The Blasphemous Story of XTC & "Dear God" I New British Canon
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- Опубликовано: 19 июн 2024
- XTC burst out of late 1970s Britain with hooks for days. While many of the punk bands around them proudly ignored anything before 1976, they took notes from The Beatles, Kinks, and Beach Boys and reformed them into pugnacious state-of-the-art pop. “Making Plans For Nigel,” “Generals and Majors” and “Senses Working Overtime” made their unique stamp on the UK Charts.
But when XTC stopped playing live in 1982, their career took a much more interesting turn. Unable to sell their Englishness to the UK, instead via calamitous recording sessions with Todd Rundgren and a dismissed b-side, XTC landed a punch squarely below the Bible Belt. This is New British Canon, and this is the story of “Dear God.”
#xtc #postpunk #musicdocumentary
Fact-checking by Chad Van Wagner.
00:00 Introduction
00:49 "This Is Pop" The Early Years of XTC
07:51 "Making Plans For Nigel" The Rise of Colin Moulding
14:10 "Senses Working Overtime" The XTC & The Agony
18:58 Skylarking: Last Chance For XTC
26:16 "Dear God" Fist-Fighting a Deity
32:34 "You Bring The Summer" Enduring Legacy
Bibliography
XTC: Song Stories by XTC & Neville Farmer, 1998, Helter Skelter
Complicated Game: Inside The Songs of XTC by Andy Partridge & Todd Bernhardt, 2016, Jawbone
Isle of Noise: Conversations with Great British Songwriter by Daniel Rachel, 2013, Picador
"Song of the Week -- Andy's Take" by Andy Partridge & Todd Bernhardt, Chalkhills, 2006-2009
This Is Pop (2017) dir. Roger Penny & Charlie Thomas
"XTC: Our 1989 Interview" by Rosemary Passantino, Spin Magazine, Apr 1989
"‘My dream had died’: XTC’s Andy Partridge on mental illness,..." by Fergal Kinney, The Guardian, Oct 2022
"The Stories Behind The Songs: Making Plans For Nigel" by Paul Lester, Classic Rock, Jan 2015
"Todd Rundgren In-Studio with Jonesy" by Steve Jones, 955KLOS, May 2019
"How we made: XTC on Making Plans for Nigel" by Dave Simpson, Colin Moulding & Terry Chambers, The Guardian, Apr 2020
"MAGNET CLASSICS: THE MAKING OF XTC’S 'SKYLARKING'" by A.D. Amorosi, Magnet Magazine, Mar 2016
"PARCELS FROM A PATCHOULI PAST: AN INTERVIEW WITH ANDREW PARTRIDGE" by Bill Gibron, Popmatters, Feb 2010
"English Settlement - Andy Partridge: Small-town by perfectly formed." by Peter Paphides, Mojo Magazine, Feb 2003
"Skylarking XTC Review" by Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, Apr 2020
"XTC Ninjas of the Mundane" by Steve Pond, Rolling Stone, Apr 1989
"XTC’s Andy Partridge on COVID-19, Valium and 20 Years of ‘Wasp Star Apple Venus (Vol. 2)’" by Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, May 2020
"THE MAN WHO SAILED AROUND HIS SOUL" by Patrick Schabe, Popmatters, Oct 2006
"Heavy Load: Andy Partridge" by Ian Fortnam, Classic Rock, Feb 2016
"All-Time Classics: Skylarking by XTC" by Joe Standard, Uncut, Aug 2004
"English Settlement: The Rise and Fall and Rise of XTC" by Joe Silva, Ray Gun, Jan 1999
"XTC: 'Til Death Do Us Part" by Chris Ingham, Mojo Magazine, Mar 1999
"The Great XTC Problem" by Craig W Thomas, Rock's Backpages, 2006
"XTC: Senses Working Overtime" by Pete Paphides, The Word, Apr 2004
"XTC: An Everyday Story Of Country Punks" by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, Oct 1977
"The Agony & The XTC" by Chas de Whalley, Sounds, Nov 1977
"The Agony and the XTC" by Jim Green, Trouser Press, Aug 1978
"The Agonies of XTC" by Toby Goldstein, Creem, Apr 1979
"XTC: The Great Rock'n'Roll Swindon" by David Hepworth, Smash Hits, Nov 1979
"XTC: Making Plans for Andy Colin Terry and Dave" by Nick Kent, NME, Oct 1979
"XTC: Last Exit To Catalonia" by Paul Morley, NME, Sept 1980
"XTC: Optimism Is Next Week’s Thing" by Mike Stand, Smash Hits, Sept 1980
"XTC: Slaving For The Yankee Dollar" by Betty Page, Sounds, Dec 1980
Soundtrack
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Every now and then I get people asking for a playlist of every song mentioned in my videos: Well here's a Spotify link for this one:
open.spotify.com/playlist/3ul92QHaYkHxKJN2H3m5qv?si=109364e2708b4189
And the RUclips Music link:
music.ruclips.net/p/PLooaZ33lSaldxagNZbFOStlyV94Nmkz0h&si=FyEZ8siWOYnJGnMf
Bands like XTC were great because they were able to create their own identity while absorbing the trends of the time. I always liked how their music was too weird for normal people and too normal for weird people.
That's a great weird to describe most bands...The edgy stuff is underground and the pop is over
I'm always mentally battling over who is my favourite pop group, XTC or Ween.
Great comment, I could not have said it better myself...👍👏
As GOOD as the Beatles? I don't agree with that. But he's a great songwriter and he living his dream!
