Conference mr1pst::music

    I love XTC. I started listening to them at "Black Sea" and then worked
    forward and backwards from there. I like XTC's melodic sense, and the
    songwriting in general. The lyrics are excellent; there is always some
    very clever turn-of-the-phrase. Colin Moulding's bass playing is
    excellent and the other players in the band are all quite good as well.
    
    Downsides to XTC are:
    
    	o inability to sustain the songwriting through a whole album
    
    	o a tendency to get "goofy" in the music. I don't know if it's
    	  Andy Partridge's sense of "clowning around" or what, but some
    	  of XTC's songs are real clumsy and some even are unlistenable
    	  because they're just so wierd. AP is a long-time amphetimine
    	  junky and I've often speculated that some of his songs are
    	  the result of being "wired for sound".
    
    My favorite XTC albums: 1: English Settlement 2: Drums and Wires 3: Black
    Sea
    
    Brian

    I agree with Brian's opinions about xtc. 
    I've been listening to them for awhile too. I like Skylarking, Mummer
    (two of their weirder albums) and Black Sea. Especially Respectable
    Street --love those opening chords...trying to figure them out, and
    Towers Of London.
    I guess Andy Partridge doesnt like playing live anymore. Saw them last
    year on MTV's short lived Big Show. They played all acoustic. Not a lot
    of presence, but I don't care.
    
    Some of their stuff is subtle, especially some of the lead guitar work.
    
    Jay
    

    Oh, by the way, anybody heard Rag and Bone Buffet?
    I've heard some of the stuff.
    
    

    I was reading my previous replies. I can't spel!
    
    And Andy Partridge doesn't know the names of some of the chords he
    plays either.  :-)

    re: Rag and Bone buffet
    
    I picked this up last weekend (I am a BIG XTC fan, but not a fanatic)
    it it is very well worth the $$.  There are few remixes (Ten feet Tall).
    a few re-records (Scissor Man) and the rest are b-sides and low volume
    releases.  I will give this a 8 out of 10.  I think some of the extra-
    long versions (on side 2) tend to be a little overdone/tedious
    .
    If you like "Drums and Wires" and "Skylarking", you'll like this one.
    
    chUck >_the_"safe"_version_of_"Respectable Street"_pales_to_the_original.

    I am one serious collector when it comes to this band. I knew about
    them as far back as 1978, but it was the release of SKYLARKING in 
    1986 that motivated me to get back into listening to them. 
 
    Following is a rundown of everything which I think would be of 
    interest to the budding XTC enthusiast. These descriptions 
    are of the CDs. The descriptions are my opinions only, but 
    I must warn you that I don't think they've put out a bad album 
    yet (so I'm biased - but informed, anyway!): 
    
    
    1. White Music - Their first LP. Get the CD, which contains seven bonus
    tracks. A lot of *fun* music on this one, some of it fast (e.g., "Cross
    Wires," "Traffic Light Rock," "She's So Square"). Though "dated" in
    that New Wave-ish sort of way, still a lot of fun. (Oh, did I mention
    this is a fun CD?) Barry Andrews (later to be in the band Shriekback) 
    on keyboards. (1977)
    
    2. Go 2 - Not as much rollicking fun as _White Music_, but still a good
    listen with fast songs like "Red," "Crowded Room," "Jumping in
    Gomorrah." The CD has only one bonus track; the single, "Are You 
    Receiving Me?" Includes a map of Swindon prepared with the help of
    bassist Colin Moulding. By the way, this is the one with the (in)famous
    cover which begins, "This is an album cover. It's purpose is to get
    your attention so that you'll buy the album, etc. etc. etc. This is the
    last album Barry Andrews appears on. (1978)
    
    3. Drums and Wires - Recommended! Barry Andrews departs, but the band
    writes more complex, serious songs, still in a 2-4 minute pop context.
    Intriguing experimentation with rythyms (oriental on "Millions,"
    mechanical on "Helicopter," choppy on "Life Begins at the Hop").
    Also very good straightforward pop songs like "Chain of
    Command," "Limelight," and "Making Plans for Nigel" (all are 
    bonus tracks on the CD), and "Real by Reel" (which features a good 
    guitar solo). Lots of surprising guitar experimentation and a big
    drum sound. (1979)
    
