Chalkhills Digest Volume 8, Issue 71
Date: Tuesday, 31 December 2002
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 8, Number 71
Tuesday, 31 December 2002
Topics:
Thanks for Christmas???
A hostile bunch...Aren't we?
Spare CD-Rs for trade...
Beeswax versus Rag & Bone
Milky Bar
Tissue Tigers
A holiday wish
Mind your tongue
Steady Teddy!
RE: the soft purring of cute little fluffy kittens
Yo Adrian, Calm Down Man
Has Adrian scored an award?
Force9 from City College Manchester
...And FUZZIES Under the Tree!
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Chalkhills is compiled with Digest 3.7d (John Relph <relph@tmbg.org>).
And it's okay, for the setting sun / Will colour everything around you gold.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 25 Dec 2002 01:20:13 +0530 From: "Sughosh Varadarajan" <aqualung@hotpop.com> Subject: Thanks for Christmas??? Message-ID: <000001c2ab85$ff41d620$b42f41db@SughoshVaradarajan> I say, is this really the festive season, or what??? I've just seen a big fight erupt on the Jackson Browne mailing list over some profanity by the man in a quote from way back in '74, and now here more and more people are jumping into the Harrison-Bert war....for Heaven's sake, can't we all be a little "light" for a while...after all, it IS a bumper sticker someplace, y'know.... Peace, and Merry Christmas all (it's 1:30 AM Christmas morning as I write this) Sughosh
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Dec 2002 16:09:34 -0500 From: Erik.Meyer@coxtampa.com Subject: A hostile bunch...Aren't we? Message-ID: <D4C58F76F33BD41199840090274E9FED021EC01B@BTAM0S04> Greetings Chalkhillers! I have taken what I believe to be about a three year absence from the chalkhills list, and I must say, that it was a lot friendlier place back then. I'm surprised to read so many negative comments regarding any material at all from Andy, much less all the personal attacks. I'm reminded of an Ayn Rand group that I lurk around occasionally...boy, do those people have a lot of frustration built up. For the record, I haven't received my copy of Fuzzy Warbles one or two, but my brother will be receiving it soon. I'm of the belief that anything XTC is good. I just accept paying 30 or so dollars for an import. What's the big deal? I'm not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination, but I spend a large portion of my income on music, and owning certain records is more important than others, so I don't mind paying extra for it. If it's got some instrumental tracks that I think are shit, oh well. I'm a half-ass collector, that is happy to own anything Andy puts together for his fans. I don't doubt that Andy will release new material in the future, and maybe using this current system for sales will be altered in the future...we can only hope. The last time I hung around these parts, I had a great time. I sure hope things lighten up a bit around here. Erik
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 Dec 2002 10:39:19 +0100 From: rappard@dds.nl Subject: Spare CD-Rs for trade... Message-ID: <1040809159.3e097cc7089a8@webmail.dds.nl> ...at http://www.rappard.dds.nl/sale.htm Please, CD-R trades only - no 2:1s or cash offers. Martin http://www.downtothewell.com
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 Dec 2002 10:38:06 +0100 From: rappard@dds.nl Subject: Beeswax versus Rag & Bone Message-ID: <1040809086.3e097c7e6a426@webmail.dds.nl> Sughosh asked: "Speaking of B-sides, a query...was Beeswax ever put out on CD?" Yes. "Or does Rag'n'bone cover everything from Beeswax?" I can't tell for sure, but I think if you have the CD reissues and R&B you have everything that is on Beeswax. I had a CD copy a few years ago, but (along with some other rare XTC stuff) sold it on eBay for mucho moolah because I was fed up with umpteen CDs just containing different permutations of songs. If Beeswax would have contained a track exclusive to that release it's likely that I would have kept it. Martin "yeah, that fucking Adrian Ransome was fucking right, you fucking know!" van Rappard http://www.rappard.dds.nl http://www.downtothewell.com
