Thu Jul 15 15:42:16 EDT 1993
From: Tony <u8915431@athmail1.causeway.qub.ac.uk>
Date: Thu, 15 Jul 93 20:35:38 BST
Subject: HELLO
Hello - just found this list!!!
I saw Julian at Belfast Castle last week on his tour of Irish
castles thing and it was amazing!! Almost totally acoustic - only
200 people in the audience! I'll maybe get round to writing a
review for ye all here!
I'm still waiting on my copy of the new album - hopefully should be
here soon ... and very much looking forward to finally having
Skellington part I as well :)
I have loads of UK press articles/reviews which if you are very
lucky I might type some day - he got loads of press from Floored
Genius/Jehovahkill over here, a little bit with Rite, and a few
reviews so far of Skellington I & II
I'll see what I can do about typing some up!
This is just a quick introductory note ... look forward to hearing
from ye all soon!
------***** u8915431@athmail1.causeway.qub.ac.uk *****-------
***** (or) aj998@yfn.ysu.edu *****
Tony Bowden, Belfast, NIreland
"j'ai une ame solitaire"
Fri Jul 16 12:38:53 EDT 1993
From: Mike Higgott <mah@de-montfort.ac.uk>
Date: Fri, 16 Jul 1993 10:39:41 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Cope Discography ?
Having just read all the previous messages on the list (thanks Travis!)
I noticed that noone has contributed a discography yet. Any volunteers?
I have most of the albums, but I'd like to know which of the singles are
worth chasing.
Thanks,
_________________________________________________________________
| Mike Higgott | |
| CMS Research Centre | email: mah@uk.ac.dmu |
| De Montfort University | tel : (0533)551551 x. 8466 |
| The Gateway | fax : (0533)541891 |
| Leicester LE1 9BH | |
| England | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Fri Jul 16 12:44:49 EDT 1993
From: Tony <u8915431@athmail1.causeway.qub.ac.uk>
Date: Fri, 16 Jul 93 17:39:00 BST
Subject: Discography
I have beside me now a JC/TE discography from a few months back,
from NME.
I'll type it in next week if it's wanted ...
------***** u8915431@athmail1.causeway.qub.ac.uk *****-------
***** (or) aj998@yfn.ysu.edu *****
Tony Bowden, Belfast, NIreland
"j'ai une ame solitaire"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What does everyone think of SKELLINGTON II???
I know some of you must have it by now...
Enlighten us, por favor! :) :) :)
Travis
Fri Jul 16 14:07:08 EDT 1993
From: Kevin Gross <kvng@csn.org>
Date: Fri, 16 Jul 1993 10:59:56 -0600 (MDT)
> Having just read all the previous messages on the list (thanks Travis!)
> I noticed that noone has contributed a discography yet. Any volunteers?
> I have most of the albums, but I'd like to know which of the singles are
> worth chasing.
look again. there has been a very detailed discography posted on this
list (can't remember who posted it though). let's not have another
please. these things rather bore me.
lets have gossip like speculation on the the Syd Barrett syndrome.
there's something i can sink my teeth into!
-kg
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If anyone wants a copy of the discography, it's in the cope/archives
directory accessable via FTP. If you'd like to post CORRECTIONS and
ADDITIONS to the discography, as someone has done already, then feel
free to mail those additions/corrections to me. I'll post the
additions to this list, since it'll be new info. If you add your
corrections to the existing discography, to create a big new, corrected
discography, then when you mail it to me I'll plop it in the cope/
archives directory and post a note telling people it's there. I'm
sure people aren't too anxious to be flooded with a dozen "New,
Improved Complete Julian Cope Discography"'s each week.
But yes - please send me your corrections and additions!
Travis
Fri Jul 16 14:26:54 EDT 1993
Here is some more information about our FTP directory:
1) The back issues are now stores in a compressed, tared (or tar'ed)
file named "back.issues.tar.Z".
2) The file "welcome" is the same thing I mail to new subsribers. It
has changed since the early days of this list, so you can read it if
you want.
3) The file "songs.to.sleep.by" is a plug for a tape of my own music.
You can read it at your leisure. I'm still selling tapes, if anyone
is interested in buying a copy.
4) The file "poll.results" contains the results of the very fun Julian
Cope / Teardrop Explodes "FAVORITE ALBUM/SONG/B-SIDE/ETC" poll that was
held a few months ago. About 15 people participated. If you are
interested in a JC/TTE POLL TAKE 2, email me. If enough people express
interest, we can hold another one! There are a lot of new people on
here now.
