Colin Moulding and XTC generally...

[Phil Adams]

Recorded it last night and watched 2/3 this morning before being dragged away to family lunch.
Seemed a very honest programme, can't wait to finish it and then re-watch it. I hope perhaps it will in one way or another put a few more shillings into the pockets of Andy and Colin, I think they deserve more than they got. (Much more).
Credit to SKY for having the gumtion to make it.

[silverfoxnik]

Watched it today and it's a really good documentary..

Amazing how many of their tunes I actually knew but this programme introduced me to a fair number of others I don't know - later works mostly - and they were great!

Some nice shots of Colin playing a black Wal Pro too. 😊

Well worth watching, not least for the fact that Andy Partridge is a really interesting and funny guy.

[Sibob]

Also worth following Andy on Twitter, he often does evenings of myth debunking and fact checking surrounding XTCs past, recordings, who wrote what, fall-outs, make-ups etc.
Very interesting

Si

[spongebob]

Thread revival!

I finally got Sky last week, and immediately recorded the 'This Is Pop' documentary.

To be honest, I was a little disappointed by it. It seemed to skip over so much, with very little real insight. The 'strike' on Virgin records was not even mentioned, and DG's departure merited only a brief reference. Sad, given the massive contribution he made to the band.

There's a really good DG interview on YT, where he goes into far greater detail about these kind of events, and his XTC story in general. I learned far more from him than I did from the documentary.

 

 

[miles'tone]

On 11/07/2018 at 10:39, spongebob said:

Thread revival!

I finally got Sky last week, and immediately recorded the 'This Is Pop' documentary.

To be honest, I was a little disappointed by it. It seemed to skip over so much, with very little real insight. The 'strike' on Virgin records was not even mentioned, and DG's departure merited only a brief reference. Sad, given the massive contribution he made to the band.

There's a really good DG interview on YT, where he goes into far greater detail about these kind of events, and his XTC story in general. I learned far more from him than I did from the documentary.

 

 

Cheers for that! Great interview 👍

[BassTractor]

Another thread revival!

Heads up:
Colin Moulding got together with Terry Chambers again in 2016 and the two recorded the ep "Great Aspirations", which was released in October 2017 under the artist name TC&I (which I suppose means "Terry Chambers and I" as in that in essence this ep is a Colin Moulding thing. FWIW, Wikipedia says Colin wrote all four songs.

Couldn't find a cd copy immediately, and downloaded it from Burning Shed for the time being. 

It's playing as I speak, and I think the typical Colin thing is present.
The first track, Scatter Me, hit home right away, and to me seems to vaguely refer to Andy Partridge whilst still seeming to me like a true Colin Moulding song - a good thing.
"Kenny", the third track, too seems like a Moulding track one could find on an XTC album.
The second track, "Greatness", has yet to build an impression on me, and the last one, "Comrades of Pop" seems to be about the lyrics only.

Now, I'm lyrics deaf but in that last track I did hear the words "It's the guy that writes the hits that gets the money", "the bassist and the drummer might be lucky", and "lawyer". so this might indicate that the lyrics indeed are more important to CM than the music, which basically is some simple ostinato.

No comments on the bass parts or the playing yet.

[NancyJohnson]

1 hour ago, BassTractor said:

Another thread revival!

etc.

Just to recap my position, while I'd said previously that they'd peaked with Drums and Wires, it's certainly one of several peaks.  After hours and hours and hours of immersion, I think it would be easier to quote the stuff that I don't like ('My Weapon') rather than what is great.  It's all pretty good.

On the subject of TC&I, EP aside, there's a live album coming out in about ten days too, the content was drawn from a handful of dates in Swindon last year.

Incidentally, I did have some contact with Colin Moulding recently, I was trying very hard to get him to attend the SE Bass Bash last year and had made contact through Mark Fisher, the guy behind the XTC/Limelight fanzine (and the Bumper Book of Fun collection).  As TC&I were in the middle of rehearsals for Swindon, he politely declined.  I tried again for this year and while the invitation is still technically open, I think it's become pretty clear that making small talk with a bunch of guys he'll never see again and then sitting in front of 30 people playing along to The Mayor of Simpleton isn't really his bag, so I doubt we'll see him in Addlestone and time soon.  He seems a very private guy, someone who actively shies away from public interest.

[BassTractor]

27 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

while I'd said previously that they'd peaked with Drums and Wires, it's certainly one of several peaks.

...in a mountain ridge, if you ask me, which you didn't, so I'll shut up now. 😁
Seriously, I'm flabbergasted at their output: so many peaks!

Thanks for the heads-up about the live stuff!

[hooky_lowdown]

45 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

He seems a very private guy, someone who actively shies away from public interest.

He is, I used to do the local scene with Colin's son, who is a really decent drummer. Colin would rarely watch him play gigs or rehearsals.

[NancyJohnson]

If anyone gives a damn, Steven Wilson has sprinkled his magic pixie dust on XTC's psychedelia alter-egos The Dukes Of Stratosphear material.  Psurroundabout Ride sees it's release on CD&BluRay in less than a month.  A smattering of bonus materials and All The Dukes' material in 5.1 psurround as well. 

 

[Baceface]

1 minute ago, NancyJohnson said:

If anyone gives a damn, Steven Wilson has sprinkled his magic pixie dust on XTC's psychedelia alter-egos The Dukes Of Stratosphear material.  Psurroundabout Ride sees it's release on CD&BluRay in less than a month.  A smattering of bonus materials and All The Dukes' material in 5.1 psurround as well. 

