Chalkhills Digest Volume 6, Issue 83
Date: Thursday, 20 April 2000
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 6, Number 83
Thursday, 20 April 2000
Topics:
CDR Help required (sorry no XTC content)
Angus vs. Eric
cover art, napster hypocracy... etc...
That was a close one!
NONSUCH MEANS UNRIVALED
Spoilin'
cooking vinyl
Favorite XTC Logo.
A School Guide to XTC
More of the same-o? I don't think so.
Re: Nonsuch.
Re: beatles white album
What's next already
Sublime/Ridiculous, etc.
Easter Theatre
THE LITTLE EXPRESS
Bunched bloomers
Tapped for Performance
Load of old Tosh
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All I'm saying is you're deaf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 16:37:11 GMT From: "Tim Brooks" <bridgered@hotmail.com> Subject: CDR Help required (sorry no XTC content) Message-ID: <20000419163711.8603.qmail@hotmail.com> Hi, a fellow hiller posted a question last week and i understand got some good tips so i'm hoping some of you good folk may be able to help me out. I have just bought a Phillips CDR with Adaptec EZ-CD software included. My real problem is that it is not able to record the last track on the CD i.e.on a two track CD single its only picking up the first track, a four track single the first three and on a sixteen track album the first fifteen. Weird eh! It gives me a message "In order to prepare the source CD ROM drive for data transfer, Easy CD creator attempts to read the first sector of the track. An error occurred while doing so disc duplication cannot proceed" This happens in both the test phase and write and also if i choose record later and thus save the files in my PC (a test Phillips asked me to try). The CD ROM drive can play this last track as a audio track so why isn't it picked up for writing? I contacted Phillips twice at the weekend but this has them foxed (they've never seen it before), they've got me to test the bios and uninstall and reload the software. Any ideas - being so close to working this last track problem is frustrating to say the least!!!! Thanks Tim
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 15:29:20 -0400 From: twosheds@mindspring.com Subject: Angus vs. Eric Message-ID: <Springmail.105.956172560.0.76792200@www.springmail.com> Greetings Chalklings!! Just thought I should share the following, which I read in a local paper today: 'An AC/DC fan paid $28,100 for a guitar lesson from the band's lead guitarist, Angus Young. The money will go to charity, and the deal has reportedly set a world record for the most money ever paid to learn 3 Chords.' And on the other end of the spectrum, I had the opportunity to see local (Austin) guitar hero/god/whiz/whatever, Eric Johnson, with a pretty amazing rhythm section: Trey Gunn (of Crimson fame) on Stick/Bass, and Jerry Marotta on drums!! Although I had hoped this was going to be an all original project, it was basically Eric's show, and they played all of his best tunes. Best 3 piece band I have ever seen perform live, period! Any of you Chalkers who are not familiar with Eric Johnson, should check out his CD "Ah Via Musicom"... XTC content - Jerry M. played drums on "And Through the Wire" on Peter Gabriel 3, with Dave G. on guitar. Joe 'waspstarless & bible black' Funk Vice President - The Society to remove the "Bah" from "Sis Boom Bah"
------------------------------ Date: 19 Apr 00 14:26:22 CDT From: Mor_Goth <mor_goth@usa.net> Subject: cover art, napster hypocracy... etc... Message-ID: <20000419192622.17167.qmail@nw175.netaddress.usa.net> First off in response to Jonathan Rosenberg's excellent post about the significance of the cover art... You are not going to get any kind of "boy this guy's an idot" post from me! This is just the kind of stuff I love. And I daresay a great insight. About the future singles however, I just hope they don't try and push the metaphor too far, it could get cheesy if not done carfully. About the great Napster debate. First of all, Dark Rabbit has it right. Sueing Napster is like trying to change the course of a river by throwing a pebble into it. People have been exchanging files of all kinds over the internet for many many years, both legaly and illegaly, music is just the latest incarnation of this, and one with slightly blurry lines. Now this may piss some people off, but Ive got to say that I believe that anyone who has listened to the demos or even has condoned or tolorated it, yet condemns Napster is indulging in the height of hypocracy. And just does not downloading the MP3s from Napster make one "stronger". I'm willing to bet that anyone with enoug intrest in XTC to download the songs now sure as hell is going to buy at least one copy of the album when it is released. Get this straight "THERE IS NO THEFT INVOLVED". And if someone does download the songs, and then decide they don't like the album and don't buy it, is that really any different from listening to a copy of a friend's purchased copy and then not buying it? Or going to the record story and listening to it at one of those headphone stations? And just how is listening to a so called "legitimate" advance copy any better than listening to the MP3? Are Andy and Colin getting rich off of those advanced copies? Anyway my 2 cents.
