XTC - Books Are Burning

[brnsie]

when was this?



[JavelBleach]

This must be one of the worst performances I've ever seen by XTC!

And it's fkin awesome!

[philben58]

just wonderful!

[mauricemorning]

I'll be fucked. I've never seen them and had heard for years that they never played live due to Andy's stagefright. Good on him for getting out there. Of course the song is brilliant on its own and the performance is adequate tho' a bit lackluster. His anger comes out just right in places and his facility with scales is on display at the end. Too bad Colin Moulding didn't open up a bit and allow some of his awesomeness to flow into the proceedings. His playing was way to staccato for me.

[noth12gierc]

@JessiMessy1981 I'm not hearing it. Only awesomeness.

[Mue332Fall2010]

Four people, four instruments, great ideas, great music.

No dance moves, no half naked girls, no frills, no bullshit.

Just having something to say, sometimes, can get you a long way...

[TBAGSHAW]

With the great Dave Matacks on drums none the less how great!!

[dougcash1]

Genious. In league with Lennon/McCartney, Holland Dozier Holland, Brian Wilson, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan & Sly Stone.

[allegracloud]

My soul is now flying free and naked

[dyhanendra]

very interesting guitar solo...very musical.

[LOOKN450]

Never knew Andy Partdidge was such an amazing soloist, that's a first for me. Is there anything this guy can't do ??

[JessiMessy1981]

harmonies are rough. ouch.

[SEYMORDICK]

There is NO audience.



[inkwarp]

@SEYMORDICK he IS the audience

[Stube437]

is this their only public performance since Andy's breakdown?

[101Volts]

@Stube437 No, There were some live performances on TV and Radio when Oranges & Lemons was released (I think there may have been one performance for Skylarking as well) But this is their last live performance to my knowledge.

[XicaDaSilva22]

Such good lyrics. I thought of this song recently since once again, another religious nutter here in the US is recommending that his congregation burn Qurans on 9/11. What the heck is wrong with people?

[xnonsuchx]

@XicaDaSilva22 - Some people still haven't learned how not to be brainwashed by self-righteous freaks. :-)

[muffinbod]

Let this be a lesson to all those rednecks planning to burn a copy of the Koran on september the 11th.

Hey,Andy! Where on earth was that guitar solo designed?

[xnonsuchx]

@muffinbod - Andy's solos are more improvised depending on his mood and less 'technical.' If you listen to the album version and hear the back and forth between Andy and Dave, you can hear Andy's parts have more of an 'emotional' flow versus Dave's more intricate fingering. I wish he did solos more often (I love his on some of his demos and on "Church of Women"), but he considered Dave the better guitarist and usually just had him do a few different solos until Andy was happy with it.

[Topographer]

Think this song was an answer to the Fatwa upon Salmon Rushdie. That resulted in burning of the book Satanic Verses.

[charlie7891000]

I heard Andy Partridge say that one of his main musical influences is Justin Bieber.

[GrigoriSom]

@charlie7891000 Uh huh. 

[shaneshaky1]

ARTHUR LEE AND LOVE WERE CRIMINALLY UNDERRATED LIKE XTC !!!!!!!! FOREVER CHANGES WAS A MASTERPIECE !!!! BOTH THEM AND XTC TORCH ALL COMPETITION !!! THEY ARE SPECIAL FOR PROPER GENUINE MUSIC FANS !!!

[Fibby]

Simply the Best !



[pbonney]

This is nice, but record producers prefer more shallow, meaningless acts like Justin Bieber and Mylee Cyrus. Not because they are shallow and meaningless but because they are pedophiles who use their money and influence to get away with their crimes. Just saying, I really don't know why acts such as these become so popular. XTC deserve popularity but can't sell enough records to young preteen girls I guess.

[TopramenMF]

this is like the book fahrenheit 451

[doburin]

Andy's solo guitar ...... Nice!

[tsopuaifa]

@doburin I love his weird way of letting his fingers wander about and just being free and vivid. Brilliant guitarist.

[bandcouver]

The music industry is scared shitless of music that is honest, innovative and reveals any real human emotion or calls people on their bullshit in anyway.

The industry resents bands like XTC and newer acts like St. Vincent, Fleet Foxes, Gogol Bordello or Eugene McGuiness because they make what they peddle look completely useless.

[101Volts]

@bandcouver So true, I think the music industry may have hit an all time low since lady gaga started but there really are amazing artists out there who deserve to be heard. Neko Case is another who should be known but is not. There is no comparison between lady gaga and Fleet Foxes or Neko Case, Both blow gaga clear to the moon in song quality.

[xnonsuchx]

My favorite line is "Smell of burnt book is not unlike human hair." Even if you don't like Andy's personality or singing, he's lyrically gifted.

[andreaprodan]

A.Partridge redeems an otherwise somewhat lifeless version on this TV show with a great finale and one of the most acomplished and original guitar solos I've ever heard. Mamma Mia!

Virtuosi of Rock take note. It's taste and not just technicalities which counts.

(And Andy is the proud owner of both, as this performance reveals).

[psychobollox]

Dave Mattacks on drums there....

[Topographer]

Written as a reaction to the burning of books after the riots concerning Rushdies Satanic Verses.

[jonnyheroes]

Andy Partridge is a genius, and this is one of his greatest songs. The solo gives me chills. Thanks for sharing.

[bernard35]

Wow, what a song, what a guitar solo

[dweezilmichele]

studio album guitar solo: one of the best of the 90s

[SleepyTymeT]

@dweezilmichele I love how it is so uncharacteristically showy (for XTC) -- it makes it doubly joyous.

[NoelGrassy]

@dweezilmichele

Good call

The studio versh to this one AND the one for 'The Church of Women' are so pure and righteously executed that they'll erect a Granite edifice to their supreme dominance to any solo played or yet to be played. 

[jamesjohnson77]

@dweezilmichele Couldn't agree more, fantastic guitar duel between Andy and Dave, shame it fades out so soon. This live version sounds slow and the vocals are weak. Also you can't hear the Hammond organ at all !

[xnonsuchx]

@dweezilmichele - Well, studio was a duo between Andy and David...Andy had ti do it all here, and quite well.

[sharnycg]

My pop heroes. Come back!

[intothetopcorrupt]

niggers

[stylofone]

Just great! XTC give me so much pleasure to this day.

[iTimothy75]

You know, I love XTC. For real. One of the best bands of all time. Unfortunately they didn't do many filmings/tapings. This does not do them justice at all. Andy is one of a kind. I would love to be in the studio with him.....

[32INCHSTRIPER]

Chills.

[simpon]

Brilliant

I remember seeingbthis when it was first shown and have been trying to see it again for a while

Thanks Poster good job well done

[Svatopluk]

The evidence just continues to mount up to reveal XTC as the greatest ever pop-music outfit.

[fiddlerfart]

this was here then evaporated then came back - this is quite fine - Andy doing his g harrsion impression

[almadora]

hey, who's been raiding my old vhs cabinet? no seriously, thanks for the post. i just know i have this taped somewhere. thanks.