Fegmaniax Digest Volume 4 Number 91 Send posts to fegmaniax@ecto.org Send subscribe/unsubscribe commands to majordomo@ecto.org Send comments, etc. to the listowner at owner-fegmaniax@ecto.org FegMANIAX! Web Page: http://remus.rutgers.edu/~woj/fegmaniax/ Archives are available at http://archive.uwp.edu/pub/music/lists/fegmaniax/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Today's Topics: ------- ------- fun after the sun Re: dreamscape Re: fun after the sun Re: Moss Elixir Midnight issues vs. Rhino Re: Moss Elixir Moss Elixir anagrams; A Modest Proposal Re: Moss Elixir anagrams; A Modest Proposal A&M does Robyn some justice! Re: Moss Elixir anagrams; A Modest Proposal Change of date Re: A&M does Robyn some justice! Re: A&M does Robyn some justice! Re: A Modest Proposal ------------------------------ From: LORDK@library.phila.gov Date: Thu, 16 May 1996 14:27:52 -0400 (EDT) HUMPHREYSA@library.phila.gov, INGLISJ@library.phila.gov, LANDSTREETS@library.phila.gov, LIGHTNERK@library.phila.gov, MCCONKEYJ@library.phila.gov CC: LORDK@library.phila.gov Subject: fun after the sun Long-promised, long-postponed--its here! Kay's Spring Fling Thing for rabid, wierd, death-defying librarians and mild, stolid, sweet fegs. The meeting of two worlds they say could never meet. Yes, the rock n roll event of the season(hey, we got a band and we got a rock -critic, what more do you want? Oh, yeah--Kay's super duper Longuyland Ice Tea--sure to satisfy youre every need.) This is a two part event: 1-open house at Kays house in Philly from 7-10 PM on June 14th. a few block's walk and then, 2-a gig by Mark Allen's band at the Mermaid Tavern Explanations: feg--a member of the listserve Fegmaniax dedicated to all things Robyn Hitchcock. rock critic--in this case I will skip the jokes, and just say a nationally-known member of this esteemed fraternity who happens to be the husband of Kay's best friend, Martina Eddy--unless, of course, he stays home to babysit the kids. A word of caution to all fegs-- he aint no fan. He will only be there cause his wife made him come--he *hates* alternative rock. Longuyland Ice-Tea--also known to the ignorant as Long- Island Ice Tea. Iced Tea and vodka, with a few other things thrown in for luck. In short--caffinated alchol. Mark Allen--a feg who promises to do some Robyn covers as well as other neat stuff. R.S.V.P. please, and if you need directions, let me know. See ya. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 17 May 1996 10:22:04 +0100 (BST) From: M R Godwin Subject: Re: dreamscape Hi, jake prometheus > > "a squid eating dough in a polyethylene bag is fast and bulbous. dig me?" > captain beefheart "GOT me?", I think ... "But you've got to wait until I say 'Also a tin teardrop' " - Mike Godwin PS Is something eating you? ------------------------------ From: "Brian Huddell" Date: Fri, 17 May 1996 11:54:13 +0000 Subject: Re: fun after the sun LORDK 'splains: > Explanations: > > feg--a member of the listserve Fegmaniax dedicated to all things > Robyn Hitchcock. > rock critic--in this case I will skip the jokes, and just say > a nationally-known member of this esteemed fraternity > who happens to be the husband of Kay's best friend, > Martina Eddy--unless, of course, he stays home to > babysit the kids. A word of caution to all fegs-- > he aint no fan. He will only be there cause his wife > made him come--he *hates* alternative rock. > Longuyland Ice-Tea--also known to the ignorant as Long- > Island Ice Tea. Iced Tea and vodka, with a few other > things thrown in for luck. In short--caffinated > alchol. > Mark Allen--a feg who promises to do some Robyn covers > as well as other neat stuff. Yeah, but what the hell's a "librarian?" --brian ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 17 May 1996 12:08:23 -0500 From: JH3 Subject: Re: Moss Elixir jojones@mailbox.syr.edu (John, Jacci, & Madison) write(s): >MOSS ELIXIR sounds like an anagram to me. Is that anagram-generating mail >server still around?? I doubt it... There's no profit in anagrams these days, ever since the fall of Communism. But nevertheless: MOSS ELIXIR ------------- SEX LIMO, SIR LEO RIMS SIX LIE, ROSS MIX SIX MORE, SIL I'M SORE SLIX SILO'S MIXER ROX IS SLIME SIR MILES OX Sorry, but you get much more amusing results with BARRY WHITE AND THE LOVE UNLIMITED ORCHESTRA. --John H. p.s. I'm actually Capt. Sensible, even though I don't drink and have trouble remembering the words to "Happy Talk" ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 17 May 1996 12:50:22 -0700 From: afink@ix.netcom.com (Aaron Finkelstein) Subject: Midnight issues vs. Rhino >why would you want or need to replace the midnight editions w/ the >rhino ones? from what i saw, the extra tracks usually consisted of >demos or different takes of songs already released; there