Chalkhills Digest Volume 8, Issue 58
Date: Thursday, 31 October 2002
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 8, Number 58
Thursday, 31 October 2002
Topics:
Random brevity
re: XTC 8 Track Tapes
Re: Biting the hand that feeds
Why Andy Can't Get Laid, Metaphorically-Speaking.
Beloved Record Labels
can you even pppps?
OT - re: the 'Q
CD-Rs For Sale
Jangle Pop Classics (Vol. 1)
Slight return
Will It Never Stop?
1982 vs 2002
Swindon Link XTC References
Hello, It's Becky...and FUZZY WARBLES? Please!!!
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Found a house that won't repair itself.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 06:23:30 -0700 (PDT) From: Todd Bernhardt <beat_town@yahoo.com> Subject: Random brevity Message-ID: <20021017132330.58321.qmail@web14609.mail.yahoo.com> Hi: First off, may I say how much I enjoy John's "random" quotes in each issue? Glad Chalkhills is back online, Relph-san. Secondly, 1,059 words ain't brief. This is brief: Happy 30th birthday, Ira. And Happy Mummer's Day to all. As for Mein Gott's drumming suggestion, all I can say is this: If it ain't me, it's gotta be Pete Thomas. Although I suspect Chuck Sabo might get the call again this time around. -Todd
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 07:28:18 -0700 (PDT) From: Dianne <laminaid@yahoo.com> Subject: re: XTC 8 Track Tapes Message-ID: <20021017142818.17559.qmail@web20001.mail.yahoo.com> J.D. asked: "Were any of the early XTC albums released on 8-track tape?" The answer is......Yes! I have right here a copy of Drums and Wires on 8-track. A friend found it for me at a record convention. This would lead me to believe that there are at least some Go2 and White Music 8-tracks floating around out there somewhere (wasn't '79 about the end of the 8-track thing?), although I have yet to see one. Although my D&W 8-track features the horrible gooey sludgesound that we all (at least us semi-geriatric ones)remember from that era, I am slightly saddened that there is no "clickus-interruptus"--you know, where half the song is on 1 track and then--CLICK--the other half of the song on the next. That is all. Now I must lurk for another 6 months.
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 12:43:27 -0400 From: "Brian" <mattone@bhip.infi.net> Subject: Re: Biting the hand that feeds Message-ID: <002001c275fc$52566fc0$6219f343@brian> Tschalkgerz! Yep. I'm still around... lurking... watching... ;-) >Hardly any - which is why I exercised my consumer rights and chose not to buy many! This is hardly the industry's fault anyway. The music just isn't as good as it used to be. I think few would dispute that, and this is shown by the fact that record sales are plummeting year on year. My own theory for this has nothing to do with MP3s or incompetent corporate suits. I believe that rock music as we have known it for forty years is reaching the end of its natural lifespan. It had to happen - all great cultural movements have seen their popularity wane eventually, and why should rock music be any different? Mark my words - in ten or twenty years, rock will be much like swing is today, the preserve of a dwindling band of ageing nostalgists, with perhaps the odd mini-revival now and again.< Bert, I agree with your take here and with what else you had to say about the record industry. I do feel that people let their emotions run away with their smarts and misrepresent and smother the truth because it's oh so much easier to do than to think about it or at least find out... let alone disseminating opinions on subjects that one has no expertise in. But if rock/pop music is headed that-a-way, what's coming down the road from the opposite direction? Can't wait to see (or should I say 'hear'?). I'm an Oingo Boingo fan, and I wonder if I'm going to be listening to them when I'm 64. The late stage baby boomers - the ones who grew up with the artists that we consider to be at least somewhat 'current' (Beatles onward) - have yet to get old enough for us to find out the answer to such a question. Sure, we see old guys like Mick Jagger and the like still banging it out, but they are on the other side of that coin - the side that brings them financial gain. That's their employment. I'd probably be there, too. I enjoy the 'filthy lucre' myself. **** BTW: there's a new episode of STONE TREK out for those of you who are into it. -Brian Matthews http://www.stonetrek.com
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 13:05:09 -0400 From: "Duncan Watt" <dwatt@fastestmanintheworld.com> Subject: Why Andy Can't Get Laid, Metaphorically-Speaking. Message-ID: <20021017170510.HCGV24958.sccrmhc03.attbi.com@[24.61.122.85]> Okay, so Bert Millichip <juan_the_man2002@yahoo.co.uk> riposted: > I'll finish by responding to the original poster, Mr > Ribber: > >>>>Well, bert, you keep supporting the recording > industry... (how many > decent LPs worth purchasing came out last year? > hmmmmm)<<< > > Hardly any - which is why I exercised my consumer > rights and chose not to buy many! This is hardly the > industry's fault anyway. The music just isn't as good > as it used to be. I think few would dispute that, and > this is shown by the fact that record sales are > plummeting year on