// More discussion of the new CD, both pro and con...
// A benefit concert for a friend of ours...
// And more...Enjoy!  [BP]

_________________________________________________________________ 

Subject: NN: No Nanci Content: Sarah Elizabeth Campbell Benefit
   Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2001 17:09:54 -0400 (EDT)
   From: Shelly Brisbin (shelly@brisbin.net>

Hello NanciNet,

I wanted to let you know about a couple of benefits coming up for 
Austin singer/songwriter Sarah Elizabeth Campbell. Sarah is ill with 
hepatitis C and needs a year's worth of very expensive treatments to 
get well. Sarah, as you may know, is also a former NanciNetter and 
shares her weekly gig at Austin's Artz Rib House with Brian Wood, who 
played guitar with Nanci many years ago. Sarah is also one of the 
most generous people you'll ever meet, and seems to have friends 
everywhere, if the wonderful talent she has attracted to play at 
these benefits are any indication.

Headlining the Austin benefit for Sarah is none other than Iris 
Dement. Other stellar participants include Ray Wylie Hubbard and Nina 
Gerber. The date is August 12, the place is La Zona Rosa and the 
donation is a measly $10. Don't miss this chance to enjoy a great 
evening of music, all for a good cause.

If you're a West Coaster, you can help Sarah by attending a benefit 
in Santa Cruz on September 15. That one features Greg Brown and Slaid 
Cleaves.

To get more info, and to see pictures from a benefit held earlier in 
the summer, go to Sarah's Web page:

http://www.musicaustin.com/folk/secampbell.html

If you can't make one of these benefits, but still want to help, 
you'll find information on where to send your donation on the site.

Thanks,
-shelly
-- 

--
Shelly Brisbin
Writer, Editor, Geek for Hire
shelly@brisbin.net
512-797-0729

_________________________________________________________________

Subject: NN: tickets for Austin City Limits
   Date: Wed, 01 Aug 2001 18:40:46 -0400
   From: David Ring (ringdw@snyoneva.cc.oneonta.edu>

Getting tickets for Austin City Limits is not easy.  They'll usually
give them out outide the KLRU building which is at the corner of Guadalupe 
and Deane (I think that is the name) one or two business days before the 
taping.  I was in Austin recently and saw a taping of Patty Leveless-but I 
got really lucky-I got the tickets mainly because Emmylou cancelled.  Now 
here is what is likely to happen.  On the Friday before taping (the 10th), 
they will likely give the tickets out at either 8, noon, or 4:45.  Listen to 
KGSR (107.1) around 7 AM-it would be best to be somewhat near the KLRU 
building.  If they make the announcement, immediately park your car and get in 
the line.

If they don't make the announcement by 8, go home, but continue to listen to 
KGSR-they may announce soon after 8 when they'll be giving out the tickets 
(they did this for the Patty Loveless show), but then again they may not.  
Be prepared to repeat process listed above starting at 11 and 4. 

And all of this could also happen on Thursday or Monday. 
Once you get a ticket, that is no guarantee that you will be able to get
in to the taping.  Taping normally starts at 8 PM, but not always-the Austin 
City Limits hotline will tell you when it takes place.  It the taping does 
take place at 11, you'll need to be back to the KLRU building (which is 
officially known as Communications Building C-I think) by 4 in the afternoon-
bring a water bottle because you'll have to wait in line and it will be hot as 
hell in Austin in the middle of August.  Somewhere between 5:30 and 7, they 
will give out numbers. People get in according to number and they will start 
admitting people around 7:40.  I suspect for Nanci, maybe 100 people will get 
into the taping. Now most of the people who will get into the taping won't have 
to go through this procedure-they'll show up between 7 and 7:30.  These people 
will be people who know people who sponsor Austin City Limits or are Friends 
of Austin City Limits (i.e. donated money) or are friends of the artist. 
Remember there no charge to get into a taping of Austin City Limits, but
it is very costly in terms of time to get to see one.  I've only seen two on 
my trips to Austin-the Patty Loveless taping and last summer's taping of the 
Kelly Willis/John Hiatt show.