Maybe, but I’m not sure living alone in a small house in Swindon was his dream. I just hope he is happy.
"I've written - and my bunch of lads have made - music as good as our heroes." F*ck YEAH you did! 100% true and I'm so very thankful for it.
I second this.
Indeed they did. And in a lot of cases, they surpassed their mentors.
@@PfalzD3 the ayes have it!
Yes, it had to be said, and I'm glad he at least said it!
This is the best summation of XTC I've seen on RUclips so far. Tremendous selection of moments to pick out, and there's still so much more for people to discover when they dive into the albums and story. The ending wish for a "Running Up That Hill" moment with them is something I am confident will happen someday, and the only hindrance to it is the bevy of incredible songs that could potentially do it. But we should all keep trying to push it to happen, because their music absolutely deserves it. And it's absurd it never happened in their prime. Thanks for an amazing video!
I'm not surprised. Trash Theory is the absolute best channel yet for this that I have come across. The amount of research that goes into making this is staggering and after watching most videos by TT covering a band that I find interesting, I end up with feelings of gratitude towards the team behind this channel and great satisfaction with delight.
Not a patch on This is Pop.
Only a matter of time until a film producer fan gives them their much deserved "Running Up That Hill" recognition.
"Senses Working Overtime"... called it.
Rly good work here
Someone once said that XTC was God's apology for The Beatles breaking up.
Growing up near Washington DC, I listened to WHFS. They were among the first "commercial" stations to play REM, New Order and more. In America, it was almost always on a low power college station. WHFS showed me Charlatans, Stone Roses, Depeche Mode, The Cure, James, The Smiths and XTC.
As an HFS listener, you’ll undoubtedly remember iconic DJ Jonathan “Weasel” Gilbert…
I was listening to his show one day back in the 80s, and he said something that has stuck with me all these days, that Andy Partridge was suffering from an identity crisis and thought he was Paul McCartney. I didn’t quite understand what he meant at the time, but it certainly seems fitting given your comment.
I miss ‘HFS. They were astonishingly ahead of so many musical trends.
"God's apology for The Beatles breaking up. " Yep, I do believe that sums it up.
The Police were playing South Florida in 1980 for the third time, and I got in line for tickets, mostly to see the opening band for the first time - XTC. When I learned that XTC had canceled, I went home ticketless. So many of my friends were at the Police show the night John Lennon was killed, but I was watching Monday Night Football.
I was lucky to listen to XTC on KROQ-FM 106.7.
I lived about 5 doors down from Andy Partridge in Penhill Swindon, in the summer of 71 he'd have his bedroom window open and be blasting out music from Hendrix and Pink Floyd, while we were listening to things like Tony Orlando and Dawn "Tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree". He was way ahead of us. Local boy done good.
I was brought to XTC’s doorstep at the end of my high school and beginning of the rest of my life by a perceived first love. I have washed that love out of my mind and put the entire XTC catalog in his place. I know now I didn’t truly love that man but he gave me one of the most enduring loves of my life that I shall take to my grave.
Awww❤
Same here, only around the beginning of HS . . .
You put me out of your mind because I watched the next episode? I said I'm sorry! rats, good luck getting your XTC mp3's to pretend that it was the dog that farted after the El Patio dinner.
Making Plans For Nigel was one of the best songs of the 70's & Towers Of London one of the 80's finest singles. Shame that Andy couldn't tour as XTC would have been not one of but perhaps the top band of the 80's. Their songs were that good. 1 2 3 4 5 !
I knew a Nigel at the time this came out so would think of him. Now I think of Nigel Farage. I Just Can't Get Enough by Depeche Mode also reminds me if Nigel Farage.
XTC is arguably the best band never to hit it big. They changed from record to record, and challenged us to do the same. Music listeners today would be fortunate indeed to have the likes of Andy Partridge, Colin Moulding and Dave Gregory making music for them. I hope some day they will.
There's a plethora of great English bands who never made it big from the times of Zombies and Pretty Things onwards. XTC is surely great band, but real pundit should refrain from the word best or greatest.
Idk they were one of my favorite growing up and I happened to walk by and my 25 year old kid was listening to xtc. Quality endures.
There are so many bands and musicians that I love that never became household names, especially British musicians.
I'm an obsessed fan of Nick Lowe. I've got most of his albums, his autograph (twice!), a big poster, and I've loved him since the 1970s (Rockpile!). Rarely do I meet people who know who he is, but they know his songs. Everyone from Elvis Costello, to Tom Petty, to Johnny Cash have performed his songs. Heck, he was even Johnny Cash's son-in-law for several years!
@@LazyIRanch Well, I've seen Rockpile, XTC and Elvis Costello live all between 79 and 82, so I do know what you're talking about.
@@LazyIRanch I saw Nick Lowe open for The Cars in Los Angeles in 1982. That was my first concert, so technically he was the first rock band I ever saw live.
XTC are virtually an unmatchable band. Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding were two absolute geniuses and some of their stuff is just out of this world. I regard Skylarking as one of the greatest pop albums in history for sure. Anybody who loves this band totally gets my vote. Kudos to the fanbase! 🤠🎸
Don't leave out Terry and Dave's contributions! They are both fantastic musicians.
@@jayfrank1913 Absolutely! I totally agree with you. 😁💞
I can’t believe they weren’t as big as I thought they were back home. The influence that they’ve had, as well.
