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alloy-digest Tuesday, May 16 2000 Volume 05 : Number 120
Today's Subjects:
-----------------
Re: Alloy: Lyrical Interpretation [Lee Redfern <L.D.Redfern@herts.ac.uk>]
Alloy: Assistance required [andyjmail@cheerful.com]
Re: Alloy: Lyrical Interpretation [Paul Baily <justsomeguy@ozemail.com.au]
RE: Alloy: Hair and art, Was:Thomas shaved *his* head... ["Krzysko, Will]
RE: Alloy: Lyrical Interpretation ["Krzysko, William" <WilliamK@Castwell.]
Re: Alloy: Hair and art, Was:Thomas shaved *his* head... [RThurF@aol.com]
RE: Alloy: Lyrical Interpretation [lulfstedt@amadeus.net]
Re: Alloy: Lyrical Interpretation [lulfstedt@amadeus.net]
Re: Alloy: Lyrical Interpretation [Robin Thurlow <rthurlow@binghamton.edu]
Re: Alloy: Lyrical Interpretation [Kathleen Truelove Presser <Kathleen.Pr]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 15 May 2000 09:34:06 +0100
From: Lee Redfern <L.D.Redfern@herts.ac.uk>
Subject: Re: Alloy: Lyrical Interpretation
From what I remember in an interview that TD gave in '88, he said that he
was in
a unique position in that he got complete and utter creative control over
everything
he did. If he wanted to gave sailing down the amazon, the record company
would be OK
with it.
But this sort of contract means your gonna get thrown from pillar to post
and go through
every record label under the sun (which he has, sort of, because every
time he's changed
record companies, each one in turn has been bought out by EMI - Manhattan,
Virgin etc).
Lee
- --On 14 May 2000, 23:08 +0000 CJMark@aol.com wrote:r
>
> Hey Craig..
>
> Yes.. that is the one thing about TMDRs vids.. it seems he must have had
> some major input to get what he wanted to see..
>
> And yes.. the smoke is billowing.. I can see it from my little motel.
> It's hard to tell anything more from here though.
>
> Got to run...
>
> Mark
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 15 May 2000 05:38:43 -0400 (EDT)
From: andyjmail@cheerful.com
Subject: Alloy: Assistance required
Hi Alloy,
I recently received the following from a visitor to my web site - kriegler@senet.com.au - I wonder if anyone
could help, please :
---- André wrote:
> Hey there...
> I was wondering if you could help me out....
> I'm looking everywhere for a Howard the Duck soundtrack, or somewhere to
> download the songs if they aren't avaliabe...
> I have one mp3 so far (the theme song), but I'd like the rest... and I'd
> buy them if I could, but downloading them is also an allternative.
> So I guess, do you know where I could get the songs, or even download
> them...
> I know its a big ask, but I really love those songs... and have no idea
> where to start.
>
> Thanks a bundle,
> André
- -----------
I've had a hectic few months so far this year, I hope things settle down! 3 weddings, a few deaths and a funeral so far since February.
My PC is playing up again, and to cap it all our 2.5 yr old has decided that going to bed isn't to her taste - or even staying asleep once she gets there. I've had more migraines this year than ever before!
I thank you for the lyric discussions - but I can't imagine joining in - the words go right over my head, I enjoy the music too much to listen to the words, he might as well be singing about spam tins or something.
OK, I exaggerate slightly, but I never try and fathom some great meaning from songs, they conjure up a feeling or three when I'm listening but that's as far as it goes. At least I can "enjoy" some foreign music - handy when there's so much French FM to be heard here - not to mention all the German stuff on satellite.
I remember at school we'd spend English Lit. lessons examing poems in gruesome detail, it was an absolute turn off. What appeared to be a poem completely about pretty flowers in a field or something was somehow construed to be all about unrequited love or something equally unfathomable to my overloaded 15yr old mind. Ugh.
Airwaves to me is a bleak downtrodden masses heavily industrial messed up planet sort of thing, and that's probably why it's not a fave of mine, although you'd expect it to be, given my adoration of radio.
I do like the interpretation about popular radio being so horrendous, I couldn't agree more. I can't stand listening to a computer's choice of music that only includes "hits" that have been played to death. It amazes me that it appears to be what the public wants.
