Chalkhills Digest Volume 2, Issue 151
Date: Thursday, 29 August 1996
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 2, Number 151
Thursday, 29 August 1996
Today's Topics:
Demo Lyrics
sex with unmentioned barbers
Hiroyasu Yaguchi CD wanted
Beavis & Butthead on XTC
Jazz
XsTatiC
English Wirement
Various and sundry
President Kill
The Converted
Dave and Andy Play Guitar
Hair today, gone tomorrow
Bad XTC songs? Naaahhh... :)
Re: Ten Feet Tall
Nonsuch playing Cards are not quite that spiffy
"It Didn't Hurt A Bit" lyrics and ding dong ding dong, more bells!
CHANGES IN POP MUSIC: WILL XTC BE INFLUENCED?
No bad songs/Conversion strategy
Whenever I listen to the Dukes...
Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-150---Two bits
Your Chalkhills Posting
Sugarplastic/ Loud Family
Yet another drummer post...
Survey says...!
XTC US following
Knob-Dweeb question on Colin
Song Interps
XTC
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The views expressed herein are those of the individual authors.
Mr Ditko was right.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 25 Aug 1996 00:21:38 -0400 (EDT)
Message-Id: <199608250421.AAA24827@cyber1.servtech.com>
From: Joshua Hall-Bachner <particle@servtech.com>
Subject: Demo Lyrics
Hideho!
After my (rather poor) showing with the Explode Together lyrics, I'm
back with more transcriptions. Here we have the lyrics for three of Andy's
new demos. []'s surrounding a word or words mean that those words I am
uncertain of. Each ? you see within []'s means a syllable that I simply
cannot make out. Words in /'s are backing vocals. Now, I know from last time
that you guys are going to jump on my mistakes. Good! There's a reasonable
amount missing here, so all of you who have these songs take a listen and
try to figure them out yourselves.
BTW: The person who has the "official" lyrics to all of Take Away: I
e-mailed you, and like I said I would be *very* interested in seeing the
rest of those posted. Pretty please? :)
Oh, yeah, as soon as I get the second half of these demos (Thanks, Peter!)
I'll post my comments and gush about how much I can't wait to hear the next
album.
Ummm, and I realize there are a hell of a lot of you out there who *do not*
have these demos. I'd do a tape tree if I had a high-gen copy, but
unfortunately mine's probably 17th gen or something.
Ahem. On to the lyrics:
You And The Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful:
And every morning, people, I'm awake, I walk around the world to make sure
she's alright
And every evening I put the cat out and I stir the sky to make sure it will
spin all night
For us [?] people who will scratch and still kick and bite
And I see nations war about whether right is left or whether wrong is right
And all these stones inside your head can ever [? the ?]
But no matter what the weather
You And The Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful
But no matter what the weather
You And The Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful
Any every [toy with] wooden horse like take to people will just but can't
make 'em drown
And every best deal that gets stormtroopered
"Hail To The Chief" comes rainin', rainin', rainin', rainin', rainin' down
I see people come [?] like lightning down to a summer's day
And I see nations playfully hurl snowballs packed with stolen clay
And that rain in your head could seriously put a stop to play
But no matter what the weather
You And The Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful
But no matter what the weather
You And The Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful
So let it rain
We saw flying saucers, flying cups and flying plates
And as we tripped down lover's lane we sometimes bump into the gate
And all that thunder in your head could still reverberate
But no matter what the weather
You And The Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful
But no matter what the weather
You And The Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful
I'd Like That:
I'd Like That if we could cycle down some lane
I'd like that if we could ride into the rain
Our macks getting wet
I'd be your Albert if you'd be Victoria, hah hah
We'd laugh because each drop would make me grow up
Really high, really high like a really high thing
Say, a sunflower
I'd like that
I'd like that /What would you like?/ if we could lay before my fire
I'd like that /What would you like?/ if you could slide me from this wire
Toasting [?], can't be done
I would be Hector if you'd be Helen of Troy, oh boy
We'd laugh because each flame would make me grow up
Really high, really high like a really high thing
Say, a sunflower
I'd Like that
I'd smile so much my face would crack in two
And you could fix it with your kissing [blue]
I'd like that
Yes, I'd like that
I'd like that /what would you like?/ if we could float away in bed
I'd like that /what would you like?/ if I could row your heart and head
With you laying on one arm
I'd be your Nelson if you'd be my Hamilton, what fun
We'd laugh because each stroke would make me grow up
Really high, really high like a really high thing
