From: owner-fegmaniax-digest@ecto.org To: fegmaniax-digest@ecto.org Reply-To: fegmaniax@ecto.org Errors-To: owner-fegmaniax-digest@ecto.org Subject: Feg Digest V5 #60 Fegmaniax Digest Volume 5 Number 60 Wednesday March 26 1997 To post, send mail to fegmaniax@ecto.org To unsubscribe, send mail to majordomo@ecto.org with the words "unsubscribe fegmaniax-digest" in the message body. Send comments, etc. to the listowner at owner-fegmaniax@ecto.org FegMANIAX! Web Page: http://remus.rutgers.edu/~woj/fegmaniax/index.html Archives are available at ftp://www.ecto.org/pub/lists/fegmaniax/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Today's Topics: ------- ------- Desperately seeking gigs having read the list Re: Trash RE: Keef Re: Rhino Re: Trash Re: Rhino Re: Trash Re: having read the list Re: the movie (fwd) Re: the movie no robyn content Re: having read the list That Thing You Do Movies Robyn Would Have Been Good In! Re: That Thing You Do Re: That Thing You Do Rock'n'Roll Toilet contents Susan's digest: fanecdotes and fegfotos ------------------------------ From: HAMISH_SIMPSON@HP-Sonoma-om1.om.hp.com Date: Wed, 26 Mar 97 15:02:03 -0800 Subject: Desperately seeking gigs Item Subject: cc:Mail Text Has anyone checked any of Robyns usual US east coast haunts on the off-chance that a booking has been made? I would but I don't know where they are. It seems he has finished leg 1 with no firm news of leg 2 at all. This is most disconcerting. I NEED A GIG!!!!!! Hamish (and a cone would be nice) ------------------------------ From: tews@vcommons.com (Eddie Tews) Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 14:11:53 -0700 Subject: having read the list wow, i just spent a while reading a bunch of digests, and i thought i might chime in. 1. is robyn really coming to seattle in june? 2. the robyn/cronenberg movie, starring: Crispin Glover. 3. my coen bros. ranking: Barton Fink, Fargo, Hudsucker, Miller's Crossing, Raising Arizona, Blood Simple. But they all rule. Actually, I've seen Miller's the most times. 4. it wasn't until i read the liner notes of gravy deco that i realised that not everyone thinks robyn is perfect in every way. that is, robyn himself doesn't even like decay/decoy. then i read a bunch of stuff from various places slagging the a&m years. then reading some things from the Positive Vibrations website, i sometimes wonder if these guys even like robyn at all. me? i LOVE every robyn song, except Wafflehead, and that was wonderful live. really and truly. i frequently listen to all the cds in chronological order. deco is maybe even one of my faves, though it's really difficult for me to rank them. i tend to rank them in triples, as he seems to have three major musical themes: folk/acoustic, pop, and pyschotic. i guess i'm not really offended that not everybody likes all of his songs to the death, just more or less surprised. anyway, thanks for listening. ------------------------------ From: amroth@zetnet.co.uk.NOJUNK (Phil Edwards) Subject: Re: Trash Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 23:18:19 GMT lj lindhurst averred: >Robyn has said several times in concert that 'Trash' wasn't written about >anyone in particular, just after a picture he saw of a nameless guy posing >with Charlie Watts. In fact, he told this story again at one of the >Knitting Factory shows last week. I know about the disclaimer, but I find it rather odd; it really doesn't fit with the lyrics. "Last time you were down the Hope I saw you hustling for a piece of dope God, you're embarrassing, sometimes" This seems to be a song about someone specific, & someone RH has known for some time. And isn't there a sleevenote on the original issue of _Invisible Hitchcock_ which says something like "and yes, there are certain people I would like to destroy or at least severely demoralise" and then drops the subject? (Not on my copy there isn't, but I seem to be missing the inner sleeve). Personally I always thought it was about Kimberley. -- Phil Edwards amroth/at/zetnet.co.uk ------------------------------ From: "Baker, David(KWI-C09)" Subject: RE: Keef Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 07:46:00 +0800 I always pictured the target as someone who hasn't made it to Rock'n'Roll legend status yet, but is desperately trying to do so. Hence, that person would be trying to hang out with people like Keef and Mick as an ego boost to themselves and to get a bit of publicity. Dave ------------- Jay laid THIS oily rag in the feg toolshed: >I've always seen "Trash" as an indictment of good 'ol Keef Richards. I >don't >care it it really is about him or not, the damn song is so funny in this >light that I love to read it as such. Keef is such an easy target, but oh >so >deserving. He is trash. God he's pathetic... sometimes. You're talking about a Rock & Roll icon here, and no matter what he's become in his old age I'd be willing to bet that Robyn Hitchcock doesn't share your view. Slag Mick if you want, but leave Kieth alone. He's always been genuine. -russ Alcoa of Australia Ltd ACN 004 879 298 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 15:57:43 -0800 From: Eb Subject: Re: Rhino >From: jim_neill@rhinorecords.com > >Best selling Rhino titles from top to bottom: Dream of Trains, You & Oblivion, >Fegmania, Element of Light, Black Snake, Groovy, Invisible, Eye, Gotta. Well, I guessed that Fegmania or Element of Light would be tops after Y&O, so I didn't do too badly. :) I am surprised Eye did so poorly, however. Definitely one of my favorites. Actually, I thought the IODOT reissue was rather bloated. Several of those extra demos weren't different enough to be interesting to me. When the final album ITSELF sounds like demos...well, you get my point. Re fanecdotes: Sometimes, I wonder if you folks should compile a list of SUSAN anecdotes. ;) Not that I'm volunteering to head up the project.... Eb ------------------------------ From: "Baker, David(KWI-C09)" Subject: Re: Trash Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 07:53:00 +0800 >Personally I always thought it was about Kimberley. > -- >Phil Edwards amroth/at/zetnet.co.uk I don't know what Robyn thinks of Kimberley nowadays but that really fits, especially given Kimberley's attempts at the time to break into pop stardom. Dave Alcoa of Australia Ltd ACN 004 879 298 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 18:39:10 -0600 (CST) From: Truman Peyote Subject: Re: Rhino On Wed, 26 Mar 1997, Eb wrote: > Well, I guessed that Fegmania or Element of Light would be tops after Y&O, > so I didn't do too badly. :) I am surprised Eye did so poorly, however. > Definitely one of my favorites. Well, "Eye", as you all know by now, is my hands-down favorite. But record sales seem to have little to do with quality in any event (no! really!) and I suspect the wide availability of the Twin/Tone "Eye" in a used bin near you also has something to do with this. > Actually, I thought the IODOT reissue was rather bloated. Several of those > extra demos weren't different enough to be interesting to me. When the > final album ITSELF sounds like demos...well, you get my point. Yeah, I agree with that. I also don't like the song order too much. Those wild mood lurches are a bit difficult to take. When I play it I program the CD player to play it in something closer to the original order and I skip the demo tracks completely (as I also agree that the demos were not different enough to be of substantial interest). An almost completely unrelated observation: my laddie friend is firmly convinced that "Sleeping Nights of Jesus" is the musical (not lyrical, obviously) twin of "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer". Once I got over my initial eye-boggled shock, I realized that in fact they do sound pretty similar. At least to me and to him. Are we insane? Has anyone else noticed this? > Re fanecdotes: Sometimes, I wonder if you folks should compile a list of > SUSAN anecdotes. ;) Huh? I don't think I'm the most colorful character around here by a long shot. > Not that I'm volunteering to head up the project.... > Oh? Then why propose it? People who propose projects often end up heading them in my experience :). Love on ya, Susan ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 18:46:05 -0600 (CST) From: Truman Peyote Subject: Re: Trash On Wed, 26 Mar 1997, Phil Edwards wrote: > for some time. And isn't there a sleevenote on the original issue of > _Invisible Hitchcock_ which says something like "and yes, there are > certain people I would like to destroy or at least severely > demoralise" and then drops the subject? (Not on my copy there isn't, > but I seem to be missing the inner sleeve). Well, I have the Rhino reissue, but I think it's got the same notes (it's the notes, fuck it! :)): "A lot of this material- released and unreleased- was recorded in the homes of other people, usually with their consent and active help. Thank you very much dear Simon and Derek, Matthew, Chris, and James 'The Great One' Smith- I'd love to return the favour but my house is full of living things. There are also quite a few people I would like to kill or at least injure, upset or demoralise in some way. You know who you are- no doubt the feeling's mutual- nice one, cheers, etc..." > Personally I always thought it was about Kimberley. I would say that's a damn good guess. Love on ya, Susan ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 18:58:08 -0600 (CST) From: Truman Peyote