Love-Hounds Digest (Issue L8)
Love-Hou...@eddie.mit.edu
Topics:
* Toyah. More on *The Dreaming*
* This Time
* I hate to say I told you so....
* Don't Give Up
* Re: babble, etc.
* VCRs, CDs, etc
* Home of the Brave, Dave Stewart
* Kate on video
* THE ERISTIC PERIPHRASMS OF A SESQUIPEDALIAN ENERGUMEN
* TD, Gabriel, "Not This Time", "Don't Give Up"
* Fripp albums
* mis-interpretation
* homestead recs
* writing.
[][][][][][][][][][]
Date: Sat, 5 Jul 86 16:33:20 EDT
From: nessus (Doug Alan)
Subject: Toyah. More on *The Dreaming*
> [John Lorch on Robert Fripp:] The second lp is a duet with Fripp's
> new wife, Toyah Wilcox. I'm not familiar with her music, so no
> guesses here.
Toyah sounds a lot like she wants to be Kate Bush but is guitar-based
and only of average talent for a rock musician. She likes to sing
about occult and SF type things, and bounces up and down a lot while
singing. She's also fairly well known as an actress in England (on
TV, I think). With Robert Fripp producing her, though, who knows...
she could turn out to be pretty decent.
> [Joe Turner on *The Dreaming*:] Because of its visceral attack on my
> senses, I find it hard to listen to TD sometimes - literally, it
> hurts too much. I find listening to HoL a much more enjoyable
> experience - not because the music is easier to listen to.
So, how'd you become such a Peter Gabriel fan? PGIII (his best album)
isn't the easiest thing in the world to listen to.
> People talk of TD's "importance". If it was so important, why is it
> that it never got mentioned? Why is it that I only heard about it
> through this digest?
I never said it was a smash success pop album. That doesn't mean it
wasn't a big influence. Among some circles it caused quite a
stir. You can hear its influence in all sorts of unexpected places;
like on Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Meta Terra, Danielle Dax, Lisa
Dabello, The Cocteau Twins. The trumpets from "Sat In Your Lap" can
be heard in something by Tina Turner (which sure irked me, when I
heard it!). Orch-5 can be heard everywhere. The drum sound, the
Fairlight sound, the no cymbol sound, the ethnic eclecticism --
they're things that are now becoming quite common, but weren't in
1982.
Also, before *The Dreaming*, there were no Kate Bush fazines. Shortly
afterward, four Kate Bush fanzines appeared in four different
countries. Then a while later, three more popped up (including this
one). Do you think *Hounds of Love* would have catalyzed seven
fanzines?
> [Andrew Marvick:] Thus arises an old argument, namely whether
> "originality" is more important than "quality". Simply SAYING that
> HoL isn't as "good" does nothing to prove the point. You offer no
> specific reason for ascribing a label of superior quality to The
> Dreaming, only reasons for according it the quite different
> distinction of greater "importance".
I think that *The Dreaming* is a better album because it has the
potential to affect people more deeply than *Hounds of Love*. And I
think that originality has a lot to do with how much something can
affect people. If something that has no originality fascinates
people, then they haven't been affected -- they've merely been handed
a mirror.
> I personally agree with you that The Dreaming is highly original in
> ways that seem to us, living in our period, significant. But there
> is really nothing specific that can be pointed to in the LP that had
> never been done before, at least as far as use of studio techniques
> goes.
I disagree. There is no individual technique Kate used that you can
point at and say that Kate was the first person to do that. But I
don't feel that that sort of thing is very important anyway. What
Kate did was much more important than that, and much more difficult to
formalize, which means that unfortunately, it will probably not get as
much recognition. What Kate did is use the studio as an essential
tool of the composition to make music. *The Dreaming* is the earliest
album I know of that sounds like music, yet if you removed the studio
effects would probably not sound good at all. Faust and people like
that did albums that were largely studio compositions, but Faust rarely
sounds like music. They sound instead like interesting noise.
[John Rossi:]
> Yes, all people when cornered usually stick them into their lists of
> great influences (Kate may have liked them but I don't see the great
> musical influence showing in her work, besides she's just a kid).
