Fegmaniax Digest <==----------==> (Send posts to the list to fegmaniax@nsmx.rutgers.edu) (Send adminstrative requests to majordomo@nsmx.rutgers.edu) (Send comments, etc to the listowner at owner-fegmaniax@nsmx.rutgers.edu) <==----------==> Volume 3 Number 48 Today's Topics: ------- ------ Beantown Desperation Chicago Show, 4/15 Cleveland show hookup Disengage lurking device... East Grinstead Names in RH songs RH at TT's, 8 April Robyn in Brighton TT's TT's stuff i'm new robyn on WFNX this sinister/happy shtuff tts setlist, 7april 95 various Higsons questions [][][][][][][][][][] From: BritPop@aol.com Date: Fri, 7 Apr 1995 20:39:54 -0400 To: Fegmaniax@ns2.rutgers.edu Subject: Beantown Desperation HALP! she cried. Got weekend leave. Can go to Boston Saturday night. But alas, it is now sold out. Can anyone help with two tickets? My eternal gratitude shall be yours. Please e-mail me back by 10:00 AM EST, whence I depart. Love and Fishes, Karen BritPop PS The Toad's show was magnificence, but truly the best was meeting folks from this list! Ya know who you all are. Til again. [][][][][][][][][][] From: mikester@bix.com Date: Sat, 08 Apr 1995 01:51:08 -0400 (EDT) Subject: TT's To: fegmaniax@ns2.rutgers.edu Just got back. I'll let other more prolific (and less tired) fegs get into the show, but a third show has been added tomorrow @ 7pm. BTW, I'll have my Loud Family J-shirt on tomorrow too. ---Mike ----------------------- "People ask me why I'm obsessed with fish, but it's not true. They're just there." ---Robyn Hitchcock, 3/25/88 ----------------------- [][][][][][][][][][] Date: Sat, 8 Apr 1995 01:15:26 -0700 From: camus@netcom.com (Julian Stewart) To: fegmaniax@ns2.rutgers.edu Subject: Robyn in Brighton Argh...if he's playing Brighton on May 1st, it stands to reason that any London shows will come a few days before or after that one...and I won't be there 'till the 15th! :( Well, hopefully he'll spread out the dates a little... :) julian [][][][][][][][][][] Date: Sat, 08 Apr 1995 17:01:14 GMT From: rramsay@realres.demon.co.uk (Robert Ramsay) To: fegmaniax@ns2.rutgers.edu Subject: Disengage lurking device... Hello! I tried to post to alt.music.fegmania - and found it not to work. I've been a Robyn Hitchcock fan for about eight years or so. There was this one gig a long time ago... Date: Thursday, 10th March 1994 Place: The Bull and Gate, Kentish Town, London, England (just next to The Town & Country Club/Forum) My best mate Simon and myself had only heard about this last-minute gig when we went to the Jazz Cafe to get tickets for Robyn's solo night on the following Monday (14th March). We saw, in various places around Camden, notices telling of a gig at the Bull and Gate. When the time came, we turned up and sat in the bar. Now, Simon's convinced that he is some kind of curse on Mr. Hitchcock as the last few times he'd tried to see him, something had gone wrong. He saw the Soft Boys reunion two months before, but apparently, this "didn't count". We heard a few familiar sounds from next door - Robyn & various Egyptians warming up on 'Day in the Life' - and made our way into the tiny bar that led into the "auditorium" proper (a large, featureless, concrete barn with nil atmosphere - Simon has been cursed with playing there before). We chatted to the guy on the door, and he came back with the most flabberghasting rejoinder I'd ever heard - he said "do you want to do the lights?" My brain fought to say "Er, no" but Simon got there first. He said 'yes'. Panic welled up, but I'd obviously not used up my magickal quota for that month, as we never needed to try to "do the lights". The support band blew the main amp. Most people would have given up and gone home. Robyn moved the band into the tiny bar (16' x 16'), and sung without microphone. Basically, the band busked their way through all we could throw at them. It was so obvious they'd played together for ages. We heard 'Listening to the Higsons' - which I thought were a Robyn Hitchcock fan band - but no! They *do* come from Norwich, and it does sound on their song 'Gotta let this heat out' as if