From: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org (fegmaniax-digest) To: fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Subject: fegmaniax-digest V7 #53 Reply-To: fegmaniax@smoe.org Sender: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk fegmaniax-digest Wednesday, February 11 1998 Volume 07 : Number 053 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Mulder and Sculleee [Gary Sedgwick ] Come in number 51, your time is up [Gary Sedgwick ] Re: dese & dose [Bret ] Hitchcock's voice (was: something about a prawn) [Russ Reynolds ] Screeching Hitchcock [Jim Moore ] Re: one prawn swimming against the tide [Aaron Mandel ] Austin Update [Cynthia Peterson ] i just realized something ["Capitalism Blows" ] Vast musical WHAT? ["JH3" ] Re: i just realized something [Bret ] Re: DENSEb [MARKEEFE@aol.com] Re: fegmaniax-digest V7 #52 [amadain ] Re: Screeching Hitchcock [MARKEEFE@aol.com] boggle-playing chicken ["Capitalism Blows" ] Re: Depression and dead wives [MARKEEFE@aol.com] "test" answers [Eb ] tone down the wierdness? [dwdudic@erols.com (luther)] Re: DENSEb [Eb ] Re: boggle-playing chicken [Eb ] Re: robyn's voice is what...? [jeffery vaska ] Re: "test" answers [Aaron Mandel ] Re: DENSEb [Dede Davis ] Re: boggle-playing chicken [Aaron Mandel ] Re: "test" answers ["Capitalism Blows" ] A Modest Proposal: The Fegmonomicon [The Great Quail Subject: Mulder and Sculleee As The X-files has been mentioned recently, and Welsh seems to be a never-ending thread, I thought I'd mention the new single from Catatonia, a band that I mentioned on this list ages ago. It's not their finest moment, and the lead singer, Cerys, seems to have even more of a Welsh accent now compared to their first album ("this could be a case for Mulder and Sculleee"). But I did hear another of the new album tracks on the radio this morning and it sounded quite good. Does anyone know if they've made it out to the States at all yet? Gary ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 10:36:24 -0000 From: Gary Sedgwick Subject: Come in number 51, your time is up Did anyone else not get digest #51? It takes all the fun out of Eb v. the world arguments when all you get is the last few posts. If anyone in the UK is interested in Neutral Milk Hotel (I've decided to hunt down an album or two after Eb's recommendation - I happen to agree with just about all of his musical [and non-musical] opinions), I got this e-mail from Merge records: > hi gary - > blue rose is putting out the new one (not sure about the release date). > it's out in the u.s. today. the first lp was released over there by fire > records. you can always order them from us if you can't find them over there. > > thanks, > spott - merge records ObRobyn: Has anyone got a clue on where (and when) Storefront will be shown in the UK? Austin's quite a way to go. Gary ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Feb 1998 00:01:19 -0800 From: Danielle Subject: vast musical knowledge (Robyn? Who's that?) >From Mike Godwin, re Sgt Pepper: > What a self-indulgent, incoherent, sentimental, > over-produced, deliberately cute slice of vinyl. Eeek. Are you sure you weren't just listening to the relatively nauseating 'Within You Without You' on repeat? ;) Eb wrote: > However, I must admit that the annoying qualities of Morrissey's voice are > aggravated by his complete inability to write something resembling a > melody. So that's a factor too. I won't speak for his solo work, but dammit, that's *so* untrue as far as the Smiths are concerned! I'll concede Morrissey's (endearingly) imperfect pitch, but some of those songs are very hummable indeed... "Michael R. Runion" wrote: > In my book, the best way to > demonstrate vast music knowledge is to either pick up an instrument and > join a band, or write yet another useless and biased Music > Encyclopedia. Constant attempts at one-upmanship can grow boring. Gosh, the 'join a band' law you espouse scuppers any ambitions I had to demonstrate vast musical knowledge... And yes, 'attempts' at one-upmanship can be boring, but don't you think that Eb actually *succeeds* most of the time (not to mention being damn funny while he's doing it)? The only sub-sub-genre I know more about is 'obscure New Zealand bands', and even then he can give me a run for my money. Over the past six months, I've learned more about music from him than I ever learned in my three years working in record shops. Public thank you, my dear. :) With that said: the guy in A-ha was called Morten Harkett, wasn't he? Don't ask me how I know that. Just remember that I turned 11 in 1985. And Peter Garrett above Morrissey, Eb? You just *won't* give up on liking the magnificently mediocre Midnight Oil, will you? ;) Eb wrote: > And just about every > time a new sweet young thing introduces herself to the list, the whole > "Surreal Posse" starts strutting and prancing about, flashing their peacock > feathers.... Gee, I've been slighted! Where's *my* strutting surreal posse, boys? ;p Danielle NP The Smiths, unsurprisingly ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 