Dave Ring

_________________________________________________________________

Subject: NN: Comments on the New Album
   Date: Wed, 01 Aug 2001 18:59:02 -0400
   From: Steve Robertson (stever@mindspring.com>

Many of you will be taking care of the praise side of the equation, so I
want to throw out a few comments/gripes/complaints and see if I can get some 
of the lurkers angry enough to come out of hiding ;-)

Since Tower records was nice enough to distribute my newsletter, I decided
to buy Nanci's new album from them. In Atlanta, Tower has one of the few
Folk sections available, and all of Nanci's previous albums are in the Folk 
section. But not CWH. I almost decided Tower didn't have the new one, then I 
decided to check Pop-Rock-Soul. Whoop!There it was....

When Nanci last played Atlanta- in July of 2000- she was wearing essentially 
the same thing she is wearing on the cover of the album. Every concert review 
I've read lately that mentions what she is wearing sounds like it is describing 
the same outfit. I, for one, do not care for the look. Is Nanci perhaps trying 
to relate to her new favorite subject by dressing in the style of fashionable 
Southeast Asian women?

Speaking of Vietnam, I don't quite understand how Nanci latched onto that
subject. I understand and agree with her concern about land mines, but are
there still land mines in Vietnam and surrounding areas put there by the
U.S.? As far as I'm concerned, Vietnam is a subject best relegated to the
history books. All the valuable lessons from the mistakes there have been
identified and learned many years ago. Whether current and future
politicians abide by those lessons is another subject.

On to the music. "Truly Something Fine" is the most trite love song I can
ever remember hearing from a professional songwriter. I couldn't believe
what I was hearing! I had to play it again to make sure my ears were not
playing tricks. How did this song ever make it onto a major label album-
much less a Nanci Griffith album?

Which makes the next song- "Cotton"- really stand out as one of the finest
examples of songwriting in recent memory. Of course, it was written by
Hooker. Nanci isn't claiming any credit, although she probably did make some 
contribution.

My reaction is not completely negative. Some of the songs sounded pretty
good, but I haven't had a chance to really listen closely.
-- 
>From the Georgia Pines,
Steve Robertson

====================================
_________Fiddlin' Around____________
The Journal of American Roots Music  on the web at
      http://www.starchart.com/
====================================
_________________________________________________________________

Subject: NN: Comments on the New Album
   Date: Wed, 01 Aug 2001 19:58:20 EDT
   From: BMiller224@aol.com

Steve "jumping in where angels fear to tread" Robertson raises some interesting 
points about the new album.

I've also had very limited time to listen to it, although I have heard every 
song at least once now.

Several people have mentioned that "Cotton" was going to take some getting used
to.  
But my first reaction was similar to Steve's.  On first impressions, I thought
it 
was the most intriguing cut on the album.  I liked the allusions to "Dixie",
and 
it reminded me somehow of Stephen Foster's "Swanee River" (sp?).

(( As far as I'm concerned, Vietnam is a subject best 
   relegated to the history books. >>

Steve, I think you're pulling our legs a bit on that one.  We're still 
arguing over the Civil War!  The Vietnam War was a lot more recent than that.  
Some people are even still going around dissing Andy Jackson, if you can 
believe that. 

As for the landmines, yes, I think they still are a real problem.  There are 
many more places, of course, like the Balkan Peninsula, where landmines are 
all over the place.  Presumably some of the more recent conflicts have more 
left over. 

There's an interesting piece in the current (August) issue of *Scientific 
American* called "Taming the Killing Fields of Laos," about teams defusing 
leftover bombs there and the software work supporting them.  This article 
focuses more on antipersonnel bombs that were dropped from the air rather 
than landmines.

Unfortunately, it seems to be available only in the print edition, not on the 
Web site.  The article does note, "Land mines, perhaps more familiar as a 
threat, represent a mere 4 percent of the unexploded bombs in Laos."  
So landmines are part of a larger humanitarian concern over leftover
ordinance.  
And aside from personal injuries, it also has significant economic effects 
in discouraging cultivation of a lot of the smaller fields in high-risk areas.

