From Mark Fisher, the editor of ‘The XTC Bumper Book of Fun for Boys and Girls’, comes a new musical exploration of one of the most essential group from the 80s. ‘What Do You Call That Noise? An XTC Discovery Book‘ is a compelling 228-page book that involves some of the world’s leading musicians and huge XTC fans. Here, they come together to discuss what makes this Swindon band so very special and the extent of their impact of their music worldwide. Watch the teaser trailer for the book via YouTube below.
Every member of XTC also makes an appearance. Andy Partridge speaks about mixing, Dave Gregory on arranging and Barry Andrews on the piano. The book also features interviews with XTC drummers Pete Phipps, Pat Mastelotto, Ian Gregory, Prairie Prince, Dave Mattacks and Chuck Sabo.
“Every XTC album that got ignored gave the band a real power jolt. It was like being the Duracell bunny and getting a fresh set of batteries in your back. It made us want to strive harder,” says XTC frontman Andy Partridge.
“Weirdly, it does feel like the band is being appreciated now. We’ve become a historical artefact that’s more important than when it was a pot in Cro-Magnon times. As a museum exhibit it’s become priceless, but as a Neanderthal pot nobody wanted to bother pissing in it. It makes me feel valued – as long as I don’t go into national treasure territory!”
Fisher also offers an in-depth review of Colin Moulding and Terry Chambers playing live for the first time in 36 years as TC&I. during their recent Swindon Arts Centre residency, a performance named on BBC Radio 6 Music’s Marc Riley show as one of the gigs of 2018.
Contributing musicians include:
• Rick Buckler: The Jam
• Chris Difford: Squeeze
• Debbi Peterson: The Bangles
• Dennis Locorriere: Dr Hook
• Steve Conte: New York Dolls
• Steven Page: Barenaked Ladies
• Chris Butler: The Waitresses
• Tracey Bryn: Voice of the Beehive
• Jason Falkner: Jellyfish
• Andrew Falkous: Future of the Left
• Peter Gabriel
• Mike Keneally: Frank Zappa
Plus Anton Barbeau, Todd Bernhardt, Chris Braide, Mikey Erg, Anne McCue, Jim Moray, Erich Sellheim, Rosie Vela, Mark Vidler and David Yazbek, as well as members of Fassine, Big Big Train, bis, Cosmic Rough Riders, Odds, Tin Spirits, Palm Ghosts and many more…
2018 marked the 40-year anniversary of XTC’s first studio album ‘White Music’. While XTC was founded in 1972, it wasn’t until 1979 that XTC had their first UK charting single. Colin Moulding and Andy Partridge continued their partnership until the group’s dissolution in 2006.
Lately there has been renewed interest in XTC, in part due to the release of eye-opening XTC documentary ‘This Is Pop’ about the band’s history and legacy, which looks at XTC and their journey from mercurial pop outsiders to full blown national treasures and one of Britain’s most influential yet unsung bands.
‘What Do You Call That Noise?’ will be released on March 4 via Limelight. The book can be obtained for £17.99 + free UK p&p (from £5 international p&p).
Order link xtclimelight.com/buy.html
