XTC

One track, "The Good Things," attributed to Terry and the Lovemen, was actually XTC themselves, using yet another pseudonym. See also: Chinese Valentine's Day, Saint Valentine's Day Massacre. The XTC tribute album A Testimonial Dinner was released in 1995. This day is choosen probably because it is one day before the Saint Anthony´s day, there known as the marriage saint, when many single women make popular rituals in order to find a good husband (or, more modernly at least a boyfriend). Adam Ant," an ironic tribute by They Might Be Giants, but did not appear on the track. On this day, boyfriends and girlfriends, husbands and wives, exchange gifts (lingerie, chocolates, and more), cards and usually a flower bouquet. They were mentioned in "XTC vs. Instead, on June 12, "Dia dos Namorados" (or "Boyfriend's/Girlfriend's Day") is celebrated.

A boxed CD compilation, Coat of Many Cupboards, was released in 2002. In Brazil, there is no such day as Valentine's Day. Colin Moulding declined to contribute his demos to the series. It is called "The Night of Sevens", on the 7th day of the 7th month of the lunar calendar; the next one being August 11, 2005 [2] (http://www.chinesefortunecalendar.com/77.htm). Having left Virgin, relations have improved and Andy Partridge is releasing a series of albums of "demos" of his songs (mainly from the Virgin years) under the title of Fuzzy Warbles, on a new label imprint APE (Andy Partridge Experiments). In Chinese Culture, there is a similar counterpart of the Valentine's Day. Now in control of their own work and with their own small studio, they have released instrumental and demo versions of their first two albums on Idea, Apple Venus and Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2). The return gift should be white (hence the name), and is often lingerie.

Finally released from Virgin, they formed their own label, Idea Records. Dave Gregory left the band during the recording of the 1999 album Apple Venus Volume 1 after contributing to a few tracks, leaving just Partridge and Moulding in the group. Many men, however, give only to their girlfriends. The settlement of the accounts provided the group with much-needed cash flow, allowing Partridge and Moulding to install fully-equipped studios and work comfortably at home; they are now able to record the majority of their work themselves, although they have used major commercial studios (including Abbey Road Studios in London) for some sessions. By a further marketing effort, a reciprocal day, called White Day has emerged. On this day (March 14), men are supposed to return the favour by giving something to those who gave them chocolates on Valentine's Day. After leaving Virgin, Partridge had their accounts audited and it was discovered that the company had withheld substantial royalty payments from them. This chocolate is known as giri-choco (義理チョコ), from the words giri (obligation) and choco, a common short version of chokoreeto (チョコレート), meaning chocolate. The band asked that Virgin either allow them to re-negotiate their contract or release them, but the label stalled for years until finally agreeing to released them after a change of management at the company. Rather than being voluntary however, this has become for many women – especially those who work in offices – an obligation, and they give chocolates to all their male co-workers, sometimes at significant personal expense.

The final straw for the band was Virgin's scuttling of their 1992 single "Wrapped in Grey", which was pressed up in the tens of thousands, and then recalled and destroyed by the label. In Japan, and Korea Valentine's Day has emerged, thanks to a concentrated marketing effort, as a day on which women give chocolates to men they like. Management and contractual problems had dogged the band throughout their career, and around the time of the recording of Nonsuch they had to make a legal settlement with their former manager; although most fans assume that there was some financial impropriety involved, the terms of the settlement imposed a "gag" on the band and have prevented them from speaking publicly about the matter. Those without a significant other often speak with sarcasm by referring to Valentine's Day as Single's Awareness Day. They issued no new material during this time, although two compilations were released: Upsy Daisy Assortment and the 2-CD set Fossil Fuel: The XTC Singles Collection, which featured remastered versions of their singles, including many tracks not issued on CD before. The day has come to be associated with a generic platonic greeting of "Happy Valentine's Day.". Their 1992 album, Nonsuch, (named after Henry VIII's fabled palace) united them with famed UK producer Gus Dudgeon and drummer Dave Mattacks, but soon after its release a contractual dispute with their label, Virgin Records, saw XTC go "on strike" from 1992 through 1998, finally resulting in the termination of their contract. Starting in the 1980s, the diamond industry began to promote Valentine's Day as occasion for the giving of fine jewelry.

