Chalkhills Digest Volume 8, Issue 52
Date: Monday, 16 September 2002
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 8, Number 52
Monday, 16 September 2002
Topics:
Camper Van Beethoven
re: Talking Points
RE: CvB Tusk
Selling Warbles
xTc and the Pursuit of Happiness
That boy jest ain't right
Momentary Lapse of Lurking
OT: Telemarketing and Radio
Fuzzier Warbles
"The Barry Williams Show"
camper van and kai and new life
Appeal to UK Chalkers...halp!
Camper Van Devoto
Here's What Andy Had To Say 9/12/02
XTC Patches
Record companies: are they evil?
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When we move then so do you'se.
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Date: Thu, 12 Sep 2002 06:48:46 +0000
From: "Nathan Mulac DeHoff" <xornom@hotmail.com>
Subject: Camper Van Beethoven
Message-ID: <F103hvCRohyMMGz0tWq000012c5@hotmail.com>
Kevin:
>I'm also anxious to snag this forthcoming package by the reunited Camper
>Van Beethoven. They've re-invented the old Fleetwood Mac album, TUSK,
>perhaps my favorite by the band, and this time it is, like the original Mac
>vinyl, a two-disk set. I'm also hearing that the album's cover puts a new
>twist of some sort on the original blood-thirsty dog cover. Does anyone
>know when this set is showing up? As of this writing, I haven't been able
>to find it!
It's already out, and it's listed at Amazon (see
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00006BTBZ/chalkhills>.)
It's probably also available through the label, Pitch-A-Tent Records,
which can be accessed through <http://www.campervanbeethoven.com/>. While I
like CVB, I'm not really sure I need to have Tusk. I am somewhat interested
in their upcoming box set, though, which will apparently include the first
three albums, plus some extra stuff.
>I miss this band; I'd always liked their earlier albums like
>LET'S TAKE THE SKINHEADS BOWLING and MY WILD REVOLUTIONARY SWEETHEART.
Just to be unnecessarily nit-picky, the albums in question are actually
called Telephone Free Landslide Victory ("Take The Skinheads Bowling" is a
song on that album) and My Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart.
--
Be your own broom,
Nathan
DinnerBell@tmbg.org
http://www.geocities.com/fablesto/
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Sep 2002 02:56:29 -0700 From: "Victor Rocha" <victor@pechanga.net> Subject: re: Talking Points Message-ID: <022e01c25a42$aae941b0$a0318218@8i0vb> >>> sans Colin It's a shame Colin won't be participating in the Fuzzy Warbles collection. If the issue is money maybe we should pitch in? where do I send my check? >>> New Music Recommendation "Age of the Sun by The Sunshine Fix" Ambient psychedelic pop that fits perfectly on the shelf of any self-respecting XTC fan. Sounds like the bastard lovechild of Elliott Smith, Dukes of the Stratosphere & Jellyfish. This is a great CD!!! (big thanx to Victor at Rhino Records in West Los Angeles for the recommendation) http://www.thesunshinefix.com/ >>> Recent Concerts just saw Wilco on Monday night at the John Anson Ford Amphitheater in Hollywood. WOW! great band + great venue = great show. This band is just starting to hit it's stride. catch 'em if you can. you won't be sorry. http://www.calendarlive.com/music/cl-et-cromelin11sep11.story BTW I recommend the Wilco documentary "I am trying to break your heart" too. Victor Rocha Pechanga.net
------------------------------ Date: 12 Sep 2002 05:20:12 -0700 From: "da9ve stovall" <da9ve@geek.com> Subject: RE: CvB Tusk Message-ID: <120902255.19212@webbox.com> >From: KEVIN.WOLLENWEBER@jpmorgan.com > >I'm also anxious to snag this forthcoming package by the reunited >Camper Van Beethoven. They've re-invented the old Fleetwood Mac >album, TUSK, perhaps my favorite by the band, and this time it is, >like the original Mac vinyl, a two-disk set. I'm also hearing that >the album's cover puts a new twist of some sort on the original >blood-thirsty dog cover. Does anyone know when this set is showing >up? As of this writing, I haven't been able to find it! It's already out - check out www.pitch-a-tent.com or www.campervanbeethoven.com - and mail order it. I've had mine for a month or so now, and it's peachy. Also, spinart records is soon (like, November or so) releasing a CvB box set - mostly re-issued out-of-print early albums, but including a live disc and apparently some b-sides. da9ve
