Transistor Blast: The Best of the BBC Sessions

Transistor Blast: The Best of the BBC Sessions
Box set by XTC
Released	24 November 1998
Recorded	1977–1989
Genre	Pop rock
Length	194:19 (4 CD Total)
Label	Cooking Vinyl
XTC other chronology
Upsy Daisy Assortment (1997) Transistor Blast: The Best of the BBC Sessions (1998) Homespun (1999)

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Transistor Blast: The Best of the BBC Sessions is a 4-disc boxed set by the English rock band XTC, released by Cooking Vinyl in November 1998, just three months prior to the studio album Apple Venus Volume 1.^[1][2]

Tracks on the first two discs are culled from various BBC radio sessions the group performed on over the years, notably for John Peel and David Jensen.^[3] Discs three and four are live recordings, the latter of which was previously released as BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert^[4] and is now titled Live in Concert 1980 on streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music.

"Opening Speech" from the first disc is Andy Partridge imitating John Peel.^[5]

All songs written by Andy Partridge, except where noted.

Studio sessions

1. "Opening Speech" – 0:49 [John Peel Show: Recorded 8 October 1979; Aired 15 October 1979]
2. "Life Begins at the Hop" (Colin Moulding) – 4:19 [David "Kid" Jensen Show: Recorded 21 May 1979; Aired 31 May 1979]
3. "Scarecrow People" – 4:13 [Richard Skinner Show: Recorded 16 March 1989; Aired 5 April 1989]
4. "Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her, Kiss Her" – 4:21 [Bruno Brookes Show: Recorded 11 October 1984; Aired 20 November 1984]
5. "Ten Feet Tall" (Moulding) – 2:53 [John Peel Show: Recorded 8 October 1979; Aired 15 October 1979]
6. "Garden of Earthly Delights" – 5:33 [Andy Kershaw Show: Recorded 16 March 1989; Aired 11 June 1989]
7. "Runaways" (Moulding) – 4:41 [David "Kid" Jensen Show: Recorded 14 January 1982; Aired 25 January 1982]
8. "When You're Near Me I Have Difficulty" – 3:07 [David "Kid" Jensen Show: Recorded 21 May 1979; Aired 31 May 1979]
9. "I'm Bugged" – 3:34 [John Peel Show: Recorded 21 September 1977; Aired 26 September 1977]
10. "Another Satellite" – 4:21 [Sunday Live Show: Recorded and aired 22 February 1987]
11. "You're the Wish (You Are) I Had" – 3:24 [Bruno Brookes Show: Recorded 11 October 1984; Aired 20 November 1984]
12. "Crosswires" (Moulding) – 2:10 [John Peel Show: Recorded 20 June 1977; Aired 24 June 1977]
13. "Roads Girdle the Globe" – 5:03 [John Peel Show: Recorded 8 October 1979; Aired 15 October 1979]

Studio sessions

1. "No Thugs in Our House" – 5:23 [David "Kid" Jensen Show: Recorded 14 January 1982; Aired 25 January 1982]
2. "One of the Millions" (Moulding) – 4:26 [Andy Kershaw Show: Recorded 16 March 1989; Aired 11 June 1989]
3. "Real by Reel" – 3:48 [John Peel Show: Recorded 8 October 1979; Aired 15 October 1979]
4. "The Meeting Place" (Moulding) – 3:08 [Sunday Live Show: Recorded and aired 22 February 1987]
5. "Meccanic Dancing (Oh We Go!)" – 2:36 [John Peel Show: Recorded 13 November 1978; Aired 23 November 1978]
6. "Poor Skeleton Steps Out" – 3:27 [Richard Skinner Show: Recorded 16 March 1989; Aired 5 April 1989]
7. "Into the Atom Age" – 2:27 [John Peel Show: Recorded 21 September 1977; Aired 26 September 1977]
8. "The Rhythm" (Moulding) – 2:55 [John Peel Show: Recorded 13 November 1978; Aired 23 November 1978]
9. "This World Over" – 4:33 [Bruno Brookes Show: Recorded 11 October 1984; Aired 20 November 1984 - actually the 7" version misfiled]
10. "Snowman" – 4:42 [David "Kid" Jensen Show: Recorded 14 January 1982; Aired 25 January 1982]
11. "Danceband" (Moulding) – 2:40 [John Peel Show: Recorded 21 September 1977; Aired 26 September 1977]
12. "Making Plans for Nigel" (Moulding) – 4:06 [David "Kid" Jensen Show: Recorded 21 May 1979; Aired 31 May 1979]
13. "Jason and the Argonauts" – 5:42 [David "Kid" Jensen Show: Recorded 14 January 1982; Aired 25 January 1982]

