XTC - Complicated Game (Reaction/Request - This was Unexpected, Love it!)

[@toddbernhardt2309]

XTC is one of the few bands out there that covered so much ground over the course of their 14 studio album career that there's really something there for everyone, if they're willing to listen. Particularly glad you enjoyed this one -- the song so good that Andy and I ("the interviewer") named a book after it. :-)

[@Yeedeed]

Oh man, Todd! Thank you so much for the article. I should have given you credit. So sorry I didn't. Thank you man! And thank you for watching this!

[@toddbernhardt2309]

@@Yeedeed Hey, thank YOU for doing it and bringing more attention to the band. That's really all I care about. It was great to see your reaction ... stuff like that makes me appreciate the song (and the band) all that much more.

[@toddbernhardt2309]

@@Yeedeed What would also be cool is for you to do a reaction to "River of Orchids," off of Apple Venus, their penultimate album. It's about as far away from "Complicated Game" as you can get, but still a stunning and distinctive piece of work.

[@Yeedeed]

@@toddbernhardt2309 you got it Todd! I just checked out Easter Theatre last night and that was a masterpiece!

[@toddbernhardt2309]

@@Yeedeed -- yeah, Andy's a legit genius (and I don't say that lightly). Have fun exploring the XTCatalog ... each album is different than the rest and has its own charms.

[@toucangesture3217]

XTC changed the game completely.

[@elosoguapo8137]

My favorite XTC song. This band was way ahead of their time.

[@johnmavroudis2054]

XTC is flat-out brilliant. SO MUCH great music from them to explore. LOVE your reaction to this song, as well... Cheers!

[@MisterNiles]

One of my all time favorite songs.

[@davel9954]

Thank you!! I loved watching your reaction to this song. Strangely I had tears rolling down my face watching your enthusiasm and appreciation playing your imaginary bass. I felt a sadness but joy and I envy you hearing these songs for the first time it takes me back to how I felt back in the day. More please 👍

[@anotherdeadweirdo382]

The reason this was a b-side must be because they knew the world wasn’t ready for it en masse. It’s my favorite XTC song and one of my favorite songs of all time. It’s just such an epically expressive piece of music.

[@MrNaKillshots]

It is phenomenal.

[@sandothemando8924]

I first heard this song in the movie 'Vivarium' and instantly fell in love with it!!

[@axlrozes1777]

same!!!!

[@forasec]

ditto! and I found SOOOO Much more! the whole album Drums and Wires is a great start

[@gerardmccavana4905]

Great song...by one of the best bands and best writers ever

[@superlove35]

XTC is one of the greatest rock bands of ALL TIME. Get into them!

[@i_love_rescue_animals]

YES!! Loved them since the early 80's.

[@ChipMatthews]

XTC is one of the greatest art-pop bands of all time, and one of the rare bands that just kept getting better and better throughout their career. They started with a pretty heavy punk influence. This is one of their heavier tracks from the same album as "Making Plans for Nigel". XTC always has incredibly clever lyrics and a huge catalog of brilliant songs. Killer bass lines too. Oranges and Lemons and Nonesuch are two of my favorite albums of all time. To see how much their sound evolved over the years give the song "Easter Theater" a try. Brilliantly creative pop.

[@dopaminetxmusic8215]

Great song! Great amazing band!! Their complete discography is insane

[@CatsLoveMusic2]

This song! I listen to it every single day!! I can’t believe either that this song came out in 1979! Sounds like it was made yesterday! Love it!

[@frontfocus1]

It's great to see a reaction from a person who really listens to the music. Thank you.

[@gibbogle]

Glad you like it. I got the album back then, still got it.

[@gerardmccavana4905]

Love your enthusiasm for this song. Brilliant

[@jpbliss1]

I love the growth of this song, (for me) mirroring the growth of frustration one might feel as it becomes clear that there's no way to influence an outcome. As you say, genius.

