What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast

Steve Lillywhite on producing XTC

The special guest in today’s episode of What Do You Call that Noise? The XTC Podcast is Steve Lillywhite who, in 1979, was the 24-year-old producer of Life Begins at the Hop, XTC’s first single featuring Dave Gregory, followed by Drums and Wires and then 1980’s Black Sea. All these years later, he still looks back at it as a charmed period of his life.The six-time Grammy Award winner has also worked on the first three albums by U2, Peter Gabriel’s third solo album, Fairytale Of New York with The Pogues and the first and only album by The La’s.  Music from Ashley Smith.What Do You Call that Noise? The XTC Podcast is sponsored by Burning Shed, the online home for all XTC CD, vinyl and official merchandise. 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 Record Collector special: behind-the-scenes

Published on 16 July 2026, Record Collector presents… XTC is a whole magazine dedicated to Swindon’s finest. If features interviews with Andy Partridge, Colin Moulding, Dave Gregory and Terry Chambers, as well as insights from Steve Lillywhite, John Leckie, Hugh Padgham, Nick Davis and Mike Batt. To mark the occasion, this episode of What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast brings together editor Jeremy Allen and contributors Imogen Bebb, Huw Thomas and Mark Fisher to go behind the scenes on this special magazine. Song courtesy of Paulcito. Record Collector presents… XTC Paulcito on BandcampWhat Do You Call that Noise? The XTC Podcast is sponsored by Burning Shed, the online home for all XTC CD, vinyl and official merchandise.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 ★

Chalkhills and geoglyphs: the landscape of XTC

In this episode of What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast, author Jon Woolcott talks about The Tattooed Hills, his new book about the chalk figures of southern England, including the Uffington White Horse, cover star of XTC’s English Settlement. “It’s timeless, simple and classic,” Andy Partridge tells him in the final chapter of the book. With fellow XTC fan Chris Badley, we talk about the culture of the countryside and the influence of the landscape on everything from Chalkhills and Children to The Wheel and the Maypole. Music from Matthew Caleb Flamm  The Tattooed Hills What Do You Call that Noise? The XTC Podcast is sponsored by Burning Shed, the online home for all XTC CD, vinyl and official merchandise. 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's Terry Chambers: 50th anniversary gig

Exactly 50 years after XTC last played the Town Gardens Bowl in Swindon, drummer Terry Chambers is returning to the open-air art deco venue with EXTC. In this episode of What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast, Terry talks about celebrating his 21st birthday in 1976 and his 71st birthday in 2026 – and the many gigs he has played in between.The all-day event on 18 July at the Town Gardens Bowl features Chris Cobbson & Roi Geyari, Mickelson and Jim Blair before EXTC take to the stage.Gayle Ramage and Mark Fisher ask the questions.EXTCMusic from Dave Beale and Darrell Roberts of Age of FreedomWhat Do You Call that Noise? The XTC Podcast is sponsored by Burning Shed, the online home for all XTC CD, vinyl and official merchandise. 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 Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast is sponsored by the online record shop, Burning Shed, which is the only place to get official XTC merchandise. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

XTC live at Emerald City with sound engineer Gary Bradshaw

In a Record Store Day exclusive, XTC are releasing Live Boots, a double-LP recording of their gig at Emerald City, New Jersey, on 17 April 1981 – exactly 45 years ago.Sitting behind the sound desk for that gig was Gary Bradshaw, this month’s guest on What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast. In a revealing interview, Gary talks about graduating from guitar tech to sound engineer and onwards to some of the biggest bands in the world, including Alison Moyet, George Michael, Pink Floyd, ELO and Take That.He also talks about jumping aboard the Police’s tour bus, the shock of seeing Andy Partridge collapse on stage and why he still rates XTC as among the finest bands there ever was.Record Store Day, 18 April 2026Music from Allan Knox and The Kettle ZoneWhat 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 Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast is sponsored by the online record shop, Burning Shed, which is the only place to get official XTC merchandise. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★