I'd rather have a station that plays new music and album tracks etc, but there apparently isn't any money in that. So I tune around searching for entertainment, even the French stations. I'll be happy when I've got 200 hours worth of my fave music in an MP3 (or better) format on board the car... these days I leave the radio off and enjoy the sound of the engine. If I'm stuck in traffic I settle onto speech-based radio instead - I never dreamt I'd end up a BBC Radio 4 listener!
Ah well, back to lurking for a while more...
+AndyJ+
- ----------------------------------------------------------------
Get your free email from AltaVista at http://altavista.iname.com
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 15 May 2000 20:02:50 +1000
From: Paul Baily <justsomeguy@ozemail.com.au>
Subject: Re: Alloy: Lyrical Interpretation
And on the day of 14/5/2000 11:08 pm, Slarv thus did spake...
> Over the eons here on Alloy (and previously in the FES) mondegreens have come
> up from time to time. Usually they have simply been what people thought they
> heard
>
<Beavis&Butthead mode>
Hehheh! Hehheh! He said MONDEGREENS. Hehheh! Hehheh!
</Beavis&Butthead mode>
Talking of which, one thing that struck me as curious about the lyrics
posted on Airwaves was this:
[Signor Estevao writes]
Strange how the scale forms
In tiny patterns
On my antenna
And the five o'clock show, hello hello...
[end write]
Now I always thought the last line was:
And the five o'clock show, 'Allo 'Allo
...since a long while back there was a charming BBC comedy of this name.
Made more sense to me in that way and maybe it's my imagination but the
Gentleman seems to annunciate it this way ...or am I barking up the wrong
tree entirely?
I remember watching 'Allo 'Allo when growing up in NZ, it's a pity they
don't re-run it here. The gendarme (apologies on the shocking French
spelling) still cracks me up.
FWIW, I've never really tried to interpret this song since it's one of those
ones that I like to just slip the mind out of gear and let it wash over. My
only thought is perhaps of someone living in the states after having lived
in the UK and feeling a little homesick, alone, even out of sync with the
new country. The verse could also be read as scale forming on the show
(memories of said country fading?)
Talking still of mondegreens, does anyone remember way back when (oh lordy,
I've reached the age of saying 'remember way back whens'...) we were trying
to figure out the deep meaning of the Russian speech in Dissidents? I still
chuckle when I think of it. It was in either the late K'space or early
Alloithic Era. If anyone's interested, I'm pretty sure I still have the
thread here somewhere...
cheers,
Paul.
This message powered by Easter Parade off A Walk Across the Rooftops/Blue
Nile.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 15 May 2000 09:00:58 -0500
From: "Krzysko, William" <WilliamK@Castwell.CitationCorp.com>
Subject: RE: Alloy: Hair and art, Was:Thomas shaved *his* head...
What got me thinking about this is the change that TMDR seemed to go through
in his publicity photos. He started off with the white suit/conservative
look, then moved into a sort of Elton John'ish thing, and then for A&H he
all out with the hair and the clothes. Then when the Mind's Eye film came
out he appeared in photos dressed as a gangsta' rapper. So I just wondered
if there was any significance to these images. I sort of assumed the rapper
image was meant as a joke, I found it very funny to see the very British
Empire/bow to the Queen TMDR looking like he was from the 'hood.
- -----Original Message-----
From: RThurF@aol.com [mailto:RThurF@aol.com]
Sent: Saturday, May 13, 2000 1:03 AM
To: alloy@smoe.org
Subject: Re: Alloy: Hair and art, Was:Thomas shaved *his* head...
In a message dated 5/12/00 1:30:58 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
WilliamK@Castwell.CitationCorp.com writes:
:: So, just like there are musicians or painters who basicaly copy others,
there are those who try to match a look that others have, i.e. grunge,
punk,
etc.
An artist is trying to express something when they create art, a feeling, a
point of view, something from within themselves that they hope will connect
with another person.
If you accept the Person as Art concept, then what are we trying to express
when we wear a goatee, or dye our hair purple, or dress in a design by a
famous designer, or invent some new and unusal look that has never been
seen
before? ::
I think one way to look at it could be through looking at the way people
dress on the whole. I'm sure everyone wants to wear what they think looks
best on them, and what they think expresses who they are.
I've seen a lot of the fashion types you described - the 'starving artist'
who can't be bothered to fuss with their appearance because they're so
enthralled with their work - though they may not be literally starving.
