...personally 'Skylarking' is one of the most melodically and musically rich albums I've ever heard and a personal favourite of mine. It bombed here when released but charted just outside the Top 50 in the US. Its relative lack of success shouldn't be held against it though; I could play it alongside classic Beatles/Beach Boys albums and it would stand up, I think.

There was a period a few years ago though with a fair amount of British groups shamelessly aping their early years; The Futureheads and Dogs Die In Hot Cars (anyone remember them?) were the most blatant.

I'm with you all they way. I love Skylarking. I would put it in my Desert Island Discs, if Kirsty is thinking of calling me.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/runt/2008/02/17/rundgren-radio

No apologies for re-posting this - a 2-hour February 2008 radio interview with AP, naturally biased towards the Todd Rundgren produced "Skylarking", but also covering his whole career and his new-ish Ape label. The varying sound levels will do your head in, but he's a great storyteller and would be an excellent guest on the Word podcast...

As for why XTC aren't more revered, I think that as far as the general public are concerened, they never had that killer "must-have" album or single, though they were frighteningly consistent and are very very underrated. That could be partly due to the non-touring, some very poor videos, and - sad to say - they were never really lookers either. They've also never really had a "Keeper of the Flame" to fly the flag for them, as they had a big bust-up with Virgin, so no big reissue programme.

But yes, "Skylarking" is one of my Desert Island Discs too, a wonderful record...

was always one of my faves. I interviewed Mr Partridge in his home a few years ago for a radio show and he did his personal XTC Top Ten. ( Number One was 'Easter Theatre' off 'Apple Venus One'. ) He has a guitar made out of a petrol can which he calls his Fender Strato-Castrol! He even performed a fragment of a number on it. I have the tape of the complete interview and Top Ten but I've no idea how to upload it. Help gratefully appreciated. It's on CD if that's in any way significant.

I've nothing startling to add to this thread, but as I've raved about XTC and Andy P on numerous Word threads, I thought I'd better stick my hand up on this one, too. My personal all-time favourite XTC album is "English Settlement", and I still cherish the memory of hearing my first songs from the album when they performed "No Thugs In Our House" and "Yacht Dance" on The Old Grey Whistle Test. I think that was the album where they really expanded their sonic palette, and Andy and Colin fully matured as songwriters. It's been an enduring disappointment over the last few decades that I never saw them live, during their brief stage career, and an enduring (but dwindling) hope that Andy P will once more tread the boards. Heck, he could adopt a low-key solo acoustic stage career. I'm sure I could persuade the committee at Lichfield Arts to book him! (Yeah, dreaming again...).

Come on, chaps - you know you want to interview him for the podcast!

Sorry, I also have to join the "Skylarking" Appreciation Society. It's a great album.
Am I the only one who thinks that it's a crime that Colin Moulding has given up music to drive a van? He could have been Pink Floyd's bassist for the "Momentary lapse" Tour if he'd been prepared to take a break from XTC.
I saw Thomas Dolby a year or so ago and was reminded of that ruse that almost got Andy P back on the road about the time of "Oranges and Lemons". If only...

except that XTC were the first band whose single I actively sought out through the record shops of our town. Despite it being 'Senses Working Overtime' and therefore a big hit, our local Woolies, WHSmiths n Boots failed me but the local independant saved my life

I loved them then and I love them still and still introduce people to them when I can. A friend of mine got v excited when he heard Andy's rejected song for the 'Buster' soundtrack - 'My Train Is Coming' and asked if it was a classic 60's track. I pointed him towards the 'X' section and now a fledgling fan is making his way thru their catalogue.

Recently I have been much enjoying their Dukes Of The Stratosphear stuff. Particularly the Psonic Psunspot LP and the sublime Vanishing Girl

I love XTC with a passion. I really do.

Still not given up trying to convert my friends to their cause... not often getting very far though.

"Do they lack a certain sexiness? Are they too geeky, British and male?" Not for me. I have a huuuge fantasy crush on Messrs Moulding and Partridge. (I am now going for a cold shower)

Sorry, guys, I have tried. Really tried, but I struggle. I have, I guess, maybe 20 or so tracks accumulated over the years, having purchased some of the early singles and downloaded some recommendations as (probably) you guys have insisted on their worth. There is something in the bounciness of the melodies that seems to override the vocal ranges and always leaves me more underwhelmed than I feel I ought. A lack of, dare I say it, soul, however passionately played...... Sure, I know they are "important" and all that but I just can't quite get there. If you can commend one whole CD which will finally convince me, one way or the other, please do so. One without any annoying singles, maybe???

I have about a third of English Settlement, on checking back. (Funny how tracks accumulate even for bands one doesn't necessarily enthuse. I think it is my anus, insisting on my having at least a track or 2 of "important" bands, unless I really hate them. Would explain my 10 Zappas, 3 Black Sabbath and 1 Beefheart.)

One of the first albums bought with my own money at the fine old age of 13. Because it had "Making Plans for Nigel" and they have been like cooler older brothers ever since.

I love them with as much or should I say more passion as most of my friends hate them. I think the touring thing didn't help them, that and some difficult songs, but to me they chime beautifully and uniquely.

They were the coolest band I never saw.

Love em to death. Apple Venus is the masterpiece,slightly ahead of Skylarking in my opinion. Although Nonsuch is also a grower. Actually they are all rather good. Buy em all and go nuts!

Now Partridge, get your finger out and give us something new.

I don't think there's anyone that can boast a singles back catalogue as consistently brilliant as theirs. I don't just mean the chart hits but other stuff like Ten Feet Tall, No Thugs In Our House, etc, constantly changing styles. There's not a duff one in there.

