WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.200 --> 00:00:04.320 I think they were two brilliant and incompatible personalities. But 2 00:00:04.400 --> 00:00:09.199 this friction gave place to a bath of creativity. Sometimes 3 00:00:09.400 --> 00:00:13.599 when people are not comfortable in the studio, very great 4 00:00:13.599 --> 00:00:18.000 things come out of that. Putting ecstasy out of their 5 00:00:18.039 --> 00:00:22.719 comfort zone gave room to new dimensions of their music. 6 00:00:23.480 --> 00:00:25.960 We're totally bomed rock and Roll. 7 00:00:26.920 --> 00:00:28.480 I mean, I'll leave you you're reading. 8 00:00:28.399 --> 00:00:30.960 Little hands, since it's time to rock and roll rocking 9 00:00:31.839 --> 00:00:33.520 out a totally. 10 00:00:33.280 --> 00:00:39.640 Booked Welcome back to Booked on Rock. This is the 11 00:00:39.679 --> 00:00:42.719 podcast for those about to read in Rock Americ sanitch. 12 00:00:43.119 --> 00:00:45.679 Before we get started, if you're looking to get some 13 00:00:45.719 --> 00:00:49.240 great classic rock merchandise, you can get fifteen percent off 14 00:00:49.719 --> 00:00:52.880 through old Glory dot com. Use the code Booked on 15 00:00:53.039 --> 00:00:55.439 Rock and you get fifteen percent off. The link is 16 00:00:55.479 --> 00:00:56.799 in the show notes, or it can go to our 17 00:00:56.799 --> 00:00:59.840 website Booked on Rock dot com and look for my deals. 18 00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:04.640 Now onto our guest, Alfredo Marziano, a first time guest. 19 00:01:04.680 --> 00:01:07.760 He's here to talk about the classic XTC album from 20 00:01:07.879 --> 00:01:13.159 nineteen eighty six, Skylarking. Skylarking's the eighth studio album by XDC, 21 00:01:13.319 --> 00:01:17.439 released October twenty seventh of nineteen eighty six includes the 22 00:01:17.480 --> 00:01:22.560 singles Grass and Dear God, although that wasn't included on 23 00:01:22.599 --> 00:01:25.319 the original version. We'll get to that, and Skylarking has 24 00:01:25.359 --> 00:01:28.319 been listed on one hundred Greatest Albums of the nineteen 25 00:01:28.359 --> 00:01:32.920 eighties lists by Rolling Stone and Pitchfork. In this book, 26 00:01:32.920 --> 00:01:38.079 Alfredo dives deep into the album XDC Skylarking. A Life 27 00:01:38.120 --> 00:01:40.560 in a Day the Making of a Pop Classic is 28 00:01:40.599 --> 00:01:45.079 the title part of Lily Publishing's Milestones series. Welcome to 29 00:01:45.120 --> 00:01:46.640 the podcast, Alfredo. 30 00:01:46.359 --> 00:01:48.319 Thank you, Thank you very much. I'm really happy. 31 00:01:48.319 --> 00:01:50.400 I'm real glad to have this chance to chat with 32 00:01:50.439 --> 00:01:52.280 you with your listeners. 33 00:01:52.519 --> 00:01:55.400 So tell me about the album when it first grabbed 34 00:01:55.439 --> 00:01:58.239 you and also has your appreciation of the album changed 35 00:01:58.280 --> 00:02:00.640 after spending years researching adding the book. 36 00:02:01.359 --> 00:02:06.159 I'm old enough to have because I'm a sixty ninety 37 00:02:06.120 --> 00:02:08.960 this year, so I have the chance to listen to 38 00:02:09.000 --> 00:02:12.400 the record when it came out in ninety eighty six. 39 00:02:12.479 --> 00:02:15.840 I was twenty nine years old back then, so I 40 00:02:15.960 --> 00:02:19.240 was already an ecstasy fan and a rock fan. 41 00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:21.520 So I was. 42 00:02:23.120 --> 00:02:27.879 Just leagally waiting for this record to come out because 43 00:02:28.319 --> 00:02:32.879 I started to really appreciate Extsy, not exactly from the 44 00:02:32.919 --> 00:02:37.960 beginning of their career, but from the double. 45 00:02:37.639 --> 00:02:39.080 Album English Settlement. 