From: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org (fegmaniax-digest) To: fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Subject: fegmaniax-digest V7 #119 Reply-To: fegmaniax@smoe.org Sender: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk fegmaniax-digest Thursday, March 26 1998 Volume 07 : Number 119 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: stuff [dmw ] Re: Rickenbacker stuffages... [Mark Gloster ] Southland uber alles [Katherine Rossner ] Robyn Pigeonholed/Ashley Camel-toed [The Non-Prophet ] Re: Jerry Sadowitz shows Respect [Stewart Russell 3295 Analyst_Programmer] Re: Replying to 150kb of digests from yesterday (long, multi-thread) [dla] Re: Carl Palmer Is In The Trunk of My Car [dlang ] Jabbering -- .93% RH content [Ed.Doxtator@ssa.co.uk] Re: Carl Palmer Is In The Trunk of My Car [tanter ] Kathy Mattea and Close Lobster [Rich Plumb ] Re: Did somebody mention RT?!! :_) [Bret ] Re: The female Robyn Hitchcock? [Bret ] Re: Jerry Sadowitz shows Respect [Aaron Mandel ] re: storefront [firstcat@lsli.com] Re: Rickenbacker stuffages... [Dede Davis ] re: storefront [Mark_Gloster@3com.com] common recency ["Chaney, Dolph L" ] robyn as narrator [Bayard ] Re: The female Robyn Hitchcock? [Eb ] Will the *real* Robyn followers please stand up? [Nick Winkworth ] Re: robyn as narrator [The Non-Prophet ] perspex review [Bayard ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 23:13:15 -0500 (EST) From: dmw Subject: Re: stuff On Tue, 24 Mar 1998, woj spice wrote: > crate of various car things (oil, tranny fluid, jumper cables, gas can, i misread that as "tyranny fluid" which if i dive into the quail mythos again could figure prominently > n.b. i'm a long-time fan of all of the above, so take my opinion with a > large grain of salt (doug mayo-wells does, so should you). actually, for the record, woj's opinion has cost me a lot of dough over the years. i've never really minded. ...and i haven't been a good boy and caught up the other hundred umpty messages yet, but i can't >believe< barbara manning hasn't yet popped up in the "female hitchcock" running. go buy all of her records now, all of you! i'll be here when you get back. - -- d. - - oh,no!! you've just read mail from doug = dmayowel@access.digex.net - - and dmw@mwmw.com ... get yr pathos at http://www.pathetic-caverns.com/ - - new reviews! tunes, books, flicks, etc. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 21:01:49 -0800 From: Mark Gloster Subject: Re: Rickenbacker stuffages... >Just in case anyone cares (and I can't imagine that someone would), >the guy who founded Rickenbacker guitars was the cousin of Eddie >Rickenbacker, whose claim to fame was shooting down Baron von >Richtoffen (aka The Red Baron) in WWI. Sorry, couldn't let it slip. I believe that the Rickenbacker family is the same, but I'm pretty sure that Eddie Brown was the one who shot down the Red Baron in dubya dubya single i. I don't think it was Snoopy either. No, I wasn't there at the time. As much as I like RH's Telecastration, if Robyn feels compelled to play electric live, I wish he would play a Rickenbacker 12 string more. All the best, restolG kraM- ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 01:08:26 -0500 From: Katherine Rossner Subject: Southland uber alles >From: Eb >It has long been my contention that the phrase "Southland" is purely a >convenient invention of local TV news programs. I have NEVER heard the word >"Southland" used in conversation. I guess the above is a first, then! >Either that, or Katherine works in TV.... Neither--sorry, Eb. (Print only--well, and the 'Net, however we're to count that. Though I'm told my voice would work well in radio. Or phone sex, but that's a separate question....) I don't think I've ever so much as *seen* your local TV news programs, but I know I've seen "Southland" used by the ExChron, and I think I've heard it in (Bay Area) conversations as well. Katherine, insomniac yet again - -- Ye knowe ek, that in forme of speche is chaunge Withinne a thousand yere, and wordes tho That hadden pris, now wonder nyce and straunge Us thinketh hem, and yet they spake hem so. - Chaucer ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 22:28:16 -0800 (PST) From: The Non-Prophet Subject: Robyn