Andy Partridge of XTC (Part 1) - Episode 26 - The ProgCast With Gregg Bendian
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- čas přidán 17. 02. 2021
- Guitarist/composer/singer/raconteur ANDY PARTRIDGE of XTC is my delightful guest for the next three episodes of The ProgCast. Part one of our freewheeling exchange covers everything from novelty & psychedelic music to Tony Williams Lifetime, Yes, Captain Beefheart, Andy's favorite Dave Gregory solo, XTC band lingo, and what it was like to be onstage with that four-piece juggernaut. Plus: Andy plays guitar for us!
Gregg Bendian is now available for Zoom music lessons. Drums, composition, improvisation and more, at www.bendianmusic.com
GREGG BENDIAN is a percussionist/composer/producer/educator/podcaster from Teaneck, New Jersey. During his wide-ranging career he has toured internationally and recorded with Todd Rundgren, Jan Hammer, The Mahavishnu Project, Keneally-Bendian-Lunn, The Musical Box, John Zorn, Derek Bailey, Nels Cline, Cecil Taylor, Pat Metheny, Ornette Coleman and Zoot Horn Rollo. On the academic front, Gregg develops and teaches courses in studio production aesthetics, music history, and composing/arranging at William Paterson University of New Jersey. For the Yale Oral History of American Music, he has contributed over 100 expansive interviews with major figures including Wayne Shorter, Sonny Rollins, Quincy Jones, Carla Bley and Steve Reich. Bendian is archivist/producer for the Bottom LIne Archive of historic concerts. Recorded over 30 years at the Greenwich Village venue, the series features discs by Jack Bruce with Billy Cobham, The Brecker Bros, Lou Reed/Kris Kristofferson, Pete Seeger/Roger McGuinn, and Doc Watson. An accomplished percussionist and a composer of over 200 works, he has created a body of innovative music for jazz, rock, percussion (solo and ensemble) and mixed chamber groups, which include his Interzone and Trio Pianissimo bands. Gregg's music is published by Iamuziks (ASCAP). Begun in August of 2020, The ProgCast explores the creative process and musical history of a diverse assortment of cutting edge artists.
Special thanks to our mutual pal, Mike Keneally for making this meeting possible.
You can also find us on:
www.bendianmusic.com
SPOTIFY:
open.spotify.com/show/0x9bzb0...
APPLE PODCASTS:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... - Hudba
XTC-- the most underappreciated band in rock history. Period
Absolutely!
Not by me.
They aren't underappreciated by those with the latest brain software upgrades.
XTC and sparks are two of the best bands that never quite got the success some of their contemporaries got, I think it’s cuz their humor was a lil beyond what was “normal” for rock radio
Yes
I love that he's done a number of podcasts and interviews recently. He's one of the most creative musicians ever to come out of this country and I'm so proud to be an XTC fan (and a Wiltshire man).
Wiltshire ftw. Represent. 🚜✊
Yes! I so appreciate him sharing his time and thoughts with us
Andy has such a young groove about him. Big shout-out to the Dukes!
I’ve met Mr P twice as a passenger in my taxi in Bath, Somerset. Being a big Todd Rundgren fan, the first thing I asked him was all about the time he wanted to put an axe through his head. He was so engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed the conversation
And he went indoors and fetched me a CD!
Brilliant!
Righteous! You lucky bastard! Thank God you had the good sense to ask the right kinds of question. Thanks for sharing this great story! 🍊🍊🍋🍋 Take care. 😊
Andy is so patient here, understanding the interviewer's nervousness, adds to my admiration of him. I have been digging deeper lately into XTC, always thought Mayor Of Simpleton is one of the most brilliant Pop songs ever.
That's is a stonker
Andy knows about perfromance anxiety.
@@qwargy Rick Beato hangs back in interviews and that's commendable, and rare.
mayor of simpleton is endlessly rewarding. always makes me happy. such wit and joy
The best is arguably Wrapped in Grey.
How incredible would be to watch the band all members together again, i think its an impossible dream
In my teens, Rory Gallagher was my hero. In my twenties, XTC became my favourite band forever. I looked for the missing link between them two for ages. And eventually, I was so glad to find out in the famous "Squier" video that Andy Partridge loved Rory Gallagher so much too. Gap filled.