    4. Black Sea - Another recommendation. More good pop, with darker themes. 
    CD features three bonus tracks, one of which is very good ("Don't Lose
    Your Temper"). (1980) 
    
    5. English Settlement - A double LP (on one CD). More intricate 
    songwriting, including more acoustic guitar material, and an emphasis on 
    texture rather than on sheer sound. No bonus tracks, unfortunately, 
    but the album does include such gems as "Senses Working Overtime" 
    and "Jason and the Argonauts." (1981)
    
    6. Mummer - A unique LP, one of my favorites. Idyllic, primitive in parts, 
    and mostly acoustic. The CD features six bonus tracks, three of them 
    very good ("Jump," "Desert Island," and "Gold", and also two atmospheric 
    instrumentals). It's as if medieval minstrels returned from the past 
    to write pop songs...(1982)
    
    7. The Big Express - Touted by some XTC fans as their best album, this is
    not for everyone. Some find it too "grating" and loud; still, 
    after repeated listenings it does grow on you. This album separates the
    hard core fans from the rest. Heavy emphasis on rythym (sometimes
    jarring rythym); still tied in to a less accessible pop context. 
    CD has three bonus tracks, one of them very good -- "Washaway"). 
    "Train Running Low on Soul Coal" is a *frantic* tune! (1983) 
    
    8. Chips from the Chocolate Fireball - An anthology featuring two albums
    the band released under the hippy-dippy pseudonym, "The Dukes of 
    Stratospheare." Neopsychedelic, paying homage to mostly British bands 
    from the 1966-1968 period, like Pink Floyd, The Electric Prunes,
    Blossom Toes. Recommended, if you like psychedelic revivalist 
    music. (1984)
    
    9. Skylarking - Produced by Todd Rundgren. American version of the 
    CD has "Dear God" (the band's biggest single). The UK put "Dear God"
    on an E.P. CD-5 which also features several instrumental pieces. Look 
    for this if you can find it. A real studio LP with Beatles-esque 
    influences (e.g., "Earn Enough for Us" has same type of ending as 
    "We Can Work It Out"), layered instrumentation and vocals, 
    and a 60's feel. Follows the cycle of one person's life as each song 
    progresses. (1986)
    
    10. Oranges and Lemons - In some ways, a disappointment because of its
    attempt to be too commercial with a big-style production. 
    Still, features some good songs like "The Mayor of Simpleton" 
    and the Beatles-esque "The Loving." (1989) 
    
    11. The Compact XTC: The Singles, 1978-85 - Contains mostly edits 
    of the band's A-sides. This disc is not yet available in the U.S. 
    Also contains "Wait 'til Your Boat Goes Down," which is not 
    available on any other CD album. (1985)
    
    12. Rag n' Bone Buffet - B-sides, outtakes, throwaways, pseudonyms...for
    the totally anally retentive XTC addict. (1990)
    
    

   I thought the R.& B. B. was a treat. I would like to hear more of these
type recordings in general. It shows that the band is human and not computer
controlled -recording... It's like getting the real thing that's non-American-
ized for the public. Sort like of finding a treasure at a yard sale.

   Though there were tunes on the CD that I wouln't have chosen for that...
I've tended not to really like thier "Dukes of Stratosphere" -like material.
The Christmas tune was prabably for the kids...

    I got the Drums and Wires CD at the beginning of the year and was delighted
to find two cuts that were previously unreleased in he US before. 
 Chain of command, and (I think) In the Limelight.


T.B.C'd...

/John

    Great stuff!
    
    So there is another version of Respectable Street?
    
    I probably have mentioned this somewhere else in this notesfile, but
    I've read interviews with Partridge and it just amazed me how broke
    he was. he had like 300 pounds in the bank when Oranges and Lemons
    came out. A friend from accross the water sent me some live XTC stuff,
    Generals and Majors and some other song. They never did a live album
    right? 
    I remember reading (about 10 years) ago on an single, and there was
    something about a B side that was Partridge's Human something series
    that were instrumentals. I have none of their singles so I dont know
    and its been a few years.
    They actually did a video for senses working overtime and maybe Mayor
    or Sydmonton...oops...Simpleton. Of course its not in MTV's top 10.
    
    Jay
    

    Chips from the Fireball available here in the US? never seen that one.
    
