Mayor of SimpletonAnother SatelliteLife Begins at the HopTissue TigersGreenmanYacht DanceGenerals and MajorsWhat in the World?Chalkhills and ChildrenEaster Theatre
well..on to listen to every XTC album again
― frogbs, Tuesday, 26 April 2016 12:26 (seven years ago) link
So tricky...
Red Brick DreamOne Of The MillionsComplicated GameJason & The ArgonautsBeating Of HeartsHelicopterRookSummer's CauldronEnglish RoundaboutTen Feet Tall
― MaresNest, Tuesday, 26 April 2016 12:56 (seven years ago) link
i thought 'ladybird' was your alltime fave...
― And the cry rang out all o'er the town / Good Heavens! Tay is down (imago), Tuesday, 26 April 2016 13:00 (seven years ago) link
Red Brick Dream actually might be LJ. But yes, Ladybird is all time, so i'll swop it out with Helicopter, knew I'd most likely forget something. :)
― MaresNest, Tuesday, 26 April 2016 13:06 (seven years ago) link
oh heli
― And the cry rang out all o'er the town / Good Heavens! Tay is down (imago), Tuesday, 26 April 2016 13:09 (seven years ago) link
Rocket From A BottleLooking For FootprintsTissue TigersMillionsAnother Satellite Travels In NihilonRunaways
It's near impossible...
― MaresNest, Tuesday, 26 April 2016 13:12 (seven years ago) link
The top ten from my XTC ballot, two years ago:
Senses Working OvertimeComplicated GameTravels In NihilonEnglish RoundaboutNo Language In Our LungsThe Wheel And The MaypoleBallet For A Rainy DayLife Is Good In The GreenhouseThe Smartest MonkeysBattery Brides (Andy Paints Brian)
― And the cry rang out all o'er the town / Good Heavens! Tay is down (imago), Tuesday, 26 April 2016 13:12 (seven years ago) link
Your adhesion to The Smartest Monkeys always makes me smile.
I'm sure if my Ten in there it's probably quite different.
― MaresNest, Tuesday, 26 April 2016 13:20 (seven years ago) link
Oh No Language too, bollocks, I was actually in an XTC covers band for a short while and playing the middle section in NLIOL was totally ecstatic.
― MaresNest, Tuesday, 26 April 2016 13:21 (seven years ago) link
Rocket From A Bottle
Was waiting patiently for this to show up.
― Romeo Daltrey (Tom D.), Tuesday, 26 April 2016 13:23 (seven years ago) link
The first XTC deep cut that I ever heard, on the Janice Long show in maybe 86?
People were calling her up with Halloween themed requests, that was the start of my love for the band.
― MaresNest, Tuesday, 26 April 2016 13:29 (seven years ago) link
I don't think my top ten has changed much since then. Maybe No Language In Our Lungs should be lower, or subbed out for...idk. 1000 Umbrellas was my number 11, but Leisure was my number 12 and that'd be far funnier. But I couldn't swap it for No Language now really, could I?
It strikes me as interesting that XTC are being relatively obsessed-over on ILX right now. What about their music is placing them in the discourse? Are we living through another Cuba?
― And the cry rang out all o'er the town / Good Heavens! Tay is down (imago), Tuesday, 26 April 2016 13:29 (seven years ago) link
they're the Beatles you don't want to fuck off
― frogbs, Tuesday, 26 April 2016 14:06 (seven years ago) link
yeah I guess
― And the cry rang out all o'er the town / Good Heavens! Tay is down (imago), Tuesday, 26 April 2016 14:14 (seven years ago) link
oh fuck how could i forget Red Brick Dream?