1978/79 – Live in Concert recordings

1. "Radios in Motion" – 3:21
2. "Crosswires" (Moulding) – 2:06
3. "Science Friction" – 3:34
4. "Statue of Liberty" – 2:58
5. "The Rhythm" (Moulding) – 2:55
6. "I'll Set Myself on Fire" (Moulding) – 3:27
7. "New Town Animal in a Furnished Cage" – 1:55
8. "All Along the Watchtower" (Bob Dylan) – 5:58
9. "Beatown" – 3:24
10. "This Is Pop?" – 2:37
11. "Dance Band" (Moulding) – 2:49
12. "Neon Shuffle" – 4:32

• All tracks recorded for Sight & Sound in Concert at The Hippodrome, Golders Green, London, 9 March 1978, except tracks 3, 5 and 9, recorded for Live in Concert at Paris Theatre, London, 17 January 1979.

Live in Concert, Hammersmith Palais, 22 December 1980

1. "Life Begins at the Hop" (Moulding) – 3:55
2. "Burning with Optimism's Flames" – 4:29
3. "Love at First Sight" (Moulding) – 3:03
4. "Respectable Street" – 3:52
5. "No Language in Our Lungs" – 4:58
6. "This is Pop" – 2:49
7. "Scissor Man" – 4:58
8. "Towers of London" – 5:13
9. "Battery Brides" – 7:20
10. "Living Through Another Cuba" – 3:29
11. "Generals and Majors" (Moulding) – 4:37
12. "Making Plans for Nigel" (Moulding) – 4:21
13. "Are You Receiving Me?" – 3:16

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Transistor Blast (technical personnel)^[6] and Drums and Wireless: BBC Radio Sessions 77–89 (XTC).^[7]

XTC

• Andy Partridge – vocals, guitar, keyboards, zippy zither, drum programming
• Colin Moulding – vocals, bass
• Barry Andrews – piano, organ, vocals (discs 1, 2: 1977-1978; disc 3: 1978-1979)
• Terry Chambers – drums (discs 1-4: 1977-1982)
• Dave Gregory – guitar, keyboards, drum programming, vocals (discs 1, 2, 4: 1979-1989)

Technical

• Tony Wilson – producer (disc 1: 1, 5, 13 / disc 2: 3, 5, 8)
• Bill Aitken – producer (disc 1: 2, 8 / disc 2: 12)
• Nick Gomm – producer (disc 1: 2, 8 / disc 2: 12)
• Pete Watts – producer (disc 1: 3, 6 / disc 2: 2, 6)
• Ted De Bono – producer (disc 1: 4, 11 / disc 2: 9), engineer (disc 1: 3, 6 / disc 2: 2, 6)
• John Sparrow – producer (disc 1: 7 / disc 2: 1, 10, 13)
• Malcolm Brown – producer (disc 1: 9, 12 / disc 2: 7, 11)
• Phil Ross – producer (disc 1: 10 / disc 2: 4)
• Jeff Griffin – producer (disc 3: 1, 2, 4, 6-8, 10-12 / disc 4^{[n 1]}
• Chris Lycett – producer (disc 3: 3, 5, 9)
• Dave Dade – engineer (disc 1: 1, 5, 9, 12, 13 / disc 2: 3, 5, 7, 8, 11)
• Tim Durham – engineer (disc 1: 3, 6 / disc 2: 2, 6)
• Mike Robinson – engineer (disc 1: 7 / disc 2: 1, 10, 13)
• Ian Cooper – mastering
• Andy Partridge – artwork, liner notes (disc 3 and 4)
• Andrew Swainson – artwork
• Colin Moulding – liner notes (disc 1 and 2)