From: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org (ecto-digest) To: ecto-digest@smoe.org Subject: ecto-digest V5 #183 Reply-To: ecto@smoe.org Sender: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk ecto-digest Tuesday, May 25 1999 Volume 05 : Number 183 Today's Subjects: ----------------- welcome and some queries [Irvin Lin ] welcome and some queries [Irvin Lin ] Re: ecto-digest V5 #182 [Kay S Cleaves ] Courts, Finns, and Boulders [Michael Stevens ] New Releases for Tuesday, May 25 [Riphug@aol.com] Re: New releases by...??? [Greg Jumper ] www.myshopnow.com [LilWhirl@aol.com] Attn: Christian Ectophiles [Joshua Smith ] Folk Scat (was Re: Courts, Finns, and Boulders) [Neal Copperman ] Re: www.myshopnow.com ["Scott S. Zimmerman" ] Anybody see The Phantom Menace? [Patrick Moseley ] Re: Anybody see The Phantom Menace? ["Michael Bowman" ] Re: Anybody see The Phantom Menace? [Laura Clifford ] Jonatha Brooke [Mark Miazga ] tonight's buffy season finale delayed [Paul Kim ] Re: Symphonie Fantastic ["JoAnn Whetsell" ] tanita tikaram ["JoAnn Whetsell" ] BETTY's final free concert (nyc)! (fwd) [rachel kramer bussel ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 24 May 1999 00:25:38 -0700 From: Irvin Lin Subject: welcome and some queries hey welcome josh. i just wanted to echo the fact that your musical tastes certain fit in with the ecto crowd. enjoy the fact that probably will spend lots of money on music. by the way, i am glad you mentioned TRACEY THORN in your list, cuz i think she's brill. look for a new EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL CD this year. it is going to be in the same vein as WALKING WOUNDED i hear. valerie asked a couple of things and i thought i would answer.. > From: Valerie Kraemer > > Tanita Tikaram: Has she done anything since Lovers in the City? TANITA released an album called THE CAPPUCINO SONGS in europe last year. there were numerous singles, but as of this date, it has not been released here in the US. i haven't heard the singles, but have seen them, and from what the press (and the buzz here in ecto when it was first released last year) TANITA seemed to have been re-made over. the images of her for the cover seem much more slick and glossy (heavy brown shiny makeup) and the reviews said it was a much more produced pop sound than what was expected. whether or not the CD will ever be released in the states who knows. > Sam Phillips: Anything since Martinis & Bikinis? poor SAM. she released an album around 1996 called OMNIPOP (ITS ONLY A FLESHWOUND LAMBCHOP) and it quickly sank to the bottom of the barrel. too bad too, because it was a pretty good album, more quirky and certainly more experimental than anything she has done before. my favorite album is certainly MARTINIS & BIKINIS but OMNIPOP is fun. recently her label released a "BEST OF" album entitled "ZERO ZERO ZERO" with the subtitle "SAM PHILLIPS hits, and not so near hits" or some such rhetoric. she certainly has had critical appraise (the reviews for OMNIPOP were pretty universally good) but no commercial success. the ZERO ZERO ZERO album features one unreleased song on it? maybe two? i wonder if VIRGIN is dropping her though. usually most labels release a BEST OF album as the final last album, to fulfill the artists contracts, and then the artists is off on his/her own to find a new label. anyone know? same goes for JULIA FORDHAM who just got BEST OF'ed as well. > Suzanne Vega: I know that she has a new book out. What about music?? oh yeah, she has a best of as well. two new songs on it, BOOK AND A COVER and something else. damn i forgot to tell my friends to pick it up for me in taiwan where it would be cheap. ugh. anyway i also found an official live recording taken from her SESSIONS AT WEST 54 show whenthat was released as well (these seem to be the only two official releases she has had since NINE OBJECTS OF DESIRE). if memory serves me correctly, after the domestic release of her best of album, next on her plate will be a CD of old old songs that she used and still does do in concert (but never recorded). most of the songs, she said, were too personal for her to record, but time has apparently put enough of a distance between the songs meanings, and the recordings of them. when this is due out, i dunno. i dunno if it is even still on, as she was talking about her best of, and her book years and years ago on her mailing list. but i would really welcome it, because most of the songs that she mentioned were written during her SUZANNE VEGA/SOLITUDE STANDING period, one of my more favorite periods of her musical career. anyone have a date on the US domestic release of her best of? > Rickie Lee Jones??? last i heard, she released GHOSTYHEAD, a triphop sounding album, with her sort of reciting/singing poetry on top of that. that was back in 97. personally i don't listen to it that much, but it is kinda fun. did this help at all? irvin np. GHOSTYHEAD by RICKI LEE JONES. made me dig it out to hear it again. hmmm. i remember liking this. why don't i listen to this more often? oh yeah, i'm too busy listening to the BETH ORTON CD to backtrack and listen to my older stuff. nr. nothing. just finished TAKING LIVES by MICHAEL PYE. thinking of re-reading HARUKI MURAKAMI's HARDBOILED WONDERLAND and the END OF THE WORLD. hmmm..... ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 24 May 1999 00:27:55 -0700 From: Irvin Lin Subject: welcome and some queries hey welcome josh. i just wanted to echo the fact that your musical tastes certain fit in with the ecto crowd. enjoy the fact that probably will spend lots of money on music. by the way, i am glad you mentioned TRACEY THORN in your list, cuz i think she's brill. look for a new EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL CD this year. it is going to be in the same vein as WALKING WOUNDED i hear. valerie asked a couple of things and i thought i would answer.. > From: Valerie Kraemer > > Tanita Tikaram: Has she done anything since Lovers in the City? TANITA released an album called THE CAPPUCINO SONGS in europe last year. there were numerous singles, but as of this date, it has not been released here in the US. i haven't heard the singles, but have seen them, and from what the press (and the buzz here in ecto when it was first released last year) TANITA seemed to have been re-made over. the images of her for the cover seem much more slick and glossy (heavy brown shiny makeup) and the reviews said it was a much more produced pop sound than what was expected. whether or not the CD will ever be released in the states who knows. > Sam Phillips: Anything since Martinis & Bikinis? poor SAM. she released an album around 1996 called OMNIPOP (ITS ONLY A FLESHWOUND LAMBCHOP) and it quickly sank to the bottom of the barrel. too bad too, because it was a pretty good album, more quirky and certainly more experimental than anything she has done before. my favorite album is certainly MARTINIS & BIKINIS but OMNIPOP is fun. recently her label released a "BEST OF" album entitled "ZERO ZERO ZERO" with the subtitle "SAM PHILLIPS hits, and not so near hits" or some such rhetoric. she certainly has had critical appraise (the reviews for OMNIPOP were pretty universally good) but no commercial success. the ZERO ZERO ZERO album features one unreleased song on it? maybe two? i wonder if VIRGIN is dropping her though. usually most labels release a BEST OF album as the final last album, to fulfill the artists contracts, and then the artists is off on his/her own to find a new label. anyone know? same goes for JULIA FORDHAM who just got BEST OF'ed as well. > Suzanne Vega: I know that she has a new book out. What about music?? oh yeah, she has a best of as well. two new songs on it, BOOK AND A COVER and something else. damn i forgot to tell my friends to pick it up for me in taiwan where it would be cheap. ugh. anyway i also found an official live recording taken from her SESSIONS AT WEST 54 show whenthat was released as well (these seem to be the only two official releases she has had since NINE OBJECTS OF DESIRE). if memory serves me correctly, after the domestic release of her best of album, next on her plate will be a CD of old old songs that she used and still does do in concert (but never recorded). most of the songs, she said, were too personal for her to record, but time has apparently put enough of a distance between the songs meanings, and the recordings of them. when this is due out, i dunno. i dunno if it is even still on, as she was talking about her best of, and her book years and years ago on her mailing list. but i would really welcome it, because most of the songs that she mentioned were written during her SUZANNE VEGA/SOLITUDE STANDING period, one of my more favorite periods of her musical career. anyone have a date on the US domestic release of her best of? > Rickie Lee Jones??? last i heard, she released GHOSTYHEAD, a triphop sounding album, with her sort of reciting/singing poetry on top of that. that was back in 97. personally i don't listen to it that much, but it is kinda fun. did this help at all? irvin np. GHOSTYHEAD by RICKI LEE JONES. made me dig it out to hear it again. hmmm. i remember liking this. why don't i listen to this more often? oh yeah, i'm too busy listening to the BETH ORTON CD to backtrack and listen to my older stuff. nr. nothing. just finished TAKING LIVES by MICHAEL PYE. thinking of re-reading HARUKI MURAKAMI's HARDBOILED WONDERLAND and the END OF THE WORLD. hmmm..... ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 24 May 1999 03:00:57 -0500 From: Kay S Cleaves Subject: Re: ecto-digest V5 #182 Valerie-- Sam Phillips has a Greatest Hits compilation out called Zero, Zero, Zero. No word on any new stuff. That's the only one I've heard anything about recently... - --Kay > >Date: Mon, 24 May 1999 22:35:42 -0400 >From: Valerie Kraemer >Subject: New releases by...??? > >I'd like to join in welcoming Josh to the group (from, alas, a very >infrequent contributer). His list of fav artists got me to wondering >what some of them have been up to lately. To wit: > >Tanita Tikaram: Has she done anything since Lovers in the City? > >Sam Phillips: Anything since Martinis & Bikinis? > >Suzanne Vega: I know that she has a new book out. What about music?? > >Rickie Lee Jones??? > >Thanks for any answers!! > >Valerie Richardson > >n.p. Beth Orton, Central Reservation > >n.r. Maureen Howard, Anatomy of a Lover > ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 08:45:24 -0400 From: Michael Stevens Subject: Courts, Finns, and Boulders Neile passed along some disappointing news from Susan Court: >One last bit of news on the performance front: family obligations >have made the Indiegrrl Summer tour dates in NYC and Chapel Hill >impossible for me. :( Drat. Living in Chapel Hill, I sometimes feel a twinge of envy when the Northeastern ecto contingent, or the DC'ers, or the Seattleites, discuss the marvelous indie shows they've seen. Fortunately, we have Our Lady of the Roland, Heather Russell. Would anyone care to comment on the frequency of ectopleasing shows in Boulder, CO? There's a better-than-even-money chance (he said, knocking on wood) that I'll be moving to Boulder next month. Michael Curry wondered offhand re _Cryptonomicon_: > Personally I'm really enjoying it, though I am still wondering why >he chose to refer to Linux as Finux. The esteemed Linus Torvalds, primary architect of Linux, is a native of Finland, so the name Finux slyly implies that the OS bears a distinctly Finnish stamp. It would be interesting, given the increasingly global collaborative authorship of Linux, to see whether it has enough "domestic content," like Accords and Camries, to be labeled as "Made in USA." :-) And finally, another lurker's welcome to Joshua. This community is a pure delight, given that we all keep our good humor and good manners firmly in place at all times. Well, a pure delight until the Visa bill comes, anyway... Best of fortune, - --Michael np - _Folk Scat_, coincidentally produced here in Chapel Hill. Imagine Le Mystere des Voix Bulgares directed by Bobby McFerrin. Yum. :-) nr - Just finished _The Virgin in the Garden_, A.S. Byatt. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 10:01:30 EDT From: Riphug@aol.com Subject: New Releases for Tuesday, May 25 ******************* * ICE CD Releases * ******************* *** New Rock and Pop - - ANGRY SALAD - Angry Salad (Blackbird/Atlantic) - - BUZZ PROPHETS - Kentucky (Tender Stone) - - C NOTE - Different Kind of Love (Epic) - - CAL HOLLOW - Two Bulb Twilight (Jericho/Sire) - - JESSE CAMP (MTV VJ) - Jesse and the 8th Street Kidz (w/Rick Nielsen and Steve Hunter guesting and a duet w/Stevie Nicks on "My Little Saviour") (Hollywood) - - THE DIRTY DOZEN BRASS BAND - Buck Jump (produced by John Medeski) (Mammoth) - - THE GAP BAND - Funkin' 'Til 2000 Comz (Private I) - - STEVE HACKETT - The Tokyo Tapes (two live discs enhanced w/concert footage, biography, posters, etc.; w/John Wetton, Ian McDonald, et al.) (ECD) (Snapper) - - DAVE HOLLISTER - Ghetto Hymns (clean & explicit versions; w/Too $hort guesting and a cover of Michael McDonald's "I Keep Forgettin'") (DreamWorks) - - INSANE CLOWN POSSE - The Amazing Jeckel Brothers (w/Ice-T, Snoop Dogg, the Jerky Boys & Ol' Dirty Bastard guesting) (Island) - - JORDAN KNIGHT (ex-New Kids on the Block) - Jordan Knight (Interscope) - - LEN (new Canadian band) - You Can't Stop the Bum Rush (WORK Group) - - LYNNFIELD PIONEERS - Free Popcorn (Matador) - - M PEOPLE - Testify (Epic) - - J.T. MONEY - Pimpin' on Wax (produced by Dallas Austin) (Free World/Priority) - - CHANTE MOORE - This Moment Is Mine (Silas/MCA) - - THE NEGRO PROBLEM - Joys & Concerns (Aerial Flipout) - - THE ROOKS (w/Richard X. Heyman) - A Wishing Well (Not Lame) - - ROSAVELT - Transistor Blues (Wilbert's Records) - - SLICK RICK - The Art of Storytelling (clean & explicit versions) (Def Jam) - - SPEAKER - Orizaba (Capricorn) - - SWITCHBLADE SYMPHONY - The Three Calamities (Cleopatra) - - TODD THIBAUD - Little Mystery (doolittle/Slipdisc/Mercury) - - KATHARINE WHALEN (Squirrel Nut Zippers vocalist) - Katharine Whalen's Jazz Squad (ICE #146) (Mammoth) - - Various artists - Bleecker Street (ICE #146) (Astor Place) *** Rock/Pop from the Vault - - BADFINGER - Airwaves ('79 Elektra album w/five unreleased bonus tracks; ICE #145) (Permanent Press) - - MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER - Party Doll and Other Favorites (ICE #146) (Columbia) - - THE CITY WITH CAROLE KING - Now That Everything's Been Said (ICE #146) (Epic/Legacy) - - GARY GLITTER - 32 Glam Hits (two CDs) (Cleopatra) - - STEVE GOODMAN - Hot Spot (Red Pajamas) - - CAROLE KING - Her Greatest Hits: Songs of Long Ago, Really Rosie and Tapestry (w/bonus tracks; ICE #146) (Epic/Legacy) - - MOTORHEAD - Golden Years: The Alternate Versions (Cleopatra) - - GARY NUMAN - Machine & Soul (Cleopatra) - - RAINBOW - Bent Out of Shape, Difficult to Cure, Down to Earth, Finyl Vinyl and Straight Between the Eyes (ICE #147) (Polydor) - - THE SONICS - Boom and Here Are (Norton) - - DWIGHT TWILLEY - Between the Cracks, Vol. 1 (unreleased tracks from 1973-1990; ICE #145) (Not Lame Archives) - - THE WAILERS ('60s garage rock) - At the Castle and Livewire!!! (best-of from 1965-'67) (Norton) - - Various artists - Master P Presents "The No Limit All Stars Who U Wit? Compilation" (No Limit) *** New Jazz - - MONTY ALEXANDER - Stir It Up (Telarc Jazz) - - MARK ISHAM - Miles Remembered: The Silent Way Project (Columbia) - - DAVID MURRAY - Speaking in Tongues (Justin Time) - - VANESSA RUBIN - Language of Love (Telarc Jazz) *** Jazz from the Vault - - BASIE BUNCH - Too Marvelous for Words, Volume One (Vanguard) - - TED CURSON - Plenty of Horn (Classic Prevue) - - DAVE MCKENNA - Cookin' at Michaelis Pub (Classic Prevue) - - MARIAN MCPARTLAND - Live at the Carlyle (Classic Prevue) - - MEL POWELL - The Best Things in Life, Volume One (Vanguard) - - Ultimate compilations by ART TATUM, JIMMY SMITH, TONY WILLIAMS, CHARLIE PARKER and SHIRLEY HORN (Verve) *** New Country - - LIONEL CARTWRIGHT - Miles & Years (Intuitive) - - BENNY MARTIN - Benny Martin: The "Big Tiger" Roars Again (OMS) - - JOHN MICHAEL MONTGOMERY - Home to You (Atlantic) *** Country from the Vault - - MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER - Party Doll and Other Favorites (ICE #146) (Columbia) *** New Blues - - LONNIE BROOKS, LONG JOHN HUNTER AND PHILLIP WALKER - Lone Star Shootout and JOHN JACKSON - Front Porch Blues (Alligator) - - STEVE GUYGER - Past Life Blues (Severn) - - SAVOY BROWN - The Blues Keep Me Holding On (w/Duke Robillard, Paul Oscher and others guesting) (Mystic Music) *** New Indies - - LITTLE AL THOMAS - Southside Story (Cannonball) - - THE LYNNFIELD PIONEERS - Free Popcorn (Matador) - - UNCLE WIGGLY - Farfetchedness (Dark Beloved Cloud) - - WORLD OF DREAMS (solo project from Uncle Wiggly's William Berger) - World of Dreams (Dark Beloved Cloud) *** Indies from the Vault - - BADFINGER - Airwaves (ICE #145) (Permanent Press) ******************************************************************* ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 07:25:20 -0700 (PDT) From: Greg Jumper Subject: Re: New releases by...??? Valerie asks Sam Phillips: Anything since Martinis & Bikinis? Her compilation _Zero Zero Zero_ came out within the last couple of months. It could be considered a "greatest hits" album, if not for the fact that she hasn't really had any "hits". (I read or heard that the album title was something of a joke based on this fact.) I like Zero Zero Zero quite a bit, particularly the remix of "Flame". Greg ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 11:20:00 EDT From: LilWhirl@aol.com Subject: www.myshopnow.com $4.95 per cd. interesting selection. worth going to: www.myshopnow.com - -d ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 08:52:55 -0700 (PDT) From: Joshua Smith Subject: Attn: Christian Ectophiles For any Ectophiles who also happen to be Christians, what about singer-songwriter Annie Herring, formerly of "2nd Chapter of Acts"? Can we safely label her the Happy Rhodes of Christian music? Her song "I'll be waiting" from the album "Glimpses" is so ethereal and dreamy! And then there's "Stay True" from the album "All That I Am". And, Christian music doesn't get any more imaginitive than her writing for the "2nd Chapter of Acts" albums "Mansion Builder", "The Roar of Love", and "Singer Sower." I thought of throwing her name out there because I'm just listening to her song "Oh Boy!" from the "Night Light" album. Any feedback would be welcome. _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 10:05:48 -0600 (MDT) From: Neal Copperman Subject: Folk Scat (was Re: Courts, Finns, and Boulders) On Tue, 25 May 1999, Michael Stevens wrote: > np - _Folk Scat_, coincidentally produced here in Chapel Hill. > Imagine Le Mystere des Voix Bulgares directed by Bobby McFerrin. > Yum. :-) I bought that several years ago and thought it was really disappointing. Think the Bulgarian choir sandblasted smooth, sounding very lite-jazzy, and doing some European classical stuff as well as traditional and new songs. Exactly in the wrong direction that I like world music to travel. It only got a listen or two before I shelved it, though maybe it's time to pull it back out and see if my thoughts have changed. Obviously, YMMV, as does Michael's. neal np: Singles - Alison Moyet ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 10:37:13 -0800 From: Neile Graham Subject: Re: Attn: Christian Ectophiles At 8:52 AM -0700 5/25/99, Joshua Smith wrote: >For any Ectophiles