From: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org (ecto-digest) To: ecto-digest@smoe.org Subject: ecto-digest V7 #286 Reply-To: ecto@smoe.org Sender: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk ecto-digest Sunday, October 7 2001 Volume 07 : Number 286 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Amy Ray's "Stag" [Sherlyn Koo ] Re:stupid people like me/blonde offers apology for belief in ["Xenu's Sis] Iva Bittova [filicat ] Led Zeppelin ["Donald G. Keller" ] shannonwright ["Donald G. Keller" ] Free Australian Celtic CD [Neile Graham ] Transit advice - SF & Seattle [Sherlyn Koo ] Re: Free Australian Celtic CD [JoAnn Whetsell ] Re: Iva Bittova [Michael Bravo ] Re: Transit advice - SF & Seattle [kitty kat ] Re: Led Zeppelin and other non-guilty pleasures [RavFlight@aol.com] Re: Led Zeppelin/Guilty Pleasures [RockChic02@aol.com] Any SF Ecto around bored today, last reminder for Spirit Aid Benefit [Cyo] Jane Siberry - latest web news [Philip David Morgan ] Re: Led Zeppelin and other non-guilty pleasures ["Kira" ] Polyphonic Spree ["Lyle Howard" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 05 Oct 2001 23:44:14 -0700 From: Sherlyn Koo Subject: Amy Ray's "Stag" Hey folks, Doug said, re Amy Ray's album "Stag": >Overall my tag on _stag+ is "Uneven." I was interested mostly because the >Butchies, one of my favorite punk bands, back her on some of it (the >Butchies are led by Kaia, formerly of Team Dresch if that helps put things >in perspective). Most of it sounds pretty good, but I think a few of the >lyrics are too polemical to be very artful. Probably my favorite is the >opening track, which sure sounds like an authentic appalachian folk ballad >to me -- I had to look at the songwriting credits about four times before >I was convinced there wasn't a "Trad. arr. Ray" buried in there somewhere. Despite being a huge Indigo Girls fan I was pretty lukewarm about most of "Stag" too. I'm like Doug I guess - there were a few tracks that stood out for me (the first couple of songs in particular) but the rest of the songs kind of all blended into one another. That was until I saw Amy play live with the Butchies. They rocked. So. Hard! It totally clicked for me then and I like the album a lot more now. So, yep, I'd definitely recommend seeing the live show if you get a chance... - -sherlyn - -- Sherlyn Koo - sherlyn@fl.net.au "So I promise to grab my soul And leave my ego at the door, I'm gonna open up my eyes..." - Melissa Ferrick ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 6 Oct 2001 01:17:15 -0700 (PDT) From: "Xenu's Sister" Subject: Re:stupid people like me/blonde offers apology for belief in To Cyoakha, who doesn't know me at all... First, I never called you "stupid" or dumb. I don't think you're either. You're a very caring person and I admire you greatly. Your thoughts about the 9-11 tragedy have been read and re-read by me, often with tears running down my face. Second, I filter by what's in the header. Everything with "ecto" in the header goes into an "ecto" folder. Since "ecto" is not in the headers of your fan list, it came to my In box. I didn't realize it was you who sent it and I didn't realize that the petition was an ecto post. I just thought it was another of the dozens of spam e-mails I get every day. When I went to my ecto folder and saw others talking about it I assumed that it was REALLY making the rounds and that these people were also getting it in their In box. I understand what happened now, and if I had understood earlier, my post about it wouldn't have been so harsh. Sending something like that to a list like ecto is completely understandable, though I still think that a post with URLS for petition-signing and more information is how these things should be done. What these women have gone and are going through *is* worthy of discussion. People do need to know what's happening to them. I remember how shocked I was when I heard that the women are forbidden to go to a male doctor, but are also forbidden to be doctors themselves, so in essence, Afghan women aren't allowed any health care more complex than home remedies. There are no words for how cruel that is. And that's only one of the cruelties the Taliban force upon the female gender. I want to make it clear that I was bitching about what I perceived as spam, and useless