That's it for now. As more people start ftp'ing stuff *TO* thunder, I
will add some descriptions of the new files.
Also, I'd LOVE to be able to create a LYRICS directory, by so far all
we have is "FEAR LOVES THIS PLACE"... (hint hint hint)
Travis
Sun Jul 18 17:24:04 EDT 1993
Hi everybody again. I have a question that's so far been unanswered, so
I guess it won't hurt everyone if I post it again. Others may be wondering
the same thing as I am, in fact.
Q:
Any news on the upcoming AUTOGEDDON album? Or is SKELLINGTON II the only
thing he's been working on (under mercuric titles)? I.E. is skellington
II just a screw-around (masturbatory, he calls it) side-project to tide
us over until his next "Serious" release (AUTOGEDDON) or are they one in
the same? (Not to knock Skellington I & II and Droolian, of course - they
are fun to listn to, of course)
Oh yeah, I went looking for the Cope video some of you have mentioned.
I couldn't find it in the local record store I frequent, though they did
have THE THE VS THE WORLD and some other fun British stuff. Does anyone
know the title of the Julian Cope video thingy?
Anyway, have a cool week, guys. It's certainly getting hot here in Virginia!
Lucky Australians!!!! :) :)
Later,
Travis
Mon Jul 19 11:20:40 EDT 1993
From: Jim.Davies@prg.oxford.ac.uk
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 93 19:50:50 BST
Hi Trav,
Just back from the Phoenix. Julian did nothing to diminish his reputation
as a mad fucker. As in ''he's a mad fucker, that Julian Cope''. And ''see
that geezer in a yellow jockstrap, that's your dad, that is''. ''That's
your dad onstage at the Phoenix festival, that is''. As Dorian was no
doubt explaining to little Albany.
Whoa. Not the Clothes Show. Jehovahkill intro to a Peggy Suicide set.
Sampled horns and keyboards, and a false start to Safesurfer, but he got
there in the end. You, Beautiful Love, Sunspots, World Shut Your Mouth,
Spacehopper, Pristine, Double Vegetation, East Easy Rider. Starting out
in an Ape costume, stripping to a jasmine jockstrap, redressing himself
later in the set.
Dorian and Albany (her name is Albany, isn't it?) watched throughout.
Jim
p.s. on the subject of Copey, I *quite* like Skellington 2. There are
on there that are far better than anything on the first Skellington; there
are songs on there that are far worse. Dave Simpson crucified the album in
the Melody Maker, displaying the sort of measured invective that got him
badly beaten up by Blaggers ITA last week (difference is, he was right that
time, here he may only have a point). NME loved it, as did Select. Your
copy is on my desk. In an envelope. I swear upon the holy TeXbook that it
will be with you soon. Yeah, the new Siberry would be fa fa fa fine.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Mike Higgott <mah@de-montfort.ac.uk>
Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1993 10:24:32 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Fried lyrics part 1
I made a start on 'FRIED' yesterday, and managed to get down the
following lyrics. There are some bits I wasn't sure about, so
feel free to correct them. Here goes:
REYNARD THE FOX (Julian Cope, 1984)
===================================
Hey in the pouring rain
When the smell of terror brings a thousand eyes
The red men come again
They kill my children and they kill my wife
And then they leave me bleeding
Family dead, just freaking out bleeding
Stoned in the gutter
Empty of my colour
I'm fried, fried, ticking in the side
Body twitched from side to side
I'm fried, fried, ticking in the side
Body twitched from side to side
Run, run, Reynard, run, run, run
You've got to run for an hour and you're still not done
You've got to run, run, Reynard, run, run, run
Away, away, away, away, away
Hey in the ice and snow
When the call up sounds to the real in deed
But do you really wanna know
How we rode into freedom on whimsy and greed?
And they said your time is over
I don't see any gallant calls
I don't see an inch of reflex
'cept to leave me bleeding
Bleeding, bleeding, bleeding
I'm fried, fried, ticking in the side
Body twitched from side to side
I'm fried, fried, ticking in the side
Body twitched from side to side
Run, run, Reynard, run, run, run
You've got to run for an hour and you're still not done
Run, run, Reynard, run, run, run
Away, away, away
Run, run, Reynard, run, run, run
You've got to run for an hour and you're still not done
Run, run, Reynard, run, run, run
Away, away, away, away, away
Run, run, Reynard, run, run, run
You've got to run for an hour and you're still not done
Run, run, Reynard, run, run, run
Away, away, away
Run, run, Reynard, run, run, run
You've got to run for an hour and you're still not done
Run, run, Reynard, run, run, run
Away, away, away, away, away
(Away, away, away,...)