they're singing 'Gotta let this hen out' (Though the porridge is unconfirmed - but I do recommend finding a copy of the album 'Cannibal Zombie Businessmen' - Mixture Records SORT3CD) Anyway, there was a rearranged acoustic version of 'Heaven' ("Yeah, I think we've got a version of that we can do"), 'Driving Aloud' (especially at Simon's request) and all sorts of other joy. Even the legendary Franglais version of 'Wafflehead' ("She'zz a waffle 'ead"). It was the best gig gone wrong I ever saw. Since I'm here - I heard DeChirico Street for the first time at the Jongleurs gig in Camden Town - instantly all my favourite DeChirico paintings popped up at me - as he says, the song and the paintings are about people being menaced by everyday inanimate objects. Thirdly, I mentioned IODOT to some friends the other day, and one of them said "You know if you dream about trains, it's a dream about death...". Hmmm. "I dream of them constantly, heading for Paradise..." Somebody previously said that he's an intimidating presence. I think it's just that the way he comes over on stage - that's more or less how he really is. When I met him in Tottenham Court Rd. Tube station, he was just the same. He recognised me from when I'd seen him two weeks before walking through Kennington Park - I'd been wearing the Soft Boys reunion t-shirt. My girlfriend, Jo, said she didn't know who was sadder - me for wearing it, or him for remembering :-) We chatted for a while, and I mentioned that my mate Simon would be really annoyed... Me: "He's never really forgiven me for seeing Peter Blegvad without him" RH: "Yes, I've met Peter Blegvad. I've got his address somewhere. He's very tall - taller than me - who are you waiting for? I'm waiting for my daughter..." Me: "I'm waiting for my girlfriend - she could be here at any time, and she could come from anywhere" RH: (stares off into distance) "She has no particular time and can come from any direction" So if that line ever makes it into a song - I claim my royalties :-) PS When Jo saw the Soft Boys reunion, she said "He doesn't do much, does he?" Me: "Well, he doesn't dress up like a geranium like Peter Gabriel used to" Another mate, Andy: "No, he dresses up perfectly normally and just *thinks* he's a geranium" -- Robert Ramsay - Reality Research rramsay@realres.demon.co.uk "Meaning is something we humans invented" [][][][][][][][][][] Date: Sat, 8 Apr 1995 13:50:19 -0400 (EDT) From: Pamela A Lowy To: Robert Ramsay Cc: fegmaniax@ns2.rutgers.edu Subject: Re: Disengage lurking device... Regarding your mention of train dreams meaning death, I'd always thought that train dreams were about sex. I think that's right... Which would also make sense, "I often dream of trains when I'm alone... I dream of them constantly, heading for paradise..." I dunno. Considering Robyn's obsessions with sex and death, it could be either or both. Or neither. -Pam * ps. Somebody reassure me that the Amherst gig is still on... I'm getting jittery! "Life is a long trip - terrifying and wonderful" - Henry Rollins [][][][][][][][][][] Date: 08 Apr 95 14:58:41 EDT From: Benjamin.M.Brainard@dartmouth.edu (Benjamin M. Brainard) Subject: tts setlist, 7april 95 To: fegmaniax@ns2.rutgers.edu right, so here's the setlist from last night. kind of a short show; no encores or anything. if anyone has tapes that sound better than mine, let me know... also noticed the lack of stories. very few song intros, and it seemed that the one intro that he did had to be extracted by the audience, whose silence sort of indicated that everyone was waiting for more. oh well. i'll let someone else review it more thoroughly... ...ben acoustic: city of shame 52 stations insect mother i've got the hots de chirico street* egyptian creme* she was sinister but she was happy* (comment on the song writing of tanya donnely...who is she?) one long pair of eyes beuatiful girl i used to say i love you i something you heaven electric: i am not me (?) autumn is your last chance never stop bleeding* driving aloud * (ugh) ? * (beautiful queen?) only the stones remain (for brett milano) [][][][][][][][][][] Date: Sat, 8 Apr 1995 15:57:36 -0400 (EDT) From: Samuel Silverstein Subject: Re: tts setlist, 7april 95 To: "Benjamin M. Brainard" cc: fegmaniax@ns2.rutgers.edu On 8 Apr 1995, Benjamin M. Brainard wrote: > right, so here's the setlist from last night. kind of a short show; no encores > or anything. bummer about the length, sounds short but swwet, though. Some rather interesting songs played. > she was sinister but she was happy* (comment on the song writing of tanya > donnely...who is she?) Isn't she in the group Belly (or is it the cranbellies?). Something tells me RH was the first and only person to do a cover of "Feed the Tree" at a DC festival of some sort in 93 or so. What is this sinister but happy song? > only the stones remain (for brett milano) Who is Brett Milano? Foot-note: my old account has slipped out of my grasp for the present and with it everyone's address and which tapes I owed them. Please email me and give me this info so I can sort out this big pile of finished tapes that, due to a passport snafu, I was not able to ship before I left. blc [][][][][][][][][][] From: GLANCASTER@mecn.mass.edu Date: Sat, 08 Apr 1995 19:51:35 -0400 (EDT) Subject: robyn on WFNX To: fegmaniax@ns2.rutgers.edu anybody catch - and tape - Robyn's accoustic performance on WFNX-FM in Boston Friday morning?? [][][][][][][][][][] Date: Sat, 8 Apr 1995 20:48:07 -0400 To: fegmaniax@ns2.rutgers.edu From: bourbie@tiac.net (bourbie) Subject: Re: tts setlist, 7april 95 1. Brett Milano is a writer for the Boston Phoenix (and huge Robyn fan). On the Respect tour, Robyn dedicated "Human Music" to him. 2. Tanya Donnely plays for Belly, who had a gig at the Orpheum (in Boston) last night as well. Before going on stage Robyn went to the show to check it out. Joshua Pickering 75A Dover Street Somerville, MA 02144 617/666-1459 bourbie@tiac.net [][][][][][][][][][] Date: Sat, 8 Apr 1995 20:57:45 -0400 From: bj835@cleveland.freenet.edu (Tim Connors) To: fegmaniax@ns2.rutgers.edu Subject: Cleveland show hookup Robyn plays Peabody's Downunder in Cleveland Thursday April 13. Anyone who wants to meet for a drink or dinner beforehand? I know there are some Cleveland addresses on the list. Because it's easier logistically and no one else has piped up yet, I am unilaterally setting a meeting place. There's a bar/ restaurant across the street from Peabody's called Panini. Though low on charm, it has pretty decent sandwiches, and beer, and it's right across the street, so you'll only have to park once. In the event it's closed (as it sometimes is on weeknights) the fallback meeting place will be BW3, about two blocks south of Peabody's on the same side of the street. The show starts at 8PM so I propose meeting 6:30 or thereabouts. I may be a little late since I may have to pick up a friend and do a baby-switch with my wife. I will be wearing a green jacket and an "I (Heart) Mekons" T-shirt, unless it's really cold. Anyone who might like to meet give me a call at 216-921-6146 or e-mail me at bj835@cleveland.freenet.edu. If you're coming from out of town and would like directions or anything, please call or e-mail. In the third paragraph above, I mean that BW3 is on the same side of the street as the club, not as Panini. Hope to meet some fegs... [][][][][][][][][][] From: Robert Butterworth Date: Sun, 9 Apr 95 16:02:08 BST To: camus@netcom.com Cc: fegmaniax@ns2.rutgers.edu Subject: Re: Robyn in Brighton Does anyone know of any other tour dates in the UK (Cambridge, perhaps ?). If not, I'll be at the Brighton one if anyone fancies meeting for a drink. Rob -- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Robert Butterworth, Harlequin Ltd, Barrington Hall, Barrington, Cambridge email : robert@harlequin.co.uk Systems Support with a SNARL! --------------------------------------------------------------------------- clean steve lent me a pound we had a party three years later in nineteen seventy-four clean steve wore a robe that was a lot of money then he brought a new nick lowe cassette i was extremely poor and played it in the road [][][][][][][][][][] Date: Sun, 