only is The Wheel And The Maypole a perfect closing number, but it is (IMO) the best song on the album. In fact, I am close to saying it is better than anything on AV1. And I don't say that lightly.
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 May 2000 13:26:19 +1000 From: Iain Murray <iain.murray@looksmart.com.au> Subject: With Tail Between Legs...... Message-ID: <200005030339.NAA24582@send01.start.com.au> Hi, I'm Iain, and I'm a Chalkoholic. (Hi, Iain!) After being off the list for nearly five months, I've realised just how dull my inbox has become. Therefore, with tail firmly between legs (my own, of course), I humbly submit the following : (Placing right hand on "Song Stories") I swear by almighty Andy that, from this day forth, I will endeavour to be a moral and upstanding member of Chalkhills. I promise not to take myself too seriously, nor shall I resort to bitchiness or name-calling when another list member's opinion differs from my own. I shall make a concerted effort to include some XTC content in every posting I submit, and I solemnly swear that I will make valuable contributions to group discussions whenever possible. Okay, I'm back! GROUP HUG!!!!! BTW, Kurt Vonnegut kicks Joseph Heller's arse, and anyone who says otherwise can step outside.....can I still say things like that? Iain "I believe there's a commonality to humanity. We all suck." -- Bill Hicks
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 May 2000 22:04:29 -0700 (PDT) From: Tyler Hewitt <tahewitt@yahoo.com> Subject: things..... Message-ID: <20000503050429.7864.qmail@web2106.mail.yahoo.com> whoever provided that linkto Negativland's website and the Steve Albini article, thanks! What a chilling article that was. By the way, that article and the Chalkhills post mention Albini's production credits, but fail to mention that he was a former member of late great Big Black. re: Though I like some music that almost touches Disco, I could never stand pure disco music I hated disco when it was popular in the late '70's. When I hear it now, I think how refreshing it is to hear dance music with melody, not the horrid Techno crap we have now! Oh Kraftwerk and Can, why oh why did you have to inspire this shit?
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 May 2000 22:31:30 -0700 (PDT) From: Brown <mb2@deltanet.com> Subject: Napster and what's behind door #1 Message-ID: <200005030531.WAA17813@mail2.deltanet.com> Do I have this right? In the last digest- <<Brad was kicking around Napster today and searched on XTC and came up with a song I'd never heard of before, called "Sunshine Bonnet Pylon.">> Then Brad makes a discovery- <<Well, it's not XTC. it's actually a song called "Rocked By Rape", and it's by a band called ECC. They have deliberatly renamed the mp3 files and shared them to Napster to spread the song. You search for your favorite band, find this 'rare' song you've never heard, download it and listen, and it's their song instead! Genius, if you're on a T1 and didn't waste 2 hours downloading it.>> I only used a portion of your post, Brad, and I'm not finding fault with you, but I just have to say that whether or not the song was good, deliberate misrepresentation is wrong, wrong, wrong. I'm all for promoting new music but that kind of tactic is not acceptable. Genius? Hardly... Deceptive bullshit? Definitely! Debora Brown
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 May 2000 09:00:13 +0100 From: Holger.Loeschner@mkjff.rlp.de Subject: No Gem Message-ID: <22AA6F41BBBBD21193030000F877AAD6106604@ns3.mbk.rpl> Hi all, a few weeks ago someone told that he was very disappointed with Wasp Star and he got lots of harsh reactions. Well I got my first possibility of listening to it last Saturday. I listened three times until then and I must say: NO! This new album is really no gem. I am a bit disappointed too. Someone I know said: "This is one of the weakest if not the worst record of the band in comparison to records like Skylarking or O&L. There are only a few good tracks on it!" Well I wouldn't go that far, it is not a bad album but I think that AV1 has been much much better. I knew some of the demos before and what I thought about "Boarded up" that time really, or unfortunately, comes true: IMHO this song is the worst that Colin ever wrote. Sorry to say folks. Holger
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 May 2000 01:19:36 -0700 (PDT) From: andrew sneddon <andrew_sneddon@yahoo.com> Subject: Q magazine Message-ID: <20000503081936.2095.qmail@web614.mail.yahoo.com> No mention of XTC in Qs "Top 100 British Albums" except a little side note about how quaint/British/eccentric etc there are. Then they only give Wasp Star 3 out of 5. Bastards!
