Midnight Voices                      
The discussion forum for fans of Pete Atkin and Clive James,
their works and collaborators on stage, TV, disc and in print.

Web Digest week 29 (15.03.98, MV797 - 832) begins | index | prev | next |
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From: "lynn sheppard" <email address>
To: Midnight Voices <email address>
Date: Sun, 15 Mar 1998 00:42:51 +0000
Subject: MV797 Re: MV794; MV790: "Together Again"?

how about  "Revived Live" or "CPR" ? ( Clive and Pete Reunited)  
Sorry to put Clive first but the pun doesnt work otherwise! Or how 
about  "Dragged screaming from the brink of obscurity Show?"   
       Lynn

==============================================================================
From: Cary <email address>
To: Midnight Voices <email address>
Date: Sun, 15 Mar 1998 22:41:36 +0000
Subject: MV798 Re: MV790: "Together Again"?

> Any ideas for a snappy show title?

A few thoughts that should probably have stayed thoughts but here 
goes anyway !!

"Listening to the Midnight Voices"
"The History and Geography of PA and CJ "
"Caught in the net"
"The Thirty Year Men"
"Between Us" 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~        
ROCK FOLLIES - The Classic 1970's TV Drama starring 
Julie Covington, Charlotte Cornwell and Rula Lenska. 
Online at:-  http://members.xoom.com/Follies
Pictures,sounds and much more (unofficial site)
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Regards - Cary (like Mary with a 'C' for cat)

==============================================================================
Date: Mon, 16 Mar 1998 00:03:39 +0000
To: Midnight Voices <email address>
From: Pete Smith <email address>
Subject: MV799 Re: MV790: "Together Again"?


>> Any ideas for a snappy show title?
How about "Thieves In The Night"?


-- 
Pete Smith

==============================================================================
Date: Sun, 15 Mar 1998 17:28:08 +0000
To: Midnight Voices <email address>
From: S J Birkill <email address>
Subject: MV800: Revised Welcome Message, 15th March 1998

Dear Midnight Voices member,

Welcome to our e-mail discussion group. This message goes out to every new
subscriber, and on its first publication to existing members too, for
reference. You might also get this again if you request information that's
already been covered here. And it's close on 400 messages (and now 4
months) since the last revision, so here goes ...

There's no FAQ as such -- this is the best you get. But the answers to many
of your questions will be found on our Website. Failing that, post a
message here and you're guaranteed a friendly response, even if no-one
knows the answer!

We started this list in September 1997 and at present (this message
composed 15th March 1998) we have 125 members. We're averaging 20 to 30
messages per week at present, although Week 28 was a big one (51).

The group topic is defined as "anything at all to do with Pete Atkin or his
music, or his associates at Cambridge or subsequently on TV, radio, record
or on tour". This includes Clive James and Julie Covington and their own
careers, the Atkin/James songs, the musicians, lyrics, chords, influences,
shows, club gigs, records, tapes, books, films, radio and TV appearances,
the Website -- if you've got here then the chances are you share more than
one interest with the group. Any questions posted for Pete Atkin's
attention will be passed on, and I will include his replies in my future
contributions. We also receive occasional comment from Clive James.

The way we operate is not quite the same as an automated listserver.
Messages are re-mailed manually, so the mailing list is not published
anywhere. So you need have no fear of 'spam' infecting our operation. If
you have a question, comment, opinion or reply for the group, send it as an
e-mail to the list address:

	Midnight Voices <email address>

We will add a header with an MV number and re-mail it, normally within a
day, to the entire 'daily' group. 'Weekly' members will receive a 'digest'
each weekend, combining all the previous week's posts into one long message.

My own e-mail address, for administration (add, remove, resend, change to
daily/weekly) is Steve Birkill <email address>.

We no longer re-send 'bounced' messages automatically. If your bounces
appear to be permanent we'll delete you from the circulation list. Should
you have somehow missed a message, mail me direct and request a re-send. If
it's less than a week old you'll get just the message requested, but if
it's older you'll receive the appropriate week's digest. Messages older
than about four weeks (it varies) are accessible in our Web archive,
indexed at http://www.rwt.co.uk/mvindex.htm -- personal e-mail addresses,
postal addresses and phone numbers have been stripped from the archive for
security.

