on him. In Japan, the album was initially advertised under this title. Later, XTC appropriated the title "Terry and the Lovemen" as their pseudonym on the tribute album A Testimonial Dinner: The Songs of XTC (1995). Black Sea was ultimately chosen to fit the nautical theme and to express the feelings of claustrophobia that Partridge felt at the time. He said his state of mind "was very black. People were buying copies of Sandy Lesberg's Violence in Our Time and leaving them ... strewn around the studio ... It's just the worst photographs you could ever imagine in one book: Belsen, child molestations, murders." Early copies of the UK, US and Australian editions of the LP came with the sleeve enclosed in a sea-green paper bag. Release Sales and promotion Released on 12 September 1980, Black Sea sold moderately, with 7 weeks spent on the UK album charts and a number 16 peak. In the US, the album spent 24 weeks on the Billboard 200 album charts and reached its peak position of number 41 in February 1981. Virgin's marketing department found Black Sea difficult to promote, and so publicity campaigns were split between "serious" national media, the independent music press, and schoolgirl-oriented magazines. Partridge remembered that the label "wanted us to be the power-pop teen dream thing." Several singles were issued, including the UK top 40 hits "Generals and Majors" (number 32), "Towers of London" (number 31) and "Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me)" (number 16). "Sgt. Rock" elicited feminist hate-mail for the lyric "keep her stood in line". The band performed the song on the BBC children's programme Multi-Coloured Swap Shop, where Partridge gave away his acoustic guitar. "Respectable Street" was banned from BBC radio due to its references to abortion and a "Sony Entertainment Centre". "Love at First Sight" was issued exclusively in Canada. Music videos were filmed for "Towers of London", "Generals and Majors" and "Respectable Street". "Towers of London" was initially the lead single, but after filming the video, Virgin changed plans and decided to issue "Generals and Majors" first. On 10 October 1980, BBC-2 premiered the documentary XTC at the Manor. It largely featured the group at The Manor Studio for a faked studio session of "Towers of London". During its filming, the band voiced their concerns with having no video for "Generals and Majors". In response, Virgin owner Richard Branson rented war