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 14:31:50 -0600 From: Phil Corless <philco@micron.net> Subject: That was a close one! Message-ID: <3.0.5.32.20000419143150.00a388f0@pophost.micron.net> I've been reading about Martin Newell's Cleaners From Venus work for years here on Chalkhills. I finally ordered "Golden Cleaners (Best of)" from Amazon a few months ago and.... Hmmmm... It just wasn't doing it for me. I love his two recent solo CDs, "Greatest Englishman" and "The Off-White Album," but nothing on the Cleaners disc was clicking in my brain. After three listenings I was ready to put it up on eBay. But maybe it deserved one more listen, so with the wife and kid out of the house one afternoon, I cranked up the volume and started working on the computer.... There it was.... Almost right away, during this fourth and what I thought would be the final listen.... This is good! Really good. It's what pop music should be. So the moral of this story, especially for you "Wasp Star is a disappointment" people, is that sometimes the best music takes a long long time to sink in. Or maybe the moral of this story is that good music should be listened to loud. - Phil C.
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 14:05:47 -0700 (PDT) From: travis schulz <xtcisadarngoodband@yahoo.com> Subject: NONSUCH MEANS UNRIVALED Message-ID: <20000419210547.27784.qmail@web1102.mail.yahoo.com> Hi! Someone mentioned here not too long ago, that WASP STAR was so awful, even NONSUCH was a better album. Well, that has me wanting WS even more, as NONSUCH is the frickin jewel in the frickin crown for XTC as far as I'm concerned. What a bright red beating heart of an album NONSUCH is. Ok, on to other ramblings and questions......A School Guide To XTC arrived the other day and it is a must have for the XTC fan, the cd that came with the book features the music of STAR PARK- the book is better. Would anyone know where a person could order the little soldier figurines that were designed by Andy?- I read more on these in the book. Is the Bull with the Golden Guts/Jules Verne Sketchbook available on the net to copy? Was it wrong to ask the previous question? I love to collect, like many here do as well, a lot of XTC side projects- but never tried Shriekback. I understand they have a new album out? Did the final issue of LE really come out, or were we being lied to? That's all for now. Have fun! Love XTC. Travis.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 17:08:27 -0400
From: Ben Gott/Loquacious Music <gott@tmbg.org>
Subject: Spoilin'
Message-ID: <B523988A.1ED4%gott@tmbg.org>
Hey, Gang:
Y'know, I was just listening to "Stupidly Happy" (a song that I didn't care
for before hearing the "finished product"), and I was struck by how much the
jangly guitar bits sound straight outta Johnny Marr's book...Anyone else
agree?
-Ben
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
Benjamin Gott . Loquacious Music . Brunswick, ME 04011
AIM: Plan4Nigel . Tel: (207) 721-5366 . http://listen.to/loquacious
Tired of asking why / Tired of trying to work it out / So I...