Reynard left and went to Warwickshire, to a mound near a railway line,
with canals and a freezing swamp. He climbs high up above the countryside
and breathes freely. To the south he could see Polesworth, and to the
north he could just make out the ruins of the priory where Joss and I
played cricket as children. We were only three miles away, probably drinking
tea and talking,
(Have you heard about the orphan, sitting by the coffin)
at the same time as he was taking the stanley knife out of
the bag. He pushed the point into his stomach,
(His Father's not a sinner no more)
until the light shone right
through. And then he reached down, and he took the bag.
It's a plastic bag
With plastic handles
And plastic sides
and
and
And
ANd
AND
HE SPILLED HIS GUTS ALL OVER THE STAGE
HE SPILLED HIS GUTS ALL OVER THE STAGE
BILL DRUMMOND SAID (Julian Cope, 1984)
======================================
Give me one good reason why I shouldn't win
(Bill Drummond said, Bill Drummond said)
If a falling leaf can't help my suffering
(Bill Drummond said, Bill Drummond said)
And I sat around my feet, to teach me how to float
"Get out" she cried, in the minute she died
He folded up her coat
And the family cried, go spinning 'cross the sky
(Bill Drummond said, Bill Drummond said)
If I sit and pray, my Christmas tree will die
(Bill Drummond said, Bill Drummond said)
And if his life gets out of hand
And if his face turns blue
These things are sent to try us
And what more can we do?
And then he walked around my garden
And sniffed around my coat
And then I looked around to see him
His hands around her throat
(Bill Drummond said, Bill Drummond said)
If a falling leaf can't help me
(Bill Drummond said, Bill Drummond said)
If a falling leaf can't help me
(Bill Drummond said, Bill Drummond said)
If a falling leaf can't help me
(Bill Drummond said, Bill Drummond said)
If a falling leaf can't help me
Mike
Wed Jul 21 14:29:10 EDT 1993
I'm listening to WORLD SHUT YOUR MOUTH and FRIED. Excellent, excellent,
excellent! Especially WORLD...
I hope AUTOGEDDON (if it exists) will be a return to form. Jehovahkill
got us back to FRIED-like meanderings, consisting mostly of psychedelic
acoustic ditties. Now all we need is to sink back one level further!
(Though FRIED stylistically seems to predate WORLD...) Well, anyway, you
know what I mean!
I haven't gotten any mail here since sunday, so please mail me! I hope
my account isn't broken...
Travis
Thu Jul 22 12:23:24 EDT 1993
From: warnut::fiddlerm@warnut.enet.dec.com (my life is the disease)
Date: Thu, 22 Jul 93 17:50:02 +0200
HI Travis,
I think I read in the NME that the next lp will be recorded starting
in October or so.
Do you know if anyone out there has any good recordings from the
latest Cope tour in the UK? I'm especially after Cambridge in
January of this year.
Regs
Mike
Mon Jul 26 10:29:36 EDT 1993
From: "A.J. Norman" <nja@leicester.ac.uk>
Date: Mon, 26 Jul 93 10:53:40 BST
Subject: Skellington 2
The postman popped a cardboard envelope through my door on Saturday, containing
"The Skellington Chronicles". And lo! there was much rejoicing. The insert
contains a picture of a "Megalithic Dildo" Copey found on the beach in Orkney,
the genuine story of the recording of "Skellington" (2 days in 1989), and
a cast list - "Skellington 2" features Luke Tunney, ex-trumpeter with the
Teardrops. Here's a description of "Skellington 2".
Electrical Stormgirl
After a brief introduction, one of Cope's best pop songs in years, with
a mad banjo & kazoo solo. "A simple love-song struck by lightning".
Poppins
The guitar riff from "Get It On", and another great
sing-a-long-a-Julian song.
Skip
Eco song - "Landfill has got me weeping".
I've Got My TV & My Pills
The dark side of "Out Of My Mind On Dope And Speed", an anti-drug song!
"Messed up on drugs, there will be hell to pay", all Julian's friends
can see what a bad state he's in, but they are too busy skinning up
to do anything.
The Angel & The Fellatress
Starts a bit like "Reward". "Can't get love and affection,
Still trying to find a word that rhyme with erection"
Waco-Pops
Gentle acoustic song.
Common Land At Water's Edge
Another acoustic song, with a wild guitar solo.