46 00:02:40.840 --> 00:02:44.759 That was their fifth album and it was the first 47 00:02:44.759 --> 00:02:53.000 one that Ecstasy produced and released after they they put 48 00:02:53.039 --> 00:02:57.719 off their light posted career, so because of Andy Partridge 49 00:02:58.439 --> 00:03:03.960 physical and psychooal problems and getting on stage, not only 50 00:03:04.000 --> 00:03:08.360 straight flight, but it was really sick about being on 51 00:03:08.400 --> 00:03:12.240 a stage, so they just concentrated focused on the on 52 00:03:12.280 --> 00:03:18.120 the studio work and English Settlement was the first one 53 00:03:18.639 --> 00:03:23.039 of these albums that made focusing just like on just on. 54 00:03:22.719 --> 00:03:24.319 On the studio work. 55 00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:28.919 And from that point on, in particular, I was interested 56 00:03:28.960 --> 00:03:33.680 in next to seeing more they're more melodic side. Uh. 57 00:03:33.800 --> 00:03:38.719 There used to be a really nervy new wave band 58 00:03:38.960 --> 00:03:46.159 before that. I appreciate very much albums like The Black 59 00:03:46.240 --> 00:03:53.240 Seed that was the one before Ing Settlement and Drums 60 00:03:53.240 --> 00:03:57.159 and Wires to the third album. But I think the 61 00:03:57.759 --> 00:04:02.280 English Setlement opened a door for them, uh in research, 62 00:04:02.360 --> 00:04:07.080 in researching sounds and opening really a new door, a new. 63 00:04:07.039 --> 00:04:09.039 Landscape for for the record. 64 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:14.159 So it was always a dream of mine to have 65 00:04:14.199 --> 00:04:18.519 a chance to write a book about this record, and 66 00:04:18.879 --> 00:04:23.240 the key for that were having the xt C. It 67 00:04:23.399 --> 00:04:28.439 asked Andy Partridge, Colin Moulden and take Gregory to accept 68 00:04:29.040 --> 00:04:33.120 to talk extensively about that about that record with me, 69 00:04:34.120 --> 00:04:37.879 and when this chance opened for me, I think, okay, 70 00:04:38.879 --> 00:04:41.800 that's the right time. And from the time on it 71 00:04:41.920 --> 00:04:46.720 was not so a long process because a part of 72 00:04:46.800 --> 00:04:52.319 the of the writing was their job. They h the 73 00:04:52.399 --> 00:04:56.319 interviews I made with them, made the book of the 74 00:04:56.399 --> 00:05:01.360 of the book at completing it with many interviews that 75 00:05:01.399 --> 00:05:07.160 I've taken from multiple, multiple sources. But the ball cover 76 00:05:07.480 --> 00:05:09.839 of the book is the original interviews that I met 77 00:05:09.879 --> 00:05:11.480 with the three of them and with. 78 00:05:11.439 --> 00:05:12.480 Other people involved. 79 00:05:12.680 --> 00:05:16.879 Unfortunately, I couldn't get in touch with the producer, Todd Ranger, 80 00:05:16.879 --> 00:05:20.879 and I yet to use some of the interviews that 81 00:05:20.879 --> 00:05:24.360 it made before about about the record. I couldn't get 82 00:05:24.439 --> 00:05:26.040 in touch with him. Unfortunately. 83 00:05:27.040 --> 00:05:27.920 Anyway I got. 84 00:05:27.959 --> 00:05:32.639 I got in touch with an assistance of him at 85 00:05:32.639 --> 00:05:36.800 the studio and it was a really really important source 86 00:05:36.879 --> 00:05:37.879 of information for me. 87 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:40.639 The name of this guy is Ralph Lagnini. 88 00:05:41.199 --> 00:05:43.519 And did you appreciate the album in a different way 89 00:05:43.600 --> 00:05:46.079 or more so after speaking with the guys and getting 90 00:05:46.120 --> 00:05:48.319 all that inside information on the album, do you listen 91 00:05:48.319 --> 00:05:49.240 to it differently now? 92 00:05:49.639 --> 00:05:49.759 Oh? 93 00:05:49.839 --> 00:05:53.720 Yeah, a little bit, yes, because they point to some 94 00:05:53.800 --> 00:05:59.480 of the things of the shades of the subtleties that 95 00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:03.879 you sometimes you know you can, you don't perceive that 96 00:06:04.360 --> 00:06:08.680 at the first moment. So, for example, they're talking about 97 00:06:09.319 --> 00:06:13.480 using this kind of Mexican Latin guitar that's called the teple, 98 00:06:14.000 --> 00:06:19.079 is a little ten string guitar in songs like Summers, 99 00:06:19.079 --> 00:06:23.120 Caledon and Grass, the two songs that start the record. 100 00:06:23.879 --> 00:06:25.920 I was not exactly aware that. 101 00:06:27.240 --> 00:06:32.680 And yes, now I listened more intantly to the sound 102 00:06:32.720 --> 00:06:35.959 too when I listen to the record now, and so 103 00:06:36.399 --> 00:06:37.720 with many other things. 