Red Brick DreamAre You Receiving Me?Life Begins at the HopAll You Pretty GirlsI Bought Myself a LiarbirdMayor of SimpletonBeating of HeartsGreat FireBorn Out of Your MouthMelt the GunsLove on a Farmboy's Wages
― flappy bird, Tuesday, 26 April 2016 15:35 (seven years ago) link
hah if you're including Warbles stuff in there, this is just impossible
"Everything" might make my list - clearly unfinished but the arrangement works so well
― frogbs, Tuesday, 26 April 2016 15:40 (seven years ago) link
Is 'Pearl' on the Warbles collections, I don't recall, beautiful song
― MaresNest, Tuesday, 26 April 2016 16:51 (seven years ago) link
i prefer this straight acoustic version of Red Brick Dream to the echo-affixed studio version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yoj9eIeolWI
also does anyone know if this semi-live tv performance of Senses Working Overtime was shot before or after they quit touring?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvOgX5ip738
― flappy bird, Tuesday, 26 April 2016 17:41 (seven years ago) link
mysteriously, it is not! Maybe I will ask him about this on twitter. The Cleaners from Venus version is great.
― Οὖτις, Tuesday, 26 April 2016 17:50 (seven years ago) link
so I did and he says
https://twitter.com/xtcfans/status/725039478470004736
― Οὖτις, Tuesday, 26 April 2016 19:11 (seven years ago) link
Eye'm glad 2 c someone mentioned 'Happy Families', always thought that was a massively underrated XTC song - particularly the early version, which dates from the Mummer period eye think? Loads more jangly guitar. 'Extrovert' also a big favourite 'o' mine, if we r talking about B-sides.
― WHERE'S JIM!? (Turrican), Tuesday, 26 April 2016 21:24 (seven years ago) link
just had an epiphany with that senses working overtime video of the resemblance between billy corgan and andy partridge. same kind of hulking-guy-with-a- cheeky,-cherubic-face
some interesting parallels career/personality-wise there too
― linee, Wednesday, 27 April 2016 20:20 (seven years ago) link
Like what?
― WHERE'S JIM!? (Turrican), Wednesday, 27 April 2016 20:28 (seven years ago) link
leaving Dear God off of Skylarking / leaving Let Me Give the World to You off of Adore
― flappy bird, Wednesday, 27 April 2016 21:35 (seven years ago) link
Aside from being precious about the way his "art", and stubbornly wanting to see his vision thru on his records, eye'd say there was no other parallel. Even with that in mind, Partridge always seemed 2 value the others in the band, and he certainly wasn't anywhere near as much of a dick 2 Moulding, Gregory, Chambers etc. compared 2 Corgan with Iha, D'Arcy and Chamberlin. Partridge may have been somewhat of a stickler in the studio, but he did have Corgan's ego, and nor was he a control freak 2 Corgan's level either. Partridge also has far more 'o' sense of humour than baldy ever will.
― WHERE'S JIM!? (Turrican), Wednesday, 27 April 2016 21:45 (seven years ago) link
-the way
― WHERE'S JIM!? (Turrican), Wednesday, 27 April 2016 21:46 (seven years ago) link
yeah big difference is that Partridge has a sense of humor
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 27 April 2016 21:49 (seven years ago) link
DIDN'T have Corgan's ego, that should read. Partridge had belief in his songs and the music he was making, but Corgan could come across as arrogantly big-headed about his songwriting, his recordings and his playing, as if the future 'o' human civilisation depended on the world being gifted Pumpkins records.
― WHERE'S JIM!? (Turrican), Wednesday, 27 April 2016 21:50 (seven years ago) link
both prolific and obsessed with their own output
both have a large body of demo material, unfinished/fulfilled projects that fans pore over
both lost a drummer after making a double album at the height of their fame
both followed this by with an a more low-key, low-selling acoustic/electronic album
both ultra-gregarious-almost-to-a-fault in interviews and in regards to their music
both ended up estranged from the other songwriter in the band
both tried to bring back elements of the music of early youth but in modern day clothes (partridge: 60s garage rock, beatlesisms. corgan: 70s hard rock and album-statement pomp and ambition)
both have that kind of uh, bullied-at-school personality (for lack of a better way of putting it) where they seem to bristle with anything they deem as more popular or "cool" than them and make a point of their "un-cool-ness"
both unpopular with the press
both renounced/secret shredders
― linee, Wednesday, 27 April 2016 21:55 (seven years ago) link
but yeah, just as many differences - sense of humour like you say being paramount there.