@@kimberlyvespa Eh, well, so it goes with the mainstream, I suppose. At least, XTC has had the necessary impact they've had on several artists and a wide range of music connoisseurs. 💪
Always had a soft spot for XTC, but also a BIG Barry Andrews fan.
It’s wild to me to find out they were not wildly popular in the UK. Growing up in the 80s in the southern US, XTC were bigger than The Beatles or Queen in my household thanks to my dad’s love for them. The Dukes records dubbed on to a single cassette were always in rotation our summer roadtrips.
Anyone looking for a great example of their adventurousness should track down the B-Sides collection ‘Rag and Bone Buffet.’ It’s not on streaming but used copies seem to be pretty cheap.
Surprised me too! They were always a band that I loved and listened to here in the US. I worked at a record and video store in 1987 and Skylarking was a record in our rotation that I made sure that I played in-store a lot!😊
Seen as too clever by half by the inky music press of the time (NME in particular), who were always suspicious of people who are smarter than they are. Throw in burnout, ego clashes and non-touring and you end up back in Swindon. AP did write my all-time favourite Monkees tune, You Bring The Summer, from his blimmin' garden shed. That's good enough for me ...
They did get lots of singles in the pop charts in UK. As a young kid I'd not have had exposure to them otherwise. But they weren't high charting.
They did do OK here but the moment they stopped touring the hits dried up and sad to say because videos became more and more popular and they weren't particularly good looking or fashionable (besides Moulding) that went against them too. Before they stopped touring they had two top 10 hits with 'Sgt Rock' and 'Senses Working Overtime' and 'Nigel' made the top 20.
love rag and bone buffet, it's on youtube!
Dear God is a legendary tune imo, my mother was always obsessed with religion and this song was the first time I really started questioning things as a kid..
Opposite here. I was antireligion at 13 and then heard this song. I took the critique to heart but... then had critiques to the critique.
I am Catholic now.
Good art provokes strong feelings. I'm in a marriage of mixed faith. Atheist and Catholic and we both love the song.
@@zimriel The most profound innovation crafted by the divine entities was the idea of free will.
This innovation not only relieved the gods of any accountability but also concurrently bestowed it upon us, the human race.
@@ari1234a Are you always so fatuous, or do you save that for youtube comments?
XTC gets a rep for being an an anti-religion band because of this song, but there are plenty of other XTC songs that take spiritual perspectives and even pay homage to the concept of churches (such as Church of Women). I think Partridge questions religion as organized and/or exploited by man, but I don't think he is 100% against it in concept.
My absolute favourite band, they are so underrated. They are all so full of talent, although I have always preferred Colin’s compositions and melodic songs to Andy’s, but still, their development throughout the years is impressive, and all their albums bring something unique to the table. Thanks for making a video about them ❤
I was lucky enough to have seen XTC open up for The Cars. That was my first official rock concert of my teenage years and a ticket that I paid for with money that I earned with my afterschool job.
XTC is up there with The Beatles, The Kinks and The Who as one of the best british groups ever. It is the perfect bridge between 60s psychadelia, new wave atittude and britpop coolness
I agree. And the small faces
Eh. Disagree. Not bad. But not in that league.
College radio in the mid-eighties northeast USA was soaked in XTC, REM, echo and the bunnymen, half man half biscuit, husker dü, smithereens, and a million other sounds that truly provided an atmosphere that was an alternative to the outside world of hair metal and classic rock.
The music cliques in the 80s were pretty funny. Those hair bands were so awful and ridiculous and I'm sure their fans thought you were the ridiculous one.
Anyone here remember WFNX? Especially prior to 1990, it was absolute music heaven. I started listening late ‘86, and was happy to recognize some of the songs l loved from watching V66 in middle school, haha. V66…Man those were the days, all the best and the worst jumbled together. First you’d see like Don Henley or something, then maybe Depeche Mode or the Smiths followed by Black Betty by Ram Jam, lmao. Educational!
Wonderful documentary.
My favorite album of theirs has always been English Settlement, but my love for the others continues to grow over the years. I introduced them to my daughter and she is a die hard fan now too. Nothing like waking up and hearing "Making Plans for Nigel" or "Jason and the Argonauts" in her bedroom as she's getting ready for school.
Thanks for taking the time to make this and share it!
Peace.
Yes, definitely underrated in general. But among music nerds my age, referring to them alongside Kate Bush and Peter Gabriel is perfectly apt. If your interest is piqued by this, but don't know where to start, consider the collection Fossil Fuel: The XTC Singles 1977-92 as a starting point.
My dad put me on XTC when I was 13 or so, circa 1997. He and my mom used to go see XTC live in NYC whenever they came through late 70s-early 80s. I've known and loved their catalogue for most of my life- a truly special band!!
This is my favorite youtube channel. You always bring the in depth knowledge and insight into the music we love. THANK YOU!!!
Very high quality films that incorporate much research. Only raelnyc's progressive rock videos match this guys, IMO. Helps that a favourite band is featured today.
This was an awesome documentary on one of my favorites!
The string arrangement on "1000 Umbrellas" is all Dave Gregory btw. Pure brilliance, even Rundgren admitted it
Skylarking is overproduced but in a good way. Great song-writing coupled with Brian Wilson-esque sound = one of the best albums of any era.
The Burning Shed Steven Wilson remixes are much better. Especially the Big Express which is wonderfully decluttered.
@@GurungyNoHamuster Ooh I didn't know this existed! I love a ton of songs on the BE but totally agree with Runt's production critique, stoked to listen to this. Thank you!
Simpleton is a master class in song writing.
