XTC - A Box of... XTC - 50th Anniversary 1977-2027: The Complete Albums & Singles (Remastered Deluxe Editions) (66CD) (2027)

A BOX OF...

XTC - A Box of... XTC - 50th Anniversary 1977-2027: The Complete Albums & Singles (Remastered Deluxe Editions) (66CD) (2027)

In celebration of 50 years since XTC released their debut EP: 3D • EP on the Virgin Records independent record label on 7 October 1977, here is a splendid overview of their extraordinary work.

XTC were an English rock band formed in Swindon in 1972. Fronted by songwriters Andy Partridge (vocals, guitars) and Colin Moulding (vocals, bass), the band gained popularity during the rise of punk and new wave in the 1970s, later playing in a variety of styles that ranged from angular guitar riffs to elaborately arranged pop. Partly because the group did not fit into contemporary trends, they achieved only sporadic commercial success in the UK and US, but attracted a considerable cult following. They have since been recognised for their influence on Britpop and later power pop acts.

Partridge and Moulding first met in the early 1970s and subsequently formed a glam outfit with drummer Terry Chambers. The band's name and line-up changed frequently, and it was not until 1975 that the band was known as XTC. In 1977, the group debuted on Virgin Records and were subsequently noted for their energetic live performances and their refusal to play conventional punk rock, instead synthesizing influences from ska, 1960s pop, dub music and avant-garde. The single "Making Plans for Nigel" (1979) marked their commercial breakthrough and heralded the reverberating drum sound associated with 1980s popular music.

Between 1979 and 1992, XTC had a total of 10 albums and 6 singles that reached the UK top 40, including "Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me)" (1980) and "Senses Working Overtime" (1982). After 1982's English Settlement, the band stopped concert touring and became a studio-based project centred on Partridge, Moulding and guitarist Dave Gregory. A spin-off group, the Dukes of Stratosphear, was invented as a one-off excursion into 1960s-style psychedelia, but as XTC's music evolved, the distinctions between the two bands lessened. XTC continued to produce more progressive records, including the albums Skylarking (1986), Oranges & Lemons (1989) and Nonsuch (1992). In the US, "Mayor of Simpleton" (1989) was their highest-charting single, while "Dear God" (1986) was controversial for its anti-religious message.

Due to poor management, XTC never received a share of profits from record sales (of which there were millions), nor from touring revenue, forcing them into debt throughout the 1980s and 1990s. In 1993, they went on strike against Virgin, citing an unfair recording contract, and soon extricated themselves from the label. Gregory left the band during the making of Apple Venus Volume 1 (1999), after which the XTC name was used by the duo of Partridge and Moulding. In 2006, Partridge announced that his creative partnership with Moulding had disintegrated, leaving XTC "in the past tense". Moulding and Chambers briefly reunited as the duo TC&I in the late 2010s. Partridge and Gregory remain musically active.

July 2026: Fans across the world pay for new tribute to rock band

A rock band that rose to international fame in the 1970s has been honoured with a new artwork in their hometown.

Swindon band XTC, best known for their hits including Making Plans for Nigel and Senses Working Overtime, have attracted a global cult following despite having not toured since the 1980s.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn4nx3z8mkxo

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/music/articles/sculpture-honouring-local-legends-xtc-060942438.html

The albums featured in this 66CD 50th anniversary box set are as follows:

Original Studio Albums:

XTC - 3D • EP (2023 Digital Remaster) (1977)

XTC - White Music (2001 Remastered Expanded Edition) (1978)

XTC - Go 2 (2001 (Remastered Expanded Edition) (1978)

XTC - Drums & Wires (2001 Remastered Expanded Edition) (1979)

XTC - Black Sea (2001 Remastered Expanded Edition) (1980)

XTC - English Settlement (2001 Remastered Expanded Edition) (1982)

XTC - Mummer (2001 Remastered Expanded Edition) (1983)

XTC - The Big Express (2001 Remastered Expanded Edition) (1984)

XTC - 25 O'Clock, as The Dukes of Stratosphear (2009 Remastered Expanded Edition) (1985)

XTC - Skylarking (2001 Remastered Expanded Edition) (1986)

XTC - Psonic Psunspot, as The Dukes of Stratosphear (2009 Remastered Expanded Edition) (1987)

XTC - Oranges & Lemons (2001 Remastered Expanded Edition) (1989)

XTC - Nonsuch (2001 Remastered Expanded Edition) (1992)

XTC - Apple Venus Volume 1 (1999)

XTC - Homespun (1999)

XTC - Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2) (2000)

XTC - Homegrown (2001)

Compilation Albums:

XTC - Waxworks: Some Singles 1977-1982 (2009 Remastered Edition) (1982)

XTC - Beeswax: Some B-Sides 1977-1982 (2009 Remastered Edition) (1982)

XTC - The Compact XTC - The Singles 1978-85 (1985)

XTC - The Dukes of Stratosphear - Chips from the Chocolate Fireball: An Anthology (1987)

XTC - Explode Together: The Dub Experiments 78-80 (1990)

XTC - Rag and Bone Buffet: Rare Cuts and Leftovers (1990)

XTC - Fossil Fuel: The XTC Singles 1977-92 (2CD) (1996)

XTC - Upsy Daisy Assortment - A Selection of the Sweetest Hits (1997)

XTC - Transistor Blast: The Best of the BBC Sessions (4CD) (1998)

XTC - Coat of Many Cupboards (4CD) (2002)

XTC - Andy Partridge - The Official Andy Partridge Fuzzy Warbles Collector's Album (9CD) (2006)

Steven Wilson Mixes and Super Deluxe Box Set Editions:

XTC - Drums and Wires (2014 Remastered Expanded Edition) (1979)

XTC - Black Sea (2017, Steven Wilson Mix) (1980)

XTC - English Settlement (2016, Remastered from the original half-inch master tapes) (1982)

XTC - Mummer (2014 Remastered Expanded Edition) (1983)

XTC - The Big Express (2023 Super Deluxe Edition) (4CD) (1984)

XTC - Skylarking (2016, 30th Anniversary Definitive Edition) (7CD) (1986)

XTC - Skylarking (Original Mix and Running Order) (1986)

XTC - Skylarking (2001 Expanded Edition) (1986)

XTC - Skylarking (2014 Corrected Polarity Edition) (1986)

XTC - Skylarking (2016, 30th Anniversary Definitive Edition) This is a 4 CD set.

XTC - Oranges & Lemons (2015, Steven Wilson Remix) (1989)

XTC - Nonsuch (2013, Steven Wilson Stereo Remix) (1992)

XTC - The Dukes of Stratosphear - Psurroundabout Ride (4CD) (2019)

XTC - Live Boots: Official Bootleg (2CD) (2026)

 

Television Documentary:

XTC - This Is Pop - Documentary - Sky Arts (2017)

Magazines:

Shindig! - XTC: The Big Express - Issue 153: July 2024 (2024)

Record Collector Presents: XTC (2026)

More on XTC here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XTC

Enjoy!

K

Please thank K for this post.

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Track lists 

can be found here:

https://www.discogs.com/artist/15118-XTC

https://www.discogs.com/artist/257163-The-Dukes-Of-Stratosphear

https://www.discogs.com/artist/229492-Andy-Partridge?superFilter=Releases&subFilter=Compilations

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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.

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