Errors-To: ecto-owner@ns1.rutgers.edu Reply-To: ecto@ns1.rutgers.edu Sender: ecto@ns1.rutgers.edu From: ecto@ns1.rutgers.edu To: ecto-request@ns1.rutgers.edu Bcc: ecto-digest-outbound@ns1.rutgers.edu Subject: ecto #659 ecto, Number 659 Tuesday, 20 July 1993 Today's Topics: *-----------------* Yeow! Got my HR5 too. Just thought you might like to know :-) Re: More misc musings... Oblique Strategies a trip to Tower Hands across the water/water across the lists/hands across the lists The price of diversification? Concerts concerts concerts... story and harmonium Re: The price of diversification? ======================================================================== Date: 19 Jul 1993 12:12:37 -0400 From: pas@math.ams.org (Paula Shanks) Subject: Yeow! Featured artist on WAMX's noon show today: Happy Rhodes! I have gone to heaven on the AM band. Pshanks ======================================================================== Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1993 21:56:39 +1000 (AEST) From: anthony@xymox.apana.org.au (Anthony Horan) Subject: Got my HR5 too. Just thought you might like to know :-) Seeing as how everyone's been posting about their arriving HR5's I thought I'd better do so as well and offer some thoughts... First of all, the cover design was, I unfortunately feel, not up to the standard of the other releases. It's not the photo I have a problem with, but the design itself. It's very 70's. Very greeting card. And not especially eye-catching. I know it's only a promo, but that should be all the more reason to make it stand out from the rest. Nice to see, by the way, that it was in a proper jewel box and not the "ultra-thin" CD single box we have here. On the back cover: It's gratifying to finally figure out the correct spelling of Susanne's name :-) And yet again Dr Toby Mountain, whoever he may be, has done a spectacular mastering job. Doctor, when and if I record or produce an album, you're doing the digital work, OK? Good! :) Musically, I am i two minds about the acoustic versions of the familiar songs. The "unplugged" phenomenon may be the current vogue, but it's getting to the stage when you wish these musicians would go back to technology... :-) I think "Save Our Souls" and "Feed The Fire" both suffer for their acoustic tretment. It's not that the songs themselves are any worse, but both of these were built around elaborate, cinematic arrangements and layered backing vocals that made them special. "Ashes To Ashes" on the other hand, is wonderful, and it's great to be able to understand the lyrics at last. And the "I'm Happy" line is delivered with the expected amount of knowingness. What a perfect irony... :) Someone else here mentioned that they suspected "I Say" may be a different mix, and on first hearing I am inclined to concur. I don't begrudge Happy going into a studio to record acoustic material, but it's the sublime soundscapes of the last two albums that have really gelled and placed Happy miles ahead of countless other "folk" singers, which is what the acoustic versions sound like to untrained ears. I know, I played them to a couple of people today, and that's the reaction I got. In this era of sudden minimalism in recording, let's get back to sequencing, arranging, multitrack recording and multi-layered vocals. Or before long the frightening spectre of "Kraftwerk Unplugged" is likely to raise its ugly head... :-) Anthony ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Anthony Horan, Melbourne Australia - anthony@xymox.apana.org.au "Not everybody likes me, but I don't like everybody either!" - Ilka Heber ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ======================================================================== Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1993 21:37:50 +1000 (AEST) From: anthony@xymox.apana.org.au (Anthony Horan) Subject: Re: (none) In apana.lists.rec.happy-rhodes, article <9307180522.AA18630@monet.vill.edu___>, you wrote: > BRNI'S TOTALLY (AHEM) OBJECTIVE BUT SOMEWHAT INCOMPLETE > LIST OF THE GREATEST ALBUMS EVER MADE :-) > cocteau twins _victorialand_ (recommended by tory moore) Get thee a copy of "Treasure" as quickly as your budget allows. You won't regret it. > thomas dolby _the flat earth_ I actually like "Golden Age Of Wireless" better, but its reissued form unfortunately drops "Leipzig" and "Urges", but on the bright side does include "One Of Our Submarines". "Leipzig" and "Urges", by the way, are on the UK CD single of "Silk Pyjamas" > eurythmics _sweet dreams_ > _1984_ And "Touch". > heart _dog and butterfly_ Wow! After all these years, someone else who ACTUALLY LIKES THIS ALBUM!!! Welcome, where have you been all these years?? :-) I often heard people who were big fans of that band derogatorily refer to "Dog And Butterfly" as Heart's "folk" album. Ha. Hey, was it ever released on CD? My late 70's CBS Australia "Flexi-disc" vinyl pressing is not in terrific shape these days... > led zeppelin _physical graffiti_ "Cough...." :) > roxy music _avalon_ Ahhhh... yum. > adam ant _kings of the wild frontier_ :-) It is actually a good album, musical sceptics! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Anthony Horan, Melbourne Australia - anthony@xymox.apana.org.au "Not everybody likes me, but I don't like everybody either!" - Ilka Heber ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ======================================================================== Subject: Re: More misc musings... Date: Mon, 19 Jul 93 13:47:20 -0400 From: jeffy@syrinx.umd.edu John writes: >Neal: I knew you weren't knocking San Diego. How could you?? :) We took >our first trip out to the eastern shore on Saturday. It was nice, but a >LONG drive. The beaches here are A LOT different from the California ones. >I'm not saying which are better :), they're just different. We're obviously going to need to work on your Maryland terminology. ;-) The Eastern Shore refers to a cultural/geographic region that's very closely related to the Chesapeake Bay. Specifically, it's the part of the Delmarva Peninsula bordering the east of the Bay. Famous for its cultural heritage of watermen, eastern shore folks typically disdain other Marylanders. Probably the most famous Eastern Shore town and a popular tourist spot is St. Michaels. Most folks seem to refer to any of the Maryland/Delaware seaside resorts (Ocean City, Fenwick Island, Bethany Beach, Dewey Beach, and Rehobeth) as simply "The Beach." It doesn't matter which one you're referring to. "I'm going to the beach this weekend." Or you could be more specific and say "I'm going to OC." On the other hand, if you, for some odd reason want to go to one of the seaside resorts in New Jersey (such as Ocean City, Atlantic City, Cape May, Wildwood, etc.) *those* are on "the shore" or "the Jersey shore." Odd, eh? >We're still really in the process of exploring the area, since neither of >us had even BEEN to the east coast before we moved here. We're hoping to >start taking trips to the north (Philadelphia, New York, Boston) and the >south (Virginia, Florida, etc) soon. Of course, a Happy concert would be >a GREAT reason to travel ANYWHERE! :) One of the fun things about being in the mid-Atlantic is being so central to everything, and if you have even the vaguest interest in American history, there are fantastic places to go, including but not limited to Philadelphia, Williamsburg, Gettysburg, and so forth. Jeff ======================================================================== Date: 19 Jul 1993 14:23:50 -0500 (EST) From: SANDOVAL@stsci.edu Subject: Re: More misc musings... Jeff says in response to my post: >>Neal: I knew you weren't knocking San Diego. How could you?? :) We took >>our first trip out to the eastern shore on Saturday. It was nice, but a >>LONG drive. The beaches here are A LOT different from the California ones. >>I'm not saying which are better :), they're just different. >We're obviously going to need to work on your Maryland terminology. ;-) Thanks, Jeff, I'd appreciate it! :) Living in one corner of the country for 25 years, and the moving to the opposite side of the country is quite a change! :) >The Eastern Shore refers to a cultural/geographic region that's very closely >related to the Chesapeake Bay. Specifically, it's the part of the Delmarva >Peninsula bordering the east of the Bay. Famous for its cultural heritage of >watermen, eastern shore folks typically disdain other Marylanders. Probably >the most famous Eastern Shore town and a popular tourist spot is St. Michaels. Well, we didn't stop anywhere on the eastern shore. It did seem quite rural. >Most folks seem to refer to any of the Maryland/Delaware seaside resorts >(Ocean City, Fenwick Island, Bethany Beach, Dewey Beach, and Rehobeth) as >simply "The Beach." It doesn't matter which one you're referring to. >"I'm going to the beach this weekend." Or you could be more specific and >say "I'm going to OC." First, we went out to Assateague State Park. It was nice out there, but REALLY windy. We did see some of the wild horses, though. :) We then drove up through Ocean City, all the way up to Rehobeth Beach. We had to go to Rehobeth, because one of the street names in San Diego's Mission Beach