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Sep 2002 06:02:18 -0700 (PDT) From: Todd Bernhardt <beat_town@yahoo.com> Subject: Selling Warbles Message-ID: <20020912130218.54918.qmail@web14612.mail.yahoo.com> Hi: Neil Oliver asked: > I mean, how many of these things is > Andy going to sell? (as many as there are Chalkhills subscribers I would > say). Surprisingly enough, they're planning to do an initial run of about 10,000, based on sales of the "Cupboard" boxed set and requests from Pony Canyon, the band's Japanese label. Paul C said: > 6) Now playing: "Where's The Bone" by The Pursuit Of Happiness. Now, find a > link between TPOH and XTC. Happy huntin'... Oh, that's *so* easy: Both have been produced by Godd Runtgren. -Todd
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Sep 2002 10:08:29 -0400 From: "Ted Harms" <tmharms@library.uwaterloo.ca> Subject: xTc and the Pursuit of Happiness Message-ID: <NDBBKGMDOKBCFDLBMPGOAEOKDKAA.tmharms@library.uwaterloo.ca> In Chalkhills 8-51, Paul Culnane issued a challenge find the connection between xTc and Toronto's own Pursuit of Happiness. Well, first thing/person that comes to mind is Todd Rundgren who produced TPOH's "Love Junk" (1988) and "One Sided Story" (1990). According to the All Music Guide, looks like "Love Junk" was the 2nd album he produced after Skylarking (1986). Do I win the prize, Paul? ;-) Ted Harms | Davis Centre Library, Univ. of Waterloo | tmharms@uwaterloo.ca "Character is what you are in the dark." Lord John Whorfin
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Sep 2002 09:58:45 -0700 (PDT) From: Todd Bernhardt <beat_town@yahoo.com> Subject: That boy jest ain't right Message-ID: <20020912165845.93615.qmail@web14605.mail.yahoo.com> Hi: The following reply to Wes Hank from "Bert Millichip" caught my eye: > >Remember when someone slagged Harrison's COMC essay< > > I believe you're referring to me - though I did not in > fact slag the essay. How could I when I hadn't even > read it, and still haven't? Yet, back in #8-30, in reply to a post by Harrison, Bert said: >Sorry to burst your bubble, but I doubt many people >beyond we few afficionados here will make it beyond >the first hundred words. Few people would read such >verbose liner notes unless they were as fanatical >about the music as we all are. You should have >loosened up and not worried about posterity so much - >COMC will end up in flea markets, not libraries. Which is it, Bert? Did you read it (and thus judge it to be "verbose" -- which, frankly, sounds to me like a "slag") or not? and: > Doesn't the "amazingly pristine" condition of the CD > tell you something??? Mark my words, it'll be in the > 10p bargain bin in six months along with all the other > unloaned CDs. It's an ultra-niche product from an > obscure band. I haven't even bought it myself yet, and > I'm one of XTC's greatest admirers! Actually, Andy told me that the boxed set has sold surprisingly well (tens of thousands of copies) ... well enough, in fact, that its success has a dark side: Virgin, which had initially intimated that it would release the rights to XTC's videos back to the band, has decided instead to hang on to them, and possibly market them sometime in the future. I guess the price of success involves dealing with assholes. -Todd
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Sep 2002 13:29:03 -0400 From: Neal Buck <nealhbuck@earthlink.net> Subject: Momentary Lapse of Lurking Message-ID: <21FD1B92-C675-11D6-A19D-0003937FD128@earthlink.net> Chalk-a-Lots, I had to be one of the first to reply, since many more of you regulars will get this, too. In response to Paul Culnane's challenge: 6) Now playing: "Where's The Bone" by The Pursuit Of Happiness. Now, find a link between TPOH and XTC. Happy huntin'... The answer is Todd Rundgren, who produced both of them (incl. PoH's "I'm an Adult Now") Not much XTC activity on my part. I'd like to have "Coat of Many Cupboards," but at this point I can't