This episode of What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast features a highly entertaining conversation between XTC guitarist Dave Gregory and fellow musician Thomas Walsh (Pugwash) recorded at the 2025 XTC Fan Festival in Swindon. The interview covers everything from facial hair to inspirational guitarists.
The episode also includes a round-up of the weekend’s events from first-timers Gayle Ramage and Alison Eales who loved every minute of it.
XTC-inspired music comes courtesy of Jeff Norman, aka Monkey Typing Pool.
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.
Pictures courtesy of Tim Bourne
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★In this episode of What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast, we join Alfredo Marziano, the author of the newly published XTC: Skylarking – A Life in A Day, the Making of a Pop Classic. This 152-page book draws on archive material and original interviews to go on a deep dive into the record that many XTC fans regard as the band’s finest.
As well as setting the scene, describing where the band was in 1986 and the background to working with producer Todd Rundgren in Woodstock and San Francisco, Alfredo gives a track-by-track breakdown of the album and its associated B-sides and outtakes to create a comprehensive overview.
XTC: Skylarking – A Life in A Day, the Making of a Pop Classic
Music from Dave James
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 ★It’s fan festival time again. Coming up on 20–22 June at the Mecca in Swindon, the sold-out 2025 XTC Fan Festival is a chance for friends old and new to come together and share in their love of all things XTC.
On the line-up, as well as a trip to the Uffington White Horse, and interviews with Dave Gregory and Hugh Padgham, are performances from several cover bands. They include our guests in this episode of What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast: Dan Barrow, who is opening the festival with a one-man rendition of The Big Express in its entirety, and Peter Mills and Martin Malone, two of the members of Innocents Abroad, who will be working their way through the XTC songbook on Sunday afternoon.
Music from Jeff Farris
Further listening at Innocents Abroad
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 ★Twenty-five years after their final album, XTC continue to inspire new generations of musicians. In this episode of What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast, Grammy Award-winning songwriter Madison Cunningham talks about finding inspiration in River of Orchids, 1000 Umbrellas and Easter Theatre.
The musician also talks about her love of a riff, lyrical ambiguity and following her musical instincts.
Madison Cunningham, Jacob Collier and Chris Thile covering XTC's River of Orchids
This month’s song is by Stephen Dahill
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 ★How much further up the charts would Senses Working Overtime have climbed if the sleeve had been made of heavier material? What does the finish on the cover of Wait Till Your Boat Goes Down tell us about its sales?
In this edition of What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast, we explore the fascinating relationship between XTC and cardboard in the company of Professor Penelope Letterhead…
Oh, and it is also 40 years since the Dukes of Stratosphear released 25 O’Clock.
You have been listening to:
Fog99horn (Ed Stainsby)
Pond Yacht (James Hollingworth)
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 ★To commemorate the death of Rick Buckler on 17 February 2025, this episode of What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast features an interview the drummer did with a group of XTC fans and fellow musicians in March 2018.
Buckler recorded Sound Affects with the Jam at the same time as XTC were working on Black Sea and, indeed, he joined in with the clapping on Don’t Lose Your Temper.
Recorded for What Do You Call That Noise? An XTC Discovery Book, the conversation ranges from musicianship to studio techniques, from session drummers to formative influences, from home-made kits to ride cymbals.
Joining Buckler around the table in 2018 were Mark Fisher, Mark Thomas, Andy Rankin, Laurie Langan, Sarah Palmer, Rohan Onraet, and Louis Barfe.
Music by Keith McTaggart.
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.
Photograph: © Allison Burke
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★Darryl Bullock was a massive fan of XTC, an avid record collector and one of the tireless organisers of the online and in-person XTC fan conventions. He died, way too young, on 23 December 2024.
He was such a pillar of the fan community that this month’s episode of What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast is dedicated to him – with thoughts especially for his husband Niall Milligan.
As well as tributes from those who knew him, the podcast features a previously unreleased interview Darryl did with the artist Ken White at the XTC fan convention in Swindon in 2022. Ken painted several murals around Swindon, including the much missed Swindon celebrities mural, as well as painting the backdrop for the cover of XTC’s Black Sea.
Music from Dan Barrow.
Darryl Bullock links:
Dan Barrow and The Florida Recounts
Ken White: Muralist and Painter, Amberley Publishing
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 ★In this edition of What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast, we go behind the scenes to see how deals get signed, press releases get written and records get released. Joining us are Ronnie Gurr, who went from producing a punk fanzine to working in the Virgin press office; Mike Smith, who signed Andy Partridge to Warner Chappell Music as a songwriter; Ben Wardle, who paved the way for one of the collaborations between Andy and Stephen Duffy; and Youie Mourra, who got tantalisingly close to releasing a series of XTC retrospective collections.
Music from Jordan Cooper
XTC photos in Hanging Around Books
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.
Illustration of Andy Partridge by Mike Smith
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★In the second 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 Chris Badley and Foolish Men.
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 ★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.
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★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.
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★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.
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★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.
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★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.
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 ★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.
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★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.
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 ★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
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.
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★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.
2025 XTC Fans Festival, Friday 20–Sunday 22 June 2025
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 ★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, 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.
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 ★