    Anyone actually written to their fan club? 
    
    jay

Oh... 42.6,

   You forgot Waxworks! Most of the B-Sides were on these two albums.
The covers of each album were crayon and watercolor pictures of them and
animals. This is also a neat album. 
   There is also another version of This is pop (or Is this Pop?). It's slower
and a little toned down on the lead guitar part.

/J

    No, I didn't forget WAXWORKS. My list was of the offical release
    of many of the compact discs; WAXWORKS has never been issued on 
    compact disc, to my knowledge. 
    
    There is more - MUCH more available on CD, but what I included was the
    basic repertoire of "easy-to-finds." 
    
    There are two differently recorded versions of "Respectable Street"
    that I'm aware of on CD. 
    
    1. The first, on RAG N' BONE BUFFET, is a version with cleaned up lyrics
    ("abortion" is changed to "absorption", "wretching" is changed to
    "stretching", etc.) 
    
    2. The second is from the soundtrack to URGH! A MUSIC WAR 
    (recorded live).
    
    There is no officially released live XTC album. 
    
    Randon stuff... 
    
    Partridge sings "Margaret Freeman" on The Residents' COMMERCIAL ALBUM.
    
    He also plays harmonica and assorted percussion on Thomas Dolby's
    "Europa and the Pirate Twins" from THE GOLDEN AGE OF WIRELESS.  
    
    Partridge contributes "Rocket" to PLACE OF GENERAL HAPPINESS: THE
    LYRICS OF ERNEST NOYES BROOKINGS, VOL. 2. 
    
    XTC contributes "Happy Families" to the SHE'S HAVING A BABY film
    soundtrack. This version is a different mix from the one on RAG N' BONE
    BUFFET.
    
    
    There is more; much more that's unofficially available, if you know
    what I mean. This stuff is for fanatics like myself. 
    
    About the new album: The tentative title for it is BALLOON, and the big
    deal about it is it's produced by Gus Dudgeon (former Zombies and David
    Bowie "Space Oddity" producer); it's supposed to be in DDD (a first for 
    the band). 

  It would be interesting to find out about what's not too accessable
as far as recorded material goes...

  I think  the 'Dukes' have 3 albums out. I think that one of them is 
is 25 o'clock, and another is Psonic Psun Spots. (correct me if I'm
wrong.) One of the three is on CD which has the other two on it.

  One album for XTC is an EP that has ?(Sohnam Bullist), ?(...Journey
land?), and a tune that sounds more like a carnival... I'll have to 
dig these up to find exactly what's on them.

  There are a couple of tapes floating around that has recordings from
a Pop Flexi-disk?, BBC recordings, and live recordings of two or three
recording dates that were recorded in the US back in '80 and '81.

/J

    How do you know Partridge sings on the Residents Commerical album?
    :-)
    I have that album, I'll have to go listen. That is bizzarre.
    
    Jay

    He "sings" on Margaret Freeman. 
    
    I don't have the entire album; only that one song on a tape that a
    German music friend of mine put together in a "rarities" trade. 
      

    Oh, if you look at the album credits, you won't see Andy Partridge, 
    but a pseudonym -- "Sandy Sandwich."
    

    So how come we can figure out that "Sandy Sandwich"'s guest appearence
    is really Andy Partridge but we can't figure out who the rest of the
    "Residents" are? :-)
    
    Brian

    re: last
    
    The question of the century!

    The Residents have a number of albums out, but "Margaret Freeman" is
    the only song I've ever heard!
    
    One CD I didn't mention and that's not available in the U.S.
    is EXPLODE TOGETHER: THE DUB EXPERIMENTS, 1978-1980. This is 
    the Go Plus material (that originally came with copies of 
    the Go 2 LP) and Andy Partridge Takeaway, The Lure of Salvage. All 
    of this stuff is weird experimentation, for the most part. Andy 
    fooling around with the master tapes from the GO 2 and DRUMS AND WIRES 
    sessions. 
    
    Definitely an acquired taste.
    

    
    
    
    
    
    
    
   	A while back, in the RECORDS conference, I started a topic about
    "future classics"-- recent albums that I thought would be looked upon
    as real classics in the years to come. One of the albums I "reviewed"
    was XTC's "SKYLARKING". I'll re-post it here; for anyone who may like
    to check out XTC-- this album is a great place to start. (PS-- sounds
    great on CD, too!)
    