justify the price for a box set with so many studio tracks I already own. "Fuzzy Warbles," on the other hand, is another story. The chance to get a bunch of songs I've never heard before (not being a big bootleg/serious collector kind of guy), is exciting. I have been big on Beatles lately, especially since I recently purchased my first computer with a CD burner. I know this is heresy to most folks, but I made discs of the US releases I grew up with. I don't care what you say, to me the US versions have a stylistic cohesiveness the UK versions don't. Granted, the show of diversity is admirable, but the US versions seem more complete, IMHO. Poppy songs like "Drive My Car," and "Dr. Robert" seem out of place on generally serious albums like "Rubber Soul," and "Revolver," respectively. Likewise, "Meet the Beatles" is a happier, poppy disc, while "The Beatles 2nd Album" is a darker, more bluesy album. So now I have both, and can choose the versions I want, and I WILL listen to both. Speaking of growing up with a legend, I'm mourning the passing of Johnny U., who stood firm thru adversity coming at him like a herd of rhinos every Sunday, to become a truly great artist on the gridiron. Didn't expect to talk this much, but there you go, Neal PS - Shout out to Belinda! Kate from Balt. where are you?
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Sep 2002 18:02:14 +0000 From: blushift1@attbi.com Subject: OT: Telemarketing and Radio Message-ID: <20020912180214.UKVV25351.rwcrmhc52.attbi.com@rwcrwbc56> Hello Chalkers, Ran across the following story, which has both good and bad news. Good news involves the FCC reviewing a national do-not-call list to cut down the number of telemarketing calls to your home. (Don't you DARE call me after I've just taken that perfectly cooked steak off the grill to sit and eat). The bad news is the possible further relaxation of the limit of radio stations owned by one company in a single market. As it stands now in Chicago, I believe there are two major companies that own most of the major radio stations here. Dire news for bands such as XTC that reap the benefits of stations that play music for the listeners and not strictly for the execs. http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/telecom/2002-09-12-fcc_x.htm David Lake NP: Toy Matinee - Self-Titled
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Sep 2002 15:12:30 -0700 From: "Richard" <rjpa1@attbi.com> Subject: Fuzzier Warbles Message-ID: <026701c25aa9$7cb980e0$05081fac@verisity.com> Wes said, 'Dom makes a good point: without Colin "effectively this reduces it to an AP collection, and not an XTC release at all."' As Todd pointed out, the collective 'XTC' performed on the 'Andy Partridge Home Demos' fan club tapes, JVSB and BWtGG (that do not list the performers nor credit 'XTC' as the 'band') but 'Rocket' came out as 'XTC' when it was only Andy. So, things seem a bit blurry. Or rather FUZZY. Cheers, Richard
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 13 Sep 2002 08:26:40 -0400 From: "Ben Gott" <bgott@rectoryschool.org> Subject: "The Barry Williams Show" Message-ID: <fc.00870b4a000ee52500870b4a000ee525.ee5d3@rectoryschool.org> Chalkhillers, I just wanted to send rave reviews about the new Peter Gabriel single, "The Barry Williams Show," from his upcoming album, "Up." Not only is it (IMHO) the best song he's done in years (which wouldn't be difficult, inasmuch as "Us" came out 10 years ago), but it ranks up there with his best *ever*. Tchad Blake's mix is incredibly ballsy and creative (it must've taken ten years to record the backing vocals on that chorus alone!), and, although the album edit is a bit too long, the radio edit is just right. You can listen to the song in streaming form at petergabriel.com and you can buy the single if you live anywhere but North America (it was released in the U.K. on 09 September). "Up" is due to hit the streets on 24 September. The song is about a talk show and its self-absorbed host -- I think our boy Andy Partridge would enjoy it immensely. And the chorus is to die for. So check it out, OK? -Ben P.S. "Fuzzy Warbles" is going to tear the roof off this house, eh?