Say, a sunflower (repeats)
/Say a sunflower I became
I'd be growing in your brain/
/---------------------------Joshua Hall-Bachner---------------------------\
| particle@servtech.com http://www.servtech.com/public/particle/ |
| "Life is like a jigsaw. You get the straight bits, but there's something|
\-----missing in the middle."--XTC, "All Of A Sudden (It's Too Late)"-----/
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Aug 1996 02:47:47 -0500 (EST) From: Brookes McKenzie <RMCKENZI@smith.smith.edu> Subject: sex with unmentioned barbers Message-id: <01I8OCMQG3Z6BRJY2G@SMITH> or misunderstood lyrics revisited first off - to Erich Sellheim - thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! for the lyrics for "shore leave" and "commerciality". two of my favorite songs decoded - and the funny thing about my mishearing is that it wasn't *that* far off, and actually makes more sense, if less poetry, than the original (!). as for the rest of them, if you have the time, i have the obsession. another thing: remember that author, Mervyn Peake, that AP loves so much? well last year i found three books by him collected in an omnibus edition called _The Ghormenghast Trilogy_. i bought it in Vancouver, but it was published by Mandarin Books (or Press, can't remember which) in the U.K. well, just recently i finally got around to reading it and, surprise, surprise - it's really, *really* good. strange, even bizarre in places - the first book (_Titus Groan_ if you're looking for them separately) is my favorite, but the second (_Ghormenghast_) is also excellent, but the third (_Titus Alone_) IMO is too allegorical and doesn't fit with either the style or the direction of the first two books (Peake had a nervous breakdown between the 2nd and 3rd books, and it definitely shows). But the first two are wonderful - dark, *dark* fantasy, in places very funny, written in an unusual but very effective style, with really weird character names - Steerpike, Flay, Swelter, and Flannelcat are some that spring to mind. I would quote to give a feel of what they're like, but i've lent the book to my little (aged 12) brother - there is something a little bit childlike about them, especially _Titus Groan_, but childlike in the way that _The Hobbit_ is childlike - using the emotions and thoughts of childhood to convey very deep and adult ideas. AP does a very similar thing a lot of the time (too many songs to pick just one) - i can totally see why he likes Peake. i'm also impressed by his taste - Peake is challenging yet v. rewarding. ANYway (not meaning to sound like a PR firm!) - as a random aside - where is Hans de Vente in the Mummer cd booklet? or did you mean "inner sleeve" literally, as in, "on the album only"? when i first read that, before i went and got my cd, i had a confused thought that it had something to do with "Me and the Wind" (with a vague "In Loving Memory of a Name" hovering in the back of my head as well). enlighten us, please. - brookes "sgt. pepper's one and only lonely hearts club band" mckenzie
------------------------------ From: ZITTEL@aol.com Date: Sun, 25 Aug 1996 16:47:38 -0400 Message-ID: <960825164737_465091258@emout18.mail.aol.com> Subject: Hiroyasu Yaguchi CD wanted Hello. I am looking for the CD by Hiroyasu Yaguchi called "Gastronomic" that was released in Japan in 1988. Andy Partridge, of course, plays on this CD. If anyone has this for trade or sale please e-mail me. I would also be willing to settle for a taped copy of "Gastronomic". Thanks for your help. Jim http://members.aol.com/zittel/xtcmain.html
------------------------------
From: MPadg@aol.com
Date: Sun, 25 Aug 1996 17:54:05 -0400
Message-ID: <960825175405_393691344@emout13.mail.aol.com>
Subject: Beavis & Butthead on XTC
Beavis: XTC sucks!
Butthead: XTC's cool, dillweed!
Beavis: They sing about stuff that sucks.
Butthead: Uh, Pink Thing is about a dude wanking his wiener. heh heh.
Beavis: Oh yeah, heh heh, that's cool, heh heh.
Butthead: And Grass is, uh, about like people doing it in the park.
Beavis: Heh heh, I'd like to watch that, heh heh.
Butthead: and I think My Love Explodes is like about another dude
wanking his wiener.
Beavis: heh heh.
Butthead: And Omnibus is like about getting wood.
Beavis: Oh yeah, heh heh, it makes my Shakespeare hard, heh heh.
Butthead: And, uh, there's like Sacrificial Bonfire and Great Fire.
Beavis: FIRE!! FIRE!! .....FIRE!!!
Butthead: And, uh, Shake You Donkey Up.
Beavis: What's that about?
Butthead: Uh, I don't know, but I think it might be something cool. Heh
heh, and they say ass, heh heh.
Beavis: Heh heh, you said ass, heh heh.
Butthead: Respectable Street is like about people who barf and, uh, do
it doggy style.
Beavis: Heh heh, barfing is cool. But, uh, Through the Hill sucks!
Butthead: But it makes chicks want to do it, heh heh. But, uh, I think you
have to get them drunk first or something.
Beavis: But the survey said there's no chicks on Chalkhills. Just a bunch of
old farts sitting around listening to Pink Thing.
Butthead: Yeah, heh heh, Chalkhills is cool.