is Rehobeth, and my wife likes to see that sort of stuff. :) She took pictures so she could send them back to her mom. :) >On the other hand, if you, for some odd reason want to go to one of the >seaside resorts in New Jersey (such as Ocean City, Atlantic City, Cape May, >Wildwood, etc.) *those* are on "the shore" or "the Jersey shore." > >Odd, eh? I know my wife wants to go to Atlantic City "just to see it". She doesn't like gambling, she just wants to be able to say "I've been there." :) That's pretty much how we decide where to go. Of course, we haven't even SCRATCHED the surface of DC. We've only been in the Air and Space Museum and the Natural History Museum. We have seen all the momuments, plus Arlington Cemetary. We went there when my mom came to visit, because her brother was one of the pall bearers for JFK. There's a big graveside photo on the wall, and we took a picture of my mom pointing to her brother. It was really neat. So, any tips you can give a new Marylander, I'd be happy to listen. :) And any of you people north of Maryland, any particular spots that you'd recommend seeing? We do like history too... John ======================================================================== Date: Mon, 19 Jul 93 12:47:20 PDT From: dixon@physics.berkeley.edu (David Dixon) Subject: Oblique Strategies By request, here is the complete list of Eno's Oblique Strategies. Enjoy! Culled from net a few years ago: Newsgroups: rec.music.misc Subject: Re: ENO'S Oblique Strategies Message-ID: <1269@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU> Date: 29 Mar 89 17:37 GMT References: <5639@archie.UUCP> <133000093@inmet> Reply-To: ecf_hjl@jhunix.UUCP (John Lorch) Organization: The Johns Hopkins University - HCF Lines: 174 Ok, here's my copy of the posting from some while ago of Brian Eno's oblique strategies cards. Each line was printed on a playing card sized card, black on one side, white on the printed side. They come in a small black box that says "Oblique Strategies" on one side in gold lettering, and the artists names are on the other side. They were developed by Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt, who was a painter friend of Eno's (he did the cover for Taking Tiger Mountain (by Strategy)). The first little bit there descibes the basic ideas behind the cards and their recommended use. I bought my set in 1980 for $11.00. It was a second, unsigned edition. A friend of mine has offered to sell me his first edition, signed by both artists, for $100.00 Those are the only two copies I've ever seen. I have no idea where you might find a copy of the set. Enjoy. -=- -=- -=- Here are the ``Oblique Strategies'' cards that have been mentioned/requested: (this first bit is the introductory card) OBLIQUE STRATEGIES Over 100 worthwhile dilemmas by Brian Eno & Peter Schmidt These cards evolved from our separate observations of the principles underlying what we were doing. Sometimes they were recognized in retro- spect (intellect catching up with intuition), sometimes they were formulated. They can be used as a pack (a set of possibilities being continuously reviewed in the mind) or by drawing a single card from the shuffled pack when a dilemma occurs in a working situation. In this case the card is trusted even if its appropriateness is quite unclear. They are not final, as new ideas will present themselves, and others will become self-evident. [First published 1975, slightly revised edition 1978. Unauthorized transcription by Rob Stanzel 1985 of unauthorized transcription by M. Skoner 9/79 (hi, Mark)] Remove specifics and convert to ambiguities Don't be frightened of cliches What is the reality of the situation? Are there sections? Consider transitions Turn it upside down Think of the radio Allow an easement (an easement is the abandonment of a stricture) Simple subtraction Be dirty Go slowly all the way round the outside A line has two sides Make an exhaustive list of everything you might do & do the last thing on the list Into the impossible Towards the insignificant Ask people to work against their better judgement Take away the elements in order of apparent non-importance Infinitesimal gradations Change instrument roles Accretion Disconnect from desire Emphasize repetitions Faced with a choice, do both (given by Dieter Rot) Children -speaking -singing Lost in useless territory A very small object Its center Dont be afraid of things because they're easy to do Dont be frightened to display your talents Breathe more deeply Honor thy error as a hidden intention What are the sections sections of? Imagine a caterpillar moving Only one