We naturally prefer concise messages, but don't have any arbitrary limit on
message length -- if it's interesting it's welcome. Please try and keep
quotations to a minimum -- if you refer to a previous message by its MV
number, or author, it shouldn't ever be necessary to quote the entire
message, and certainly not the header and sig. Some members' mailers can't
handle binary attachments, so please limit your posts to text only. Note
also that styled or HTML text is not always rendered correctly, so is best
avoided.

Some e-mail programs may have defaults which cause them to ignore messages
beyond a certain length. Our weekly digests can reach 70k in size, so
please adjust your software if necessary. Also a special note for
CompuServe members: CS's new spam-avoidance system tends to block mailing
list messages and could result in your missing most of our precious
throughput. It's ON by default for your account -- you need to GO
SPAMCONTROLS (in CIS) and select Filter OFF, if you've had to be sent this
via our admin address. [But see now MV824 and MV830 for update -- SJB 22.3.98]

If you're confused by what the nuts on this list are talking about, you
might like to familiarise yourself with 'Smash Flops', our Website:
http://www.rwt.co.uk/pa.htm for background, news, releases and gigs.
http://www.rwt.co.uk/padiscog.htm for discography, lyrics and chords.
http://www.rwt.co.uk/jc.htm for everything to do with Julie Covington.

We urge you to buy the CD re-issue of Pete's first two albums on the See
For Miles label, see the Website for full details. Success here will ensure
the release of the remainder of the back catalogue. And we hope to see you
at our own concert at Buxton, Derbyshire on September 20th, with Pete and
Clive.

If you're new to the group, you're hereby invited to introduce yourself!

Talk superbly,

Stephen J Birkill

PS:  Re Recordings of Monyash Festival, please see message MV710 in the
 Web archive for details: http://www.rwt.co.uk/mvdig025.htm#mv710

==============================================================================
From: IChippett <email address>
Date: Mon, 16 Mar 1998 01:37:06 EST
To: midnight.voices<email address>
Subject: MV801 Re : MV797; MV794; MV790: "Together Again"?

"Pete and Clive Live?" Or, if you want to fill seats, "Booze and Girls and
Junk."

==============================================================================
From: IChippett <email address>
Date: Mon, 16 Mar 1998 01:37:03 EST
To: midnight.voices<email address>
Subject: MV802: Transcriptions and Barry Brown

Pete apparently wondered why I had "transcribed" some of his songs two
semitones too high. The reason is when I got the Monyash C.D. I played along
with "Biro" which (in Gerry Smith's transcription) is in D  although Pete says
it's easier to play in C. When I played along with the C.D. in D (sorry about
this!), it was just right so I assumed my guitar was in tune. In fact, Pete
plays it in C on the video as far as I can make out. Consequently, when I
tried to do the others I was always two semitones out. It wasn't until I tried
to play along with "A King At Nightfall" that I realised my blunder. Thus the
songs I did after this are in the right key. Pete will no doubt reposte that I
still managed to get them wrong to which my only excuse is that I play more or
less from ear both of which in my case, apart from sticking out at right
angles, are made of a curious mixture of tin and cloth! 

Who is Barry Brown, a co-writer of one song with PA? I was once beaten up by a
boy of this name in Grammar School but I don't suppose it's the same one.

==============================================================================
Date: Mon, 16 Mar 1998 09:25:40 +0000
To: Midnight Voices <email address>
From: Carole Birkill <email address>
Subject: MV803 Re: MV802: Transcriptions and Barry Brown

>
>Who is Barry Brown, a co-writer of one song with PA? I was once beaten up by 
>a boy of this name in Grammar School but I don't suppose it's the same one.
>

For whistling out of tune, no doubt!

Carole

==============================================================================
Date: Mon, 16 Mar 1998 09:34:38 +0000
To: Midnight Voices <email address>
From: S J Birkill <email address>
Subject: MV804 Re: MV802: Transcriptions and Barry Brown

>
>Who is Barry Brown, a co-writer of one song with PA? I was once beaten up
>by a boy of this name in Grammar School but I don't suppose it's the same
>one.
>

Check out the "Under Plain Cover" programme link on the Pete Atkin page
http://www.rwt.co.uk/pa.htm
and the "Barry Brown" link on the Julie Covington chronology page
http://www.rwt.co.uk/jcchrono.htm

-- Steve

==============================================================================
From: Dave Jones <email address>
To: 'Midnight Voices' <email address>
Subject: MV805 RE: MV795: National Steel
Date: Mon, 16 Mar 1998 08:57:30 -0500

>Pete himself might find editor Ian Anderson's tales of how much he paid
>for some rather desirable instruments interesting, or sick-making!