Albert Einstein was one of these (Jeff Goldblum's character in The Fly drew
directly off of Einstein's method of having seven of the exact same suit in
his closet, so he wouldn't have to waste any mental energy deciding what to
wear) - though Einstein was a scientist, he was undeniably an artist within
his discipline. The actress Isabella Rossalini is the same way with her
wardrobe when she's not being fussed over as a model or actress. Identical
suits which she can just reach in and grab without having to worry about it.
Personally, I have three or four outfits I prefer to wear for the sake of
simplicity for the same reasons.
Another element of fashion for the professional artist is that of business.
You have to present yourself well to gallery representatives and to the
public. If you can make yourself memorable, it's part of winning the
battle.
You're your own walking publicity.
Also, I think part of being an artist is getting involved with your
surroundings, making modifications, making things your own. With ones
appearance it's the same.
There are always going to be fashion trends, so of course, artists don't
have
a corner on looking absolutely alien to one another, any more than anyone
else in any other group of people does. Still, I think you may be right in
that those involved in creative professions do tend to have a non-mainstream
flair to them.
Maybe because the arts are not looked kindly upon in our culture, especially
nowadays - maybe because of this, the artist is stepping away from the
mainstream deliberately or subconsciously? Perhaps a bit of rebellion is
mixed in with the artistic fashion sense.
But whenever anyone asks me about the way I dress, I usually just say that I
wear what I like, and what I think looks good, just as they do :)
Robin T
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 15 May 2000 09:05:10 -0500
From: "Krzysko, William" <WilliamK@Castwell.CitationCorp.com>
Subject: RE: Alloy: Lyrical Interpretation
>Now I always thought the last line was:
>And the five o'clock show, 'Allo 'Allo
>...since a long while back there was a charming BBC comedy of this name.
This show was on very briefly in Chicago a few years back, and my first
thought was, "Ah! that's what he means in Airwaves!"
There was a character in the show that looked liked TMDR's charater in the
Airwaves video, so I always wondered if there was some connection.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 15 May 2000 10:46:56 EDT
From: RThurF@aol.com
Subject: Re: Alloy: Hair and art, Was:Thomas shaved *his* head...
In a message dated 5/15/00 10:06:24 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
WilliamK@Castwell.CitationCorp.com writes:
:: What got me thinking about this is the change that TMDR seemed to go
through
in his publicity photos. He started off with the white suit/conservative
look, then moved into a sort of Elton John'ish thing, and then for A&H he
all out with the hair and the clothes. Then when the Mind's Eye film came
out he appeared in photos dressed as a gangsta' rapper. So I just wondered
if there was any significance to these images. ::
Could be..! but I've always assumed it had to do with Thomas' sense of humor
& that maybe he gets bored easily :)
Robin T
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 15 May 2000 17:03:21 +0100
From: lulfstedt@amadeus.net
Subject: RE: Alloy: Lyrical Interpretation
>Now I always thought the last line was:
>And the five o'clock show, 'Allo 'Allo
>...since a long while back there was a charming BBC comedy of this name.
Hate to burst anyone's bubble, (and please forgive me if I've got my dates wrong
here) but I'm pretty sure Airwaves predates the TV series Allo Allo by a couple
of years, as the series started in 1984,...tho' it's nice idea!
As for the song, a story or a firm idea of what it was about never formed in my
head,...more of a few impressions.
I always imagined "Airwaves" was about some ham-radio type techie guy who was
trying to find his place in a strange, hard, futuristic world where his great
love, the radio, was becoming obsolete.
This may seem weird, but I always though this was kind of a romantic song, and
that the "be in my broadcast" line was a really unique and genuine way for the
'radio enthusiast' in the song to say something romantic. Being in this guy's
broadcast is probably the ultimate complement you could get.
I also love this song because it's so eerie and strange, and I love the whole
idea of the meldings & clashes between old fashioned and new technology.
(On the otherhand, it pays to bear in mind that this is the very subjective
impression of a girl who owns & loves both PCs & old valve radios, has a working
gramaphone and has a big softspot for techie-geek types! (heh heh!)
The song also reminds me of the "Max Headroom" series (not the video show) that
I was watching at the time I started to listen to Thomas' records.
That also had a nice visual mishmash of old and new in it (old fashioned
typewriter keyboards, radios & microphones mixed in with computers, video etc. -
I always found the series reminiscent of the video for "Radio Silence")
Although I find it impossible to name one song as my favourite by Thomas, as to
lyrics, it's a close run contest between Airwaves & ILYG, with Airwaves winning
by a hairbreadth. I love this song, period.