Kate has said that John Lennon's "Number Nine Dream" is her favourite
song on several occassions, and I think the John Lennon psychedelia
influence is unmistakeable in her music. In fact, I'd say that the
whole album *The Dreaming* is flavoured with John Lennon's death.
> Now to the heart of the matter. I do not believe that Kate stands a
> chance in a quadrillion of being remembered for her contributions to
> the 70/80 period anything like the Beatles were for their period.
Neither do I. I don't think anyone has. But I think that Kate will
surely be remembered.
> That is to say, I doubt Kate Bush will ever achieve classical
> status.
This, I disagree with.
> In fact, it is probably true that Madonna will be more revered by
> the masses who secumb to what is pushed at them as classical.
I truly doubt it. What she's done in the past is the stuff of fad.
And if she continues doing MOR ballads, then she'll just be remembered
as one of all those zillions of singers who made zillions singing MOR
ballads.
> The fact that Kate Bush is not a household word, I believe, works
> strongly in her disfavor in achieving enough memorable clout to sway
> the aristocrats of the 22nd century.
In the U.S., Kate Bush is not a household name. In England she
certainly is! Aristrocrats own CD players, right? Well, in England,
HoL is the third biggest selling CD ever. And they own VCR's and both
of her video tapes (one two years old and one brand new) are in the
video tape top 10. She may not ever be classical music here, but in
England she probably will be. (Actually, the world will probably be a
radioactive wasteland.)
> I believe that TD will soon appear in cut-out bins. And will be
> the first of Kate's albums to go 'Out of Print' (this is again a sad
> commentary on our times).
I doubt that it will. In fact, it will probably come out on CD
someday. *The Dreaming* may not be Kate's biggest seller, but it has
an intense cult following. It was the popularity of *The Dreaming* in
the U.S. that caused EMI-America to release *Lionheart* and *Never for
Ever*. In England, *The Dreaming* is one of those specially priced
albums (not cut-out, but "Nice Price" type things), but places like
Virgin Records have been running full-page ads with *The Dreaming* as
one of three of four prominently displayed albums.
-Doug
"I close my eyes and I see
Blood and roses"
[][][][][][][][][][]
Date: Sun, 6 Jul 86 01:15:34 EDT
From: nessus (Doug Alan)
Subject: This Time
I've transcribed the lyrics to "Not This Time", which is the B-side to
"The Big Sky" single. You might remember that I have thought this
song pretty yucky. Well, in transcribing the lyrics, I have had to
listen to it a lot, and I have to say that I have after all become
rather fond of it. I still think that the arrangement sucks
(especially the guitar), but the vocals are so emotionally powerful
that I can at times overlook that. Here are the lyrics as heard by
the semi-reliable ears of Doug Alan (does Our Katie really say another
naughty word?):
NOT THIS TIME
Over the line that renders everything sensitive
What chance do I have being here?
Put an end, put an end
Put an end to every dream
When you're near, I feel you, and I forget myself
Not this time, baby
Not this time
Not this time, baby (Not this time)
I don't know why I build a mountain, every time
And here I am wondering why I'm doing it again
"Too-lee-yay, too-lee-yo, too-lee-yay, too-lee-yo, too-lee-yo"
That's what I say to keep me going
To keep the shit away
I don't know what it is, but every time you're near
I feel you, and I forget myself
No, not this time, baby (No)
Aww, not this time, we won't (No)
Oh, not this time (No)
Not this time time
Come on, we all sing
"Too-lee-yay, too-lee-yo, too-lee-yo
Too-lee-yay, too-lee-yo, too-lee-yo"
[etc. until end of song]
Not this time, baby
Not this time, we won't
Not this time, baby
No. Huh! Huh! Huh!
Not this time, yeah, yeah.
-Doug
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Date: Sun, 6 Jul 86 10:02:44 EDT
From: ambar (Jean Marie Diaz)
Subject: I hate to say I told you so....
...but we did, didn't we, Doug?. When "Not This Time" came out, Doug
unequivocally denounced it, saying that it sounded like Kate Bush
doing Journey. When some of us pointed out that he had had
more-or-less the same reaction to, first, Running Up That Hill and
then to all of HOL, and that in a couple months he would change his
mind about "Not This Time", he denied it fervently.
Odds that the next thing following this letter is another fervent
denial from Doug are probably 30 to 1.