I saw them during the drums and wires tour, I think it was at Danceteria in New York. The irony is that they were so much better live than in the studio. Songs like 10 feet tall and roads girdle the globe were just absolutely amazing live. They totally eclipsed the recorded versions. I’m glad I got to see them live once. Had Partridge been able to reconcile himself to performing live,, I think they might’ve changed more fame. Because I find their studio records a little dry compared to the euphoric cacaphony of energy energy of the live performances. Something was really lost in translation with this band in the studio compared to some other bands that do wonderfully in the studio. But no matter how you slice it, they are, indeed, one of the most criminally underrated bands in history.
what was your favourite song to hear live? :)
10 feet tall was a particular stand out, as was roads girdle the globe. As was real by real, actually. Every song was better live than on the Studio version but those three really stood out.
@@NoBSMusicReviews thats awesome! i was born wayy too late to see XTC live, but i've watched a lot of concert recordings :)) my personal favourite is helicopter
That was literally the next on my list. One of my favorites as well.
A simply outstanding band that never got their due.
XTC is the best band. no one has been able to match Andy and Colin's songwriting prowess since them.
Before i discovered their music i never paid attention to lyrics in music
@@hendog5667 Yes, their lyrics are actually cleverer than groups like Andy's influence the Beatles. Very smart lines on most of their albums.
Few could match them. i'd say Prince and Elvis Costello did.
"Music as good" as their heroes indeed. Such a great thoughtful heartful expose to such an underated band, well deserved. Loved it! Thank you for my new set list of great influences. Magnifique!
XTC will forever be underrated. They deserved to be successful in real time not retrospectively. I keep hoping that someone like me who was part of the album buying public in the last years of the 70's and early eighties will use the song for something cool. And the kids will embrace them kinda like Stranger Things did for Kate Bush. I always found it interesting that every time I met a fellow fan they turned out to be a musician. I was a college radio music director in the early to mid eighties and I rotated the shit out of XTC. Still listening now, thanks for the video.
I love that XTC had firm production plans. They wrote great songs then developed them in the studio. Masterclass
They are absolutely underrated. Listening to the likes of Blur, Bloc Party, and other English pop their influence is undeniable.
I was one of those college radio DJs (WCFM at Williams College) in the 80s who played this song constantly. I was also a good Catholic kid away from home for the first time and really exploring my complete lack of belief in the God and religion I'd been taught. I think "Dear God" is so brilliant because it can be read as an atheist rejecting the entire concept, or as a person of faith grappling with the spiritual questions of good and evil that every Christian really has to confront. The very structure of the song as an argument with God implies the deity has to exist, while the lyrics insist it cannot and it's jaggedness evokes that crisis of faith. It's a better song than Partridge may realize.
In addition, Andy later said he thought it could also be called "Dear Man" since we do it to ourselves.
Insightful comment! I grew up in the Bible Belt and was blown away by the audacity of the song's lyrics when I first heard it back in the early 90's. I'm gonna play the song now after watching this video - will pray beforehand to reassure Jesus that I'm not being blasphemous, just curious.
Very well put! I came at it from that same angle.
Dear God and 10cc’s Second Sitting for the Last Supper were the twin pillars of my youthful atheism. I still adore them both.
My only rule in a used record store is that if I see XTC, I buy XTC. Loved this video, and learned more about a deeply loved band and their journey. Thank you.
Every now and then I get Senses Workjng Overtime running through my head. I then reach for the guitar, crash it out a few times and get an XTC album on the stereo on repeat for a few days until I've had my top up! Like so many of the best XTC hits the subjects and messages in the lyrics remain uncannily current - Generals and Majors, Peter Pumpkjnhead, Dear God etc, etc. Which makes me wonder, what did these guys know back then and how come we didn't listen harder to them!?
That they rose out of their roots but didn't become consumed with fame like so many other bands had a certain sweet appropriateness about it, I think.
Thank you XTC, you made a real difference and it continues!
hard to grow a tight following after they quit touring.
I was in a band called The Secret and toured with XTC (around UK) as the support band back in 1977. I remember the first night of the tour listening to them and we all looked at each other with comments like what the hell is this music? Basically laughing at their sound! We were also amazed how they had a big punk following at the time. We played almost every night for 6 weeks and after the tour all of us in The Secret went out and bought XTC's album "White Music" It took a while but we all realized that these guys were very talented and unique. I still listen to this album with fond memories (David Banks AKA Shrink)
First time I saw XTC was on what I believe was their first ever tv appearance on kids tv show Magpie, Mick Robertson, Jenny Hanley etc in late 19 seventy frozen to death. They did Science Friction and I was hooked after the first chorus had finished. Dashed out to buy the 12" 3DEP for which you needed 3D glasses to look at the sleeve properly. I still love those first two albums as much today as I did then. That is not to say anything after was worse because far from it, obviously were not, just different. Even through all the trouble, trials and tribulations, they never stopped evolving. I just read (after watching this) that Nunsuch was nominated for a Grammy and the magnificent The Disappointed (one of my all time favourite XTC songs) for an Ivor Novello. Criminal that neither got a gong, but blimey, how good are they? Just a magnificent band with a catalogue many would die for just a small portion of
You've mentioned the band's appearance on Magpie. I'm a Swindon musician & have known the members of XTC since shortly before the 3D EP was released. One lunchtime, I was in the bar, where they stored their gear & rehearsed in the beer cellar, Terry (Chambers) appeared wanting the keys to get into the cellar & unload the band's van. I ended up helping him & one of the bands roadies with the gear. Amongst the equipment were 3 large Polystyrene letters XTC, from the Magpie TV show, at the time the band thought that may be the highlight of their fame & took the letters (that were behind them onstage on the programme) home as a memento.
