Chalkhills Digest Volume 7, Issue 25
Date: Tuesday, 10 April 2001
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 7, Number 25
Tuesday, 10 April 2001
Topics:
Martin Newell cd
Astrological XTC
Pie Trap T Shirts
Biographical Information??
Now We Dolly Back
OT Oh I'm a Bad Girl
RE:Soft Boys..Zappa and of Course XTC
"Try not to operate this computer in a state of intoxication ..."
It's No Fun
Re: Kingstunes Komments
Releases
Psychedelic Furs tour (minimal XTC content---)
Deco - Defenders of Colin
Look look
Soft Boys
The fab duo at peace and in war...
Computers and Music: Is it Art?
it's in the stars...
absolutly no xtc content
xtc tonight!
Cheese and Onions and G4s
?
Does anyone know about this piece of Partridge extra-curricular activity?
Dukes of Stratosphear Remastered?
Questions for Dave Gregory
XTC Shopping
empee threetles
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A tribe of polyester warriors spellbound.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 4 Apr 2001 21:07:21 -0700 (PDT) From: Tyler Hewitt <tahewitt@yahoo.com> Subject: Martin Newell cd Message-ID: <20010405040721.23296.qmail@web2106.mail.yahoo.com> I was surfing the web instead of working today and came across this British site http://www.theturkeyzone.co.uk/d-commerce/ that's selling Martin Newell's cd The Greatest Living Englishman for 2.5 pounds. I searched a couple other sites (amazon, etc.) and it was much more expensive. The only catch is that this site has a minimum order of 10 pounds. I'm thinking of ordering a copy, as it comes highly recommended by so many Chalkhillers and has our dear Andy on it, but didn't see anything else I wanted from that site (they did have some original Stiff Records singles for you collector types, and some reissued Stiff cds, but most of the other acts I hadn't heard of, and I don't really need any Wreckless Eric on cd!). Anyways, I found a website that does currency conversions, and I found that I could get four copies of the Martin Newell cd including shipping to the U.S., for about 6 bucks each. So here's the deal: Anyone else in the U.S. or Canada want to go in on an order? E-mail me off list ASAP if you do. I'll wait about 4-5 days after this posts before placing the order. Whoever is definately in by that time can send me a check or cash (U. S. funds), and I'll mail the cd to you when I get them. Any Brits out there want to do me a favor? Skim through the web site mentioned above and let me know if anything else there is worth ordering. I haven't heard of the majority of the acts they sell. If you want to check it out for yourself, go to the site, and click on 'Very Very Cheap cds'. Thanks for your time, Tyler Full Disclosure: I don't work for the Turkey Zone. I'm an underpaid artist and teacher.
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 5 Apr 2001 10:11:40 -0400 (EDT) From: Karen Piotrowski <karen@semi.nu> Subject: Astrological XTC Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.30.0104051008100.12899-100000@frame.pinchaser.com> Well, it's been about 2 years since my last post, but I couldn't resist! My boss/friend is having a baby next week, so I went to http://www.astrology.com to get an overview of our Taurus friends. I accidentally clicked on Today's horoscope for Taurus and found a XTC reference. Wanna see? It'll be gone tomorrow so act quickly :) http://horoscopes.astrology.com/Dailytaurus.html Karen
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 5 Apr 2001 18:40:47 +0100 From: "Rory Wilsher" <rory.wilsher@lineone.net> Subject: Pie Trap T Shirts Message-ID: <019d01c0bdf7$ce9f6be0$574b7bd5@oemcomputer> Hillians The Pie Trap Project is nearing completion! Designs for the front and back can be found at: http://uk.geocities.com/wretchedpietrap/back1.gif & http://uk.geocities.com/wretchedpietrap/1st_pie.gif If you want one of these please contact me off-list. If you've contacted me already, you should have received a message from me recently about this. If you didn't, please e-mail me again, 'cos I've lost your previous message! I'll be going to the t-shirt company on 27th April so they'll be ready for Oxford on 12/13th May, so please let me know by then. Thank you. We now return you to your regular warbling. Rory Wilsher "in the noisy camp"
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 05 Apr 2001 19:13:42 From: "Calvin Goodale" <zip_up@hotmail.com> Subject: Biographical Information?? Message-ID: <F230aDFuXCpU6q5ijb100002254@hotmail.com> Hello fellow XTC-ers. I am wondering if any of you might happen to have some information on Andy's life as he grew up? What school did he go to, what he was like as a kid, his parents, family etc.. I have looked all over for biographical information about him but I have yet to find any. This would be greatly appreciated. Sincerely, STALLION CAL
