Friday, February 6

X T C - Black Sea Demos (etc.) 1980

1980 Polygram Studios
London, England
 
studio recordings (sound quality: VG to VG+; faint hiss is audible at times, but it won't ruin your listening enjoyment)
 
Cracks me up
I think this cover art (courtesy of Trystereo) is hilarious

ROB SEZ: Thanks to Hans de Vente, we have here a gem of a rarity: band demos (and perhaps also rough mixes) from sessions for the fourth album. Oddly, there are also three solo demos from Mr. Partridge (#8-10). These were on the tape that AP sent to Hans (see below), so they've been preserved in their original running order. However, you might want to move them as you arrange the tracks for your listening pleasure. Believe it or not, these have never seen an official release (even on the seemingly endless Fuzzy Warbles collections).


01 Living Through Another Cuba  
     [instrum.]
02 Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me)
03 Rocket From a Bottle
04 Towers of London
05 Smokeless Zone [instrum.]
06 Ban the Bomb [instrum.]
07 No Language In Our Lungs
08 Pearl [APartridge solo]
09 Holding the Baby  
     [APartridge solo]
10 Monkeys In Human Skin Suites
     [APartridge solo]
11 Burning With 
     Optimism’s Flames
12 Paper and Iron 
     (Notes and Coins) 
13 Travels In Nihilon
14 Don't Lose Your Temper
15 Respectable Street
16 Generals and Majors
 
TT: 63 mins. 
 
REPERCUSSION: Several of our heroes have named X T C as an influence, and no less than Chris Stamey wrote a very catchy song not long ago called "You 'n' Me 'n' X T C" — recorded with musical advice from a certain Mr. Partridge. (Wanna hear it? Go here).

SKYLARKING AGAIN?  X T C in their 1980s heyday
MP3@320

X T C:
Andy  Partridge - guitar, vocals
Dave Gregory - guitar, vocals
Colin Moulding - bass, vocals
Terry Chambers – drums

Learn more about the music of X T C at Wikipedia, Andy P's official site, &/or this impressive fan site


8 comments:

  1. BONUS POST!

    X T C – Odd Ditties (studio banter, false starts, song bits)

    date(s), recording location(s) unknown

    studio recordings (sound quality: VG+; best guess is these date from the early to mid 1980s)

    First 17 tracks include banter, false starts, bodily noises, song snippets, etc. #16 & 17 are parts 1 & 2 of a studio jam.

    Track 18 = mystery track (hint: it’s a very rare full song, with details in the file tags)

    Obsessives and collectors will love these. (Others out there might prefer to clean out their junk email folders, or something equally exciting.)

    1-17 = Hans de Vente X T C Tape #22

    Track 18 from HdV Tape #29.

    Thanks again, Hans!

    COVER ART INCLUDED

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/jat2ktnfyuirhra/X%20T%20C%20-%20Odd%20Ditties%20%28studio%20banter%2C%20song%20snippets%2C%20etc.%29%20HQ%20MP3.zip?dl=0

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  2. Thanks so much for these XTC files! What a code for the bonus post too!! Thanks also to Hans who has most likely the biggest, best & rarest collection of XTC material. Wouldn't mind hearing more when available too.

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    Replies
    1. My pleasure, Anonymous. Will certainly add XTC to the list for future posts (and, yes, there's more from Hans' collection available for that purpose...)

      Delete
  3. He sold his XTC collection to one of the biggest collector on the planet. No other details known. If you jumped on all of the uploads in his various forums and Dime the past couple years, consider yourself lucky as I doubt they will ever show up again.

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    Replies
    1. I heard that. I also saw a written reply from Hans that he didn't really get all that much money for the collection, but that he needed the cash, so he let 'em go. My bet is that enough people like me snagged enough of the collection that it will still circulate in the future, if you know where to look...

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  4. Thank you!!! You've made my day.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank you for the rare XTC. If you have more demos I'd love to hear them.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for your comment, A-Mfan. I will consider your request when I am working up new posts.

      Delete

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