@@user-hc9bc3qk8t Love it ❤️ What a great memory to have 😊
Thanks for finally addressing one of my favorite bands. They were always getting airplay during my college years of the early 82-86, but mysterious because of their relative obscurity in America.
One of my roommates bought Skylarking when it came out, and I didn't hear Dear God until years later when it got heavy rotation on US popular "alternative" radio stations. I didn't even know it was from the Skylarking sessions until fairly recently.
Properly dug into their discography this year and haven’t been able to put them down since. Insanely good songwriting with a strange parallel to The Beatles. Great video, Oranges and Lemons and Nonsuch ended up being 2 of my favourites - King For A Day really stands out as one of Colins best for me. A shame they’re not more widely known but reading the comments makes me so happy.
I hadn't really heard of XTC until I was about 40 a few years ago, when they played "King" on the radio at work semi-regularly. I was like "What is this, it's amazing?" Shazamed it, and within a couple of months I had their Fossil Fuel compilation in my collection. And I frigging LOVE it.
I knew basically nothing about XTC until this year(I am 55), but they have been my go to band for 2023 for sure.
I was always put off by "King For A Day"; I thought it sounded way too much like a re-write of the Tears For Fears song "Everybody Wants To Rule The World", which I found intolerable.
Oranges and Lemons is terminally underrated and I don't understand why.
I was a kid in the '80's and was listening to a little more main stream stuff. I'd never heard of XTC until 97 when I really got into Sarah McLachlan and discovered a cover of Dear God on her Rarities, B Sides and Other Stuff. I've been listening to them ever since!
Best thing about this channel is pausing it all the time and just going into the Spotify search with all the bands or tunes referenced. I come away not only knowing the subject of the video but cross references to explore later.
Interesting stuff. Dear God is in my top 10 songs of all time. It's an inspired creation.
I now regret never seeing them live (and I had the chance several times but I was more into metal and reggae) but in 1979 I had a girlfriend from Swindon and when we went back to her hometown once we visited one of her school friends. The schoolfriend's husband came into the kitchen looking for his car keys and said hello ... typically shaking hands and having a little chat and then he was off. His name was Andy Partridge ... and it was months later before I realized who he was. My girlfriend had said he was a musician in a band but then we all were so it wasn't really even a talking point!
So, beat that ... been in Andy Partridge's kitchen for a cuppa ;-)
Been at Andy's and had several cuppas, and still have a cassette tape I made while there.
One thing that deserves more mention is the quality of their musicianship as players. Partridge is probably the best rhythm guitarist of his generation. Dave Gregory's solos are some of the most tasteful, adept and inventive in rock/pop.
Clearly you are a guitarist, not a bassist, or you would be in awe of Colin Moulding
too. I agree with you regarding the 'musicianship' of Andy & Dave.
They are all extraordinary musicians, makes sense that they inspired Jellyfish, the best US band never to have "made it big" that so many musicians love, both of them tend to have great drums really prominent in the mix, makes such a difference
my dad introduced me to XTC in the early 00s when I was around 7 years old. he picked me up from school and the radio began playing “Senses Working Overtime” he lit up and turned up the radio and we began singing it together because I found the chorus so damn catchy.
What a Legend,still living in Swindon! I loved Making plans for Nigel.Im 57 now and this film has really put XTC in a landscape for me past and present.I always thought Sensi was a person doing overtime at work.I was too busy singing to listen properly.I have been diagnosed with ADHD only last year.Now the song makes sense.😅
Great timing and extra thanks on this one--- XTC is an all-time favorite band and we're currently having a bit of an XTC-playing renaissance in our household. It's a broad back catalog to introduce to people and was the direct influence for me getting my partner to watch the brilliant (and short-lived) Wonderfalls tv show. Andy's Title song is a typical quirky and catchy earworm by him.
XTC are the group i would pick if i could only ever listen to one bands complete discography ever again. But i would sneak in Talk Talk as well...
I love XTC. I love Andy Partridge's voice. I love that XTC were SO British! I listened to them at the age of 17 in New Zealand and now almost 60 I still love the sound of XTC. Thank you for the great music XX
There was a particular sweetness for Andy in working with the Monkees as he had won a sketch contest as a child when they were at the height of their popularity the first time.
Andy also contributed to the Christmas album the Monkees recorded with the song Unwrap You at Christmas.
That song has been recorded with Andy's daughter Holly doing the vocals. On Ape House Records.
I was lucky.
I saw XTC live at the legendary Cuckoo's Nest.
Andy sang a good part of the show with a Barry Manilow album cover on his head.
For years I ‘only’ had Black Sea and 25 o’Clock, I couldn’t believe they could put out other albums as good as those. I was wrong, they were pretty much all as fantastic- a brilliant and musically varied band with great lyrics, a lot of intelligence, humour and talent. Top shelf!
25 o clock such a phenomenal album listen to it constantly.
XTC... what can I say? As a Belgian musician, last year I visited Stonehenge and Avebury... but also Swindon ... for the 'Great Western Railway' and the legacy of my heroes.