Pigeonholed/Ashley Camel-toed fegs, How does one go about describing Robyn to those not familiar with him? People usually ask, "What kind of music does he play?" or "Whom does he sound like?" The best description of his musical style I have been able to come up with is 'psychedelic folk'. RH labels himself a folk singer, so I figure that is a label he must be comfortable with. As for sounding like other artists, I most often compare him to John Lennon. I don't think that is the best comparison I can make, but Lennon is the only artist who I can think of who has influenced Robyn that the majority of the Top 40-Radio-listening public would be familiar with. Oh, sure, a few have *heard* of Syd Barrett or Captain Beefheart, but no one seems familiar enough with either of those guys to really know what Robyn is like. Usually, I ask what kinds of things they like. I can tell right away if they would like Robyn or not. How do the rest of you describe Robyn to others? Ashley Judd content: I'm surprised no one has yet brought this up, yet -- is she still dating Michael Re-Volting? If she is, why? - -g- ----------==========**********O**********==========--------- Glen E. Uber uberg@sonic.net "Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible." --Frank Zappa ----------==========**********O**********==========--------- ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 09:01:19 GMT From: Stewart Russell 3295 Analyst_Programmer Subject: Re: Jerry Sadowitz shows Respect >>>>> "Capitalism" == Capitalism Blows writes: Capitalism> C-word ... isn't nearly as taboo in britannia as it is Capitalism> over here. It's the only word that newspapers still asterisk out in the UK, so it must be pretty taboo stateside. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 20:09:54 +2909 From: dlang Subject: Re: Replying to 150kb of digests from yesterday (long, multi-thread) >Indeed, and *lying* Aussie slang to boot! 'Good beer' in Australia? I >hope you were drinking Speights! ;) Bugger , we were drinking Coopers', one of the best m'dear and I've drunk a few hundred different sorts of beers in my time, however no Nz beers ,or is Tasman NZ? , if so I don't really rate it. . Have you triedCaffrey's , irish bitter that is truly wonderful .although the price certainly isn't. dave ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 22:19:19 +2910 From: dlang Subject: Re: Carl Palmer Is In The Trunk of My Car Chris wrote: > that would be very funny if Carl Palmer weren't stalking me as > well. I'm so sick of seeing him lurking behind the produce at the grocery > store, driving by my house in his tour bus, sending secret messages to me > through songs on the radio, and the astral projections - well they have just > got to stop! Then Hal rejoindered: Does he bring those flaming Chinese dragon gongs with him? Don't mention Carl bloody Palmer to me!!!!!!! Hes been at it here In australia as well, projecting here, projecting there,you never know when he's going to turn up. I think he knows I hate his music, so he does it just to get on my nerves. He's gongless, but the stupid sod brings that pair of prattish cannons with him that ELP used at the Isle of Wight festival ,they deafened everybody then and they're no quieter now. The neighbours complain something rotten about the noise and I haven't seen the dog for weeks since Palmer let the bleeding cannons off when she was in the garden having a tiddle at 3am in the morning. We saw this white streak going over the fence and that was that.We'll have to mail order for another one next week, the old ones gone for good.. I'm getting a court order to keep him off the premises, but how can we serve it to an astral projection ?. Any ideas fellow Fegs? Dave ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 11:57:18 +0000 From: Ed.Doxtator@ssa.co.uk Subject: Jabbering -- .93% RH content >>Eb wrote: >>Regarding James Cameron: I gather that he's not exactly a popular guy in >>Hollywood, on a personal level. Capuchin wrote: >See, this is where I run into trouble. He's an awful writer, terrible >with people, none too bright, and a half-assed director. How did he get >any kind of career? Seems to me that his great talents are sucking up to >lowest common denominators and spending studio