Subject: Re: having read the list On Wed, 26 Mar 1997, Eddie Tews wrote: > wow, > i just spent a while reading a bunch of digests, and i thought i might > chime in. Welcome to Fantasy Island! Cheers, lad! > 3. my coen bros. ranking: Barton Fink, Fargo, Hudsucker, Miller's > Crossing, Raising Arizona, Blood Simple. But they all rule. Actually, > I've seen Miller's the most times. Barton Fink remains my own favorite. "We've got that Barton Fink feeling here! Of course, you -are- Barton Fink, so you have more of it than anyone else!" :) :) Cracks me up every time. > 4. it wasn't until i read the liner notes of gravy deco that i realised > that not everyone thinks robyn is perfect in every way. And you claim to have read the digests? :) > that is, robyn > himself doesn't even like decay/decoy. -I- myself don't much care for it, aside from a few songs like "Cars She Used To Drive" and "America", both of which were done better on "GLTHO" anyway. > then i read a bunch of stuff > from various places slagging the a&m years. ah! So you -did- read the digests! :) > even like robyn at all. me? i LOVE every robyn song, except > Wafflehead, and that was wonderful live. really and truly. Well, now we know who's not going to vote in the next worst song poll! > i tend to rank them in triples, as he seems to have three major musical > themes: folk/acoustic, pop, and pyschotic. Interesting. I don't think Robyn's oeuvre (be sure to emphasize the french "rrrrr" when you say that) falls as neatly into sets of three as Dylan's, and certainly not with the chronological precision that Dylan's does. Categorization is quite difficult in RH's case, I think, thematically and otherwise. The only real differentiation to me is solo work vs. Egyptians. Love on ya, Susan n.p. the Who Sell Out "Radio London reminds you- go to the church of your choice!" :) :) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 19:03:05 -0600 (CST) From: Truman Peyote Subject: Re: the movie (fwd) Gene sent this to me, but I get the feeling it was meant for the whole list (watch that automatic reply there, kids! :)). Love on ya, Susan ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 09:24:56 -0500 From: "Gene Hopstetter, Jr." Subject: Re: the movie Susan got me started by saying: >I have no problem with him doing Shakespeare, but I think he'd also be >well suited to play in "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead". And I'd >like seeing him in the period costumes. I kinda think Robyn'd make a great Prospero (big crazy house full of books, a haunted island, a shipwreck), with Igor as Caliban ("Master Robyn gave me water with berries in't"). And I think Robyn would look quite dashing in tights, a velvet feathered hat, a cape, and pointy boots. >And Ballard. My beloved Ballard. "Crash" is one of my all-time favorite >books (haven't read it? Read it. Now. Try to be alone when you read it >too, for maximum effect), which is why I'm dying to see the movie and also >deeply afraid I'll be disappointed. But with the perfect director and >perfect cast, how could anything have gone wrong? It'll blow me away, I'm >sure. Cronenberg is the only director, aside from maybe Atom Egoyan, that >could possibly be trusted to do the book justice, and most likely he will. I don't doubt Crash will be brilliant (I'm judging that mainly from how vehemently the critics are bashing it. The more people and critics are offended, the more brilliant the movie, I think. And anything that offends movie critics is alright with me.) I'm still reeling from M Butterfly. People just don't get Cronenberg, but his brilliance seems to obvious to me. Oh well. Guess those blind baby bird critics and fans will always just keep on squaking unless they get their plots regurgitated by the major studios right down their throats. Mmm, Atom Egoyan. The first time I saw "Family Viewing" I couldn't divorce it from my own mental images of "It Sounds Great When You're Dead." They're both similarly creepy and weird. Egoyan would do a great job with a Robyn story. __________________________________________________ Gene Hopstetter, Jr. +++ Internet Publishing Specialist E-DOC +++ http://www.edoc.com/ Voice: (410) 691-6265 +++ Fax: (410) 691-6235 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 20:05:09 -0500 From: mr bean jeans Subject: no robyn content also sprach james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James Dignan): >whoa - back up here a minute... Steve Roback? As in Rain Parade? Tell me >more about this Viva Saturn! they formed in the late 80s after the rain parade split. i think there are some ep's and singles, but i know there is at least one album: _soundmind_ on the spirit music industries label which came out in 1992. other