― linee, Wednesday, 27 April 2016 21:56 (seven years ago) link
is this in reference to Iha? Did he even get any songs on Pumpkins records? Hardly a Colin Moulding figure there.
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 27 April 2016 21:59 (seven years ago) link
I don't think Partridge is really much of a "shredder" either
Corgan absolutely has a sense of humor - just not about himself. Partridge does.
― flappy bird, Wednesday, 27 April 2016 22:00 (seven years ago) link
xp yeah Iha was 'the other songwriter' in name only. he only wrote like half a dozen songs for the Pumpkins (all of which except one were b-sides) - compared to Corgan's 300 or so.
― flappy bird, Wednesday, 27 April 2016 22:06 (seven years ago) link
but BC certainly alienated him... and much quicker than Partridge alienated Moulding and Gregory... I think that analogy only works for Iha really, because Jimmy and D'arcy either quit or were fired from the band at various points because of their drug problems. Chamberlin is back with the Pumpkins now, and D'arcy is open to coming back. Corgan fired her because she couldn't remember her parts.
― flappy bird, Wednesday, 27 April 2016 22:08 (seven years ago) link
haha well this is hardly an exact science... just mainly an idea bought on my that video and the multiple xtc and sp threads on the front page.
there was that long my history with the guitar type interview with AP that made it sound like he'd spent his early 20s reaching some sort guitar solo mild virtuoso level which he ended up finding an unsatisfying peak to be at. there are some examples of pretty amazing lead playing in xtc but I'm never sure if it's him or dave gregory
and yeah, iha as the other SP songwriter. obviously he didn't have anything like the talent or amount of record-time as colin moulding though (who I really really love). similar kind if relationship there as the two-original -members-who-stuck-together though which is maybe more of what I'm getting at.
― linee, Wednesday, 27 April 2016 22:10 (seven years ago) link
many xposts:
Eye'll concede that they're both prolific songwriters that care about the music they make, and that they have a lot of unreleased material, but they're not the only artists 2 fall in this bracket (c also: Prince)
Corgan fired Jimmy Chamberlin, whereas Terry Chambers left and it's fair 2 say that Partridge was sad 2 c him leave. Different circumstances.
There r no electronics on Mummer, and nor does it go on 4 over 70 minutes. Corgan's version 'o' low key was anything but, even when he made his "acoustic" record, he couldn't stop being excessive. Mummer is also a far warmer LP than Adore.
Partridge was also far more charitable 2wards Moulding's songs than Corgan ever was of Iha's. Iha was never seen as an equal songwriter 2 Corgan in the Pumpkins - completely different story with Moulding.
XTC have also had far more critical kudos than the Pumpkins and what the hell is secret about Corgan's shredding!? U heard Siamese Dream recently?
― WHERE'S JIM!? (Turrican), Wednesday, 27 April 2016 22:15 (seven years ago) link
ah i see, yeah totally... the only reason BC broke up the Pumpkins in 2000 was because Iha was bored with it, and he felt it would be a betrayal to go on under the same name without him. And then Iha leaves without saying goodbye to BC or Jimmy after the "final" Metro show, 4 hours on stage, 12 years of playing together, and then he just peaces. That's why I understand how vicious BC has been toward James in the press and how happy he was to have him back onstage last month - he blew up his band and his career out of loyalty to someone that didn't care in the first place. What a headfuck.
― flappy bird, Wednesday, 27 April 2016 22:17 (seven years ago) link
12 years 'o' being dragged around the world on a bus being driven by an egocentric baldy who wanted a monopoly on pretty much everything to 2 with the band will do that 2 a person, eye imagine.
