Playground a lock for top 5 ;)
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, 16 October 2014 20:20 (nine years ago) link
The record starts and ends well imo, but gets slightly lost in the middle - and by slightly I mean rather
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, 16 October 2014 20:21 (nine years ago) link
No thugs one of those tracks that was not gonna be on my ballot at all until I actually listened to it again and it just rocks so hard, as hard as anything on Black Sea.
― a drug by the name of WORLD WITHOUT END (Jon Lewis), Thursday, 16 October 2014 20:21 (nine years ago) link
Bass playing on all XTC is amazing. Andy and Colin finding each other one of those bizarre and thankful coincidences that pop sometimes throws up
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, October 16, 2014 4:17 PM (3 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
I always thought Colin played some brilliant shit, but didn't Andy recently claim to have actually written most of those lines?
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Thursday, 16 October 2014 20:22 (nine years ago) link
what?!
colin played fretless which always made me revere him a bit more
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, 16 October 2014 20:23 (nine years ago) link
I'm sure Andy gave some guidance to Colin but "written" and "most" is surely a bridge too far
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 16 October 2014 20:25 (nine years ago) link
I had Stupidly Happy at 16. Looks bleak.
― campreverb, Thursday, 16 October 2014 20:25 (nine years ago) link
I threw Stupidly Happy right at the bottom of mine because cmon it's like a big puppy wanting you to love it
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, 16 October 2014 20:26 (nine years ago) link
Yeah, I'll have to look for the interview, but I remember Andy saying something snarky like, "Everyone likes the bass on 'Mayor of Simpleton,' but I wrote it!"
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Thursday, 16 October 2014 20:27 (nine years ago) link
xp haha, big puppy. well said.
― campreverb, Thursday, 16 October 2014 20:28 (nine years ago) link
the bassline on Mayor of Simpleton seems too intricate for anybody besides the bass player to have written it imo but what do I know
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 16 October 2014 20:31 (nine years ago) link
Think I found it. This is an interview Todd Bernhardt did with Andy for a now-defunct myspace blog (quoted here:
AP: [chuckles] People do these survey things, and say, "Let's vote for Colin's best bass line" or something, and they don't realize that the two bass lines they vote for -- "Vanishing Girl" and "Mayor of Simpleton" -- it's me playing bass on "Vanishing Girl"...TB: Oh, I didn't know that.AP: Yeah. Or "What in the World?" -- that's me playing bass as well.TB: Get out of here!AP: That's me on bass -- Colin's on rhythm guitar.TB: And you came up with that bass line?AP: Yeah.TB: That's funny -- I've always thought that was him channeling McCartney.AP: No, we had to cut it live. He obviously couldn't play the bass and the rhythm guitar, and I didn't know how the chords went, so instead of him teaching me the chords, I said, "Look, you play the chords, I'll play the bass, and we'll get this thing done before lunchtime!"But the one they mention is "Mayor," and Colin had to work very hard to get that bass line. It's very precise. It took me a long time to work it out, because I wanted to get into the J.S. Bach mode of each note being the perfect counterpoint to where the chords are and where the melody is. The bass is the third part in the puzzle.
TB: Oh, I didn't know that.
AP: Yeah. Or "What in the World?" -- that's me playing bass as well.
TB: Get out of here!
AP: That's me on bass -- Colin's on rhythm guitar.
TB: And you came up with that bass line?
AP: Yeah.
TB: That's funny -- I've always thought that was him channeling McCartney.
AP: No, we had to cut it live. He obviously couldn't play the bass and the rhythm guitar, and I didn't know how the chords went, so instead of him teaching me the chords, I said, "Look, you play the chords, I'll play the bass, and we'll get this thing done before lunchtime!"
But the one they mention is "Mayor," and Colin had to work very hard to get that bass line. It's very precise. It took me a long time to work it out, because I wanted to get into the J.S. Bach mode of each note being the perfect counterpoint to where the chords are and where the melody is. The bass is the third part in the puzzle.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Thursday, 16 October 2014 20:33 (nine years ago) link
omg! :D
What In The World??... is my favourite Dukes song, mostly for that bassline
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, 16 October 2014 20:35 (nine years ago) link
I always thought it was the most obscene abomination of a song that is trash, that is dirt, that is filth. I don't know what possessed them to write such a disgusting, degeneratized song as that. And I'm complimenting them by considering it a song.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Thursday, 16 October 2014 20:38 (nine years ago) link
wha
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, 16 October 2014 20:38 (nine years ago) link
t in the world
ok I had no idea that's Andy on "Vanishing Girl" that's nuts
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 16 October 2014 20:39 (nine years ago) link
Well, lines Andy wrote notwithstanding, Colin Moulding is a pretty faultless bass player. Such great feel, very melodic player, and just generally doing the right thing at the right time. I think I read he turned down a touring gig with Pink Floyd?
― Dominique, Thursday, 16 October 2014 20:42 (nine years ago) link
Don't lose yr temperChain of commandTake This TownSmokeless zone
― Mark G, Thursday, 16 October 2014 20:43 (nine years ago) link
There's a pretty interesting video online where Partridge talks about his guitar playing, and he spent a good bit of time talking about how he seeks out chords that reinforce the bassline.It's kind of a guitar geek type video, but he talks about the bass more than any other similar-type video I have seen.
still it's the songwriting that carries the day, not who wrote what bit.