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 5 Apr 2001 12:40:01 -0700 From: "Michael Versaci" <mwversaci@att.net> Subject: Now We Dolly Back Message-ID: <000001c0be08$36870cd0$5ac809ab@tornbmv> Folxtc, I have grown weary of television commercials, especially automobile television commercials. They have become abominable. There is one that has been airing recently for an Acura that unabashedly preaches: "On your way to the top, show the world that you've already arrived with the Acura (whatever.)" If I had my way... It is a sunny afternoon on a quiet street in a suburban town. Children are playing hopscotch, a man is tossing a baseball to his son in their front yard, an elderly couple is out for a stroll, arm in arm, and a man is busy pulling weeds from his flower beds. Suddenly, the Acura approaches and parks in front of one of the homes. A gentleman dressed in pressed khakis and a golf shirt exits the vehicle, slamming the door with an exaggerated flourish. (CHOOP!) Cut to the man at the flower bed. He is bespectacled, slightly rotund, 45-ish, with a receding hairline. He gazes at the camera and sings: "Heard the neighbor slam his car door, Don't he realize, this is Respectable Street!" The silver-throated pitchman with the upper class British accent voices over: "You live on Respectable Street. Let the neighbors know you belong there. Acura." Fade to black. Michael Versaci
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 05 Apr 2001 16:22:32 -0400 From: Molly <mollyfa0000@worldnet.att.net> Subject: OT Oh I'm a Bad Girl Message-ID: <3ACCD405.ADDD187@worldnet.att.net> Organization: AT&T Worldnet I'm such a bad girl, because I use WinMX (it's an alternative to Napster. I only use it to find songs that I haven't heard in years and most of the songs I have are out of print. I do still buy CDs. But why can't WinMX and other peer to peer servers be a utility to find lost songs or listen to those artists that don't have the support of major record companies. Molly XTC Song of the Moment - "Ten Feet Tall" Non-XTC Song - "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park" - Tom Lehrer
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 5 Apr 2001 13:28:42 -0700 (PDT) From: Jon Rosenberger <wile1coyote@yahoo.com> Subject: RE:Soft Boys..Zappa and of Course XTC Message-ID: <20010405202842.23762.qmail@web13403.mail.yahoo.com> The wonderful Seth Frisby (Welcome Back Seth!) did proclaim in Chalk 7/24 "Now they haven't toured since 1980..which you might think is a long time ago. Yes it is, but can you think of another band who hasn't toured since around that year?? Yup our friends XTC!" And I say... not true my friend. XTC's last live show was April 3rd, 1982 in San Diego Ca., just a few days and 29 years ago. Now if you want to split hairs then you could say that Andy never made it out of the dressing room in which case the last show was in Paris on the 18th of March 1982. And you would probably say "Well Mole he only played one tune really" In which case I'd say fine the last show was definitly March 17th 1982 Lyon France. Unless of course you count the Radio Station Acoustic tour of 89 or the Late Night Show Gig (the only time xtc went on as more than a five piece) in 1989? So really it all depends on how you look at it. For some people the last XTC show was in January 1979. Not that it matters..... it is just in my nature to be exact about these things. That's right I'm "Quirky". Mole
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 5 Apr 2001 15:30:30 -0500 From: "Wiencek, Dan" <Dan_Wiencek@mcgraw-hill.com> Subject: "Try not to operate this computer in a state of intoxication ..." Message-ID: <200104052034.f35KYWi561845@els.sgi.com> Harrison What Codes for AOL: "In other Cannonball news, Monday he took delivery on a spanking-new Macintosh G4 to replace the Atari in the Shed. He's quite intimidated by the version of Cubase VST he bought to replace his old MIDI sequencing software, but he brightened when he was congratulated on his excellent taste in computers. Like all the *best* geniuses, Our Brainiac, too, Thinks Different." Now I have even more reason to love the man. (Our Andy, that is, not Harrison; though given the right stimulus--candles, dinner, a nice bottle of wine--who knows what I could be persuaded to feel?) Somehow I just couldn't picture Andy answering the call of his muse at a utilitarian Dell, a styled yet still thoroughly corporate Vaio, or indeed any machine running any iteration of the Silent Majority's operating system. As I will never possess anything approaching his musical prowess, I may at least take comfort in sharing his taste in machines. On the subject, I kept reimagining that new iMac ad with Andy and Colin in it: Kid: "OK, uh, XTC?" Andy (with Colin standing behind): "Mmm?" Kid: "Uh, how 'bout 'Mayor of Simpleton'?" Andy: (Pause) "Yes, I've heard of that one." Kid: (Pauses, baffled, not realizing Andy is joking; fellow musicians chuckle.) "Um. Great." Unfortunately Colin doesn't get any lines. Well, he seems a fairly quiet guy anyway. (BTW: Harrison, have you always had personal access to The Man, or is this something new?) Dan, who's been known to prowl the Mac boards under the name Nonsuch ... ;)
