Aimee & Me & XTC

 

 

For most of the time our shop was in business, we had nice relationships with a number of record labels, including the owners of the excellent indie label Razor & Tie. Both attorneys originally, they named the label after the two things they hated most about being lawyers- shaving and wearing a suit. With these relationships came the occasional perks, like concert tickets, TV tapings, merch and advance copies of releases.

Another label was TVT who scored a coup by signing XTC in 1999. I would chat with TVT's rep Ben almost everyday about upcoming releases, and when he mentioned "Apple Venus," I just about plotzed. A year later, when the label was about to release "Wasp Star," I was told Andy and Colin would be in their offices for a few hours. I begged Ben to come visit, but was told neither wanted to have a meet and greet, but that he would get them to sign a CD. He made good on that promise.

But back in 1993, I was not only given tickets to see Aimee Mann, courtesy of Razor & Tie, at the long lamented Bottom Line in Greenwich Village, but was also gifted a reserved table, something truly rare at the club for anyone who wasn't someone. For this small tour, Aimee's guitar player was Dave Gregory of XTC, so that night, I wore my "Drums & Wires" t-shirt.

We arrived just a few minutes before show time, not having to worry about finding a good seat thanks to Razor & Tie's table, and seconds after sitting down, a gentleman behind me said, "I knew it!" 

"Knew what?," I asked. 

"An XTC reunion tonight! Come on. You know it, right? You're wearing the shirt."

I didn't know anything, I assured him. I told him I wore the shirt because of Dave Gregory, something fans of both Aimee and Dave knew was happening.

"Then why are you sitting next to Andy?"

I was confused, until I turned my head and saw that I was indeed sitting next to Andy Partridge.

Aimee Mann was great, and so was Dave Gregory's guitar playing. It's now encore time and Andy is no longer sitting next to me. Is this really going to happen?

"This is a song by one of Dave's bands, The Dukes Of Stratosphear." 

The band began playing "Collideascope" and right before the first chorus, Andy Partridge enters stage left with a tambourine and sings harmony in the shadows about five feet away from Dave's microphone.

And that was the almost XTC reunion of 1993.

I get more excited now thinking about being there than I was actually being there.