July 14, 2012
The psychedelic alter ego of the band XTC—that’s what they created in the 1980s and called it The Dukes of Stratosphear.  Even the band members were accorded pseudonyms. Sir John Johns (Andy Partridge) doing vocals and guitar, The Red Curtain (Colin Moulding) on electric bass, Lord Cornelius Plum (Dave Gregory) on piano and organ and E.I.E.I. Owen was really Ian Gregory on drum.  The played--what else--psychedelia!

The record I picked today is You’re A Good Man Albert Brown, a 12” Single.  I think it’s kind of psychedelic since the cover illustration is a portrait of an
eastern european army guy in a uniform from maybe World War I with one green and one brown eye and a psychedelic pattern on his mustache.  I can’t find any info about the cover artists…most probably pseudonyms  too.  On the reverse is a photo of a sexy woman from the early 1900s which can only be termed as erotica.
 
A side: You're A Good Man Albert Brown (Curse You Red Barrel)/ Vanishing Girl
B side: The Mole From the Ministry/My Love Explodes
From Virgin records ltd, UK Import, 1987
Cover Art by Sir John Johns, Neon Paisley and Psycho Delia 

Go to www.ricsrecordsrack.com for more information. This record is in super mint condition and still available.

Here a pic and some tracks from the record:

June 7, 2012
Please Reblog if possible.

XTC were a ‘New Wave’ pop/punk band from Swindon, Wiltshire, England
active between 1977 and 2005 playing glam rock with home-made costumes. They were so ahead of their times that though they received critical acclaim, they did not enjoy much commercial success.  
 
It all began when songwriter and guitarist Andy Partridge and bassist
Colin Moulding got together. Drummer Terry Chambers joined in 1973 soon followed by keyboard player Jonathan Perkins who was later replaced by Barry Andrews in 1976 (after having passed on, believe or not: Thomas Dolby.)  They also played around with several names including The Helium Kidz and Star Park before finally settling on the name: XTC. According to the Swindon website the inspiration for the Band’s name was a Jimmy Durante film, in which the New York comic was searching for a lost chord. Having found it he cried: "Dat's it. I'm in XTC."
 
XTC's music has always been a hook driven, from the edgy riffs of the
early stages of their formation to the tightly arranged melodies of their later albums. It is rather astounding that while popular success eluded them in both Britain and America, the group developed a devoted cult following in both countries as well as in Australia (thanks to the Sydney rock radio station Triple J), that remain loyal even today.  During my research on the band, I actually came across a website (Chalkhills.com) exclusively devoted to XTC, while Swindonweb.com proudly claims the band as one of their own. 
 
Then one day, when on tour in LA, it was discovered that Andy Partridge suffered from stage fright. Apparently he was addicted to the drug valium which had been prescribed to him ever since he was a teenager.  The sudden withdrawal of the medication brought on such severe anxiety attacks that he never performed live again. Since then, XTC became a studio band.
 
Unhappy with the turn of events, their drummer Terry Chambers left the band and emigrated to Australia.  Barry Andrews, their keyboardist also left the group.  He later went on to form Shriekback and worked with Robert Fripp's League of Gentlemen.

Chris Twomey, author of the band's "definitive biography", called: XTC:
Chalkhills and Children, wrote: "After 15 years of making records, XTC remain an enigma: they don't tour, they have few hits, they refuse to conform to the rudiments of the music industry, yet perversely that industry still recognises them as a rare and precious commodity. They invoke a respect - in some a passion -that would dwarf many artists selling ten times the volume of records." 
 
Today Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding still live in Swindon with
Andy going about his way in relative but willing obscurity.
 
Singles (12”) featured here are:
All You Pretty Girls
Push Once
The Meeting Place
Mayor of Simpleton
King For A Day
Grass
The Loving 
Go 2
Album
Black Sea 
Albums not featured here
White Music (1978)
Drums and Wires (1979)
Black Sea (1980)
English Settlement (1982)
Mummer (1983)
The Big Express (1984)
Skylarking (1986)
Psonic Psunspot (1987, as The Dukes of Stratosphear)
Oranges & Lemons (1989)
Nonsuch (1992)
Apple Venus Volume 1 (1999)
Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2) (2000)

Visit www.ricsrecordrack.com for more info.  All the singles and albums featured in the photo are still available.

Please Reblog if possible.

Here is a picture of the band, a picture of singles I own and a video of my favorite song: Grass