[@ramblerandy2397]

I remember buying this album back in 1979, and Complicated Game was one track too much for me back then. My favourite being Scissor Man. Just a few years later I was hearing it with a new ear. This track was/is a bloody masterpiece. To me it's about extreme personal anxiety and where an individual fits or doesn't in the world. It's so powerful. I totally love it. It's the best thing on the album which is really strong in any case. It's no wonder that XTC are extraordinarily influencing on post-punk bands. And they just got better with the years, but this is a standout track.

[@frontfocus1]

Oh yes, I am a long-time XTC-fan, but in my younger days this song seemed to be a kind of pervercive and irritating. Only now I appreciate it's strength.

[@davegaskell7680]

Absolutely 100% agree.......even with Scissor Man being my favourite when I first got the album in my teens, and then Complicated Game becoming my favourite as I got older.

[@ianmcnicol6425]

Glad it had an effect on you. Me too..still to this day. By the way, the video was so spot on too...but dont ask me to explain why. Such a jaw dropping piece. Thanks.

[@conditionsunderground]

Wow, this is cool, love it! Punk is great. And you are right, it sounds very modern.

[@GatheringMoss]

Such an epic tune. Fun watching you discover it. Explore their entire discography. You’re in for a great ride.

[@MacSvensson]

Somewhere in the late eighties, early nineties, I got into music and bought XTC's Go 2 album, because of the witty album cover (those who know, will know). Ever since then, I was hooked for life. They're one of the all-time greats that haven't gotten their dues (yet). But hey, quality will rise to the top eventually. I'm sure they will be studied and listened to a hundred years from now. I sure hope so. Kudos for reacting to them. You're one of a very select crowd out there :-)

[@Westerdd]

Your assessment of this song was really good. I love the tremelo styled vocals which is really unique.

[@bryanforrest5854]

XTC started out as a punk band but explored pop and other musical styles. I love the

[@thisworldofwater8017]

Wow. Never thought I'd see someone react to Complicated Game. This is the spiky, postpunky XTC I love - not the Beatles pastiche band they evolved into. And you're right, the song sounds fresh as a daisy. As there's lots more where this song came from (i.e. turn of the 80s Britain), let me do the Amazon bit of "if you liked this, you might also like": Joy Division: Transmission (Official lyric video) - intense, pulsing, unforgettable Gang of Four: What We All Want - a monstrous groove with disturbing guitar from the - ahem - seminal and very influential band Magazine: Philadelphia - urgent, funky, with genius lyrics from Howard Devoto, the poet laureate of postpunk

[@Yeedeed]

Thank you my friend for the suggestions! I will add these to my list!

[@Yeedeed]

Thank you again for the list, finally going to dip my toes into a random one and get it on the channel

[@forasec]

and a reaction 42 years later! wow

[@garethgriffiths1674]

Sometimes bands you feel in tune with will start going in unexpected directions, of course even for the worse. From that same era I still listen to Pere Ubu and (very) early Human League (Circus of Death) and Swell Maps.

[@i_love_rescue_animals]

I've loved XTC since the very early 80's. They definitely had a punk kind of start. Their first one or two albums were definitely more punk (but more COMPLICATED punk). You can go nuts checking out their whole library. Making Plans for Nigel was written and sung by the bass player, Colin Moulding. I love his bass playing, but don't love his (few) songs and singing. XTC WAS Andy Partridge the PRIMARY singer / songwriter and guitar player. He has such a unique voice and wrote amazing pop songs. He's 70 now and has stopped writing songs, but hopefully his writing muse will come back to him. Love you Andy. Thank you for your amazing work!

[@MrNaKillshots]

Honestly, it's a crime that this song has not been consigned to legendary status .

[@burmesecolourneedles4680]

Brilliant reaction! I bought this LP when it came out and loved it ever since, most of all this song, the last on the album. Mesmerising, pulverising and still utterly like any other music.

[@shanewillbur1325]

Its amazing this came out in the 70s. Crazy.