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 20:19:02 +0100 From: "chris browning" <chris@boodle.fsnet.co.uk> Subject: cooking vinyl Message-ID: <00d101bfaa44$45c06d00$8743883e@pbncomputer> for all us dissapointed who have yet to get their ears around WASP STAR, i thought you might like to know the new cooking vinyl sampler starts off with none other than "playground" haven't bought it yet though, main reason being that i need to *pace* myself - it's a long time to wait and as such teh self control will mean i have something to look forward to of XTC before - *that* date. follow? good grief - this month is going to be a long one. AND the new belle and sebastian single is released on the same day. monsieur with these releases you are spoiling us.... crisp
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 14:47:53 -0700 From: "Radiosinmotion" <radiosinmotion@earthlink.net> Subject: Favorite XTC Logo. Message-ID: <001101bfaa48$ea8f72a0$0200a8c0@digitalpc> What is everyones favorite XTC logo on an album? I would have to say Drums & Wires is the best logo XTC ever had. I loved that logo!
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 20 Apr 2000 00:08:44 +0200
From: "paolo" <lemons@tin.it>
Subject: A School Guide to XTC
Message-ID: <LOBBIBKPKJCGLGDMLDLKGEMLCBAA.lemons@tin.it>
"garret harkawik" asked:
Does anyone know where I can buy A School Guide to XTC?
--------------------------------------
The link where you can order the italian book it is this:
http://www.stampalternativa.it/altre.htm
(if you have difficulty contact me).
In "10ft" there is a small presentation to this link:
http://space.tin.it/io/pdimodic/articoli_e.htm
Waiting for "L'Ape Stellare" (Wasp Star in Italian :-)
Ciao to everybody.
paolo di modica@ten feet tall
http://space.tin.it/io/pdimodic
http://fly.to/xtc.it
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 17:22:27 -0400 From: "Todd Bernhardt" <todd.bernhardt@enterworks.com> Subject: More of the same-o? I don't think so. Message-ID: <38FE2393.E77D3DFC@enterworks.com> Organization: Enterworks, Inc. Hi: Jake Bryson said: > Lowlights are "Wounded Horse" (a bland and generic bore, could have been > written by *anyone*) and "You and the clouds" (one Sting is bad enough). Okay, Jake, as your e-mail address implies, you may be a "bigtuffguy," but I've had about enough of this talk from you and others on the Playground. There is NO Sting on this album. Andy does not sound like Sting. He does not write like Sting. Sting should be so fucking lucky. And "Wounded Horse" is funny, especially the "slice of misery" solo. -Todd
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 23:12:34 +0100 From: "David Valentine" <david@valentined.freeserve.co.uk> Subject: Re: Nonsuch. Message-ID: <003d01bfaa4c$5f843700$4521883e@default> Yeah, NonSuch wasn't a classic album, but it wasn't bad. True, it suffered from following Oranges and Lemons but Books are Burning, Omnibus, Pumpkinhead, Ugly Underneath, Dissapointed etc etc stand comparison with anything they've done. Colin's tracks were weak (unusually) and it was a little long. But the criticism thus far seems a little harsh. Don
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 23:16:40 +0100 From: "David Valentine" <david@valentined.freeserve.co.uk> Subject: Re: beatles white album Message-ID: <005301bfaa4d$5c175560$4521883e@default> -Yeah, the White Album would have been a great single album. Trouble is no two people come up with the same tracklisting. Don.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 15:35:15 -0700
From: Ed Kedzierski <ed.kedzierski@blvdmedia.com>
Subject: What's next already
Message-ID: <08B5DDC2BABCD311BFC6005004A884B013B5DE@mgcservices.com>
Well, it may be too early to start talking about this, we should probably
wait at least until the new album's out, but way back in 6-77, Neil Oliver
asked about what's next after Wasp Star (had Andy & Colin been writing at
all, or had they been too preoccupied finishing things off with the backlog
songs, etc.) and said:
As much as I'd like to know what is happening on that front,
I feel we should declare a moratorium on trading demos for future albums. I
would like to hear the next XTC album with completely fresh ears - but if
the demos are out there I am powerless to resist their lure! Hopefully there
won't be another 7 year gap so temptation won't get the better of us all...
:)
Well, I have a funny feeling that there's probably going to be quite a
reduction in "demo leak" next time in any case, if only because they won't
be shopped around to prospective new record labels, which was a large part
of the AV1&2 demos being scattered around the planet for people to get their
hands on... And who knows, Andy might get cagier about letting them out of
his hands after having total strangers suggest which ones should be album
selections for the past couple of years; the people who get copies may be
fewer, and they may be asked to promise more seriously that they not copy &
distribute stuff, so we all might be forced to wait for "Homespun" style
demo releases after the official albums come out anyway.
