Chalkhills Digest Volume 8, Issue 64
Date: Tuesday, 3 December 2002
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 8, Number 64
Tuesday, 3 December 2002
Topics:
Homegrown Bargains
Partridge, medium rare
How about XTB? No, make that XTD
(not) going APE
XTCover ART
Fuzzy Warbles Vol 1 and 2 track listing...
Chomsky names influences
new poster, old fan, recycled trend
WHAT ARE WE LISTENING TO?
Horse Hill
Of Berts And Boots
Ground down to submission
Beatles. A flippin' good read
Everybody Berts
RE: My Mummer
Attack of the Blue Meanies
Music - quality and industry
Reader's Digest
Re: Let's Make a Band... What Name Shall We Use?
Uh, ... Dom's back?
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 24 Nov 2002 11:23:23 -0800 (PST) From: Jay Gillespie <marsilies@yahoo.com> Subject: Homegrown Bargains Message-ID: <20021124192323.70294.qmail@web40309.mail.yahoo.com> I was browsing through http://www.overstock.com/ when I found that they're selling Homegrown for only $3.49! Even with the $3 flat shipping rate for the US, that's still only $6.50 for this quality item. They're also selling Wasp Star for only $7.49, and have a few of the remasters for some reasonable prices as well. The only downside is that if these two albums are selling for so cheap at overstock, they must not have sold too well in the US.
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 25 Nov 2002 16:47:01 -0500 From: Mitch Friedman <mitchf@mindspring.com> Subject: Partridge, medium rare Message-ID: <v03007804ba03291c8780@[24.239.151.145]> Hello! Just a quick email to announce that my very own website, http://www.mitchfriedman.com is now up and at 'em. It's got free music, photos, lyrics, reviews, interviews, scripts, video, a guestbook, artwork, my bio, links, news and some surprises. It's also got a few rare, previously unreleased Andy Partridge audio clips, in case you're interested. ;-) I hope you have a chance to check it out. Thanks, Mitch p.s. My site is best viewed using the latest versions of either Netscape or Internet Explorer but will work ok with older versions of both. p.p.s. Please join me live on the air on Monday December 2nd from 9 - 10pm EST as I play songs from my FRED cd, answer email questions and get interviewed over the phone courtesy of http://www.artistfirst.com . You'll need to have Windows Media Player installed on your computer to listen. Even those of you that use a Mac can download the free software from http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download/ Hope to see you there!
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 08:59:15 -0800 (PST) From: Ryan Anthony <hamsterranch@yahoo.com> Subject: How about XTB? No, make that XTD Message-ID: <20021126165915.9848.qmail@web10103.mail.yahoo.com> Thanks to those Chalkhillians who set me straight, on- and off-list, about Harlan Ellison and "Cordwainer Bird." Lotsa science friction frans in this faternity. Chris Vreeland asks, "Tell me, faithful, what should an XTC tribute band call itself?" Hmm, an XTC tribute band ... how about XTB? No, make that XTD, so you'll be listed immediately *after* our heroes in the Grand Alphabetical Compendium of Every Band Ever. Ryan Anthony An independent Internet content provider P.S.: Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Yanks. If you happen to be in the godforsaken wastes of southwestern Arizona or southeastern California on the 27th or the 29th, whittling on the front porch of your double-wide, and you observe a gray Xterra (my XTC tribute vehicle) zipping by on Interstate 8 with the infectious pagan strains of "Greenman" leaking out, put down your beer and wave at me!
