Errors-To: owner-ecto@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 #508 ecto, Number 508 Saturday, 27 March 1993 Today's Topics: *-----------------* Hex Re: some samples, from martin! An alternative to what? 100 minute sampler and other babblings more Canadian artists 3 important dates , four events Re: long shot Re: some samples, from martin! ======================================================================== Subject: Hex Date: Fri, 26 Mar 93 18:47:43 -0500 From: jeffy@syrinx.umd.edu Alan sez: >Well, I figured out who she most reminded me of... The lead singer of HEX. >I used to know her name, but I don't any more... I know she used to be in >another group, and I can't remember that either. Would someone please help >me? Sho 'nuff... The lead singer of Hex is Donnette Thayer. I believe her previous band was Game Theory, but I could have that slightly wrong. Is Hex still around? (ie, did they release anything after _Vast Halos_) Never heard of Cherie Camp. Oh, and I meant to mention this a while ago and keep forgetting--a second Easy Spirit shoe commercial was made, again using Pamela Golden's "Ballet Dream" as a soundtrack. Jeff ======================================================================== From: rjk1@cec1.wustl.edu (Bob Kollmeyer) Date: Fri, 26 Mar 1993 18:02:29 -0600 Subject: Re: some samples, from martin! On Mar 26, 10:36am, Michael Matthews wrote: } Kjetil Torgrim Homme sez: } >Michael Matthews says: } >> I wouldn't put whole songs up there. That's what CD players are for. } } I don't think that digitizing sounds and spreading them around is a good } idea. For one thing, the quality won't be all that good and it may give } a psychologically motivated bad first impression. Second, you're } talking about moving a whole LOT of data around, which is a waste. I } figured that to send all of Happy's music at CD quality stereo, it would } take .... .... some rather large number that escapes me at the moment } (assuming a 60 minutes/CD average). My computer would crumble to dust } before I could transfer all that data (well, maybe not...). I have to say that I share Kjetil's viewpoint. First (and I realize it is a bit long) let me include most of the intro message to the ftp site (which is also aliased as sounds.sdsu.edu, BTW) to clear up any misconception of whether or not such large files are welcome: 230-************************************************************** 230-* * 230-* Welcome to the San Diego State University Sound archives. * 230-* * 230-* The following directories are of importance: * 230-* /sounds This is where all the sounds are * 230-* /sound_requests This is where requests should go * 230-* /pub Programs available (written locally) * 230-* * 230-* If you or your company wants to get rid of old(working) * 230-* disk drives, please contact me: andrew@sdsu.edu * 230-* We are looking for ESDI, SCSI, or SMD disks to add to this * 230-* machine so that we can put more sounds on it! * 230-* * 230-************************************************************** and also the disclaimer you get when you change to the sounds directory: 250-************************************************************** 250-* * 250-* DISCLAIMER: * 250-* * 250-* The sounds and songs you find here are of limited quality * 250-* and can only be used for private listening. The songs * 250-* and sound effects are mostly copyrighted and they need to * 250-* be regarded as samples to encourage you to buy the official* 250-* recordings. * 250-* * 250-************************************************************** 250- The actual songs archive contains more than 125 directories, most of which are for individual artists, though it does include things like misc, soundtracks, etc. which in turn contain songs from many other artists. I hope that pretty well explains the purpose of the archive and if it does not rationalize transfering that kind of data around, at least it shows the interest in such a thing existing. 8) Clearly, the purpose of the archive is not to digitize a 60 minute cd at 44.1 Khz and throw it around the net. As I believe was mentioned, most of these files are right at 2 Meg +/- 300 K. One of the greatest parts of ecto is the exposure to artists that others are interested in. Most of the time, for me, this means buying sight unseen (or sound unheard, as it were). Just think how sweet life would be if every time an artist was mentioned in these pages, within 10 minutes you could be listening to 2 or 3 of their songs (I haven't done extensive searching, but this seems to be the general rule, regardless of the amount of work the artist has put out (which brings up a whole 'nother problem; how oh how could just 2 or 3 songs be chosen...)). You're concern for the sound quality is valid, but hopefully the listener will understand it is the result of poor digitizing, not poor recording. If I hear a tape of a song that is of very poor quality, I _always_ assume it is the result