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 13 Sep 2002 12:13:24 -0700 From: becki digregorio <ziglain@earthlink.net> Subject: camper van and kai and new life Message-ID: <B9A78165.2117%ziglain@earthlink.net> greetings folks, just a few things... thanks to kevin wollenweber for his kind thoughts/review of my new album. i'm glad you're diggin' the tunes. such compliments!~! *blush* and thanks for the update regarding a "newly reformed" camper van beethoven. y'know, i've spent nearly 18 years in santa cruz (where the band is from), and once saw them perform in my friend's living room in an old victorian there. it'd be great to see them again, maybe even release some new music. a fun band, to be sure. their violinist, don lax, also plays on my first album (the one you don't yet have, kevin!). and to paul culnane: thanks for the update regarding kai chambers and his new band "tone orange." wow, a cross between "stone temple pilots" and "rem." that's gotta' be good!~! i'm a *huge* fan of stp, and can't wait to check out their music. and to "Jonny Pop" <jbkxtc@ev1.net>, who's getting ready to fly to england: i'm jealous that you get to see X-sTatiC play in london. man, if only i was closer i'd be at that gig. do write a full concert review when you return, ok?? at least we can fee we were there by proxy. _and_ you get to lunch at abbey road studios?? now _that's_ a treat. they wouldn't even let me through the _door_ when i was there years ago. at least i got to experience the "beatles-made-famous-crosswalk," though now nearly worn away from its emblazoned image on the album cover. new life news: our own illustrious simon sleightholm, the creator of one of xtc's first websites "bungalow," is the new father of a most *beautiful* and sweet and pink little girl named "ellen." he sent me a digital photo of her yesterday (ahh, one of the benefits of technology), saying both baby and mom are doing well. born on september 11th, she is a reminder to us that while that date is a sad day in our recent history, we also need to remember that life goes on, and that beauty and hope are still very much alive. peace to all (and to our world), --becki digregorio
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 14 Sep 2002 08:51:08 +0530 From: "Sughosh Varadarajan" <aqualung@hotpop.com> Subject: Appeal to UK Chalkers...halp! Message-ID: <000f01c25b9e$848711c0$0100a8c0@sughosh> OK this is like a really really really long shot, but I thought I'd give it a go anyways... I've been looking around on the net for the Dukes disc, and I've found that Idea offers you by far the best deal (CDnow actualy rips you off $19 for the album!). Now my problem is that I can't make an online purchase, and shipping to India costs enough to make the CD unaffordable for me anyways..so I was wondering.. if anyone in the UK has a friend coming down to Bombay or something (which I guess could be a decent possibilty at any given point of time cos there's so many of us out there)..well I'd really appreciate them passing on a copy of "Chips.."..I could send the cash through the friend, and everyone's happy (including Andy and Colin, which is kinda part of the whole idea). I know it may seem like I'm asking too much, but this is the only way I can think of in my current situation. So if any kind-hearted UK Chalker happens to be fortuitously in a position to undertake the task outlined above, please do mail me off-list and let me know, and many many many thanks in advance. Off-topic, has anyone else wondered why Costello's "Spike" comes in for criticism? I think it's a masterpiece, every bit as good as "King of America" or any of his other classics. Cheers all Sughosh
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 14 Sep 2002 21:43:38 -0400 (EDT) From: "" <radiosinmotion@iwon.com> Subject: Camper Van Devoto Message-ID: <20020915014338.CD75312F76D@email.iwon.com> >I'm also anxious to snag this forthcoming package by the reunited >Camper Van Beethoven. They've re-invented the old Fleetwood Mac >album, TUSK, perhaps my favorite by the band, and this time it is, >like the original Mac vinyl, a two-disk set. I'm also hearing that >the album's cover puts a new twist of some sort on the original >blood-thirsty dog cover. Does anyone know when this set is showing >up? The CD can be found at http://www.campervanbeethoven.com or http://www.pitch-a-tent.com Also, I'm not sure why I had not heard about this already, but Pete Shelley & Howard Devoto put out an album recently called Shelleydevoto: Buzzkunst which is a great album; especially after waiting so long for them to put stuff out. Howard is on vocals and it sounds much more like their later solo stuff rather than early Buzzcocks/Magazine. Anyway, if you are a fan of anything Shelley or Devoto has done, you will probably love this album as much as I do. Especially if you have played out your copy of Scree or the recent re-release of Time's Up.
