Chalkhills Digest Volume 1, Issue 376
Date: Tuesday, 13 September 1994
Chalkhills, Number 376
Tuesday, 13 September 1994
Today's Topics:
Re: File Under Unfounded
Respectable Street video
Re: Ultimate XTC Tape (Chalkhills #375)
Budd, Newell, Barenaked Ladies... oh, and XTC.
Re: new RADIO 1 SESSIONS disc
Gravelberry Pie
REVIEW: Through the Hill
Too Many Cooks single
Re: Chalkhills #375
Back in the Swindon of things
Upcoming Hello Recording of Andy
Re: Chalkhills #375
Andy and the Twomey book
Too Many Questions
introduction
Partridge/Hall Collaboration
XTC TRIBUTE
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Date: Fri, 9 Sep 94 10:03:35 PDT
From: John Relph <relph@presto.ig.com>
Subject: Re: File Under Unfounded
John.J.Pinto@Dartmouth.EDU (John J. Pinto) tabloids:
>Confirm or Deny:
>
>Dave Gregory to do ten date tour in Japan with Martin Newell.
I doubt it.
>Andy postpones production of new Newell as he actively prepares for new XTC
>recordings.
I hope Andy doesn't do the next Newell.
>Andy wisely turns down sour Disney deal when pre-production rewrite calls for
>all new songs, little money.
True! In an interview in the Los Angeles _Reader_ Andy mentions this.
>MPL (USA) seeks Swindon lad for voice over on recording targeted for
>lucrative children's market.
I could believe it.
-- John
--
http://www.bio.net/~relph/jmr.html
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Fri, 09 Sep 1994 13:43:03 -0400 (EDT) From: "Nothin' shakin' but the leaves on the trees" <MELINDA@delphi.com> Subject: Respectable Street video Actually, there is an "official" video for "Respectable Street", a very typical-late-70s-early-80s-looking bit featuring XTC in proper snob attire pseudo-playing violin and cello, while next door some elderly people dressed as punks spray-paint the wall around their Sex Pistols poster. That business in _URGH!_A_Music_War_ is very cool, though, being the only footage of XTC live that I've ever seen (*is* there other live footage of them? I've got their acoustic performance of "King For a Day" on tape, but I mean from their touring days.). I especially like at the end of the movie, when XTC invades the stage while the Police play "So Lonely", and they kinda take over, Andy throws fruit into the audience and duets with Sting (well, he looks like he's gonna push Sting off the stage at any minute...) Melinda
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Fri, 09 Sep 1994 11:53:43 -0700 From: jjm@wwtc.timeplex.com (Jim McGowan) Subject: Re: Ultimate XTC Tape (Chalkhills #375) In Chalkhills #375, Pete Dresslar writes: >The following is the song order I chose for my "ultimate XTC" tape. >Perhaps some of you would like to comment on how good or bad my judgement >was... > [list deleted] > >I realize that the lineup has imperfections, >but it works for me. Any suggestions? Yeah, lose "Greenhouse" and add Towers of London. Soaring, gorgeous, sad, played and sung like they *meant* it. It was the highlight of the show back when I saw them play live. - Jim ------------------------------------------------------------- | James McGowan | jjm@wwtc.timeplex.com | | Ascom Timeplex Inc. | Phone: 310-443-4013 | | Los Angeles, California | Fax: 310-443-7978 | -------------------------------------------------------------
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Date: Fri, 09 Sep 94 14:51:16 EDT
From: Pete Dresslar <PDRESSL@CMS.CC.WAYNE.EDU>
Subject: Budd, Newell, Barenaked Ladies... oh, and XTC.
I heard a long segment about Harold Budd (was that his name?) on
NPR the other day. It included an interview and some of his music.
I don't like him. He seemed kinda pretentious ("Oh, I don't bother
to write music, and I love working with performers who can't read
music" - not a direct quote, but you get the point), and his music,
purported to be intensely original, was in fact pretty predictable.
It used mostly common chord voicings and melodic themes, which is
fine unless you call yourself a revolutionary.
On the other hand, I loved Newell's GLE when a friend played it for me.
Great great great. Also, I really enjoy the Barenaked Ladies, but
I don't see the XTC influence so much. Nevertheless, I highly
recommend them.
Finally, on the XTC front, I'd really be happy if someone posted the
lyrics to Jason and the 'Nauts. My ES has no liner lyricss, dang
it all! I guess you could just mail 'em to me... or maybe everybody
could see them and pick *that* song apart.