    
    
    
    
                              -< RECORDS ON VINYL >-
================================================================================
Note 1236.2          FUTURE CLASSICS: Predictions & Reviews               2 of 3
NEMAIL::PAGEB "Inventor Of The Chia Pet Toupe"      150 lines  21-JAN-1991 13:39
                         -<     XTC  "SKYLARKING"     >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

     
    
    
			    XTC  "SKYLARKING"


	XTC had been releasing incredibly clever, crafty & uniquely
British pop LP's for a handful of years, but in 1986, with more than
a little help from master producer TODD RUNDGREN, the group released
their tour de force, "SKYLARKING".

	Guitarist/vocalist ANDY PARTRIDGE, bassist/vocalist COLIN MOULDING,
and DAVE GREGORY on vocals and vitually everything else (with Rundgren
adding programming here & there, and help from Tubes drummer Praire Prince)
perform with taste, skill & economy that belie their "punk" roots. Not that
XTC was ever really a punk/new wave band; even on their rougher early LP's,
you could hear their affinity for The Beatles, The Beach Boys and other
pop psychedelic bands bubbling behind the punkier exterior. With the recording
of "SKYLARKING", they let these influences burst forth. 

	Just prior to the release of "SKYLARKING", XTC released an EP of
hilarious psychedelic songs under the assumed name of "The Dukes Of The
Stratosphere". Witty & pointed, that EP was both a spoof of and a tribute
to the classic psychedelic sounds we all know & love. Obviously having had
a good time with that EP, the band brought the lessons learned from the Dukes
project home and intigrated them into their "legitimate" XTC sound, and in the 
process, created one of the most brilliant albums of the 1980's.
 

TRACK-BY-TRACK LISTING:


"SUMMER'S CAULDRON"
"GRASS"

	These 2 tracks that open the album segue nicely together, bringing
back memories of summer's past and youthful hanky-panky. Opening with the
sounds of crickets, the drone of "Summer's Cauldron" opens up into the
melody of "Grass" and it's Eastern feel. The chorus of "Grass" is a 
typical XTC lyrical twist.


"THE MEETING PLACE"

	Industrial sounds & a mechanical rhythm develop into a pop song
in traditional TXC form.


"THAT'S REALLY SUPER, SUPERGIRL"

	Continuing their infatuation with comic book characters, this
great pop song is loaded with more hooks & comic book references than
you could shake a stick at.

  
"BALLET FOR A RAINY DAY"

	More pop psychedelia, with a great melody, good lyrics, and an
excellent piano part.


"1000 UMBRELLAS"

	Though easily compared to "Elanor Rigby", this ballad, complete with 
strings also reminds me alot of that song by Cream on "Wheels Of Fire" (I can't
remember the name of the tune).


"SEASON CYCLE"

	XTC do the Beach Boys one better with this take on "Good Vibrations".
Nobody has come as close to capturing that wonderful texture of "Good 
Vibrations" as XTC has with this tune.


"EARN ENOUGH FOR US"

	The catchiest pop song on the album, this song swings along with
a great mid-Beatles era feel and some witty lyrics. This is a really great 
song; should'a been a hit single.


"BIG DAY"

	Now the LP starts to get more cynical; this tune is a less-than-bright
look at the institution of marraige. Some good & funny observations.


"ANOTHER SATELLITE"

	Another witty song about relationships, using the "space" motif in the
lyrics, as well as some spacey music too.


"MERMAID SMILED"

	This is the song that was on the original pressings of the album; later,
this song was left off the album so that "DEAR GOD" could be added. A wise 
choise over all; not much spectacular about this song, especially compared to
"Dear God"...


"DEAR GOD"

	The song that stirred up a little controversy... one of the most biting
indictments of religion I've ever heard; believer or not, you can't deny the
feelings & emotions this song elicits. A pop masterpiece.
 

"THE MAN WHO SAILED AROUND HIS SOUL"

	An atypical jazzy romp set against some great lyrics.