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Dec 2002 00:49:54 +0000 From: "*Hobbes *" <hazchem25@hotmail.com> Subject: Milky Bar Message-ID: <F94Ahive5UX6PrYuGAd000053ee@hotmail.com> John Relph was saying: >I have never heard of a "milk bar" except in "A Clockwork Orange". >(Unless one is speaking of milk chocolate, I suppose.) The phrase was quite common when I was a child in the 70's growing up in Australia. It basically was just a name for your local corner store / fish and chip shop. It seems to have fallen out of use recently though, no doubt since the majority of corner stores have too. The phrase easily predates "A Clockwork Orange", as the Ginger Meggs pre-war newspaper comics used the phrase. I imagine it's English in origin - I'm sure Professor Sherwood will fill us in if we all ask nicely. For me it's a particularly 70's term though... It conjures up images of Chicko Rolls, Mullets, Thongs, Panel Vans, Stubbies Shorts, Donna Summer singing "Hot Stuff" on the 40 & 20 meat pie ads, Abba, Skyhooks and Kiss on the Radio, Space Invaders, Puberty Blues, Storm Boy and girls without bras in bright yellow Moove Chocolate Milk t-shirts. Now that all the non-aussies on this list are *completely* mystified, i'll return you to your regularly scheduled reading.
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 Dec 2002 20:04:34 EST From: WTDK@aol.com Subject: Tissue Tigers Message-ID: <b9.2c005136.2b3bafa2@aol.com> In a message dated 12/24/02 10:40:37 AM Pacific Standard Time, Warren writes: > A local club that I play frequently has a periodic series of "alter-ego" > shows. My band has been discussing possibilities, and one of course is XTC. Well, Warren if you play Sac let me know (by the way my brother's band plays in that area quite a bit). O.K. the four songs (if Xtc is going to be your "alternative" identity for the night) 1) Making Plans for Nigel 2) Senses Working Overtime 3) Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead 4)Mayor of Simpleton. All four should work for your instruments. >especially as we had been led to believe that the >discs would only >be available via Idea. I don't recall that they were going to be Internet only albums. I do recall thinking that Andy would probably sign them if they came from idea. >>Speaking of B-sides, a query...was Beeswax ever put out on CD? Or does Rag'n'bone cover everything from Beeswax? Plus, I notice this disc is a 1990 release, so it missed out on the Nonsuch sessions...would there be anything available by way of outtakes/b-sides from the Nonsuch days? Or are those gonna make it onto Fuzzy Warbles?<< I don't recall any mention of a release to close out the Virgin b-sides. I would probably welcome it though as I'm sure they would be remastered with great quality. Maybe they could just reissue Rag & Bone with a second disc! Very sad to hear about Joe Strummer's death. Ironic given that he had recently played with Mick Jones in public for the first time since the split of The Clash (and the fact that they were going to regroup to play live at the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Shame). A recent post commented on the label design for APE records and its resemblance to a naked torso. I guess because I have kids it reminded me of a caricature of Mojo Jo Jo from The Powerpuff Girls. I suppose I should get my mind out of the toy store and back into the gutter where it belongs. Finally, Bert and Harrison please kiss and make up. I've been skipping most of the ranting and raving lately but it seems to me both of you have made a mountain out of a molehill. Then again, it's kept the last couple of posts very colorful. Maybe you should break out the boxing gloves again.... Top 12 for 2002 (in no particular order) Kimberly Rew - Grand Central Revisited The Pretenders - Loose Screw David Gray - New Day At Midnight Neil Finn- One All Andy Partridge - Fuzzy Warbles Volume 1 Warren Zevon - My Ride's Here Aimee Mann - Lost in The Stars The Soft Boys - Nextdoorland Steve Earle - Jerusalem George Harrison - Brainwashed Coldplay -(Can't remember the title and not going to look it up) Jellyfish - Fan Club Box Set Peter Gabriel - Up (even if it is a tad inconsistent) and finally my fav reissues -(aside from Jellyfish which had enough new material to warrant it as new in my book) Gentle Giant - Octopus & King Crimson - USA
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 Dec 2002 20:26:20 -0800 (PST) From: Cheryl <mcgregoc4@yahoo.com> Subject: A holiday wish Message-ID: <20021226042620.20288.qmail@web14504.mail.yahoo.com> Hello Everyone! It's been ages since I have last posted to this forum. I hope all my my friends are doing well. I just wanted to wish Happiness to everyone during this holiday season. On ocassion when time permits, I come and read digest just to keep up. Funny the paths life takes you on. I never would have guess that I would be so busy I couldn't keep up with chalkhills but that is where life has taken me right now. I'm not complaining. Life is very good for me right now. :) I wish the happiness for everyone that I am feeling right now. Take care all and big hugs to you all, Cheryl
