From: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org (fegmaniax-digest) To: fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Subject: fegmaniax-digest V7 #261 Reply-To: fegmaniax@smoe.org Sender: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk fegmaniax-digest Thursday, July 9 1998 Volume 07 : Number 261 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: Those Annoying Crop Circles [Eleanore Adams ] Re: John McLaughlin. [nicastr@idt.net (Ben)] Re: Groops Maisie like[s/d] [Tom Clark ] Re: Those Annoying Crop Circles ["JH3" ] Re: Those Annoying Crop Circles [nicastr@idt.net (Ben)] Re: Crop Circles Are Go! [Eb ] Re: fegmaniax-digest V7 #260 [Natalie Jacobs ] Re: Those Annoying Crop Circles [Eb ] this is the best thread in ages [Eb ] annoy me! [Bayard ] zombies, anyone?/darkside thought/no particular rh content [Thomas Rodeb] Those Annoying Nasal Crops ["JH3" ] Re: zombies, anyone?/darkside thought/no particular rh content [nicastr@i] Re: annoy me! [Bayard ] names in songs [Bayard ] Glen or glenda? [dwdudic@erols.com (David W. Dudich)] nasal drone [Lobsterman ] a conundrum. [Bayard ] RE: Ordo Templar Quailientis [Bayard ] Re: "I'm huge!" [Terrence M Marks ] names and noses [kenster@MIT.EDU (Ken Ostrander)] Re: a conundrum. [nicastr@idt.net (Ben)] Re: zombies, anyone?/darkside thought/no particular rh content [Terrence] Re: Glen or glenda? ["JH3" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 09 Jul 1998 11:45:36 +0000 From: Eleanore Adams Subject: Re: Those Annoying Crop Circles Two words: Wesley Willis eleanore JH3 wrote: > This is obviously the *last* discussion I should ever involve myself in, > but... > > >...this is exactly my point -- many music fans DO like to listen to > >things that annoy them (including me). That's part of rock 'n' roll. The > >irritation, the scratching of an itch, the agitation -- rock 'n' roll > >unsettles you, puts you on edge. That's a central component of its appeal. > > Uh, this is just a question of semantics, isn't it? > > It seems like Eb is using the word "annoying" when he should be using words > like "jarring" or "discordant" or maybe even just "loud". Unsettling you and > putting you on edge, which aren't necessarily bad, aren't the same as > annoying you, which is. Like Eddie said, Whitney Houston annoys me, so I > don't listen to Whitney Houston. But I suspect he's using this word for a > reason, maybe just to perk up the conversation. (I can't imagine it's > because he can't come up with a better word.) > > >Rock 'n' roll fans don't want to listen to music that > >relaxes and sedates them. > > Generally speaking no, though it depends on their mood at the time, I > suppose. The problem is, by misusing the word "annoying" to describe the > type of music they *do* want to listen to implies that Eb isn't a rock 'n' > roll fan, which we know is not the case. > > >either you have the ANNOY-ME chromosome, or you don't. > > This might explain quite a bit... > > >It's easy to think of other groups whose vocalists lend the sound > >an "annoying" quality which provides the hook. Think Perry Farrell. Think > >Axl Rose. Think Frank Black. Think Ozzy Osborne. Jello Biafra. Mark E. > >Smith. John Lydon. Or maybe the all-time best example, Robert Plant. > > "Distinctive", "unusual" perhaps, maybe even "unique" in some cases, but not > "annoying", at least not to their fans. Only to their detractors. > > >And of course, the annoyance factor doesn't apply just to voices. I mean, > >look at hardcore punk, for one thing. That's about nothing but trying to be > >"good-annoying." An insistent guitar lick, a bludgeoning beat, vicious > >lyrics, whatever. > > This is exactly what I mean - is there really such a thing as > "good-annoying"? I don't think so. It's good because it's annoying people > you don't like. It's not annoying you. Certainly when I myself am doing my > best to be annoying, which is pretty much all the time, I'd hardly want the > people I'm trying to annoy to think I was doing a good thing. Otherwise why > would I do it? > > >Of course, for further illustration of the difference between good-annoying > >and bad-annoying, see the Grateful Dead. > > Y'see, to me and many other anti-Dead types, the Dead's *music* isn't > particularly annoying, just kind of sleep-inducing. What most of us find > annoying about them (forgive me, Ben) is that there's this whole subculture > built up around them and an almost religious reverence for them that they > don't seem to deserve (at least not any more than dozens of other artists - > Robyn H, for example). And while the reverence might really be based on > appreciation of their music, it's difficult for those of us looking at it > from the outside - i.e., people who don't like their music - to believe > that, because the enormous cultural aspect of it gives the impression that > their fans are just in it to be part of the community. (Otherwise, why would > they all dress up like that?) > > Flame away. > > John H. Hedges > > PS. Last week I was flipping channels, and came across this show on The > Discovery Channel called "What Sex Am I?"