December 1998 - Sinister

Sinister: does it really have to be this way?
by andypandy 11 Dec '98

11 Dec '98

hello. i'm new here, can anyone tell me where the toilets are? okay, so that's a lie, i seem to have been here forever. but i still don't know where the porcelain is. and honey, i *still* think that there should be a delete button to remove those posts from the archive that a body now regrets ever sending. just glad i have since changed my name. crawled out from under this rock to mail this because for once i can actually claim to have b&s content. this, however, could be ruined by the fact it may already have been posted, but i can't be sure because for some reason i can't collect my mail. so apologies if this is a repeat. where was i? oh, yeah... in today's scotsman (under a picture of stu m with the caption 'belle and sebastian: stuart murdoch's corduroy crew have produced a gem wrapped up beautifully in christmas mischief'): ---------------------- belle and sebastian this is just a modern rock song jeepster, £3.99 * * * * * (yes, that's five stars of out of five, and you can get it from coda or fopp for £2.99) recent changes to chart rules mean band can now only put three songs on a single where previously four were allowed. in protest at this - or, as is more likely, because they are scotland's most contrary rock group - belle and sebastian have released a four-track single. or a very mini album, depending on how you look at it. consequently this is just a modern rock song will feature in neither the singles nor the album charts, which is a crime because it deserves to be in both. it will, however, sell in bucket-loads - sales figures released yesterday show it would have charted in the top 20 had it been eligible - so the shy and retiring glaswegians will make pots of money and still not have to do the christmas top of the pops. if only the spice girls had thought to do the same. that belle and sebastian have ended 1998 with such a tour de force is a great relief. on the boy with the arab strap, the bands third album, murdoch and his muse looked in need of counselling: not so now. the seven-minute title track alone shows the pair have rediscovered each other's intimate bits, though in murdoch's case you suspect that means nothing south of his funny bone. the ep features the gate, sung by cellist isobel campbell, whose is it wicked not to care? was one of the last album's highlights; i know where the summer goes; and slow graffiti. but it is the title track which is the real triumph. on it, murdoch's uncertain voice is once more shown to be perfect for his quirky lyrics. the song's string parts and three-cord drone recall the velvet underground, but the achingly beautiful harmonies and the slow, weary melody are pure belle and sebastian. power without noise is murdoch's forte and the power comes, as always, from the weird little world he paints. you can picture him riding a bus trip up the byres road, scribbling lyrics into a notebook he keeps in his duffelcoat pocket. 'we are four boys in our corduroys, we're not terrific but we're competent,' the group sings. it's the same tone that edwyn collins adopted in the early days of orange juice: self-referential and charmingly self-mocking. meanwhile, the band members' foibles are analysed in a comic inventory which plays on their reputation for being publicity-shy: 'stevie's full of good intentions, richard's into rock and roll, stuart's staying in and he thinks it's a sin that he has to leave the house at all.' stuart murdoch harmonises on the first two lines then bows out before his own name is mentioned. well, it's only polite isn't it? barry didcock ---------------------- and while i am here, i shouldn't let the chance pass to add that modern rock song and slow graffiti float my boat. actually, they float my boat out the harbour, against the rising tide, through the atlantic breakers, round the headland, and out into the deep blue sea. did i say my boat was pea-green? me? sycophantic? nooooo. and i think i can sneak this in too, seeing as i have mentioned b&s.. to all those i promised packages: the books, cds, tapes, badly written letters, cards, scraps of paper, stories, pictures, underwear, and love poems have been mailed, albeit a day later than the last for christmas post (hey, i'm slow, okay? but they should all arrive before crimbles). the only thing i haven't mailed is the lightswitch cover i promised a darling soul, but it'll be on it's way soon, and you really don't have to do this, especially when your hands are so full =). oh, and thank you to the other sweet soul who so kindly helped with the documents and the call to the estate agents, you didn't have to. a park road address is not too far away. i'll call you tonight. and to everyone else, the flat-warming'll be sometime in the new year. =) and yes, it *is* possible to do uptight friday, and divine *and* the egg on saturday. but the taxi'll cost you £50, and the contents of your stomach. and thank you to miss s.H.v, for the tape that allows me to recreate the divine experience in the privacy of my own home, but without the slurring, lushing, and general lary-ness. well, maybe some. okay, i'm done. i'll disappear for another year. hope everyone is well, and have a wonderful christmas and a pissed-up new year. maybe see you in 1999, unless of course, you see me coming first. andy xoxo ps. keithyabas, where's my cd-r? =P hope you don't mind being reimbursed in liquid currency =) and hope you are feeling better, you looked knackered at the egg the other week. +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list please mail "sinister(a)majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo(a)majordomo.net". For list archives and searching, list rules, FAQ, poor jokes etc, see http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +---+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" +---+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Sinister: re ooberman
by Tjonrr＠aol.com 11 Dec '98