I can't help wondering what the mood on the list is going to be a year from
now, if we're going to start expecting annual releases now that 2 albums
have come out just over a year apart... ("We want a new album NOW! Seven
years, then one year... how long this time? Too inconsistent... we're
freaking out!")
I guess the next thing we should (hopefully) expect should be "Fuzzy
Warbles", providing that Virgin is really just trying to release it's own
box (which I sheepishly admit I don't think I could keep from buying if I
actually saw it on the shelf... I guess I'm just weak.) and it's not just a
big ploy to scuttle Fuzzy Warbles; if both come out I'll buy them ( though I
know that the dirty part of that would be Virgin using its power as a big
label to cut into FW's sales, as a smaller-label product), if one comes out
I'll buy it, though I'd obviously prefer it if it was Fuzzy Warbles on
Idea/CV/TVT over "A Definitive Collection of Some Poor Bastards We Royally
Screwed" on Virgin, of course.
What really scares me is the idea that this might well be Virgin's way of
ensuring that nothing at all in the way of a demo box set sees the light of
day. They could start out making the whole thing such a headache (which
seems to be what they're doing, from what we've heard) that the band &
labels eventually drop, or at least shelve, the "Fuzzy Warbles" idea. They
use the legal "full and complete cooperation in the project" stipulation
that someone mentioned a while back to force Andy & Colin to hand over demos
and (even more humiliating) contribute liner notes. Maybe they even release
a track listing, and show some people a really lovely looking prototype of a
nicely-designed package for the box itself. Then, at the last possible
minute, they cancel the thing (perhaps some legal sleigh-of-hand, where they
could be seen as having "made the product" without ever having to get it to
the stores; maybe even a pathetically limited release that's immediately
withdrawn, a la Wrapped in Grey), with the result that Virgin gets in one
last nasty blow at the band, the band doesn't even get paid the crappy
Virgin cut, and (not to sound selfish) we get no cool boxed set of demos.
Now understand I really hope that this doesn't happen (and yes it's mostly
pure speculation), and I'm not trying to bum people out or cause panic, but
it's just the kind of thing I could see those EMI-run bastards doing. Major
labels suck.
Ed K.
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 16:58:12 -0700 (PDT) From: Lawdy Mama <Smithers-Jones@excite.com> Subject: Sublime/Ridiculous, etc. Message-ID: <1612626.956188693140.JavaMail.imail@goochy.excite.com> In #6-82 Tyler Hewitt opened the masterpiece/tripe thread and requested some examples. Seeing as I have nothing edifying to add to the thrilling Napster and Spoiler debates, I thought I'd weigh in with some trenchant commentary on said thread. Stones - Exile on Main Street(!)/Goat's Head Soup Clash - London Calling/Sandinista! Elvis Costello - Too many to mention Genesis - The Lamb/Trick of the Tail (duh) Weezer - Weezer/Pinkerton (sorry Derek) George Harrison - All Things Must Pass/Living in the Material World The Jam - Sound Affects/The Gift Pink Floyd - The Wall/The Final Cut Radiohead - OK Computer/The Next One XTC - English Settlement/Mummer (oh dear) Also, re: White Album... >Hey Vinny. Great picture, but too many stars.< Or, if you prefer... There are simply too many notes, Herr Mozart.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 20:12:21 CDT
From: "vee tube" <veetube@hotmail.com>
Subject: Easter Theatre
Message-ID: <20000420011221.93841.qmail@hotmail.com>
Husker Du?
If you hide 12 eggs this year,
And find 13! DON'T EAT THEM!!!!!!!!
***XTC Content***
Coming soon to an idrive near you!
The Phab Phour in Philly!