money. Oh, wait. Now I >see why he has a big career in Hollywood. His greatest talent isn't sucking up to Hollywood pondscum, it's MAKING MONEY. I think of all the Cameron films I know of (Terminator, Aliens, Terminator II, The Abyss, True Lies) and only one I know of that hasn't produced a big return is "The Abyss". The guy gets the job done and he gets the money made. He's not a director, he's a broker. I thought Titanic was a waste of time, and I'm seriously thinking of suing James Cameron not for my ticket money, but for the three hours of my life that he stole with his weenie script. Jon wrote: >...the truly hilarious The People v Jerry Sadowitz show on Channel 5 >last night and between the abusive comedy and audience baiting that is the >programmes raison d'etre. Jerry held up 4 CD's which he believed everyone >watching should own. I can't remember what the other 3 were but one was >"Respect". Jerry Sadowitz _IS_ funny. (For Chicago Fegs-- he reminds me of Svengoolie [sp], except he doesn't skewer films, he takes the piss out of audience members, and invites the audience to take the piss out of him. Sadowitz does have long curly hair and does wear a Svengoolie-style top hat, though...) And one of the other CD's he mentioned was one of my other favourites, Nick Drake's "Pink Moon". Thanks to John "Benson Anne" Hedges for tabbing "Gene Hackman". Ross "colour coded cello chords" Overbury wrote: >They did that to you, too? "Overbury-stick, Overbury-stick ...." >I could never forgive them for that. I used to get thwacked by a math teacher with her Overbury Stick. Thanks VERY much for brining up such a painful memory. Just thinking of "hypotenuse" makes the soles of my feet hurt. >Radiohead *is* basically U2 meets the Beatles. I've yet to >hear anybody claim they reinvented pop. They've only got 3 recordings out >and they've been developing during this period. Keep buying their CDs and >they'll probably grow on you in a few releases. I agree with Rosso. For my money, "The Bends" is a far better album than "OK Computer" and marginally better than "Pablo Honey". "Pablo" sounds like a first effort-- good strong stuff at the start, with all the weaker material pushed to the end of the disc. "The Bends" seems to come naturally out of left field and demands my listening attention. IMHO, there's not a bad song on the disc. "OK Computer" just seems to be a deliberate attempt to NOT sound like a "more songs in the key of D" Britpop band. It's a glob of sound and it doesn't do much of anything, other than rake in cash, which it's done quite well. My favourite album so far of 1998: Warm Jets, "Future Signs". Look after yerselves... - -Ed, Doc, ~~...just the shit kickin', speed takin', truck drivin' neigbours downstairs...~~ n.p. Devo, "Duty Now For The Future" ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 07:41:56 -0500 From: tanter Subject: Re: Carl Palmer Is In The Trunk of My Car At 10:19 PM 3/26/98 +0000, you wrote: > I'm getting a court order to keep him off the premises, but how can we >serve it to an astral projection ?. Any ideas fellow Fegs? The last time I had a problem like this, I was pestered by Michael Jackson. He just would NOT leave me alone, leaving gloves everywhere just to prove he'd been around. I was getting really frustrated, the police couldn't do a thing because he never touched me or anything. So I called Elvis and he came over with a few really huge bodyguards and the next time MJ came around, they chased after him and he never came back. Thinking about it later, that should have been my first reaction. Marcy ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 08:41:27 -0500 From: Natalie Jacobs Subject: Pedantry >>there was Kate Bush, who's more of a fantasy-ist (gotta be a better word >>here!) > >fantabulist is the noun form, IIRC. "Fantast," according to my dictionary. I've never heard that used before though. >Tom wrote: >>I don't sing in the shower. >>However, I like to listen to "White Rabbit" in the tub. Then, during the >>climax of the song, I drop a grapefruit into the water. > >hmmm. I'll have to try that. (?????) Grapefruits are for wusses. You have to drop a transistor radio in the water, preferably still plugged in. (or you could just read Hunter S. Thompson's "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," which is a lot safer and more entertaining. :) I'd definitely cast another vote for Kristin Hersh as a surrealist. The reason I got interested in the Throwing Muses to begin with was because a high school friend quoted "Drive" - "Drive your car through the kitchen, Your head is square." n., still debating whether or not to attend the Quail-fest in May ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 09:07:06 -0500 (EST) From: Rich Plumb Subject: Kathy Mattea and Close Lobster My sister has a Kathy Mattea cd (she gets freebies working at NPR) and while she was playing it one day I was stunned to hear a cover of the Richard Thompson tune "Tear Stained Letter". The only interesting thing about it is that she had changed the line "My head was beating like a song by the Clash" to something else which I can't remember anymore, but which was certainly less evocative. The Wedding Present does a great cover of a great Close Lobster song "Let's Make Some Plans" on their Hit Parade 1 cd. rich ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 08:19:57 -0600 (CST) From: Bret Subject: Re: Did somebody mention RT?!! :_) > > but it's got >some great stuff -- "Read About Love", "I Feel So Good", "I >Misunderstood", >"Don't Sit on My Jimmy Shands". Lyrically, it's not as tight as a lot >of his >stuff, although it *is* highly listenable (except for "Psycho Street") > I disagree- Psycho street is RT's "Uncorrected personality >traits' or 'furry green atom bowl". > It cracks me up. Admittedly, I think it was inappropriate to >end the album with it, especially after the DEVESTATING "god >loves a drunk". Oh man, I may have to go home from work, get R&S and bring it up here with me. Agreed, bad way to end the record, unless, it was a way to cut down on the suicides after 'God Loves a Drunk' > Stuff like "why must i plead", "I misunderstood", "mystery >wind", and "52 VBL", 52 VBL, I beleive this song belongs on the driven to tears thread. and to see it done live, MY GOD!...... that does it, I'm headed hme........ - --b ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 08:27:53 -0600 (CST) From: Bret Subject: Re: The female Robyn Hitchcock? At 08:14 PM 3/25/98 EST, you wrote: >deedle_d@yahoo.com writes: >>Daniel Saunders wrote: >>> An odd phenomenon I've noticed is that while there are quite a few white >>> males who do something similar to Robyn - Julian Cope, Syd Barrett, Tim >>> Keegan, Neutral Milk Hotel, etc. etc. - there seems to be a shortage of >>> women surrealistic singer/songwriters. Is this just because the media is >>> only picking up on the bland Lilith Fair types at the moment? I admit >>> I'm fairly ignorant on the topic. Could somebody reel off a few names? > >> Kate Bush is the only one I could think of off the top of my head. > > >Kristin Hersh. Bjork. Maggie Estep. to a lesser extent Tanya Donelly. Hmmmmmmmmm Kristen Hersh, while a decent artist, doesn't (to me) fit the discription that well. While Bjork does, quite well to me, the music may be less 'folky' but the quirkiness is all there, especially during interviews. and Maggie Estep, ........ick. - --b ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 09:37:00 -0500 (EST) From: Aaron Mandel Subject: Re: Jerry Sadowitz shows Respect On Thu, 26 Mar 1998, Stewart Russell 3295 Analyst_Programmer wrote: > Capitalism> C-word ... isn't nearly as taboo in britannia as it is > Capitalism> over here. > > It's the only word that newspapers still asterisk out in the UK, so it > must be pretty taboo stateside. there's no WAY you'd see it in a newspaper in america, nor probably in most mainstream magazines. for that matter, i would be given pause by seeing it even in a zine. but the thing is, you never, never hear someone using it as an epithet for a guy in america the way people do in Melody Maker and NME. (only british publications i've ever really read; sorry.) it's either a strong term for sex organs, or an unbelievably rude way to insult a woman. i get the impression that in the uk it's more like "motherfucker" over here, which is easy to use in the usa. a ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Mar 98 09:08:03 From: firstcat@lsli.com Subject: re: storefront Its a movie for fans, not really