From: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org (fegmaniax-digest) To: fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Subject: fegmaniax-digest V7 #345 Reply-To: fegmaniax@smoe.org Sender: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk fegmaniax-digest Friday, September 4 1998 Volume 07 : Number 345 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Creativity (0% Robyn) [Ken Sabatini ] Jeme! Jeme! Where's Jeme!??? 0.000%RH [Mark Gloster ] Re: Bye, Bye Johnny... (some gondolism content) [Eb ] Re: Bye, Bye Johnny... (some gondolism content) [Tom Clark ] that '70s show [Eb ] Re: Bye, Bye Johnny... [Eb ] Re: that '70s show [Ben ] Re: gratuitous [fred is ted ] Re: gratuitous non-RH [amadain ] [none] [james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James Dignan)] Re: gratuitous non-RH [Ben ] The female reproductive system, revisited [Natalie Jane Jacobs Subject: Creativity (0% Robyn) OK, two easy-to-delete messages. On Creativity: Quail: > Actually, Eb, Jeme is right. He *was* the first one to coin "Quailspew." Eb: > Hmm. Well, PHOOEY. I guess it's a case of creative synchronicity then, > because I never saw him say it I recall taking a graduate course in Cognitive Psychology at which a brief presentation of a faculty member's recent research was given. He also was in the Cog. Psy. department. Anyway, it concerned creativity. He had conducted a series of experiments whose results pointed to people's tendencies to attribute the creativity of others to themselves (under certain conditions, naturally). (Bear in mind that this is all from memory--the memory of a grad. student of Industrial/Organizational psychology who was taking the Cognitive psych. class to fulfill a program requirement. So please don't attack me for being imprecise in my descriptions below--I'm just trying to give the gist of the research.) In one study, he gave people several problems and asked them to come up with as many unique/imaginative solutions as they could in a designated time period. People did this in small groups. After writing down the solutions, the subjects then discussed their ideas with the group. Soon after, all ideas were summarized on paper and rated by the subjects for creativity. Several weeks later, the subjects were individually asked back to the lab where they were presented with a list of the solutions generated by their groups. They were asked to identify the solutions they came up with. A great number (50%?) mistook one of the top-rated solutions for their own. Thus, they truly believed that they had come up with one of these "highly creative" ideas, when they hadn't. (There was a control group in here somewhere) In another series of studies, he had people at Week 1 view several drawings of strange sea creatures living at great depths. Several weeks later, he had these same people draw pictures of creatures from an imaginary planet--they were told to be as creative as possible (or something like that). It turned out that their "creative as possible" drawings tended to very closely match with the sea creature drawings shown to them in week 1. (I believe this was compared to the drawings of a control group who had not viewed the pictures in week 1). Again, people mistook their own creativity for the creativity of others or things they had actually seen. I don't recall how they controlled for the obvious alternate explanations to these findings. Maybe this explains the Eb vs Capuchin debate on Qualspew. Maybe this is what happened to me when I "came up" with my unique bumper stickers related to the Jesus fish vs. Darwin fish that other people had actually seen on cars before I invented them. Then again, maybe they were just obvious ideas. Ken Do you know what you're eating? *Gelatin: the tasteless, odorless, brittle substance extracted by boiling bones, hoofs, and animal tissues -- Webster's College Dictionary ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 04 Sep 1998 11:17:38 -0700 From: Mark Gloster Subject: Jeme! Jeme! Where's Jeme!??? 0.000%RH Apologies to the rest of the list... Hi. This is the central scrutinizer. We haven't heard from you. Has anyone made plans? We'd like to be sure to pick you up in Saint Jo or Saint Cruhz. If anyone else has made specific plans to pick up Jeme, Cappucin, Adhesiphobe, Happy Crab, please let us know. Thank you for your indulgence. - -Markg ps. We have Bayard. No one is safe. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1998 14:32:04 EDT From: MARKEEFE@aol.com Subject: Re: [Fwd: Neutral Milk Hotel Review] I was just listening to the first NMH CD yesterday ("On Avery Island") and thought it would be worth mentioning that this, too, is a really good album. It's not as fantastic as "Aeroplane," but it definitely verges on greatness. "Aeroplane" gets talked about so much here; I just didn't want people to forget about "Avery." For those of you who own "Aeroplane" but don't own the first one, go out and get it! As I said, it's not quite as brilliant (and it's a bit noisier and Sonic Youthy at times), but it's really, really good. Okay, just I'd mention that. - ------Michael K. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1998 15:08:02 -0400 From: lj lindhurst Subject: NMH again, we love them, we can't get enough of that one guy, Jeff, and then there's that guy who plays the saw, too, we love 'em all! > I was just listening to the first NMH CD yesterday ("On Avery Island") >and thought it would be worth mentioning that this, too, is a really good >album. It's not as fantastic as "Aeroplane," but it definitely verges on >greatness. "Aeroplane" gets talked about so much here; I just didn't want >people to forget about "Avery." For those of you who own "Aeroplane" but >don't own the first one, go out and get it! As I said, it's not quite as >brilliant (and it's a bit noisier and Sonic Youthy at times), but it's really, >really good. Okay, just I'd mention that. > >------Michael K. I just wanted to chime in and say that I actually like "Avery Island" BETTER than "Aeroplane"-- give it a few more listens, it really grows on you! I am, however, pretty disappointed in the new Liz Phair album. It's got a couple of great songs, but there are also a few AWFUL ones, too, like "Baby Got Going" and "Uncle Alvarez", which sounds like something from Songwriting 101. And if they're not just awful, they're throwaway crap like "Shitloads of Money" and "Johnny Feelgood". Nothing too fabulous, yet not 100% shitty. Pretty nondescript stuff. Yet it seems to be getting some fairly good reviews, and don't you guys all like it? Tell me why I should like it! (give me guidance) lj p.s., adieu, my dearest mouse talker, whose sweet sweet words have wooed many bespectacled female fegs... ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1998 15:15:36 -0400 From: "Gene Hopstetter, Jr." Subject: Fwd: NMH again, we love them, we can't get enough of that one guy, Jeff, and then there's that guy who plays the saw, too, we love 'em all! lj sed: >I just wanted to chime in and say that I actually like "Avery Island" >BETTER than "Aeroplane"-- give it a few more listens, it really grows on >you! Copy that. I find myself listening to "On Avery Island" more often than the newer one. Maybe it's because Avery Island itself, (it's a wildlife and land preservation in Louisiana, and it's also where Tabasco sauce is made), was a sort of sanctuary for me during my days at Louisiana State University, so it has a nice association thing with me. "Gardenhead" is my fave NMH song, too. >Yet it seems to be getting some fairly good reviews, and don't you guys all >like it? Tell me why I should like it! (give me guidance) The music's alright, nothing too amazing (nice drive around and don't think music), but I like the album mainly because of that picture of her amazing legs. Yup. ++++++++ Gene Hopstetter, Jr. + Online Design Guy http://extra.newsguy.com/~genehop/ ++++++++ Better Than Ezra. The other white meat. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1998 16:14:17 EDT From: Tobyhello@aol.com Subject: Big Star/Alex Chilton Are Big Star as good as everyone makes them out to be? Oh, and what about Bikini Girl (they've got a singles compilation out) ? Further to what someone (Susan?) was saying about bands peaking and then dropping off quickly in Britain... if bands were trying to appeal to the NME, they'd probably never succeed chartwise - a band that succeeded in their eyes would be some kind of mix of My Bloody Valentine, Tortoise, Public Enemy and Tindersticks, and wouldn't have a hope in hell of charting... Toby ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1998 16:24:09 -0400 From: "Chaney, Dolph L" Subject: RE: Big Star/Alex Chilton Toby asks: Are Big Star as good as everyone makes them out to be? Dolph responds: AT LEAST. Get thee to the _#1 Record / Radio City_ CD if you're at all a fan of post-R.E.M. guitar-jangle-pop. This CD twofer is the album toward which most such bands (starting with The Posies, Teenage Fanclub, and Game Theory) genuflect. If your tastes are a bit more abstract, and especially if you have an appetite for music that seems as if it's going to fall apart at any moment but miraculously manages to go bravely on, you may wish to start with the _Third (Sister Lovers)_ CD instead. Chilton's solo material is way spottier -- I like _High Priest_ a lot myself. wishing I was in Aptos, Dolph np: Daniel Lanois, _For The Beauty Of Wynona_ (ask me how my CD's coming along! it'll make me feel better.) ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 04 Sep 1998 16:28:26 -0400 From: Ben Subject: Re: Big Star/Alex Chilton Tobyhello@aol.com wrote: > Are Big Star as good as everyone makes them out to be? No, they're better. :) Especially if you count "Third/Sister Lovers" as a Big Star album rather than the Alex Chilton solo-project it is made out to be. On a related note, did anyone notie Fox is using Big Star's "In The Street" as the theme song to their new 70's era sitcom?!?! How offensive!!! ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1998 13:31:25 -0700 From: Eb Subject: Re: Bye, Bye Johnny... (some gondolism content) Stalker: >what I need to do (transferring my massive record collection to >digital MP3's)... Say it with me... WEENIEISM. In fact, Orwell might call it "double-plus weenieism." ;) Eb PS OK, you visually impaired Fegs...it's safe to put your glasses back on now. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1998 13:47:45 -0700 From: Eb Subject: Re: Mercury Rev/Big Star Ben: >On a related note, did anyone notice Fox is using Big Star's "In The >Street" as >the theme song to their new 70's era sitcom?!?! How offensive!!! I mentioned this a couple of weeks ago. I watched the credits more closely last week -- it's a strange listing. The theme song is officially called "That '70s Song," but it's said to be BASED on "In the Street." I guess this means there must be some lyric changes. The artist credited for performing the song is one "Toby Griffin." Uh, ok.... Runion: >Anyone out there (Eb?) heard the new Mercury Rev album _Deserters Songs_ >yet? I just read a pretty good review over at Addicted To Noise, which >namechecks both Olivia Tremor Control and our favorite artist around >here, Neutral Milk Hotel. I've got the three previous albums and, while >liking them, have never really loved them. Sounds like the new album >might do the trick. Anybody? Funny you mention this. Yeah, the new Mercury Rev album is surprisingly good (though I would never compare it to either OTC or NMH). I had the first three Mercury Rev albums for awhile, and then finally ended up pruning them out of the permanent collection (actually, I think they're still in the discard pile, at this point). Anyway, once I decide that I'm "over" a group, that's pretty much it. But dagburnit, the new MRev album IS way better than any of the previous three discs. Whereas the other albums were just woozy, unfocused, pseudo-psychedelic rock, the new one tries for something completely different. Guitars are just about GONE from the record, and instead the group is trying for a hypnotic Spiritualized vibe (and basically succeeding). It's a very mellow set of songs, and strings are the dominant instrument. And in an intriguing generational nod, Levon Helm and Garth Hudson of the Band play on two tracks, and one of them ("Opus 40") actually SOUNDS like the Band, due to the descending "Dixie Down"-like chord patterns. Huh! I've had this record for a few weeks now -- I'm still trying to figure out whether it's a keeper, but it's certainly a worthy release. Eb np: Dub Narcotic Sound System/Out of Your Mind ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1998 14:05:46 -0700 From: Tom Clark Subject: Re: Bye, Bye Johnny... (some gondolism content) On 9/4/98 1:31 PM, Eb wrote: >Stalker: >>what I need to do (transferring my massive record collection to >>digital MP3's)... > >Say it with me... > >WEENIEISM. > Colossal waste of time. I mean, if you've got that kind of time on your hands why not just transfer them to CD? There's no compression loss and you can listen to them on a normal f#$%ing piece of stereo equipment. - -tc ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1998 17:17:31 -0500 (CDT) From: JH3 Subject: Re: Bye, Bye Johnny... >>>what I need to do (transferring my massive record collection to >>>digital MP3's)... >>Say it with me... >>WEENIEISM. >Colossal waste of time. I mean, if you've got that kind of time on your >hands why not just transfer them to CD? There's no compression loss and >you can listen to them on a normal f#$%ing piece of stereo equipment. Are you both sure he wasn't just being sarcastic? And wasn't "The Mouse Stalker" the name of that animated TV series, featuring the voice of Darren McGavin as a rumpled wire-service reporter who runs around Chicago with a notepad and an instamatic camera, trying to prove that various Disney characters actually exist in real life? I loved that show! Then again, maybe my mind is going. Reading 650 fegmessages in one night will do that to you, I guess... "Bye Bye" Johnny Hedges ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 04 Sep 1998 15:27:02 -0700 From: Eb Subject: that '70s show [Pardon bad indentations added in the transfer] From the MyLaunch site: Big Star's Big Break Comes 26 Years Later Thanks To Vaughn (9/3/98, 6 p.m. PDT) - Big Star, one of most influential commercially unsuccessful acts in the history of rock, has hit the big time, 26 years after the fact, thanks to another cult artist, Ben Vaughn. A revved-up version of the group's 1972 should-have-been hit "In The Street" is the theme to Fox Broadcasting Co.'s That '70s Show. In the opening segment, a carload of show's teen stars sing along to the song, much like the scene in Wayne's World where Wayne, Garth and company rocked out to Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody." However, there's a big difference between Queen and