year. My own theory for this has > nothing to do with MP3s or incompetent corporate > suits. I believe that rock music as we have known it > for forty years is reaching the end of its natural > lifespan. It had to happen - all great cultural > movements have seen their popularity wane eventually, > and why should rock music be any different? Mark my > words - in ten or twenty years, rock will be much like > swing is today, the preserve of a dwindling band of > ageing nostalgists, with perhaps the odd mini-revival > now and again. ...and I, reluctantly and without taking sides, in a few(okay, more than a few) big-ass run-on sentences, say: Cobblers! The reason it feels to us adults like no 'good' music was released last year is because it's very difficult for new non "hit-making" musicians (ie. the ones that make interesting music) to make income during their audience-developing years, as a direct result of the conglomeration of the avenues of distribution, airplay and venue booking; either you play the 'one-hit-quick' way, or you're swimming against a pretty big tide... this makes for lots of good-looking related-to-someone-in-the-business kids being responsible for making the lion's share of the music that's heavily promoted by the largest promotional system of any art-form in the history of our Planet. Adding to the difficulty that non-hit-making musicians(like Our Swindon Heroes) face is the confusion between the words 'best' and 'most popular', and the synergistic-conglomerates' seeming inability to promote anything BUT the 'most popular'... using this logic, the 'best' meal in America is the McDonald's hamburger. Contrary to what seems like the overweening opinion on this list, I *don't* have any problem with pop music making as much money as it can(without squeezing out ALL of the new competition like Microsoft did/does), and I AGREE with you, Bert, in terms of how the capitalistic goals of any business, small or large, are the same... but in the past, there was room for many types of music, popular *and* art-based. Of course, one made a killing and the other simply a living, but where's the harm in that? This gave young bands like XTC a chance to develop an audience outside of the mainstream before being judged financially against the biggest-selling acts of the day. But recent changes in the industry have found the syner-glomerates pushing out or consuming virtually ALL of the smaller (successful) indie labels, booking agents and radio stations, forcing them to join or die, and making it virtually impossible for musicians to develop an audience outside of the mainstream. Good for making money, lousy for freedom-of-choice. Imagine if McDonald's/BurgerKing/PizzaHut/KFC could keep all of the other local restaurants from opening at all... for 15 years, long enough to grow a generation of young people that don't know there's any better food out there... wait... that's exactly what's happening... I mean, Neil Fucking FINN doesn't have a record deal in the US! Sure, he's not going to hit the Top 40 today, but are you telling me that there aren't enough fans in the whole country to support a small release and campaign? Of course there are! It's just that it seems like a waste of time and energy to a large corporation when it would be much more profitable to take the money that would have been invested in Finn's campaign and plow it into Nelly's. So Finn should get a small deal from an independent, right? But there *aren't* any that can compete, and where would he play, anyway? Unless he's got a deal with (booking conglomerate)SFX, who seems to be interested only in the biggest, hottest acts, he got no airplay on all (radio conglomerate)ClearChannel(who's in bed with SFX) stations, and can't play any of the profitable venues in America(because they're booked by SFX. I mean, SFX pushed Don Law out of Boston, and he (reputedly) had the Mob behind him!). No wonder Finn can't score a record deal, he can't make money. And Finn is an established, relatively popular, viable commodity. Imagine if he were unknown, and three records away from good art... So I think Bert is right in proclaiming the Death Of Interesting Music, and I'm devastatingly sad about it. But it seems to have been Eaten by Pop Music. Unless one of the Huge Corporations decides that it's smarter to fucking promote ALL music on a pay-per-download/listen basis, resulting in a COMPLETE domination of ALL music listeners, even the ones who might want to listen to Interesting Music. Hmmmm.... Your Pal Duncan ps Answer me this: who(m) on our planet is promoting new music made by unknown artists who are over 30 years old? 40 years old? pps There WAS good music put out over the last year, it's just hard to find. Anyone on this list could contribute their faves. To wit, off the top of my head: Tom Waits' new ones, the new Gabriel (don't judge it by the single), Ani DiFranco's latest, and how about Anastasio's newest one for Little Feat-style fun? Even the majors get it right sometimes: Hives for rebels and how about System Of A Down for guilty Armenian major-label metal-pleasures... ppps of course, the only ones you heard about were the Hives and System Of A Down, and that's only if you have kids, right? Hm?