Scud-U-Like
Very short, just "Scud-U-Like, as many of them, as many of them as
you choose" repeated.
Grimreaper Is A Krautrocker
Long (7+ minutes?), with no real lyrics. Like the riff-based songs on
"Jehovahkill", or the B-sides to "Fear Loves This Place".
American Tragedy
Another short acoustic song.
Wayland's Smithy Has Wings
Wierd hippy chant, with only drums for accompaniment, about Wayland
the Smith and his megalith-powered Star Car.
Madonna Baglady Blues
Great music, the only lyrics are the song title.
London Underground
A lovely gentle song with trumpet accompaniment to end the album.
Especially with "Skellington" on the same disc, this will have people at Island
kicking themselves - far from being another descent into flaky unreliability,
JC has managed to bash out a better album in two days than many people spend
two years making. It is patchy, some of the songs fade out after a couple of
verses, but it is still one of the finest albums of the year.
What about "Droolian 2" now?
Tue Jul 27 12:14:15 EDT 1993
From: j.hart@ic.ac.uk
Date: Tue, 27 Jul 93 16:23:32 BST
Subject: SkII doesn't cut it for me
HI,
I've actually been on holiday over the last week... so don't take
it personally.
To be honest I didn't think too much of SkellingtonII. It has some really
cool things on it like Waylands Flying Smithy and Skip and electric
stormgirl; which are as good an anything on Jehovahkill (IMO); but there
is also some absolute crap. That needn't be a bad thing as it can be a
by-product of someone being experimental and trying new or different things
(ie. Skellington, some works, some doesn't) but you have to wonder if he's
taking the piss.
I think Joolz now has something to prove on his next 'real' album; he has
to prove that he still has the right to put out stuff like this, and I'll
be disappointed if he doesn't take up the challenge of doing just that.
How did you think SkII compared to the original Skellington? I think having
them together on the same LP tends to highlight the differences more than
the similarities.
I didn't hate it, but I won't be playing it to my mates either...
Jo
Wed Jul 28 12:05:24 EDT 1993
From: COMM_SJ@VAX1.UTULSA.EDU
Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1993 10:25:40 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: Teardrops on TV?
Back around 81/82 I recall there was a film of the Teardrop Explodes
played on a cable channel. I can't remember the name of the channel,
and I don't know if it even exists anymore...it was something like a
"university" channel or some such, with programming (supposedly) designed
for college campuses in the U.S. As part of a series, I think, they
showed an hour long (could've been half-hour, I mean, it _was_ over ten
years ago and my memory's gone) concert. Anyone else see this? Have a
copy? Or have I lost my mind and begun to fabricate my college years in
a nostalgic haze that is surely a precursor to attending every homecoming
football game for the rest of my life?
Ciao,
Sj
Thu Jul 29 11:20:55 EDT 1993
From: warnut::fiddlerm@warnut.enet.dec.com (my life is the disease)
Date: Thu, 29 Jul 93 15:57:05 +0200
In the Uk, around 10 years ago, there was a show called Videosounds, which was
a half hour concert by different bands each week. It wasn't much good, there
wre never any audience shots or sense of atmosphere, but the Teardrops were
one of the featured bands. It was shot on one of the Wilder tour dates,
possibly in Nottingham (I think it was one evening a few days after I saw them).
BTW - at a festival in the UK recently, Courtney Love in the band Hole, gave a
anti-julian speech, then played 'Do It Clean', saying it to be by one of the
best bands to come from Liverpool. I think she was unhappy about some
comments Julian had made about her being a Teardrops groupie back in the
early eighties.
Mikef
Fri Jul 30 14:07:32 EDT 1993
---------------------------------------------------------
* $3 * TAPE SALE * $3 * TAPE SALE * $3 * TAPE SALE * $3 *
---------------------------------------------------------
Now that I am upgrading my extensive music collection to
CDs, I have little need of the tapes, so I am selling
them to YOU!
All tapes are $3 each (which includes shipping and
handling).
Contact Travis Emmitt via email at: [snipped -- Trav]
to order your tapes.