who also happen to be Christians, what about >singer-songwriter Annie Herring, formerly of "2nd Chapter of Acts"? >Can we safely label her the Happy Rhodes of Christian music? Her song >"I'll be waiting" from the album "Glimpses" is so ethereal and dreamy! >And then there's "Stay True" from the album "All That I Am". And, >Christian music doesn't get any more imaginitive than her writing for >the "2nd Chapter of Acts" albums "Mansion Builder", "The Roar of Love", >and "Singer Sower." I thought of throwing her name out there because >I'm just listening to her song "Oh Boy!" from the "Night Light" album. >Any feedback would be welcome. Back in the Dark Ages (read the 70s) when I considered myself a Christian, I used to listen to Annie Herring and 2nd Chapter of Acts, and had several of their albums. Even then I found the music and lyrics a little sappy but she had a wonderful voice and there would always be a few great songs on each album. Other than some Larry Norman albums, I don't have any of my Christian music collection anymore. I still love Larry Norman's inventive lyrics and crazy music. I tracked down several of the cd reissues of his music, too--about the only thing I'd brave rec.music.Christian for. And he's obscure even there, of course because he was always a controversial artist (songs like "Why Should the Devil have all the Good Music") and he hasn't made new music in a long time. I'm getting all nostalgic for him. Who else would sing "I've been listening to Paul's records/I think he really is dead" and "Moses tending sheep in the fields one day/Thought he heard a burning scrub brush say/Gotta free your people from the Pharoah's hand/Gotta take them all to the Promised Land/Well, Moses knew that God was talking to him/So he set off to Egypt with a vigor and vim/Moses bugged the Pharoah and he bugged him and he bugged him/Till he got his people free/He used real bugs". About the only thing people know him for now is "I Wish We'd All Been Ready". Larry Norman's irreverent sense of humour helped keep me sane in those days. - --Neile - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Neile Graham ...... http://www.sff.net/people/neile ....... neile@sff.net Les Semaines: A Weekly Journal . http://www.sff.net/people/neile/semaines The Ectophiles' Guide to Good Music ....... http://www.smoe.org/ectoguide ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 10:46:48 -0700 (PDT) From: "Scott S. Zimmerman" Subject: Re: www.myshopnow.com > $4.95 per cd. interesting selection. > worth going to: www.myshopnow.com has anyone actually received CDs from this place after buying them? everything is WAY under wholesale price, so it would certainly make sense for any label to buy back their own CDs in the largest quantity possible! I would think a bunch of distributors that hold the exclusive distribution for the titles in the catalog would order the limit of 5 of every title -- seems like a license to print money! Scottt ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 15:02:54 -0500 From: Patrick Moseley Subject: Anybody see The Phantom Menace? Hello all... Please don't pummel me if you're getting sick of the over-exposure, but I was curious if any ectophiles had taken in the Phantom Menace yet and what they thought? I seem to recall a couple of threads on this newsgroup when the trailer came out, so I was expecting a few reactions by now... I've seen it twice already, and as a kid who grew up on the original trilogy, my basic feeling is that The Phantom Menace fails to capture the original magic. But now I have to wonder: is it even POSSIBLE for Lucas to make a movie that thrills and moves a 25-year-old the same way the original trilogy did when I was a kid? I really don't think so. Nostalgia and childhood memories have elevated the original trilogy to a level even greater than they deserve (and they deserve a LOT), and there's simply no way for the Phantom Menace to compete. That said, I really liked this movie. It's a visual overload, filled with more humor than it's been given credit for, and for anyone familiar with the original trilogy, it's got some moments that are truly exciting (especially the first "meetings" -- between future pals R2D2 and C3PO, between young Anakin and Obiwan Kenobi, who meet as friends but will later fight to the death, and between Anakin and Senator Palpatine, who later as Emporer will turn Anakin to the Dark Side). Plus any excuse to get Jabba the Hutt back on the big screen is a good excuse to me! ;-) And everything you've heard about the lightsaber duel is true: it's amazing. Weaknesses: Darth Maul, who could've easily been an amazing character, is awarded minimal (but exhilarating) screen time; a lot of the alien dialogue is so thick with odd accents that it's hard to decipher; the little boy who plays Anakin is fair enough, but you never once forget while watching him that he's ACTING... it reminded me of the kind of acting you see at school plays. There's more I could say, but as a whole I really did enjoy this movie, and it did inspire a sense of nostalgia. I'm betting a child watching The Phantom Menace today will, twenty years from now, hold it in the same regard that the original trilogy is held by many today. Any thoughts? Comments? Thermal detonators? Patrick who also didn't think Jar Jar Binks was all that annoying... ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 12:30:23 -0700 From: "Michael Bowman" Subject: Re: Anybody see The Phantom Menace? > Please don't pummel me if you're getting sick of the over-exposure, > but I was curious if any ectophiles had taken in the Phantom Menace yet and > what they thought? I seem to recall a couple of threads on this newsgroup > when the trailer came out, so I was expecting a few reactions by now... On the whole I was disappointed. My primary feeling is that Lucas only had about half a movie's worth of story so he threw in a lot of stuff that wasn't that important to the overall story in order to pad it out. I was very bored in some parts. The duel was quite good, though. Michael Bowman bvmi@odin.cc.pdx.edu np. Kate Bush. Hounds of Love nr. Jack Dann. The Memory Cathedral ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 17:04:44 -0400 (EDT) From: Joe Casadonte Subject: Re: Anybody see The Phantom Menace? [Spoiler alert (small, but still there] On Tue, 25 May 1999, Patrick Moseley wrote: > Please don't pummel me if you're getting sick of the over-exposure, > but I was curious if any ectophiles had taken in the Phantom Menace yet and > what they thought? I seem to recall a couple of threads on this newsgroup > when the trailer came out, so I was expecting a few reactions by now... Basically, I'm like you: I like the movie, but it failed to live up to expectations (and as you said, it probably could never have done it). I was 11 or so when the first one came out, and seeing this new one thru the eyes of a 33 year old is quite different from what I imagine a young kid would see. On the whole, there seemed to be times when you just knew that extensive footage had hit the cutting room floor. Things seemed a little choppy in a few (3-5) places. Off the top of my head, the Jedi council scenes seemed like there was something missing. Also, the "chase" scene on Tatoine when Darth Maul is chasing Liam Neeson and Anakin. And the very end, when the Jar-Jar character (or someone of his race) is holding up the glowing globe thing -- what is it and why should we care that they have it now? Oh yeah, the force field things during the duel. What the heck were they and why did they open and close? [Someone here at work read an interview in which Lucas said that he didn't understand why no one could figure that scene out. He said that the shaft was some sort of disposal system, with lava at the bottom, and the force fields were to keep people out. Of course, they would also incinerate anyone who touches them, so it's not a real effective safety device, eh? And why have so many of them? How many times do you need to fry someone?] In addition, there were a few things I just did not like. I'm a little tired of the playful, low-techs defeating the hi-techs. Yeah he only did it twice, but after one time, I was tired of it. Also, the whole immaculate conception thing was a bit odd. Presumably we'll get the fuller understanding a little later. And the Queen -- I guess he made her young so that she and Anakin can make nookie later in the series and make it believable, but someone of her youth didn't seem credible w/r/t being so wise or savvy. I also agree that Darth Maul was underplayed, almost minimally played. We should have seen a lot more of him. And the duel scene was great, until the very end, when Obi-wan pulls a Luke manuever and flips up and somehow surprises Darth Maul and slices him in half. It should have been extended a bit, and more could have been done with the conflict that was so obvious on Obi-wan's face. But then, I guess he had to kill Darth Maul fast enough to hear Liam's final words. > who also didn't think Jar Jar Binks was all that annoying... Ugh. Maybe if they didn't make him speak so unintelligbly.... My $0.02 FWIW..... Regards, joe joc@netaxs.com - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Llama Fresh Farms => http://www.netaxs.com/~joc Gay Media Resource List => http://www.netaxs.com/~joc/gaymedia.html Perl for Win32 => http://www.netaxs.com/~joc/perlwin32.html Perl Book Buying Guide => http://www.netaxs.com/~joc/perlbooks.html PerlRing Homepage => http://www.netaxs.com/~joc/perlring.html Grateful Dead CD Trades => http://www.netaxs.com/~joc/dead.html - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Live Free, that's the message! - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 17:09:03 -0400 From: Laura Clifford Subject: Re: Anybody see