What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast

Ace remixer Steven Wilson has already given XTC’s 1986 album Skylarking a 5.1 surround sound makeover and now he has gone one step further with a mix in whizzy new Dolby Atmos, which means those glorious sounds come at you from every direction – including above.

This episode of What Do You Call that Noise? The XTC Podcast heads to the L-Acoustics studio in North London for a playback session of the new mix in the company of XTC guitarist Dave Gregory and Steven Wilson.

Additional commentary from Jonathan Jacques. Bonus questions by Yvonne Wootton.

Music from Kenny Alton.

L-Acoustics website 

Steven Wilson website 

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.

In the first of a special two-part edition of What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast, supporters on Patreon ask questions they had always wanted Andy Partridge to answer that he never gets asked. 

The challenge was to come up with questions that would surprise, delight and generally intrigue the XTC frontman. They do not disappoint!

The results take us on a fascinating journey from the Beatles to broccoli, from Fireball XL5 to The Last Balloon – and beyond.

Music from Terry Arnett and Planet Sunday. 

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.

From handing a tape to John Peel to encouraging Colin Moulding to write songs, Steve Warren is a key part of the XTC story. In a fascinating interview, he recalls befriending Andy Partridge as a child, working as a roadie for the Helium Kidz and touring the world with XTC.

Also in this episode, Gaz Barrett describes how he commissioned a mural of English Settlement in the centre of Swindon.

Artist Dayna Baxter on Instagram 

Music from Garry Perkins on Soundcloud 

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.

XTC fans were out in force at the Neo-Ancients festival in Stroud, Gloucestershire on Saturday 4 May 2024 when producer Hugh Padgham joined festival co-director Ben Wardle to talk about XTC’s English Settlement.

Your dedicated podcast host, Mark Fisher, was on hand with his trusty tape recorder to share it with you. Hugh talks about drunken jam sessions, Andy Partridge as a sumo wrestler and creating the flange effect on Jason and the Argonauts, as well as taking questions from the audience.

Music courtesy of Knight in Shining Karma Robert Lawlor. 

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.

Terry Chambers and EXTC are back on the road and they are sounding fantastic. In this episode of What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast, we catch up with Terry, Steve Hampton and Terry Lines at the start of a tour that will take in more than 20 dates in the USA, from Philadelphia to Virginia, and further gigs and festivals in the UK throughout the summer.

EXTC website 

Music from Felix von Boxberg 

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.

In the 50th episode of What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast, we go back to the formative years of XTC in the company of Ian Doeser and Lee Moulding. As well as being front man with the Hamsters from Hell, Ian was in Swindon’s first punk band, the Aggravators, and has been sharing his memories of XTC and others in a book, A Big Fish in a Small Puddle. As well as being Ian’s drummer, Lee has a lifetime of memories growing up as a child of XTC.

Music courtesy of Beth Link.

A Big Fish in a Small Puddle available on Amazon 

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.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of XTC’s landmark album Apple Venus Volume I, producer Haydn Bendall talks to What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast about the fraught recording sessions that nonetheless resulted in such majestic songs as River of Orchids, Easter Theatre and Greenman.

“The songs were fabulous,” he says. “I loved the songs.”

Fellow producer Guy Sigsworth joins Mark Fisher to ask the questions.

• The Real Numbers 
• Haydn Bendall 
• Guy Sigsworth 

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.

In this month’s episode of What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast we hear from Jason Repantis who works as a manager at the Universal Music Group archives. It was his job to dig out the original tapes of The Big Express for the recent Steven Wilson 5.1 Atmos remix – as well as to locate the original recordings of the 3D EP which has just been released in limited-edition vinyl. Jon Jacques and Mark Fisher ask the questions.

We also join Todd Bernhardt to pay tribute to Wes Long, creator of the Optimism’s Flames website, who died much too soon on 6 December 2023.

Music comes courtesy  of Michael Casey.

Optimism’s Flames website

Wes Long obituary

3D EP at Burning Shed

The Big Express remix at Burning Shed: 

Something Left Worth Saving by Michael Casey and Junglefish

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.

Peter Pumpkinhead proclaims that "Any kind of love is alright" and gets nailed to a chunk of wood for saying so. What does that tell us about XTC's attitude to love and human relationships? In particular, how welcoming does this heterosexual band seem to those who aren't heterosexual themselves?

This episode of What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast looks at XTC from an LGBTQI+ perspective. Guest host Darryl Bullock is joined by Keeley Moss, Tim Kendrick and Soizic De St John Rosse to talk about everything from The Loving to Towers of London.

Music by Tim Pike and Slowrush.

Darryl Bullock 

Keeley 

2025 XTC Fans Festival, Friday 20–Sunday 22 June 2025 

Slowrush

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.

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.