― WHERE'S JIM!? (Turrican), Wednesday, 27 April 2016 22:23 (seven years ago) link
Most 'o' the seriously technical playing 'o' XTC records is Gregory. Gregory's style was more studied, whereas Partridge's was more idiosyncratic. U can tell the difference between the way both play by listening 2 the solos at the end 'o' 'Books Are Burning' ...
And therein lies a big difference between Corgan and Partridge. Partridge allowed the rest of the band to put their own stamp on things... Gregory even doing some 'o' the string arrangements. Partridge would also praise the other band members contributions, whereas Corgan would play everything on the record apart from drums and be all like "that's me on guitar, not Iha... that great playing U hear? Yeah, that's me. Not Iha."
And Iha was meant 2 be grateful 2 Corgan 4 this? No wonder he fucked off at the end without saying goodbye.
― WHERE'S JIM!? (Turrican), Wednesday, 27 April 2016 22:30 (seven years ago) link
Iha was far more loyal 2 Corgan than Corgan was 2 Iha.
― WHERE'S JIM!? (Turrican), Wednesday, 27 April 2016 22:32 (seven years ago) link
tbf Iha knew the terms of the band going in - he chose that life.
― flappy bird, Wednesday, 27 April 2016 22:40 (seven years ago) link
Did he, now? Were U there at the band's formation? How were these "terms" dictated?
― WHERE'S JIM!? (Turrican), Wednesday, 27 April 2016 22:46 (seven years ago) link
Corgan told him this is my band, I call the shots! Everyone has attested to this...
― flappy bird, Wednesday, 27 April 2016 22:47 (seven years ago) link
wow i think your apparent hatred of billy corgan is maybe splashing around this little thought pond more than it deserves
but yeah, i think corgan probably would've been more open for collaboration if he had different personnel in the band. for instance, he certainly let flood have a lot of say over where the music went and what songs to use and respected his opinion.
but unfortunately he didn't have colin moulding and dave gregory figures with him. james iha is a fairly bog-standard guitar player that wrote mainly fairly middling fluffy country-ish songs (well, from what i've heard one album and his SP contributions) and d'arcy... well, she played 90s alt-rock root-note bass. jimmy chamberlin he seems to revere as a player really (HE'S BEST ROCK DRUMMER IN THE WORLD FOR ALL TIME etc.)?
― linee, Wednesday, 27 April 2016 23:04 (seven years ago) link
So if Iha was nothing more than a paid employee and was treated as such, then Corgan shouldn't piss and moan that Iha may have just been fed up with his job and didn't like the company 'o' his boss anymore. U can't be a band ran under a dictatorship and expect the cameraderie of a democracy, but full marks 2 Corgan 4 trying 2 have it both ways.
Another key difference between XTC and The Smashing Pumpkins: XTC were always a unit, even when slimmed down 2 a trio, then a duo.
― WHERE'S JIM!? (Turrican), Wednesday, 27 April 2016 23:05 (seven years ago) link
Eye don't hate Billy Corgan. Eye have never met Billy Corgan. As a matter 'o' fact, eye rate a lot 'o' his music. However, eye would gladly spend a week in Partridge's company, whereas with Corgan eye think eye would last about five minutes be4 he began 2 annoy the shit out 'o' me.
― WHERE'S JIM!? (Turrican), Wednesday, 27 April 2016 23:13 (seven years ago) link
yeah I would love to hang out with Andy and play his homemade board games or geek out about oddball psych records or whatever. Corgan seems like he would be such an uptight domineering jerk.
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 27 April 2016 23:16 (seven years ago) link
well I agree with you both there :)
― linee, Wednesday, 27 April 2016 23:17 (seven years ago) link
young cleopatra, another great ne (along with red rocking hire) from jules vernes' sketchbook
― linee, Wednesday, 27 April 2016 23:18 (seven years ago) link
Don't really go along with the idea that Andy Partridge is some great guy tbh.
