What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast

Latest Episodes:

XTC's The Big Express in 5.1 and Dolby Atmos Sep 15, 2023

Show notes

Steven Wilson has returned to XTC's 1984 masterpiece and given it not only a stunning 5.1 surround remix but also, for the first time with XTC, a Dolby Atmos mix. Released on 29 September 2023, The Big Express comes complete with a two-disc digipack sleeve and 16-page booklet.

Mark Reed, Mark Smotroff, Jon Jacques, David White and Steve Cox have enjoyed an early preview of the new mixes. They share their excitement on What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast.

Music courtesy of Nigel Collyer

The Big Express available from Burning Shed

Thanks to Julie Blore-Bizot of L-Acoustics for her help.

What Do You Call That Noise? An XTC Discovery Book available from www.xtclimelight.com

If you’ve enjoyed What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast, please show your support at https://www.patreon.com/markfisher

Thanks to the Pink Things, Humble Daisies and Knights in Shining Karma who’ve done the same.

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Chris Braide on songwriting (ft XTC's Andy Partridge) Aug 04, 2023

Show notes

Chris Braide, one of the most successful songwriters of his generation, talks to What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast about his collaborations with Andy Partridge, including Goodbye to You (Sister Shame) on Celestial Songs, the latest album by the Downes Braide Association, and the six-track Queen of the Planet Wow! EP expected out in 2024.

Chris Braide

Music courtesy of Chris Carry

What Do You Call That Noise? An XTC Discovery Book available from www.xtclimelight.com

If you’ve enjoyed What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast, please show your support at https://www.patreon.com/markfisher

Thanks to the Pink Things, Humble Daisies and Knights in Shining Karma who’ve done the same.

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Steve Conte on songwriting (ft XTC's Andy Partridge) Jul 07, 2023

Show notes

As Steve Conte releases his Fourth of July single, the guitarist and singer talks about writing songs with his XTC hero, joining the New York Dolls and playing on stage with Chuck Berry. He also gives tantalising pointers to his forthcoming album of co-writes with Andy Partridge.

This episode of What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast also includes comments from Andy Partridge himself, plus sad news about Ian C Stewart.

Music courtesy of Don Kerr and Communism.

Steve Conte

Limited edition Fourth of July on 7" blue vinyl

Communism

XTC fan tribute compilations by the late Ian C Stewart:

https://archive.org/details/TheXtcFansTribute-Skylacking

https://archive.org/details/TheXtcFansTribute-ObsceneCollection

https://archive.org/details/TheXtcFansTribute-BeastsIveSeen/

What Do You Call That Noise? An XTC Discovery Book available from www.xtclimelight.com

If you’ve enjoyed What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast, please show your support at https://www.patreon.com/markfisher

Thanks to the Pink Things, Humble Daisies and Knights in Shining Karma who’ve done the same.

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The 3 Clubmen III: Andy Partridge (XTC) May 19, 2023

Show notes

Andy Partridge and Stu Rowe have been working together since the recording of Monstrance in 2006. Andy then produced Jen Olive's album Warm Robot in 2009 and Stu produced Jen's album The Breaks in 2013. Somewhere in between all that they laid down a series of improvisatory ideas that have become The 3 Clubmen EP.

In this third episode, XTC's Andy Partridge talks about the unexpected joys of collaboration, the secret origins of Meccanik Dancing and his latest songwriting partnerships.

The 3 Clubmen EP is released 30 June 2023 and available from Burning Shed

The 3 Clubmen

Stu Rowe

Jen Olive

Andy Partridge's Ape House on Burning Shed

Music courtesy of Mario Rodríguez Centeno, from La Jvnta

What Do You Call That Noise? An XTC Discovery Book available from www.xtclimelight.com

If you’ve enjoyed What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast, please show your support at https://www.patreon.com/markfisher

Thanks to the Pink Things, Humble Daisies and Knights in Shining Karma who’ve done the same.

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The 3 Clubmen II: Jen Olive May 12, 2023

Show notes

Ten years ago Stu Rowe, Jen Olive and XTC's Andy Partridge started working on material which, after all these years, is finally – and gloriously seeing the light of day. To celebrate the arrival of The 3 Clubmen, we're talking to each of the brilliant musicians in turn.

This week, Jen Olive talks about the genesis of the 3 Clubmen EP as well as working with Andy Partridge on her album Warm Robot and with Stu Rowe on The Breaks.

The 3 Clubmen EP is released 30 June 2023 and available from Burning Shed https://burningshed.com/the-3-clubmen_the-3-clubmen-ep_cd

The 3 Clubmen https://www.facebook.com/the3clubmen
Stu Rowe https://www.facebook.com/stu.rowe.3
Jen Olive https://www.facebook.com/jen.olive.5
Andy Partridge's Ape House on Burning Shed https://burningshed.com/store/ape

Music courtesy of Mark Sander and Cone of Silence whose album Sixty-Grit Sandpaper and Other Delights can be streamed on major platforms including Spotify https://open.spotify.com/album/2NScWtLyNgLkSzsOddYCCC

What Do You Call That Noise? An XTC Discovery Book available from www.xtclimelight.com

If you’ve enjoyed What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast, please show your support at https://www.patreon.com/markfisher

Thanks to the Pink Things, Humble Daisies and Knights in Shining Karma who’ve done the same.

