Eric says: However, almost on a whim I ordered Andy Partridge's two new 'Fuzzy Warbles' cd's of demos, outtakes, rarities, and other assorted madness from the XTC vaults. Now, it's been a long while since XTC found their way onto my hi-fi to any extent (I still think that the Dukes of Stratosphear album was their only perfect moment), but these cd's cater to my essential thirst for the unheard and unknown. To me, what an artist doesn't release is probably a lot more interesting (if not as good) than what they do release. Pete Townshend is a good example: I doubt I could sit through 'Tommy' but I have many times settled down with 'Scoop' for a couple of hours. Ryan could pontificate all night speculating on the unreleased canon of Mr. Paddy McAloon. And don't get me started on our Holy Grail-styled quest to track down the elusive (and probably non-existent) song 'Picasso' by Ringo Starr. (Certainly LMP is no exception – anyone want to sift through the 15 or so cassette tapes of Century-era basement brainstorming demos?) So listening to these 'Fuzzy Warbles' discs I am reminded of many things: My complete love of the creative moment. The thrill of a musical spark, even when no flame ends up appearing. The intrigue of a misguided trip down an artistic back-alley. The unshiny birth-state of something that becomes a masterpiece. Snapshots of a great artist in the process of doing, revealing not the artistry but the human-ness. And the joy in layering harmonies. The outstanding bliss in capitulating to that irresistible temptation to add a tambourine or an 'oooooh'. The wonderful, weak surrender to the power of pop. I'm afflicted, I'll admit it. I may sit around listening to Grieg, but when it comes down to it, I'm still an 8-year-old pop nerd buying Beatles 8-tracks to feed my ear candy demon.
Contrary to what one might expect, LMP doesn't generally listen to a lot of pure pop music. Ask us what's on the ol' headphones after a long session creating LMP music and you're more likely to find some kind of environmental recording of underwater hydraphones than, say, Jellyfish.