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2002 09:39:18 -0500 From: "Ted Harms" <tmharms@library.uwaterloo.ca> Subject: (not) going APE Message-ID: <NDBBKGMDOKBCFDLBMPGOCEOJDNAA.tmharms@library.uwaterloo.ca> Anybody else surprised by the cost of the Fuzzy discs? Given what I assume is the 'demo' quality of the songs, I'm a bit shocked by the 10.21GBP (which works out to about $25CDN/$16US). Not to mention that there'll be shipping charges and whatever the bank dings me for having the privilege of asking them to exchange my paper and iron. Yes, I'm well aware that some may argue that Andy is due great gobs of cash from getting screwed by Virgin, etc. etc. and I'm not saying he isn't due fair recompense. And yes, this is a free-market economy and nobody is holding a gun to my head forcing me to buy them, but I was hoping that they'd be a little bit more reasonably priced. It's just that, if this is the price for all the Fuzzy discs, I think it'll be for completionists only. Ted Harms | Davis Centre Library, Univ. of Waterloo | tmharms@uwaterloo.ca "Character is what you are in the dark." Lord John Whorfin
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2002 21:05:29 -0800 (PST) From: Wes Long <optimismsflames@yahoo.com> Subject: XTCover ART Message-ID: <20021128050529.38179.qmail@web14907.mail.yahoo.com> Kidz - On Sept 12, 2002 Andy and I discussed the history of all the covers of XTC's proper albums. The results are now on my site - in text form - with images of rare test pressings. For your enjoyment... http://www.optimismsflames.com wesLONG
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 29 Nov 2002 10:05:22 -0500 (EST) From: "barry@together.net" <barry@together.net> Subject: Fuzzy Warbles Vol 1 and 2 track listing... Message-ID: <5822732.1038582323287.JavaMail.nobody@wamui02.slb.atl.earthlink.net> Hi all, Included below is the track listing for the Fuzzy Warbles Vol 1. and Vol 2. collections to be released in the UK December 2, 2002 according to www.xtcidearecords.co.uk I plan to buy them for 'I Donb I guess 'Rip Van Rueben', 'This Is The End', 'All I Dream Of Is A Friend' and 'Prince Of Orange' will be on Vol 3. and Vol 4.? I can only hope... Barry ======== Andy Partridge - Fuzzy Warbles (The Demo Archives) Vol 1. 1. Dame Fortune 2. Born Out Of Your Mouth 3. Howlin Burston 4. Donb5. That Wag 6. That Wave 7. Oceanb8. Everything 9. MOGO 10. Goosey Goosey 11. Merely A Man 12. EPNS 13. Summer Hot As This 14. Miniature Sun 15. I Bought Myself A Liarbird 16. Complicated Game 17. Wonder Annual 18. Space Wray 19 Rocket Andy Partridge - Fuzzy Warbles (The Demo Archives) Vol 2 1. Ridgeway Path 2. I Donb3. Young Marrieds 4. No One Here Available 5. Obscene Procession 6. Miller Time 7. Youb8. Ra Ra Rehearsal 9. Ra Ra For Red Rocking Horse 10. Everythingb11. 25 Ob12. GOOM 13. Chain Of Command 14. All Of A Sudden 15. Summerb16. Then She Appeared 17. Itb18. Ship Trapped In The Ice.