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 14:03:20 EDT From: DoctorPilpy@aol.com Subject: Beloved Record Labels Message-ID: <12e.192acb93.2ae05568@aol.com> Hello Chalkhills Digest, I've been a subscriber to Chalkhills for several years, but I've never posted. Only now, as a music industry professional, I feel I have to respond to Mr. Bert. Coming from someone who's been involved in the music industry for a long time, this post may sound like I'm biting the hand that feeds, but I feel that the business needs to change in a big way. Obviously Bert feels differently, and that is scary to me, assuming that he really does know the industry from experience. I'm sorry for the length of this post. >>>Well, bert, you keep supporting the recording industry... (how many decent LPs worth purchasing came out last year? hmmmmm)<<< Bert:>>>>Hardly any - which is why I exercised my consumer rights and chose not to buy many! This is hardly the industry's fault anyway. The music just isn't as good as it used to be.<<<<< To assert that the producers of commercial music are not in any way responsible for the quality of commercial music seems odd. Are you aware of how the pop music machine works right now? It's essentially a big cloning device. Whenever a song charts, a cadre of professional writers are put to work writing songs exactly like it. As soon as a new artist breaks, a cadre of similar sounding/looking artists are auditioned by the competing majors, then one is chosen by each and the same cadre of writers are put to work writing similar types of songs for them. It's delusional to think that this industry MO has nothing to do with the piss-poor state of commercial music. >>>> I think few would dispute that, and this is shown by the fact that record sales are plummeting year on year. My own theory for this has nothing to do with MP3s or incompetent corporate suits. I believe that rock music as we have known it for forty years is reaching the end of its natural lifespan. It had to happen - all great cultural movements have seen their popularity wane eventually, and why should rock music be any different? Mark my words - in ten or twenty years, rock will be much like swing is today, the preserve of a dwindling band of ageing nostalgists, with perhaps the odd mini-revival now and again.<<<<<< That's what they said about rock twenty years ago. But rock is not the issue. Music is the issue. Rock will become passe' when something more captivating and diverse than rock replaces it. Until then, innovative music will remain an underground thing, while the majors keep forcing formula at young kids and boomers. Whatever the next innovative music genre turns out to be, it won't be a major record label that spawns it, it'll be a grass roots movement, but the chokehold the majors have on the market makes it really difficult. I often wonder how many possible music innovations never made it over the wall. >>>One note, though, re 'studio time' as someone already added, the artist gets charged for it, and ill add a note that studio costs are one of the most falsely inflated figures in any industry. These folks get the equipment at the lowest prices and it is rapidly paid for and this $$ is just more gravy for pig record execs to wallow in.<<< >>>You really hate the thought of people making money don't you?<<<< Maybe he hates the thought of uncontrolled cost overruns that get passed down to the artist. >>>>>>Studio time is just one of many costs involved in releasing a CD. It's technically true that some artists end up paying for it out of their royalties,<<<< It's technically true? Is that like being technically pregnant? All but the mega artists pay studio costs out of their royalties. That in itself is not a bad thing. It's the WAY it's done that puts the notion of business ethics to shame. >>>but that's a very simplistic way of looking at it. 80% of artists never sell enough CDs to cover the costs, so the record company ends up footing at least part of the bill. The record company will also pay all the costs for their top artists, of course. This leaves only a very small proportion of releases for which the record company recoups all the recording studio costs from artists' royalties.<<<<< That is correct. It is factored into their cost of doing business, and it also plays pretty well to their tax situation. But there are plenty of high-risk industries and this is the only one I can think of that forces a great measure of its risk back onto the talent. Note that the talent does not have any risk mitigation resources, but the record company does. Note that platinum-selling artists who end up with little or no money after covering expenses are not isolated stories, but are representative of the industry. Sometimes the artist is equally at fault, but no one looks out for them because too many people are enjoying the ride the way it is. >>>>>It is therefore very misleading to say that "the artist pays for the recording studio".<<<<<< OK, the artist pays for the recording studio out of their 30-cents-per-18-dollar-CD royalties. Better? >>>> Typically, the record company will give the artist the money for the recording up front. There may also be a separate advance, or the artist will be told he can "keep the change" if he brings the recording in under budget.<<<< Now THAT's misleading. In reality it's the functional equivalent of giving someone $5000 to buy a new car, and telling them they can keep the change if they come in under budget. Then they're given little or no control over the choice of car, the dealer, or the terms. And they don't get to keep the car, either. >>>The artist will NEVER have to repay any of this money out of his own pocket. If the CD doesn't sell a single copy, the artist won't have to pay back a cent. Is that realy such a bad deal?