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 05 Apr 2001 17:16:53 -0400 From: Jeff Eason <eason@mountaintimes.com> Subject: It's No Fun Message-ID: <3.0.6.32.20010405171653.007cca30@mountaintimes.com> Hey 2 All, Jayne the Worrier Queen mentioned the awful "Illegal Alien" as being one of the worst Genesis songs ever. Couldn't agree more...however...the rhyme "It's no fun being an illegal alien," is one of those choruses that is so bad that it actually takes on a humorous dimension...thereby salvaging the song as a whole. The band Journey made an entire career of such awfulness. There's a thin line between merely awful and heartstoppingly horrid. Once that line is crossed we are free to laugh at, and hence, enjoy the song. Anyone else hold a bad song in such esteem? Cheers, Jeff "Don't Stop Believin'" Eason Jeff Eason The Mountain Times
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 5 Apr 2001 14:47:14 -0700 From: "Drude" <the-drude@home.com> Subject: Re: Kingstunes Komments Message-ID: <000201c0be19$fa57ece0$6ec94518@gv.shawcable.net> Kingstune wrote... ------->Oh, my. I missed this one. I hope this Mr. Drude isn't serious. Do I have to rend his knee jerk, uninformed opinion to tiny little shreds with factual theoretical analyses on Lennon's extraordinary and ground breaking usage of relative minor replacement, unusual resolutions of secondary dominants to sub-dominant minor substitutions, pedal point 5ths and chromatic descending tetrachord bass-lines, minor sixths, downward chorus modulations, half-step pivot modulations on chromatic II chord substitutions, secondary dominant breakaways from 12 bar blues based verses that eventually modulate in the same phrase but still manage to return to the original dominant to pivot to the verse, triple and double verse modulations (a la Jimmy Webb), odd-meter and mixed time signatures (MUST I go on)? And that he was doing stuff like this from the start? Many of these patterns that Paul did not use? And that John couldn't tell you a damn thing about what I just said, that he was just such an incredible natural original song-smith genius? And how his writing has affected folks such as messers Partridge and Moulding?,<--------- Well, I never... Um...what ever ARE you talking about? I guess I haven't taken as many music classes as you. However, it is simply my OPINION that John and Paul created better music as a DUO, as opposed to solo artists. That is not to say that either of their solo works were without warrant, just that nothing they did on their own matched The Beatles - they fed off each other, and contributed to each other. Alone, that aspect of their music(s) was sorely lacking. Besides, I'm sure Mr. Lennon didn't INTEND to 'pivot his downward modulation in his 12 bar blue minor sixth with a pinch of original dominant' (or whatever...) -- he just picked up his geetar and sung a tune... which, in the end, PALED --MUSICALLY-- in comparison to Paul's. Drude
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 05 Apr 2001 19:13:11 -0400
From: "Benjamin A. Gott" <bgott@bowdoin.edu>
Subject: Releases
Message-ID: <B6F27446.3B6A%bgott@bowdoin.edu>
Gang,
I haven't been keeping up with Chalkhills, so I don't know if this has been
mentioned, but amazon.co.uk tells me that "English Settlement" and "Drums
and Wires" will be re-released, in their newly-remastered forms, this
Tuesday! I madly placed my order ("Click! Click! Dammit! Faster!") and
am eagerly awaiting digitally-remastered glory. Just imagine it...Oh man!
I've been corresponding recently with Ellen Reid, vocalist and keyboardist
for Crash Test Dummies, and she told me that the Dummies will be on tour
this summer. They've just released a new album, "I Don't Care that You
Don't Mind," which is a combination of Cowboy Junkies and Burt Bacharach --
lounge music and twangy country, together at last! Some tracks are so-so,
but there are some really great songs hidden in there, and I'd suggest you'd
pick it up.
The radio station I work out (WBOR -- We Rock Bowdoin College!) just got a
promo CD for David Byrne's new album. The single, "Like Humans Do," is
incredible. Has anyone else heard it?
Waiting for Spring...