11 Dec '98

> and I'd like to suggest the ooberman ep, > it's great, and there is even a track on it like "A century of Elvis" only > it is about a rabbit and it all ends up very sad so not that much like >"...Elvis". But it is spoken word and it does mention foxes. yes the ooberman ep is excellent, the first track is special, but i always stop the record before the rabbit one because i find it too traumatic. at least in watership down it all turned out all right in the end, yknow? also, on the subject of childhood books, does anyone remember struwelpter, it was a book of illustrated lessons for small children, the idea seemed to be prevention through putting the FEAR OF GOD into you, eg if you bite your nails A MAN WITH A GIANT PAIR OF SCISSORS WILL COME AND CUT YOUR FINGERS OFF or, on a lighter note, if you dont eat your soup YOU WILL WASTE AWAY AND DIE!!, like, WITHIN A WEEK!!!. my granny had an old copy of it and just the cover illustration has mentally scarred me for life. anyway, i was in a bookshop the other day, and it turns out THEY RE STILL PRINTING IT!!! AAAAAARGH!!!! a whole new generation of children turned into empty emotionlly retarded shells for the rest of their lifes. i assume they will have had to make it more politically correct though, cause it had sambos in it, if i remember right. from tjohn coming through the wall from my brothers room:the proclaimers-sunshine on leith. i suppose my brother can be pretty cool at times. +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list please mail "sinister(a)majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo(a)majordomo.net". For list archives and searching, list rules, FAQ, poor jokes etc, see http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +---+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" +---+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Sinister: what's a nice record like you doing in a place like this?
by Charlotte.Hall＠smlawpub.co.uk 11 Dec '98

11 Dec '98

alix wrote: >so, dear sinisterites, at the risk of starting a random new thread of >conversational hub-bub, i would like to know what the strangest place >you have ever heard a b&s song played is. any takers? I'd like to start the bidding on this with Emporio Armani in Covent Garden. My flatmate Davie works there and managed to get them to play the whole of TBWTAS last week. Not strange, perhaps, but certainly unexpected... PS I see that a letter in the beginning of the execrable Melody Maker (the one with THAT cover "story") about the appalling state of the charts is answered by some woeful smartass staff member with words to this effect: "...and all you'd be left with is Belle and Sebastian and Steps. Is that what you want?" For Davie, this combination would truly be a dream come true. Now that is strange. Charlotte +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list please mail "sinister(a)majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo(a)majordomo.net". For list archives and searching, list rules, FAQ, poor jokes etc, see http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +---+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" +---+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Sinister: soixante neuf
by brad 11 Dec '98

11 Dec '98

well well well i stole robbie's copy of TITTYTWISTER for about an hour today and proceeded to dub the shit out of it for myself cause i forgot to order one from whoever i order with. what's wrong with the gate, i ask? i think it's really good, and even better than "is that a stick up my derrier?" from the last album. so, feh! so who's all going to the athens thing? i'll be there. as will this other fucker who's tagging along. since the guy said we could be filmed together instead of separate, me and robbie (said fucker) are gonna try our damndest to talk him into letting us assume the 69. i think it'd be a touching and beautiful ending to the video. besides, the french wouldn't care. their middle name is 69. so i bought a jacques brel cd and it's utter crap. i had heard some good stuff from him before, but this ain't one of them. and i got that field mice compilation. and i have had the trembling blue stars stuff for a while.....and, well, it's good and all, but after about seven or eight songs i just want to slap his ass and tell him to stop fucking whining. jesus christ! i mean, david gedge has made a career out of songs about relationships, and there's nothing wrong with that at all, but he doesn't sound like a snivelling wuss when he's singing them. that's all i have to say about that. "willow" is a damn fine song. as are a lot of other ones on the compilation....just not in large doses. that was very anti-twee of me, no? so. -brad +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list please mail "sinister(a)majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo(a)majordomo.net". For list archives and searching, list rules, FAQ, poor jokes etc, see http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +---+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" +---+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Sinister: that tara girl
by r. h. 11 Dec '98

11 Dec '98

wow, let me put my foot in my mouth for doubting jeepster. right after i posted last i checked my mail to find the ep there. it sounds like three of the songs should have been on sinister. i guess that's because they are old ones. mrs: i don't see the big deal it sounds like the other version to me only clearer. but all in all the ep sounds like a good stopping point for the band, like if they were to break up today it would be a good last note. i think we can all agree that that tara girl has got the goods when it comes to writing a song. watch out belle and sebastian here comes that tara girl. i think i'll rush off right now and start the "that tara girl" mailing list. you should really write another song, that one had me in tears.;) oh and while i'm at it let me tell you. tonight a very old (like 80)year old man was leaving our store and i noticed he was carrying a c.d. out so i followed him down(thinking that he just forgot to put it back)and asked him if he paid for it and he said "are you accusing me of stealing? because if you are that would be great because you have a nice piece of property and i wouldn't mind owning it you little shit" i've said it before and i'll say it again, aren't old people great! robbie tara, it really did make me cry! mail me fool! ______________________________________________________ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list please mail "sinister(a)majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo(a)majordomo.net". For list archives and searching, list rules, FAQ, poor jokes etc, see http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +---+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" +---+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Sinister: this took 10 pops
by DMBesPhish＠aol.com 11 Dec '98