The Phantom Menace? At 05:04 PM 5/25/99 -0400, Joe Casadonte wrote: >Basically, I'm like you: I like the movie, but it failed to live up to >expectations (and as you said, it probably could never have done it). >I was 11 or so when the first one came out, and seeing this new one >thru the eyes of a 33 year old is quite different from what I imagine >a young kid would see. I was kind of ho-hum, been there, done that. I wasn't a kid seeing the first one, but each of the first three (even the lesser third installment) had at least one visual you'd never seen before - quick examples would be the 3D game, the Imperial Walkers, and the Redwood Forest chase. So, what this lacked wasn't technology, but imagination. Somehow I think we *could* have expected that. Laura ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 18:01:30 -0400 From: Mark Miazga Subject: Jonatha Brooke I just saw Jonatha Brooke on Friday at the 7th House in Pontiac, MI. I went because the opener was Lori Amey, and thought it would be fun to see her in a larger venue performing before a large crowd (it was). I'd never actually heard Jonatha's music before, but figured I'd like her nonetheless, from various reviews I had heard. So I drove the hour to get there, was shocked by the $21 admission (I wasn't expecting to pay more than $10-$12), and was not very impressed at all. Lori Amey was a lot of fun, as usual, but I just couldn't believe I spent so much money to see Jonatha Brooke. None of the songs were memorable, her lyrics were fairly unintelligible, and her guitar playing was undistinguished. Her stage banter and mannerisms reminded me a lot of Sarah McLachlan's -- very full of her herself and very aware of her own talents -- but without McLachlan's pristine vocals. I enjoyed her between-song ballerina moves, and the much-larger-than-I-expected crowd really loved her, but I just could not get into it. Perhaps if I could understand the lyrics or had known her music beforehand... but she didn't come close to winning me over. I went expecting to love her, to buy all her CD's, but left disappointing and thinking the venue owed me my money back. Perhaps it was a case of too-high expectations, but Brooke was really mediocre IMO. My friend and I both walked out early. - -- Mark - -- Mark Miazga e-mail: miazgama@pilot.msu.edu 302 Mason Hall, MSU East Lansing, MI 48825 (517) 355-2080 http://www.msu.edu/~miazgama Program Coordinator of The Common Grounds Coffeehouse. Cheap Concerts every Thursday and Friday night in the basement of Akers Hall on the MSU campus. Schedule, booking, and mailing list info at: http://www.msu.edu/~miazgama/coffee "I'm not into working out. My philosophy: No pain, no pain." -- Carol Leifer "Don't be tempted by the shiny apple / Don't you eat that bitter fruit / Hunger only for a taste of justice / Hunger only for a world of truth / 'cuz all that you have is your soul" -- Tracy Chapman ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 18:50:30 -0400 From: Paul Kim Subject: tonight's buffy season finale delayed this came today through the Buffy email newslist. for those who care. i think there's a spoiler in the paragraph that starts "at issue for us" but i'm not sure since i skipped over it for fear of spoilers :) Paul "making the kind of sense that's not" Kim >This information has just come to us from The WB Television Network. >Hopefully it will answer any questions you might have about this recent >development. If you have any comments please direct them to >feedback@buffy.com or >call us at (818)977-2897. Thank You! > >FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE > >BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SEASON FINALE TO BE DELAYED UNTIL LATER IN THE >SUMMER > >Burbank, CA (May 24, 1999) -- The season finale of the highly acclaimed >one-hour series BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER titled “Graduation Day, Part >Two,” which was scheduled to air tomorrow night, Tuesday, May 25, 1999, >will be delayed until later in the summer, it was announced today by >Jamie Kellner, CEO of The WB. In its place, The WB will air an encore >episode of the series titled “Band Candy.” > >The following statement was made by Jamie Kellner. > >“It is out of sympathy and compassion for the families and communities >that have been devastated by the recent senseless acts of violence >perpetrated on high school campuses that we have decided to delay this >broadcast. Our decision is also borne out of a deep sense of >responsibility to The WB’s loyal young audience. > >“At issue for us was a short part of the climactic scene of this >powerful two-part season finale. During a solar eclipse that occurs >during his commencement speech at Sunnydale High’s graduation ceremony, >the mayor morphs into a 60-foot serpent and attacks the students. In >turn, Buffy and her classmates are forced to defend themselves. Given >the current