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Dec 2002 17:13:42 -0800 (PST) From: Andrew Boyle <andybgator@yahoo.com> Subject: Mind your tongue Message-ID: <20021227011342.47046.qmail@web21302.mail.yahoo.com> Last time around, Teddy Swift (if that IS your real name) wrote: > I certainly don't get why you are a legend and Bert > is a pariah, except that pretty well everyone on > Chalkhills bar Bert seems to have their tongues up > your ass. Sir! I find this quite offensive! I, for one, keep my tongue round about his ear! Vile beast! And Happy Holidays to you! Andrew Boyle! Fort Sherwood, FL! !!!
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 27 Dec 2002 01:33:58 -0000 From: "David Smith" <ds003d1857@blueyonder.co.uk> Subject: Steady Teddy! Message-ID: <000801c2ad48$06daac40$a9d2c050@oemcomputer> Now that's nice - a sweet Christmas message from Teddy Swift. Teddy mate, I don't know about anyone else here - but I'm not over-enamoured with someone I've never spoken to before calling me a sheep or an acolyte, let alone that same stranger implying I've got my tongue up anybody's arse! In my opinion (usual disclaimers apply - it's only my opinion etc etc) most of those who have a problem with Bert, do so NOT because at some point he's decided he's better/cleverer/more knowledgable than the rest of us - because he may well be - but because he struts around like a 14-year old who's just discovered sarcasm and how much fun it is to call people names, and he thinks that if he sprinkles this liberally in every post, it will PROVE he's better/cleverer/more knowledgable than us. It's understandable - I thought like that when I was a child, most of the male of the species does. The difference is, most of us grow out of it. Except, it seems, you and Bert. Still, kudos to you for seeing through our elaborate plot. Just think, John Relph has been hosting the forum for, what, 6 years? It's had, probably, hundreds of contributors? Talking about, probably, thousands of subjects? But YOU'VE seen the truth! All that time, we were ONLY waiting for the day Bert would come along and start being a tit, just so we could all run and worship at the altar of Harrison, who would lead us through to the promised land of acolytic sleeve-notes. Our collective lives were meaningless until then - thank you so much Teddy for showing us the way! Mate, you should be a Hollywood scriptwriter - they'd never have dreamt that up. As self-centered paranoia goes it's better than The Truman Show and The Matrix combined. Anyway, I don't want to get into a slanging match myself (or is it too late?) so here's my Christmas message in return. Teddy - most people on this forum are here to talk about XTC - and don't care a stuff about these little pissing contests until someone (in this case Bert - and now you) decides to start shovelling shit in all directions, until the people in no-mans-land get as covered as the protagonists. I'll be honest with you I reckon everyone else (like me) is bored witless by this crap. It wouldn't surprise me if people are dropping off the board because of it. I haven't seen an interesting argument or valid point made by anyone (on EITHER side) for a while now, probably because it's become so personal - or perhaps because I've just about stopped reading. Perhaps - and this is a genuinely *respectful* request to ALL parties concerned (and I mean EVERYONE - Bert, Harrison, Todd, Teddy, hell, ME!) - this whole thing should now be taken off-line. If not in respect for each other, then at least in respect for John Relph, who must be getting pretty tired and downhearted at what's happening to this forum. John, although only slightly, I HAVE been involved, please accept my apologies here and now. Now, this has ruined a chunk of 2002 for a lot of people - PLEASE, let's not carry it into 2003. Surely we're all above this? Here's hoping everyone - and I mean EVERYONE - has a peaceful and harmonious new year. Cheers, egg-nogs all round! Smudgeboy NP: Pipes of Peace by Paul MacCartney (not really . . . credit me with SOME taste!)