of a bad taping of the master, not a bad master (with the exception of live recordings, of course 8) ). Finally, the vast majority of my music listening takes place away from my computer and while I suppose I could drag a recorder in and output to it, it hardly seems worth it. } SnailMail a sampler tape if you want to spread music. What of the hapless (and Happy-less) wanderers of the archive who on a whim may grab one of her songs. Or of the unspoken lurker who doesn't wish to trouble anyone. } Clips, if done right, can be tantalizing enough to pique some further } interest. Snag some of the quotes that ecto got peltered with :-) a } while ago. Or, use short clips for any machine's system beep (Mac, } NeXT, Windows ...). For me, anyway, a snippet may pique my interest, but that interest will be to hear the song, in its entirety, not to pick up the cd. My want list is far too long to have a little clip make an impact (I'm not sure if this is such a good thing, its just the way it is 8) ). Sigh. I just re-read this and it seems much more incendiary than it is meant, and inserting smileys didn't seem to help. Nothing at all personal; just trying to convince all that the results of adding Happy to the archive can only be good, at least IMHO. bob, who supposes that he should state that he has no relation to the sound archive or its maintainer other than being a happy user and a desire to see it grow. ps. Apologies if anyone received my last post multiple times. I assure you I sent it off only once and was most dismayed to see it 3 times in my mailbox. pss. I pray it doesn't happen again. ======================================================================== Date: Fri, 26 Mar 93 17:21:50 -0800 From: Michael G Peskura Subject: An alternative to what? Jim's musings about Belly being the latest darlings of 'alternative' radio struck a chord. Sprannnggg. I thought it most interesting that he would use MTV's 120 minutes to illustrate the formula concept of 'alternative' music -- especially since our commercial 'alternative' station, KNDD, is now owned & controlled by the MTV/Viacom media machine. I dunno ... i suppose the meaning i used to associate with this term was 'something issued on an independent label.' But that distinction has less and less significance as the major labels issue discs by 'alternative' artists. Guess we are just watching the half-life of another format ... like AOR, and adult contemporary, and lite fizzy pap , &c., &c. ... Mp ======================================================================== Subject: 100 minute sampler and other babblings Date: Fri, 26 Mar 93 21:46:58 -0500 From: jeffy@syrinx.umd.edu Every now and then folks talk about Happy Rhodes samplers, favorite songs, and so on and so forth. I recently made a couple of samplers for an ex (we basically got into Enya together and spent *far* too much time listening to KaTe...;-). One sampler was sort of a 'generic grouping of folks you might like". The first side was mostly Bel Canto selections with some Wim Mertens thrown in for good measure. Side B included Sarah, TIM, Pamela Golden, Loreena, and Clannad. But, of course, the reason I'm posting about this in the first place is that the other tape I made was 100 minutes of Happy. I got into Happy after we broke up, and unfortunately, the period of time when we were both in the same town, I was basically refusing to speak to him (yes, I know, petty and infantile. so sue me. ;-) So anyway, I made this sampler of many but not all of my favorites, selected to pique Jim's interest. I've been listening to the tape for a week or so now (yeah, I *know* I'm supposed to mail it; I haven't had time to put together proper liner notes, which I always do for the samplers I make) and I'm *really* happy with the way it turned out. Definitely a great selection, showing Happy's growth and maturation. So, for your reading pleasure, here's the list of tracks: Side 1: Happy Rhodes, '84-'86 Given In Possessed Step Inside The Wretches Gone Awry Under and Over the Brink Let Me Know, Love No One Here Asylum Master Beat It Out 'Til the Dawn Breaks Cyrstal Orbs Because I learn Baby Don't Go Side 2: Happy Rhodes, '87-'93 Would That I Could Project 499 Ode Poetic Justice Lay Me Down Words Weren't Made for Cowards Warpaint In Hiding He Will Come The Flight Out LIke a Lamb Mother Sea Y'know, as long as I'm typing sampler lists, I'm going to go ahead and type up the track listing of the tape that got *me* into Happy. I think it's a great selection, and while it's missing the more recent stuff, Vickie did a great job of ordering the songs. I still occasionally have moments when I expect to hear the "next song" from the sampler and not as it appears on the actual album. It's interesting to note that this came from Vickie's radio show, back when she didn't have the ability to play two non-concurent songs from the same album; this undoubtedly had a good deal to do with the track listing. SIG 