History Music / XTC

* MeddlingParents: "Making Plans for Nigel".

Partridge continues to release occasional material, usually one-off singles and EPs.

* HeterosexualLifePartners: Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding, at least before the latter's departure effectively ended the band. They grew up together and Partridge even described their relationship as a "male marriage." Their partnership very obviously spurred each other on, with Andy admitting that nothing gave him greater impetus to write than having Colin present a good song to the band -- he felt he had to keep up. In the nearly 25 years the duo worked together, they spurred each other to create 13 full-length albums (and enough non-album material to fill up several more.) Since XTC broke up, though, their productivity has plummeted precipitously. Though both Partridge and Moulding have continued to occasionally record material, it's been mostly very, ''very'' widely-spaced one-off singles or EPs (and also in Partidge's case, the odd experimental instrumental recording). In fact, in the over two decades since XTC's last album ''Wasp Star'', neither Partridge nor Moulding has managed to release even ''one'' complete full-length album of newly-written pop songs.

The band's other two initial members were keyboardist Barry Andrews (who left after two albums in 1979 and was replaced by Gregory; Andrews wound up joining [[Music/KingCrimson Robert Fripp & The League of Gentlemen]] shortly thereafter and later formed his own group, Shriekback), and drummer Terry Chambers (who left in 1983 when the band's retirement from touring severely cut into his income, and was replaced by a series of session musicians for each album).

The band retired from touring definitively in 1982 after Partridge [[CreatorBreakdown suffered a severe mental breakdown]], forcing their world tour to be cancelled. They remained studio-bound for the rest of their career, making occasional live appearances on radio and television (like a 1989 appearance on ''[[Creator/DavidLetterman Late Night with David Letterman]]'' where [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Amx5CK7vdoc Partridge looks absolutely uncomfortable]]). In response to the loss of touring income, Chambers left and moved to Australia. Partridge, Moulding and Gregory didn't bother to replace him, instead recruiting session drummers on an album-per-album basis. These drummers have included: Pete Phipps (Gary Glitter, Music/{{Eurythmics}}), Prairie Prince (The Tubes), Dave Mattacks (Music/FairportConvention), Pat Mastelotto (Mr. Mister, Music/KingCrimson) and Dave's brother Ian Gregory.

* FilkSong: See above with Partridge's love of comics.

Now independent and benefiting from a large settlement obtained from Virgin (Partridge had discovered the label withheld substantial royalties from them), XTC formed their own record label and Partridge and Moulding installed recording studios in their own homes. A double album of material written during the dispute named ''Apple Venus'' was planned, which was eventually released in two volumes in 1999 and 2000, the second album containing their last major single, "I'm the Man Who Murdered Love". However, the band experienced a new setback when Gregory left in 1999 due to a conflict with Partridge and Moulding. Their fanbase became absolutely incensed by this announcement, with fans slamming Partridge and Moulding for forcing Gregory's departure. The band itself disintegrated shortly afterwards due to Moulding's decreasing contributions and lack of interest, with Partridge officially announcing XTC's breakup in 2006. However, Patridge, Moulding and Gregory are all still good friends with one another - in 2003, the three of them performed a charity gig as The Dukes of Stratosphear - so the chance of a reunion, while slim due to Moulding's continued disinterest in making music, is always possible.

* HeterosexualLifePartners: Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding, at least before the latter's departure effectively ended the band. They grew up together and Partridge even described their relationship as a "male marriage." Their partnership very obviously spurred each other on, with Andy admitting that nothing gave him greater impetus to write than having Colin present a good song to the band -- he felt he had to keep up. In the nearly 25 years the duo worked together, they spurred each other to create 13 full-length albums (and enough non-album material to fill up several more.) Since XTC broke up, though both Partridge and Moulding have continued to occasionally record material, in the two decades since their last album ''Wasp Star'', neither Partridge nor Moulding has managed to release even one complete full-length album of newly-written pop songs.

* LyricalDissonance: Don't let the vocal harmonies or upbeat backing track fool you, "Big Day"'s lyrics are a bit more skeptical and realistic towards marriage. And under all those catchy Beatles riffs, "Earn Enough For Us" is [[http://www.lyricsfreak.com/x/xtc/earn+enough+for+us_20147942.html a huge Angst-fest]] about being married and [[PerpetualPoverty broke]].