Hennyway,...time for me to get back to work,.....(sigh)
Lissu :-)
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 15 May 2000 17:11:13 +0100
From: lulfstedt@amadeus.net
Subject: Re: Alloy: Lyrical Interpretation
>But we used to love listening to all the pretentious artsies come up with
>all these deep, meaningful interpretations of our songs.
> CRACKERS
>(And style is a word I've never even heard in your vogue Caprice from hell!!)
This reminds me of some sleeve notes I once read on an album by Seal.
He said something along the lines of him not wanting to include the lyrics in
with the album as he thought that people should enjoy whatever 'mondegreenous'
version of the song that they 'heard', even if the lyrics sounded like they
involved Hilda Ogden's stockings or something along those lines - (I must look
it up - it was quite funny how he put it,...)
I was miffed that the lyrics weren't included because I like to read poetic
lyrics, but I get his point :-)
Lissu :-)
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 15 May 2000 13:27:58 -0400
From: Robin Thurlow <rthurlow@binghamton.edu>
Subject: Re: Alloy: Lyrical Interpretation
lulfstedt@amadeus.net wrote:
> I was miffed that the lyrics weren't included because I like to read poetic
> lyrics, but I get his point :-)
>
Lissu, I feel the same way. I love lyrics. I've heard some recording artists say
that the lyrics are a part of the music & they don't want to write them out
because then it's picking the song apart too much. Still, some of the most
beautiful poetry I've read has been in song lyrics & when it's hidden or obscured
so that I can't tell what's being said, I'm disappointed.
Robin T
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 15 May 2000 10:41:00 -0700
From: Kathleen Truelove Presser <Kathleen.Presser@corp.go.com>
Subject: Re: Alloy: Lyrical Interpretation
Airwaves...hmmm. To me this song seemed to be about someone trying to find a human
touch in a society of high technology. Also a place of stone, steel, and
disembodied voices picked up by an antennae. Yet, the person in this song is part of
it all. It does kinda remind me in a way of that movie 'Brazil'.
About the 'mondegreens' out there. The band that I think is the most un-articulate
is Nirvana. In order for me to really understand what the lyrics are for their
songs, I've got to see the lyrics themselves. Thomas's songs are for the most part
easy to understand. There aren't too many musicians out there that make it easy to
understand every word that is sung. Oh well.
Kate the blessed ;-)
lulfstedt@amadeus.net wrote:
> >Now I always thought the last line was:
> >And the five o'clock show, 'Allo 'Allo
> >...since a long while back there was a charming BBC comedy of this name.
>
> Hate to burst anyone's bubble, (and please forgive me if I've got my dates wrong
> here) but I'm pretty sure Airwaves predates the TV series Allo Allo by a couple
> of years, as the series started in 1984,...tho' it's nice idea!
>
> As for the song, a story or a firm idea of what it was about never formed in my
> head,...more of a few impressions.
>
> I always imagined "Airwaves" was about some ham-radio type techie guy who was
> trying to find his place in a strange, hard, futuristic world where his great
> love, the radio, was becoming obsolete.
>
> This may seem weird, but I always though this was kind of a romantic song, and
> that the "be in my broadcast" line was a really unique and genuine way for the
> 'radio enthusiast' in the song to say something romantic. Being in this guy's
> broadcast is probably the ultimate complement you could get.
>
> I also love this song because it's so eerie and strange, and I love the whole
> idea of the meldings & clashes between old fashioned and new technology.
> (On the otherhand, it pays to bear in mind that this is the very subjective
> impression of a girl who owns & loves both PCs & old valve radios, has a working
> gramaphone and has a big softspot for techie-geek types! (heh heh!)
>
> The song also reminds me of the "Max Headroom" series (not the video show) that
> I was watching at the time I started to listen to Thomas' records.
> That also had a nice visual mishmash of old and new in it (old fashioned
> typewriter keyboards, radios & microphones mixed in with computers, video etc. -
> I always found the series reminiscent of the video for "Radio Silence")
>
> Although I find it impossible to name one song as my favourite by Thomas, as to
> lyrics, it's a close run contest between Airwaves & ILYG, with Airwaves winning
> by a hairbreadth. I love this song, period.
>
> Hennyway,...time for me to get back to work,.....(sigh)
>
> Lissu :-)
------------------------------
End of alloy-digest V5 #120
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