12:30:50 +0000 From: Ed.Doxtator@ssa.co.uk Subject: Re: fegmaniax-digest V7 #52 On 2/10/98 5:14 PM, Eb wrote: >And Hitchcock's voice, annoying? Nah. Just a bit limited in expressiveness. I agree. I programmed "Agony Of Pleasure" right out of the tracklist of "Eye". It's a touch outta his vocal range. (As singers go, Robyn's really good about not screeching or anything like that, I find.) But Morrissey having the most annoying voice? Nah. That honour goes to Elvis Costello. The man sounds like he's simultaneously binge-snorting helium and drinking water while singing inside of a phonebox outside of Euston Station. I enjoy his music, and really love his lyrics... but... his voice makes me want to rip out the furze-tone on my wah-wah. I can't listen to his rekkids. If he publishes a book of poetry or a novel, I'll buy it. If he produces an instrumental album, I'll buy it. But no way will I ever listen to that whiny whimpering voice singing again. Look after yerselves... - -Ed, Doc, the sun is out... n.p. Cornershop, "When I Was Born For The 7th Time" "Duane Allman does not produce music. His band produces a set of intense vibrations that have been known to sterilize frogs at 200 yards. I figure you'd eat it up." -some Doonesbury cartoon from the 70's when Zonker Harris and Uncle Duke are off to do a story for "Rolling Stone" on the Allman Brothers. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 06:52:15 -0600 From: Miles Subject: Re: one prawn swimming against the tide At 06:14 PM 2/10/98 -0700, Eb wrote: >(Not that I want the list clogged up with >submitted answers.) Ah, Eb, you passive-aggressive piece of work, you really *want* us to post our answers to the list, don'tcha? :-) >PS If you really want to treat my last post as a "test," let's say that I >would be impressed if anyone could identify the main bands of all these >names: John S. Hall King Missile >Graham Lewis Wire, Dome, He Said >Calvin Johnson All-Star NBA player -- he sang? :-) >Kurt Wagner Nashville's brilliant, idiosyncratic Lambchop >Peter Stampfel Have some solo stuff through Hello Records, but don't know his group association >Dagmar Krause '94 downhill Olympic medalist... :-) >Gibby Haynes Butthole Surfers >Scott Miller the self-described "miserable whine" of Alternate Learning, Game Theory, and the Loud Family >Jad Fair. Half-Japanese. kissing to be clever, Miles ============================================================== JASON WILKINS (of Neilson Hubbard): Victor's was just starting to happen, then it burned down. BILL LLOYD: That's a pretty good metaphor for the Nashville rock scene. -- NASHVILLE SCENE, Jan. 15, 1998 Miles Goosens outdoorminer@mindspring.com http://www.mindspring.com/~outdoorminer/miles ============================================================== ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 98 13:37:50 +0000 From: HAMISH_SIMPSON@HP-UnitedKingdom-om4.om.hp.com Subject: Re: one prawn swimming against the tide << PS If you really want to treat my last post as a "test," let's say that I would be impressed if anyone could identify the main bands of all these names: Leonard Graves Phillips, The Dickies, although he doesn't use the middle name these days. Does this mean you're a fan Eb???? (H) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 05:47:48 -0800 (PST) From: Capuchin Subject: Re: dese & dose On Tue, 10 Feb 1998, amadain wrote: > > That's why I can't stand (for the most part) Morrissey's solo work. It's > > all ridiculous garbage. Needlessly fleshed out to make up for no real > > musical value. > Oof. Well here I disagree with you again, in a qualified way- > because actually this IS true of the last two albums. > But "Last of the Famous International Playboys" doesn't bring even a small > smile to your face? Note I did say "for the most part". I seem to recall liking most of Viva Hate and I do like the odd Morrissey solo tune, but as a whole they're filled with that awful too-full sounding string and harmony thing. I'd just much rather listen to The Smiths (and five Smiths albums get tiresome in about the same period as eight Morrissey albums). > > Morrissey himself is way too self-indulgent, I guess I would say. It's > > all kind of semi-ironic 8th-grade-girl poetry. > Aren't you thinking of Alanis Morissette? :) Actually her stuff is more > like 18 or 19 year old the-first-person-I-had-sex-with-just-dumped-me type > poetry. No, see, I think Alanis Morissette (Alanis Morrissey?) just writes 8th-grade-girl poetry without the semi-irony. > As for the self-indulgent part, well, yeah, and gloriously so. He'd be the > first to agree with you on that part, I believe. I'd just rather not promote that sort of thing. J. ________________________________________________________ J A Brelin Capuchin ________________________________________________________ ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 08:08:23 -0600 (CST) From: Bret Subject: Re: dese & dose Here are some other voices which I like >better (let's see...): the guy from Laibach, I actualy read this list, but upon seeing 