18 years ago this week, I was finishing a semester abroad in London and my best friend back in the US asked me to pick up some albums that were out of print stateside or just not out yet, and bring them back. One of the ones out of print was Skylarking. I had somehow never heard of XTC before and when I listened to it before packing it up to bring it home to my friend, it didn’t quite land with me…yet. But the seeds of my growing into a weird 38 year old who counts post punk, a genre that peaked around the time of my birth, as-if not my absolute favorite, then certainly close to it-had been planted.
Thanks for the great video! Yeah I've always felt XTC was underrated. Their earlier stuff was a terrific blend of Pop and Punk; and Partridge had that taunting "Nhyah Nuh Nuh Nyah Nyah" quality to his vocals. I'm glad you somewhat covered 25 o'clock . That was simply an amazing album. What in the World's hilarious ultra-psychoactive imagining of a future world saturated in psychedelic drugs, is one of their all time best songs! (of course so many of their songs fit into the category of "all time best") Does anyone know if that is Woody Allen at the end of My Love Explodes?
I wish there was an extended version of this documentary!
Thanks again!
Another great TT upload! Really appreciate you covering some of my favorite overlooked bands so I can just send friends links to your vids and say, "Here, this puts my thoughts into words better than I can"
Chiming in to say Nonsuch is wildly underrated and Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead is one of the best album openers of all time
Yep it's brilliant
I have been a fan of XTC since the late 80's when I first heard them. True genius, intelligent lyrics, mesmerizing melodies and harmonies. They have achieved music on the level of their heroes. Thanks for this piece, and thank you XTC!
I truly love your well researched and excellently presented material. Would you consider a "Teardrop Explodes" Julian Cope/Ian McCulloch expose? I would be thrilled. Thanks for all your content!
Good work on this, covered most things an XTC fan would need to know to understand their arc through the music business, was lucky enough to see them 3 times between 78' & 80', they were fantastic on each occasion, had tickets for Hammersmith Odeon and then Andy became unwell so it was cancelled with a lot of other dates and as you state they never toured again, ...Sat 12th May 1978 London School of Economics, The Haldane room ..Fri 15th June 1979 Rainbow theatre London, ...Monday 22nd December 1980 Hammersmith Palais, (I'm on the Transistor blast live recording of this gig, great gig) ...I was 17yrs old at that first gig, ...To my mind XTC had it all, I was there from the White Music album all the way through The Dukes of Stratosphear to Apple Venus albums, don't know much of Andy's solo output though, when I say they had it all, it was the progression from the frenetic beefy jarring White Music with pop sensibilities, the complete pop songs they had and also the more 'out there' tunes like Travels in Nihilon from the Black Sea LP, Scissor Man from Drums and Wires, and many more, I loved the way they just stretched out and took you with them, Andy may have been the main writer of the band but make no mistake the four of them completed the 'whole', I actually was pretty devastated when Barry Andrews left the band as I really liked his contribution to the songs on Go2 and the musical sound he contributed, I seriously though it was the end of one of my favourite bands, they have never been unappreciated as far as I'm concerned and have always promoted them to others if they like a bit of great pop.
I was introduced to XTC through their spot in the movie URGH: A Music War. Afterwards I bought a copy of Black Sea and nearly wore the grooves off the record. The band still occupies a place in my play lists.
XTC is as relevant today as they were thirty years ago. Perhaps even more so.
XTC have three truly great albums (English Settlement, Skylarking, Oranges & Lemons) and several timeless stand-alone hits. But they also made albums with a lot of (in my opinion) un-listenable filler. Like, Chinese-water-torture unlistenable. I'll always love and respect this band.
Another fantastic video. I was introduced to XTC by a schoolmate in the 80s and they were very different to anything I'd heard, given I was a massive fan of Duran Duran, Wham!, and Spandau Ballet at the time. They certainly deserved a lot more success than they had. Also the second DOS album, Psonic Psunspot was a ripper too
XTC were fantastic. They are still in heavy rotation at my house. Andy is high on my list of influences as a guitar player and lyricist. A brilliant mind.
Marvellous review of the marvellous XtC. Astonishing that a work of art as sublime as Skylarking only made it to number 90 in the UK album charts. And that XtC and Andy Partridge weren't massively commercially successful in addition to being critically lauded. The masses have neither taste nor intelligence.
Is Andy writing that?
@@davidalau No, but he needs more credit for all the fine tunes. Met the great Andy once and he was really modest and down to earth - as you'd expect a Swindon lad to be. Witty too. Seems like we won't get another XtC album in our lifetime, sadly.
It’s a fool’s errand judging an artist in a world where Taylor Swift is seen as talent.
I met my heroes in an airport in LA at the Air Canada booth in 1987. And yes, they were very kind and patient with me as I blurted stupid things at them…how much the songs meant, how the songs saved my life, blah blah blah. What Mr Partridge “needs” isn’t for me to say. I hope he has what he wants. A wonderful wife, a lovely talented daughter and creative partners to extend his repertoire. He still puts out beautiful and fascinating music even if not many care to go looking and listening and thinking about them. Maybe if we all paid for his cool merch and left positive comments on his downloads, that would bring a smile.
@@davidalau Taylor Swift is talented, sorry that you're too much of a snob to recognise it.
@@davidalau That's a fair appraisal. Andy's pretty contented with the adoration he receives from the people that matter (his musical peers, his real fans and his family) and his quirky interests both musical and nerdy - he has quite a model soldier, comic and toy collection I'm told. He does OK from the merch and, as you're smart enough to know, many rock giants in their mansions aren't happy dudes. You met the band at a creative peak - nice. I just had a painfully awkward chat with Andy alone and wish I'd planned it as it was excruciating - he was a good guy throughout. Best never to meet your heroes is advised (although my cuppa with Peter Cushing was lovely!) Maybe Andy's seen this video and the mostly glowing comments about him, his music and his band? If so he can smile and think "yeah, I'm a legend!" Cheers, matey.
