Is this an orriginal XTC or is it a cover of Syd Barrett? I havn't heard this song in years but for some reason i remember hearing it as a kid in the earlier 70s. time compression and crappy memory will do that to you I guess. That or all of the heroin I did in the 70s at age 6 :p
Andy Partridge and XTC prided themselves on being average guys from Swindon (a town developed around a railway manufacturing works). XTC's reference to the iron works forging the locomotive engines in this song; "By the light of the furnace pouring / molten memories / Splashing down upon the roofs of Swindon town."
Red Brick Dream references Charles Dickens' novel Hard Times. Both Dickens' "Coketown" and XTC's "Swindon town" are versions of labor-class dystopias, hopeful, confused.
it's lovely to see so many other XTC obsessives here. I only got into them around 3 months ago, and they're already my favourite band. i literally don't need to listen to anything else these days. They have such an extensive back catalogue, spanning such a variety of styles that it's impossible to get bored of them. Wish there were more interviews etc., and, with reference to some of the comments below me, where's the documentary?!??
@charlie7891000 Always love to hear about new people getting turned on to one of the most underrated and fabulous bands around. Their catalogue is so rich with treasures. You've got a fun time ahead of you. There are actually a lot of interviews and documentary bits floating around, though most salvaged from crappy VHS tapes, but that's what we have to deal with.
@charlie7891000 Make sure you explore Andy's Fuzzy Warbles demos collection. And do yourself a favor and explore all the goodies that xtc4u.org has for downloading! Lots of live stuff there with some great video for the grabbing too. XTC were brilliant live, no matter what Andy says to the contrary!
The last bastion of English pop music . Who else could write a song about a railway town. ? Emotive pop folk with a tinge of post punk played by musicians of the most un pretentious . God what a band .
I Want tabs for this so badly, it's just too difficult to see what he's doing. If anyone else can please share it. I've been listen to this song since I was a young child and I would love to play it for my father who played them on the radio for me back then.
@ngholden ! Today's you're lucky day. I was watching this (particularly lovely) video and saw your comments.
The guitar part is pretty easy actually. I think I'll post a cover version and you can let me know if you want me to post a vid with the guitar fingerings.
It's great being an XTC fan - No thugs in our house!
If memory serves me correct, this is from a documentary on the Swindon Railyard that was done around the time of Big Express. They asked Andy to contribute something, and he pulled out Red Brick Dream.
Is this an orriginal XTC or is it a cover of Syd Barrett? I havn't heard this song in years but for some reason i remember hearing it as a kid in the earlier 70s. time compression and crappy memory will do that to you I guess. That or all of the heroin I did in the 70s at age 6 :p
crustyeyegoop 8 months ago
@crustyeyegoop It's a B-side from the Big Express, and a damn brilliant one at that.
geech55 1 month ago
It truly was a Red Brick Dream!
allegracloud 10 months ago
Andy Partridge and XTC prided themselves on being average guys from Swindon (a town developed around a railway manufacturing works). XTC's reference to the iron works forging the locomotive engines in this song; "By the light of the furnace pouring / molten memories / Splashing down upon the roofs of Swindon town."
Red Brick Dream references Charles Dickens' novel Hard Times. Both Dickens' "Coketown" and XTC's "Swindon town" are versions of labor-class dystopias, hopeful, confused.
pakaal22 1 year ago
it's lovely to see so many other XTC obsessives here. I only got into them around 3 months ago, and they're already my favourite band. i literally don't need to listen to anything else these days. They have such an extensive back catalogue, spanning such a variety of styles that it's impossible to get bored of them. Wish there were more interviews etc., and, with reference to some of the comments below me, where's the documentary?!??
xtc you are gods. thank you
charlie7891000 1 year ago 3
@charlie7891000 Always love to hear about new people getting turned on to one of the most underrated and fabulous bands around. Their catalogue is so rich with treasures. You've got a fun time ahead of you. There are actually a lot of interviews and documentary bits floating around, though most salvaged from crappy VHS tapes, but that's what we have to deal with.