element of each kind Is there something missing Use `unqualified' people How would you have done it? Emphasize differences Do nothing for as long as possible Bridges -build -burn Always give yourself credit for having more than personality (given by Arto Lindsay) You don't have to be ashamed of using your own ideas Tidy up Do the words need changing? Ask your body Tape your mouth (given by Ritva Saarikko) Water Simply a matter of work Make a sudden, destructive unpredictable action; incorporate Consult other sources -promising -unpromising Use an unacceptable color Humanize something free of error Use filters Fill every beat with something Discard an axiom Not building a wall but making a brick What wouldn't you do? Lowest common denominator Decorate, decorate Balance the consistency principle with the inconsistency principle Get your neck massaged Listen to the quiet voice Do the washing up Is it finished? Put in earplugs Reevaluation (a warm feeling) Give the name away Intentions -nobility of -humility of -credibility of Abandon normal instruments Use fewer notes Repetition is a form of change Give way to your worst impulse Reverse Trust in the you of now Imagine the piece as a set of disconnected events What would your closest friend do? Distorting time Make a blank valuable by putting it in an exquisite frame Feed the recording back out of the medium Convert a melodic element into a rhythmic element The most important thing is the thing most easily forgotten [blank white card] Ghost echoes You can only make one dot at a time Just carry on (Organic) machinery The inconsistency principle Don't break the silence Idiot glee (?) Discover the recipes you are using and abandon them Cascades Courage! Spectrum analysis What mistakes did you make last time? Consider different fading systems Mute and continue Be extravagant It is quite possible (after all) What are you really thinking about just now? Don't stress on thing more than another [sic] State the problem in words as clearly as possible Assemble some of the elements in a group and treat the group You are an engineer Remove ambiguities and convert to specifics Look at the order in which you do things Go outside. Shut the door. Disciplined self-indulgence Do we need holes? Cluster analysis Always first steps Cut a vital conenction Do something boring Define an area as `safe' and use it as an anchor Is the information correct? Overtly resist change Question the heroic approach Accept advice Twist the spine Work at a different speed Look closely at the most embarrassing details & amplify them Mechanicalize something idiosyncratic Emphasize the flaws Remember those quiet evenings Take a break Short circuit (example; a man eating peas with the idea that they will improve his virility shovels them straight into his lap) Left channel, right channel, center channel Use an old idea Destroy -nothing -the most important thing Change nothing and continue with immaculate consistency The tape is now the music ------- B D^2 "I'm crushing your head! I'm crushing your head!" - The Kids in the Hall ======================================================================== Date: 19 Jul 1993 16:45:42 -0400 From: pas@math.ams.org (Paula Shanks) Subject: a trip to Tower Dear friends: I was so carried away by hearing hunks o' Happy on the radio that I clean forgot two topics from my trip to Tower, from which I was returning while listening to said radio. Point 1. They not only had all of her CDs in (except HR5), they also had a mammoth Equipoise poster up! Mymymy. This could all be for naught, however. They had so many people in doing inventory that I fear perhaps the store is closing (they had the bad taste to rent from a jerk landlord who went bigtime broke this year). Do Tower Records stores always look like they've been overrun by an army of slackers at inventory time? Point 2. Wherein I wax grateful for all the music tips I receive from this list: I picked up the Cranberries and Ingrid Karklins, and I really like them. Thanks to those pumping them up on this bit of ether, from Pshanks, who's having a Happy day. ======================================================================== Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1993 16:42:48 CDT From: Subject: Hands across the water/water across the lists/hands across the lists The other day, the wnn mailing list featured the following additional sugges- tions for music that _World News Now_ could run under pictures of the macerated Missisippi valley: >"Let Your Love Flow" - The Bellamy Brothers > >"Madman Across the Water" - Elton John > >"Slip