During their long career, XTC have also released material under a variety of pseudonyms, including two albums of psychedelic parodies as "The Dukes of Stratosphear" (released on a single CD, Chips from the Chocolate Fireball, simultaneous with the second album's vinyl release), a Viz comics promotional single as "Johnny Japes and his Jesticles," a Christmas-themed single as "The Three Wise Men" and a guest appearance on their own tribute album Testimonial Dinner as "Terry and the Lovemen." In 1979 Partridge also released a solo album of radical dub-oriented remixes of material from the Drums + Wires LP, credited to "Mr Partridge" and titled Takeaway: The Lure Of Salvage. Such gifts typically include roses and chocolate. The band's followup, Oranges & Lemons, was their biggest seller yet, with "Mayor of Simpleton" and "King for a Day" getting heavy airplay on MTV. In the United States in the second half of the 20th century, the practice of exchanging cards was extended to include the giving of all manner of gifts, usually from the man to the woman. ("Dear God" replaced "Mermaid Smiled", which was absent from the album until it was finally reinstated for the remastered "Skylarking" CD in 2000.). Her father operated a large book and stationery store, and she took her inspiration from an English valentine she had received. (Since 2001, the Greeting Card Association has been giving an annual "Esther Howland Award for a Greeting Card Visionary".). Skylarking revived the band's commercial fortunes, earning critical accolades and spawning the controversial hit "Dear God", which was originally issued as the B-side of the album's first single, "Grass." Interest in the song saw the album re-pressed with "Dear God" included and the new version of the LP sold 250,000 copies in the USA. Howland (1828 - 1904) of Worcester, Massachusetts.

Partridge has since softened his view, describing the album as "a summer's day baked into one cake.". In the United States, the first mass-produced valentines of embossed paper lace were produced and sold shortly after 1847 by Esther A. The two egos of Rundgren and Partridge clashed frequently during the recording of Skylarking and when it was finished Partridge said that he was not at all happy with the resulting product. Valentine's Day was probably imported into North America in the 19th century with settlers from Britain. This did not sit well with the band, Partridge in particular. In most versions of these legends, February 14 is the date associated with his martyrdom. True to his "hands-on" studio production style, Rundgren insisted that everyone adhere to his scheme. Among the legends are ones that assert that:.

When the band got to Woodstock, Rundgren had already worked out a running order for both the recording and sequence of the album itself. It is probable that many of the legends about St. Valentine were invented during this period. Rundgren had insisted that the band send him, in advance, demos of all the songs that they thought they might tackle for the record. A 14th century valentine is said to be in the collection of the British Library. Although the pairing of XTC and Rundgren was highly anticipated by fans, the sessions were less than enjoyable for the band. It was common during that era for lovers to exchange notes on this day and to call each other their "Valentines". In 1986, the band travelled to Todd Rundgren's studio-in-the-woods in Woodstock, New York to record what many consider to be the best album of their career, Skylarking. By the 17th century a valentine was extended to the gift given, some pretty token.

Owen"). In the following century, one of John Lydgate's minor poems is "A balade made..in wyse of chesing loues at Saint Valentynes day" which indicates that the manner of choosing was drawing lots. Rather than finding a replacement, XTC has used a series of session drummers over the years, including Peter Phipps, Prairie Prince, Dave Mattacks, Pat Mastelotto, Chuck Sabo, and Dave Gregory's brother, Ian Gregory (as "E.I.E.I. This belief is mentioned in Geoffrey Chaucer's Parlement of Foules(1381) that. Another major factor was his burgeoning relationship with his Australian girlfriend--they subsequently married and Chambers migrated to Australia and settled in Newcastle, New South Wales. Valentine's Day with romantic love was in the 14th century in England and France, where February 14 was traditionally the day on which birds paired off to mate. Chambers left the band shortly thereafter, unhappy with the confines of the studio, and also feeling the loss of income that resulted from their withdrawal from touring--he did not write, and so received no publishing royalties. The first recorded association of St.

Since then, XTC has been almost exclusively a studio band, although they have given occasional live-to-air performances from radio stations. Hoeller assesses Valentinius on the subject : "In addition to baptism, anointing, eucharist, the initiation of priests and the rites of the dying, the Valentinian Gnosis mentions prominently two great and mysterious sacraments called "redemption" (apolytrosis) and "bridal chamber" respectively" [1] (http://www.gnosis.org/valentinus.htm). The European and British dates were cancelled and after one show in San Diego the whole US leg was also abandoned. Stephan A. Concerned about her husband's dependence on the drug, his wife ill-advisedly threw his tablets away just before the concert without seeking medical advice -- the result was, not surprisingly, anxiety attacks of such severity that it soon forced Partridge to withdraw from touring permanently. In his teachings, the marriage bed assumed a central place in his version of Christian love, an emphasis sharply in contrast with the asceticism of mainstream Christianity. The breakdown, accompanied by uncontrollable stage fright, was reportedly precipitated by Partridge's wife throwing away his supply of Valium. According to the band's biography, Andy had become dependent upon the drug after it was prescribed to him as a teenager during his parents' divorce, but it had never been withdrawn. The influential Gnostic teacher Valentinius was a candidate for Bishop of Rome in 143.