Would that be "Ian A. Anderson" of "Ian Anderson's Country Blues Band"
or whatever ?  The band name may not be quite correct, as I haven't looked at
the "Son of Gutbucket" album in many a year, but I do recall Ian bringing
his own style of jugband-folk-blues to York long long ago.  He is not, of 
course, to be confused with another Ian Anderson, who is a getting a little
too old to rock and roll, but thankfully too young to die.

Dave Jones
Thick as a brick in Rochester NY.

==============================================================================
To: midnight.voices<email address>
From: Richard Corfield <email address>
Date: Mon, 16 Mar 1998
Subject: MV806: Self-Introduction

Greetings all,

My name is Richard Corfield and I am based in Oxford UK.
I have been a fan of the music of Pete Atkin and Clive James
for longer than I care to remember.

It is great to know that some fellow enthusiasts are out
there!

A question, if I may: I found you web site this
morning. I get the impression that this discussion group has
only been active since last year. Does this mean that a Pete
Atkin revival is in progress?

If so, I always knew it would. Just like I always knew
that their music was far in advance of its time...

So - now that I've found you; Yes, I've already ordered the
CD release of BOTBS and DTMA. In the meantime we'll (I and
my wife) be booking seats for Buxton in the autumn.

I'll see you right, said the practical man
A boy like you should be living high
All you do is get up and be funny
And I'll turn the laughs into folding money
Can you name me anything that won't buy?

Best regards,

Richard

==============================================================================
Date: Mon, 16 Mar 1998 18:25:44 +0000
To: Midnight Voices <email address>
From: S J Birkill <email address>
Subject: MV807: Booking Buxton -- please be patient

I've been asked by a new member about booking for our September concert. He
phoned the Opera House Box Office, who so far know nothing of the event.

This reminds me I said I'd let you all know more about arrangements after
our meeting with BOH management last week.

The situation is that, firstly, the event IS on, the date (Sunday 20th
September) IS reserved, and nothing will change that. We are at present
discussing contractual matters with the Opera House, including such issues
as start time, ticket pricing and publicity, and when all that is resolved
and signed there'll be no reason for us to hold back on releasing tickets.

We anticipate tickets becoming available during the second half of April.
Midnight Voices will be the first to know, so please don't panic. We are
considering reserving a block of tickets for the Voices, and perhaps also
having a reception (at a premium) for a limited number of our members,
which may or may not be linked to the seats. We haven't decided yet, but we
will let you know the exact date and exact details before any announcement
is made outside MV!

Please be patient -- Steve

==============================================================================
Date: Mon, 16 Mar 1998 19:02:27 +0000
From: Graham Stibbs <email address>
To: Midnight Voices <email address>
Subject: MV808 Re: MV805  Ian A. Anderson still lives

Yes, Dave, it is indeed the same Ian A. Anderson. Don't know how much he
actually plays these days but he probably keeps his hand in.

Graham

==============================================================================
Date: Tue, 17 Mar 1998 11:04:05 +0800 (HKT)
To: midnight.voices<email address>
From: Steve Reels <email address>
Subject: MV809

Hi folks. This is my first message to Midnight Voices, although I've been
lurking for a few weeks just sponging stuff up. Back in 1970something I had
a copy of "Driving Through Mythical America" which a friend borrowed and
disappeared with (Dave Robinson, are you there?); the songs have haunted me
ever since. Now I have the double-CD reissue and am overwhelmed with how
good "Beware of the Beautiful Stranger" is. I want to get the whole set. Can
anyone tell me (privately if this is old news to everybody) if the other
albums are coming out on CD, and when?

The other thing is that I'll be in UK from 28 March to 16 April and would
love to catch a show. I can't work out from the website whether Mr Atkin is
doing performances these days other than the Buxton concert, but if anyone
knows of any shows during my visit I would be grateful for the details.
Apologies if what I am requesting is old hat to everybody, private mail is
fine. I'll be Winchester-based during my stay.

Also: I've seen references to a "Monyash" CD. Would be grateful if someone
can point me in the right direction.

Cheers,

Steve Reels
in Hong Kong

==============================================================================
Date: Tue, 17 Mar 1998 08:46:31 +0000
To: Midnight Voices <email address>
From: Leslie Moss <email address>
Subject: MV810 Re: MV790: "Together Again"?

>Any ideas for a snappy show title? Any suggestions/requests re content on
>the CJ side? (clogs, flares and baritone noted, Margarita Pracatan denied).
>
How about "Beware of the Talented Strangers"?!