didn't seem >to be any unreleased songs on *any* of the discs. are there titles any >in particular that don't follow this pattern and are worth getting? >spending $14 for liner notes is a bit excessive, IMO. > >tim > I've only replaced a few, myself. Particulary worthwhile was "Element of Light," which has some phenomenal demos: "The President" and "Leopard," in particular. The live tracks on "Fegmania" are in my opinion, worth the price of admission. I might feel differently on this score if I was the sort to seek out and own bootlegs of live material. Stick with the Midnight release of "Gotta Let This Hen Out," if you already have one. The liner notes are the only addition, as I recall. Nothing new on "Trains" left any particular impression on me, but that's no guarantee that you might not enjoy some of the alternate tracks. Gravy Deco is an interesting exercise. RH raised the point in one of the new liners that people tend to clamour for things simply because they haven't been released before; usually, there's good reason for that. He's also said that this album is by no means his favorite. Had I heard the other versions, I might have been quicker to disagree. The bonus tracks on this release are practically in consequential if you already owned both albums. In sum, for the overwhelming number of people out there, especially here in America, Rhino has given us the opportunity to hear some of these albums, bonus tracks or no, for the first time. And they'd be regarded as complete cads if they re-released the albums with no archival material whatsoever; that may be more to entice folks who were only able to find these leggy beasts on vinyl. But I've roundly enjoyed every opportunity to hear more than I heard before, be it a scratchy demo (which I often enjoy more in their purity) or an ureleased take. It gives me another chance to enjoy material again, in a new way. And that seems worthwhile to me. Aaron Finkelstein P.S. Mark Mothersbaugh and I have the same phone number and blood type. ------------------------------ From: rooneya@pilot.msu.edu Date: Fri, 17 May 1996 23:29:24 +0000 Subject: Re: Moss Elixir >>MOSS ELIXIR sounds like an anagram to me. Is that anagram-generating mail >>server still around?? >I doubt it... There's no profit in anagrams these days, ever since the fall >of Communism. But nevertheless: >MOSS ELIXIR >SEX LIMO, SIR; LEO RIMS SIX; LIE, ROSS MIX; SIX MORE, SIL; >I'M SORE SLIX; SILO'S MIXER; ROX IS SLIME; SIR MILES OX Don't "Soil's Remix" "Loser's Mix 1" or "I Miss ol' Rex" seem a little more appropriate, (though not nearly so much as "Moss Elixir" which conjures up images of light green energy).... - A & W ------------------------------ From: RxBroome@aol.com Date: Sat, 18 May 1996 00:02:28 -0400 Subject: Moss Elixir anagrams; A Modest Proposal The two that work for me: "Mr. Oil is Sex" (or vice versa) and "O, Rex is Slim" (which is true of me... hmmm...) More Rhino notes: Oh, the reissuesare definitely worth it if you're buying the CD's for the first time and have only heard the LP's or tapes. "Element" is great, and the live "Airscape" is surprisingly a VERY different version which complements the record brilliantly. "Black Snake" is good, but although the sax-less "Man Who..." is better, I can't believe the original wasn't at least included as a bonus track. I bought Rhino's "Trains" as an upgrade from cassette, so the "middle third" of the record was new to me and quite nice, but I wish it was at the END-- "Mellow Together", although tons of fun, really breaks up the flow of one of my favorite albums ever, which I found perfectly sequenced originally. The "Trains" demos are really, really superfluous on a record that's demo-y anyhow; the "Bones in the Ground" demo has a miscalibrated delay effect on it that renders it pretty much unlistenable. Robyn's always had a propensity for putting "bonus" tracks in the middle of his CD's-- I assume it's Robyn who does this, 'cuz both the Midnight and Rhino CD's of "Trains", "Invisible Hitchcock" and "Hen" work this way, as does the original Twin-Tone "Eye" CD when compared with the vinyl & tape versions. Anybody know why? When I dub these discs for car-stereo use, I always restore the original, beloved sequences and stick the middle tracks at the end; anyone else similarly neurotic? ______________________________ A Modest Proposal: This whole "different tracks vinyl version" thing is really irritating to me, being as I am without a working turntable and having a negligible vinyl collection to begin with. I assume that the LP version will be "bootlegged" to CD sooner if not later. Since this whole dual-release scheme reeks of collector- manipulation to begin with, I suggest that we band together to ensure, in any way possible, that the LP gets digitized (I'm