XTC - This Is Pop

[dessan7]

I'm 22, and so what? I got into them because I saw URGH a music war, on television one night. I'm surprised you old farts know how to use the Internet.

[xreddragonx]

@dessan7 Yea, even though it was "old farts"who invented the internet and the web. Go make this comment to Tim Berners Lee (56 years old, created the very first web browser in 1989, i.e. the internet as we now know it), genius.

[ramacure]

QUE LOCA Q ES ESTA CANCION

[seriousmachines]

still have this on vhs tape somewhere...it is the best video....right up there with devo

[drumdog15]

Saw XTC in Vancouver when they toured with The Police 1980 , opened with Battery Brides, what a blast!

[psychosulk]

are you kidding?? being a young XTC fan is crushingly depressing. I followed their entire short-lived, underrated, AMAZING career in what felt like less than a day and I just want more more more. but there IS no more!

i'm just hoping that MAYBE, in my past life, I saw them play live. that'd keep me satisfied enough.

[canturgan]

@psychosulk There is a good band now called Field Music, they remind me of XTC, good melodies, good musicians and a little off kilter.

[jessedove9999]

Greg Benson sent me here

[Bluesache]

Superb and quite awsome. Thank you whoever posted this!

[mantarayZ7]

I read an interview with Andy where he talked about how Dave Gregory got the job as new XTC member. They asked him to play "This is Pop". Dave asked "Album or Single Version?" He got the job immediately.

[xreddragonx]

@mantarayZ7 Now THAT'S the kind of comment we need on Youtube. Thanks for the cool info. :)

[101Volts]

I just got a copy of White Music, Oddly the album version of This Is Pop doesn't sound like the one in this promo video.

[101Volts]

...And in response to my last comment, Wikipedia says there was a re recording of This Is Pop. Which version is which? Is the album version the original and this video version the re recording?

[TheMightyHartley]

Hi there - yes, the version you hear in this vid is the redone version.

The White Music version lacked a little energy, so Virgin Records asked XTC to re-record This Is Pop with a different producer (Mutt Lange), and he gave it more of a groove.

I prefer this single version. Anyway, hope that helped.

[101Volts]

Thanks. I prefer this version myself. Production can make or break a song, It's easy to see with this song.

[101Volts]

By the way, Do you know where I can get this version?

[TheMightyHartley]

Yeah, it's available on a compilation album called 'Fossil Fuel - The XTC Singles Colllection'.

You should be able to download this individual track from iTunes, Play, Amazon and the usual sources, but if you don't own the album already I'd highly recommend getting it for all the other great tracks too.

[101Volts]

I never download from iTunes unless there's an exclusive album or something like that. I'll be looking for some compilation albums that have this version. Thanks!

[stuwatts80]

I actually knew nothing of XTC until I read a review of Dogs Die In Hot Cars' debut album which I bought recently where they mention that their lead singer sounds just like Andy Partridge...and after purchasing Fossil Fuel and listening to it all I'd have to say there's some truth to that. I am now definitely an XTC fan, and I love the bass line and lyrics of this song

[101Volts]

In a milk bar and feeling lost Drinking sodas as cold as frost Someone leans in my direction Quizzing on my juke-box selection What do you call that noise That you put on? This is pop Yeah Yeah This is! On a walkway and moving fast All I get is transistor blast Someone leans in my direction Quizzing on my station selection We come the wrong way We come the long way We play the songs much too loud

[Jrhynie]

The lyrics are quality, they bring a smile to my face anyway.

[101Volts]

Yes, If I ever cover this song I'm going to have to practice not laughing when I sing it. The lyrics, Or at least the opening lyrics are funny like that.

[shadouge4eva97]

wonderfool1234 - i can't believe im saying this, but im 12 and andy IS awkwardly cute haha lol

omg i love xtc shame they broke up andy is the best yaaaaaay!

[MadiYasha]

A 12-year-old XTC fan? You're one seriously awesome person. I've been into XTC since before I could speak, and you wouldnt believe how hard it is to meet young fans. I'm 14 now ^^

Yeah, Andy's adorable. I was always a Colin person, myself.