Blur. Dear God. Mermaid Smiled.
Just thought I'd ruin the statistics... ;^)
-pete
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Fri, 9 Sep 1994 16:18:18 -0600 From: James Robert Campbell <jrcampbe@mines.utah.edu> Subject: Re: new RADIO 1 SESSIONS disc >>Yesterday I received a flyer in the mail from Music Machine, of Owings Mills, >>Maryland, USA. In a large bold font it announced: >>================================================================== >> XTC >> priority customer information >> >> released in England OCTOBER 5th ORDER NOW! >> ~XTC -THE RADIO 1 SESSIONS~ >> >>These songs have been hand picked by the band from the BBC Sessions and >>chart their way through the early days of 1977's first album up until >>1988's "Oranges and Lemmons" Does anyone know if this is the same type of stuff the was on the end of the _Acoustic Tales_ bootleg?? If it is in that same vain, yuck! I have this particular disc and just looking at the playlist for this upcoming release, you'd be shocked how terribly awful "Poor Skeleton.." sounds. --James
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: 09 Sep 94 21:43:30 EDT From: Steve Levenstein <70750.1117@compuserve.com> Subject: Gravelberry Pie In Chalkhills #374, Paul Myers mentioned The Odds. I'll second the mention, and I strongly recommend The Odds to those who enjoy hook-laden, crunchy-guitar, power-pop-rock. The Odds have a finely developed sense of humour (as in their song "Heterosexual Man") and I even saw a clip of their video on Beavis & Butthead. That means as a Canadian rating a Canadian band; "if the Americans like them, they must be good" ;-). As for The Gravelberries, too bad they broke up, I was waiting for the follow-up to "Wonder Where You Are Tonight". And is it true that they've never been seen in the same room as The Simpletones? ... just wondering (g) ---> Steve
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Date: Fri, 9 Sep 94 18:48:09 PDT
Subject: REVIEW: Through the Hill
From: John Relph <chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org>
Organization: Chalkhills Anonymous
I found this review in Tower Records \ Video _Pulse!_ magazine,
September 1994 (p. 83):
Andy Partridge and Harold Budd
_Through the Hill_
(All Saints / Gyroscope)
_Through the Hill_ shuffles by like a slide show of
someone else's vacation. Fragmentary titles offer to
organize the material like so many anecdotes, but they
just help to confuse matters. The album moves at a
deceptively ambient pace -- molasses slow, inviting
meditation -- because as each exceptionally pleasant
track gives way to another, you're forced to readjust:
to new textures, listening spaces, melodic strategies,
reference points. With each new segment, the
instrumentation shifts radically -- trance elements like
synth drones and soft percussion, recognizable sounds
like guitar, organ and piano, even composer Budd reading
the poetry of Partridge (leader of the pop group XTC).
Nothing develops, and little lingers. Guess you had to
be there. * * -- Marc Weidenbaum
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Date: 09 Sep 94 22:06:29 EDT
From: Steve Levenstein <70750.1117@compuserve.com>
Subject: Too Many Cooks single
In response to Paul Myers (again, sorry), I would say that
the 7" vinyl single probably lost some value when Rag & Bone Buffet
came out with the single's songs on it. But it's likely a rare and
valuable item to most XTC fans. There is another version of the
single; a 3" CD released a few (4 or 5) years back in Japan by
Virgin Records Japan. It was part of a limited edition of 2000
copies (along with Thanks for Christmas). Same sleeve artwork but
in a mini size. Extremely cute! I'm saving one of each as trade
bait for something I REALLY need...
Regarding the book "Chalkhills and Children", I have yet to see
it in any Toronto & area bookstore. I picked up my copy direct from
the publisher, but I wonder why it never got into the stores?
---> Steve
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Date: Sat, 10 Sep 1994 07:43:11 -0500 (CDT)
From: Julian Cook <xlr8r@metronet.com>
Subject: Re: Chalkhills #375
I have been on a desperate quest to find a tape of the XTC radio session
that XTC did some years ago across our fair country. They visited Dallas
however, I wasn't living here at the time so I don't have a copy.
In my quest for XTC stuff, I have traveled to London and Glasgow and have
a lot of goodies, it's these sessions I have on tape. Would be very
happy is someone could get me a copy of this, will pay for it of course.
Thanks folks!!!!!