― campreverb, Thursday, 16 October 2014 20:45 (nine years ago) link
11. Grass (1347 points, 16 votes)http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060/11-Grass.jpg
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 16 October 2014 20:47 (nine years ago) link
If I had voted, No Thugs would have been my #2
― The Velvet Fog called me a motherfucker (Sandy), Thursday, 16 October 2014 20:53 (nine years ago) link
this song's really ruuuude *giggles*
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, 16 October 2014 20:53 (nine years ago) link
always liked the video for this one
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 16 October 2014 20:54 (nine years ago) link
altho I don't think I ever saw it at the time of release, only years later on the youtubez
the one Skylarking video I *did* see at the time was Dear God, which is pretty stupid
So is that it for Skylarking? Would love to see Mermaid Smiled make it but can't really see it placing now. Maybe Earn Enough For Us might sneak it.
― Kitchen Person, Thursday, 16 October 2014 21:01 (nine years ago) link
quite glad it didn't make the top 10 tho as imo it's one of the least interesting songs on skylarking. that is the only negativity you'll see from me for the rest of the poll tho
earn enough will be in the top 10, absolute lock. didn't vote for it but 100% sure
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, 16 October 2014 21:02 (nine years ago) link
There's a video for "Grass" ?! (rushes to youtube)
Ha, yeah, I saw it around the time of release too, and it's pretty terrible. 120 Minutes also showed "Senses Working Overtime" once as a "cult classic" clip.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Thursday, 16 October 2014 21:09 (nine years ago) link
Still not sure what's going to make the top 10. A lot of songs I thought were certain to make it have already placed (Grass, Chalkhills, Wrapped In Grey and Summer's Cauldron) I think Black Sea is going to do very well, can see maybe five songs from it placing.
― Kitchen Person, Thursday, 16 October 2014 21:12 (nine years ago) link
I'm concerned that my number one isn't going to sneak in there. There are lots of notable Black Sea songs to go.
― funk79, Thursday, 16 October 2014 21:18 (nine years ago) link
10 of my predicted 'certs' left:
sensesnigellungsstreetmajorstowersearnmolehopreal
real by reel may be fanciful tho
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, 16 October 2014 21:27 (nine years ago) link
My number one's from Apple Venus.....
― funk79, Thursday, 16 October 2014 21:28 (nine years ago) link
easter theatre i guess
that was in my 'maybes' list
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, 16 October 2014 21:28 (nine years ago) link
Battery BridesTissue TigersTake This Town
― kwhitehead, Thursday, 16 October 2014 21:28 (nine years ago) link
Easter Theatre will defiantly make it.
― Kitchen Person, Thursday, 16 October 2014 21:29 (nine years ago) link
life begins at the hop isn't that good so maybe ilx has mercifully refrained (i was lying about no more negativity ;))
battery brides being top 10 would make my day
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, 16 October 2014 21:29 (nine years ago) link
Would love 'Easter Theatre' to make the top 10. Given up hope of my #1 placing though.
― Gavin, Leeds, Thursday, 16 October 2014 21:30 (nine years ago) link
Life Begins at the Hop is great. Is there any chance Senses is not that popular on here?
― Kitchen Person, Thursday, 16 October 2014 21:32 (nine years ago) link
whoooooa
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, 16 October 2014 21:34 (nine years ago) link
10. Towers of London (1426 points, 17 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060/10-TowersOfLondon.jpg
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 16 October 2014 21:36 (nine years ago) link
good song, love the double-take middle-eight with those diddly keyboards contrasting the industrial thump of the rest of the song
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, 16 October 2014 21:38 (nine years ago) link
I saw them on the Black Sea. Real highlight of my high school show going days. Towers was great, esp. Dave G's beautiful guitar fill just before the "Londinium" part. Still gives me chills.
― kwhitehead, Thursday, 16 October 2014 21:41 (nine years ago) link
strikes me as odd that Andy didn't insist on doing a more literal "construction"-sort of arrangement of this song, with parts being gradually added/accumulating, rather than the full barrel bang-n-clang from the first beat approach that they went with. It just seems like the kind of thing he would do.
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 16 October 2014 21:42 (nine years ago) link
too low. holy crap, I've never know anyone that saw them.
― campreverb, Thursday, 16 October 2014 21:42 (nine years ago) link
**Black Sea Tour***
― kwhitehead, Thursday, 16 October 2014 21:43 (nine years ago) link
ok wanna get this done before leaving for home so the top 10 are gonna come a little quicker
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 16 October 2014 21:45 (nine years ago) link
!!!
I had a tape of their Cleveland show from that tour, and it was a blinder.
I also read that they were among the loudest bands of their era -- nearly Who-like in volume. Was that your experience?
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Thursday, 16 October 2014 21:51 (nine years ago) link
Don't remember that Montgomery. It was at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago so the acoustics were shit anyway.
― kwhitehead, Thursday, 16 October 2014 21:55 (nine years ago) link
Oh haha, yeah, I've seen a few shows there, and I've never seen one that didn't sound completely awful.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Thursday, 16 October 2014 21:58 (nine years ago) link