XTC

Working Title(s): Infant Elephant; Wonder Annual; Balloon; The Last Balloon; and Milk.

Track Listing:

Side: A		1		The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead		05:00
				Andy Partridge

		2		My Bird Performs		03:51
				Colin Moulding

		3		Dear Madam Barnum		02:53
				Andy Partridge

		4		Humble Daisy		03:37
				Andy Partridge

		5		The Smartest Monkeys		04:18
				Colin Moulding

Side: B		1		The Disappointed		03:28
				Andy Partridge

		2		Holly Up on Poppy		03:05
				Andy Partridge

		3		Crocodile		03:56
				Andy Partridge

		4		Rook		03:45
				Andy Partridge

Side: C		1		Omnibus		03:21
				Andy Partridge

		2		That Wave		03:38
				Andy Partridge

		3		Then She Appeared		03:52
				Andy Partridge

		4		War Dance		03:23
				Colin Moulding

Side: D		1		Wrapped in Grey		03:46
				Andy Partridge

		2		The Ugly Underneath		03:56
				Andy Partridge

		3		Bungalow		02:49
				Colin Moulding

		4		Books Are Burning		04:51
				Andy Partridge

Releases

UK	2LP	Virgin - V 2699	27/04/92
		printed inner sleeves; custom label design

UK	MC	Virgin - TCV 2699	27/04/92

AU	MC	Virgin - TCV 2699	08/05/92

CA	MC	Virgin/A&M - VL4 2699	27/04/92

CA	MC	Virgin/EMI - V4 86390	01/01/93
		reissue

DE	2LP	Virgin - 12 792-1/2	27/04/92
		ltd. ed. of 1,000; UK cover; thin matte printed inner sleeves with alternative design

FR	MC	Virgin - 412792	24/04/92

IT	2LP	Virgin - V 2699	01/01/93
		thin printed inner sleeves

IT	MC	Virgin - TCV 2699	01/01/93

US	MC	Virgin/Geffen - GEFC-24474	28/04/92

Notes

Virgin UK, Germany, and Italy issued Nonsuch on vinyl in limited quantities. The album was also released on cassette tape in several countries; side A of the cassette tape version contains the tracks on sides A and B of the vinyl version and side B contains the tracks on sides C and D of the vinyl version.

Track Listing:

Side: 1		1		The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead		05:00
				Andy Partridge

		2		My Bird Performs		03:51
				Colin Moulding

		3		Dear Madam Barnum		02:53
				Andy Partridge

		4		Humble Daisy		03:37
				Andy Partridge

		5		The Smartest Monkeys		04:18
				Colin Moulding

		5		The Disappointed		03:28
				Andy Partridge

		7		Holly Up on Poppy		03:05
				Andy Partridge

		8		Crocodile		03:56
				Andy Partridge

		9		Rook		03:45
				Andy Partridge

		10		Omnibus		03:21
				Andy Partridge

		11		That Wave		03:38
				Andy Partridge

		12		Then She Appeared		03:52
				Andy Partridge

		13		War Dance		03:23
				Colin Moulding

		14		Wrapped in Grey		03:46
				Andy Partridge

		15		The Ugly Underneath		03:56
				Andy Partridge

		16		Bungalow		02:49
				Colin Moulding

		17		Books Are Burning		04:51
				Andy Partridge

Releases

UK	CD	Virgin - CDV 2699	27/04/92
		ltd. ed. silkscreened case

UK	MD	Virgin - MDV 2699	27/04/92

UK	CD	Virgin/EMI - CDV 2699 (0777 7 863	12/12/92
		reissue

UK	CD	Virgin/EMI - CDVX 2699	11/06/01
		reissue - digitally remastered

AR	CD	Virgin/EMI-Odeon - CDV 2699 V5	01/01/93
		track listing in Spanish

AU	CD	Virgin - CDV 2699	08/05/92
		ltd. ed. silkscreened case

CA	CD	Virgin/A&M - CDV 2699	27/04/92
		5,000 ltd. ed. silkscreened case

CA	CD	Virgin/EMI - V2 86390	01/01/93
		reissue

DE	CD	Virgin - CDV 2699	27/04/92
		5,000 ltd. ed. silkscreened case

FR	CD	Virgin - 262792	24/04/92
		ltd. ed. silkscreened case; free CD "Gribouillage" (2,500 copies only)

JP	CD	Virgin Japan/Pony Canyon - VJCP-28100	01/04/92
		ltd. ed. silkscreened case; 26-page booklet

JP	CD	Virgin/Toshiba-EMI - TOCP-65720	16/05/01
		reissue - digitally remastered; obi; cardboard sleeve; paper sleeve; gatefold insert; foldout insert

US	CD	Virgin/Geffen - GEFD-24474	28/04/92
		b&w booklet; longbox

US	CD	Virgin/Geffen Goldline - 9 24474-2	12/03/96
		reissue

Notes

In most countries, the CD version of Nonsuch initially came in a "special limited edition gold etched CD case" (the term used in UK adverts) and the disc itself features a picture of the Nonsuch palace drawn in gold on a scarlet background.