Hi, Doug.
AMBAR
"I need something to change your mind...."
[][][][][][][][][][]
Posted-Date: 06 Jul 86 12:31:17 PDT (Sun)
Subject: Don't Give Up
Date: 06 Jul 86 12:31:17 PDT (Sun)
From: ts...@aerospace.ARPA
One day this song came up when I was thinking about a friend of mine.
He went through the same college as me and was having lots of
pressures/doubts/frustrations. I don't mean to sound like a hypocrite
but when I put myself in his position this song suddenly affected me
very much; every word I could identify with; even the KB parts which
I previously thought were too long/repetitive all rang with a simple
truthfulness.
Whatever may come, whatever may go,
That river is flowing
Fu-Sheng
[][][][][][][][][][]
Date: Sun, 6 Jul 86 14:43:29 PDT
From: Douglas J Trainor <tra...@LOCUS.UCLA.EDU>
Subject: Re: I hate to say I told you so....
I deny everything.
Doug
"Gonna be a white minority...."
[][][][][][][][][][]
Date: Thu, 3 Jul 86 12:41:24 pdt
From: think!seismo!hao!hplabs!tektronix!omssw1!omssw1!sdp (Scott Peterson)
Subject: Re: babble, etc.
> Date: Mon, 30 Jun 86 23:31:20 edt
> From: The weenies are everywhere.... <wici...@nrl-cst.arpa>
> Subject: babble babble, babble
[ excess verbage removed ]
> I also don't see too many big critics reviewing any cassette releases ???
> too much pressure from the record industry ??
Ummm, I always thought the distinction between records and tapes was only
important when it came time to play them. Isn't the "record industry" just
a huge marketing organization? Whether the machine in the back room is
stamping out thousands of flat round things, or funny-looking squarish
things seems of little importance.
Since critics don't pay for anything, it makes economic sense to give them
19 cent records instead of $1 tapes (I mean, they have to pay someone to put
those little screws in, right?).
--- Scott Peterson <yourvax>!tektronix!ogcvax!omssw1!sdp
[][][][][][][][][][]
Date: 6 Jul 86 19:04:00 PST
From: "ROSSI J.A." <ro...@nusc.ARPA>
Subject: VCRs, CDs, etc
Reply-To: "ROSSI J.A." <ro...@nusc.ARPA>
As to the aristocratic nature of VCRs and CDs, if England is similar
to the U.S (as indexed by the buying habits of its people), then it
would appear that Kate's solid following is within the working
classes. not with the aristocracy. A recent article in Forbes
suggested that VCRs and CD players are a mainstay of the working
middle class. As a matter of fact, for the past two years, VCR sales
have outnumbered even CB radios by a five to one factor. Also, the
averrage american working type is apparently into CDs in a big way.
Apparently, the true audiophile still revers tube amps and vinyl
records, and although VCRs were initially an upper-class phenom, the
cost has been reduced to a point wherew they are now affordible by the
masses.
John
[][][][][][][][][][]
From: Robert Stanzel <alliant!apollo!rps>
Date: Mon, 7 Jul 86 10:25:50 EDT
Subject: HotB, Dave Stewart
While seeing "Home of the Brave" (yes, I'm usually the last on the
block) two questions came to mind: which Fassbinder film IS it? And
what's the cylindrical, horizontally-played instrument used in
"Sharkey's Day" et al?
Also picked up last year's Dave Stewart/Barbara Gaskin album "Up from
the Dark". On CD, it's very long; they must have included all the
singles -- unfortunately. It's real drivel. Half the cuts are
covers, including a very precious one of Dolby's "Leipzig". There's
little of the old Dave Stewart, and the National Health sound isn't
much there, either (most of NH participates). If this is Gaskin's
fault (who is she?) then she's more evil than Madonna! Oh well, back
to those 15 year old Egg albums...
Rob
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Return-Path: <umcp-cs!jhunix!jhunix!ins_aset>
Date: Mon, 7 Jul 86 9:20:50 EDT
From: Susanne E Trowbridge <umcp-cs!jhunix!ins_...@seismo.CSS.GOV>
Subject: Kate on video
A small correction, Doug: you said that both of Kate's videos are in
Britain's video top ten. Actually, I saw three for sale -- The Singles
File, Hair of the Hound (the new one), and Live at the Hammersmith
(the same one Night Flight has repeated several times).