118, The Final Hour Given In Noone Here Possessed I'll Let You Go Ecto Step Inside The Wretches Gone Awry Crystal Orbs To the Funny Farm Because I learn The Chase I Cannot Go On Ode Don't Want to Hear It Poetic Justice To Be E. Mortal Between PoJo and To Be E. Mortal, Vickie gave Happy ordering info, then gave her final live station ID. A very touching Radio Moment [tm] Vickie has said on a few occasions that there are particular songs that she payed absolutely no attention to (or only to the music) before the lyrics were transcribed. The sampler contains a couple of those for me. When the sampler was all I had, I had a nasty tendency to FF through "I'll Let You Go" and "The Chase." When I first transcribed the songs and realized what it was about, I got *chills*. "The Chase" I sort of disliked because it was so long and repetitive. Again, once I really started paying attention to the lyrics, the song took on a whole new dimension. No real chills with that one, but it certainly worked a lot better for me, and I was more than happy to sit through the 8 or whatever minutes. I find it a bit sad that it was chopped up for the CD. Welp, that's enough for now... Jeff |Jeffrey C. Burka | "Fairies are the perfect people to do this | |SAFH Lite [tm] | sort of work. Biologically, their upper | |jeffy@syrinx.umd.edu | bodies are strong enough to wield a pickaxe...." | ======================================================================== Date: Sat, 27 Mar 1993 08:51:10 -0230 From: eperry@kean.ucs.mun.ca Subject: more Canadian artists Hello Everyone! It's been quite awhile since I've posted anything and I'm sadly behind in the digests (fellow grad students in the throes of completing a thesis will understand). I have been enjoying the discussions and would like to thank John Relph for telling us that R.A. MacAvoy has a new one out. Yup, I'm also a fan. I nearly dropped when I saw mention of Spirit's "Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus" -- was it Bob who referred to the album? Just seeing the name brought lots of memories flooding to the surface. Thanks for mentioning it. They were good memories. As for the ecto gathering in Montreal -- I had entertained the thought of heading Montreal way in April but it turns out that I will be interviewed for a position on the 8th. Oh well. Have a great time folks and let us hear all about it, okay? So why am I posting now? Well, someone mentioned Crash Test Dummies (was it Yngve?), which got Neile going on Spirit of the West, and Canadian artists in general, and that got me going. :) I enjoy Spirit of the West (never miss them when they come out to The Rock -- which they do fairly regularly) and I'm all for spreading info on Canadian bands/artists. There are a few others which I don't think have been mentioned in Ecto but may well appeal to some ectophiles. The ones which spring to mind include: Lost and Profound, Barenaked Ladies, The Rankin Family, Four the Moment, Open MInds, Sara Craig, Courage of Lassie, and Rawlings Cross. If I remember correctly, Justin commented on the latest Lava Hay (they are Canadian, aren't they?) awhile ago. I'll leave descriptions and reviews of these artists to others (Neile, Marylou, Justin?) who do much better jobs of that sort of thing (I hate trying to describe music). There are definitely other Canadian artists who will, no doubt, come to mind the moment I send this off. Sorry, my brain's gone to mush, from producing the tome, and refuses to cooperate. [I had to include the apology 'cause I'm Canadian, eh? and almost a Newfie, right? (That one's for you, Marylou. :) ] Beth ======================================================================== Date: Sat, 27 Mar 93 16:30:26 +0100 From: yngveh@stud.cs.uit.no (Yngve Hauge) Subject: 3 important dates , four events This is about something I thought of the other day. I watched MTV, which I do just for special occasions. This night I watched it twice - 1. To see Katherina & The Waves on MTV Greatest Hits and to see the MTV News at night retro about The Carpenters. My subject line says something about 3 dates - yes, it's about three dates in february - 3. , 4. and 9. 3. Melanie 45 years old (or was it 46, who cares :)) 4. Two events : 1. My little brothers birthday 2. Karen Carpenter died 9. Carole King 51 years old Some time ago I saw the movie Karen Carpenter - A song for you. I loved the way the movie is done. I remember freezing as I watched the opening scene where Karen is taken out of the ambulance and then a younger Karen roleskateing up on the side (shiver). Her tragic life shows how powerful Newspapers really are. This little sentence about her being overweighted just drove her crazy. After this Retro on MTV I layed down listening to her voice which UMHO is one of the most beautiful I know about. Just had to write it down somewhere, so why not here....... Regards, -- ___________________________________________________________________ \ / | Yngve