Afghan Whigs - Congregation (1992)
Aswad - Distant Thunder (1988)
Pato Banton - Universal Love (1992)
Adrian Belew - Mr. Music Head (1989)
Adrian Belew - Young Lions (1990)
David Bowie - Rise and Fall of Ziggy... (1972)
David Byrne - The Catherine Wheel (1981)
David Byrne - Music for the Knee Plays (1985)
The Chieftans - Boil the Breakfast Early (1980)
Jimmy Cliff - Cliff Hanger (1985)
Julian Cope - Saint Julian (1986)
Julian Cope - Peggy Suicide (1991)
Gutterboy - Gutterboy (1990)
Hugo Largo - Drum (1988)
The Human League - Crash (1986)
Information Society - Hack (1990)
INXS - Listen Like Thieves (1985)
Mighty Lemon Drops - World Without End (1988)
Mighty Lemon Drops - Laughter (1989)
Mighty Lemon Drops - Sound (1991)
Prince - Graffiti Bridge (1990)
Psychedelic Furs - Midnight to Midnight (1987)
Railway Children - Recurrence (1988)
Sly Dunbar - Sly-Go-Ville (1982)
Steel Pulse - Babylon the Bandit (1985)
Steel Pulse - Victims (1991)
Third World - You've Got the Power (1982)
Mark Anthony Thompson - Watts and Paris (1989)
Peter Tosh - Legalize It (1976)
Wall of Voodoo - The Ugly Americans (1988)
---------------------------------------------------------
* $3 * $3 * $3 * [snipped -- Trav] * $3 * $3 * $3 *
---------------------------------------------------------
Fri Aug 13 12:21:38 EDT 1993
From: Sarah
Date: Sat, 24 Jul 93 11:31:16 EDT
Subject: hi there
Apparently-
Hey Trav...long time no see!
Don't know how long before you'll get this, but it's probably the
last chance I'll have to send you mail. I was in Europe with the
choir, and I got back June 29. I've been in Va since then, putting
off the inevitable return to Mi. And now I'm in Williamsburg til
this weekend, and even in a computer lab. Actually I'm staying with
a friend who is house sitting in Barhamsville, which I'd never heard
of but apparently is out Richmond rd. past Toano. About 20 minutes
into Williamsburg. I hope your summer has been good - I see that I
have about a zillion Cope newsletters waiting for me. I guess after
this I probably won't check them so you can cut me off if you want.
I had a cool time in Europe, but I was glad to get back. I even
stayed with Mil for a few days, which was cool but it sucks to have
to break up just because I'm living in another state. Well, we'll
see. Write to me at home, and I will write back. Oh - when I was in
England I got a CD that was called "A kick up the 80's - vol. 7" and
it had songs by the Teardrop Explodes, the Fall, the Jam, Lloyd
Cole, Fine Young Cannibals, Big Country,China Crisis, XTC, the
Mighty Lemon Drops, and some other bands. You should ask the English
Cope newsletter people if they have ever seen it or any other
volumes. I got it at a discount bookstore for #5.99. Anyway, I guess
that's all...
-Sarah
Mon Aug 23 09:02:12 EDT 1993
From: my life is the disease <"warnut::fiddlerm"@warnut.enet.dec.com>
Date: Sun, 22 Aug 93 16:51:26 MET DST
Apparently-Subject: RE:
For all the UK type peeps out there...
On August 24th, Julian is playing a live Acoustic set on Radio 5, on the
'Earshot' show, which goes out at 10.10pm. This s live from Edinburgh, and
I think Julian is also talking about the new Skellington lp.
The NME says that he has a wealth of new material ready to record, as soon
as he gets a new Record deal. He will be making a decision when his
current tour ends next month.
Just got my Chronicles CD, and sent off for Rite.
Mikef
Thu Sep 2 19:42:22 EDT 1993
From: j.hart@ic.ac.uk
Date: Wed, 1 Sep 93 10:23:29 BST
Subject: Radio Interview
I missed the interview on Radio 5 last week, but I was listening to the same
programme last night and they played it then (dunno what happened to last
week's scheduling). Anyway I dashed for a blank tape and got it.
Its quite interesting and he talks about his current tour and future plans
(ie. the Autogeddon album) and there are 3 live tracks from the Edinburgh
set ('Out of my mind on dope and speed', 'Me and Jimmy Jones' and 'Doomed').
I'll try to type it up later (its about a 15-20min interview).
Jo
Fri Sep 3 14:02:07 EDT 1993
From: j.hart@ic.ac.uk
Date: Fri, 3 Sep 93 15:00:45 BST
Subject: Cope Interview (Radio 5)
OK, here is the transcription. If anyone actually wants a copy
of the original and is up to sending me a blank tape and return
postage, then e-mail me.