"DYING"
"SACRIFICAL BONFIRE"
	
	As the album comes to a close, so does the cycle of life; the cockyness
of the opening tracks give way to the fear & finality of death. "DYING" gives
a harrowing personal account of the death of one of the band member's family,
as the singer reveals his inner fear of facing the inevitable. "SACRIFICIAL
BONFIRE" raises the mood somewhat; majestic, soaring and swirling, ominous
and yet proud, almost finding solice in the passing of life and the mystery
of what lies beyond... the album doesn't necessarily end on a "happy" note, but
it leaves you with mixed emotions, both happiness & sadness, joy & trepidation,
cynical and yet hoping for the best... much like life itself.





	Although the band has since been very vocal about their difficulty
in working with Todd Rundgren on this LP, there's no doubt Todd provided
the band with a clearer focus and vision than they've ever had previously,
and the result is the band's finest moment and one of the best albums of
the 1980's.






XTC "SKYLARKING" 1986
Geffen GHS 24117
 


Brad Page

   XTC is on a compilation album called "Fast 'n Bulbous". They have
one tune called "Ella Guru" on it. The album is an import.

/J

    
    Re: .19
    
    I always thought 1000 Umbrellas sounded like one of Brahms' Liebeslieder
    Waltzes.  Absolutely magnificent!
    
    -Ed
    

    That song was never my favorite, and later I discovered it is in that
    3/4 time that I hate (waltz time). 
    
    But I didn't notice at first that it's in 3/4 time, which is a
    compliment to that song!
    
    I still don't really like it, though, because I despise anything 
    in 3/4 time. 
    

    RE: .22
    
    Lemme guess, you're a drummer!!! :-) :-) :-) :-)
    
    Brian

    No, I don't like to dance!
    

    Just to stir up this topic again...I recently received a 
    tape from a German fan with some great XTC tracks. 
    
    One of them is from their appearance on 'late night with 
    david letterman' back in 1989! I hadn't known they were on that!
    Backed up by "The World's Most Dangerous Band" or somesuch. 
    They did King for a Day. 
    
    Other tracks are from acoustical radio shows they did in 
    1989. I have the first of these, done at WBCN in Boston.
    Lots of fun, and very different, if a bit rough around the edges. 
     

   I can't find the reference, but I heard that XTC is releasing an album
next month sometime... I'll be wating big ears...

/J

                 <<< SSDEVO::DISK$RAID_USER:[NOTES]CD.NOTE;2 >>>
                             -< Compact Discs V2. >-
================================================================================
Note 37.39                 XTC's "Oranges and Lemons"                   39 of 39
PSYLO::WILSON                                        11 lines  11-FEB-1992 10:54
                           -< XTC Album Coming Soon >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    A new XTC album is due out soon, probably around March 17 of this year. 
    
    It's supposed to be titled NONSUCH and the proposed song list is quite
    long; so even though it's been a 3+ years' wait, there should be plenty
    of songs on this CD. 
    
    Dave Mattacks played the drums, Gus Dudgeon "twiddled the knobs" as the
    previous noter put it, and it's supposed to be DDD. 
    
    Finally!
       
    

    Heard the new single today , cant remember the name but it sounded
    good.
    
    Quick Question. Anyone remember the nam of their single (12 inch
    extended play). Something with 3d in it.
    
    Nigel

    The Disappointed? 
    
    

  I just found out that the street date for XTC's new one has been
pushed out to 28-APR-92. I'm depressed...    
    
/John

    Is Andy Partridge still averse to touring? 
    
    barry

I used to be a fan of XTC's back in school ... reading this note inspired me
to haul out "English Settlement" and put it on the (gasp!) turntable.  Blew me
away ... it sounds even better now than ever.  

So now I'm remembering that I used to have "Drums and Wires" on tape, but no
longer.  Is that the album with the song "Helicopter" on it?  ("She's a 
laughing giggly whirling bird ...")  I went to my local Strawberries (the
store with an attitude) to look for this album but couldn't find it ... so I
picked up "Skylarking" instead.  I was disappointed; nothing on it really
interested me, with the exception of "Dear God" ... but maybe I should listen
to it more.

Still looking for those drums and wires;

 - Dave

   If you buy the Drums and Wires CD, you'll get a couple of extra tunes
that were not on the album. One is Chain of Command, I forgot what the
other was - Day in Day out?

/J

I heard another band doing "making plans for Nigel"...