Just after its release and at the peak of their popularity, the band embarked on a major tour, but Partridge suffered a breakdown on stage during one of the first concerts of the tour in Paris on March 18, 1982. Valentine's Day as an official holiday from its calendar. XTC's last major hit in the touring phase of their career was "Senses Working Overtime," the first single from their brilliant double album English Settlement and a Top 20 hit in the UK in 1982. In 1969, as part of a larger effort to pare down the number of saint days of purely legendary origin, the Church removed St. Other hits from this era include the non-LP single "Life Begins at the Hop" and singles lifted from Black Sea--"Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me)" and "Generals & Majors." The promotional clip for the latter single (written by Colin Moulding) features an cameo appearance by the then owner of Virgin Records, Richard Branson. Valentine were donated by Pope Gregory XVI to the Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church in Dublin, Ireland, which has become a popular place of pilgrimage on February 14. The album showcased a flawless set of classic power-pop that included enduring XTC favourites including "Rocket From A Bottle," "No Language In Our Lungs," and "Towers Of London"; the strong material was greatly enhanced by more superb production and engineering by Lillywhite and Padgham. In the 19th century, relics of St.

Their 1980 LP, Black Sea, saw the band's new sound and style come together with superb results. There is a widespread legend that he created the day to counter the practice held on Lupercalia of young men and women pairing off as lovers by drawing their names out of an urn, but this practice is not attested in any sources from that era. The studio was at the time much sought after for its highly reverberant "live" drum room, and it was greatly favoured by their producer of the time, Steve Lillywhite and his engineer Hugh Padgham, who also recorded successful albums there with Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush. Valentine was first declared to be on February 14 by Pope Gelasius I in 496. It also saw them finding the basis of a new sound for the group and marked their first sessions at London's celebrated Townhouse Studios. The feast of St. The resulting album, Drums and Wires, produced the band's first big hit, "Making Plans for Nigel", which caused a minor controversy because of its lyrical reference to British Steel. Valentine and romantic love is not mentioned in any early histories and is regarded by historians as purely a matter of legend (see below).

The loss of Andrews' keyboard madness started the band on a path towards more traditional guitar power-pop, although Gregory also contributed occasional keyboards (and later, string arrangements). The connection between St. Andrews went on to form Shriekback and he also worked with Robert Fripp's League of Gentlemen. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia (1908), at least three different Saints Valentine, all of them martyrs and all quite obscure, are mentioned in the early martyrologies under the date of February 14:. After their second effort, Go2, Andrews left and was replaced by guitarist Dave Gregory. Young women especially would come forth voluntarily for the occasion, in the belief that being so touched would render them fruitful and bring easy childbirth. By the time of the punk explosion in 1977, the group's lineup had been filled out by Barry Andrews (keyboards) and Terry Chambers (drums), and the band got picked up by Virgin Records. They recorded the 3D EP later that year, and followed it up with White Music in January 1978. As part of the purification ritual, the priests of Lupercus would sacrifice goats to the god, and after drinking wine, they would run through the streets of Rome holding pieces of the goat skin above their heads, touching anyone they met.

First coming together in 1972, the core duo of Andy Partridge (guitars, vocals) and Colin Moulding (bass, vocals) went through various band names and personnel changes over the next five years as they built up their unique brand of hyperactive pop spiked with funk, punk, ska, reggae, and art rock. In Ancient Rome, the day of February 15 was Lupercalia, the festival of Lupercus, the god of fertility, who was represented as half-naked and dressed in goat skins. (The name of the band predates the use of "XTC" as a drug term.). In the calendar of Ancient Athens, the period between mid January and mid February was the month of Gamelion, which was dedicated to the sacred marriage of Zeus and Hera. They are considered the forefathers of the Britpop movement of the 1980s and are one of the most influential bands still working today. The association of the middle of February with love and fertility dates to ancient times. XTC is an innovative new wave band from Swindon, UK.
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For the energy drink, see XTC (drink).. The association also estimates that women purchase approximately 85 percent of all valentines. For the drug, see Ecstasy. The Greeting Card Association estimates that, world-wide, approximately one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas. Voice of the Beehive. Starting in the 19th century, the practice of hand writing notes has largely given way to the exchange of mass-produced greeting cards. The Woodentops. The day is now most closely associated with the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of "valentines." Modern Valentine symbols include the heart-shaped outline and the figure of the winged Cupid.