========================================================
Cope Interview for Radio 5 (at the Fringe Club, Edinburgh)
Interviewer: Mark Percival Date: Fri 27th August 1993
[Jo Note: I've used <> to indicate when I couldn't hear what he was
saying]
===========================================================
'Out of My Mind on Dope & Speed' (live)
MP: The tour you are currently involved with is the 'Highlands and Islands'
tour and you've recently been to Ireland. What is the attraction of the
Irish/ Scottish connection? Is there a special attraction for you?
JC: Yeah, I think so. Its just the fact that theres no real roman influence in
terms of physical remains. The romans didn't get there with the roads. Wherever
the roads didn't get the paranoia didnt really follow.
I know that we had a tremendous amount of external influence in any case but I
think that I'm seeing a different side and I just find it so much more
refreshing to be out there. I got driven out of london really. I became very
paranoid and while I can't handle it then thats the only place where I want
to be.
MP: On this tour you're pretty much playing by yourself and there were
rumours of a helper appearing on some of the Edinburgh shows. has the
helper appeared?
JC: Only last night. Donald played last night, my producer. Just for 2 songs.
I like to do the shows on my own. I like to not have any help really. Its more
fun, its a lot more fun than playing with the band. Its like in a different
league of entertainment for me, just because it puts me on my toes.
Maybe I'm doing it for selfish reasons but I just like to be out there and be
able to stop a song anytime I want and check the audience out etcetera.
MP: In what sense check the audience out?
JC: Get out there and see what the women look like and see if theres any good
looking guys just in case the women aren't up to much.
MP: Have you noticed the audience being different for this kind of tour from
the audiences you've had. 'Cos I've seen you a couple of times and youve had
these guys down the front with their jackets leaping around to Trampolene or
whatever or Reynard the Fox but this is an altogether more laid back affair,
I gather.
JC: Well I wouldn't say that. The wildest gigs I've ever done were definitely
in Shetland [Jo Note: tiny group of islands off the north coast of
scotland] the marked difference is that I'm not playing to fans up here
I'm playing to people who want to see the local turn; whoever's in town.
I played Invergordon last year and the manager said 'oh its a good turnout.
Same group of people who came for the troupe of comedians last week so
it should be fine.'
So its a good affair really, it just means that I've got to be Mr.
Entertainment as opposed to just being some shoe gazing loon.
I think its important when you get to a certain age (I've been doing this
for 15 years) that I've got to have a certain amount of confrontation or I'll
just become an old tosser.
MP: Theres always the danger of that of course (!). How do you go about
choosing a set?
JC: I don't.
MP: You don't?
JC: No. Ive got 36 songs typed on a bit of paper along my guitar and I've got
another 16 just written and I still manage to run out all the time because..
I dunno, you try to do as many different things especially as a few people
come to all the shows so I want to give them a good choice. Normally I perform
anything that anybody yells if I can physically perform it.
MP: Have you ever been requested to play something that you couldn't play?
JC: oh loads yeah. A lot of them are songs that get taken away from me at an
early stage if I say 'Donald will you arrange this' or if I've written
something in a crap key then I have to completely change the key and I may
not even know the chords. Yeah, thats quite possible.
MP: Have you ever wanted to be asked for a song? Is there a song that you've
wanted crowds to ask for that they haven't asked for yet?
JC: Nah, doesn't bother me. I'll foist it on them if they don't ask for
it.
MP: What happens if someone requests something like Reynard the Fox, which is
one of my personal favourites, which obviously relies very much on the sound
and light and the intensity of the noise rather than an acoustic type thing.
JC: Oh I just do it. No I've done Reynard twice live solo, the first time I
did it on a very small electric guitar and the second time I did it just
without any instruments at all, and that was in Shetland and that was
quite good really as they didn't have a clue who I was so ... it was fine.
MP: How do you deal with instrumental sections? Do you hum the guitar solos
or something?
JC: Yeah, wah-mouth. There's lots of wah-mouth on Jehovahkill, its kind of
< demonstrates funny noise > and lots of mouth-synth cos I'm really into
analogue synth but I can't play analogue synth so I just go <another
funny noise> and theres a lot of that all over Jehovahkill and its easily
repeatable. Theres a lot of stompalong songs, and also I play live in the
studio, so its always acoustic guitar through a wah-wah pedal, and when
it comes to the solo its actually happening as it appears to happen. So
there is a sense of moment or whatever.
==============================================================
<Me & Jimmy Jones> (live)
JC: The new album is actually very melodic I'd say its kind of poppy in a
way.
Mp: All hit singles perhaps?