No XTC - no Blur, their influence is long lasting . Do a video on Prefab Sprout next please.
XTC have been my favourite band for thirty years. This excellent video reminds me why.
Makes a great primer for anyone wanting to know more about the band. Great research, and so well put together.
Excellent documentary! XTC is one of my desert island bands (along with Gentle Giant) whose music will forever be a part of my playlist. They were one of the few bands whose growth and development as brilliant songwriters was evident from album to album. They were in a constant state of evolution until their capstones: Apple Venus and Wasp Star! I miss Andy's incomparable wit, cynicism, humor, "Englishism", and overall genius!
I stumbled across XTC while watching music videos late one night back in the early 80s. The song was "Making Plans for Nigel". It was very catchy and I've remembered it ever since. Never really explored XTC to see what else they were about. Now I'm beginning to think maybe I should. Some intriguing stuff you've presented, especially some of the later retro stuff.
Good job! Matter-of-fact and to the point, with only a minimum of fluff.
I'm in America, and I remember "Dear God" being popular. It was the only XTC song that I heard until one of my computer buddies played a few other songs for me in the early 1990s. I never liked XTC's style, although I do appreciate the little mimickings of the band's influences. The aforementioned computer buddy also played for me a couple of Dukes of Stratosphear songs, "25 O'Clock" and "You're My Drug", which I very much enjoy. I dare say that "You're My Drug" is the tightest psychedelic Britpop song that I've ever heard. I think that the band missed its true musical niche by a decade.
Thank god for curious college radio DJs in the U.S. That song is irresistible. To think that was a B side! I thought it was a boy singing as well 🙂 "A petulant failure". I can understand why he thinks that when you consider their entire catalogue, but I'll always love it alongside the other XTC classics. Can't even imagine the world of music without that tune in it. And the response was bound to be huge. Andy Partridge has clearly had a tough ride. That's quite often what makes someone create very special work. This is a fascinating upload. A great watch. Thank you so much.
Went through a big XTC phase a few years ago. Dug into the whole discography an the documentary. So many great songs, and I'm happy to hear them out in the world on occasion. Making Plans for Nigel was a bit of an inside joke for a bunch of my co-workers.
Once again you have produced a fantastic examination and analysis of a great band. Growing up in Northern NY state, I was listening to XTC on Canadian radio stations. Their influence was made clear in this piece.
Nice video -- comprehensive and well-researched (thanks for the name checks!), and helps give the band the credit their due. I do wonder about your source about who is responsible for getting "Mermaid Smiled" on the album instead of "Dear God" -- in my conversations with the band members and with Todd R, "Dear God" was going to be on the album until Andy insisted on including "Another Satellite," so that was the song responsible for bumping DG off of the initial release (of course, once DG exploded in popularity, the album was re-released with MS removed and DG included). Thanks.
Thanks - your interviews with Andy and Colin were invaluable in getting into the meat of the songs. With the "Mermaid Smiled" thing, I think I just got mixed up between the pre-release track listing and that of the re-release. I've now removed that little bit from the video, as to not confuse anyone.
This was so great to watch. Learnt so much!! Great job, as always x
One of my all time favorite British bands! I've always thought they were never given their due as writers or players. Such amazing tunes, and sadly i was an adult before I ever got turned on to them, thanks in large part to and indie radio station in Nashville, TN called Lightning 100. I constatnly am talking about them to my students and younger listeners! WOuld love to see them get a big pop culture moment.
Great video. Really enjoyed learning about a band whose songs I've heard throughout my life, but didnt know that much about. They are a way more important band, musically, than they were given credit for.
Absolutely profoundly underrated. Still amazed at how many people don’t know who they were/are! They are in my humble opinion only preceeded by the Beatles, and only barely.
This was great, by the way.
Do you know what "preceded" means?
Maybe not! 🤣I think I might have meant to say 'superseded by". My bad.@@marknewbold2583
Interesting video. 'Complicated Game' was one of my fav XTC songs.
Thanks for such a great documentary. I just watched an interview with Todd Rundgren about working with Andy Partridge and he couldn't have been any nastier about the experience and Andy. I was really dissapointed and reminded of the fact that while he does have an impressive catalog himself, his will never touch Andy's and XTC's.
On top of being an excellent video, this is a good reminder that I haven't listened to XTC in a while.
XTC is one of the most underrated band that I knew, I believe this group deserve more success and fame specially the most clever-english-lyrics that I love them. Skylarking for me is like a "Pet Sounds" from Psychodelia sound and Beatles sound the band inspired. Love to know you mentioned i love them.
Loved the video! You are my favorite place to hear about the songs and artists I cherish. Keep up the excellent work and thank you!
WONDERFUL video... and YES: XTC have made music as great as their predecessors.
They are, quite simply, the best pop band since The Beatles. Andy Partridge belongs in the pantheon of great modern music writers.
I always saw Andy and Colin more like the Lennon and McCartney of the new wave generation. They even kinda resembled John and Paul to an extent. It never occurred to me that there wasn't quite that same balance. It's also worth mentioning that Paul McCartney looked to several new wave bands for inspiration for the Back To The Egg album (my personal favourite of his post-Beatles albums), most notably XTC. I can't remember the title, but there's a song on that album that would fit right in on Drums And Wires. That must have been a cool moment, having one of your heroes being inspired by your work.