9:10 a awesome injection note from Andy here… A great philosophical step for all creatives.
What a sensational opening. After a gushing into from Gregg, Andy's opening line of "I'm dying of shucks-itis" is just hilarious!
So great to see Andy so well and on such good form, I just love how his brain works! I remember on social media one of his ambitions was to read his lyrics like poetry and make an album but had no confidence in his speaking voice, which is crazy, how gorgeous would it be to hear Andy's poetry with maybe music holding it all together?! I really hope he thinks sod it and does it!
Andy’s point about novelty records being precursors to psychedelic music rings true to me.
We’re all incredibly damaged, Andy. The difference is the fact that you appear to not let that be an obstacle, but instead a stimulus in the creation of your art. Bravo!
Just hearing Andy talk is maximum entertainment.
This seemed more like a friendly conversation than an interview, which was great but the occasional interruptions & the interviewer talking about himself took something away for me.
Andy is such an interesting, personable & funny man. You could literally listen to him for hours without getting bored.
This bit was priceless.
1:15:26 ROFLMAO - 😂😂😂
Agree 100%
Yes, the interruptions were getting a bit tedious, and a little too much "I, me, mine" by the interviewer.
I got 7:30 into the interview and was wondering if I could keep going, to checked some comments, and, well here we are in agreement.
So, I'm off. Hopefully won't miss anything I can't pick up somewhere else.
Prop's to Gregg, he like a lot of us, is a fan first and a musician second(and damned good drummer) and wanted to make a connection by sharing his fandom and experience, podcasts are not easy to produce, content-wise and Progcast is still the only place on youtube that has a very good interview with Fred Frith and for that alone he get's my deep appreciation, but where else is there a three hour interview with Andy Partridge, or Dave Gregory AND Terry Chambers?!!!! Andy is as entertaining, articulate a interview subject as anyone in 'rock' besides perhaps John Lennon. Good show.
I find all these interviewers have a bit of a "Notice me" vibe, with the interviewer wanting to talk about themselves rather than letting the artist talk. This one isn't too bad, but people aren't watching to learn about some random guy.
He's on fire. You're sparking him Gregg. Collaboration of this sort is Creative Gold.
@@opticscolossalandepicvideo4879 Rubbish. Don't make comments about videos you clearly have not watched.
@@opticscolossalandepicvideo4879 shut up, ya plonker. This is an objectively great interview.
Great interview, I’m glad I’ve come across your channel, I love Andy and everything he’s done. I’m really glad he acknowledged Terry’s drumming, he’s one of my favorite drummers.
Fully agree,watching terry is to watch the most locked in rock steady drummer ever.
so I married someone who was equally a fan of XTC - lucky for me! when we wish for 1 concert that we know will never happen, it remains XTC, after 30 years. Never saw them live....love Andy....
EXTC is touring - Terry Chambers’ band the drummer from the foursome era…
The interviwer is exceptional here, drawing M.Partridge out, galvanisinng him, directing him. Brilliant, thoughtful stuff.
I am loving his little descriptors; Joni Mitchell... teeth, Drummer from Soft Machine... wheelchair... Robert Wyatt. This whole interview is a treasure trove.
Andy Partridge, spectacles? Still love XTC AND Joni Mitchell AND Robert Wyatt.
Three of the greatest songwriters on the planet
I agree with Andy. Failure is one of the muses. No words suffice for Andy. Many rainy days, I've put his music on, the weather is good indoors. He won't die, he will merely continue as a legend.
Still stunned he did an album with Harold Budd!
This was/is amazing . Thanks x
Have loved Andy's brilliance for so long. Thank you for taking us with you. Very grateful.
National treasure.
I’m grateful this has been uploaded. Please keep the spotlight on the guest.
Quite. I gave up watching this (and that’s a first because Andy is such an engaging interviewee). I didn’t want to watch The Gregg Bendian Show where we’re treated to HIS life story and thoughts on things.
@@alisondrury9464 agree. Little too much of that
XTC was a brilliant band in so many ways! They took you on lyrical and musical excursions that were pleasing to both the ear and the mind. Not many bands can do that.
Thanks so much for this. Very inspiring conversation. Thanks to Mr. Partridge for all he has given us and for sharing all these memories and insights.
