Chalkhills Digest Volume 7, Issue 8
Date: Wednesday, 7 February 2001
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 7, Number 8
Wednesday, 7 February 2001
Topics:
SWAP!
Re:XTC as a cure?
RE: Come on, chuffy
prickly pears and porcupine trees
XtC sightings
new xtc!!
Re: "It's Snowing Angels"
Midwest XTC fans?
Corvair Baby: Dukes? Nah.
My pilgrimage
What a Berks
memorable lyrics lines
RE: Running orders ad nauseum . . .
Is this addiction going to last ?
not our Andy, at least not that we know
Rings 'n' things
Presidents
XTC Personals???
Hey There! The Orchid Show...
Song Order and Frosting and Stuff
Re: Campaign Finance Reform
Here Comes President Shrub
Random bits and pieces
Stew in NYC on Friday
live performance compilation
A Adrian
Your Name Is on a Lot of Quotes in this Book
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Everything looks smashed and broken.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 4 Feb 2001 19:40:53 -0000 From: "Belinda" <b.blanchard@btinternet.com> Subject: SWAP! Message-ID: <007301c08ee2$6318d9e0$50777bd5@btopenworld.com> Hi Is there anyone in London who has received a copy of the last ever Little Express magazine? I never received a copy (sniff) but am willing to arrange a loan swap. If you can trust me with your precious LE I shall lend you my video of everything XTC did. This includes the Look Look stuff plus everything else including the pilot for the Kid's show AP was the MC for, and including - well, everything. That way, if you screw my tape I burn your magazine (no I don't, sorry, I KEEP it!) I am asking for Londoners only because that way we can meet and do the exchange in person! Yours neurotically, BELINDA
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 4 Feb 2001 15:08:11 EST From: CrissysDad@aol.com Subject: Re:XTC as a cure? Message-ID: <af.6b1749f.27af10ab@aol.com> Hey Cq (and Chalkhillers), Sorry about the grief of the 'ex' getting married, but you missed two of my favorite broken hearts songs! 1000 Umbrellas and The Disappointed. The Disappointed never fails to pull me out of a funk. 'The Disappointed will bear me on their shoulders to a secret shadowland where a somber marching band plays a tune for broken hearts.' Dave
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 4 Feb 2001 12:22:29 -0800 From: Peter Fitzpatrick <peterfit@MICROSOFT.com> Subject: RE: Come on, chuffy Message-ID: <9CCB057678B0AD4790A83CC97684D1F00E707C@dub-msg-01.europe.corp.microsoft.com> >Whilst watching the marvellous Armstrong & Miller Show on Channel 4 on >Friday night I noticed the name Andy Partridge appear in the writer's >credits. Can anyone in the know confirm whether this is THE Andy >Partridge or just A Andy Partridge? Funny you should say that. I saw that credit too and have been toying with the idea of calling Andy to ask him. Spoke with him a couple of weeks ago and asked if he was going to sell that f%$*'ing POD (don't get me wrong, I've got one and use Ampfarm in my studio) he laughed and said that not only was he keeping it but he had just been given the bass guitar version AND was using it on the mixing of the Fuzzy Warbles demos. I wish I had taken some notes - he mentioned a bunch of songs that he and Colin had found (including his original guitar (!) demo for Rook....I had 'phoned him to ask for a lost-chord). He spoke a little about the deal they did with Virgin regarding their demos and the box set that has been put together. The guy who did the original mastering of their Virgin albums has completed the remastering of the re-issue albums. And no, he hasn't even had a 'courtesty cdr' of the new albums yet (are we suprised ???). Oh. I never did get the Rook chords from Andy. Dave Gregory very kindly scanned his original piano part and emailed it to me. A generous chap indeed. from Dublin with stuff Peter
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 01 Feb 2001 01:14:11 -0800 From: Randy Hiatt <rhiatt@gte.net> Subject: prickly pears and porcupine trees Message-ID: <3A7928E3.D6E469F8@gte.net> Hi, I was just this month discovering Porcupine Tree (they have allot of cd's!) and by accident found Dave Gregory did the string arranging/production on their 2000 release, Light Bulb Sun . I can hear AV in there. For you proggers out there unaware of these guys, just go for it! Anyone care to enlighten me on Daves angle with these guys and any other xtc related connections ... and did the gig I pasted in below happen... do tell. later! oh I almost forgot, Anyone have a musical tourist suggestion for me? I'm heading to Hurst TX (Dallas/Fort Worth) in a few weeks (Feb 13-15), and will have a few nights open. Randy (so off topic I'm almost on) Hiatt __________________________ wanna hear my newest tune? http://www.mp3.com/RandyHiatt
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 05 Feb 2001 15:06:12 +1100
From: "*SUPER SPANGER*" <superspanger@hotmail.com>
Subject: XtC sightings
Message-ID: <F107f17rSWEr9rAkQ1H0000566e@hotmail.com>
Um...One for the Aussies... The other morning while I was trying to come to
terms with the fact I was A) back at school and B) awake before 12:oo pm on
a Saturday morning. I flicked over to channel 10 {video hits...I don't know
why!} There was an ad for "Double shots of rock"- an album with "17 great
artists and 34 great tracks"... I nearly had a stroke... XTC was one of
those "great artists". One song was 'Senses working overtime', I don't know
what the other was.