[@kevinbrown3082]

Never heard the band name pronounced that way. 😎. Great band. Great songwriting. They were pretty big for a while over here in the uk. X T C, as in the letters, ex tee cee. Just so you know. I like what you did though. 👍🏻

[@levonpoe]

from the album "Drums and Wires". purchased the album for making plans for nigel & Found a lot of gems . Complicated game has been my GO TO off the lp for years. and your deduction is correct- the song in my ears has not aged a day. it sounds like it was composed last night. Absolutely brilliant composition and execution of a now timeless work

[@goctagonrecovery3270]

Watching this reminds me of how I felt when I first heard this song, my reaction was pretty much identical to yours. It absolutely blew me away! Not to mention, the whole record is great!

[@petermeredith3873]

LOVE XTC!!! And this is a really good reaction

[@partridr]

that song has always freaked me out what he did to his voice till it exploded at the end

[@jasperchance3382]

masterpiece

[@dooleyfan]

Andy Partridge played the guitar solo without monitoring the song in the studio. Amazing how well it fits.

[@imbwildrd3693]

Just finding your channel. Welcome to the XTC lover's club! and btw, it's not pronounced like the word ecstasy, you say it one letter at a time, X T C (ex tee see) This song was never played on the radio (well, maybe a university radio station might play it), it was only for us who explored the album "Drums and Wires". Every song on "Drums and Wires" is amazing. Hope you enjoy your journey!!

[@kirkvandermiller4987]

There is a music review podcast called Sound Opinions hosted by some serious critics and these guys once had a conversation about which band had the longest uninterrupted series of masterpiece albums and guess which band, in their opinions, topped that list with 7 masterpieces in a row? XTC!

[@aydnofastro-action1788]

Very Cool. I will check that out!

[@michlev9390]

I’m a big fan and it’s really cool to see you react! This album is full of catchy punky songs like this one. Black Sea, the next LP, is also in the same vibe. Clever lyrics and beautifully and originally twisted musics! Have fun!

[@jimkee7988]

Great vid. Give XTC’s song Travels in Nihilon a try. I feel like it’s the spiritual successor to Complicated Game. Or Train Running Low on Soul Coal. That’s another top notch track.

[@andrewjames6430]

Drums and Wires the one album I own that every track is great

[@flvnow]

Hugh Padgham, the engineer, had a Gated Drum sound as a standard at the time , and I think the vocals may have also been Gated th enhance the choppy sound. Tape loops were pretty common , but in 1979 it was the very start to Digital recording but memory was still super expensive.

[@AntagonistName]

That bass always hits me where it’s fucking good dude

[@Yeedeed]

Yes, this bass line is definitely up there for me!

[@russelldowning2745]

This is one of my all time favorite songs. Loved your reaction. Totally agree on how this doesn't sound like a late 70s song. Could pass for a Modest Mouse song.

[@slbgraphics2]

I'm so happy watching you love this song. Please check out more XTC - they have so much range, and so much creativity. You're right, Making Plans for Nigel is them at their poppy best, but there are other songs that are way more experimental. Check out Travels in Nihilon!

[@sarahbeach4849]

Best XTC review I have ever seen. Please do more of theirs!! Subscribed and thanks for the pleasure of watching you totally GET IT.

[@rogerpatton5604]

Listen to Helicopter off the same album..

[@zoeherriot]

It’s funny how that solo actually reminds me of Larry Lalonde from Primus… that discordant style of playing. Primus did a great cover of XTC’s song Scissor Man.

[@DisplayEdits]

this was the b side of vinyl single making plans for nigel, in my opinion it is the best song they did i am so glad it has been brought to light again

[@DisplayEdits]

complicated game is the b side of making plans for nigel vinyl single which i bought so long ago and in my opinion is there best song ever, im so glad its being remembered

[@mayarayamadamattos8912]

A primeira vez que ouvi essa música nos créditos finais de um filme, fiquei hipnotizada é uma música muito incrível

[@forasec]

I had the same reaction as you , excellent song. I was shocked to learn it was 1979 too

[@CWargh63]

Beatown, Red, Crowded Room - all songs off their 2nd album, GO2. They were even a bit more raw and punk - Beatown has the best instumental ending to any song ever.