... at almost that exact moment the > announcer says, "This is the domain of the 'she-male' - women from the waist > up, man from the waist down"... and there they all were, reconciling their > parents to them by becoming both at once. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 14:57:20 -0500 From: nicastr@idt.net (Ben) Subject: Re: John McLaughlin. >A few days ago, when I a pizza deliveryman noticed my electric bass guitar >and asked what sort of music I played. I said that it was late 60's >California psychedelic, rather like Spirit or the Electric Prunes (if >anyone who has a copy of GF has a better description, I'd really dig >hearing it.) He nodded in recognition, said I was rather young to have >heard of those bands, and suggested that I check out John McLaughlin (sp?) > >I've decided to do so. To avoid repeating what happened when I rushed out >to buy a Teardrop Explodes album and came home with Wilder, what albums of >his do you-all reccomend? Why your pizzaman made a connection between San Fran psychedelic rock and John McLaughlin, I don't know. But, I'll put my proggie hat on and make some reccomendations anyways. Mahavishnu Orch. - "Birds Of Fire" more prog-rock than jazz fusion, awesome stuff! John McLaughlin - "Electric Guitarist" nice 70's jazz sound, if you like that kinda thing. Miles Davis - "A Tribute To Jack Johnson", "Bitches Brew", "Live/Evil", "In A Silent Way" these are all classic albums that feature JM on guitar... ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Jul 98 11:54:16 -0700 From: Tom Clark Subject: Re: Groops Maisie like[s/d] On 7/8/98 6:02 PM, KarmaFuzzz wrote: >In a message dated 98-07-08 09:31:31 EDT, gnat@umich.edu writes: >> >For those of you who are interested... >> >Maisie's fave band is "Nine Inch Nails." - well - back in October of 1994. >> "I don't know much about the Cure... my daughter likes the Cure, but >> parents shouldn't listen to the same music their kids listen to because >> it's *creepy*." > >also, he apparently attended Lollapalooza in SF in 1992 (where he was >interviewed on Live 105), because Maisie wanted to see Ministry. Oh man - I was there too! I don't suppose Robyn was in the mosh pit, huh? The most exciting thing that happened there was when Ice Cube and his posse walked past where we were sitting and my wife yelled "Fuck You, Ice Cube!" - she does stuff like that sometimes. He looked kinda startled, then waved and moved on. Oh, and I chatted with MTV's Dave Kendall. What a wanker. - -tc ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 14:09:40 -0500 From: "JH3" Subject: Re: Those Annoying Crop Circles Eleanore Adams wrote Two words: >Wesley Willis Ah, well, that clears that up. I'd forgotten all about him! So never mind that last post, I take it all back... JH3 ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 15:13:48 -0500 From: nicastr@idt.net (Ben) Subject: Re: Those Annoying Crop Circles >Y'see, to me and many other anti-Dead types, the Dead's *music* isn't >particularly annoying, just kind of sleep-inducing. What most of us find >annoying about them (forgive me, Ben) is that there's this whole subculture >built up around them and an almost religious reverence for them that they >don't seem to deserve (at least not any more than dozens of other artists - >Robyn H, for example). And while the reverence might really be based on >appreciation of their music, it's difficult for those of us looking at it >from the outside - i.e., people who don't like their music - to believe >that, because the enormous cultural aspect of it gives the impression that >their fans are just in it to be part of the community. (Otherwise, why would >they all dress up like that?) Most "Deadheads", especially the younger ones, are in it just to be part of that community. It's really no different than any other group that dresses up a certain way to be part of some group. It bugs me too! But... the behavior of the Dead's fans should not have anything to do with the perception of their music. Unfortunately, the Dead were known more for the Deadhead community than the music. Given the lemming-ish behavior of most Deadheads, this reflects poorly on the band, but it really shouldn't. The Dead had absolutely nothing to do with their following, in fact they often expressed that they were uncomfortable with the religious kind of adoration many Deadheads gave them. Hate the Dead for those mind-numbing jams, not because of the smelly Deadhead community. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 12:12:56 -0700 From: Eb Subject: Re: Crop Circles Are Go! David wrote: >Although not annoying, "Sleeping With Your Devil Mask" and the track that >follows it, "Unsettled", have always been two of my favorite examples of >why Robyn Hitchcock, at his best, taps into my "aggressive" side, gets my >adrenaline flowing, and provides physical catharsis. Of course, the degree >of "edginess" it takes for a song to do that probably varies with the >listener's expectations. I'd be interested to hear what you think of them, >since you're the first person to nail exactly why I like them. Well, it's funny you mention "Devil Mask." Earlier, I was trying to think of songs where Robyn's voice strains over the edge and becomes good-annoying, and I could hear a song where he sneered "YEWWWW" but couldn't think of the title. And now that I've gone back and spun "Devil Mask," I think that was the song! So yeah, "Devil Mask" has some of that quality for me. "Unsettled"? Mmm, I dunno...not so much. >Both those songs -- and others like "Insanely Jealous" or "Brenda's Iron >Sledge" -- have always perfectly captured a certain familiar teenage emotion: >a sort of furious egotism, misanthropy; a fierce intellectual/bookish "geek"'s >disdain for the tawdriness of the world. Sneer and shout along with Robyn! Didn't I say that Robyn *used* to be able to tap into the annoying thing? Those are mighty early songs, you know. Sure, those songs are definitely great examples of Robyn being Annoying. The Tokens are four singing otters. Eb ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 15:22:06 -0400 From: Natalie Jacobs Subject: Re: fegmaniax-digest V7 #260 >Very well. But your comment does nothing to contradict my contention that >his appeal isn't based in "annoyance." You're only saying that you find him >*negatively* annoying. I wasn't talking about his annoyance appeal. I was responding to your contention that "there is nothing irritating about Rufus Wainwright." My response is: There most certainly is. >Still, I am completely dumbfounded as to how anyone could react with such >hostility to his voice. I wonder if perhaps you (and Bayard) are reacting >more to his melodic phrasing than his actual voice -- you don't like all >the sustained, drawn-out syllables. No. When I was listening to him, I thought, "He'd have a real nice voice if he had that sinus polyp removed." >Or Syd Barrett's guitar. >(Strum that chord. Over. And over. And over. Wait ... change chords!) Heh! I listened to "The Madcap Laughs" for the first time last night. Some very charming tunes combined with some stuff that's just kind of rambling. I'm pretty sure I like it, though I'll have to get used to it, I think. And no, I don't think Robyn sounds all that much like him, though I can hear the influence. My Triffid, which had wilted, has revived and will soon take a place of pride in the sinister Jacobs garden. n., the sinister gardener ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 12:28:24 -0700 From: Eb Subject: Re: Those Annoying Crop Circles >It seems like Eb is using the word "annoying" when he should be using words >like "jarring" or "discordant" or maybe even just "loud". Unsettling you and >putting you on edge, which aren't necessarily bad, aren't the same as >annoying you, which is. Like Eddie said, Whitney Houston annoys me, so I >don't listen to Whitney Houston. But I suspect he's using this word for a >reason, maybe just to perk up the conversation. Well, Eb's Theory of Annoyance is years old now.... ;) "Loud" definitely can't be substituted. There are plenty of loud bands who aren't annoying at all. For instance, all those blanded-out third-generation grunge bands that are so popular nowadays. I think one of the reasons why early grunge is so much better than what it engendered is that the Annoying quality was lost. Nirvana and Mudhoney are good-annoying. Soundgarden is good-annoying. But the second wave of grunge led off with Pearl Jam, whose music isn't annoying at ALL -- the only "annoying" thing about them is Vedder's voice, and that walks a precarious line between good-annoying and bad-annoying from song to song. But listen to popular alternative hard-rock today, and that "annoyance" is gone. It's all just a bland growl of electric guitar, just an anonymous backdrop that supports the chords and hooks. There's no sense of spontaneous chemistry, or harmonic "quarrel." Seamless. >>It's easy to think of other groups whose vocalists lend the sound >>an "annoying" quality which provides the hook. Think Perry Farrell. Think >>Axl Rose. Think Frank Black. Think Ozzy Osborne. Jello Biafra. Mark E. >>Smith. John Lydon. Or maybe the all-time best example, Robert Plant. > >"Distinctive", "unusual" perhaps, maybe even "unique" in some cases, but not >"annoying", at least not to their fans. Only to their detractors. Well, I'm saying otherwise, obviously. I mean, can you imagine even a rabid DK fan saying that Biafra's voice is "beautiful" or "pleasing"? >This is exactly what I mean - is there really such a thing as >"good-annoying"? I don't think so. It's good because it's annoying people >you don't like. It's not annoying you. Certainly when I myself am doing my >best to be annoying, which is pretty much all the time, I'd hardly want the >people I'm trying to annoy to think I was doing a good thing. Otherwise why >would I do it? > >Y'see, to me and many other anti-Dead types, the