104 00:06:37.800 --> 00:06:39.800 Yeah, yeah, does that for me as well. 105 00:06:40.199 --> 00:06:42.720 For example, in another song that's called the Meeting. 106 00:06:42.519 --> 00:06:50.439 Place, they use the factory hooter that was calling the 107 00:06:50.480 --> 00:06:54.600 workers to work in Swindon, in their hometown in England, 108 00:06:55.120 --> 00:07:00.519 and this is another important touch of And then it's 109 00:07:00.560 --> 00:07:04.680 also interesting for me to know some of the landscape, 110 00:07:04.720 --> 00:07:08.279 the imaginary landscape that they had in their heads when 111 00:07:08.279 --> 00:07:13.600 they were writing and playing those songs. There are songs 112 00:07:13.920 --> 00:07:18.399 very much informed even if they recorded in the US. 113 00:07:18.680 --> 00:07:22.720 This is a very cant essentially British album, very much 114 00:07:22.839 --> 00:07:27.519 rooted in England and in Swindon, in their hometown. 115 00:07:27.959 --> 00:07:30.680 Yeah, the main lineup, you did mention the three main 116 00:07:30.720 --> 00:07:33.720 guys that you spoke with, Andy Partridge lead vocals, guitar, 117 00:07:34.160 --> 00:07:37.639 Colin Molding vocals and bassed, Dave Gregory vocals, guitar, piano, 118 00:07:37.720 --> 00:07:42.319 since and string arrangements credited as quote unquote the part 119 00:07:42.319 --> 00:07:46.240 of the time Bomb is drummer Prairie Prince and Todd 120 00:07:46.319 --> 00:07:49.879 Rudgren produced it. And you write about Andy Partridge's breakdown 121 00:07:50.399 --> 00:07:53.000 and the band's decision to stop touring in nineteen eighty two. 122 00:07:53.040 --> 00:07:55.959 You just mentioned that and heading into the album, Version 123 00:07:56.040 --> 00:08:01.639 Records essentially gave XDC an ultimatum finding direction or work 124 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:03.920 with an American producer who could help the band in 125 00:08:03.959 --> 00:08:07.399 the US. How much pressure did that situation place on 126 00:08:07.439 --> 00:08:09.680 the group And do you think Skylarkin would have been 127 00:08:09.720 --> 00:08:14.439 a completely different album had those commercial pressures not existed. 128 00:08:14.720 --> 00:08:19.439 I think so, because as I remember, I think it's 129 00:08:19.519 --> 00:08:25.399 Dave Gregory Gregory that says that until the point Execy 130 00:08:25.720 --> 00:08:29.600 used to have quite a free hand in choosing the 131 00:08:29.639 --> 00:08:36.440 producers and choosing and the sounds of their records. When 132 00:08:36.519 --> 00:08:42.759 they were confronting with Todd Ranger with a very you know, 133 00:08:43.480 --> 00:08:49.679 quite strong personality they have to face a man had 134 00:08:49.879 --> 00:08:54.000 a real clear idea of what he wanted the record 135 00:08:54.000 --> 00:08:54.639 to sound like. 136 00:08:55.679 --> 00:08:58.240 And this, ah, you know. 137 00:08:58.320 --> 00:09:04.440 Pushed to give way to a strong personality clash between 138 00:09:04.559 --> 00:09:09.320 him and at the partridge with the more you know, uh, 139 00:09:09.720 --> 00:09:14.440 strong willed musician in in XDC and also the main 140 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:20.960 composer and so yes, of course the mark of Todd 141 00:09:21.000 --> 00:09:25.679 Drangren is very much present in in this record. I 142 00:09:25.720 --> 00:09:28.279 think it would be it could have been a very 143 00:09:28.360 --> 00:09:33.320 very different record if it's another producer had been chosen 144 00:09:33.480 --> 00:09:37.519 to work on it instead of instead of Todd Drangren. Uh, 145 00:09:37.759 --> 00:09:43.639 this is even and the Partridge now recognizes this, recognizes 146 00:09:43.720 --> 00:09:50.720 that that Todd made sometimes the very very clever decisions, 147 00:09:51.360 --> 00:09:56.399 and it puts he left a very strong market on 148 00:09:56.440 --> 00:10:00.480 the record. But it was for a good it was 149 00:10:00.480 --> 00:10:02.879 for a good goal. 150 00:10:05.600 --> 00:10:08.399 Chapter three paints a vivid picture of XDC arriving in 151 00:10:08.440 --> 00:10:14.159 Woodstock and finding Rundgren's rustic Utopia Studios. Several accounts described 152 00:10:14.159 --> 00:10:18.320 the studio as somewhat chaotic, mouse nests in the chamberlain, 153 00:10:18.480 --> 00:10:21.559 equipment scattered around, and a less than glamorous set up. 154 00:10:22.120 --> 00:10:26.120 Before Rundgren even arrived, the band spent days rehearsing and 155 00:10:26.159 --> 00:10:31.360 preparing songs what were Rundgren's first impressions of XTC and 156 00:10:31.399 --> 00:10:33.639 the material that they brought with him, and how quickly 157 00:10:33.679 --> 00:10:36.120 did it become clear that his vision for the album 158 00:10:36.200 --> 00:10:37.639 might differ from theirs. 