Strange pair: Whilst on vacation, I picked up some bootleg cassettes
at a market, including one with the Cocteau Twins live on one side and
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry live on the other!!! Probably not many people
who like both those bands as much as I do...'Mazingly enough, I didn't
get ripped off with any of the cassettes I bought, unlike the people
I was staying with, who bought a horrible tape of We've Got A Fuzzbox
and We're Gonna Use It live. Caveat emptor. They do a version of
"Spirit in the Sky" which is much groovier than Doctor and the Medics',
though.
"Goin' up to the Spirit in the Sky
That's where I'm gonna go, when I die
When I die and I lay me to rest
Gonna go to the place that's the best..."
-Sue
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Date: Mon, 07 Jul 86 16:06 PDT
From: IED0DXM%UCLAMVS...@WISCVM.ARPA
Subject: THE ERISTIC PERIPHRASMS OF A SESQUIPEDALIAN ENERGUMEN
>I shall never write something this lengthy again, and I hereby propose
>to Messrs. Hofmann and Wicinski that this discussion be transferred to
>net.music, if they wish to continue it.
Well, Messrs. H. and W., how about it? Be sports, and carry on your
little tiff somewhere else. It doesn't belong in Love-Hounds.
>I'd just like to take this opportunity, as the person on this
>list who usually loves the "pop"-type songs, to say that I
>*hate* "Don't Give Up" with a passion. It's even worse than
>the run-of-the-mill Lionel Richie/Diana Ross duet.
>Ick.
This is an understandable reaction (although it's really not
fair to say the song is WORSE than Lionel Richie, etc. Come on!).
You haven't made any direct criticism of Kate here, but given the
purported subject of L-Hs, criticism of her has been implied.
And as all the L-Hs are now aware, any criticism of KT in L-Hs
will be responded to by IED0DXM.
Let's remember that this is not Kate Bush's music!
Peter Gabriel has frequently made maudlin, trite and slightly
simple-minded "social consciousness" music in the past; whereas even
Kate's most emotionally self-revealing or socially aware recordings
have always been sufficiently unusual in their musical and lyrical
approach to avoid such criticism. Don't blame Kate
for following Gabriel's directions -- according to one of those
UK rags, Gabriel first tried to get Dolly Parton to do the guest
vocal; and he himself did say that Kate was not his first choice.
I happen to like Zaine Griff's "Flowers" a little, but the rest
of that LP is pretty lame stuff -- much like So. And what of this
Big Country record, and Kate's vocal on "The Seer"? That's a pretty
silly track, despite the care taken with the syntax of its lyrics.
(The worst thing about it is the lead singer's insistence on taking over
Kate's part, with Kate relegated to the background! As if there
wasn't quite enough of his voice on the rest of the album!)
Kate seems to enjoy doing session work for other musicians. It doesn't
mean she should be judged for the quality of those records. This
despite the fact that her voice on "Not This Time" may be the only
distinctive touch on Gabriel's album.
>definitely worth listening to: orders of magnitude better than Lionel
>Richie/Diana Ross crap, and significantly better arranged than "Not
>This Time".
Better arranged? Well, maybe the phrasing in 6/8 time (it is 6/8,
isn/t it?) is o.k.; but that's not arranging. The thing that bugs
IED most about the new Gabriel LP is the MOR instrumentation on
most of the tracks. This frustration is exacerbated by the U.S.
critics' nearly unanimous praise for what they seem to think is
some kind of adventurous amalgamation of pop accessibility and
progressive musical ideas. The use of Laurie Anderson and a few
ethnic third world musicians does absolutely nothing to disguise
the fact that most of the record -- and virtually all of side two --
is empty vamping by a bunch of tired session musicians, punctuated
by two- and three-note droning from Gabriel about his usual sort
of social bugaboos.
>{Toyah's} also fairly well known as an actress in England (on
>TV, I think).
She made a big splash there in a Jonathan Miller-directed production
of Shakespeare's "The Tempest" a few years ago.
>>Joe Turner on The Dreaming: Because of its visceral attack on
>>my senses, I find it hard to listen to TD sometimes - literally, it
>>hurts too much. I find listening to HoL a much more enjoyable
>>experience - not because the music is easier to listen to.