'the guy from Laibach' I blew this morning's coffee all over my new monitor............. thanx! - --Bret Now Playing: Pankow " Shows You Their Dongs" ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 98 05:59:00 -0800 From: Russ Reynolds Subject: Hitchcock's voice (was: something about a prawn) TC remarked: >I know I'm gonna catch a lot of shit for this, but his occasional >screeching (e.g., most of Eye) makes me run for the hills (which ain't >too easy for me!) yes--especially on Eye. I think his voice is great when he's in his range or perhaps a tad below it But when he belts out those higher notes (see "executioner") it becomes very piercing. And when he tries to sing those high notes gently (as in "aquarium") he tends to waver from the desired pitch. putting on the shit mitt - -russ ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 09:13:12 -0500 From: "Chaney, Dolph L" Subject: RE: one prawn swimming against the tide *sigh* I resisted as long as I could. which was about 2 minutes. applaud me. ;-) John S. Hall -- KING MISSILE Graham Lewis -- WIRE (whose first album was definitely released in 1977) ;-) Calvin Johnson -- BEAT HAPPENING Yamatsuka Eye -- BOREDOMS Timmy Taylor (RIP) -- BRAINIAC Ray Collins -- THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION Kim Shattuck -- THE MUFFS Tuli Kupferberg -- THE FUGS Mac McCaughan -- SUPERCHUNK / PORTASTATIC (which is his "main band" nowadays?) Dagmar Krause -- HENRY COW / SLAPP HAPPY / ART BEARS Gibby Haynes -- um... Ministry? and some Johnny Depp side project. oh, yes, and THE BUTTHOLE SURFERS. Eric Bachmann -- ARCHERS OF LOAF Corin Tucker -- SLEATER-KINNEY Scott Miller -- GAME THEORY / LOUD FAMILY Jad Fair -- HALF JAPANESE Peter Stampfel -- I too only have the Hello Club EP. Alison Shaw, Michael Gerald, Kurt Wagner, Mark Hosler, Leonard Graves Phillips are the ones I do not know (or didn't know before people posted their answers). Oh, and belated but profuse thanks to Randi for calling me a "sweetie" on the list just for gushing about a band I love. *blushblush* Take care, Dolph p.s.: do I have time to mention that my current project-in-the-works, _New Bird_, got reviewed on Demo Universe? (http://www.demouniverse.com/demou/) No, I didn't think so. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 98 08:55:26 From: firstcat@lsli.com Subject: RE: Come in number 51, your time is up I ordered the NMH cd after listening to the review cuts on the addicted to noise web site.... www.addict.com like what I heard.... Cheers Jay - --- On Wed, 11 Feb 1998 10:36:24 -0000 Gary Sedgwick wrote: > >Did anyone else not get digest #51? It takes all the fun out of Eb v. >the world arguments when all you get is the last few posts. > >If anyone in the UK is interested in Neutral Milk Hotel (I've decided to >hunt down an album or two after Eb's recommendation - I happen to agree >with just about all of his musical [and non-musical] opinions), I got >this e-mail from Merge records: > - ------------------------------------- Jay Lyall Channel Sales Director Livermore Software Laboratories, Intl. 2825 Wilcrest, Suite 160 Houston, Texas 77042-3358 1-713-974-3274 jay@lsli.com Date: 2/11/98 - ------------------------------------- Two-Hour Luxury Goods Commercial Also A Spy Film ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 14:58:25 +0000 (GMT) From: M R Godwin Subject: Re: one prawn swimming against the tide On Tue, 10 Feb 1998, Eb wrote: > (Anyway, anyone here knows that I prefer > RH's disciplined band concerts to his solo-guitar-and-tentacle-talk mode.) Personally, I'm a 'disciplined band concerts and tentacle talk' fan. > I almost might mention that I ALWAYS enjoy it when Mistah Godwin > "demonstrates his vast scope of music knowledge." Though I'm still pouting > over his anti-Pepper comments. ;P Gee, thanks! Sorry for the pout, but I bet Sgt Pepper isn't your favourite Beatles album, either. It's a record which people who don't like rock'n'roll buy to show that they like rock'n'roll. There isn't anything on it as good as 'Rain' or 'Drive my car' or 'For No-one' or 'WMGGW' or 'Helter Skelter' ... (desist, Godwin, remember that for the purposes of this list you don't like _anything_ by the Beatles)... > If you really want to treat my last post as a "test," let's say that I > would be impressed if anyone could identify the main bands of all these > names: [snip ... snap ...] > Ray Collins, Is that Ray Collins of the Mothers or Ray Collins who plays Lt. Tragg in Perry Mason? - - MRG PS Saw a good review of Nick Lowe at the Jazz Cafe today. Apparently he opened with a Ron Sexsmith song. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 09:14:00 -0600 From: Jim Moore Subject: Screeching Hitchcock feg quoth: > I know I'm gonna catch a lot of shit for this, but his occasional > screeching (e.g., most of Eye) makes me run for the hills (which ain't > too easy for me!) Hmmm. I have a good friend who lives in DC to whom I've shared my love for all things Hitchcock. He has also taken a liking to Robyn's music and even went out on his own and bought some of Robyn's CDs! Anyway, he told me that once he was playing "Eye" in his apartment when his girlfriend came in. She said, "What IS that??!!!" "It sounds TERRIBLE... it sounds like someone is mutilating a live cat!!!" Obviously, she caught the end of "Executioner" and not "Sweet Ghost of Light" :) So, I guess you're not the only one. Guammy ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 10:34:13 -0500 (EST) From: Aaron Mandel Subject: Re: one prawn swimming against the tide On Tue, 10 Feb 1998, Eb wrote: > It's a fair cop. :) Then again, I think the new NeutralMH album is miles > better than anything by the Rain Parade. i finally heard this, and while i like it better than the last one, i don't understand how it could cure the resident curmudgeon. when the intolerable Palace Bros sneer wanders into mangum's voice, you can count me out. on the other hand, "Holland 1945" seems like i might not get sick of it for ten or twelve listens, which is incredibly high for an Elephant 6 record (excepting Beulah). > Eb, wondering why the new James Iha album sounds more like the Lilac Time > than Smashing Pumpkins an awfufl lot of bands that make it big have members who would rather be doing something else. another good example (and more listenable) is the keyboardist from Faith No More's voyage into "indie"pop. > John S. Hall, Graham Lewis, Calvin Johnson, Mark Hosler, Leonard > Graves Phillips, Yamatsuka Eye, Michael Gerald, Kurt Wagner, Timmy Taylor, > Ray Collins, Kim Shattuck, Tuli Kupferberg, Peter Stampfel, Mac McCaughan, > Dagmar Krause, Gibby Haynes, Eric Bachmann, Alison Shaw, Corin Tucker, > Scott Miller and Jad Fair. 13 on, 8 off. two of the latter are tantalizingly familiar. what do i win? if you meant "Angie Shaw", make it 14 and 7. a ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 12:08:37 -0500 (EST) From: Aaron Mandel Subject: Re: one prawn swimming against the tide On Wed, 11 Feb 1998, Aaron Mandel wrote: > if you meant "Angie Shaw", make it 14 and 7. no, it's alison shaw. serves me right, trying to think first thing in the morning. does anyone else find that if they hear a song while waking up, it's stuck in their head for the rest of the day? i wonder whether this would contribute to raving fandom, i.e. if you throw on your favorite record to listen to in bed, it just reinforces a faint longing to hear it again... a ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 12:23:05 -0500 From: tanter Subject: where's Eddie? I sent Eddie an email and it came back...he hasn't posted to the list in a few days...Eddie, where are you?? Marcy ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 10:35:50 -0800 From: Cynthia Peterson Subject: Austin Update SXSW has finally updated the Music Festival portion of its site: announcing that wristbands for the music showcases go on sale February 26, for $60. The disturbing part is, it says they will only be on sale IN Austin, on a walk-up basis only. (Before this conference got so out of control, you were able to order them by phone...) Do we have any Austin delegates willing to purchase wristbands for out-of-towners? The alphabetical listing of confirmed bands has also been updated, as of 2/10. Robyn's on the list, of course. And so is Deni Bonet. But no Tim Keegan or Homer... Lot's of other great stuff, though!! http://www.sxsw.com/music/musicfest.html Add my name to the list of people *almost* planning on this trip. In the past, SXSW has been an annual vacation for us, but we haven't been down in a couple years. This sounds like a good year to revive the tradition! Cynthia ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 10:54:05 PST From: "Capitalism Blows" Subject: i just realized something viz., eb never posed nude for *me*. : ( ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 13:38:55 -0600 From: "JH3" Subject: Vast musical WHAT? >>the best way to demonstrate vast music knowledge is to either pick >>up an instrument and join a band, or... I guess I can sympathize with that statement, but you have to admit, joining an Internet Mailing List and posting repeated diatribes about the zillions of bands you listen to is a pretty good way of demonstrating musical knowledge, and what's even better, you don't have to lug any heavy amps. >And just about every time a new sweet young thing introduces herself to >the list, the whole "Surreal Posse" starts strutting and prancing about, >flashing their peacock feathers.... Oooh! That sounds cool! Can I be a member of the "Surreal Posse" too? As a matter of fact, I just recently got a peacock-feather transplant! (It hasn't been too painful, except when I lie on my side.) I could design membership cards... Don't get me wrong, I have great respect for Eb, who is a fellow Wire fan and therefore OK in my book. But just remember, we could ALL be fiends. I know I am. John H. "LEF-tenant" Hedges ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 13:52:17 -0600 (CST) From: Bret Subject: Re: i just realized something At 10:54 AM 2/11/98 PST, you wrote: > > >viz., eb never posed nude for *me*. : ( if it makes anyone