Also... I'm sure most people would have known this but 'Peter Pumpkin head'
or a cover of it is used in the movie "Dumb and Dumber"
Lyndy
"You laugh at me because I'm different.
I laugh at you because your all the same"
-Unknown.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 03 Feb 2001 09:57:56 -0500
From: "Danny Phipps" <phipps@schoollink.net>
Subject: new xtc!!
Message-ID: <web-6044575@schoollink.net>
...unfortunately, it's only available in japan, damn
it all!!
according to the february, 2001 issue of ICE magazine on
page 27 in the collector's corner column, they meantion:
"xtc's brand new release 'homegrown' will debut in japan
this february."
what about us americans that love 'em and support 'em so
damned much???
come on, guys! we want to hear this stuff, too, ok?
sheeeesh!!!
/dan
-------------------------------------------
"All of the answers you seek can be
found in the dreams that you dream..."
-- Dan Fogelberg
-------------------------------------------
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2001 00:28:56 -0500 From: MinerWerks <dminer@gte.net> Subject: Re: "It's Snowing Angels" Message-ID: <a05001900b6a3e84e06b6@[63.25.149.179]> Thomas querries: >Wasn't Andy's Hello Selection track "It's Snowing Angels", billed as a Dukes >tune? Andy had penned "It's Snowing Angels" and "Then She Appeared" in the early 90s as something akin to the Dukes. If I recall correctly, these two songs were to be on a flexi together released by some magazine. Andy had created pseudonymous artists for these songs, but the whole thing fell though. Andy was convinced by Gus Dudgeon to record "Then She Appeared" for Nonsuch, but since "It's Snowing Angels" was never intended as an "XTC song," he must have decided to christen it a Dukes song for "Windowbox." So, in a roundabout way, it *is* a Dukes of Stratosphear song, but it wasn't written for either of the Dukes albums. = Derek =
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2001 00:58:36 EST From: Saxd00d@aol.com Subject: Midwest XTC fans? Message-ID: <3a.106839cc.27af9b0c@aol.com> Hey all...Presently I live in the midwest (Indianapolis, specifically) and I was just wondering if there are any XTC people around here. It's very lonely being a fan of XTC, or really any other 'off the beaten path' groups or music here in Indiana, so it would be nice to get in touch with some like minded folks..... anyone out here? Email me at saxd00d@aol.com if you're anywhere near Indianapolis, or the midwest in general. By the way, the Oh's are zeros.....Kenny Kipp
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 05 Feb 2001 06:22:26 From: "Shawn Stone" <sdstone75@hotmail.com> Subject: Corvair Baby: Dukes? Nah. Message-ID: <F30t8oxl4ThEkTswaD800004caf@hotmail.com> Okay, I'm a lurker by nature and I've been only an on-again off-again lurker around here at that, but I had a quick question. I've been downloading XTC demos from Napster for the past few weeks. It's mostly because I fear that in the summer, when they supposedly start charging a fee, it will be for only album based songs and there will then be no chance for me to get the literally hundreds of XTC demos out there. I've got about 90 demo tracks now, only a dozen or so being tracks eventually released on albums. Don't go thinking I'm some fly-by-night fan though, because I own every XTC album in every format (vinyl, cassette and CD) and about 20 or so 12" and 7" singles. Whilst searching through peoples' files, I have frequently come across the song "Corvair Baby" which is either listed as a Dukes demo or an XTC demo. Doing a little detective work, I looked on Chalkhills and on the CDDB. Chalkhills has no such title in the discography and the only "Corvair Baby" song listed on CDDB is by Paul Revere and the Raiders. I downloaded one of these files and sure enough, it doesn't sound a think like our lads from Swindon. So what's the confusion? Are you receiving me?