Leslie

==============================================================================
From: Dave Jones <email address>
To: 'Midnight Voices' <email address>
Subject: MV811 RE: MV805; MV795: National Steel
Date: Tue, 17 Mar 1998 10:18:35 -0500

>Pete himself might find editor Ian Anderson's tales of how much he paid
>for some rather desirable instruments interesting, or sick-making!

Replying to myself again - I happened to notice one of those
Credit Suisse ads on the back of the Economist featuring 
a certain "Steve Evans, resonant instrument maker". In the picture
Steve is fondly holding a chromium plated mandolin while guitars
and even a ukelele hang gleaming on the wall behind him, all
reflected in the golden back of a metal guitar.  So it seems the
art is not confined to the National Steel Guitar Co.

Dave Jones
Strumming a jumbo in Rochester NY.

==============================================================================
From: IChippett <email address>
Date: Tue, 17 Mar 1998 10:39:06 EST
To: midnight.voices<email address>
Subject: MV812 Re : MV810; MV790: "Together Again"?

For Stackridge fans : "Who's that up there with Pete Atkin?"

==============================================================================
Date: Tue, 17 Mar 1998 15:45:34 +0000
From: john <email address>
To: Midnight Voices <email address>
Subject: MV813 Re: MV790: "Together Again"?

> Any ideas for a snappy show title? Any suggestions/requests re content on
> the CJ side? (clogs, flares and baritone noted, Margarita Pracatan denied).

Oh, you shouldn't do this to me Steve, it's too much temptation
and I can't resist.

Yes, I have a request and I don't care if the entire world thinks it's daft.
The last few times I played through The Last Hill I kept imagining it as
it would be if CJ were to sing it, and I *know* it works a treat. This must
surely be the only chance outside of Heaven to find out if I'm right. It is
a bitter, angry song and he surely remembers what he put into it.

John.

==============================================================================
From: "lynn sheppard" <email address>
To: Midnight Voices <email address>
Date: Tue, 17 Mar 1998 18:27:30 +0000
Subject: MV814 Re: MV813; MV790: "Together Again"?

    Clive looked really good in a black leather jacket when i saw him 
inmanchester in the early seventies. Any chance of fuelling an old 
womans fantasies,Clive? Oh, i also agree about "Last Hill". It would 
be quite powerful.      Lynn

==============================================================================
Date: Tue, 17 Mar 1998 20:57:07 -0800
From: m.powell<email address>
To: midnight.voices<email address>
Subject: MV815: Buxton show title

How about"Turning the laughs into folding money".

It depends to what extent the title needs to tell the uninitiated what
the show is about.  My guess is that there is no need for this now.

Or how about "Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends". 
Pete could ask Emerson, Lake and Palmer to do the warm up.

Mike Powell

==============================================================================
From: Elphinking <email address>
Date: Wed, 18 Mar 1998 04:54:23 EST
To: midnight.voices<email address>
Subject: MV816 Re: MV812; MV810; MV790: "Together Again"?

It really should be

 'Clive James in Concert, with some bloke called Pete Atkin'

.........sacrilege I know, but it would pack in the ignorant British public!!!

==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 18 Mar 1998 11:31:37 +0000
To: midnight.voices<email address>
From: Roy Brown <email address>
Subject: MV817 Re: MV814 "Together Again"?

In article <email address>,
Midnight Voices <email address> writes

<About what the Buxton show should be called, and what Clive might do>

yesterday till midnight, through from six.........

I lean towards 'Perfect Moments', which is what the songs are.

Clive could read from his many books, especially the autobiographical
ones. Maybe even a little 'Felicity Fark', to reflect the mood of the
times when the songs were written?

But we must avoid a title that only preaches to the converted, and
'twould be best to choose one that will set the correct expectations in
those attracted by Clive's name....

Clive might plump for 'A la recherche du temps perdu', but that might be
a little too recherche...

Pete's nice line in self-deprecating humour might come up with
'Forgotten, but not gone', but it isn't true, and we must be more
bullish than that...

'No Duds, no Dereks' is the sort of off-the-wall allusion designed to
provoke head-scratching, but again, it won't send the right message.

Anyone who remembers Blue Peter will get the resonance of 'And here's
some we made earlier'.

I quite like 'Side by Side' (with the pun on 'sides' as records), but
it's been used with 'by Sondheim'.

