XTC

XTC were a new wave rock band from Swindon, England, led by songwriters Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding and active between 1976 and 2005. The band enjoyed some chart success, including the UK and Canadian hits "Making Plans for Nigel" (1979) and "Senses Working Overtime" (1982). Despite their three-decade career, XTC were a performing and touring band for only six of those years: they retired from live performance in 1982. For the remaining twenty-three years of their existence XTC were a studio-based project involving session players around a nucleus of Partridge, Moulding and Dave Gregory. The band are perhaps better known for long-standing critical acclaim rather than commercial success. (read more on wikipedia)

Links To Peel
Peel discovered the group when the band sent him a poster for a gig in London and demos of their material. According to Andy Partridge on an interview with the John Peel Centre, Peel attended their gig in London and liked the band so much, that he invited them for a session, despite the group not having a record deal. After the session was played, different record companies tried to sign them on. Finally Virgin succeeded signing them on in 1977. The band did four sessions for Peel and also performed the Pickin' The Blues intro on 15 October 1979 with Partridge impersonating Peel with his voice and intro of made up artists performing on the show. In 1978, XTC released a dub album called Go 2, which Peel played tracks from. Unfortunately Peel played them at the wrong speed and instead of three minutes of dub, it ended up as seven with Partridge's voice singing in a very turgid voice.

Sessions
All sessions are available on Drums And Wireless - BBC Radio Sessions 77 - 89 (1994, CD, Nighttracks)

1. Recorded: 1977-06-20. Broadcast: 24 June 1977. Repeated: 29 August 1977, 11 October 1977, 04 September 1980 2. Recorded: 1977-09-21. Broadcast: 26 September 1977. Repeated: 28 October 1977
 * She's So Square / Crosswires / Radios In Motion / Science Friction


 * Into The Atom Age / Heatwave Mark 2 / I'm Bugged / Dance Band

3. Recorded: 1978-11-13. Broadcast: 20 November 1978. Repeated: 18 December 1978, 17 January 1979


 * Meccanik Dancing / The Rhythm / New Town Animal In A Furnished Cage / Super Tuff

4. Recorded: 1979-10-08. Broadcast: 15 October 1979. Repeated: 20 November 1979, 22 April 1980


 * Opening Signature Tune And Speech / Scissor Man / Roads Girdle The Globe / Ten Feet Tall / Real By Reel

Other Shows Played
1978 1979 1980 1981 1983 1992 1996 Others
 * 25 January 1978: Unknown (track was played but is not on the recording)
 * 31 July 1978: 'Do What You Do (LP-White Music)' (Virgin)
 * 06 October 1978: Dance With me, Germany (12” EP - Go+) Virgin (JP: “Eventually I suspect I shall end up by listening to more than I listen to the XTC album (Go 2), and I like the album very well indeed.”)
 * 11 October 1978: Buzzcity Talking / Crowded Room / The Rhythm (LP - Go 2 Go 2) Virgin
 * 12 October 1978: Battery Brides (Andy Paints Brian) (LP – Go 2) Virgin
 * 12 October 1978: A Dictionary of Modern Marriage (Go+ dub bonus disc with Go 2) Virgin
 * 25 October 1978: Battery Brides (LP -Go 2) Virgin
 * 25 October 1978: A Dictionary of Modern Marriage (Go+ dub bonus disc with Go 2) Virgin
 * 31 October 1978: Are You Receiving Me? (7”) Virgin
 * 01 November 1978: Meccanik Dancing (Oh We Go!) (LP – Go 2) Virgin
 * 02 November 1978: Are You Receiving Me? (7”) Virgin
 * 07 November 1978: Red (LP – Go 2) Virgin
 * 21 November 1978: Instant Tunes (b-side 'Are You Receiving Me?' 7") Virgin
 * 20 December 1978: Crowded Room (LP – Go 2) Virgin
 * 08 January 1979: Life Is Good In The Greenhouse (LP - Go 2) Virgin
 * 24 January 1979: Beatown (LP-XTC's Go 2) Virgin
 * 09 May 1979: Life Begins At The Hop (7”) Virgin
 * 09 August 1979: Limelight (LP- Drums And Wires) Virgin
 * 09 August 1979: Chain Of Command (LP - Drums And Wires) Virgin
 * 13 August 1979: Making Plans For Nigel / Helicopter / Day In Day Out (Drums & Wires) Virgin
 * 14 August 1979: When You're Near Me / Ten Feet Tall / Roads Girdle The Globe (LP – Drums And Wires)
 * 15 August 1979: Reel By Reel / Millions / That Is The Way (LP – Drums & Wires) Virgin
 * 16 August 1979: Outside World / Scissor Man / Complicated Game (LP – Drums And Wires) Virgin
 * 29 August 1979: 'When You’re Near Me I Have Difficulty (LP-Drums & Wires)' (Virgin)
 * 12 September 1979: Helicopter (LP – Drums & Wires) Virgin
 * 17 September 1979: Bush Man President / Pulsing Pulsing
 * 24 September 1979: Ten Feet Tall (LP – Drums And Wires) Virgin
 * 04 October 1979: Complicated Game
 * 11 March 1980: Wait Till Your Boat Goes Down (7”) Virgin
 * 20 March 1980: Wait Till Your Boat Goes Down (single) Virgin
 * 25 March 1980: Wait Till Your Boat Goes Down (7”) Virgin
 * 20 August 1980: Generals And Majors (7") Virgin
 * 03 September 1980: Generals And Majors (7") Virgin
 * 03 September 1980: Living Through Another Cuba / Love At First Sight (album - Black Sea) Virgin
 * 08 September 1980: Travels In Nihilon (LP – Black Sea) Virgin
 * 09 September 1980: Respectable Street (album - Black Sea) Virgin
 * 10 September 1980: Living Through Another Cuba (LP - Black Sea) Virgin
 * 24 September 1980: Travels In Nihilon (LP - Black Sea) Virgin
 * 31 August 1981: Helicopter
 * 09 March 1983: Dance With Me, Germany (12" EP - Go+) Virgin
 * October 1983 (BBC World Service): Deliver Us From The Elements (album - Mummer) Virgin
 * 07 March 1992: 'Into the Atom Age (LP - White Music)' (Virgin)
 * 24 June 1996: Crossedwires (20/6/77)
 * 04 February 1982 (TOTP): Senses Working Overtime #15
 * Best Of Peel Vol 43: 'Atom Age (CD-White Music)' (Geffen)