band members (at that time) included john thoman, ross inden and carlo nuccio (the first and third were also in the rain parade). i think thoman is still in viva saturn, but the rhythm section has changed. didn't care much for this record when i first heard it, but i like it now. also sprach mlang@inch.com (Matrix): >Can you >give me a brief synopsis of which Roy Harper albums are essential, and if >they are available, etc. almost all of roy's albums (one of the other h's in the male musical trinity: robyn, roy and peter hammill -- makes looking through collectible record stores pretty easy!) have recently been re-released on the science friction label and are available on import in the states. my favorites are _hq_ (aka _when an old cricketeer leaves the crease_ in the united states, where it was released on reprise), _valentine_, _flat baroque and bezerk_, _bullinamingvase_ and _folkjokeopus_. given your tastes, steve, i'd say go for _hq_ which is roy at his band-oriented best (the other extreme would be _work of heart_, which isn't bad, but definitely forced). woj ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 16:15:17 -0900 From: BC-Radio@corecom.net (Probe) Subject: Re: having read the list >> 3. my coen bros. ranking: Barton Fink, Fargo, Hudsucker, Miller's >> Crossing, Raising Arizona, Blood Simple. But they all rule. Actually, >> I've seen Miller's the most times. > >Barton Fink remains my own favorite. I dunno. I really liked "Fargo" the best. Thank God it got so many awards as it truly deserves them as opposed to "The English Patient." Just wish that "Star Trek: First Contact" would have won the award for best make-up. I wonder what Robyn thought of "Fargo" or if he even saw it... Brett ____________________________________________ "I'm hidden in the scream when the virgin dies, and I'm the ache in the belly when the baby cries, and I'm the burning sensation when the convict fries. I'm pain..." -Alice Cooper, "Pain" 55 days until the Laserdisc/VHS release of "Star Trek: First Contact"! Reserve your copy today! ------------------------------ Subject: That Thing You Do From: guambat@juno.com (The Guambat) Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 20:13:43 EST Gosh--I seem to be posting a lot these days... but I noticed that no one's touched this particular intriguing aspect of Jim's (the Rhino guy) post. Here's the quote: > RH's submission of the title track for the film That Thing >You Do (part of a pile of submissions for the film's title number, >eventually won by that guy from Fountains of Wayne Doesn't anyone else find this... well... very unlike Robyn? Well, I don't know Robyn so I guess that is a ridiculous statement to make. But I just have a hard time imagining Robyn sitting down to pen a song--which he won't sing or perform on the sountrack --for a Tom Hanks movie. (No offense to Tom Hanks) I don't know, maybe I just have a TOTALLY wrong conception of what Robyn is like and what he does--but this seems weird to me... And I wonder what the song title was... "That Thing You Do" ?, or maybe it was "Don't Tell Me About Gene Hackman", or maybe it was "No, I Don't Remember Gump"... and that was the reason why Robyn's song didn't get picked! :) Please, someone enlighten me. tHE guAmbat, gRopinG arOund in the Dark ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 16:25:52 -0900 From: BC-Radio@corecom.net (Probe) Subject: Movies Robyn Would Have Been Good In! I was just sitting around today, probably with too much time on my hands, but I thought of some movies that Robyn would have been great in! See what y'all think! 1. Dream a Little Dream 2. A voice in "Toy Story" (probably as Buzz Lightyear) 3. David Byrne's "True Stories" 4. Alongside Rudy Ray Moore in "Dolemite" 5. Opposite of Joe Don Baker in "Mitchell" 6. Boxing Helena 7. Escape From New York as Brain 8. An episode of "Star Trek: Voyager" 9. As one of the Number Two's in Patrick McGoohan's "The Prisoner" 10. With Bill Shatner in a really Roby-like title, "Kingdom of the Spiders" 11. An episode of "Dallas" 12. (My favorite) An episode of "Quantum Leap" where Robyn is the hologram because Al is accidentally erased from existence because Sam made a mistake with history, and he then has to fix it; kind of like the one where Roddy McDowell was the observer for an episode. Her surface is perfect pain, Brett ____________________________________________ "I'm hidden in the scream when the virgin dies, and I'm the ache in the belly when the baby cries, and I'm the burning sensation when the convict fries. I'm pain..." -Alice Cooper, "Pain" 55 days until the Laserdisc/VHS release of "Star Trek: First Contact"! Reserve your copy today! ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 20:32:13 -0500 From: mr bean jeans Subject: Re: That Thing You Do also sprach guambat@juno.com (The Guambat): >And I wonder what the song title was... "That Thing You Do" ?, betcha it was "cool bug rumble". ;) +w ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 19:55:17 -0600 (CST) From: Truman Peyote Subject: Re: That Thing You Do On Wed, 26 Mar 1997, mr bean jeans wrote: > also sprach guambat@juno.com (The Guambat): > > >And I wonder what the song title was... "That Thing You Do" ?, > > betcha it was "cool bug rumble". ;) Sure it wasn't "Sounds Great When You're Dead"? :) Another irrelevant anecdote: At this annoying party I attended Saturday (how I wish I'd gone to see Too Much Joy instead), someone was mixing up a dip that consisted of salsa and melted Velveeta. It looked truly vile. He said, "well, I'll admit it looks a bit dodgy", at which point my companion turned to me and said "but it tastes great when you're dead", at which point I nearly spit beer all over myself :). I'll make a feg of him yet :). Love on ya scrummy people, Susan ------------------------------ From: HAMISH_SIMPSON@HP-Sonoma-om1.om.hp.com Date: Wed, 26 Mar 97 17:38:08 -0800 Subject: Rock'n'Roll Toilet contents Item Subject: cc:Mail Text > You're talking about a Rock & Roll icon here, and no matter what > he's become in his old age I'd be willing to bet that Robyn > Hitchcock doesn't share your view. Slag Mick if you want, but leave > Kieth alone. He's always been genuine. This would be the same icon who did the Hyde Park gig with an out-of-tune guitar and didn't notice? (H) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 18:37:26 -0800 From: Nick Winkworth CC: jim_neill@rhinorecords.com Subject: Susan's digest: fanecdotes and fegfotos Thanks to the demands of earning my keep, I don't get the chance to post as much as I used to - so here I am replying to a whole digest -- or maybe I should say Susan's digest, since 50% of the content was hers. ;-) Nice to see Jim Neill on the list. Like the rest of us no doubt, I'm envious of his access to all that unreleased material - not to mention the chance to influence which tracks get released. (If you ever get stuck you'll find no shortage of advice here, Jim.) Any chance of us ever getting to hear the "That Thing You Do" song? I've always thought of RH as a brilliant pop composer (when he puts his mind to it --"Alright Yeah" for example). And as for "Sunshine of your Love"??? - are you serious? Also maybe Jim can shed some light on a question that came up a few weeks ago about sales volumes of Robyn's records. What is considered a "success" these days (Reissues? New releases?). Fanecdotes How about any of you who are sending fanecdotes to Jim sharing them with the list? He probably won't use all he gets and it would be a shame to let them disappear into the ether. A "List Fanecdote"?? Susan is right, of course - its not a practical proposition. But if Jim is after ways in which Robyn and his music have affected people's lives, how could he avoid at least *some* mention of the FEGMANIAX list? Friendships have been made, flame wars fought, beer brewed and CDs recorded. If memory serves me correctly, there has even been a marriage! *What happens* when an incredibly diverse group of people get together on the Internet, sharing only an appreciation of Robyn Hitchcock's music? ("Do you talk about Eric Clapton?":RH) I'm sure the inquiring minds who buy UPT will want to know. I think a mention of the list (especially with a Robyn quote) is essential! I especially like Robyn's line, "if I want to know what I'm up to; I know where to look". Fegfotos Now that the tour is over would anyone who managed to take a group photo *please* let me know. I need to know whether this web page is in business or not. I'll let you know where to send them when they are developed. Other miscellaneous ramblings Whoever came up with it, I think the idea of animating Robyn's drawings is simply brilliant! I don't think it would stand up as a full-length movie, but as a video it would be perfect. The logical next step from the metamorphosing cone pictures. Mike Godwin: Have a great holiday - send us an e-postcard! Tracy: How do you adjust your doneness controls so you come out the same on both sides? Susan: (& off topic as usual) Sorry, but I was very disappointed with Ian McKellen's Richard III. (I also saw the stage version of the same production - which was not much better). When it comes to the Bard on film, Branagh rules. That's all for now. (was the limit on number of posts, or number of different topics?) >From the small intestines of silly-cone valley. ~Nick ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The End of this Fegmaniax Digest. *sob* .