>So, how'd you become such a Peter Gabriel fan? PGIII (his best album)
>isn't the easiest thing in the world to listen to.
IED sees what you mean, but really, none of PGIII is unpleasant to listen
to; in fact, most of that album has a strong, pop-sensitive groove
which, in this L-H's opinion at least, is its main saving grace, usually
compensating for the heart's blood with which it drips.
> People talk of TD's "importance". If it was so important, why is it
> that it never got mentioned? Why is it that I only heard about it
> through this digest?
>I never said it was a smash success pop album. That doesn't mean it
>wasn't a big influence. Among some circles it caused quite a
>stir. You can hear its influence in all sorts of unexpected places;
>like on Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Meta Terra, Danielle Dax, Lisa
>Dabello, The Cocteau Twins. The trumpets from "Sat In Your Lap" can
>be heard in something by Tina Turner (which sure irked me, when I
>heard it!). Orch-5 can be heard everywhere. The drum sound, the
>Fairlight sound, the no cymbol sound, the ethnic eclecticism --
>they're things that are now becoming quite common, but weren't in
>1982.
This is a misattribution of the rise in popularity of a few tricks
of the sampling synth (orch-5 most obviously) to the "influence" of
Kate's The Dreaming. Keyboard magazine asked her about this sound,
and she seemed to accept the fact of that sound's popularity.
It is extremely unlikely that the sameness of sampling sounds among
ca. 1983 pop music can be attributed to The Dreaming, since there was
at least one black dance track that came out in mid-1982 which used the
same Orch-5 sound. It's possible that this kind of minimal and
superficial influence can be detected in Duran Duran, but not in
Depeche Mode -- as disposible as this band's music may be, it's not
fair to attribute their discovery of sampling synthesizers to
The Dreaming, especially since Kate's LP is miles beyond their pedestrian
musical understanding. It is far more likely that they were introduced
to the new range of synthetic sounds through their own interest in
electronic instruments. The ethnic music fashion in English pop music
was already quite strong before The Dreaming. In fact, one critic
commented that Kate seemed to be following the trend herself. Since
Kate was definitely aware of earlier third-world-influenced rock
by that time (TH's "I Zimbra" and the RiL LP, for example, as well as
the Adam Ant/Annabella crap that was permeating UK airwaves about
then), such an assumption may not be entirely unjust.
>Also, before *The Dreaming*, there were no Kate Bush fanzines. Shortly
>afterward, four Kate Bush fanzines appeared in four different
>countries. Then a while later, three more popped up (including this
>one). Do you think *Hounds of Love* would have catalyzed seven
>fanzines?
Seven? IED knows of Love-Hounds, The KBC Newsletter,
Blow-Away, Dreamtime, Break-Through, For the
Love of Kate, Homeground and Under the Ivy. Of these,
The Newsletter was begun more than eight years ago, Homeground
before The Dreaming, and Under the Ivy following the release of Hounds
of Love. I'm not doubting you, Doug; but please let me know what
I'm missing!
>I think that *The Dreaming* is a better album because it has the
>potential to affect people more deeply than *Hounds of Love*. And I
>think that originality has a lot to do with how much something can
>affect people. If something that has no originality fascinates
>people, then they haven't been affected -- they've merely been handed
>a mirror.
This is just plain ridiculous. Complete nonsense. Sorry. Simply
stating that one work of art "has the capacity" to "affect people"
more "deeply" than another does nothing to clarify or support a
contention that one is better than another. All of the terms just
quoted are vague to the point of being meaningless, and more
damningly, they are all entirely subjective. If you hear something
that is "better" in The Dreaming than something in Hounds of Love,
then be specific -- point it out to us; then explain to us precisely
how it is that the former is endowed with greater affective power
than the latter. Next you bring up this business of "originality" again.
All art is "original". This is a meaningless term. There is a ton of
great but relatively "unoriginal" art in the world. And even more
highly "original" crap! What matters is whether it is GOOD or not.