e-mail petitions, not about the information contained within. Third, to a starving Afghan woman living in a crowded, mud-soaked hovel trying to survive and keep her children alive while wondering what new rules the Taliban are going to come up with that day as an excuse to beat or even kill her, we're *all* cushy Western yuppers. How much did you spend on your recent travels, anyway? Not that I really want to know or that I'm laying a guilt trip on you...hey, we own 800 DVDs... but money-wise, you're no hippie. Your outlook on life, your philosophy, the way you live your life, might have much in common with the true hippie culture (and that's a fine thing), but an Afghan woman could feed her family for a year on what you spent on one plane ticket (and on what I spend on DVDs in a month). Anyway 1, I used the term "yuppers" which are people not quite as yupped up as "yuppies" and anyway 2, I wasn't directing that at you, because I didn't know you'd sent the petition. Forth, I could be wrong, but it seems to me as if you use the terms "liberal hippie chick" and "bleeding heart liberal" as if you think you're the exact opposite as me, perhaps as if you think I don't "give a shit" about the plight of the Afghan women. You couldn't be more wrong, Cy. I've known about the situation since the Taliban first took power and have given money to various humanitarian agencies over the years. I have cried many tears for those women. I'm as bleeding heart a liberal as you could ever hope to find (except when it comes to sex crimes, where I think rapists and molesters should be dipped in honey and strapped to a hot metal plate, put into the Mohave Desert and doused with millions of fire ants, at the very least). I've voted in every election since 1980 (my dad, Republican to the bone, literally threatened to disown me because I voted for Jimmy Carter) and have only once voted for a Republican, and that was a local election where the Democrat was a dickheaded homophobe. (Btw, I disliked Clinton, mainly because he was a Republican in disguise, but I did vote for him both times). My credentials as a liberal go back for many decades and if you want to discuss hearts that bleed, you can't even begin to imagine how sorry I feel and how much sympathy I have for poor Andrea Yates. Cyoakha, I apologise to you if my post hurt you in any way. I only know you from your list posts but you seem like a wonderful person and I'm appalled to think that my verbal slap hit your virtual face because of my own non-checking of who the e-mail came from and where it was actually sent. Please forgive me. Vickie NEW from Yahoo! GeoCities - quick and easy web site hosting, just $8.95/month. http://geocities.yahoo.com/ps/info1 ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 6 Oct 2001 03:18:33 -0700 (PDT) From: filicat Subject: Iva Bittova I got to see Iva Bittova play for the first time tonight, and wow. Really seriously wow. I can't imagine any of you not having a great time at one of her gigs if she's always this much fun! (Hell, anyone who carries out a musical conversation with a squeaky toy is okay in my books :) She has a fantastic voice; does some things with it that I was sure couldn't be good for her vocal chords, but had no problem following with some beautiful clear high notes. She plays violin, but rarely in anything approaching a "classical violin" manner, and made use of a number of 'alternative' instruments (which tended to be greatly amusing.) Simply put, it was a captivating and very funny performance. They were absurdly short on CDs to sell after the performance, and I only managed to emerge from the feeding frenzy around the sales desk with a single disc. There's no way that a CD can possibly capture her live performance, though -- even just watching the expressions on her face was wonderful. Don't stop to think about whether the "experimental violin" description sounds like your kind of thing... if you have a chance to see her play, just go. I'm sure you'll be glad you did. Very highly recommended! - -fil np. Susan Werner - "Last of the Good Straight Girls" nr. Jeanette Winterson - "Boating for Beginners" ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 6 Oct 2001 12:04:37 -0400 (EDT) From: "Donald G. Keller" Subject: Led Zeppelin I waffle back and forth about the usefulness of the "guilty