Todd Rundgren & Andy Partridge's XTC Skylarking feud | Neville Farmer interview

[@RalphLegnini]

I worked on the Skylarking record as part of Todd's production team and was in the studio with everyone each day -and had the entire XTC band and Todd over to my house on multiple evenings for dinner and drinks - and this whole perception of a weird confrontational clash is tremendously exaggerated - by - as Paul McCartney says about folks opinions of the Beatle stuff - by people who were NOT there! Todd's pace & momentum making a record is relatively quick with extremely confident decisions made along the way. I think that pace was not within the comfort zone on the band. But that record was quite successful and well received ultimately - and would not have been any better if another 3 months or a year were spent on it.

[@gaskellr44]

There is always a mythology about what goes on behind closed doors in situations like this, and I suppose people's preconceptions of both parties, easily lead to stories being highly exaggerated, and it's not as if it went on for months. Could I please ask, could you tell that the album was going to be such a fantastic output early on in its production, or was that more apparent later? You say, more time would not have improved the record drastically, is that to do with each composition being more or less complete, just the need for editing and over-dubs to be carried out?

[@tokingreens]

Thank you for your insight. Appreciate it.

[@TTM9691]

Fantastic comment, makes me want to ask a million questions......but all I'll say is: in fairness, Andy has spoken disparagingly about Todd. "He was a bastard" is one quote, I still have the magazine right here, it's from after "Oranges & Lemons". So, it's not completely an invention of writers, but it's probably being blown out of proportion. I will also say that I've never thought much of "Dear God" as a song or a record, and prefer "Mermaid Smile"! lol. Todd's work on "Skylarking" (and everyone else's) is outstanding, as time as proven beyond a shadow of a doubt. Just the first song alone!

[@tikitorturedmf]

The production on Skylarking is stellar. Thank you for your involvement in that absolute classic album.

[@ultraparadoxical7610]

Interesting! But listen to what was said long after the sessions. For example, TR’s interview with Mark Maron. Insightful sometimes. Vitriolic always. It’s really too bad. TR is a huge jerk during that interview imo

[@susanvannorden6845]

I enjoy skylarking every time I play it. Todd is grand as well, I have everything xtc put out, and most of Todd’s

[@icespittingfire]

the whole 'out of phase' thing is silly. obviously the two channels weren't out of phase on the original mix/master, otherwise it would have sounded dreadful to all concerned. the engineer must have meant 'incorrect absolute polarity', which may be true but USUALLY can't be heard across a whole mix (you can hear it under perfect conditions on things like percussion and brass with strong transients). so i suspect it's just a mountain out of a molehill. this then coincided with some other more audible improvements (EQ / dynamics / etc) and the whole thing got conflated in a less-technical person's mind. and the rest is history / noise.

[@DontLetsStartAPodcastAboutTMBG]

I have compared both versions of Skylarking, the original and the "corrected polarity" version, for the life of me I cannot hear a difference.

[@l3eatalphal3eatalpha]

Exactly, they should have put Dobly on it.

[@wahivalleys3011]

XTC should thank Todd, and God, that Todd was in control, and not AP. Good grief, what a bandmate, what a beating he must have been. Wahi' Valleys

[@chrisguygeezer]

Andy never said the first master/issue sounded rubbish at all! What he said was that he felt that something wasn't quite right about about it. Stop shit-stirring!

[@billmulvihill8452]

Well what was wrong with it then?🤔

[@chrisguygeezer]

@@billmulvihill8452 cables on the mixing desk were out of phase

[@billmulvihill8452]

@@chrisguygeezer I’ve got both CDs, so I’ll have to compare them….

[@chrisguygeezer]

@@billmulvihill8452 I have original LP, first CD, reissue LP box set, and CD reissue. The box set LP issue is to die for. 👌