Timing is everything. Some ideas are just so different the masses are not able to digest them in real-time. Great music transcends time and space. The few that get it are sometimes inspired by and often reinterpret and repackage things and the masses finally get it. This is what happened to early blues music and rock n roll. XTC like so many other bands like the Bad Brains, never reached commercial success but their influence on other more successful bands or artist is profound. XTC is and always will be one my favorite bands due their beautiful song writing and production; and yes they are underrated by the masses but not by those who know and get it. Thank you XTC!
You mentioned him at the end... But would love a piece on Steven wilson/porcupine tree. Criminally underappreciated English band.
That was really good. I personally like the first two albums a lot but Drums and Wires is such a masterpiece! Incredible creativity from these guys all the way up to Nonesuch (last I had) with Skylarking being the other major work of art. Some songs are just amazing, most are just excellent. A few of my very favorites are, excluding the Drums and Wires and Skylarking albums, in no particular order, 'The Disappointed' 'Wrapped in Grey' 'Blue Overall' 'Great Fire' 'Desert Island' 'Human Alchemy' 'Rocket from a bottle' 'No language in our lungs' 'The Somnambulist' 'Burning with Optimism's Flames' 'Don't Lose Your Temper' 'New Town Animal in a Furnished Cage' 'I'm Bugged' 'Into the Atom Age' 'Radios in Motion' 'This Is Pop?' 'Statue of Liberty' 'Spinning Top' 'Melt the Guns' 'Fly on the Wall' 'Snowman' 'Knuckle Down' 'No Thugs in Our House' 'Battery Brides' 'The Rhythm' 'Are You Receiving Me?' 'Red' 'Beatown' 'Life Is Good in the Greenhouse' 'Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her, Kiss Her' 'This World Over' 'Wake Up' 'I Remember the Sun' 'King for a Day' 'The Mayor of Simpleton' 'One of the Millions' 'Cynical Days' 'Across This Antheap' 'Chalkhills and Children' 'Pink Thing' 'Here Comes President Kill Again' and the brilliant 'All along the Watchtower' cover. Andy, if you're out there, lets form a band!!!
Hi Jasper. Still don't like much of their early work before Drums & Wires, but from then on XtC's less new-wave sound started to gel - particularly when Mr Partridge ceased touring after English Settlement. It's as if they grew up as a band and by Oranges & Lemons they were masterly, able to throw out gems every track.
@@Clive697 it's already in those 2 early albums, but with RAW and unfiltered energy.
Oh my gosh! Did you stop at any Nonsuch? Please search out Apple Venus and Wasp Star! Then get back to me 😊.
@@vestalfor I Heard It once, EN passant, many years After It came out. Wasn't taken by It. I shall listen again.
Love a bit of XTC, great video. I would LOVE to see a video on one of the artists featured in it, name Matthew Sweet and the absolute masterpiece that is his album Girlfriend. Must've listened to it a thousand times and it still sounds fresh as a daisy. Keep up the good work fella 👌🏼👍🏼
For the most unlikely band that claims being influenced by XTC and especially Andy Partridge: Urban Dance Squad. Funkmetal hiphop crossover and XTC, why not?
This is great. Thank you.
Always I loved XTC. So under rated and under appreciated. Lost track of them when all the splits began. In my seventies now and caught up with all the latter stuff after hearing English Settlement
My
What an album it was like meetings crush from my youth and finding the sparks still there.
Love XTC. Found them by accident as a teen in very early 90's. They released The Disappointed when I was around 15. Still love them and listen all the time.
XTC are the type of band you can really become obsessive about they're that good.
Bandersnatch turned me on to 'making plans for nigel', since I have rediscovered songs from my childhood, from my parents record collection; like 'dear God' and 'Senses working overtime'. Fantastic Video, Love a bit of Trash Theory 😊
This such a tragic band in a lot of ways. They could have been huge. One of the most under appreciated bands I know!
As a massive XTC fan I’ve been excitedly waiting for this New British Canon!
XTC is another talented band, held back by record company execs that had no clue what the band was about. They didn't fit the pigeonholes, so they didn't get airplay. Then one day, some college station DJ (who probably thought the "rotation list" was bunk anyway) played a B-side, and people heard it and said "hey this is good! Play some more."
My brother-in-law is a huge XTC fan. I live in Canada and when I went house hunting in 2004 one of the house's basement wall had a mural of Drums and Wires on it.
Fantastic video 👏 XTC is probably my favorite band of all time. Would LOVE to see them have their Running Up That Hill moment. They deserve it.
TT- Your short docs are some of the best on RUclips. Thank you.
OMG!! You included Tomorrow! That's a deep dive. Nice.
Bless XTC, with Andy & Colin, 4 getting me thru the dark disco/punk years.
30:20 is unbelievable, no song has ever done the subject more justice. that ending section with the pounding quarter note drums gives me chills every single time
Thank you so much for making this. I’ve been fascinated by Andy Partridge and XTC ever since I saw their cover of All Along The Watchtower on TOTP2 over a decade ago - it’s my all-time favourite cover. I’ve just got tickets to see EXTC next year and cannot wait!
Thanks so much for covering this underrated gem of a band. I also implore you to check out "Me and the Wind", "Poor Skeleton Steps Out", "Greenman", "Yacht Dance", "Battery Brides" "My Weapon" and "Complicated Game"