pleasure" concept, but I have to say I'm completely croggled to see Led Zeppelin listed as a guilty pleasure. It's rather as if my daughter (who is 21) were to list the Beatles as a guilty pleasure. Arguably, Led Zeppelin was the great band of the 70s just as the Beatles were the great band of the 60s: in both cases you have not only extreme popularity but artistic achievement, and in particular the fact that both bands' production values were well ahead of their peers'. (No, I'm not saying that Led Zeppelin was as good as the Beatles.) And you can't blame Led Zeppelin for their hosts of imitators any more than you can blame Tolkien for his. I'll also note here that the recent 2-separate-CD Led Zeppelin best-of is one of the strongest I've ever seen: each CD has one minor track I wouldn't have chosen, but in every other case they chose the two or three absolutely essential tracks from each album. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 6 Oct 2001 12:40:25 -0400 (EDT) From: "Donald G. Keller" Subject: shannonwright To begin with, I agree with the comparison between Shannon Wright and Kristen Hersh: there is a rough similarity, and I think anyone who enjoys one would likely enjoy the other. Shannon Wright also reminds me a little of Neil Young: both have an idiosyncratic rhythmic style on guitar. And anyone out there who really likes Mary Timony's =Mountains= should hear Shannon Wright's =Maps of Tacit=, which I think is very similar but even better. Neile: I don't disagree with your description of =Maps of Tacit= (just your opinion!): it =is= a very repetitive album, but given that the "one song" never fails in any of its "versions" to make the hair stand up on the back of my neck, I'm not complaining: I listen to it more than her other albums. As woj says, =flightsafety= is predominantly acoustic: in its entirety it sounds a lot like the opening track of =Maps of Tacit=, "Absentee" (which the rest of =Maps of Tacit= does not). =flightsafety= also closes with a much more restrained version of "Heavy Crown," one of =Maps of Tacit='s best tracks (I like both versions in their different ways). =flightsafety= is a completely charming album, and I suspect you'd like it more than either =Maps of Tacit= or =Dyed in the Wool=. A warning about =Dyed in the Wool=: it begins with a heavy, very dissonant, full-band song which pushes the =Maps of Tacit= envelope a step further (which I love, of course); but again, it's not typical of the album, which has some quiet acoustic songs, some piano songs, a piano instrumental, a piece with "orchestral" keyboards...a little bit of everything. There's also an EP from early this year, =Perishable Goods=, with two tracks ("Hinterland" and "The Path of Least Pesistance") redone more stridently on =Dyed in the Wool=, plus a few more acoustic songs including an interesting cover of the Bee Gees' "I Started a Joke." Want more? Before she went solo Shannon Wright had a band called Crowsdell (kind of her Throwing Muses, as it were, though not as good), whose 1995 debut =Dreamette= was produced by Steven Malkmus of Pavement. It opens with a =great= "single" called "Down"; the rest of the album is only pretty good, however. There was also an EP (undated but probably 1996) called =The End of Summer= (a track from =Dreamette= and some "b-sides"); but their second full-length, =Within the Curve of an Arm=, scheduled for 1997, was never released; Shannon Wright sells cardboard-sleeved promos at her shows (she's a very intense live performer). It's a shame, because it's a better album than =Dreamette=, darker and more dissonant (a pattern her solo albums follow). ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 6 Oct 2001 10:09:15 -0700 From: Neile Graham Subject: Free Australian Celtic CD From The Ectophiles' Guide's inbox to you. - --Neile >Date: Sat, 06 Oct 2001 11:33:37 +1000 >From: locrian@locrian.com.au (Gavin O'Loghlen) >Subject: Free Australian Celtic CD >X-Sender: locrian@mail.adelaide.on.net (Unverified) >To: Neile Graham >MIME-version: 1.0 > >Neile Graham >for The Ectophiles' Guide to Good Music > >G'day Neile > >Following the excellent response and interest in the original, contemporary >Celtic music of "Cotters Bequest", Locrian Records have released a special >offer for your readers to sample the music of "Cotters Bequest" and other >Locrian Records artists for FREE. > >The compilation CD "Singles and Samples" contains 10 tracks in 5 Celtic >languages by 6 artists from 7 albums and is available to your members at > > > >This offer applies to the first 50 applicants. > >Hope you enjoy our unique Australia Celtic music. > >Regards > >Gavin O'Loghlen >Cotters Bequest >Australia > >|--------LOCRIAN RECORDS AND ART--------| >|--------- www.locrian.com.au ----------| >|--------- Home of Australian ----------| >|-------- Art and Celtic Music ---------| >|---------------------------------------| > - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.ectoguide.org ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 06 Oct 2001 10:38:20 -0700 From: Sherlyn Koo Subject: Transit advice - SF & Seattle Hey folks, I have a couple of public transport-related questions... i) Can anyone tell me how to get from San Francisco/Berkeley to the Kuumbwa Jazz Centre in Santa Cruz? Or does anybody here happen to be making that drive for the Susan Werner/Ellis Paul show later this month? ii) Does anyone know which bus to take to get from downtown Seattle to the Century Ballroom (which is at 915 E. Pine)? Or to get from the Century Ballroom to Bellevue? Fil and I are heading down for the Christine Lavin show this Monday evening... TIA - sherlyn - -- Sherlyn Koo - sherlyn@fl.net.au "So I promise to grab my soul And leave my ego at the door, I'm gonna open up my eyes..." - Melissa Ferrick ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 06 Oct 2001 13:53:33 -0400 From: JoAnn Whetsell Subject: Re: Free Australian Celtic CD Neile forwarded the following link for a free Australian Celtic cd: >> >> >>This offer applies to the first 50 applicants. It should be noted that you can't get there directly from that link but have to first go to www.locrian.com.au, from there you can click on a link to the free cd. And free does not include $3.50 packaging plus postage. JoAnn ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 6 Oct 2001 22:13:10 +0400 From: Michael Bravo Subject: Re: Iva Bittova On Sat, Oct 06, 2001 at 03:18:33AM -0700, filicat wrote: [glowing review skipped] I don't know how relevant that is for all of you people (I think it's generally too far away for any one list subscriber ;) ), but Iva is playing in Moscow on October 21st; perhaps I'll be able to go and check out her performance for myself. - -- /\/\ike ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 6 Oct 2001 11:16:24 -0700 (PDT) From: kitty kat Subject: Re: Transit advice - SF & Seattle On Sat, 6 Oct 2001, Sherlyn Koo wrote: > ii) Does anyone know which bus to take to get from downtown > Seattle to the Century Ballroom (which is at 915 E. Pine)? Where downtown? 915 E. Pine is pretty much a few blocks from the Northeastern edge of what's considered downtown, so your desired route would be based on where you were coming from. > Or to get from the Century Ballroom to Bellevue? Fil and I > are heading down for the Christine Lavin show this Monday > evening... For both questions, the website for the King County bus system is located at http://transit.metrokc.gov/ , which is fairly good for finding out when and which bus via clicking on the maps. There's also a 206-553-3000 phone number for getting route information. The Century Ballroom is about 10 blocks up from the Convention Place transit center, which is probably a good place to start any travel / switch buses / etc. It's at W. 9th and Pine (whereas the Century Ballroom is at E. 9th and Pine). I don't usually bus, so people who have busing experience in Seattle may feel free to contradict anything I've said here. :) - -K ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 6 Oct 2001 15:21:07 EDT From: RavFlight@aol.com Subject: Re: Led Zeppelin and other non-guilty pleasures Even as a person who is 24 and was never blessed enough to actually see the Zep live, I have to agree how crucial, and I might add fantastic, they are. If Led Zeppelin is a guilty pleasure, then so is The Who, and The Who is NOT a guilty pleasure. Both bands were groundbreakers in Rock and Roll history. Both did things with music that had never been dreamed before. Certainly they are not Ecto. I'm not sure it's fair to hold a band responsible for the music that followed in their wake. When I listen to Led Zeppelin, I don't think.."Man