We want the harking back, to recollections and reflections ('The
recollected works of Atkin and James'?...no....) but still with the
sense that this can be very much for the present time as well.......

So how about 'Then and Now'? We're looking back to the songs written
then, but hearing them now. And who, hearing them for the first time at
Buxton, and barring a few references to coin of the realm, would ever
know they were written 20-25 years ago?
-- 
Roy Brown               Phone : <phone number>     Fax : <fax number>
Affirm Ltd              Email : <email address>
                        'Have nothing on your systems that you do not    
<postal address>         know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.' 

==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 18 Mar 1998 19:06:19 +0000
From: John Harris <email address>
To: Midnight Voices <email address>
Subject: MV818 Re: MV817; MV814 "Together Again"?

> <About what the Buxton show should be called, and what Clive might do>
>
> I lean towards 'Perfect Moments', which is what the songs are.

I suspect it will end up that way. It's not bad. I agree it should be a quote
from the lyrics.

Anyway, I'll be wry, downbeat and controversial (which is what a
show title ought to be), and suggest:

        "From the Heights of Arrogance"

which, in it's context, is just as miserable as "perfect bitch it doesn't
work that way".

John.

==============================================================================
From: Richard Corfield <email address>
Subject: MV819: Arrival...
To: <email address> (Midnight Voices)
Date: Wed, 18 Mar 1998 21:03:49 +0000 (GMT)

Dear All,

This evening I received the BOTBS and DTMA CD (It took some - but not much
pressure - on Tower Records to dispatch within 48 hrs - maybe worth
remembering when confronted with more tardy distributers...?)

Anyhow - I had given up hope on ever hearing unscratched copies of
these again - fantastic! Thanks to all of you (and especially Steve) for
making this happen...

A few questions (and forgive me if I've missed some previous mailings in
the Smash Flops archive)

First and most important: When is A King at Nightfall to be released on CD?
Is it in the pipeline? (It is the only commercial PA/CJ vinyl I don't have)

2) Where was that remarkable cover photo for AKAN taken?

3) Is there a PA gig scheduled before Buxton in Sept?

Finally: Re-opening a debate about the title track of AKAN:I've spent 25
(some) years pondering that track: My eventual interpretation was that it was
a kind of post-modern (in the days before post-modernism) metaphor on the
feudal turnover in post-colonial Africa...?

Flames in this direction only please...;-)

Anyway - I'm not alone after all.

Thank you all so much,

Kind regards,

Richard

==============================================================================
Date: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 16:56:29 +0900
From: john fuery <email address>
To: Midnight Voices <email address>
Subject: MV820: all sorts of p.a. related ephemera

Dear MVs everywhere,

just a quick line to let you know I finally got my 'monyash'
double c.d. and very good it is, too.

Doubt very much whether i'll be able to attend the BOH
show on Sept 20th  (Derbyshire is not unfortunately
serviced by the Star Ferry), but would very much like
to be the first person to place an order for the double
c.d. Would also be eternally and pathetically grateful
if p.a. could attempt to wrap his pipes around 'between
us there is nothing'. 'senior citizens' and 'time and time
again' - my only quibble with the monyash set is that
those three were amazingly missing on my copy (bloody
commies in the PLA probably got to them first!) still,
you can't please everyone, can you?

Re the title for the BOH show - sorry if anyone has already
got there first - how about:

Senior Citizens    - cruel but quite accurate given the
m.v.'s forty something demographic (says 42 year old
creative director of a Hong Kong advertising agency).

Or, assuming that this is the event which propels p.a.
to long overdue and richly deserved fame and fortune,
we could try

Payday evening

Allternatively, given our collective (collected?) ardour
as m.v.s, perhaps we should try

An array of passionate lovers.

In all seriousness, it has to be, can only be one thing
(trust me on this, I work in advertising!)

Perfect moments

Since this is my first real missive to the archive,I may
as well tell you a little bit about myself.

Born in Coventry, 1955 to Irish parents. Discovered
BOTBS in its original gypsy caravan (fontana?) sleeve
in a Dublin record shop along with Michael Nesmith and
the First National Band's "nevada fighter" - two of the
best discoveries I ever made. Bizarrely enough, p.a. and
m.n. remain the only artists whose albums I have ever
got autographed - the first five albums of each.

First saw p.a. perform at lanchester poly in 71 or 72
around the time of AKAN, and went up and spoke to him
after the show. was struck by how decent and down to
earth he was. An impression that was reinforced at each
of the four or five pa gigs I subsequently attended.