If you seriously believe that novelty is the most important
criterion for the ascription of quality to a work of art, then you
are hopelessly mired in the modernist philosophy of our pathetic,
benighted century. Originality was certainly not a concern of
Bach, all of whose music is directly linked to the formal structures
of the music just preceding his; nor of Mozart, whose entire
oeuvre is a kind of vast extension of the classical formulae already
widely explored by Haydn before him. Yet both Bach and Mozart were
unquestionably "good" musicians. The point is that "originality"
is no more easily pinned down and defined than "quality" -- everyone's
work is "original" in one way or another. The term only acquires
meaning when an individual judge assigns SPECIFIC criteria for its
determination.
>*The Dreaming* is the earliest
>album I know of that sounds like music, yet if you removed the studio
>effects would probably not sound good at all.
Here you're getting somewhere, but IED is obliged to disagree with you.
In IED's opinion, what would happen if all but the most basic elements of
production were somehow stripped from The Dreaming is that the
gorgeous beauty of Kate's musical ideas would emerge -- a little
bare, perhaps, but alive and essentially unmaimed -- to reveal
their own kind of simple but lasting beauty. It is agreed that the
studio's presence as a musical element in The Dreaming is very
powerful; but it is unquestionably as powerful in Hounds of Love,
perhaps even moreso. Agreed that both records are enriched
immensely by their musical ideas' studio treatment; yet neither is
BASED on that treatment -- although if you want to see it that way,
The Ninth Wave probably depends more upon its production than anything
on The Dreaming; Kate herself has said that some of the "songs" in
The Ninth Wave are really only fragments.
>In fact, I'd say that the
>whole album *The Dreaming* is flavoured with John Lennon's death.
The influence of "Number Nine Dream" is undeniable; that Lennon's
music in general was an influence, is not. In fact,
with the exception of that track (which is stylistically
very different from anything else on that album), the only clear
influence of Lennon on Kate Bush stems from his own influence within
The Beatles. As for The Dreaming being flavoured with Lennon's death,
this seems a very odd and far too specific interpretation.
What evidence is there to support such a reading?
>> In fact, it is probably true that Madonna will be more revered by
>> the masses who secumb to what is pushed at them as classical.
>I truly doubt it. What she's done in the past is the stuff of fad.
This doesn't convince at all. Madonna is definitely junk, especially
the first batch of the stuff. That has nothing to do with whether it will
come to be remembered as representative of our era in music or not.
In fact, your faith that anything but the best of our age will be
remembered by future generations seems excessively optimistic.
It is far more likely that, since the cultural outlook for Western
civilization is worsening as surely and swiftly as its technological
sophistication is rising, future generations (should there be any) will
remember garbage like Madonna rather than music like The Dreaming,
the complexity and relative inaccessibility of which makes it a
true anachronism even in our age.
[][][][][][][][][][]
Date: Mon, 7 Jul 86 23:39:18 edt
From: Joe Turner <cutter%umass-bos...@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA>
Subject: TD, Gabriel, "Not This Time", "Don't Give Up"
How can I be a Gabriel fanatic? Simple. I don't like most of his solo
stuff. PGI and PGII almost get crassly commercial at times ("Modern Love:
and "Perspective" come to mind). PGIII isn't his best album, PGIV is.
PGIII is like TD - lots of texture. PGIV is lyrically and musically/melodically
more interesting -> TO ME <-. Production value is higher, too.
And how can I listen to PGIII more readily than TD? Gabriel paints a dark
picture of life and the world in general - paranoia, hatred, chaos. Katie-kins
paints a dark picture of HER life and HER world in general. Two different
things. Petey sez "Life sucks!". Well, hell! I knew that. He's only confirm-
ing my suspicions. KB sez "MY life sucks!", and that's intense personal hurt,
which is a hell of a lot stronger. PGIII also has tinges of optimism, where
TD really doesn't (correct moi if I'm not reading enough into TD). Hell,
PG is nasty at South Africa for Biko, but what else does he say?
"You can blow out a candle
But you can't blow out a fire
Once the flame begin to catch
The wind will blow it higher..."
There is Hope for Mankind after all.
As for the raging furor over "Not This Time"...
...eh. It's a b-side.
(Then again, go out and buy "Wherever You May Run" by Red Letter Day for the
b-side "Suzie's Bombed Out Tonight!"... or "Go Out and Get Her, Boy" by the
Wedding Present for the b-side "The Moment Before Everything's Spoiled
Again" (which sounds sorta like New Model Army, aktchally) <- look! I can
mispell words like everyone else! Am I cool now? Can I talk about Art??