Out of curiosity, anyone know who is was?

thx
bob

    RE: .32   which Strawberries has "an attitude"  all of them, or just
    one particular store ??
    
    just curious

    re: -2
    The remake of "Making Plans for Nigel" is by Primus.
    
    It is not on their latest album "Sailing the Seas of Cheeze",
    I believe they have released it as a single.
    
    chUck

    The Primus "Making Plans for Nigel" cover is on a CD-5 EP called
    "Miscellaneous Debris" which features, in addition to "Nigel," 
    four additional covers of tunes by other bands, two of them 
    being "Have a Cigar" (Pink Floyd) and "Intruder" (Peter Gabriel).  
    
    Their version of "Nigel" is somewhat punked-up, with a bass solo!
     

    IMHO, the Primus cover doesn't seem to add much to the original
    of "Making Plans for Nigel" except LOTS of bass.  Is this true
    of the other covers ?  Or do those covers differ from the original
    more ?
    
    Don't get me wrong - I like Primus's album,
    _Sailing_The_Seas_Of_Cheese_  But they are VERY bass oriented.
    
    \chuck

   It's here.......! I haven't got the unit in my hands yet though...


What's the good word?


/J

    Heard "The Ballad of Peter Pumpkin" on the radio this afternoon and
    it's a rocker.  I like it after 1 listen.
    
    Sort of sounds like a melodic "Respectable Street", one of my fave XTC
    songs.
    
    Mark.

   Here's a rundown so far:

Balad of Peter Pumpkinhead
My bird performs
Dear Madam Barnum
Humble daisy
The smartest monkeys
The dissappointed
Holly up on poppy
Crocodile
Rook
Omnibus
That wave
Then she appeared
War dance
Wrapped in grey
The ugly underneath
Bungalow
Books are burning


   I've only heard about 15 sec's of each last night. So can't really 
comment on how it sounds, except to say that they've changed there 
guitar sound a little...

/J

    I think it's a very good album, with some "clunkers" that don't seem to
    work for the band. (For example, I don't think Andy's voice is strong
    enough for songs like "Rook" and "Wrapped in Grey"). 
    
    But, with 17 songs on the LP, if you hate five, you still like 12!
    
    Some of the songs are reminiscent of previous albums (e.g., "Crocodile"
    sounds like a lift from The Big Express; "Then She Appeared" sounds
    like something from The Dukes...)
    
    The new LP is called NONSVCH (Nonsuch). 
    

    I have the CD version of "Go 2" -- as far as I can see, there aren't
    any songwriting credits on the album.  Can anyone list who wrote what?
    
    				Thanks,
    				  Paul

    AP = Andy Partridge
    CM = Colin Moulding
    BA = Barry Andrews
    
    
    Meccanic Dancing (Oh We Go!) - AP
    
    	"Alcohol is an easy key..."
    
    Battery Brides (Andy Paints Brian) - AP
    
    	"She left school with a million others..."
    
    Buzzcity Talking - CM
    
    	"Talk, talk, talk..."
    
    Crowded Room - CM
    
    	"I felt the punch of a punch..."
    
    The Rhythm - CM
    
    	"We've got the rhythm in our heads..."
    
    Are You Receiving Me? - AP
    
    	"I put it in a telegram, just like the Son of Sam..."
    
    Red - AP
    
    	"Hey! You'd better watch your temper..."
    
    Beatown - AP
    
        "Beatown...ow-owwnnn.."
    
    Life Is Good in the Greenhouse - AP
    
    	"Do you wonder why I look so fresh...?"
    
    Jumping in Gomorrah - AP
    
    	"Next stop Tower of Babel..."
    
    My Weapon - BA
    
      	"I'll take it out on her..."
    	
    Super Tuff - BA
    
    	"He's-a-super-tuff..."
    
    I Am the Audience - CM
    
    	"Oh I...I'm the audience..."
    
    
    
    --Wes

    Well, I couldn't be happier! Nonsuch is superb!
    
    Don't take my word for it - I ilked their version of All Along The
    Watchtower!
    