At this time, his stuff was getting a lot of airplay -
not just on j. peel and kenny e. (R.I.P.), but also  on noel
edmonds' sunday morning programme. Perhaps this will
ease the mullet-headed one's pain when he roasts in
the fires of hell for foisting mr blobby on an unsuspecting
world.

I also seem to remember RCA running some ridiculous ad
campaign for p.a. using the theme "A-Level Rock and Roll"
or some such tosh. It certainly didn't do him any favours
with the NME whom I seem to remember ran one very
negative article entitled "Klever Klive and The James
Gang". 'Sounds' were a bit more symptico - there was
one piece about LL where p.a. was talking about plans
to record it as a live-in-the-studio album with a bunch
of fans as the audience. Iwrote off to him asking how
one could get invited to the recording, to which p.a.
(very kindly and graciously, I might add, in the absence
of an s.a.e) wrote back to say that plans had changed.
I may still have these articles and letters stuck in the
original album covers - in those days, I was a bit of
a hoarder - will check in my sister's loft nexttime
I'm in the u.k. and will happily donate them to the
archive if I can find them.

Last saw pete at hull (avec clive) during the LL tour -
I remember being absolutely gobsmacked by Canoe -
and lost touch until the CD reissue in the early 90s
(erroneously supposing this momentous event would
herald a long-overdue flood of reissues, i didn't buy
a copy as I had all my LPs here in hk at the time).

Here's a query p.a. may be able to clear up, however.
Whilst working in manchester, I seem to recall
seeing a pic in the Warrington Guardian (or some
such paper) of the town's arts festival organising
committee, one of whom was a dead ringer for p.a.
Was this in fact him, or was i just "seeing things
in the night"? I've also noticed an uncanny resemblance
between Ned Flanders (the next door neighbour on
"The Simpsons") and vintage period p.a. - anyone
agree?

Anyway, that's about all you need to know about
my 25 year old menage a trois with pete and clive.
But since everyone else seems to have trotted out
their list of faves, I might as well bore you with
mine -

So here, in no particular order, are richard thompson.
the only ones, michael nesmith (up to 'from a radio
engine to a photon wing' - wanky title or what?)
warren zevon (don't think anyone's mentioned him
yet), nick drake, randy newman, neil young, xtc
(now there's another act that makes terrific music
and doesn't sell squat in the way of records), tom
waits (up to 'heart attack and vine'), van morrison,
joni mitchell, steely dan, ry cooder, talking heads,
brian eno, doors, the beach boys (up to 'holland'),
high llamas (see beach boys, above), microdisney
(another band who should have been massive), lou
reed/velvet underground and beaver and krause
(now there's an obscure footnote in the annals of
musical history! anyone out there know where i
can get hold of a copy of 'ghandarva'?)

Jeez, my fingers are getting tired from all this
typing.

Just a quickie before I go, I noticed in a trawl through
pete's gig list that he supported lou reed at - i think -
cambridge in late 72. Did any of the voices catch the
show? did pete and lou ever talk backstage? I'd love to
have been a fly on the wall in that dressing room!.

As always, kind regards and best wishes from recession-
smitten  Asia, where, from a recent e-mail posting, it seems
I am no longer the only midnight voice.

john fuery

==============================================================================
To: midnight.voices<email address>
From: Mike Millen <email address>
Date: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 12:34:48 0
Subject: MV821 Re: MV818; MV817; MV814 "Together Again"?

   >> I lean towards 'Perfect Moments', which is what the songs are.
   >I suspect it will end up that way. It's not bad. I agree it should
   >be a quote from the lyrics.

I'd like to vote for "Beware of the Beautiful Stranger".

It would be cryptic and intriguing enough to interest the general public
and, of course, instantly recognisable to *anyone* who has even a vague
recollection of CJ/PA.

I don't suppose Pete will object to being referred to as a "beautiful
stranger".  :)

Mike

Harrogate, Yorkshire, England.

==============================================================================
From: Dave Fisher <email address>
To: Midnight Voices <email address>
Date: Fri, 20 Mar 1998 09:22:05 GMT
Subject: MV822 Re: MV821; MV818; MV817; MV814 "Together Again"?

