In a message dated 99-07-02 13:13:55 EDT, you write:

wouldn't tha tbe the Shakers? they existed somewhere in pennsylvania, or illinois or something. they made lots of quilts and chairs and stuff. they recruited people, but then peopel kept leaving until there was like only one really old lady left in the sect. or something. can anyone validate thi

The Shakers in the US were led by Ann Lee, who was born in Manchester in the 1700's. The sect was originally called the Shaking Quakers, or "The United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing," and they were persecuted in England. Ann moved to the US in the 1770's and started a Shaker colony outside Albany, NY, claiming to be Christ reincarnated. She was beaten and imprisoned here too. The Shakers were communistic and celibate, and did quite well for awhile -- in the early 1800's they had about 20 colonies here. By the 1960's there were only two communities left, one in New Hampshire and one in Maine, and then yes, there was that one last (or maybe two?) woman left living in one of them... very sweet and sad. The Shakers believed in simplicity and utilitarianism... the houses and furnishings they made are beautiful -- really nice simple lines and beautiful wood. Wonderful split wood round boxes. Actually, at least one of the communes has now been turned into an artists' retreat where artists of various sorts go to get away and create -- and there is a new interest in Shaker lifestyle -- probably without the celibacy. Ok, yeah, I've always liked Shakers.... sorry. "tis a gift to be simple...." Celibacy is a different matter altogether, albeit pretty simple. Oh and... about the Rolling Stone review of the Gentle Waves -- I think the reviewer was remembering another review. Someone way back in a review of TBWTAS someplace said that the lyrics to "It Could Have Been a Brilliant Career" were mean, or they showed Stuart was mean... someone with a better memory or better with archives (sorry Honey) might remember where that review was from. --michele +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the reborn Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list mail "sinister@majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo@majordomo.net". WWW: http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +-+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" "tech-heads and students" +-+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +-+ "jelly-filled danishes" +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+