<<<<<< So only the record company is shouldering risk? You make it sound like a big party. We go make a record at the company's expense, we toss it out into the market, and cross our fingers. Maybe we'll be rich, maybe we won't, but hell it was fun! That is not at all what it is like. The process is grueling and the pressure is relentless. Then when you're done, the record company decides whether or not to even release the CD, and what resources they will or will not put into marketing it. They own your ass, and if they want to flush you down the toilet, be ready to get wet. And you, as the artist, are still responsible for paying all of the other leeches that are stuck to your skin including the agents, producers, lawyers, managers, and the deli owner down the street from the studio where the producer ran up a tab of $1700 for cigarettes, Altoids and beer. If you think living under that shadow with no paycheck, and no control over your future is not "paying", then you haven't been there. It literally destroys many people before they even get started. And there is no moral accountability for it in the industry. OK, the payoffs are big, so the risks are high. Fair enough. What's not fair is that new artists are routinely taken advantage of and the industry as a collective does not care. There are things that could be done by all parties to make it less damaging to the artist, but there are too many people on the ride who don't want to give up their non-value adding overindulgences. That's what pisses me off. Well, that and the fact that the consumer pays for the overindulgences every time we buy a CD. Well, that and the fact that record companies use legal payola loopholes and illegal price fixing methods to counter market forces. >>>Imagine, dear Pawnee, if a suit came up to you and said: "I'll give you a hundred thousand bucks. Use it to hire the best studio you can afford. Spend the change on anything else you like. Have a blast recording an album; it'll be like a dream come true. We will then put your music in every record store in the country. If nobody buys it, don't worry, you won't owe us a cent. If it sells more than, say, 50,000 copies, you will get a handsome cut of the profits."<<<< That was a cool fantasy. I enjoyed it for the ten seconds it took to read it. Now here's the reality. Imagine dear Bert if a suit came up to you and said: "Here's five hundred thousand bucks. Pay the taxes on it. (We've already written it off as an expense.) Pay your agent, your manager, your producer and your lawyers out of it. Split what's left among the band members. Then hire a world class studio, whether you can afford it or not. Do whatever the producer says, even if he tells you to spend 9 weeks at $450/hour getting the vocal track to "sit in the groove". Don't worry, we'll take the inevitable cost overruns out of your 30-cent per CD profits. Spend the "change" (newsflash - you're in the red already) on food, clothing and shelter while we send you back and forth for months or even years to rewrite and re-record what you gave us until we think it sounds enough like what's already out there to provide a black-column return. If nobody buys it, don't worry. It had nothing to do with our inability to promote you or our bad judgment of the market - it's because you sucked. At that point, you'll be back on skid row where you started, only now, no other record company will touch you. But just in case they do, remember that we still own the rights to anything you do. If it sells around 2,000,000, we'll make money and you'll break even. Maybe. If it sells less, you don't owe us a dime!!!! >>>Put like that, artists are not nearly as pissed on as you might think - which is why they tend to be *delighted* to take their chances and sign on the dotted line!<<<<<<< Artists are "delighted" to sign on that line for these possible reasons only: a) They have no other recourse, b) they have stars in their eyes and don't fully understand the game, c) they enjoy being pissed on. It's usually a combination of a and b. <<<<< Cost is not the only determinant of price. The most important influence on price is demand: the amount consumers are willing to pay.<<<<< All true. As long as the market is not stacked, station managers aren't paid for playing songs (whoops - already convictions there, so they do it through loopholes now) and there's no price fixing (whoops - several of the majors were recently convicted of price fixing on CD's and paid fines to the courts. Did you read about it in "USA Today"? Probably not. Did you get any money back on CD's that you bought and were gouged for? Probably not. Did you read about the record companies getting screwed by us "pirates"? Probably.) >>>>>In a very real sense, the (supposedly) high price of CDs is as much the consumer's fault as the supplier's.<<<<< Except that when the consumer exercises his/her right to stop buying them, record companies cry foul and go to court. In court, they attempt to re-structure the market by squelching technology and demanding royalties for the CD's we DIDN'T buy. >>>>I stand by my assertion that CDs are good value.<<<< And your other assertion that you hardly buy any anymore. Fascinating. >>>Can anyone think of a better one?<<<< I would say this thread is pretty entertaining, and it's cheap. ;-) Dr. Pilpy
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 14:31:05 -0400 From: "Duncan Watt" <dwatt@fastestmanintheworld.com> Subject: can you even pppps? Message-ID: <20021017183105.JYQZ24958.sccrmhc03.attbi.com@[24.61.122.85]> pppps ...and of course Scissorfight's "Man Trapping For Fun And Profit".
