A Few Popular Misconceptions Put Right, some stuff you might have thunk,turned on its head Options

[Andy Partridge]

Hi earthlings,was feeling full mischief so I thought i'd rectify some long held beliefs.

1-I don't own a Fano guitar,was merely given one for a short length of time.It was taken back by Denis Fano stating that it wasn't good enough and he would make me a much better one.It never happened.

2-I never ever stopped any of Colins songs from appearing on the albums,quite the contrary,I encouraged their inclusion.I have never limited him to only " a few songs " per disc.He was given a much higher inclusion rate per % of songs that he wrote than I was.

3-It was me who decided to take Mermaid Smiled off of Skylarking.Virgin wanted to remove Big Day but I decided to sacrifice Mermaid as I didn't want Colin to think that I was persecuting him and his work.

4 XTC never chose to release any of the singles that came out,they were always Virgins decisions.

5-Terry left the band not because of stopping touring or not liking the new material,it was an emotional decision based on his then new wife demanding to move back to Australia with the baby.Terry would have done a fantastic job on all subsequent material.We speak pretty regularly.

6-My mother never saw one XTC show in our entire touring years,my father only the one,which was a Christmas homecoming special in Swindon.

7-The decision not to include any of Colin's demos in the Fuzzy Warbles series was totally his alone.

8-I don't take drugs and none of our songs are about doing so.I think drug takers are idiots.

9-I wanted to call our first album Black Music{as in humour},but Virgin insisted that it was misleading and somehow rascist?? It was not called White Music for any racial reason either.

10-The bass line of Mayor of Simpleton was of my construction,not Colins,but he did play it well.

11-Of all of the Virgin years videos the only one I like is The Mole From The Ministry.That is the only video where we were allowed to film what we wanted,how we wanted as it was not initially funded by Virgin but the BBC.All of the others were basically a "shut up,and just turn up to the shoot on time" job.

12-There will never be any XTC reunion tours or records as I would never work with Dave or Colin again.I suspect they have similar sentiments too about me and each other.

There....that felt good.More sometime soon. APey

[Mr Tein]

Wow! a few surprises there.

[Mr Tein]

other long held beliefs that you could recitify

1. Was it really jeff truzzi who gave you all your chord ideas?

2. You still send Richard Branson a christmas card - but never put a postage stamp on it so he has to pay the postage.

3. You and Mike Channon are really brothers but he left swindon in a pique as you were better at football.


Anyway - thanks for those insights, And as for the last point - I do hope there will be more music though, either solo or with artists you get a buzz from.

[Kendley]

Any reflection on AV1 / Wasp Star tracklisting? Wish you had done anything differently there?

[no opinion here, BTW -- just from the little I know, sounds like a lot of hard choices...]

This post has been edited by Kendley: Apr 22 2010, 03:52 PM

[geordiegav]

The only real surprise Andy was that your mother never caught you live.....I bet there's a few 'popstars' that can claim that one though!

There's something strange about mothers being at the front of the stage for sure!

Did your Dad enjoy the gig? Or did you get the "cup o' tea lad "when you walked through the door as if nothing had happened? Getting any reaction from my parents for anything i do is the bloody blood from a stone routine....that generation seem embarrased to gush?

My in-laws are Californians and they just lift you in the air daily......i guarantee he'd have been on the stage with you shouting.....that's my boy that is down the mic at the end of the gig!

[donavan]

12-There will never be any XTC reunion tours or records as I would never work with Dave or Colin again.I suspect they have similar sentiments too about me and each other.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) You lads fall out with each other more than my kids do with their mates (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)


Just joshing. Liquid lunch by any chance? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Fellinifiend]

Hi earthlings,--- Says You! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)



12-There will never be any XTC reunion tours or records as I would never work with Dave or Colin again.I suspect they have similar sentiments too about me and each other.

Well, like I said in another thread, It was fucking great while it lasted..I mean really fucking great..

And isn't it true you called your mom the big C word? Fantastic. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[appelsinerogsitr...]

Thanks Andy!
I guess I'll have to go searching for new XTC records in the alternate universe where XTC is the most commercially successful rock group in the world, then.. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

[donavan]

It's interesting that you say there won't be any reunion tours because you won't work with the others and not because of your dislike of performing live. Would you consider some solo or collaboration live stuff?

[Mare]

4 XTC never chose to release any of the singles that came out,they were always Virgins decisions.


There....that felt good.More sometime soon. APey

Dang. It seems awful to me that your singles were chosen by Virgin, just appalling. Is this common practice, or heavy handedness on Virgin's part?

Catharsis is good for what ails one, sometimes, innit?

[Bimble]

12-There will never be any XTC reunion tours or records as I would never work with Dave or Colin again.I suspect they have similar sentiments too about me and each other.

It seems a terrible shame that you don't feel you could work with Colin or Dave again, though I don't think anyone here would be expecting live XTC ever again. All that shared history, experience etc blah blah wibble wibble. And you do sound ever so good together

Mind you, you've not ruled out getting the Builder of Oz back, have you..........

This post has been edited by Bimble: Apr 26 2010, 09:02 AM

[Andy Partridge]

Bimbleton,don't know if Terry's chops are up to scratch these days.His son's are probably warmer at the mo.Need to call Terry and catch up on things generally though.
Fantastic drummer,would have put him up against John Bonham any time.

[Bimble]

Fantastic drummer,would have put him up against John Bonham any time.

From what's been said about them two, that could have turned into something of a big night out and no mistaking, cor blimey yessir.............

[Retrocanary]

Not trying to provoke, just sayin'...

People who said they'd NEVER work with each other again:

Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith

Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford

BUT

David Byrne and the other "Heads"

Just sayin'

[sheph]

I've been listening to XTC since I was in high school in the mid 80s. You guys are awesome!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) It saddens me to hear you'll never work with Colin or Dave again. You all were so good together. I've heard that English Settlement, Skylarking, and Oranges & Lemmons are going to be remastered this year. Is this true, and if it is do you know when the release dates might be? I also saw in another thread some discussion about 5.1, and that the multitrack masters had been lost for English Settlement. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) That was a big disappointment indeed. Are there any plans to do a 5.1 version of any other XTC releases?

[egghead]

I've been listening to XTC since I was in high school in the mid 80s. You guys are awesome!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) It saddens me to hear you'll never work with Colin or Dave again. You all were so good together. I've heard that English Settlement, Skylarking, and Oranges & Lemmons are going to be remastered this year. Is this true, and if it is do you know when the release dates might be? I also saw in another thread some discussion about 5.1, and that the multitrack masters had been lost for English Settlement. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) That was a big disappointment indeed. Are there any plans to do a 5.1 version of any other XTC releases?

welcome to the APE Forum, sheph. Slip on your best smoking jacket and make yourself comfortable.

XTC made some fine recordings, did they not?

I hope your questions are answered. Our gracious host seems particularly chatty these days, I hope it continues.

[Keltik]

It came as a big shock to me that Star Park once supported Budgie.

[Andy Partridge]

Retro's, Can't speak for Tilbrook but no,i'd never work with Chris Difford again either

[Andy Partridge]

Kelts,not only supported Budgie but also lent them an amp so they could finish their set.

[Keltik]

Kelts,not only supported Budgie but also lent them an amp so they could finish their set.

My ageing neurones may betray me here, but approximately that same year ( 71 or early 72??) I saw them at Ynysawdre Comprehensive School Youth Club ( they don't make venues like that anymore) and wondered how a 16 year old like me could get into a band with blokes with long hair. I even went out and bought their album. About a week later I wished I hadn't.