XTC throughout their existence were based around the two main songwriters, Partridge and Moulding. Their initial style was a frantic, hyperactive variation of [[NewWaveMusic New Wave]] that added in elements of {{Funk}}, PunkRock, {{Ska}} and {{Reggae}}. This [[NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly stylistic fusion]] found favour with the contemporary PunkRock movement, and the band gained some success with its first two albums.

* ContemptibleCover: The original artwork for ''Skylarking'', rejected by Virgin and used for the 2010 remaster, featuring a shot of female pubic hair with flowers. Yet somehow, Virgin accepted as a substitute a cover that depicted a naked man and woman playing flutes.

* TheGreatPoliticsMessUp: According to "Living Through Another Cuba", recorded in 1980, the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. were due for another replay in 1998.

** The cover art for ''The Big Express'' is a photo of the wheel of a steam train against a black background.
* MisognySong: "Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me)". According to Andy, he wrote the song as "a bit of fun", played it to the band, and started to have second thoughts. The record company, however, liked it, and effectively forced Andy to release it as a single. Consequently, Andy [[CreatorBacklash disowned the song after it was released]].
* MoneySong: Or, rather, ''[[BrokeEpisode lack]]'' of money song - "Love on a Farmboy's Wages", "Earn Enough for Us", "Paper and Iron" and "Bungalow"

* ReligionRantSong: "Dear God"

* XMakesAnythingCool: Andy Partridge chose to spell the band's name this way, adapted from a phrase by Jimmy Durante, because he thought that it looked good in print. The band quickly becoming a critical darling might have proved him right.

* HeterosexualLifePartners: Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding, at least before the latter's departure effectively ended the band. They grew up together and Partridge even described their relationship as a "male marriage." Their partnership very obviously spurred each other on, with Andy admitting that nothing gave him greater impetus to write than having Colin present a good song to the band -- he felt he had to keep up. Since XTC broke up, both Partridge and Moulding have continued to occasionally record material in various guises (sometimes with very long gaps between projects) but in the two decades since ''Wasp Star'', neither Partridge nor Moulding has managed to release even one complete full-length album of newly-written pop songs.

-->-- "Summer's Cauldron"

** The two they made as the Dukes of Stratosphear: "The Mole from the Ministry" is very much an AffectionateParody of ''Film/MagicalMysteryTour'' and "You're a Good Man Albert Brown" is a psychedelic Punch and Judy show.

* XMakesAnythingCool: Andy Partridge chose to spell the band's name this way, adapted from a phrase by Jimmy Durante, because he thought that it looked good in print. The band quickly becoming a critical darling might have proved him right.

** They got Music/ToddRundgren to produce ''Skylarking'' and ended up with acrimony. Partridge is still kind of pissed off by what he perceives as Rundgren's JerkAss-ish behaviour. Other observers feel that Rundgren and Partridge were just never ever going to get along, as ''both'' sides were inflexible. The problem? XTC had produced their last three albums assisted by an engineer, and Partridge was used to the control that gave him over the finished product. Rundgren, meanwhile, was hired at the label's insistence to produce a record that would be commercially viable, and was used to having complete control in the studio ... after all, he wasn't hired to ''co''-produce the record, he was hired as '''the''' producer. Over time, Partridge has reluctantly admitted that Rundgren's work as producer on the record was what the album needed ... though he will still slam his work as a recording engineer. (A "reversed polarity" issue had to be fixed for a later reissue of the album.)

* RecordProducer: They got Music/ToddRundgren to produce ''Skylarking'' and ended up with acrimony. Partridge is still kind of pissed off by Rundgren's JerkAss-ish behaviour. They haven't really complained about the other producers they worked with.

* HeterosexualLifePartners: Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding, at least before the latter's departure effectively ended the band. They grew up together and Partridge even described their relationship as a "male marriage."

* YouKeepUsingThatWord: Andy initially chose the title of ''Nonsuch'' after seeing a picture of now-demolished Nonsuch Palace and assuming "nonsuch" meant "nonexistent". It actually means "unique".

* LennonSpecs: One of Andy Partridge's visual trademarks.

* [[RevolvingDoorBand Revolving Drummer Band]]: After Terry Chambers left, the remaining members recruited a new drummer for every album, to the point where fans called the band members Andy, Colin, David and "The Drummer".

* YourCheatingHeart: "Another Satellite" is about Partridge's collapsing marriage to his wife Marianne and his relationship with Erica Wexler. Andy's been with her ever since his divorce.