Bruce Miller
Oakland CA

_________________________________________________________________

Subject: Re: NN: Comments on the New Album
   Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2001 20:16:38 EDT
   From: Poetmuse@aol.com

stever@mindspring.com writes:

(( Speaking of Vietnam, I don't quite understand how Nanci latched onto that
subject. I understand and agree with her concern about land mines, but are
there still land mines in Vietnam and surrounding areas put there by the U.S.?
As far as I'm concerned, Vietnam is a subject best relegated to the history
books. All the valuable lessons from the mistakes there have been identified
and learned many years ago. Whether current and future politicians abide by
those lessons is another subject. >>

Well, I do believe she originally went on that trip because of her connection
to Eric Taylor and their previous marriage. I believe it was a thing she always
thought she knew or thought she understood but until she went there- she
*never*, truly let it sink in what he had gone through. And like all good
artists she has used what moves her in her work. I think it a natural
progression for her- I think the trip over was probably a... well, for lack of
a better word, breakthrough. I can understand her wanting to discuss the topic
in the way she feels is her best: music.

As for why bring it up again- well, sadly, it's still an era that a lot of
people have misconceptions about. It's why we still have movies being made
about WW2- there is still a lesson to be learned, there is still fascination
there. As someone who was born right when it all hit, I appreciate Nanci's take
and insight. I think as a group, us humans need to be reminded how sh$%# war
truly is- and if that means bringing up the old wounds and old pictures, than
so be it. I'll argue that the LESSON has not been learned and probably never
will be- but it's good to have these reminders to pause the heart in the midst
of the crazyness.

Besides, Steve, no one reads anymore- didn't you know that? ;-)

-Christina  

_________________________________________________________________

Subject: Re: NN: Comments on the New Album
   Date: Wed, 01 Aug 2001 21:56:43 -0500
   From: Kim Diorio (kinno@netzero.com>

>Speaking of Vietnam, I don't quite understand how Nanci latched onto that
>subject. I understand and agree with her concern about land mines, but >are
>there still land mines in Vietnam and surrounding areas put there by the
>U.S.? 

To all --

During the landmine concerts last December, Bobby Muller of the Vietnam 
Veterans of America Foundation explained a great deal about the extent of 
the problem.  As I recall, he said that over 80 million landmines still 
exist worldwide, in over 60 countries.  There are over 500 new landmine 
victims every month, mostly innocent civilians who live in an agrarian 
society trying to work their land.  Many of the victims bleed to death 
right in the fields because of the lack of medical care available.  
Medical facilities are being built and amputees are being provided with 
prosthetic limbs through the generous efforts of Emmylou, Nanci, and all 
the others, as all landmine concert proceeds are donated to the to the 
VVAF for this cause.

In Cambodia (which alone still has 8-10 million landmines in its fields), 
many of the severely disfigured ladies were shunned by society and sent 
off to a remote area to die.  Instead, though, they planted eucalyptus 
trees, obtained the silk worms, and began the process of making the 
beautiful scarves like the one(s) Nanci is wearing these days).

Check out the website http://www.vvaf.org to learn all about the Campaign 
for a Landmine Free World.  The story behind the silk products is under 
the Joom Noon Silk Products link.

Also if you can attend one of the next landmine shows (in December but 
locations not yet announced) you will be amazed at the impact it makes on 
you.  Also, it will be very clear why Nanci, Emmylou, and the others (see 
the CD from this past spring) have become so touched by the situation.

Kim


_________________________________________________________________

Subject: Re: NN: Comments on the New Album
   Date: Thu, 2 Aug 2001 08:37:52 -0400 (EDT)
   From: kenn lippert (lippert@nauticom.net>

>Many of you will be taking care of the praise side of the equation, so I
>want to throw out a few comments/gripes/complaints and see if I can get 
>someof the lurkers angry enough to come out of hiding ;-)

I'm not angry (heck i don't even have the cd yet), but i'll de-lurk anyway

>When Nanci last played Atlanta- in July of 2000- she was wearing 
>essentially
>the same thing she is wearing on the cover of the album. Every concert
>review I've read lately that mentions what she is wearing sounds like it 
>is describing the same outfit. I, for one, do not care for the look. Is 
>Nanci perhaps trying to relate to her new favorite subject by dressing in 
>the style of fashionable Southeast Asian women?

Personally, the Capri pants always take me to the Laura Petrie look 
(not that there's anything WRONG with that of course).