11 Dec '98

hello hello well lately my computer has been running for an extensive number of hours. my speech for my english class is due tomorrow. you can do any topic of your liking, so naturally i picked belle and sebastian. i must say this is the most enjoyed "research" project i have done yet. i only hope that my classmates will appreciate it as much as i do. i just have an awkward feeling that they will be confused and unconsciously belt out, "play da puffy!" and i will be shunned from their abercrombie and fitch wearing world...rats. and as for the new EP that EVERYONE is talking about...well yes, i still dont have it! my reasons are a) none of the stores around here seem to carry it and b) i havent any money to buy it with anyway. i have been dead broke for quite some time now. ive spent my last earnings on my ben harper cd...which is incredibly incredible (im good with words, can you tell?) and i love it so. and i also look foward to someday owning my own study at stow shirt as well :) and as for that thing about b&s in MM...well since i dont live in the uk, i havent seen it yet. but there is an article in this months magnet with them in it. the magazine has sunny day real estate on the cover. but once again i was unable to buy it on account of the empty space in my pockets. and ohh <sigh> does anyone live near the chicago-land area who would be willing to give a girl a ride to athens so she can appear in a b&s video??? <bats eyes> aww come on. yes, i was also wondering about the where abouts of all of my fellow listees. i think that site map is a good idea. does anyone else live in chicago? well i guess that concludes my long and rather drab letter. sorry sorry...i didnt mean for it to be so boring! perhaps later on i will be more influenced as i am about to start again on my "research" for b&s. well bye for now! xo, jackie +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list please mail "sinister(a)majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo(a)majordomo.net". For list archives and searching, list rules, FAQ, poor jokes etc, see http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +---+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" +---+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Sinister: Mistletoe
by petula 11 Dec '98

11 Dec '98

Bonsoir, So here I am at the close of my first term of my journalism course, rushing around to get everything handed in before I fly out to rule in a secret location in the north of England. We're coming down to London for a few days next week though, and I trust I'll meet some of you at the Po' Caf social on the 18th. I hear Trousers is going to feed us some of that curious English vegetarian food that I've read so much about called "beans on toast", I can't wait. Perhaps the New Year will turn over a new leaf for the list. No more silly acronyms. (they're not even real ones--you're supposed to be able to pronounce them you know) Let me tell you a story about "acronyms". There was once a sort of twee girl who was in a car with her friends. They were talking about the Field Mice and she referred to Northern Picture Library as NPL, which made her friends laugh at her for a very long time and she wasn't even allowed to join Sha La La, the refuge for lost popchildren. Finally, I'd like to complain about the truly crap films we're being bombarded with for the holiday season. You've got a girl running around with a giant (very fake-looking) ape, Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks falling in love over the internet (I was wondering when Hollywood would get to it!), and worst of all, Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon desecrating Marvin & Tami's "ain't no mountain high enough". DJ "Oh Yeah" and I really know how to celebrate the holiday season-- spiked eggnog, shortbread and the Phil Spector christmas album. 5 days. Fiiiiiiive days. love elisabeth xoxo +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list please mail "sinister(a)majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo(a)majordomo.net". For list archives and searching, list rules, FAQ, poor jokes etc, see http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +---+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" +---+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Sinister: b+s horoscope
by kellym＠raygun.com 11 Dec '98

11 Dec '98

Passing the time till the little hand hits the five i picked up the new issue of Details and flipped to the horoscope page. Lucky for me it had the 'Year Ahead for Capricorns' this month and had some wierd b+s qualities to it. Here are the good parts: "Capricorns are supposed to be shy, conservative and slow. But you've got an irrational side that nobody sees because you're so good at keeping up appearances. You make everything look nice. There's something British about Capricorns-you maintain a stiff upper lip, even when your empire is sinking like the sun." <snip> "For the past two years, you've felt pinched and restricted, convinced that your favorite form of recreation is either unhealthy or illegal." <snip> "For the next two years, you'll be obsessed with getting your bills paid. But you'll also want to get drunk and dance around with your underwear on your head." <snip-and best of all...> "As we hit the year 2000, ask yourself the following Saturnine questions: If I'm surrounded by idiots, does that mean I'm a magnet for scoundrels and fools? And if so, should I hang my head in shame or, like another famous Capricorn born in December, found a church?" See what I mean, mention of the UK, talk of getting drunk and dancing, hanging your head in shame, feelings of being surrounded by people you can't relate to and churches! This is the most b+s (or is it bs?) horoscope I've ever read. Ok... just thought I'd share. -Kelly Ryan McGuire, born January 11th at 9:30AM, 197X. +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list please mail "sinister(a)majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo(a)majordomo.net". For list archives and searching, list rules, FAQ, poor jokes etc, see http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +---+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" +---+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Sinister: Right ... we're off then ...
by Katrina House 10 Dec '98

