Transistor Blast: The Best of the BBC Sessions is a 4-disc boxed set by the English rock band XTC, released by Cooking Vinyl in November 1998, just three months prior to the studio album Apple Venus Volume 1.[1][2]
Transistor Blast: The Best of the BBC Sessions | ||||
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Box set by | ||||
Released | 24 November 1998 | |||
Recorded | 1977–1989 | |||
Genre | Pop rock | |||
Length | 194:19 (4 CD Total) | |||
Label | Cooking Vinyl | |||
XTC other chronology | ||||
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Tracks on the first two discs are culled from various BBC radio sessions the group performed on over the years, notably for John Peel and David Jensen.[3] Discs three and four are live recordings, the latter of which was previously released as BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert[4] and is now titled Live in Concert 1980 on streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music.
"Opening Speech" from the first disc is Andy Partridge imitating John Peel.[5]
Track listing
editUK CD: COOKCD152
editAll songs written by Andy Partridge, except where noted.
Disc one
edit- Studio sessions
- "Opening Speech" – 0:49 [John Peel Show: Recorded 8 October 1979; Aired 15 October 1979]
- "Life Begins at the Hop" (Colin Moulding) – 4:19 [David "Kid" Jensen Show: Recorded 21 May 1979; Aired 31 May 1979]
- "Scarecrow People" – 4:13 [Richard Skinner Show: Recorded 16 March 1989; Aired 5 April 1989]
- "Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her, Kiss Her" – 4:21 [Bruno Brookes Show: Recorded 11 October 1984; Aired 20 November 1984]
- "Ten Feet Tall" (Moulding) – 2:53 [John Peel Show: Recorded 8 October 1979; Aired 15 October 1979]
- "Garden of Earthly Delights" – 5:33 [Andy Kershaw Show: Recorded 16 March 1989; Aired 11 June 1989]
- "Runaways" (Moulding) – 4:41 [David "Kid" Jensen Show: Recorded 14 January 1982; Aired 25 January 1982]
- "When You're Near Me I Have Difficulty" – 3:07 [David "Kid" Jensen Show: Recorded 21 May 1979; Aired 31 May 1979]
- "I'm Bugged" – 3:34 [John Peel Show: Recorded 21 September 1977; Aired 26 September 1977]
- "Another Satellite" – 4:21 [Sunday Live Show: Recorded and aired 22 February 1987]
- "You're the Wish (You Are) I Had" – 3:24 [Bruno Brookes Show: Recorded 11 October 1984; Aired 20 November 1984]
- "Crosswires" (Moulding) – 2:10 [John Peel Show: Recorded 20 June 1977; Aired 24 June 1977]
- "Roads Girdle the Globe" – 5:03 [John Peel Show: Recorded 8 October 1979; Aired 15 October 1979]
Disc two
edit- Studio sessions
- "No Thugs in Our House" – 5:23 [David "Kid" Jensen Show: Recorded 14 January 1982; Aired 25 January 1982]
- "One of the Millions" (Moulding) – 4:26 [Andy Kershaw Show: Recorded 16 March 1989; Aired 11 June 1989]
- "Real by Reel" – 3:48 [John Peel Show: Recorded 8 October 1979; Aired 15 October 1979]
- "The Meeting Place" (Moulding) – 3:08 [Sunday Live Show: Recorded and aired 22 February 1987]
- "Meccanic Dancing (Oh We Go!)" – 2:36 [John Peel Show: Recorded 13 November 1978; Aired 23 November 1978]
- "Poor Skeleton Steps Out" – 3:27 [Richard Skinner Show: Recorded 16 March 1989; Aired 5 April 1989]
- "Into the Atom Age" – 2:27 [John Peel Show: Recorded 21 September 1977; Aired 26 September 1977]
- "The Rhythm" (Moulding) – 2:55 [John Peel Show: Recorded 13 November 1978; Aired 23 November 1978]
- "This World Over" – 4:33 [Bruno Brookes Show: Recorded 11 October 1984; Aired 20 November 1984 - actually the 7" version misfiled]
- "Snowman" – 4:42 [David "Kid" Jensen Show: Recorded 14 January 1982; Aired 25 January 1982]
- "Danceband" (Moulding) – 2:40 [John Peel Show: Recorded 21 September 1977; Aired 26 September 1977]
- "Making Plans for Nigel" (Moulding) – 4:06 [David "Kid" Jensen Show: Recorded 21 May 1979; Aired 31 May 1979]
- "Jason and the Argonauts" – 5:42 [David "Kid" Jensen Show: Recorded 14 January 1982; Aired 25 January 1982]
Disc three
edit- 1978/79 – Live in Concert recordings
- "Radios in Motion" – 3:21
- "Crosswires" (Moulding) – 2:06
- "Science Friction" – 3:34
- "Statue of Liberty" – 2:58
- "The Rhythm" (Moulding) – 2:55
- "I'll Set Myself on Fire" (Moulding) – 3:27
- "New Town Animal in a Furnished Cage" – 1:55
- "All Along the Watchtower" (Bob Dylan) – 5:58
- "Beatown" – 3:24
- "This Is Pop?" – 2:37
- "Dance Band" (Moulding) – 2:49
- "Neon Shuffle" – 4:32
- All tracks recorded for Sight & Sound in Concert at The Hippodrome, Golders Green, London, 9 March 1978, except tracks 3, 5 and 9, recorded for Live in Concert at Paris Theatre, London, 17 January 1979.