!---:)
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 21:51:43 EDT From: WESnLES@aol.com Subject: THE LITTLE EXPRESS Message-ID: <e6.4493a13.262fbcaf@aol.com> I recall someone mentioning a "best of" issue of the Little Express. I don't have every issue...got about twenty...& have 7 or so new ones on the way to me(C'MON JIM, I'M COUNTING ON YOU) I've scanned the covers of all the issues I have and have built a page for each...and plan on scanning the entire issue of each one I own, wish me luck. In the next few months I hope to have at least twenty-seven complete LE's on my site for all of you to check out. My site began as a trade list...but I've got so much shit now that it's a shame not to make the site a bit more informative. I want it to be a place where non-traders can surf by and enjoy themselves a bit, and hopefully get to see some new XTC items and learn a bit about the the lads from Swindon. The LE's are just a start. They are full of information, pictures, interviews, etc. I hope to make some major changes to the site. If you want to check out the LE covers, (a bit rusty right now) go to: <A HREF="http://members.tripod.com/~The_Last_Balloon/index.html">Click here: http://members.tripod.com/~The_Last_Balloon/index.html</A> click on MEMORABILIA, then on FANZINES. The links with the words (don't have yet) mean just that, and there is nothing there to see. If you click on issue 14 you will find that at the bottom of the page there is a link: ON TO THE NEXT ISSUE. If you click on those links on each page it will take you straight through the pictures for each cover I own. #40 is my fave, I wish AV1 had been called THE LAST BALLOON and that they had used this issues cover as the art for the album. Peace, wesLONG
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 22:50:44 -0400 From: "Cheryl" <mcgregoc@mindspring.com> Subject: Bunched bloomers Message-ID: <002701bfaa73$4c264280$050cf7a5@mcgregocmindspring.com> Heya Chalkhills gang, Tyler Hewitt let it be known: >except that Nonsuch isn't really rancid tripe, just dull. *Tsk* It's so hard for me not to let my panties get in a twist over this. It's not that I really have a problem with your view. To each his/her own, I say. It's just that I *SO* love this album. This is *the* album that smacked me in the head and said, "Cheryl! This is what music is all about!!!" It's as if I finally heard music for the first time with this disc. I had been listening to Skylarking continuously weeks beforehand, but it wasn't until I really gave Nonsuch a listen that all the treasures of XTC really opened to me. Dull?! Okay, panties in a twist, but I can handle it... Rancid tripe?! Oh my god. Might just need to kick someone in the shin for that. I hope no one really feels this way about such an intelligent, thoughtful album. >I blame the production-I heard the Nonsuch demos for >the first time a few months ago, and LOVED them! Much >better than the official release, and it's a disc I >return to. Again, here I differ. I listened to the demos and was more impressed with the polished final versions. The demos sounded weak to me. There was so much more....oomph! to songs such as "Then she Appeared" I think it's a shame that "Where Did the Ordinary People Go" didn't make it on to the album. I quite liked that one, more than "The Smartest Monkeys". I still don't like Bungalow much, but love the story behind the song. Thomas Marchi joyously shared: >listening to an internet site that plays all kinds of music...and take a guess at what they play ALL THE TIME >once you find it and click on it? yep our friends XTC.... While surfing the Chalkhills site I stumbled on the link for the radio station as well. I felt like a kid in a candy store listening to everything related to XTC! Not only does one hear live recordings of XTC, but your ears are treated to other artists some how or another connected to XTC. I even heard songs of Dave Gregory off of Remoulds. It's fun to catch a demo or song I haven't heard yet. I was very disappointed this morning when I couldn't get through on the site. Just needed a little zap of XTC before setting off to work..... Just would like to thank the soul (Ian Stewart?) who put together the live and direct XTC site. Thanks sooo much! Re: Promotional Obituary That was very, very clever. I enjoyed this little piece very much. Enough of my ramblings. Take care everyone, Cheryl
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 20 Apr 2000 00:36:48 -0400
From: Ben Gott/Loquacious Music <gott@tmbg.org>
Subject: Tapped for Performance
Message-ID: <B524019E.1EE4%gott@tmbg.org>
Chalkhillians,
Picture this: the 2000 Grammy awards have been announced, and, as we
expected, "Wasp Star" is in the running for "Album of the Year" and "Song of
the Year" ("The Man Who Murdered Love"). Andy and Colin are asked by the
producers to come perform at the awards show, but they politely decline.
