The Skylarking Interview with Andy Partridge

[@OldMod67]

Great to hear this, thank you. I bought Skylarking on release here in England (no Dear God, it was originally a single B side here) Their best LP, without doubt for me, but Black Sea and English Settlement were also great, but others too. Thanks for popping this on here, fascinating stuff.

[@keithkoenig5320]

SKYLARKING is my favorite XTC album, but 1979'S DRUMS AND WIRES is another top shelf XTC album.

[@arkestar4551]

My all time fave XTC album. Plenty more all coming in at joint 2nd but this will always have the biggest place in my heart of hearts.[i've clearly got many, haven't U????]

[@ArturoGofunkez]

Someone could write a book about the making of this album, so many interesting things going on!

[@HNSoFRArtsShow]

celle-ci de vidéo est également disponible sur Portable Samsung G7. Nous habitons la France nous adorons XTC. MERCI ENCORE.

[@DmRofAtoZ]

19:25 - The Man Who Sailed

[@PeterMayer]

Incredible song.

[@ericamate2723]

To me this album is the Stg Pepper lonely Heart Club Band of XTC

[@dharmaart]

pretty funny in hindsight how Andy had to explain how they made the birds chirp in time

[@AD65]

The version I heard in the UK didn't have Dear God and though I love it, I still don't think fits. Shame they ditched Mermaid Smiledin the US, because I love it.

[@s.ferres6194]

mermaid is a big tune too...

[@Lellos_]

It's really a shame... I love Dear God, but Mermaid Smiled is up in my top favourite XTC songs of all time.

[@BassByTheBay]

I was lucky enough to get the version with "Mermaid Smiled" before they decided to replace it with "Dear God". Worked great for me because I never got really excited about DG -- not saying I hate it, just enjoy MS much more.

[@gaskellr44]

You are spot-on in your thinking. Came across Sky.. about two years ago and for me, it's a masterpiece of an album but I heard D G about 20 years ago for the 1st time and do like the track but I don't feel it fits in the album and should end with S B. To get rid of M S was a travesty as it's one of the beautiful songs on the album...They could have easily got rid of Big Day as I find it the weakest of all the tracks.

[@Uniblab8]

Seems there was spillover from the "Dukes" albums...?

[@patkeeg1]

Alone on a beautiful, tropical island, with a well tanned, very naked, Norah Jones to make juices, this is the album we listen to.

[@s.ferres6194]

and this let you forget Norah at all.

[@troygaspard6732]

Yes, the Brits are weather crazy. for a good reason.

[@RaysTrack]

Yeh - but we ain't got no wildfires :-)

[@dakinerhymes9625]

This album is on my top 10 of all time list. It is so far and away better than any other XTC album that I don't really even consider they have any others. I did not know, consciously anyway, that Todd Rundgren was the producer. When I found out accidentally, through the magic of google mind control apparatus I said to myself, "yeah, no wonder, wow good for everybody". Now I find out about all this controversy. Such a disappointment. The album is a masterpiece (only the weak song, "Dying") and anybody associated with it should be resting on their laurels. I don't want to take sides or pronounce judgments on anyone, but I will say that if Todd Rundgren thought he could write relevant songs and perform them he would probably be doing so. He is a brilliant producer but where is his music? BTW I never thought of the album as a song cycle. I thought it was a great collection of unrelated songs and that "Another Satellite" fit right in.

[@dakinerhymes9625]

No offense taken but you misunderstood my meaning. I have listened to everything XTC has done. I think they got close to this album with Oranges and Lemons which most fans don't rate very highly. I was very disappointed with Nonsuch except for, of course, Peter Pumpkinhead and Books Are Burning. I think some of their older songs are tremendous, for example, Generals And Majors and Respectable Street, but never loved the overall sound of their work until Skylarking. Believe my I tried. Maybe I will try again.

[@ralphcosta3164]

Not everyone can be a true XTC fan I guess, nothing wrong with that everyone has their own taste. If you like Skylarking then you should like Mummer? that record is done in the same style. Apple Venus 1 is very close also. Besides my three favorites English Settlement, Black Sea and Drums And Wires those 3 (Skylarking, Mummer and AV 1) are my favorite. Listen to Mummer a few more times at least. Oranges and Lemons and the slower tracks on Big Express also remind me of Skylarking at times. I can see why you love that record so much it has a silky production reminiscent of Todd Rundgrens own music. Skylarking is a great record I understand why you like it best...

[@Ragemous]

Would you do the courtesy of explaining this thought out a bit more? "...that if Todd Rundgren thought he could write relevant songs and perform them he would probably be doing so."

[@ralphcosta3164]

They probably do not realize Todd Rundgren is a performing and recording artist in his own right with a career of top 10 hits and a huge catalog. He is an artist first a producer second.

[@ralphcosta3164]

Todd Rundgren I Saw The Light kzbin.info/www/bejne/jamlZaqbeN-kfac