XTC
XTC. Formed in Wiltshire, England in 1972 as Star Park (a clever anagram of Rats Krap) this beloved UK pop unit became the Helium Kidz in 1973 with the addition of Colin Moulding (b. 17 August 1955, Swindon, Wiltshire, England), Terry Chambers (b. 18 July 1955, Swindon, Wiltshire) and a 2nd guitarist Dave Cartner, to the nucleus of. Andy Partridge (b. 11 December 1953, Swindon, Wiltshire, England; guitar/vocals). The Kidz were then heavily influneced by the MC5 and Alice Cooper. In 1975 Partridge toyed with two new names for the band, the Dukes Of Stratosphear and XTC, the latter was a play on the word ecstacy, long before the drug became fashionable. At this time Steve Hutchins passed through the ranks and in 1976 Johnny Perkins (keyboards) joined Moulding, Partridge and Chambers. Following auditions with Pye, Decca and CBS they signed with Virgin at this time they were joined by Barry Andrews (b. 12 September, West Norwood, London, England). The band's sparkling debut WHITE MUSIC lent more to pop than the energetic new wave sound they were often aligned to. Notwithstanding the album was a hit and critics marked their name for further attention. Shortly after the release of GO2, Barry Andrews departed, eventually to resurface in Shriekback. With Andrews replaced by Dave Gregory, both GO2 and the following DRUMS AND WIRES were commercial successes (the latter was a number 2 hit in Canada). The refreshingly different hit single Making Plans For Nigel exposed them to an eagerly awaiting audience. Singles were regularly taken from their subsequent albums and they continued making the charts with quality pop songs including Sgt Rock (Is Going To Help Me) and the magnificently constructed Senses Working Overtime, which reached the UK Top 10. The main songwriter, Partridge, was able to put his sharp observations and nursery rhyme inflences to paper in a humorous and childish way that was totally palatable. The double set ENGLISH SETTLEMENT was a bitter blow, as this critically applauded work struggled to nudge the charts. Partridge fell ill through exhaustion, and nervous breakdowns, and announced that XTC would continue only as recording artists (including promotional videos). Their subsequent albums have found only limited success, although their alter ego Dukes Of Stratosphear's, albums have reputedly sold more copies. MUMMER, THE BIG EXPRESSand the highly underrrated Todd Rundgren-produced SKYLARKINGWERE all mature works, containing lyrical and musical gems. 
Their finest work to date, ORANGES AND LEMONS, perceptively captured the feeling of the late '60s; this faultless album remains a perplexing commercial mystery. While it sold 500,000 copies in the USA, it barely made the UK Top 30. The highly commercial Mayor Of Simpleton found similar fate, at a desultory number 46, while Chalkhills And Children remains an unrecognised classic. Partridge is a home-bird and is at his happiest when in Wiltshire. The lyric from Chalkhills And Children states; ‘Chalkhills and children anchor my feet, chalkhills and children, bringing me back to earth eternally and ever Ermine Street’… In 1992 the credible NONSUCH entered the UK album charts and two weeks later promptly disappeared. The Dissappointed from that album, was nominated for an Ivor Novello songwriters award in 1993. Quite what Andy Partridge, his colleagues in the band and Virgin Records feel they have to do, remains uncertain. Partridge once joked that Virgin retain them only as a tax loss! XTC remain one of the most original pop bands of the era and Partridge's lyrics put him alongside Ray Davies as one of the UK's cleverest and most brilliantly eccentric writers. 
Dukes Of Stratosphear. An alter ego of XTC, this group was a vehicle for Andy Partridge's psychedelic frustrations of being born a decade or two out of time. Both albums released so far contain brilliant pastiches of virtually every pop band during the mid-to late '60s. In many cases the Dukes’ tongue-in-cheek parables are far superior to the songs to which they are gently alluding. It was suggested that their albums actually outsold the XTC product available at the