159 00:10:37.919 --> 00:10:42.080 When Todd listened to the demos, ye had already an 160 00:10:42.120 --> 00:10:45.759 idea of the sequence of the songs and how to 161 00:10:45.840 --> 00:10:49.879 put them in the record, which one to select to 162 00:10:49.919 --> 00:10:52.840 pick up and which one to discard. And that was 163 00:10:52.879 --> 00:10:57.279 a big shock and a big surprise for Partridge in particular. 164 00:10:57.879 --> 00:11:03.320 That was used to another a totally different way of working, 165 00:11:04.200 --> 00:11:09.639 to scatter ideas around, to have maybe twenty twenty five 166 00:11:09.720 --> 00:11:15.440 thirty songs and then let them develop naturally organically, and 167 00:11:15.919 --> 00:11:23.679 after that choosing the best ones instead. Todd from the 168 00:11:23.799 --> 00:11:28.039 very beginning said, no, this is the thirteen fourteen song 169 00:11:28.120 --> 00:11:33.000 that we are we're going to use, So this is 170 00:11:33.039 --> 00:11:34.519 the sequence. 171 00:11:34.080 --> 00:11:34.759 Of the songs. 172 00:11:35.720 --> 00:11:40.440 Just put them on tape in the right with the 173 00:11:40.519 --> 00:11:43.399 right sounds and with the right arrangements and with the 174 00:11:43.480 --> 00:11:47.840 right performance. So a big shock for them and for 175 00:11:48.919 --> 00:11:53.240 Puntry particularly. There's another thing that happened. They were not 176 00:11:53.440 --> 00:11:58.159 used to. They didn't begin to work with the trump 177 00:11:58.240 --> 00:12:02.039 with the drummer. They started the recording the record without 178 00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:05.639 a drummer, so they have to use the click tracks, 179 00:12:05.879 --> 00:12:10.480 and it was quite you know, this place and this 180 00:12:10.639 --> 00:12:14.879 come forth in for them. Just after they went to 181 00:12:14.879 --> 00:12:19.679 San Francisco, Prairie Prince put the drum tracks on the songs. 182 00:12:20.039 --> 00:12:22.879 Chapter four gets into one of the most fascinating aspects 183 00:12:22.879 --> 00:12:27.360 of Skylarking, Todd Runggren's highly structured production methods and the 184 00:12:27.399 --> 00:12:30.480 creative fraction that they created with XTC. One of the 185 00:12:30.519 --> 00:12:35.080 most surprising revelations is that Colin Molding was often recording 186 00:12:35.120 --> 00:12:38.480 bass parts, you know, like you said before Prairie Princess drums. 187 00:12:39.080 --> 00:12:43.600 How unusual was run Gren's recording process for that time. 188 00:12:44.120 --> 00:12:48.360 Ramgan was quite used to doing things this way. He 189 00:12:48.440 --> 00:12:53.039 also used to, you know, to record the whole albums 190 00:12:53.080 --> 00:12:55.519 by himself, playing all day instruments. 191 00:12:56.639 --> 00:12:58.440 So it thought maybe that other. 192 00:12:58.399 --> 00:13:04.919 Musician could be easily, you know, convinced to walk this way. 193 00:13:05.759 --> 00:13:10.120 Colin Malten at these problems too, in a playing base, 194 00:13:11.120 --> 00:13:14.919 just with a click track, just imagining where the drum 195 00:13:14.960 --> 00:13:19.120 beats were going to be, just in his head. But 196 00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:24.600 it was more flexible in his way like Dave Gregory was. 197 00:13:24.600 --> 00:13:27.200 Because Dave Gregory was the only one of the three 198 00:13:27.840 --> 00:13:30.720 that was already a fan of Todd Ranger and productions 199 00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:34.840 and records and was very happy to work with him, 200 00:13:35.639 --> 00:13:37.039 while Partridge was. 201 00:13:37.919 --> 00:13:41.440 Really at logger heads with this way of working. 