XTC - "Quirky Herky Jerky's Finest Hour" (1978 - 1982)

 

The best of the Quiky Herky Jerky Brit bands from the 70's and the 80's was without a doubt XTC in my humble opinion!

Their first studio album called "White Music" was released in 1978 and in 1980, and it made it as far as #41 in the charts in America. 

Shamefully, that was the height of their career success in the United States.

Here's just one example of how manic Andy Partridge on guitar & vocals, Colin Moulding on bass & vocals, Barry Andrews on keyboards and Terry Chambers playing drums, could be!

XTC - "Neon Shuffle"

XTC's second studio album was called "Go 2" and was just as wild as the first one, then their third studio album was released in 1979 and was titled "Drums And Wires." Keyboardist Barry Andrews had left the group and was replaced by guitarist Dave Gregory.

Bassist Colin Moulding wanted them to try and make their music more accessible and he wrote four of the songs on this record, one of which was this one featuring Dick Cuthell on Flugelhorn credited as Herb Helpless And His Mariahuana Brass.

Fueled by the slight success of Colin Moulding's "Life Begins At The Hop," this album made in to number 37 on the UK charts, and a miserable number 176 in the U.S. 

XTC - "That Is The Way" 

 

Their fourth outstanding studio album was called "Black Sea" and was released in 1980, and then in 1982 they came out with the opus double album titled "English Settlement."

 This album is probably the best double album released by anybody, (except maybe The Clash's "London Calling"), and for a double record, it didn't include anything like the self indulgent "Revolution 9" on The Beatles' "White Album." 

What you need to do is buy or listen to this whole record, and here's just one out of fifteen reasons why! 

XTC - "Melt The Guns"