9 Apr 1995 12:32:13 -0400 From: a wonderful wombat To: fegmaniax@ns2.rutgers.edu Subject: i'm new [this note was accidentially sent to me instead of the list. woj] >From liddy@rci.ripco.com Sun Apr 9 05:19:15 1995 >From: liddy@rci.ripco.com (Joe Beaulieu) >Subject: i'm new >To: woj@remus.rutgers.edu (a wonderful wombat) >Date: Sun, 9 Apr 1995 04:19:11 -0500 (CDT) > >Hi everyone. > >I'm new to the group, but I've been a Robyn Hitchcock fan since the summer >of 1985 when a guy in a used record store told me to buy a copy of >Underwater Moonlight. > >When I saw him at the Caberet Metro in Chicago in 1988 he played a song called >Birdhead, and it was just one of the most absolutely beauiful songs I had ever >heard. I got a tape of the show, but was still really excited when the song >showed up on You and Oblivion. > >I wasn't going to see his Chicago show, but You and Oblivion has reignited my >interest in RH. I was stunned to see I Often Dream of Trains at at one of >the cd listening stations at the Tower Records in Chicago a few weeks ago. > >My only complaint about Oblivion and You is the lack of liner notes. >Invisible Hitchcock had pretty extensive liner notes. I thought that they >helped to put each song into a chronological perspective. Not that it is all >that important. > >-- >Joseph Beaulieu >liddy@ripco.com > [][][][][][][][][][] Date: Sun, 9 Apr 1995 12:54:33 -0400 (EDT) From: Eve Subject: Re: Chicago Show, 4/15 To: Hitchcock List Hey. . .myself and one other list member (hello, Pete!) are planning on meeting at Ben and Jerry's before the show. Is anyone else interested and/or planning on meeting there? If so, please let me know! And about what time, too! Eve ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Never was that good at running As soon as I get the picture in focus I just wanna tear it down As soon as I get you up close I just push you away" -david kilgour ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- eemsho77@ursa.Calvin.EDU [][][][][][][][][][] From: mikester@bix.com Date: Sun, 09 Apr 1995 13:20:40 -0400 (EDT) Subject: TT's stuff To: fegmaniax@ns2.rutgers.edu The 7:00 show was defiantly the best. The stories were there, they were funny, and they rambled in typically Robynesque fashion. The Newbury comics appearance was fun too, since it was so laid back. By the end of the 11:30 show, his voice sounded positively wasted, but if _I_ had to sing four hour sets in two nights _and_ do at least two interviews, I'd be suprised if I could talk, much less sing. Several people were taping. Anyone here? I'd love a dub of the 7:00 show. Didn't get a chance to meet any fellow fegs, but the place _was_ packed. There was a rather skewed proportion of bespectacled audience members, too. ---Mike ----------------------- "People ask me why I'm obsessed with fish, but it's not true. They're just there." ---Robyn Hitchcock, 3/25/88 ----------------------- [][][][][][][][][][] Date: Sun, 09 Apr 1995 19:12:57 -0400 To: fegmaniax@ns2.rutgers.edu From: wire@trystero.iii.net (Trystero...) Subject: RH at TT's, 8 April Great stuff. Three sets in a day (though Robyn looked pretty shagged out by the end of the third); I talked with him afterwards (long enough to say 'Thank you,' anyway) and hang out with Deni & her band, who are wonderful folks and great musicians; I got to meet swarms of Fegs (Mitch, Ken, Britpop, Amy, John, Eugene) and shout abuse from stage front (as is custom: not a show goes by in which I don't call some artist or other 'you fat bastard'); I learned the words to 'Egyptian Cream' by heart; I finally heard all these new songs I've only known titles for ('A Happy Bird Is A Filthy Bird,' 'Each Of Her Silver Wands,' 'De Chirico Street'); and I got to giggle hysterically as Ken and Mitch sang backing vocals, triggered keyboards, cha-cha'd and just generally did background-singer things for Jill Sobule. A day well spent, and something I intend to do again next year (or whenever the opportunity raises its serpentine head). I had a blast meeting those of you I did, I'm sorry I missed some of you, but we'll meet again (don't