202 00:13:41.720 --> 00:13:46.799 Well, the conflict between Partridge and Runggren that's chapter five 203 00:13:46.879 --> 00:13:49.600 gets into it. It's a legendary conflict. You could say 204 00:13:49.639 --> 00:13:53.559 the title two Hitler's in a Bunker and it perfectly 205 00:13:53.600 --> 00:13:57.480 captures the reputation of the Andy Partridge Todd Runggren relationship. 206 00:13:57.559 --> 00:14:02.440 Todd Rongreennn argued that andy tendency to endlessly revised songs 207 00:14:02.480 --> 00:14:05.759 have become a problem, while Andy felt Todd was stifling 208 00:14:05.799 --> 00:14:10.480 his creativity. After researching both perspectives, do you think either 209 00:14:10.519 --> 00:14:13.440 side was more justified or were they simply just two 210 00:14:13.480 --> 00:14:16.440 brilliant but incompatible personalities. 211 00:14:16.919 --> 00:14:21.200 I think there were two brilliant and incompatible personalities, but 212 00:14:21.320 --> 00:14:28.679 this friction gave place to a bath of creativity. So 213 00:14:29.159 --> 00:14:34.720 sometimes when people are not comfortable in the studio, very 214 00:14:34.759 --> 00:14:41.799 great things come out of that. Putting ecstasy out of 215 00:14:41.879 --> 00:14:49.440 their comfort zone gave room two new dimensions of their music. 216 00:14:49.919 --> 00:14:53.519 I think I think that Todd Ranger and input can 217 00:14:53.679 --> 00:14:55.360 be underestimated. 218 00:14:55.720 --> 00:14:57.759 So do you think Skylarkin is one of those rare 219 00:14:57.840 --> 00:15:02.080 cases where create attention actually elevates the work beyond what 220 00:15:02.159 --> 00:15:03.759 either party might have achieved. 221 00:15:03.399 --> 00:15:09.039 A loan, for sure, and Partridge recognizes that too nowadays. 222 00:15:09.240 --> 00:15:14.720 He was a great, great arranger of sounds of strings 223 00:15:14.840 --> 00:15:17.879 or brass, And there are some songs on the record 224 00:15:19.080 --> 00:15:22.039 like Murmured Smile or the Man who Sailed Around the 225 00:15:22.080 --> 00:15:27.159 Shore where he made a really astounded work in a 226 00:15:27.320 --> 00:15:36.159 very short time with brass and strings. He had some 227 00:15:36.240 --> 00:15:41.320 kind of jazzy undertones and touches to the songs. I 228 00:15:41.360 --> 00:15:45.360 don't think that Ecstasy could have arrived at the target 229 00:15:45.440 --> 00:15:45.960 without him. 230 00:15:46.200 --> 00:15:48.840 Fourteen tracks at all. Let's get to some of the 231 00:15:48.879 --> 00:15:52.279 standout tracks now. The album opens with Summer's Cauldron. One 232 00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:55.000 of the most fascinating details here is Andy's explanation of 233 00:15:55.039 --> 00:15:58.519 trying to translate colors, heat, and visual images in the 234 00:15:58.639 --> 00:16:03.000 chords and sounds opening filled with insects, birds, barking dogs, 235 00:16:03.960 --> 00:16:08.279 environmental sounds. How much of that cinematic soundscape was in 236 00:16:08.399 --> 00:16:12.519 this vision and how much was that Rundgren's contribution as 237 00:16:12.519 --> 00:16:16.480 a producer, because you just mentioned his production techniques as 238 00:16:16.519 --> 00:16:19.200 far as orchestration and things like that. 239 00:16:19.639 --> 00:16:23.519 Well, in this case, I think that Andy had already 240 00:16:23.720 --> 00:16:28.679 in his original ideas the kind of ambiance, the kind 241 00:16:28.720 --> 00:16:33.159 of mood that he wanted to reach. So this kind 242 00:16:33.240 --> 00:16:39.919 of a very lazy summer feel. And yeah, of course 243 00:16:40.120 --> 00:16:43.600 ranger at the brilliance and the good ideas of using 244 00:16:44.279 --> 00:16:47.919 some kind of even synthesized sounds. It was very used 245 00:16:47.960 --> 00:16:51.600 to you to put in his record to reach this 246 00:16:52.840 --> 00:16:56.120 kind of atmosphere the sounds. But I think in this 247 00:16:56.200 --> 00:17:02.080 case Andy already had a very very precise idea in 248 00:17:02.120 --> 00:17:05.640 his mind of what you wanted in the Stork in 249 00:17:05.799 --> 00:17:07.799 his first two songs of the. 250 00:17:07.759 --> 00:17:11.559 Record, Grass one of the most beloved Colin Molding songs 251 00:17:11.559 --> 00:17:13.720 on Skylarking