Slidin' Away" - Paul Simon > >"Over My Head" - Fleetwood Mac > >And anything by the Waterboys. :) > >Ah...how utterly tasteless. I love it. :) The last comment was Aaron Dickey's, not mine. OTHER STORIES: While setting up to record Garrison Keillor yesterday morning, I came across the last couple of minutes of an interview NPR's _Weekend Edition_ did with the Story, timepegged to their new album's release soon. They sang a song, presumably from the album, that appeared to be about anorexia. Did either of them ever have that, or what? As Doug has reiterated his appeal for HBP material, let me do the same with mine: While it's always optimal to utter your own opening remarks for your musical contribution (be the latter canned or an original performance), if for any reason you're unable or reluctant to do the talking yourself, feel free to email me a text to read into the record (literally! :-) ). The pure Internet form of my address is U15289@uicvm.uic.edu . I'm sure Epic has released Heart's _Dog and Butterfly_ on CD, probably in the Nice Price line. I like that album too. WRT the gift to accompany the HBP tape: my intuitive sense is that the kite idea has been nominated by acclamation. And a most imaginative idea it is. Mitch ======================================================================== Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1993 17:26:46 CDT From: Subject: The price of diversification? With the multiple _raisons d'etre_ cited for the upcoming do at Vickie's, will it soon be necessary to rename Gaffa Central as The Gaffectori Refectory? :-) Mitch ======================================================================== Date: Mon, 19 Jul 93 16:56:48 PDT From: dixon@physics.berkeley.edu (David Dixon) Subject: Concerts concerts concerts... I tell ya, living in the Bay Area is a real chore. Last night I went to see The Bobs (for you FOBs out there, their new album will be out on September 21st). Later this week is Penelope Houston, and next week is Jim Chappell (great pianist) and D'Cuckoo (ultracool "cyberpop" woman quartet) . When is that darn Jane Siberry album coming out?!? Just bought the Tori Amos video album, finally. Can't wait to pop it into the VCR, but, alas, research calls... I'm going to be moving (rah rah) this weekend, so here's my new address for the Ecto Database: Dave Dixon 4021 Piedmont Ave., #1 Oakland, CA 94611 $645 a month including all utilities. Could be a LOT worse, believe me. D^2 "I regret to say that we of the FBI are powerless to act in cases of oral-genital intimacy, unless it has in some way obstructed interstate commerce." - J. Edgar Hoover ======================================================================== From: ezust@binkley.cs.mcgill.ca. (Alan Ezust) Date: Mon, 19 Jul 93 22:31:29 EDT Subject: story and harmonium Ok folks - The Story's new album is called "Angel in the House"... Sorry it took me so long to post it... Also, I just got a tape of Harmonium (the Quebec folksy group mentioned on ecto a few weeks ago)... I have not listened to the entire tape yet, but there is one song, called "Aujourdhui, je dis bonjour de la vie", which features an acoustic guitar duet(?) which sounds like a hyper pair of Michael Hedges twins having a jolly ol' time... This guitar part is mind-blowing - you don't have to understand the words of the song to appreciate it (although I'm told that it adds quite a bit to the song, so I hope to get a chance to read them soon). -- | Alan Ezust ezust@{binkley.}cs.mcgill.ca Montreal, Quebec, Canada | |------------- McGill University School of Computer Science ----------------| Carson's Observation on Footwear: If the shoe fits, buy the other one, too. ======================================================================== Date: Mon, 19 Jul 93 23:45:01 EDT From: WretchAwry Subject: Re: The price of diversification? > With the multiple _raisons d'etre_ cited for the upcoming do at Vickie's, will > it soon be necessary to rename Gaffa Central as The Gaffectori Refectory? :-) The GaffEcTori RefEcTori...? Let's see...dining hall? (Only if it's Chicago pizza) In a monastary? (Where's my Diamanda Galas?) Nope, sorry Mitch, Gaffa Central is much easier to spell :-) David, thanks for the Oblique Strategies! Paula, an Equipoise poster?? That's the first I've heard of something like that. What a treat! Vickie ======================================================================== The ecto archives are on hardees.rutgers.edu in ~ftp/pub/hr. There is an INDEX file explaining what is where. Feel free to send me things you'd like to have added. -- jessica (jessica@ns1.rutgers.edu)