------------------------------ Date: 05 Feb 2001 15:52:39 +0800 From: duttonj@mpx.com.au Subject: My pilgrimage Message-ID: <200102050748.f157mGY02376@mail008.syd.optusnet.com.au> Well, not so much a pilgrimage, but I will be passing through Swindon on my way to Cardiff in late June. I am in the process of compiling a list of places to visit (time will be in short supply), and was wondering if anyone could suggest: 1) any buildings or locations of significance to XTC's history and 2) any locations described or alluded to in any XTC song that are worth visiting My plan is to construct a photographic journal, and to put it on the web upon my return home. Obviously a visit to the White Horse of Uffington is essential, but other than that, I only have Moulding's Street Plan of Swindon to go by! Thanking you Jon
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2001 10:42:46 +0100 From: Alan Welby <alan.welby@euronet.be> Subject: What a Berks Message-ID: <01C08F60.611B8600.alan.welby@euronet.be> Organization: West Midlands in Europe David Pitt is right -The Vale of White Horse was "added" to Oxfordshire in 1974 having previously been in Berkshire. Abingdon was the old County town of Berks until the growth of Reading in the late 1800s (as testified by the magnificent County Hall on the Market place). Growing up in the Vale of White Horse (and being born in 71), I always thought as myself as a Oxfordshire lad, while most of the older fogies kept their Berkshire loyalty (esp if the fought in the Berks regiments in the war). However, what united us all was our antipathy to all things Wiltshire (XTC being the exception that proves the rule!).
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2001 09:50:53 -0200 (BRST)
From: Fernando Pablo Devecchi <devecchi@fisica.ufpr.br>
Subject: memorable lyrics lines
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.21.0102050945310.32573-100000@hoggar.fisica.ufpr.br>
Hello everybody,
Which are the most memorable lines
in XTC lyrics? Today i have one in mind:
watch the leaves tearing away, leaving you in line,
like an exercise book...
No explanation needed...
Best wishes from Fernando.
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2001 14:44:40 -0000 From: "Smith, David" <David.Smith@tfeurope.com> Subject: RE: Running orders ad nauseum . . . Message-ID: <4BBE67B71C1DD411A23600508B65F71E01168B39@tfsecmsg04.tfseur.co.uk> Well helloooo! A quick de-lurk (actually, not lurking, just very busy) to comment on the recent spate of to and fro regarding running orders etc on the re-released CDs etc. Maybe it's me, but does it really matter? Most of the people on list - especially those of you who almost know the planned running orders by heart - probably have the original vinyl, the original CDs and countless other versions. Why worry what differences there will be this time round. Vive la difference, as one would say in Paris. Unless one was German. Having said that, thanks to those posters who have increased mine (and probably many others') knowledge of what belongs where. I wonder if anyone's ever tried to compile a list of EVERY SONG the boys have ever done in any format (demo, single, b-side etc) and put it in chronological order. That should keep you busy for a few days - tee hee! *** On the subject of "The Somnambulist", I always thought it sounded like it belonged in the Homo Safari series. Dunno why, I just do. *** Nicole, sorry you were insulted by the lyrics of President Kill. For my tuppenny worth, I always DID see it as a little dig at various US prez's - or perhaps more at the US system whereby, no matter who's in charge, in terms of the outside world's view of things, very little changes. Bear in mind that Prez Kill was written in the late 80s, when much of Western Europe was seen by many Europeans as little more than an expanded US military base and a nice little buffer between the US and the Soviets. Now that's an incredibly simplified view - but it was one that many people in W Europe subscribed to. Andy would have written it from HIS perceptions.Now I have absolutely no idea whether Andy was thinking along these lines when he wrote the song but I will admit to thinking that I saw Bush Snr as carrying on Ronald the Ray-Gun's legacy. And Ronnie scared the sh1t out of me and millions of other people! If I've offended anyone it was unintentional - I'm just guessing at what MIGHT have been going on in Andy's head at the time. Andy being Andy, it's just as likely he was in the mood to p1ss someone off. After all, it worked with Dear God :-) *** OMBEAN (?) said: np--The Fine Art of Surfacing . Boomtown Rats. What a great friggin' album!!!!!!!!!!!! "Oh on a night like this ,I deserve to get kissed at least once or twice" Oh yes - best thing they did by a country mile. Real musical maturity from the band everyone loved to hate. Loved "Can You Keep It Up" or whatever it was called (sorry, fuzzy memory) *** Mike asked - A question for you all: what Colin Moulding song sounds most like (from a melody or stylistic point of view) an Andy Partridge song? I always thought that about "In Loving Memory of a Name". And "Nigel" actually. **** And finally, the long-winded and oft-quoted drum lessons have taken a turn for the interesting (if you find them interesting, anyway). Late last year, as I finished lesson number 18 or so, the teacher (who's a cool dude BTW) and I realised that we'd finished "Book1" (basic rock). "Cool," said I, dead chuffed. "Great," he said. "When you come back next year we start book 2 . . .Jazz" OH DEAR LORD HELP ME! Well, lesson one of the new year is over - I have officially learnt the "standard jazz backbeat", I am developing a right (kick drum) leg the size of an elephant and most of all, I am having one of the most enjoyable experiences of my entire life. I can syncopate . . . I can read (some of) the dots . . . I know what he means when he talks about quarter note triplets. Most of all, I can play the drum line to Generals and Majors - way-haaaaay! Whack pea-soup, thud whack pea-soup, thud whack pea-soup pea-soup pea-soup Sorry . . . Smudgeboy EMail: david.smith@tfeurope.com (next lesson, Living In Another Cuba - anyone got any spare arms they're not using?)