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 08:51:04 -0400 From: "Danny Phipps" <phipps@schoollink.net> Subject: OT - re: the 'Q Message-ID: <000b01c27837$5ab45fa0$938c04d8@phipps> jack (at jydson@yahoo.com ) has started an interesting "thread" of discussion here on the 'Hill. i have been a 'Q fan for many years and they just blow me away with every new thing they do. unfortunately, they hardly ever come here to NC when they tour, but i did manage to luck up many years ago and see them play for free in towne point park in norfolk, va. it was one of the last shows they did with big al on guitar. he left shortly after that gig. but i have never ever laughed so hard or danced so much or clapped so loudly as i did that evening on the waterfront jamming to one of the coolest bands ever in this crazy business of rock and roll!! this band is everything i wish for in xtc! i believe if andy were to ever get a copy of a 'Q album (say......"grooves in orbit" or "tapdancin' bats" for instance), he would immediately become a devoted fan!! i honestly feel this way. it's wonderful to know that after all the years that NRBQ have been together, they're still playing the intimate clubs and conversing with the fans. they are simply the best touring band around......bar none! thanks jack for bringing this band to more peoples' attention! long live the 'Q!!!! :-) /danny phipps
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2002 15:52:03 -0400
From: C Bisson <c.bisson@verizon.net>
Subject: CD-Rs For Sale
Message-ID: <3DB45AE3.4040404@verizon.net>
Once again, I thought I'd share some of the wealth. This time, since we
all are anticipating "new" discs with demos/extras, I thought I would do
some live stuff.
I've got three different sets ready, and you can contact me off list if
you are interested.
Set 1) English Settlement Live Tour 1982
Feb 12 - March 18: Eight shows on nine discs.
Set 2) Acoustical O&L Radio Tour 1989
May 15 - May 24: Ten shows on nine discs
Set 3) Some miscellaneous stuff that more than likely won't be on
upcoming official releases:
Jules Verne Sketchbook
The Bull With The Golden Guts
Star Park (copy of the Italian bootleg disc)
DG- Remoulds
Four discs.
Like I said, contact me off list if you are interested.
Cheers
CBisson
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2002 22:52:29 -0400 From: Ben Gott <bgott@rectoryschool.org> Subject: Jangle Pop Classics (Vol. 1) Message-ID: <B9DA35AD.6BCD%bgott@rectoryschool.org> Gang, Check out the "Jangle Pop Classics (Vol. 1)" mix I made! Midnight Oil - Capricornia the dBs - Judy Matthew Sweet - What Matters Robyn Hitchcock - Another Bubble Pernice Bros. - Working Girls (Sunlight Shines) Eggstone - Water The Smiths - Cemetry Gates Sloan - The Other Man R.E.M. - Imitation of Life Billy Bragg - Shirley The Beatles - We Can Work It Out Pete Yorn - Strange Condition (Rock Version) Martin Newell - She Rings the Changes Kirsty MacColl - Titanic Days The Pretenders - My Baby Guided by Voices - Teenage F.B.I. Richard Thompson - I Can't Wake Up to Save My Life Trash Can Sinatras - Obscurity Knocks The Sugarplastic - Talk Back The Go-Betweens - Bye Bye Pride I love it and you should, too. (And if you want a copy, let me know -- I'd be glad to share the joy.) Just thought I'd share, -Ben P.S Aside from the usual suspects who will appear on "Jangle Pop Classics (Vol. 2)" (Jason Falkner, The Sundays, et al.), what else should I be listening to? E-mail me off-list if you have any suggestions.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 22 Oct 2002 17:43:16 +0100 (BST)
From: Dom Lawson <britishsteel666@yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: Slight return
Message-ID: <20021022164316.53984.qmail@web40510.mail.yahoo.com>
Hello playmates...