for the newbies...I don't think it will have the broad range appeal that StopMaking Sense had with the heads...though the night vision stalking scene is really cool... Cheers Jay - --- On Wed, 25 Mar 1998 18:19:26 -0500 tanter wrote: >I know I'm treading dangerous water here, but it sounds as if the movie >isn't really worth getting all excited over. It sounds kind of >bland--people seem more interested in reporting back on the non-musical >parts of the movie. Am I misreading?? > >Marcy - -----------------End of Original Message----------------- - ------------------------------------- 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: 3/26/98 - ------------------------------------- Two-Hour Luxury Goods Commercial Also A Spy Film ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 07:37:07 -0800 (PST) From: Dede Davis Subject: Re: Rickenbacker stuffages... - ---Mark Gloster wrote: > Sorry, couldn't let it slip. I believe that the Rickenbacker family is > the same, but I'm pretty sure that Eddie Brown was the one who shot down > the Red Baron in dubya dubya single i. I don't think it was Snoopy > either. > Mea culpa. Yep, I must admit, Mark the Shark is correct, although the gentleman's name was *Roy* Brown. I looked it up on the Internet (ain't technology great?) Although one source said the Baron was shot down by Australian anti-aircraft. Oh, BTW, Brown was Canadian. Oughtta warm the cockles of the Canadians in our midst. == 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: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 08:11:35 -0800 From: Mark_Gloster@3com.com Subject: re: storefront >Its a movie for fans, not really for the newbies...I don't think it will have the >broad range appeal that StopMaking Sense had with the heads...though the night vision >stalking scene is really cool... Is this the scene with Carl Palmer and David Letterman, where Carl starts playing that same damn drum solo that he always plays in ELP and in Asia over the sensitive bits of "Heliotrope" while David L. spins him around in circles and both of them get dizzy while they secretly chase after and carry babies for criminally disturbed women, or am I all confused again? Was that video on the Jerry Springer show? I will see the movie even if it has stupid Quail tricks in it. retsolG kraM- still feeling a little backward - --- On Wed, 25 Mar 1998 18:19:26 -0500 tanter wrote: >>I know I'm treading dangerous water here, but it sounds as if the movie >>isn't really worth getting all excited over. It sounds kind of >>bland--people seem more interested in reporting back on the non-musical >>parts of the movie. Am I misreading?? > >>Marcy ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 14:32:18 -0500 From: "Chaney, Dolph L" Subject: common recency 1) I just bought all 3 Elliott Smith CDs, and they're each brilliant imho. I listened to them in order, and there's definite progress, but on first listen, I've latched on to his 2nd, the self-titled one, rather than the more lauded Either/Or. However, "Pictures Of Me" from the latter is what I'd wished the Apples In Stereo were like. What's "vocally weak" to some folks comes across to me as simply "quiet". 2) Female equivalent to Robyn -- My vote is for Kristin Hersh, like many others', though this comparison only really works for their respective 90s solo work. Kate & Tori are fantasts, Laurie is a bit too post-modern and techie to be truly surrealistic, though it's definitely otherworldly stuff. In this sentence, I am going to try and bring Lisa Germano into the discussion and ultimately fail. My guess is that Robyn recognized a kindred quality in Jill Sobule when he hired her to open on a recent tour, but I've only heard her singles. I listen to a fair amount of music by women, but most of them tend to be more directly folk-based (Vega, Shawn Colvin's 1st album, Sandy Denny, Carrie Newcomer) or indie/twee (Mary Lou Lord, lois, that dog, Sleater-Kinney). For dada, of course, there's the Japanese contingent -- Ono, Cibo Matto, Shonen Knife -- but dada's not surrealism. Perhaps the reason there's not a more direct correspondent female figure for Robyn is that it seems rare for female artists to make Beatly jangly pop -- at least to my knowledge. Are the Bangles the only female band to make use of a 12-string electric guitar? Have I just betrayed enormous ignorance??? 