The Dukes of Stratosphear...

This is indeed a great album!
I was a fan of XTC for many years before discovering their alter ego incarnations. Thankfully I did. I remember smiling long and hard the first time I heard this album. It's just so clever and catchy.

dan c

 

When Psonic Sunspot came out in the UK there was a black vinyl and also a purple vinyl version.

 

I think you're right. It's a shame because they were a really good live act.
Are there any live albums out there?

 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000FXUV/102-8313167-3205743

 

If you don't want the whole Transistor Blast box set of BBC sessions, the disc with the live show at the Hammersmith Odeon was originally released separately (but might be hard to track down now). Great disc.

 

Thanks.

I guess I could have done that myself.

 

Don't wanna start something messy, but with all the cacca poopoo peepee in the "Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame"....why are these guys not in it?

 

The RnR HoF is a pretty USA-centric enterprise, and the fact that XTC has never made any significant commercial inroads stateside might be too much for them to overcome. Some might argue that The Jam deserve to be in, too, but they face the same obstacle.

And yeah, we won't go into current inductees who are less worthy than XTC...

 

I remember buying the "25 O'Clock" EP by the Dukes when it first came out and not having a clue it was XTC. I actually thought they were a REAL band! Absolutely loved it and couldn't believe how they had that '60s psychedelic sound down to perfection.

 

I kept meaning to pick this up one day, but the title kept sliding down my wantlist, so much so it got remastered in the meantime! Finally got it. This is a fun primer on the psychedelic sound, from the phase effects to the sweetly silly lyrics to the sitars. A very enjoyable and convincing forgery.

 

I've recently finally bought the Dukes of Stratosphear anthology CD (partly inspired by this very thread). I purchased the remastered version (if it's good enough for Jamie...) rather cheap from Amazon UK marketplace. As the booklet is so poorly done (no original artwork for either 25 O'Clock or Psonic Psunspot and no lyrics) I've been poking around this interweb thingy for more Dukes info and the song lyrics. I have thus stumbled upon old news of the 2003 Dukes Of Stratosphear reunion.

I haven't noticed anyone else on here mention that there is now another Dukes track out there. It's called Open A Can (Of Human Beans) and it was released on a charity CD called The Wish List that was produced on behalf of the MS Society. Written by Sir John Johns who plays guitar and sings, it also features The Red Curtain on electric bass, E.I.E.I. Owen on drums, and Lord Cornelius Plum on Coral electric sitar, Mellotron and electric piano. I haven't heard it yet as I've only just ordered the disk from the Heyday Mail Order site, who seem to be the only outlet for this now. I've been playing Chips From The Chocolate Fireball quite a lot the past couple of weeks, so it will be nice to have something else by the Dukes to play while I suck my blotting paper.

 

Intrigued by Mick Jones' post, I did some more digging re: the Wish List CD (which I'd never heard mention of before). The full track listing is as follows:

The Wish List (2003) CD
Open A Can (Of Human Beans) - The Dukes Of Stratosphear
She's Alright - Phil Thornalley
The World Goes Round - The Shadow Kabinet
It's Not Too Late (live version) - Justin Hayward
Suburban Symphony - Stephen Duffy & The Lilac Time
It's Alright (featuring Dave Gregory)- The Shadow Kabinet
The Sun Over The Yard-Arm - Martin Newell
The Evening Shadows (live version) - Steve Hogarth & And The H-Band
Let's Travel Light - Peter Blegvad
Pandra's Signature - Harold Budd

http://www2u.biglobe.ne.jp/~setopato/imaurasima/Dukes.htm

I'm still digging around for a better price than 11 BPS + shipping...

 

Not to mention the pornographic and hilarious "Bags of Fun with Buster" as Johnny Japes and his Jesticles. (John Otway on lead.) It's about the Vis magazine cartoon character "Buster Gonad and his Unfeasably Large Testicles."

 

No mention of the song "25 O'Clock" either. The end of that song sounds very similar to the riff from Deep Purple - "Child In Time" (around 3.20 to 3.30 in the 10.00+ song).

 

And of course, don't forget the 2003 (or was it 2002?) Dukes "reunion" track 'Open A Can (Of Human Beans)' on the MS Society Charity album, "The Wish List".

It has ALL the Dukes on it too!

 

I have never been able to track that song down. Is it any good?

 

Even Dave Gregory? I thought they weren't speaking since they (sadly) canned him?

 

Yep, even him, though it was a virtual reunion, in that all four never got together in the same studio. But that, in itself, is a small miracle, although I gather DG and Mr. Partridge are on speaking terms these days, going out for the odd curry, apparently. We can but hope for a proper reunion...

It's not bad. Not classic Dukes, as more of XTC's character shines through than on the first two outings, but good nonetheless. Probably 7 out of 10 from me.

 

I've tried w/o success to find this CD on ebay in the past. Apparently, it doesn't surface very often.

 

I think it's actually Dave Gregory and Colin Moulding who are not speaking these days. Don't know why.

Also, Gregory wasn't canned from XTC, he quit.

 

He did indeed. The XTC bio by Chris Twomey is a good read, btw.

 

Yes I have read it. There was supposed to be an updated edition; did that ever come out?

 

I think mine is the updated edition but I'm not sure. I'll have to dig it out and check, but when I bought it a couple of years ago, the bit at the end was up to date and that was where it said that there was now communication between the two sides (as 'twere).

 

I looked into it and it looks like the 2nd ed. was only published in the UK.