Some copies of the first American edition included an insert with a Geffen Records XTC CD back catalogue that has comments from Andy on each album.

The latest Japanese edition (TOCP-65720) is one of the "XTC Original Paper Sleeve Collection" series. The disc label adopts the original LP's design, the Nonsuch palace. It also includes a paper sleeve for "record one" and a gatefold insert for "record two."

Produced by Gus Dudgeon. Engineered by Barry Hammond. Mixed by Nick Davis, assisted by Simon 'Lord Brewer' Dawson. Recorded at Chipping Norton Recording Studios, Oxfordshire, England, July-October 1991. Mixed at Rockfield, Monmouth, Wales, November-December 1991. Mastered by Bob Ludwig at Masterdisk, New York.

Musicians: Andy Partridge - lead & backing vocals, electric guitar (solo on "Books Are Burning"), acoustic guitar, harmonica, tambourine, percussion, shaker, keyboard programming, and bell tree. Colin Moulding - lead & backing vocals, bass guitar, and electric & acoustic guitars. Dave Gregory - electric guitar (solo on "Crocodile," "That Wave," and "Books Are Burning"), electric 12-string guitar, acoustic guitar, piano, synthesisers, Hammond organ, backing vocals, and church bell. Dave Mattacks - drums, tambourine, amphibious, drum & sitar samples, shaker, and percussion. Gus Dudgeon - tambourine on "Rook," percussion on "That Wave," and chorus on "Books Are Burning." Guy Barker - flugelhorns on "The Disappointed" and "Rook" and trumpet on "My Bird Performs" (solo), "Rook," and "Omnibus." Florence Lovegrove - viola on "The Smartest Monkeys," "The Disappointed," and "Wrapped in Grey." Rose Hull - cello on "The Disappointed," "Rook," and "Wrapped in Grey." Stuart Gordon - violin on "Wrapped in Grey." Gina Griffin - violin on "Wrapped in Grey." Neville Farmer - "ringmaster" on "Dear Madam Barnum" and chorus on "Books Are Burning."

String and brass arrangements by Dave Gregory, except "Rook" and "Omnibus" by Andy Partridge and "War Dance" by Colin Moulding. Strings on "The Disappointed" arranged by Andy Partridge and Dave Gregory.

"The Disappointed" was originally written for Terry Hall (ex-Specials, Fun Boy Three, Colourfield, etc.). The song was nominated for an Ivor Numero award in the Best Song category.

A working title for "Holly Up on Poppy" was "Holly High on Poppy."

"Then She Appeared" (by The Golden -- yet another pseudonym) and another song called "It's Snowing Angels" (by Choc Cigar Chief Champion) were originally intended for a give-away flexi disc for the British music magazine Strange Things Are Happening. Although the DAT masters of the songs, which were recorded solo by Andy in the Shed and did not feature The Dukes, were indeed supplied to the magazine before it folded, it seems that no flexis were actually pressed up.

"War Dance" dates from the The Big Express era and was re-recorded for Nonsuch in a radically revamped from.

CDs and 7" singles of "Wrapped in Grey" (with "Bungalow") were manufactured but shelved before release.

It is said that Andy and Colin prepared 32-35 songs for the album.

Apart from those that appeared on the album, songs written, demoed, rehearsed, and/or recorded around the Nonsuch days include:
"Always Winter [but] Never Christmas" (demo version released on Window Box);
"Car Out of Control"* (unreleased);
"Didn't Hurt A Bit"* (demo version released on "I'm the Man Who Murdered Love" single; partially re-recorded version appeared on the compilation Coat of Many Cupboards);
"Down a Peg"* (demo version released on "Pumpkinhead" B-side);
"Goodbye Humanosaurus" (demo version released on The Bull with the Golden Guts);
"Goosey Goosey" (demo version released on The Bull with the Golden Guts);
"It's Snowing Angels" (demo version released on Window Box);
"I'm the Man Who Murdered Love" (re-recorded and released on Wasp Star);
"Life Is Always" (unreleased);
"Playground" (re-recorded and released on Wasp Star);
"Rip Van Ruben [Reuben]" (demo version released on Window Box);
"Where Did All the Ordinary People Go?"* (unreleased);
"Wonder Annual" (unreleased); and
"You and the Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful" (re-recorded and released on Wasp Star).
All songs written by Andy Partridge and *Colin Moulding.

Album details