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2001 10:42:55 -0500 From: "Lisette Proulx" <lisette@quatuor.cc> Subject: Is this addiction going to last ? Message-ID: <KJBBLJNKHJKFOOEKNMFPIEFJCGAA.lisette@quatuor.cc> Dear all of you, This is my first post and I am looking for help... I was never much of a music fan, until my husband a year ago, put hearphones on my ear while I was surfing the net. The tune was "Greenman"... One shot of XTC ! Total addiction since. I have been hooked and I am listened to it all the time... (To the great pleasure and amusement of my husband. Am i ever blessed that he loves it to !). I just do not understand what hit me. I am a mature professionnal woman close to 50 years old, never been in a fan club before... As " fiendishly carrie" said, I think i'm starting to scare friends and family... (By the way I also bought Drums and wire a few days ago and I am repeatadly playing Complicated games...) So. Here are my questions to you all: Is there any way out of this addiction and if yes, how long does it takes to get rid of it ? Which other kind of music should I listen to, in order to slowly help me come out of this fanatism ? Why do I like it so much ? Is it that good ? How come, besides my husband, I never find other listening partners. When I start playing it to friends, they talk, joke, do not listen and think that I am just a old Beatles melancolic... Are we, my husband and I, the only french canadians who like this music. ? (S'il y a sur ce chatgroup d'autres quebecois, n'hesitez pas a me contacter ) vanishing girl Lisette
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2001 12:28:17 -0500 From: mitch friedman <mitchf@mindspring.com> Subject: not our Andy, at least not that we know Message-ID: <v03007802b6a4928d9235@[165.247.50.23]> Hi, For those of you wondering if it's our Andy that did some writing for the Armstrong and Miller show on Channel 4, he had not even heard of the show so it's probably not him. However, he did contribute some material for a comedic website called www.tvgohome.com and doesn't know if some of the same people may be involved in the tv show. So it's still a possibility but not a good one. Mitch
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2001 11:52:19 -0600 From: "JH3" <jh3@winco.net> Subject: Rings 'n' things Message-ID: <005a01c08f9c$62cc4c00$2373fbd1@JH3.alternatech.net> Sorry I don't post more often, folks... From: "Pledge" <pledge7@btinternet.com>: >Hello everyone... I'm sure i saw ages ago on one of the >numerous websites that someone had made a few XTC >ringing tones for mobile phones.... Did i dream this or is >it true... It's true! My site (XTCware: http://www.jh3.com/xtc ) handily provides the following info, among other weird and shocking things: "Giancarlo Galli has created two XTC operator logos and ring tones that you can upload into your Nokia 5110 or 6150 (or newer) cell phone, using the Nokia Cellular Data Suite & Operator Logo Uploader from Kessler Wireless Design ( http://www.kessler-design.com/wireless/index.html ). This does not mean that XTCware officially endorses the Nokia Corporation, but you have to admit that being able to upload ordinary MIDI files into your cell phone to use as ring tones is a pretty cool feature." I believe other cell and PCS phones now allow this sort of thing as well. And for those of you who can't stand the suspense, ftp://ftp.alternatech.net/pub/jh3/nokia.zip is a direct link. (And thanks again to Giancarlo! What a guy!) From: Harry Strole <hjstrole@earthlink.net>: >As George W. Bush starts his second week in office it >should be noted that the election reform he is looking into >deals with camaign finance, not the electorial college, >which, for those not in the US, is the means by which >someone without a majority of popular vote can become >President of The US. It's an archaic system originally >intended to make states stronger, but now seems to >work for the rich. In the opinion of some historians, it was originally intended (along with denying women and blacks the right to vote) as a means of preventing the abolition of slavery, in order to ensure that the southern states remained in the union long enough for the northern ones to develop their military capacity enough to withstand a British invasion on their own. So ultimately it didn't even work at what it was intended to do: The southern states still seceded from the Union over the slavery issue in the 1860's, and the US still couldn't withstand the British invasion of the 1960's, in which the Beatles and their ilk took over the US pop charts despite album-burning campaigns by religious conservatives. (And you thought this was completely off-topic, didn't you?) Meanwhile, it *does* work for the rich, by keeping voter turnout low - indeed, by making voter turnout at least partially irrelevant. (It removes the incentive for states to take steps to increase turnout - they get the same number of proxy votes no matter how many people show up on election day - and it also makes it largely pointless for people to vote at all in states that aren't heavily contested.) And