April 08 #2
Deborah asks:
Way back, Liz Janick’s era on CFNY (how old am I!!) there was a song with the words “…wasting away in summer’s cauldron…” That’s all I remember, other than the fact I liked that song. Any chance you know the artist?
Alan answers:
I’m going to make a wild guess here: “Summer’s Cauldron/Grass” by XTC. They’re the first two songs on their 1986 album, Skylarking. The first words on the album are “Drowning here in Summer’s Cauldron.” I remember working with Liz at the old CFNY back then and I know this album was one of her favourites.
Yes Alan you are spot on on the XTC reference. “Skylarking” was produced by Todd Rundgren and in my opinion is one of the best albums XTC ever made. In some respects it’s their Abbey Road…the only concept album this group of disparate musical geniuses have ever produced. Sadly only diehard XTC fans recognize the contriibution made by the band’s for hire forever drummer Prairie Prince…
And Alan you still haven’t found the BBC TV Special on New Wave bands from the early eighties that features XTC playing ” Shapes of Things to Come “….
And For you esotericans out there…I recently learned that Andy Partridge of XTC plays with his guitar tuned to EBEG#BE ( the ubiquitous Emaj bar chord ). That explains why I’ve had so much trouble over the years figuring out XTC guitar parts. Sounds simple but try playing complex chords and melodic scales with this tuning…it’ll twist your mind like a licorice whip. Apparently he learned to play guitar this way by accident at a young age. Go figure.