Speaking of which... jeez, what brand of bass is that? Looks awesome.

[shadouge4eva97]

woooow....

i can't believe it! i really wish i could've seen them live...

...what happened to things get better with age or whatever it is lol

[shadouge4eva97]

oh yeah, and you are seriously awesome too lol.

i have to admit....

...colin IS fit.................

my mates dont thinkk so but that doesn't matter to me - coz i'm the mayor of simpleton! joke haha

[mnaran]

@MadiYasha It's a joy to learn there are really young XTC fans around. You're all in for a lifetime of joy. They were so much better than much of what's out there now. There are some really good current bands, but not nearly enough, and I always somehow compare them to XTC.

[101Volts]

@mnaran For some reason I just felt like saying I'm 18 years old and my best friend who got me into XTC Is 15. I have almost every XTC album now, I'm just missing two if you count Psonic Psunspot. I love Beating Of Hearts, Heatwave, The Disappointed, Bike Ride To The Moon and so many more of their songs. And yeah, There's good new bands (Some are favorites of mine) But they don't get the attention they deserve, Maybe with the exception of Fleet Foxes.

[xreddragonx]

God how I wish kids weren't allowed to post here. *HARD eyeroll*

[xreddragonx]

And I love how on the internet it becomes possible to be into bands before you're old enough to talk. I'm just waiting to read "I've (some kid between 11 and 20) been listening to (minimally successful, nearly forgotten music act from before 1990) since before I was conceived (no explanation why/how)!!!.

[prematurelybald]

@xreddragonx Why. What's wrong with young people appreciating GOOD music. You seriously want us to go to LadyGagaVEVO and be like every OTHER brainwashed kid?

[xreddragonx]

@prematurelybald What's wrong with commenting on "GOOD" music without mentioning your age, or how you prefer it to "shit like lady gaga"? Many agree that comments like this ruin Youtube and is why they avoid this place. No one cares about your age (except maybe a predator). No one finds you cool for listening to your dad's music. No one cares that you're the only one in your school who does. Your taste does NOT define your worth, and if you think otherwise, you ARE brainwashed.

[prematurelybald]

@xreddragonx I am not trying to be self-richeous, and frankly my dad likes shitty country&western music, so that is also irrelevent. It is alll you sadsacks who have to complain about everything that ruin Youtube.Other shit comments include1). 5 people don't like pop.

2). I hope my neighbors like this song &

3). Shut up and enjoy the music- in some crazy font that I can't figure out. I also avoided mentioning my age in my comment, and no, I do not think I'm cool for liking it.

[prematurelybald]

@xreddragonx and also, pretty much every Youtube comment is a personal thing where you negative people might shrug your shoulder and say "no one cares" isn a poutyass voice, but remember, it is COMMENTARY! Sure it is cliched to say your young and like this kind of music, but it is the right side to be on. Maybe we can restore the music industry? But I definately don't see how a comment like that "ruins Youtube".

[SamCoxTV1]

@MadiYasha I'm a 13 year old fan - inspired from my Dad's taste!

[101Volts]

I just realized what the lyric "On a walkway, Moving fast and all I get is transistor blast" means. Clever lyric. It means that the music he was hearing on the radio is nothing but noise and who wants to listen to that?

[101Volts]

Good stuff, Now I really have to get their first three albums.

[wonderfool1234]

...and this is how i fell in love with Andy Partridge when I was 12 yr old.

He's so awkwardly cute in this video!!

XTC is pure bliss. Always perfect!

[Normank666]

Man got the Video on VHS from my father including the interview Great Video 5*

[motorwawt]

Barry Andrew's tone on this track is so fucking gnarly

[MusicJew158]

This song is supposed to be making fun of late 70's rock I am assuming

[petethebastard]

"making fun"? ...pulling the piss, taking the mickey, making a comment...

Yeah, I think you'd assume right.

[Statue0f]

Andy is barefoot :)

[bluejeckett]

The album version is ten times better than this version. It has a different register or something but it has alot better groove and feel to it because of it, definitely superior.