>Speaking of Vietnam, I don't quite understand how Nanci latched onto that
>subject. I understand and agree with her concern about land mines, but 
>are there still land mines in Vietnam and surrounding areas put there by 
>the U.S.? As far as I'm concerned, Vietnam is a subject best relegated to 
>the history books. All the valuable lessons from the mistakes there have 
>been identified and learned many years ago. Whether current and future
>politicians abide by those lessons is another subject.

Actually many of land mines are in Cambodia where we were of course 
not "officially" at war (wink, wink).  And whether placed there by US 
servicemen's hands or no, there is still much culpability.  And 
besides who put them there, i don't see any reason why Nanci should 
not get involved strictly on humanitarian grounds.  We didn't put any 
mines in Kosovo, but the Land mine Free World foundation (or whatever 
their official title is) is working there too.  The US was one of the 
few countries that would not sign on to the global land mine ban 
document.

>On to the music. "Truly Something Fine" is the most trite love song I can

The only song i have heard is "Lost Him in the Sun" on the local 
public independent radio station.  I thought it had a good beginning, 
but soon fell into much too much too much repetition.  Her voice also 
sounded particularly hard.  It sounded to me like she was making a 
conscious attempt to produce a hit pop (or modern country) song; 
catchy melody, hook'em licks, few words repeated often, and not too 
deep.  That was only one listen though.  Perhaps it will grow on me 
after i hear more of it.

The local indy station WYEP is featuring it as their "Album of the 
week", so i should hear more of it.  And if i re-up my donation at 
the $60 level i will get a copy "free" - just when i promised myself 
to stop spending so much money on non-necessities.

kenn "slime mold" lippert
-- 

| kenn lippert
| lippert@nauticom.net
|
| "Reach me down my Tycho Brahe,  I would know him when we meet...
|  Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light;
|  I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night."
|                                             -Sarah Williams
| "See Kate Campbell"  http://www.KateCampbell.com
|
| "The moon, the music, and me."
|      -Vince Bell "Texas Plates"

_________________________________________________________________

Subject: Re: NN: Comments on the New Album
   Date: Thu, 2 Aug 2001 05:55:15 -0700 (PDT)
   From: Bill Page (bpage3@yahoo.com>

>Speaking of Vietnam, I don't quite understand how Nanci latched onto that
>subject. I understand and agree with her concern about land mines, but 
>are there still land mines in Vietnam and surrounding areas put there by 
>the U.S.? 

There are very likely many mines remaining.

For many years, it was a standard military practive to mine the areas around a
camp, to reduce the likelihood of infiltration, or to mine
trails/passages/roads where enemy groups might be traveling. A claymore or
similar mine can be set up in minutes.

Although it was also a requirement for US troops laying mines to map the
placement of mines so they could remove them later, other groups in the area
(Viet Cong, etc.) also used mines freely, and not all of those placing mines
were conscientious about their mapping or removal.

So, yeah, landmines in Southeast Asia (and Bosnia and many African and South
American areas) are still a major problem.

BP

_________________________________________________________________

Subject: NN: the new releases
   Date: Wed, 01 Aug 2001 19:07:05 -0400
   From: "Robert Arl." (rtaafa@isoc.net>

Hi all,

Spent the day listening to "Clock Without Hands" and the new Gillian Welch
& David Rawlings cd "Time (The Revelator)."  
My feelings are best expressed by the following quote:

"Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life."  - Red Auerbach

Enjoy,
Robert from KY

_________________________________________________________________

Subject: NN: A dissenting Clock view?
   Date: Wed, 01 Aug 2001 16:13:28 -0700
   From: Robert Phelps (rcphelps@pacbell.net>

I'm pretty much a full time lurker here, though I've been an ardent Nanci
fan since the early '80s and a NanciNet member since its inception.  I
mention that because I think I'm about to offer a dissenting view:

I bought "Clock Without Hands" yesterday and just finished listening to it
for the first time.  Some of it is quite good, but some of it is, in my
opinion, just wincingly bad.
 
"Clock Without Hands," "Where Would I Be" and "Midnight In Missoula," for
example, sounded great the first time through.  And I was delighted to 
hear straightforward phrasing in her singing, instead of some of the 
outright weird phrasing and syllable-twisting found in some other recent 
efforts.
 