10 Dec '98

Dearest List, The time has come to unsub and put myself on the digest list (bugger), as the packing is furious and i'm scared that if i sit in front of this computer any longer then i won't be on that plane tomorrow. Couple of things before i say bye ... Mick McMick wrote: > > Hullo, > I checked the Jeepster site to see what was updated. By chance I > checked the "News" section on Jeepster rather than B&S. Here' what I > found. > >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< > Belle & Sebastian > they're back in the rehearsal rooms and will hopefully deliver a new > album to us in the spring of next year. they're also working on a > possible new ep which should precede the album. yippee! > > Looper > the looper project has now completed their debut album which should > see it's release on jeepster in early march. > >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< oops, sorry everyone. we will be releasing the looper album on march 8th (march 9th by sub pop in the states) and we're hoping to put out a single two weeks beforehand. i'll be finishing all the release details when we get back, so don't think you're missing out on anything. stuart & karn are really excited about it all, and the album sounds fantastic so it'll be fantastic to release the lp. b&s - dunno, we're hoping to put another ep out around feb/march-ish, but it may be later ... not sure. the band are heading into the studio next week to start recording the new album, so again, more news about all that when we get back (if not before). ok, please note that david and i will still be collecting our mail daily (going on holidays to stay with your folks is a brilliant idea! all the mod cons!), so if you need to get hold of us for any reason, then just mail us! david - shop(a)jeepster.co.uk and me (katrina) - a-and-r(a)jeepster.co.uk and i think that's it! hope you all have a fantastic xmas and hogmanay/new year, we'll try to send you all a postcard from rottnest island or something! play nice. love, Katrina & David. +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list please mail "sinister(a)majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo(a)majordomo.net". For list archives and searching, list rules, FAQ, poor jokes etc, see http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +---+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" +---+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Sinister: Down Bel, down!! good girl!!!
by rebelstrange＠ldd.net 10 Dec '98

10 Dec '98

i was going to say that dawn's dream was too entertaining not to be made up, but then i realized it was too goodfor anyone to think of. trust me, i'm going to save that one for posterity. Dawn, tell your subconscious it done good work. (AH!! now i must escape to Switzerland, you have all found me out!!! how ELSE could you have known about my lucky riding crop, and my nefarious scheme to make Isobel my love slave????? if it weren't for you meddling kids......!) which brings me to my next subject, le mystery bus, yes i was sure someone would say where are stevie, mick and richard. well quite simply, i was trying to stick to the scooby-doo template, and as analogues i deducted the following characters: Fred=Stuart M. / Daphne=isobel / Shaggy=Chris / Velma=sarah / scooby-Doo=patchy-boo(dog on wheels) Dr. looper just seemed funny to me. i figure that in the end, they'll befriend him anywya, having discovered he's just a misunderstood eccentric, and will warm his heart with their lilting musical charms and welcome him into the Bus. If anyone knows how i can fit the others into the cartoon, i'd be glad to make up another version with all eight involved. i just wasn't sure who stevie and mick and richard should be.......there werent' any more scooby doo characters really, unless you count the times Phyillis Diller and Don Knotts were on, or you could count Scrappy-Doo i spose. Mick could be Scrappy-Doo.........Stevie could play the part of Phyllis Diller?? (i'm not insane really, i just make out that i am) does anyone konw the best address to write the band snail mail? me and jess have spotted a couple of addresses and weren't sure which one was right. dont' worry, i'm not the Unabomber, although i do think he had a few good points to make. (oops) I just have to get that leather collar to Isobel!! she's waiting for my secret signal!! the poor dear is lost without me i'm afraid. Right-o then, keep defending theGate, you cheery chaps of upstandign virtue. file under: Things tha t Make you Go Hmmm..? i was messing around the list archives and happened upon a discussion of clitoral stimulation. Umm?? and it was a clitorally-impaired person doing the discussing as far as i can tell. well you x-defects just know it all dont' you.........that brings a new level to the concept of list smut. Hmmm! *Mistress* lesleyJo to you!!! +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list please mail "sinister(a)majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo(a)majordomo.net". For list archives and searching, list rules, FAQ, poor jokes etc, see http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +---+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" +---+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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