and You point out the Grass in the 252 00:17:13.759 --> 00:17:17.160 Meeting Place or thematically linked, and both draw from Colin's 253 00:17:17.200 --> 00:17:21.359 memories of courtship. Song has often been interpreted as being 254 00:17:21.359 --> 00:17:24.480 about drug use because of its psychedelic feel, yet Colin 255 00:17:24.559 --> 00:17:27.359 specifically says the song is inspired by real memories of 256 00:17:27.559 --> 00:17:32.000 porting his future wife around Coke Water in Swindon. What 257 00:17:32.039 --> 00:17:34.240 did you learn about Colin as a songwriter while working 258 00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:36.559 on the book. How does his writing different from Andy 259 00:17:36.599 --> 00:17:37.880 Partridge's approach. 260 00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:41.960 While Andy is more angular, you know, a bit more 261 00:17:41.960 --> 00:17:46.920 eccentric in his kind of in his way in the 262 00:17:46.920 --> 00:17:53.519 style of songwriting. Colin Moulding is more more melodic because 263 00:17:53.640 --> 00:17:59.880 they have a very stronger Beatles influence. You could, may 264 00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:02.920 be to put the things in a simple way, it 265 00:18:03.000 --> 00:18:06.480 says that Andy Prodge is a kind of John Lennon 266 00:18:07.160 --> 00:18:10.400 of XDC and and Colin Modle is upon mccardey is 267 00:18:10.440 --> 00:18:17.000 not exactly made this way. Parties is across maybe between 268 00:18:17.519 --> 00:18:22.960 Lennon and McCartney. Uh, while I think molding is more 269 00:18:23.000 --> 00:18:26.920 on the McCartney side or even the Harrison side, because 270 00:18:27.359 --> 00:18:32.200 he used to have a smaller fraction of of songs 271 00:18:32.240 --> 00:18:36.759 in every record. But interestingly, uh, when to Dragon was 272 00:18:36.759 --> 00:18:41.279 involved in inst skalarking, it happened that is this time 273 00:18:41.559 --> 00:18:45.920 Colin Malden had more songs than in every in the 274 00:18:45.960 --> 00:18:52.079 record that in every other ACTDC album. It's for for 275 00:18:52.079 --> 00:18:56.400 for song this time and Andy is anyway ready to 276 00:18:56.480 --> 00:19:02.440 recognize that they all of them were worthwhile, so the 277 00:19:02.720 --> 00:19:08.079 whole the word while being in the album. 278 00:19:08.200 --> 00:19:10.599 Thanks so much for checking out the Booked on Rock podcast. 279 00:19:10.880 --> 00:19:14.400 If you've just found the podcast, welcome. If you've been listening. 280 00:19:14.640 --> 00:19:16.720 Thank you so much for your support, and make sure 281 00:19:16.759 --> 00:19:19.279 you tell a friend, a family member, share on social 282 00:19:19.319 --> 00:19:22.680 media and let people know about Booked on Rock. And 283 00:19:22.799 --> 00:19:25.160 if you do like the podcast, make sure you subscribe 284 00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:27.839 give a five star review. Wherever you listen to the 285 00:19:27.839 --> 00:19:32.519 Booked on Rock podcast, We're on Amazon, Apple, iHeart, Spotify, Spreaker, 286 00:19:32.559 --> 00:19:35.400 tune in, and on YouTube music. You can check out 287 00:19:35.400 --> 00:19:38.079 the full episodes on video, along with video highlights from 288 00:19:38.119 --> 00:19:41.160 episodes on the Booked on Rock YouTube channel. Find it 289 00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:44.720 at Booked on Rock. Thanks again for listening. Now back 290 00:19:44.759 --> 00:19:47.920 to the show. All right, let's get into Dear God. 291 00:19:48.319 --> 00:19:52.000 First release as the B side to Grass wasn't originally 292 00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:55.319 included on the first UK version of Skylarking, but US 293 00:19:55.400 --> 00:19:59.680 distributor Geffen Records recalled and repressed Skylarking with it included. 294 00:20:00.119 --> 00:20:02.039 How does a B side end up becoming one of 295 00:20:02.160 --> 00:20:04.319 xdc's most famous in defining songs. 