It’s always a delight to hear, Andy! I thoroughly enjoyed the way you engaged with Mr. P. You have a great interviewing style and I loved your ideas and stories. Excellent all around!
What a great ramble. I'm finding Andy's wavelength way more in tune with mine than Gregg's here. He's not alone in what he sees. But of course I'm not as smart. :) What's lovely about this too is Andy is making it ok for me to FAIL some more. Ha ha. BLESS YOU ANDY. And hooray for all us failures!!
What a treat.. thank you so much
What a great chat! Andy is so cool. I loved XtC from the first time I heard them back in the late 70s and still do.
Gregg brings up Meshuggah with Andy Partridge. My whole musical world just came full circle. Wonderful conversation!
Thank you. Delightful. Can't wait for the other parts!
Fantastic! Thank you.
Roundabout 4 year ago, I passed through ol’ Swindon on the Great Western 🚂 on’t way to Kimble and wished to heavens’s high in a perfect world that I could ha’ nipped over Ange’s gaff for a cuppa and a natter.
One of my all time favorites and a huge influence for me...thank you for this!
Simply wonderful. A joy to watch ❤
Geez. Only intended to catch the first few minutes of this just to check out it's vibe but ended up an hour and a half later with a few barely legibly scribbled notes and hearing Rory Gallagher inspired sounds sprinkled in so many XTC songs I loved (and depended upon) for over the previous decades.
Thanks for posting this interview! I found it to be expansive.
Unraveling the riddle of XTC.
Thank you!
The talk about novelty to strawberry fields was brilliant. Throw in Captain Beef heart and now I get it. How this band managed to be so outstanding.
Today is my birthday and the song Stupidly Happy popped up for me upon her waking. Perfect!....and now I am going to listen to this all day!! Yeah!!
This band changed the trajectory of my life in many ways. I’m so grateful for all the attention they are getting these days, with all the YT interviews, Documentary etc.
I’ve been playing around with arranging the order of songs in a few albums, since that is easy in our digital age. Live the original sequence, especially for nostalgia reasons. But it’s fun to try and make a Skylarking-like concept album out of other works like The Big Express. It’s a fun and complicated game!! 🤣
NOW this has given me an idea -perhaps I’m not the only one- : would t it be GREAT and on point for someone to write a musical/story based on an album say like Skylarking and or others!! Damn we are talking the potential for as many musicals as there are XTC albums!
Heck “Everyday Story of Small town” already sounds like a Broadway musical.
For reference also watch Across the Universe, the Beatles based film by that amazing director, Julie Tamor.
And we are talking a profitable move for XTC.
I also think of Todd’s symphonic adventures in Amsterdam. If he can do it,
so should the “greatest unknown Pop band in the known universe”
Imagine “XTC The Big Express - A musical”
Such a weird interview, right out of left field; the interviewer is all over the place, and yet he brings out so much interesting stuff from Andy, brilliant and a joy to listen to
Listening to these ProgCasts (including the Dave Gregory ones) is like doing a Masters degree in XTC. Please keep going with it Gregg. Hope AP can seize on it too, and do collaborative sessions with the people he has mentioned. It will become a core part of the XTC legacy.
Thank you Andy for sharing your time and thoughts with us. You and the band never got the exposure deserved!!! Once in a great while there might be an article.. THIS interview and your other interviews are treasures.
1:05:20 "it sounded like a herd of irate geese through a Lagos traffic jam". Brilliant.
Wow. This was amazing. Cannot wait until the second and third segments.
Inspiring conversation.... THANK YOU! Also nice to know I'm not the only one suffering with tinnitus.
Great conversation. You have to admit, Andy is damned engaging. Yeah, I subscribed.
I missed this guy so much!! / omg his Colin impression was so perfect lmao
I think I must've missed that part - where is it?
@@davidbregande6216 it's when he was talking about forcing Colin to sing harmonies and then he did an impression of Colin's reaction, no idea what the time stamp is tho
@@vanishing_girlAt 1:19
I really loved the 'Prince Philip' Dave Gregory impression he did on another podcast too.
Great interview, thank you.
We love XTC!!!
The band Magazine was on Virgin. Their first record came out in 1978 (produced by John Leckie ) Incredible Band! Surprised he didn’t mention them. Who knows? Maybe he didn’t like Magazine, but they are my favorite “secret” band of all time!