JC: No I wouldn't say theres any hit singles, the only one that I think
might be a hit single unfortunately refers to the 'inbred fuckingham
palace scum' at the end
MP: Radio 1 will love that one...
JC: Yeah. I've been thinking about doing some kind of compromise, like
The Stranglers on <> when he went 'oh no' instead of 'oh shit'
MP: The next question is a lyrics question. A lot of the lyrics on Peggy
Suicide and Jehovahkill cover very serious subject matter. Are you likely
to be writing songs along the lines of 'Robert Michum' again at any point
in your career?
JC: I think so , I want to write an album of love songs as well. I've got
a great new song thats very <> called 'Baby lets play vets' so yeah,
definitely. I will definitely get the flute out occasionally and the
cor anglais and diminisheds, flatteneds whatever those chords are that make
everybody go 'yeah alright'; but not at the moment though.
MP: I thought perhaps with the last 2 albums theres a danger of people taking
you very seriously and forgetting that you did a song called Spacehopper and
'holding on to your special feature' and the like
JC: Well I think that I've just got to go with it at the moment. I mean the
next album is called Autogeddon, based on the Autogeddon poem by
Heathcoate Williams, and its very serious but also pretty wild. It sounds
quite inbred in a way, as if I've been shagging myself and those musicians
are playing for me... Which can't be bad.
MP: No not bad at all, I quite fancy that myself. A question I've always
wanted to ask you because the first and only time I saw Teardrop
Explodes was when you were supporting Queen at the Ingleston Exhibition
Centre outside Edinburgh which seemed like an absurd occasion to me.
JC: It was an absurd occasion, quite a charmless affair.
MP: I was just wondering how it felt becasue there was me and about 6 other
people and about 10,000 baying people who didn't know who you were... there
were 6 of us and 10,000 of them
JC: Its very strange to be standing there and have guys so incensed because
I was on the stage, just yelling 'you're queer, you're queer, we're
gonna kill you, you're queer' and it was a 10' stage; and I was thinking
'but Freddies coming on in a minute so don't you be calling me a queer.
Freddie's the queen of them all and theres nothing wrong with it'. I think
what they meant was that I was just a big Nance really.
MP: Of course Freddie really wasn't.
JC: Freddie wasn't really a Nance, he was a hard poof. Thats what I've become
as I've got older.
MP: A hard poof(!) Another question that I've always wanted to ask you,
pathetically, is about your toy collection. Have you got a favourite?
[Jo note: this is a bit pathetic]
JC: My toys have been in storage for a long while now. We haven't
really got room for them. My <> is my favourite, I think, mainly because
its still out. I've got a few sexually active Barbies which are quite good.
MP: I believe you're writing a book at the moment on ancient monuments. Could
you tell me a little bit about that before we finish.
JC: Its a guide book to 220 bronze-age neolithic sites in Britain from
Shetland down to the Scillies; just a place to skin up and have a vibe of an
afternoon. A non-archeaological jaunt around Britain.
MP: So its not really going to have the same sort of tone as 'the official
guide to big stones' kind of thing?
JC: No its not full of judeo-christian denial if thats what you're getting
at. Its not 'it wasn't the druids, I don't know who it was but it wasn't
the druids', its not that. I don't care...it might be the little
people as far as I'm concerned.
MP: Have you any idea when its due to be available?
JC: I think I've got another 8 months of fieldwork. We've been to shitloads
of monuments so far; theres so much there. Its mainly so that people can
see that politically we're completely caned, but physically we're in great
shape. So I figure that when the governments not helping you you've just
got to ... say Britain is a great place and we don't all have to go to
Ibiza to get out of it.
MP: Excellent. Julian Cope, thank you very much
----------------------------------------------------------------
<Doomed> (live)
Tue Sep 7 10:36:46 EDT 1993
From: Edward S. Arthur <"wrksys::arthur"@hpsrad.enet.dec.com>
Date: Tue, 7 Sep 93 05:51:15 PDT
Apparently-Subject: RE: Interview
------------------Reply to mail dated 3-SEP-1993 14:06:07.01------------------
Thanks for typing that in! It was the best reading on this list yet IMHO!
Ed
Thu Sep 9 23:49:11 EDT 1993
From: brian <Brian.May@mel.dit.csiro.au>
Date: Fri, 10 Sep 93 10:12:19 +1000
Subject: Skellington#2
Hi there, my question to the masses is: "did Droolian appear
anywhere other than that release 2/3 years ago?" Skellington#2
just has the orig. Skellington plus some new stuff - right?
brian
Wed Sep 15 07:46:15 EDT 1993
From: Jerry Cornelius <bfrrelly@unix2.tcd.ie>
Date: Tue, 14 Sep 93 18:07:39 +0100
Sorry about the long layoff dudes but I've been away for the summer.