Hauge (yngveh@stud.cs.uit.no) | | Univerity of Tromsoe | | | | "Only in your eyes lies your soul" H.R | | "They are only putting in a nickel and | | they want a dollar song" Melanie | /__________________________________________________________________\ ======================================================================== From: Martin Dougiamas Subject: Re: long shot Date: Sun, 28 Mar 1993 00:41:03 +0800 (WST) A bit of a Saturday night Marty... Angelos shoots a long one, but gets me started on what has become a fairly long post for me with: > Has anybody here ever seen Einsturzende Neubauten live? > What are their shows like? Well, if you'll accept a lone biased second-hand opinion: not that hot. My swedish cousin (who is heavily into electronic music like Kraftwerk, The Grid, and his own stuff) was telling me last year about the time he attended one of their concerts a couple of years ago, expecting great things. Unfortunately, he found the whole affair rather gimmicky and boring. But hell, Angelos, go anyway... you do like NIN, after all! One thing I meant to write about.. all this past week I've been listening to Equipoise when going to sleep at night. On Wednesday night, I was in a state not awake and not asleep, and Cohabitants started. I fell into an incredibly lucid dream in which I imagined an entire concept video clip to go along with the song. The film clip was really really good (I actually "woke up" after it had finished, wishing I had recorded it... where is that funky dream-recording technology when I need it? :-)... the main image that sticks is that of the Cohabitant itself: Happy's severed head scuttling around the floor on eight giant spiderlegs coming out from where the neck would be. When the head was singing it would stop scuttling and just sway eerily. Quite horrifying. And it's certainly tripled the dimensions of the song when I hear it now. An increasingly rare event happened today: I saw the inside of a music store. :-) And what a good visit it was too. In the second-hand section I found a pristine copy of the Rainbirds album, CMESISLMMWIAW. For only 8 A$! If it hadn't been for Klaus I mightn't have given it another glance. I'm listening to it now... it's clean and clear. I like it! I also picked up Robyne Dunn's album "Labour of Liberty"... she's actually quite Kate-like. I've only heard it once but I'll recommend it to those who like Kate and Sarah McLachlan. On listening to it this evening I discovered that one of the songs is a song I have been dying to find ever since I heard it on late-night radio once and it wasn't back-announced. I love it when that happens! (serendipitously finding a song not losing it) :-) Anyone else heard of Robyne? She also does one of the Stairway To Heaven covers on the 'Stairways to Heaven" album (the obvious Kate-sounding one). Re: the discussion on SoS. I realise the "argument" is all but dead now, but if I'd got involved in it sooner I would have quoted Happy herself: If people speak in my stead do not trust everything that is said when my thoughts come from me you will know that it can be believed. (Incidentally, isn't this very similar to something attributed to Jesus?) A final thought. I prefer it when Happy sings about her personal and often surprising ideas than when she tackles "mainstream" topics. A pet peeve of mine is the myriad of one-off albums one finds in second-hand bins and the commercial top-40 full of songs about holes in the ozone and the inhumanity of the Berlin Wall and the South African government. Lyrics like those in "Runners" and "Play The Game" remind me of those, although Happy of course does it much better. :-) A post-final thought... how many times does one have to listen to a song until one can hear the song as the artist hears it? Time I slept, I think (I wonder what the cumulative amount of sleep lost among us because of ecto is? ) Martin -- ,---------------------------------------------------------. _ . | I'm bored with staring at | Martin Dougiamas. | _r| Ll\ | the ceiling, while you | martin@cs.curtin.edu.au | | | \ | point out my flaws. | martin@dialix.oz.au | \ |_ / | "Man Overboard", Do Re Mi | Perth, Western Australia -+-> x~ `-' `=========================================================' V ======================================================================== From: Martin Dougiamas Subject: Re: some samples, from martin! Date: Sun, 28 Mar 1993 00:51:54 +0800 (WST) Re: the discussion of the usefulness of short sound samples. Short (ie < 20 seconds) music clips make great system beeps indeed, IMHO, especially when played asynchronously (ie as a background task) and through a pair of nice Bose speakers. As well as grabbing the attention of other people, I find they also trigger off the song on the "CD player in my head", so the music keeps playing... Martin ======================================================================== 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)