[@bjmcmahon722]

Wow....!

[@johnhouston8857]

Your welcome Regards the late 1970s early 80s

[@sherrydixon4852]

WOW!!!!!Before i saw your reaction...wow!! Such intellect for a person doing such..I'll be paying attention to you...

[@rogerpatton5604]

Vocals done in one take.

[@toddbernhardt2309]

And -- this is an interesting tidbit a lot of people don't know about -- Andy recorded the solo in the studio with no playback at all ... he just asked that Lillywhite/Padgham give him a signal for when he should start and end. It's one of the reasons why the solo is out there (and so great).

[@aydnofastro-action1788]

Great Suggestion! Huge Xtc fan here. Watch the Doc! Love your take on it! One of the greatest singers ever, and songwriters of course. Like to see you get off on the bass too! It truly does hold up. So for me this song has alot to do with childhhood and the suffocating onslaught of the adult world, the coming futility.... and resulting insanity.... of following rules!!. The whole album to me is an homage to innocence, childhood and even toys. (in the Doc Andy talks about how and why he collects toys and is also a visual artist/ illustrator)The colorful basic cover art, and other songs like Life Begins at The Hop, early love in other songs. You just stepped on a sonic land mine, my friend. Grunge was an extension of punk rock. Dave Grhol played in Punk bands in DC. This Was the time of punk rock, so its not before its time, its just genius, so its timeless.

[@sherrydixon4852]

smart man.. thank you for seeing. We've been trying to tell you...

[@stevensmith8261]

First heard this in '79 (14 yrs old), thought it was the best song on the album (followed by "Plans for Nigel", which has always been in my musical playlist) and lost track of it. I heard it at the end of Vivarium, and no one believed me when I told them who the band was and how old the song was. I have always wanted NIN and Gary Numan to cover it.

[@carlorivia7654]

this song gives helter skelter a run for its money and you can see where radiohead were born too

[@deck614]

My brother was the sound Engineer of the first XTC's tour, with this album. A great souvenir for him. But there were so many great experimental groups at the punk's debuts and - say - in the ten years after. Magazine (Howard Devoto); Siouxie and the Banshees; The Stranglers; Devo; Minutemen; Cabaret Voltaire; Stinky Toys; Woodentops; Screaming Blue Messiahs; Kas Product ... Those ones are "Crime and the City Solution", on scene by Wim Wenders: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gIG8god-nNF_kJY Etc.

[@ursonate]

Just wait 'til you listen to the whole album (if you haven't already). I'm intrigued that it was used in a movie. I've been listening to XTC since the early 80s but somehow hadn't heard this song until it was used in Halt and Catch Fire a few years ago. Had no idea it was XTC and I was prompted to buy the album. Turns out it's in my top 10 now.

[@dennis6278]

Just discovered that song about a month ago. Fuck yeas, that song rules.

[@davidstobie2751]

the best band ever

[@robertgrace6182]

Go2 is the one XTC album I have yet to get… I’m clearly missing out!

[@polferiferus1938]

There’s a ton of great recorded music from every era. It didn’t just start in the 90’s, or the 2000s. It started when people had the ability to record music. For example, look up and give a listen to “Oysters and Wine at 2 am” by Polk Miller and his Old South Quartet, from 1903. The song is bizarre. At least to me it is. Yes, it’s obviously old, but pretty clear considering it was made when vinyl records had only been around since the 1890s. Its on youtube, too. Hope you become a believer! (I don’t put urls in comment sections since youtube tends to delete posts with them in it, even links from youtube itself. I have no idea why, but they do.)