296 00:20:04.599 --> 00:20:10.599 There's a funny story, even a bit strange story, Andy 297 00:20:11.160 --> 00:20:16.319 and the head of A and R Virgin. In the UK, 298 00:20:17.119 --> 00:20:20.279 it was called Jeremy lot Cells or something like that. 299 00:20:21.640 --> 00:20:28.359 We're worried that this song could provoke some kind of 300 00:20:29.319 --> 00:20:35.839 you know, strong reaction in the Catholic circles in America 301 00:20:36.000 --> 00:20:39.960 in particular, and they were right in uh In saying this. 302 00:20:40.880 --> 00:20:46.480 But uh Andy himself didn't recognize the value of the 303 00:20:46.519 --> 00:20:51.599 song in the first place. Maybe it doesn't think even 304 00:20:51.680 --> 00:20:54.720 now that Dear God was one of the best songs 305 00:20:55.000 --> 00:21:00.119 of the record. But this time Todd at his voice 306 00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:04.200 and it was right, because that was the song that 307 00:21:05.440 --> 00:21:09.839 Cut got to hear of the of the American audience 308 00:21:09.880 --> 00:21:14.279 in thanks to college radio in particular, and to a 309 00:21:14.400 --> 00:21:18.839 video that was played on MTV. Of course, there was 310 00:21:18.880 --> 00:21:25.079 a strong reaction about the contents of the song because 311 00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:30.480 this is a hatty song, but that opened the door 312 00:21:30.599 --> 00:21:36.039 for Ecstasy on the American market. So this time, even 313 00:21:36.039 --> 00:21:39.119 this time, Todd was on the right side. And Handy 314 00:21:40.799 --> 00:21:44.119 maybe underestimated the value of the song. He thought it 315 00:21:44.200 --> 00:21:48.200 was a bit simplistic in the lyric. He thought that 316 00:21:48.319 --> 00:21:53.799 he had to develop more deeply the thought and the 317 00:21:53.880 --> 00:21:58.640 meaning of the song. But I think that it's the target, 318 00:21:58.880 --> 00:22:01.359 very very strongly in a way, so. 319 00:22:01.920 --> 00:22:04.240 Sure, and one of the most memorable elements of the 320 00:22:04.279 --> 00:22:07.240 song is a child's voice. What's the story behind that? 321 00:22:07.359 --> 00:22:09.960 Who is that? How did she become part of that track. 322 00:22:10.319 --> 00:22:15.359 That's another funny story because, as many other people that 323 00:22:15.480 --> 00:22:21.160 listened to the record, seeing the video on MTV, I 324 00:22:21.279 --> 00:22:26.440 was sure. I was convinced that the voice was a 325 00:22:26.559 --> 00:22:33.400 voice of a little child, a male child. Instead, it 326 00:22:33.599 --> 00:22:40.680 was sung by a small female singer. She was maybe 327 00:22:40.839 --> 00:22:44.200 nine or ten or eleven at the time. It was 328 00:22:44.319 --> 00:22:50.119 a friend of friends in the Todd Drunken circles in Woodstock, 329 00:22:50.240 --> 00:22:56.559 and so she had already sang live with his parents. 330 00:22:56.799 --> 00:22:58.759 She was used to go on stage with the pants 331 00:22:59.400 --> 00:23:03.920 and very she was called upon on the studio and 332 00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:10.880 made this opening lines and closing lines of the song. 333 00:23:11.200 --> 00:23:16.720 So it was a very you know, simple simple thing. 334 00:23:17.759 --> 00:23:21.079 She was not sure what was happening until the record 335 00:23:21.119 --> 00:23:24.559 came out. She didn't know if her voice was in 336 00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:25.319 the song or not. 337 00:23:25.880 --> 00:23:29.119 Yeah, it's simple, but it's powerful. That child, the innocent 338 00:23:29.319 --> 00:23:34.759 child's voice. It just added a whole other element and 339 00:23:35.480 --> 00:23:39.440 just strength to the emotion of the song. Alfredo Marziano 340 00:23:39.559 --> 00:23:43.000 is the author of XDC Skylarking Life in a Day, 341 00:23:43.119 --> 00:23:46.400 The Making of a pop Classic. One of my favorite 342 00:23:46.400 --> 00:23:50.599 tracks is That's Really Super Supergirl. The song is often 343 00:23:50.640 --> 00:23:54.400 remembered as a playful, comic book inspired pop song, but 344 00:23:54.440 --> 00:23:58.680 any Partridge suggests it's really about romantic disappointment and being 345 00:23:58.720 --> 00:24:00.960 the dump be other than the dumper. 