Chalkhills Digest Volume 1, Issue 99
Date: Wednesday, 20 June 1990
Chalkhills, Number 99
Wednesday, 20 June 1990
Today's Topics:
XTC in Rock History
Re: Demo sources?
_Oranges & Lemons_ + A Question
XTC and the LCD
loads
My "Best of XTC" Compilation Tape
Re: The Great Album Debate
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Date: Mon, 18 Jun 1990 17:23:13 PDT
From: John M. Relph <relph@presto.ig.com>
Subject: XTC in Rock History
This is an excerpt from _The Harmony Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock,
Sixth Edition_, by Mike Clifford, Harmony Books, New York, 1988.
Reproduced without permission.
XTC
UK group formed 1977.
Original/Current [sic] line-up: Andy Partridge, guitar, vocals;
Colin Moulding, bass, vocals; Barry Andrews, keyboards;
Terry Chambers, drums.
Career: Partridge organised XTC as punk band in Swindon,
near London. "This is Pop?" single attracted some attention
and revealed XTC to be power-pop group in punk clothing.
This became more apparent by time solid third album, "Drums
and Wires", appeared in 1979.
Next LP yielded minor hit, "Sergeant Rock" [sic], which
earned some U.S. airplay and write-off as lightweight by UK
press. In 1982 "Senses Working Overtime" put band back in
UK charts, and double LP "English Settlement" (cut to single
LP for UK market) received critical approval. End of 1982
produced singles compilation (UK only) "Waxworks". In
promotional move, this album was issued for limited time
with second LP, "Beeswax", comprising B-side.
After illness hit leader Partridge, band gave up heavy
touring schedule while continuing to record. Subsequent
albums were well received by critics (particularly Todd
Rundgren-produced) 1986 offering "Skylarking"), but major
commercial breakthrough continues to elude band.
Hit Singles: US UK
Making Plans for Nigel, 1979 -- 17
Sergeant Rock, 1981 -- 17
Senses Working Overtime, 1982 -- 10
Albums:
White Music (Virgin-Epic/Virgin), 1978 CD
Go 2 (Virgin-Epic/Virgin), 1978
Drums And Wires (Virgin-Epic/Virgin), 1979 CD
Black Sea (Virgin), 1980 CD
English Settlement (Virgin), 1982 CD
Waxworks: Some Singles 1977-1982 (--/Virgin), 1982
Beeswax: Some B-sides 1977-1982 (--/Virgin), 1982
Mummer (Virgin), 1983 CD
Go Too [sic] (Virgin), 1984 CD
Big Express (Virgin), 1984 CD
Compact XTC (Virgin), 1986 CD
Skylarking (Virgin), 1986 CD
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] From: dhgpa!dhtpa!adkoning@hvlpb.att.com Date: Tue, 19 Jun 90 13:59 MDT Subject: Re: Demo sources? John M. Relph <relph@presto.ig.com> answers: >Stewart <stewarte@sco.com> asks: >>John Relph lists a bunch of interesting things played on the recent >>XTC special on KFJC. Can anyone tell me where these things come from? >... >>> Pearl >>> Holding the Baby >I think these two (and the track "Monkeys in Humanskin Suits") are >>from a radio program, as Andy seems to be talking to a DJ. I heard these 3 demo's on a dutch radio program way back in 1982. The DJ had a guest in the studio who seemed to be a personal friend of Andy and he brought along these and other recordings. I always thought these were recordings of Andy playing his latest songs to this friend, but it could be my imagination (and probably is). Of course, the radio-program no longer exists (and I don't know any names or more details). Any more dutch readers who know? (If there are any). -- Andre de Koning
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Tue, 19 Jun 90 13:07:29 CDT From: oconnor!keaton!jtl@oddjob.uchicago.edu (Joe Lynn) Subject: _Oranges & Lemons_ + A Question Regarding why _O&L_ is different from the other XTC albums, I offer this snippet from the Chalkhills archives (#29, 1 June 89): > From: alexs@retix.retix.com (Alex Stein) > Subject: XTC in LA > ... > SOME QUOTES [of Andy's]: > ... > Why O&L is different: "This album was made in a positive state of > mind. This album was made with verve, which was kind of down on > the last couple of albums...the verve control level was only > around 3." I could see Andy and the guys with all this newfound energy saying, "Yeah! Let's put THIS in! And that, and that, and this, too!" There was a discussion here last summer about how