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 15 Sep 2002 12:12:55 -0700 (PDT) From: Wes Long <optimismsflames@yahoo.com> Subject: Here's What Andy Had To Say 9/12/02 Message-ID: <20020915191255.66334.qmail@web14913.mail.yahoo.com> Okay.. here's the definitive word on Fuzzy. Spoke with Andy the morning of the 12th. Short n sweet - about a year into the project, Colin backed out. Andy said they had some tremendous fights over it - but the result is that the Warbles will come out on Andy's new label. (actually called APE HOUSE, not simply APE) NONE of Colin's songs will appear on the discs... which is a real shame. Furthermore - Colin has said that he doesn't want Andy to use the name XTC on any releases that he's not a part of. So the Warbles will not be an "official" XTC release - they will be an Andy Partridge release.... even though Colin appears on many of the demos. We spoke at length about everything from this topic to pissing in salad bowls - really - and taped the entire chat. As soon as I can come up for air I will take a deep breath and dive into converting the audio to MP3 - then I'll up it to www.optimismsflames.com for you all to down at your leisure. They taught me how to work, but they... wesLONG
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 15 Sep 2002 16:09:53 -0400 (EDT) From: "" <radiosinmotion@iwon.com> Subject: XTC Patches Message-ID: <20020915200953.E294F1C778@email.iwon.com> Does anyone know where I can find an XTC patch?
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Sep 2002 15:18:45 +0100 (BST) From: Bert Millichip <juan_the_man2002@yahoo.co.uk> Subject: Record companies: are they evil? Message-ID: <20020916141845.2757.qmail@web14805.mail.yahoo.com> "Todd Bernhardt" wrote: >>>Er, thanks I guess, but I don't know why you think I'm "diametrically opposed" to file sharing<<< Eh? I never said you were opposed to file sharing. I said that your assertion that file sharing *reduces* record sales is diametrically opposed to Janis Ian's assertion that file sharing *increases* record sales. This seems obvious enough. Mine is a purely quantitative distinction: whether file sharing is a bad thing or not is another issue entirely, and not something I'm terribly interested in to be honest. This is something that, in principle, could easily be proven empirically one way or another. But as Churchill once said, there are lies, damned lies and statistics. When the record industry pays a research firm to survey people, most of the respondees who admit downloading say it makes them buy fewer CDs. But when somebody opposed to the record industry commissions a similar survey, guess what happens? Respondees start saying that downloading makes them buy *more* CDs! Funny, that. As usual, most people set great store by the surveys which confirm their own prejudices, and turn a Nelsonish eye to the others. I shall remain unconvinced either way until somebody produces some genuinely impartial research and publishes the full methodology behind it... assuming I can be bothered reading it, that is. On a related theme, "pawnee q ribber" wrote: >>>If the beloved boys want to stop stuff like A-Z, all they need to do is offer the stuff on their site on a pay-per-download basis.<<< Well, quite - or, even better (and thankfully this is what they're doing), release them on CD, as downloaded music sounds terrible to my hi-fi-loving ears. Regarding the morality or otherwise of bootlegs, surely the real shits in all of this - though they are seldom mentioned - are the scumbags who let these bootlegs out into the public domain in the first place. Presumably, for every bootleg of demos out there, there must be someone, somewhere, who Andy and/or Colin entrusted with a copy, and who subsequently betrayed the lads. These are the people who Andy should reserve his real anger for. >>>If the recording industry hadnt cheated me constantly, I'd feel less apt to download music, but theyve been charging me too much for a CD that costs pennies to produce.