Album details

Name: Apple Venus Volume 1

First released: 17/02/1999

Working Title(s): Wonder Annual; The History of the Middle Ages; Bloop!; and Firework.

UK Singles:

I'd Like That

Easter Theatre

Recording Data:

Original production and engineering: Haydn Bendall. Additional production, engineering, and mix: Nick Davis. Recording engineers: Barry Hammond and Alan Douglas. Mix assisted by Simon Dawson. Recorded at Chipping Norton Recording Studios, Oxfordshire, England, January-February 1998; Haydn Bendall's studio, Kent, England, March 1998; Abbey Road Studios (Studio One), London, England, April 1998; and Colin's front room, Swindon, Wiltshire, England, June-August 1998. Mixed at Rockfield, Monmouth, Wales, September 1998.

Personnel: Colin Moulding - vocals and bass. Andy Partridge - vocals and guitars.

Additional musicians: Dave Gregory - piano, keyboards, keyboard programming, guitars, and backing vocals. Prairie Prince - drums and percussions. Guy Barker - trumpet and flugelhorn solo on "The Last Balloon." Steve Sidwell - solo trumpet on "Easter Theatre." Extra keyboards played by Nick Davis and Haydn Bendall.

Orchestral arrangements for "Greenman" and "I Can't Own Her" by Mike Batt.

All arrangements played by The London Sessions Orchestra under their leader Gavin Wright.

Album mastered by Tim Young at Metropolis Mastering, London.

Trivia:

With about 40 songs written between Andy and Colin during the industrial action the band took against Virgin Records, Andy originally wanted to make a double album comprising of one "orchoustic" disc and one electric disc, but it was not to be. XTC left Virgin after 19 years and in 1997 set up their own Idea Records, from which Apple Venus Volume 1 was launched.

"Greenman" was proposed as the third single and a promotional video for the song was shot, but the plan was abandoned halfway through.

"Your Dictionary" was formerly called "Dictionary of Doubt."

After Nonsuch, XTC wanted to release an album called Somesuch, a demo track collection of the songs on Nonsuch.

Virgin did not take it seriously. The band then proposed that they make an imaginary compilation album of bubblegum songs by imaginary bands on an imaginary label called Zither Records.

Virgin did not take that seriously, either. These bubblegum songs included such Andy Partridge compositions as "All Aboard for Bubble Land", "Candymine" (demo version released on Andy Partridge EP), "Cave Girl", "Cherry in Your Tree" (released on the Carmen Sandiego compilation CD), "It's Snowing Angels" (demo version released on Window Box), and "Visit to the Doctor", as well as Colin's "Don't Come Crying to Me."

The band names Andy thought up, not necessarily just for the bubblegum project, include: Ancient Grease, Anonymous Bosch, The Brighton Peers, Cake's Progress, The Captain Cooks (which was meant for "Cherry in Your Tree"), The Four Posters, Funnel of Love, The Herbert Fountains, Irving Merlin, Isambard Kingdom Necessary on a Bicycle, Jellyache, Kitchener's Sink, The Lollipopes, The Periwig Pack, The Piccadilly Circus Tent Rip Repair Company, The Rubber Ducks, Sopwith Caramel, The Tweedledeens, and The Twelve Flavours of Hercules.

Before Apple Venus Volume 1 was completed, XTC's budget ran out, Dave Gregory left the band, and original producer Haydn Bendall moved on to some other project ...

Demo versions of all the tracks on Apple Venus Volume 1 were later collected on the album Homespun: The Apple Venus Volume One Home Demos.

Of all the songs recorded in the Apple Venus Volume 1 sessions, about half ended up on the next album Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2) the following year, but some tracks were still left out. Songs that were written, demoed, rehearsed, and/or recorded around the Apple Venus days and still elude proper studio recording include:
"Bumper Cars" (demo version appeared on Japanese Homegrown);
"Child's Night"*;
"Dame Fortune";
"I Don't Want to Be Here" (originally written for Cathy Dennis);
"Life Is Always";
"Mates"*;
"New Country Squire"*;
"Prince of Orange" (demo version released on Andy Partridge EP);
"The Ship Trapped in the Ice";
and "Wonder Annual."
All songs written by Andy Partridge and *Colin Moulding.

In addition, Andy's four songs originally written for the Disney film James and the Giant Peach were considered for the Apple Venus project, but are still in the vaults. These songs are "All I Dream of Is a Friend," "Don't Let Us Bug Ya," "Everything Will Be Alright," and "The Stinking Rich Song."

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