Julian
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// "Imagination is more important than knowledge"
\\ // Albert Einstein
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xlr8r@metronet.com Improved .sig under construction
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Sun, 11 Sep 94 16:15:56 EDT From: "Gene (Sp00n) Yoon" <ST004422@BROWNVM.BROWN.EDU> Subject: Back in the Swindon of things After a four-month hiatus, I return to Chalkhills very glad that I'm subscribed to this list. Somebody mentioned a few issues ago that there's too much petty in-fighting, but compared to a lot of other newsgroups I'm subscribed to, this place is really heaven, or a haven, or whatever. Mostly intelligent and good-natured discussion, IMO. Kudos to everyone and John Relph. While I was working in South Korea this past summer, I experienced new music withdrawal, left with only the bubble-gum/American-Top-40-wannabe Korean popular music (some of which I actually like), but fortunately I was armed with a walkman and a sampling of tapes I brought from home, including _Drums and Wires_ and _Nonsuch_, which happened to be the two most convenient XTC albums as I was frantically packing a few hours before my flight. In August, my cousin, who was studying English in London, comes back to Korea with some new CDs, among them Blur's Parklife, which I dubbed and really enjoyed. I was all set to come back to Chalkhills and discuss how "Tracy Jacks" and "Magic America" seem to have a good dose of XTC influence, but then I discover that the topic has already been driven into the ground. Anyway, it's nice to be back, and I agree with the comment that discussing other groups of possible interest to fellow subscribers should be encouraged, not considered wrong, especially with a dirth of new original material from the Group. Anybody else disappointed that this "new" XTC album is entirely composed of old BBC recordings? Gene
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] From: DFerg@aol.com Date: Sun, 11 Sep 94 17:01:05 EDT Subject: Upcoming Hello Recording of Andy > Did Andy's Hello Recording Club release ever come out? Would someone > who belongs to the club tell me if any of the other releases are any > good (I fear I have asked this before but maybe someone will answer) First, one mans opinion: Blur--"Yucky." Dear God --"Poignant." ....I feel better now. If everyone feels like we should change the subject of postings, then I suggest you write some of your own, hense doing so.... Andy's Hello Recording, at this writing, has not been released. Last thing I got in the mail from them was a shirt and a note stating an apology for the lateness of their mailings, and the next two months (June and July I think) were taking a while but almost ready. The stuff on the discs can be best described as dissonant by a conservative, and odd by just about everybody else. A Group called the Jickets play lively psychobilly tunes, one called Jicket Island, which I assume is where they work, play and got their name from. The May 94 disc was Peter Stampfel, mixes folk guitar and vocals on a few songs, sax, slide whistles and a bass/guitar/drums mix on others. The discs are not long, usually more like a 30 minute EP from some unknowns, and though disjunct, often well recorded. Nice to listen to but perhaps just the once. Yes I will post here about Andy's rumored CD once I get it. If anyone is interested in the other hello disc, you know how to reach me. Dave If God did not exist it would be necessary to invent Him. - Voltaire
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] From: "John Strawberry Fields" <field014@gold.tc.umn.edu> Subject: Re: Chalkhills #375 Date: Fri, 9 Sep 94 17:28:37 -0500 good day people- just a note to introduce myself. my name is john strawberry fields & i live in minneapolis, usa. i own a state of the art recording facility called funkytown and am a producer/engineer at the studio. i have been an xtc freak since english settlement. my discography includes a few releases that chalkhillians should check out: BUG! - self titled Native Sons - Lost in time Delilahs - self titled dambuilders - lazy eye single mango jam - self titled david wolfenson - abbott avenue if anybody lives in minneapolis/midwest - come see my band BUG! at fine nightclubs everywhere (say hello to the bassist). -StrawB
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] From: KB305@aol.com Date: Sun, 11 Sep 94 20:26:54 EDT Subject: Andy and the Twomey book I've read the Twomey book, and loved it, but the nature of this kind of journalism always keeps my guard up. So when I hear that the real story about Andy and MM O'Hara may not be as reported, I chalk that up to (1) journalism or (2) Andy constantly straddles that fine line between genius and nut case, and the real truth is probably (3) both. But the part in that book about Andy being on Valiums for much of his childhood really makes me think. Can one be anything but neurotic after taking Valiums for so many years? Would he have been a little more stable, and perhaps now on a stage somewhere, had this not happened?