low voter turnout usually means that poor, mostly ethnic voters don't vote as much as rich folks who support the so-called establishment. Perhaps Andy was thinking of this when he wrote "President Kill"... but then again, he was probably just pissed off about American militarism in general. He always has been! (I'm not sure if abolishing the proxy system would help with that or not.) From: "Adrian Ransome" <adrian.ransome@instinct.freeuk.com>: >On the subject of Xtc fistfights; Terry Chambers would >win, but not after being badly bitten and scratched by a >frenzied Barry Andrews in the final. Interesting that you used the word "frenzied." I've always held the (probably unorthodox) belief that Andy's stage fright and later refusal to tour was precipitated by the loss of Barry - whose frenzied onstage antics made him the onstage visual focus, rather than Andy - and the fact that he was replaced by Dave, who was, if anything, the least animated bandmember on stage. That made Andy the visual focus, and exacerbated his latent, previously- sublimated neurotic fears about being exactly that. At least it sounds plausible as a theory... to me, anyway. Admittedly, that has nothing to do with who would win in a fist-fight. From: "Michael D. Myers" <mmyers@telcordia.com>: >A question for you all: what Colin Moulding song sounds >most like (from a melody or stylistic point of view) an >Andy Partridge song? "Collideascope"! Or else one of the earlier tracks, like "I'm Bugged" or "I Am the Audience." They sounded a LOT more like each other back in the old days, and not just in the vocals. John H. Hedges Remember, that's http://www.jh3.com/xtc
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2001 20:05:02 -0000 From: "Rory Wilsher" <rory_wilsher@yahoo.co.uk> Subject: Presidents Message-ID: <002701c08faf$0cc41640$8161063e@oemcomputer> Hillers nross (PhoenixYellowRose) fed me this feedback: <<Rory: my lyrics will be SOOOO off, I know... but they are near enough to get where my comments were coming from: "Ain't democracy wonderful, them Russians can't win/ Ain't democracy wonderful, lets elect someone like that in" (for a stronger argument, I should have looked up the lyrics, I know). Anyways... them there lyrics evoke (to me) a North American - type gov't situation. US vs. Russia... democracy... >> Yeah point taken...what I was referring to was the way that America/Russia tried to "capture" S.American/African countries during the Third World War, (and in fact referred to them as "client" states) to try to impose their way of thinking on them. Once they'd done so, they didn't really care about how these "presidents" actually ran their countries in a micro way, as long as they supported their respective sponsors. So, what I'm saying is that I don't disagree with you, but that (to me at least) it goes a bit wider than just US politics - although it was inspired by it. That's not to say that this isn't part of the song, it's just not the whole of it. Hey, it's an XTC song - you don't expect it to work on just one level, do you? Rory Wilsher
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2001 13:00:14 -0800 (PST) From: Jon Rosenberger <wile1coyote@yahoo.com> Subject: XTC Personals??? Message-ID: <20010205210014.24066.qmail@web120.yahoomail.com> >From the Wacky and Wild File A Truly Bizarre Auction posted by a fan of the band. Any Single Seattle Area Chalkers might want to check this.....???? http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=549787790 Cheers??? Mole
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2001 14:27:24 -0500 From: Samantha Berg <sberg@bigsnyc.org> Subject: Hey There! The Orchid Show... Message-ID: <AD43C0AD662ED411963100A0C95DB9200F0E9B@DRAGON> My name is Samantha and I just want to tell you that I went to the February 3rd show of "The Orchid Show" and was quite dismayed to find the emphasis on XTC was WAY overhyped. It had 1 XTC song, 'River Of Orchids' that was danced to solo by one dancer at the beginning. That's it. Really, it's a big fat lie to advertise this as a collaboration with XTC when only the introduction has any XTC in it and the rest of the show was XTC-less. To mention the album Apple Venus in the promotional is a lie cause it's only I song. Even Jill In Brazil had absolutely no XTC samples, chords, lyrics, NADA. It's like being told Celine Dion played an integral part in the creation of the movie "Titanic" because she sang a song on the soundtrack. I was expecting a whole lot more XTC, but the performance itself wasn't too bad. Just bad, misleading advertising. Wanted you to know. Samantha
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 05 Feb 2001 17:30:41 -0700
From: "Steve Johnson" <sjohnson@co.missoula.mt.us>
Subject: Song Order and Frosting and Stuff
Message-ID: <sa7ee347.088@mail.co.missoula.mt.us>
I have a hard time second-guessing the order in which songs have appeared
on past XTC releases, or which songs were included, or which songs were
left out, or what color the record sleeve was, or what day of the week it
was released, or what Andy had for breakfast that particular morning...
