What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast

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.

What was it like being the eight-year-old asked to sing on XTC’s landmark album? Thirty-five years after recording Dear God, Jasmine Veillette looks back at the making of Skylarking with studio manager Ralph Legnini.

And, in a podcast exclusive, the two of them reveal their plans to re-record Dear God with the support of a crowdfunding campaign (details to follow).

Asking the questions in this month's episode of What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast are Leslie Gooch and Mark Fisher. Supplying the new music is Craig Stevens.

Follow Jasmine Veillette

Catch up with Ralph Legnini

Listen to Not a Loan by Craig Stevens

What Do You Call That Noise? An XTC Discovery Book available from https://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.

Picture © Lou Dommett Young

One of the many highlights of the 2022 XTC Convention in Swindon was an in-depth interview with producer John Leckie. Talking to co-organiser Darryl Bullock, he recalled his formative studio experience working with former members of the Beatles and the excitement of going into the studio with XTC for their first two albums.

After that came the sonic experiments of Go+ and Take Away/The Lure of Salvage and, of course, 25 O’Clock and Psonic Psunspot for the Dukes of Stratosphear.

Many thanks to Darryl for conducting the interview and sound engineer Paul Bullimore who made the audio possible – not just for this but the whole weekend.

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.

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

Drums and Wires UK

That Sfumato Effect

Paul Burgess

This Is Hardcore

Jill Furmanovsky

Website

Rock Archive

Swindon Works: XTC 1978 Hanging Around books

Beverley Glick

Website

Tony Mitchell

Website

Andy Poulton

Website

Sounds Clips

Twitter

In this episode of What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast, we dig deep into the centre of the songs of XTC with a celebration of some of the band's best middle eights – and there are a lot to choose from.

The musically minded XTC fans picking their favourites are:

• Crawford "Me and the Wind" Blair
• Kavus "Jason and the Argonauts" Torabi
• Sarah "I Can't Own Her" Palmer
• Laurie "I Wonder Why the Wonderfalls" Langan
• David "No Language in our Lungs" White
• Mark "Pale and Precious" Fisher

Supplying the new music is Gary O'Donnell.

More from Crawford Blair

More from Kavus Torabi

More from Sarah and Laurie from Fassine

More from David White

More from Gary O'Donnell's The Forever Behaviours

What Do You Call That Noise? An XTC Discovery Book available from https://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.

And thanks to David White for the artwork.