feel better, (or scared) I have posted nude for everyone here, does that count? - --b NP: BD's JWH ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 15:12:31 EST From: MARKEEFE@aol.com Subject: Re: DENSEb In a message dated 98-02-11 03:06:23 EST, Ben critiqued: << Seriously, Eb, what is it that makes you rip a new artist to shreds on this list daily? >> I think it's a benefit to have someone "like" Eb (which is to say, Eb) on a given mailing list (which is to say, Fegmaniax). He provides a sort of archteypal figure: He Who Likes Almost Nothing. Therefore, whatever he *does* like should be seriously investigated; whatever he doesn't like should be looked at with an ounce of skepticism. I would never take as gospel the musical opinions of any one person, but I do appreciate that one person's contribution to the greater collective ether-bound database of musical opinionage (which I hope is a neologism, because I rather like it). Is there anyone on this list who likes almost everything? It would be great -- archetypally speaking -- to have a counterpart to Eb. Maybe we could even establish a hierarchy of Feg critics based on the relative looseness/stinginess of their musical tastes. Then we could assign point values to albums that these ranked critics do or don't like. For instance, each album that Eb doesn't like would get a -0.01, whereas if someone who likes nearly everything were to dislike the same album, then it would get a - -7.5 or so. I would pity anyone who feels that he or she has enough spare time to actually assemble such a list of Feg-critics. In fact, I pity myself for having enough spare time to even come up with so useless an idea. But it was really just to prove a point -- a point which I doubt I've made and which I'm not even sure existed in my mind as a solid construct to begin with. Still, it would be fun to get some brave volunteer(s) for assuming the role of Eb's good-twin: S/He Who Likes Nearly Everything. Any takers? - ------Michael K. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 14:18:09 -0600 (CST) From: amadain Subject: Re: fegmaniax-digest V7 #52 > That honour goes to Elvis Costello. The man sounds like he's > simultaneously binge-snorting helium and drinking water while singing > inside of a phonebox outside of Euston Station. OK, I don't know if this has to do with the list's listening habits (e.g., no one listens to music made before '64-5) or what, but I am really surprised that no one has yet mentioned the most annoying voice EVER, which belongs to one Frankie Valli. The phrase "binge-snorting helium" sort of brought his "vocals" to mind. I have no idea what made his recordings so popular at the time, unless it was parental annoyance potential. Also, anyone from this "school" (e.g., Lou Christie, also possessor of a most annoying vocal instrument) should definitely get a mention. On to more pleasant voices- just heard Paul Revere and the Raiders' cover of "Do You Love Me?" on the radio today, quite wonderful. P.Revere sounds like if you don't love him NOW he'll jump off the Talahachee Bridge with Billie Joe McAllister (sp?)) :). Anyway, this reminded me of something I wanted to ask the knowledgeable folks here. My SO tells me that he never watched the Monkees TV show because Paul Revere and the Raiders had a competing show on at the same time and he and his friends liked it better :). He remembers that it was only on for one season, but not what network it was on or very many details about it, as he was a very young un at the time. Anyone here know anything about this show, or if it's ever been syndicated or any episodes shown anywhere since? I'm curious. Love on ya, Susan ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 15:42:24 EST From: MARKEEFE@aol.com Subject: Re: Screeching Hitchcock Well, I didn't think this would become a thread. I assumed, after reading the first post, that everyone else would rush forward and profess their love for Robyn's voice. But, since no one really has, I guess I'll have to be the one to say that I think he's got an amazing voice, capable of a great range and emotional versatility. As a fair-to-middlin' singer, I'm quite envious of his abilities. He's definitely got a distinctive voice, which, I suppose, some might find annoying. But, for the most part, his vocals are right on in my book, including the times when it's "piercing" (as on "Executioner"), which I'm guessing is the quality he was going for. Same with "Agony of Pleasure". But, hey, I also like both the Buckleys, Elvis Costello, Bob Dylan, Michael Stipe AND Morrissey (well, w/ the Smiths and on certain solo works, esp. "Vauxhall and I"). So, there's the context for my liking the vocals of RH, as well as my $.02 on that subject. - ------Unapologetically, Michael K. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 12:42:18 PST From: "Capitalism Blows" Subject: boggle-playing chicken i am officially drooling! i suppose this is a shot in the dark, but does it give songwriting credits? because, isn't Zip Zip the one about which the hamilton discography says it's not know whether robyn wrote the tune? are there any other meatpackers songs floating around? enough for a compilation tape, maybe? not that i don't value your opinions, eb (though i'm still sore that you don't endorse wesley willis on your web site,) but, here's the last paragraph of the review i just read, which has convinced me to get the album just as soon as i can find it used: "IN THE AEROPLANE OVER THE SEA is a stunning, smart lp and the best thing yet in '98. fans of guided by voices, built to spill, hitchcock, beatles, barret and drake are urged to take note." and that was in The Rocket, which, as far as i could tell, was not even aware that "hitchcock" existed. unless they meant alfred. but even if so, i'm still interested. as for "vast musical knowledge," i'll stack outdoor miner's up alongside anybody's. right. i want everybody in the fucking streets as soon as the bombing begins, even before if you like. ok? this means you, quail. "That socialism cannot or may never be attained does not mitigate capitalism's inherent inability to serve as the rational institutional standard for a just society or peaceful world, or lessen the need for a fundamental alternative embodying socialism's original objectives and inspiration to resolve many of the world's enormous problems." --Gabriel Kolko ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 15:42:20 EST From: MARKEEFE@aol.com Subject: Re: Depression and dead wives I don't know. I think that when someone finds a good album (like Cohen, Drake or Reed) depressing, it's because he or she put on the right album at the wrong time. The music itself isn't depressing if you're already melancholic; in fact, it's comforting (a sympathetic "ear", or something). When I find music depressing, it's because I'm listening to the *wrong* thing at the right time (the right time to listen to music, BTW, is just about anytime). There are, of course, far too many examples of the *wrong* kind of music. As you already know, it's the stuff of mainstream (including so-called "alternative") radio that we try to escape from. This is all to say that I find the Spice Girls and Bush and mindless, throbbing, dance club techno infinitely more depressing than Leonard Cohen or Nick Drake. Also, yes, the inclusion of two compilations was really lame. But, even worse in my book, was the choice of the word "depressing" (which implies that the music brings you down) rather than "sad" or even "depressed" (which would imply more that the artist may have been depressed when recording the music but that the listener won't necessarily be dragged down, too). Clearly, this is a sore spot with me. It just bugs me when people look to various art forms for nothing more than uplifting entertainment, because that attitude then causes an overall imbalance in the "flavors" of art that are readily accessible. With films, for instance, one can go to any multiplex in the country and see "Spice World", but you have to go out of your way (usually to the one "art film" house in town) to see "The Ice Storm". But, darn it, I'm just ranting to the choir. I guess if the majority of the population had tastes that ran as good and pure (har!) as my fellow Fegs, then this list would be just another list and Robyn would be just another musical artist (and The Great Quail would become Quail Spice, always prancing about and getting his feathers ruffled). Okay, for anyone who's tolerated my ramblings and gotten this far down the page, next time I see you, I owe you a box of Feg Nutens! All riled up for no reason (in fact, it's sunny and warm out), Michael K. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 13:21:16 -0700 From: Eb Subject: "test" answers MANY more people enjoyed the "test" than I expected [yay :)], so I figure that I should post the answers: John S. Hall = King Missile Graham Lewis = Wire, He Said, Dome Calvin Johnson = Beat Happening, Dub Narcotic Sound System, Halo Benders... Mark Hosler = Negativland Leonard Graves Phillips = The Dickies Yamatsuka Eye = Boredoms, Naked City Michael Gerald = Killdozer Kurt Wagner = Lambchop Timmy Taylor = Brainiac [RIP :(] Ray Collins = Mothers of Invention Kim Shattuck = The Muffs, The Pandoras Tuli Kupferberg = The Fugs Peter Stampfel = Holy Modal Rounders Mac McCaughan = Superchunk, Portastatic, Bricks Dagmar Krause = Slapp Happy, Art Bears Gibby Haynes = Butthole Surfers, P Eric Bachmann = Archers of Loaf, Barry Black Alison Shaw = Cranes Corin Tucker = Heavens to Betsy, Sleater-Kinney Scott Miller = Alternate Learning, Game Theory, The Loud Family Jad Fair = Half Japanese I think SOMEONE got every answer right (even Dagmar Krause...well-done!), except for Michael Gerald and Peter Stampfel. I don't think anyone got Mark Hosler either, but considering the faction of Negativland fans on this list, I figure that's just a case of abstinence. You have to admit, I help keep the list interesting. ;) Eb ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 21:19:42 GMT From: dwdudic@erols.com (luther) Subject: tone down the wierdness? On Wed, 11 Feb 1998 03:25:48 -0500 (EST), you wrote: >Boy, are you talking out of two sides of your mouth here. Kindly thumb back >to the recent Julian Cope and "Hey, I'm new -- what's Glass Flesh?" threads >for some stunning examples of panting oneupmanship. And just about every >time a new sweet young thing introduces herself to the list, the whole >"Surreal Posse" starts strutting and prancing about, flashing their peacock >feathers.... well, the 'perspex peacock feathers' are still confusing to ME, let alone to a female newbie...Ya know, a lot of the times, some of you guys really make NO SENSE. Admittedly, RObyn often doesn't either, but he usually makes up for it with a good melody of goofy face- I guess those couldn't come through on here. :-) As I said, it oughta be in it's own 'fan fiction' sorta category, but It occasionally seems...well...kinda dumb. I didn't mean to start a flame war...but I know I probably did. In Robyn news, here's a thought: What would an album by Robyn and Julian Cope working TOGETHER sound like? WOuld their egos allow such a possiblity? -luther ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 13:49:27 -0700 From: Eb Subject: Re: DENSEb > I think it's a benefit to have someone "like" Eb (which is to say, Eb) on >a given mailing list (which is to say, Fegmaniax). He provides a sort of >archetypal figure: He Who Likes Almost Nothing. You know, I often get portrayed this way. But considering that I like well over 100 new albums every year, and considering how many bands are linked on my webpage (which it seems that almost everyone has visited by now), I just don't think this charge holds up. I think the above misimpression stems from the fact that I hear (in agonizing detail!) far, far more music which I DON'T like than most people do, so I have a lot more negative views stashed away. Keep that in mind. Thanks for the nice words, otherwise. Eb PS Negativity of the day: Don't buy the new Superdrag, Dirty Three or Jolene albums ;) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 13:49:27 -0700 From: Eb Subject: Re: boggle-playing chicken Aaron wrote about Neutral Milk Hotel: >i finally heard this, and while i like it better than the last one, i >don't understand how it could cure the resident curmudgeon. when the >intolerable Palace Bros sneer wanders into mangum's voice, you can count >me out. Well, I'm not a Palace fan myself. I mean, how can you compare the vocals? Will Oldham sings like he'd rather be in a coma. Jeff Mangum sings so hard that he even overmodulates at times. That's definitely one of the things that attracts me to NMH -- the PASSION! No indie-rock slacker bullsh*t. Eddie "Tool Time" Tews wrote: >here's the last >paragraph of the review i just read, which has convinced me to get the >album just as soon as i can find it used: >"IN THE AEROPLANE OVER THE SEA is a stunning, smart lp and the best >thing yet in '98. fans of guided by voices, built to spill, hitchcock, >beatles, barrett and drake are urged to take note." Ha! Neat! :) Built to Spill? Hm, don't know about that comparison. NMH aren't "mathematical" enough. I'd probably insert a Ween or Chris Knox mention instead. Rock over London, rock over Chicago, Taco Bell...make a run for the border, Eb ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 13:30:58 -0800 From: jeffery vaska Subject: Re: robyn's voice is what...? yoy all... since we've got a thread in full brew here, i thought i would jump in with a thought. markeefe...so said... >Well, I didn't think this would become a thread. I assumed, after >reading the first post, that everyone else would rush forward and profess >their love for Robyn's voice. But, since no one really has, I guess I'll have >to be the one to say that I think he's got an amazing voice, capable of a >great range and emotional versatility. As a fair-to-middlin' singer, I'm >quite envious of his abilities. He's definitely got a distinctive voice, >which, I suppose, some might find annoying. But, for the most part, his >vocals are right on in my book, including the times when it's "piercing" (as >on "Executioner"), which I'm guessing is the quality he was going for. Same >with "Agony of Pleasure". >But, hey, I also like both the Buckleys, Elvis >Costello, Bob Dylan, Michael Stipe AND Morrissey (well, w/ the Smiths and on >certain solo works, esp. "Vauxhall and I"). >So, there's the context for my >liking the vocals of RH, as well as my $.02 on that subject. i know there's been plenty of discussion before this but... my thought is this, can we qualify the type of singer robyn might be? you know, in terms of genre. we've already had a thread on folki-"ness" and such, so i am leaning in the direction that robyn's voice, aside from his plain self, is also folky. of course, the soft boys certainly would predate this folkiness, but today, recently, overall, whatever - some of you vast knowledgable ones are probably far more able to bring this diatribe to a full boil. or should we even bother with this one? tschau...jv np: cibo matto - birthday cake ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 