confident that some of you have the means) and that we can perhaps purchase said "bootleg" en masse and en line. Some of you will doubtless vilify me for the suggestion of taking money out of Robyn's pocket. Okay, if it's a big deal, any of us who buy the CD version of the LP should pledge to send Robyn exactly the amount of cash he would have received from a sale of the LP (as someone mentioned their friend doing during the Best Buy thread). It's not like Warner Brothers is hurting for cash... let's send the money to the source. What d'ya think? Rex, the Slim One ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 May 1996 03:44:32 -0400 From: jojones@mailbox.syr.edu (John, Jacci, & Madison) Subject: Re: Moss Elixir anagrams; A Modest Proposal >The two that work for me: > >"Mr. Oil is Sex" (or vice versa) >and >"O, Rex is Slim" (which is true of me... hmmm...) Or six miles.... My first thought upon letting the phrase "moss elixir" roll off my tongue was "its an anagram". My second thought is "i don't like it." I liked Shadowcat alot better. I put "moss elixir" in the same category with "black snake diamond role" and "gotta let this hen out" as far as album titles are concerned. wacky words, that when put together, make you go "?????". album titles that i like are: underwater moonlight, element of light, perspex island, eye summary: moss elixir sounds rough--like beefheart....the others are smooth and flowy, like beatles. >______________________________ > >A Modest Proposal: This whole "different tracks vinyl version" thing is >really irritating to me, being as I am without a working turntable and having >a negligible vinyl collection to begin with. I assume that the LP version >will be "bootlegged" to CD sooner if not later. Since this whole >dual-release scheme reeks of collector- manipulation to begin with, I suggest >that we band together to ensure, in any way possible, that the LP gets >digitized (I'm confident that some of you have the means) and that we can >perhaps purchase said "bootleg" en masse and en line. UH OH, this brings to mind the dreaded "Live at the Portland Arms" on CD proposal. Were you around for that one, Rex?? I never can remember when people arrive on the list. Its a great idea, i've been thinking about it all week. I want to buy the vinyl, have it put on recordable Cd, and then at the end of the CD tack on all the extra tracks that" NON-LABEL Robyn" issued: the K records 45" (as long as its a vinyl to CD, i might as well tape the 45 rather than the My Wife & Dead Wife Single so as to include the cat protection story at the beginning of I something you), the Ptolemaic Terrascope 45, the Statue with a Walkman track from Virgin Sampler, and (when it arrives) the Sinister But Happy track from the Succor double CD (from Ptolemaic Terrascope) That's assuming it would all fit. Doesn't that sound fun? After the fiasco of the Portland ARms proposition, this new" Mossy LIquor onto CD" idea was one I thought of doing on my own. I figure I'm allowed a personal copy on whatever damn format i want. I just need to find someone locally that can do a good job for a reasonable price ($30-40), and the catch is that they need to own a damn fine turntable so as to get a good recording of it, and not hack up my vinyl. ONLY a Robyn release could persuade me to purchase VINYL....I can't remeber the last vinyl ALBUM i purchased....oh yeah, i bought 4 William Ackerman albums and Throwing Muses House Tornado in 92 from the cutout bin at the record store i worked at. 75 cents apiece!!!!! %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% John B. Jones e-mail: jojones@mailbox.syr.edu http://web.syr.edu/~jojones "Just because you're better than me/ Doesn't mean I'm lazy Just because you're going forward/ Doesn't mean I'm going backwards." -Mssr. Billy Bragg %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% ------------------------------ From: Hedblade@aol.com Date: Sat, 18 May 1996 11:45:12 -0400 Subject: A&M does Robyn some justice! EXTRA EXTRA! >From the May 10th issue of the radio trade magazine Friday Morning Quarterback: "A&M Records has launched the Backlot series, an in-house label devoted to repackaging classic recordings by some of the most highly esteemed Rock artists in the label's thirty-three year history...In July, albums from Cat Stevens, Joe Cocker, Quincy Jones, and Squeeze will be released, while September will see a ROBYN HITCHCOCK compilation." Anyone have an e-mail address for A&M? We could flood the thing with requests (how about some of those hard to find b-sides, etc.). Let's move on this NOW! Also from the same issue... "Vent, Miles Hunt's new band, have been playing small scale secret shows around England prior to recording their debut album with producer Steve Albini. "Albini wouldn't have