white music

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

This Is Hardcore 

 

Warren Butson

Helter Skelter 

 

Jill Furmanovsky

Website 

Rock Archive 

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 - White Music - 1978En 1972 à Swindon, ville anglaise du Wiltshire sur le Great Western Railway, quelque part entre Londres et Bristol, gonflée comme la grenouille de la fable (celle avec le bœuf) pendant la révolution industrielle, deux événements retiennent l’attention : le premier, c’est que le bassiste Colin Moulding (il choisit cet instrument plutôt que la guitare parce qu’il est persuadé que deux cordes en moins vont lui en faciliter l’apprentissage ) et le batteur Terry Chambers rejoignent Andy Partridge dans Star Park (« Rats Krap » à l’envers) – Andy chante, apprend la guitare en autodidacte, écrit des chansons depuis l’âge de 15 ans et joue dans des groupes aux noms changeants (Stiff Beach, Skyscraper, Snakes, The Helium Kids) mais à l’insuccès constant : « nous avons toujours eu un maximum de problèmes : notre musique a toujours été sensiblement la même, mais n'avons jamais joué ce qu'il fallait quand il fallait. Toutes nos tentatives […] pour sortir des disques ont avorté » .

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.

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★