Ran out of gas on the off-ramp getting to the show at the palladium in LA. Show canceled. We knew that had been a thing. Somehow it seemed a part of the experience of loving XTC, my intrigue was unwavering. Thank you for this.
In 87 I looked in all the pubs around Swindon...couldn’t find Andy...
Many years of listening
Thanks
I actually accidentally found him outside his house in Old Town Swindon. Would have loved to have had a quick chat with him. Problem was he’d clearly just arrived back from doing some shopping, probably having been just dropped off by taxi as I don’t think he drives.
All I could see was his arse bending over 😀, he was picking up his shopping bags whilst shouting to his wife/girlfriend indoors. How creepy would it have been if he heard me open up a conversation at that point. I lost my nerve and moved on. 😔 Guy deserves his privacy I told myself with a big sigh. If only he was facing the other way.
Glad I found this, there is not much recent YT of Andy shame...
Andy's been on A Word in your Attic recently, very funny, and interesting. x
"satan claws" leading instantly to "santanic majesties request" is absolute brilliance hahaha
I was at the marquee club in London.I never heard of XTC. They played English settlement over and over again I loved it flash forward my band the BASHERS on the CBGB POSTER WE recorded in Ithaca New York . The shop owner said; we sounded like XTC. Of course we didn’t, but I bought the album. Long story my favorite band. XTC! I didn’t know who they were in London.
I remember hearing Dear God in college and thought that was interesting, but it didn't stick with me but fast forward 30 years later and I am watching the premier of Halt and Catch Fire, and Complicated Game starts, and I am like WTF, hold on who the HELL is that, that night I opened my computer and downloaded that song and listened to it ALL night, then I went back and bought all of XTC discography and did a deep dive, I could not believe that song was recorded in 79, why was it not played on the radio, that one song is better than most of the BS on streaming platforms right now STILL. I have looked all over for a live performance of it.
Surely XTC should reform, even for just one great album, bought their last album and thought this is awesome stuff great guitar and lyrics.. still waiting on the follow up! Been a fan since English settlement , timeless music and most importantly... original!
Great interview...now I know why AP influenced my music, and wonderful insight. OK, now, for a little criticism...let AP finish his sentences....let his thought finish up. Otherwise...thank you!
Gregg’s right about “terror” while watching “Planet of the Apes”. What could be more scarier than a gorilla with a rifle , riding on a horse. That scared the shit out of me as a kid!!
can't believe he mentioned Danny Kaye....crazy - had the album from my parents, too and still sing Crazy Barbara.
A 5-hour conversation about everything and nothing with musical interludes?
Delightful podcast! 😁
Great to hear Andy talk about the music that “raised him” so to speak. Surprised to hear him mention Han Bennink, love Han and all the incus records associated people.
"Wing Beat Fantastic" is a great album, too!
around the 10 minute point Andy perfectly described what we might call a fallow period.
Great to see that Andy is fine and in great shape. Would love to hear about his German translator, Herbert Grönemeyer. If this is even true that Herbert helped with translation.🖖
Great alt artist and band.
Andy, we should get together and have a chin wag!! We're so much alike! I might also be able to teach you drums. I have a large collection of novelty records and a HUGE psych collection and the biggest break-in collection in the world! We could compare gig stories. We did a LOT of "paid" rehearsals in the early days (early `80's), too!
Not bad interview but the best interview or conversation with Andy is when he discusses the making of 25 o clock with its producer ,John Leckie.This is where you’ll hear Andy or is he Sir John Johns?in his natural element.Its joyous,funny,jokey,mad scientist like and in its essence purely truely British .So get out some mole and please listen
Actually probably a bit harsh sorry,good job you pinned him down for 5 hours no easy feat
I'd love to see what Andy Partridge would think of The Mars Volta, one of the trippiest prog rock bands I'ver heard. Also one of my favorite bands. I doubt he's ever even heard of them haha
Quality bubble gum without the wrapper ❤👌
We love Pat Mastelotto!
Brilliant with Sylvian/Fripp
Terrific rapport fellas.
About half an hour in Andy says his "desert album" is "Emergency!" by "The Tony Williams Lifetime"
I assume the talking over was due to some jitters, it def got better as it went on. Otherwise really stellar, definitely does not feel like a square one AP/XTC interview and I greatly appreciate that
Thanks!