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 28 Nov 2002 18:17:17 -0800 From: "Richard" <rjpa1@attbi.com> Subject: Chomsky names influences Message-ID: <023e01c2974d$70f251c0$05081fac@verisity.com> Hey, who hasn't been influenced by XTC? (that's a shorter list than asking it the other way) http://chomsky.com/media/ ...another band that has been featured on the Chalkhills site lets the proverbial cat out of the proverbial bag... Chomsky! They have a webpage of info for those media types and both "XTC" and "Andy" get a mention and there is also a referential (or reverential) nod to "Drums and Wires." Tracks from their first CD are available on MP3.com but go to www.chomsky.com and buy their CDs. Rock well worth the expense. Yeah, yeah, yeah... some of them are now friends of mine (blame Jill Oleson!) but I receive no moolah or preferential treatment so... okay, okay, maybe a LITTLE preferential treatment but no money! Get to know Chomsky. Cheers, King For A Day
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 1 Dec 2002 09:58:46 -0800 (PST) From: Happy Puppy Records <happypuppyrecords@yahoo.com> Subject: new poster, old fan, recycled trend Message-ID: <20021201175846.30499.qmail@web13503.mail.yahoo.com> Hi there, Been lurking awhile and finally decided to join up. And, I bring offerings on my first visit that will either intrigue, or tick you right off: http://sensoryresearch.com/~starkeff/boots/Stark_Effect_-_Gonna_Make_You_Stupid.mp3 It's an mp3 of that new trend all the kids are doing - mishmashing 2 pop songs together by opposing bands to create a new song. This particular example mashes XTC's "Stupidly Happy" with (of all things), "Gonna Make You Sweat" by C&C Music Factory. These bastard creations are called 'bootlegs', although they just seem more like homemade remixing, which isn't new. However, myself being a fan of Negativland and the like, I'm always curious to hear the results. Thanks, ~~Lee R. ps. please accept my apple-lo-gees if this has been posted before
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 1 Dec 2002 13:37:15 -0800 (PST) From: travis schulz <xtcisadarngoodband@yahoo.com> Subject: WHAT ARE WE LISTENING TO? Message-ID: <20021201213715.84890.qmail@web12301.mail.yahoo.com> Hi Chalkies, with XTC away from the limelight for a bit here it would be awful nice to get some suggestions on some other bands and albums that were really great this year. Or even outside of this year too. So let's see some top ten lists like we had a year or two ago and talk about things we like (and pour ourselves a glass of stout)! I can only list a few which is why I suggest this suggestion in the first place- 1. George Harrison's latest: Brainwashed- is worth a good hard listen cause you can tell he poured his heart into it. 2. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot by Wilco which many here loved a lot I'm sure. 3. Ben Folds: Rocking the Suburbs (is his new live one any good?). Other than this I still like cds that came out a way long time ago like Ani Difranco's Swing Set and Steely Dan's Two Against Nature. Can anyone make a modern day jazz suggestion for a Dan fan? And no, the Dave Matthews Band doesn't qualify.
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 02 Dec 2002 02:22:56 -0800 From: strwbrry <strwbrry@tidepool.com> Subject: Horse Hill Message-ID: <3DEB347E.99259DAA@tidepool.com> Hi English Settlement fans might appreciate this link: http://wiltshirewhitehorses.org.uk/uffviewover.html There are more photos if you follow the links at the bottom of the page looking for the Uffington Horse. This one is my favorite (with a little tweaking it makes a fine desktop picture). Another Steve
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 2 Dec 2002 12:57:45 -0800 (PST) From: Wes Long <optimismsflames@yahoo.com> Subject: Of Berts And Boots Message-ID: <20021202205745.93962.qmail@web14901.mail.yahoo.com> Selling vs Trading - Andy Partridge created the music - he's flattered that *anyone* would want all the crap quality boots floating around, and doesn't mind folks trading them. Interestingly - he doesn't like folks selling them. You can play all the games you want with the word *trade* - To Andy there is a distinction between trading for money and trading for other audio. For me at least - that's the end of this discussion.
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 2 Dec 2002 21:03:36 -0000 From: "David Smith" <ds003d1857@blueyonder.co.uk> Subject: Ground down to submission Message-ID: <!~!AAAAAMx/YpYIwb8RlPVKaHvjNEoEuCcA@blueyonder.co.uk> A telegram to Bertshire: Bert stop You win stop You are always right stop Everyone else is wrong stop Stopped reading stop Please stop Smudge Stopped.
