Skylarking
Welcome to my new category - useful mischief. I wanted a new category that could capture my occasional need to rant, give unsolicited and completely useless advice, and a forum for practical jokes that demonstrate ingenuity and courage. Unfortunately, you will find none of that here, but you will find a bunch of random thoughts and, as the blurbs get posted, more pages to sift through and waste your time. For now, let me tell you about one of my all-time favorite records:
Skylarking is XTC's eighth studio album, released late in 1986, and to me it is the band's finest album. The record was produced by Todd Rundgren, and according to Wikipedia, it was recorded to a single reel of two inch tape! A single reel? How was that possible? A two-inch reel at 15 ips only spins for 31 minutes, and Skylarking is 45 minutes! Mix as you go, I guess? Bigger reel? But who am I to challenge Wikipedia. I actually disliked the record the first time I heard it, but upon the second and third listening, it grew on me like nothing I had ever heard before, and I've been in love with it ever since. I've cranked this record through so many sets of speakers and shaken so many houses with Earn Enough for Us I've lost count. Go check it out. You won't be sorry. I love XTC, and I especially love Skylarking.