As a songwriter (of zero acclaim or consequence), just trying to mix down
my own little projects in some semblance of song order, I understand how
difficult it must be for artists to make these decisions. Especially when
there are time deadlines (both on the clock and on the disc), conflicting
opinions (from within and without) and the pressures of earning a living
from one's music (sales, marketing, record companies, managers, etc.).
So I suppose you just go for it, do the best you can, and sit back and let
the world second-guess your decisions while you try to regurgitate all
thoughts of the project you've just hatched and start planting the seeds
of the next.
I try to think of each XTC album as a little slice of time and space and
soul and sound and color and beauty, not perfect by any means, but better
by far than two birds in any other bush. Of course, it's also amusing to
think back on what was happening in my own life around the time when I
brought that new album home, eagerly un-shrink-wrapped it, and devoured
the artists' latest offering. And as other songs come creeping in from
past recording sessions, they're really just a little extra frosting on
that cake. Does it really matter if the frosting is on the side or the
top or in the middle?
--Steve ("if depth of thinking is a currency, then I'm the man who killed
the money tree") Johnson
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2001 22:06:51 -0500 From: "Christopher R. Coolidge" <cauldron@together.net> Subject: Re: Campaign Finance Reform Message-ID: <l03130301b6a5183003fb@[206.231.24.62]> >As George W. Bush starts his second week in office it should be noted that >the election reform he is looking into deals with camaign finance, not the >electorial college, which, for those not in the US, is the means by which >someone without a majority of popular vote can become President of The US. >It's an archaic system originally intended to make states stronger, but now >seems to work for the rich. > >Harry All the campaign finance reform is going to accomplish is the shift of a few beans from one cup to the other and give politicians a chance to pat themselves on the back and say they did something. Then if and when we figure out it didn't work, John McCain will be out of office and it won't be his problem anymore. It's just window dressing. As for the electoral college, it was damn helpful in doing away with slavery. Without the electoral college small states like Vermont, the one I live in, thank you, would have no voice and no power over the great numbers of people in New York and California.(and D.C, especially) The electoral college allows Vermont and other small states to have a voice. What's broken is the 500 pound gorilla big government that can do whatever it damn well pleases until it's time to reelect them again. It's a problem whether it's Bill Clinton, George W Bush, or Andy Partridge in office. In order to make government smaller and more responsible, you have to do the same with business. Big business gets in bed with big government. Asking government to protect us from big business is like asking the wolf to protect the sheep from the fox. What's the alternative, government by plebiscite? Mob rule? Wouldn't fly in the big complicated United States. We need checks and balances more than ever, on government and business abuse of power, not petty rules about how we spend our campaign contributions. Christopher R. Coolidge "The bad news is, there is no key to the universe. The good news is, it has been left unlocked." -Swami Beyondananda [ Please take this discussion off the list. -- John ]
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2001 23:07:57 -0500 From: "Joe Funk" <twosheds@mindspring.com> Subject: Here Comes President Shrub Message-ID: <006901c08ff2$645dcb60$420cf5d1@funklt> >Now we, as Americans, just need to keep the faith and stand >behind our Constitution and ideals, maybe even the man, and >forge ahead with (in synch with my previous post today) >business. >Andrew Boyle Tell that to the Supreme Court Justices who criminally abused their authority to hand the election to Shrub.... Jo "Let's not vote someone like that in and let the Supreme Court hand it to him" Mama
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2001 12:33:11 +0000 From: Simon_Auger@mandg.co.uk Subject: Random bits and pieces Message-ID: <002569EB.00443397.00@mailgate.mandg.co.uk> A number of bits and pieces that have come to mind over the last day or so..... Rory's note for a UK gathering - sounds like an excellent idea, the last one I went to was in Basingstoke in 1997. Also, the suggested venue (Oxford) sounds goot to me - another chance to revisit some of my childhood haunts again. On the location of the Uffington White Horse, it is currently on loan to Oxfordshire, however, from some indeterminate point in the past up to 1974, it did belong to Berkshire. I can remember the county boundary changes of 1974 with some sadness. Before that time, if I caught the bus from home to Swindon, I would start out in Oxfordshire, cross into Berkshire, back to Oxfordshire, then Gloucestershire and finally Wiltshire as I approached Swindon and all in the space of about 15 miles. It all seems so straightforward now - Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and then Wiltshire. As for President Kill... this is one of those tracks where half the time I press skip and the other half leave it and then wonder why I bothered. The track just doesn't do it for me, and that'a before you get onto any political message. Finally, whoever name checked The Fine Art of Surfacing by the Boomtown Rats has had me ferreting through the garage at home, I know I had that album somewhere at some point and used to really like it, only trouble is that if I want to hear it again I shall have to invest in a new turntable. Anyway, cheers for your attention and (to all you UK based chalkers,) lets hope we can get together round about Easter time. Simon