------------------------------ Message-ID: <322152F6.12EC@interpath.com> Date: Mon, 26 Aug 1996 00:32:06 -0700 From: "Charles Lee Lovingood, Jr." <lognsdad@interpath.com> Subject: Jazz Hello Brothers! A qucick line to let you all know that I still exist. (As if you cared!) I have been away discovering Jazz! Real Jazz! Miles Davis, John Coltrane, et al. It is quite enlightening. Try it! Lee Lovingood
------------------------------ Message-Id: <2.2.32.19960826053051.00b52168@vanbc.wimsey.com> Date: Sun, 25 Aug 1996 22:30:51 -0700 From: David Hathaway <davidh@electric.net> Subject: XsTatiC Simon, Count me into the "I love it all" category. Well, ok, maybe not love, but for the material I'm not raving bananas for, I usually at least "admire greatly". In a great fervour last week, I finally grabbed the XTC CDs that I hadn't own yet, so over the last two weeks, I snapped up Skylarking, The Big Express and the Dukes compilation. Funny you should mention "Train Running Low On Soul Coal", I liked that immediately, and, in general, it's slowly becoming one of my favorite albums, but then I have always preferred their noisy records... Songs like that one, Travels In Nihilon and Across This Antheap really start my morning off right. I think I'll cut a "morning CD" and load it up with the fast, sharp stuff... Regarding Thomas Dolby, I sent a note to him via his site (at http://www.tdolby.com/ ) to see if Mr. Pits might have been Andy partridge. Interesting, Dolby's recent compilation, Retrospectacle, mentions Andy's work, and suggests that Andy was partially responsible for Dolby's original deal with EMI. All for now, back to work... w w w . m o n k e y - b o y . c o m David Hathaway, CEO Of Monkey-Boy.com, Minder of the cats... davidh@monkey-boy.com, davidh@wimsey.com, davidh@electric.net Home to The Mars Subway Canadian Music Page, Melinda's Home Page and MIASMA
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 26 Aug 96 15:46:23 EDT From: Jeff Rosedale <rosedale@columbia.edu> Subject: English Wirement Message-ID: <CMM.0.90.4.841088783.rosedale@sawasdee.cc.columbia.edu> I am rising from the unterlurken to briefly blast a high note of re-tread praise for ES and D&W. Drums and Wires was my "Virgin" xtc experience as well. On a fast turntable with a bad cartridge and 8-watt speakers. I was never the same again. There is something irresistable about this album, and the arrangements, though simple, might be the very best of the whole XTC catalog. Some of the hooks appeared in the most unlikely places- listen to the very end of the DG solo on reel by real on the LP- it's never exactly the same again, even in live performances. The fade of Helicopter into the thick of Nigel... another "omitted song" travesty with day in-day out; and those lucky &*$*&(#$s who bought the original with the 7" EP... the packaging variations are endlessly entertaining, as are the song order changes. This one would be hard to beat... If it weren't for English Settlement. The first time this passed into my head I was convinced I had already heard the entire album, as if in a dream. It was as if it passed directly into my subconscious. Of course it was the bogus chopped down Epic version- only years later did I come upon the much-touted UK vinyl. The silvery highs and gut-punching bass make this the most dynamic sounding XTC LP ever. The songwriting, execution, and production, with its midpoint stance between stark and jagged vs. lush and swoopy, make it the most listenable. I take as symbolic the story of Terry Chambers' drum on Yacht Dance being strung to the extreme of tightness- it was XTC at the extreme of what they could do "cleanly" without post-production, frosting, layers upon layers, sometimes obscuring the jewel of a song within. Also terry at the end of his tether. (The closest to simplicity they have ever been since was under another name as the Dukes). Ok, I did say brief. I lied. --Jeff rosedale@columbia.edu
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01540b0aae47b27de3a8@[199.171.191.121]> Date: Mon, 26 Aug 1996 13:08:56 -0700 From: gondola@deltanet.com (E.B.) Subject: Various and sundry >From: mf@well.com (Mitch Friedman) >On the subject of replacing Barry Andrews in 1978/9, the first time I met Andy >in person, he told me that once Barry had left, Brian Eno expressed great >interest in joining the band. Andy summed up the decision to go with Dave >as "Well, we didn't want *another* bald keyboard player!" Wow. My mind reels with the possibilities! >Quick question: What, if anything, has XTC done in connection with Rhino >Records? Well, Rhino is about to release a 5 (?) CD set of '80s modern rock -- I wouldn't be too surprised if the group showed up there.... Re people wondering why Chalkhills has more Americans than Brits: Um, how about the fact that there are far, far more people in the United States? I don't know the exact population ratio, but even 1 out of 100,000 people in the States would add up pretty quick.... Another bald keyboard player, EB
------------------------------ From: MPadg@aol.com Date: Mon, 26 Aug 1996 18:29:13 -0400 Message-ID: <960826182913_188208367@emout12.mail.aol.com> Subject: President Kill >From: Claudia S Cauchon <Claudia.Cauchon@unh.edu> >Subject: "Nonsuch" Revisited >and I won't even go into how much I hate "Here Comes President Kills" the first >XTC song I outright can't stand. I think it's a great tune. When I'm selecting an O&L cut to play to the uninitiated I will usually use "Chalkhills and Children" because anyone can appreciate something that beautiful. For my serious musician friends I will use "Miniature Sun" (although many of them make fun of the bridge). Occasionally I will use "President Kill". The first time I heard the quirky horn lines it made me laugh out loud, and it sometimes effects others the same way. Laughing aloud to music is a high form of praise.
------------------------------ From: Stephen Larson <MereBrian@worldnet.att.net> Subject: The Converted Date: Tue, 27 Aug 1996 02:31:02 +0000 Message-ID: <19960827023100.AAA26466@LOCALNAME> The esteemed JH3 said: << There really are a handful (maybe even an armload) of us out there who really believe, *with complete conviction,* that XTC has NEVER recorded or even written a bad song. >> Sign me up, John. I'm behind you all the way. Now I'll go have another listen to "Countdown to Christmas Party Time". Ouch.