do I hate them for being responsible for Slayer." I just think, "Good God these guys are fantastic." I just think that there are bands that transcend movements. I don't blame the Beatles for Herman's Hermits. I don't blame The Clash for Green Day. I don't blame Joni Mitchell for Jewell. I don't blame Ani Difranco for Alanis Morisette. These artist are seperate from the movements they created, if only for the fact that when they got there, no one had been there before. It seems that what may be the issue is that, as an Ecto-style listener, the fear is that no other kinds of music are admissable. I see it often, as folk oriented friends of mine get locked into one type of music, and criticize (or at least avoid) everything outside of that circle. Music, I feel, doesn't stand in stasus. It is a fluid and ever mingling experience. Criticize an artist, sure..but be careful to stigmatize an entire musical movement. I think it is vitally important to keep the perspective on the entire music scheme, or we become like the folk-listeners who were enraged when Bob Dylan picked up an electric guitar. I listen to folk significantly..but I also listen to punk, and country, and metal, and rap..because all of these things exist in a world-wide musical circle. (Ok, some of you might debate rap..but I stand by my statement) This, of course, is well off my thesis that Led Zeppelin is one of the best bands that ever existed, but I stand by both points. Really, I just wanted to agree with the previous Zeppelin supporter. But, there's a new thought. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 6 Oct 2001 15:56:55 EDT From: RockChic02@aol.com Subject: Re: Led Zeppelin/Guilty Pleasures >I waffle back and forth about the usefulness of the "guilty pleasure" >concept, but I have to say I'm completely croggled to see Led Zeppelin >listed as a guilty pleasure. My thoughts exactly! I love Zeppelin. And the Beatles. And Queen. As far as "guilty pleasures" I would have to say a lot of what's on the radio right now: Matchbox 20, Goo Goo Dolls, Savage Garden, Dido, etc. Once in a while I actually act my age :-) Nancy ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 06 Oct 2001 12:43:16 -0700 From: Cyoakha Subject: Any SF Ecto around bored today, last reminder for Spirit Aid Benefit Dear Friends, thank you for all your kind words after my big boo-boo with petition. This is not SPAM, the dreaded meat. This is a nice benefit for SF living ectofolk. A daytimer. I go on with a new line up at 4:30 and play til 5:30. Come if you can. Peace, cyo SPIRIT AID MUSICIANS AND ARTISTS FOR WORLD PEACE October 6, 2001 Please join us today for an afternoon benefit concert for Musicians and Fine Artists for World Peace on behalf of Spirit Aid San Francisco at New George's, 842 4th St. in downtown San Rafael. The show begins at 2:00pm and concludes at 8:30. Eight musical acts will be performing including Land of the Blind, Fontain9s M.U.S.E., The Love Choir, Ashera, BeRn, Eric Symons, and Estara. The event will be filmed, recorded, and broadcast to the entire planet by One-Heart Global Broadcasting Network. Donations are only ten dollars per person for an entire afternoon and evening of fun, camaraderie, and prayer. Funds from the concert will cover costs and go to the productionof future events for the charities of Spirit Aid: Children, education, homeless, refugees, aged, international aid, nvironment, land mines, human rights, health, caring, peace, and fair trade ethics. Spirit Aid is an international community of musicians, artists, writers, actors, and speakers dedicated to world peace and environmental sustainability. Our efforts will culminate next summer, July 2002, in an international, non-denominational, multicultural celebration of world peace and humanity9s shared vision of a brighter future: Spirit Aid - July 2002, Glasgow, Scotland, U.K. World Peace Village -13th -19th July, Glasgow Green Spirit Aid Concert - 20th-21st July, Hampden Park (Scottish National Park) So join us in fun, camaraderie, and a prayer for the victims of the past weeks. Help us make the world a better place. O'Manion Music PO Box 198 Mill Valley, CA 94941 cyo@landoftheblind.com http://www.landoftheblind.com ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 06 Oct 2001 16:35:18 -0400 From: Philip David Morgan Subject: Jane