know where, don't know when, but probably at Bob Mould at the Avalon on the 13th). (P.S. Ken -- I got home fine. Did you?) doug --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Douglas .S. Bailey wire@trystero.iii.net 217 Park Avenue #111 Worcester MA 01609-2243 http://www.iii.net/users/wire/wire.html --------------------------------------------------------------------------- it's just for now; it's just for now; even if it makes you happy... [][][][][][][][][][] Date: Sun, 9 Apr 1995 23:33:36 -0600 (MDT) From: Horselover Phat To: fegmaniax@ns2.rutgers.edu Subject: this sinister/happy shtuff On Sat, 8 Apr 1995, bourbie wrote: > > 2. Tanya Donnely plays for Belly, who had a gig at the Orpheum (in Boston) > last night as well. Before going on stage Robyn went to the show to check > it out. > Well, as someone obsessed with tanya donelly, i have to say this description is a bit incomplete (no offense). Tanya is the founder, lead singer and main songwriter of belly....before belly she was the guitarist and occasional songwriter for throwing muses--who just happen to be the best band ever. she also was a member of the breeders during the pod era. IMHO, tanya is one of the very best songwriters around nowadays--along with kristin hersh (tanya's step-sister and frontwoman of throwing muses), tom waits, matt johnson, and of course The Man. her songs are tend to be really happy and poppy at first glance, but with further exploration prove in many cases to be really twisted and dark. in that regard, i've always thought her to have something in common with robyn--i'm glad he picked up on it and mentioned her. she deserves the attention--for those of you who may have been turned off of belly by their buzz-clip-ness, you should give them another try. they can't help it that eMpTyV takes it upon themselves to destroy the credibility of any decent band that comes along. i'll stop now, zach _________________________________________________________ i've got a message, so before i begin i'll find your answering machine, and i'll sink it first. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [][][][][][][][][][] Date: Mon, 10 Apr 1995 01:42:30 -0400 To: fegmaniax@ns2.rutgers.edu From: wire@trystero.iii.net (Trystero...) Subject: Names in RH songs John Jones, Mitch Dickerman, Ken (lastname?) and I were chatting after the TT's shows about the abundance of names in Robyn's work. He's got a real penchant for the arbitrary name to fill a line, make a rhyme work or get a smile; even discounting titular references like "Brenda's Iron Sledge," "Give Me A Spanner, Ralph," "Ted, Woody and Junior" or "Cynthia Mask," there's: "Please don't call me Reg" --Brenda's Iron Sledge" "There are no jokes in the Bible, Keith" --Ultra Unbelievable Love "Good morning, Mr. Seagrove, have you met my dead friend Seth?" --Driving Aloud (Radio Storm) "Jasper, this one's evil" --De Chirico Street and plenty more I've missed. I was wondering if this is the reason he covers "Open The Door Homer," as its title and lyrics ("open the door, richard"...odd) sound just like one of his own songs. On the other hand, so does "Sinister Dexter," which I made up on the spot Saturday as an example of a Hitchcock-style song title. Also, since he's been admitting that "The Yip Song" is about his father and death from cancer, and since his mother's name was Joyce, I was wondering if Molly ("In his mind he lay with Molly") is a significant name from Robyn's history or just another in the series of convenient rhymes. doug --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Douglas .S. Bailey wire@trystero.iii.net 217 Park Avenue #111 Worcester MA 01609-2243 http://www.iii.net/users/wire/wire.html --------------------------------------------------------------------------- it's just for now; it's just for now; even if it makes you happy... [][][][][][][][][][] Date: Mon, 10 Apr 1995 08:53:39 +0100 To: jturner@rpms.ac.uk (Jonathan Turner), fegmaniax@ns2.rutgers.edu From: andyh@pavilion.co.uk (Andy Holyer) Subject: Re: various Higsons questions At 4:48 pm 7/4/95 +0100, Jonathan Turner wrote: >> What's