I've just spent the last two hours reading all of the J.C. mail,
all v.interesting especially the interview.
Anyway, last night Julian finally played Dublin (Ireland). The night
was a monumental occasion personally. A year ago I bankrupted myself on
a pilgrimage to London to see J.C. in the Town & Country only to find
the venue shut and a sign saying Julian was ill! Anyway, the bank
balance never recovered enough to make the rescheduled shows in Janurary
of this year.
So, of course, I was one of the first to get tickets for the
'Castles' tour of Ireland, which was to begin in the Royal Hospital,
Kilmainham. And, yes! it happened again, July 7th, venue closed, J.C.
has a cold.
Finally, last night he played, and he was fab!
There was a support, some guy, Frank ***??***. He was crap. Seemingly
(according to a friend who was talking to one of the roadies that J.C.
thinks this guy is brilliant, and the have poetry competitions against
each other all the time) he is a close friend of J.C. but i'm afraid its
a big thumbs down from me and most of the rest of the crowd who spent
the set in the bar.
Talking of the crowd, there was a hell of a lot of bodies there,
about 600 we reckoned...which really surprised us, never thought that
such a volume of people would have even heard of J.C. in Ireland.
Anyway, he took the stage at 10pm and played for 1 and a half
hours. He played a good selection from everything. opening with new
material, 3 songs which nobody heard before. Then into Trampoline,
Sunspots,Perfection, 45 degrees, Poet is Priest, Pristine, Robert
Mitchum etc....
Well what can you say about the man live, he is superb. His voice is
excellent, and immense stage presence. You just have to see him.
This gig was unusual as it was billed as an acoustic gig, well he
played electric guitar also, but mainly acoustic. The whole thing seemed
very badly organised. To go to the bar or toilet you had to go through
the venue entrance, i.e. get a ticket stub at the entrance to gain
re-admission, as it were. Also J.C. brought absolutely no merchandise
withhim, which annoyed many of us. Even down to the stage, the sound was
fine but the lighting was crap, Julian stopped half way through
Trampoline to ask if they had any other colours aside from red and green
(which they hadn't). Of course, julian did his usual wander through the
crowd, clambering around, reciting Poet Is Priest with no guitar or
mike. He took many requests from the crowd, and made no bones about
songs he couldn't play, "No can't play that!". Personally, Ithought he
kinda avoided requests as more and more people called for Reynard.
Also there was the numerous witty asides which make his gigs so
enjoyable, he had a little chat with the guy tuning his guitar,
introducing himself to this poor guy!, grabbing and hugging a dude
obviously going to the toilet and saying that he thought playing to a
crowd this size on an elevated stage was very rock. Seemingly, earlier
on he had trided to get the stage reduced to the same level as the
crowd.
Personal highlights were Robert Mitchum and Greatness & Perfection.
Brian!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Jerry Cornelius <bfrrelly@unix2.tcd.ie>
Date: Tue, 14 Sep 93 18:09:41 +0100
As a matter of interest, does anyone on this mailing list play
guitar, cos I play a bit, and would not mind working out how to play
some of Copeys stuff if there is interest!
Brian!
Mon Oct 4 17:50:56 EDT 1993
Sure is quiet out there!
Anyone know what Mr Cope is up to?
Any news about AUTOGEDDON? Someone mentioned Cope was supposed to
star recording in October. Well, it's october! :)
You know, Mark E Smith may or may not have posted to the fall newsgroup
recently - no one can tell if the message was valid. So let's cross
our fingers and hope that word gets around about US! :)
The fall group has 98 members at last count, and we've about 25 or 30,
so we're not tatally out of the race! (totally, that is :))
Talk to you guys later, and please mail in something if you got it!
Thanks,
Travis
Sat Oct 9 10:39:39 EDT 1993
Hello, Cope fans!
vi is gross.
Um, a couple of people emailed this list saying either "subscribe"
or "unsubscribe" in the subject. Problem is, the mail program on this
machine is really old, and it doesn't have a subject field. So I have
no idea what those people just asked me! So please, if you want to
(un)subscribe, mail me something that has subscribe of unsubscribe in
the body, not just the subject. Thanks!
I'm gonna post another add on the usenet, so maybe we'll get some
conversation rolling again with the newcomers.
Take care everyone,
Travis