I won't bother asking if you've missed me. Let's take
that as a given. I have, of course, missed you.
Anyway, it's wonderful to be able to say that after
five years of commuting from lovely Brighton to shitty
London, I am finally working from home. Consequently,
I am in a position to re-join the fun. And sweet
Jesus, what fun there has been in my absence! I've
only managed to trundle merrily through the last few
digests, but it's clear to me that the standard of
debate has fallen not once teensy bit. Some of the
newest protagonists (or 'insufferable c**ts', as I
prefer to call them) are more than I could ever have
wished for. Such wit! Such eloquence! And such a
blatant disinterest in XTC. Marvellous stuff, and
perfectly befitting the welcome-one-welcome-all nature
of Chalkhills. It's almost a shame that I've returned.
However, I do have to point out how much I enjoyed the
Harrison Vs Bert furore. You can't buy that kind of
entertainment, my good friends, and nor should you be
able to. But if I was two stone lighter, my sides
would definitely have split. Of course, there are no
prizes on offer for guessing who I agree with, or
indeed who I violently disagree with on practically
everything, but both sides done brilliant, Brian.
Just one small thing:
>>The music just isn't as good as it used to be. I
think few would dispute that, and this is shown by the
fact that record sales are plummeting year on year.
You don't know me, Bert, but play along for the
cameras...
Of all the pompous, overbearing, witless,
snotfest-inducing and downright WRONGWRONGFUCKINGWRONG
things that have oozed slimily from your ghastly
fingers, oh dearest Bertram, this one wins my 'No, he
couldn't really have written that. Could he? No,
surely not. That would be fucking ludicrous' award.
And believe me, this is one highly-coveted and hotly
fought over bit of tat.
Either, sweet Bertie, you have gone deaf, grown
exceptionally old before your time and spent the last
few years roughly pumping your apparently long and
thick todger in front of a full-length (and
necessarily XXL) mirror, or you have a phenomenally
narrow taste in music and/or a waning desire to pay
attention. I could easily - and happily - bore you all
into an early grave with the endless musical bounty my
one good ear has feasted on over the last
several...Jesus H. Millichip, where have you been?!
Mind you, as I sit here listening to 'Cumfucked Face
Of Death' by Gorelord, I am beginning to wonder if my
idea of a good aural time coincides with anyone else's
on the list...here's hoping!
Oh yes, one last thing. Just in case you were
wondering if I had any intention of contributing some
vaguely XTC-related content...
>>It's amazing how there's an XTC song for every
occasion. And that's all I have to say about that.
Couldn't agree more. I recently moved into a lovely
new house in Brighton and had the arduous task of
putting my CDs back into alphabetical order after the
abject chaos that ensued when I packed them all up
(Note to self: do not overcomplicate things by trying
to separate your CD collection into genres. This is a
mug's game, I tells ya). After trying out a few
rhythmically appropriate soundtracks ('Living After
Midnight', 'Orgasmatron'...bear with me, I don't get
out much) I discovered that 'Paper & Iron' was just
the automated-CD-geek ticket. Right up until the point
when I overestimated how many CDs I could hold in one
hand and then...well, put it this way, you've never
seen a fat boy move so fast, as jewel cases shattered
against the formica. Marvellous.
Room for one more? Oh go on...budge up for a tiddler.
Salut!
Dom.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2002 23:18:56 -0500
From: "vee tube" <veetube@hotmail.com>
Subject: Will It Never Stop?
