Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Weak Sauce by a Fan Boy, March 24, 2008
I was a huge XTC fan, so when this book (released as "Song Stories" in the US) hit the stands, I picked up a copy.
At first glance, it seemed a shorter, less dense work than Chalkhills & Children, by Chris Twomey. It has it's assorted anecdotes about "the making of" this or that album, and the points where the band almost broke up.
As I got further into the book, and read it over again, I realized just how different the treatment was of some pretty substantial events in the band's history. This amounts to a sort of "XTC apologist's" version of events, and casts an overly sympathetic light on some things that truly have kept XTC from garnering a more lasting place in pop/rock/alt music.
Don't get me wrong: XTC have put out a great deal of significant songwriting and music since their first release in 1977. They're one of my main influences.
This book fails to humanize the band to an extent where the reader is left feeling they've learned nothing more than trivia. (The XTC Trivial Pursuit game may be in the works) Andy Partridge has as many different versions of "why I stopped touring" as Brian Wilson had for not releasing Smile.
The tensions that led to member after member dropping out can also be traced to Partridge's character.
What about David Gregory? Did he ever write songs? What about Colin Moulding? What did he do, and how did he feel during the Virgin Boycott following Nonesuch? What about the reactions of fans who had tickets to the last show in Santa Monica, and the audience members at the show where Andy stumbled off the stage for the last time? What's Andy's take on his own shortcomings?
None of these things are answered in any way shape or form in this book. It is completely superficial. The "song stories" are all anecdotes from memory, with no input from anyone but the band members, way after the fact (for example, the Go2 and White Music songs feature no input from then member Barry Andrews). For the most part, it's Andy Partridge shining the most positive light on everything to a person he's known and befriended for over a decade, who powers up the sympathy a few notches further.
Chalkhills and Children is the superior book, as far as a look behind the scenes at XTC and their story. A truly objective look has yet to be written.
|
|
|
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Note for Note Account of XTC, October 24, 2007
If you're a fan of XTC, this book is a must have. Song Stories is a song by song definition of the band. From "White Music" to "Wasp Star" you discover the definitions and inspirations of every XTC song even the b-sides, unreleased gems and songs from the band's 60's psychedelic alter-ego, The Dukes of Stratosphere. Plenty of photos, anecdotes, interviews and revelations from the band throughout the years.
|
|
|
5.0 out of 5 stars
Xtc Forever, February 15, 2007
This is a great book about my favourite band. Excellent and please buy it!
|
|
|
|