Big Star. While the British band sold millions of albums and was a rock radio staple, the Memphis-based Big Star failed to score a single hit, although the band's early-'70s albums would go on to influence a number of acts, including the Replacements and the Bangles. The Replacements recorded the song "Alex Chilton" named for the Big Star frontman, while the Bangles covered Big Star's "September Gurls" on their 1986 breakthough double-platinum album Different Light. Vaughn, who has recorded several albums for various independent labels during the last decade, received his own big break a few years back when he was hired to write the theme and other music for the hit NBC sitcom Third Rock From The Sun. When that show's producers, Bonnie and Terry Turner needed someone to provide music for That '70s Show, which has since turned up Sunday nights on Fox, the pair turned to Vaughn. Although Vaughn's main responsibility on the show is to provide '70s-sounding background music, the producers consulted him when they had a problem securing a theme song. "Bonnie and Terry Turner and the show's co-creator Mark Brazill apologized for not asking me to write the theme," he says. "They said, 'We know you write good themes, but we would like a real record from the '70s to be the main title.'" When the show was in the development stages, it was titled Teenage Wasteland after a lyric in "Baba O'Riley," the Who's 1971 classic. "But Pete Townshend wouldn't let it happen," Vaughn says. "My theory is that Townshend is probably writing a really bad Broadway show called Teenage Wasteland right now." After several other possible theme songs were nixed, Vaughn posed the question, "'Does it have to be well-known or can it be obscure?' They said, 'We don't care, as long as it's good.'" "Mark Brazill said, 'How about Big Star?'" Vaughn continues. "Immediately I said 'In The Street' by Big Star. That is the song." After Vaughn ran out and obtained a copy of #1 Record, the 1972 album that features the song, he played it for the Turners. "They said, 'It's great but it sounds like the '60s. It's the best Byrds song we've never heard.' And I said, 'Yeah, that was a problem for Big Star in the '70s.'" With the order to make the song "sound like something off Who's Next," Vaughn went into the studio to rearrange the tune. To handle the vocals, he recruited vocalist Todd Griffin, formerly of hard-rock act Graveyard Train. "He swigged some whiskey and did the whole rock 'n' roll thing and really belted it out," Vaughn says. "It was like having Robert Plant right there." One of the nice things about the choice of the song as the theme of That '70s Show is the fact that it will provide royalties for Alex Chilton, who found success as a teenager fronting the Box Tops, but has not made riches from his music. "Alex is a friend of mine, so I called him to make sure it was alright," Vaughn says. "I wanted to make sure that all of his business stuff was in order for him so it works out right for him...It's really nice for someone like Alex, because when 'In The Street' first came out, it slipped through the cracks." Although it may be a bit premature, don't be surprised if a soundtrack to That '70s Show turns up soon, given the early interest in the show and the success of the '70s-themed soundtrack to Dazed And Confused a few years ago. "I would imagine that I'll probably be requested to be involved in it pretty quick," he says. "You can put a bunch of records from the '70s and the theme and it would probably sell pretty well." Meanwhile, Vaughn is busy making pseudo-'70s instrumentals for the show's incidental music. For inspiration, he has pulled out records by the likes of Bad Company, Deep Purple and Black Oak Arkansas. "It's the low-IQ rock," he explains. Manfred Mann's version of "Blinded By The Light," Gary Wright's "Dream Weaver" and "that whole area of early synthesizer things" are also influential. "We're recording some stuff right now that's pretty silly in an old analog, prog-rock kind of way, but they are very parody-driven," Vaughn says. "They're not serious." That spirit is just fine for Vaughn, whose last album, Rambler '65, was recorded entirely in the musician's car for which the album was named. "It's the first time in my life that I've enjoyed the '70s," Vaughn quips. "I'm all for these revivals. Maybe I'll enjoy the '80s in 10 years." ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 04 Sep 1998 15:31:31 -0700 From: Eb Subject: Re: Bye, Bye Johnny... JH3: > Are you both sure he wasn't just being sarcastic? With 99 44/100% certainty, yes. Eb, who won't be seeing Mouse in MP3land ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 04 Sep 1998 19:08:54 -0400 From: Ben Subject: Re: that '70s show Eb wrote: > [Pardon bad indentations added in the transfer] > > >From the MyLaunch site: > > Big Star's Big Break Comes 26 Years Later Thanks To Vaughn > > (9/3/98, 6 p.m. PDT) - Big Star, one of most influential commercially > unsuccessful acts in the history of rock, has hit the big time, 26 years > after the fact, thanks to another cult artist, Ben Vaughn. > > A revved-up version of the group's 1972 should-have-been hit "In The > Street" is the theme to Fox Broadcasting Co.'s That '70s Show. Of course, the ironic thing is that if these are supposed to be your average mid-70's teenagers, they would have no idea of the existance of Big Star! > With the order to make the song "sound like something off Who's Next," Wow... it doesn't get anymore brainless TV producer-esque than "yeah, it's nice, but couldn't you make it sound more like something off 'Who's Next' ?" > recorded entirely in the musician's car for which the album was named. > "It's the first time in my life that I've enjoyed the '70s," Vaughn > quips. "I'm all for these revivals. Maybe I'll enjoy the '80s in 10 > years." Now I'll be having nightmares of some TV show opening with a rerecorded version of "Balloon Man"... ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1998 16:15:57 -0700 (PDT) From: fred is ted Subject: Re: gratuitous Joining Ken in "If it's Friday, it must be thread catch-up time." - ---amadain wrote: > Re: Gilligan's Island > What I don't understand about this show is......how come no one ever wanted> to rescue them JUST to rescue them, eh? I mean, it seems to me that the> vast majority of people would upon reaching humanity again, at least> casually mention that "hey, there's this island with stranded people on it,> you might want to >see about this". Am I missing something here? Cloudland Revisited: As I see it, there were two usual explanations for the castaways enduring plight. The first was that the people that happened upon the island were publicity-shy. The mad scientist, the banana republic dictator, the Thurston Howell and Ginger (SWF!)-doubles, the Japanese soldier still fighting WWII, gangsters, the lepidopterist, Harold Hecuba, and the Rooskie cosmonauts all come to mind. These types had obvious reasons for wanting to leave their tracks covered. The second explanation was that those that found the island were basically lost to begin with and so could not help out after their own return. The surfer, the Mosquitos and Wrongway Feldman apply here. Note there is occasional crossover from first category (I'd guess the Japanese mini-subber was hopelessly lost, much like the scriptwriter). So there. That's what you get for asking. Husker Du content: On their Land Speed Record lp is the charmingly observed "I Wanna Fuck Ginger." Celebrity look-alike? An ex-gf said I looked like George Harrison, but she was a Beatles maniac and wanted to get get into my pants (bless her heart!). My sister claims I look like Mel Gibson (what the heck is her angle?... ). The Harsh Reality--I was told upon transferring to a new H.S. that I looked like local legend "Hambone." Tough to dust yourself off after news like that, folks. Zep vs. the Who: For me, these are two different kettles of fish. Zep are a party band, good for hanging out w/friends, etc. More folk-influence and sonic variety in their songs. The Who were a better band, and Pete wrote great rock songs. The Who were also much more intense and angry, and so (for me) are better'n Zep for solo listening or concert-going. I'd take the Who anyday. Amps: Seeing how Ken 2 has turned the electoral tide vs. the Pacer cd, I'll chime in with a "yeay" vote. Great riffs, high batting percentage on the melodies. I adored how the Kim's voice was miked--lotsa distortion to complement her smoky cat-snarl. "Bragging Party," "Hoverin'" and "She's a Girl" are all faves. And hey, it's where I got my sig. Then again, I liked Alien Lanes/Under the Bushes... era Guided By Voices. Maybe I live too close to Dayton... 80's Hype: The Three Johns--Live in Chicago Cocteau Twins--Treasure The Fall--This Nation's Saving Grace Robyn--IODOT, BSDR The Jazz Butcher--Sex and Travel X--Under the Big Black Sun Minutemen--Double Nickels on the Dime The Clash--London Calling Talking Heads--Remain in Light Ted, trying to write a learned paragraph on the interrelationship of fur trading and European-Native American socio-cultural exchanges in the 18th c. " 'Heeereeee beaverbeaverbeaverbeaver.' Oh, they scamper up like puppies when they hear that. Use Rolling Rocks as bait when in doubt They love it!." Start again... Have a party, a party, a party party weekend, evrbody! "yeah, we get high on music" Kim Deal _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1998 20:10:57 -0600 From: amadain Subject: Re: gratuitous non-RH Two gratuitous things: >Have a party, a party, a party party weekend, evrbody! Oh, you remember this! Bless you, Ted! One of those now untrackdownable records of my early adolescence :). >Further to what someone (Susan?) was saying about bands peaking and then >dropping off quickly in Britain... if bands were trying to appeal to the NME, >they'd probably never succeed chartwise - a band that succeeded in their eyes >would be some kind of