-Ben
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 05 Apr 2001 19:55:53 -0500 From: "John M. Hackney" <jhackney@students.wisc.edu> Subject: Psychedelic Furs tour (minimal XTC content---) Message-ID: <4.1.20010405195025.0099eaf0@students.wisc.edu> Hi, Maybe someone on this list can advise----I see where the Psychedelic Furs are on tour and coming to Madison in a few weeks. I always liked this band a lot, but I don't know what this current incarnation consists of. Does anyone know? There were two brothers who formed the core of the band, right? Can't remember their names, have no CDs to refer to------ I wonder if anyone has seen them on this tour and knows if it's a legitimate reunion or some ripoff act formed by a former drummer or something like that------- I might go see them if they are halfway legitimate. The XTC content here is limited I guess. Weren't both bands considered part of the "Class of '77"? Anyone know of any other connections between them? Thanks, John
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 6 Apr 2001 14:07:56 +0200 From: Bergmaier Klaus <klaus.bergmaier@maxonline.at> Subject: Deco - Defenders of Colin Message-ID: <41E0B760C85AD3119BE200E0291B6EE50896FC@NTSRV> Dear all! There is Fab fan page called "Defenders of George", I think we should open something alike for Colin. To me he is at least as good a songwriter as Andy is. Colin is at least George Harrison, and even George is by far underrated. I prefer almost all of his songs to Lennon/McCartney stuff. The same goes for Colin, I have to say it again: Smartest Monkeys, Standing In For Joe, I Remember The Sun, Dying, Big Day, I Am The Audience, In Loving Memory of A Name - there are hardly better songs by anyone on this planet. BTW there are a lot of XTC songs dealing with marriage and divorce. How many of you know the album "Babylon and on" by Squeeze, it features some songs concerning the same topics (as bonus tracks). I do like the song "Wedding Bells" best- it's a gem. The most XTCesque McCartney solo-song (and one of his very best) is "Distractions" from the "Flowers in The Dirt"-album. I'm still looking forward to new songs by Macca (and George!!!) www.thedoors.at/klaus.html features Barry Andrews' organ and some interesting links (including XTC-related stuff) All the best from Austria Klaus
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 06 Apr 2001 11:25:57 -0400 From: "Robert C. Miner" <minerr@bc.edu> Subject: Look look Message-ID: <SIMEON.10104061157.A@muahost.bc.edu > Just obtained a copy of Look Look. Those videos do fairly stink, don't they? I thought that AP was being needlessly hard on early XTC when he said that he detested those videos. He was just being honest. Still, it's good to have them, just to see how they looked back then. (I discovered XTC only last year, so I had no idea.) A question: Did Dave Gregory actually sing on the studio recordings? He appears to sing on the videos. All this time, I thought the voices were just Partridge and Moulding. Just bought 'Transistor Blast' and 'Chips from the Chocolate Fireball' last night to tide me over as I wait for the remasters to come out. Has anyone made any attempt to connect the songs from *Chips* to their particular 60's ancestors? I mean, some are blatantly obvious (e.g. 'The Mole from the Ministry'), but some are not. At least to me. Rob Miner
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 6 Apr 2001 09:22:54 -0700 (PDT) From: Alex Stein <arctic_moose@yahoo.com> Subject: Soft Boys Message-ID: <20010406162254.58844.qmail@web11604.mail.yahoo.com> I'm going to catch them next week in L.A. Of course, one major difference between the Soft Boys and XTC is that three-quarters of the Soft Boys were touring through most of the 80s and 90s as Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians while the other quarter was touring a little with Katrina and the Waves and making money selling his hit for use in car company and allergy medication ads. Alex
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 6 Apr 2001 18:07:57 EDT From: WTDK@aol.com Subject: The fab duo at peace and in war... Message-ID: <f2.8fea5c5.27ff983d@aol.com> I > Defending some of McCartney's eighties work, Christopher Coolidge wrote: > "...Tug Of War has its moments, such as the heartfelt and > well-written eulogy to John, "Here Today." "Ebony and Ivory" is not one of > them though. I found Flowers In The Dirt to be an encouraging return to > form, it's the one Paul McCartney album in a long time to not have one > track on it that makes me wince. Having Elvis C as a songwriting partner > didn't hurt either. I must admit, though, the two best songs they wrote > together are on Elvis' Spike album. Avoid at all costs, though, the Pipes > Of Peace album, which includes one of his two collaborations with Wacko > Jacko. Feh...." > > I couldn't agree more ( I'd also add Take It Away to Tug of War's finest > moments). By the way, all this made me think of which would be the XTCest > songs, if this is possible, of McCartney's solo work. Pretending that this > old and denied Macca's tribute album thing finally took place and that our > guys had no problem in participating, I would like to hear Dear Boy sung by > Andy and Bluebird by Colin. > ( Dave Gregory should be there with the arrangements, also). A bit late on this debate but I'd have to disagree about Tug of War. Yes, it has a couple of weak moments (and some filler) but, overall, it was probably Paul's most consistent album in quite some time. The title track, Take it away, Ballroom Dancing, Someone Who Cares, Wanderlust and Here today all exhibit the best qualities that Paul demonstrated as a solo artist and with the Beatles. I have always disliked Ebony and Ivory but damn is it catchy! Flowers in the Dirt has a number of