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: 12 Sep 1994 09:24:33 U From: "Wesley Wilson" <Wesley_Wilson@iegate.mitre.org> Subject: Too Many Questions I am the Santa Claus of questions today, various and miscellaneous, so please bear with me: First, about Andy's pal, Martin Newell (and the Cleaners from Venus): I understand "Golden Cleaners" is still available on CD. Does the music on this CD sound anything like The Greatest Living Englishman? (i.e., derivative of the classic 60's British bands?) Also, in re: TGLE, I have the following ?s: 1. What are "sodium lights"? 2. "Cheap old wine, a thousand quid or two" (What would be the equivalent in American money?) Okay, on to others: 3. Has anyone gotten the new Chalkhills yet? I changed my address, so I hope my copy gets forwarded. 4. Next to final ?: did anyone ever decipher whether the "Swami Nagara ..." on The Dukes' CD is an anagram for anything? The best I'd heard was "Andi was a Ragman"! Your answers would be most excellent. (I like anagrams; e-mail me some funny ones if you like on any subject!) 5. Were there ever any American CD singles from Sam Phillips' "Martinis and Bikinis"? Thanks...Wes P.S. Blur is playing in Boston this week. I'm not going to the show (it's on a work night, Thursday, at Avalon(?)) but if anyone is going I'd love to know what they played, so send me e-mail. P.P.S. The Costello song "You Belong to Me" steals the riff from The Stones' "This May Be The Last Time", and also the ending bassline from "19th Nervous Breakdown", which The Dukes in turn use at the end of "Little Lighthouse". Just a funny little observation.
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Date: Mon, 12 Sep 94 20:59:46 EDT
From: Chip Davies <davies@bme.ri.ccf.org>
Subject: introduction
Greetings Chalkhillians,
My name is Chip and I've been an XTC fan since 1982. At that time
my friend sent me a tape he had compiled with various album cuts and singles.
we both got hooked and I've been following them ever since. I went crazy one
year in New York before the fall '83 school year looking for Mummer. Spring
of '85 hearing the Dukes for the first time was amazing. Recently, I have
really enjoyed Oranges and Lemons. Now, they even have an alternative station
in Cleveland which has allowed me the previously unheard of luxery of catching
Love on a Farmboy's Wages, Peter Pumkinhead, or (the notorious of late) Dear
God. I saw Barry Andrews once in Philly with Shriekback but I'd give my
firstborn to have seen the 1980 Police/XTC tour. Gotta go now. Statue of
Liberty, Ten Feet Tall, and Yacht Dance rule, obviously.
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] From: Paul Vincent <KNDUSR18@msmail-gateway.university-central-england.ac.uk> Subject: Partridge/Hall Collaboration Date: Tue, 13 Sep 94 07:35:00 BST Just read a review, in Q Magazine, of "Home", the new CD by Terry Hall (ex-Specials, ex-Fun Boy Three, ex-Colourfield), and was intrigued to see Andy Partridge listed amongst his songwriting collaborators on the album. That's all I know about it, I'm afraid. Does anyone have any further info? Paul Vincent University of Central England kndusr18@msmail.uce.ac.uk
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Tue, 13 Sep 1994 17:08:01 -0400 From: "Paul Myers" <pmyers@cmrra.ca> Subject: XTC TRIBUTE XTC TRIBUTE Here's something I heard last night at a club here in T.O. An acquaintance of mine is a fellow named Jeff Rogers who manages the Crash Test Dummies. I think everyone out there know that the low voiced guy in the Dummies, who sings, Brad Roberts has gone on the record in interviews as saying that our man Partridge is his prime influence. Well it seems that Mr Roberts and his Dummies have been asked by David Yazbek (rockapella? Cherry in Your Tree etc) to submit a track to an all star XTC trib compilation. Has anyone heard about this before?, did I back into a scoop story?!? Does anyone know Mr Yazbek and could he tell us who else he is talking to, I mean the mind boggles. HERE ARE MY SUGGESTIONS, maybe others could send us theirs. Sinead doing Dear God, why not? Soundgarden doing Travels in Nihilon? Depeche Mode = Somnambulist, John Linnell of They MIght Be Giants singing Ladybird in a polka rhythm. WHY THE HECK NOT!
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] If you use a signature (from your ".signature" file), please try to keep it to four lines of text or fewer. Your e-mail address already appears in the header of your posting, so no need to repeat it in your signature. To unsubscribe from the list, send a message to: <chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org> For all other administrative issues, send a message to: <chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org> The Chalkhills archives were once available using FTP from "net.bio.net". The Chalkhills home page is available at "http://chalkhills.org/". The views expressed herein are those of the individual authors. all exotic fish I find like jason and the argonauts
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