    
    					DaveC

    Two different versions of the "Peter Pumpkinhead" single
    are available in the UK: 
    
    Disc One:
    
    Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead (edit - "noisy" intro is missing)
    War Dance
    Down a Peg (Home Demo by Colin Moulding) 
    Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead (Home Demo by Andy Partridge)
    
    Virgin UK; slimline jewel box packaging
    
    
    Disc Two:
    
    Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead (edit)
    War Dance
    My Bird Performs (Home Demo by Colin Moulding)
    Always Winter Never Christmas (Home Demo by Andy Partridge)
    
    Virgin UK; Digi-Pak cd packaging
    
    
    In the U.S., there is a CD single of Peter Pumpkinhead:
    
    Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead (LP version)
    Smartest Monkeys (LP version)
    My Bird Performs (Home Demo by Colin Moulding)
    Always Winter Never Christmas (Home Demo by Andy Partridge) 
    
    Standard CD single packaging; white plastic trim. Paper
    insert. Icons from 'Nonsuch' LP used on back; this time
    in watercolor. 
    
    Virgin USA. 
    
    - - - - - 
    
    I have also heard that there is available in some select stores
    a deck of playing cards (Andy's idea), with images from the 'Nonsuch' LP
    on them. I would think ALL of the items I just mentioned would be
    limited editions, so buy now or forever hold your ca$h!  

    Thought some of you XTC-ers might find this amusing: 
    
    I have the deck of cards, "Ye Olde Card Game NONSVCH," and 
    it comes in a dark red box with the NONSVCH castle on the 
    front and back (in black ink).
    
    On the side is printed the couplet, 
    
    "That which has no eqval in art or fame,
     Britons do deservedly 'Nonsvch' name."
    
    The game is played like Concentration, in which players try to find
    matched pairs of cards. In the "rules" card, it is suggested that
    the game is greatly enhanced if players dress in mediaeval costumes and
    say things like, "Zounds! A matching pair forsooth!"
    
    That Andy must be a real "card" himself, eh?  

    
    Anyone know what XTC's fascination with things Olde English is all
    about?  Are they druids or something?
    
    -Ed_who_just_bought_Nonsvch
    
    -Ed
    

    I think it's Andy who's interested in history and things past. 
    
    I think with the album English Settlement the band made a statement
    about rediscovering the roots of Olde England (including prehistoric
    England). That white horse on the album cover is supposed to be a
    prehistoric landmark (the White Horse of Uffington). "Ball and Chain"
    is a critique of the destruction of the old in favor of "progress." 
    
    Yes, the band has Druidic tendencies: many lyrics are about the cyclic
    rebirth of nature and the celebration of the natural goodness of creation,
    destruction and rebirth by fire...I don't know enough about the Druids
    to continue, but I have heard it said that they are Druidic.         

    There's supposed to be a book out now called "Chalkhills and Children." 
    A history of XTC, with photos. 
    
    I have a copy on order. I think that, momentarily, the book is
    available only from the UK. (But I'm not sure.)
    

    Whilst wandering through a Sarah McLachlan web site, I came upon an
    interesting tidbit - she's recorded "Dear God" for an XTC tribute
    album.  But there's no word on when it might be released.
    
    (I was going to suggest discussing what covers people have heard of XTC
    songs, but I found a near complete list at:
      http://idaho.ig.com/chalkhills/html/FAQ.html
    so, nevermind.  And there's no word there about a tribute album.)
    
    \chuck

    Sure there is, check out the Chalkhills mailing list archive at the
    same site.  There's a full track listing of what will be included.
    
    Steve

    >> There's a full track listing of what will be included.
    
    Hmmm... I'd read through a few of those back issues, but didn't see
    that.  Do you remember which issue it was ?  Maybe you could find it
    again ?
    
    \chuck

Anyone still write to this conference?
XTC's always been one of my favorite bands, since
I was blown away by the sound of "Merely a Man" on
Oranges and Lemons. Someone earlier called the album
too commercial, but I disagree. It has some of their most
melodic and interesting work. 

Anyone know if they'll tour again?

JK

    
    I'm a long-time XTC fan...
    
    I think they're somewhat burned out and at the end now though...
    no word of a tour (that I know of)...
    
    -b

    They have a new album ready to be released, but they're having problems
    with their label (Virgin).  It seems they had to give up the rights to
    their back catalog to get out of their contract.  David Gregory
    (guitar) has stated that they're new album will be a cross of
    'Skylarking' and 'Oranges & Lemons'.  Sounds good to me!
    
    Steve

Those are two of their best albums.
That would be a great hybrid.

JK