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The 3 Clubmen I: Stu Rowe May 05, 2023

Show notes

It's the music we've been awaiting for a decade – and now it's out! Stu Rowe, Jen Olive and Andy Partridge have gone public with The 3 Clubmen and their very wonderful eponymous four-track EP is released at the end of June. But with three such gifted musicians to choose from, what's a humble podcaster to do?

There can be only one answer: three weekly podcasts!

In the first episode, Stu Rowe talks about working with XTC's Andy Partridge, Colin Moulding, Terry Chambers, Barry Andrews and Dave Gregory, as well as Jen Olive and most musicians in Swindon.

The 3 Clubmen EP is released 30 June 2023 and available from Burning Shed https://burningshed.com/the-3-clubmen_the-3-clubmen-ep_cd

The 3 Clubmen https://www.facebook.com/the3clubmen
Stu Rowe https://www.facebook.com/stu.rowe.3
Jen Olive https://www.facebook.com/jen.olive.5
Andy Partridge's Ape House on Burning Shed https://burningshed.com/store/ape
Music courtesy of Joel Bell https://soundcloud.com/joel-bell-4/sets/limelight-fuzzy-warbles-for-mark-f

What Do You Call That Noise? An XTC Discovery Book available from www.xtclimelight.com

If you’ve enjoyed What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast, please show your support at https://www.patreon.com/markfisher

Thanks to the Pink Things, Humble Daisies and Knights in Shining Karma who’ve done the same.

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

XTC’s best B-sides Apr 07, 2023

Show notes

Oh we do like to be beside the B-sides. In this month’s episode of What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast, Mia Rankin, Ashley LeCron, Crawford Blair and Mark Fisher pick their favourite non-album songs , ranging from She's So Square to The World Is Full of Angry Young Men.

Music provided by Jeff Nicholson.

The episode was inspired by Mia’s ranking of all XTC B-sides on her Dead Letter Offices substack

What Do You Call That Noise? An XTC Discovery Book available from www.xtclimelight.com

If you’ve enjoyed What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast, please show your support at https://www.patreon.com/markfisher

Thanks to the Pink Things, Humble Daisies and Knights in Shining Karma who’ve done the same.

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

XTC and Religion – from Dear God to Scatter Me Mar 03, 2023

Show notes

What happens when a Christian, a Humanist and a Buddhist congregate to talk about the songs of XTC? Will they give praise? Or will they be torn asunder?

David White, Belinda Blanchard and Ash Jñānagarbha share a pew with Mark Fisher to discuss Dear God, Dying, The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead, Easter Theatre, The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul, Scatter Me and Senses Working Overtime.

Music by Christopher Underwood and 5 Guys Named Lars

Ash Jñānagarbha

Belinda Blanchard in Dear God

David White's S.C.R.A.P.E.S

What Do You Call That Noise? An XTC Discovery Book available from www.xtclimelight.com

If you’ve enjoyed What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast, please show your support at https://www.patreon.com/markfisher

Thanks to the Pink Things, Humble Daisies and Knights in Shining Karma who’ve done the same.

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

XTC's White Music: 45 years on (part two) Feb 03, 2023

Show notes

In the second of a two-part conversation for What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast, five fans, journalists and photographers recall what it was like to witness XTC explode onto the scene. On 20 January 1978, XTC released their debut album, White Music, setting our radios in motion for the next 45 years.

Tony Mitchell, editorial staffer on Sounds, followed XTC to Hamburg, Amsterdam and Japan. Photographer Jill Furmanovsky was on the same trip to Hamburg in 1978 and subsequent publicity sessions. Beverley Glick, who wrote for Sounds under the name of Betty Page, joined XTC in New York in 1980. Paul Burgess and Andy Poulton were at school at Headlands in Swindon, where the caretaker was Colin Moulding's dad.

Music by Warren Butson.

XTC's White Music: 45 years on (part one)

What Do You Call That Noise? An XTC Discovery Book available from www.xtclimelight.com

If you’ve enjoyed What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast, please show your support at https://www.patreon.com/markfisher

Thanks to the Pink Things, Humble Daisies and Knights in Shining Karma who’ve done the same.

Paul Burgess

Warren Butson

Jill Furmanovsky

Swindon Works: XTC 1978 Hanging Around books

Beverley Glick
Website

Tony Mitchell

Website

Andy Poulton

Website

Sounds Clips

Twitter

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

XTC's White Music: 45 years on (part one) Jan 06, 2023

Show notes

On 20 January 1978, XTC released their debut album with its defiant cry of This Is Pop! In the first of a two-part conversation for What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast, five fans, journalists and photographers recall what it was like to witness XTC explode onto the scene with White Music.

Tony Mitchell, editorial staffer on Sounds, followed XTC to Hamburg, Amsterdam and Japan. Photographer Jill Furmanovsky was on the same trip to Hamburg in 1978 and subsequent publicity sessions. Beverley Glick, who wrote for Sounds under the name of Betty Page, joined XTC in New York in 1980. Paul Burgess and Andy Poulton were at school at Headlands in Swindon, where the caretaker was Colin Moulding's dad.

Music by Jon Bicknell.

What Do You Call That Noise? An XTC Discovery Book available from www.xtclimelight.com

If you’ve enjoyed What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast, please show your support at https://www.patreon.com/markfisher

Thanks to the Pink Things, Humble Daisies and Knights in Shining Karma who’ve done the same.

Jon Bicknell

Paul Burgess

Jill Furmanovsky