Almost worth getting 5.1 for!

[NancyJohnson]

20 minutes ago, Baceface said:

Almost worth getting 5.1 for!

While it's not my chosen delivery format, there is something wonderful about the 5.1 stuff that Steven Wilson has done with XTC.  Drums and Wires is immense.  Immense.  I suspect the Dukes stuff might be more about getting yourself in a comfy chair and letting it just wash over you.

[spongebob]

I always enjoyed Andy Partridge on Twitter, after it being suggested on here to follow him.

I know he's got a history of being banned from various newspaper's discussion forums - and, following a bust-up Twitter, he's now removed himself and content from there as well!

The Dave Gregory interview I posted last year (above) is a really good watch. Gives good insight into the minds of the band - and their relationship with AP. He seems to have fallen out with everybody!

I was never a big fan of the bands' later material, but it's still a shame that post-XTC, it all went a bit quiet for them. I'd have enjoyed an AP solo album, for example. Appreciate he did odd bits, but it's no wonder he's kind of disappeared under the musical radar.

[Baceface]

4 minutes ago, spongebob said:

I always enjoyed Andy Partridge on Twitter, after it being suggested on here to follow him.

I know he's got a history of being banned from various newspaper's discussion forums - and, following a bust-up Twitter, he's now removed himself and content from there as well!

The Dave Gregory interview I posted last year (above) is a really good watch. Gives good insight into the minds of the band - and their relationship with AP. He seems to have fallen out with everybody!

I was never a big fan of the bands' later material, but it's still a shame that post-XTC, it all went a bit quiet for them. I'd have enjoyed an AP solo album, for example. Appreciate he did odd bits, but it's no wonder he's kind of disappeared under the musical radar.

It was quite nice having him on Twitter. You got a real insight into his quicksilver-fast mind and , appropriately enough, mercurial temperament.

Without going into details, I think the incident that caused him to delete his account got very nasty very quickly but he sometimes seems unable to back down or shut up when that might be the best course of action.

I suppose I am not really a "proper" XTC fan in that I actually prefer the later albums. My favourites are Skylarking, The Dukes Stuff, Oranges and, probably best of all, Nonsuch. I mentioned this once to AP and he said it was his favourite too so I'm in good company.

There's some stunning stuff on the "Fuzzy Warbles" CDs. Obviously variable sound quality and plenty of demos/ideas that later turned up on the albums but a load of killer tunes that never got used. The stuff he discarded was basically an entire brilliant songwriter's career in itself! Obviously you've got to sift through the 9CDs of stuff to find it but it's worth it.

[spongebob]

I did read about the incident - a Google search will bring up the some of the content. Due to it's political nature (Middle East,etc.), I won't post a link!

From what I remember, the Fuzzy Warbles series were a bone of contention between AP and CM, as the latter was against the 'warts and all' releases. I've never listened to them myself - I know when 'Apple Venus' and it's successor came out, they put out loads of demos and instrumental versions of those, as well - I did hear some of those, and it was a bit 'what's the point'?

 

[spongebob]

Just read he's made a new EP with Robyn Hitchcock. 

[BassTractor]

On 13/09/2019 at 18:45, Baceface said:

I suppose I am not really a "proper" XTC fan in that I actually prefer the later albums. My favourites are Skylarking, The Dukes Stuff, Oranges and, probably best of all, Nonsuch.

Here I was thinking I'm really a proper XTC fan, but then this ^^^^.
Ah, well. I'll just enjoy those albums and Apple Venus, and keep my head down.

[Baceface]

8 minutes ago, BassTractor said:

Here I was thinking I'm really a proper XTC fan, but then this ^^^^.
Ah, well. I'll just enjoy those albums and Apple Venus, and keep my head down.

Also love Venus/Star combo but sad at lack of Dave Gregory involvement. He's a fantastic guitar player and totally the third prong in their "triple threat" alongside AP & CM. I just think they were unfortunate in not having someone who could square up to Partsy and drag him into line. Guess they lost that with Terry C?

 

[BassTractor]

56 minutes ago, Baceface said:

Also love Venus/Star combo but sad at lack of Dave Gregory involvement. He's a fantastic guitar player and totally the third prong in their "triple threat" alongside AP & CM. I just think they were unfortunate in not having someone who could square up to Partsy and drag him into line. Guess they lost that with Terry C?

 

I notice you notice stuff I don't notice. It's the war wound from my classical days: tending to think of one composer rather than of a cooperation between band members, and of the dynamics of band life.
IOW this is not stuff I can hope to have a contribution to.

But you're right, of course! 😁😁

[NancyJohnson]

On 13/09/2019 at 17:45, Baceface said:

I suppose I am not really a "proper" XTC fan in that I actually prefer the later albums.

I don't have favourites...probably easier to highlight the handful of tracks that don't do it for me personally.

The beauty of the whole catalogue is simply how it ebbs and flows from the angular poppunk early on through to the majesty of the later material.  The releases that get little mention (Transistor Blast and Coat of Many Cupboards) are equally good.

I'd honestly find it difficult to say to a new listener 'Start Here'.  The official collections (Fossil Fuel/Tiny Circus/Beeswax/Upsy Daisy) are all good, but I'd say grab yourself a copy of the Complicated Game book and throw together a playlist of the 30-odd songs covered in there.  It's all encompassing.