Paul Fox didn't hold the reins in on the guys, which made _O&L_ sound overproduced and muddled to some listeners' ears. Karl MacRae's opinion: > The songwriting is banal, the production style is not > just heavy handed, but totally wrong for XTC. It's like XTC > doing a Dukes style satire of a stupid L.A. pop band. Karl is being a little rough on the album: Paul Fox, after all, is known for producing _pop_ bands, and the band should have known this when he was chosen. Perhaps John Relph was right last year when he said that Fox was suffering from the "you guys are great" syndrome, and allowed far too much 'stuff' on the record. I still think it has some great moments, and I'd still recommmend _O&L_ as a good XTC album. Given all this discussion about how lousy some of you Chalkhillians think _O&L_ is, I'd like to open up the floor with this question: If you were an exec at Virgin and you were assigned the task of lining up a producer for the next XTC album, whom, if anyone, would you hire? --Joe Lynn
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] From: telesci!ashepps@apple.com Subject: XTC and the LCD Date: Tue, 19 Jun 90 9:57:24 EDT >The years of making great records that never made any mony >have finally gotten to these guys. They found that they could >play to the lowest common denominator and make money. And >they're doing it. I hold a faint hope that they can still >make the record that they're capable of, but it happens, I >will be surprised. > >At this point, I think of XTC as as an ex-band. > >God, I hope I'm wrong. You're wrong, you're wrong! Although I was mildly disappointed by O&L, it's not a "lowest common denominator" album. Here are the things about it that make it NOT in any way a "sell-out", in terms of how the record business generally works. 1) As you pointed out, it's too long. The equivalence of a double album is not what you attempt when you play to the lowest common denominator. Believe it or not, the LCD prefers single albums, no more than 50 minutes in length. 2) "President Kill". That track is Not Allowed on LCD albums. Period. It's clearly allowed on XTC albums, though. 3) It's NOT in ANY way a follow-up to _Skylarking_. Typical music business logic says that you should duplicate your last success as closely as possible. If this is highly recommended on the album level, it's completely required on the singles level, and "Simpleton" is NOT a viable follow-up to "Dear God". I think that _Skylarking_ was very much the "record that they're capable of". I also think that the band as a whole have a little difficulty being selective/critical about their own music. We the fans are much better at divvying up what's great and what's just good. Perhaps an executive producer-type could have cut O&L down to 45 minutes and made it stronger... but would we want THAT?
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Date: Tue, 19 Jun 90 12:19:39 -0400
From: mb20@prism.gatech.edu (BRANCH,MICHAEL B)
Subject: loads
Time for a bit of whimsical rambling...
As far as first records being favorites, I do believe that
certain music can grab and contain, forever, an atmosphere
that existed around a person as they discovered a particular
album or song. There is little in this world more psychedelic
than suddenly feeling the complete atmosphere of a time from
the past; not really the emotions that may have existed along
that time, but simply the, well, "atmosphere".
An example... I discovered XTC through an older friend who had
lived in NY and thus could actually find imports (try locating,
in 1977, records by the Sex Pistols, Stranglers, Stiff Little
Fingers, etc. while living in a town of 10,000 in the deep south!
Sheesh, Bad Company was still big here. I can still remember being
chastised in 7th grade by the coach/math teacher for wearing a
Ziggy Stardust T-shirt; although I suppose the death-like surroundings
of the place are somewhat responsible for pushing me to seek out
interesting music) Good gosh, I've tripped far and away from my point.
So anyway... through my friend, I heard a brief blurb of Go2 and thus
got her to give it to me. I listened to it more fully and was left cold.
