Colin Moulding/XTC - Impressed!

[spongebob]

I haven't listened to much XTC for about 15+ years, but over the last week or so, been getting right back into it.

Never really noticed before what a cracking player Colin Moulding is/was. Some really good stuff going on there!

Must admit, I don't particularly like what the band did post-1982, when their drummer Terry Chambers quit. Proves what having a cracking drummer can do. I have heard most of the (later) stuff, and it leaves me a bit cold TBH. The 'Apple Venus' thing with Mike Batt's strings - and even Colin's songs on there should have been left in the vault...sorry!

Appreciate Andy Partridge had his breakdown in '82, which obviously had an effect on the sound of the band and how they progressed.

I think a big help is the production on those earlier records - the bass tones are very clear in the mix, with bags of presence. Amazing drum sounds too.

Personally, I reckon 'Black Sea' and 'English Settlement' are two essential 'bass' albums.

[ras52]

+1!

[Raymondo]

+1 from me too.

Your post reminded me of a documentary I once watched of them recording a track.

A quick 'tinternet searched produced this.....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT46kIDD8dk





If you go down the list there is a posting of the documentary in full but when I tried to imbed that link it didn't work!

Edited August 3, 2015 by Raymondo

[Sibob]

I know Andy and a lovelier man there is not . Colin's bass work is fantastic, but I believe XTC were one of those bands where it's not necessarily that player on that instrument .

Follow Andy on Twitter, he often does 'Corrector' tweets which basically run through popular misconceptions about the band

Si

[cytania]

Nah, it's NonSuch and Apple Venus, amazingly good songs. 'Rook', 'Books Are Burning', 'River Of Orchids' - superb writing.

[RichF]

there are fewer greater compliments than those VERY occasional times when someone in the band says "Colin Moulding" in describing something I do. taste in bass personified.

[alyctes]

Great band

[tubbybloke68]

Mr moulding be one of the unsung heroes for me, most definitely!

[spectoremg]

A band that have always been well respected in music circles and one that I've criminally ignored - until now. Gonna get off my butt and have a listen.

[Mr Arkadin]

Pretty much disagree with everything the OP says. Love all their stuff from the early edgy new wave, through to psychedelic 'Dukes...' to Apple Venus. Actually I think Colin's songs are the weakest thing on that album. Not bad as such but just don't fit into to sound and vibe of the rest of the album. I can play River of Orchids, Easter Theatre, Green Man And Harvest Festival on loop.

[Phil Adams]

All the albums, all the songs, are brilliant. Nuff said.

[BassTractor]

Skylarking,
Oranges & Lemons,
Nonsuch,
Apple Venus Volume 1

To my ears, they are four of their very best albums, and, if one disregards the Dukes of Stratosphear's "Psonic Psunspot", these albums were made consecutively, and after the mentioned breakdown.

My take would be that that breakdown did NOT have a negative effect on their music.
Also, do we really know the exact nature of the breakdown and its effect on Partridge's health in the decades after it? I guess we do not.


I do agree with the OP's warm words regarding Moulding though.

[spiltmilk_2000]

If you like XTC be sure to check out Irish band Pugwash... Band leader Thomas is a huge fan and I hear many little nods to the influence of both XTC and ELO.

Pugwash were singed to andys ape label for a while and he and Thomas wrote some songs together. Also Dave Gregory wrote with them and also scored some amazing string parts.
In addition Keith Farrell plays some beautifully melodic bass lines on the Pugwash stuff. Essential listening in my opinion!
Sorry to hijack the thread! :-)
Russ

[spongebob]

[quote name='Raymondo' timestamp='1438623696' post='2835887']
+1 from me too.

Your post reminded me of a documentary I once watched of them recording a track.
[/quote]

Thanks for the link - watched the whole thing last night. Really enjoyed it.

I read online that the programme is actually a recreation of the recording of 'Towers Of London', as the album version was in the can a couple of months before.

I have listened to the band's 'later' work, I just don't connect with it as much as the earlier stuff.

I think part of the charm is the rhythmic patterns - there's a lot going on, often in the same song, and I love how Colin's bass fits in with it, adding to the overall texture rather than playing over it.