------------------------------ Message-Id: <m0uvET8-000DXtC@mail.airmail.net> Subject: Dave and Andy Play Guitar Date: Mon, 26 Aug 96 22:10:44 -0500 From: Della & Steve Schiavo <schiavo@airmail.net> >>Being that I'm a guitar player, I often indulge in painful torture >>attempting to replicate Andy's "so cool it blocks out the sun" guitar >>playing, usually with very little success. I've got a tape of Andy at his house talking to some French guys. One of them has been playing guitar for five years and just can't figure out how Andy and Dave do what they do. Andy takes a look and tells the guy that he'll "break his wrist" trying to do it that way. He then shows him how to play the part using a different tuning and says something to the effect that "it's simple, actually". I guess this is something different than Andy's nifty technique/style, but I'll leave that to the musicians on the list for comment. - Steve
------------------------------ Message-Id: <v01540b00ae47d22f390f@[169.132.99.115]> Date: Mon, 26 Aug 1996 23:15:13 +0100 From: pjmuck@mail.idt.net (Peter McCulloch) Subject: Hair today, gone tomorrow >From Mitch Friedman: >On the subject of replacing Barry Andrews in 1978/9, the first time I met Andy >in person, he told me that once Barry had left, Brian Eno expressed great >interest in joining the band. Andy summed up the decision to go with Dave >as "Well, we didn't want *another* bald keyboard player!" Famous last words. Seems Andy's joined the ranks of the "folically challenged" as well. Do you think there's some garage band somewhere jamming on there own version of, "Senses Working Over the Hill" ala "Whole Lotta Age"? >From Joshua Hall-Bachner: >It just goes to show that so many of Colin's great songs never make it to an >album. (at least BtW, Angry Young Men, The Good Things and Down A Peg made >it as B-sides. Where Did All The Ordinary People Go and It Didn't Hurt A Bit >were not quite so lucky.) I agree that some of Colin's best moments have never seen the light of day. "Find the Fox" has always been one of my favorites. Just a voice, a couple of guitars, and an occasional kick drum simulating the galloping hunt. Brilliant! Let's also not forget that it was Colin's singles in the early years that kept XTC afloat (Nigel, At The Hop, Generals and Majors), and there groundbreaking album in the US, Skylarking, has the most Colin songs to date on any album. >From Allan Toombs: >Does anyone on this list actually posess the ultra-rare promotional playing >card pack that was produced to hype Nonsuch? I once saw it advertised in >Record Collector but have never seen a set. I expect the court cards to use >the mock-Elizabethan portraits from the CD booklet but I'm hoping someone >could scan anything interesting for us. Right Oh! I've got 'em! They contain all the illustrations for the the album, as well as a few additional ones. I can't remember what the additional images are, as I've got them packed away in storage, but I think Always Winter is included and a joker. It also comes with instructions on how to play a game created by Andy, which is similiar to Concentration. I'll pick them up this weekend and scan them in at work. >From Richard Wallace: >I read on the FAQ that Andy was a-workin' with the "new" talking >heads. This struck me as very interesting; the talking heads are my >"other" favorite band (them and King Crimson). Welcome to Chalkhills, Richard. Andy appears on one song of the new Heads album. I heard an advance copy, and needless to say, Andy's song is the best. Too bad Mr. Byrne is so pissed off, though, as there's a lawsuit in the works. Speaking of Crimson, while I know of no collaboration with Fripp, I heard through a friend that Trey Gunn was interviewed when Thrak came out, and when asked what was a highlight in his career, he mentioned working with XTC on their forthcoming album?!! Is this just another ugly rumour, or have they actually worked together? Any input, chalkhillians? Cheers! Peter
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 26 Aug 1996 23:19:48 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <199608270319.XAA05777@cyber1.servtech.com> From: Joshua Hall-Bachner <particle@servtech.com> Subject: Bad XTC songs? Naaahhh... :) >There are three basic levels of musical quality: 1) XTC; 2) >The few other artists who aspire (whether they know it or not) to be as good >as XTC and occasionally manage it; and 3) everybody else. >Also, there are certain XTC tunes (the aforementioned Dance Mixture, for >example) that, IN MY OPINION, *might* sink below the usual XTC quality level >into category 2, but *never below that.* (And none of them are on Go 2.) I'm, ummm, close. :) I like pretty much everything XTC have put out. However, I just can't get myself to like The Smartest Monkeys, CDM, Officer Blue, or President Kill. Four out of 250+ isn't bad. :) Anyway, I do like pretty much everything else to some extent. Yes, I really like "Looking For Footprints" and, to a lesser extent, "Strange Tales, Strange Tails" just because of the way they make fun of the "look-at-me-I'm-such-a-big-shit-and-I'm-going-to-write-"epic"-songs-about-no thing-to-make-me-look-like-I'm-all-special-and-junk" school of songwriting. /---------------------------Joshua Hall-Bachner---------------------------\ | particle@servtech.com http://www.servtech.com/public/particle/ | | "Life is like a jigsaw. You get the straight bits, but there's something| \-----missing in the middle."--XTC, "All Of A Sudden (It's Too Late)"-----/
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 26 Aug 1996 23:19:55 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <199608270319.XAA05781@cyber1.servtech.com> From: Joshua Hall-Bachner <particle@servtech.com> Subject: Re: Ten Feet Tall >2. Joshua Hall-Bachner suggests that the R&BB version of TEN FEET TALL is >the best version. Just curious, *when* did I do this? I don't think I've said so in about three months. :) Really, I used to really like the R&BB version a lot, but I haven't listened to it much of late, and I prefer the D&W version as of now. (I still like the R&BB Scissor Man better, though!) /---------------------------Joshua Hall-Bachner---------------------------\ | particle@servtech.com http://www.servtech.com/public/particle/ | | "Life is like a jigsaw. You get the straight bits, but there's something| \-----missing in the middle."--XTC, "All Of A Sudden (It's Too Late)"-----/
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 27 Aug 1996 01:12:03 -0400 Message-Id: <v01510100ae47faf5ca88@[206.138.210.42]> From: lilypad@inch.com (groovelily) Subject: Nonsuch playing Cards are not quite that spiffy i had the opportunity to be in the happy avalanche of a music reviewer in 1992. he didn't like XTC, nor did he like a bunch of other bands I found fascinating--consequently, I wound up with a deck of Nonsuch playing cards. They're nice; they come in a card box like a pack of bicycles (as it were); there are two cards bearing the image and name of each song, and two other cards--a discography and a title card, I think, for a total of 36 cards. I've never played "concentration" with them, but I believe that's their intended purpose (besides promotion, of course). If anyone out there finds this sort of tidbit to be a valuable and attractive thing, I'd love to trade the deck for something interesting, like some more MUSIC. Email me outside the list--i'm pretty easy to please. --Brendan Milburn lilypad@inch.com http://www.inch.com/~lilypad
------------------------------
From: Jumpthecup@aol.com
Date: Tue, 27 Aug 1996 01:37:45 -0400
Message-ID: <960827013149_188532045@emout18.mail.aol.com>
Subject: "It Didn't Hurt A Bit" lyrics and ding dong ding dong, more bells!
