XTC - any fans here?
JOEJOEJOE
Posts: 10,517
XTC was one of the first British bands I liked when I was first discovering music in the early 80s.
Too bad they were unable to tour because of Andy Partridge's stage fright.
They have some great songs
"Making Plans for Nigel"
"Helicopter"
"Respectable Street"
"Generals and Majors"
"Living Through Another Cuba
"No Thugs in Our House"
"Summer's Cauldron"
"Grass"
"The Mayor of Simpleton"
"The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead"
"The Disappointed"
Too bad they were unable to tour because of Andy Partridge's stage fright.
They have some great songs
"Making Plans for Nigel"
"Helicopter"
"Respectable Street"
"Generals and Majors"
"Living Through Another Cuba
"No Thugs in Our House"
"Summer's Cauldron"
"Grass"
"The Mayor of Simpleton"
"The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead"
"The Disappointed"
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And my all time fav Dear God ...
And gotta add to the great XTC songlist my fave pirate ditty "All You Pretty Girls"
(LOVE Dear God. Excellent song.)
I was introduced to them a few years ago; my friend played Black Sea for me when we were hanging out. I had a vague memory of them, but didn't really know anything about them ... they were 'on strike' when I was a teenager, so I missed out, & I didn't know that The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead wasn't an original Crash Test Dummies song. Since that fateful evening, I've been getting everything I can. Just picked up a 7" of Sgt. Rock when I was in England a few months ago. Might be one of their worst singles (I know Andy loathes it), but hey, I'll take it.
Andy Partridge, Dave Gregory, & Colin Moulding are ridiculously under-appreciated. It shits me that XTC aren't better known, but I suppose that's what happens when a band stops touring (and later goes on strike to get out of a terrible record contract.)
I really like some of the other things Andy's been working on and/or with through his label, Ape House (http://www.ape.uk.net/): Lighterthief (Stuart Rowe), Monstrance (with ex-XTC member Barry Andrews), & albums he's done with Peter Blegvad are fantastic. Especially love his mid-90's collaboration with Harold Budd, Through the Hill. Plus, he's getting the XTC records re-mastered/remixed and re-released on vinyl. Nonsuch is next! w00t!
Favourite XTC songs include: Scarecrow People, No Language in Our Lungs, Jason and The Argonauts, Ball & Chain, Living through Another Cuba, Helicopter, One of the Millions, Another Satellite, Earn Enough for Us, King for a Day, Mermaid Smiled, Smokeless Zone, The Disappointed, Making Plans for Nigel, It's Nearly Africa, Chalkhills and Children ... I could go on and on ... Across this Antheap! Another favourite! :ugeek:
Regarding The Dukes of Stratosphear - General consensus amongst the XTC fan community favours 25 O'Clock, but I prefer Psonic Psunspot. Vanishing Girl, Collideascope, You're a Good Man Albert Brown, & Little Lighthouse are excellent. Can't go wrong with either, though. It's fun to play spot-the-soundalike since Sir John Johns, The Red Baron, Lord Cornelius Plum and EIEIOwen were directly paying tribute to the 60's acts they grew up with. (Collideascope is Lennonesque, Vanishing Girl conjures up The Hollies, etc.)
Did I mention I could go on?
I know I will be judged and quite possibly asked to hand in my man card, but Sarah Sarah McLachlan does a badass cover of "Dear God."