> Date:          Thu, 19 Mar 1998 12:58:40 +0000
> To:            "Midnight Voices":;
> From:          Midnight Voices <email address>
> Subject:       MV821 Re: MV818; MV817; MV814 "Together Again"?
> 
>    >> I lean towards 'Perfect Moments', which is what the songs are.
>    >I suspect it will end up that way. It's not bad. I agree it should
>    >be a quote from the lyrics.
> 
> I'd like to vote for "Beware of the Beautiful Stranger".
> 
 
How about cashing in on the popularity of tribute bands/artists.

Kinks at Nightfall

Turtle Dreaming - Sting

Purple Fag - Prince or @;;;;**

Just being silly. 

I think Perfect Moments just about sums up the event.


Dave Fisher 

==============================================================================
From: Richard Corfield <email address>
Subject: MV823: Serfs, sons and Richard Nixon
To: <email address> (Midnight Voices)
Date: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 18:22:23 +0000 (GMT)

Dear MV's,

I have just been listening to the three versions of ISTJ that I have. For
years (until I just heard the Monyash tape) I thought that the line was "...my
serfs are with me, even underground..." but it seems that it is "sons"... Hmm,
was this always the case? Maybe the man himself could tell us? I'd be
pleased to know.

On a related topic, my brother attended a PA/CJ concert back in the seventies
where CJ apparently suggested that the inspiration for ISTJ was Nixon and
Watergate...?

I'd be glad of any feedback...

Kind regards to all,

Richard

==============================================================================
Date: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 18:54:26 +0000
To: Midnight Voices <email address>
From: S J Birkill <email address>
Subject: MV824: News

Hello all -

New this week on the Website, chord transcriptions:

http://www.rwt.co.uk/c4c.htm  - Wristwatch for a Drummer
http://www.rwt.co.uk/c11c.htm - Thirty Year Man
http://www.rwt.co.uk/d2c.htm  - Shadow and the Widower
http://www.rwt.co.uk/d3c.htm  - The Hollow and the Fluted Night
http://www.rwt.co.uk/f1c.htm  - Song for Rita
http://www.rwt.co.uk/h1c.htm  - The Magic Wasn't There
http://www.rwt.co.uk/h6c.htm  - The Beautiful changes
http://www.rwt.co.uk/i17c.htm - Search and Destroy
http://www.rwt.co.uk/i19c.htm - Canoe
http://www.rwt.co.uk/i60c.htm - History and Geography

Thanks to our contributors, and to Pete for checking their work.

New to Midnight Voices:

We welcome Roger Burton West, Barry Holley, Richard Corfield, Chris, Alex,
Steve McGrady and Robert Matthews, and await an OK from Bill Anderson which
would bring our number to 129.

New from CompuServe:

The grand-nanny of the 'net tells us that with immediate effect their
SPAMCONTROLS filter will be permanently ON for all accounts. When first
introduced last year, this feature, then optional, resulted in our CS
members missing MV messages -- our multiple mailings to a range of CS
addresses had caused the thing to brand MV as 'spam'. And it didn't even
return an error or 'bounce' message. Unless they've since refined the
software, it's quite probable this is now happening again -- I'm looking
for confirmation at present and will advise. Of course, the best advice to
members of CS (and AOL for that matter) might be 'get a proper ISP'!

News from Buxton:

We learn that Cambridge Footlights, fresh from Edinburgh, will be playing
BOH on September 13th, the Sunday before our concert.

Names for the show:

'Perfect Moments' (with ... ) seems to be emerging as a favourite, though I
like the idea of 'Then and Now'. We've had some most amusing suggestions,
most of which alas would mean nothing to outsiders. And Clive singing 'Last
Hill' would indeed be poignant. Keep your ideas for the show coming in.

Responding to various recent posts -

MV809 -- Steve Reels:

The other albums (this also answers MV819) will be reissued conditional on
the success of the first CD. Just how 'success' is defined (in numbers) I
don't know, but I'm hearing positive rumours about the second 2-on-1.
Perhaps it will be out in time for our concert?

No, Pete doesn't have any other gigs planned at present (again also
answering Richard's MV819), but he is quite amenable to approaches. I know
in the past a few Voices have asked about getting him to play their local
venue, and I've passed the messages on to Pete. If you've got something
suitable in mind it might be timely to repeat the request now, via MV -- I
think Pete will be quite responsive.

Regarding your query on ordering the Monyash CDs, I trust that was answered
when you read MV800, circulated 16th March, the day before you asked. The
CDs are still available as detailed in MV800 and MV710, but we're down to
one copy of the video, so that's effectively sold out in the UK PAL format
(though we still have 4 NTSC copies, for our North American or Japanese
customers [not that we have any Voices in Japan]).

