Talk about sleazy...

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

>To: "Hugh_W_Messenger.SBDERX"@Xerox.COM
>Subject: Re: IEDsucksIEDsucksIEDsucksIEDsucksIEDesucksIEDsucksIEDsucks

>Meanwhile the bodies continue to rot, and the insurers are under no
>legal obligation to pay up more than 36,000 pounds ($57,000)
>compensation to those injured or the relatives of those killed.
>Evidence mounts that the accident was due to negligence.  The ferry
>operators announce that they are *considering* topping up insurance
>claims "on a discretionary basis in cases of extreme need", ha ha.
>
>BUY IT!!!!!
>
>A hard copy of IEDs diatribe has been sent to Ms Bush for her comments
>...

>   -- Angry of Mayfair

Here's a reply from Angry of Los Angeles, fella.
You are perfectly welcome to forward IED's Love-Hounds postings
to Kate any time (by the way, thanks for asking first).
IED would like to know, however, whether you had the decency to
post his ENTIRE, un-butchered review of the single, rather than
your totally out-of-context hatchet-job of it. If you had read
the original with any care at all, you'd have noticed the very clear
prefatory remarks which pointed out the distinction between
criticism of art and approval of the motivations behind the art.
IED had nothing critical to say about the IDEA of helping the
Zeebrugge disaster families; on the contrary, in theory it's an
excellent idea. But that idea has nothing whatever to do
with the quality of the music itself. Please let IED know, publicly or
privately, whether the copy you sent to Kate was the unabridged original,
or your own "edited" version. If you actually sent her the
outrageous abridgement that you posted in Love-Hounds, then IED would
at least like to have the chance to clean up the mess which your
blind ignorance has made, by sending her the complete text, as well.

>> Hof on Blue Velvet
>I was disappointed at first because I was expecting another Eraserhead.
>Ended up liking it because it was hilarious! Some of those deadpan Russ
>Meyer-like (Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, Up, Supervixens) were great.
>Uh oh, now I'll probably get flamed because nobody else thought it was
>funny...

IED noticed a few bits of intentional humor, and in a way
all of the everyday scenes of the town were satirical. But
mainly IED was just hypnotized by the movie. Also, it's one of
the only movies made to date that deals with the subject with
an artistic eye.

>Subject: IED comes through...
>From: Patrick J. Waara <Waara.wbst@Xerox.COM>
>...with an idea I truely like (the tape swapping idea that is.)  All
>interested people could send their names and addresses to somebody for
>compilation and posting.  What better way to get a taste of music that
>you may not otherwise listen to.
>
>~Pat

Good, we seem to have a winning proposition on our hands; there
remains only the problem of implementing it. Unless Mark K.
objects, could he post his mailing address to IED soon, so that
IED can send him a cassette? No time like the present for these
grand schemes, eh? Look what happened to the Kate cover versions
project and the tee-shirt project -- mainly due to a lack of
initiative on everyone's part (IED included)...

>I'm a bit confused by your use of original here IED. Do you really mean
>the vocal track recorded with The Beatles? Certainly, the video shows an
>ageing McCartney at the piano singing the lines.

Thanks for all your comments, Neil, as usual you are very helpful.
IED had heard in U.S. news reports that Boy George and the producer
had begun the song with "Paul McCartney's original Beatles vocal
recording" re-mixed with the new backing track. Obviously, this
report was incorrect, however. (The video has still not appeared
here, unfortunately, although it may show up on MTV at any moment.)
He does sing it with nearly every original inflection unchanged, however.

>>Then there is a smarmy guitar-ridden instrumental bridge and a wildly
>>over-blown chorus.
>
>Guitars courtesy of Mark Knopfler and Gary Moore (bass Mark King).

Well known they are, certainly. Also highly skilled. Unfortunately,
neither their skill nor their fame makes the music any better.

>The fact that the Sun newspaper was behind the project may help explain
>some of the shortcomings. The sleeve has SUN printed on it in bold red
>letters. Obviously they are cynically out to attract more readers. It's
>as if Bob Geldof had stamped Boomtown Rats all over the Band Aid single.
>I hesitated over buying the record because of its Sun connections.

The Sun's association has always been well understood. The "Chart
File" columnist for Record Mirror (the best of the British music
weeklies, because it has by far the best news service, most
complete chart information and least political/cultural
input from its reporters) this week pointed out the suspicious-at-best
motives behind the Ferry Aid project, without naming names.
Our Mayfair critic would do well to read the column. Incidentally,
RM, too, singled out Kate's contribution as one of the only worthwhile
things to have come out of the project.

>Perhaps my hearing is fading but I felt Kate was a little off on the very
>last note. Just short of perfeKTion in my opinion but she looks stunning
>in the video.

IED will have to listen again, but he thinks he knows what you're
alluding to, and he had believed it was a deliberate touch. Maybe not.

-- Andrew Marvick