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 27 Dec 2002 08:03:48 -0500
From: C Bisson <c.bisson@verizon.net>
Subject: RE: the soft purring of cute little fluffy kittens
Message-ID: <3E0C4FB4.6090403@verizon.net>
WooHoo! Someone else for you all to flame besides Bert or myself!
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Dec 2002 20:42:25 -0500 From: "Molly, the New Wave Queen" <mollyfa0000@worldnet.att.net> Subject: Yo Adrian, Calm Down Man Message-ID: <000401c2ad49$394905e0$b601590c@vogmudet> Organization: AT&T Worldnet You know Adrian, calm down. Andy's doing what the fans want, and they want demos. Not all of us have EVERY single copied traded (or bootlegged) demo, and it's nice to hear how the songs started. If you don't like what he's doing, don't by it. But don't come here and bitch (excuse me) about Andy screwing you by releasing demo CDs. Take a freaking chill pill. Also, in this past digest I learned where the group "Heaven 17" got their name. I've seen "A Clockwork Orange" many times, but I never noticed that name being mentioned. :) Molly > From: Adrian Ransome <Adrian.Ransome@tsi-ltd.co.uk> > > Just who the fuck does Andy Partridge think he is? > > ... > > Fuzzy Warbles?? Fucking Wanker more like!! > > Fucking A!-drian
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 13:00:13 +1100 From: "Andrew Gowans" <ratwhacker@hotmail.com> Subject: Has Adrian scored an award? Message-ID: <BAY2-F6Q8aZRhQdOgl400006dbc@hotmail.com> Greetings Peoples, Did you read Adrian Ransome's musings on the merits of the Fuzzy Warbles? Congratulations Adrian! A masterful effort at the protracted use of 'Fuck' in a single posting to Chalkhills. Bravo! Bravo! 3 Cheers! I counted no less than 49 Fucks in your posting, including words derived from Fuck including; Fucking and Fuckers. However I cannot let this effort stifle the use of this highly effective and flexible word for the rest of this year. No, I shall in fact sing the praises of Fuck in a manner that all can join in. To the tune of Monty Pythons "Philosopher's Song" Fuuuuuck....... Fuck fuck fucker fuck fuck fucker, fuck fuck fuck fuck fucker. Fuck fuck fucker fuck fuck fucker, fuck fuck fuck fuck fucker. Fuck fuck fucker fuck fuck fucker, fuck fuck fuck fuck fucker. Fuck fuck fucker fuck fuck fucker, fuck fuck fuck fuck fucker. Fuck fucker fucker fucker fucker fucker fucker fuck. Fucker fucker fucker fucker fucker fucker fuuuuck. (at my count 60 Fucks) You get the idea, repeat as neccessary for as many verses you can remember. A highly useful replacement for 'dah dah de dah' and 'tra la la la la' in any songs where you cannot recall the correct words. In fact, "If you sing it loud enough you'll almost sound precocious. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fucker fuck fuck fuck fuck fucker". Useful, isn't it. Initially I was going to use "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" as the tune for my song of praise to Fuck, but it only came in at 42 Fucks, rather than Adrian's breathtaking 49. Also Christmas is already over, so it wouldn't be topical. XTC content; Adrian, if when you are near them you have difficulty with the Warbles which lack language in their lungs you can try the simple Fuck trick to crate your own 'NEW' AP songs. You could forward your fucking lyrics to Andy at the Idea Records website, where he could consider them at his leisure. Overall I hope the rest of you don't find my small posting too blue? Fucking off now, Andrew Gowans