MV819 -- Richard Corfield on AKAN

My guess would be London's Docklands -- East India perhaps, or even Canary
Wharf! I don't know whether Pete will recall the precise location.

MV820 -- John Fuery

You said Ned Flanders! We've all been trying to avoid mentioning him ...
As well as two in HK we've also got a Voice in Kuala Lumpur, John.


Thanks all for your input -- good to hear the newbies speaking out. But
let's hear the old favourites too -- we're overdue I think for another of
Tom Holt's challenges to Clive's title as house wit, and for some more lit
crit from Mel.


Best Regards -- Steve

==============================================================================
Date: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 12:58:59 -0700 (MST)
To: Midnight Voices <email address>
From: <email address>
Subject: MV825 Re: MV824: News

> And Clive singing 'Last
>Hill' would indeed be poignant. 

I wasn't aware that Clive could sing, and I am finding it hard to visualise.
Rather, the image that comes to mind is him speaking the song, like Peter
Sellers did with "A Hard Days' Night"

Jeff Moss

==============================================================================
Date: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 22:35:00 +0000
To: Midnight Voices <email address>
From: Leslie Moss <email address>
Subject: MV826 Re: MV823: Serfs, sons and Richard Nixon

At 18:56 21/03/98 +0000, you wrote:
>From: Richard Corfield <email address>
>I have just been listening to the three versions of ISTJ that I have

Three versions?! I've got two, including Monyash, but where did you get the
third from please?

Leslie

==============================================================================
From: Elphinking <email address>
Date: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 18:28:42 EST
To: midnight.voices<email address>
Subject: MV827 Re: MV823: Serfs, sons and Richard Nixon

Could we have less of these acronyms...ISTJ? Is someone telling jokes or
what????

==============================================================================
Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 12:29:26 +0800 (HKT)
To: midnight.voices<email address>
From: Steve Reels <email address>
Subject: MV828: Buxton title

Many thanks to Steve Birkill for replying to my request for information on
shows and recordings, and humble apologies to all listees, and Steve in
particular, for missing his previous mailings dealing with the subject. I
shall read everything in future!

I have some thoughts on the Buxton event title. "Perfect Moments", which
many listees have suggested, seems to me a little twee, and unlikely to turn
heads. If there is concern about getting bums on seats, something more
"sensational" may be more appropriate. I think somebody suggested "Beware of
the Beautiful Strangers", and this, along with the name recognition Clive
James has, should turn a few heads. Something slightly mysterious that may
intrigue the uninitiated and make them lean forward a little. How about
"Secret Drinkers - Pete Atkin and Clive James".

Steve Reels

==============================================================================
From: Richard Corfield <email address>
Subject: MV829 Re: MV826; MV823: Serfs, sons and Richard Nixon
To: <email address> (Midnight Voices)
Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 07:24:56 +0000 (GMT)

The three versions I have of I see the Joker (ISTJ) are

1) The RCA album version (album id LPL1 5062)

2) The version originally released as a single which is the one 
used on the Touch has a Memory CD

3) The Monyash version

Presumably when Secret Drinker gets re-released on CD they will use the
original album version?

Best regards,

Richard

==============================================================================
Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 11:13:36 +0000
To: Midnight Voices <email address>
From: S J Birkill <email address>
Subject: MV830: CompuServe's spam filter

Further to my note in MV824, yesterday I added (temporarily) my old CS
account to the MV circulation list, and now note that my CS mailbox has
received all five posts distributed since then. So I think we can infer
that the filter HAS been changed and no longer blocks our messages.

-- Steve

==============================================================================
Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 11:58:27 +0000
To: Midnight Voices <email address>
From: S J Birkill <email address>
Subject: MV831: A King at Nightfall - photo shoot re MV819

Pete Atkin says

It was indeed the West India Docks, I think the North Section - right next
to where Canary Wharf now stands, unimagined then.

-- Steve

==============================================================================
Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 12:01:07 +0000
To: Midnight Voices <email address>
From: S J Birkill <email address>
Subject: MV832: Pete Atkin exchanges grunt with Lou Reed (Re: MV820)

Pete says:

'Fraid the PA-Lou Reed encounter was about as cursory as it gets, in the
great tradition of support acts, especially in those days.  It consisted of
a simple vocal if not actually verbal acknowledgement.  I seem to remember
his level of communication with just about anyone backstage that night was,
shall we say, somewhere below the waterline.

-- Steve

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