Siberry - latest web news Good Evening, Ectopians: Jane Siberry's homepage is getting quite a makeover, I see. Here's her latest news... Philip David 10/6/2001 - ----- Original Message ----- From: "S H E E B A" To: Sent: Friday, October 05, 2001 11:30 PM Subject: MUSELETTER October 5, 2001 Autumn > > > > You watch the slow train moving > Through the city late at night > Adjusting back and forth > Against the darkness and streetlights > > > > _______________________ > > N E W S > > WEBSITE > 1. Website opening in slow motion as of today. > 2. Store section will open next week. > http://www.janesiberry.com > > SIBERRY AUTUMN TOUR > New dates added, please check tour page. > http://www.janesiberry.com/tour.php > > > Wishing you well, > Jane Siberry > > > > > > > > > > > http://www.janesiberry.com 416.921.1364 416.921.0024 fax > Suite 291 - 238 Davenport Road, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5R 1J6 > Peace On Earth. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 06 Oct 2001 15:30:22 -0700 From: Irvin Lin Subject: guilty pleasures > Date: Fri, 5 Oct 2001 00:47:47 -0700 (PDT) > From: anna maria "stjdrnell" > Subject: guilty pleasures > > Hi.. > Mine are.. > Kylie's eponymous album from 1997 and her new single. > Duran Duran's Bond theme. > Serge and Jane's Je t'aime. > Melanie C's Northern star album. > T'Pau's China in your hand. > Robbie Williams No regrets. > Howard Jones old hits. > Nik Kershaw's The riddle. > Kim Wilde's hits. > Anna Maria > np-Bjork-Vespertine(not so guilty pleasure this one) > NEW from Yahoo! GeoCities - quick and easy web site hosting, just $8.95/month. > http://geocities.yahoo.com/ps/info1 >  actually i love KYLIE MINOGUE. i admit. it. from her early PWL years through her more rock period on DECONSTRUCTION to her latest outings of fluffy pop on PARLAPHONE (UK) i think she's fab. she doesn't try to be anything more than a popstar, and i give her props for that. i have to admit i wasn't all to thrilled with her latest single. but apparently it's doing amazingly well in all the regions that it's been released in. what i find curious is that her last two lead singles off her last two albums (FEVER the most recent release, and last year's LIGHT YEARS) were both written by late 80's/early 90's pop stars who are no longer in the spotlight (SPINNING AROUND was written by PAULA ABDUL and CAN'T GET YOU OUT OF MY MIND by CATHY DENNIS). the rest of FEVER though is actually quite a nice pop CD. much better than VICTORIA BECKHAM/ aka POSH SPICE's latest outing (which i have to admit, i was looking so forward to, i liked what she did with TRUESTEPPERS.). i have a HUGE fondness for pop music so it's hard to embarass me in regards to musical tastes. i believe we had a thread awhile ago on this list regard the most embarrassing CD/album in your collection. a surprising number of ectophiles mentioned THE SPICE GIRLS if i remember correctly. heh. i have all THE SPICE GIRL's CD as well as all their solo albums (mostly downloaded, because most of them haven't been released here in the states, which is just as well, MEL B/ aka SCARY SPICE's solo CD was terrible, even if it had MISSY ELLIOT guest on, and i think i would have truly been embarrased to have spent money on it). i unabashedly like BRITNEY SPEARS even though i know she can't sing. not really into her lastest single, but i've never been a huge NEPTUNES fan (they wrote and produced the song, as well as stuff for KELIS and N'SYNC). i like JANET JACKSON. i even like her brother MICHAEL even though he's a huge freak of nature now (ROCK MY WORLD didn't really rock my world, but i will most likely still go out and get INVINCIBLE when it comes out, just to satisfy my curiousity). others that people are always amazed to find out that i like include CYNDI LAUPER (her latest SHINE which was postponed because of record label problems is great, much better than anything she has done in a long while), MANDY MOORE (probably one of the best pop singers to come out in the teen pop scene, whoever wrote her last album really strived to carve a niche for her, instead of lumping her in with the whole hip hop/rnb/pop scene that everyone else is striving for, and the most recent MARIAH CAREY. heh. GLITTER as a movie may have sucked (i never saw, and have no desire to), but the soundtrack and album actually inspires and