Message-ID: <F66WJv3zOdnjQ8vjque000024fc@hotmail.com>
Well,
I haven't heard from Sir Demon Brown in a while,but,
that hasn't stopped xtc4u.org
Looks like some weed boys have decided to offer a new
concert or two? You don't have to visit if you don't
want to, but, if you do? You might find...
February 1980 - Cal-Davis University Campus - Davis, California, U.S.A.
Real by Reel
When You're Near Me I Have Difficulty
Life Begins at the Hop
The Rhythm
Meccanik Dancing (Oh We Go!)
Heatwave
Scissor man
Ten Feet Tall
Helicopter
This is Pop?
Battery Brides
Crowded Room
Complicated Game
Outside World
Dance Band
Statue of Liberty
August 8, 1980 - Berg en Bos, Apeldoorn, Netherlands
Real by Reel
Generals and Majors
Respectable Street
Love at First Sight
Helicopter
Making Plans for Nigel
Don't make me break my
foot off in your a*s!
HappyOctuberfest!Out!
}---:)
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2002 14:46:54 -0400 From: "pawnee q ribber" <ribber@lycos.com> Subject: 1982 vs 2002 Message-ID: <OAPBLLMPAFPLDBAA@mailcity.com> Organization: Lycos Mail (http://www.mail.lycos.com:80) *hobbes*, thanks a lot for the list of suggestions, have been checking these bands out and may buy a few of their cds before too long. I still assert that there are prescious few albums of note coming out. Perhaps it's the era, but, 20 years ago, I couldn't buy enough albums that I truly wanted to hear and own. Chalk it up to taste, I guess, but bands like the Buzzcocks, XTC, Squeeze, Magazine, Elvis n the Attractions, Nick Lowe, and more others than I could possibly give their due, were all putting out lps that still are better than most of the material on that list. Anyhow, strident arguements over matters of aesthetics have no possible end. To some, a Wayne Newton cd is worth more than the total output of our heroes, and they can feel that way and I have no problem with that. Doughty (from Soul Coughing)'s new CD am very cool. Far as folks who are out there on the scene, now, he's one of my favorites. I await the Warbles. --- THE RIBBERAMA http://members.fortunecity.com/ribber LIT WRIT SURE FICTION http://www.angelfire.lycos.com/zine/pqribber
------------------------------ Date: Tue, 29 Oct 2002 13:38:34 -0500 From: "Kehoe, Brendan" <BKehoe@craneco.com> Subject: Swindon Link XTC References Message-ID: <99512104A954D311A167009027860D7404566B91@mail2.craneco.com> I was checking out www.swindonlink.com (thank you Wes Long for the link to it from Optimismsflames) and found a section called "Community Links" that had a section called "Swindon's Stars"... And there was NO MENTION OF XTC. I found this quite disturbing, so I wrote an e-mail to the publisher as follows: > Why, oh why, is there no reference to XTC in the Swindon's Stars section? > > www.xtcidearecords.co.uk is XTC's official web site. > > www.guitargonauts.com is Dave Gregory's official web site (former XTC > guitarist). > > I, personally, have not yet been to Swindon, but there are many XTC fans > who travel to Swindon like Muslims to Mecca. In the eyes (and hearts) of > XTC fans worldwide (and there are more of us than you may think) Swindon > is hallowed ground. Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding are superb > musicians and songwriters - highly lauded by critics if not highly popular > with the masses. > > Do not sell short one of Swindon's finest assets (or three of them, if you > look at them as individuals). > > I enjoy your site. I've visited several times but missed this oversight. > I get to the UK on business a few times a year. One of these trips I will > make time for a pilgrimage to Swindon. > > Sincerely, > > Brendan Kehoe I then received a reply e-mail saying: I shall have to find the time to add this roger ogle A quick check today (one week later) and there are now two links in the "Swindon's Stars" section. http://www.swindonlink.com/directory/discover.html Perhaps now the people of Swindon may realize that XTC did not break up in 1982. Brendan
------------------------------ Date: Wed, 30 Oct 2002 12:13:34 -0500 From: KEVIN.WOLLENWEBER@jpmorgan.com Subject: Hello, It's Becky...and FUZZY WARBLES? Please!!! Message-ID: <OF81BCBB5E.97768F76-ON85256C62.005A6147@chase.com> Hello, folks. I know I'd extolld the virtues of listening to Becky deGreggorio's new album, GOD'S EMPTY CHAIR in my last posting, but now I've got both her albums, the first one being SEVEN WORTHIES, and I'll tell ya, they are top-notch. GOD'S EMPTY CHAIR grows on me the more I listen to it, with songs like "Cats in the Aviary" (full band version preferred) and the somewhat ambient instrumental title piece; these songs continue to shine! It is nice to know that there is a truly worthy musician among us who is genuinely being influenced by