After all, XTC hasn't "performed" in almost twenty years!
However, XTC's new manager gets an idea. He calls Andy and Colin into his
office, and says, "There's this great mailing list on the 'Net. You know,
Chalkhills? Anyway, it's full of talented people...Maybe we could assemble
a band and get *them* to play on the Grammys! It'd be great!"
"Spot on," replies Colin, softly.
"Grrreat!" replies Andy, heartily.
Their manager calls the producers, and explains the idea. They agree that
it sounds marvellous, especially because they are trying to push their new
website themselves. What better way to show technology and music combining
for a *good* cause?
The problem then becomes...there are *too many* talented people on this
list! But Andy and Colin, showing the "stick-to-it-iveness" that we've come
to expect from them, issue a challenge: send them a tape of your best XTC
cover song, and a "personal statement" telling them what instrument you
would play on "The Man...," and why *you* should be up there on stage, in
front of millions of viewers worldwide, representing your favourite band.
What song would you submit? What would you write? And what instrument
would you play? (It's giving nothing away that "The Man Who Murdered Love"
features guitars, percussion, drums, bass, and vocals (lead and
backing)...and if you think that that *is* giving something away, then go
f**k yourself!)
I'd submit my new version of "One of the Millions," because, frankly, it
rocks the damn house. As for my instrument in the performance: I'd have to
pick "tambourine" and "backing vocals" (because percussionists can sing,
too, right?) My reasons would include the following: I've devoured XTC's
songs for six years, my tambourine skills are damn good, and Mitch Friedman
said that, in my high school yearbook picture, I bore a striking resemblance
to Andy Partridge.
Thoughtfully,
-Ben
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
Benjamin Gott . Loquacious Music . Brunswick, ME 04011
AIM: Plan4Nigel . Tel: (207) 721-5366 . http://listen.to/loquacious
You can feel it all over / You can feel it all over, people...
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
------------------------------ Date: 20 Apr 2000 10:58:00 +0100 From: "Robert Wood" <Robert.Wood@mutech.co.uk> Subject: Load of old Tosh Message-ID: <00001DE9@mutech.co.uk> Organization: Mutech Ltd Some deaf person said... >> The most over-rated XTC album for me is Nonsuch. It was a big comedown after the psychedelic powerpop of O&L, but even listening to it today with the hindsight granted by AV1 doesn't help. << What a load of old crap, Nonsuch is probably XTC's most vibrant, perfectly produced album. Rather than starting with the plastic sounding tuneless dirge that is River of Orchids it opens with a blast unheard on any of XTC's other albums. The production on Nonsuch is awesome, head and shoulders above anything else XTC ever did. >> Coulden't agree more. Another example of puting out a masterpiece, 0nly to follow it up with a piece of rancid tripe, << Are you in the real world? Or some parallel world where Nonsuch and AV1 swapped titles? >> except that Nonsuch isnt really rancid tripe, just dull. Nonsuch is the ONLY Xtc record that I dont play regularly. I try from time to time, but always remove it after a couple of songs. Even tried it on shuffle with AV1, It only annoyed me-I had to remove Nonsuch. << AV1 is my least ever played XTC album, only 50% of the songs are listenable to, let alone good. >> I blame the production-I heard the Nonsuch demos for the first time a few months ago, and LOVED them! Much better than the official release, and it's a disc I return to. << Yeah, I hate it when album's released that has power (vocals not sitting over high in the mix like most shite today), balance, great songs and fantastic guitar sounds. Total bummer. You go on about Nonsuch's production - but O&L is a terribly tinny sounding album in comparison. You should try investing in a pair of ears, they're quite useful when listening to music.
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #6-83 ******************************
Go back to Volume 6.
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