I've been listening to some DofS stuff recently too, as well as Skylarking. They can't be beaten.

In a way, I quite like it that they remain unsung. Someone's got to, and I'd rather it were them. We all know they're loved by the critics and fans alike, but they choose to stay out of the spotlight, so let's leave it there and just enjoy. They're never going to be bigger than they are now.

...around the time of Black Sea and English Settlement. Retirement from touring at this point and a protracted battle with Virgin records following Nonsuch really didn't help their momentum. I think too that AP could be very wordy - brilliantly of course. Not for him the simple boy meets girl lyric. I love all their albums and think Skylarking just about edges it. I only have to hear the sound of the crickets in Summer Cauldron to be transported back to a more wondrous time.

Dukes Of Stratosphear is great but apart from that I just don't find them very interesting.

to Mr Partridges Fuzzy Warbles collection of offcuts and demos, I`ve got to say that even these are better than most current bands hit singles. "Ship Trapped In The Ice" and "My Land Is Burning" would grace anybodys greatest hits collection and "My Dictionary" still gets the hairs standing up on the back of my neck. Andy Partridge should be upgraded to an area of outstanding musical beauty.

I am all for a free-for-all XTC love-in, (and how about a few words of praise for the underrated patchy 80s works Big Express and Mummer).

Reasons they were never huge was the question, and one worthy of a little bit of rumination. I will throw in my two ha'peth:

i) They were just too clever for their own good. It's only 1979 and already we had Go2, as painstakingly labyrinthine as the sleeve insert that you had to piece together with the back of the album cover. And even their biggest hit, Senses, was about seven songs tacked together. Not sure what the point of an XTC with all those kinks ironed out of it would have been anyway...

ii) They have written scores of quite wonderful songs, but when it came to singles, generally they couldn't quite write the killer chorus. The Mayor of Simpleton: Nearly... The Disappointed:Was that the chorus, or was the verse the chorus? All good songs, but you get the feeling they never quite hit the back of the net when it came to getting milkmen - and indeed milkmaids - whistling.

iii) They gave up touring in 1982. Hardly helps matters. And they were a patchy live proposition before that anyway.

iv) Their sense of musical timing has always been a bit rum. The World was hardly waiting for two albums worth of "Pentangle on speed" (Andy's own words)in 1982. How about a slickly produced psychedelic concept album in 1986 (just as the taste setters were reassessing ELO and Todd Rundgren, as if...). And then came Britpop and Blur - what better time could there have been to reappear; "Partridge? Moulding jnr? where are you; there's some people here wanting to pay homage."

v) Let's be honest: Colin Moulding excepted, they weren't oil paintings were they? Though I think anyone standing in the general vicinity of their long-departed keyboardist Barry Andrews is going to look pretty darned handsome pretty quickly.

But yes Easter Theatre at No.1.

I saw them in 1978 in the refurbished bowling alley that was Redcar's Coatham Bowl. It's one of my best memories of that era and they were very tight and inspired. It must have been the time that Andrews was about to leave because Andy Partridge let me and my mates back into the dressing room after the gig to share pints of orange juice - yes really - and the band were really friendly except Andrews who sat silent in a corner.

My view is that they had sold out a bit and become less spikey and more mainstream we won't have had so much great and quirky music from them down the years. The whole idea of listed buildings is accepted now but I wonder if such a concept should be extended to other elements of culture such as music.

So here's to XTC becoming a listed band. I don't know about their money situation but if this was done there could be someway to make financial grants to such bands. There would be many more who would deserve to be listed - and it would be nice change from awards focussed on discovering new music or paying tribute to major bands who have enjoyed music - and financial - success over many years.

and we should entice Lichfield Arts to book Andy Partridge for that solo acoustic gig. We would have at least 3 in the audience - going to see Tom Russell there tonight and after 2 months of the tickets being on sale i got nos. 14 and 15 so I don't think the place will be rocking as they say.

For the record my 3 fave XTC songs are No thugs in our house, Dear God and Mayor of Simpleton quickly followed by Generals and Majors.
Not being a live band had a detrimental effect on their popularity plus they came out when a more anarchic attitude and sound were prevalent.

My intentions were high, Steve, but I failed, not least as last saturday was always going to guarantee sunday being a very quiet day..... I hope it was good and that at least a few more sold. Was PV not there?
P.S. I even went to the Lichfield Arts AGM.
A day late.

He was excellent - very bad sound problem for first number which was a new song including lines from Reason to believe and Tower of Song.After that everything went brilliantly - played over 2 and half hours and is also a very witty raconteur in between songs - not quite to same extent as Jackie Leven but similar.
First visit to Guildhall and its a nice little venue - would like to get involved actually because I strongly believe in what they are trying to do and the lack of funding is scandalous.

Not sure if PV was there - no idea what he looks like. Maybe we should all meet up sometime and start a revolution!!

I love XTC and believe they should have been huge but I believe the timing of Andy's breakdown could not have been worse, very unfortunate They were on the verge of making it big around the English settlement tour stopping touring didn't harm the Beatles but they were huge when they stopped, timing is everything

Talent wise they are second only to the Beatles in my opinion Partridges Fuzzy Warbles shows just what a great songwriter he is, the depth of his talent.

In terms of greatness I always look at quantity and quality If you look at Dylans output he is a great artist quantity and quality

XTC pass this test easily

As for the looks argument I believe there is a schism in our culture between those who truly value music for what it is and those who are bothered more about image this can be seen from both The X factor and NME where image is the most important factor video killed the radio star indeed.