geech55 1 month ago
@charlie7891000 Make sure you explore Andy's Fuzzy Warbles demos collection. And do yourself a favor and explore all the goodies that xtc4u.org has for downloading! Lots of live stuff there with some great video for the grabbing too. XTC were brilliant live, no matter what Andy says to the contrary!
geech55 1 month ago
This was a song recorded for a docu about the band, shot in around the 'railway town' of Swindon. Obviously about the history of Swindon too.
Where the fuck is that film?
chrisguygeezer 1 year ago
The last bastion of English pop music . Who else could write a song about a railway town. ? Emotive pop folk with a tinge of post punk played by musicians of the most un pretentious . God what a band .
londoncab100 1 year ago
Such a brilliant yet underrated songwriter.
therealsoulproduct 1 year ago 3
I Want tabs for this so badly, it's just too difficult to see what he's doing. If anyone else can please share it. I've been listen to this song since I was a young child and I would love to play it for my father who played them on the radio for me back then.
ngholden 2 years ago
@ngholden ! Today's you're lucky day. I was watching this (particularly lovely) video and saw your comments.
The guitar part is pretty easy actually. I think I'll post a cover version and you can let me know if you want me to post a vid with the guitar fingerings.
It's great being an XTC fan - No thugs in our house!
Boylieboyle 1 year ago
Comment removed
StevenBoyleTV 1 year ago
@ngholden Howdy ng, have you searched Red Brick You-Know-What recently?
My 'how-to' is about four down the list. Have fun!
StevenBoyleTV 1 year ago
I got this song stuck in my head over the weekend. Glad I found this video, I love hearing "new" stuff from andy/colin.. yay!
thewakz 2 years ago 2
NOBODY writes songs as well as these guys... poetic and musical geniuses...
I GOT ANDY PARTRIDGE TO WRITE ME BACK ONCE! I was literally jumping up and down for joy...
the internet is good for a few things.
stumptacular 3 years ago 2
Nice to hear the unmixed version here, Wish the lads would release a second box set !! I always felt there were too many Demo's on the first one.
xtstevie 3 years ago
this song really brings me back. To my first cd's and how exciting everything was back then. Bonus songs on cds were awesome!
ferrari808 4 years ago 2
i've married andy a thousand times... sigh.
almadora 4 years ago 4
The more i watch the more i want to listen. The more i listen the bigger the fan. When will it ever end. Never.... Thanks Andy.
vhxtc1 4 years ago 9
I love this guy....
panchirock 4 years ago 3
Should have been on the Big Express LP folks, Fab tune from the best ever UK band.
xtstevie 4 years ago 2
Luckily it was on the Virgin Canada cassette. Beautiful peace of work, this is.
FirstUberLlama 3 years ago
God Bless you, man, Thanks a Lot, I´d Really love that one, The Big Express is very, unexplaineably, underrated
lavitroladeldiablo 4 years ago
ditto. I spent a lot of time with the Big Express. Fantastic album. Great follow up to Mummer.
geech55 4 years ago
I've been waiting to see this since 1984 (no joke !!) so thanks very very much for posting this, Magic stuff.
xtstevie 4 years ago
wow where is this from? Love this song. Very underrated. What on earth is he doing on guitar..
jordancooperlalala 5 years ago
If memory serves me correct, this is from a documentary on the Swindon Railyard that was done around the time of Big Express. They asked Andy to contribute something, and he pulled out Red Brick Dream.
fightonusc 4 years ago 3
And is the only man alive who could turn me gay.
VonRichter 5 years ago
Fucking love this song. Thank You.
lego77 5 years ago
i'm still waiting for someone to post the promo video for "statue of liberty." if anyone has it, you know what to do with it.
julianveronica 5 years ago