[thenobodygirl]

Andy was so hot back then.

[sketchr]

"The coat of many cupboards" box set collects alot of the alternate single versions of early XTC songs like this one.

[Bassmaster86]

This must be the single version....the album version sounds slightly different...nevertheless a great song from a superlative band!

[cowsill2x2]

I read something online a few months back with Andy talking about how he has checked out some XTC stuff YouTube and was impressed with some of the rare footage he saw (I think he was referring to some concert clips).

Hope he's reading and watching this!

We'd love to get at least one more XTC album, Andy! Brian Eno as producer!

[pier23ca]

Andy hangs on my every post.

Andy whines, er, comments about them on his xtcidearecords forum.

[CaptainBeeFart]

"This Is Pop"?

Yes, it is. Only theirs was better than everyone else's.

[Stigbool]

Barry Andrews was fantastic in XTC and even better in Shriekback.

[pier23ca]

When Barry left, XTC began the long, slow slide into oblivion.

Colin and Terry could carry the band only for so long. When Terry left, the band died.

Dummies do not get it. The basis of Rock is the interplay between drums and bass. What makes a band is when drummer and bassist join in a kinship through time.

Studio musicians never pull off this bond.

That's why Andy knows diddly about music. He thought he could plug in any hack drummer for any recording.

[orbfile]

Barry was good, Terry was good, but XTC made their best stuff from 1976 to 2008....all of it!!!

[pier23ca]

Yes, so they say.

They say the best XTC songs came after Barry and Terry. Yet these songs are the songs for losers -- the ones favored by depressives, bitter divorceds, dorky atheists and other problem types.

[juliek33]

So is this why you spend so much time commenting on this music? Hehe

[lavitroladeldiablo]

When Terry left "that" band died. And they draft a stupid idiot then?. Well, if yes, then i know another band so called XTC that made albums such Black Sea, English Settlement, Skylarking or Apple Venus (you know you cant compare a jewell as "are you receiving me" with shit as "River of Orchids"). OH GOD!

[Harvey3rdman]

Oh yeah, Let's not let a band progress at all. Dig up George and John and let's see if they still wanna shake their moptops and sing "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah"! You can't compare Elvis Costello's "Radio, Radio" and "All This Useless Beauty" either. If you think one or the other is shit perhaps shit is what your doing your thinking with...

[lavitroladeldiablo]

Dear God, I was answering another massage that says "when Barry left the band XTC died".

I only can make me charge of what im saying, not of that you can understand......

Cheers, and knucles down, boys

[MrSExperience]

Even though "White Music" is "punker" than anything they did after, and more energetic and original than most of the punk or new wave being made at the time, this is Andy's answer to what kind of music they did. If only all pop was this good. I love XTC.

[bugga18]

correction- andy and colin AND terry - hot hot hoooot!!!

[bugga18]

Andy and Colin - hot hot hoooot!!!

[batgurrl]

man o man, I forgot how young Andy was in this 1 and are you receiving me. Salami effect? didn't know it had a name - perfect. lol my memory tells me Statue of Liberty is also earlier, but have not seen it listed yet to check it out.

[LyncusBee]

Oh yes when keys were balck and white, and white and black ....

[gailal]

Andy at his best !

[ePhilosopher]

mentalist, obviously

[TeKopp]

Yes, knorr is a Swedish word X'D And I love this song <3

[beritadnor]

haha knorr :D

isn't that swedish?

[beritadnor]

I love Andys song style

he's so cool

[ozbocfan]

A different mix to the one I grew up on. Still a great song and just the precursor of far greater glories.

[jcvdh]

I agree, I also heard the alternate mix. You can get it off beeswax...

[jat13]

It was re-recorded for single release, I think I slightly prefer it to the album version

[lordwindowlicker]

One of the best bands of all time.  Andy + Colin = god.

[gatasucia]

I love this single - it's the first time I see the video. I'm rediscovering them all over again.

[lego77]

I'd love to see that whole towers of london video!

[23Daves]

It's on here if you go through my videos.