Disc four
edit- Live in Concert, Hammersmith Palais, 22 December 1980
- "Life Begins at the Hop" (Moulding) – 3:55
- "Burning with Optimism's Flames" – 4:29
- "Love at First Sight" (Moulding) – 3:03
- "Respectable Street" – 3:52
- "No Language in Our Lungs" – 4:58
- "This is Pop" – 2:49
- "Scissor Man" – 4:58
- "Towers of London" – 5:13
- "Battery Brides" – 7:20
- "Living Through Another Cuba" – 3:29
- "Generals and Majors" (Moulding) – 4:37
- "Making Plans for Nigel" (Moulding) – 4:21
- "Are You Receiving Me?" – 3:16
Personnel
editCredits adapted from the liner notes of Transistor Blast (technical personnel)[6] and Drums and Wireless: BBC Radio Sessions 77–89 (XTC).[7]
- XTC
- Andy Partridge – vocals, guitar, keyboards, zippy zither, drum programming
- Colin Moulding – vocals, bass
- Barry Andrews – piano, organ, vocals (discs 1, 2: 1977-1978; disc 3: 1978-1979)
- Terry Chambers – drums (discs 1-4: 1977-1982)
- Dave Gregory – guitar, keyboards, drum programming, vocals (discs 1, 2, 4: 1979-1989)
- Technical
- Tony Wilson – producer (disc 1: 1, 5, 13 / disc 2: 3, 5, 8)
- Bill Aitken – producer (disc 1: 2, 8 / disc 2: 12)
- Nick Gomm – producer (disc 1: 2, 8 / disc 2: 12)
- Pete Watts – producer (disc 1: 3, 6 / disc 2: 2, 6)
- Ted De Bono – producer (disc 1: 4, 11 / disc 2: 9), engineer (disc 1: 3, 6 / disc 2: 2, 6)
- John Sparrow – producer (disc 1: 7 / disc 2: 1, 10, 13)
- Malcolm Brown – producer (disc 1: 9, 12 / disc 2: 7, 11)
- Phil Ross – producer (disc 1: 10 / disc 2: 4)
- Jeff Griffin – producer (disc 3: 1, 2, 4, 6-8, 10-12 / disc 4[n 1]
- Chris Lycett – producer (disc 3: 3, 5, 9)
- Dave Dade – engineer (disc 1: 1, 5, 9, 12, 13 / disc 2: 3, 5, 7, 8, 11)
- Tim Durham – engineer (disc 1: 3, 6 / disc 2: 2, 6)
- Mike Robinson – engineer (disc 1: 7 / disc 2: 1, 10, 13)
- Ian Cooper – mastering
- Andy Partridge – artwork, liner notes (disc 3 and 4)
- Andrew Swainson – artwork
- Colin Moulding – liner notes (disc 1 and 2)
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ Guarino, Mark (25 December 1998). "XTC is back with boxed set 'Transistor'". chalkhills.org. Chicago Daily Herald. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (n.d.). "Transistor Blast: The Best of the BBC Sessions". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
- ^ Graff, Gary (1 December 1998). "XTC - Transistor Blast". chalkhills.org. Wall of Sound. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
- ^ "Transistors? What are Transistors?". chalkhills.org. Moscow. August 1999. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
- ^ "Opening Speech". chalkhills.org. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
- ^ Transistor Blast: The Best of the BBC Sessions (Media notes). XTC. Cooking Vinyl. 1998.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Drums and Wireless: BBC Radio Sessions 77–89 (Media notes). XTC. Windsong International. 1994.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "BBC Radio 1 Live In Concert". discogs.com. Retrieved 16 August 2022.