some of the best pop music around. We've corresponded by E-mail and I know that one of the female vocalists who have inspired her over the years has been Grace Slick in her prime, and I hear shades of Grace, Wendy Waldman and Sandy Denny in her vocal phrasing, and it works with the arrangements. And, oh, I must congratulate her for her brilliant cover of the Nazz classic "Open My Eyes"! Becky, I'll have to give you a sampling of Todd Rundgren's best solo work since you were not as conscious of what he'd done since leaving Nazz. I'm sure that we've all heard his reworking of "Hello, It's Me" and that all-too-often played "Bang on the Drum All Day"; I mean, the latter reminds me of the case where Loudon Wainwright III was known only for "Dead Skunk", while there were far too many other fantastic songs that the man wrote which were just as funny, chilling or touching, if not moreso! No one could send up our socio-political system like Loudon! Likewise, there are very few people, very few pop musicians who have explored the wide range of emotions as has Todd, and to have *HIM* as your inspiration, aside from the brilliant song stylings of Andy Partridge, Colin Moulding and Dave Gregory...well, I just can't wait for the third album whenever the inspiration hits you, Becky! The production on these two albums is fantastic, and I must echo another Chalkhillion who wondered why the major labels aren't clamoring for examples of her work. Yet, from what we've all been saying about record companies and the way they sell or choose not to sell certain artists, it is perhaps better that word of mouth from a growing fan base inflate Becky's talents and image. It has always been my opinion...and, note, I said *OPINION*...that, if the artist takes more pains to take charge of his or her own music, we'll see the industry turn around to honor the talents instead of just seeking the next accident waiting to happen. In turn, artists who learn about the ins and outs of the music biz and govern their own career moves can also, if successful, assist other artists who have fallen out of favor with major record labels who don't deem them listenable anymore. Maybe my picture here is a little cut-and-dried idyllic, but I'm sure I'm somewhat close to the truth. Yeah, working with the major labels makes a lot of the rough-and-tumble of the biz a lot easier, but what they don't make easier is falling from your pedestol when you've reached your pinacle with sudden writers' block or a major need to sit back and unwind from all the endless touring, and the only reason artists have to tour is because *THAT* is where *THEIR* own money is made! Okay, enough nonsense. Becky's albums are terrific, and I'm so glad I could help her on her search for songs about the psychology of dreaming that she will use for a college paper she is piecing together. I'm sure there were many, many other suggestions, but I thought I put together a fairly decent sampler, both from my addled brain remembering what I own in my clumsy collection and from our numerous notes back and forth as I sit here in the office, vegetating! I guess my job is the pits, but I would imagine that just about *any *REAL* career move can feel like a day job at some time. If this list became filled with the biggest names in the music business, venting their frustrations, I'm sure that we local losers won't feel so bad about our lots. Until then, however, I just sit back and wish I knew how to play instruments at all. I just hope that the music industry doesn't get bogged down in coming up with new and baffling formats with which to release the same old stuff. When I visualize the cover of a favorite album, I still dream in vinyl; *NOTHING* beat the possibilities for artistic experiment on a vinyl album cover. Hey, we still can't duplicate the beauty of that original cover of the Rolling Stones' album, THEIR SANTANIC MAJESTY'S REQUEST or that pinwheel design for LED ZEPPELIN III, right? I'm sure that those of us who own original copies of either of those albums, either U.S. or U.K. versions, display them proudly! Wave your freak flags high! So, please, folks, I'm anxious to hear the first reviews of FUZZY WARBLES, VOL.I. The first two disk set sounds as if it will be amazing. It seems, though, that there are far too many limited edition collector's items yowling at me to buy, buy, buy! Okay, it is the usual unhealthy Christmas rush, but it's going to kill me if I have to leave certain desires in the dust! At least, folks, keep me informed on just when the Partridge disks are going on sale so I can be sure to snag at least a few of these! I've no access to the internet, so anyone's word will be helpful. Kevin
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