Hi everyone! Here are the lyrics to the Colin Moulding demo "It Didn't Hurt A
Bit", from the Demos 2 (Nonsuch Sessions) bootleg:
It Didn't Hurt A Bit
(written by Colin Moulding)
[transcribed by Dave O'Connell]
Just a casual thing
Not really worth a mention
Didn't hurt a bit
Didn't hurt a bit
But if you didn't mind
Can we change the subject now?
Didn't hurt a bit
Really didn't hurt a bit
And after all, I'm a man of the world
People come to me 'cause I know the score
And if you see the king
Say I'm a free man
Be sure to tell me it didn't hurt a bit
Just a bit of fun
Didn't alter a thing
Didn't hurt a bit
That's an end to it
In another week
I won't remember the name
But it's all the same
Didn't hurt a bit
My appearance isn't what you surmise
It's just a piece of grape that got in my eye
Whatever you do
Whatever you know
Well I'll put up string (?)
It didn't hurt a bit
Lots of rumours flying 'round
Plans to decieve
It's my word against hers
Who are you going to believe?
Just a casual thing
Not really worth a mention
Didn't hurt a bit
Didn't hurt a bit
But if you didn't mind
Can we change the subject now?
That's an end to it
Really didn't hurt a bit
After all, I'm a man of the world
People come to me 'cause I know the score
Whatever you do
Whatever you say
[song fades out at this point]
Be sure to tell me it didn't hurt a bit
[Colin starts moaning at this point]
Noooooo!
Noooooo!
[then he changes his mind...]
Yeaaaaah!
[end of song]
Not one of Colin's better lyrics, I think.
Speaking of bootlegs, I've recieved 23 tape packages to dub so far. Everyone
who had their packaged postmarked by August 19th will get their tapes in the
mail by the end of August. You have my word on this. In fact, I'll swear a
blood oath if it will make you feel any better.
If anyone doesn't have enough time to record their Chalkhills' Children
submissions, I'll do your song for you. I can do my worst to any song XTC has
ever performed and that, my friends, is a guarantee. I have all the
submissions guidelines posts from Richard tucked away in my hard drive, so
there's no need to explain the proceedure to me. I'm serious about this.
Please don't make Richard burn your cattle and farm your crops or whatever it
is he mockingly threatens to do should you bail out on him. I implore you,
please, please, do something...
Bells, bells, bells: In Chalkhills #2-150, Simon Sleightholm wrote:
>If I remember you correctly, you are the gentleman who asserted that you
>loved and presumably found some kind of value in, everything Todd
>[Rundgren] did. Is that correct?
No. I said that Todd "is a musical genius". A genius is a person of
extraordinary intellect and talent. It is not necessarily a person who is
perfect at everything he or she attempts to do.
Simon continues...
>If this is so, then I was wrong on one count (the bells fiasco) and you,
>on the basis of that appalling compilation I bought...if I am generous in
>your favour with the said compilation, are wrong on sixteen counts.
Nope. Todd has everything to gain and nothing to lose from being on a
compilation album, even one with a less than stellar lineup of
artists. He makes money from the liscensing of his song, he has no
fear of repercussions from the record company liscensee should the
record do a nosedive and there's always the remote possibility that
someone listening to the record might be impressed enough with Todd's
songwriting skills to purchase something from his catalog.
Also, no artist can be held responsible for the quality of the artists who
might appear alongside him or her on a compilation album. I find merit in
every officially released XTC song that Andy has ever written. However, that
statement does not require me to also enjoy the music of Rockapella (who
appear alongside XTC on the Carmen Sandiego: Out Of This World album) in
order to make it valid. That would be ridiculous.
Anyway, the gloating part of my post was not meant to be taken seriously.
That's why I purposely made it so over the top ("Nyaah! Nyaah!...E-mail me! I
dare ya!"). I simply don't feel like making sideways smiley faces every time
I want to joke around. So now you know.