worthwhile moments but has just as many weak spots (a couple of them happen to be McCartney-Costello collaborations). I do have to agree about Pipes of Peace. It's one of the few albums McCartney made that has no redeeming musical value (and isn't in my collection). On to Xtc--So Andy was influenced more by McCartney than Lennon? Well if the man says so it must be so but I hear elements of both (along with Ray Davies) in his music. Somebody else asked if "Andy was John, Paul and George does that make Colin Ringo"? I've always thought of Colin to be more like George. He manages to contribute a two or three songs per album but his best work is very much comparable to Andy's. Someone mentioned Dying as an example of this (although I'd choose that and Sacrificial Bonfire) on Skylarking. Any news on how Dave's solo album is progressing? Finally a plug for Neil Finn's One Nil which will be released on April 10 (in the UK although not US date has been set up) and was already released downunder. It's a great album. In my CD player....One Nil, the new one by the Old 97's, Coldplay, Kristy MacColl, and a little known band from Swindon... Wayne
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 06 Apr 2001 17:41:23 -0600 From: "Steve Johnson" <sjohnson@co.missoula.mt.us> Subject: Computers and Music: Is it Art? Message-ID: <sacdffe6.055@mail.co.missoula.mt.us> I use MIDI sequencing software, a cheap AKG microphone, a pencil and paper as 99% of my songwriting and recording tools. Soon I will upgrade to more digital audio tracks, and will add add pots and pans, metal pipes, sticks of wood, stuff I find in the toy box, pieces of plastic, bare leg drums, maybe a one-stringed guitar and other assorted odds-and-ends to my musical repertoire. While I'm no Andy Partridge, overall, I'm happy with the results and I think my songs sound like they were written and recorded by a human being, not a machine. So here's my philosophical question: Is there anything wrong with using computers to make music? My answer is: Absolutely not! In my opinion, technology has enabled opened up the world of multi-track recording to millions and millions of people who formerly could not get their musical ideas down in any kind of finished form because they lacked a record deal or a rich friend with a 24-track recording studio. I see this as a positive thing. Recording is no longer a rich man's game, controlled by record companies whose motives are solely profit-driven. This can only result in better music. Critics will say that computers are merely a substitute for musical talent because anybody with a keyboard and sequencing software can string edited notes together and make a song, even though the songwriter cannot really "play" any instrument very well. I say, so what! All that matters, ultimately, is the sound, not how the sound is made. There are many gifted musicians out there who are lousy songwriters, and there are many gifted songwriters who are mediocre or lousy musicians. I will also admit that, just as technology can make it easier for people to express musical ideas, it cannot write and record good music for them. There has to be a heart pumping in there somewhere. (I've never heard any "techno" music that I thought was worth the disk space it was saved on, but then, I'm a sucker for songs with words and lots of vocal harmonies.) Obviously, I would love to have real cello or flute players playing some of the parts on my recordings, instead of using digital samples. I'd be thrilled to hang out with the string section at Abbey Road while they sawed away at my compositions! But until then, I will still call myself an "artist" as I work away in my little upstairs bedroom "studio." So, Hillers--do I hear any disagreement? Just curious. Steve (My Bird Sings, Well, Somewhat Sweetly) Johnson P.S.--While it's not so explicit, the perceptive reader will find the above argument rife with XTC content.
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 06 Apr 2001 21:13:11 -0400 From: Virginia Rosenberg <vmr423@earthlink.net> Subject: it's in the stars... Message-ID: <B6F3E1E7.1CC%vmr423@earthlink.net> Hullo, folks, Here's a rather unexpected sighting (siting? citing?): I get my daily horoscope e-mailed to me -well, daily, as one might expect- from astrology.com. Yesterday my message ran (in full): "Greetings Virginia-- Here is your horoscope for Thursday, April 5: As Andy Partridge sings, you have 'five senses working overtime.' You also have the language to describe your experience while it happens. You feel lucky, healthy and at one with your world." So even famous on-line astrologers (in this case, Kelli Fox) are hip to the joys of XTC. Just thought I'd share- any other Tauruses out there get this same message? 'Course, I'd be a little spooked if I thought this one had been custom-tailored for yours truly! Yours in South Carolina, Virginia
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Apr 2001 13:01:54 -0700 (PDT) From: Tyler Hewitt <tahewitt@yahoo.com> Subject: absolutly no xtc content Message-ID: <20010407200154.21380.qmail@web2104.mail.yahoo.com> this has absolutly no xtc content, but I thought it funny, so I'm passing it on. There is to be a census in the UK in early August. (? 7th) One of the questions is what religion you are. If enough people (10,000) declare themselves to belong to a certain religion it must be recognised by the powers that be. An e-mail is circulating the UK urging people who do not hold any particular religion to enter "Jedi" in the appropriate box. If enough people do this, Jedi will become a recognised religion in the UK on August 8th, and all those who declared themselves to follow Jedi will be deemed to be Jedi Knights, and will presumably be allowed to put "Jedi Knight" in the occupation box on their passport!