Making music is basically the equivalent of shitting. 😂 A classic Response from Andy. I’m glad that I stumbled across your podcast.
how did you land this!
I wanted to try and interview him for my podcast (had help from Mark Fisher from XTC podcast)
Imo Colin Moulding was the greatest bassplayer that ever was a steady member in a popband.
I just developed Havana Syndrome : ringing in ears, so has other Military participant Mona has as well !!
Invaluable interview, in spite of the interviewer’s desperate need to make as much about himself as about Mr. Partridge. Andy is as brilliant speaking extemporaneously as he was creating finished compositions. This interviewer could produce much better interviews if he might develop the ability to listen. At the very least, consider listening more and blathering less, particularly when you have the opportunity to interview greatness. We tune in to hear your interview subject, not to observe you turning each topic toward yourself. Much like Marc Maron.
Nonetheless, there’s a lot of new stuff from Andy here. Worth the slog and irritation that is the cost of business. We are all fortunate Andy suffers fools at this stage of his life.
Just listened to the Terry interview but gave up after 10 minutes as Terry is quite boring. Now, Andy is another matter; I could listen to him all day.
I wouldn’t call last train to Clarksville or daydream believer “bubblegum “ ...??? It’s too good??
Andy nails it on failure.
How about when the audience gets yer guitar before you get the chance to destroy them? We did a Pete Townsend on it the same nite!! Then made our way deeper into the psych ward than most would care to go.
Andy.. you were close. The original title was to be Cosmic Christmas.
Hey Andy, apoligise to Dave, get the XTC together, rehearse and then put out a live performance in video of the band playing classical songs like "general and majors", "love at first sight", "real by reel", "Respectable Streets ","the loving", etc. That's the best thing you could do now, the most relevant thing, and It would make so many fans happy.
For real. Dave made this band up the ante, and hes treated like a hired hand...get it sorted.
I was an xtc fan from their first albums and to me they were the Beatles of that new wave era.Andy obviously was John (later sir John Johns)Colin ,paul of course.And like the Beatles,xtc had a good dose of humour and self deprecation.They composed always interesting,intelligent and innovative songs but unlike the Lads from Liverpool the squires from Swindon didn’t have the same kind of karma for world wide success.Maybe that’s not such a bad thing Anyway?who would want to go through a Beatlemania(C)! And
Onomatopoeic Fingerprint
It’s White Noise, fwiw…
Is that a Swindon accent? I cannot comprehend it's weirdness.
Neville Farmer book on XTC is very good and it explains Andy's obsessive disorder that when it's working along with other caring beings, like Colin and Dave, it works really well. But when it's left on its own it's a bloody train wreck. ... And painting all musicians like himself is a fine example of that. When Andy is there, there is no one else in the room. ... Andy would have risen high in the ranks of 1930's Germany.
Some songs on English Settlement are, uh, not concise
Hes a little bit to wierd for me. That said - he made many of the best popsongs of the 20th cent.
Jeez, how many times is Andy about to say something interesting, having worked up to it, and then the
interviewer cuts in, derails the direction of the talk and it never comes back.
those of you beyond Britain may be unaware how in England the local & regional tv & radio whether bbc or commercial - although espousing & demonstrating diversity & inclusivity left right & centre ensure you’ll still never hear or see a presenter speaking with Andys’ Westcountry accent which along with Brummie & Scouse are regarded as being left for use by the elderly,uneducated ,ignorant or criminal. Oddly enough in my opinion the Westcountry accent bears more than a similarity with American which is regarded as cool as heck by most English.
A shame. Andy explains how lucky he was to work with players as good as Terry Chambers,Colin Moulding and Dave Gregory(around 1:18), then he slowly and surely ended up chasing off all 3 of them.
That's bullshit. Terry left because his pregnant girlfriend from Australia gave him an ultimatum. Dave left on his own accord, and Colin never left.
You're too hard on yourself Andy.
How about an interview with a woman?
The interviewer is not agreeable in a fake way. Which takes balls.
He’s brilliant but he’s so arrogant and sarcastic… that he self undermines what a beautiful song writer and musician he is…
One of my heroes ruined by the interviewer.