3) Rumor & Sigh -- yes, I do "dolph" during "1952 VBL" like others do (and though I like Mary Lou Lord, I do NOT want to hear her cover it, as she did on a recent EP). Considering RT's other recent output, I will be very surprised if he ever surpasses this album with his future output. I do miss Dave Mattacks on drums, though. Mickey Curry and Jim Keltner can't hope to manage Richard's delicacy the way Dave does -- after all, they sort of invented that particular brand of delicacy in rock, back in Fairport. Still, this is one of those rare Froom/Blake productions that I actually love (along with RT's Amnesia and American Music Club's Mercury). 4) Polara -- as others have noted, the debut is brilliant, C'est La Vie isn't but has its moments, and I didn't know the new one was coming out either. 27 Various's 3rd album, Approximately, is on its way to me in the mail. 5) Gabriel's "Here Comes The Flood" as done on Fripp's Exposure might be the most intimate thing either man has ever released. 6) I was contemplating making the journey from Atlanta to Casa Quail until the party's date got changed. It might not have worked out anyway, since I'll probably be trying to finish my CD up during May, but I do want to meet some of you fine folks sometime... *whimper* Dolph ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 15:04:34 -0500 (EST) From: Bayard Subject: robyn as narrator Have you noticed how often RH takes a first person perspective in his songs? by my count he's done about 24 songs beginning with "I" or "I'm" (some covers included.) But only some of these could be considered to include Robyn as a character in the song. Off the top of my head, these include Clean Steve, You and Oblivion, and Linctus House. Other autobiographical songs where RH does not actually refer to himself: yip song, the face of death, etc. Can you think of more? But I suppose it could be argued that all love songs are autobiographical to some extent... On Thu, 26 Mar 1998, Natalie Jacobs wrote: > >>there was Kate Bush, who's more of a fantasy-ist (gotta be a better word > >>here!) > > > >fantabulist is the noun form, IIRC. > > "Fantast," according to my dictionary. I've never heard that used before > though. i think 'fantasist' is the (slightly more) modern variant. =b ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 12:54:35 -0700 From: Eb Subject: Re: The female Robyn Hitchcock? >>Kristin Hersh. Bjork. Maggie Estep. to a lesser extent Tanya Donelly. > >Hmmmmmmmmm Kristen Hersh, while a decent artist, doesn't (to me) fit the >discription that well. While Bjork does, quite well to me, the music may be >less 'folky' but the quirkiness is all there, especially during interviews. >and Maggie Estep, ........ick. But shouldn't Maggie Estep get an extra nod because she used Michael "Soy Bomb" Portnoy in one of her videos? Eb ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 14:01:54 -0800 From: Nick Winkworth Subject: Will the *real* Robyn followers please stand up? Many thanks to all the knowledgeable folk who filled in details about the bands listed by the All Music Guide as "followers" of Robyn. The consensus seems pretty unanimous, however ...every last one of them misses by a mile, at least as a contender for "follower" goes. So here's my question: Who would *you* list in that category? I think we can include artists or bands who have a similar sound or style, as well as those directly influenced. If you like, I'll take the collected wisdom and email it to AMG with a request to update their site. I can't promise they'd take any notice, but they certainly ask for corrections and comments. ~N ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 14:35:02 -0800 From: Mark_Gloster@3com.com Subject: Re: Will the *real* Robyn followers please stand up? I'd vote for Anton Barbeau. I also like Syd Barret most when he's ripping off Robyn- I've always wanted to say that.;-) I think that Mark Gloster and Big Rubber Shark is influenced by Robyn, yet seldom seems to show at the surface. >If you like, I'll take the collected wisdom and email it to AMG with a >request to update their site. I can't promise they'd take any notice, >but they