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Apr 2001 20:39:20 -0500 From: Bill Sherlock <bdsherlock@juno.com> Subject: xtc tonight! Message-ID: <20010407.203923.-424433.0.bdsherlock@juno.com> Hello from a beautiful Sklarkingly springtime Chicago, I got the XTC Live BBC album via eBay this week and it had two effects on me: it made me really, REALLY bummed out that I didn't become a fan until 1985, while at the same time really, REALLY glad that someone at the BBC had the good sense to book the boys and record them. What an experience it is listening to them live and how enthusiastic the audience is. Anyway, as is our Saturday night custom, we had a "fever dance" (coined by my then 4 year old daughter) consisting mainly of tracks from the above mentioned album. My wife said I looked like I was 21 again, and I felt it. It was great to be jumping around to some really kick-ass live rock and roll music. I would daresay that to be a rock fan in the period '77-'80 was a good time to be alive. Unfortunately, this almost 38 year old body didn't quite have the stamina that it had at 21 so we knocked off after about a half-dozen songs. By the way, the intro to the live "Living in Another Cuba" makes a great limbo tune. Terry Chambers just 'its 'em and he just 'its 'em good! Later, Bill Sherlock "I should be in bed, I need my 11 hours. I'm a real sleep addict. I started off just napping. Then I got into the harder stuff... siestas. Before I knew what was happening I was a sleep junkie." Andy Partridge, Melody Maker, 8-18-79
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 8 Apr 2001 09:35:24 -0400 From: MinerWerks <dminer@gte.net> Subject: Cheese and Onions and G4s Message-ID: <a05001900b6f60e8f01f4@[63.25.149.130]> From the tidbits delivered from the Sherwood: >In other Cannonball news, Monday he took delivery on a spanking-new >Macintosh G4 to replace the Atari in the Shed. He's quite intimidated by >the version of Cubase VST he bought to replace his old MIDI sequencing >software, but he brightened when he was congratulated on his excellent >taste in computers. Like all the *best* geniuses, Our Brainiac, too, >Thinks Different. This is beyond cool. I wish I could think of something more eloquent to say, but when it comes to Apple products, I go a big rubbery one. I'm not usually such a pointed Mac advocate, but I recently found myself calling a radio show to respond to the host's slagging of OS X. My how debating is not my strong suit. While I think I came across somewhat intelligently, I got tripped up by some rather simple tricks. It was not a very heated disagreement, however. Learning that Andy is a proud G4 owner has brightened my day. Now if I could only get a hold of one of those G4 towers with the DVD burner... >The Idea Records web site is being put together by Kabel New Media, a >German web design firm with offices all over Europe. It will contain an >"XTC Boutique" where you can buy XTC merch and recordings, plus scanned >pages of old notebooks, a photo gallery, and an area where you can listen >to music online--streamed, presumably. Its primary purpose at the moment >will be to promote the "Fuzzy Warbles" releases. I'm betting Macromedia >Flash is involved. This is great news! I am excited that XTC is now exploiting channels that go directly to the fans. It suits them and us much better. Perhaps they may discover their fan base is bigger than they expect. >On the "Coat of Many Cupboards" front, they are still searching their >personal archives for old demos, listening to ancient cassettes and so >forth. Their arrangement with Virgin is that XTC will pack off anything >they find--down to the lowliest mumbled Dictaphone ideas--to Virgin. (Andy >said he'd just yesterday discovered an embryonic version of "Senses >Working Overtime" that had been hummed into a portable cassette.) Virgin >will "cherrypick" the best 15 of anything they get for the demos disk of >the Many Cupboards set. Absolutely everything else will revert to XTC in >perpetuity, for ever and ever until death do them part. This body of music >will become "Fuzzy Warbles." > >Thus Endeth the Strike. This is great news as well, and quite welcome after the Hell they had to go through. Does this mean that only