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2001 19:07:38 -0800 (PST) From: Cathryn Myers <cathrynmyers@yahoo.com> Subject: Stew in NYC on Friday Message-ID: <20010207030738.23093.qmail@web3904.mail.yahoo.com> Just a quick note to let New York Negro Problem fans know that Stew will be in Brooklyn this Friday at the BAM cafe touring in support of his new solo album, "Guest Host". I missed his Nov. show at the Living Room, but am glad I did, because the setting at BAM should be much more intimate. I look forward to hearing Stew, but I am looking much more forward to seeing the other fans who show up. I want to meet some kindred spirits, so to speak. Don't know what I will be wearing (and not that I post here that much to inspire any one else's curiosity) but if you see some black girl in the front row with a huge grin on her face accompanied by a bored looking sister who has been forced to come alone so that I don't look like a complete loser, then that is probably me. Please come and say hi. Cathryn
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 11:09:22 -0600 (CST) From: Brown <i.sundog@verizon.net> Subject: live performance compilation Message-ID: <200102071709.LAA113079701@smtppop3pub.verizon.net> Sorry, no XTC this time, but I thought this might interest some of you So. Cal. Hillians: "KCRW (89.9 FM Santa Monica) proudly announces the release of "Morning Becomes Eclectic," a new collection in the compact disc series of recorded live performances from the studios of the trend-setting public radio station's signature daily music show." Some of the artists included on the CD: John Martyn, Cake, Joe Henry, Beth Orton, Ednaswap, Lyle Lovett, PJ Harvey -A review of this album is available at www.launch.com- At KCRW's website (www.kcrw.org) you can hear real audio clips of the tracks. If you have a spare moment, check out Ednaswap's version of Torn, which just happens to be the 'original'. It's amazing how Natalie Imbruglia's producers managed to suck all the life out of this song! (And I *still* say that the music video for Imbruglia's trite cover looks like a television commercial for some sort of feminine hygiene product..PAH!) TschuB! Debora Brown
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 18:22:41 +0000 (GMT) From: "Darryl W. Bullock" <drol_uk@yahoo.co.uk> Subject: A Adrian Message-ID: <20010207182241.3604.qmail@web1403.mail.yahoo.com> Adrian, last 'Hills enquired "Whilst watching the marvellous Armstrong & Miller Show on Channel 4 on Friday night I noticed the name Andy Partridge appear in the writer's credits. Can anyone in the know confirm whether this is THE Andy Partridge or just A Andy Partridge?" Shouldm't that have been AN Andy Partridge? ;} Drol_uk. ===== Darryl W. Bullock.Check out the This Is Pop XTC web site at: http://members.tripod.co.uk/thisispop/
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 16:41:59 EST
From: Hbsherwood@aol.com
Subject: Your Name Is on a Lot of Quotes in this Book
Message-ID: <85.69254e3.27b31b27@aol.com>
>From: "Van Abbe, Dominic" <dominic.vanabbe@au.faulding.com>
>Subject: Dear God's placement
>The "in-process" version of "Dear God" has the "tick-tock" from the start
>of "Dying" already on it, so my guess is The Runt had it sequenced as it
>appears on the US Skylarking issues (i.e. immediately prior to, and seguing
>into, "Dying").
OK, fair enough... The single version has the "tick-tocks" on the fade, too,
I believe. Me, I'd have put the "loss-of-religious-faith" song *before* the
"bitter-middle-aged-man" song in the cycle, but OK, I can live with it.
But we still have to reconcile that with this:
>From: OMBEAN1@aol.com
>Subject: Dear God ,where does this belong?
> And I answer------ Page 192 in Song Stories. In describing 1000 Umbrellas,
>Dave says " Todd had only heard the demo with acoustic guitars and he had
>put "Dear God" in that slot on the album. The string arrangement ,which took
>for ages, with Andys help persuaded him to record it." Now you know the
>rest.....of the story.
Through the magical graces of Holy Mother Internet and the Guitargonauts
site, I was able to contact Dave Gregory to ask him directly about this.
Here is his reply:
I'd forgotten that Dear God originally occupied the spot on the
record where 1,000 Umbrellas resides. My memory is not what it
was...but I do know that Todd hadn't chosen that song as part
of the cycle, which was a disappointment for me, having worked
so long on that string arrangement. When I played him my demo
of it, he changed his mind and Dear God was moved to make room
for it. The Chalkie-spondent was correct; that is what I told
Neville back in '97 when Song Stories was being prepared. So
it's probably true.
(Many thanks to Dave for answering my question so promptly. He's a
peachamaroot, is that boy, and Guitargonauts is the Creme de la Godleyness!)
