but because they did the theme for Friends they'll probably never have to worry about the rent for the rest of their lives.

But you have to think Andy is already set up pretty well financially. XTC might never have sold well but they did have 8 zillion albums out there at last count. And I always thought if he really needed the money he would have gotten over that stage fright thing. (I always understood that they didn't tour due to his stage fright - is that right?)

So that leaves me wondering how exactly Tim 'persuaded' him to write this theme song....

So that leaves me wondering how exactly Tim 'persuaded' him to write this theme song....

Are you implying that threats and beagles were involved?

(I always understood that they didn't tour due to his stage fright - is that right?)

That was my understanding as well. I remember once XTC did a "tour" where they only did radio interviews and short live-to-air performances.

Jon B. beat me to it.

He lives in the town he grew up in (Swindon, I believe) - how much money can he need?

Steph L: Discs are on their way. Sorry I'm so slow, but it's hard to get to the P.O. some weeks.

Yay! And no worries on the time frame. If it's not a human heart that needs to get put into a person within a certain time frame, then it's no big.

....there's not a human heart, is there?

Some kind of divine providence just motivated me to check my oft ignored yahoo e-mail account. Where there was a e-mail from my Wilco list telling me that they were playing the Blue Note in Columbia on a very short tour (that includes Austin, btw, hayden) and tickets went on sale yesterday.

I went to ticketbastard expecting them to be sold out (the Blue Note is pretty small) - but lo there were some left.

And they are mine. Woo and a very relieved hoo.

....there's not a human heart, is there?

Telling you would just be spoiling the surprise.

John Keawe is a friendly acquaintance o' mine and he'd love for folks to vote for him in the slack key guitar category of this: [link] If you like slack key, please cast a vote! The other categories look interesting, but I don't know anything about them. Voting closes tomorrow, March 3.

Well, Andy has said that the band didn't officially get out of the red and break even until around 1997--supposedly mere days after finally getting out of the Virgin contract.

The "official" reason for their not touring is Andy's stage fright. But almost invariably, when asked about why they don't tour, he spends five seconds on the stage fright and five minutes on how the concept of a live show is ridiculous, as you've presumably already bought the records and they sound much better and don't have screw-ups and so on.

If he just doesn't like to do concerts, I wish he'd be honest about it.

he spends five seconds on the stage fright and five minutes on how the concept of a live show is ridiculous, as you've presumably already bought the records and they sound much better and don't have screw-ups and so on.

Yeah, but those two things aren't mutually exclusive. They feed on each other.