XTC fans check in please

[LynneSin]

I had some XTC on vinyl and downloaded one of my favorite albums over the weekend - "English Settlement". This band was so damn good but never made it mainstream.

Any other XTC fans out there?

[seemunkee]

1. Here

Was listening to some at a friends house over the weekend. I got to see one of their rare performances way back when. Too bad Partridge couldn't over come the panic attacks so they could tour more.

[Pithlet]

2. Love them.

I think not being able to tour realy hurt their career, and it's too bad.

[XNASA]

3. The band that was too good.

Stupid Virgin Records.

[Fenris]

6. Sigh.

:(

[mr_hat]

4. Criminally under-appreciated band.

Probably didn't help that they couldn't tour much with Partridge's agoraphobia.

"Mayor of Simpleton" is my daily inspiration.

[driver8]

16. Have any of you seen Urgh! A Music War!??

There is a great live version of "Respectable Street". It is too bad that Andy Partridge developed agoraphobia because he was absolutely amazing onstage.

Check it out if you get a chance.

[Coventina]

20. I own a copy of that! Worth its weight in GOLD!

:thumbsup:

[driver8]

33. I work for Warner Bros. and we re-mastered Urgh! for HD Net. I

don't know if they plan on releasing a DVD, but we added a 5.1 audio mix to it. It sounds amazing!!

[Coventina]

38. Oh, I so hope it goes to DVD, it's a great collection of great bands

I would buy it in a heartbeat.

[RandomKoolzip]

26. I have a friend with a collection of bootleg XTC videos....

HE's got a bunch of live shows from before PArtridge starting having panic attacks on tape.

He's also got one show from Germany on the English Settlement tour, where they come out, play the first minute of "Respectable Street," then Andy slumps forwards, plays a few strange, off chords, takes of his guiatr and leaves the stage in a panic. They had to abort the show and the video they were shooting after the first song because of his panic attacks. Very interesting stuff.

That same video has footage of them soundchecking "Melt the Guns," where they play that tune's very intricate arrangement beautifully. it's a shame they never got to work up such stuff on stage.

[driver8]

31. Wow...I would love to see those...especially the soundcheck footage

of Melt the Guns.

[Horus45]

36. I own the VHS tape of that.

[Tikki]

21. "Helicopter"........I just adore this song........n/t

[Coventina]

5. Here with bells on!

My top 10 XTC songs (for today):

1. Ten Feet Tall
2. Punch and Judy
3. Wait Til Your Boat Goes Down
4. Respectable Street
5. The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead
6. Don't Lose Your Temper
7. Fly On The Wall
8. Down In The Cockpit
9. Extrovert
10. Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her

Tomorrow might be a totally different list. There are so many wonderful songs to choose from!

[gmoney]

10. Extrovert!!!

Great choices... but not many know Extrovert. I'm impressed.

I feel a new lounge crush coming on... ;)

[Coventina]

12. Extrovert is practically my theme song!

Alongside "Mayor of Simpleton".

:hi:

[tigereye]

7. my husband is an XTC obsessive

so yes, I think I count by association.

[SteppingRazor]

8. Skylarking was practically a perfect album...

Drums and Wires and English Settlement weren't exactly chopped liver either :thumbsup:

[driver8]

15. I like Skylarking also. I was reading an interview with Andy Partridge

and I kind of got the feeling that making Skylarking was not a pleasant experience.

[RandomKoolzip]

9. (Raises hand) Hell yeah!

"Black Sea" is one of my top ten albums. Never go anywhere without a copy of it on CD or in my iPod.

It's too bad that Terry Chambers quit; he was one of the best drummers to come out of the Punk era. After he left, XTC's music got a lot less interesting, IMO, although they were still capable of writing great songs ("You're The Wish You Are I Had," "Pink Thing"), but ruining them with dated 80's technology and kitchen-sink production styles.

The era from "Drums and Wires" through "English Settlement" (when they could still be called a "rock" band) is their peak.

[driver8]

11. Finally -- an XTC thread!!!!!

English Settlement is my favorite XTC album as well and definitely in my top 10. I absolutely love this band.

[XNASA]

18. There used to be a lot of XTC threads before the forums got all split up.

XTC threads, Todd Rundgren threads, etc.

Those were the days.

[gmoney]

13. Here here!

SO many great records that almost nobody hears... I'm sad that Dave Gregory left the band though. I've felt the last two albums have suffered from his absence -- or maybe it was just the intervening years.

English Settlement may be my favorite album ever... and I really don't like the first two tracks! (Runaways, Ball & Chain)

If I get a tattoo, it will probably be some variation of the Uffington Horse.

Good call, LynneSin!

[tuvor]

14. Drums & Wires/Black Sea fan over here. Check out this link.

http://xtc4u.org/

[tuvor]

17. Does anyone know where to find their obscure ditty "The Cairo"?

Came out in the very early 80s, IIRC. I have yet to find it anywhere in any medium.

[XNASA]

19. Does anybody know of Martin Newell?

He's a pal of Andy Partridge's. They made a record together called "The Greatest Living Englishman" which is a Pop masterpiece....though not as good as Martin's own "The Off-White Album".

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/artist/glance/-/157250/002-3084822-3902434

[RandomKoolzip]

23. I actually thought it was a weak album....

I like the Cleaners From Venus stuff, but I was let down by the Partridge/Newell collab. The production sucked, and the songs seemed to lack melodic weight.

But that's just my opinion.....:shrug:

[XNASA]

28. Guess I'm a sucker for Martin.

TGLE production did suffer a bit, probably because it was recorded and mixed in Andy Partridge's potting shed, but the songs were top-notch.

The Off-White Album really shines though.

[RandomKoolzip]

29. And "Living With Victoria Grey."

Really cool career overview of Martin Newell in that book "Unknown Legends of Rock and Roll," Richie Unterberger's tome, that came out around 1998 or so. Worth picking up if you haven't read it yet.

[LynneSin]

22. I only own English Settlement but I'm gonna stock up on some more

I really do like XTC's sound and I just know I'll enjoy the rest of their music too!

[mogster]

25. Check out Black Sea

And Mummer - that's my late XTC fav.

They started out as a punk band in 1976, and released White Music in '77.
It's rock allright, and one of the best albums I've ever heard.

[RandomKoolzip]

27. Yeah....get Black Sea IMMEDIATELY.

"Burning With Optimism's Flames" is an AMAZING song.

[driver8]

32. Another vote for Black Sea!! The Greatest Hits collection is also

a great place to start.

[SouthoftheBorderPaul]

34. I'm a late arrival on this thread...

so I'll just add a hearty "yup." And one of these: :thumbsup:

[mogster]

24. One...two..three... four... five... senses working overtime

I'm a HUGE XTC fan! :bounce:

[LynneSin]

30. Maybe it's me but All Of A Sudden (It's Too Late) is....

like the worlds most perfect song of ANY group.

I'm thinking if I buy me some more XTC and listen to them non-stop they could actually break the coveted "LynneSin's Top 10 favorite bands of all time". Jethro Tull and U2 are pretty shaky at best in the top 10 and are ripe for the toppling.

[Horus45]

35. Here! I own every album, including the imports.

Also got to see them at a very small venue in Poughkeepsie, NY.

[Touchdown]

37. You only need to get ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE!

You want all of us?

I have Nonesuch. Wish I had the rest. Peter Pumpkinhead is great!:hi:

[warrens]

39. I got to see them live once

One of their very last shows, but they were great. But Partridge was a wreck; I just thought it was part of the act, like David Byrne. But he really was spazzing out, having a full blown panic attack.

My favorite song by them is No Thugs in Our House