346 00:24:01.400 --> 00:24:04.599 That was another point of contention between him and Ranger 347 00:24:04.799 --> 00:24:10.200 because when Rangern listened to the demo, he immediately said 348 00:24:10.279 --> 00:24:15.319 this is the single, and Andy was not convinced. All 349 00:24:15.720 --> 00:24:18.640 he thought maybe it could be a B side. It 350 00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:22.799 didn't reckon it as one of the stronger songs on 351 00:24:22.839 --> 00:24:27.079 the on the record, and uh, but anyway, he has 352 00:24:27.119 --> 00:24:31.559 a kind of very alternative rock in a way, you know, 353 00:24:31.640 --> 00:24:36.200 feel to it that was very in tune with what 354 00:24:36.319 --> 00:24:39.920 the college radio in America used to play at the moment. 355 00:24:40.000 --> 00:24:43.480 So thought Rangon had the hears attuned to that, so 356 00:24:43.519 --> 00:24:48.039 he knew that it could be one of the catchiest songs. 357 00:24:47.759 --> 00:24:49.079 On the record. 358 00:24:49.200 --> 00:24:54.039 So another This is another example of how having the 359 00:24:55.319 --> 00:25:01.440 different hears listened to the record of man who has 360 00:25:01.559 --> 00:25:08.799 the experience and the here of Todd Dranglon was a big, big, 361 00:25:08.880 --> 00:25:10.960 big addition to the record. 362 00:25:11.240 --> 00:25:14.200 Let's talk about the guitar. One of the most fascinating 363 00:25:14.240 --> 00:25:18.359 stories in this chapter involves Eric Clapton's famous painted Gibson 364 00:25:18.480 --> 00:25:22.559 SG the fool. It's used during the sessions how significant 365 00:25:22.599 --> 00:25:24.920 was that guitar's contribution to the track, And what did 366 00:25:25.000 --> 00:25:28.480 Dave Gregory tell you about playing such a legendary instrument? 367 00:25:29.160 --> 00:25:33.000 Of course, he was amazed to find this instrument is 368 00:25:33.039 --> 00:25:38.720 a very very you know, famed instrument in the studio 369 00:25:39.640 --> 00:25:41.000 of in Tod Drangon studio. 370 00:25:41.480 --> 00:25:43.480 It was not in. 371 00:25:43.440 --> 00:25:51.960 Great shape maybe, but Dave with a very very clever instrumentalist, 372 00:25:52.640 --> 00:25:57.920 and he also knows how to manipulate to work on 373 00:25:58.640 --> 00:26:04.279 the guitars, the the things correctly, put new strings on 374 00:26:04.039 --> 00:26:07.200 the on that and so on, and so he didn't 375 00:26:07.200 --> 00:26:12.440 mind the the Clepton sound for for the song. And 376 00:26:12.519 --> 00:26:17.000 so it was very very very active. This chance to 377 00:26:18.400 --> 00:26:22.359 you know, to to look at the past in a 378 00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:25.079 way with the with with the song and with this. 379 00:26:25.200 --> 00:26:28.799 So the sound of this of this instrument that was 380 00:26:29.720 --> 00:26:34.480 later both by other people. I don't know we own 381 00:26:34.839 --> 00:26:38.000 is now, but it's a very very prizing instrument. So 382 00:26:38.920 --> 00:26:41.799 it was sold at an auction with for many many 383 00:26:41.839 --> 00:26:43.960 many thousands of dollars. 384 00:26:43.960 --> 00:26:48.319 So yeah, I'm sure maybe, yeah, oh sure, I wouldn't responise. 385 00:26:48.480 --> 00:26:51.160 I'm sure people are curious how did he get his 386 00:26:51.200 --> 00:26:52.400 hands on that? How did that all? 387 00:26:52.680 --> 00:26:56.720 I don't remember exactly, but when told to put his 388 00:26:56.920 --> 00:27:01.039 ends on the on the of the guitar was expensive 389 00:27:01.160 --> 00:27:04.000 but not you know, like like it is now. So 390 00:27:04.960 --> 00:27:08.039 maybe because also it was not in very good shape. 391 00:27:08.240 --> 00:27:12.200 I don't know how it happened that Clapton, you know, 392 00:27:12.559 --> 00:27:16.400 he has so many guitars and that was a yeah, 393 00:27:16.519 --> 00:27:16.920 that was but. 394 00:27:17.000 --> 00:27:21.799 It was it was Todd who who had it initially. Yeah, 395 00:27:21.880 --> 00:27:22.319 he's the. 396 00:27:22.279 --> 00:27:24.519 One when Clapton. 397 00:27:24.839 --> 00:27:32.079 When Clapton, uh, you know, sold someone, then Todd at 398 00:27:32.119 --> 00:27:36.559 the chance to to buy it. And so yeah, he 399 00:27:36.640 --> 00:27:39.240 also use it in some of his records. You can 400 00:27:39.319 --> 00:27:42.640 see I don't remember what what record it is. There 401 00:27:42.720 --> 00:27:46.599