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 2 Dec 2002 21:16:47 -0000 From: "jonhd" <jon@jhd-designs.demon.co.uk> Subject: Beatles. A flippin' good read Message-ID: <001101c29a48$22a18a10$ca01a8c0@two> All of this apparent inside knowledge, ostensibly directed at Ben G., being exercised by various 'Hillers... I reckon you've all been reading "Revolution in The Head" by Ian MacDonald. 'Tis the definitive moptops book, for me - way beyond a mere discography / biography - it's a damn fine history of the real politik in the 60's / 70's. (And an enjoyable read, too.) See http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0805042458/chalkhlls Cheers, Jon ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jon Holden-Dye Southampton England
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 2 Dec 2002 21:33:56 +0000 (GMT) From: Dom Lawson <britishsteel666@yahoo.co.uk> Subject: Everybody Berts Message-ID: <20021202213356.4696.qmail@web40511.mail.yahoo.com> God-fearing citizens, Thanks for all the attempts to justify the existence of 'Wonderland'. You're all mad, but thanks anyway. Speaking of which... >>Finally, Wonderland: a pleasant tune, and I'm a sucker for cheesey synth sounds, so I like it. Any song containing the line "flirting with the lower gentry" can't be all bad. A valid point, but the quality of Colin's lyrics are hardly the issue. Like our friend Bert, I am supremely gifted in the art of looking things up in a dictionary. Unfortunately, after looking for some apposite pearls of wisdom via the words 'vapid', 'inane' and 'twee', I came away rather disappointed. Sadly it appears that the people at Chambers haven't heard 'Wonderland' yet. Mind you, I didn't look up 'shit'. >>I must declare myself among the Mummer apologists - it's always mystified me that most Chalkhillers don't rate this album. I love it. Sweet Christ, I agree with Bert! 'Mummer' is a fine album (in fact, I don't remember reading too many disparaging about it on Chalkhills, but the air is thin up here and the mind plays tricks...), particularly the masterful 'Ladybird' and the strident arse-thwackery of 'Great Fire'. It's a very good album indeed, but take that ghastly, limp-wristed twinklefest out of the equation and it would have been a truly great one. >>Your whole argument is underpinned by a deeply patronising belief that record buyers and artists are all moronic imbeciles who need you to tell them when they're being ripped off. What arrogant twaddle! Did anyone else get a mental picture of an enormous, swollen pot looming over a kettle at this point? Honestly, Bert, you really should read your posts before sending them in. Tsk tsk. Despite what you seem to think, irony is not something you press your shirty with. >>Dear God Nough said As a great sage once wrote: cobblers! Not that you aren't entitled to your opinion, mind. Good God, no! Incidentally, my favourite Beatles album is 'Abbey Road'. Stay awake at the back!! Salut! Dom. ===== DOM LAWSON
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 2 Dec 2002 14:59:00 -0800 From: "Kerry Chicoine" <KChicoine@whitehat.com> Subject: RE: My Mummer Message-ID: <000901c29a56$66ed7c20$501a75ce@mailorder.com> Funny how all the sad clowns have died. Count me amongst the Mummer supporters. It is as clear as a sheet of pink plexiglas to me that Mummer is a prototype of Skylarking and, to a somewhat lesser extent, Oranges and Lemons; it's a preliminary stab, an early attempt if you will, at the 'classic' sound that XTC have come to be known for: sweeping, grand, natural, pastoral, melodic. It's a blueprint for the amazing musical revolution that followed and, because it is the spark point, the aural origin, the big bang tambourine, it deserves not only respect but, indeed, worship. Bow down, heathens! Not only are Mummer and Skylarking decidedly 'pastoral' or 'english' or 'Susan' (whatever you want to call it) but, to me anyway, they are the break-point from the earlier, quirkier/rockier XTC material, *musically* speaking anyway. English Settlement nearly submerged a pinky-toe in the generally tepid waters of the same musical swimming pool, but Mummer is where all the Oreo's got creamed, where all the elephants gathered together, where sperm entered egg. FWIWIMHO, I don't consider O&L to be quite so pastoral an album; more urban-tinged really; and Big Express is clearly a shot in the dark, a one-off, an aberration, an anomaly, a somewhat confused attempt at musical coalescence, although I know not why. These things bother me and my head swims in circles of chalky waters. These three classic XTC albums (Mummer, Skylarking and O&L) also 'flow' in similar manners. I think of "Beating of Hearts" in the same way as "Summer's Caldron" or "Garden of Earthly Delights"; upbeat, rhythm-heavy album openers sprung from the pen of Partridge. "Wonderland" is to "King for a Day" as "Love on a Farmboy's Wages" is to "Grass", and "Great Fire" is a kissin' cousin to "That's Really Super, Supergirl". And if "Ladybird" ain't 'pastoral' I don't know what "1000 Umbrellas" is! These three albums are, to me, the Holy Trinity held aloft upon the melodic sacrificial altar of the church of XTC. My wine, please. Thank you. Remembering laughter, kErrY kOMpOst http://www.mp3.com/kompost.html