It's not her best, I didn't expect it to be her best, so I thought "Yeah,
it's Journey-ish, but it's nice to listen to. It's not a masterpeice, but so
what?"
As for "Don't Give Up"...
o
Talk about a 180 turnabout in tone!!! Is this the same darkly malevolent
Gabriel I know and worship? Still: it's a pretty song, and it's convincing.
Most of _So_ is "pretty" - also real pop. Some of it reminds me of the new
Simple Minds music, for some reason... also ABC (must be all those high-hats).
[Poor Simple Minds... now stuck in a constantly repeating loop of "Look! We
Can Sing ``Don't You (Forget About Me)'' 10 different ways!!"]
------------------------
And now, something I thought I'd never say:
Michael Hedges is one of the most incredible guitarists I've
ever heard. I am finally buying my first Windham Swill album.
-------------------------
On a final note -
Did I mention the Gabriel bootleg with different words for "I Don't Remember"?
I know have 5 versions of that song... sheesh! (demo, album, german album,
two live versions) Such is the life of the untiring collector! The bad
part is that Second Coming Records now officially has received more of my
money than any bank account I have ever owned did.
Save your parity bits for big cash prizes!
Joe
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From: harvard!ima!inmet!ada-uts!wayne
Date: Mon, 7 Jul 86 20:21:12 edt
Subject: Fripp albums
The new Robert Fripp albums will be coming out in mid-July. There is a
slight delay I believe due to production. The two will be on CD as
well as standard black vinyl. Considering the nature of the music, I
doubt there will be any 12" singles available.
wayne
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Date: Tue, 8 Jul 86 9:03:55 EDT
From: James B Hofmann <hof...@AMSAA.ARPA>
Subject: mis-interpretation
Dear Sue:
Sorry if you thought I was "side-swiping" you when I said J.D.
and his "friends" were mediocre writers. I should have added that
I thought your pieces were really interesting. I didn't mean to
insult your writing. However, you are young and will probably be
inoculated into the rock crit world of mediocre writing eventually.
Naively and idealistically yours,
Jim
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Date: Tue, 8 Jul 86 9:40:51 EDT
From: James B Hofmann <hof...@AMSAA.ARPA>
Subject: homestead recs
Gerald Cosloy does not own homestead, btw... he's a mere working stiff.
I have no idea who is bankrolling and accounting for the operation. Cosloy
merely (!) finds the talent and gets them recorded.
Peace and Bondage,
Jim
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Date: Tue, 8 Jul 86 12:51:25 EDT
From: James B Hofmann <hof...@AMSAA.ARPA>
Subject: writing.
Some people write (about music in this case) for more than money. Some
don't write for any money at all (besides breaking even). Some write
out of love for music (or just life in general). Some write in disgust
and can't bear to keep it inside. Some write in fevers, they can't stop
since they are obsessed.
Just want to point out that there is more to writing than just earning money.
My opinions on rock "crits"
----------------------------
Greil Marcus - droll, bland, white-bread for the Elite
Dave Marsh - dogmatic to the point of being able to second guess, dull
Considine - you already know
Sue Cummings - perhaps the worst prozine writer I've ever stumbled across
Bart Bull - showed promise but recent efforts indicate a fast slide downhill.
Scott Cohen - very affected, self-possessed with the literai crowd
Robert Christgau - pompous to the point of ludicrity, mostly harmless
Tim Yohannan - generic, political
Byron Coley - when he's on his own he's great but his free lance stuff is
very bland, maybe the edit him.
Jann Wenner - arrogantly ignorant, the worst
Now some of the better ones I've run across
-------------------------------------------
Tim K Ansett - publishes the Offense newsletter, never a dull moment even
if you don't agree with his somewhat cynical tone.
Lester Bangs - dead but still readable
Steve Albini - writes like he is dropping bricks on pedestrians, shows no
remorse
Don "Chet" Howland - enthusiastic, good imagery (even if he slagged your
beloved Kate).
Now I'm not familar with crits from other countries but that's my opinions
on our own.
Over and Out,
hof
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End of Love-Hounds Digest