Members Magpel Posted November 17, 2009 Members Share Posted November 17, 2009 I was influenced powerfully by Andy Partridge for many years, but have felt over him for quite a while, due in part to A) how bad, imo, the last XTC album was--Wasp Star, Apple Venus volume 2) B) how endlessly he re-tinkers, re-annotates, and re-releases the XTC catalogue, C) A growing awareness that he is in some ways a disagreeable fellow, and D) Just maybe a sneaking feeling that is was never quite as great I thought it was back then... But listening to the six volumes of demos, unreleased songs and various quark he releases under the title Fuzzy Warbles Andy's greatness is reaffirmed in my eyes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Lee Knight Posted November 17, 2009 Moderators Share Posted November 17, 2009 Tell me about the Fuzzy Warbles. I know nothing. I loved "The Andy" back inthe day though. Agreed on Apple Venus etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Magpel Posted November 17, 2009 Author Members Share Posted November 17, 2009 Well, Lee, it is common knowledge among the XTC-heads that Andy has long been a positively baroque home demo-ist. In fact, they were so dissatisfied with Gus Dudgeon's work on Nonesuch, they released an alternative all-demosversion. He has years and years of demos of songs that did and did not make the albums along with his more avant garde composer stuff, and Fuzzy Warbles are 6 full length CDs of that kind of texture. Luckily more songs I don't know than alt versions of the ones I do...and I know all the official XTC songs. Again, it is Rhapsody that makes this possible for me. I would never have bought the Warbles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Lee Knight Posted November 17, 2009 Moderators Share Posted November 17, 2009 I think Andy and Colin should do a pop album. Get John Fields to produce (Switchfoot, Jonas Bros) and go for a way over the top pop recording. It'd be a smash. For me at least. I must check the Warble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nat whilk II Posted November 17, 2009 Members Share Posted November 17, 2009 Tell me about the Fuzzy Warbles. I know nothing. I loved "The Andy" back inthe day though. Agreed on Apple Venus etc. You don't care for vol 1? Actually that was the very first XTC album I ever acquired, and I'm pretty fond of it. So much so, it was that album that inspired me to work backwards through the catalogue. The only XTC cuts I had previously heard off the radio were Dear God and Making Plans For Nigel, which (I'm sure this is total XTC blasphemy) I found only mildly and temporarily interesting, not enough to get me into their material back in their heyday. Well I take that back - I did hear Peter Pumpkinhead previously, which did interest me a lot, mainly because the bass part recalled the bass part on The Byrd's Renaissance Fair, which I've always admired. But anyway....no love for Apple Venus vol 1??? nat whilk ii Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Magpel Posted November 17, 2009 Author Members Share Posted November 17, 2009 Nat Whik!! No! Apple Venus Vol. I is a terrific record! It is the follow up, Wasp Star, Apple Venus Vol. 2 that--in my humbop--sucks total ass. You don't care for vol 1? Actually that was the very first XTC album I ever acquired, and I'm pretty fond of it. So much so, it was that album that inspired me to work backwards through the catalogue. The only XTC cuts I had previously heard off the radio were Dear God and Making Plans For Nigel, which (I'm sure this is total XTC blasphemy) I found only mildly and temporarily interesting, not enough to get me into their material back in their heyday. Well I take that back - I did hear Peter Pumpkinhead previously, which did interest me a lot, mainly because the bass part recalled the bass part on The Byrd's Renaissance Fair, which I've always admired. But anyway....no love for Apple Venus vol 1??? nat whilk ii Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted November 17, 2009 Members Share Posted November 17, 2009 ... and D) Just maybe a sneaking feeling that is was never quite as great I thought it was back then... Nah. You're second guessing this in a bad way. He's great. You don't lose greatness as your creativity diminishes or your listeners' tastes expand. My prime example of this is that Paul McCartney and Neil Young can both continue releasing crappy records until their combined age is 209, but that doesn't take away their greatness a single iota. Once you hit a certain level of greatness, you're locked in. Andy hit that point long ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Magpel Posted November 17, 2009 Author Members Share Posted November 17, 2009 Well I certainly wouldn't want to insult a cat who's music has meant as much to me, in case Andy should be reading--Hell, I actually wrote a song about Andy once, called "The Hermit of Swindon." Yes, it is in my pile of "songs best not shared," but there's a chance it'll make my own Fuzzy Warbles someday... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted November 17, 2009 Members Share Posted November 17, 2009 Well I certainly wouldn't want to insult a cat who's music has meant as much to me, in case Andy should be reading-- That needn't be your impetus in any case. First, Andy wouldn't give a {censored}. Second, you're allowed to not like something an artist does without feeling like his whole creative output was a sham. Melville could have written some really horrible {censored} after Moby-Dick, but the whale book would still be a good read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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