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Dec 2002 17:17:07 +1100 From: "Crawford, Jeff" <crawfordj@mng.newsltd.com.au> Subject: Attack of the Blue Meanies Message-ID: <17B04C523C3ED31195410000F8753548CA4DA5@mngxchange.mng.newsltd.com.au> I'd like to back up the comments of a fellow Jeff - get off Sgt Pepper's back! Most bands would give their collective left testicles to produce an album chocablock with such superb songs (including George's overlooked "Within You Without You"). And I love "Mr Kite", it sums up just how weird and scary circuses really are. I don't think it's the best Fabs album either, but for many reasons it is THE album - the concept (albeit a flimsy one), the cover, the timing (summer of love and all that), and the fact that it all just seems to fit. Every home should have one, and not just for "A Day in the Life". While I enjoy revisiting and reassessing old albums as much as everyone else, I get a little tired of people deciding that certain important releases actually sucked (for instance, some wiseass in "Uncut" recently declared that the Stones' "Let It Bleed" wasn't much chop ... huh?) while obscurities are deemed lost masterpieces. Give me a break. I also concur with Bert - there are many horror stories in the music industry (e.g. Badfinger) but most of the time the artists only have themselves to blame when it all goes pear shaped. Even when they hit the jackpot they often blow it on a range of excesses (Michael Jackson is currently in financial strife ..... what a spoilt, pampered idiot). Andy and Colin would indeed be comfortably well off these days if they'd backed up "Skylarking", "Oranges & Lemons", "Nonsuch" etc with touring and more promotion (with a little help from the record company, of course). Okay, they don't want to do that stuff, but unfortunately radio airplay isn't based on good taste. Teenyboppers buy a shitload more records than the rest of us, so Robbie Williams gets obscenely rich without ever having written a song and AP composes wonderful tunes in his back shed. That's life. Let's not forget an artist like Richard Thompson makes a pretty healthy living through steady touring and sales of his back catalogue, and he never had the hit single action XTC had. And regarding the production line pop of the '60s versus today's soulless drivel, let's just say that the likes of Spector, Motown etc (even the folks behind the Monkees), were pioneers in songwriting and studio technology, worked with real musicians and were competing with the Fabs, Dylan, Beach Boys etc, rather than being slaves to technology and churning out pre-programmed dross by the yard. Backstreet Boys, NSync and others of their ilk will soon matter less than the 1910 Fruitgum Company. They'll be rich, but will the kids be buying their remastered reissues in 10 or 20 years time? Nope. By the way, I'm still basking in the warm glow of having picked up box set several weeks ago. It's full of wonders, of course, but am I the only one who thinks the hidden tracks deserve to stay hidden? Pity they couldn't have snuck in a real gem for us to discover. best festive season wishes to all Chalkhillians, all the way from South Australia, Jeff C
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Dec 2002 10:03:26 +0100 From: "spiring.hem" <spiring@hem.utfors.se> Subject: Music - quality and industry Message-ID: <200212030909.gB399PD24391115@els.sgi.com> Bert wrote: > 1) Yes, today's commercial music is dross. Yes, > today's commercial music is mass produced and cloned. > No, the two facts are not necesarily connected. You > seem not to have noticed that commercial music has > always been produced in this way. Ever heard of Tin > Pan Alley? Motown? Bands like The Monkees? And yet, > much of the commercial music of the '60s, though > churned out on a conveyor belt just like today's, with > artists working in much tougher conditions than > today's pampered pop stars, was