<<< That's a silly attempt at self-justification. I suggest you buy an economics dictionary and look up the difference between marginal and average costs. Have you any idea how much professional recording studios cost to hire? Not to mention the numerous other costs involved in putting out a CD. A commercially released CD has to sell an awful lot of copies before the average unit cost is truly reduced to "pennies" - and even then, you have to consider that the successful records have to subsidise the many unsuccessful ones before they can make any profits at all. Oh, and it's funny how everybody always blames the "recording industry" for high CD prices, regardless of the fact that record shops take a *much* bigger slice of the profits, and all they do is put the things on a shelf! >>>I still am quite miffed about the horribl;e quiality cassetes they foisted on us in the 80s, that were truly substandard products.<<< I'm still miffed about that too. How dare those nasty record company execs put a gun to my head and force me to buy those crappy "musicassettes", when I would have preferred to have bought those lovely vinyl records and make my own (vastly superior) cassette recordings! >>>Remember when CDs first were introduced and they told us they were unscratchable and indestructable? I wish I still had all the vinyl I replaced believeing that lie and spending literally thousands of dollars for cds that now, skip and cannot be fixed.<<< CDs are extremely reliable and durable with just some very basic handling precautions, i.e. hold them by the edges and put them back in the case when you've finished. Not too difficult, is it? Compare that with vinyl. I loved the sound of vinyl, but you had to do an awful lot of messing about with cleaning cloths and stuff, and *still* the bloody things would get scratched. Admittedly, a scratch on a CD can have far more dire consequences than a scratch on a record, but I have only ever had one CD that became unplayable due to a scratch, and it was some idiot friend who scratched it, not me. Note that some CD players are much more tolerant of scratches and fingerprints than others. >>>These are the same people who have been screwing us and recording artists for close to a century and I don't believe a word they say. Next thing will be having our doors kicked in and our computers confiscated in the name of their corporate profits.<<< Cobblers. Do you love music? Well, just consider for a moment that if it wasn't for record companies discovering artists and taking a risk with the production costs, you would *never* have heard 99% of the music you have enjoyed. Of course, this doesn't mean record companies are all spotless, nor does it excuse the exploitation that undoubtedly goes on. But it's a fact that the lives of all of us have been enhanced immeasurably by the music we have bought over the years, and none of that would have been possible without record companies. If you buy wisely, $18 is an absolute *bargain* for a CD that can give you decades of pleasure. I own very few CDs which I would say have not given me value for money, and those are more than compensated for by the numerous CDs I have which have probably cost me about two pence per hour of listening pleasure. I can't think of any other branch of the arts or entertainment industry that offers the potential for such good value. Can you? >>>Most artists don't even get a buck of that $18 cd price and a cd costs nothing.... pennies. How do they come off with this pure crap?<<< Most artists - and of course, as an XTC fan, I know there are exceptions - who sell a reasonable number of records end up pretty comfortably off. And I've already put you right about the costs of CD production. >>>Pity not the billionaire record execs though, and again, don't believe what they say, theyve never told us the truth before, so why should they now?<<< Got any quotes? Record company execs are mostly harmless really. Another dose of unfashionable reality from: Bert.
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #8-52 ******************************
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