Dave O'Connell
York PA
<jumpthecup@aol.com>
P.S. This lyric transcription might not be 100% correct. By all means,
correct me if I've misheard any of the lyrics.
P.P.S. Thank you, Mark Heggen!!!!! You completely and totally surprised me
with the package you sent out! I really appreciate you sparing me one of
your tapes with the dub of the Oranges and Lemons acoustic gig. I'll try to
return the favor...
And I want to thank Sara Lloyd and Peter McCulloch who have been
particularly kind and generous during this bootleg dub thing, plus Joshua
Hall, Andy Cuthbert and all the other people who have offered to dub me
stuff in return.
And please send your lyric interpretations to Joshua Hall Bachner. All I
have is a XTC video treatment and it doesn't reflect my interpretation of
the song, mainly because I don't have one.
------------------------------ Message-Id: <199608271018.DAA12746@sgi.sgi.com> From: vancha@online.microcity.com Date: 27 Aug 1996 04:18:54 CST Subject: CHANGES IN POP MUSIC: WILL XTC BE INFLUENCED? Even though there is more than enough XTC material to enjoy for a lifetime, most of us look forward to a new XTC album. With that in mind, I thought it would be interesting to see if XTC are influencd by some of changes in pop music that have happened since they made their last album. Ok, let's see. Some of the things prominent in pop albums today are: 1) Dry or unaffected vocals and instruments, with little or no reverb. 2) Tuned down guitars, usually a semitone or a half step but sometimes more. 3) Prominent use of distorted guitars, even in some 'soft' music. 4) 'Natural', unaffected drums which are loud in the mix. 5) A tendency to even more simple song structure and repetition. 6) 10 or 15 songs on an album. 7) A ghost track that is hidden at the end of cds. There are other things that could have been added to this list but these strike me as being some of the most prominent changes in pop music. Will XTC just keep making great records and do it as they have in the past, or will they be influenced by any of the developments with regard to making pop songs and albums? Let's see! M.V. p.s. Frequently people mention that they like the production on this or that album. The production of music generally refers to getting good sounds from guitar amps or whatever on to tape and also getting good performances by musicians in the studio. MIXING is what most of you mean when you refer to production and it is the final mix of the sounds on tape that are manipulated or 'produced' to give the final sound. It is an art form and has a dramatic impact on how the songs sound.
------------------------------ From: BObannon@aol.com Date: Tue, 27 Aug 1996 09:33:45 -0400 Message-ID: <960827093344_188669093@emout14.mail.aol.com> Subject: No bad songs/Conversion strategy >> There really are a handful (maybe even an armload) of us out there who really believe, *with complete conviction,* that XTC has NEVER recorded or even written a bad song. << In all due respect, John, you are entitled to your fanaticism, but keep in mind that Andy and Colin would probably be the first to disagree. In fact, your comments might even make them a little nervous. >>Has anybody got any good advice on how to overcome the hostile attitude that my girlfriend seems to take?<< Strategic psychological warfare, with a heavy emphasis on repetition. Find a few catchy, easy-to-swallow tunes (maybe "Then She Appeared," "The Loving," or "Season Cycle") and play them over and over. Don't announce their presence; just pop them in as you drive, or play them over dinner, and say nothing about them. Eventually those perky melodies will sink into her head and she won't be able to resist humming them instinctively. Then, when you catch her in the act, say: "Hey, what are you humming?" And she'll probably respond, "Uh, I don't know; one of those songs you keep playing." Then gently point out that she is humming an XTC song. You've got her backed into a corner at this point. It's over. Bob
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 27 Aug 1996 09:38:15 -0400 From: patty@gdb.org (Patty Haley) Message-Id: <9608271338.AA08894@musichead.gdb.org> Subject: Whenever I listen to the Dukes... Hi all: I'm sure I'm not the only XTC fan out there who is also gung-ho on the Bevis Frond. I think of him whenever I listen to the Dukes, and when I listen to him I think of XTC's more clever lyrics. Anyone who is interested in sending private email concerning BF is welcome to do so; I'd love to hear from anyone who's seen him live, has gigs to trade, etc. -Patty
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 27 Aug 1996 10:14:49 -0400
Message-Id: <v01510102ae487a61c2f7@[128.122.161.36]>
From: vanvalnc@is2.nyu.edu (Chris Van Valen)
Subject: Re: Chalkhills Digest #2-150---Two bits
From: Ira Lieman <aym@intercall.com>
Subject: Partridge/Dolby
>
>Dolby, meanwhile, was a big XTC fan and had been trying to join for years,
>but as I understand it Andy didn't want another Barry, someone who'd want
>to do their own thing within the band. So Dolby wasn't really considered.
I read an article a while back in which Dolby had approached Andy about
replacing Barry, but Andy replied that he had already decided that he'd
rather get a new guitarist instead.
From: gondola@deltanet.com (E.B.)
Subject: Re: Costello/Andy
>
>Someone was discussing the possibility of Elvis Costello working with Andy,
>while someone else commented upon how "The Green Man" seems to borrow
>melody from Jesu, Joy Of Desiring.
Listen to the outro keyboard solo fron EC's "The Only Flame in Town"--Jesu,
Joy of Man's Desiring!
CV
If you have an unpleasant nature and dislike people
this is no obstacle to work.
--J.G. Bennett
Catch "Forever Knight" on the Sci-Fi Channel every Monday at 8PM and
midnight, EDT.