Plainly, the original running order worked out by Rundgren was considerably
more flexible than either Chris Twomey or Neville Farmer (and by implication
XTC) have led us to believe. The received story is as follows:
Within two days of receiving [the demos] [Rundgren] contacted both
XTC and Virgin to say that he had worked out the concept for the
record. It would take the form of a passing day. Side One would start
at dawn and end at midday. Side Two would end at midnight. Furthermore,
he had pieced a running order together from the demos. All the
songs that revolved around the themes of either love or nature
were in. Anything with any sociological or political inference
had been left out. (Twomey)
[Ooooh! How perceptive of Todd! Apple Venus Volume 1! Thirteen years early!]
Both Song Stories and Chalkhills and Children imply pretty strongly that
Rundgren was stubbornly inflexible about the song selection ("I know all the
songs that fall in the circle, and the songs that fall outside the circle,"
Twomey quotes), and that it galled Partridge in particular to have to submit
to it, and to the omission of what he felt were some of his best songs. Song
Stories gives us the detail of the strange "booking the tape" ritual, which
would appear to lock in the repertoire and running order irrevocably before
recording proper began. (It would also appear to speak to a truly bizarre
parsimoniousness on Rundgren's part, aimed at humiliating XTC--but more on
that later.)
Yet we have at least two examples, now, of Rundgren consenting to changes in
the running order: the moving of "Dear God" to accommodate "1000 Umbrellas,"
and the addition of "Another Satellite," at Andy's insistence, which bumped
"Dear God" off the record entirely. Of course, these changes could have been
agreed to before XTC arrived at Woodstock to begin recording, but
nevertheless, it shows Rundgren in a rather more flexible light than we've
been encouraged to believe.
Another implication of this is that animosity between Rundgren and Partridge
began even before they ever met in person. Much of this negotiation and
debate over song selection and sequencing must have taken place in the weeks l
eading up to recording, rather than at Woodstock. Twomey tells us that
recording began one day after the band's arrival, and if this "booking the
tape" business happened the way Farmer tells us (which I'm not sure I
believe) the running order must have been fairly well settled beforehand.
Andy must already have swallowed quite a lot of bile before the red light
went on. I can't imagine that he arrived in Woodstock prepared to be
cooperative and obedient.
A side observation:
Can you actually *hear* "Dear God" coming between "Ballet for a Rainy Day"
and "Season Cycle"? What a *strange* place to put it! Loss of religious faith
in between celebration of earth and pantheistic ecstasy? *Surely* that's a
Side Two song, an Evening song, a Decline-and-Death song, from the get-go!
>From: "Thomas and Karen Long" <tlong1@telus.net>
>Subject: re: Skylarking & Dukes
>From Farmer's Song Stories it mentions that Todd saw "Let's Make A Den"
>as a candidate, but that Todd wanted changes in the arrangement to the point
>where Andy threatened to quit the entire project. I'd love to hear what
>WAS recorded before they actually binned it.
You and me both, Sparky. I think we should track down this Dominic Van Abbe
person and buttonhole him on this topic. You don't suppose his "Skylarking in
Progress" CDR has this object on it, do you? Look, you get down on all fours
behind him while I distract him with a humorous anecdote. Then, I'll grab the
CD from him and give him a big push.... Playground, it's a playground....
But consider that thought: Farmer tells us that Rundgren wanted big changes
to "Let's Make a Den," plainly implying that it was part of the running order
of the album. Then Andy threatens to quit the project if Rundgren doesn't
lighten up. The song is thrown off the album.
Two possibilities:
1) This argument took place before recording started, meaning that relations
between Partridge and Rundgren were already very sour long before XTC came to
Woodstock.
2) The argument took place after recording started, which implies that the
"booked tape" business is suspicious at best. What did they do to the portion
of the booked tape reserved for "Let's Make a Den"? Just slice it out? What
did that mean for the relative lengths of the two sides of the album? Did
they edit in a different song? They would almost have to, to keep the two
sides balanced!
Another example: Andy wanted "Dear God" bumped for "Another Satellite." But
(as Dominic shows with his "Skylarking in Progress" observation) Dear God
must have been fairly fully realized when it was cut--complete enough that
the crossfade/segue to "Dying" was already recorded. So then at that point
did they record and edit in "Another Satellite"?
It just doesn't add up, this "booked tape" thing. Color me skeptical. It
reads like propaganda. I want Rundgren's side of the story.
-----
>From: "Michael D. Myers" <mmyers@telcordia.com>
>Subject: miscellaneous ramblings
>- A question for you all: what Colin Moulding song sounds most like (from
>a melody or stylistic point of view) an Andy Partridge song?
Pink Thing. Definitely. So when I heard all that foofaraw claiming that it
was about Andy Partridge's tallywhacker, I just about liked to go blind.
Harrison "This boy has reached his height" Sherwood
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #7-8 *****************************
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