But Nanci's singing on some songs ("Roses On the 4th of July" and "Last 
Song for Mother," to name two) frankly sounds flat and strained at times.  
I've always been impressed in the past with the seeming effortlessness of 
Her singing, but this album sounds like it was just plain hard work for 
her to struggle through at times.  Compare the effort in those songs with 
the more fluid performances in "More Than A Whisper," "The Flyer," or the 
live version of "These Days In An Open Book," to name but a few examples 
that come quickly to mind.

Moreover, while some songs were good for a single listen, I pretty much 
See myself skipping them in the future ("Truly Something Fine" and 
"Pearl's Eye View" definitely fall into that category).  And while the 
sentiment behind "Last Song for Mother" is painfully understandable, the 
song itself is another one I'll be skipping in the future.
 
So, all in all, some good tracks, but not an album I can see myself
listening to from start to finish.  If a friend who knew nothing about
Nanci's work asked me to recommend an album of hers to listen to, this 
Would plainly NOT be my first choice.
 
Others will no doubt disagree, but that's how I heard it.
------------------------------------------
Bob Phelps
rcphelps@pacbell.net
-----------------------------------------


_________________________________________________________________

Subject: NN: Clock Without Hands
   Date: Wed, 01 Aug 2001 22:24:23 -0600
   From: Molly Prive (prive@internetcds.com>

I got the new CD. I guess I'm too critical. Can't I just enjoy a new
Nanci CD? I'm hoping for a return to the "pre-Flyer" days.

I like the CD, but am not in love with it. I like it better the BRFTM,
but that really grew on me after I saw her touring for that CD.
"Traveling Through This Part of You" is my favorite song right now. I
don't know if "Shaking Out The Snow" will ever grow on me. I think her
voice is off. Does "White Roses on the Fourth of July" sound like "1957
PreWar Kimball" to anyone else? The Frank Sinatra song is beautiful, she
really nailed that one.

I will keep listening!
Molly

PS To Paul Musicant- I hope all is well. We've seen Nanci twice
"together"! I'll be seeing her here in Oregon again on 8/20.

_________________________________________________________________

Subject:    NN: Re: Clock Without Hands
   Date:    Thu, 2 Aug 2001 22:02:55 +0100
   From:    "Mike Barrett" mikebarrettuk@hotmail.com

> I don't know if "Shaking Out The Snow" will ever grow on me.

I thought that at first, but after a few plays it really gets to you,
believe me.

Wasn't there some talk about a "hidden" track on the cd?  Anyone found it
yet?

Mike Barrett

_________________________________________________________________

Subject: NN: Nanci quoted
   Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2001 21:38:01 -0700
   From: "Julie" (julieanne-101@home.com>

Not that I was reading it or anything, but someone told me ;) Nanci is
quoted in the current issue of that bastion of frivolity and U.S.
pop-culture...People magazine (which manages to get a Nanci pic, review or
quote in from time to time... or, uh, so I've been told).  From a tribute
article celebrating the life of the delightful, departed Eudora Welty, comes 
the following:

"...she....influenced the unlikeliest of fellow artists.  'She said prose
should read like music plays in the heart,' says singer Nanci Griffith, 
48.' That helped me define my own voice.'"

God bless her.

Julie

_________________________________________________________________

Subject: NN: disappointment
   Date: Thu, 2 Aug 2001 15:24:08 +0200
   From: "Hans Janssen" (hjanssen@zeelandnet.nl>

Hi,

While my copy of CWH is in the mail to the Netherlands I thought I use 
this Thursday afternoon for a bike ride to Middelburg and give it a listen 
at the shop.

disappointment 1: the CD isn't released yet here..............

disappointment 2: it started raining.....

So I have to wait till next week when it is here with the new Gillian 
Welch CD.

met vriendelijke groeten,

Hans Janssen.
http://listen.to/Tish
http://folktrade.da.ru

// Whereas, some of us could use the rain...[BP]

_________________________________________________________________

Subject: NN: My 2 cents
   Date: Thu, 2 Aug 2001 09:25:56 -0400
   From: "Robert Paresi" (robert@innquest.com>

Hello -

I have been a Nanci fan for a long while, and have all the albums, etc.  
When I got BRFTM, I really got turned off, and seen her on a few shows, 
and her pronunciations of words just make me cringe everytime to the 
point where my other half and I would just look at eachother and laugh.  
Sad.