--Lucien LaCroix
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 27 Aug 1996 09:22:49 -0700 (PDT) Message-Id: <v01510100ae486e57ae20@[199.4.94.101]> From: wine@wco.com (Glenn Siegel- The Wine Spectrum, Inc.) Subject: Your Chalkhills Posting In response to Stephen Varga's post. As a proud Black Sea era discoverer, I shared your assumption that "Dear God" launched interest in the band. I remember when I bought B.S. in 1982. I bought it knowing nothing about the band, and as I recall, I was intrigued by the cover. When I started listening I remember saying to myself, "wait a minute, did they say what I think they said? Is this album really this good?, Hey, good score! etc."
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Aug 1996 00:42:30 -0500 (CDT) From: "Jeffrey with 2 f's Jeffrey" <jenor@csd.uwm.edu> Subject: Sugarplastic/ Loud Family Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.91.960828003948.19873D-100000@alpha1.csd.uwm.edu> Since many of us had been talking about Sugarplastic, I thought I'd let the list know they're touring the US opening for the Loud Family - who might be described as an American XTC, in that they're a pop band who incorporate some avant-garde-ish ideas and textures as well as very intelligent & witty lyrics. More loud guitars, though, than XTC usually use. Scott Miller, the Loud Family's main writer, headed Game Theory in the '80s (for us 30+ types making up the plurality of the list!). Then we can hear how "XTC" the Sugarplastic are (is it "the" Sugarplastic or not?). --Jeff Jeffrey J. Norman <jenor@csd.uwm.edu> <http://www.uwm.edu/~jenor/> Dept. of English & Comp. Lit. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee ::I feel that all movies should have things that happen in them. :: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::TV's Frank::
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Aug 1996 08:47:49 -0400 (EDT) From: Irene Trudel <engrgal@gramercy.ios.com> Subject: Yet another drummer post... Message-ID: <Pine.BSF.3.95.960828083055.20084C-100000@gramercy.ios.com> Hey Chalkies! Can you stand one more post about a suggested drummer? This comes to you via the Richard Thompson list. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: owner-r-thompson@njitgw.njit.edu MJ> Finally, the mailshot mentions a Dave Mattacks solo album to be MJ> released in August. Does anybody have more details? >From the Fairport newsletter March 1996: Message from DM "Hello! I'd like to take this opportunity to do an advance 'plug' for a nearly completed project I'm involved in. As some of you may know, I do quite a bit of studio work outside of Fairport, but this is rather special and probably the nearest I'll get to a solo CD. It's essentially a trio recording with musicians I've a lot of respect and admiration for, John Donaldson Piano and Andy Cleyndert Double Bass and it should be in the shops by summer! Biased as I am, I must say that I feel as positive about this as I do Fairport's Jewel in the Crown and XTC's Nonsuch - two personal favourites - though our music is somewhat different. Thanks, DM. ---------- Why not go with a drummer who really enjoys XTC? Beside, he IS a really great drummer (I'm a bit biased, being a Fairport fan). ---Irene
------------------------------
Message-ID: <8231D72F01291300@ametsoc.org>
Date: Wed, 28 Aug 96 09:53:00 -0500
From: dgershmn <dgershmn@ametsoc.org>
Organization: AMS
Subject: Survey says...!
In Joshua-hills, oops, I mean Chalkhills #150 (but didn't it seem like every
post in that last one was from Mr. Hall-Bachner?), Stephen Varga mused:
>Subject: Re:Demographic Survey Results
>I've spotted another surprising result.
>It appears that the vast majority of Chalkhills subscribers come from the US.
>That in itself is not too surprising.
>What is, is the fact that the majority of these claim to be an XTC fan for
>more than 9 years. Why the surprise?
>Because I thought that in the US, XTC had a relatively small following
>until Dear God became an accidental hit in 1987. Even Geffen was planning
>to drop XTC from their distribution label had that miracle not taken place.
>Therefore, the reults seem disproportionate to XTC's sales in the US.
Well, when you consider that this is a nonrandom survey of only 100 people,
every one of them could have bought every single album before Skylarking and
it still wouldn't have made a blip in the sales of any of them. For all we
know, this group of 100 could be the ENTIRE "relatively small following" you
refer to! :) All I'm saying is that, interesting as the results may be
within this mailing list, I don't think you can extrapolate the results to
the general non-Chalkhills-subscribing music-buying population of the U.S.
with any accuracy.
And from Jeff Langr:
>Don't know if the DI5 belongs here but oh well
Well, actually, no, I was asking folks to e-mail it directly to me, but
that's okay...I've tallied your picks along with the rest. Thanks! ("DI5"
sounds like it should come after "ID4," which, if you saw the movie, makes
some sense, doesn't it?)
Which brings me once again to the daily reminder (hope those of you who have
already responded will bear with me on these reminders) to send in your Top
5 Desert Island XTC Songs! The response has been great, but I'm still aiming
for at least 100 responses. I'm extending the deadline slightly to
approximately Sept. 20, to give those who happen to subscribe through a
school address a chance to catch up once they've returned to class. And in
case any of you happened to wonder what MY Top 5 happen to be, since I've
been pestering all of you to make such a difficult decision, here it is, in
no particular order (this was very tough for me as well, but this is how it
turned out when I did it):
No Language in Our Lungs
Yacht Dance
Deliver Us from the Elements
1000 Umbrellas
Holly up on Poppy
So go ahead, make up YOUR list today, and send it to me, not the mailing
list, at "dgershmn@ametsoc.org" and I'll report the results after the
closing date. It promises to be an interesting one! (And remember, one lucky
respondent will win a compilation tape made up of as many of the top results
as I can fit on it!)