[@81983danielle]

I can't believe this song is from 1979.... they time traveled

[@aydnofastro-action1788]

What young people need to know is that in the late 1970's through the 80's as the punk /new wave movement began, There was no Mainstream Medium for it really. It existed as an UNDERGROUND SCENE, something that really doesn't exist anymore. It was about shows, fan magazines, lesser known college radio stations and record shops, word of mouth, etc. Sure some New wave translated into some Pop Hits, Edgy Post-Punk like this song, not so much. THEN, much later in the 1990's Nirvana, finally capsized the Classic Rock Radio format, and broke through, so the underground finally became overground, "popular" punky-trashy-edgy-grungy aesthetics became Democratized, Ubiquitous.. And that is the music/fashion world we live in and take for granted today. Like anything else it has lost touch with its roots, and youngsters don't know the history. Xtc were a vital band in that early scene, along with The Police, Blondie, the Ramones, DeVo, Etc. No one could forsee, however, that Xtc would blossom into epic recording artists on par with The Beatles!

[@defendtheinnocent]

Have you heard Jet City Woman by Queensryche...I played it for my buddy in 2010 and he thought it was anew song lol

[@angelabordack]

Oh man. YES! Let’s do some Queensryche!!!

[@Yeedeed]

No I don't believe I have heard that one. I remember as a kid when Silent Lucidity became a big hit my mom bought the Empire album for me, but the only track I ever listened to on it was Silent Lucidity lol. I'll add this one to the list

[@defendtheinnocent]

@@Yeedeed the song Empire on that album is great to...but for me jet city woman takes that medal lol

[@prepthenun]

i swear, this is one of the heaviest songs ever written

[@stevensmith8261]

Similar tortured vocals on NIN "She's Gone Away": kzbin.info/www/bejne/aZWtd4h_jtV7aKM and TOOL's "Sober" kzbin.info/www/bejne/q2jPqJiEeKiqiZI (live version is KILLER!).

[@sherrydixon4852]

last time posting here... find us the original video for " respectable street " by XTC.. it's disappeared talk about insight and before their time...

[@lennymccartney1]

ex tee cee

[@thankyoudriver4219]

Are we allowed to suggest other tracks for you to hear? How about Cheeseburger by Gang Of Four? Or The Loyaliser by Fatima Mansions.

[@viachicago]

X TEE C

[@angelabordack]

You opened a can of worms with this one! Now you have to do “Hackers” soundtrack and “The Crow” soundtrack. I’m sorry but not really.

[@Yeedeed]

Angela! Hey so the Crow soundtrack is probably the only soundtrack that I completely love. I know all the songs on it from rage, pantera, to stp and that It Won't Rain All the Time song. But that other soundtrack I'm not sure of, so what should I check out from that one?

[@angelabordack]

@@Yeedeed Don’t react to anything off Hackers. It’s drum n bass/dance music. It’s not rock music, not even close! I was being tongue in cheek with my comment.

[@Yeedeed]

@@angelabordack lol ah gotcha! But that Crow soundtrack was awesome though!!!

[@angelabordack]

@@Yeedeed I know both soundtracks by heart. The Crow soundtrack was so good!

[@brenspin]

I don't know how often you check your Instagram, but I sent you a few messages with a song request. 😉

[@sylvanm4216]

I was always disappointed by Joy Division, because I expected them to come at me like *this* but they never did.

[@sherriviz1055]

Reminds me of Alien sex fiends

[@mercurialpierrot7073]

How the f*ck is this song from 1979?..it feels like it's from 1990-1991! Even the album art is early 90s.

[@didierchapelot5671]

In this song they sound much as Wire. That's not punk, it's early new wave (Fall, Wire, XTC, Magazine, Monochrome Set...), before the synth and repetitive drumming. Their 3 first albums are flawless. Then they tried to be the new Beatles and that was much less interesting.

[@thankyoudriver4219]

Not punk. Just spirited New Wave/Post Punk. Andy Partridge didn't like punk.