Cold, except for one song called Beatown. I truly loved the end of it
as it was quite dreamlike. Too this day, I find the album fairly dreadful
(reminding me of checkerboard shirts and all the other cheesy gimmicks
of "New Wave" music; herky-jerky rhythms, goofy "party" keyboards, etc.)
however, I still listen to Beatown and am immediately swept into a
time-traveling dream world. I can feel the complete atmosphere of my
sunshine drenched bedroom from a time that's past. No memory of any emotions
just the feel of the physical surroundings.
However, this phantom time tripping can be evoked in me from other music
(XTC included) as well. Thus, I think that for me, each record carries
its own potent abilities, but just because its the first doesn't mean
that it would be my favorite. ( actually, its the truly rare song that
can evoke these things in me. XTC, to their credit, have a few that does
this, I Remember The Sun being one that immediately comes to mind).
As far as O&L goes, my fear is that XTC are heading out. Partridge
is finding more and more success as a producer ( the new Lilac Time
lp seems to be quite liked by fans and critics alike).
Skylarking made me nervous, especially since the previous LP,
Big Express, was incredible. Then, the second Dukes LP really dissappointed
me (am I the only one that didn't care for it? I loved the first one)
And, boom... Oranges and Lemons; what happened to Andy and Colin's
amazing sense of melody? For me, XTC at their best recall the wonderful
style of songwriting made famous by Ray Davies, Nick Drake, Revolver - era
Beatles. Beautifully crafted and consummately English in nature.
O&L reminded me of ... The Knack (of all things). Ah well, I doubt we'll
ever see the sensitivity of side 2 of Mummer captured again on an
XTC record. I'll be curious as to the what the newest offering will
sound like. But I don't feel a great deal of hope.
Michael
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Date: Tue, 19 Jun 90 19:18:14 EDT
From: glickman@hustat.harvard.edu (Mark Glickman)
Subject: My "Best of XTC" Compilation Tape
A couple of friends asked me to put together a compilation tape of
what I consider to be the best of XTC. They've certainly heard
enough of my ranting and raving about the group to want to see
what the fuss is about! Here's what I stuck onto a 100-minute tape:
Side A Side B
This is Pop Funk Pop a Roll
Are You Receiving Me Toys
Life Begins at the Hop Love on a Farmboy's Wages
When You're Near Me ... Wake Up
Respectable Street Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her ...
Generals and Majors This World Over
Don't Lose Your Temper Season Cycle
Burning with Optimism's Flames Earn Enough for Us
Sgt. Rock Dear God
Ball and Chain Extrovert
Senses Working Overtime Mayor of Simpleton
All of a Sudden Scarecrow People
Fly on the Wall
Some explanations for my choice of songs should be given. What's
most obviously striking is my almost complete disregard for
songs on _White Music_ and _Go 2_ (and for that matter, all of
the Dukes' material). While I like both albums, I think the later
albums are more representative of XTC's more concretely formed
stylistic elements. By the way, I like _Go 2_ more than _White
Music_. I could have also considered putting more from _Drums and
Wires_ (Helicopter, Outside World, and Scissor Man were all to be
considered), but I wanted to leave a large enough reserve for my
favorites from _Black Sea_ and _English Settlement_. I did not
think twice about throwing on "Making Plans for Nigel," a song
that I feel has more praise than it deserves. Originally, I
did not intend to tape "Fly on the Wall," but it fit snugly at
the end of side A, and it's a fun song. I think, overall, I was
pretty uncontroversial with my selections for side B. I suppose
I could have put on "King for a Day," but what would I replace?
Not "Scarecrow People," which I think is a wonderful song. Perhaps
"Earn Enough for Us" could have gone.
I'd be interested in hearing what others would do.
- Mark
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Date: Wed, 20 Jun 1990 21:28:27 PDT
From: John M. Relph <relph@presto.ig.com>
Subject: Re: The Great Album Debate
Joe Lynn <oconnor!keaton!jtl@oddjob.uchicago.edu> says:
>I felt that _Mummer_ was an inconsistent followup to _English Settlement_,
>probably due to the strife surrounding the band at the time. I really
>didn't like this album, with the exception of "Wonderland" and "Farmboy's
>Wages." I agree with this comment from Stewart from last year
>(Mon Jun 5 12:33:17 1989, to be exact, Chalkhills #30):
>
>> "Great Fire" (which seemed to me like a bit too obvious attempt to
>> replicate "Senses Working Overtime" -- quirky rhythms in the quiet verses,
>> which are linked by a big stompy chorus).