Dead's *music* isn't >particularly annoying, just kind of sleep-inducing. Well, do you really think I'm going to argue against their music being sleep-inducing? ;) That's certainly a prime reason why I dislike the Dead - -- their music generally aims to sedate and lull you into a trance. Just turn off your brain, and surrender to the bliss. I find that extremely boring. I like music that actively engages me, and keeps my mind working. Eb ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 12:31:38 -0700 From: Eb Subject: this is the best thread in ages >>Still, I am completely dumbfounded as to how anyone could react with such >>hostility to his voice. I wonder if perhaps you (and Bayard) are reacting >>more to his melodic phrasing than his actual voice -- you don't like all >>the sustained, drawn-out syllables. > >No. When I was listening to him, I thought, "He'd have a real nice voice >if he had that sinus polyp removed." Umm...well, forgive me for pointing out the obvious, but is ANY singer more nasal than Robyn Hitchcock? I mean, even Ringo Starr can't measure up to Robyn's nasalities. ;) They produced this album and everything else The Happenings record, and are the most famous unknown performers in America. Eb ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 15:44:56 -0400 (EDT) From: Bayard Subject: annoy me! > Didn't I say that Robyn *used* to be able to tap into the annoying thing? > Those are mighty early songs, you know. Sure, those songs are definitely > great examples of Robyn being Annoying. ok, I'll bite. in addition to devil mask, how about executioner, agony of pleasure, blues in a, vegetable friend, mellow together? these are some pretty annoying (different? grating? off key?) voices, i love 'em. there are more... how about wafflehead? and the most annoying live song ever, i got a message for you! it makes even the even-tempered woj scream in mortal anguish! > > The Tokens are four singing otters. really? cool. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 15:50:04 -0400 (EDT) From: Thomas Rodebaugh Subject: zombies, anyone?/darkside thought/no particular rh content hey there folks, i'm tom, lurker ordinaire. . . it's because of this list that i have grown to appreciate, among other things, julian cope/teardrop explodes and king crimson. so i was wondering if anyone has any thoughts about the zombies box set, "zombie heaven." i read a favorable review of it, and i like the two songs i've ever heard by them ("she's not there" and "the season(?)") but i have no sense of what the box set is like in comparison to those songs, or if they are overall an interesting or (dangerous words coming) "important" band in any sense. so i come before those with more knowledge and ask. my two cents on the writing from the dark side thing: i think many writers do it. i know i do. i have said before that i make my characters do all the things i would never do (and there's a lot of those; i'm very cautious). i think it's perfectly possible to explore "the dark side" without getting pulled in. i mean, my characters have killed, raped, helped perform amateur brain surgery, used drugs that don't really exist, helped destroy the world (inadvertantly), and one's about to found a ufo cult in the midwest. (you can see for yourself at www.unc.edu/~tlr3 ) i, however, have never gotten a speeding ticket, been drunk, or cheated on a girlfriend. but i also think plenty of writers wouldn't know a dark side if it jumped up and bit their wordprocessor. . . just my thoughts. . . tom ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 15:00:58 -0500 From: "JH3" Subject: Those Annoying Nasal Crops >>"Distinctive", "unusual" perhaps, maybe even "unique" in some cases, but not >>"annoying", at least not to their fans. Only to their detractors. Ebsez: >Well, I'm saying otherwise, obviously. I mean, can you imagine even a rabid >DK fan saying that Biafra's voice is "beautiful" or "pleasing"? Of course not. But that's not the same thing, is it? I'm a reasonably rabid DK fan, and while I wouldn't call his voice pleasing, nor would I call it annoying. It's just his voice. Admittedly, one of the reasons I like it is because it tends to annoy *other* people (i.e., Celine Dion fans) who I probably wouldn't want to hang out with. But it doesn't annoy me, because I'm such a psychotic radical mindbendingly wacky guy. My point, such as it is, is just that this is mostly a matter of word choice. But since most people understand what you (presumably) mean, I probably should have just stayed out of it. I apologize for being so... pedantic? >Umm...well, forgive me for pointing out the obvious, but is ANY >singer more nasal than Robyn Hitchcock? Personally, I think Jello and Perry Farrell both are... Maybe there's "good-nasal" and "bad-nasal"? JH3 ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 16:05:09 -0500 From: nicastr@idt.net (Ben) Subject: Re: zombies, anyone?