― (Henry) Green container bin with face (Tom D.), Wednesday, 27 April 2016 23:18 (seven years ago) link
There r no electronics on Mummer
What's this then?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-XjEB3dvOg
― (Henry) Green container bin with face (Tom D.), Wednesday, 27 April 2016 23:23 (seven years ago) link
analog synthesizers
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 27 April 2016 23:24 (seven years ago) link
(is my guess, not sure what the gear specifically is tbh)
Okay, so they used a Mellotron and a Prophet 5 2 add some colour. Hardly 'Pug' or 'Appels + Oranjes' is it?
― WHERE'S JIM!? (Turrican), Wednesday, 27 April 2016 23:26 (seven years ago) link
Don't forget *consults Wikipedia* Steve Nye - mini-korg on "Wonderland".
― (Henry) Green container bin with face (Tom D.), Wednesday, 27 April 2016 23:29 (seven years ago) link
― (Henry) Green container bin with face (Tom D.), Wednesday, April 27, 2016 7:18 PM (15 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
me neither. he comes off like a stubborn git
― flappy bird, Wednesday, 27 April 2016 23:35 (seven years ago) link
Yeah, 'Wonderland' has a lot 'o' keyboards on it, but use 'o' drum machines and synths is far, far more prominent on Adore.
Last time eye heard Adore eye was struck by how lacking in warmth it is. Even the portions 'o' the record that r acoustic guitar-led or piano-led sound quite cold. If Corgan was trying 2 make a warm and intimate record, he failed miserably.
― WHERE'S JIM!? (Turrican), Wednesday, 27 April 2016 23:39 (seven years ago) link
Uptight and domineering will do fine for me. (xp)
― (Henry) Green container bin with face (Tom D.), Wednesday, 27 April 2016 23:44 (seven years ago) link
As Shakey says, eye can imagine an evening with Partridge 2 be quite a fun one... geeking out on psych records or checking out his homemade board games. Eye reckon U wouldn't even need 2 really talk about XTC. Whereas Corgan, eye expect he'd want U 2 kiss his arse 4 the duration and would get upset if U didn't.
Noted Corgan defender Flappy Bird branding Partridge a "stubborn git" is priceless whichever way U slice it.
― WHERE'S JIM!? (Turrican), Wednesday, 27 April 2016 23:46 (seven years ago) link
they're both stubborn gits
― flappy bird, Wednesday, 27 April 2016 23:59 (seven years ago) link
snowmanall you pretty girlsi bought myself a liarbirdscience frictionradios in motionred brick dreambeating of heartsthat's really super, supergirlare you receiving me?making plans for nigel
― flappy bird, Monday, 12 February 2018 02:16 (six years ago) link
Easter TheaterThe Meeting PlaceSummer’s CauldronHarvest FestivalWrapped in GreyThe Wheel and the MaypoleChalkhills and ChildrenVanishing GirlBrainiac’s DaughterMaking Plans for Nigel
― aphoristical, Monday, 12 February 2018 02:37 (six years ago) link
Chalkhills and ChildrenDear God I Bought Myself A Liarbird Life Begins At The Hop Mermaid Smiled Wrapped in GreyEaster Theatre No Language In Our Lungs Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her Ballet For A Rainy Day
― kitchen person, Monday, 12 February 2018 04:25 (six years ago) link
The Wheel and the MaypoleEaster TheatreMayor of SimpletonSacrificial BonfireEarn Enough For UsTrain Running Low on Soul CoalLove on a Farmboy's WagesNo Language In Our LungsExtrovertSeagulls Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her
― Full of bile and Blue Nile denial (Turrican), Monday, 12 February 2018 13:13 (six years ago) link
OP10 B-sides:
Don't Lose Your TemperChain Of CommandGoldJumpDesert IslandToysRed Brick DreamExtrovertTerrorism (demo)Ella Guru
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Monday, 12 February 2018 14:59 (six years ago) link
Radios In-MotionTissue TigersRunawaysTowers of LondonDon't Lose Your TemperReign of BlowsRespectable StreetThat is the WayThe RhythmEnglish Roundabout
― kwhitehead, Monday, 12 February 2018 21:47 (six years ago) link