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 11:30:22 EST From: Hbsherwood@aol.com Subject: Force9 from City College Manchester Message-ID: <10d.1d57442e.2b41ce9e@aol.com> >Date: Thu, 19 Dec 2002 09:41:57 +0000 >From: "Ted Swift" <teddyswift@hotmail.com> >Subject: Re: Just for the sake of argument Pathetic. Just pathetic. Troll. Troll troll troll. Troll again. Troll. "Bert Millichip," "Ted Swift" and "Fred Titmus" are all created by the same person. I won't go into how I know this, but if you'd like proof, write me offline and I'll tell you. (Read "Ted's" post again with that fact in hand, and it's really quite a giggle, especially the part where he grits, "I realise that Bert can answer for himself, and maybe he will eventually condescend to do so.") This person has no interest in actually contributing to any conversation here. He does not actually believe any of the wacko things he puts into "Bert Millichip's" mouth. He laughs up his sleeve at our outrage and plots ways to increase it. He hides behind freemail accounts, thinking he can't be traced. His sole interest is in disrupting conversations and sowing (thanks for the corrected spelling, "Ted") dissension -- exactly as I characterized him earlier, a cardboard Mephistopheles. Troll. Now that we know his voice and we know his M.O. of posting stupid arguments from behind _ad hoc_ freemail accounts, we can completely happily ignore him. If somebody pops up in Chalkhills and says something that appears to be calculated to irritate you, just check that address. Penny to a pound of pigshit it'll come from Yahoo, Hotmail, or some other web-based freemail service. It will certainly *not* come from an e-mail address that can be traced to an actual person. That would imply personal responsibility, which the author of "Bert/Fred/Ted" shuns, for obvious reasons. Let me repeat that earlier point: the best way to rid ourselves of a troll is to IGNORE HIM. I apologize to the Chalkhills community for not having understood the nature of the troll, and for being unable to resist getting into a nasty argument with someone who was being deliberately obtuse to get his secret jollies. I also apologize to those of you who post from web-based freemail accounts. I have no doubt that your reasons are excellent, and I don't mean to cast aspersions on your e-mail preferences. But I think you most of all will understand how easy they are to acquire, and to abuse. Go ahead, "Bert/Fred/Ted." Howl all you want. No one's listening any more. Harrison "Juan *not* the Man" Sherwood
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 15:02:58 -0500 From: KEVIN.WOLLENWEBER@jpmorgan.com Subject: ...And FUZZIES Under the Tree! Message-ID: <OF121917F0.6DC5532A-ON85256C9F.006916BE@chase.com> Hello, CHALKsters: Oooh, where do I begin? I ordered my FUZZY WARBLES (with help from a friend who could log onto the Idea website), and was truly amazed when they arrived the day after Christmas. Since I'd taken the remainder of the week off from work, I spent a good deal of time with the WARBLES and found I liked 'em quite a lot! I even had to laugh, being a kind of classic cartoon fancier, to hear Andy channel the ghost of Jinx the cat, one of the first Hanna-Barbera creations as he giddily tried to work out that tricky vocal part to "That Wave". But the highlights to me were those unheard songs, sounding nearly finished to me, although sometimes you really wanted Colin's vocal in the mix as his is the more Brian wilson-esque voice between the two. It is interesting that the Andy Partridge quote, as posted on this list, mentions the mourning of the seeming loss of the type of twisted music played by the Mothers of Invention, because, as I listened to the final track on the first disk (I think it is called "Rocket"), I could only imagine the song fading with one of those signature buzz saw/cat scratch guitar solos that Zappa did so well on some of his better early '70's work, or maybe a grungier solo from, say, former Zappa cohorts Sugar Cane Harris or Jean-Luc Ponty? That last song is astounding as it shows just what can be created with mere variations on one note, pure and easy, playing so free like a breath rippling by! Whew, okay, pardon me, folks; I'm back from that quiet vibrationland. Getting back to what I was saying, the other Zappa-esque quality about the FUZZY WARBLES disks that I really like is the way Partridge fused some of the material as if it could easily be one stream of consciousness thought, mixing up the periods in the way Zappa himself did with those "mystery disks" from