/darkside thought/no particular rh content >hey there folks, i'm tom, lurker ordinaire. . . > >it's because of this list that i have grown to appreciate, among other >things, julian cope/teardrop explodes and king crimson. > >so i was wondering if anyone has any thoughts about the zombies box set, >"zombie heaven." i read a favorable review of it, and i like the two >songs i've ever heard by them ("she's not there" and "the season(?)") but >i have no sense of what the box set is like in comparison to those songs, >or if they are overall an interesting or (dangerous words coming) >"important" band in any sense. so i come before those with more knowledge >and ask. I have the Zombie's "Singles A's & B's" CD and it is *really* good! Their stuff is definitely up to the level of the other great 60's British Invasion bands, so I'd recommend checking them out. From what I've heard, the box set will be more enjoyable to the Zombie-fanatic than the casual fan, but I've never heard it so I can't give my own opinion. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 16:01:34 -0400 (EDT) From: Bayard Subject: Re: annoy me! > I really don't see much point in isolating deviant examples. Mmm... I don't really see much point in pigeonholing RH. When a guy has > released 300 songs (or whatever Robyn's tally is), of course you can pick > out examples of this or that 'til sundown. yes... proving you wrong is almost tooooo easy... ;) it's all POV. =b ps. I just wanna say I thought it was really brave of Eb to recommend Rusfus to us. I say from now on we name him "Courageous Ebby." ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 16:19:41 -0400 (EDT) From: Bayard Subject: names in songs whooopsie, I replied publicly to Eb when he wrote me privately... sorry, lucky we weren't talking about anything persinal... Speaking of songs anout Danielle and the such, what is the name that is used mOST in songs? a year or two back I was compiling "Caroline" songs and found well nigh a hundred. (I cheated though, and allowed "carolina".) Who is the all time champion? (probably not eb or bayard or woj!) o carolina, =b ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 09 Jul 1998 20:22:02 GMT From: dwdudic@erols.com (David W. Dudich) Subject: Glen or glenda? >PS. Last week I was flipping channels, and came across this show on The >Discovery Channel called "What Sex Am I?"... at almost that exact moment the >announcer says, "This is the domain of the 'she-male' - women from the waist >up, man from the waist down"... and there they all were, reconciling their >parents to them by becoming both at once. Wasn't this also an Ed Wood movie? "PULLLLLL THE STRINGS! PULLLL THE STRINGS!!!" :-) -luther ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 13:29:16 -0700 From: Lobsterman Subject: nasal drone >Umm...well, forgive me for pointing out the obvious, but is ANY singer more >nasal than Robyn Hitchcock? Yes. Gary Numan. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 16:29:25 -0400 (EDT) From: Bayard Subject: a conundrum. here's a philosopical question for ya. is it possible to separate the measure of how good music is, from how much you like it? if so, is this even necessary and how do you go about it? Would the Beatles have been as great if no one had ever heard them? would Elvis have been as great without his millions of fans? What makes music good, its intrinsic value or how people respond to it? is it truly possible to appreciate something without liking it? discuss. d= ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 16:43:34 -0400 (EDT) From: Bayard Subject: RE: Ordo Templar Quailientis Just a quick note, and no offense indended: On Thu, 9 Jul 1998, Chaney, Dolph L wrote: > Susan says "Anti-Christian, that's just fine..." > > Well, um, gee. Is it? Anti-Semitic, anti-Muslim, anti-Hindi, anti-Shinto, > anti-Buddhist, etc. are not just fine. I don't know anything much about that creepy weirdo you were all talking about (the one Quail likes) but I would just say, a lot of people have pretty valid reasons for being anti-this-or-that Religion. And I would add that being anti-Christianity is more condonable than being anti-Christian, as to me, being Anti-Christianianity is a point of view, whereas being anti-Christian (or anti-any person or group) is just some degree of hatred. > My question is always "what DO you believe?" rather than > "what DON'T you believe?" Life's too short to worry about what you don't > believe. But people who don't believe in this-or-that would simply say, "I believe _______ is wrong." Subjective point of view again... I think religion is great when it works, and freedom of thought is one of the most important things ever; but like anything, religion can go so wrong... Did we ever decide if fegmania is a religion? Anyway, just the contents of my stoopid head. I'm posting more than I ever have (or should.) Me shut up now. My fegList alias name comes from robyn's song "The vomiting cross". =b ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 16:44:47 -0400 (EDT) From: Terrence M Marks Subject: Re: "I'm huge!" > > Who are