climate, depicting acts of violence at a high school >graduation ceremony, even fantasy acts against 60-foot serpents and >vampires, we believe, is inappropriate to broadcast around the actual >dates of these time-honored ceremonies. > >“We apologize to the millions of loyal ‘Buffy’ viewers who are eagerly >anticipating this episode. We sincerely hope that you understand that >the last thing we want to do is pre-empt our season finale. However, at >this time, we feel that it is the best and most responsible decision for >us to make. > >“Like most of its loyal fans and the nations critics, we at The WB >consider BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER to be one of the highest quality >programs on television today. We plan on being able to broadcast >“Graduation Day, Parts One and Two” later in the summer. Next season, >Buffy and her cohorts, having graduated from high school, will be >involved in their greatest adventures ever.” > >Contact: >feedback@buffy.com >http://www.buffy.com > >Eternally Yours > > > ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 18:54:32 EDT From: "JoAnn Whetsell" Subject: Re: New releases by...??? >valerie wrote: >Suzanne Vega: I know that she has a new book out. What about music?? > >interesting... do tell more. JoAnn _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 19:00:43 EDT From: "JoAnn Whetsell" Subject: Re: Symphonie Fantastic I know that it was at HERE (the home for contemporary theater and art) last summer, in NY. I don't know if it's still running. Looked pretty cool. I meant to go see it, but alas, never got a chance. JoAnn Neal wrote: >Earlier today I got mail from a friend of mine in California who just saw a >production of Symphonie Fantastic by Basil Twist, the guy who designed the >puppets for Peter & Wendy. I hadn't heard anything about this before, so I >thought some folks out there might be able to see it somewhere. > >This one was an underwater puppet show, and it was apparently really >amazing. The production she saw was at Yeurba Buena gardens in San >Francisco, but she also said it was being done in NYC too. I think it's >also playing in SF through June, so west coasters might want to look for it >too. > >neal > >np: Various Lisa Cerbone songs (early versions of Mercy songs and live >stuff) > > > _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 19:05:13 EDT From: "JoAnn Whetsell" Subject: tanita tikaram I'm pretty sure that I saw this listed in the Ladyslipper catalog. http://www.ladyslipper.com Irvin wrote: > > Tanita Tikaram: Has she done anything since Lovers in the City? > >TANITA released an album called THE CAPPUCINO SONGS in europe last year. _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 19:16:02 -0400 (EDT) From: rachel kramer bussel Subject: BETTY's final free concert (nyc)! (fwd) - ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 16:47:11 EDT From: BETTY411@aol.com To: betty@hellobetty.com Subject: BETTY's final free concert (nyc)! Greetings from Sunny Miami! BETTY is here playing a big benefit for the Red Cross, playing in the surf and sand and looking forward to playing with you back in NYC - WEDNESDAY, MAY 26 at 8:00pm at ARLENE GROCERY (95 Stanton/212-358-1633) BETTY's final show for FREE! FREE! FREE! We won't be performing again in New York until July 9 at The Bowery Ballroom, so come party with your sunburned gal pals, BETTY tomorrow night! [As always - if you don't want NYC news, "reply" back with your STATE in the subject box and we'll put you on the list to only get news about your immediate area. Sorry if we spammed you!] xox BETTY www.helloBETTY.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 19:23:03 -0400 From: Michael Curry Subject: Re: tonight's buffy season finale delayed At 06:50 PM 5/25/99 -0400, Paul Kim wrote: >this came today through the Buffy email newslist. for those who care. >i think there's a spoiler in the paragraph that starts "at issue for >us" but i'm not sure since i skipped over it for fear of spoilers :) >>BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SEASON FINALE TO BE DELAYED UNTIL LATER IN >>THE SUMMER I really tired of this nonsense, and this particular lame reaction strikes me as being even more pointless than some of the others. Someone needs to get the people at WB a clue (lots of clues actually). At least when they scrubbed the episode shortly after Littleton I was under the impression that it actually involved a student shooting at other students, but judging from the "spoiler" part of the message from WB the stuff that's at issue in this episode is well into the realm of fantasy. Mike np: Liquorice -- Listening Cap nr: _Cryptonomicon_ by Neal Stephenson | Michael Curry / mcurry@io.com / mcurry@smoe.org | | http://www.io.com/~mcurry | | "Am I bitter? Do I sound bitter?" -- Veda Hille | ------------------------------ End of ecto-digest V5 #183 **************************