the Barking Pumpkin vinyl collections of original Zappa masters (whose contents can now be found on a single disk from Ryko). These mystery disks did what most Mothers albums have done for years--mixing strange bits of improvised dialogue with selections from live or in-studio recordings, varying in quality. Forgetting XTC as an entity for the moment, we can easily hear that Andy Partridge has his ear cocked to all kinds of inventive material and sound collages...and that is why the instrumental material works. I would go so far as to say that there isn't a wasted moment on these collections, thus far. In fact, hearing some of these messy and raw-boned alternate takes makes me realize that there are nuances that should have carried over to the originals more. I, for one, hope that Andy dives deeply into Zappa albums like BURNT WEENY SANDWICH or UNCLE MEAT or even the original mix of WE'RE ONLY IN IT FOR THE MONEY or ABSOLUTELY FREE and never comes up from that wave, because the kinds of mixtures going on here go even further than Zappa ever dared to. Now, I'm anxious to know, moreso, just how the remainder of the RAG AND BONE BUFFET material will be fused in with the larger mix. At first, I so wanted to hear all those songs end up on the albums whose sessions they were originally lifted from as kind of second disks attached to each album, in much the same way that Rhino is reissuing Elvis Costello's back catalogue, but now I'm seeing these FUZZY WARBLES collections as their own fully realized albums--kind of THE COMPLETE IMPROVISATIONS OF ANDY PARTRIDGE, and these solo and duet projects that were spoken of in the article about XTC and the FUZZY WARBLES project will bring that kind of conceptual continuity to the present day. It is usually my feeling that, when a group or duo split up and still continue solo on their own paths, they come back to the original group so rejuvinated that the songs written transcend the original group and become something that would have never occurred if that group remained a reluctant entity through those missing years. I can only imagine what an album mixing the styles of XTC and Apples in Stereo would be like! And this is something that we will find out, sometime in 2003, I hope. There are countless musical forms that could be toyed with by both bands, and both seem to have that guilty pleasure of deeply indulging in all that acid and flowers pop of that earlier age, while clouding its naivete with tongue firmly in cheek and fingers ready to jab as if to say "Nudge, nudge, wink wink, get it?" or "wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!!!" Even if ya don't "get it", it's a wild ride and I can hardly wait for the remaining eight or ten disks! Oh, by the way, Adrian.Ransome@tsi-ltd.co.uk, be honest with me; you're really Andy Partridge in disguise, adding your nudge, nudge, wink, wink to this list, right? I ask this question because your nasty little slap at the WARBLES reminds me of that National Lampoon bit that has John Lennon ranting, in song, about his fans and his former Beatle-mates, ending up with screaming through the studio "aaaaauugh, I'm a fuckin' gen-eeeus!...aaauugh, muthaaaah..." The entire entry sounds like Andy poking at all the disgruntled fans who felt they were short-changed by the price or variety of sound on these disks and, if what I'm saying is true, nice job! I thought it was hilarious! If that was *NOT* Andy, I hope that, whoever you are, you do get the disks, from wherever suits you, and sit back and listen more than once to each disk. These are good! I wish my writing were better, but what else could I say. This all sounds like a "puff piece", but I really do like the disks. Maybe my review here would not make ROLLING STONE, but after all these years, I'm still not bored with pop...or those experimental noises between! Kevin Born out of my mouth to the page.
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #8-71 ******************************
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