17:15:26 -0500 (EST) From: Aaron Mandel Subject: Re: "test" answers On Wed, 11 Feb 1998, Eb wrote: > Graham Lewis = Wire, He Said, Dome if you're going to be a completist, there's HALO and duetemmo as well. mark hosler did an interesting interview in the last issue of Stay Free!, a magazine almost too bombastic for me to admit i like -- but only almost. a ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 14:24:50 -0800 (PST) From: Dede Davis Subject: Re: DENSEb - ---Eb wrote: > PS Negativity of the day: Don't buy the new ... > Jolene albums ;) WHOA! I'm a lurker extraordinaire, but I had to peek out for this. Please, *please*, PLEASE ignore Eb on this one. If you're an alt-country fan (like myself) at least give the Jolene a listen before choosing whether to buy it or not. These are some great guys who make terrific music--their first album "Hell's Half-Acre" and their self-titled EP had some powerful stuff on them, and the first single off the new one, "Pensacola", sounds good to me. Like my mom always says, "You can't say you don't like it if you've never tried it!" == Dede "Out of boredom/ I decided/ I'd get with it"--MCC _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 17:28:27 -0500 (EST) From: Aaron Mandel Subject: Re: boggle-playing chicken On Wed, 11 Feb 1998, Eb wrote: > Well, I'm not a Palace fan myself. I mean, how can you compare the vocals? > Will Oldham sings like he'd rather be in a coma. Jeff Mangum sings so hard > that he even overmodulates at times. it's more in the inflection. i mean, both are appropriating the imagery of similar periods in time; oldham, i think, is just bad at faking an appalachian accent and knows better than to try too hard. i will try to find specific examples, but i know i heard jeff mangum's weird american brogue flutter rurally in places. > That's definitely one of the things > that attracts me to NMH -- the PASSION! No indie-rock slacker bullsh*t. yeah, okay. but the fuzziness and sing-song leech energy out of his weaker material, for me. and there's a lot of indie-rock that's superfically slack but is really very intense -- no lack of passion there. Ida, Versus, "There's Nothing Wrong With Love" (can't listen to any other Built To Spill records). a ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 14:45:56 PST From: "Capitalism Blows" Subject: Re: "test" answers speaking of, this is probably a *really* really stupid question. but, is crosley bendix a real person? ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Feb 98 18:57:26 -0400 From: The Great Quail Subject: A Modest Proposal: The Fegmonomicon Hello, Fegs. . . . Lately I have been revising many of my personal Web sites, and in doing so I have been cruising around the Web and finally collecting all my Robyn Links in one location. It is so neat to have so many useful Feg pages . . . but I kept wondering, "What do you all look like?" "Which of you hated Perspex Island?" "How could I send you a birthday card if I wanted to warm you up in order to use your place as a crash pad when I went to a U2 concert near your home town?" So I had this idea . . . What do you think about having a main Feg directory? I mean a site that collects our names, and each name links to a personal Feg page with a neat-o GIF and some personal fun facts: sort of a Feg Bio. I have the room on my server, and I am willing to take completed bio forms and GIFs (or JPGs, of course) and hammer them into HTML. In short, I will maintain the page. I know this idea has been floated around before, so I just thought I would pitch it out again. We could call it something like "The Feg Directory," "Ye Book of the Zinc Pear," or "The Fegmonomicon," which is my personal favorite. It would make a delightful companion to "Fegmaniax!," the Fegfoto Gallery, and Mike's "Globe of Fegs" map page, and we can keep the URL secret if we wish . . . so those pesky Billy Bragg fans can't get to us. If you are interested in seeing an example of what a potential Feg page might look like, go to: http://www.rpg.net/quail/fegmania/sample.html Take a look at it and let me know what you think: 1. Is this worth doing? Is there enough interest? 2. If it *is* worth doing, does the page look good? 3. Are the questions ok? Personally, I am a major list-maker and such. I know that some of you won't feel like answering all the questions, and I guess that would be fine. Again, let me know what you think -- if the public/private discussion tends towards the positive, I will start the project. Cheeping on and off, - --Quail - ---------------------------------+-------------------------------- The Great Quail, K.S.C. | Literature Site - The Libyrinth: TheQuail@cthulhu.microserve.com | www.rpg.net/quail/libyrinth www.rpg.net/quail | Vampire Site - New York by Night: riverrun Discordian Society | www.rpg.net/quail/NYBN 73 De Chirico Street | Arkham, Orbis Tertius 2112-42 | ** What is FEGMANIA? ** "The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents." -- H.P. Lovecraft ------------------------------ End of fegmaniax-digest V7 #53 ******************************