the demo material reverts to XTC? I would wonder if Virgin will retain the rights to any other unreleased material they choose to leave off the "Coat of Many Cupboards" set, such as studio session outtakes? - - - - - - - And then I found this quote on the Rutles DVD, which I could not find an original post of... > > Maybe Neil will make something off the > > new DVD which--by the way--looks and sounds great! Well worth the money! Sure this DVD looks (mostly) pretty good, because they re-transferred a good portion of the 16mm footage, but there are a few weird things about the disc that evoked my evil anal-retentive-video-guy side... First off, Rhino claims they remastered the audio in 5.1 channel sound. This disc really has mono sound spread around in all of the channels. That's weak, especially considering they had their own people remaster the songs for their CD release eight or nine years ago, which is still in print from them. I would think that would mean they could have gotten access to the master tapes to get stereo music for the DVD. Second, the film has been chopped up a bit. A couple scenes have been switched around, resulting in bad audio edits. They also left out some of the on-screen text titles, and used completely new text on the remastered footage, which does NOT match the stuff they left in from videotape. Plus, some new footage has mysteriously been *added*! And they STILL didn't manage to dig up the original version of the Dan Aykroyd "Brian Thigh" scene, which must be on a broadcast master somewhere, considering NBC aired it twice. The revised "uncensored" version - which Rhino misleadingly touts as "banned" - is one of the few bits on the DVD which was not replaced with cleaner 16mm footage. I'm a huge fan of The Rutles, and I just feel like this edition was rushed out half-done. It's like being promised a definitive reissue of English Settlement and getting it with only the songs from the American LP and then one of the B-sides thrown in, like they didn't realize it wasn't on the album in the first place. = Derek =
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 8 Apr 2001 15:48:37 -0700 (PDT) From: travis schulz <xtcisadarngoodband@yahoo.com> Subject: ? Message-ID: <20010408224837.13985.qmail@web1102.mail.yahoo.com> Somebody please tell me that Wonder Annual and Bumper Cars will be on Fuzzy Warbles. Great songs they most certainly are. Pleased to tell you all that Britney Spears is out and XTC is in- at KNEN FM in Norfolk Nebraska. Thank God for the Adult Alternative format. I'm The Man Who Murdered Love gets it's first play here next week......
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Apr 2001 10:06:35 +0200 From: "Clinton, Martin" <martin.clinton@dnb.no> Subject: Does anyone know about this piece of Partridge extra-curricular Message-ID: <F70DE9BB2D68D311B9030001FA44D3F069AF7D@sm34372.dnb.no> activity? Hi everyone, Looking at a website of upcoming DVD news (www.dvd.reviewer.co.uk), I saw the following: --------------------------------------------------------------- Back to classic TV and the 1960s puppet series Space Patrol, not seen on British television since 1968. This will feature 6 episodes from first series, including two so far previously unreleased 35mm transfers. Extras will include a stills gallery and interviews with creator Roberta Leigh, Andy Partridge for XTC, voice artist Dick Vosburgh, and that well known fan who went on to create the Babylon 5 scifi series, J. Michael Straczynski. --------------------------------------------------------------- Must have been a big hit in the Partridge household! All the best Martin
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Apr 2001 05:29:31 -0700 (PDT) From: Jay Gillespie <marsilies@yahoo.com> Subject: Dukes of Stratosphear Remastered? Message-ID: <20010409122931.70151.qmail@web13305.mail.yahoo.com> I know that XTC's first 10 albums have been remastered, but I was browsing through amazon when I found this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005AV1R/ Chips From the Chocolate Dukes of Stratosphear Audio CD (28 May, 2001) Number of Discs: 1 Label: Virgin; ASIN: B00005AV1R Catalogue Number: COMCDX11 Does anyone know if this is a remaster too, or just a re-release?