he saying... >> >> Lucifer in Frogknoll? >> >Lucifer in Frognal. >Frognal is in North London. I saw a nice 19th century engraving of Frognal >Priory once, maybe Lucifer was hiding out there. > Frognal is the name of a road running from Finchley Road, through Hampstead, up towards Highgate. According to Simon, they used to use it as a short cut from the West end back to Crouch End. >> I prefer East Grinstead? >> >East Grinstead is somewhere in the wilds of South London, (I think), >and so rarely visited (but maybe passed through on the way to the Isle >of Wight). > It's a (bloody boring) town in East Sussex, which has only two claims to fame: the largest mormon temple in Europe, and the European centre of the Church of Scientology. Draw your own conclusions. Often driven through on the way from London to Simon's house. Andy Holyer, Managing Director, Pavilion Internet plc, Brighton, UK http://www.pavilion.co.uk/ [][][][][][][][][][] Date: Mon, 10 Apr 1995 22:37:37 +1200 To: fegmaniax@ns2.rutgers.edu From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James) Subject: Re: East Grinstead Cc: mad5c@server.cs.virginia.edu mad5c@server.cs.virginia.edu >I've never heard of either Frogknoll or East Grinstead. East Grinstead is south of London (in Surrey, I think). Another commuter town. Frogknoll though, I dunno. James [][][][][][][][][][] From: mad5c@server.cs.virginia.edu Subject: Re: Names in RH songs To: wire@trystero.iii.net Date: Mon, 10 Apr 1995 07:39:31 -0400 (EDT) Cc: Hitchcock Fan-List I'm amazed how often these arbitrary names end up being those of real people - Linda Ryan and John Dyer, to name two. What's more, I'd love to see a complete list of 'people' who inhabit his tunes - I'm surprised at the number of names that show up more than once. Reg, for example, shows up in both Brenda's Iron Sledge and the single version of Grooving On An Inner Plane. And there's both a Mr. and a Mrs. Watson. I forget for the moment where he appears, but she appears in A Globe of Frogs. Mr Watkins appears in both Night Ride to Trinidad and It's a Mystic Trip. Of course I'd discourage anyone from reading too much into any of this, but it's an interesting little pastime. Mike. --- Michael DeLong - UVa Department of Computer Science - mike@virginia.edu --- Practice clever acts of common sense... [][][][][][][][][][] From: mikester@bix.com Date: Mon, 10 Apr 1995 07:52:07 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: Names in RH songs To: fegmaniax@ns2.rutgers.edu > "Jasper, this one's evil" > --De Chirico Street And don't forget "The conductor's name was Milo." ---Mike ----------------------- "People ask me why I'm obsessed with fish, but it's not true. They're just there." ---Robyn Hitchcock, 3/25/88 ----------------------- [][][][][][][][][][] Date: Mon, 10 Apr 1995 13:22:55 +0100 To: fegmaniax@ns2.rutgers.edu From: andyh@pavilion.co.uk (Andy Holyer) Subject: Re: Names in RH songs Cc: Hitchcock Fan-List At 7:39 am 10/4/95 -0400, mad5c@server.cs.virginia.edu wrote: >I'm amazed how often these arbitrary names end up being those of real >people - Linda Ryan and John Dyer, to name two. >What's more, I'd love to see a complete list of 'people' who >inhabit his tunes - I'm surprised at the number of names that show up more >than once. > >Reg, for example, shows up in both Brenda's Iron Sledge and the single >version of Grooving On An Inner Plane. And there's both a Mr. and a Mrs. >Watson. I forget for the moment where he appears, but she appears in A >Globe of Frogs. Mr Watkins appears in both Night Ride to Trinidad and It's >a Mystic Trip. And of course there's Mark Ellen and "his wife Claire" who not only exist, but have been seen at his gigs... Andy Holyer, Managing Director, Pavilion Internet plc, Brighton, UK http://www.pavilion.co.uk/ [][][][][][][][] End of this Fegmaniax Digest. Archives can be found on fegmania.wustl.edu:/fegmaniax and ftp.uwp.edu:/pub/music/lists/fegmaniax. For administrative questions, subscription requests, and all that boring crud, send mail to fegmaniax-request@nsmx.rutgers.edu. Slipping you the midnight fish...