Oddly enough, "Great Fire" was not originally part of the _Mummer_
album. Virgin Records did not think there was a single on the album,
so XTC went back and resequenced the album to include "Great Fire".
It still flopped. Here's another excerpt from _X-plaining XTC Part 2_,
by Steve Kolanjian and David Dasch:
The following finished songs have been recorded with Steve
Nye as engineer. All the songs, except "Jump (Love And
Swimming Pools)", are to be included on the next XTC LP.
Some of the working titles were to be FALLEN FROM THE
GARDEN, later FRUIT. Andy's hopes were that the band would
be able to package the album in four different sleeves that
smell of different fruits. The latest LP title is MUMMER,
and it was supposed to be released in the US 5-26-83 on
Virgin/Epic BFE 38516, adding the UK 45 A-side, "Great
Fire" to its roster. As that date has already passed, one
would have to assume that something has gone awry. The (*)
tracks have already been remixed by Alex Sadkin and Phil
Thornalley with XTC. One of these, "Wonderland", gets a
July release (VS 606) backed with "Jump" (dropping the
subtitle once again), the remaining song of the session.
Whether the LP gets released as originally planned or
becomes another GET BACK LP is anyone's guess, but you can
be sure you'll find out about it here. Let's hope you'll
get to hear all of the following:
Beating of Hearts (A) Jump (Love And Swimming Pools) (A)
Deliver Us From The Elements (C) Ladybird (A)
Funk Pop A Roll (A)* Love On A Farmboy's Wages (A)
Human Alchemy (A)* Me And The Wind (A)
In Loving Memory Of A Name (C) Wonderland (C)*
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> It's become a popular thing for XTC
>fans to say "Oh, man... _Skylarking_ would have been awesome had it
>not been for Rundgren..." I think it's a great album; Rundgren's
>production, however thick in spots, only acts to highlight the boys'
>talent. Could you imagine "Summer's Cauldron" without the 'nature'
>noises? "Grass" without the strings?
Andy always complains that the quality of the recording was not up to
the standards they were used to. Personally I can't really tell the
difference. I think _Skylarking_ is a very consistent album (the
original "Mermaid Smiled" version, that is).
> And exactly how much of this
>stuff was XTC's idea to begin with?
There are copies of the demos sent to Mr Rundgren floating around, and
a number of the songs are fairly different. "Season Cycle" and
"Meeting Place" were originally mostly acoustic. "Ballet for a Rainy
Day" was more strident and discordant. "Mermaid Smiled" was not quite
as jazzy but did have the vibraphone. "Supergirl" had harmonica and
was a little quieter, more like "Beating of Hearts" and "Wonderland"
>from _Mummer_. "Sacrificial Bonfire" didn't have the strings. The
"we'll take a tumble" section of "Grass" was played explicitly in
three-four time (and no insect/bird sounds). "Big Day" sounded
half-baked. "Dear God", "Summer's Cauldron", "Dying", "1000
Umbrellas", and "Extrovert" were all demoed fairly close to the
released versions. (I haven't heard demo versions of the other songs.)
Of course, it's hard to say whose ideas the changes made were. After
all, _The Big Express_ had some very interesting noises, and Todd was
not in the picture then.
The thing that Todd seems to have contributed more than anything else
vas a coherent vision. And he was very confident and stubborn about
that vision. So of course he and Andy butted heads.
>I'd like to defer to John Relph right now: in the first Chalkhills
>survey, which albums showed the greatest influence in the "favourites"
>categories? Could you offer us a recap?
9. Favourite album
A. English Settlement
B. Black Sea
C. Skylarking
D. The Big Express
E. Mummer
-- John
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] For all administrative issues, such as change of address, withdrawal from the list, discography requests (last update 3 June), back issues, etc., send a message to the following address: <chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org> Any and all views expressed in Chalkhills are those of the individual contributors only.
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