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Apr 2001 22:54:04 -0700 From: "Long's" <wlong2@carolina.rr.com> Subject: Questions for Dave Gregory Message-ID: <001201c0c182$a667bea0$8f961a42@carolina.rr.com> Dear Affiliated: If you had the opportunity to ask Dave Gregory one question, what would that question be? Dr. G told me he'd answer some Q's if I toss them his way, so I thought I'd involve my fellow XTCgeeks. If your question is a good one (I'm the judge from the ministry) I'll include it on my list and will give you full credit for it. Bags of barmy guitar! wesLONG http://members.tripod.com/~The_Last_Balloon/
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Apr 2001 09:49:13 -0600 From: "Angie Kelson Packer & Shaun Packer" <nick@aros.net> Subject: XTC Shopping Message-ID: <001901c0c1d5$e18ec980$3918adcf@packer> Greeting, salutations, and warm wishes! The news of Andy's computer purchase led me to ferrett out information on items purchased by others. Have a look-see <G>. Barry Andrews: 1 gallon chocolate milk; 1 ream of printer paper (on sale at Office Depot) 2 doz. blue Bic pens (also on sale at Office Depot) Terry Chambers: 1 pint Ben and Jerry's "Tubby Hubby" ice cream; renewed subscription to "New Economist"; 2 pair in-line skates; Dave Gregory: 1 lb. Hazelnut Creme gourmet coffee beans; "How to Play Air-Guitar for Dummies" book at Amazon; 4 cobalt-blue bath sheets; new shower curtain with a tropical fish motif. Colin Moulding:Spent most of his money on re-Mouldering the house, and that Chippendale furniture. However, our records do indicate that he has purchased: 3 large frozen pizzas (1 vegetarian, 1 pepperoni, 1 ham and pineapple PlayStation Game, "Fifa Soccer 2001"; seed packets for the garden (peas, carrots, spinach, misc. veggies); new garden hose; 1 garden gnome wearing blue pants, yellow shirt, purple cap and pushing a wheelbarrow. Oh, let's not forget: Budweiser, in cans; Malacca Gin; chocolate truffles and skydiving lessons. Andy Partridge: Take-out dinner of fish tacos, chile rellenos, black beans and rice, sopaipillas; 1 can "sodding shed green" outdoor paint; 1 box water-proof Band-Aids; black dress shoelaces; seed packets (orchid, daisy, iris, lavender); Six cassette tapes "Learn to Speak Fluent Aleut in 30 Days"; flat-front khaki's from the Gap. Okay, now that we have the definitive purchases list, let's give the boys some privacy, eh? <G> See-ya-bye Angie
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Apr 2001 13:08:59 -1000 From: Jim Smart <jismart@ksbe.edu> Subject: empee threetles Message-ID: <3AD3928B.E4CE277F@ksbe.edu> Organization: Kamehameha Schools Chalkers and Talkers: First, thanks a heap to Mitch and the Skylar King for their kind words about my music at http://www.mp3.com/3tripper Much has been said (and likely will continue to be said, whether we like it or not) of the Beatle - XTC connections. Aside from the fact that Andy's voice and songs are a bit McCartney-esqe at times, I think the similarity goes deeper. Both of them have the reputation of approaching a recording with very "set" ideas. They know what they are after. Both are more than willing to say to their band-mates "No, that's not how it goes. Do it this way." Both have been panned and criticized for this quality, though I'm not at all convinced it's a bad thing. I think Paul had a pretty clear vision of how Hey Jude should sound, and the same goes for Andy on any of his songs. However, to skilled band members like George Harrison and Dave Gregory, this comes off as inflexible, totalitarian hardening of the categories. And George and Dave are left kind of hanging there without using their considerable skills. Having just read the extremely large new Beatles Anthology book, it was never clearer how little George enjoyed the Beatles, and how much he wanted it to end. By the end of the book I found myself quite irritated with George's passive aggressive attitude and mystical within you without you philosophizery. There is also an irritating "I was closer to John than the others" competition going on in there that kind of takes away from the whole thing. And much as I hate to take issue with His Sherwoodness, mostly because his posts are the Sgt Peppers of Chalk Posts, I take a different view of MP3.com. I wish Andy and Colin could see the side of that company that is very supportive to artists, both known and unknown. Most of what they do is exactly what artist like XTC would support, if they understood it. Making artists music available, giving them complete control, and splitting half the money with them. But the CEO of MP3.com had to go and push the whole "MyMP3" thing, which pissed off the record companies who feared that their products were being given away to non-payers. I'm not sure whether or not that was true, but it surely is sinking the company with lost lawsuits and such. The CEO is a guy called Michael. I e mailed him a year or so ago to ask him to drop the "MyMP3" thing because it's pissing off the music establishment. He returned my e mail with a long letter, or several, I can't remember. He seems very happy to talk to anyone who will listen at great length. He wouldn't drop it, of course, and they went on to lose every lawsuit to the big guys, and now they are losing to the little guys like TVT. He would have been better off just serving artists and trying to make money from the banner ads. Anyway, MP3.com is a great service for artists like me, still out in the wilderness, AND for artists like XTC. Paul Simon, Roger McGuinn, Adrian Belew, and many other established artsists have set up a page there to offer samples or rare tracks or sell CDs (and get half the money themselves....where else can they do that?) or whatever. If MP3.com folds this year, which is not unlikely, it will be a great loss. I wish I could get Andy and Colin to see that side of it, and support that side of it rather than help to kill the company. Jim
------------------------------ End of Chalkhills Digest #7-25 ******************************
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