Next XTC 5.1 Release - Apple Venus (Vol. I)

[BJMarsh]

I would prefer English Settlement but I think the multis are missing. Either way, keep them coming.

 

[ted_b]

This is wonderful news....but where is English Settlement!!? That is a masterpiece and the timbres in that album need hirez love and care, let alone surround love and care. Oh well, as has been said already:
"You want another XTC surround release?" "I'd like thaaat".

 

[blue.monk]

Yes, Andy confirms that the multis for English Settlement, Mummer and Big Express are still missing. He talks about that and much more in the latest episode of the Vinyl Guide podcast:

Ep255: Andy Partridge of XTC - | The Vinyl Guide podcast | Interviews for Record Collectors & Music Fans

While in XTC, Andy Partridge wrote some of the greatest pop songs of the 20th century and his records continue to inspire new legions of musicians and fans. Today Andy joins us to discuss his song writing techniques, the early days of XTC, the records, the vinyl, the artwork, the master tapes, the r

www.thevinylguide.com

 

[shakti]

This is great news, really happy to see the series move forward. Apple Venus 1 is the only XTC I don’t have in a digital format, so that is also welcome. I think it would have made a lot of sense to make a full Apple Venus sessions set. That would have also made the two albums a bit more diverse. In a way I think both of them both benefit and suffer from the attempt to «stremline» them, Vol 1 being the baroque orchestral pop one and Vol 2 being the brash pop-rock one. Both of them fall just short of being perfect, but the best moments are phenomenal.

 

[van1]

The initial sessions for Apple Venus were started in Chris Difford's studio and were recorded to tape. However, after a disagreement between Difford and XTC, they relocated to another studio. Difford held onto the tapes from the first sessions and the band had to start again from scratch. Not sure if the sessions in the second studio were done on tape. This is an excerpt from a period interview with Andy that I found on the Chalkhills site:

Not sure if the contents has been speculated yet but i recall Andy saying on twitter that Chris Difford had returned the initial tapes for the Apple Venus sessions. Even though Andy is gone from Twitter, i did find something from Chris Difford so these tracks may end up on AV 1&2, so potentially something previously unreleased for those who think they have all the content.

Chris Difford

@chrisdifford
·
Dec 19, 2013

@xtcfans
Im well thank you and remembering with fondness the great songs we put together one crafty day! The tapes are on their way home Cd

 

[ssully]

AV1 always cried out for surround treatment. So I'm ready to buy this as soon as its available. I'm bemused that 'tapes' from 1999 require 'restoration', though.

 

[Jim the Oldbie]

Yeah, that puzzled me too. Maybe they were stored badly (wouldn't be the first time). I would think if they needed baking or something serious like that, they would've digitized them immediately afterward instead of risking any shipment?

 

[Plan9]

AV1 always cried out for surround treatment. So I'm ready to buy this as soon as its available. I'm bemused that 'tapes' from 1999 require 'restoration', though.

I would bet they are actually an unsupported file format on a hard drive, or an old sessions project in a DAW, that would need to be converted or transferred to a more modern format to be usable.

 

[Plan9]

I would prefer "English Settlement" or "Mummer" but it is what it is.
Apple Venus is a mixed bag for me.
Andy's compositions are basically all great.
Colin's compositions on the other hand are amongst his very worst IMHO.

Same is true for "Wasp Star".
Andy's continually reaching for brilliance on certain tracks, but Colin is clearly slipping into mediocrity.

Still, this is definitely a day 1 purchase for me!

Aw I think Frivolous Tonight is pretty good. Kinda like the so-called "granny music" from Paul McCartney (When I'm 64, etc...), it has its charm.

 

[rtbluray]

Aw I think Frivolous Tonight is pretty good. Kinda like the so-called "granny music" from Paul McCartney (When I'm 64, etc...), it has its charm.

I just listened to the album again. That song is definitely the better of the two Colin songs on the album. I really don't feel like "Fruit Nut" has any redeeming quality to it whatsoever.

 

[Plan9]

I just listened to the album again. That song is definitely the better of the two Colin songs on the album. I really don't feel like "Fruit Nut" has any redeeming quality to it whatsoever.

Yeah I can't say I remember anything about Fruit Nut.

Time to break out that first vinyl pressing again, It's been lingering on the shelf far too long, in the hope that there would be a remix announcement all these years since the reissues started!