Show 123 - XTC - Early Tracks and "Warbles"

[Rick and Roll]

Airing Sunday 3/25, 8-11 PM EST and Monday 3/26, 1-4 PM EST

This is the first of two shows featuring the great band XTC....by popular demand...

A true "tweener" band, we'll hear the great songwriting of Andy Partridge, with a dash of Colin Moulding's wonderful songs, all topped with the excellent musicianship of Dave Gregory.

This week will be songs from their second through fifth CD's, and lots of material from Andy Partridge's 8-CD "Fuzzy Warbles" box set. Also we'll hear some cuts from the compilation "Rag & Bone Buffet". One of the most challenging shows I've done, short songs and all not on the Moon.

from "Drums And Wires" (1979)

Making Plans For Nigel
Ten Feet Tall
Scissor Man

from "Black Sea" (1980)

Generals & Majors
Love At First Sight
Paper And Iron (Notes And Coins)
Burning With Optimism's Flames
Travels In Nihilion

from "English Settlement" (1982)

Runaways
Senses Working Overtime
No Thugs In Our House
Yacht Dance
English Roundabout
Snowman

from "Mummer" (1983)

Beating of Hearts
Love On A Farmboy's Wages
Deliver Us From The Elements
Ladybird
Jump

Some outstanding Moulding tracks (Nigel, Generals, Runanways, First Sight) and some punky Partridge tracks (Scissor and Thugs). Mummer is quite mellow, and features the great "Farmboy" track. "Ladybird" could pass for jazz...very smooth.

Four great CD's.

from Andy Partridge's "Fuzzy Warbles" collection -

it's 8 discs (plus a bonus one) with 17-20 songs on each, mostly just Andy and a lot of them short and silly. I've put in some info on each song I'm playing. I bought this as a result of Andy's great weekly myspace series, where he is interviewed each week about a specific song. Great info and fun with these interviews. Last week they even discussed Kate Bush and her breasts...

Dame Fortune (Apple Venus 1 outtake)
Born Out of Your Mouth (1995)
Everything (Oranges & Lemons outtake)
Merely A Man (Oranges & Lemons demo)
Wonder Annual (Nonsvch outtake)
I Didn't Want To Be Here (AIDS Benefit song, 1999)
Young Marrieds (Wasp Star outtake)
Summer's Cauldron (great rough version of the Skylarking tune)
Strawberry Fields Forever (Dave Gregory on all instruments, Andy on vocals - GREAT!)
All I Dream Of Is A Friend (90's song)
Me And The Wind (ealy 80's)
My Land Is Burning (1994 Apple Venus songs)
Can't Tell What Truth Is Anymore (Wasp Star)
The Tiny Circus of Life (Wasp Star)
I'm Unbecome (Apple Venus take...very mellow song)
Through Electric Gardens (Wasp Star)
Silverstar (silly little thing)
Happy Birthday Karen (another fun ditty)
Shalloween (Apple Venus take)

and from the XTC compilation "Rag and Bone Buffet"

Extrovert (vibrant rock and roll cut, B side of Skylarking's "Grass")
Mermaid Smiled (Skylarking sessions)
The World Is Full of Angry Young Men (from the "Mummer" sessions, this and Nonsvch's "Smartest Monkeys" are my favorite Colin songs)
History of Rock and Roll (a 20-second epic!)

Next week is Big Express, Skylarking, Oranges & Lemons, Nonsvch, Apple Venus 1 and 2 (Wasp Star).

Enjoy the prog break!