worKing on That "anything that isn't Kate Bush is crap" image

[IED0DXM%UCLAMVS.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu]

>Seeing as I am the poor son of sharecroppers, and grew up in a tar-paper
>shack where the only books I had were Michael Nyman's "Experimental Music:
>Cage and Beyond" and a battered copy of Gregory Battcock's "Minimal
>Art" left behind by some plantation owners who were just passing
>through, I must hang my poor head for shame-I must truly now stand
>revealed before you as one of those horrible ahistorical yahoos who
>have so conspired to trap those so noble and magnanimous as andrew
>in the squalid mire of this benighted age-a time  wherein such a
>large number of my fellow yahoos (and now even the fair Ms. Trowbridge
has joined our besmirched ranks-if only for a moment [Hi, Sue!])) take a
>base delight in coarse lampoon of andrew's devotion to his image of
>Ms. Bush, and of his painstaking efforts to make himself perfectly
>clear by the consistent and unassailable factuality of his impassioned
>missals.
>
>His analysis and gracious treatment of those who make light
>of him should give us all both a cause for deeper self-reflection
>and a role model which we would do well to emulate. Perhaps the day
>may come when we, too, can stand on the lofty heights
>and feel his loneliness-that of a true romantic marooned amidst
>the dreadful detritus of pluralism, scepticism, and cynicism of
>the late 20th century. Trapped-like Howard the Duck-in a world he
>never made, condemned to have his every serious effort at clear,
>reasonable and factual discourse answered by the lowest of taunts and
>jeers.
>
>Even the persona he devises and the whimsical characters which
>so enliven his lonely crusade (and-by extension-ours, should we aspire
>to agree with him and cast off our blinders and naughty taunts) are
>objects of scorn again and again. How can he be denied even the most
>meagre and harmless of charades?-the uncharitable wretches. Why do
>they persist in harping on this minor point to no avail, when there is so
>much more about Kate to more fruitfully discuss? Why, one could raise
>the level of this discussion and ennoble oneself by discourse with
>andrew instead of these same dreary ad hominems.  Must the barbarians
>disport themselves with such gleeful and dreary repetition on these
>tired old themes and never even glimpse their own stupidity? How can
>they be so content with the kind of self-deception that comes from
>knowing, deep inside, that they are incapable of modifying any of
>andrew's words? He has again and again invited discussion, and felt
>those quiet washes of pleasure at holding an unassailable position
>with as great a regularity. But what is this-yet another fruitless
>posting that again fails to address the issues? It strains the charity
>of one's heart.
 
Great!
 
>Subject: Squeakback
>Re: Your comments about differences of opinion on musical taste...
>
>I don't much CARE what someone's musical opinions might be, that's an
>individual sort of thing, kinda like wearing seat belts. :-)  What DOES
>matter is WHY THEY FEEL THAT WAY.  F'instance, Jon, you said "'SAT IN
>YOUR LAP' is one of the best songs produced anywhere in the past 10
>years!"  Well, that may just be so, but WHY do you think so?  Sure, your
>reasons may be subjective, but relating them has meaning and will help
>me decide whether or not to give it a listen and form my own opinion,
>rather than just get into name-calling with no resolution.
>
>Sorry if that made some sense, it's late and I'm tired....
>
>BTW, I stopped listening to net.music for the same reason, and have just
>started getting a 2nd-hand resend of Love-Hounds.  PLEASE, please, say
>that mud-slinging is not the norm for THIS list, too...
>
>NonJim
>Redondo Beach, CA
 
That's great, too!
 
>From: drukman%UMASS.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu
>          (Jonathan S. Drukman)
>Subject:  Re: Squeakback
>NonJim at Redondo Beach has some interesting things to say...
>Well, unfortunately, it does seem that mud-slinging is the norm EVERYWHERE
>you go nowadays, but the flip side is that you have a boring syncophantic
>list where everyone sits around and says "Isn't <mumble> the greatest?"
>and the replies are "Oh yes, I really love it!"  "It's amazing!"
>so you gotta expect some dissenters out there...
>
>-- Jon Drukman
 
Right on the money! Great!
 
>As to _WHY_ I think "Sat In Your Lap" is one of the finest pieces of
>music I have personally heard in the past 10 years, it is because the
>song in question has an intriguing rhythm (12/8 time in the verses and
>10/8 time in the chorus! wow!), a catchy tune, extremely clever lyrics,
>faultless production, and I have found that I can listen to it over and
>over again without becoming bored.  Certainly, any song that exhibits
>those qualities is something special.  I have also mentioned publicly
>on many occasions that I consider several other bands capable of exhibiting
>those qualities, and thus I rank them among my favorite records.
>So, as a challenge to you, name one of YOUR favorite songs and state
>several reasons why.  And use a #2 pencil, please.  (just kidding :-)
>
>-- jon drukman
 
Don't look at IED. He didn't have anything to do with this -- he's
learned his lesson. Sounds great to him!
 
>Please send something about garage bands (i.e. which ones you like) to this
>newsgroup, rather than sending me mail.  We need something to dilute out all
>this IED shit.
>
>--John
 
That would do it.
 
>From: Robert Stanzel <apollo!rps>
>Subject: Japan-related stuff
>Anyone have anything to say about Janzen/Barbieri's "Worlds in a Small Room"?
>How about the "Buoy" EP, with 3/4th of Japan (Janzen, Karn, & Sylvian)?
>
>Columbia Ph.D. candidates need not apply.
>
>-- Rob Stanzel  UUCP:  ...{decvax!wanginst, mit-eddie}!apollo!rps
 
Tough, here's an application from one anyway.
First of all, it's Jansen, not Janzen (although his
real name is Batt, so it probably doesn't make much
difference). Second, which Worlds in a Small Room?
The recent UK release is an
abridged version of the original Japanese LP,
which included a final vocal,
"Move in Circles". Third, it's great!
"Buoy" is too! But don't
buy the twelve-inch:
the same mix of "Buoy" and both b-sides are included on
the LP called
"Dreams of Reason Produce Monsters", which is also
great, especially the Jansen track "Land" and the
second Sylvian track, which sounds more like Tin Drum-era
Japan than anything since 1982. Which is wonderful!
 
-- Andy Marvick