mix of My Bloody Valentine, Tortoise, Public Enemy and >Tindersticks, and wouldn't have a hope in hell of charting... Actually, that sounds like a helluvan interesting band. I'd buy that record. Anyways..... I'm not sure what the opinions of NME critics in particular have to do with any of this. Bands do peak and dropoff with unseemly quickness in the UK and in -general- music journalists and the hype music magazines perpetuate/feed off do have much more of an influence in the UK than here in the US, perhaps not those from the NME but would you make the same argument for Melody Maker, Vox, or Smash Hits? We don't even HAVE that many mainstream (not counting zines and other self-published stuff) general interest pop music magazines in the US- there are exactly TWO. When Adam Ant stuck Nick Kent's name into a song called "Press Darlings", I think he was probably pretty sure his audience would know who this was- how many American bands feel compelled to stick the names of critics into venomous ditties of that nature, or any ditties at all for that matter? This says something but I'm not sure what :). And what's that story about a ska revival in the Midlands (I believe, though it's a long time since I heard this story) that came about solely because a bunch of music writers got together and started inventing stories about one? Is this urban legend? Love on ya, Susan P.S. Any Scott Walker fans familiar with the albums "Stretch" and "We Had It All"- I happened across a double CD with these two today, and damn near bought it without knowing anything about either of these two albums, simply because the idea of S.W. doing "Delta Dawn" made it a near irresistable purchase. But I seem to remember that these two albums were both considered fairly weak, and the presence of an Eagles cover gave me pause. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 5 Sep 1998 13:49:19 +1200 From: james.dignan@stonebow.otago.ac.nz (James Dignan) Subject: [none] >>I live at 536 Maple St. Aptos, CA, USA (in case some NZ fegs might be >>driving) > fitting my stationwagon with a snorkel right now... hey... that would be a great idea for a song... "I'm fitting my station wagon with a snorkel" James ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 04 Sep 1998 22:21:43 -0400 From: Ben Subject: Re: gratuitous non-RH amadain wrote: > I'm not sure what the opinions of NME critics in particular have to do with > any of this. Bands do peak and dropoff with unseemly quickness in the UK > and in -general- music journalists and the hype music magazines > perpetuate/feed off do have much more of an influence in the UK than here > in the US, perhaps not those from the NME but would you make the same > argument for Melody Maker, Vox, or Smash Hits? We don't even HAVE that many > mainstream (not counting zines and other self-published stuff) general > interest pop music magazines in the US- there are exactly TWO. When Adam > Ant stuck Nick Kent's name into a song called "Press Darlings", I think he > was probably pretty sure his audience would know who this was- how many > American bands feel compelled to stick the names of critics into venomous > ditties of that nature, or any ditties at all for that matter? This says > something but I'm not sure what :). Probably that US artists either don't care about what critics have to say about them, or if they do, they assume that their listeners would have no idea who so-and-so was. Of course there's that late 70's Lou Reed live album where he goes on about a critic, and even most Lou Reed freaks consider it to be emberassing. Another example is Prince, who on the Arsenio Hall show a few years ago burned some negative reviews on stage! (low budget pyrotechnics?) In the grand scheme of things it would seem that critics have little effect on the success of musicians. Just look at all the enormously popular artists who are despised by critics. On the other hand, I believe critics do have a positive effect when it comes to obscure artists, by informing that segment of the record buying public about unknown or forgotten musicians that deserve more attention. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1998 23:13:14 -0400 (EDT) From: Natalie Jane Jacobs Subject: The female reproductive system, revisited >>Danielle, wondering if Natalie could make her a Tinfoil Beaver (tm) for an appropriate fee > >I gotta see this... I could do that. I'm not sure if I could transport it over state lines, though. >>Well, I hear LJ is planning her ovulation schedule around Oasis's next >>tour.... > >You can PLAN your ovulation schedule?!?!?! Um, yeah. But after the placenta thread, I don't think I should go into detail about these things on the list... >lj, who is thinking she would like to have a tinfoil ovulation schedule Err... I could make you a tinfoil ovum... n., who lives a few miles from Big Beaver Road, in Troy, Michigan ------------------------------ End of fegmaniax-digest V7 #345 *******************************