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 May 2000 12:24:51 +0900 From: "John Boudreau" <aso1@mocha.ocn.ne.jp> Subject: Woodstock or Bust ! Message-ID: <003401bfb4e3$1cb282a0$7d5791d2@johnboud> Tom Kingston wrote : > I'd have KILLED to get to Woodstock! I was there ; an innocent 17 year old who'd hitched rides from CT with a friend and was in attendance for the duration . I would be curious to know if there is anyone else out there in Chalkland who was at Woodstock . Email me offlist and let's " rap " IF you exist ... Sushiman
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 May 2000 18:32:58 +0900 From: "John Boudreau" <aso1@mocha.ocn.ne.jp> Subject: Nonsuch Nonsense Message-ID: <003701bfb4e3$7e4218a0$7d5791d2@johnboud> all , i remember with great clarity the day i bought nonsuch in hmv in shibuya way back when in '92 , and upon opening it up seeing that my numero uno ichiban drummerman dave mattacks was the tubsman . i KNEW it just HAD to be GREAT with DM playing ... and i was not disappointed . through the years it remains one of my top 3 xtc faves . i even love WAR DANCE . superb engineering/mixing jobs , too . don't you just dig that extra insert " if those dollars are burning a hole in your pocket ... " w/ notes on each album by andy ? " ... Everyone wants a slice of the jingoistic cake " - what a line ! sushiman
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 May 2000 11:28:20 +0100 (GMT+01:00) From: losingthewilltolive@theendofmytether.co.uk Subject: Peed Spunk Message-ID: <6145804.957349700924.JavaMail.root@mh-a01.backend.another.com> Tom "Tom" Kingston shared a few home truths...and some bollocks. >>Heavy metal truly starts with Black Sabbath. In one sense, yes. In another, no. It really starts with "You Really Got Me" by The Kinks, but I can already hear the sound of violent, horrified flatulence from certain Kinks-loving contributors, so I'll move quickly on. Snigger. >>Zep was NOT metal - they were too ecclectic and too good and too early. Too eclectic? Possibly. They certainly made a variety of tunes and albums, some fantastic and some utterly dire. I suppose technically you could call that eclectic...Too good? Fuck off! Bloody revisionist music fans...Most of today's best Metal bands could wipe the floor with Led Zep. Jimmy Page was, and is, a great guitarist, but he's no Hendrix and there are countless more gifted and innovative players around now. Ooh, contentious! Well I'm the goddamn expert so tough poo! Finally, too early? Hmmm, a slightly wayward approach to musical history but close enough I suppose. >>Poison & Def Leppard are power pop Now I'm sure we discussed "power pop" before on Chalkhills, and it had cock all to do with Poodle Rock (to give the genre its correct title) but I think I know what you mean. >>I wouldn't even call ACDC or KISS metal, although KISS had the look. They're both Metal bands, as any self-respecting Metal fan would tell you. Admittedly, you can always be pedantic about these things and say "they're not heavy enough" or "they're too melodic" or whatever, but Metal (like jazz, hip hop and blues) is a culture as well as a musical form and those bands are most definitely part of it. >>Metallica is the first commercial success of the marriage of speed punk with metal Firstly, no it isn't. Motorhead. I rest my case. Secondly, there's no such thing as "speed punk". There's punk rock and there's hardcore. Consult your local venue for details. >>Their songwriting was simply too pop and too superior to associate with metal. Oh dear oh dear...welcome to the world of abject fuckwittery! Yes, XTC are fantastic - that is, after all, why we are here - but that kind of pointless snobbery is just totally unhelpful and, frankly, dishonest. Too superior? Firstly, something cannot be too superior - it either is superior or it is not. Secondly, how do you guage these things? Is there some brilliant system that no one has told me about for working out levels of artistic value? Opinions are one thing (and I'm full of 'em, or rather it, as you know) but there is absolutely no analytical basis for saying that one style of songwriting is inherently superior to another, except maybe in terms of success (i.e. despite sucking fat asses, the Spice Girls' writers are clearly succeeding in their attempts to appeal to teenage girls etc and are therefore "superior", in terms of audience size, to someone like Slayer). XTC's songs clearly have more impact with you than, say, Iron Maiden's, but superiority is in the eye of the cocksure beholder, is it not? Besides, there are many inspired and hugely talented songwriters in Metal...I rather suspect that you haven't exactly been following the scene very closely! Mind you, it's good to see someone expressing an intelligent view on the subject for a change. It's certainly preferable to the usual "ha ha! look at the silly metal fans!" attitude which appears on the list sometimes...although I do quite enjoy it when people go out of their way to appear stupid, patronizing and pompous. It saves me from doing it anyway... >> I have recently taught a student a Green Day song. And they're considered old news! And rightly so. They were mildly interesting five years ago. Next! Hey, kids today aren't so bad after all! Incidentally, is does make me laugh to hear people refer to Marilyn Manson and Korn as "new" acts...the ageing process can be cruel sometimes. Keep in touch, as they say... >>Just buy the goddamn CD when it comes out. OK? Why bother? I think I'll download it from Napster. Much more fun. Anyone want a free copy? Death to false metal! Dom \m/
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 May 2000 12:31:39 +0100 From: "Davies, Huw (TPE)" <Huw.Davies3@Wales.GSI.Gov.UK> Subject: XTC Go Country Message-ID: <7209B69A281BD4119EE50001FA7EA975AEADCC@WOMAIL2> Christopher R. Coolidge came to the defence of country music and I think he had a point. I've been exploring the fringes of country music recently and found that there's some good stuff out there, the likes of Gram Parsons, etc. Country music, of course, has never been that popular here in the UK, so it is still seen as something of a minority interest. Pop music at the moment is in such a sad state of affairs that I've been looking at other genres of music. Folk music being another one. This made me think about what direction XTC should take after Wasp Star. Perhaps they should further explore the folk sound they had on Mummer (and to a lesser extent on English Settlement and Skylarking). It could lead to something interesting. Perhaps XTC could even go alt-Country! Regarding the James and the Giant Peach songs, I think that "All I dream of is Friend" is one of the best unreleased Andy Partridge songs I've heard. It definitely deserves a proper release. Huw Davies http://members.tripod.co.uk/davieshuw
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 May 2000 11:33:57 -0400 From: "Tom Paluzzi" <tmp@tmp.mv.com> Subject: XTC fans in the Boston area... Message-ID: <003e01bfb514$ff62ed70$9606c90a@btrd.bostontechnology.com> Hi... I was listening to the Boston area radio station 92.5 WXRV last night on the way home from work ...They played ITMWML and after the song, the DJ talked a little bit about the new album and he said that on Friday afternoon, May 5th, Andy was going to be live on the air...The DJ wasn't sure about the exact time, but said he'd announce it when he knew... I'm not going to be able to tape it on Friday, but if anybody on the list who lives in the area can, maybe they could put it up on the web somewhere??? The DJ said he was hoping to talk Andy into playing a few songs live... Tom
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