The Tokens? > They recorded "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", which became a hit and the definitive version. Terrence Marks normal@grove.ufl.edu ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 17:01:31 -0400 From: kenster@MIT.EDU (Ken Ostrander) Subject: names and noses >Speaking of songs anout Danielle and the such, what is the name that is >used mOST in songs? a year or two back I was compiling "Caroline" songs >and found well nigh a hundred. (I cheated though, and allowed >"carolina".) Who is the all time champion? (probably not eb or bayard or >woj!) "johnny/john" would have to be the hands down winner. >Umm...well, forgive me for pointing out the obvious, but is ANY singer more >nasal than Robyn Hitchcock? I mean, even Ringo Starr can't measure up to >Robyn's nasalities. bobby zimmerman? morrissey? barbara streisand? ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 17:02:21 -0500 From: nicastr@idt.net (Ben) Subject: Re: a conundrum. >here's a philosopical question for ya. is it possible to separate the >measure of how good music is, from how much you like it? I think so. An example would be the "guilty pleasure" bands we all have, ones we think are not good in an artistic sense, but that we love anyways. >if so, is this >even necessary and how do you go about it? Would the Beatles have been as >great if no one had ever heard them? >What makes music good, its intrinsic value >or how people respond to it? There really isn't an answer to this because the quality of music is purely opinion. Although every book in the land may give 5 stars to Sgt. Pepper, it's still just opinions. And opinions are not fact, although many people think their opiniona *are* fact, or at least *better* than everyone else's. >is it truly possible to appreciate something without liking it? I think so, you can appreciate certain aspects of someone's music without liking it. Such as thel skill of a shred guitarist who's music is just emotionless solos, you can at the very least appreciate that they have some abilty. Not that it matters much in the overall picture. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 17:00:36 -0400 (EDT) From: Terrence M Marks Subject: Re: zombies, anyone?/darkside thought/no particular rh content > so i was wondering if anyone has any thoughts about the zombies box set, > "zombie heaven." i read a favorable review of it, and i like the two > songs i've ever heard by them ("she's not there" and "the season(?)") but > i have no sense of what the box set is like in comparison to those songs, > or if they are overall an interesting or (dangerous words coming) > "important" band in any sense. so i come before those with more knowledge > and ask. The Zombies' "Odyssey and Oracle" was the one of the 10 best psychedelic albums[1]. Colin Bluntstone's voice is up there with Harry Nilsson's, Micky Dolenz', or Carl Wilson's; quite high and delicate. The songs are well-written and arranged, reminiscent of Pet Sounds. Your collection is not complete without this album. It contains "Time of the Season", which I feel is one of the weaker cuts. The Zombies' other album, I've never heard. There's also a collection of singles which didn't particularly impress me, mainly standard white R&B. And since we're on the subject of annoying things and authors we don't like, I figure I may as well bring up Oscar, whom I believe to be the worst writer in the English language and a real sick perv as well. Several Mystery Science Theatre-style treatments of his works are available at http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Temple/4007/Oscar.html should anyone be interested. 1: Other albums you shouldn't be without: The Kinks: Village Green Preservation Society The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds The Beatles: Revolver The Monkees: Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and Jones, Ltd. Pink Floyd: Piper at the Gates of Dawn The Soft Boys: Underwater Moonlight Terrence Marks normal@grove.ufl.edu ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 16:22:01 -0500 From: "JH3" Subject: Re: Glen or glenda? >>PS. Last week I was flipping channels, and came across this show on The >>Discovery Channel called "What Sex Am I?"... at almost that exact moment the >>announcer says, "This is the domain of the 'she-male' - women from the waist >>up, man from the waist down"... Luther wrote: > Wasn't this also an Ed Wood movie? > "PULLLLLL THE STRINGS! PULLLL THE STRINGS!!!" Y'know, I wonder if Ed Wood would've gone that far if the option had been available back then? I guess in the 50's all you could do was put on a skirt and some eyeshadow. These were all men who'd had themselves surgically altered to look female - breast implants, hip implants, nose jobs, the whole thing - but they hadn't had their genitals removed and didn't necessarily take hormones. Not that there's anything *wrong* with that... JH3 ------------------------------ End of fegmaniax-digest V7 #261 *******************************