is a throwback to the 80's pop scene and as such is quite successful. one question. What makes something a guilty pleasure or an embarrasment? i know this question has been asked before, but i just wonder, why should i be embarrased that i like BRITNEY SPEARS or MANDY MOORE . is i because she is a commercial success? but doesn't TORI AMOS sell millions of records? is because her music is accessible and pop orientated (BRITNEY's latest single isn't nearly as accessible, with a minor key loop and MANDY MOORE is integrating middle eastern rhythms into her songs). is because they doesn't write her own songs (BRITNEY suppose wrote four songs in her new album and former teen star DEBORAH GIBSON wrote all of her songs). recently TIFFANY released a new album that she wrote and produced and BILLBOARD compared it to ALANIS MORISETTE. it went nowhere though. i wonder if it had been picked up by a major label and had the proper marketing if it would have been the monster comeback for her, or if it would have been ignored because people wouldn't want to purchase an album by someone who use to tour and sing in malls. of course with the proper marketing i guess anything will take off. JESSICA SIMPSON's career, case in point. i am just wondering what the criteria is that makes us (me included) comfortable telling people that we listen to KATE BUSH or YO LA TENGO but makes us kinda mumble under our breathe when we have to admit that we like ABBA or the A*TEENS. i also wonder if people outside of the US have the same hang up about music and genres. i notice that artists in that no longer sell huge in the US (like CYNDI LAUPER) are still considered megastars in say, JAPAN. i also notice that i can say that i like UTADA HIKARU to people without embarrasment (even though she's basically a japanese CHRISTINA AGUILERA) whether you know who she is or not. there is something about the foreignness of the artist that automatically makes them cool, even if they sing the worst music. if don't know who she is, then she's obscure and hence cool, if you know who she is, you are in the know and can bond with the person about knowing someone that not a lot of people know, and hence are still cool. just some rambling thoughts. irvin ps. i never liked T'PAU. for whatever reason i always confused them with HEART. i always confused HEART with both WILSON PHILLIPS and FLEETWOOD MAC. i never confused T'PAU with WILSON PHILLIPs or FLEETWOOD MAC though. so the laws of transitivity don't work here. or is that the law of reflexivity? it's been too long since i've taken a geometry class. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 6 Oct 2001 15:43:09 -0700 From: "Kira" Subject: Re: Led Zeppelin and other non-guilty pleasures RavFlight says: >Even as a person who is 24 and was never blessed enough to actually see the >Zep live, I have to agree how crucial, and I might add fantastic, they are. >If Led Zeppelin is a guilty pleasure, then so is The Who, and The Who is NOT >a guilty pleasure. Y'know, that is SO true. I am the one who started this, since I'm the first one who listed Led Zep among my "guilty" pleasures. Why did I? Because my -husband- doesn't like them, or thinks he doesn't. And he -loves- The Who and Pink Floyd. Whatever. I'll just have to replace my Led Zeppelin LP collection (which got sold several years ago) on CD and introduce him to some of their gems. Can you believe he has never heard "When the Levee Breaks"? And the man is 35 years old. He just spent his formative years mostly listening to the classical radio station and his Who albums. Kira http://www.ailurodrome.com/ __________________________________________________ D O T E A S Y - "Join the web hosting revolution!" http://www.doteasy.com ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 06 Oct 2001 16:26:56 -0700 From: Sherlyn Koo Subject: Andrea Koziol gigs Hey folks, Just found these on Andrea Koziol's site (www.andreakoziol.com). It doesn't say which city these gigs are in but I'm guessing Toronto. If you get a chance to check Andrea out you definitely should. (Folk/jazz/torch/soul/gospel/GREAT.) - -- October 10th 9:30pm SHARP cuz it's one set only... In conjunction with The Ontario Council of Folk Festivals Conference At Hugh's Room (2261 Dundas Street West) Other performers on the bill include singer/songwriters Kathryn Wheatley and