Senses Working Overtime: XTC and Dukes of Stratosphear Song-by-song

Great band.
I particularly love the Drum and Wires through to Big Express period.

The recent expanded sets with surround mixes are all excellent, and I'm still hoping that English Settlement, Mummer and Big Express can be done, if they can find the tapes.

I'll certainly try and poke my head in.

Good choice mate.

 

Coming from you…shocking!!

 

As much as I love the frenzied post punk sensibility of the first two LP's, XTC was born with Drums and Wires.

 

Lol

 

I hope so!

 

Feel free to add whatever you wish.

 

Yes, I actually waited over a year and a half to start this just to get some distance between your thread and mine.

 

I loved @George Co-Stanza ’s XTC thread. I sadly did not participate nearly as much as I should have.

 

ill be able to saturate the thread with photos of goodies from my collection. Been collecting XTC since the mid 80's...

 

Their first album was a blast of fresh air coming as it did in the post-punk, new wave era. Andy quickly flourished as a songwriter and, after Colin stopped trying to imitate Andy and found his own voice, he likewise did terrific work.

 

Super excited to lurk and learn more about a band I’ve never given enough attention to. Thanks Lance!

 

Some brief background information on XTC before I begin holding up the first song:

XTC formed in the small town of Swindon, in Southwest England, circa 1972 by guitarist Andy Partridge and bassist Colin Moulding, both of whom would become the primary songwriters of thee band. Andy Partridge to this day continues to live in Swindon.

In 1972, their band was in the glam rock mold, and the two were also admirerrs of progressive rock, especially Yes. Drummer Terry Chambers joined the band quite early on and the band featured an often changing line up. Around the time the band changed their name to XTC, keyboardist Barry Andrews joined and the band was complete.

Eventually, they, or at least Andy Partridge, began to be very influenced by contemporary New York rock, particularly The New York Dolls (Partridge literally wrote the band a letter offering his services as guitarist -- though he never sent the letter) and Richard Hell and Voidoids, The Ramones etc.

By the time the Sex Pistols broke in the UK and the punk new wave took over English music scene, the band seems to have regarded them as not being that radical: in Andy's words, they were just doing energetic rock music based on the New York stuff he had been admiring and imitating for several years. At the same time, the he and the band seemed to recognize that the music they were making very much fit into that New Wave genre and they were swept up in the moment and part of it. In the industry frenzy to sign British punk bands, they were signed to Virgin Records.

Their first EP 3D EP was recorded and mixed in three days at Abbey Road Studios in London, between April 28th and April 30th, 1977, with the now-legendary John Leckie producing.

3D EP was released on October 7th, 1977 on Virgin Records. The tracklist was:

1. Science Friction (Andy Partridge)
   
2. She's So Square (Partridge)
3. Dance Band (Moulding)
   (Hidden track: "Goodnight Sucker

Later, the EP was included as bonus tracks in CD reissues of their debut album White Music, where it can still be found today.

I will begin holding up songs from White Music on Thursday.

 

Today's song is "Science Friction" written by Andy Partridge and produced by John Leckie.

XTC – Science Friction Lyrics | Genius Lyrics

"Science Friction" led off 3D EP and was also XTC's first single. However, while it was planned for release in the UK, it was withdrawn and was only released in Continental Europe, Australia and New Zealand

Line UP:
Andy Partrige: lead vocals, guitars
Barry Andrews: piano, synthesizer
Colin Moulding: bass, vocals
Terry Chambers: drums

 

This looks a fun thread. I've ever been a great fan, only having the Dukes... material and the amazing English Settlement, so I'll settle in for the ride and learn some stuff!

 

A few of the 7" version of the UK "Science Friction" did make it out, and if it has the p/s, its a extremely rare item. I've never seen the "3D Single" p/s in person.

Here is the UK, with the provided generic sleeve:



The German 7" pressing is also a tough one to find, if you are desiring unique sleeves. The French 7" has a unique p/s, while the Australian and New Zealand use a generic one.

The 12" EP sounds great at 45rpm, and has the older blue Virgin labels, and was re-released in 1983 or so, with the green/red labels and this reissue is the more common version found here in the States.

 

A decent first up effort, and Andy's weird phrasing is already present. 3/5

 

French promo 7"
"Promo" cut corner tough too see in the photo.

 

Are we going to go into Beeswax and Waxworks? Though I haven't listened to either of them in years, I remember loving them.

OK I just checked Wikipedia, they are both together just A+B side comp LPs, so nothing rare on them, I forgot what was on them after all these years. LOL

 

ah, this is great - and the timing couldn't have been better. I've only recently started listening to XTC in the last month or so. I was familiar with Nigel, but other than that, I knew nothing...

I kicked off my journey with Skylarking. man, this album is pure gold! absolutely rinsed this one in the last few weeks. defintite 10/10er! bloody great album!

I've since moved on to Oranges & Lemons. another absolute cracker! I've seen some people suggest this is a sell out album - but I'm not feeling that at all. Mayor of Simpleton is absolute killer pop! another corker of a record from front to back

last couple days I've been dipping into English Settlement. again, this is another gem! loving this one a lot, right off the bat

anyway, I digress! glad this thread is here and I look forward to seeing what folks have to say about the records I've not heard yet

 

Yes, we won't go through them per se, but all the songs will be covered.

I may go for a one-day lump post on the dub experiments stuff, by the way.

 

The opening of "Science Friction", all pounding synth and atonal guitar prepares me to listen to something like a hyperactive Wire...but what we get instead is...a hyperactive ska song about masturbating to a fantasy about aliens; chock full of guitar and synth hooks and an odd hicupping vocal from Andy Partrige.

I think the lyric is the best part of the song (what was it with the punks and aliens?) and the hooks and general energy elevate it into something quite enjoyable: definitely a very new wave sounding sound, but I like that sound.

3.2/5

 

3/5 An appealing introduction to the band that lays out everything they were capable of in their early incarnation--tight, nervy new wave--but it falls short of being transcendent. A promising beginning.

 

I've always loved the bass tone John Leckie was able to capture. A nice blend of direct and a mic'd amp. "Dance Band" is a prime example of it.

 

I haven't heard this one before ... In fact I am pretty much completely unfamiliar with the pre-Drums and Wires material, though I did hear This Is Pop once when I was a youngster, but I don't remember it at all.

This is a really interesting blend of a sort of punkish attitude, and uptempo ska. I wouldn't have picked the guys as doing that, but it makes perfect sense when we look at when this was recorded.

It's interesting that it was released as a single in Aus... I may have been slightly young, but I don't ever recall hearing it, and even though I wasn't yet buying records, I was watching all the music shows and listening to the radio.
It's a pretty solid first single, and it seems weird that it didn't get a UK single release.

 

It did not chart anwhere, apparently, so probably not surprising that you didn't grow up hearing it.

AS far as the single release goes...I mean, why bother releasing it as a single at all? Seems kind of pointless as the EP it came from was only three songs, was also on 7 inch vinyl...So maybe it was a punk ethos "value for money" decision that the company made to not release it in the UK.