certainly ask for corrections and comments. I'd take a definite "no" on Maggie Estep, unless she's changed a lot. I really like her work, but she seems too physical, direct, and New York for me to draw a line between her and the Man. retsolG kraM- ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 19:25:44 -0500 From: tanter Subject: Re: The female Robyn Hitchcock? LAURIE ANDERSON!!!!!!!!!! Marcy ;) ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 17:23:55 -0800 (PST) From: The Non-Prophet Subject: Re: robyn as narrator On Thu, 26 Mar 1998, Bayard wrote: > Have you noticed how often RH takes a first person perspective in his > songs? by my count he's done about 24 songs beginning with "I" or "I'm" > (some covers included.) But only some of these could be considered to > include Robyn as a character in the song. Off the top of my head, these > include Clean Steve, You and Oblivion, and Linctus House. Other > autobiographical songs where RH does not actually refer to himself: yip > song, the face of death, etc. Can you think of more? I immediately thought of "Balloon Man" and "Sleeping With Your Devil Mask". "If You Were A Priest", "Tell Me About Your Drugs", and "Bass" might also qualify. Of course, "Give It To The Soft Boys" is the quintessential autobiographical Hitchcock song, is it not? Boy! There seems to be higher-than-normal Robyn content on the list since I started posting again. Hmmm...another Quailspiracy perhaps? ;-) - -g- ----------==========**********O**********==========--------- Glen E. Uber uberg@sonic.net "Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible." --Frank Zappa ----------==========**********O**********==========--------- ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 21:22:00 -0500 (EST) From: Bayard Subject: perspex review I was digging around in Lexis-Nexis (anyone else use this tool?) and found this. Before I say anything, here is the review: 1991 The Ottawa Citizen, September 14, 1991 Perspex Island (A&M 75021 5366 4) Robyn Hitchcock considers Perpex Island to be his first adult album. Gone are the child-like analogies to vegetables and insects that likened his writing to Jonathan Richman. But Hitchcock still admires the pop melodies of pop's innocent age. The Byrds can be heard throughout and The Beatles figure heavily particularly in the single So You Think You're In Love where the influence is stronger than it ought to be. But there is one thing that Hitchcock would love to borrow from those sources and can not. He still finds it easier to write faithless songs than those that embrace a belief. He tries anyway. Alongside those sentiments that flow readily such as She Doesn't Exist are songs that yearn for something-anything. Hitchcock calls them prayers although they are sometimes pleas. It's clearly a struggle. __ Sorry about the messy formatting. Now, is it just me, or is this review: 1. Poorly written 2. Misguided 3. Condescending 4. A clear indicator of a clear lack of clear perception I mean, I'm not the biggest _perspex_ fan in the world (though I gained new appreciation for it from close study of its lyrics.) But come on-- "She doesn't exist" IS the 'yearning' song, along with "if you go away"... the others all have points to them, IIRC ... "earthly paradise" condemns the destruction of the earth's biosphere, "ultra unbelieveable love" is a celebration of just that, being in love to the exclusion of all else, "if you go away" looks at the loss of loved ones in war, etc, etc. SYTYIL addresses the uncertain nature of love, but ends with a triumphant, affirmative "Yeah!" and oceanside embraces a faith RH has had for years, a strong emotional reaction to the place where the sea meets the land. Is this person full of it? Please let me know. I invite any rock journalists who may or may not be among us to respond, as I know little about this field. =b, sponge journalist ps. they spelled the name of the artists as "Robyn Hitchcock and the Eqyptians." pps. British or canadian fegs: do you-all use "can not"? Seems wrong to me. ppps. Anyone have any Ian "Poison" Penman reviews to share? (that's the name of the guy who they wrote 'lonesome death' about, right?) ------------------------------ End of fegmaniax-digest V7 #119 *******************************