Dave Gershman
Maker of "English Settle-Mints"...they'll leave your senses working
overtime!
------------------------------ Message-Id: <32241053.369B@mci.com> Date: Wed, 28 Aug 1996 09:24:35 +0000 From: Jeff Langr <jeffrey.langr@mci.com> Subject: XTC US following Stephen Varga wrote: > Because I thought that in the US, XTC had a relatively small following > until Dear God became an accidental hit in 1987. Even Geffen was planning > to drop XTC from their distribution label had that miracle not taken place. Don't forget, Epic, Virgin America, and RSO all carried XTC in the US before Geffen picked them up (I think beginning with Mummer). > Therefore, the reults seem disproportionate to XTC's sales in the US. The number of list subscribers is relatively small (around 1000 from what I recall Mr. Relph last mentioned) compared to the number of people who listen to XTC (10's of thousands now, 100's of thousands over the years). I would suspect as many as half of US fans are long-term listeners who probably got into them when Ten Feet Tall, Generals & Majors, and Senses Working Overtime were getting some (albeit small) airplay in the US, which would provide the age set shown in the demographic results of 32 - 35 or so. I'm sure lots of listeners came from the "punk", Trouser Press reading crowd. Personally I came across XTC from a friend who was heavily into punk; he came across XTC via a 10" compilation album called Catch a Wave which had Statue of Liberty on it; he then was the one who played Helicopter for me... > Do the the rest of the US XTC fans not have access to the internet? Probably not. While it's hard to see from our vantage point, there are comparatively very few people out there on the internet. Jeff L.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 28 Aug 1996 13:51:18 -0400 (EDT)
From: Ted Harms <tmharms@library.uwaterloo.ca>
Subject: Knob-Dweeb question on Colin
Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.91.960828134639.955A-100000@library.uwaterloo.ca>
I was playing the BBC3 live CD last night and trying to figure out the
bass line to Burning With Optimism Flame. The timing is just a little
funky but I think I got it (more or less) down.
But, I'm wondering if anybody knows if Colin plays with his fingers or a
pick (or plectrum, for our non-N. America readers)? The pictures I've
seen of him are sans pick but the string attack on said track is so
friggin' even, it's almost inhuman.
Mind you, Colin is bass playing God so I wouldn't be surprised if he was
just using a two-fingered approach...
Ted Harms Library, Univ. of Waterloo
tmharms@library.uwaterloo.ca 519.888.4567 x3761
"Then, I would say, lenguage is that we may MIS-unda-stend each udda."
- Krazy Kat
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Aug 1996 19:14:41 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <199608282314.TAA01276@cyber1.servtech.com> From: Joshua Hall-Bachner <particle@servtech.com> Subject: Song Interps Ackpth! Nobody has sent me even a single XTC song interpretation yet! Come on, I *know* that you are all opinionated and certainly have opinions as to what the various songs are about. If you send me some, they'll go up on the page. Isn't *anybody* going to send me some? :) Anyway. /---------------------------Joshua Hall-Bachner---------------------------\ | particle@servtech.com http://www.servtech.com/public/particle/ | | "Life is like a jigsaw. You get the straight bits, but there's something| \-----missing in the middle."--XTC, "All Of A Sudden (It's Too Late)"-----/
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 29 Aug 1996 17:04:57 +0100 Message-Id: <199608291604.RAA20541@easynet.co.uk> From: ul-terior@easynet.co.uk (Paul Bailey) Subject: XTC Hi all you children of the Chalkhills As management for XTC, GOOD NEWS FOR ALL. HURRAH! As you may or may not know there is an exiting new release by XTC, on Virgin Records, of all the singles released by the band, containing rare singles that have been deleted, re-mixed versions and all digitally re-mastered. The release date is September 16th, 1996 and will come in a sensational special limited edition 3-D package for a short time only (don't you know it !!!!) Entitled 'Fossil Fuel - the STC singles 1977 - 1992', it will be a double disc CD with all 31! tracks in chronological order as originally released with a 16 page booklet that has graphics of all the singles covers and correct lyrics! to all the songs. It will also be available in a double cassette form. This limited release will be only available in the UK. The rest of the world, including the US and Japan, will not be releasing it as a domestic product. If you want to get a copy you will have to order it from your local record store as an import as soon as possible due to the limited pressing. Andy is currently in the middle of promoting this forthcoming release throughout the UK and Europe. An internet conference will be set up very soon so that you will all be able to speak to Andy directly. Also at the end of the year there will be a video compilation release made up of various videos, TV and filmed performances. The band are currently in negotiations with various record compani8es in regard to finding a new label due to leaving Virgin after 19 years. A new album (possibly a double) will be released in the new year of '97. Suggestions - who would be your favourite producer for the band? XTC are currently developing their own web site to include access to merchandising (T - shirts as we know them Jim!), the 'Andy Partridge Game Show' (fully interactive), news, views and any other ideas that comes out of the time capsule that is Swindon! May your world be large.
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #2-151 *******************************
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