bloody brilliant. We > have to look deeper to find the reason why today's > popular music is not as good as it used to be. Bert, it seems that you're stepping into the same trap as so many before... "not as good as it used to be"? Sure, an opinion as good as anybody's, but you're putting it through in a way that suggests that you really believe that these are some kind of universal facts... mixing up your lifetime's importance to yourself with its importance to history, so to say. How many times in history hasn't the older generations (which I'm part of now, as well) complained about the degeneration of both the young generations and the society that they live in? Now, if some kind of music professor was to compare the "quality" of today's mass produced commercial music and the commercial music of the sixties, I'm not sure that he would come to the conclusion that the Tin Pan Alley music is actually "better" or more advanced - but since when has music been about that kind of quality? What I consider "good" when it comes to music is not that it's got some kind of proof from experts that "this is good music"; it's that I enjoy listening to it. OK, personally I prefer the Monkees to Westlife or something, but not because I believe that the Monkees had some kind of universal quality that Westlife lacks. Ask today's ten to fifteen year olds twenty years from now what they regard as "good", and they will most likely pick something that's popular nowadays (which could be Westlife, Britney Spears, Eminem, Korn or whatever - they are all today's examples of "commercial music" since they sell) rather than both our beloved sixties music (or our beloved "new wave", sorry, "25 year old wave", music) and the popular, commercial music of the 2020's. And ask your average 70 year old, you will still hear how much better Louis Armstrong was, how much more superior quality-wise, than the Beatles or XTC. (I wrote "average"... my father, 59 years old, loves Motorhead and enjoys both Slayer and Louis Armstrong...) - - - Having recently subscribed to this list, I've found the "Bert Vs. all" thread quite amusing. As I see it, no one is really wrong. However, Bert, you should consider one thing: Without musicians, there would be no music. Without record companies, there would still be lots and lots of music. So, without neglecting the importance of the industry when it comes to financing and distribution - if I hear something really really good, like the new album from System Of A Down, I think "Wow! These guys are really great!" rather than "Wow! Columbia really finances and distributes great music!" And, by the way, I'm happy that "failed musicians" like XTC still go for it rather than getting careers in, for example, the music industry instead, since I'm not that fond of neither the Monkees nor Westlife. Olof
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Dec 2002 05:14:36 -0800 (PST) From: Michael Versaci <michael_versaci@yahoo.com> Subject: Reader's Digest Message-ID: <20021203131436.24542.qmail@web20414.mail.yahoo.com> Folxtc, I think Chris & Joe should name their XTC Tribute Band "11 Popes On A Fire Truck." *** Spare me the inevitable "...'The White Album' should have been one disc" nonsense. *** Get a hold of "Deluxe" and "Purgatory Falls" by P. Hux. Best thing I've heard since Gilbert. *** C'mon fellahs, how about some *new* material? *** "Music Business" is an oxymoron. *** "Apple Venus Vol. I" is killer. *** Relph does a great job, doesn't he? *** Michael Versaci "Here comes the salesman He used to be poor But not any more He says make your choice The bus or Rolls Royce It's easy to do Just quit being you" From the song "Here Comes The Savior" by Parthenon Huxley from P. Hux "Deluxe."
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Dec 2002 09:27:17 -0500 From: "Brian" <mattone@bhip.infi.net> Subject: Re: Let's Make a Band... What Name Shall We Use? Message-ID: <00bd01c29ad8$15920620$0be93a41@brian> Tschalkgerz! > >Chris Vreeland asked: > >Tell me, faithful, what should an XTC tribute band call itself? > eriC draveS replies: > "Pink Floyd" has a nice ring to it. :) No, no! 'Pink Thing' has a nice ring to it! ;-) -Brian Matthews http://www.stonetrek.com
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Dec 2002 19:04:02 -0500 From: Joleson@aol.com Subject: Uh, ... Dom's back? Message-ID: <421266B3.7EE5F621.00183666@aol.com> Uh, ... Dom's back? What about Dom's front? Aside from Dom's sides that is...
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #8-64 ******************************
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