I said that this album and concert would be her last attempt 'at saving 
me as a Nanci Fan'

Well, the last show and last album clearly did.

The St. Pete show was great, sound was perfect (Hooker is going down 
hill in my opinion) and Nanci kept looking at me and smiling in the 
fourth row singing away with her.  :-) 

The album is on now at work and I have played it over and over (except 
the last song, not my favorite) but this album is clearly MUCH MUCH MUCH 
better work than BRFTM - just as good as Flyer.  I am so glad she moved 
a little back to 'pop' music without TWANG or weird pronunciations.  I 
hope she continues down that road.

I was SOOOOOO happy when she sang a song from LNGH - one of my favorite 
albums of all time.

I really love Where Would I Be, Lost Him in the Sun, Truly Something 
Fine, Clock Without Hands.

Thanks Nanci for some good work.  This album is in my top 5.  (LNGH, 
LLA, OFSE, F, CWH)

The only thing I did not like at all about the St. Pete concert was the 
electric guitar on Love in the Five & Dime - it really really really 
ruined the song.  I wish she sang it just like the OFSE album by herself 
and said, "Going Up" but she didn't.

"Are you weak or are you strong, makes no never to me"

-Robert in Tampa


_________________________________________________________________

Subject: NN: responses to CWH
   Date: Thu, 2 Aug 2001 10:19:37 -0700 (PDT)
   From: Reid Mitchell (reidmitchell@yahoo.com>

Dear fellow Netters:

The range of responses to CWH makes me think that
Nanci Griffith has now covered such a broad range of
musical styles--largely acoustic folk, folk-rock, pop,
CW, even Art Song--that she's attracted an equally
diverse audience--to wit, Us.  I'm sure there are some
on this list who appreciate all the twists and turns
of her musical journey but apparently a lot of us
peridocally fall by the wayside; indeed, the same
things that endears her to one of us might even repell
some others.  (Like Nanci-pronunciations which I love
and orchestral backgrounds which I hate.)

So, she's protean.  We've know that but ever album
reminds us afresh.

OVORII it seems to me revealed how much she was
reaquainted herself with 1960s folk-rock, a sound I
hear a lot of in CWH.  Is this this my notoriously bad
ears or do other people hear it too?

As for "Cotton," which seems to be developing into a
favorite, I like it but the piano part reminds me so
much of Randy Newman, particularly the "Good Old Boys"
album, that I have trouble listening to it without a
large dose of irony.

After several re-listens I still like this album the
most since Flyer.  It just SOUNDS SO GOOD.

Reid Mitchell

_________________________________________________________________

Subject: NN: A proofreader comments
   Date: Thu, 02 Aug 2001 20:04:28 +0100
   From: Charlie Hulme (charlie@dweb.u-net.com>

Friends,

Just got the new CD, and needless to say it's very fine,
as an Al Stewart afficionado history songs are my bread and butter.

However - why is that big rich record companies allow errors to slip 
Through on CD booklets?

"read the last rights..." [rites]

"flugal horn" [flugel]

and worst of all (twice):

"Linda Rondstadt"

If you go to the trouble of helping on someone's record,
you hope they'd spell your name right, and I'm
sure Linda Ronstadt is no exception...

Charlie "call me trivial" Hulme
http://www.page27.co.uk/page27/

_________________________________________________________________

Subject:    NN: Re: A proofreader comments
   Date:    Thu, 2 Aug 2001 15:41:15 -0500
   From:    "Tina Shackleford" tshack@sprynet.com

Agreed, the lack of proofing is astounding.   But here's the worst:
referring to "Carson McCuller's" novel -- the album's named after it, for
pete's sake!

Not so trivial at all.

_________________________________________________________________

Subject: Re: NN: A proofreader comments
   Date: Thu, 2 Aug 2001 14:22:25 -0700 (PDT)
   From: Reid Mitchell (reidmitchell@yahoo.com>

Charlie Hulme (charlie@dweb.u-net.com> wrote:

> However - why is that big rich record companies
> allow errors to slip through
> on CD booklets?]

Oh those errors!  I really thought somebody had come
to get me for the typos that always appear in my
posts!

Reid "Guilty in New Orleans but then who in New
Orleans isn't" Mitchell


_________________________________________________________________

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