Suzie Vinnik. October 11th 9:30pm SHARP cuz it's also one set only... COLOURKIND - A Benefit for ARTISTS AGAINST RACISM Hosted by Tanisha Tait Featuring: Emm Gryner, Kurt Swinghammer, Mia Sheard, and special guest Jeff Healey (who will be sitting in with ak and the fellas at 9:30) Lee's Palace (529 Bloor Street West) - -- - -sherlyn - -- Sherlyn Koo - sherlyn@fl.net.au "So I promise to grab my soul And leave my ego at the door, I'm gonna open up my eyes..." - Melissa Ferrick ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 07 Oct 2001 03:15:51 From: "Lyle Howard" Subject: Polyphonic Spree Hola, I went to see a band called Polyphonic Spree last night (Friday) at the local bar. The band has been getting lots of adulation from the metroplex press (Dallas and Ft. Worth), so I decided it was time to see if the local rock critics know what they are talking about. The answer is yes, this band is worth gushing over. The first clues about the band were the three sets of synthesizers on the stage, old funky synths, and the large number of microphones set up. The small, homemade looking riser also gave a hint of what was to come. The band filed in in their white choir robes, a string of people from the door into the venue and up onto the stage. Tim Delaughter, the leader, bounded up on the stage and went to his corner and his mic. The drummer, guitarist, bassist, and keyboard guys got into position. The riser quickly filled up with men and women. And the instrumentalists hopped on the stage. A French horn player, trombone player, trumpet player, flute player, and violist made up the string and horn section of the band. Twenty-two people were crammed onto the relatively tiny stage, and just a little over half were singers. Ive been to concerts where the band played their first notes and a wave of sound, usually roaring guitars, rolls over you so that you get a bodily impression of the bands power. When Polyphonic Spree started up, there was a similar power but it didnt come from over-amped guitars, it came from lung power and, to be cosmic about it, psychic power. The violist started a rhythmic, staccato musical phrase, the guitar player joined in, the keyboard players started doing little trills, the horns jumped in, and finally Delaughter started singing, as did the choir. This big wall of sound came rolling toward the audience. The decibels werent particularly high, but you could feel the sonic force. Tim Delaughter sang over everything, with band members adding harmony to his lead line. He has the voice of an overgrown child, and the lyrics were simple and repetitive. The music was plenty complex, complete with time and tempo changes, and instruments dropping in and out. The only thing the band didnt do was shift keys mid-song. I havent heard the songs before so I cant give you lyrics, but here are a few that stand out: Let the trees grow (repeated multiple times). The sun makes me warm. Call your mother, call your father. I suspect a lyric sheet would look fairly hippy dip, but with the whole band rocking out, the simplicity of the lyrics makes the experience charming. I was smiling a second after the singing started. People had their hands in the air on many songs. The band looked as if it were having the best time of anyone there. They were dancing in place, weaving, and bobbing. The effect of all this must be similar to sitting in the middle of a Smile-era Beach Boys recording session, or hearing the Beatles run through a song, complete with orchestra, during the recording of Mystery Tour or Sgt. Pepper. The French horn really evoked memories of 60s recordings. Ive never sat in front of a stage and heard a rock band sound like a fully produced recording. Bands usually sound stripped down or are sloppy in concert situations. While this band had little touches of cacophony, especially the flute player, who seemed to be on another planet at times, it was more like the flanging of an orchestra than downright sloppiness. If Polyphonic Spree ever gets near you, go see them. They are the most positive band I have ever heard. Theyre like a revival meeting without the altar call, and the message is: everything is going to be all right. Bye, Lyle _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp ------------------------------ End of ecto-digest V7 #286 **************************