From: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org (alloy-digest) To: alloy-digest@smoe.org Subject: alloy-digest V5 #227 Reply-To: alloy@smoe.org Sender: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk X-To-Unsubscribe: Send mail to "alloy-digest-request@smoe.org" X-To-Unsubscribe: with "unsubscribe" as the body. alloy-digest Sunday, September 17 2000 Volume 05 : Number 227 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Alloy: from the vaults [Robin Thurlow ] Alloy: hittin' the road [Robin Thurlow ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 16 Sep 2000 22:38:46 -0400 From: Robin Thurlow Subject: Alloy: from the vaults In going through the archives I've found a great exchange I thought everyone would love to read again, circa 1996. Dan Swan had asked about the use of French in Valley of the Mind's Eye, and about a week after the question was posted, Thomas himself replied with the answer. It's very eerie to read Thomas' reference to filing the information in the FAQ at the FES, since this my exact purpose in going through the archives now... The archived posts are below, I hope you enjoy them! xxx Robin T From: "Dan Swan" Date: Thu, 1 Aug 96 12:00:03 MDT Subject: Alloy: Ma Cher Josephine... I'm sure this question has been asked before, but I cannot remember the answer... Where did the quote in Valley of the Minds Eye come from? Also, throughout all dolby albums, there is a consistent smattering of french, and good french at that... Is TMDR fluent in french, or did he receive help with it? Where did he pick it up. The french is a killer augment to the music... really gives it a special flavor.... few artists can bring together technology and culture into such a beautiful fusion. ............................................................................. 'And if you want to Swan, one to one... kid, we don't need a pond.' -Prefab Sprout Dan Swan at U of Calgary. http://www.ucalgary.ca/~dswan Standard Disclaimers Apply, Finger for PGP. ............................................................................. From: Thomas Dolby <72662.3112@CompuServe.COM> Date: 08 Aug 96 00:27:59 EDT Subject: Re: Alloy: Ma Cher Josephine... Dan, This is a tardy reply to be sure. But I thought I'd set the record straight, seeing as you've been so patient... I learned French at school in England. I spent a term at school in Montgeron, a small town a little South of Paris. I majored in French Literature at "A"-level at age 17. (And scored a measly B.) Then at 18 I hitchiked to Paris to (1) Fall in love (2) Play guitar in the Metro to eat. I was very successful in the former -- a young lady called Elizabeth Aumont was the origin of "Europa and the Pirate Twins" -- and semi-successful in the latter, though it sometimes took till supper time to earn enough money to buy breakfast! (A baptism by fire into the Music Business.) So yes, my French is reasonably fluent, and the various French quotes in my lyrics ("...ta republique..." "Ma Chere Josephine..." "... que je voudrais vous presenter, Messieurs et Dames..." etc.) are fun and nostalgic for me. They might also be viewed as a vague attempt to connect with a hitherto untapped record market: although I fear it takes more than parlaying their lingo to get our Gallic cousins shell out the Francs. I hope this answers your question. We'll add it to the FES FAQ's for future reference. Best, TMDR ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 16 Sep 2000 23:03:24 -0400 From: Robin Thurlow Subject: Alloy: hittin' the road Just a note to inform everyone that I'm packing up my electric tea kettle and heading back to Cornell for another two weeks. I'll be checking in frequently though I may not have the best email access from there... so, please forgive any delays in email responses. As always, if there should be problems of any kind, please don't hesitate to get in touch & I'll take care of things for you. Meanwhile, please post any thoughts/interpretations you might have had on TMDR's song Pulp Culture, or any of our previous Songs of the Week. How did the song first affect you when you first heard it? What has it meant to you over the years? I also should be posting a new song in a few days, and if no one objects to the 'rarities' interpretations I may do "Don't Turn Away"... I love this song & can't get it out of my head lately. Otherwise... any suggestions? I think that's about it... I hope everyone's having a great weekend. It's freezing in NY, and very beautiful! Take care everyone, xx Robin T ------------------------------ End of alloy-digest V5 #227 ***************************