been my choice if I was still in The Wonder Stuff," says Hunt, "But we wanted to move on and do something a lot different"...Hunt is looking at an August release." Wonder Stuff fans REJOICE!!! Final note: I ordered "Invisible History" from MusicMachine (thanks to whoever posted that info!), and they said it would be in stock in about a week. Fingers crossed, everyone. Cheers, Jay Hedblade ------------------------------ Date: 18 May 96 13:39:34 EDT From: Sillyme <102465.41@CompuServe.COM> Subject: Re: Moss Elixir anagrams; A Modest Proposal > "Black Snake" is good, but >although the sax-less "Man Who..." is better, I can't believe the original >wasn't at least included as a bonus track. If you look at the liner notes you will see the reason for this which is that the master of that version could not be located. I guess they could've made a DAT from a good copy of an existing vinyl copy or something though. Sillyme ------------------------------ From: LORDK@library.phila.gov Date: Sat, 18 May 1996 14:07:48 -0400 (EDT) HUMPHRIYSA@library.phila.gov, INGLISJ@library.phila.gov, LANDSTREETS@library.phila.gov, LIGHTNERK@library.phila.gov, MCCONKEYJ@library.phila.gov CC: LORDK@library.phila.gov Subject: Change of date No sooner had I posted an invite for a party on June 14th, than Mark allen got back to me with the news that his gig at the mermaid was changed to Saturday June 21---which means, the party will be on June 21st. Not the 14th, the 21st. For those of you kind enough to have already RSVP'd, I will assume youre yes still holds unless you get a hold of me , and tell me the oppositte. Till then K ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 May 1996 14:42:08 -0400 From: jojones@mailbox.syr.edu (John, Jacci, & Madison) Subject: Re: A&M does Robyn some justice! >EXTRA EXTRA! >"A&M Records has launched the Backlot series, an in-house label devoted to >repackaging classic recordings by some of the most highly esteemed Rock >artists in the label's thirty-three year history...In July, albums from Cat >Stevens, Joe Cocker, Quincy Jones, and Squeeze will be released, while >September will see a ROBYN HITCHCOCK compilation." > >Anyone have an e-mail address for A&M? Yes, it is: amrecords@boxtop.com Please, fegs, flood them with suggestions! What a waste it would be to have them churn out a 40-minute best of CD: Track 1 Balloon Man, Track 2 SYTYIL, Track 3 Madonna of The Wasps, Track 4 Yip Song, etc., plus ONE bonus track: The infamous "french vocal take" of Wafflehead. This is what we're bound to get unless we the fans tell them otherwise. John ------------------------------ From: Hedblade@aol.com Date: Sat, 18 May 1996 17:33:07 -0400 Subject: Re: A&M does Robyn some justice! Fellow Fegs, Here's a copy of my letter to A&M in reference to the Hitchcock compilation due in September. Thanks to John for posting the A&M e-mail address!!!!! Dear A&M, In the May 10th issue of Friday Morning Quarterback, there is a mention of your upcoming Backlot series, and in particular a reference to a Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians compilation set for a September release. As the co-music / program director of WEBX-FM in Champaign, Illinois, and a long time Robyn Hitchcock fan, I am very pleased that you have decided to place Mr. Hitchcock in the esteemed company of Joe Jackson, Joan Baez, Cat Stevens, Joe Cocker, Quincy Jones, and Squeeze as part of the Backlot series. I'm curious as to whether you've decided on a track listing for the compilation yet. If not, might I suggest that it would be of great value to A&M and an invaluable service to Hitchcock fans if you managed to include the many b-sides released on promotional discs over the course of Mr. Hitchcock's tenure at A&M. Perhaps you are not aware that these 12" and CD singles are being exchanged at ridiculous prices through Goldmine Magazine and specialty stores across the world. It should be clear that a compilation of Robyn Hitchcock material isn't going to turn him into Nirvana or Pearl Jam overnight, so why not capitalize on the small but furious fan base he does have, and make a killing? It's just a thought. I would appreciate any information on this project you could forward to me. Sincerely, Jay Hedblade Hedblade@aol.com ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 May 1996 15:29:36 -0700 (PDT) From: Brooks Martin Subject: Re: A Modest Proposal Why don't you just get a turntable? You can get a very nice turntable at pawn shop for less than thirty dollars and vinyl sounds better anyway. That is, assuming they don't master to DAT and then press to vinyl, which defeats the whole purpose of going analogue. Besides, the big ol' record sleeve is going to be neat! Brooks ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The End of this Fegmaniax Digest.